<p>Angst, I did buy the DVD but I got a letter from SDM in yesterday’s mail saying that taping was not allowed of “Aida” and “Miss Saigon” because of the special arrangement with MTI. It said only SDM could tape these shows for “archive” purposes. I know they asked parents not to video tape at the show but I am not sure if this means we won’t be able to purchase a video/DVD either. </p>
<p>Did anyone else get this letter and understand what it means??</p>
<p>Hello everyone,</p>
<p>This is Lauren’s mom, Vicki. (Lauren started this thread back in June). She is at camp now and asked me to get on the board and give everyone an update. She was first cast in the ensemble of something called Celebration, but she asked to be switched and is now in Little Shop of Horrors, which she’s a lot happier with. She’s pretty disappointed because she did not get a “real” part. Also she tried out for singing master class and for a small singing solo in LSofH and did not make either of those. She says 90 kids auditioned for the master class and 10 were selected, so I guess she realizes it was very competitive. Despite the disappointments, she seems to be having a good time (I think) though the emotions have been up and down. We’ll see how it goes! Any other major developments, I’ll try to get back here and post.</p>
<p>Wow, Soozievt: Thanks so much for all of your info on SDM! I have some thinking to do in the next few months before I need to really start deciding what experience I want for the 2006 summer. SDM is definitley something I’m going to check into and tell my parents about, while I look at some other programs. </p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>Ontherun - thanks for your kind words about son’s performance. He had a good time and we enjoyed watching the show. We also greatly enjoyed the production of Aida-it was really great. I had heard that MTI would not allow the show to be taped for sale purposes. My son was under the impression that SDM would tape it for archival reasons and sell it to the parents of the kids in that show. You might want to call the camp and ask. I did not receive such a letter because there was no problem with How to Succeed.
I was wearing a brown headband but because of the heat I put my hair up in a clip and took my headband off. You said you had brown chin length hair so I approached 2 ladies fitting that description and asked them if they were ontherun. You should have seen the funny look I got, so I stopped asking women. But, I was standing near my son on line to go see Aida, so yes, I probably was there. In any regard, it was a lovely weekend. I also wish you a belated birthday-you are lucky, my birthday was the second day of camp (session II) and my son didn’t call. He said they wouldn’t let him, but before we left after dropping him off, he wished me a happy birthday.
DefGrav mom-hope Lauren is having a better time. Little Shop is a great show! By now she is involved in her classes and her routine, so she knows what to expect. Hope things are good with her roomies and all is well. Tell her that her CC friends wish her well.</p>
<p>Hey it is nice to finally “meet” YOU! Been going back and forth with Lauren on here so it is cool to meet her mom. Thanks for coming on to give us an update about her at third session at SDM as we have come to know her on here so we all were thinking about her. </p>
<p>My thoughts on her shows…I’m not truly that into switching shows, just being honest. However, here is what I think. Your daughter, along with most kids, likely never heard of Celebration and so it does not sound as exciting to them when they get a show that they know nothing about. It is like a big unknown or does not sound as good in some fashion. But just to tell you, Celebration is a revue style musical. SDM usually has one revue style show every session and these can be really great for a few reasons. It is not the same as having a character part so much but the real plus is that a revue can feature MANY kids, not leads and in fact, often MANY kids solo in a revue. There is a very good chance that she’d have been given more to do in Celebration as an individual than as ensemble in Little Shop. I’ve seen many revues at Stagedoor. My own kid has done two. One was Perfectly Frank which is a revue of Frank Loessur’s music and I thought this show was wonderful, directed by David Melloncamp. In fact, one of my D’s solos from that show, which she did at age 9 1/2 became a song she performed for a few college audtions this year and when I saw the director at SDM two weeks ago, I gave him the pleasure to know that the song he added to that show for my daughter as a little girl, was used to get into college. The other revue she did there was a one time show created for that year by a director they brought in (AMAZING man who had danced on Broadway, but has no legs, just prosthetic ones and he has won an Emmy too for choreography!) and it was called Another Openin’ Another Show which consisted of 40 opening production numbers from 40 different musicals. It was extremely good and very entertaining and in fact, featured so many kids in solos. So, revues have some big benefits in terms of solo singing, but not as much in terms of character acting.</p>
