Crafty as Kate

Right before the elementary-aged kids went off track in April, Crafty's teacher held auditions for the 6th grade Shakespearean play. It's a tradition for the kids to do Taming of the Shrew and way back over 10 years ago, the Drama Queen made her theatrical debut as Kate.

When the Drama Queen was chosen to play the lead role, I was totally floored! She had never done anything like that in her life. In fact, it was the total opposite of her quiet, bookish personality. But her teacher's faith in her brought out an amazing untapped talent and it truly changed her life.

Princess, Teach, and Prima Donna longed for that starring role, but each in turn was denied the opportunity. Then along came Crafty. She loves to dance and act. She had her audition and then totally fell apart afterward. She was just sure she had bombed it, but I assured her that auditions were just a formality. The teacher already knew who she was planning to choose.

The night before the cast was announced, Crafty was so upset about the POSSIBILITY of not getting the coveted role that she was in tears. I reminded her that it was pointless to cry over something that hadn't happened yet, but she was inconsolable.

The next afternoon she burst through the door with the amazing news...she had been chosen to play the part of Kate 1! She was so excited! It was exactly the part she had only dreamed of. (Kate 1 is the first half of the play. The roles of Kate and Petruchio are the only two that are double cast with the first couple playing the part up until the end of the wedding scene and the second couple finishing up the end of the play.)

Crafty spent the better part of off-track time learning her many lines. She was so nervous! Even though she did the Pinocchio play last fall, this time she was the star and it was a whole new ballgame.

A forced kiss on the cheek.

When the Drama Queen earned the role all those years ago, I spent many hours making her a beautiful costume. Unfortunately for Crafty, that costume didn't fit her and although I had planned to make her a new one, I decided to have surgery instead. A day or two after I got home from the hospital, I ordered a beautiful red costume from Amazon. I just didn't have the energy to take on such a huge task.

Her first performance was yesterday, but because I was scheduled to email with Teach, I missed that one. So Bossy and I and Burrito attended the one this morning. When we got to the school, I pulled Scout out of class so she could see it too since her class was not able to schedule a time to watch it.

Crafty did such a good job! I was very proud of her. She is a natural on the stage and her sassy personality shines right through. I enjoyed it so much I'm planning to attend again tomorrow...and maybe Thursday too. That costume cost me fifty bucks and I want to get my money's worth!


Not to mention watching my beautiful girl steal the show.