The kids usually ask me, "Mr. Ben, what's your favorite part of the musical?" My answer is always the same: "The end." Of course, I am half-joking with them. The reason I like ending productions is not because I'm depleted of all energy and resources, which I am, but because I enjoy reflecting on the journey. Getting from Point A to Point B was important, but not nearly as important as what happened along the way.
What did happen along the way? I'll tell you what I saw. Growth. Maturity. Curiosity. Confidence. Determination. Responsibility. Teamwork. Self-discovery. Empathy. Put these all together and you have the ingredients for a well-rounded and well-adjusted human being. Mission accomplished.
It's scary to issue a long line of "thank yous" after a large-scale production, fearing I will forget someone who contributed. So, I will begin with this statement: Thank you to ANYONE and EVERYONE who had ANYTHING to do with this production from start to finish!
Special thanks go out to:
My wife, Dr. Donna. She epitomizes the three Gs: grace, grit, and guts. Love you forever!
All of the sponsors and donors who contributed to the production. Because of your generosity, we could continue the tradition of keeping our programs free of admission charges.
Ms. Becky Settel for creating fabulous costumes for all of our student performers.
Ms. Kate Hutsenpiller for donating her time, talents, and energy to help our students perform their best in the classroom and on the stage.
Ms. Moody, Dr. Bleisath, and Ms. Dupoux for allowing me the creative freedom and flexibility required for an endeavor of this magnitude. Also, our front office staff for assistance with paperwork, permissions, and financial records. Best staff ever!
Jon Costales for his construction advice and assistance with our set.
Jon Gaines of Hi Gain Audio and Aaron Soriero of Music Matters Productions for putting together fantastic lighting and audio for the production that was within our budget.
Our very own RMMES PTA for purchasing the performance rights so we could get this production off the ground!
And finally, thank you to my students. I just steer the car. You're the ones that make the wheels turn. Love you all!
