First and foremost, THANK YOU for joining us tonight. After 8 wonderful weeks of diving into the world of Stephen Sondheim, the cast and crew of Into the Woods, JR. could not be more excited to share with you the results of just under 70 hours of learning, rehearsal, and team work.
For anyone familiar with Stephen Sondheim, or familiar with Into the Woods, you may be asking, "How on earth will a middle school pull off a show of this magnitude?" Well, here is where I begin the bragging on my incredible students.
As I have expressed to many parents this past year, this group of theatre students is a special one and I am continually amazed by them. Throughout this process, I have seen the educational and artistic growth from each and every student involved in this production. From their willingness to attend optional rehearsals and set build days, to their intense desires to contribute and work on project after project, to their insistence upon going over their songs and dances in their spare time... this is a 100% combined effort and commitment to theatre that I have not seen in my years of teaching.
Dr. Paul Sikes, Mrs. Alexander, Mrs. Brindley, and Mrs. Willmann: THANK YOU for your constant support of the arts and consistently checking in to see that theatre has what we need.
Parents, THANK YOU for sharing your children with me. Thank you for trusting me and partnering with me to help your students emerse themselves in the beautiful world of theatre. Your patience and support throughout this process is something that I will never be able to thank you for enough.
To the cast and crew of Into the Woods, JR., THANK YOU for the countless hours of hard work you have put into making this production something to be proud of. When I picked this show, I had every single one of you in mind and I knew it could be done, and done well. Our community will be talking about your excellence and expertise for years to come.
To my 8th graders, THANK YOU for putting your everything into your last production here at GMS. This time of year is always bittersweet, and I am immensely proud of each and every one of you. Many of you have been with me for 3 years, and I have to admit it is hard to see you go. However, my hope for you is that you are able to take the valuable life lessons learned in "Theatre with Mrs. Martin" with you along your new journey through high school. These friendships made, lessons learned, and invaluable life skills will carry on with you forever. May you keep these memories close, and as I always say... don't be a stranger! GMS Theatre, and I, will always be here to welcome you back with open arms.
To all in attendance at our production, THANK YOU for your support and such a strong display of community. We are grateful you are here and look forward to presenting to you our production of Into the Woods, JR.
Most sincerely,
Rachel Martin
GMS Theatre Director
