IHES Evening of the Arts Tomorrow Night!

Come out tomorrow and support the arts at IHES! The Evening of the Arts will be a drop-in from 5:30-7:30. Framed student artwork will be on display and available for purchase. Also, some of our very own IHES parent artists will display their work. Light refreshments will be prepared by the 5th grade students. I hope to see you all tomorrow evening!

Below is a message from the Director of Education and Outreach for Opera Carolina, Ashley Johnson Lamb. This would be a wonderful opportunity to experience a live performance with your child. The works of Gilbert and Sullivan are witty and light-hearted, a perfect introduction to the opera. I hope you will consider going next Wednesday!

Message:

As the school year is winding down I would like to inform you of one last potential outing with your students-to the opera! Next Wednesday, May 11th, at 7:00pm Opera Carolina is holding its final Student Night at the Opera for the season, featuring HMS Pinafore, a light-hearted Gilbert & Sullivan operetta.

Student Night at the Opera is an open dress rehearsal in which your students, their families, and you can watch the final run of the show before opening night-for great prices! Students can attend for just $6 and adults for just $10.

Opera Carolina also provides our Opera Passport-a study guide-for each Student Night and numerous videos to help you and your students get excited about opera. Visit OperaCarolina.org to learn more about HMS Pinafore and to access these wonderful tools.

If you would like to attend Student Night at the Opera, please call me to purchase your tickets.

I hope you will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and wish you well as the school year closes.


Warmly,

Ashley Johnson Lam
Education & Outreach
Opera Carolina
Two Wells Fargo Center
Charlotte, NC 28282
(tel) 704.332.7177 ext.202
(fax) 704.332.7177

operacarolina.org

"Arf!" Receives Two Paws Up!

I am bursting with pride for our students in "Arf!" last night! The music, dialogue, costumes, and energetic performers made the show a wonderful success. Thank you to all who helped by lending a hand last night! Thanks to all of the parents who created costumes for their little puppies to wear on-stage, and those who donated a dollar or more to ensure all of the children had doggie ears to complete their costumes. Thank you to family members who helped the children with speaking parts learn their lines and solos for the show. I am glad we were able to provide the IHES students with this opportunity to show their talent on stage.

Remember that DVDs are available for purchase for $5. You may send in the money with your child, and I will give them the DVD as soon as they are ready (by Friday of this week).

Flowers are still available for $1 each as well. Students may come by the music room to purchase the flowers.

Thanks again for your support of music at IHES!

"Arf!" Reminders

We're less than 2 weeks away from showtime! The students are rehearsing during music class, and the students with speaking parts are rehearsing after school 3 times a week. I know the hard work will pay off!
Here are a few reminders as the big day approaches:

1. Please make sure you are putting together your child's costume. I know that sweat suits aren't as common as they used to be; but both Walmart.com and Hanes.com have some inexpensive options. Also, if you already have access to a solid brown, black, gray, or white shirt or pants, please use them. T-Shirts with words even be worn inside out for the show. I am more than happy to look at any costume items, if your child brings them in or you send me a picture via e-mail.

2. I have ordered dog ear headbands for our students to use during "Arf!" If you haven't already, please send in a $1 to help with the cost of the "doggy ears".

3. If your child has a speaking part or solo, please have them practice, practice, practice. I would love for all of the lines to be memorized by Monday, March 21. It will be easier to work out staging once the students don't need their scripts. The CD sent home with all of the speaking scenes should help them learn their lines and have a sense of how their lines fit in the entire scene and show.

As always, thank you for your support! I'm very excited for our students to have this experience on stage!

"Arf!" Cast List

The "Arf!" cast list was just sent to parents of the students who auditioned. If your child auditioned; but you did not receive the cast list, please send me an e-mail. I'm very excited to get started with staging the show!
The first rehearsal for speaking parts is Wednesday, March 9 from 2:45-3:15 in the music room.

Final "Arf!" Auditions

Today is the final day of "Arf!" auditions. After all of the auditions are complete, I will work on casting parts for the show. I will let everyone know the results by Monday, March 7. Wednesday, March 9 (2:45-3:15) will be the first rehearsal for all students with speaking parts.

Auditions start tomorrow!

I'm excited about seeing some our little actors and actresses audition this week! You may already be hearing the songs from "Arf!" at home. I have created a chart for the Promethean Board which contains the words and links to recordings of all of the songs. This will allow classroom teachers to review the songs with the students a little each day since 45 minutes a week is not much!
Ask your children to perform the songs they have learned for "Arf!" complete with movements. I'm sure they will love to show off their new tunes!