On Dick and Jane Go to Egypt

May 8, 2008 by maureen.ulrich.

The clock ticks. Only one week to my last school production – for a while at least.

The sarcophagus is built  (and the painting nearly completed), the bedouins are clothed, and the Grade 5/7 and Grade 6 classes are choreographed. My To-Do list is growing shorter by the day.

About the only thing left is to acquire a headpiece for King Tut – and make some changes to my “cheesy slideshow.”

One small glitch — we are still picking up the local radio station with our new overhead mics. But hopefully that problem will be rectified before May 15.

We are really excited about bringing this production to the stage. There are many, many kids involved, and they are PUMPED! We have a number of cross-dressing boys this year – two of which have even consented to take up belly-dancing.

If this play is anything — it is FUN. 

And speaking of fun . . .

Last Friday I spoke at Estevan Comprehensive School to two groups of Grade 11 and 12 students. It was nice to have around 15 – 20 kids in each group who had attended either EJH orPleasantdale. The presentations went very well. This was the first time that I tried using a power point – and I think the visuals really helped. I will definitely take more pictures of Estevan, the prairies, and our farm to include in my power point when I visit Yellowknife this September.

At the university women’s supper that evening, I got to sit with Robert Currie, the retired high school teacher and writer  from Moose Jaw who edited Power Plays. He is absolutely just as nice in person – as he is on paper. If I manage to complete a sequel, and if Coteau does decide to publish it, I do hope that Bob will be my editor again. He is a real gem.

This weekend I am off to a writers’ retreat at the Inn of the Seven Sisters in Forget to work on said sequel. I really need to get away from other distractions for a while and focus on “serious” writing. It would be nice if the retreat landed AFTER Wave 2008, but since I pushed the production back one week, it was not to be. I think Shannon and Dave Shakotko will take very good care of the seven of us – all of whom are staying overnight. This is the first time we have used Forget for a retreat – and I think all of us will miss the horses that were just over the neighbour’s fence at the Feathertick Inn. Still, I’m sure it will be a productive weekend for all of us.

I’ll let you know more about Wave 2008 and the retreat — and my upcoming trip to the Big Apple (no, not Stoughton — New York!) next week.

Posted in On Student Productions, On Writing | 1 Comment »