Naomi in Aladdin II

Jafar is the genii's new master.
She is about to wish to be a genii herself, thinking it will make her the most powerful.
She doesn't realize she will become a slave.

From Mary Johnson:

I showed Naomi the photos I had taken from her first 2 shows.

She said I wasn’t allowed to post any of them.

I asked, what about Grandma’s blog?

Can we post some there?

She said sure, for no one reads Grandma’s blog.

A happy ending:  Jasmine and Aladdin are about to be married.
Aladdin uses his last wish to free the genii.

Naomi got the part of the genii in Aladdin in her school production of Aladdin Jr., the Musical.

It is her first time being in a theatre production.

She refused to get help practising her lines, but Arta and I did manage to convince her to run through them once with us.

Even though she didn’t put her full effort into the lines for us, she was the star of the show when it came to the actual performance.

She had great timing delivering her lines.

Fantastic body language.

Second show make-up by drama teacher.

And was a strong singer. I made her costume by altering an outfit Leo had purchased for me in Africa 13 years ago.

It no longer fit me.

We turned the skirt into harem pants and one Naomi’s lines that got a great laugh was “Do this harem pants make me look fat?”

Naomi doesn’t usually wear make-up, but she has a friend who is very good and is self-taught by Internet videos.

Lexie did Naomi’s make-up the first night.

One of the theatre teachers did it on Friday. And Saturday, one of my friends who is a professional make-up artist did her make-up.

So three different looks, each one fabulous.

I will have to post the final night photos another day.

Finale: entire cast sings "A Whole New World, Reprise"

Sunday, once all of the performances were done, Naomi still wanted to put on her blue eye make-up.

She said she wasn’t quite ready to be done being the genii yet.

The drama teacher was happy that Leo volunteered to coach the kids on the soundboard.

Finale: same as above

As a result, this was the first show I have been to at the school where the mikes were actually working.

The drama teacher also works with a summer theatre camp who have put on a production of Aladdin before, as well as Joseph and the Technicolour Coat.

She was able to borrow the costumes of that theatre troupe, so all of the costumes were fantastic.

She was surprised when Naomi said we had made Naomi’s costume but everyone thought it was perfect when they saw it.

The genii with her wireless mike

I think the set was also borrowed and touched up by the drama teacher.

Leo went in one Saturday to help her assemble it and do final touches.

I was in the front row every night.

Naomi told me that I didn’t have to come every night.

I told her I wanted to.

She told me, you are little too loud.

Naomi after the show channeling herself you are a little loud.

I reminded her of how loud grandmother's laughter would have been if she had been there.

One of my friends from work brought her daughter on Friday night.

Saturday it was all she could talk about so they came again Saturday night.

The tickets were the right price.

$7.00.

After each show most of the kids changed right out of their costumes and went right home.

Naomi stayed in her costume and talked to people in the halls.

We were always the last to leave.

First show make-up and hair by Lexie

I can’t say enough about Naomi’s performance.

She was a natural and often carried the entire chorus through songs.

If she messed up a line in a song everyone went with her.

In the spring she and her cousin, Rebecca, had watched Aladdin.

Then Naomi listened to the sound track all summer.

So we were quite surprised when that was the production her school was doing.

Make-up by Lexie

As she was preparing for her audition, I kept asking her if she had prepared something and if she wanted help.

The night before the audition she told me she was going to her room to practise, and that under no circumstances was I allowed to stand outside her door and listen.

When I told this to her cousin, Rebecca, she laughed really hard and told me she would have done the same thing.

More make-up by Lexie

Flowers from Grandma

I didn’t know how the audition went, but I knew that anyone who auditioned would at least get a part in the chorus.

I was thrilled when Naomi texted me that she had gotten the part of the genii.

Being in this production seems to have solidified her confidence in herself. I hope she will continue with theatre.

Genii with Ella who came to two shows