Each year during musical season (at least for the past few once I truly understood what a hashtag was!!), we always try to come up with one that the kids can use when they post for the show. Just like in other areas of life, it gives us a way to stay connected and see each other’s stuff, all in one place- and that is really fun for us.  It started two years ago with Grease (#we’llalwaysbetogether and #rhsgreasegoestobroadway which was an inside joke), and continued with Shrek (#thisisourstory).  After thinking about those two, I realized that we really tend to use hashtags that have some sort of lesson to then- or sentimental meaning for us.  So that brings us to this year’s show, Legally Blonde (which opens in less than 2 weeks!).  It is a little tricky because while this show teaches many wonderful lessons that I love, it was hard for me to figure out how to put them into a hashtag. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, trust your instincts, look beyond the blonde to my mind (oh wait, that’s just for some of us!), find people who love you for you, etc. But those aren’t super succinct or catchy. So as I was talking about it with my 2 dear friends and co-directors, someone mentioned “find your way”. It was so obvious, yet I never thought about it!  In the finale of the show, all the main women sing a “helped me find my way” line, and it really is what the whole show is about.  A lot of sweet and fun and crazy characters navigating through life together, to find their own way.

And it is so representative of us as directors and of our cast as well.  This is my 10th show with one of my 2 directors (and one of my dearest friends- she was one of my bridesmaids!).  And our 3rd director was a freshman on stage during that first show together.  We have had 2 others during that time that spent many years directing with us, but the 3 of us are left standing the last 2 years– and it is such an incredibly special experience to me (and a lot of the reason I keep doing it, even though I am obviously not teaching anymore and have quite a drive to get there).  I love working with those 2 women. But also, I just love my kids.  The juniors this year are the last students I taught in the classroom my last year there.  And I cannot believe that next year they will be seniors.  But the younger kids have now been in multiple shows with me and it is just such a fun (and super talented!) group.  A lot of life has happened since we started directing 10 years ago. I get a little very emotional when I think about it all, and how many stages of my life this program has walked me through. Michael and I met at school, we held our big reception in the auditorium lobby, and my kids have spent a lot of time in that building. It is all just so special to me.  And has been a huge part of ME finding my way.

Legally Blonde cast: I can’t wait to see the magic you produce and the hearts you touch the next 2 weeks. We have been hard on you during the process because we have such high expectations for you– but I know it is going to be incredible, and I am so thankful for the experience.  I have dreamed of directing this show since I first saw it (with that co-director!) many years ago– and we knew this was the group to do it with. We were so very right on this one.

We have loved watching you #findyourway.