Grand Slam!

"Bugsy Malone" was my 3rd. musical I put on in school, and it was 3 years ago. When you are the only music teacher, and there is no drama teacher, putting on a show means that it is more or less a one-man show. Hellish hard work - doing everything from the music & acting, to the dancing, costumes, lights, etc.
I do get support, however. Pat, my pal in the Art Department, comes up with some great ideas for set design, and then carries them out. This is her creation for "Fat Sam's Grand Slam Speakeasy". She made it from disco rope lights pegged to a big board.
Ever since the show ended, it has been kicking around the department, with the janitor telling me that it would be too heavy to put up, and he would see what he could do.
We now have a new janny, and suddenly things are getting done. He bought a new drill, brackets, extension cable, and a few days after I mentioned it to him, it was on the wall.
The kids love when I light it up - looks like Christmas already.
I took this emergency blip after the "Oliver" rehearsal - this, I think, will be the swan song of this particular music teacher. Too many hassles - kids not turning up, dropping out, parents being less than supportive blah blah - I mean, how dare I get angry with their little precious one for not coming to rehearsals. I got a stroppy letter from a parent yesterday, saying that I should give her child work to practise at home so that she didn't need to attend after school rehearsals - it was just about the straw that broke this camel's whatever.
I DON'T GET PAID TO DO THIS, PEOPLE!! I GIVE UP HOURS AND HOURS OF MY TIME TO GIVE YOUR KID A GREAT EXPERIENCE....... IT USED TO BE A PRIVILEGE TO TAKE PART IN A SHOW - WORK WITH ME HERE!!
It seems to be getting more and more difficult to get kids to commit to a long term project like a school show. Maybe we just live in a society where results are immediate, and long term commitment is a thing of the past. The staff who work with the Duke of Edinburgh awards are finding the same sort of thing.
However, there are enough enthusiastic kids to stop you from pulling the plug completely; so you shoulder on. It is getting harder and harder, though.
As the song says "Something's gotta give......"
OK, rant over.