An Afternoon at an Elementary School Performance

This was a classic early June afternoon in the Bay Area: sitting in a darkened school auditorium for the end-of-year performance. I found a seat in the audience, looking up at a stage completely packed with kids under the theater lights.

The theme seemed to be related to gardening or farming. Some children wore large, colorful flower costumes, with petals framing their faces. Others were dressed in overalls, plaid shirts, and hats. A teacher stood at the front, her back to us, guiding the large group through their songs.

Behind them, a projector displayed simple illustrations that set the scene—one showed a cartoon farmer planting seeds. The stage was a chaotic and charming mix of focused singing and kids looking out into the audience, presumably for their parents.

I was one of dozens of parents holding up a phone to capture the moment. It’s a familiar view from the crowd: a sea of small screens all trying to get a clear shot of the performance, a shared ritual of school events.