Music and Literature with Tyler Campbell

Join us as we explore the role of music and literature in education, and how Tyler uses his talents to inspire and nurture young artists at Lakeland High School. Tyler also shares his thoughts on the role of AI in the classroom, including his experiences using Chat GPT with his students.

Whether you're a music lover, teacher, or student, this episode is sure to entertain and enlighten. Tune in to learn about the making of a musical director and the impact of performing arts programs on the next generation of talent.

So me girls, there's, there was a couple of like moments where you're like, oh yeah, get it. You know, but, uh, never with the lead. Oh yeah. With the girl that played Katie? Uh, yeah. Just kind of like, maybe she was tired. I don't know. Bringing a lot of, yeah. So I asked Harvey, who up until this point had always said like Mean girls is her favorites.

Her favorites her, her number one. Yeah. So we walk outta there and I said, so after everything we've seen now, right? Yeah. Where is it Land? She's like, I, I still like it. So where is it laying? Mm-hmm. Yeah. She's like, um, I think Muon Rouge is still my number one. Oh. And I was like, okay, I can understand that it's Anac experience.

It's a spectacle. You're like, yeah, yeah. It's funny cuz when I went, um, it was like that weekend before Thanksgiving, right? So, All the parade participants were there, the Thanksgiving Day parade. And you know, there's always that massive group of dancers. Yes. That they dance America or something like that.

They were there. Oh, oh, oh, wow. And I thought, oh, this is gonna be fun. This is a show you're talking about like a 500 group of dance. Okay. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Nothing. The whole show. I was like, are we watching the same thing? And maybe they were just exhausted. I don. Or maybe they're being very critical. That could be, oh, I know.

Maybe they were like, it's easy to be judgy

Monday through Fridays. Welcome to the Drama. Yes. Welcome, welcome to join npr. Don't set that bar that hard. I know. We're, I don't think we're allowed to be on there cuz I, I cuss. Oh, ok. And we're super casual. Yeah. Super. So I'm they it out on there. Angela. And I'm Kathy and we today we have Tyler Campbell.

I had so much fun online stalking you this morning. Oh, what'd you find? Nice. Yes. Good stuff. Good. Oh my gosh, so much I didn't know about you. Really? Yes. You're like a little bit of everything. Oh gosh. All wrapped up in, well, okay. So probably the biggest surprise to me about you was to learn that you were an English teacher.

Cause that was not at all what I expected. Like how we had kind of come to know you. Mm-hmm. Like to Jordan. Right. And so, like when I found that out I was like, oh, huh. Well how did all the rest of that happen? Yeah. Yeah. So, okay. Well catch, oh gosh. Journey little. Um, so I should probably start by saying that I've come from a musical family.

Yes. Okay. It's just in the jeans. Um, my grandfather led worship for like 30 years. Okay. Um, so church music was always really very present. Um, lessons as a kid, um, decided I wanted to go to Harrison when I got to eighth grade. Cause I had some friends that went and I was like, oh, that's kind of cool. Let's see what that's about.

Um, and then from a theatrical point of view, that didn't really start till my sophomore year at Harrison. Mm-hmm. Um, they said, Hey, we need a rehearsal pianist. For the fall show and I was a freshman and didn't know any better and they're like, you think you should do it? And I was like, well, okay. I didn't know any better.

Um, you were in the piano Pro the right? I was in the piano department. Um, and they handed me 175 pages of music and I was like, use me. Oh, what did I just sign on for now? Luckily I had the whole summer, but that was kind of like the entry level. Um, and then I ended up doing five more shows while I was at Harrison.

Wow. So on piano or did you like participate? Both. Both. Mm-hmm. Right. Cause you, do you also act sing as well? Uh, I like to say I'm a singer first, then an actor, but you know. Okay. Before I ever knew you, I'd heard about you because Jordan would talk about her friend. And you sang All the time. All the time.

All the time. Yes. But I didn't know. And I was like, who is this guy? Why have we not met him? Yeah, you sang at our church and my husband leaned over, we've never met him. Now my Okay. And Alex leans over and he goes, I want him to sing at my funeral. Oh, that's actually a really nice, it sounds dark in Maccombs.

It's like, okay, this guy's super talented. But the English thing, um, when I left Harrison, I was kind of burnt out cause I didn't know how to say no to people. Wow. I can understand that. Well, it's better, but it's not fixed. Um, it'll never be, I say no more often. Yeah. Anyways. Um, so in college, the first, what year and a half, I was totally undecided.

Just taking gen eds to try to figure something out and English really kept popping up as like, oh yeah, I enjoy this. I've always enjoyed reading cause that wasn't a big surprise. But, um, the teaching thing, Kind of went hand in hand. Cause I thought, okay, what do you do with a BA in English? Mm-hmm. As the song says.

Yeah. Um, so I said, well, I, education is in the family. I mean, give this a shot too. And it just kind of married itself. Nice. You seem very passionate about it whenever you talk. I, I love English. Yeah, I really do. Um, I know when I brought up chat, G P t, that like during the, oh, I'm not to say about that. So say about that.

Probably too much time for this one. Not today. Not today. Yeah. This isn't that podcast. No. But we would like to touch on that. I'd love to hear you. Oh yeah, for sure. Yeah. Might as well. Now I think GPT is if you spend enough time with your students, um, and you see enough of their handwriting particularly Yeah.

And you converse with them enough verbally, you're gonna know Yeah. What's theirs and what's there. Right. Absolutely. Style and word choice and Yeah. But somehow you can train it. Right. So a fun story, I was grading something today, actually before I was coming here. A Uhoh student used the phrase, um, something about the presents, a bleak and pessimistic view of the justice system.

And I was like, I've never heard anything like that come out of your mouth. Yours. Yeah. So exhibit A. Yeah. So there's probably not anybody to like plug it back in and check. Like with plagiarism there's, well, okay, so I know that there's AI checkers, um, and it for a hot minute, everybody was really kind of jumping on that, um, because they were really worried about how Google would see that content.

Mm-hmm. Like from a, I'm gonna put it on my blog standpoint. Yeah. I'm gonna try and use it in my website to help me, you know? Rank better or whatever. Like for business? Yeah. Yeah. For, well, yeah. Cause like I, I took our like about us stuff from the website and I plugged it in there and I was like, make this better.

Right. You know? Wait, you're saying, was it good? Yeah. Make it better. Yeah. I mean, we wrote our stuff and then I went back through and rewrote it and then I That's exactly. And then, and then I went back through chat gt later. So it's had like three iterations now of someone tell me, you can like ask it, did you write this?

And it'll say yes or no. I haven't heard that. I should try that. Okay. I dunno if that's true. Yeah. Cause the current versions of our abouts are totally asked what I'm not might, but you can also put in your own writing and then say, write this in the style of my own writing and reference it and rewrite it.

That's what I mean. So I know you can train it. Yeah. But that's where people don't understand how to use it. So they still get caught. Yeah. And if you pay for chat, g p t, you get chat g p t four, which also allows you to do some referencing around the web. Mm-hmm. Because like, chat, g p t three doesn't like, it stops at 2021 mm-hmm.

Of, you know, web knowledge, I guess. Yeah. Um, and chat four now it's like real time. Hmm. So that can kind of muddy things too. Yeah. So it's gonna get real hard for you to like spot that stuff, I think quickly. It's a paradigm sheet. Yeah. As a teacher, when you rec, when you think somebody's using it, what do you do?

Like, how do you confront them or, um, I give you the opportunity to fess up to it. Yeah. They don't care to do that. Then, um, we're moving on to the next thing. You know, I, I have all seniors too, so it, it's that point at which like, you need to be able to own up to your actions and mistakes. Okay. Yes. Yeah.

Yeah. Because I'm trying to prepare 'em for the next step, whatever that might be. Right, right, right. Um, someone's gonna call you on it, I think. Yeah. Well, okay. But, so just devil's advocate here cause Right. I'm super chat g p T. Right. Um, but not for the reasons of cheating. I think they should learn your skills.

Right. Learn the same skills that you have, learn how to write, you know, be grammatically correct and all of that intelligent. Yeah. Because it's, it's, I think it's an important skill for communication and it's nice to be able to portray your own thoughts and your own words out there. So that said, moving on, um, I also think that, you know, our kids are going up with technology that's changing really fast and they have to be able to use, use it faster, keep up.

Absolutely. And if businesses are using chat G P T, then they need to be able to know how to use it. Mm-hmm. That's probably fair. So that's kinda my position on it. It is and it isn't. You can, if you just ask it a question and the question is phrased like, really open, you're gonna, if that's garbage in, garbage out system, you have to be a prompt engineer.

You have to learn how to create the good prompt that's gonna get you good content back out. So that's kind of that, go back to that idea of situational types of writing. Mm-hmm. Um, knowing when to be formal and informal when you can use lingo and Yep. Um, which that falls on us as teachers, I think too.

Just kind of draw some of those boundaries at least even if they're a little gray. Yeah. Yeah. And then maybe even teach them how to use that tool if, if they're in a business class and they're putting together a mm-hmm. You know, some sort of business plan. Yeah. Something like that. Cause it'll show you the format.

We'll give you the whole nine yard working smarter, not harder. Oh yeah. Yes. I mean, however, use the web anyway. Right. Totally different. You want that from your brain. You want that from, you know, what's, what are your thoughts? That's a little bit, that brings me to a question, because you're a composer as well.

Yes. Do you think at some point that's gonna translate into music? Well, I hope not. Yeah, I hope not. So I feel like there is some of that happening. So kind of like, so chat PTs more about like, I need some help, you know, researching or writing something. Um, Maybe a few other things like web develop, like developing or whatever, right?

Because they can do codes, but then there's like programs like Mid Journey that um, are all about imagery. So I can type in text and I get out an image. Image, right? Um, there's videos that's very similar to that where you can create an avatar and that avatar takes your script that you've created. And it is, it looks like a real person.

