Where can you go to find 6,500 children in one place singing songs (for three straight days!) from Annie, Godspell, Oliver, Mary Poppins, Matilda, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Mean Girls and all-l-l-l of your favorite Broadway shows? Why, you attend the Junior Theatre Festival (JTF) in Atlanta, of course! JTF is the largest celebration of youth in musical theater in the world and this year was their 20th anniversary.
Our daughter, Riley, worked hard with the creative team at Asheville Performing Arts Academy for four months putting in long hours and perfecting their performance of scenes and songs from Matilda, Jr. These kids nailed it and the judges loved them so much that they came home with an Excellence in Acting Award!
What was so epic about this experience?
1. The festival’s focus is celebration not competition. Yes, there were awards given out but there were no winners and losers. It was thrilling to see kids cheering on groups they’ve never met before as they sang and danced their hearts out.
2. Hard work pays off. Witnessing our children perform at their very best after months and months of preparation was a thrill. Seeing their pride that their hard work paid off and seeing their high fives and hugs with their teammates melted our hearts.
3. The group experience was positively joyful for three straight days! There is such negativity in the news about the state of the world and for three days, it gave me hope for the future. This next generation, given the right encouragement and support, will continue to make the world a kinder and gentler place. I have renewed faith!
It was especially heartwarming for Eric and I to eavesdrop on a conversation that Riley had with her choreographer, Jeffrey Scott Bailey. He made a point to put his arm around her and tell her how proud he was of her. He lives in New York City and flew down to Asheville in the fall to spend 2 1/2 days teaching the kids choreography. At the time, Riley was on crutches because she had sprained her ankle. Jeffrey made a point to say how impressed he was that she had to learn all the choreography sitting down, and then work extra hard to catch up with everybody. She was beaming…and so were we.
After the kids perform, they go to a debrief room where they have 30 minutes with one of the theatre professionals to help them unpack their emotions and feelings about the experience. Our children were so insightful as they shared a wide range of emotions:
- Joy, excitement, and pride.
- Grief and sadness that it was over.
- Awe and wonder that they did it!
- Genuine appreciation for one another and the bonds they have formed.
So, I invite you to think about your own life and consider the following:
- Where do you need to celebrate more? At work? In your relationships? Your health or your home? Celebrate the little things as well as the big ones. It all counts!
- What are you willing to work hard for now? Knowing that in the long term, there will be a great reward…is it your health? A financial goal? Your spiritual practice? The pride of achievement is worth waiting for when you set yourself up for success.
- What groups are you spending your time with? Do they bring you joy, inspiration, and motivation to live the life of your dreams? Spend time with people who see the best in you!
Feel free to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts…I always love hearing from you!
E.
P.S. Special thanks to the AMAZING creative team at Asheville Performing Arts for creating such a magical experience for our kiddos: Jeffrey Scott Bailey, Laura Williams, Angie Borbon, Mary Katherine O’Donnell, and Heather Gallagher. ❤️