Wonderland

So, I just closed up the last production at Mesa's Broadway Palm West Dinner Theatre.  The theatre sold the space to a new company, so the children's show "Alice in Wonderland" was the last one.  I am not going to lie, it was a little bittersweet, given that my first professional show was at Broadway Palm years ago, when I did "The Sound of Music."  Back then, I had just finished my freshman year of college.  Geesh.  Since then, I have had the privilege of working there many times, with a special place in my heart for the children's theatre.  A look back at a few kids shows from the past at Bway Palm:

"Cinderella"

"The Nutcracker"

"Aladdin"

"Sleeping Beauty"

As you can see, there is a certain Disney fairy-tale theme present.  So, it only made sense to end it with another Disney, Jr. show, "Alice in Wonderland."  While not my favorite Disney movie, it ended up being extremely fun and I had a great time acting like a little girl with a big imagination :)

In autograph line, a little girl dressed up as "Alice!"

My dad, the Mad Hatter, with Cullen Law and my niece, Paige.

Jordan and I :)

So...there was that time when the AC started leaking onstage left...

Children's show wall in the green room

the other side of the kids' shows

Anthony Chavez, Me, Liz Millea, Paul Thomson, Mark Kleinman, Catherine Wong, Cullen Law, Allison Houston, Skyler Bean, and Rudy Ramirez

Thanks, Broadway Palm!  Its been fun!!!!!

Blurgh.

This will be a shorty, but I just have to say it.  I know the whole point here is agency and free choice, but sometimes I just really don't like making decisions.  So, I am going to get some ice cream and settle in for a night of decision-free Buffy after a performance of "Alice."  So there.

PS-  These amazing GIFs are from the funniest blog I have read in awhile:  What Should Theatre Call Me.  Check it out.  Its HILARIOUS.  Trust me.

Happenings and Happy Fourth!!

SO...I have found that there is a REASON that Jordan and I have gone to Logan for the last few years every summer.  You might be thinking--"Isn't it to perform with a great opera and musical theatre company?"  or "Don't you get to eat some of the best gnocchi outside of Italy there?"  The answer to both of those is a resounding yes, but we are forgetting that we go because it is TOO HOT HERE.  Yep.  I haven't experienced an Arizona summer in years, and let me tell you, it has been a rude awakening.  I do prefer the heat to the cold, and dryness to humidity, but I think the snowbirds have the right idea.  I mean, they ARE the product of years of wisdom.  If I had the opportunity to have two houses and skip this stifling heat, I would.  Utah Festival Opera:  PLEASE, hire us back next year!!  I am wasting away without your sensible 92 degree summers!!!

At any rate, I have managed to stay cool (for the most part--excluding this afternoon, as I write this blog) so far this summer by doing a few super fun things.

As many of you know, pie is one of my favorite things.  I LOVE pie.  So, I make it whenever there is a  semi-legitimate reason to do so.  Like, Father's Day.  We had two family gatherings--and three "dads" (I count Jordan anyway, as a future dad).  When you do the math, that equals THREE PIES!! YAY!!!!!

Clockwise from the top left: Cherry Streusel, Apple Streusel, and Frozen Key Lime.

This one takes forever, but its Jordan's fave, so I can suck it up :)

Jordan and I also got to spend a blessed weekend in Newport Beach, California.  Ah.  The beach.  It was a perfect 75 or so the whole time we were there and I was happy as a clam.

Then, it was July.  The fourth of July, to be exact.  The weather decided to celebrate the Independence of our wonderful country by being the MOST BEAUTIFUL DAY A PHOENIX JULY HAS EVER SEEN.  I'm serious.  We woke up to an overcast morning, where we joined Jordan's family for a fantastic breakfast outside.  Did I mention that it was about 77 degrees?? Just as we finished cleaning up breakfast, it rained.  Serious joy.  Then, we ate BBQ at my parents house and took a nap with the rainy day light flooding my bedroom.  Was the rain going to ruin the fireworks, you ask??  No, silly.  It cleared up before the Diamondbacks game, which we went to with my family.  My mom and sister Jocey made a rad sign that made it on the Jumbotron, the tv broadcast, AND Mark Grace read the sign on air and commented.  It was super fun, and we got amazing views of some fireworks right outside the ballpark.  Also, the firework setting on the camera worked like a champ.  Bam.

Oh yeah.  And there was more pie :)