Purim is coming; Purim is coming!
In our home Purim begins well before the actual holiday. Although a one day holiday, there’s a lot of planning to do. A month before I start buying for mishloach manot (gifts given to friends in honor of the holiday). I don’t mean to. It just happens. I see something on sale, and I think, “That’ll be great for mishloach manot.” By the week before Purim food, small toys, and containers are piled up in the living room and dining room waiting to be assembled. From year to year we collect cool containers to use. Last year my parents moved. In their new home they found dozens of baskets perfect for mishloach manot. I make my list; check it twice. One week before we start baking hamantashen, We generally make apricot, strawberry or raspberry, and chocolate. Once put together, we deliver the mishloach manot around town.
While we were at Beth Tzedec Keren, Sean, and I were involved in the Purim musical there. One year Gavriel joined us. It’s really a Purim Extravaganza! Last year we celebrated Jesse’s bar mitzvah. This year is the first semi-normal Purim in years. Then, Keren was asked to be in the Beth Tzedec play again. The week before Purim became filled with rehersals and runs to and from Beth Tzedec. For Keren this is a very special experience. She loves the stage, and has been in the musical for 5 years now (only missing the musical for her brother’s bar mitzvah.
That leads me to Tuesday before Purim. I am sitting through the dress rehersal in the main hall, suddenly a stage mom. Keren has given me her notes on my costume choices, and is awaiting her cues, although she’s not on until the second half. Although her part is small we have lots to do. Keren has a part at the start of scene 6, beginning stage right. Then, I run around backstage to stage left for a costume change, to get Keren a mike, to get Keren her prop, and then make sure she hits her cue. I know that Keren will hit it all just right.
Keren’s first role was scene announcer at age 3. I carried her through the curtain. She yelled out “Chapter Four” followed by kibitzing with Cantor Simon Spiro (who is also the musical’s music director). At age 4 Keren played an enchanted poppy seed in “Once Upon A Purim.” That year she broke her leg two months before the show. Still, she went on cast and all in a pixie outfit complete with wings. The year after she was a traveling child in “The Sound of Purim,” which brought children back into the megillah staged in their favorite movies and books. “The Sound of Purim” kids met up with “Mary Poppins” and others. In “A Las Vegas Purim” Keren played a bunny and a black panther in various Las Vegas acts. All this leads to “The Roaring 20’s Megillah” where Keren plays David Khoppengelt and a scene director. My little star, she’s such a great sport. She learns every cue, every line. She’s a natural on stage, although I am a bit (okay, hugely) biased.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I mean at home, we’re figuring out costumes for everyone. Jesse is going to be Sean. Keren will be Queen Esther (meaning I’ll be sewing a cape during tomorrow’s dress rehersal) and Princess Erica, a character from the “Dragon Slayer’s Academy” books. Gavi will be Wiglaf, also from “Dragon Slayer’s Academy” and Harry Potter. Sean plans on being a poetic justice. I think I may be the cat’s pajamas or a cat nap. I may also dress very formally and see how that goes. Between now & Purim, I need to find Gavi’s Harry Potter glasses, and to get him a wand. Jesse needs to pick a Hawaiian shirt to be Sean, and I really have to decide what I’m doing!
Looking forward to hearing Jesse read megillah again this year and to the end of the play so I can rest.
Onward and upward. Off to Purim.
