Saturday, July 10, 2010

Musical Memories

Musical theater was a big part of my teenage life. While I never dreamed of performing on Broadway, I was very involved in local theaters and of course ... the high school musicals. One of my co-stars (Will Swenson), at Hale Theater and high school, did go on to star on Broadway. He, and Audra McDonald (Disney's "Annie" remake ... the Grey's Anatomy spin-off "Private Practice" as well as many New York shows) came to Utah for a fund-raising run at the Orem Hale Center Theater. When another friend from high school (thanks Lynnette!) contacted me about going to see the show, we bought tickets and went. I hadn't heard of the show before, it's a musical version of "The Rainmaker". It was very good, fun to see Will again and have a girl's night out too.

After the show with Will and Audra

When you perform in a show, you do become attached to the music, so Annie, Gypsy, Oklahoma, 42nd Street, will always have a special place in my heart. Then there are the classics ... Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof ... I've always loved Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Pirates of Penzance. I've never seen "Starlight Express" but adore the song "Only He" ... and if I had to name any music that has captured me most, it would have to be "Les Miserables" and "Joseph" (I've seen well over a dozen different productions of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat"). My "Broadway" playlist on my Ipod has music from all these, plus Rent, Mamma Mia, Big River, 1776, Phantom of the Opera, Little Shop of Horrors, Man of LaMancha, Bye Bye Birdie, Hairspray... Gotta love musicals!

3 comments:

  1. Except every time I see that guy I remember that he ran over your cat. Poor Gherkin!

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  2. I haven't done a show since I was engaged! Hubby, on the other hand, has been acting in a local theater since 1999, and taking the children with him once in a while. My favorite production of "Joseph" was the one where both my daughter and my husband sang a solo! :D

    Also, I saw both Les Mis and Starlight Express on Broadway our senior year. Les Mis was unbelievable!!! Starlight Express? Not so much.

    Will ran over Gherkin? Why don't I remember that?

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  3. Well it really was an accident, I was with Will in the car (he was bringing me home after a show or something). We didn't even see my kitty. We heard the bump and looked at each other, but didn't even know what it was until after, when a neighbor came over (she had seen it happen). Gherkin was hurt and had hidden. Kim ended up taking me to the vet and we had to have him put to sleep :( it was sad and Will felt SO bad.

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