2013 GRSF Chocolate, Shakespeare & Champagne

Another year with Great River Shakespeare Festival means another beautiful party to attend. One of the great perks of being in theater communities, are the "opening" parties. There is always an opening night party, or a kick off party or something along those same lines.

2013 GRSF Chocolate, Shakespeare and Champagne

Chocolate, Shakespeare and Champagne was held at the Alexander Mansion in downtown Winona. The evening couldn't have been more ideal. Clear skies and cooler temperatures made everything more pleasant at the lovely bed and breakfast venue.

It's always a treat to be at a historical venue we drive by every day. This beautiful mansion has all the richness you would expect: dark wood, tapestry, antique furniture and lavish stairways. This mansion is slightly hidden and after having the opportunity to step inside, I feel as if I've seen yet another gem of Winona.

Great River Shakespeare Festival has numerous donors who have been very generous with their funding and time. This is a great opportunity to for everyone to come together to anticipate another good Shakespeare season here in Winona. It's a chance for everyone to get to know each other and hob nob a bit... which is not my game, in the slightest... but the air is full of positive anticipation and eagerness, which can only result in a pleasant evening out with a few very happy people.

Until next year...

The Sweeter Life

Pioneer Theater opens their first show of the season for this year tonight... and all I can think about is how nice it will be to have my husband back!

This week has been particularly challenging.

We don't have a car right now, so the hubs has been leaving around eight every morning to catch the bus. He works all day... and night... and then rides his bike back home around two am. Last night he was home around midnight.

Then he gets up and does it again the next day.

I'm exhausted for him... both emotionally and physically. And thankfully, a few lighter weeks are right around the corner.

I'm not going to the show tonight, which is fine. But on some level it's always been nice to commence these rough weeks with dinner and an evening together... even if it's still at work. And these weeks have been rough! I enjoy reconnecting and finding a sense of "us" again on Matt's last night of a show...

But we'll spend the evening apart again... and begin our "normal" routines tomorrow morning. We'll have breakfast, go for a walk and get to all the things that are put on the back burner while hubs is slaving away at work.

I'm thankful for hardworking husbands, paying jobs and our adorably unique life... but I'm even more thankful for the time we have together when all of these things separate us for a time. I think it's safe to say that distance does make the heart fonder, and though it takes selflessness and a vision for the big picture, the time spent apart reminds me just how much sweeter life is when Matt is around.

Chocolate, Shakespeare and Champagne

Last night we attended a garden party for the Great River Shakespeare Festival. It was Chocolate, Shakespeare and Champagne and a really fun time.

I was worried about taking Lucas, but he was such a little gentleman, that we couldn't have imagined him not being there. And...it seems he is quite the popular fellow amongst those who don't typically spend their evenings with children. The folks loved him!

It's always a treat to meet the people Matt spends his days (and nights) with. I'll be honest, these are quite possibly the most down to earth theater folks we've ever spent time with. I felt included and ended up having wonderful conversations with new friends I was not expecting to have. The folks here in Winona are just the sweetest!

All in all, it was a fun night for the entire family. I am already looking forward to next years party!

The Tempest

On my own, I have never seen or read the Tempest... which to be fair, is probably one of the best Shakespeare pieces out there. It's riveting, humorous and touches on the important elements of the human experience... peace and revenge.

Matt and I attended the opening night show last night and I was deeply impressed with the visual experience Pioneer Theater offered through the show. The show had an element of Steampunk, which added a raw and Earthy feel. Chuck Morey (Artistic Director) pulled beauty and humor from the actors, emotion from the text and unique elements that stimulated the senses to cause goosebumps and chills throughout the entire show. I was on the edge of my seat, eager to see what happens next.

I highly recommend folks see this show whenever the opportunity provides itself. It's classic Shakespeare and though the language takes a few minutes to wrap your head around... you find yourself drawn into the plot and laughing at the old-world jokes, as if they were being told by friends of your own. The tears shed bring emotion from the heart and the sudden shift of ideals within the story brings back the feeling of hope for your fellow mankind. Go and get lost in a little Shakespeare.

Fabulous Meaningful Conversation

The evening Matt and I shared last night was fabulous. Our evening started with a predictably delicious meal at Pago. Matt had a burger and I had a steak... because the only meal that came with their mashed potatoes was the steak. Lemme tell you... those mashed potatoes should be called buttery, whipped, delicious potatoes. Yum!

Caviar Potato Skins With Local Artisan Cheese Infused with Espresso and Blueberry

The Steak... and the Potatoes hiding under the Steak.