Um, sometimes the mouth will get a little fudged, but otherwise you really kind of can't tell, right? Um, so like, stuff is kind of progressing and I feel like I saw something in the composing arena recently and I didn't bookmark it and I should have, I probably sent it to Mikayla, so I'll look again. If I can find it, I'll send it to you.

That is headed that direction. Like can we actually use it to compose? Not anything probably. Great. Well, I mean formula, right? Well, sort of in Western music there's 12 notes. So the theoretically is some limitation on the number of co, uh, combinations, right? It's probably a huge number. Um, my thing is the composer is I want to surprise people's ears.

Like, if you think it's going this direction to suddenly make a turn, right? Move that over the graph. A lot of music is somewhat predictable, somewhat formulaic. Yeah. Well, all the pop stuff definitely is, right? Yeah. Of course, aba, whatever format, church music is that way right now.

That's a whole different, but I mean, if it helps the composer do things more quickly, maybe I'd be okay with that. But as far as original ideas, that's kind of scary, right? I have so many questions around that. Because I wanna get back to you. We have time. We're not, I don't think so. I don't, I wanna like, take us on a journey.

Okay. I wanna get like straight to the end. But with the composing, is that it feels like it comes very natural to you. Is that, how do you, how did you train for it? Um, Harrison helped a lot, uh, because if you have theory coursework, music theory, coursework, it lays kind of that foundation of how it's been done for two, 300 years classically.

Right. Um, of course now the rule is to break the rules almost. Um, but understanding how things functioned in that way was a good start. Um, I think one of the best things a person can do towards becoming a composer is to just do tons of listening. To understand styles and how people have done it before.

You, um, helps to see it on the page too. Of course. Yeah. Maybe helps develop your own style. Mm-hmm. I know like when I, when I was in band long, long time ago, I won't say how long it's in the jazz, in the jazz stuff. Um, when I was doing that, it was real important to like, listen so that when you improvd you had some shit you could pull out later, right?

Mm-hmm. So people would hear something that was familiar to them in all of the other randomness that you're playing to 'em. Yeah. That makes sense. Then I kind of feel like if you're composing, maybe having some of that helps too because I hear, oh yeah. When we come and listen to, like McKaylan, she's, they're playing a brand new song I've never heard before.

Cause that happens all the time. There's shit ton of music out there for them to choose from. And then I'll hear like glimpses of something. I know I've. You know, it's like you hear that a lot in people's compositions. They're webbing it in and they're Yeah. Like they'll pull in a, a theme. Yeah. Right. And it maybe it makes the listener feel a little bit of familiarity.

It makes 'em feel a little bit more comfort. Like, oh, wait, hold on a second. I think I, it's, it's a buy-in thing. Yes. Yeah. Let me bring you into this fold as an audience member. Yeah. With familiarity. So I saw that you composed a short musical on George Jenkins founder. That was fun. So that was back in March, 2017, I think.

Um, Dr. Ward, who was the principal Harrison at the time, came to me. He said, Hey, we've been invited to perform at this annual Chamber of Commerce event. Happens every year. Um, and it just kind of shuffles around different institutions who's responsible for the enter. And so Harrison is on this year and, um, they're honoring George Jenkins.

He's like the focal point and I wanna write a musical. And I just kinda went, I'm gonna get it. Okay. Like, why are you talking me? Good luck. I have to do good buddy. He goes, I've already sketched out. Yes, that's funny. Um, but he had already sketched out like some script and some lyrics and all this kind of thing.

He was inviting me in to C compos and I said, why? I'm give it a shot. Like, why not? Um, and it ended up being this really positive collaborative thing between he and I. Um, cool. And it was the first time I'd ever composed at that scope. Yeah. Um, random one-offs here. There. Lots of arrangements. So like, uh, repurposing what had already been composed, but like from scratch.

Totally. New experience. Great. Great. Okay. Um, and it was easier because I think it was five songs. 30 minute kind of thing. It wasn't this massive behemoth that I had to stare in the face. Um, but you know, he would come in and he said, okay, now this song, I want it to be like Newsies with bad boys. Oh, okay.

Which is really strange, but oddly specific at the same time. Yeah. About George Jenkins. He's this, you know, wonderful killer of the community. The end product ended up involving shopping cart choreography. Oh, I bet it did. Nice. And we had to go and beg and like, can you just borrow some carts for like a couple weeks?

Yeah. Trust me, you're gonna wanna let us do this. At least you asked all around. I know, that's what I'm saying. Saying that experience was good because there was so much give and take between all the parties involved cuz we were literally creating something from scratch. We didn't know what this was. Um, and even the students in those rehearsals would come in with ideas and were like, Yes.

That's brilliant. Let's keep it. Yeah. Nice. Um, so just the collaboration of that and the final product. Um, when we presented it, uh, I'm gonna, I'm gonna forget her name. One of the Jenkins' daughters was in the audience. She came up afterwards, she goes, that was d and that was just the best compliment we could get that stamp of approval.

Absolutely. Yeah. Is that your first, like major? Oh yes. Yeah. Yes. Um, and Dr. Ward Melvin. Um, he is somewhat verbose, let's say. He is. Um, just if you've ever talked to Dr. Ward, that's how he is. Um, so he would hand me these lyrics and I'm like, I can't fit all of this into a melody line. There's just, this song's gonna be 10 minutes long.

So he was very gracious in allowing me to pair down and, um, let's say Poeticize some of his pros. Nice. Yeah. Some sort of, do you find yourself like waking up in the middle of the night, like, oh, this would be a great song. Let me write this down. Sometimes. Yeah, really sometimes. Do you like, keep like a, a pad there?

Writing all down? It's more like musical motifs for me than lyrics, like sequences of notes that I'm like, yeah, this is something, let me save this for later and I'll, I'll take a voice legs. Awesome. Uh, sometimes if I'm just sitting at the piano and it comes, I'll just be like, record for later. Thank you.

Put it away. Yeah. It'll just hit you. Yeah. It's, it's definitely like inspiration in the moment. Yeah. Do you have write lyrics as well? Uh, I have. Okay. When we did, uh, Winesburg Ohio a couple years ago, that was the next kind of big project and that, the story of that is really funny cuz it was literally in the middle of the pandemic.

There's nowhere to go, nothing to do cuz we're all on lockdown. So I pulled out this book that, um, I had read as a junior at Lakeland just to read it again cause it had been that long since I had picked it up. And it's in these short mini chapters. And the one I thought, man, that would make like a really good, like one off musical theater song.

Um, just kind of the showcase number, two chapters later, the same thing and so on. Um, and I had the time, you know, that was the thing. Yeah, we all had a lot of time. I had the time, so I just went to it and suddenly I had like 10, 12 songs. Um, and Ms. Lambert at Harrison was looking for something to do that fall, that was socially distanced, um, atypical cuz we knew it was gonna be different.

She said, Hey, what do you think about us producing that? I was like, yeah, sure, why not? Yeah. And it just became this huge thing. But, um, Lyrically that was a little easier cause I had a source text to go off of. Okay. Okay. Well that makes sense. Yep. Yeah. Um, and I actually like that a lot. As much as the collaborative thing with Dr.

Ward was great, having the complete music lyrics control, um Okay. It doesn't get better than that creatively wise. If you wanna change it, you change it, you know, there's no one to check in with or anything like that. Um, always check the source text Of course. Yeah. Uh, to make sure you're staying true to that material, but, oh yeah, baby.

Yeah. That's super cool. Do you ever sleep? I feel like you're like creative sometimes over the summer. Swear, every time I pull up Facebook, I playing piano for something else. My gosh. On top of teaching, which is just exhausting in and of itself. It's so rewarding though. Um, and it's the smallest moments that like will make a day worth it when someone's really excited about some assignment or, um, they connect.

Right now my kids are reading, um, World kind of literature. They had to pick a country cuz we've done British lit all year. So then they had to pick a country of the commonwealth and pick a book. And some of them have really made some nice choices. I didn't tell them that cause I wanted them to discover that for themselves, but they're like, oh my gosh, I can't put this down in my go.

Yeah. Give an example if you've enjoyed Uh, oh gosh. Cause I love, there's uh, there's a student doing South Africa and I think the book is called The Things We Carried. And it's this multi-perspective thing through a apart hide. Um, of which they really, oh no, that's not right at all. Um, it's this thing called the Future.

Okay. That's what it's called. Please be Carrie. It's a different vote. Okay. Um, this thing called the future, but first of all, just them being exposed to that. Cause I don't know how much that happens like in a world history class, um Right. But just them being excited about reading is all the reward. Oh yeah.

Because right now, in most cases with teenagers, I would say excited about reading is the next tweet. Yes. It's something very short. Not Yeah, yeah, yeah. And a short attention span. But not only that, but like instant gratification will carry you on and you have to stick with it. You know, it teaches you, you're even reluctant readers if I can get them plugged into one book.

Right. Yeah. That's the gateway. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Good stuff. Who's your favorite author? That's hard. I told you, I can tell you my favorite book. What's that? What's called The Alchemist? Oh yeah. By Brazilian author, Apollo Kho wanted actually have it in home. I can do, um, what is it about General? It's, it's a little boy who makes this journey from Morocco across the Sahara.

Um, it's kinda a self-discovery sort of thing. Um, but there's lots of just good philosophical nuggets of wisdom along the way. Um, I try to read it at least once a year. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Cool. It kinda grounds you a little bit. Mm-hmm. Yeah. That's nice. It's like, where do I go next? Yeah. Um, so you are the, you're English teacher department chair?

Yes. Arao adjunct. What is the title? Piano, uh, it depends on the day. Um, collaborative pianist or artist in residence. Just any of those kinda get thrown around. So basically anything where a piano is needed, you're kind of a throw. Um, not anything. Um, I don't, I don't wanna say that cuz there are other pianists involved on campus, but, uh, yeah, if, if something accompaniment or musical related, Um, I'm typically at least asked to be involved.

