I would like to thank all the parents and guardians of this incredible group of kids. I am grateful for your cooperation with scheduling, your understanding when things have changed (especially the last minute ones), all of your generous donations, but most of all, supporting your childrens’ passions. Thank you for nurturing an appreciation of the arts and encouraging their creativity in their many artistic endeavors. That kind of support is so very important at this pivotal time in their lives, and will integrate itself in the very fabric of their being, reverberating throughout the rest of their lives, no matter the life path they end up taking. That kind of support transforms shy, apprehensive girls into leaders; prompts motivated young women to train skill to fearlessly pursue careers in male-dominated fields– everything from stage management and directing to lighting and sound design. I find myself in awe of what these young women and men have already achieved, and what they are yet to achieve. They would not be here without you, and you have my sincerest gratitude. I would like to personally thank the many parent volunteers throughout this process: Mark Bonifacio for taking all the beautiful headshots you see in the program, Pete and Staci Memmesheimer for always lending a helping hand, the entire Borgognone family for their generous donations to the program (as well as many nights of delicious food from Baci Ristorante for the entire cast); Sarah Gordon, Maryann Infantino, Patricia Bucolo, Lisa Salaris, Nicole Arena, Erica Olsen-Fink, Maribeth Territo, Rosanna Cashin, Lynn White, Christine Byrne and Mary Raftery for volunteering their time running concessions and beyond, as well as their generous donations. Without you, none of this is possible.
In my long list of thank yous, my last acknowledgements are always reserved for the reason why we are all here– the students. Every year I have this feeling like we have achieved the impossible, and this year is no exception– but more so. I would bet that you probably feel the same as well. This has been a wonderful rehearsal process, from beginning to end. You all impress me on a daily basis, not only by your talents, but your dedication. Every single one of you has contributed something unique and beautiful to this production, and it shows in the final product. There’s always this moment I have during the tech week runs where I finally see everything with the lights and sound, and it is so beautiful, so perfect, that I get choked up. It’s not an exaggeration, it truly happens. What an incredible gift you have to give; the ability to elicit emotion, to exchange energy with friends and strangers alike so we communally feel. I am so proud of all your accomplishments and am honored I get to work with such a talented group of people.
I would like to thank my Dance Captain, Jamie, for always having an open mind with a desire and excitement to create. Watching you work is so gratifying,and I am not only always in awe of your talent, ideas and ability, but am appreciative of all your input and dedication to the work. We created dance numbers out of a show that has absolutely no dance numbers– you should be very proud– I know I am.
