<p>Matty, this was a NON issue. First of all, it was not a show with PARTS and casting per se. But second of all, like I mentioned previously, it is not like there is a student run musical normally in our school and not like she was chosen director or something of that sort. </p>
<p>Rather, she INITIATED this idea on her own. It was sorta like her "project" or something she really wanted to do. She did the first one last year in tenth grade and asked about a dozen kids if they wanted to be in her show. Almost everyone was older than her. She asked kids who basically are the ones interested in musicals/theater and who participate in this sort of stuff, can sing, etc. She wrote the entire show, organized every aspect of it and even wrote out a "contract" or agreement with everyone and set a schedule, etc. It is hard to explain in a post but she is a leader, I suppose, and someone with drive and creativity. None of the kids questioned it. Rather they were very psyched at the idea and flattered to be asked to be a part of it. She picked a time when the fall drama and fall sports would be ending and before the spring musical started rehearsing. She even chose songs with certain kids in mind based on their strengths. I think in retrospect, many commented on her selections as being very fitting for who performed them or were featured in them. I think kids just respected her. I don't know how to put it but she has the most experience or passion in this field of pretty much the school. First she wrote the show and when she held the first meeting, she shared her score and outline of the show and who would be singing what. She opened it up for discussion because she wanted to make sure if kids had requests or any changes/additions, she wanted it to be "theirs" but shockingly (to me), everyone liked the show the way she had written it and were happy with songs she picked for them. She wore many "hats"....creator, organizer/producer, director, musical director (taught all music, harmonies at piano), choreographer (did most of it but gave two other girls with dance backgrounds a chance to choregraph something too but I'd say she and one other girl had the most extensive dance background of anyone involved so again, kids respected that), and performer...plus she did the lighting design, publicity, program design (it was a huge undertaking, admittedly, on TOP of numerous hours of extracurriculars she does, plus academics of course, lol). She did not make herself the "star" of the show but rather featured everyone..again zeroing in on their particular strengths. While she was younger than everyone, she does not come across that way though I find it interesting to see 18 year old boys listening to some 15 year old girl! While she was the one "running" this entire endeavor, she really tried to approach everyone with everything as a group effort. When it came time to publicity and a parent who does PR wanted to get it on the radio and she saw the copy first, she insisted that her own name NOT be mentioned in any capacity but rather it be called a student run cabaret. On the program, she did not want to be listed as director and all the other hats. She wanted the show to belong to the kids. In the end, they all took ownership proudly of this endeavor ,particularly as it had never happened at school before. They were interviewed on local TV about it. Kids were really into it. She allowed the program just to list her many hats as "artistic coordinator" and while the cast gave her flowers on stage at the end, she really did not want any focus on herself because this was something she had done out of love of the process. Kids and community members felt like it was like nothing else done there before and some said it was the best show they had seen done at the school ( I don't know about THAT as our musicals are very good but people were saying that, maybe cause it was so different). In fact, doing Wizard of Oz for the school musical afterward, was a let down to many because the cabaret was way more sophisticated in the song selections and featured so more kids who otherwise would not have been as featured in the musical. I think for my D, she loved seeing her ideas come alive and helping others realize their own dreams and feelings of accomplishment. </p>
<p>So, this year, kids wanted her to do it again, though many in the cast had graduated last year. She created a new cabaret musical even more sophisticated than the first one (the show had more themes running through it I think). Nobody questioned her directing it again. In fact, had she not written and organized another show, it never would have happened. Unlike at your school, there was no "organization" in place. It was really her own idea/project, not sure how else to put it. Nobody was resenting or asking to do it differently. I think they liked her ideas plus she has an extensive knowledge of the musical theater repertoire that she was introducing others to who would not have known these songs. Kids were thanking her for the songs she had picked out FOR them. I know it might sound weird to say that but it is not like the kinds of kids you find at let's say, SDM, where each kid would want a big say in the songs and parts as they are all passionate about theater. The kids here just respected her leadership and knowledge and organization and teaching of the music (much of which she arranged herself....she is a pianist ) and seemed to like her choreography. It just was a nonissue that she was in it, as well as running it. I believe they wanted her in it. She tends to play lead roles in the musicals, and kids just know this is her lifelong passion and ambition. Our school is kinda small (600 kids). This year, there is only one other student besides her, going on to pursue a BFA in MT. In fact, that girl and she have created and organized a summer program for youth ages 9-14 where they will teach singing, acting and dance but a huge part of it will be directing them in a musical theater cabaret that my D and the other girl will write. Kids have signed up. My daughter secured a theater venue for free. I think families in the community knew who she was from shows here but also if they saw the cabarets, the kids (many from the middle school at her high school) are psyched that she is creating a cabaret musical for THEM now. She and the other girl are getting paid tuition fees for their program and earning money for those two weeks, equivalent to a full time summer job, to take to college for spending money. So, one thing has led to another with this kind of student run endeavor. </p>
<p>Overall, she did not "raise eyebrows" but to the contrary, students were THANKING her for giving THEM this opportunity. Kids were writing in their bios thanks to her for this experience which they never would have had if she had not initiated it and ran it. There just never was a question about her also performing in the show. Kids respected her voice and dance skills and wanted her in the show. That issue just never came up. It is not a competitive atmosphere. It is not like the school is full of theater "divas" but quite the opposite. So, maybe the idea of NOT upsetting others has something to either do with her being a leader/initiator/creator type person, or kids respecting her passion for musical theater, or simply that there was not competition or resentments but more joy in the process and appreciation that someone came up with it and was capable of pulling it off. I have no idea what will happen now that she is leaving. I'd love to see it happen again there and be carried on. It an ambitious undertaking which fell on the shoulders of one person who was involved in an adult production herself d uring the planning months, 50 miles from our house, on top of all the rest of the ECs. I find that kids were happy to have someone else do all the work. She liked to delegate responsibilities (ie, publicity, program) but sometimes found it was hard to rely on people and easier to do oneself, when they did not come through. </p>
<p>This week, she is reconvening her cabaret cast for an assignment she is doing for her History/English class which she is doing on Sondheim and Jonathan Larson....comparing them in a major research/analytic paper, etc. She is doing a 40 minute presentation where she is coupling songs from each composer around certain themes in their work and while she is performing many songs herself while accompanying herself on piano, she has asked the cabaret kids to perform several solos/duets/group numbers for her "project" for the class even though many are not in the course but she wanted more singers...she will be pianist but also sing with them. So, there was a sort of "bonding" with this cast who shared this similar interest, even though they are not all friends outside this endeavor. </p>
<p>I guess the only difference in your dilemma is if you do a scripted show and cast yourself as the lead or something. But if you do a musical cabaret revue, I can't see why kids would mind you being IN the show as long as you were no more featured than them. But I don't know if you have a committee or just what. If you do, I suppose that changes things because jobs are given out, etc. In her case, there was no organization or committee and it was more like one girl's "baby" that she wanted to birth. Perhaps that is why the dynamics that concern your project never arose in this endeavor. In your case, perhaps you can talk to the group about wanting to direct but concern that there are not enough boys for the show and what did the others think about that. Otherwise, you could simply choose to direct the student run musical next year and then be a performer in the regular musical or some other production....ya know, a turn at each of your "loves". It is not like this show will be your only chance to perform. </p>
<p>Susan</p>