<p>Anyway, with regard to Little Shop, she is going to have the same director that my daughter had for Perfectly Frank, David Melloncamp. I think he is great and I have seen many shows he has put on there. The only other one my D did with him was Oklahoma. Again, very well done. The lead female from that show is now in the BFA for MT at CMU. I was sorry that David was not there first session this year or that my daughter has not worked with him since she was eleven. But I think your daughter will truly love Little Shop, as well as working with this director. He works with kids all year, as well. </p>
<p>Remember that once the info. about casting dies down, it will all be about the EXPERIENCE. I bet it will be a great production. I do not know your D’s theatrical background or how many shows she has done or at what level but if she has only done school shows or community theater, she is in for a treat doing a high quality youth production at SDM. Little Shop has wonderful ensemble songs. I think she’ll have a great time. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>PS, give her my best and tell her to break a leg and simply go have fun!</p>
<p>AudiB4-I guess I could have had a certain color shirt to look for or something! Oh well, the things we think of AFTER the fact! At least your son had a stand out part, try explaining to people who your child is when they are in an ensemble with a bunch of other kids dressed in similar costumes! LOL. It was fun. I met the other Moms because I happened to be standing nearby when they mentioned their daughters’ names. I wish we could have chatted. Your son was very polite by the way. Is he going to SDM next year? If my D does, it will probably be just one session, six weeks is a long time (maybe not for her but it is for me!)</p>
<p>Well I ordered it the last day of camp. It was on the list of shows…so I sure hope I get it. If not I imagine they will issue me a refund.</p>
<p>Its funny how I met “Ontherun”. …hubby and I were standing up doing a break in Aida and I said D’s name and she overheard and came over cus there was only one kid in the cast with that name! </p>
<p>At the hotel (the lodge) at breakfast …“Scognor” looked at me and said SDM and I looked at him and said CC! LOL thats how I met scog and his lovely wife. Also met a few other nice people there that said they may join CC!</p>
<p>And of course I met BrownSugar and her hubby as our girls roomed together.</p>
<p>To Laurens mom…tell Lauren to enjoy her show and not to worry about what she didnt get in. Tell her to focus on the classes and have fun! My D. did not try out for the master class in singing, because she felt other classes would benefit her more and didnt realize how many try out for that one.
We look forward to hearing from her when she gets back!</p>
<p>ontherun and angst, sorry I didn’t get to meet you. My S met all my CC
“friends”. I guess because of his part, people knew to approach him so he told me that Scog came up to him as well as some of you others.Thanks for the compliment-he is a really good kid, no problems here.
We are not sure if he will be returning next year. Originally the intention was for him to just go one session this year. It was a last minute decision and there was an openning. When he came home, he commented that he would like to go back one session. Because he is graduating, he really can’t go first session (it starts the day after his graduation, and he will have grandparents etc here to celebrate). Third session may be too late and too close to going to college-we will need some time to get him ready for school. So that leaves second session only. That would be fine, but I will be celebrating a BIG birthday and my husband would like to take a nice family vacation together to celebrate. It would probably fall during session II. So, right now I want to test the waters- I want to see if my S still feels passionate about camp in a few months or if right now he is still in the “high” of this past session. We will see.</p>
<p>I finally got two letters from my daughter (age 12). She is having a WONDERFUL time; I have never seen so many exclamation points in one letter! I’ll let HER tell you what’s going on:</p>
<p>"Dear Mommy and Daddy,</p>
<p>YAY!!! I am in the funnest show ever!! I didn’t get a lead (but I didn’t expect to) but I am in a show with NON-STOP music and dance! It’s a show where we are onstage the WHOLE TIME! I love it! I am so happy! 
