DAY OFF

Aaaahhhh...Monday...Will's day off! We need it more than he does! So this past weekend Will did five performances. He was in his glory. I have never seen him happier!

Mom: This was your first weekend of performances what did you think?
Will: I think it was so, so, so fun!!
Mom: How did it feel to be up on the stage in front of all of those people?
WIll: It felt real nervous at first, but then when we go to our tables on stage I wasn't nervous anymore.
Mom: Did anything go wrong in any of your scenes this weekend?
Will: No.
Mom: After the Friday night show you had to stay later to do "Notes". What does that mean??
Will: That is when they tell us what went wrong, what we did wrong, what we need to add in, they tell us to do more reactions of we need to...they tell us what to fix! Mom, tell about the two pizza parties on Friday.
Mom: Tell me about the two pizza parties?
WIll: We had two pizza parties on Friday...one at lunch and one for dinner. We weren't allowed to leave for dinner because we needed more practice, so they got us more pizza. And we got soda too!
Mom:How are the boys that you share a dressing room with?
Will: They are really nice.
Mom: What do you do in between your scenes?
Will: We go backstage and wait in our dressing rooms. We play with our cards, play with our DS's and Game Boys.
Mom: Were you tired getting home late at night?
WIll: No, I am always wide awake.
Mom: So what has been your favorite thing about doing Oliver?
Will: I don't know.
Mom: Would you do another show?
Will: Yes.

These are pictures that I took Saturday night at the show.

Will and Daniel

Will, Favian, Reese and Alex

Will getting his "dirt" make-up on.

Will, Alex and Reese in their dressing room

Orphans lining up in the theatre preparing to start the show

Waiting to march into the theatre...Sam (Oliver), Will and Reese

Will and RJ ( Dodger) in the Green Room waiting for curtain calls

Will and Reese

Will and Justin

November 13th- Will's First Performance

We just got home from Will's first performance of Oliver! It was incredible! Hope, Molly and I went to see it. Will had to be there at 12:30 p.m. today. First they had to re-record "Food Glorious Food" for the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Then at 1:00 p.m. they started rehearsing. We got there at 6 to pick him up for dinner...or so we thought! When we got there we were told that they were not being released for dinner because they needed the pratice time, and that they would feed them. Hope, Molly and I went and got something to eat, wondered around town and then went back. We were able to catch Will before the show to wish him luck. The kids were all eating pizza.

Will eating pizza with Jahad

Will, Jahad and Fabian eating pizza before the show

Will posing with his sisters Hope and Molly before show time!

The cool thing about the show is, that as soon as the show starts, Will in on the stage.  Hope, Molly and I were so excited! People around us thought we were crazy! Will is actually in the first act a lot more than I thought he would be. He has a few really cute "pipsqueak" moments that get laughs from the audience. He is the smallest and youngest orphan in the bunch!

Afterwards, we went to the Green Room to wait for him. We got to see most of the cast...even the dog.

Will in full costume as part of

"Fagan's Gang"

Will with his proud sisters, Molly on the left and Hope on the right

Will, Seth, Conrad and Jahad after their first performance

Buddy the Dog...he plays Bullseye. He is completely deaf!

The director giving "notes" to the Green Team after the show.

Will had a blast! He was most thrilled because his teacher, Mrs. Coleman, from school  (Hancock School) came to see him! Actually...so did his principal Mr. Griffin. Ms. Hartman his kindergarten teacher from last year came too...she even brought her daughter. The librarian, Ms. Cohen, an interpreter Mr Buck and two other teachers, Ms. Dogon and Ms.Rigney from Hancock, all were there to support him! I can't believe that I didn't get his picture with them! How did I miss it!

Thanks to Hancock for coming out to support Will!

Will is asleep now! He was so excited all day today. He told me tonight on the way home that he had so much fun and he wants to do it again. Thank goodness...because he has 4 more shows this weekend!!

I am so proud of him!!!

PAY DAY

Thursdays are Will's favorite day! He gets his paycheck on Thursdays and he thinks he is REALLY cool!

Tomorrow is the BIG day for the Green Team. Break a leg Green Team!

Can't wait to see you Will! Hope, Molly and I are SOOOO excited!!!

Two More Days...

Will has two more days until his first public appearance in Oliver! Although this week is the first week of performances for an audience, this week is considered a "Preview" week. The Blue Team has done two performances so far...actually...they are on the stage right now!!!

Mom: Two more days Will, and then you are on! Are you ready?
Will: Yeah..just tomorrow and the day after that, and then it is the show!!
Mom: Do you think you've done enough practicing?
Will: Yeah, we have done a whole lot since the first day of it. It is really ,really fun there and I like making new friends.
Mom: How did the Blue Team do last night??
Will: Ms. Kate and Ms. Debbie ( stage coordinator) said that they did really good.
Mom: What did you work on today?
Will: The Green Team practiced "Pick A Pocket" for the whole day. That is all we practiced.
Mom: What is you favorite song to do in the show?
Will: "Food Glorious Food" and "Pick a Pocket." I think I am going to get a big laugh in the show. Well, me and my counter part on the Blue Team.
Mom: Why?
Will: Because Fagan ( Hugh Panaro) said we are! And Director Mark, said we are too! And at the dress rehearsal my counterpart got a REALLY big laugh!
Mom: Why? What do you do that is so funny??
Will: Fagan picks me up, and my counterpart when it is her turn, and the part is funny.
Mom: Are you ready for the Thanksgiving Day parade.
WIll: Yes, I saw the commercial for the parade...it showed a picture of Sam and Hugh Panaro...Fagan and Oliver. It said," The cast of Oliver."
Mom: Yep.... I saw the commercial too! That is going to be cool!

I don't think Will knows it yet, but the kids have to re-record "Food Glorious Food for the parade. Their first recording had too much background noise, so they need to record it again on Friday. I am getting excited for Will! I can't wait to see him. I haven't seen ANY of it yet. Get your tickets!!!They are going quickly!!!

Pround Tia Sarah!!!

Will has an Aunt, Tia Sarah, that is SUPER proud of him!! She tells everyone and anyone that will listen about him being in Oliver! I would imagine that she is driving people at work NUTS!!! A friend of hers ( at work) took Will's picture that was in the paper on Friday and created a poster for Sarah to hang up in her office. The friend is probably hoping and praying that Sarah will stop telling everyone now that she has this poster hanging up in her office! Knowing her...I doubt it!!
Here it is for everyone to see!!!!
                                      Thanks Tia Sarah for your support! Keep spreading the word!!

Another Week of Rehearsals Done!

This is Will with Miss Kate. She is the Child Coordinator that has the WONDERFUL job of watching ALL of the kids while they are at the theatre. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT HER JOB!!

This is Will with Justin. He is on the Green Team too. Will plays a lot with him during breaks and at the end of the day when they are both waiting for parents to pick them up.

This is Will and Sam ( Oliver for the Green Team), playing Nintendo DS games. They do this on their breaks a lot.

This is Will, Sam ( Oliver for the Green Team) and Neil ( orphan on the Green Team), hanging out during dinner time playing Nintendo DS.

The Blue Team has been practicing a lot. They do their first performance on Tuesday night, November 10th. The Green Team has been watching them practice.

GOOD LUCK BLUE TEAM!!!

Oliver!!! Starting Soon!!! How exciting!!!

Will outside of the Walnut Street Theatre getting VERY excited for next week!

 This is a picture of Fagan and Oliver. Oliver in this picture is Sam. Will likes Sam a lot.  He plays with him on his breaks and always tells me how nice Sam is to him.

Will wanted me to take a picture of this and post it!