Back in November when the signups came out for Wasatch Peak Academy's Play, Ryker came to me and told me that he wanted to do it. I thought "Ok, ya. This will be fun and new for you." Cyrus also wanted to do it and I was pleased to see them both willing to try out a new experience. I liked the idea that it wasn't sports and could give them more of a well rounded experience for the both of them. Also that they would get to do it together.
When we went to the first parent meeting for the play to get an idea of what things would look like for the next 3 months. We found out that everyone who signed up for the play would get to participate. Students got to choose between ensemble, dance troupe and lead/speaking roles. If they wanted a speaking role they had to try out. The others were just by signup only. 3rd to 6th grade were aloud to be in the show. 3rd graders were limited to ensemble, but that was perfect for Cy because that's all that he wanted to do anyway.
Ryker on the other hand came to me and said "I want to try out for a speaking role and I really hope that I get a lead."
Woah. Ok. Lets do it.
To try out for a speaking role the students were required to sing a song acapella and a poem from memory. Ryker right away wanted to sing "You're Welcome" from the movie Moana. And he already had a poem memorized about a builder (I'm not recalling the name of it right now). For a week or so he worked on giving soul and character to the poem and working on the song. I have a client who teaches choir to a Catholic Elementary and used to give private lessons. I shot her a text asking if she would be willing to work with Ryker on his song for this tryout. She was so happy to help out. We worked out a little trade to compensate her for her time. She worked with him for 90 mins. When I picked him up she told me that she was really quite impressed with Ryker. She told me that he could actually stay on the pitch when she would stop playing the piano and he'd stay on the pitch. She told me he's really good.
Day of the tryouts came, and of course he was nervous but did amazing. We waited a whole week to find out what they had decided. Ryker was so anxious to find out what role he was going to be given. And so when he found out he was cast as Aladdin he was beyond thrilled! I wasn't surprised because he's such a charming kid and he kinda looks like Aladdin.
I had a conversation with the director a month before production. She told me that when Ryker came in for his tryout he said "I'm not very good" and they reassured him to do his best. But that he ended up NAILING IT. She told me that right after he left they all instantly agreed that he was going to be Aladdin.
Honestly I was so happy that Ryker had the bravery to do a tryout at his age. I sure as heck wouldn't have had the gumption at the age of 12 to do anything like that. And then to take on the role of Aladdin was impressive.
Rehearsals started after Thanksgiving Break and I remember them coming home and telling me how awkward and weird it felt to act in front of their peers. But over time they grew out of that awkwardness and became so comfortable on the stage.
When we got the script Ryker went through and highlighted all of his parts. It was then he realized how much he needed to memorize. He seemed overwhelmed at first, but he stuck with it. And eventually got his lines down. I don't want to forget the times when I was working on his lines with him at home and he'd get all squeamish every time he had to say the cheesy "I love you" or "oh those eyes were amazing". It would make me laugh. Cuz I know one day that won't be the case.
I helped a few times during rehearsals and the first time they were running through the "Whole New World" scene it was my first time seeing Ryker do it. It was casual, but he was singing to the music on a phone that he could barely hear, But he was hitting the notes and projecting. I was so happy to see his confidence. Singing in front of your peers didn't seem like that a big deal at all. So cool.
The week of the show they had 2 final rehearsals. Long rehearsals. I went to go help. While I was there I helped paint some of the set and hang up some curtains on the openings of the set. While a few other moms and I worked on this, we got to listen to the kids run through the whole show start to finish. By the time they made it to "A whole New World" scene I was done with the set and so I got to just watch. Ryker and Bethany(who was playing Jasmine) were doing well taking critique so well. It was cute because the 2 of them were doing a good job, but they were having a hard time being "romantic" with each other. The director (Hillary McChesney) was so good with them. She told Bethany that she loved how she was such a strong and confident woman because of the way she was on stage, but she needed to help Ryker not look so desperate by following her around on the stage like a puppy dog. Haha. She showed them how to connect, hold he others hands, look into each others eyes, maybe give her a twirl. They listened and started to the scene from the top.
I was standing next to the mom of "Jafar" and we were watching Ryker and Bethany as they both nailed the new critique with the song. They did so well that the both of us started to get choked up. And then Ryker twirled Bethany and I lost it. I was just blown away. They were both so adorable.
Today was their first show and I volunteered to help with Makeup on the kids 90 mins before showtime. Before we went down to the school I helped my boys get their makeup all done. Ryker was NOT happy about wearing makeup. Haha. Especially when I put a little bit of mascara on him.
We got to the school and everyone was in the Library getting ready while the Cast A was doing their show. So we had to be so quiet. Once the Cast A was over and they handed over their costumes to Cast B.
The next step was for the leads to get their mics on....
Cy was haning out with us while Ryker got his mic secured on his face and down his back. Cy was in the ensamble but he got assigned to be a Palace Guard.
The show started and I just couldn't stop smiling the whole time. He was brilliant during"One Jump Ahead" song. He owned the whole stage with is huge smile.
The Prince Ali hat was hilariously large....
There's Cy on the right with all the other Palace Guards.
Big smiles for their first successful show.
Hilary McChesney told me after the show that she was impressed to tell me that there were moments that other kids were missing their cues, but Ryker was improvising and filling in the gaps so their never felt like a dead space. She told me, you can't teach that. He just is a natural up there. Even at rehearsals I heard her several times tell me how much Ryker has been impressing her. She told me that it was hard to believe that this was the first time that Ryker had ever doing a play. He had a natural presence on stage, he has an infectious personality, an ability to take direction, can interact with the other characters naturally AND he can SING really well. Who knew?
We got home late and Fynn fell asleep so fast while I was reading him bedtime stories.
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