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 :)

Symphony Hall and the Smith Center

I couldn't think of a more intriguing title.  So, yep, this post really is just about the times I have performed at Symphony Hall in Phoenix and the Smith Center in Las Vegas.  

After we got back from Italy, and I mean within 15 hours of getting off the plane, I started rehearsals for "An Evening with Rodgers and Hammerstein."  It was a revue put on jointly by Phoenix Theatre and the Phoenix Symphony.  Last year, we did the same thing with The Music Man.  The cast was amazing, with about 10 of my closest performing friends and it was a blast.  As always, when you try to put up a show in less than 2 weeks, there are bound to be some pretty stressed and frustrated individuals running around, but, it ended up being a beautiful and uplifting experience.  I even achieved a personal best of performing the highest note I have ever sung solo with a full symphony behind me, at the END of a number with a fair amount of dancing around.  Yay!

Symphony Hall

How cute is this costume they gave me?  Kinda has some 20s flair AND I don't have to suck in my stomach.  WIN.

Myself with great friends Jeannie Shubitz and her husband, Jason Fleck.

From left: Kristen Drathman, Cydney Trent, Me, Jeannie Shubitz, and Molly LaJoie.  The lovely ladies of R and H.

The cast, including Maestro Michael Christie and director Michael Barnard. 

I love singing Rodgers and Hammerstein and I was so blessed to be able to sing their music with the symphony behind me.  Always a thrilling experience.

At the beginning of May, Jordan and I travelled to Las Vegas to perform Lamb of God with Zion's Youth Symphony and Chorus.  I always love performing that piece, particularly when I get to sing the role of Mary Magdalene.  She sings "Gloria" after Christ's resurrection and the piece is simply stunning and an honor to sing.  We got to perform it twice in the brand new Smith Center just north of the Strip.  It was an incredible facility.

Being married has its privileges....our dressing room had a couch, a shower and bathroom, and a huge flatscreen tv.

At dress rehearsal in Reynolds Hall.  

Performing together is awesome.

Me and some of the other soloists- Courtney (Mary, mother), Gail Bennett (Martha), and Joey DeBennedetto (John).

What it looks like as a soloist...in case you were all wondering.

yep.  eating and talking.  

During dress rehearsal--hence the girl to my left texting and Jordan hunched over :)

Finale

The cheap seats.

That's Jordan singing on the left.

I even got to sit next to him.  

 So, the performances were wonderful.  Nearly sold out houses of 2.000 a piece and it was an incredible experience.  So so glad we got to go up there to do it.  Plus, we got to see our best friends for  a second :)

Yay!!!