Thank you for coming out tonight and supporting our young people as they share their art with you. The journey to get "Legally Blonde" on stage was so much fun. I first encountered this show while I was in New York City with some good friends of mine. We saw the billboards and laughed. "How can that become a Broadway hit!?" we wondered. Fast forward a few years and "Legally Blonde, Jr." comes across my email. I know the popularity of the movie and was familiar with some of the music from videos I had seen online. So I ordered a student CD and for the next two summers "Legally Blonde, Jr." kept me company every Sunday night as I drove to Columbus, Ga and every Thursday night as I drove back to Valdosta working on my Masters in Theatre Education. Elle did "Help Me Find My Way" through many difficult papers, drafts, thesis proposals and presentations.
I am very proud of all our students for their own journeys they created this year. Our 7th grade took on a difficult task of splitting their own class into two seperate casts and presenting an amazing mystery. I do believe comedy is a very strong point for our 7th grade cast. They have learned timing between jokes and waiting for the audience to react before moving on. Our 6th grade owned the stage in their personal presentation of "Evening of Shorts and Skits". It is one of my favorite evenings of the year as I watch students who have never taken the stage before stand in the spotlight for the very first time. I feel a wealth of emotions each time I watch a student shine so bright on stage and open themselves up to a brand new world they had never known exisited.
Parents, you should also feel pride as we look back over this year and see just what we have accomplished. Even if your student is not on the One Act Team or a member of the Jr. Thespian Society, your student played a part by being supportive to these other young actors, actresses and technical crew members. We travelled to One Act Festival and returned with Best Lighting Design, Two All Star Cast members, and 2nd Runner Up. At State Thespian Conference we returned with Vice Chair of the Junior Thespian Student Board, Excellent and Superior Rating in Individual Events and experiences and memories of meeting a Broadway Star nobody can take from us.
But as all journey's begin, they must also come to an end. My dear Eight Grade:
I believe you are the largest group to date to stick with me for three years. You started out as my Gods and Goddess. My Greek Heroes and Myths. You were my Dancers and my Audience Members. You created a dodgeball scene that even today my daughter still talks about. You became the biggest and baddest Villians at the school. You became Wild Animals, taking over the stage and the audience in a wild stampeed. You were my Stars, my Grass, my Trees, my Birds and Antalope. You became my Nothing, my Light, my Wishes, my Dragon...and gave me another chance at my Childhood. Eight Grade, I am always here for you. Right here, waiting. We have created such a wonderful journey together, but now it is time for you to move on. And I am selfish to want to keep you close, but I have to let go. So for now, its never good-bye. It's always...Good Journey.
Toni Jarvis, VMS Players Director
Georgia Junior Thespians State Board - Programs Chair
Georgia Theatre Conference State Board - Youth Division Co-Chair
