Les Miserables

The most exciting thing happened this year.  Spencer's high school decided to take advantage of the amazing male talent they currently had and they decided to tackle Les Miserables (the greatest musical ever, in my opinion) for their yearly musical.  Spencer auditioned for a part, and then weeks went by before the cast list was posted.  The rumor was that they were stumped on what to do about the part of Gavroche - the young beggar boy in the play.  Soon after, Tyler rushed in the door from school saying that he had been invited to audition for the part of Gavroche - that afternoon!  We rushed to the high school, practicing the entire ride there, and he was then whisked into a room with the choir director and theater director.  He must have nailed it, because he was cast as Gavroche!  Three other middle school boys were cast as fellow beggar boys, and he and another boy shared the part of Gavroche.  Spencer was cast in the role of Lesgles, one of the French revolutionaries, and he also held many parts in the ensemble.  Thus began the busiest, craziest, most fun two and a half months in recent memory.  The boys had rehearsal at the high school every day after school, most Saturdays, and eventually these rehearsals went until 10:00 every night.  The musical ran for 5 days straight, with the shows ending close to 11:00 each night.  It was the greatest and craziest week!  Grandma and Grandpa Thompson flew in for the week, as did Grandma Carlson, and Ella even shared her birthday with Opening Night.  The girls went to three of the five shows, and they loved them so much.  Ella said she cried every night!  Many of the boys' friends came to see them perform as well.  It was the most memorable, exciting, and wonderful experience for both of them, and the chance of a lifetime.  And they were amazing!!  We're so proud of these boys of ours.  (Now be prepared for the onslaught of pictures to follow, beginning with the rehearsal pictures.