Wafna

Twenty-plus years ago in my first year of marching band our field show was selections of powerful classical pieces, which included two from Carmina Burana, which everyone has heard even if they aren't sure they have.  A few months ago the opportunity to join a local choir performing the work in its entirety came up, sort of bringing my musical relationship with Carl Orff full circle.  Cantorum was joined by about as many local contracted singers and a full orchestra, on stage above the dancers of Ballet West at Capitol Theater... and I realized I was fulfilling a life goal I never knew I had.  I've been to many a show at this venue but until now I'd never seen it from the other side.  It was a thrilling and exhausting and unforgettable experience.  It wasn't easy to learn the challenging score (luckily unmemorized, though by the end...), and it was a long two weeks of driving up to Salt Lake City almost every night (thaaaaanks, Wiiiiiife), but the orchestra and conductor were wonderful, the soloists were amazing and the dancers were exquisite, especially from such a unique vantage point.  I felt so deluxe using the side stage door and getting a firsthand look at the labyrinthine behind-the-scenes/backstage world of CT and walking up and down the many dozens of stairs in an acolyte robe, and of course you can't have an experience like this without getting close with your comrades, the dancers, musicians, costumers and crew, but especially the singers.  The carpool game was strong, and it was fun to spend more time with and get to know more of them better, eat food together, learning the meaning of merde, even go see a movie in between Saturday shows (Hercule Poirot, you clever man).

I'm in the show on the marquee!  Amazing!!!

They were pretty serious about not posting anything before the show actually started so we were pretty excited when they released this official shot of Chase and Beckanne with yours trulys in place.  I'm dead center in the middle row.

I was glad that Mom and Dad and Grandma and Van and Matt and Cortnie (not pictured, but for their 20th anniversary!) could all come and see it!  It's always fun when you know someone in the audience.  Thanks to BW for the comps/discounts!  Sorry for the blurry picture. :/

Panorama monks!  We took some pictures at call time one night, and first they said to look imposing and then they said to look pious and then they said to smile, so... that's what I did.

Getting pumped for the final sprint (marathon??) of Saturday matinee/closing night.

In the immortal words of Titus Andromedon, "I am keeping this robe." (But not really.)  We loved our diligent costume ladies.

I might have sneaked one picture just after the final curtain.

And then they took one and sent it out to everyone.  The dancers looked kind of naked for a good part of the production.

And one more guerrilla style, a similar shot from the 'bove.  Those wires were designed to keep us from falling to our doom.

(I feel like I started to annoy people by overposting but it was a big part of my life for a solid few weeks so there you go.)

I think the feeling most of us had at the end was a strange mixture of elation and relief and melancholy, and more than one of us probably listened to the recording within 24 hours of final curtain, but it had a really great run.

It's amazing how music can get stuck in your head after a big show like this, even for weeks and (so far) months after.  It was just a cool production and a cool experience, and as much as we would have liked to see Serenade (the first, choir-less half of the ballet), a good time was had by all.  Thanks to Ballet West and Cantorum for helping me check something off before I even knew I wanted to or ever could!

ADDENDUM: I would also like to make known that I was not only present, but ON TIME for every rehearsal and performance in SLC*, which, for those who know me, is QUITE an accomplishment.  (The carpool helped.)

ADDENDUM 2 (4 December): Did I mention this was also a paid gig?  I guess that makes me a professional musician. XD

ADDENDUM 3 (21 December): Did I also mention thanks, wife?  Because yes, she is so supportive of my love of music and desperate craving need for the spotlight!  Ha ha, but seriously, I had a good time thinking of new treats and new places to hide them to surprise her with every night before heading to the stage.  New concert tradition??

* including HALLOWEEN, where I learned I can get from my garage to my seat on stage in ~37 minutes...

Come, Lord Jesus

Several months ago at church they announced that the stake would be putting on a production of Savior of the World, the play that runs annually at the Conference Center.  I was pretty familiar with the music of the show, though I had never seen it, and something about the way they were saying they really needed a lot of men to participate made me think I should maybe just audition and show my support in this way.  So I did, and I was cast as Joseph!  (More accurately, I later learned they decided to double-cast Mary and Joseph, so I was a Joseph.  It was actually kind of nice sometimes to be one of two, then I could watch half the time and see what looks good and what doesn't and get ideas and feedback.)  The full show is two acts -- the first is the Christmas story and the second is the Easter -- but we just did the first half surrounding the Nativity.

We rehearsed for several months and a lot of people worked really hard and spent countless hours working toward our finished goal, which was presented last weekend.  I performed as Joseph on Thursday and Saturday night, watched with Julie on Friday night, and participated in the Angel Chorus for the Saturday afternoon show, and it was just a really nice experience.  I was the only one in the cast with a real beard, and it was interesting getting used to walking in long burlap robes.  I relearned that I'm not really much of an actor, but I think I made some progress by the end (I hope!).  It was great to do a little musical theater too, whenever I do I usually quite enjoy it.  I know the show is produced by the Church, and it's very sweet and means a lot, but some of that dialogue was just, erm, really hard to communicate...  (That's my nice way of saying I had some issues with the script.)  I kept looking in the audience to see if Mr. Guffman had come to see the show...  Anyway, thanks to everyone who could make it to see the show, but for those who were unable for whatever reason, I have some pictures and videos!  Showing here:

Getting ready for our matinee (I had to make do with whatever Angel Chorus robe I could find).

Me and the other Joseph!  Great beard, Chuck.  (Yes, see how humongous my robe is?  It did the trick.)

Here we have the other Mary and Joseph.

Mary and Joseph sing Look On Me This Day (Duet).  Come on, Joe, exercise some faith!

Getting ready for the wedding

Greeting the shepherds who came looking for the child.

The finale at the manger!  It rather glows (technical difficulty, but it's a fitting effect, right?).

The entire cast

Friends!

This is actually my wife, in case there was any confusion due to the events that took place on stage.

There was a display of Nativities and artwork, and I contributed a couple of pieces.

Here's another piece I offered for the display.

And now, some videos! These are both of the songs I sang in.




The "emotional high point of the show":


So there you have it.  It was a wonderful run and a great experience.  I saw a couple of people from the show the next day in the halls at church and I was a little surprised at how much I missed them already!  I guess that's how it is when you do these shows.  It was such a nice way to really bring in the spirit of Christmas.  I'm certainly glad I don't have to bear the awesome responsibility of raising the Son of God like Joseph did, but it was an honor and a real pleasure playing him for an hour or so at a time.

Now... once this Sunday's ward choir Christmas program is over... then I can really relax for the rest of the season.