One Month From Today

So our NYC 2014 is happening this upcoming June.  Your deposit (to Thomas Travel) is due by Halloween.  We just got our flight on JetBlue leaving on a red-eye flight on Monday, June 16th arriving at JFK at the nice, early hour of 6am.  Jackie and I want you to come (until we reach 40 people.  Then Jackie doesn't want you.  But I do).  Here's a sneak peek at our Friday, June 20th show, Big Fish based on the great Tim Burton movie.

I Have A Sickness

In honor of turning 38 tomorrow, I'm going to confess something.  I've had this problem for a long time.  Jackie is aware of it... and I'm sure even our girls know that I have a problem with this as well.
It's this store:

I cannot physically stop myself from going in and purchasing something.
I don't know what's wrong with me.
I am not the target customer for this store.  I don't even pretend anymore to be shopping for Jackie or presents.  It's all for me, me, me.
You send me coupons in the mail?  Well alrighty! Off I go to get Aruba Coconut Body Wash and may as well throw in a hand soap because they SMELL SO FREAKIN GOOD!!
What time is it?  It's Autumn!  Time to change over all the scents in the house to autumn flavors.  It is no good to have a Peach Summer scent in the bedroom when it is after Labor Day... everyone knows it's time for Apples!  And Pumpkin Spice! And Toasted Marshmallow!  For my body, hands and floating in the air all around me.
Who needs testicles when I can have Cranberry Apple Cobbler Hand Sanitizer!
Jackie knows of my problem... she just requests nothing floral that will make us sneeze.
So when I'm 90, in full dementia, just remember to sponge bath me with Mediterranean Citrus Body Soap and I will die a happy man.

Ragtime

Even if I wasn't in this show, I would still be excited about it.  I don't have a lot of "favorites" in life.  I like a lot of stuff- and I try to only watch stuff I think or know I'll like.  Well,  ever since I heard this musical in 1997 on a concept cassette, I fell in love with the story and music- and its definitely a favorite.  I've seen the Broadway tour, Pioneer Theatre Company, I was in it in 2005 (playing the same characters I'm playing now) at Hale, and now I'm in it again at Hale Center Theatre.  This musical is powerful- and I don't get sick of a single song.  It's even worth performing with 3 cracked ribs.  My opening night is on Thursday- and it plays through June and July. Come see it!
Here are some highlights from when it was on Broadway 3 years ago:

Another School Year

So graduation is one week from today.  Every year it's sad to see the seniors go-- but amazingly, new students always appear and life continues on.  Here is a summary of my 13th year teaching high school theatre:
June 2012-  NYC with 60 fun people.  My blog is filled with stuff on this trip.  It was a lot of fun.  On a side note, an anonymous woman called the high school last week to complain to our principal that our trip is too expensive and that I must be siphoning money off for myself.  She left a crazy message that made my principal laugh.  To be clear, the cost of our trip is set by Thomas Travel based on what I want us to do.  We also get really good seat for sold out shows.  If you think you can do it cheaper, do it.  Don't complain to my principal.
Fall 2012-  Auditions for Shakespeare (I really liked my Richard III ghost piece.  The judges, not so much --although it got an overall Superior-) great work Dance Ensemble (2nd), Dance Trio (3rd) and above all else, 1st Place Technical Olympics (out of 30 schools).  This was the 2 year in a row we took 1st!
Shows:  In the Heights- PTC-  Students loved it- but nothing can compare to the original Broadway with Lin Manuel.  Stones in his Pockets- Shakespeare-  great show, great cast (2 people playing everyone)- students still quote lines from it.  Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde- Echo Theatre- great to see Bradley Moss on stage- great cast, creepy script.  Of Mice and Men-  PTC- one of the strongest shows I've seen in 14 years of going.  Beautiful.  The Addams Family Musical-  Capitol-  Nice improvements over Broadway version.  New songs were great and the cast was having a great time.  Students really liked it.
School Musical-  Grease.  Hard show because you need at least 4 crazy high tenors-  dance was good and challenged the cast... costumes and lighting were great-- I wish I could have been more creative with my set.
Winter 2012-2013-  MDT Revue with Kelly DeHaan was a hit.  Some great songs performed by 22 students.  Also, the Utah Theatre Conference at Westminster was a lot of fun.  We saw Legally Blonde by Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts and Noises Off from Westminster College.
Shows:  A Christmas Carol- PTC-  I really like this version of the show (Ahrens and Menken).  It was fun to see Cecily Bills, David Holmes and Ashley Gardner (friends from Chitty and Ragtime) in it.  The Philadelphia Story- PTC-  students didn't care for it, but I thought they nailed it.  Great leading lady-  hard to fill Hepburn's shoes.  Shrek-  got to take Millie and Ellis (and Grandma Summers!) to this one-- it was really fun.  Great adaptation.  I thought Farquaad stole the show.
School Play-  in a moment of utter insanity, I auditioned for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang- got cast, and went from tech week (long...) of Chitty into tech week with our school play Scapino!.  I have to say the kids did great and it was fun doing a completely different style of school comedy.  Great cast!
Spring 2013-  Region and State Competition.  We are in a very competitive region (all of Alpine School district high schools) are with us.  I was surprised that our classical scenes didn't qualify for state- so that was a little sad.  The other drama teacher did a great job directing Almost Maine that luckily qualified for state (which we hosted- and did a great job).  Rags-  done by my MDT class was AWESOME!!  One of the best MDT shows we've done.  Center Stage Showcase- student directed one-act plays- also went well (although for a bit, a Theatre 4 divised theatre piece was a little sketchy...).
Shows: The Odd Couple- PTC-  I thought there was some miscasting, but overall, it was fun to see a classic play that I had NEVER seen on stage.  Chitty Chitty-  Hale-  was really fun to be in.  Great cast.
Urinetown-  It was so fun to see my former student Alex King be the lead in such a fun show.  Great job Hale Orem.  Les Miserables- PTC-  it was sad, but ultimately this was disappointing.  Jean ValJean and Fantine were miscast.  My students were really disappointed in it.  (Although, the set was awesome and Enjorlas stole the show).
So, theatre students of Riverton High class of 2013, go forth and spread your talent all across the land!  Break a leg.  Juniors and sophomores, see you next year.  We'll have a great season with Comedy of Errors, Hello Dolly!, Diary of Anne Frank and Wanda's Visit.

Big Fish NYC 2014

So,  here is a clip from the first show we've purchased tickets to for our 2014 NYC trip.  We'll be seeing this on Friday, June 13th, 2014 (hopefully with the same cast).  Your deposit is due Oct. 31st, 2013.  Save your pennies and come with us for a week in the city!

Thoughts on Thighs

I am in pain.  When I go up and down stairs I have to vocalize "ow" on every step.  Getting up from a seated position causes me to temporarily see stars.  What put me in this condition you well may ask?  Did I lift heavy furniture?  Did I pull a car off of someone in a moment of live-saving adrenaline?
No.
I just went to Ragtime rehearsals and popped up and down like a baseball fan for 90 straight minutes.  Nothing super strenuous- no timing stuff to "and a 5, 6, 7, go...", no spotting or leaps or twirls.  Just popping up and down like a crazy whack-a-mole for 90 minutes.
The next day I asked around if anyone else's thighs were feeling it--- not really was the response---except for the 60 old man that agreed with me.
I will now follow the following workout videos to improve my thighs.

Summer Fun

Words cannot contain how excited I am for the return of this show:



We were loyal followers- back before we even had a DVR- we would plan activities around this show (and probably family gatherings as well). I think we even recorded episodes on our VCR.  Yes.  VCR. So funny.