Major Production

 Well another second-year teacher and myself have decided to direct the Major Production at school this year. Just a small play, no big broadway musicals which suck out your life for two terms in rehearsal time and with a small managable cast.

We put a notice in for a small meeting today - the idea was to get a list of names, tell them that auditions are in the holidays* and that it would be fun but require a great deal of commitment**. I figured that after the exhaustion of Stage Challenge we wouldn't get much interest. It was short notice and many students are sick at the moment. However, come interval my classroom was flooded. I have decided that the most appropriate collective noun for a large number of drama students is 'chatter'. My room was invaded by a chatter of drama students. None of them seemed put off even remotely by our stern instructions and warnings of hard work ahead. Even the prospect of giving up a day of holiday did not deter them.

I was a little worried at how few of them would end up with parts and hoped they wouldn't be too disappointed if they missed out but at least the number was still small enough that auditions could reasonably be held one afternoon in the AV theatre. Or so I thought...

After the bell rang for lunch, my classroom was flooded with a second wave of students who, while they were equally enthusiastic, hadn't listened well enough to the notices to work out when they should come to the meeting.

Our sign up page is over two pages long. Arrgggh.

* Thus putting off all but the very keen.
** Words such as 'hard work' and 'commitment' are also very good at putting off the less decidated students.