Under God’s Sea

For the past 4 months, much of our lives has been consumed by preparing for the sixth grade musical, which is always performed in November. I started helping the director this past summer with set ideas and brainstorming. In September, Bethany auditioned for a lead role and I signed myself, Ed & my dad up to help in various ways.

I remember well the day that Bethany got the letter with the cast list…she gasped and started laughing and I said, “What? What?” And she said, “Faith (one of her best friends) is Professor Gill and that’s the part she wanted!” I took the paper and took a look – sure enough! Then, right below Faith’s name I saw Bethany’s. She also had earned a lead and hadn’t even noticed yet! We were SO excited and rehearsals began. I helped out as an acting coach once a week and working on sets in various different ways.

Last week, all the hard work paid off as the sixth graders at LC put on a fabulous musical called “Under God’s Sea in 3-D.” I was able to be at the dress rehearsals all week long, helping the director, and watching all these kids in a fabulous production! Most of their rehearsals since the beginning of the school year were during recess or during music class, so it’s absolutely amazing that they can put on the quality show that they do. We’ll be getting a CD of pictures and a DVD of the show soon, but in the meantime, I’ll share the few pictures I do have.

Bethany’s character was one of 5 students taking their final exam in a submarine at the Alleluia Aquatic Academy. She had several lines and several solo parts. The girl on the stool was her on-stage, non-identical twin, with whom she bickers. They were too cute!

The captain there is Professor Gill, played by one of Bethany’s best friends. Her family goes to our church and she & Bethany often sing together in church. It’s so exciting to think about the years of performing they may be fortunate enough to experience together!

And that is The Whale. The Whale consumed hours of sleep from my dad while he brainstormed how to build it, as well as hours of awake time building the skeleton and then covering it with the fabric – that’s the part where a couple other ladies & I helped out. Not only is The Whale about 9 feet long, but its mouth moves up and down, as do the flippers and the tail. The Whale also has a blowhole – the kid in the middle held up a squirt gun and viola! Water came spurting out the blowhole! During the matinee (when all the kids in K-5 get to watch the performance), the audience went absolutely bananas whenever The Whale would make an appearance!

There were a couple scenes when the kids in the sub had to do some real physical acting…during this scene the boy on the right is taking the sub down to the ocean floor way too fast and the kids are holding on for dear life. It was totally awesome.

These are the Ninevites. They’re slapping each other with fish. If you don’t know why that’s funny, go watch the Veggie Tales Jonah movie.What a great acting job to give a bunch of 6th grade boys who don’t really want to act!

The kids on the dock – they sang their hearts out!

One of the last scenes…Bethany singing one of her solo/duet parts. In this scene, Jonas (the red-head on his knees with his head bowed) is asking forgiveness for having disobeyed and suffering consequences. The beautiful message in this musical was that God is a God of second chances, a God of forgiveness, and a God of loving mercy.

Bethany & her awesome director/school music teacher. We LoVe her! Congratulations Bethany & the 6th grade class on a job well done!