Sunday, October 28, 2012

Finally the Finale


We've gone through every song, every dance, every scene, every stage moment possible of our newest production "ESTHER and the Secrets in the King's Court"..
Well, tonight, we finally did the finale!!!
Now, rehearsals are very long studious processes. You've got to pay attention. You've got to wait around until it's your turn to perform. When a new scene comes up, the director has to see the vision in his/her eye and then translate it on to the stage.
And when you have almost 100 women and girls in your production, moving them around on stage is a logistical challenge akin to a troupe movement.
ESTHER's director Toby Klein Greenwald envisioned a magnificent finale for us, and with everyone's cooperation and attention, tonight we painstakingly pulled it off.
There was a special part for each group in the show - from the littlest Shushan residents (we call them the Golden Voices) to the Persian Dudes, the Haman's Sons, the Shushan Ensemble, the King's Advisors, the Queen's Court, and of course King Achashverosh, Kings Vashti and Esther, Mordechai the Jew, Haman and his equally evil wife Zeresh, our narrators Darius and the Megillah Muse.
Everyone had her moment in the spotlight, and that was just great.
Well, we've done the finale, and now, we're going back to the beginning.
We're so excited, we can't wait to welcome our audiences to Shushan!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Enter! Evil!


Throughout the history of the world, there have beenfigures whose very name sent fear and tremors through the very soul of mankind.
The ancient world was full of them: Og King of theBashan; the Canaanite General Sisera, Nebuchadnezzar, Nero, Caligula. The past many centuries have had their own maniacs - Attilathe Hun, Ivan the Terrible, Chelminiki, Mussolini, Stalin, Dracula, Hitler, yemach shemam.
Ruthless, vengeful, cruel, and bloodthirsty individuals,they were responsible for destruction and murder beyond our ability to fathom.
Today one dastardly name stands out above all others. Ahmadinejad,the president of Iran,who remains with his "finger on the bomb". His hatred of the Jewish people and theState of Israel is vitrolic and unparalleled in modern times.
Ahmadinejad learned from the best!! – another Persian,perhaps his great great great great grandfather, the diabolical Haman.
Haman, second to King Achashverosh of Persia, laid outthe original plan for Ahmadinejad – chas v’shalom - wipe the Jewish people offthe face of the earth.
The Jews of Persia were saved long ago through prayer andunity – thanks to the leadership of Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai theJew.
We too can be safe from the evils threatened from theNorth, if we strengthen ourselves in prayer, in Torah and devotion to ourbrethren.
Beware, Ahmadinejad, your plans will come to naught,IY”H.
Remember...Haman was hung on the same gallows he prepared forMordechai. G-d protects His nation.


Saturday, October 20, 2012

The Costume's the Thing

Our rehearsals for the upcoming RAISE YOUR SPIRITS show, "ESTHER and the Secrets in the King's Court", are getting really serious.
Harmonies, dancing, staging - everything is getting more exact.
It's all been pretty laid back until now, and very theoretical.

But on Thursday night we got on stage in our costumes, and suddenly everything changed. Everyone realized that this show is really happening, and everyone - from our littlest darlings to our special cameo performers - did everything as best and professionally as possible.

In their costumes - dolled up down to the feathers in their hats - our performers were in character and in great form.
Theory time over. The costume's the thing that lit a fire under each of us.
And now, the play's the thing!!!
The one month countdown begins now!!!