Happy World Theatre Day...To All Who Celebrate

 It's World Theatre Day and my social media feeds are full of friends posting memories, many of which I was a part.

Wonderful memories.

On a whim I took my then five-year old son to an audition for "Scrooge" at the no longer in existence Rodgers Memorial Theater. It was fall, 2000. From 2000 to 2019 my son--and then my daughter-- and I did many shows together, and I did a few by myself. I've been blessed to work with talent upon talent, so many incredible people, so many incredible shows.

These pictures (and thousands more...) can be found on Ronald Russell's Flickr page where he was the designated photographer for both theaters for years. You can access his Flickr page by clicking: HERE. Ron is yet another amazing person I met because of the shows. That's the thing...it's not just fellow performers you meet and get to know. 

These pictures are from shows more than ten years old. I picked them because they were fun, but then again, almost all the shows were fun. I knew I was never going to be a leading man...character roles were always my lot, and I accepted it gladly. I remember getting parts and not understand how I--with no real theatrical background--could be cast in show after show aside remarkable individuals. 

 The last show I did was Peter Pan in Ogden. That was 2019, then covid hit and the world changed. Not being on stage was so painful for those involved in the shows. You, as an audience member, may have missed the theatre, but I guarantee you, those in front of and behind the stage missed it more.

It's been five years since I stepped foot on stage, five years since I've seen a show in a theater. If I never do another show, my life's been forever changed by the experience.

Wonderful, wonderful memories.

Ten Years Ago...We Had A Blast

 A memory popped up on my Facebook feed today...

Ten years.

A decade ago I posted a short video I made (back when I was making short videos...) about a show I was doing at the time. It was Centerpoint Legacy Theatre's production of the classic, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It was the first time that theater did the show and the second time I had the great fortune of participating.

I met some incredible people in that show, and thanks to social media, I've kept in touch with many of them since the last curtain fell, April 2, 2013. There's been marriages, babies, homes purchased, retirements announced, the children in the cast are getting married, and unfortunately, a divorce or two thrown in. That's what happens to fifty or so people in ten years.

Each show has its own personality, its own spirit. We meet, learn, sacrifice, and perform together for a few months, then we go our separate ways. Sometimes we meet up again in another show down the road, but that unique experience of that particular production can never be duplicated. Watching the video again took me back, back to when I was Issachar, I was not the oldest brother (a rarity...), and I danced mostly in the back row due to my talent level.

Good times.

For those in the show who watch the video, I hope it brings back some similar memories of hard work, long practices, and appreciative crowds.

Go Go Go Jo!

One Of My Favorite Shows...

 I found myself thinking of a show I did years ago. One picture from a social media site and it all came back, the music, the people, the amazing time we had on, and backstage. The show was Shrek, the Musical, and it was a blast.

It was 2015 at the Centerpoint Legacy Theatre in Centerville, Utah. I'd never seen the show, nor had I heard the music, but after doing the show, it became one of my favorites. I had seen the animated film, but after being in the musical, I can't bring myself to watch the film again...and even though there's some amazing voice talent in that movie, it's just not the same. It needs the music.

Every show has its own feel, its own vibe. For Shrek, it was always charged, as if we couldn't wait to get onstage and do the show. I can honestly say not all shows are like that...some, but not all.

A local theater company is doing Shrek, the Musical this summer. I've worked in that theater before--great venue, great people. Maybe it was the casts and people at the theater where I did the show...maybe it's the show itself. I can't be sure, but I'll bet that those people fortunate enough get in the show this summer will love it and they'll be unable to wait to get on that stage and perform the crap out of the show.

And I hope when it's all said and done, it'll be one of their favorite shows, too.

Give Thanks...For Memories Of Performing At Christmas

 A good friend posted a picture on social media earlier this week. Interestingly enough (at least for me...), it was a picture I posted to social media several years ago. The picture--a show poster for a production of Scrooge we did decades ago.

Ah, the memories...