Yeah. Nice. How much prep work does that take you? Is it pretty, are you pretty like, okay, here's a piece I can sit down Mm. Kinda play. Again, that's, that's pretty wide spectrum. So like with juries, just this past week, um, most of those I was reading cold in the room, walk in, sit down, play. Really? Yeah. You mean I'm the kid I bring in, I'm like, here, play this.

And you're like, okay. Now they put it all in a nice notebook and it's arranged in order for me and that kind of thing. But, but, um, lots and lots of those songs I had seen for the first time that day. Wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. Yeah. So for anybody not in the know juries are. Fill in the blank. Okay. So twice a year, students in the musical theater department, I don't know if course may have to do it as well, there's lots of similar things across.

Yeah, they have to prepare a song and present it, and it sometimes it's a specific style. Like for the freshmen, their first jury is, uh, golden Age. Oh, okay. Their first jury is opera, Italian Opera. So they prepare a song and perform it, and they're judged and critiqued on it. So they pick their songs. Like in the piano department we had proficiencies, which were exactly, uh, well not exactly the same thing, but scales and prepare piece and, um, technical preparation, I guess is what you would call it in piano.

Oh, okay. I think course has to do something like two or three songs per semester. Wow. Fans sort of has something. It is kinda like, especially this semester, um, spring semester tends to be with the end of the year showcase in mind. So it's a jury on the one hand to assess how you're progressing vocally.

Um, But it's also, who do we want to feature in this end of the year showcase. Okay. It's kinda like an audition. So I just learned it. So for each class, they choose five medley kids. Mm-hmm. That you then take their songs and somehow kind of weave a theme together, thread them together somehow. Oh, that's kind.

Cause they get like a snippet. It's a good challenge sometimes. I'm sure. Cause lots of these songs could not be more different. Right. Um, and like last year with the juniors, we were able to thread this storyline where, uh, Janaya sang, lighten the Piazza to start it off. Um, and so everyone was kind of these tableaus and statues that she was observing, and then they would all break out and become alive.

Oh, cool. And do their piece share within the show. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Love that. We actually got that idea. Um, when we started doing. The Applause Awards in Orlando, which is the Orlando version of the Jimmys Oh, oh. We're in Tampa with Broadway. Start of the future. But, um, they would thread together these medleys of the leading performers so that everyone could be featured equally.

Um, and you're like, let's take that back to school and steal that idea. Nice. Smarter. Smarter. That brought up a question in my brain really quick. So you guys do these shows, right? And you submit to the Broadway Star of the future or whatever. Mm-hmm. And then they judge mm-hmm. Everybody who submitted and, and decide on their winners.

And then what happens next? Cuz how did like Janiah end up at the Jimmy's at, right. Um, so yes, you, you send in or you apply for adjudication, they come watch the show. Um, we had something like four or five judges come to two different shows of a drowsy chaperone, which Amazing. And they critique every aspect.

Okay. Direction, the lighting, the sound, the costumes. Okay. Um, And when we were in Orlando, it really upped our game. Uh, cuz some of these Orlando schools have three 4,000 students. They're putting on these massive productions and ours were always of quality. Right. Uh, but there were certain areas where we could stand to improve and we did.

Um, so they create their shortlist, uh, the people at the Strats do. Um, and they have audition day, they call it. And all the nominated leading performers come to the STRs one day and they audition in room of 30, 40 people. Wow.

That's funny. Yeah. Um, and from there they pick a top 12, six girls, six guys. Okay. Um, who also performed their solos at a showcase in May. Okay. At the Stratas Center. Um, and that whole week leading up to. Plus the audition day. They're deciding who would we like to send to New York. Okay. To represent us for the js.

Um, so talk about being on 24 7. For how many do they get to choose? One, just two. One, one guy and one goal? One. One, one. Okay. Wow. What an honor. Yeah. So Jimmy's like the, the top of that route. Like that's the culmination point. Once you reach the Jimmys, you either win or you don't. That's nationals. Mm-hmm.

And that's, and then it's done after that. This, okay. That's a great analogy. And then you're hoping, right? I mean, that looks straight for college and Oh, yeah. I'm sure people get offers at that point too, right? Scholarships. There are so many Jimmys people on Broadway right now. Yeah. Jimmy's participants, like it's on their residence, so it's a pathway.

No, we weren't able to for some reason. I don't know why it or something, but they Yeah. Yeah. Talk about different people that had won, who'd gone on mm-hmm. On Broadway. Yes. It's on. I know we should, this night at the STRs is just a fun time. Um, cuz lots of the winners are already announced by that point.

Um, the full list of winners is published like early May. Um, but there's still that anticipation of Okay, which of these 12 are gonna be the two to go? Yes. Right. Yeah. And how many do they pick from, and I apologize, we already said this, but how many do they pick, let's say from Jazzy Shack or whatever? Um, it depends.

So the Jimmys puts out a list of which roles are eligible in each show Okay. As leading performers. Okay. Um, so. It depends. Mm-hmm. Okay, gotcha. Like drowsy, I think, uh, there were five leading performers mm-hmm. That are eligible. Um, some shows, because it's more of an ensemble cast, you might have as many as eight or nine.

Oh oh, okay. So it depends on, that's kinda nice. So it's, it's not like, oh, just cuz you're a lead, you know you're gonna be the one that's gonna get, and depending on the type of production. Mm-hmm. Right. Mm-hmm. And they also recognize supporting performers. Right. And director and music director and choreographers.

Well, that's the crazy thing. I was surprised to see, uh, nominations for adults like, um, all Saints. Mm-hmm. There was a couple of people that were familiar with at L C T that were, were like nominated for stuff over there. Mm-hmm. Right? Yeah. Next, what is it? And so in a way it's kind of a form of professional development mm-hmm.

For the teachers as well. Yeah. Um, I would love for there to be more, um, Hey, why don't you come over to our school for a day, kind of see what we do, uh, between the schools, but, um, You know, somebody in Pinellas. That's hard. Yeah. Somebody down in Fort Myers, that's harder. Right, right. Yeah, sure. So that leads me to another question.

So you music direct sometimes Uhhuh both at Harrison and in community theater. So what clearly they're all talented. What do you see in a child or performer that kind of sets them apart from the others? Because they all can sing, they all can do something. It's hard. I'm sorry. Um, but like that, what are we looking for in the Jimmys?

Like what is it that they can sing? Beautiful. I know, right? Like, um, how do you go, oh, that person is like clearly, you know, have a presence. Like this is gonna sound cliche, but the whole triple threat aspect. Um, can they do all three equally? Um, I also think it has to do with how well the person fits the role.

Um, regardless of those three things. Uh, for example, Janiah's, Esmer was just like a shoe in it. Um, She, she had that almost the day she walked in the audition room. She was just that persona, embodying that role. Um, I also think you had to just examine the technical factors, I guess is the best way to put it.

Can they sing it? Can they dance it? Uh, that's the most fundamental, um, uh mm-hmm. You know, we, we, we don't like to change keys and things like that. Yeah. It requires a lot work. That is a lot of work. So if you're outta range, you know, that kind of takes you outta the ring. It's gotta be that Cinderella shoe.

Right? Like it just, right. That's right. Do you ever see someone in your think, oh, you're super talented, but you're kind of a jerk? Like, I don't really work. I'm, I'm sure behavior has back in yourself some reputations. I hate to say that it's, it's got that a lot. I'm always on an audition. Yeah. Yeah. Um, I mean, I just, my, before it drowsy chaperone, I did Into the Woods in Winterhaven, and there were some folks that walked in the room that was like, mm-hmm.

Oh, they just came off. Either that or you already need. It was, it was like, do we wanna put up with this for two and a half months? Right. Uhhuh? Yeah. Right. Causes that's, that may come across petty. I don't know. It doesn't. No, no. I think the whole cast, it does affect and Yeah. And crew. And none of us are there for the drama, ironically enough.

Exactly. You say that. But then there's always drama, so you know, and that goes for any field, musical theater or whatever. That's very true. You're a different business or whatever, you know, somebody walks in and you know about them or you're like, yeah, I just saw that person, you know, and they just flicked me off on the way in here.

So don't really think I wanna hire them. They're a tornado gonna do sense, but they're tornado. Tornado. I think the term I'm most familiar with is shit storm.

All that's to say though. Someone can walk in the room and just grab apart unexpectedly. Um, I think, yeah. Okay. Little Mermaid Harrison. Uh, there was a, I think she was gonna be a senior. Yeah. Um, had always been really solid. Um, just a hard worker kind of type, but when she came in and sang Ursula, we all went, oh wow.

What was that for? Three years and just all the thing. Yeah. Um, no one else is even close Uhhuh. So it happens. It happens. And that's a good, like, lesson in don't give up on a part because you can, A lot of person always gets to part, they're gonna get it. Like, you walk in that room. I can see that sometimes.

We do see that. Yeah. Yeah. You, they get frustrated because like, oh, well they're gonna, they always get them. But I tell you, the tenacity of it is also noticed by production teams. Mm-hmm. Okay, good. Like, this person always shows up, does their jobs consistent, right? Yeah. They're shoe-in, they're solid, they're gonna Right.

Exactly. Exactly. Do you ever have that thing where you guys cast somebody and then. Comes down to, um, rehearsals and you're like, what? You are totally different. You are not the person that we, um, does that ever happen? Not to me personally. I'm sure there have been those times. Yeah. Um, thankfully that hasn't happened to me.

That's good. That shoot probably has yet to drop. Sorry. We, we won't manifest that. And now you're aware of it. There have been a few times where it's kinda like, okay, can you please show me what you showed me in the audition room? And they'll turn it around. Okay, gotcha. Yeah. Yeah. And they'll make the shift a reminder.

