My son the Nazi

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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My son is a HS sophomore. Since he started HS, he has wanted to be in a school play. He has participated in theater club, and auditioned for every mainstage and blackbox production. I’ve been tremendously impressed by his persistent effort, especially when he was working on song-and-dance routines for the musicals. (He inherited his father’s lack of singing/dancing talent!) Earlier this year he got his first callback for a blackbox show, but was not ultimately selected.

So I was excited to learn that he had actually been chosen for a speaking role in the next play. Apparently it is a light-hearted romp accompanying Jewish children on their rollicking one-way journey to Auschwitz. And my dear son, the apple of my eye, plays the roll of the commanding Nazi, reading the death rolls and sending the little kiddies “to the showers!”

I’m no theater expert, so I can’t express any judgment on the artistic/social merit of the play, but having read the script I can certainly say it doesn’t seem like a work I would personally seek out. To call it a downer would be an understatement IMO, tho I am undoubtedly missing some uplifting message.

I know that someone has to play the villain. But at times I have felt odd when people ask what my kids are up to, and I respond that my kid is playing the role of a Nazi in the school play. And I am less enthusiastic about encouraging folks to come see this play, which I suspect may be something other than a laugh riot. When I heard he got a role, I figured I would attend all 3 shows - but I honestly don’t know if I could take it 3 nights in a row.

He has long been interested in military history, with an especial interest in WWII (along with the Napoleonic and French and Indian Wars), as well as participating in an American Rev War re-enactment group. Add in the fact that he is taking German for his foreign language, and he is really getting into the part. And he’s greatly enjoying the daily rehearsals, learning a lot and getting to know some fun kids.

To prepare him, I’ve been watching old “Hogan’s Heroes” episodes with him. Trying to convince him to work “I know nussink!” into the final night’s show. Or maybe a chorus of “Springtime for Hitler.” Mrs D accuses me (yet again) of being a bad influence…

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:eek:

Could we perhaps know the title of this work?

I am all for kids (HS) stretching and doing serious theater, but it seems a bit offputting, frankly.

Why can’t they do Mousetrap or whatever?

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One day when he accepts his oscar, he can say, " My first speaking part was playing a Nazi on stage."
I would think it far easier and much more funnerer to play a villian than a good guy.

But, that is just me.

Be proud and make sure you take loads of pictures to shock future friends and workmates with.

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You are back! I’ve missed you.

Sounds like the common tripe that appeals to high school directors - wouldn’t be a one-act would it. The one act “Butterflies are Free” (similar subject matter) was a frequent contender in state one act competition when I was in high school. Allowed high schoolers to overact with lots of angst - which is important in winning a one-act competition.

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I had a lot more fun playing the villian than I ever did as the hero.

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Is this play being produced by anyone named Bialystock or Bloom?

I second taking loads of photos. And if he starts goosestepping around the house, well…

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“I Never Saw Another Butterfly.”
You can google it.
Apparently it was originally a book/exhibit of writings/art by the kids passing thru a particular camp.
I believe they do 3 plays a year - a musical, a comedy, and a drama.
I tell ya, can’t beat a group of upper middleclass whitebread suburban kids getting down to “The Wiz”!

(Hiya Dange!)

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The Sound of Music: Director’s Cut.

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Just as I was reading this thread, iTunes started playing “Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop” from the Producers soundtrack.

Eerie. :eek:

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My church opted to produce a Passion Play for Palm Sunday. In case that isn’t self-explanatory, it was a musical and dramatic presentation of the events of the last week of Jesus’s Life. We started at Palm Sunday and ended with the limp body of Jesus being wrapped up in a shroud and toted out of the sanctuary feet first. Then the pastor said the benediction “Though we leave here today with heavy hearts, come back next we when we celebrate with drama, music,scripture and a sermon” Then people quietly left the sanctuary.

As a choir member, I didn’t see most of what went on. I did hear most of it. I also heard more than a few comments that were kind of funny, mostly because of the contrast/context.
“Apostles to the left, Village People to the right”

“Choir, no applause, tomorrow, at the end of the solo.” (Said solo was performed while Jesus’s body was removed from the cross and wrapped up and carried out)

“Roman Soldiers–please do not applaud when Jesus dies. It’s more or less in character, but it might send the wrong message. We don’t want people applauding at the end of the production either. You can cheer, quietly, and raise your hands in triumph, but no clapping.”

