As I prepare for the opening of my last production at George Cromwell Elementary School, I can't help but relfect on all the great times I have had here as the director of the musicals and as the music teacher. One of the great assets of George Cromwell Elementary is the people, and this performance involved so many people that is impossible to thank all of them in this space. That being said, there are many people that deserve a special thank you for all their hard work and dedication that has made this show possible.
This program began without knowing that it would even be possible to run such a program. I want to thank Ms. Maxa, our previous principal for taking the leap all those years ago to see if we could do this. Of course, it does not just take initial support for a program like this to thrive, Mrs. Morgan has continued to ensure that the program lives on, and I truly hope it will continue long into the future.
So many parents are a part of these productions, and today's performance happens because of them. I cannot begin to express how important our parent volunteers are.
Ms. May Kesler for giving her time from her busy PT practice, commuting from Chevy Chase, calling me late at night excited about new ideas for dances, and giving these kids a great dance experience. This show would not look the same without her help.
Ms. Angela Benson who has been our tireless costumer for the past couple years, this year adding the role of producer. She has spent a great amount of her time procuring costumes and answering questions to be sure the performance look great! She has also taken the lead on fundraising to make sure that we have the revenue for such a large project! Her help has been invaluable!
Mr. Julian Lahdelma for lending his expertise in sound, lighting, and set design as well as all theings theatre. He has no idea how much he helps our productions!
Mr. Joe Powell, Ms. Macy Quinn, and Mr. Russel Frye who has made sure that the cafeteria is setup for rehearsal every day and done an extra cleanup duty after rehearsals. You help more than you know!
Mrs. Lukeski helping in any way she could at many rehearsals and outside.
Gabby Winterson, Naomi Galvez, Victoria Young, Marcus Lukeski, and the many other former students who have come back over the years to help with productions. I cannot begin to express how proud I am of you for all you have done and how grateful I am that you all keep coming back to visit. I will miss this most of all!
My wife, Wendy Sherman for all her help with rehearsals and being willing to stay after school, so that we can do this production.
Thank you to all the teachers helping backstage, with ticket sales, and in more ways than I can count!
The entire George Cromwell staff for their support. This school is extremely special, and I am so priviledged to be a part of this incredible group.