Uh, right. Well, something I noticed about you watching into the woods and working, you were never content with, okay, we've got it. Let's just perform. There's always room for, for all, every warmup. You're like, all right, I need to see this, this, and this. You guys come over here, let's work on this harmony here.

And I was like, wow, I haven't seen that before. That you've, and part of that to be fair, is Sunheim, because sunheim is never done. Right. There's too much there. There's too much content. Um, But I, I apply that same philosophy to when I'm teaching writing in the English classroom. Yeah. Gotcha. There's always room to improve.

Yeah. That reminds me of your, there's never a final draft, right? No. It's always more to That's pretty cool. I kind of like that the quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor. I love that quote. That's on your Harrison, um, profile.

I guess you would. Oh, is it? Did you know you put that there, forgot Angela went digging and you had no idea. This is the whole that out. That's what I saw on you with, and it's also like every audience deserves the same show. They're paying the same ticket price. Um, so if you have an awesome opening night, I'm thinking it was your ous cause we just finished it.

Um, opening night was incredible. The energy in the room was like palpable. Um, and Saturday and Sunday deserves the very same, um, Now if it was big time steaks, you know, eight times a week, I don't know how those people do it. Oh my gosh. I think that all the time. Yeah. How do you get up for that and that commitment to producing the same product?

I mean, at a certain point I'm sure it becomes somewhat automatic. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And, and yet you never wanna just phone it in. Right. And it never feels like they're sure, at least looks like maybe mean girls. You felt like a Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's still, she's still that age where she gives details, the kids are, you know, giving us updates.

Yeah. So we're, we're getting some updates as we go. Oh. And apparently I'm typing, so there Nelson.

So what's the, It's basically the same thing you sent, like who got cut and who still there. Couple kids she included in there. So they started by reading Nemos. It sounded like, like reading Go right. Soon they were reading. Oh, singing. She's singing. Singing. Okay. You have to their red. She said, now the big, the big kids are here and they're gonna be deciding who's gonna go home.

So they'll probably keep a couple Nemos to sing or to read. To read, yeah. Mar. And they're gonna see that compatibility with the, you know, the Marlon and the Doris and stuff. The nail bite part. I know, fortunately for us, Lily Kate could care less. She's like, I'm not getting emo, I'm not getting Dory. I just wanna be in it.

So, so it's like we're so, it's such a different feeling to be that relaxed going into it. That's a great philosophy to have. Yeah. Yeah. It's Cause some people, I, I dunno, I see it both ways. Some people come in and they're like, no, I just want to lead. And if that's your current circumstance, that that's all you're willing to go for.

Fine. Um, but you see a lot of people coming too and it's like, I only wanna lead and nothing else. And it's like, come on. Yeah. Yeah. We need you to help out in the ensemble or something like that. Yeah. Our kids have a lot of experience in both aspects, you know, and they love the ensemble, so there's a lot to learn in the ensemble.

Yes. Learn a lot. You learn a lot. We get a lot more buddy time when you're in the ensemble. Yes, yes, exactly. Training coming. I'll tell you though, um, that never settling is definitely a product of my time at Harrison as a student. Yeah. Um, I don't wanna say it was drilled into us, cuz that sounds negative, but, um, It was, it was always theme.

Okay, how are you improving? Mm-hmm. What are you doing to make this better? Um, don't, well that's what, right. Like they're trying to help you be better at your craft. Mm-hmm. And sometimes that kind of pushes what's necessary and, and just be better. Period. Even if you, I mean, I didn't necessarily go into the craft directly kind of roundabout way.

Um, but I stayed involved and, um, I think cause they had said Keep with it. Keep with it. Um, do it as best you can. That allowed me to remain involved. So. Well, um, did you this, that and the other Right. Uh, get the requests and the calls and Yeah. You play piano like every day, right? Yeah. Feels way at least.

Yeah. At least you learned that. Yeah. Cause you're like, you're like doing accompaniments and you know, Do you teach like drowsy, like, you know, doing the pit and all of that stuff? Like Yeah. I feel like you're just always, and then no, and I, I get requests to do so, but I'm never home to do that. Yeah. Not yet.

Surprise, surprise. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's like your retirement kid. But I, I definitely prefer people going trust to do that, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Do you have like a longing to do, be on the stage? Are you really content with what you're doing now? I, it's been a while since. Are you gonna audition for Margaritaville?

Uh, probably not. Um, I take a theater break during the summer. Okay. Take a marked theater break during the summer. Good. Makes sense. Um, it's been a while since I've been on stage. I think Bridges was the last thing and that was 2017. Okay. Um, so I'm looking Okay. I'm looking for wait for the one to come.

You're like, do that Cause it's a big time commitment. You, it's, I was reminded of that during Into the Woods. Mm-hmm. Um, cause that was the first community theater show I've done in probably five years. Okay. Five, six years. You every rehearsal capacity. Um, and it's just a lot easier to do one at school cuz you're done at four 30.

You go home for the evening. Right. The week of tech is heavy. Fine. Um, but yeah, every night from seven to 10 is like everywhere. Every, that was completely different than what I had done up into that point. Right. Because, you know, theater Warner Havens, that was my first time doing something substantial over there.

Mm-hmm. On the crew. Um, so that was an eyeopener for me. I was like, oh yeah. Is this, that's a huge crew. It, I think what you saw though is. Samim probably needed that level to be honest. But, um, or anything that ung through like that, it really, it made a huge difference to have, have his input there all the time.

Well, and the input, right. Not just somebody who plays a piano, not an accompanist. Oh, no. Physical director, right. Yeah. Yeah. That's so huge. Yes. You know, it makes, cause it really does involve a lot of interpreting the score and making adjustments based on the singers in the room and that sort of thing. I mean, I can think of lots of spots.

Um, those initial rehearsals, we were like, eh, we're not gonna do this. We're gonna do this instead. Mm-hmm. Just because it was faster cleaner. Right. Um, it created a better cord. Anything like that. Um, so yeah, having that knowledge of how to fix and modify and still stay within the bounds of what's there and lead.

Right. True. Well, and that's hard when you have performers that are also in, you know, musical education who have been doing this for their entire lives and they're in their sixties. Yes. There was a lot of leaders in there, there some respect. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. But they were people you've known probably since you were a kid.

Right, sure. True. And there was a good give and take there as well. Good collaborative relationship. And I would trust some of their ears to hear things that I couldn't behind the piano. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. They're, they're the ones sitting amongst everyone, you know? Yeah, that's true. Um, they can hear like that person who's right in their ear.

Mm-hmm. They like, Hey, you might, yeah. Can we check? That's so, so, yeah, sure. So something not right. Mm-hmm. It's a little professional, disappointed. Right? Yeah. Yeah. That cracked me up every time it would happen. I was like, oh, lordy. And everyone knows Yeah, but it's just like, I'm so sorry. Occasionally, sometimes, sometimes I, Beth coming, she would go, yeah.

A lot. Let's redo that. Yeah. She was really funny. She's like, I still have those lyrics, like shows going up. It's like, oh, fit. Alright. There are a lot of lyrics. Oh my gosh. Yes. There. And the music moves so fast. Yeah. Anyway, but I, if you have a good production team, a collaborative one like that, Where director, choreographer, music director, all on the same page, your product's gonna show.

Um, if you are all kind of doing your own thing and just expect it to come together at the end, that's sketchy. Um, cuz inevitably a dance break's not gonna be like it sounds on the track. Right. Or you're gonna need twice as many bars of music to get through this scene. Change as you thought you would because you can vamp it up.

Kathy Good. A job that's, it's, she had to learn that. I did, she did have to learn that she got it now. Yeah. That's why a lot of can't do it with a recording at a lot of my work happens the weekend of tech. Mm-hmm Oh, okay. When scenes start to move and set pieces start to go and all that kind of thing, that's really when the bulk of my work happens.

Cuz I need to know what to do to this score to make it work in the space. Um, so for contrast, Into the woods. I actually had to do lots of cutting. Oh. Because it was such a small space, you know, they would assume you need this much to get across the stage where you needed half that versus drowsy, which is a massive stage, um, constantly adding in VAs and repeats and this kind of thing.

Oh, I, I heard somebody say that you were making that record noise down in the pit. Was that not a sound cue or something? Like when it was scratched? Like Yeah. Oh no, that was a sound cue. Oh, okay. Yeah. Now thought somebody said beginning of the overture, that sounded like it was coming through a record.

Yes. Recorded. Okay. The pit, that's, they filtered it up. Oh, that's cool. Yeah, we walked up. That's cool. That's really cool. Yeah, that was very cool. That was such a good. That took a few takes. Yeah. It was Monday of Tech week. The orchestra was back in for the first time in like a week. Yeah. I was just, yeah.

That was right after spring break. Right. Okay. But they pull it together because I'm always amazed I get lost and I forget I'm listening to live music. Oh, I know, I know. That's our goal. Yeah. Down in the pit and it, when it's so solid. And they're all just kids. It's kids. Yeah. Yeah. This particular pit, um, with Ssy was half sophomores.

Wow. Really? First pit first, anything like that. Um, now luckily I had lots of seniors in there as well. Mm-hmm. Just almost like a mentorship kind of thing. Um, nice. But you could tell just at lots of points, they were just young. Mm-hmm. Uh, I'd be beating my head against the piano, but they were just young. I had to remind myself of that.

Right. Yeah. And they pulled it together. So they did. I had to convince my mom like, no mom. There's like musicians. There's kids down there sitting down playing instruments. On rare occasion that curtain in front of the pit will get peeled off. Um, trying to think when I was a senior, when we did pirates, Um, there was lots of interaction between the actors in the orchestra.

Like Oh, okay. The soprano and the flute had this like dual duling. Yeah. So you gotta see him. Right. Okay. And then the conductor kind of sword fought one of the pirates with his baton. Oh, nice. So kind of cheesy stuff like that, but it was funny. Yeah. Um, and you needed to see the orchestra for that very reason.

