Past Year's Resolutions: 2014

What did I accomplish this year?

Every year I ask myself this question and make my retrospective resolutions for the year.  Hindsight is 20/20.  And I think it is much more uplifting to reflect and think, "Wow- I did that!" than to think, "I didn't meet two of my ten goals.  I'm a failure."  Know what I'm saying?

In no particular order:

1. Stay married!  Apparently this is a pretty big deal.
2. Visit NYC for 2 weeks, seeing 16 shows (My favorite was Beautiful, thanks for asking)
3. Be on David Letterman.  For real.  Here's the story and video.
4. Buy a new new car.  2014 Honda Civic EX.  Probably never going to happen again in my life. 
5. Choreograph Hairspray for Taylorsville Arts
6. Choreograph Broadway My Way for Taylorsville Arts
7. Choreograph for Murray elementary schools
8. Perform as Vi Moore in Sandy Arts Guild's Footloose - I guess I play adults now?
9. Perform in a dream show Marvelous Wonderettes for Sandy Arts Guild as Betty Jean Reynolds - Wait, I'm 18 again?  
10. Audition for my first show at Hale Centre Theatre and get called back!  
11. See Frankie Valli perform live at Niagra Falls - that's one off my bucket list
12. Increase my husband's business, Life of the Party Entertainment, another 20%, meaning his business has doubled since I began working with him 
13. Maintain my six-times weekly dates with Gym
14. Be in a movie - Don Verdean.  I was just an extra, but we are seeing the final product at Sundance Film Festival Saturday
15. Win "best couple that never actually hooked up" in the costume contest at Pepper Nix's Halloween Spooktacular for our "A League of Their Own" costumes, we've been trying to win for three years
16. Become a redhead (for a show, but I kept it).
17. Get braces, a wish in the making for 17 years
18. Visit Rochester, Niagra Falls, Ohio, NYC, Moab, Las Vegas (twice), Phoenix, Shakespeare Festival, Goblin Valley
19. Throw the greatest "A Christmas Story" party (creatively speaking) yet
20. Read the Fablehaven and Under the Never Sky series
21. Finish watching Twin Peaks, How I Met Your Mother, The Carrie Diaries (don't judge), Sherlock, and Breaking Bad
22. Continue helping beautiful brides plan and implement their weddings
23. Continue helping with The Cultural Hall Show Podcast

Resolutions of Year's Past
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008 

Marvelous Wonderettes: Sandy City Arts

For the next two weekends you have the opportunity to come watch the absolutely delightful four-woman show from the eras of 1958 and 1968, The Marvelous Wonderettes.

I'm on stage the entire time. Needless to say, it's the hardest I've ever worked on a show in my life. If ever there were a show of mine you should see, it's this one - funny, intimate, colorful, and...just...you should come!  I grew up listening to all of these songs and I about bust with excitement that I get to perform them for all of you with the absolute nicest ladies and production team around!

Marvelous Wonderettes:

• October 10, 11, 13, 17, 18 @ 7:30 pm at Sandy City Hall Chamber Theater
• Run time (including intermission): 2 hrs. 
• Purchase tickets: 
• Phone-801-568-ARTS (2787); M-F, 9 am – 4pm – by doing this you willavoid on-line convenience and handling fees. Leave a callback number if your call is not answered. They are good about returning calls.
• Sandy City Hall, #310 – M-F, 9am – 4pm
• Purchase at the door
• www.sandyarts.com – Convenience fees are charged for on line, so calling or buying at the door will be cheaper. 
• Adult -$12, Seniors-$10, Students w/ID-$8

Additional Details: http://www.sandyarts.com/sandy-arts-guild/side-menu/musicalsplays.html

Sandy Arts Guild's Hairspray

My readers have probably long figured out that I don't like to write about a show unless I would recommend the show, with a figurative scoring in my head of more than 6/10.  Either that, or all of you think that I just love every show I see.  For the record, I don't.  I do try to focus more on the positive to develop the sense of community for which community theater stands.

For the few of you out there who have missed the productions of Hairspray at Hale Orem, Scera, Midvale Main Street, Centerpoint Legacy, Riverton, Spanish Fork and most other theaters in the Salt Lake/Provo areas, you are in luck! The latest (and hopefully last for awhile) to run the show actually has a pretty great production to end the Hairspray streak with a bang (pun intended). 

What gets tricky, after seeing so many casts (including the original Broadway cast...twice), is not playing the "All-star cast" game.  My friend and I sat there saying, "Ooo, we'd pick this person for this part and this part and this choreographer and this director and this scenery and this stage and and and." After we convinced ourselves to sit back and simply enjoy the production, the night was a lot more smooth.

Upon entering Sandy City Amphitheater (Utah), your ears are filled with tunes of the early 1960s.  No music can make me happier, I tell you what.  I didn't even notice I was singing along as I spread my blanket on the hillside until my evening's company began laughing at me.  A huge projection screen on the stage displayed scenes of the same era.  What an amazing touch to grab your attention and pull you into the show from the moment you arrive.

The cast had some big talent, not just in Carissa Klitgaard's Tracy Turnblad.  Summer O'Very as Penny Pingleton was probably the biggest shock to me.  She played the part as more of a quiet nerdy type than what I typically see, which made her busting out of her shell at the end all the more emphatic.  She out sang the whole lot of 'em on "Without Love."  Big time.  Girl rocks it.  I also cannot get enough of Lisa Grow as Velma Von Tussle.  I saw her in a recent production of Gypsy, which I didn't have time to write about but would have recommended, and may just now be a super fan.  She has acting chops, vocal prowess, especially the big belt note at the end of "Miss Baltimore Crabs," and a rockin' body.  She is Velma Von Tussle.

I also have to give a huge shout out to Chantryce Diehl.  I've seen her in several productions as an ensemble member and she served as Council Member Brenda in this production.  Holy cow!  If every ensemble member could kick it into gear and perform up to the level of Chantryce, the quality of our community theater would be multiplied ten times.  You can not keep your eyes off of this girl during dance numbers.  If you see the show, watch for the girl in the red, not that I even need to point her out.  Chantryce, hats off, Lady!

All in all, I was looking for a little more animated bratiness from Amber and a little more I-can't-control-myself energy from Tracy.  I also judge all men unfairly who try to conquer the part of Edna Turnblad because I can't look past the perfection of a performance from Russ McBride as Edna Turnblad from Midvale Main Street's production last February.

Another huge asset of this production was the costume/makeup/hair combination.  I saw not a single costume ill-fitted, no slipping wigs, great facial features from the makeup, etc.  Everyone looked absolutely stunning and as if the costumes were all handmade and tailored for each cast member. 

The sets appear to have been borrowed from Centerpoint Legacy's production (if it wasn't, it sure looks familiar) and serve the stage perfectly.  Good decision.  I loved the projection of some actual live video of the council members during the Corny Collins show.  This keeps reminding me I need to perform with theaters with more of a budget. 

Summer weather doesn't get much more amazing than the remainder of this week, so might I suggest a literal breath of fresh air and supporting this talented bunch of performers? 

You can catch Hairspray at the Sandy City Amphitheater at 8pm through August 27.  You can buy tickets at the gate for less of a fee or here.