Closing Night of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers!

So Monday night was closing night! I couldn't believe it was over. The theater was just packed. Our ushers were sitting in the aisles. It was great to see the place full to capacity. It was a very touching performance and I actually found myself crying on stage, in character of course ;). What a wonderful run it was. I had such a wonderful time. The rest of the family enjoyed it as well! It will be something that we always remember. We have a wonderful DVD slide show and picture CD from Erica and her mom. I also took some fun backstage video on Monday night. I have about 30 minutes of footage. One of these days when I convince Wes to reinstall our video editing software on this computer I will post some clips. It takes a LOT of room on the computer and slows it down. Anyway, here are some pictures of closing night. Ralph, our rad drummer!!
Wes and I after the show was over.
Adelle while I was recording her. I think Lydia was changing in the dressing room.

Steve kissing his real wife Charlie :)
Michael, Steve and Charlie's son and one of our suitors.
Chaz! All the girls like to flock around him every night.
Sweet Erica! She is such a wonderful lady! We respect her so much!
Jordan and his smooth moves.

Stephen, our loyal Ephraim!
Dallon, Adelle's new best friend.
Adam who played Frank. Here he is sporting his new haircut.
Jordan and Skye.
Troy!

Our wonderful stage crew girls! Every night they had to lug really heavy boxes.
Erin showing the dress that Wes made for her.
Our sweet Innocent Macall. Well, she looks innocent...
Carianne all ready to leave.
Austin out of costume.

Curtis! He ended up in the video a lot!
And Mary! Our faithful assistant director.

After we had cleared out the dressing room a few of us headed over to Village Inn to hang out and eat. Besides that we probably had the grumpiest waitress ever, it was really nice to have some closure to the show. We didn't get home until aroun 1:00 AM. It was good I took Tuesday off. I am going to miss being in the show and seeing everyone. At the same time though it was really nice this weekend to be able to relax, read and spend time with my family. My house is even clean again. Perhaps in the near future I will need to set up a cast party!

Cast Swim Party and Backstage

Last Saturday we were invited to go to a cast swimming party at Carrianne's Apartment Complex. Wes wasn't feeling well so he stayed home and rested. The girls and I packed up the snow cone machine and a lunch and headed out for a swim. Adelle was so excited to go swimming!
Erica, Dallon and Curtis posing for the camera.
Lydia enjoying the pool!

My little mermaids.
Okay, so there wasn't a huge turnout for the swimming party, but we had a lot of fun anyway. Carianne, Dallon, Curtis, Erica, Lydia, Adelle and I were there.
The party got really fun when Carrianne brought some soft balls to the pool. Everyone enjoyed throwing them at each other.

Later that evening I took some backstage pictures of the cast.
Erica and Skye getting ready for the show.
Peggy was really sweet and offered to french braid Lydia's hair.

Austin and John, a couple of suitors.
John and Chase hanging out.
Justin and his cheesy smile!
Jordan and Macall laughing!
Curtis..what is he doing here?

Go Chaz!
Justin, Michael and Carriane.
My girls getting ready to go on.

Adelle and her daddy!

So today we actually have two shows to do. One at 2:00 and one at 7:00. My sister is coming today at 2:00 as well as some co-workers. There is a party planned in between the two shows for the cast. I am planning on taking pictures. I actually seem to have come down with a cold so I really hope everything goes well. I may need to drug myself soon so I can sing and not ache all over. Well here goes nothing!

Remembering my Mother

I thought I would dedicate this post to my mother. 5 years ago Wednesday, August 6th she left us. Looking back I think it was one of the hardest if not the hardest time in my life. To suddenly lose someone that you love so much is devastating. When there is a suicide there are so many questions, especially "Why?'. As the years have gone by the sorrow has lessened. I still miss her and wish that she was here, but I have a knowledge that I will see her again.

Last Friday (the Friday before the Anniversary) Wes, the girls and I went to the Redwood Cemetery to visit her grave. We cleaned of her headstone and left some lillies from my front garden.

Her grave is located under a tree and there is a wonderful view of the Wasatch mountains.

My grandmother (her mother) is actually is buried right next to her.

Adelle mainly wanted to walk and look at the other graves and Wes went along with her.

Lydia and I sat near the grave and felt the calmness. It is somewhat of a spiritual experience for me to sit there and think of her.

