Golden Silver Penny

Well, session 2 of Silver Penny Theatre Camp has just ended. Oh boy, time flies when one's busy! I shall never forget being as part of the SP team, working and guiding and controlling and having fun (with) the kids.

Session 1 - I was (the counselor) in charge of the 10-11 yrs old kids. The middle kids. We have 8-9 yrs old, middle and 12-14 yrs old. My group named themselves '9-3 Hyper Nobodies'. 9 girls, 3 boys. Damn hyper, half of them drink coffee! You can imagine :P And they're kinda outta control. Gosh, I don't know since when I've turned into a 'kid-loving'-person. Haha! I used to have no patience with kids. Had never taken the initiative to really talk and reason with one. I guess I thought myself as being one of them :P and furthermore, I grew up being a lone child (you could say so...). Kids are annoying - haha..I used to think (100%) so :P. I was bad...

Anyway, ever since K entered my life 7 years ago, my perspective toward baby/kid has changed. He's not just the joy and hope of my guardians but his presence somehow has brought positive influences - my tolerence and love toward kid(s) to another level. Wonderful, isn't it? ;)

Back to the camp...they're sucha handful and wild. Two of them were from a children's shelter home and they're kinda difficult to handle. You know, sometimes they came in feeling so moody/exhausting/sleepy. Urgh! I did one-on-one dialogue with them and it worked ;). Phew! Others (the gals) were loud and talkative. You know how high pitch (vocal) sound they produce... Ah, not to mention so much running around, playing chasing. Gosh, gave me headache! :P

Although the Nobodies were outta ocntrol but when I saw their rehearsed pieces, I felt so touched, 'swelled' and amazed. My eyes were glistening with tears... Ahhh...the impact, power and magic of theatre ;) It almost seemed like seeing my own kids performing!

'Yesterday is gone
See the pretty countryside
Merrily we roll along, roll along
Bursting with dreams...
Travelling's fun
Flashing by the countryside
Everybody merrily, merrily
Catching at dreams...
Rolling along...

Dreams don't die so keep an eye on your dream
Time goes by and hopes go dry but you still can try for your dream...'


- the opening song of our first session (theme was 'travels and travails').

Working with kids are fun, rewarding and wonderful although sometimes they're sucha pain in the butt. Sometimes I couldn't help being mean to them. Haha. One of my (leadership) traits - being mean. My friends back home would be surprise at how 'soft' I've became :P. Some kids told me (half jokingly) I was mean, haha. Good though, because everytime they said that, I checked/reflected on myself :)

There's a gal that reminded me of L. Her athletic way of moving, I could almost see L... You know, when they're playing kickball (soccer + dodgeball + baseball). One day, she came in dressing like Britney Spears, wow...what a pretty (and sexy and exotic-looking) 13-years-old. It's amazing how physically matured these 'ghost' kids are! Ahh...when I was her age, I was like a log :P

Since I was working hard controlling the hyper kids, TC put me in charge of the younger kids in Session 2. We thought they'd be easier to manage. Less hard time for me, I could 'breathe' a little ;P. However, the young kids in Session 2 were unlike the kids in Session 1. They're kinda wild too! 18 of them! Of course, not all of them were wild. I had 7 boys and 11 gals. After the first day, we agreed for the (counselor) switch. Glad B could do it, and was willing to do it. And so, I was relieved and be the 'queens'' counselor. I just love them! They're more discipline than others, and they didn't run around. Phew! Their attention and enthusiasm (to participate and learn and work together) should be well-praised. At the end of the session, just before the performance, we did some (impression) sharing. It was nice and touching. I miss them now... :'( I'll never forget the one performance we did together - 'Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now'. I played the piano, they acted, sang and danced.

What an experience!