WEBSTER COUNTY, KY - One of the few interests my wife and I completely share is live theatre, and we try never to miss a show when one is being performed close by. Earlier this month, we went to see "South Pacific" at Madisonville Community College.

Theatre is something I have enjoyed going and watching since I was in high school. As a student, I was in Upward Bound, and the staff were great about taking the group of kids to shows like that frequently. Of course, Murray State University - where I attended Upward Bound and later graduated college from - offers shows like that year round, and the town has a community theatre there, too.

When my wife and I first started dating, I introduced her to the joy of theatre and she absolutely loved it. It quickly became the one hobby we always did together, as much as possible.

I've seen quite a few plays over the years. So many, in fact, that I can be watching a movie and identify it as something similar to a play I have seen. Sometimes, that influences my opinion of the movie, if it is less interesting than the original play. I've actually turned off a couple of movies that I just couldn't stand to watch any further.

Getting back to the point of this week's column, however, my wife and I went to see "South Pacific" at Madisonville Community College. For those who are not familiar with it, it's a story set during World War II, on a military base on one of the Pacific islands. The main character is a nurse who is in love with a local plantation owner.

I enjoyed the performance, for the most part. I mean, no play or musical is ever perfect (which is one of the things that appeals to me over just watching a movie or television show, where everything is edited until it is as perfect as it can be), but I would say this was one of the better ones I have had the privilege of attending.

When my wife and I first arrive at the theatre, we have a bit of a tradition. We start off the night by reading completely through the booklet provided to us when we enter the auditorium. We like to look for names of people who have been in other shows, and read their (usually self-written) biographies. I think some people put funny comments in them just to see if anyone is paying attention, and luckily we are, because we point out such statements to each other when we find them. I remember one such biography a few years ago where one of the actors commented that he or she found success in theatre despite the objections of his or her parents. I can't remember the exact wording, but it was written very sarcastically, and my wife and I both had a good laugh about it.

As I was reading through the booklet Friday night, I should have been looking more closely. I completely overlooked what should have been a significant list of names to me somewhat personally. During intermission, I stepped into the hallway and got in line for the rest room, where I saw Webster County Area Technology Center Principal Larry Garrity, and greeted him.

"Are you enjoying the show?" he asked, as he shook my hand. "What do you think of my kids?"

Now, usually when I hear an educator say the phrase "my kids," they tend to mean their "students." So naturally, I assumed he meant there were Webster County High School students in the play, and in the span of about 1.2 seconds, my mind went through the process of regret that I didn't know that beforehand because we could have written an article about them. Instinctively I said, "Which ones are they?"

He just looked at me and said, "My kids," and suddenly I understood. There were three young children in the play who did a terrific job singing a song in French at the start of the performance, and had some brief but well done appearances later in the first half of the show as well. They did a great job throughout their scenes in the show, which included additional some additional singing with the other cast members. They were heard quite clearly (which is sometimes an issue with children and new actors in plays who don't realize they aren't loud enough), and I thought they interacted with the adults of the performance very well.

When I got back to my seat, I double checked the booklet and sure enough, there were the names of his three children. How did I miss that when I was looking over the booklet earlier? I wondered. I felt more than a little silly about it, but luckily it wasn't the first time that has happened to me, and I'm sure it won't be the last (as much as I might want it to be).

If you've never attended a play or musical, I recommend you attend at least one. I was skeptical the first time I went, but I am glad I did. I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed it!

Posted by Karen Klay Orange - iSurf News

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