And my whole room is in the same play! Isn’t that crazy? Well by now I’m sure your [sic] dying to know what I’m in… [next page] ONCE ON THIS ISLAND!!! I’m a story teller and a bird. I’m so happy and proud! It is the funnest show EVER! [underlined six times] My classes are fantabulous as well… And the food is really good…"</p>
<p>You get the idea. Seems as though she “likes” Stagedoor, hmm?</p>
<p>Also, for any prospective campers and their parents, you should know that I had e-mailed a quick question to the camp staff – just a minor isssue, really – and Barb called me this afternoon. I didn’t expect a call and I thought that sort of responsiveness is worthy of mention. Barb was incredibly nice on the phone (can’t wait to meet her) and she confirmed that my D is doing well and “always has a smile on her face.”</p>
<p>D’s friend (13) is doing very well, too. She is in the ensemble of “The Wiz” and is one of the flying monkeys. She told her mother she is having a great time but is a little homesick (her mom says that has nothing to do with the camp, but rather is her nature). She made all of the advanced dance classes, but was a little disappointed that Advanced Ballet and Advanced Jazz were offered at the same time… so she picked the ballet and I think took a different jazz class.</p>
<p>Tenorsmom, have you heard what show your S is in? We are going to try to see as many shows as we can during production weekend, and maybe we will be able to see him in his show. </p>
<p>Vicki, I hope that Lauren enjoys being in “Little Shop” – also a terrific show! I acknowledge that an older teen will have a different experience than a 12-year-old, and not be quite as “sky high,” necessarily… but I do hope she enjoys her time at SD.</p>
<p>Thanks for the opportunity to share the news!</p>
<p>Hi Mom4Life. I’m so glad to see that your D is so happy at Stagedoor. My S is in the Wiz and made OTC for the first time this year. Once on an Island sounds like a fun show. If I hear any other news I’ll let you know</p>
<p>Mom4Life…Yay, two letters! And what letters they were!!! :D</p>
<p>I’m real happy for your daughter. I think she will love being in Once on This Island. You ought to get a CD of this musical and listen to the great music. Being in ensemble varies from musical to musical. In some shows, the ensemble does not do that much. For instance, when I saw Violet at camp, the ensemble did VERY little. First session, in Cabaret, the ensemble that were not Kit Kat Girls, also did very little. But in some musicals, the ensemble does a LOT. For instance, one year at SDM, my D was ensemble in 42nd Street and the ensemble did lots. Well, Once on This Island is a musical where the ensemble does a REAL LOT. Like your D said, the cast is on stage for the whole musical. Much of the musical is sung through. True, that the named parts get to solo, the ensemble is very significant in this musical. Sounds pretty perfect for her first SDM show! I’m sure you feel great getting such a positive note. Be happy she wrote. My D used to not be good about writing. I’d get the initial happy letter that you got with the casting and that sometimes would be IT! Thanks for sharing.</p>
<p>Tenorsmom, yippee for your son! Congrats to him for being cast in OTC. I’m sure he will love that experience. What role is he doing in The Wiz? That is another great show and I have seen that one done at SDM as well. Several close friends of my D’s were in lead roles in that several years ago and they have all gone on to do great stuff. Fun show, some great songs. My D loves your son’s director, James Bond (yes, that really IS his name).</p>
<p>You guys will have to fill us all in on performance weekend happenings. I don’t know any kids at camp right now and we always love to hear how it went. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Susan
My S is playing the Lion. He had James Bond last year. He played The Mikado. He doesn’t give me many details he just wanted me to send the cd of The Wiz and an 8x10 picture of him when he was little. I have never seen the cabaret and my son hasn’t told me much about it. (I know more from you) I am looking forward to seeing it. When is it put on? Is it Saturday night?</p>
<p>The lion! What a GREAT part! Wish I could see it. </p>
<p>The cabaret is performed Tuesday night of the last week for the rest of the campers but also again on Saturday night at around 11:15 or so after all the other shows have ended (brief break for these kids to change for their second show of the evening if they had just performed a Sat. night performance) for the parents. The cabaret is in the Playhouse. This is not how it used to be done. They used to put two shows on during the final week at two different resort hotel nightclubs (The Raleigh and Kutshers) and then again late Saturday night for the campers and the parents of cast members. </p>