That's really cool. Yeah. And I like a visible orchestra. Yes. Yeah. Into the woods. Yeah. Having that point of connection. I can't imagine these shows in New York especially, were like the orchestras two blocks down the road in this random room being piped in. It's like, does that really, that happens? Oh yeah.

Oh yeah. How do we, no, I didn't know that. And I'm just thinking one plug, right? Yeah, one plug and it's just chaos. Yeah. Then what happens? Tripped over the plug. What's going on? You got like stand somebody where that cord plugs in, like make sure nobody, you know, trips over it. Something trip down. My bad.

I'm picturing like flight back in game that happens. It's not good. I have no idea they did that. Oh yeah. And it takes away a lot of the flexibility I think. Sure. Of the orchestra in actor because you don't have that like Yeah. In-person line of communication's. So important I feel like. Yeah. That's so weird.

On a couple of shows we've seen recently at Kid's Town in Six Musicians are on the stage. Oh yeah. I love. Yeah. I love that they're just as much a part of it. Character. Yes. Right. Cause they were part of the bar scene and like soone like came down and actually like danced and stuff. That was awesome. I love that show.

That is my number one now. That's my number one. I know y'all. I love, I'm waiting those to become available. Towns clear. Number one, they are like, woo. I think cause the drinks are corn. Yeah, they're, you know what? Our drinks aren't flowing yet. Like, do you wanna send, go get us some drinks. I just need no text.

Want, say text me because I'll forget. Text me. Right. All right. Well, I, I think we all know Angela wants a mojito. Yes. I'll take, I'll take them ATO to make it easy. Mojito. I'm gonna do an upside down. Upside. I found it on the menu before

she buying. Yes, I did. All right. I have a question for you. Okay. Um, was there more, so I'm noticing the kids figure out it's on with your daughter. How do you switch kids? She said she might, what did you say to hear this? Sorry. How do you help kids learn to sing? Marketing? Yeah, that's a big deal. Um, gosh, I'm trying to think how I do it like in a normal music rehearsal.

So just practice it. Just, I mean, maybe the same with adults because I, a lot of it is woods. I use the word rehearsal, but a lot of it is just repetition, I think, and just getting it in your ear. Um, some people just hear harmony, right. Naturally better than others. That's just a thing. I hear it. I hear it, but I can't produce.

There used to be this more interest, this lady that used to live underneath me and Chris when we had an apartment, like when Mikayla was first born, like years and years ago. She was sort of tone deaf when, but when we would go sing in the car, she always was perfectly fine because it was always a good harmony.

Hmm. It was really strange. But she thought she was singing the right thing, like the melody, not the harmony. But it sounded okay cuz she was, it sounded fine. Yeah. I was like, good job back up. You know, cuz we'd be singing together. It worked. No, but people are weird rehearsal. Like when we're starting a show and there's these huge stacked harmonies, um, I do like to produce, uh, rehearsal tracks for them.

Mm-hmm. Uh, learning tracks just their part. Right. Uh, with a little bit of undercurrent, let's say, or some kind of foundation so they're not just floating through parts. They can hear what the music would be underneath their part. Mm-hmm. Okay. Or like, however, maybe I'll reference like lessen the other three parts so they can still hear 'em, but there's is really feature.

Okay. Um, and that tends to help a lot. Um, that's hard. Yeah. Cause I'm thinking back to states when our girls had the three part harmony. Yeah. And that was, you know, we'd have to pull 'em aside and like play their notes on a little piano. And this is gonna sound really counterintuitive, but Yeah. That app, having your harmony.

Um, almost involves ignoring the other people to a certain extent. Yeah. Because if you start to listen too much, you're gonna wave that direction, Alize it. Right, right. Yeah. Otherwise you just wanna follow the other person. Right. Is that what happens though? They'll pull you off. It's, it's like, uh, like a good duet really is just too soloist singing at the same time.

Right. That makes sense. Um, but it's really, I think, so much repetition, um, and hearing it, also, hearing it in context, um, not just randomly dropping into a harmony bell. How do you get into it? How do you get out of it? Okay. Right. I've noticed that before where like, okay, yeah, you know the line, but how do you approach, how do you exit?

Yeah. Cuz it's never like harmony all the time really. Right. You always hear like even in duets and like pop music and stuff, when you listen to that mm-hmm. They kind of come together and, yeah. Diverge. Yeah. I think I'm scattered in, right? Yeah, usually. Yeah. It's like a weaving. Mm-hmm. So like one will take, one will take what you would consider the melody line.

Mm-hmm. And then they'll swap. So you'll hear that like, it's not always the girl that sings melody. True frequently, but not always true. Um, that's cool. How else did deal with harmony? I know I'm very intrigued by this. Cause it feels like a, something like a beginning, like a class. Like let's work on, I mean, I'm not also saying learn the melody first so you have the basis of it.

Um, and then the harmony might be helpful. Okay. Nice. What? Like Frida pulls outta the kids over at lct. Well, she creates so many harmonies. Yeah. She really does. That don't exist otherwise. Yeah. She's like, I feel like this needs something. And she'll just add it in. Yeah. Yeah. She did that. What was the last show we just did with her?

Rudolph? Rudolph. Rudolph. She did that. Rudolph. She was like, it feels bland. I'm gonna put this in. You're gonna sing so and so. And she'd just like, name a random list of these kids. Cuz she's getting to know 'em. They're all, you know, it's not their first rodeo for most of them. Right. Um, but yeah, she just pulls 'em out.

Let's Cheers Campbell. Yeah. Yeah. Woo. We hope you'll come back home with us. Absolutely. Can talk about. So what's Harris? It's been a long time, so I've had a mojito. This is good. I know. You know what I'm addicted to. I'm not addicted. I really, really have them, but they're my drink of choice. All right. Is it good?

Is it best to like squeeze the lime in a little bit? Are not as good. Asto gets delivered at the mall bad. Our kids were singing at the mall. Yeah, like a school thing? Yeah, yeah. Five nine Mall. Like trying to encourage kids to register for school. Oh yes, yes, yes. So our kids were singing and it was just a bad day.

I need a mojito. Next thing I know Chris shows, I probably should say this, but Chris shows up at the mall, probably not. Kinda like a Yeti with a straws stick. I'm like, you're my, does that count as a roadie? So it's kind of, but it was just they had the can. Yeah. The can was still in there. Just dropped in with the straw drop

mojito. I had never, yeah, they'll never know. It's brilliant. So a friend ever's having a bad day show up with That's right. Can't drink alcohol. Alcohol fixes a lot. Even just definitely, you know, all of a sudden big things just don't see nothing. Exactly. For sure. You know some on my little for you. Yes. I mean, I know you're doing showcase, so you've gotta Right.

Have this Thursday, um, is the Symphony Concert. Symphony Orchestra. Yeah. On four 20. Oh, hmm. Yes. I, that's how I remembered the date. I was like, oh, interesting. Yeah. Cause I had to give my conflict dates for, um, cuz I'm stage managing orphans, the stage read and I had to give my conflict dates and I was like, four 20.

And he goes, who's the director? He is like, so you got big plans that day, you know? And I was like, oh, oh no. I, I do but not like that. Right. Not that cool. I'm planning a couple students with the orchestra. Yeah, I know. Um, showcases the next weekend after that. That's okay. Um, and we have our tickets for that.

Yes. I got tickets. I think I got tickets. Tell you now that it's kind of a combined thing cuz Senior Showcase always used to be a separate event Right. From underclassmen. They combined it last year. Yeah. Okay. Kinda an act one. Act two thing. Okay. Um, and the crowd just like exploded, which I mean it would, yeah.

Do you have all four classes there at the same time? Uh, but it was like an event last year. Yeah. We were pleasantly surprised. It's gonna be an event year. I love all these events. Like every time we go to something at Harrison, I'm just like blown away. Oh my God. And I dunno why I'm blown away because I've, I've come to sort of expect it, but it's still, it's it's always there.

Yeah. Oh my gosh. They're kids. That's the red carpet. Like I was just floored. Like the kids out playing the guitar outside. Oh, I know. That's, that's truly like if you want a taste of Harrison, that's the event. Yes. Yeah, the red carpet. Cause it's a fundraiser. Yeah. $50 a chicken. But that's gonna give you the snapshot of the school performance wise.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Weird. About an hour. Are we, oh I'll, is that still recording? Cause the camera gets a little hot and it might wanna shut off and they must be doing something right now because as long as it's good. Says recording. We'll let it be cut. So we're just waiting. I'm assuming she hasn't sent me any messages, so I think we're good.

Yeah. She must be with you with And then Beyond showcase. Um. The only thing really after that is graduation, which I run on the Lakeland side. Oh, okay. Yeah. Interesting. I'm the graduation coordinator, which, holy shit. How did that, well, why do you do this to yourself? I know. Stipend for it either. Oh my gosh.

Like literally just kindness of your heart. Well, the seniors are gone anyways, and I teach all seniors, so like I'm looking for something to do. Okay, that's right. But my second year at Lakeland, um, Alan Cleveland, who had been there for ages, he was my teacher, um, he said, Hey, I want you to come and help me do the diplomas.

He was like, yeah, okay, sure. Whatever. Which, by the way, diplomas do not come preassembled. Oh, you got it. You have the cover and the piece of paper and the plastic and the, oh. It's a thing. Oh, it's a whole thing. Real diploma. Question. Question. Did I get my bill diploma when you graduated or did they mail it to me?

They had to mail ours. They didn't have 'em ready. Could be something, but like I don't was so long. Yeah, I think I just had the case and then I got the actual certificate in the mail. Like that's what happened. Yeah, I feel like you're assembling department. That's right. So that happened for Lakeland though.

