Yes, so David Archuleta has been visiting Rising Star. I confess to never having heard of him before coming to India. But Google and YouTube quickly informed me that he came in second on American Idol in 2008 and has since produced several albums.
The founder of Rising Star, Becky Douglas, has some pretty amazing connections. She also doesn't take no for an answer. This is how she managed not only to bring David and his mother to India, but also a documentary film producer and a Broadway dancer.
The dancer taught a select group of our kids a few numbers, which they performed on Saturday at the Marriott hotel in Chennai. This was remarkable for many reasons (children from leprosy colonies performing at a luxury hotel), including that they only had two weeks to hammer out the dances. David accompanied them on one of the pieces.
Last-minute instructions in front of the Marriott. Which one of these is unlike the others? The blond kid is the directors' child.
Trying out the stage before the show.
The kids did not know how to use the toilets! They assumed they were supposed to stand on the seat. The other funny thing was watching them marvel at the automatic hand dryer. They used it again and again and again.
Since a few people recorded the show, I'll hopefully be able to post more of that later.
But back at the ranch at Rising Star. I tried to snap a few shots without seeming overly obnoxious. Here we are playing Simon Says at recess.
What I love about this is that the kids have no idea who he is. Kanmani and Gokulraj race up to to every new volunteer like this. If he's not a Tamil movie star, they aren't going to care!
Admittedly I wasn't expecting much. But this guy is impressive. He's actually shy and modest. Today he helped me tutor kids in reading and writing an essay. When he arrived he wouldn't let anyone carry his suitcase for him. Last week he visited a leprosy colony and jumped at the chance to wash and bind the affected feet. He seems genuinely surprised and flattered at compliments.
Oh, and then there's his voice. Hearing him sing a cappella at close range makes everyone's hair stand up on end.
The founder of Rising Star, Becky Douglas, has some pretty amazing connections. She also doesn't take no for an answer. This is how she managed not only to bring David and his mother to India, but also a documentary film producer and a Broadway dancer.
The dancer taught a select group of our kids a few numbers, which they performed on Saturday at the Marriott hotel in Chennai. This was remarkable for many reasons (children from leprosy colonies performing at a luxury hotel), including that they only had two weeks to hammer out the dances. David accompanied them on one of the pieces.
Last-minute instructions in front of the Marriott. Which one of these is unlike the others? The blond kid is the directors' child.
Trying out the stage before the show.
The kids did not know how to use the toilets! They assumed they were supposed to stand on the seat. The other funny thing was watching them marvel at the automatic hand dryer. They used it again and again and again.
Since a few people recorded the show, I'll hopefully be able to post more of that later.
But back at the ranch at Rising Star. I tried to snap a few shots without seeming overly obnoxious. Here we are playing Simon Says at recess.
What I love about this is that the kids have no idea who he is. Kanmani and Gokulraj race up to to every new volunteer like this. If he's not a Tamil movie star, they aren't going to care!
Admittedly I wasn't expecting much. But this guy is impressive. He's actually shy and modest. Today he helped me tutor kids in reading and writing an essay. When he arrived he wouldn't let anyone carry his suitcase for him. Last week he visited a leprosy colony and jumped at the chance to wash and bind the affected feet. He seems genuinely surprised and flattered at compliments.
Oh, and then there's his voice. Hearing him sing a cappella at close range makes everyone's hair stand up on end.
We all enjoyed hearing about this. Your photos are always great. And love those 1st graders!
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