Good-Bye...To A Prince Of A Man

I saw a post from a family member a day or so ago; that's when I found out. And even though it wasn't unexpected, it's still a shock when the news is confirmed. You can link to the Salt Lake Tribune article: HERE.

I first met Peter Freed when I was sixteen years old, but his influence affected my life for years. We moved to Farmington in 1970 and soon, we were going to Lagoon almost daily in the summer, every day, except Sunday, that is. My family bought a pool pass--it was around $35 for the whole family for the whole summer.

And we went every day, every year, for years.

When I was sixteen I was hired as a groundkeeper and we cleaned the park--a great job for a teenager because we had to clock-in at 4am. You save money when you have to go to bed around 9pm in the summer. It wasn't until I began working in the entertainment department that I really appreciated Peter.

Lagoon's an interesting place and when you work there off-and-on since 1982, you see trends, you see behind the scenes. Most patrons go to Lagoon for the rides. The games, and food are bonuses. But, for a chosen few, it was the park's entertainment that drew them, especially the locals. They would go to every "Music USA" performance, or Countryside, or to see the Lagoon All-Star Band. And from what I understand, Peter played a huge part in the creation of those shows. Because of his influence, entertainment is a central part of the park to this day.

Peter was a quiet man, a reserved person. He was not loud or bombastic. He watched the patrons from his little office window near the park's entrance, and he came to see as many shows as he could, always from the back, always allowing others the better seats, the better views. You could tell he loved the shows, loved watching people enjoy themselves.

I'm sure there are amazing stories of the man before he and his brothers took a risk on an amusement park in a small Utah town. And, I'm sure if I heard about them and the part he played in the military and in other business dealings, I'm sure I'd learn of the same quiet man, someone who seemed to always want others to Have Fun.

Peter was one of the good guys, and I'm glad I knew him.

Oh, Music U.S.A...Where Have You Gone?

I walked to a spot on the newly-opened road and snapped a single picture. Though not exact, I figured I was standing where the stage used to be, a stage that stood for more than thirty years, a stage that was more than a place for people to perform, a stage where friendships and memories were made.

It's where Music U.S.A. once was.

As a teenager, I began working at Lagoon Amusement Park. As a pre-teenager, I had visited the park almost every day it was opened for probably ten years. Back then, you could buy a family swimming pass for something like $35. And, Lagoon let all Farmington residents into the park for free. So, when the huge pool was opened for the summer, we were there, hitting the huge (and incredibly dangerous...) metal slide, and throwing ourselves off the diving boards.

That pool...it was a wonderful place, and I miss it, just like I miss hanging out with my friends, riding bikes along the uneven sidewalks, and hiking on the mountain. 

And I miss the days of Music U.S.A. I was fortunate enough to work as a tech for several seasons of the show. We got to know the performers, the musicians, the other techs. We spent time together, and since I was a teenager and really had no real responsibilities, I had a lot of disposable income. We would go out to eat after almost every show, tech, performers, musicians. Some of my most cherished memories growing up happened with those people.

The show shut down years ago. The stage fell into disrepair--the whole thing would need to be re-built if they ever decided to do a show there again. The park decided to go a different direction--restaurants, German restaurants. It's call the Lagoon Biergarten and it's amazing! The food is good and the buildings are beautiful. 

Tonight, I went to a rehearsal. As we learned and went over blocking for a scene, an actor not in that particular scene practiced dance moves in a corner of the room. I've known her for almost ten years. As she danced, I watched, and my mind returned to that Music U.S.A. stage. Why? Because the dancer is a daughter of a friend of mine, a performer who I could watch again and again on that stage. In fact, I did watch him over and over for several years. One of his solos--I remember it vividly because he was so good--was from Pippin. He told us all that he had magic to do. And when he was on the stage by himself, that's what he had, magic, and he left us way too soon.

The stage is gone, replaced by food, beer (imported and domestic...), and incredible details. But the magic...if you stand back and look around, you can almost hear the works, feel Mark's bass, Greg's drums, and Mike's keyboards. But all eyes were on Danny. He had magic for us, just for us.