Mid-Prairie Madrigal Accolades

I would like to take this time to commend Director Collette McClellen and her students for not only the magnificent madrigal presented on December 5th and 6th but for the professionalism of the students both on and off stage. As music boosters, my husband and I volunteered to "chaperone" the young men and women and make sure they came to no harm, nor any trouble ensued. As it turned out, the idea of trouble of any sort, with these young men and women, was the furthest from any worries anyone might have had.

I have personally and professionally been involved both onstage and off in many theatrical productions, musicals and operas and I cannot recall a group that was as concentrated and hard working as this group of young men and women. For when they were not onstage, it was not uncommon to find them practicing their parts in a remote area or going over lines. Even Cody Michael and Jalen TeBockhorst (his costume was made of over 60 lbs of chain mail) whose costumes were clearly heavy and uncomfortable, never complained about their attire. They wore their costumes with pride and a dignity that can only be attributed to the true professionalism these students brought to their roles each evening. The young women were much the same. Despite the heavy, hot farthingales, petticoats, and brocade dresses, these young women wore the costumes with pride and dignity and never once hinted that they were perhaps a bit too warm or somewhat uncomfortable.

Their maturity in that manner should be commended and applauded. I've known opera singers who have behaved quite badly when it came to their costumes, throwing fits that would shock anyone within ears reach, but never a cross word was spoken by any of the cast. In additon, the servers performed their parts perfectly and with an air of confidence that lent dignity to the madrigal dinner. Though they might have been overlooked by many there, it was this group of young men and women that kept the show and dinner on course and performed in a professional manner. They were in fact the glue that kept the show together and running smoothly and should be commended for their professionalism in their roles.

And as for the director Collette McClellen. She trained and worked with a group of raw singers, dancers and fledgling actors, taking mere words and music from a script and turning them into an evening that was filled with music, laughter and merriment for both the audience and from the cast as well. Her dedication to this musical performance was clear to all present and she should be commended for a job well done, leading these young musicians to present a madrigal of top notch quality and showmanship as well.

In conclusion, I'd like to commend Mid-Prairie's madrigal players on a job well done. You behaved and held yourself to a level of maturity rarely seen in young men and women you age. And you performed as ladies and gentlemen both on and offstage. And it is because of these actions that you had successful performances. I am pleased and honored to have been a part of the experience, for I observed firsthand that M-P students can and do bring integrity and pride to any performance put before them.

Congratulations on two stellar performances and all the accolades that go with them. You made both the school and community proud with your performance and you yourselves should be proud as well. You performed above and beyond the norm and that is rare in professional theater not to mention amateur theater/madrigals such as you shared with full houses both Friday and Saturday. I'm proud of you and you should be of yourselves for you represented Mid-Prairie with a professionalism that was that was far better than many professional theater performers onstage today around the world.