I also heard someone mention that she’d asked the soldier who had to whip Jesus, if it was hard to whip him. The soldier said that he had wanted that part-- I got the impression that he didn’t want someone else to have to deal with the emotions that one might have from whipping one’s Savior.

I will admit that it surprised me a little when my mother talked to a friend who had come to see her niece perform. (Niece sings in the choir). Apparently, niece had not made it clear just what was going to be happening. I thought that was a little cruel. I’ve never seen a live passion play, and now I’d really like to see a taped version of this one, but not to warn people in advance seems cruel.

Apparently a couple of people slipped into the sanctuary with twenty minutes left in the service. This struck me as kind of silly. (Admittedly, they may not have known what was going on, but why show up even for a normal service at that point?) At any rate, by the time they showed up, we were probably well into the trial scene, if not moving on to the Crucifixion, and I think it would be a little jarring to just walk in at that point. Better to show up early, watch Jesus, little children, and Apostles parade around with palms while everyone sings traditional Palm Sunday Hymns, with lots of Hosannas. Then listen to a somewhat gloomy offeratory (instrumental), then see the Last Supper, move on to the Garden of Gethsemene, and watch and listen as things get darker and darker (lights were dimmed as the show progressed, but also things got darker thematically). Leave the sanctuary with a heavy heart, knowing that next week, Jesus will be resurrected, with music, etc. (I’m not sure if the guy who played Jesus will be walking around in costume this next week or not. I just hope he starts eating again, he got awful skinny to play this part, and was not plump beforehand).

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**Dinsdale!{/b] - It’s good to see you back. How are all your kids? How’s the youngest doing?

StG

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This isn’t the same as that Jerry Lewis movie where he plays a clown who leads children into the gas chambers, is it?

Actually, getting to play such a part is a really GOOD thing if your son is serious about acting-it sounds like a very challenging role, the kind of thing people serious about acting look for.

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Sounds like the title of an Allan Sherman album.

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That’s it - I had the name wrong. Yep, horrible peice of tripe.

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I don’t have that one.

:smiley:

But it would be funny, wouldn’t it?

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Well, sounds better than Oklahoma! again. If I never see another high school Oklahoma!…

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And then he follows with…
…
wait for it…
…
“And I’m proud to say the role came in handy while acting as director of SuperFamousMegaMovie!” :smiley:

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Nothing productive to add except that I think I’ve blocked out the memory of those speech performances of that play (probably out of horror at overacting rather than source material), and that it’s good to see Dinsdale posting again - hiya!

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Thanks for asking.

The youngest is nearly recovered from that “tough love” thrashing we gave her following the blanket incident! :wink: Seriously, it’s all good, tho not without the occasional speedbump. Maybe I’ll start another thread on “Has your kid ever run away from home?” (just for a few hours, but it was a little scary nonetheless!)

Quick recap/update for those keeping score

  • oldest (girl) is a HS senior. Going to Illinois State to study music ed. Got offered early enrollment on both flute and piano, and a nice partial ride. The neatest thing is to see her confidence blossom in response to having a school express an interest in her, as well as reaping the benefits from all her hard work.

The boy is a sophomore. Besides theater he is active in boy scouts and a American Rev War re-enactment group. Earned his Eagle last fall. The ceremony was on his 16th b-day, and we gave him a black powder musket. Excessive, but the kind of thing he’ll remember all his life. We visited West Point last summer, and as a result he is not as thrilled with the prospect of trying to get into a military academy. To his credit he thinks a regular school - maybe with ROTC “would be a lot more fun!”

The youngest (girl) is a freshman. She’s playing badminton this spring - the first of our kids to participate in a school athletics. She is doing extremely well at bassoon (would probably do even better if she ever practiced without us bugging her.) There’s more friction between us and her than the other 2 kids, but nothing terminal.

They are all getting good grades, no pregnancies that I know of, and I haven’t had to pick any of them up at the police station or hospital yet.

Life is good!

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Would the play be Goodnight, Boys by any chance? The school I attended performed it, with a teacher acting the SS man who rounds up the Jewish kids who are hiding at the Catholic boarding school. Detentions from his classes doubled for the next couple of weeks- mostly as a result of kids goose-stepping around the classroom when coming in.