...And So It Goes...!

Crap! I KNEW that if I got back into the "theater thing", I'd get hooked again... I TRIED to convince myself that theater was "silly", and a "waste of time", and that, perhaps, I'd finally outgrown my need for adoration. Yeah right...

My friend Keri convinced me that I should be a part of "Once Upon A Christmas" at the Maplewood Community Center with a group called "Ashland Productions". I KNEW that they were the company responsible for "Pirates", a musical involving LOTS of grade school students in SEVERAL schools around the metro, and BRILLIANTLY exposing our students to the magic of the theater, and thought "wow...they are doing such a COOL thing, getting kids involved on stage", but I SO didn't think it would be a group that I would ever be involved with...

Well...I was wrong. From about the fourth or fifth rehearsal, I was hooked! How much better does it GET than learning four part harmony to standards of the season??!! OF COURSE the first couple of rehearsals were AWFUL (here's a secret for those of you who don't know me very well...I'M SHY...and going into a show, where I don't know anyone, TOTALLY freaks me out...and to make matters worse, Keri went to New York for the next THREE rehearsals, so I didn't know ANYONE there...ack!).

I have to say, though, that the people who act for Ashland are AMAZING! What a fabulous group of people...from the little kids, to the high schoolers, to the "adult chorus"...they were AMAZING!!! I had SUCH A BLAST hanging out with these people...!

I can't truly say that I like rehearsing a show, but I can DEFINITELY say that I LOVE being on stage...what a "catch 22" to be such a diva, and "socialphobe" at the same time! Luckily, the diva usually wins, and I left my comfort zone, and chatted with people during those rehearsals, and met some COOL, COOL people!!!!

Anyway, the show closed yesterday, and I'm actually a little sad (okay...I'm also REALLY glad to be home, and to NOT have to drive through the CRAPPY weather and HORRIBLE roads we've had the last week or so). The performances went well (despite having the LEAST AMOUNT OF REHEARSALS FOR A SHOW I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED...!). In fact, I liked it so much that I've already scheduled my audition for their next show: "Seussical: The Musical"! NOT that I have the time OR "stamina" to face snowy/icy/hazardous commutes to Maplewood from Eagan in January, February, March, and part of April, but...who knows...maybe it will all go away early this year??!!

Here are a few shots from the show that just closed. If you're in the Twin Cities around the end of April/beginning of May, come see the show (I'm HOPING to get cast...I guess you'd better wait until the "I Made it Into the Cast" post before reserving your tickets!!!).

"The Years are Passing By"

"Christmas Time is Here"

"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"


"A Strange Way to Save the World"

"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"

Hope YOU rekindled a passion from YOUR past this week!