There have been times in my life when I have distinctly felt my mother. I remember right before Christmas I when I was cutting out some patterns. Wes and I were making doll clothes for the girls. I am almost certain that she was there. I could just feel it. I think she was wanting to get sealed to her parents. I completed the sealing in February and what an amazing experience that was. I have never seen her, but I have felt her. The last time I really had that feeling was a few days after we found out that Wes had passed the bar. I was actually at work. I felt like she was congratulating us.

My mother was an amazing person. She had a spunk and an energy. There was an emotional charge to her. I remember as a kid some of the things that she did. I remember that we owned the Michael Jackson Thriller Video and I remember whenever we would put it on and that she would dance around the living room. She was often just downright silly. She used to lick our face and think it was the funniest thing ever. My poor family puts up with me doing this once in a while to them. I remember when I was a teenager that we really began to clash a lot. I think we were so much alike that it was easy to butt heads. When I got older we began to be close again. She loved my Lydia so much. Adelle wasn't born until after she had passed away. I actually found out I was pregnant with Adelle the day we buried my mother.

Sometimes I feel a grief that she is not here to see her grandchildren grow, but then I remember that she can see them. I have a very firm belief that the dead are aware of us and are watching us.

After we went to my mother's grave we stopped off at Leatherby's for Ice Cream. I really appreciated that my family came with me and I thought they should enjoy something sweet!
We all ordered kid size sundaes (yes, those are the kid size ones!), and enjoyed the scrumptious treat.

I ate every bite of mine. Wes and I are getting old though! Our stomachs couldn't handle so much ice cream. We went to the show that night and had that fun dramatic backstage drama. At least life stays interesting, right?

Backstage Drama

So do you remember how I said that the shows are going so well. Well perhaps I jinxed myself and the family because we had some major backstage drama tonight. The performance actually was going well tonight. There was a great energy and the audience really got into everything. I headed to the green room after the town social and saw Wes holding a paper towel to his face. He had a nice big gash across his nose. Long story made short, Wes was carrying a table top on stage and it attacked him. Well, not really. Wes was carrying the table top and bumped it into the wall and it flipped back and whacked him in the nose. Now if any of you know Wes you are aware how dizzy and lightheaded he gets when he gets injured or when he is around blood. I was really worried about him because his next scene was going to take place on the upper ledge of the stage. I was so scared that he was going to pass out and fall of the ledge. Yikes!! Well even though he was pale he managed to make it through his scenes.

Well right after Wes finished his scene I had my angry scene with Adam. So here I am on stage, angry at Adam when suddenly I hear a child screaming and crying. The thought runs through my mind "That sounds a lot like Adelle". The crying subsides and I finish out my scene. Adam actually gets a great reaction when he says the line "The last time I listened to my brothers I ended up getting married. Maybe I would have been better with a hired gal". The audience actually boos him because they are angry at how Adam is treating Millie. Steve who plays Adam just loved this. People are really getting into the show.

Anyway, back to the story, I get off stage and an usher approaches me. She says "Your little girl is the bathroom and needs you". I rush to the bathroom and find a crying little Adelle. She had tried to go to the bathroom and she wasn't able to get all of her underclothes off in time. The poor girl had had an accident and soaked herself. I console her, tell her I'm not angry and start trying to figure out what to do. Adelle hasn't had an accident like this in a long time. I usually remind her during intermission to use the restroom and help her, but tonight I had been trying to help Wes' cut stop bleeding and was applying an ice pack.

Suddenly I realize that I have to be on the stage in just a few minutes. I see Wes in the green room and ask him to help out Adelle. Poor Adelle! Wes totally takes over and helps her out.

I run to the dressing room and try to quickly change out of my old fashioned pajamas and ballet shoes. I get my skirt on and my white button shirt, pull my slippers off and run up the stairs in the character shoes. I quickly step into the shoes in the wings and step out to deliver my line with my shoes unbuckled. I find a moment on stage to buckle my shoes as much in character as I can and to tuck in the back of my shirt. I hadn't even gotten my apron on and just decide not to let it bother me.

Once the scene is over I head back downstairs to check on everything. Adelle 's bloomers, tights and underwear are all safely stowed in a plastic bag and she is wearing her regular skirt under her costume. Thank you Wes. She ended up just wearing her sandals for curtain call, but what where we going to do!

What a night!! Honestly everything on stage when really well, but my goodness the backstage drama. I am really glad that everyone is okay. It could have been worse. Well at least Adelle is bathed, everyone is tucked into bed, the clothes are washing and now I will try and get some rest. I just pray that everything will go well on stage and backstage tomorrow. Isn't theatre great.