One of my students landed a role in her school play (7th-9th grade) so I went to go see the show tonight. OMG it was darling, but a little painful. The folding chair didn't help. There were some stand out performances, but overall, the acting was a little stiff. I have no idea how one of the main girls got the part she had. She was supposed to be the kind of character that went on and on at the mouth and often said inappropriate things by just babbling too much out of nervousness. She really didn't get the timing and the pacing of that at all. But hell, she's 14, I tried to cut her some slack.
During intermission, my student's mom came over and told me all the dirt. The girls who were sitting in a group behind me and to the right were all of her daughter's friends (which I had figured out because they laughed extra generously at all of her lines) and they all had a crush on the lead boy, even though the boy in the supporting role was clearly way more talented. All the boys had that floppy hair style that they are going to be embarrassed about in 20 years. It's the modern mullet.
At the end of intermission when they flicked the lights there was a whole exchange that I can only describe as a mating ritual for Jr. High. The lights flickered and one lone male kind of laughed/hooted a little extra long and loud, which made ALL the girls in the room giggle, which made ALL of the boys in the room giggle and hoot back, which made all the girls snarffle and shhhh. It was so funny and weird. I felt like Jane Goodall among the chimps.
I had a fabulous time in Jr. High. I know it's really awkward for a lot of people, but somehow I ended up with a close circle of friends, 4 of us girls and about 6 boys and we hung out together all the time. After school, before homeroom, evenings, weekends, etc. In 8th grade we went to the pizza place every Friday night and then hung out at someone's house until our 1030 or 11pm curfews. And of course, I think all of us girls dated all of the boys at one point or another. We still had most of the usual Jr. High drama (usually brought about by a game of spin the bottle) but overall it was a good time. But even so? Tonight I was glad that I never ever have to be in Jr. High again.
November 17, 2006
Remember Jr. High?
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2 comments:
Ahhh... junior high. I was in my 8th grade play. It was loads of fun, had tons of extras so lots of kids could be in it. That was the first play I was in after 2 sessions of acting class at Chimera Theatre. Remember Chimera? It was in the Science Museum. My mom would take us every saturday. Then we would have lunch at Sbarro's at City Center. Oh the memories....
I do remember Chimera! We had lots of field trips there. And there was even a point in my life that I thought that Chimera would be a good name for a girl. (yes, even knowing what a Chimera is.) And people said "Attila" was bad. ;)
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