Christmas Carol 2007

It's Over

2007-12-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here at my desk. Almost 36 hours since my final performance in "Christmas Carol 2007." I'm missing it already! It was truly a wonderful experience this year. I put up some backstage photo's. You can click here to see them.

I want to personally thank everyone involved in this year's production. I am truly grateful to each and every one of you! You have all enriched my life beyond measure! I hope that someday our paths will cross again!

I hope you've enjoyed this small backstage look at "Christmas Carol 2007?." May you have a wonderful holiday and a joyous and prosperous 2008!

The End Is Near

2007-12-18T12:21:00.000-08:00

I can't believe we only have 6 shows left. I'm going to miss this cast. Each and every show I do it's always bittersweet in the end. Fortunately I have made so many friends in each of the casts I've had the honor of working with over the years, but like life, sometimes you lose touch with some and some just fade away. I always treasure the time I have with each person, and am grateful that our lives touched, even if it's only for a brief moment in time. I learn something from everyone I work with! We have 2 shows tomorrow, 3 on Friday and then we close after the Noon show on Saturday. Another CC come and almost gone. Next year though will be exciting. I hope I can get cast again. New theater, new experiences! It will truly be an adventure. This year's CC experience has been wonderful and exciting! That is what is so amazing and wonderful about live theater. A group of diverse people, many strangers at first, come together for one purpose, to tell a story, and in the end you have a wonderful ensemble, working as one, to bring a story to life, to bring joy and enlightenment to the audiences that come to see the work. I am so grateful for the talents that God has blessed me with, and to be able to share those talents with the world, and to stand next to so many others who are so talented as well. This year has truly been a wonderful experience, one I will never forget!

Up And Running

2007-12-09T05:37:00.000-08:00

Well opening week has come and gone, and what a week it's been. It's so wonderful to finally have the show on its feet! I've gotten to perform with both casts and everyone has really met the challenge well and I feel we have really touched the hearts of many people already! It's always such a wonderful feeling when I do this show each year! It always makes my holiday brighter! We've had the typical goofs and mishaps that happen with every show: the fireplace being left on in the graveyard scene (LOL!), missed entrances, costume mishaps, etc. It's all in the joy of doing live theater! ;) But the one constant is that we are touching people's lives with this beautiful story!

Preview

2007-11-29T20:10:00.000-08:00

I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to finally have an audience! And what an audience! I can't remember a more exciting preview in my entire life as this one! They really wanted to be there and were truly excited to be there! Except for one missing set piece, LOL!, the show went off without a hitch! I am so excited for tomorrow night's official opening! It's going to be wonderful! I hope to have some photo's of the actual show real soon! So stay tuned! ...

Hell Week?

2007-11-28T03:17:00.000-08:00

Well, Monday night was the beginning of Hell Week. That long dreaded final push to opening! My cast's tech/dress went very well on Monday night! In fact, it was one of the smoothest tech/dress rehearsals I have ever experienced! It was really nice! Tonight we have our preview! I'm really excited! I can't believe it's already time to open on Friday! This year has been simple, easy and just plain fun! This show has really gotten me into the festive mood this year and I'm truly happy and grateful for that!

I hope I haven't bored anyone to tears with this little blog?! Now the blog will phase into a performance blog. I hope to share fun anecdotes about the run and my feelings each night! I hope you enjoy it?!

The Final Stretch

2007-11-21T06:31:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe we're at dress rehearsals now. I can't believe it's already been 5 weeks now since auditions. It's gone by pretty quickly this year. Last Saturday, was our final rehearsal at Orem High School. I took some photos, you can access them by clicking here.

The groundbreaking ceremonies for the new theater were inspiring and so much fun! I can't wait until next year! You can access my photo's from this wonderful party by clicking here.

Tonight is our first dress rehearsal, we then have the rest of the week off for the Thansksgiving Holidays and then we resume back on Monday at the theater for our tech/dress rehearsals. This year's show is going to be spectacular! I hope you don't miss it!

