Poor Unfortunate Souls

Day #3

So Ellie is in her middle school’s production of "The Little Mermaid, Jr." later this month.

She did not get the part of Ursula like she had hoped but told me later that she would not have been happy only being in two performances.

Being in the chorus allows for her to be in ALL the performances.

And that girl likes being on stage.

She is in the Dark Sea Creature chorus.

Which sounds all kinds of awful but she gets to hang out on stage with Ursula and sing “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and  that is just fine with Ellie.

We found out at the parent meeting that there would be creature assignments within the Dark Sea Creature chorus (DSC) for costume purposes.

Ellie marched up front after the meeting and asked what the creature options would be and if she’d get to pick.

She found out that there would possibly be options such as:

Sting Rays,

Sharks,

Angler Fish

 (cool creepy fish with light dangling in front like in Finding Nemo),

and that no, she would not be able to choose her own creature.

Of course, we both decided that Angler Fish would be the coolest of the options and HOW FUN would it be to have that light dangling off your head?!

The end of last week Ellie got into the car after a two-hour rehearsal and said,

“I’m a Water Snake.”

What?!

Was that even an option?!

And then she made it clear that she didn’t care WHAT the costume looked like, 

she was going to USE HER ARMS in the choreography.

Z-snap.

Head move with attitude.

Then I couldn’t help but imagine her wrapped up in some black, tight, armless get-up leaving her to hop on and off the stage only able to use her shoulders in the choreography for “Poor Unfortunate Souls”.

Can’t you just see that?

It could be a show stealer.

But it did pose a problem to the solution I thought we already had of what to write in the family ad in the program.

The school sells ads to local businesses in the program and also has parents buy ads wishing their kids good luck in the play.

Whatever.

Ellie told me we HAD to write an ad last year. 

HAD. TO.

I’m a writer. 

It should be no problem to bang out something cute, clever and slightly touching.

So I paid $10 extra for some mom to write and lay out an ad for me.

I know, I’m pathetic.

But not as pathetic as the final ad.

When we sat down to the first performance of “Annie” last year, we flipped through the program and saw,

“We are so proud of you, Eleanor!”

and underneath that,

“Love--Your Family”

No clever wishes or touching sentiment.

Not even a Love, Mom or Dad or McDaniel or anything!!

They may as well have put,

“Generic Wishes of Luck from Some People in the Audience!”

Ellie was WAY LESS than thrilled.

I still want my $10 back.

So when the forms were handed out for the family ads this year, I instantly began to stress.

Monte came up with the cute,

“Break a Fin!”

and I was like,

“PERFECT!”

Then Ellie comes home with the assignment of THE ONLY FINLESS creature in the Dark Sea Creature chorus!!

Now I’m back to square one.

Any ideas?? 

I need every. single. one. 

The deadline is next week!!!