Hello Handsome

After a coffee we headed to the theater to see "Next To Normal", which is a show about the realities of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. I truly believe everyone should either read the show or see it for themselves. It's a beautifully sad show and hides no aspect these very real disorders that so many of our loved ones deal with. You'll cry your eyes out and you'll have meaningful conversations afterward. Isn't that what theater is about?

Matt was exhausted, so we skipped the after-party and headed home for some serious sleep. My poor man was up again this morning for a new round of technical rehearsals for the University Theater. Midsummer Night opens this coming Friday and there is much to be done in preparation for that. Even still... it was good to spend an evening with my Hubs and see his hard work in show. Until next time!

Just Us Tonight

Tonight the Hubs and I are going to see the opening night showing of "Next To Normal." I've been told I'll cry my eyes out. Hopefully for good reasons, because things have been a bit emotional around here already.

Matt's been working too much. I'll say it. It has to be said. I'm selfish and I like havin' my man around.

So tonight will be dinner at Pago (yum!) and the show. Maybe an after party. We'll see... because Hubs has to be in another rehearsal tomorrow. Of course.

I'm trying to not be bitter.

Too Much Fun

Last night was opening night for the show that Matt and his coworkers have been slaving over the past few weeks. It seemed unreal for him to imagine having a weekend at home and going back to a "normal" schedule. I can tell you right now, I'm happy he's back.

So... I won't go into the details, but last night was fun. We ate some great food at Niche', saw Sunset Boulevard and partied at Ichiban Sushi afterward. It was a late night with too much food, too much drink and way too much fun.

It's nice to have an excuse to get out and spend a late-night together. After this show, Matt only has Rent (which I'm stoked about) and then a few weeks "off" for the Summer. Better start makin' some fun family plans!

St. George, Part IV

Okay... this is my last post regarding St. George. No more boring play-by-plays. I have a feeling this small trip we took was a bit more fun for me than my readers. Alas, my need to finish what I started will result in this final blog post... and I will share a few pics of local points of interest.

As I mentioned before, St. George was established by early Mormon settlers in an effort to start cotton plantations out here in the Western regions. When you look at the town and rural areas outside of St. George, one would wonder where these large cotton farms would reside. St. George primarily consists of red rock, cactus, and palm trees and it seems nearly impossible to farm anything in this type of terrain.

Now it appears as if this town is thriving on travellers and small business ownership. This perfect circle of economic trade allows this town to live, succeed and potentially grow. I was amazed by how many small businesses made up main street and the majority of the town. Restaurants, gas stations, boutiques, bakeries, ice cream shops and anything you can imagine... it can be found as a privately owned business.

Speaking of thriving, the faith of St. George (which is primarily LDS) is bustling and can be found in almost every aspect of the town. You can see the Mormon Temple from the highway and at night, it is lit up in all it's splendor. The Tabernacle is cared for and loved, in spite of being nearly one-hundred and forty years old. Privately owned coffee shops are impossible to come by, yet custard and ice cream is found on every corner. The people are kind and loving and you sense their deep love of community. Children run amok and are tended to by stranger and family alike. All of this due to the beliefs and cultural standards of the Mormon Church.

I was deeply impressed by this small, out-of-the-way town and intrigued by it's ability to be special and yet not. St. George was a place to find warmth, easiness and peace of mind... a place where people smile and encourage you to have a great day.

St. George Tabernacle - Est. 1871

St. George Community Park

St. George LDS Temple - Est. 1877

*St. George's LDS Temple was the first operating temple of the Mormon religion and the only completed during the lifetime of Brigham Young.

St. George, Part III

We pull up to the Marriott in St. George and a HUGE wave of relief washes over us. You know that feeling when you've arrived? It's like, "thank God we're here and everything is going to improve from this point on" feeling. Yes. That exactly how it was.

Our hotel room was probably one of the best parts of the trip. It had a bathtub. Now, you need to remember that we don't have a bathtub in our dream apartment here in Salt Lake... so the bathtub was pretty much my favorite part of the room. Oh! And the toilet was behind a little wall.. how wonderful is that!? Especially since our child HAS to follow us into the bathroom, for fear he would miss something very important happening. "Nothing going on in here... seriously."

The room also had a mini fridge (sans alcohol...of which I was slightly disappointed... I mean, c'mon... we're an hour from Vegas people!) and microwave. A tiny coffee pot and all the normal accoutraments a fairly nice hotel room should have.

In addition, the beds were comfy... and the pillows... oh they were like a HUGE slice of Heaven. The moment my head hit that pillow... I was gone. Totally oblivious to the woes and wears of this World. Heaven.

