More madness

Next Sunday is our church's Christmas play. I'm the director and stage manager. I'm also a little overwhelmed. Good thing this year I picked an easy one. A Different Kind of Baby is different from other Christmas plays that I've found, in that it offers actors a chance to portray characters generally not found in the Christmas story. It's a neat play. You really ought to check it out. **nudge nudge**

So today's practice was that crazy first practice where I have to interrupt every line to explain everything to everyone: who needs to be where, what they need to be doing while they're there, what they should be listening and watching for, when to move, how to move, when to speak, how to speak, at which volume to speak...you get the idea. Multiply this by 14 kids and 4 adults. It's hard to believe that they will actually pull it off, but I know they will. I've seen it before.

So this week I have to:
--Create two lists, one for each of the entrances to the sanctuary. These lists will be for the mothers who have volunteered to man the doors, and will tell them who will be entering their door, what costumes they will be changing into, and when they will returning to stage.

--Decide on songs and prepare scripts for our pianist and possibly the choir.

--Create cards/signs on which the individual lines will be printed. I will sit of the floor during the play, with the cards in order, and will flip the cards as the lines are delivered. I might also put my stage directions on the back so I don't have to keep up with the cards AND my script.

--Create sheep costumes for Bookie and Fidget, possibly one or two other little sheep.

--Meet someone at the church so we can venture into the attic to find costumes, props, etc.

--Fret about what I might be forgetting.

I was really starting to freak out this afternoon when I thought I had to do all of this AND make Christmas presents for the kiddos. Then I remembered that we will be celebrating the 12 days of Christmas, so not everything has to be done by the 25th.

Next year, something has got to change. Maybe I can discipline myself to have Christmas presents made before Thanksgiving. Maybe next year I'll get the script out to the kids at the beginning of November and have it blocked by then too. Maybe next year we won't be renovating part of our house in the middle of the holiday season. Maybe Little Man won't be teething and waking up every hour of the night. The way things stand right now I am one very worn out, stressed out Mama. And I don't like it one bit.