Annie – NCHS Superintendent’s ReportDecember 2, 2015

By Ernie Fowler – Nashville CHSD #99

efowler@nashville-k12.org

I had the opportunity to watch our high school musical “Annie” recently. I’m far from an expert in reviewing musicals but, from my view, I can summarize the performance in one word……GREAT! Mr. Browne along with the cast and crew hit yet another home run with this year’s offering.

I thought the musical was well-staged, well-performed and well…everything! How can one school have so many talented kids? They sang, they danced, and they executed their lines with precision and perfection.

The students didn’t just happen to perform that way. They worked hard day after day in practice. They gave up the time that they could have been doing plenty of other things. They were committed to putting on an “out of the park” production. Mission accomplished!

Not only should the actors be commended but there are plenty of folks who are not seen on stage who worked to make each performance special.

Those who worked on set design, those who worked with costumes and make up, those who performed the music in the pit, and anyone else who went unheralded in the endeavor deserve applause. Sandy the dog would like to thank those who supplied treats as an incentive for obedience to the script! I would like to thank Sandy the dog for not leaving any “treats” behind.

Annie is about a girl who had a need and a man who had the ability to meet that need. I noticed that during a performance that was sold out, an older couple stood in the back of the auditorium to watch the show. There was also a young man and young woman who stood. Both couples had a need of finding a seat but there were no seats to be had. We found two chairs to bring inside the auditorium to accommodate one of the couples. It actually was the young man who helped to bring in the chairs. Rather than he and his young lady friend take the chairs, this young man assisted the older couple into the seats. They could have taken the attitude of “too bad pops, I got the chairs and I’m gonna use them”. No. The young couple showed enormous class and compassion by respecting their elders.

The younger generation often gets labeled as selfish and uncaring. Maybe this is true to varying degrees. On this November night, however, two of the same generation offered a gesture of kindness that gives me hope for tomorrow. As Annie told us, tomorrow is only a day away!

Annie

NCHS Superintendent’s Notes