A Theatre Week

It has been a week of theatre in this area!

There are three shows going on this weekend.  The University is presenting their musical, “Anything Goes,” the Prairie Wind Players based in Barrett have “Christmas Belles” and the high school is showing “Anyone Can Whistle.”

On Wednesday we went to the opening night of “Anything Goes.”  It’s a fun musical that was first performed on Broadway in 1937.  There’s high society, low society, mobsters, and show girls, all aboard a ship heading for England.  Watching the cast sing, dance, and act (all at the very same time!) was inspiring.  

As it was the first night, there were still kinks to work out.  The pit orchestra was a little too loud, and some of the headset mics needed balancing.  There were a few times the actors had to stretch for their notes.  But the choreography!  I know that not everyone would have known how to tap dance going into the production.  Everyone had tap shoes on at some point or another.  They all did a wonderful job!

Last night we headed up to Barrett for “Christmas Belles” which is the second of a four part (so far) play series.  The series began with “Dearly Beloved” which Matt acted in last spring with the Morris group.  I laughed most of the way through “Christmas Belles.”  Anything and everything that could go wrong with putting on a church Christmas pageant did, including the Great Pancake Massacre and a drunken socialite trying to read the Christmas story from the Bible.  Elvis stopped by for a visit, too, as the “Ghost of Christmas future to come!”  

Mix this with a very pregnant forty year old (TWINS!) and her husband who, to provide more money for the family took on a seasonal job as Santa and a convict, there was always something going on.  Santa gets a kidney stone, so he was wailing and complaining most of the show.  

I loved the show!  It helps that I knew a lot of the people in it, and the basic premise.  Many of the actors and actresses from “Dearly Beloved” reprised their roles in this show, and a few new ones were added in.  It was wonderful to talk with everyone after the show.  

I even had a chance to talk to my old English Teaching Methods teacher.  She’s now retired and I haven’t had a chance to be in touch with her for a long time.  We had to go to the green room to find her, but find her we did.

“Sandy! Your adoring fans come to you!”

Her face lit up and a big hug came my way.  It was good.  She invited us to go to the bar with her and some friends, but unfortunately we had to get home as it was really pretty late.  The baby sitter had school today, you know.  And Sandy’s reaction, “Oh, how cute!”  Yeah, Sandy, thanks.  I still have a smile on my face remembering all of it.  

And as always, watching performances gives me a longing to be there too.  I want to get back on stage sometime.  I just have to wait for a while till my girls are older.  My time will come soon enough. 

Unfortunately, we won’t get a chance to see the high school play.  We’re heading out for the weekend for a baby shower and an early Thanksgiving.  I would love to go though, if  I could!