I believe the show was performed in 2001 at Rodgers Memorial Theatre (which no longer exists...). It was the second community theater production I did. I also had my son in the show with me...he was seven years old at the time. If you have the ability to zoom in on the poster, cast members wrote Christmas wishes to my son. I thought it would be something cool he could hang in his room as a reminder of his time onstage. I wonder if he even remembers doing the show.

We decorated the house last Sunday. In one of the boxes of stuff was a Christmas calendar from another production of Scrooge, this time in a new theater, Centerpoint Legacy Theatre (which thankfully does exist...). I apologize but I don't remember who went out of their way and made these calendars for everyone in the cast. The casts are huge so that was no small feat.

There was a time when I did five Christmas shows in the span of six years. So many rehearsals, so much time away from home. Thankfully, I did most of those shows with my daughter--always best if I can do a show with my kids. I've said many times, being in a show at Christmas is the best time of the year to do a show, but also the toughest time to do a show.

When my friend posted my picture, it brought back so many amazing memories. I'm so grateful of those memories, of those friendships, of those experiences that hopefully made wonderful memories for the patrons, because I know it did for me. Thanks, Dave for bringing some of them back.

Lost Boys...Seven Years Ago

 Facebook has a function where it shows you something you posted in the past. It highlights a memory from the day in history...your history, as chronicled by Facebook. This morning the above picture showed up as my memory.

They say a picture's worth a thousand words...

But, how many memories is it worth?

I loved this picture when I took it, and I love it still today. On this day in 2014 I was part of a community theater production of Peter Pan. I was a pirate--it's fun being a pirate. I worked with a tremendous team, from the director to the stage crew to the theater staff. Wonderful people.

Then there were the lost boys. 

If you've ever done a show with kids, you know it's a challenge. If you have a couple of kids in a show with adults, they usually do well. Maybe it has something to do with trying to impress the adults. I don't know. But when you get a gaggle of kids in a show, they do what groups of kids tend to do...

They act like kids.

Now, I don't want to give you the wrong impression--these kids were great to work with and did a fantastic job onstage and off. They were just loud and fun and enjoying their experience. For me, the photo caught their spirit, their joy, their wonder.

It's been seven years. I can't remember one of their names, but I've kept in touch with many of their parents (some were in the show...). They're no longer children, hopefully no longer "lost." They do what Peter Pan couldn't--or wouldn't--do...they're growing up. For me, the past seven years have come and gone with much of my life feeling the same. 

For them...it's a lifetime.

I hope our lost boys are still loud (within reason...), and joyful, and full of wonder. I hope they're above all happy, they way they used to be.

Can't Get Enough "A Christmas Carol" This Year...

 My friend Bryan posted the above picture on Facebook. I had to include it. Today, as I channel surfed, I happened upon Scrooge, the Albert Finney version. I had to watch it. Of course, since it's a musical and since I've been in productions of that very show several times over the years, it makes the show that much more enjoyable for me.

The story's the very definition of "classic." 

Some of the film versions of A Christmas Carol are better than others--as with everything in life. I tend to identify them by who plays Ebenezer. There's Alastair Sim (the first Scrooge I remember), George C. Scott, Albert Finney, Patrick Stewart, Kelsey Grammer, Jim Carrey, Henry Winkler, Michael Caine, and Bill Murray (sort of...), and others that in productions I haven't seen. Each of those listed have strengths they've used to make the part their own.

Like most classics, A Christmas Carol speaks to us differently depending on what stage you are in life, at least it does to me. As a child, I thought, "Well, this is easy to understand--don't be a jerk and love money more than people and ghosts won't haunt you seven years after your business partner dies."

But then you get older.

It's not like I put money in front of love, at least, not on that grand of scale, but I have been selfish and kept when I could have been selfless and given? Sometimes, it's the small battles that have the biggest impact.

And then, you reach that "Scrooge age" and you go from "I'm not going to be that way when I grow up," to "I hope I haven't lived my life that way and do I have time to change?"

Maybe it's the year we've had...maybe it's the fact we're entering a new year on shakier ground. Whatever the reason, I feel drawn to the story and more importantly, its message. It could be because we need to hear those four words more now than ever before...God bless us, everyone.

Cartoon Credit: John Atkinson, @WrongHands