Housekeeping was also kind enough to deliver a Pack N' Play for Lucas. Linens and a kiddo-sized blankie were provided. How sweet. It took a lot of pressure off my back knowing we had a place to cage our child.

It is difficult travelling with a toddler, but hotel rooms seem as if they're perfect for the little ones. Nothing to choke on. No outlets just waiting to have junk shoved into them. And... the kicker.... blackout drapes. OHMYGOSH! Naps were a dream and that dreaming took place. Thank you Marriott for making my life a little bit easier.

The only disappointment I had was the TV. Yes... when I am in a hotel room, I want to watch TV. It's like only a few things happen in hotel rooms: Drinking, things not appropriate to mention on this blog, and TV watching.

So I gear up for some sweet HBO or maybe just some TLC (when Matt isn't looking)... only to find out that our TV is digital local stations. WHAT!? Pump the brakes. We only have basic digital television in our hotel room? Yes. It's true. Great. Now I'm going to have to read or go for a walk or have a conversation with my family members (just kidding... but doesn't tv get in the way of those things anyway?). So we watched nearly NO television. I think I watched Oprah and a couple episodes of Dinosaur Train.

I suppose the disappointment could have been much worse and to be honest, it ended up being a constructive disappointment. Who needs TV anyway?

"We're here!"

Propped up on Heaven Pillows

St. George, Part II

We went, we conquered and returned.

St. George was a charming town and surprisingly larger than one would have imagined. The town lies in an arid part of Utah with cactus, palm trees and lots of rock. To boot, each day was full of sun and warmth. It was a refreshing break from the cold temperatures of Salt Lake City.

We set off on Thursday morning... fairly early to ensure Matt would be in town for registration. In spite of all our careful planning and execution, we were broad-sighted by Lucas' unfortunate bout of gastrointestinal issues. Of course. Because what's a trip without illness, right? We can't go anywhere with that kid!

We ended up stopping five times in the course of what was supposed to be a five hour trip. We stopped at gas stations, McDonald's, random parking lots and the side of the highway. It was not the type of adventure either of us was anticipating that day.

Thankfully, we made it just in the nick of time for registration at Dixie State College's UTA Conference. Phew! Lucas and I were happy to get out of the car and run around for a bit and Matt was happy to just be there. I have a feeling he was quickly regretting bringing us along for the ride.

In spite of the travel poo's (which were not limited to travel and ended up being a HUGE part of our entire weekend) we were able to enjoy the amazing scenery Utah has to offer on Highway 15. The transition from mountain to desert was amazingly gorgeous and  found myself wanting to see more.

Rocky Ridge

The edge of Zion Nat'l Park in the distance.

Red Cliffs area outside of St. George

St. George, Part I

Tomorrow we will be venturing out of the Salt Lake Valley into the area they call "Utah's Dixie"... otherwise known as St. George, Utah. Matt will be partially representing Univ. of Utah's Theater Program at the UTA Conference. In doing so, he will be teaching various workshops and recruiting whippersnapper high school students who believe they've got the chops to make it in a University Theater Program.

So while Matt is being a professional, Lucas and I will be the non-professionals and try and entertain ourselves around town. I'm sure that will include eating some good food and doing a little shopping. Yes, please.

Anyway... St. George is special for the following reasons:

• It is the most popular route of entry into Zion National Forest
• It lies at the corner of Southwest Utah being neighbors to both Nevada and Arizona...Vegas baby!
• St. George's history is largely due to Brigham Young's plantation of cotton farms as a result of the Civil War. Brigham felt he would jump on that soul train and exploit the toils of war by gaining an edge on the cotton industry out here in the West. Needless to say, his experiment was a failure. And hence the name "Dixie".
• If I were LDS, I would be freaking out about St. George, because it has the most gorgeous Tabernacle! And the Temple isn't too shabby either. Mormon history in St. George is wonderful. But, I'm not Mormon... so I'm only a little excited...kidding. I'm pretty stoked to check out all the historical sites!

Other than that... it appears as if St. George is not special for any other reason. I am hoping to be proven wrong while we are out there. They better have an awesome mall. Kidding again.

An Evening Worth Talking About

It was a grand way to welcome in the Christmas season, for sure. Going to White Christmas at the Pioneer Theater was ... well, magical.

As a proper date should include, we started with dinner. We tried another local restaurant in our neighborhood... Pago... and enjoyed ourselves quite nicely. The restaurant only serves locally grown food, which is then turned into exquiste meals. The Chicken Paillard I ordered was to. die. for. Our server was... special. His eccentric personality was a little disingenuous and he would crack the same one-liners for us, as the nearby table. Awkward.