So that's, I mean that's a lot of candy this year. It's a lot of paper. Yeah. And he, he, you gotta get those finger condoms. He was very particular about it. Like before we should walk in the room. He's no finger condoms, we don't have to do that. The oil will get on the covers. I'm like little white gloves kind.

So that happened for like three years. And then the Lady Finger condoms, I remember the first time I saw those, I'm like, what are those for Tiny Penises? No, but lemme talk. They were like, it'll totally pair up some pages. They were, I've used that. Keep your mic back. No. Ok. That's regular condoms, not the little ones.

And.

Pages rib. It's gotta be worse than the strap on which I brought with me. Where is your strap on? Oh, okay. Totally. I didn't even open that up. She opened up that. I don't remember that. So I'm not gonna get the strap on thing. Strap on? No, the strap on one I brought up. Yeah, she brought up the rib. Oh yeah. I just said that.

I know. We're bad influence on Angela. That's what it's, she's, you guys think that? We do think that. She's like, here's the thing you don't know. Keep it. I only let it out to play at certain times. Yes. Well then we should with us. Really? Yeah. Really honored. Yeah. You're in the incr. She trusts us and all of you.

Exactly. Seeing the real Angela, please stand up. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my goodness. So you say you take a summer break, you like, do you travel or do you just Yes. Um, so yeah. What are your plan? Yeah. Cause he's not gonna be here to see Frozen. True. I know. I was really bummed when he said, um, right after, well, actually right before Covid.

I know. Yeah. Um, friend of mine at Lake Gibson has been taking tours with EF tours. Oh yeah. Travel company. Ef um, education first, I think is what it first. Yeah. And, um, I'm, I'm with that one too. Yeah. Down in. Mm-hmm. Um, but she said, Hey, you've gotta do this at your. Like every six kids that go, or every six Travelers, you go free.

I was like, what? Really? What like, oh, say less. Yeah. So right before the pandemic, I was aiming to start that up into like a travel club, quote, unquote, of course, pandemic. Um, but this summer we're going to, um, eastern Europe, so like Berlin and Prague and Oh, nice. My god. Food passed. Nice. Yeah. With about 50 travelers.

Oh wow. Okay. Excellent. And do you get to go free? That is nice. Yeah. There chaperones going with you? Yes. Uh, another teacher on campus is chaperone, then like three other adults who are just traveling. Okay, perfect. They'll round. Yeah. Yeah. I did that in high school. We went to London, Paris, Belgium, somewhere else.

I can't remember the other noise. But yeah. And I love it because like for a lot of the people that are going, they would never pick up, you hold my like bag or something, like over the camera. So it's not like getting drenched. Um, And we plan it like two years in advance. You know what I mean? So it's fairly affordable.

Mm-hmm. Sorry. Um, mean it's, it's definitely like less than a car payment per month. That's what I tell parents at the interest meeting, like over it, like a umbrella. You can get them a car. Thank you. Send them abroad. And they're like, so how long is it? It's a nine day trip. Okay. And it's fast and furious.

Uh, year we logged like 20,000 steps a day. Oh my god, that's awesome. Wow. Mm-hmm. That's more than what we did in New York. I The best part about that is unique. Whatever you want. Cuz you're walking it off. Exactly. Us the food. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Wait, I had a question. It just flew out my brain. And you're going with us to France when we do that?

Yes. In 2024. Yeah. Yeah. Go to France. That's, that'll be trying to figure out how that's gonna work. Cause I'm taking another tour then. Oh really? And I'm hoping that I can like line it up so I send them back to the States and just come meet you all. Nice. Take back. No, I out for them. Yeah. Yeah. I don't think that would work.

That's what that was. That's why I paused in my brain, like I could get them there and then just send them home with somebody. So do your 15 kids or whatever and then send them the meet us. Mm-hmm. That could be fun. That could be real fun. That's the worst. Yeah. Yeah. Once you're over, there's a piece of cake.

Well, that's flight. They overlap where you can just do whatever you want. Do you remember that flight when you did it? Oh yeah. It was forever long. It was not as bad going like, cuz we went over to, we flew into London and then we flew home from Germany and the Germany home sucked. That's a long trip. That was a really long trip.

Yeah. Like 10 hours. We were went to Italy. Yeah. And I was drunk still, geez. From the night before. Cause I was young and you could drink in Germany. Oh yeah. I think I was 16. I, I've gotten that question so often. Mm-hmm. They're like said, what are you doing about drinks? I'm like, well look, it's cultural, right?

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. It's part of the experience. So if you are of age, you can have one. As long as I'm around. Yeah, but we're not getting wasted. Well, right. Yeah. Be an idiot. Right? No, I was super an idiot. Well, huh. I was. And the teachers weren't there. Like they went off and did their own thing and we got to go Rome.

But I can remember Rumming getting totally lost in Paris. I'm trying to find out really way back. We didn't speak French. That's terrifying. I know. Part with all the gypsies and stuff. Not seen the movie taken. Well, this was way before that movie. Yeah. No, no, I have, I've seen it. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. But also it's way before then I will say last year we ran in some very, very kind Germans uhhuh at the hotel bar, and that's all I'm going to say.

Okay. That's all. That's a great night. It was fun. Everyone went to bed and the adults, oh my God. Nice fun. There you go. There you go. Really funny on that trip too, was. Um, because everything kept getting delayed. I had two travelers that had long since graduated and grew plenty of age. Oh nice. So they were just hanging out with us.

Oh, that's, they were no longer students. They had graduated. Yeah. Right. That's Mikayla on that trip. Different relationship Now with her, when she goes with that, when we go on that trip, she'll just graduated. Yeah. She and she will turn 18 on that trip. Oh. Should I have her birthday? That's amazing. I believe so.

Um, so we have a meeting for that on Monday the eighth. Oh really? May 8th. You gotta check your calendar. I know. Well you have like five calendars, right? That you follow. Yeah. True. I have to write down everything. It just came through and remind like last week, I've never been able to get on board with electronic calendar.

You like to pay for cats? I'll sit right in. T was gonna say tongue French. I had so many thoughts and I was like, what do I say? What do I say? Have to get that out out. The French trip though is actually so amazing. Yeah. We've done it twice before. Right? I only went the second time. Uh, first time I think I stopped.

She must, no, the grain. Oh yeah. Thank the first time I justed heavy into college, that kind of thing. Oh, okay. Um, but the one in what, 2018. Amazing. And they, they really do try to structure it so that it's not just the festival where they're performing. Yeah. Right. Um, like, well, I don't wanna give away too much.

They're planning. Yeah. It's in the works. That's awesome. I'm excited. I'm excited for, you know, what we learned. Well, unfortunately, I have rehearsal scheduled for Orson that night on the eighth. Mm-hmm. And Margaritaville auditions are the eighth and night. So I'm actually gonna, and I'm Ming that as well.

So I'm like super busy. Um, and Caleb was gonna asm but now I'm gonna send her with Chris to that meeting. And I told Chris, I was like, just record it, please. Yeah. So I can actually listen to everything that gets said. Yeah. I can't wait though. It's to be such a fun and the venue, just the venue alone. Like you're in this outdoor amphitheater and if you sit up on the top, you look out and there's the Mediterranean.

Oh, it's, it's killer. How do you even come back to America? But they get these, they get kids like this from all over the world to not Oh yeah. Like it's not just, you know, kids from the US that are coming or like, it's not just for Harrison's, like, you know, there's an Austrian group last time all over the world.

Yeah. There was an Austrian group last time and they had someone come out and play a matter horn concerto. Oh my gosh. Right. I mean the whole full length matter horn and she nailed it. Oh my. We were all just like, wow.

The funniest part though was we arrived at the festival location. We have more than one note. Like I'm just, I'm still grabbing my bread, my head around that like, oh yeah, you just put like a french horn. I'm like, sure. I didn't notice there was like things Yeah. Cause that's easily done. There's not, it has to do something with how you Yeah, it's all the, yes.

It's your pucker factor and full circle.

No, but the hotel they put us up in supposedly was this like Delta Resort where they would put up air, uh, airline employees. I don't know. Um, but it was on the side of the mountain, literally. Oh my God. With an incline that had to be, 70 degrees. That's, I mean, slightly terrifying. Hoing up this mountain. And so you can imagine all these Floridians who are used to things just being dead flat.

Yes. Well that's a hill out outside here. Oops. No cardiovascular. No going on. Suitcases to work one degree. Push up this mountain and two seconds. Yeah. Our room with one of the dance teachers. Right. And about halfway up, we both just sat down and I was like, no, no. Can we call somebody, come get our bags please.

Yeah. Don't they have golf cart to like show you up there? You're on the side of mountain and the views at night with the full moon. Just beautiful God. Priceless. Yeah. Prices so gorgeous. How fun. I'm gonna. I know I wanna go to Europe. Stella, we're, we're still in. Talk about how this is gonna go down for 2024.

Okay. It's good to know. London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels. It's it the same. That's Trip I did. So that's exactly the trip I did. Nice. Went to the red light district. More than welcome. I mean just, okay.

She said red light district one. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. What else you got? Question. I don't think Anything you wanna talk about? Anything you're excited to, anything that's important to know? Yeah, I know. So you're poly sci minor? Yes. You were in the chemistry club. Like is there anything you dunno about? Well, okay, to be fair, the chemistry club was, I mean, it was a thing, but it also like wasn't a thing fluent in Spanish.

Oh, that's, that's actually fun one. Yeah. Really? That's the funnier one cuz I was the white guy in charge of the Spanish Club. President of the Spanish Club. Yeah. Cause no one else wanted to do it and I was like, I'll do it. Whatever. Nice. Hey, over opportunity. No one else wants it. I'll do it. Fine. How have going through my head right now is that thing from community.

Do you remember that thing? DK Esta Love. Leo Teca. You remember watching Community? You watch community? No. Ah, T Bone and something in Loca. I don't remember what it's now sense it. No, it was just, they were taking Spanish in the show community where they were at a community college. Do you never watched that show?

