[This is a guest post by Ensemble Studio member Jenna Douglas, a pianist and coach. Jenna Douglas is the music director of Hansel and Gretel, currently touring with the Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour. Follow Jenna on twitter at @jennamariepiano!] 

The Hansel and Gretel school tour has been clicking along nicely. My ears are getting used to the sound of hysterical shrieks from the kids; sometimes the shrieks are accompanied by shouts of warning to Lisa and Rihab (our Gretel and Hansel). More surprisingly was a calm, assured applause that rippled through the family audience during a public performance just as the Witch is hurled into her own oven. Some kids really do take this opera business seriously, even daring to shush the odd deviant child who dared to speak over the performance. One little girl, warming my heart, asked us how we came up with this version of Hansel and Gretel, as opposed to the original Grimm story. I am forever thankful to parents who read to their kids.

Popular questions from the kids continue to be about the origins of our gingerbread-woman, and why Rihab is trying to pass herself off as a boy. During one Q&A, one teacher asked Michael to change out of his Narrator costume, back into the Witch, "so the kids can sleep at night." Obligingly, Michael showed the crowd of excited boys and girls how he grows a hairy, bulbous nose and a set of scary red claws on each hand. It seemed to offer the kids a bit of relief.

Other tidbits: we set an amazing set-up record of nine minutes after getting caught in rush-hour traffic. We managed to grab a moment of nostalgia at one school when we were given access to the gym equipment room to change. Hula hoops, scooters, tricycles, oh my. Glitter-hungry children continue to save us the effort of sweeping up the Sandman's confetti post-show.

Photo: Ambur Braid and Michael Barrett take advantage of the "special equipment" in the warm-up room at one of the schools on the Hansel and Gretel tour. Photo © Jenna Douglas 2011.