The show itself was everything I had hoped it would be. The amazing costumes, zippy tap numbers, and great vocals did not let me down. Is there anything more fun than seeing a HUGE group of people sing and dance together!? Oh and the ending... with the gorgeous Christmas music. I couldn't help but get tears in my eyes. I could go on and on... but you all know. This was a show definitely worth seeing on stage.

The after party was at a local Japanese restaurant, Ichiban. This party is one of the best parties of the year, as they serve all the sushi your heart can imagine. Oh and of course, an open bar. I LOVE the after party, because it's opportunity for me to get to know the folks Matt spends every day and night with. Some of them are unique and have stories that make me laugh till I cry. It's always a great time.

These evenings are a treat after the long hours and multiple days of hard work for Matt and his coworkers. In addition, I enjoy seeing the fruit of their labor and spending some time with my man.

Opening Night Jitters: White Christmas

So, tomorrow I attend opening night of White Christmas with Matt at the theater.  I'm stoked for multiple reasons. The first being that I get to be with my hubs, which is rare these days. I actually get to sit next to him, in public, possibly holding hands. How grand is that?

Secondly, it's a date. Which is nice. No kiddo distracting us from our love vibes and adult conversation.

Thirdly, it's a Christmas show! My favorite. Ugh, I can hardly stand my anticipation of the tap numbers, big dresses and fake snow falling from the ceiling. Did I mention how grand this is going to be?!

Okay... so I'm a little excited. The only catch is that with every opening night we attend, there is an after party. And so I feel it necessary to wear something stylish, chic, appropriate, and a little something that hides my mom body. Mind you, we're hanging out with dancers, young people, New York actors and the generally materialistic, attracttive folk of the arts and entertainment world. So... to say the pressure is on is a massive understatement.
All that being said, I found these at Ross yesterday: 

Adorable, right? Granted, my shoes-photo-taking-skills is obviously lacking... but I can't wait to wear these little cuties tomorrow night! Maybe they'll convince the folks we're hanging out with I'm still young and hip... and a little stylish. They don't need to know I spend most of my days in yoga pants and a sweatshirt.

Pragmatic Explorations

I'm not going to lie... it's been a challenge, this first week. Leaving my close friends and family was difficult, especially since Lucas was born. Ugh. And, I don't do well when I'm left alone. I'm not ashamed to admit I don't like being alone (don't judge me people!), which is a challenge right now, because I'm alone a lot.

See, we planned on being out here a week before Matt started work... this was so we could peruse Salt Lake City, meet people and I could continue to cling to the security of knowing I had another adult to hang out with while I "adjusted" to this new town. Much to my disappointment, Matt was put on payroll a week early and was given "permissions" to be in the office. Sigh... he went into the office for a few hours Tuesday and then after, he pulled full days all this week. I know I should be more supportive, but I was incredibly disappointed. It was like, BAM! we're here and now you're on your own, lady.

Matt being the pragmatic and intelligent person he is figured the extra money would be great and it would allow him to get that jump-start into the theater season he didn't think he was going to initially have. Matt has about eighteen shows to oversee this year and a class to teach this term, so his plate is full. And, being on a year-to-year contract, he doesn't want to drop the ball, even the slightest bit. He's nervous. I can't say I don't blame him... and the bottom line is that this job is a means to take care of his family.

I on the other hand, am not feeling uber-pragmatic at this time. In fact to put it lightly, I'm feeling emotionally needy... which isn't something dudes hope their wives will be when they're getting married. Bummer for Matt, because I broke down this afternoon and told him how sad I was he was gone most of this week. Guilt trip. Not nice. Not nice, at all. Sheesh.

Anyway, it's all good. We're on the same page now... and it's pretty much an understanding we have regarding his schedule. Theater people are busy. That's just the way it goes. After all my sadness and pity-me moments, Matt took us out to burgers (next post) and that pretty much made everything better... almost.

While Matt was working this week I started my explorations (I can't sit inside an apartment with a kid all day...just can't do it). I took some pics...

[Hottie Husband in front of the Theater, which is also on campus...even though it's not affiliated with U. Of Utah.]

[The University is beautifully large and all the street entrances have some type of pillar signage]

[I hope to get a better photo of the fountain, but as you can see, Lucas has been working on his flexibility while helping me explore. He laughs out loud when he is able to get both feet up on the stroller tray.]

