The Christmas Play

We were so excited for Jayce's Christmas play at his school this year.  I go crazy for things like this.

We found out a few weeks before that he would be playing Joseph, and we practiced his lines each night.  On the morning of, he was prepared.

I was prepared too.  I had charged my battery, brought an extra memory card and my tripod, and stood at the door early to get in and get a good seat to record the performance to show the grandparents.  I didn't bring my flash because I doubted that I would need it, since I'd be filming the event.  I grabbed a seat in the middle near the front, set up my tripod, revealed myself as "a crazy camera lady" to the other parents and was ready to go.  But, my plan didn't really work out. It turns out that I didn't need my tripod because I was running around trying to actually get Jayce into the picture, and I definitely needed my flash.  Oh well.

The program started with the kids singing, and Jayce sang and did the motions enthusiastically. (In the video I put the play first and the songs second, but it was actually reversed.)  

By the time that he moved onto the stage for the nativity play, I think he was a bit spent, or just spaced out.  He said his lines well, ushered Mary around the stage, knocked on the doors of the inns, and patted Mary's shoulder reassuringly.  But he was spaced out, big time.  He didn't sing or really do the motions onstage, he just kind of looked around, wide-eyed.  After the play was over we went to give Jayce hugs and tell him how proud we were, and he was still completely spaced out.  I guess he was "stage struck?" (Is that a thing?)  Anyway, he just kind of stared all around, even when he was with us.  Eventually we let him go back with his class.

(Video disclaimer: I thought I was so prepared, with my tripod and a great seat in the middle of the room, but when the kids came in and got in their spots, Jayce was seated at the very end of the row away from the center of stage.  So despite my efforts we couldn't see him at all.  So I ran over and filmed him on the side, and by the time he made his way back to the middle, I didn't have time to set up the tripod.  So, sorry that it's a little shaky!)