Getting Ready for Frankenpastor

In October, Linda informed me that due to her granddaughter's cancer, she might have to bow out of directing this year's church youth group musical for the dinner theater.  Sure enough, Lois talked to me the first week of January and we agreed that Pete would direct the drama and I would, as usual, take care of the music.

Several concerns raised by this decision are:
1.  How will the kids respond to the change in directing style between Linda and Pete?

2.  How will Pete know everything that needs to be done outside of the play?

3.  How will Pete and I and Lois get along?

4.  What play will we do, and who will have what parts?

We chose the play, "Frankenpastor," and assigned the parts last week.  We also set the dates, for March 8-10.  At our first rehearsal on Wednesday, the first and second questions were answered satisfactorily.  The kids can see that Pete knows what he's doing and will respond accordingly.  Laurie assured us that the parents will take care of the meal, decorating, tickets, programs and everything except the play itself.  She was heading to a parents meeting with a folder in hand, so I assume she knows what needs to be done.  We'll just relax and forget about all that.  The dinner theater is always a wonderful example of the Body of Christ working together and using all the gifts, talents and skills of its members.

Pete and I are getting along fine through the first stage of rewriting the music and writing new music.  Six years ago, for our first musical, "The Return," I had to write all new music in about ten days.  This show poses a comparable challenge, as the fourteen songs are necessary for length.  Several of them cannot be done by our group because of range, ability or appropriateness of the accompaniment.  All are new lyrics written to pop tunes, which means sheet music or karaoke tracks have to be found or I have to figure out the accompaniment by ear.  As usual, I have to make practice mp3s for the kids to listen to so they can learn the music because we won't have enough rehearsals for memorization.

No wonder I'm a little stressed out this week!  Thanks, kids, for filling in around the house.  We'll get through this!