Reflections – Stage Time & Juice, February 2016

Stage Time and Juice is not exactly an event you can “plan” in the strict sense of the word. There are too many unknowns. One does not know who the audience will be in terms of age group, nor what sort of performers will show up to perform. To coordinate a show that can hold the attention of children who are quite small as well as teenagers is indeed a challenge.

In many cases, things do not go as planned. In fact, we might even say that in most cases, things do not go as planned.

Nicole and I opened the show by returning to our tradition of performing a comic dialogue. We usually try to play with the theme, which this month was about the leap year, but if we can, we also work in an explanation of why the chicken crossed the road. We never get tired of explaining that one. Julian went up next, making a repeat performance of  the parody “Dramatic Song.”  Vicky, a Stage Time and Wine favorite, popped in by chance, and was coaxed into singing “Blackbird” while playing her guitar.

Musician Ying-Ho then took the stage with a pile of strange implements: seeds, a tin lid, a plastic bag, a paper tube, a pine cone. With these instruments, he created a sound massage for several volunteers. These sounds induced the volunteers to experience extreme sleepiness in a very short while. One volunteer wondered whether his wallet might perhaps have been missing afterward?

During the break, Karen and Patrick of KP Kitchen presented their delicious muffins, brownies, and frosted cakes. Surprisingly, even though they specialize in preparing muffin mixes, neither of them were familiar with The Muffin Man song.

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After the break, Jennifer Joy led the kids in a dancing session on the big red carpet. We then did our First Attempt at Staging a Drama during Juice. In honor of the Year of the Monkey, we chose to interpret Esphyr Slobodkina’s classic story “Caps For Sale.” We were lucky to have a surplus of talent this time around: Whitney narrated while Sue played the peddler. The most difficult job of Sue’s was to walk around with 10 caps placed on her head. Monkeys were solicited from the audience. As you can guess, we had no shortage of those!

Whitney then taught the kids some light saber fighting techniques. As often happens, the protegee will end up destroying the master. Her final impalement on the terrazzo floor of the Red Room was regrettable, but inevitable.

And that’s what you missed at Stage Time and Juice!

by Carol Yao

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