Matt is the Sound Designer for this show! George Fox University Theatre Department Presents: Thoroughly Modern Millie The Broadway hit Thoroughly Modern Millie, winner of six Tony Awards, will be performed as George Fox University’s fall musical starting Thursday, Nov. 6. Showings will be Nov. 6-8 and 12-15 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 9 and 16 at 2 p.m. in Wood-Mar Auditorium on the Newberg campus. Tickets may be purchased at the University Store, over the phone at 503-554-3844, or online at theatre.georgefox.edu. The price is $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors and George Fox alumni, and $6 for students and children under 12. To read more about this production, click here. Remember, all George Fox alumni may purchase discounted tickets to all George Fox Theatre productions.

Full Monty Review

'Monty' slick, not quite full Theater review BY JACKIE DEMALINE JDEMALINE@ENQUIRER.COM Every once in a great while we're reminded that University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music's stellar musical theater program is a training ground, not simply a machine that astonishingly churns out stage gem after stage gem. "The Full Monty," all about laid-off factory workers in Buffalo deciding to take it all off to pay the bills, is very much a show that's about training. While there's some star quality glittering here and there, when you stand "Full Monty" against the high bar that CCM musical theater has set for itself, as one of the best programs in the nation, the show misses, for a variety of reasons. "Full Monty" isn't a big enough show to impress you; it gets by on charm. This is a musical that wins you with sentiment as a bunch of regular lugs try to achieve self-worth, but this production comes off as slick. You've gotta care about this motley crew of guys, which includes divorced and bitter hero Jerry (Colt Prattes), his chubby sidekick Dave (Mitchell Walker), a buttoned-up efficiency expert (Sean Montgomery), Malcolm, a depressed gay guy who lives with his critical mom (Danny Visconti), flamboyant Ethan (Pearce Wegener) and old black guy "Horse" (Josh Breckenridge). You have to cringe for them as they build up the courage to take off their clothes and put on a show, but guess what? These shirts come off and you see the well-sculpted torsos of guys who spend plenty of time in the dance studio. Which isn't hard on the eyes, I'll grant you, but doesn't touch the heart. A handful of student performers stand out: Montgomery, looking like Clark Kent, is just right as the efficiency expert who efficiently eliminates his own job but who's afraid to tell his spendthrift wife. Jen Temen brightens the stage as his wife, who's a good person after all. Sara Sheperd is dandy as the blue collar gal married to Dave. Age is a real issue in "Full Monty," but, again, the priority at CCM is education. Breckenridge makes a fair run at playing a character decades older than he is and decrepit to boot. Jerry has a young son, and freshman Jake Bridges gives a good performance as the kid, without being remotely believable. There's no way he passes for the age he has to be for some more heart-tugging. The show's one ringer is alum Pam Myers, brought in to play the been-there-done-that showbiz vet,, a broad to her bones, who plays piano for the guys. Myers isn't old enough for the role but what she does have is the spark that you need to make it on stage. I hope most of the kids in the company are taking notes. Prattes isn't mature enough to act Jerry, and he doesn't have the vocal range for the role either. He wasn't helped by a poor sound balance that had the orchestra drowning out the singers for most of the show. Student costumer Jessica Arthur does a fine job of telling us who these people are, from union meetings to girls' night out. This is the first set design I've seen by Brian Ruggaber, relatively new to the faculty. Four-storied with a dirty tenement look, it didn't work at all for me. As a child of the Rust Belt, this is not where these folks would live. Obviously Ruggaber looking for a solution for many, many scene changes without moving set pieces on and off stage. A line-up of scenes at floor level work well, not only is it not Buffalo, it doesn't serve the story. The set doesn't reflect the situation of the upwardly mobile characters and there's an added problem of splitting focus occasionally as too many things go on in places too far from each other. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070227/ENT/702270303/-1/all

Been awhile....

It has been awhile since either of us have posted anything (Matt is officially "too busy"), so here is a little recap: Matt's thesis show is finally over! A friend accompanied us to see opening night and it was a really fun show. Granted, the boys do go fully nude in the final scene and much to my amazement, I closed my eyes! You would think I am a kid or something.... still... 8 weiners on stage... not something that I really want burned into my eye balls forever. So I missed the big hurrah at the end... but still liked the show. :) Matt is starting to look for jobs, even though he has tons of stuff on his plate still. He mentioned moving back to Salem (which made my heart skip a beat) and contracting himself out... but that would take a lot of work initially. He's still looking into interactive media (video gaming) design and various teaching positions at different Universities in the US. We figure... keep our options open... and everything will fall into place. Work for me... overwhelming. I'm tired. Overall, things are great. I will post another blog with a paper review of "The Full Monty." I agree with what the author has to say... but must interject that the show had a lot of heart and I felt it was one of the most fun shows we've seen in this program. Toodles.