First, I want to thank my cast and crew for the incredible amount of time, energy, and effort that you put into making Les Misérables a success. It is hard to believe that six months have passed while working on this special show; that type of commitment is so very commendable. This production is our largest and most demanding fall show to date, and I am utterly impressed with the way all of you accepted and rose to this challenge. You should be so proud of what you have accomplished and with what this production means for our organization. You each continue to amaze me with your many talents, determination, and love for this club.
While a typical fall rehearsal period spans Sept.-Nov., due to the difficulty of this show, the students auditioned in May, and they came to vocal lessons throughout June, July, and August so that they would be ready to move rehearsals to the stage at the end of August. I want to especially thank Tammy Wapinsky and George Hegedus IV, our special vocal instructors for this production. Your expertise and guidance has been so very valuable to our students. We have enjoyed working with you both immensely. Thank you also to Deb Sweeney, our vocal director, for putting it all together and making our ensemble sound amazing. We couldn't do it without you.
I want to thank Ruth Gardiner and the stage crew for your amazing sets, as always. What was especially impressive this production was that the entire set was constructed in the first three weeks of school, so that made our rehearsals so much smoother. Thank you for that.
Thank you to Erika Cassell for your awesome choreography for both "The Innkeeper's Song" and "The Wedding." The kids had so much fun in those scenes. Thank you also to Colleen Barrett for your thoughtful choreography in "Lovely Ladies" and also for your assistance with "At the End of the Day." We are all lucky to have both of you on our team; you are so very talented! Also, thank you Colleen for your efforts on the marketing end and for working so hard to get the word out about our show.
Thank you to all the parents who support this organization in every way possible. Thank you for participating in our fundraisers, helping when called upon to assist with costumes or the set, selling tickets, working in the lobby, and allowing your students to spend so much time with me in this auditorium doing what we all love. Without your understanding and support, this wouldn't be possible. I am continuously appreciative of the level of kindness and support you show to me each and every day and for making me feel like a part of your families.
Finally, thank you to our audience. We are so blessed to have such an amazing community that appreciates, attends, and gets so excited for all of our productions. We couldn't continue to put on two productions each year if you did not come to our shows to support us. Thank you for being here.
Thank you to all of you for the role you have played in making this a success.
With gratitude,
Mrs. Drum
