The set is really cool!

The set is made up of a big house that looks like it is coming out of the ground or like somebody blew a hole in the ground and then build a house there.  There is also a smaller house and two lamp posts. One lamp post is small and one is normal size. The small one is behind the large one so it looks like it is going down the street.

The main house is really cool because it can open up and there's a staircase going up to the  balcony. The staircase can flip up and down. When the actors are in the house, it looks like there is only one room. In the center of the room, there is a table which is set with glasses and plates. At the end of the play, there is someone behind the house with a pistol that is supposed to make noise but doesn’t shoot a live bullet. At a dramatic point, the whole house tips forward and everything comes crashing down and it all gets smashed. The person pistol shoots the gun when the large grandfather clock comes crashing down.

Altogether, it's really fun and it's a great set.

My Costume

My costume has a tank top that looks like it's made of woven cloth with a sweater on top of it. The sweater is called a jumper because this is an English play. I have what looks like normal shorts except that one of the pant legs has a rip in it. My socks are just normal grey socks and my shoes are black leather. It is interesting that wardrobe puts wax on the bottoms of the shoes so that during the rain scene, the shoes don't get completely soaked. My costume makes me look like I am a boy from the 1940s.

Aksel's Latest Show

Last week I started another show. The name of the play is An Inspector Calls. It is at the Shakespeare Theatre Company and it is a play for grownups. It is about an inspector who tells a family that a girl has killed herself on her way to the infirmary, and he asks the family questions about whether they know her.

My role is the Older Boy. I am mean and my clothes and face are dirty. My main scene is in the first part of the show.

Sometimes sitting off stage is boring. I have a long break during the show. I wait in the green room and dressing room number two. I play games, eat snacks and just hang out.

I think being in the play is a lot of fun.

Going to Rocky Acre Farm

         The Moellers go to this farm just about once a year. We always have lots of fun there. This year Dad could not join us, because it was Wendsday so he had to work. When we go there, the farmer gives everyone a hayride. We also have a awesome breakfast with everyone at Rocky Acre, made with eggs and milk from just that morning. They have adorable kittens and cats, as well as goats, cows, calfs, a pony, a sheep, and a chicken coop with around 7 chickens and 2 roosters. Last year one rooster got loose and Kai chased it around with a laundry basket. He actually caught it in the end! We ended up having a great time this year, even though it was kind of last minute and only a day after we got back from Chicago.
                              By, Malin

my opera costume

I am in a opera called the Elixir of Love. It is about a man, Nemerino, who falls in love with a woman, Adina. A salesman comes by and says"I have a elixir that will make the lady that you love, love you" but the potion is actually just wine. In the end Adina finds out that she loves Nemerino. It is a great opera. My costume is also pretty cool. I have a white blouse, an undershirt, an underskirt, a skirt, and an apron. I also have a itchy bandana tied onto my head which hurts my ears if the dresser ties it too tight.

The Nutcracker

I am in the Washington Ballet's production of The Nutcracker for my third year in a row. This year I am a party boy and Ben Franklin.

In the party scene I play the big brother in the elegant family. The party scene is really cool because there is so much action. There are lots of company members and kids doing group dances such as the Virginia Reel and the March. The party scene is also very beautiful. The girls are wearing fluffy skirts and colorful dresses. The boys are wearing suits made out of silk and velvet with short pants and spats. We also have to put on lots of makeup including powder, blush, eyeliner and lipstick. The scene is very funny. When the grandfather puts the mistletoe over his head the little boy does the same thing and gets kissed. The grandfather also tricks the maid into getting more champagne. I am very happy to be in the party scene because there is lots of movement and jumping and if feels like you went to a real party.

I think the most exciting scene is the battle scene where I play Ben Franklin. In this version of the Nutcracker, the battle scene is based on the Revolutionary War. The rats are the English and the soldiers are fighting them. The Nutcracker is George Washington and the Rat King is the king of England. It is scary when the rats lift me up in the air because it feels like they are about to drop me! When the cannon is fired in the beginning of the battle it is also scary because a big cloud of gunpowder comes out of the cannon like a real cannon. The scene is really cool because the audience gets to see the battle starting to form and the soldiers make sharp angles and march perfectly on count. Compared to the Party Scene which is lovey-dovey, the Battle Scene is very harsh.

Please come see The Nutcracker!

The Nutcracker Audition by Malin

Malin's first grade class has been working on writing about "small moments." Small moments are detailed descriptions or stories about events that really happened. Here's Malin's:

I tried out for the bee and mouse. I got the part of the bee. I got the part because I had a big smile and because I practiced at THEARC. Mice have to be 7 because the helmets are so big and heavy. The bee costume has curly turquoise wings. It is yellow and tourquoise. It is the cutest costume in the Nutcracker. I was so happy.

I learned staging. I can't wait until the dress rehearsal! It is like the real thing because it is with all the characters and some audience with tickets. Mr. Weber, the director, could can only stop the show if he really needed to.

I am in the Ruby cast. I can look up and see the cute fox page. Its helmet was adorable. Everyone could take a now!