Best Night Ever
High School Musical As Reminder
I am mildly claustrophobic. I am also an introvert, and restless. I am not a fan of musicals. For all these reasons, going to The SpongeBob Musical in a packed high school amphitheater would seem like a bad idea. But life isn’t about reasons, or reason. Nonsensically, I had- to paraphrase SpongeBob himself- the best night ever.
On our early evening walks my best friend likes to say her jammies are calling her. It’s the same for me, and Sam, Charlie, plus one or another streaming service joins the chorus. But inside my head is a small voice saying carpe noctem and, despite my inclinations, I usually do.
On the way to the play, I had misgivings. The draw to ease and solitude is strong. But I made a promise to my students and that small voice that keeps needling me out of my rut.
There are precious few things in this world as electrifying as a high school theater performance. For young actors, this is their moment, and as a member of the audience, you not only to see them in their moments, you are a necessary part of making them.
When the play was over, the cast spilled into the lobby (a.k.a. cafeteria) to mingle with the audience. It was SpongeBob’s last night, and they crushed it, and already they were feeling what that meant, relative to everything that came before and will follow in their lives. Do you remember what it was like to be young, and to be on fire? Last night, I most surely did, and I owe it all to SpongeBob and that small voice for refusing to let me forget.