They deserved better

Friday, my girls (and boy) gave the best performance of their play that I had as of yet seen. Timing was great, they were in character, they hardly dropped a line ANYWHERE. I couldn't have been more proud of them.

We tied for last place. Again. With Floydada. AGAIN.

Sure, next year will be a different story. Friona, Tulia, and Olton will be in someone else's district. The cast (with the notable exception of two very talented seniors) will return, a year older and wiser, as will the crew and the director. There's even a good possibility of a theater class making its way into the Lockney course offerings.

As far as our own personal developments, I count this year as a success.

Yet, as I drove back to Plainview late Friday night, I couldn't help but come back time and time again to the conclusion that they deserved better.

Better.

They deserved better than a few, nonspecific comments (directed mostly at the director) from a half-deaf judge.

They deserved better than a rushed rehearsal schedule, which served largely to increase the stress in their already overstressed lives.

They deserved better than a dimly-lit, acousticly nightmarish hole in the end of a cafeteria to practice in.

They deserved more formal training in voice, body language, and general theater arts.

They deserved a more-qualified director than the two-bit hack of a biology teacher they got.

As good as they are, I weep at the opportunities they could have had and didn't. My lord, they are so good...

They deserved better.