Under the Bright Lights

When Philip, our school’s High School Theatre Arts director, approached me last year asking whether I would be willing to form a small jazz band (with me on piano) to perform a couple songs in next year’s production, I admit he caught me on a good day. I knew I would be busy with all the seemingly endless duties expected of a new High School Counselor but I thought this would also be a wonderful opportunity to hang around our students and perform with them on stage.

Briefly, the play was written by someone on staff and takes place at a local mall called Mega Bangna and a slum area of Bangkok. The storyline involves a young girl who works at a ministry in the slums of Bangkok but also at a restaurant in Mega Bangna -- the same restaurant where my jazz band performs. Well, a group of young people come to our restaurant and the main actress ultimately takes them to the slums to introduce the Christmas message of Christ coming to earth. The play is really a wonderful depiction of the hope that Christ offers to all segments of society, regardless of class and physical environment.

Interesting that scenes switch from Mega Bangna to the slums because, as the name implies, the upscale mall is huge and located in the school's neighborhood which "hits a little close to home" for the audience. How mega? Well, besides anchor stores such as IKEA, the mall has over 115,000 square feet of retail space on multiple levels, over 100 restaurants, movie theaters, bowling alleys and (if you can believe it) an ice rink for all the foreigners who miss the cold and locals who want to experience floating on ice. Needless to say, Christmas in this place feels a lot different than in the slums!

Our band got together in September to start putting together Garth Brook’s rendition of Let It Snow and Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You. Jo was on drums, Khim on bass, Teak on sax, Tiffany on bells, Grace singing All I Want and yours-truly on piano. It was one thing practicing on our own but then to be placed on stage with lighting and sound issues – let alone the added rehearsals – was quite another matter.

At one point I came to realize I was the oldest person up there with all these kids. While I loved being part of the crowd, it was hard not to stand out when you’re 3-7 times the age of everyone around you =)

A few things I won’t forget from this experience. First, how cute it was when this seven year old came rushing backstage carrying a pile of clothes gathered in both arms, telling me he needed to quickly change or he would "miss his cue"; apparently the stage manager said he was "off schedule". And he told me all this while looking at and tapping his Mickey Mouse watch. Quite a responsibility for a budding actor!

Other memorable moments include wondering if I was going to be able to see the music at the piano because of lack of stage lighting, wondering if the bass guitarist was going to knock me out while swinging his instrument around and being convinced by my team to walk out snapping fingers when taking our curtain call. All in good fun!

A Day of Beauty

I found myself in the midst of the Thai celebration of Loi Krathong again this year. It is celebrated on the eve of the first full moon in the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar. Only this time, friends from Vietnam were in Bangkok for a conference and were able to witness this holiday with me firsthand.

The streets were active with those making decorative floats and purchasers searching for one to place on the nearest body of water. Of course, those selling food and trinkets got into the act as well. Never a dull moment.

Last year I only saw decorations made with a base of banana stalks which obviously float on water. This year, however, was the first time I saw decorative floats made of bread! I guess some environmentally-friendly Thais figure the fish prefer to feed on bread more than flowers and banana leaves.

We happened to be close to a neighborhood park in downtown Bangkok with a good-sized lake. It was a beautiful setting for the masses to congregate and float their decorations.

Not only is this a day of celebration that adorns the waterways (paying respect to the water spirits) but also a time to adorn themselves for locally-hosted beauty pageants and talent shows.