Sunday night was the close of the Habimah production of Prophets Need Not Apply. What a night!! What a day!! It began at 11:45 a.m. when we gathered at Congregation Ner Tamid and Director Morgan Land put us through a full run-through before the 2:30 p.m. performance. Then we returned at 6:00 p.m. where Morgan, true to form, had selected scenes run through for fine tuning. And then the 7:30 p.m. performance to another full house.
As I have come to expect the kids were phenomenal and the adults did a pretty good job too! I focus on the kids because I saw them "grow up" during the production just as my own children did when performing with Curtains Up! Theatre in Palos Verdes starting when they were in elementary school. It is such a joy to see the development of self-confidence, discipline and sense of teamwork in the young people. They are learning life skills which will serve them and the community well in the decades ahead. Since I saw what children's theatre experience did for Alicia and Seth, I have advocated theater experience as a major builder of self-esteem in children. I have continued to see it in the 3 Habimah productions in which I was fortunate to perform.
The emotion of the evening resulted from this being Morgan's last production at Ner Tamid; he is not returning for 2007-2008. Cast members (past and present) and the entire audience expressed their support for Morgan and all that he has done for the congregation both as a teacher and as the writer/director of Habimah productions. There was a lot of love, laughter and tears. It was overwhelming!
Again, I thank Morgan for all he has done for the congregation. He is truly a Mensch!!
(I had hoped to post some pictures here compliments of Bernie Schaefer but I have been having some technology problems. I hope I can add some later.)
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