by Chris Thibdeau
On November 19th, the band and I gave a series of workshops and a performance at my hometown of Newtown, Connecticut. It was quite an experience. First of all, there was this odd sense of time displacement, as the members of Break of Reality from my college years were visiting where so many of my high school memories took place. I was also absorbing the many changes to the town that had occurred over the last five years.
Our first workshops were at the Reed Intermediate School. We did two presentations for several hundred fourth and fifth graders. The kids were very enthusiastic and had wonderful questions, like, "Is there such thing as an electric triangle?" and "When are you guys playing at Madison Square Garden?" These first two workshops did not bring back any memories. When I was in school at Newtown, the Reed Intermediate School didn't even exist; it was built while I was at Eastman. However I did run into my old elementary school math and chemistry teachers,, my sister's old teacher, and a few friends from school.
Things got a little weird when we gave our presentation at my old high school. Standing in the main hall of the high school, I felt almost as if I had never left. I spent four years at Newtown High School, and there were many memories and special times for me. Walking down the music hallway to the band room, Erin, Patrick, Ivan, and Jesse, got to see pictures of me hanging on the walls. High School pictures of the old musicals and other productions lined the corridor, and we had a few good laughs.
While giving the workshop for the high school students, there was an odd feeling of coming home. Presenting to the kids with my former high school music teacher, Michelle Hiscavitch in the audience, I felt as if I had come full circle. I grew up here, went away for school, and now I was returning to give something back to the community.
The most rewarding experience of our day visit, at least for me, was our nigh concert given at the Reed School. More than two hundred people showed up, and the audience was filled with family, friends, and people I haven't seen in years. Most importantly, I got to thank my parents at the end of the show. They have been amazing to me and the band, and have always been supportive for us all.
Coming back home was a great experience – I hope that we get to return for a full electric show at the high school auditorium. Until then, I'm looking forward to Texas, where Ivan gets to have a similar experience, and bring the band to his home of Victoria, Texas!
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