New and Improved Scene

2007-11-14T05:34:00.000-08:00

Tonight we staged the new and improved "Courtyard Reprise Scene" and the "Finale/Curtain Call." The "Courtyard Reprise Scene" has been extended a bit and it is absolutely beautiful! Cody Hale has arranged a new version and it is so very touching! I won't spoil it here, you'll just need to come and see the show! ;)

I am getting more and more excited about the show! It's going to be a wonderful show this year. It will also be the last time this show will be performed in this theater. I am so excited to announce that "CC" will be the very first show performed in the new theater next year. The groundbreaking gala will be held this Friday. You can go to my website and click on the jester logo for more information. It's really an exciting time in Utah County theater!

First Run Thru

2007-11-10T15:08:00.000-08:00

Today was so much fun. We had our first run thru of Act One. It was so awesome to see everyone come together and to see the very first inklings of a real show. I'm so excited! We also learned a new courtyard scene song. The past two times I've done the show it's been a very short reprise, and poor Chris Brower who plays Scrooge has very little time to change from his night clothes into his street clothes. The new song is a bit longer, with a beautiful musical interlude underneath the solicitor/Scrooge scene in Act Two and then it finishes. It's going to be a beautiful scene. Cody Hale, the composer/arranger is so very talented and I love to sing his music and his arrangements.

I apologize, I slept in too late and forgot my camera. Next time, I promise!

xoxoxo

Quick but Fun

2007-11-08T23:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight's rehearsal went very quickly but was fun. I guess we all were in a goofy mood tonight. We reviewed the entire Fezziwig scene with choreography and music. Most of us forgot lines, etc. It was really funny! Better though to get it all out now before opening. ;)

Saturday morning we will be running the entire first act for the first time. That's going to be fun and interesting. I'll try to remember to bring my camera and get some photo's.

xoxoxo

Coming Together

2007-11-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

Last night we went over the Fezziwig scene and the dance. It was so much fun! The cast is starting to come together. We are having so much fun! This is a great cast and I'm looking forward to a great run! I was so surprised that I remembered all of the choreography for the Fezzijig, that's what we like to call it. LOL! It's just like old times again. I don't think the holidays would be the same without doing this show. Yes, I guess I'm officially hooked!

I'll be posting pictures soon, I promise! :)

Choreography, Part 2

2007-11-03T16:53:00.000-07:00

This morning, bright and early, we choreographed/staged the opening scene. A lot of people to get on and off stage, but it was worth it! Ben Tichy, our choreographer is wonderful and the opening scene is going to be breathtaking. The new music is breathtaking as well!

I had to close last night @ work, so I only got about 4 hours of sleep, but it was OK! Yay to early Saturday morning rehearsals. 3 weeks on the 9th. WOW! How time flies!

Choreography

2007-10-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

Wow, this is a bit late, but WTH! ;)

Ben Tichy, our very talented and fun choreographer, choreographed what is affectionately known in CC land as the "Fezzijig!" LOL! It was so much fun! It's one of my favorite parts of the show. We all get to be a little silly, while Scrooge dances with us, all of the time, obviously, we are oblivious to his presence, since we are figments of his past. I never thought about if before, it's kind of surreal being involved in this scene. I have watched lots of versions of CC before, but actually being in one of the "Christmas Past" scenes is really fun and unique! Being an actual part of that story has brought the story to life for me in a whole new way. I appreciate more Charles Dickens' talent as a writer and what he was really trying to say through this story. WOW, that is what I love about live theater and literature. It's incredible.

Unfortunately because of work conflicts, I have to miss both weeknight rehearsals this week, but I'll be back on Saturday for the choreographing of the Opener and Finale. I'm excited!

First Rehearsal

2007-10-25T05:17:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I decided to post a rehearsal blog for shows that I'm in. I thought it would be an interesting experiment. Well, at least for me it will be. To be able to look back at all the memories. Hope you enjoy it!

Christmas Carol 2007 is under way. We had our first rehearsal tonight at Orem High School. We blocked the Solicitor scene and the Fezziwig scene. We have such a great cast and I'm really excited to do this show for the third time.

Jerry Ellison is such a fantastic director to work for. He is so kind and gentle with his casts, and I continue to learn from him each show I do with him.

Pretty much, tonight was straight forward. I'll be posting more in the coming weeks, as we put this remarkable show together. I know it's going to be another fun adventure as it's been in the past. :)