Strike Party

The Strike Party for "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" was graciously hosted today by the mother of one of the Baby Angels. Most of the cast was there. I was wandering around, talking to people, watching kids sing karaoke, and listening to adults discussing things they have in common. I watched my grandson thoroughly enjoy sliding down a flight of stairs on his stomach, over and over. Some of the girls shared with me what roles they had really wanted (of course, they all wanted to be Beth or Imogene).

I thought about the fact that all these people now know each other. They may never be friends who drop in for BBQ, but they will always speak when they meet in the grocery store, or whatever. They will check out each other's blogs. They will share the memory of the play for a very long time. The fact that so many of them came to the party tells me that the memory will be a good one.

I am glad that I helped to bring these people together.

In some cases, I cast several members of the same family. One of those families gave each cast member a little present consisting of 3 Riesen in a handmade package. On one side, it says:

3 Riesens We Love You

1. "Nice director" Leroy Herdman

2. "It has been so wonderful to work with you and get to know you better through this play!" Mrs Armstrong

3. "You were a terrific director! The experience was so great. Any praise anyone gets for this show is because of you and all your hard work." Imogene Herdman.

On the other side:

Five Things We Will Never Forget About This Play

1. Jesus taking a header out of Imogene's hands during the dramatic scene.

2. Claude dropping his trousers into the toilet...and blow drying them in the courtyard because he still had to wear them. (I wouldn't have made him wear them if the toilet had been used!)

3. The piles and piles of toothpicks that littered the stage--and the one that ended up in a fireman's foot.

4. Mrs McCarthy's fall, Beth's fall, and all the other graceless moments in front of a sold-out audience.

5. The group of kids shouting accolades to Leroy during the final show: "Good job, Leroy!!"

Good job, everyone!!