<p>For the baby picture, you need to get an enlargement of any picture…can be baby or toddler…8 x 10 and then laminate it. These baby “headshots” are used at the very end of the performance. Shockingly, my D who loses things left and right, still has the one I enlarged 8 years ago and has used it every year. One year, she obviously could not find it in her room at camp because sure enough, I’m watching the show and at the end, she is holding up a picture of a baby and it wasn’t HER as a baby! </p>
<p>The cabaret is an excellent production with very talented kids. It is also very entertaining and fast paced. There are about 40 songs (or parts of songs) in it. Some are done by the whole cast, some in small groups or duets, some as solos. The show is blocked (not like a recital at all) and there is choreography in it as well. A huge chunk of the show stays the same session after session, year after year. But some of the solo songs vary from year to year and there are some other changes over the years but the bulk of the numbers are the same so there is this “core” of the show that once learned, you know for next time. All of it is learned in about 13 days. The kids have to wear any combination of clothing with a color scheme of black, white, and red. They don’t have to wear all three color necessarily. </p>
<p>Hope that helps and congrats to your son again. I think he is in for a treat of a session.</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>tenorsmom,</p>
<p>The last time “The Wiz” was done at SDM, my D was Dorothy, one of her very best friends (going to be a Freshman at Tisch) was the Tin Man, the boy who was Jekyll in Session 1 “Jeykll & Hyde” was the Scarecrow and another OTC alum was the Lion. I’m not sure what he did this summer or if he graduated HS this year (Soozie, any ideas?). Anyway, it was a wonderful production, directed by a talented director who didn’t come back this year. I think he got some prestigious directing job this summer in London.</p>
<p>I know that your son will have a wonderful time. Be sure to report back after performance weekend.</p>
<p>Soozie
Thank you for your info about OTC and your well wishes. You are very kind and supportive.</p>
<p>Freelance
When did your D do The Wiz? How old is she now?</p>
<p>Unfortunately I just found out that my S has bronchitis. They took him to urgent care and got him medications so I hope he will get better soon. The camp told him to take it easy and only do as much as he was comfortable with. He said he was in master voice but may not do it if it is too much for his voice. I know that they are taking good care of him, but as a mother it would be nice to be there for him.</p>
<p>Hi tenorsmom - </p>
<p>I don’t know if you’ve seen the vocal health/medical voice threads here on the board, but I’m going to bump them up for you - please read them and if you can be in touch with your son, absolutely insist that he DOESN’T sing until he’s REALLY healed. I am sure the SDM people are taking fabulous care of him, but ultimately if he tells them he “can” sing, they can’t argue unless he sounds HORRIBLE - but he could still FEEL horrible and SOUND ok. I’m also sure he’s a sensible, smart kid - but I responded to your post cause I thought, “Oh, what a bummer for this poor kid to be DYING to sing and to feel restricted - but he DOES need to restrict himself.” Anything he “misses out on” from having to rest vocally will be worth the healing time (and possible further injury) he saves himself. And since he’s the Lion, he probably has a powerful voice and what I like to call “chords of steel” - meaning he can usually successfully “sing through” fatigue, illness, etc. HOWEVER - my own most “chords of steel”-ish student was the one who pushed himself a little too much through illness and ending up vocally hemorhagging (a story I tell in the thread I’m going to bump) - which proved firsthand to me that even my best singers are NOT vocally “invincible.”</p>
<p>I don’t mean to alarm you or discourage your son - I just want him to heal sufficiently before he “busts out” what I’m sure is his AMAZING voice again! So if he can TOTALLY rest vocally (NO talking, singing softly, or humming), so much the better - tell him to carry around a pad and pen to communicate with - his SDM peers will totally respect that! If you can purchase and send him a personal steamer, do that ASAP cause it will help TREMENDOUSLY (you will find my discussion of this on the bumped threads). Tell him NO menthol cough drops, only something like Fruit Breezers, and to curtail his coughing as much as possible.</p>
<p>Please PM or email if I can be of any further help!</p>
<p>CoachC (the vocal health police )</p>
<p>to coachc
Thank you so much for your advice and concern. I’m off the drugstore for a steamer and Halls Fruit Breezers. Also I will pass on your advice to my S. Thanks also for the bumped threads.</p>
