We have finally made it to Florida! West Palm was super fun. Ari and some of the girls had a sleepover at her house. It was really fun and I was very happy I could go. We went to the beach and we had a photoshoot. It was also fun because some of my relatives came and visited. Some of my friend’s parents visited too, which was pretty cool. West Palm was super fun and I can’t wait for Naples.
Weeks 31-33 Cleveland
Cleveland was so fun! The hotel was huge and amazing! The Cleveland theatre posted giant pictures of all the kids on tour. It was really cool and I was very happy to see myself on a door.
Cleveland was also where my mom’s birthday was. We had a lot of fun. We also had a ton of parties the first week. An artist came to our opening party and he drew our faces. I did my bass face and it looked really cool.
Another cool thing that happened was that we got to eat dinner with my dad’s friends and his family.
Brandi, who is one of our amazing crew members, was so nice that she took time out of her busy schedule and spray painted my bass case so it says School Of Rock on it. I am very grateful and it looks really cool.
In Cleveland, there were many times where the swings went on. It was very fun performing with different people every day. In Cleveland, the call board had posted the information on traveling home. This city was really fun and I will definitely have to come back again.
Week 30 Providence
I had a blast in Providence! There were so many cool things and cool people. In this city, Brandi, one of our amazing crew members was able to paint a wall tag. She usually does this in most of the cities but this time she made the wall tag so cool! Everyone loved it and I had to take a picture in front of it. Another cool thing was that my mom came to visit! She brought a package that was for me, from Addison. Addison is a friend that I met in Toronto and she lives in Washington D.C. She had sent me a drawing that she drew in art class. It is really pretty. Another cool thing that happened was that my mom and I got our first mom and daughter date in a long time. We went to a Korean restaurant, and it was so good. My family and I also were able to see one of my dad’s good friends. We had dinner with them, and they saw the show.
Weeks 28-29 Boston
Week 27 Schenectady
Schenectady was a very fun but also a sad week. It was a sad week because we had to say goodbye to two of my amazing friends Jesse, who was a swing, and Grier, who was Tomika. It was sad to say goodbye but they were able to say goodbye in a beautiful place. Schenectady! On Monday it was Chinese new year! Me, my dad, and some of our cast friends went out to eat some Asian food. We also saw some of my old teachers from Long Island and I was happy to see them again. Another cool thing about Schenectady was that the stage door was in the theatre, so there were always tons of people waiting outside of the state door every day. Schenectady was a fun place and I will miss Schenectady and Jesse and Grier. Off we go to Boston!
Week 26 Indianapolis
Indianapolis was super duper fun! I was able to do some really cool things such as going on fox59 local news and I got to meet the owner of the Jonas productions and his family. Being on TV was super fun and I cannot wait to do it again.
In Indianapolis I had connecting rooms with my friend Bella. We were able to hang out a lot and it was super fun. We also watched the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. It was very fun because Bella, Ari, and I sang karaoke and we got to bowl. On Sunday the weather was beautiful and we only had one show.
After the show on Sunday many people were outside of the stage door and I was very grateful they came to the stage door. Indianapolis was super fun and I cannot wait for Schenectady.
Weeks 24 & 25 Washington DC
Washington D.C. was amazing! I had such an amazing time and my dad was able to meet many of his old friends!
I was very happy because there was snow so I was able to make three little snowmen.
Many of my dad’s friends came to see the show and I was very happy that I knew people who were coming to the show. The theater had a thing called the lottery where you can put your name in a box and you can win cheap tickets to the show. My dad and I went almost every day and my mom came too when she visited.
A super cool thing that I was able to do was to watch the Airmen of Note combo rehearsal. It was amazing and I was super happy I was able to watch it. My friend Frank Busso was the one who helped us get into the rehearsal and we hung out a lot.
Me, Sammy (Billy), Jonathan and Sinclair were able to do a QA with some high schoolers from an Arts school. It was very fun being able to see so many people in one room that go to a high school where they can act, dance, sing, and play instruments. D.C. was so cool!
Time to go to Indianapolis, Indiana.
Check out the front page of this site, we added a bunch of new official photos fro the show!
Week 23 Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids was a quick but fun week. We had a party after opening night and it was amazing! A lot of people from the show talked to me and I had a really fun time. There was also a man with a camera at opening night where he took pictures of the show. Grand Rapids was the city where me and my dad started making tacos with lettuce wraps. Me and my dad also had the joy in seeing my new friend Makeda and her family. This city was sadly Melanie Evans last week. I was very heartbroken to see her leave because she is my mom in the show. As I said Grand Rapids was a fun, short week and I had a blast! Off we got to Washington D.C. for two weeks!
Washington Post Article
By Nelson Pressley
January 10
Below is a brief excerpt from an interview that was published by the Washington Post. The links to the full interview and a PDF of the article can be found on the bottom of the this post.
“Parks started piano at 5, and then two years ago signed up at a School of Rock near her family’s home in Long Island, only to find the place awash in girls like her: wanting to sing and play piano. Her dad noticed that bass players were scarce, so Leanne took it up.
“I never wanted to put it down,” Leanne, now 11, says by phone from the show’s tour stop in Toronto. Very quickly, she felt, “this is my calling. I’m very comfortable now putting my fingers on it. I like how it’s the glue of the band, with the beat of the drums.”
Weeks 17-22 Toronto
Toronto is so amazing! There was a lot of great food, everyone was nice, and the theatre was very welcoming. I had so many highlights in Toronto I don’t know where to start!
My family and I had our very own apartment, where we could cook lots of yummy food and have sleepovers with my friends. We also had many birthdays in Toronto, including my dad’s!
I celebrated Christmas with my mom and dad. It was really fun. We also celebrated New Years with my friend, Addison.
I was also on the local newspaper and it was really exciting!
Since we were in Toronto for six weeks, we watched many fun movies! We watched Mary Poppins Returns, Wreck It Ralph Breaks the Internet, and much much more!
Another thing that was really cool was that all of our photos were next to the theatre. It was really nice walking past them and seeing myself in a picture.
Another amazing thing that happened was that I hit my one hundredth show! We also got to meet this very famous Canadian astronaut! His name is Chris Hadfield and he is on the Canadian five-dollar bill.
Toronto is an amazing city and I was sad to leave the amazing place but we are going to other amazing places! See you in Grand Rapids!!
There are some really cool pictures below, just click on the first one and scroll through