You didn't watch it? Yes, I heard Chevy Chase was such a jerk that I boycotted it. Oh yeah. He wasn't he watching it before Chevy Chase comes on. Oh. Cause it kinda goes downhill after he gets on anyway. Yeah. Yes. What's your favorite musical theater? Musical production.

Honestly, carousel, Rogers and Hammerstein. Okay. Which is probably an unpopular opinion. I've never seen that one. Okay. Because it hasn't really aged well, but it's, it's the score. Oh. That's why it's my favorite. Would that be considered a, a like a golden? Yeah, whatever. Okay. Oh yeah. Golden age. Just even, I think, yeah, I don't know that one.

The Gore says that Richard Rogers said it was his favorite score he ever wrote. Okay. Um, that's not the same carousel I would've played in band. Right. Probably not. Maybe, maybe it's been around for a while. Maybe the opening. Um, it's not an overture, it's a ProLaw and it's like how the two protagonists meet at this county fair kind of thing.

Okay. And then we'll ride the carousel and I need to listen to it. Listen to it. Yeah. Okay. That's cool. It's very much in the same thread as. Just in New England instead of Oklahoma. Okay. I'll like it instantly better than Oklahoma. Then Oklahoma gets a bad rap. He deserves it. Well, I, if you see a good production that actually like moves along, it's not so bad.

I think that's the problem with Golden Age musical is you see too many bad productions that are just like forever long. Mm-hmm. You're like, oh my gosh, when is it over? Make it stop. Yeah. When you reach intermission, you're like, fuck, I still have another hour. This. Yes, yes. Time. There's a pause like, well, we saw it at Harrison a few years back.

We did production. It wasn't, it was, everybody bailed on me at halftime. Yeah. Keeps like, we're not leaving. I love that you just said halftime and that was one of the better productions of Oklahoma I've ever seen. It was great. So yeah, it's just a long, it's just, yeah, really long it nothing. We also have to think like to that time, right.

People were paying top dollar to escape for however, five hours wanted anything. Hours. Right? Yeah. And now we're like hour and a half. Great. Yes. Missed up. Yes. This like, you all went to see six, right? Yeah. Well we sent Pinky with her family. Yes. It was perfect because the tickets were freaking crazy. Yes.

Yeah. But they were worth it. Yeah. Uh, it's a guilty pleasure. Yeah, exactly. I'm not ashamed to admit that. Yes. It, it was so, I mean, I love listening to music. Yes. Yeah. They're all, as the kids say as the audience member. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I kind of wish we had gone to see it now. I wish you had too blocked.

It'll be there. Yeah. Yeah. It'll be around. Yeah. Like I love, I'm, you know, big tutors fan anyway in that era and everything I can read to get my hands on that. Um, but it's so inventive too, you know. Like in like why not a musical about the six wives who get started in stories Yeah. Of their point of view.

Yeah. And like how they, how they came up with like, the concept for how they were gonna create that character in music form. Yeah. It was great. Yeah. So good. Yeah. And I appreciate you that composers thought of like a different pop diva. Yeah. Mm-hmm. For each one of them. That's smart too. That's smart composing.

Yeah. Yeah. It's definitely worth seeing. Next time. Yeah. Next time. Next time. What else did you all see this most recent show? So we saw, I saw Mulan Rouge, um, Hades Town and Harry Potter. Mm. Child. Still can't figure out some of that magic. I know. I felt like I had they called you somebody on stage out. Okay.

So I saw it. Oh, did you? I I did see it. I like, I was walking. No, I keep the secret. Keep the secret. Ok. I'll do it. I, when the, the poly juices. I mean, they changed the whole person. I, when they changed the person can tell you what I think. Uh, yeah. No one saw, no one will ever tell you I was watching though. I was, I was overly critically watching because Laura was like, you're not gonna be able to guess how they do all of this magic.

And I was like, I saw all of it. I feel like I could guess it, all of it. The part that got me was when they went into the phone booth. Like I thought, I was like, what? I saw that one too. Oh, see, I did it. Don't think I wanted, I think I wanted to keep it like a mystery, but to me that was just amazing for my, if you want to know.

No, we don't wanna, I will tell you what I saw, but. It was really well done. That was amazing. Yeah. However, that was really too long. That was a long, that show was too long. And, and I can't, what I, what is amazing to me about that is Laura told me that that's the slim down version of the show that used to have to 2, 2, 2 shows by two separate tickets to two separate shows, didn't have to keep coming and going so many times.

Like leaving, like just wrap it up, you know? And I was trying to figure out what was like missing and have it done, like what they had paired out of it. Cause I couldn't see any, like gaps No. And or any jumpy parts book right before we went. And it felt like it pretty much stuck to the trajectory of the book.

Yeah. I don't know. What, what was it after? After? So it's, it's a book, it's a literal scripts like called The Curse Child. Yeah. Yeah. It's new in a, in a 19 or not 19. It's so the last. Jumps ahead 19 years and gives you a little glimpse of Harry Potter, Hermione, and Ron and what their life is like 19 years after the end of the book.

Mm-hmm. Gotcha. That is, and the kids are at school and that they, they're sending off their, the play that we just Exactly. Gotcha. So the play picks up pretty much like right there. Okay. That's what you're seeing when they're in the, um, in, in the train station at the very beginning of the show, they're sending off their child.

They're trying, yeah. I'm trying to remember what we saw. We, did we on reach with you guys? You did. You saw mj. MJ with the ladies. You should watch the last, was it the last podcast or the one before? Two ago. Two of them ago. But you did a little, she, she talked about NJ and it was fucking hilarious. Yeah, it was because there was these little ladies.

Hey, no. Welcome to our podcast. Yes. Podcast. Hi. Hi. Are you, whatcha you up to, um, these days? Oh,

we love you. Celebrity? Yeah. I did not love it. Okay. The dancing and singing. Fabulous. Right. The storyline. Just, that's my fear. Like that's why I haven't gone to see it. Yeah. It was, I was telling the parts of it were hard to understand because they spoke like Michael Jack, there was two different actors that played, like the teenager one and the older one, and they spoke in that high pitched voice.

Mm-hmm. Soft voice. And you were like, what? What here? And they cut out a lot of the controversy. They kind of glossed over some of the different Sure. So it was kinda, I've heard they picked that guy off of YouTube. He was really, he was crazy. I've heard they went through multiple rounds of auditions. They were like, we don't have our guy.

Yeah. And they went to YouTube and found him. He was he Ted? He just really, yeah. I He Did he name Yes. Yes. No, you're at Fo Miles. Fo Fo Foster. Frost. Frost. Something like around something of those letters. Oh, we're gonna Google it a second. Some combination of those letters. Okay. So Sue and what's that? Oh, little shops.

Oh, like the Off Broadway one? Yeah, that was really good. Yeah. Yeah. Wait, I saw something else. I know they saw Anne Juliet. Yeah. You saw six and it was fantastic. Really? Yes. Like a nineties jukebox. Right? Yeah. And I love the jukebox. I know that kind of probably sounds superficial, but I love jukebox. A jukebox can be done well.

Yeah. Oh my gosh. Cause most often they're not. But like, yeah, it can't be done. Well escape whatever it is you guys, you know, and you sit down and like people move on. Cruises like that. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Can you just immediately connect to not only the storyline, but obviously to all of the, this is this one, the songs.

Oh my God. I'd be hearing ramping up. Oh, I'd get, I'm, yeah. Mike, what is this motion? Keep doing it. Yeah. They are Hold on. Miles fixed. Yeah. Okay. Miles. Um, cool. He's gonna stop right here. I'm just like, the whole concept of Julia, my English teacher. Right. Just that the Shakespeare, because I'm gonna tell you like I did not know that his wife's name was Ann Hat.

Right. No idea. Um, so completely educated on all of that. And what was her role like, obviously, I'm sure it was just the way they portrayed it. She was home raising the kids. He's out being this brilliant, he's in the city. Yeah. Masterpiece, writer, whatever. And she's like, Hey, when do I get to have a stay?

You know? And I wanna write this book. And Juliet, she, you have our own ending that isn't so traumatic and horrible, not her. Right. So, yeah, it was very, I am woman, you know. Well, and, and like feminism, the common knowledge tells us that your relationship was always fr. Yeah, right. So quick. Right. Like when he died, he left her the second best bed in the home.

Oh, you talking about William Shakespeare? Yeah. Oh, see, I did not know that, that that's what was in the will for her. The second best bed in their house. Who got the best bed? I don't know. Oh, interesting. But like it was, it was not good cuz he was always away. Yeah, he was always in London. She was up in Stratford.

Yeah. But there was always somebody in his bed. Probably not his wife. I mean, one could deduct, couldn't they? I, I mean, he clearly wasn't respected. Wife. Are you laughing at me? I dunno this, oh, well, I mean, I'm just gonna draw some, connect some dots. Okay. Like some hypothesizing. Yeah. We're gonna totally hypothesize and either sex too, right?

Yeah, sex. Absolutely. Absolutely. That feels expected. Yeah, I, yeah, I mean, I didn't say it that to be a woman. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I feel like, you know, so maybe that was the whole point of it. Do you feel maybe he felt like he had married a woman so that he could Oh, have a super life. That's interesting.

Yeah. 80. Are there books on that? Probably. Like I read, I read a lot of historical fiction stuff. I love historical fiction. Um, yeah, maybe I need to look for that, see if I can find something. There's a great one. Um, I haven't read it, but it's something to the effect that like, it imagines that Shakespeare found this trunk of stories of someone else.

Oh, okay. And then somehow passed them off as his own. Nice. Oh, so he was supposedly like a total to begin with. That's that's what it imagines, yeah. Oh, interesting. Which some people believe that actually. Yeah. But they're all borrowed. Wow. Yeah. How would we ever know? It's so long ago. So you have your time machine.