<p>We have returned from our post-SDM stay in NYC (with many stories to tell, including my wife getting pulled up on stage at “Spamalot” and a wonderful conversation we had with Marc Kudisch after a performance of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”–he was gracious, informative and very supportive of Jess’ MT dreams) and I wanted to briefly weigh in on Jess’ SDM experience and our impressions of the camp and performance weekend. She had a great time and clearly enjoyed being immersed in theatre and surrounded by two hundred plus theatre geeks. SDM is not the place to go if you (or your child) want luxurious accomodations and a multitude of other activities–this place is theatre, 24/7!! We joked with several parents and staffers that the tennis courts at SDM were probably the least used courts in the world!! Jess was extremely lucky to have been part of the ensemble for “Follies” as it was her first time at SDM–I didn’t realize how fortunate she was until we found ourselves absolutely blown away by the “Follies” production!! We saw both performances and could not believe that these kids (under Jeff’s able direction) were able to present such a polished production with less than two weeks of rehearsal. It was not a stretch to say that every member of the “Follies” cast was a potential “triple threat”–an incredibly talented group of kids and it was a pleasure to be able to see Jess onstage with them. We also were able to see a very nice production of “Aida” and caught bits and pieces of one or two other shows. We were also lucky enough to catch OTC late Saturday night at Jess’ urging since she said we had to hear Kent (who was Jim in “Big River” and has already been written about on this thread). Kent was just one of several very impressive talents in the OTC group. </p>
<p>I could go on about the performances but what struck me most was how nice these kids were. Jess made tons of friends and each one was as delightful as the next. While it certainly helped that Jess was already friendly with 2 of the kids in her room, I don’t think she ever felt that she was excluded from anything because she was a “newbie” and she certainly didn’t have any trouble making friends there. She actually had several planned and unplanned meetings with SDM’ers during our week in NYC and we couldn’t be happier with her (and our) choice of SDM this summer. Great to meet Angst and Dramamama and sorry I missed Audi but (as did most of us) we did get to meet Audi’s S and congratulate him on his performances in “How to Succeed”…</p>
<p>And, yes, at this very moment, Jess is listening to the cast recording of “Follies”–SDM magic, indeed!!</p>
<p>Freelance, the boy who played the Lion that year in The Wiz, was not back at SDM for his first time in like 8 years. So, I am not sure what he is doing now. However, I am pretty sure he is just going into 12th grade (like my D should be) so he is not off to college yet. </p>
<p>Tenorsmom, though I am not Freelance, I can tell you that her D’s production of The Wiz was third session 2002 and quite wonderful. And yes, the leads in that show are doing great things. Freelance’s D (Dorothy) is about to begin CCM, the Tin Man is off to Tisch (Stella Adler for acting), and the Scarecrow who was new at the time played leads at SDM last year and this year. He was fantastic as Jekyll/Hyde in my D’s show and I hear outstanding as Radames in Aida. He is entering 11th grade. </p>
<p>I hope your son rests his voice. Luckily this is not the third week. He can be on vocal rest while learning the show and hopefully be just fine production week. Sorry it happened. For your sake, keep in touch with the camp, and the nurse’s office. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Dear Scogor-thank you for your kind words regarding S and How to Succeed. He is home and missing his SDM family. He has already had “play dates” with several and even made plans to go into the city and take a dance class with several of his peers with their master jazz teacher who teaches at Steps. I am sorry I missed Follies as I heard it was wonderful and knowing some of the cast, I am sure it was a pleasure to see (and hear). It unfortunately played the same time as Follies. My S has previously worked with Jeff Murphy and know his productions to be wonderful.
Glad to hear you also had time to take in many Broadway shows. I just saw Lennon last night and while it was not my favorite thing on Broadway, it was quite enjoyable and the 9 people who comprised the cast, were outstanding-Terrence Mann and Julia Murney (a former SDM
alum) were terrific. And what made the experience even more special, was Yoko Ono sitting 5 rows ahead of us. I can’t believe she can relive his death etc. over and over, but she was up and clapping to Give Peace a Chance and Imagine. If you like the Beatles, you may want to see this show as it chronicles his life with and without them. The singers were unbelievable!!!
Glad to hear everyone is happy this session. I think these are wonderful shows that have been selected and wish I could go up and catch a few.
However, this is not in the cards but we wish everyone a great time and “break a leg” to all involved.</p>