Hello Everyone!
9 weeks is a long time to not blog isn't it? But I'm back after my break and have so much to tell you about!
After completing the 12 Days of Christmas blog series, it was straight back to school for me, greeted by some lovely mock exams (can you sense the sarcasm?) meaning January consisted of endless hours of revision.
January also welcomed the beginning of the rehearsal process for the school musical, Return to the Forbidden Planet, a much more enjoyable feat. This involved (you guessed it) rehearsals for 2 hours every night after school and 6-9 hours on a Sunday.
If you read my post A Saunter On The Moors | The Reason I've Been Gone So Long, you would know that I love the amount of rehearsal time put into the school productions. Because the cast ends up spending almost every waking hour together we all become so close and like one big happy family. The rehearsals become my social life, because we're all friends and enjoy the time spent together rehearsing.
This year I was a dancer, or, if you like, a Swinging Spacecat, which was a lot of fun. We were in almost all of the dances which meant a lot of routines were to be learnt.
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| The Swinging Spacecats! |
Our Sunday rehearsals would be taken over by learning these dances, and repeating them over and over and over and over..... and over, until the sweat was dripping off of our faces and the moves were drilled into our brains. This was what our director, called 'dance workshop'. More like 'dance until you can't breathe and can't move'. Even so, this was my favourite part of rehearsals! If you weren't fit before rehearsals, you certainly were by the end!
And like a flash, January was over quicker than we knew it and we said hello to February.
As part of Sixth Form, each form class has to present an assembly to the whole of the year. Our classes assembly was on friendship. As the first form class to present their assembly, we wanted to set the bar high, and so decided to create a music video. Yes, we made our very own music video to the theme tune of Friends. If you really want, you can watch it here.
It is something I'm going to cherish. 5 years with these people means a lot, and since we are all going our separate ways in September, it will be nice to look back at this video and cringe a little!
February also saw the RTTFP cast take a residential trip to Ford Castle. 2 and a half days of rehearsals. You heard me right. We spent the weekend learning new dances and nailing all the musical numbers. We also got to have some quality bonding time. This was when all cliques disappeared and we all became like one big family. Oh, and I went on a zipwire too. A massive achievement for me!
March. Where do I even start with March. It finally dawned on me that this was the last week I would ever spend with all of the wonderful people in the RTTFP cast. It also finally dawned on me that this was my last ever school production, and the last time I would ever perform like this.
I made a promise to myself that I would cherish every moment of each show, and with 5 performances, there were lots of moments to cherish. Each show got stronger and stronger, better and better, each and every one receiving a standing ovation.
Then came the final performance. As I walked off stage after the first number, I couldn't help but smile knowing that for the last 5 years I've been doing something I love, and I was going to make the most of my final few hours.
As the curtains closed on us and our final standing ovation, I had never felt happier. There is no better feeling than doing something you love and enjoy, and seeing that you've brought happiness and laughter to other people. Getting your grades, or finally going out with that person you've liked for ages. No feeling compares to that of getting a standing ovation. You're sweating, you're struggling to breathe, and you smell a little bit, but the feeling is still out of this world.
Giving out gifts and hearing speeches at the end of the night made me realise just how lucky I have been.
Over my 5 years in high school I have been in 5 musicals and 1 straight drama production. Not only have they all been an incredible experience, but I've made friends for life through these shows, people I will never forget, and they've made me into a much better person, the person I am today.
These are the moments and the memories I am going to remember forever, always with a smile on my face.
If anyone would like to read the review of our production of Return to the Forbidden Planet, click here.
Cheerio x
