Musical memories

My last night in Tallahassee with Martha we went to see the Leon High School summer performance of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Because Leon high school has been going through renovations, the summer program pulls from all of Leon county, and the auditorium at Chiles High School is larger, the performance was held at Chiles.

Martha is friends with Judy the current director, conductor, program coordinator. Mr. Kickliter was the former chorus director and directed lots of Leon High School performances (then held during the school year) which Perry performed in during his tenure at Leon (Hello, Dolly!, Pajama Game, and Fiorello). Mr. Kickliter has also been a member of First Pres. during my time in Tallahassee and very helpful during a disappearance of Vincent during a winter parade/Santa run. (Vincent headed for the only downtown building he really knew (First Pres.) and Mr. Kickliter was hanging the greens and kept Vincent there until we could arrive.) Mr. Kickliter was at the Beauty and the Beast performance even though he now suffers from a degenerative neurological disorder (Alzheimer's? Parkinson's? other?) and lots of his former students/Thespians were coming to say hello, which was very sweet to witness.

During the wait for the beginning of the performance (we had gotten there a little early so Martha would be able to navigate the aisles and auditorium) I perused the program. I was shocked to see that I recognized one of the names. Max from Vincent's Betton Hills' days was listed as playing two different characters. It made sense since Vincent is in high school (aghast...a soon to be senior) and had kept the Thespian bug that was started by Betton Hills (which we credit with a lot of Vincent's academic abilities...probably the best math program he has been in...and their great musical/acting program with Mr. Scott).

After the performance I tried to find Max but after all these years I couldn't recognize him. The crowd was pretty large and it was opening night so there was lots of hubbub, especially with the actors and actors' families. I did run into several families I did know, Brant and Andra, Cindy, and Christy and Kory with Emma. I was able to catch up with them briefly before heading back with Martha to get ready for my airplane ride home to Louisville.

(Pictured below is Betton Hills walkway to the office and flag pole where the students gathered every morning to say the pledge and to sing This is the Day before going to classes. I walked that rampway a lot both to pay tuition, one of the cheapest we've ever found for such good schooling, but also to pick Vincent up from the office for misbehavior...like when he stood on the picnic table and screamed "Kick me out of here." Thank goodness for Ms. Iona, she was wonderful, and so was Betton Hills.)
-- Stephanie