Yeah. So we have that. I'll chat gbc far away. We're, we're gonna have the singularity while before we have time travel. Great. We're we're done for it. What was that you were telling? That's so dark. Huh? Singular. That's so dark. Yeah. That's so pessimistic. It's, look, we're, we're either gonna have or we're already in a simulation, then it, we will just reset like matrix.

It explains a lot of things like dejavu. I get that. I get dejavu just saying it's past life. You think Deja vu is a past life. Interesting. I'm convinced I was a gay burn watcher and a past life. You have said that before. Oh, you William Shakespeare? No, I gave Bird Watcher and William Shakespeare. Baby.

Never know. Who knows? Maybe she was Anne Hathaway. Baby, baby. Don't you find weird things also where, why have we like that? Well, why have we not connected about birds? I, I don't like Exactly. Why Have you thought you're not, you're not of the, like birds are not real. No. Um, actually not a vet. So in a former life I was an animal trainer.

Uh, SeaWorld and Discovery Cove and I did aquaculture. Went on to do other things. Yeah. You got a, like, lot of things going on in your background. Yeah, so animal trainer. I, I, so when I was 13, cuz I have no idea if this is going on the podcast. I'll go ahead and hash it out. Walking around. Um, when I was 13, I volunteered at the bird store in Orlando.

Um, that's what it was called. Is that still a gun? It, it is. Last I checked. They're still in business. Oh. But I think the owner actually died. His name was Don. Um, oh, he's an older guy. Yeah, I think he had some cancer and last I had heard he was, it was not good. I think he passed. I could be wrong. I would love for him to still be alive.

Just for the record. Yes. Um, so I did that for like a, I wrote summer, I think with a chat. Gpt we're listening, we promised. So I did that for like a summer when I was 13. Then when I was. 16, I got a job cooking birds instead and went, went, went and worked for Chick-fil-A. She flipped. I did that real quick. I did that for like, I did that for like a year.

Yeah. Just then I stopped doing that and I went back to the bird store for like a couple of years and Chris was like, you really should just go try to get that job at SeaWorld, even though I didn't yet have my degree. And that's one of their requirements, right? Like, you have to have your bachelor's, blah, blah, blah, animal training, psychology, whatever.

So I went for it and I got into education over there, got my foot in the door, and then got promoted, um, in education to working with the animals that the ed team works. So like penguins, uh, the turtles, sharks that you get to touch an alligator. Some fish, stuff like that. The penguins though. Hey? Yeah, the penguins man.

They are some stinky, stinky birds. Yeah, they are. My little man. Don't, oh man. I know. In a gag. A maggot. It's bad. Gag. What? Gag maggot. I've heard that before. I've heard that. Cause feet on shit, so like, you know, so bad. Anyway, it would gag a maggot. Yes. The smell would gag a maggot. Anyway. I'm familiar.

Penguins. I'm not southern. Okay. I got that from my mom. She, that's her phrase. I've never heard that. Really? Yeah. About my toolbox dish. Um, okay. So penguins, are they nice? They be like rude or mean? Uh, it depends on penguin, a lot of 'em are assholes. Really? Yeah. But the, the bigger ones can like break your, your femur.

They can slap so hard. Me. Yeah. Yeah. Slap like your wings. Like this, this bone, this big one in your thigh, that's your femur, right? Oh gosh. Your, yeah, they can break that. They can break that. My, yeah. So No, no. With their weights. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Yeah. They just hit you with their slipper. Oh, sure. And they can break you.

Yeah. Okay. So you, you asked earlier I was a sig letter. Yes. Um, because I needed some sanity away from the English and educational stuff and I had room in my schedule. Um, and that was actually really the most fascinating coursework I think I took. Um, like I took an international law class cause that was interesting.

It's fulfilled. Right. And this guy has been teaching international law for like 30 years at usf. Okay bro. Like one week we didn't have class cause he was in Brazil at some conference presenting. Right. So he would bring in these yellow legal paths, right. They've got years worth of coffee stains and crumbs and all, who knows what caked on.

He would nuggets happy and he would, he would flip through a couple of them, kind of steady for a little bit, and then he'd just walk around the room and talk for 30 minutes. Oh my God. About whatever. About whatever's topic right of the day. And I, you're sitting there furiously just as fast as you can get it on the page.

Yeah. And then he'd go back and he'd look for about five minutes and another pass around the room for a half hour. Yeah. And it was just fascinating. Yeah. What am I gonna have to, cause I'm not sure. Yeah. What is the test gonna be on Exactly Like it was almost like being in law school, I imagine. Wow. Yeah.

That thick. You have to read the cases and report international law though, like that'd be interesting. Yeah. I think about international law is there's no like set boundaries. It's all just by agreement and by like, yeah. Jacob the hand. Oh. Like what feels good that day? Yeah, sort of if you sign onto a treaty, you're not by it, but like other than that, it's all just agreement.

Yeah. Well, and and hey, I'll get you, I bet it's very fluid, really like Oh, sure. Based on the political climate and you know, you can just choose not to abide by a treaty if you want to. Cuz you're an autonomous sovereign nation. Yes. Who's gonna enforce it? Right. And then there's no precedent being set and that's the point.

There's no precedent for anything. No. So that makes it difficult to. Yeah. And then I had, yeah, do you remember on Channel eight news, um, they might still have her on occasionally. Uh, Susan McManus, they're like political. I really suck at names lady. She, she's on all the time. I haven't seen her in a while.

Um, but she taught state government and politics. Uh, and it was only on Wednesday nights and it was like three hours and it filled up like that. I bet. Cuz she was such a personality in Seattle. Right. Um, so I took that class one semester and that was correct. Interesting. Yeah. I also had to like, quiet quit my church job that semester because Oh.

Said before quiet quitting was a thing. Yeah. Just piano. Yeah. And he's just showing up on Sundays playing the piano like too many extra. Well, Wednesday night was like rehearsal night, so it wasn't Adam Gordon. Right, right. You knew what you read, right? Yeah, right. It's fine. Just do, it's my Highland Park days.

Yeah. I didn't realize you were there. Uh, well, so like, oh no, I just, they had gone ok. I know they had gone through some controversy. Oh, did they recently? I didn't know about that. My soccer. That all I know. Yeah. Lived there from a couple years ago. Oh, okay. Let's say oh seven to 2015. Oh, the pastor left. I remember all that.

They just got a brand new sports person too. Um, yeah. Penn Sports, that's a huge program. Yeah, it's, yeah. Yes, it's large and it's gonna take more than one person to get it back on some, someone. Told me like on a Saturday they'll have 5,000 people breeze. Dude. Yes. It's crazy. We've done soccer. Theres, yes.

Okay. Yeah, so we've been taking Max to soccer there since he was like four and he was 12 now. So we've been there a long time and we've seen it ebb and flow. Sure. Um, and, you know, they'll improve one area and you'll see another area kind of drop, but it, they, they definitely need a team and like a culture shift.

We kind of make things, you know? I get that. Yeah. It needs to be a rec soccer situation. Mm-hmm. Not a rec league unless have all of these other kids come on that, you know. Oh shit. It's a face off. Oh god. It's chicken. What? Watch. There's a train and a train. They're facing each other. Bullshit. Yeah, they're playing chicken.

Yes. He's popping his, I feel like we're at a meeting. Are we? Yes. He's popping his brakes and he's setting his alarm down there. Ding too. He's not honking his horn. He is just like, ding his. There's also like no B track isn't there? Isn't there just one track? Yeah. Yeah. I think so.

I don't know. Some serious standoff. That's kinda why did they not plan that shit ahead of time? Yeah, really. I feel like yeah, like train's running on a schedule. Maybe What I thought. Which is what, that's part of the reason I left was the cultural shift. Yeah. Yeah. It needs though, it needs to happen. Um, and it will, and what they need to realize is that not to just go for whoever's bringing in their most funny, because that will happen organically if you make a good program.

That's right. You make. What it's supposed to to come, people will come and that will follow. If you can't, that's how I feel about Harrison. Like if you keep for thinking good material, people are gonna wanna come. Yeah. The recruit, I mean, you should still recruit. Uh, cuz there are lots of great programs in Lakeland, um, of all instrumental, theatrical, whatever you wanna What are some other ones?

Cause like we're very informed on Harrison, but we're less informed on others. Yep. She, so far orchestras she might not be from around this area. Chikin runs a great orchestra program. Okay. Yeah. Is that Shelby's program from Montgomery? Okay. Yeah, she's, she's awesome. And it's really kind of a six year program cuz most of them go through Lakeland Highlands and then they move right up in the shins and she runs both places.

She's amazing. Stella had her, her. Yep. Uh, she runs both places. She's Itin. I didn't know that because, uh, Mikayla went to Lakeland Highlands, but she was in band, so maybe that's why. Yeah, she's part-time at both. Oh, okay. Interesting. Yeah. Good for her. She's great. Yep. Also, wow, she's busy. The, the Chorus program at Lakeland is strong of its own, right?

They're performing at Carnegie Hall this weekend. Oh, wow. Yep. So it, there used to be this mindset and part of it. Was the different people in charge, whatever. Um, but there used to be a mindset where if you didn't make it into Harrison for chorus, well you shouldn't just, you should just not bother. And that's definitely not the case now.

Uh, trying to think. Uh, there's a great piano teacher down at Paro. You're looking for that kind of thing. I mean, nice. Harrison is great, but it's not for everybody. Right, right. Oh, goodness. What? My mom's yellow? Yeah, she's, oh, are you filling up? We should maybe be done then, like having breaking shots, swap over there.

Yeah, you could do another one of these. Oh, I didn't mean like that. I'm meant topics, topics, topics. Same topic. I had so much fun y'all, cyber. Oh yeah, yeah. We could definitely have you on again. I do. 1% of that information is, well, I mean there was like, um,

it's all, whatever. BYE!