Amok, amok, amok, amok…

Posted by Emjoy on February 1, 2012 at 06:24 PM
School Shows

So many celebrities were running amok at the Lorca show this week, it was hard to not be starstruck.  Even though their agents would not grant me interviews, I managed to track down what they were Tweeting, during the show. 

@ GhostMichaelJackson
I still got the moves! Only you can prevent forest fires! Shamone!

 

@Rita’sHusbandMike 
Does anyone have any advice? My wife is stuck in an igloo she thought was a tanning booth.

 

 

@Ashley’sCousinKuka 
I’ll never let you go, Justin!  I love it when U smile! Sorry my cousin keeps beating you up! 

 

 

@TonyHawkZombieSlayer 
Zombies, it’s time for a meltdown.  I’m about to pull an FS 540 on your faces.

 

While performers are typically discouraged from updating their Twitter accounts during a show, I am so glad this group embraced technology just this one time.  And I was equally glad to have taken part in this show at all.  As the Lorca Orca once tweeted, “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeee…”
(that means “Adios, friends! Until next time!”)

Bieber-ed Out?

Posted by Emjoy on January 24, 2012 at 11:42 PM
School Shows

Ladies and gentlemen, let me start out by saying I do not condone violence in any way.  Unless it is used in special circumstances like self-defense.    Or comedy. 

One of my new favorite stories was written on “Stretching the Truth” day.  It is called “Hitting Justin Bieber.”  And it is hilarious.  In the past few years, we’ve gotten many stories about Mr. Bieber.  In a lot of these, he saves the day with his songs or his hairstyle.  But not this time.  I can’t give too much away, but our protagonist insists he had it coming.

This is what I imagine he looked like once Ashley is through with him. 

 

I know, I know.  You’re thinking…WAIT!  THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN!  WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO DO HARM TO THIS GUY? HE’S JUST SO COOL LOOKING!!!

 

...Well. I don’t know what to tell you, except…Never say never. 

Lorca: Will You Be There?

Posted by Emjoy on January 22, 2012 at 01:21 AM
School Shows

A student named Angel wrote this great argument about how Michael Jackson is the best dancer there ever was. It got me thinking how fantastic it is that a 4th grader in 2012 is a Michael Jackson fan. It also reminded me of one of my favorite commercials of all time, where a little kid dressed like Michael Jackson leads a bunch of other kids dancing down the street to Billie Jean riffs until they run into the real Michael Jackson. Which of course makes everyone want to drink Pepsi.

The commercial was originally aired in 1984 when I was 2, but I remember it because they replayed it later when Alfonso Ribeiro became famous for being in Silver Spoons.

If you are Angel’s age, that last sentence made no sense to you.

Alfonso also played the character Carlton in Fresh Prince of Bel Air. If you are Angel’s age you might be familiar with the star of Fresh Prince, Will Smith, but probably you are more familiar with Willow Smith who whips her hair back and forth.

I cannot wait to get back to rehearsal.
Until then, I will hold my thoughts like the River Jordan.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Balance at Avondale Elementary

Posted by Linsey F. on January 17, 2012 at 01:30 PM
School Shows

Ok, I know I made a bunch of wacky hyphenated comparisons in my last post about the rehearsal for Fridays Avondale show so I’ll do my best to keep them at a minimum here. However, Friday’s Avondale show was six-shades-of-awesome with a side-order of DUDE!!!

It was all about Balance. This Balance spread itself to and fro the snowy Thursday night of our final run-through. We circled up, broke out the real-life version of the power-up I joked about earlier and thoroughly laid out the 20-pieces into one giant brick of Wonderfulness. There was balance between the “Awwww” Moments and Severed Limbs. There was Balance between the Blood-Parties and the Blissful Calgon getaway.  Yes, there was Balance unto the Ants with Sticky Fingers, the ungrateful Canines and some Children who enjoyed throwing themselves off of things. I actually have a real life connection to the latter. When I was 8 or 9 years old a pal of mine and I thought it’d be great fun to practice our “Flying Powers” by jumping out of his second story window onto the grass below. Off we went! Each time after landing we scampered back into the house through the kitchen, passing his father who was enjoying his coffee and the Saturday morning paper. It wasn’t until our third or so time around that he realized that either his life was suddenly skipping like a record or his son and his buddy where escaping the house by some unnatural means…and giggling past him in order to do whatever it is they’re doing again. Artie was half-way into his window preparing for another launch when his father burst into the room screaming. True story.

Anyway, back to the show; I’d never seen an auditorium of students sing “Start the Show” and watching patches of them showing off how they would Start It and throwing it right back at them was an unexpected joy. Did I mention the Zombies? Max Brooks has nuthin on the Zombie party what ripped through Avondale Elementary…all on Friday the 13th. Hm. See that? Did you see what I did there?

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one certain Postal Worker with what has to be the most amazing delivery route on Earth, in History, and in Future. He’s part of American History now. Let Friday the 13th be known as “The Peppy Postman who Brandon Played Day”.

Who’s Hyphen Crazy?

Posted by Linsey F. on January 12, 2012 at 04:45 PM
School Shows

I can’t think of the last time I was as charged for a show as I am for tomorrow’s show at Avondale Elementary. Why? Because of the good-kind of hurt the rehearsal process has been. I’m talking Debbie-Allen-FAME kind of hurt. Let’s take that a step further; I’m talkin’ about Debbie-Allen-FAME-plus -Dragonball Z-training-to fight-Vageta kind of awesome let’s-DO-THIS pain!


I’ll let the image of Debbie Allen powering up to Super Saiyan level 900 settle…..

For starters, an actor like yours truly THRIVES on playing a variety of characters in a single show, so being a new Monkey is like having Santa as a best friend who’s constantly trying to prove his friendship by showering you with gifts at every turn. And that Debbie Allen analogy I made a few sentences ago? I didn’t pull that out of nowhere. As I’m writing this, my TOES are hurting in places I’ve never had them hurt before from the fantastically awesome full dance number Molly cooked up.

Yes, Molly is the Monster Clown Girl version of Debbie Allen and our director Lacy is the Walt Monkey Disney making it all happen.

Again, I’m not pulling these comparisons out of thin air! Lacy’s vision of living optical equipment alone blew my mind-grapes so far apart I’ve had to call a search party to retrieve them! Not to give any of it away but imagine a live-action version of Disney’s Fantasia and you’ll BEGIN to have a clue as to what’s in store for the kids at Avondale on Friday. We’re talking inanimate objects coming to life, woodland critters acting all people-like and more! Insanity? Well, YES! Insanity!! The very brand of Mad-Cap Insanity BOM does on the regs! Ya heard?

I’m clapping my hands and tapping my feet in anticipation of my first school show as a proper monkey and even though my Metatarsals hurt, I’m gonna do the feet-tappy thing a little more.