It's musical season

Deck the stage. Put on costumes. Teach students how to sing their feelings.

Yes, it's high school musical time. Literally so in Friend, where they're performing "High School Musical" this weekend. I've been to three musicals in one week - surely that's a record. Centennial presented "The Wedding Singer," and Seward staged "Grease." I enjoyed all three.

I've always enjoyed going to "the theatre." Of course, when I was growing up, that meant attending high school productions. I don't remember all of them - there are way too many. I remember certain things about some of them, though. When I was 4 or so, Franklin put on "Flowers for Algernon." I don't remember the play, but I'm told the final scene brought the audience to tears. Algernon, for those of you who don't know, was a mouse. I have him.

I do remember the character Double Trouble from "Mystery in the Library." The student who played him worked at the gas station we frequented, and my brothers and I tortured him for months. Every time we'd stop at the station when he was working, we'd make him say the phrase "double trouble." He probably dreaded seeing our station wagon.

I also remember most of "The Night of January 16th," which was a courtroom drama. The witnesses were seated throughout the audience and called to the stand, just like in a real courtroom. The jury was made up of audience members, which was cool. When the jury went to deliberate, the witnesses stood in the audience and reminded us of key points in their testimonies. The rest of the gym was dark and the spotlight picked out each witness as they spoke. I saw the script later - it included two endings. One was for a guilt verdict, and the other was for a not guilty decision. I thought that was pretty awesome.

When I got to high school, I was part of the plays and musicals myself. My junior year we put on "Funky Winkerbean's Homecoming." Funky Winkerbean was a cartoon set in a high school, so the characters were familiar to those who read the comic strip. I got to play Holly, the drum majorette, who wanted to be homecoming queen. Talk about NOT type casting.

When I was a senior, we did "The Wizard of Oz." I was cast as Dorothy, mainly because I could sing the part, I think. I had a blue and white gingham dress and red shoes - not ruby slippers, sadly. They don't make ruby slippers in my size. I didn't come close to Judy Garland, but I gave it my best shot.

The kids I saw performing this year, while maybe not Tony Award winners, were also giving it their best shot. They may not be the best actors and actresses. They may not have the best singing voices or be comfortable in front of the spotlight, but they were on the stage, giving it their best. I'm sure there was some fear and trepidation as the curtain opened. I know I was always concerned about remembering my lines. But once the show starts, you've got to go with whatever happens.

 That's a good thing to remember in life, too. Once you're out there, things may not go according to your plan. But you've got to be flexible and willing to adapt, changing your lines to go with the action. It's not always easy, and sometimes it's downright awkward as you wait for someone else to deliver their speech. But if you're willing to go with it, things may turn out even better than you'd hoped.