When it rains, at least you find the rainbow

It's pretty safe to say that my sanity has held on by a thin thread the past month or so.  Truthfully, this year has been trying for me and my friends (some of them have had FAR worse years than me, but I'm the type of person who cares too much, heart on her sleeve, close friends are like family, etc).  Every now and then Murphy's Law comes into play and I start to wonder where the hidden cameras are.

Take Tuesday afternoon for example.

I had big plans for Tuesday night, so I wore my favorite work dress to look classy and fantastic.  I wasn't completely pleased with my hair, but when you're blessed with a lot of naturally curly hair, you learn that it has a mind of its own and you should learn to live with it.  Anyway, I was gearing up for an afternoon of errands.  These errands included a personal trip to bring donations for families who lost everything in wild fires across the state last week.  I drove to one of the burbs, dropped off donations from a coworker, and headed back into the city to finish running errands.

Now, it's kind of a running joke how awful my luck is with cars.  Read this for example. . .

So I'm driving toward the highway and all of the sudden my car doesn't want to keep going.  I've had a few experiences this summer in which I was driving around in the crazy heat and my car was reluctant.  I thought maybe it was the battery being affected by the gross triple digit plus moderate humidity summer.  It usually restarts, but not this time.  I'm in the middle of the road, barely out of an intersection, and I'm kind of panicking.  So I called the troops, got a push from some strangers (and an offer for a push start, which I declined so someone could check out my engine) and start the waiting game.

Well, it was too darn hot to wait outside in a nice, mostly black suit dress, so I went into the nearest shop for A/C.  Turns out it was a natural herb store with a lot of witch references and a robe.  That was weird, but I guess it's quirky and adds to the story.  Suffice it to say, the men folk showed up, tinkered under the hood, tried replacing a part, etc.  I tried very hard to keep a decent attitude (and not have a road side mental break down) and not get crazy and cranky thanks to the heat.  If you know much about how I deal with stress, conflict, and bumps in the road, keeping my mouth in check was quite a feat. 

Two hours after the initial car betrayal I was home to clean up, find a new outfit, go out to dinner and recoup.  My big plans included a show and after party featuring a Broadway legend.  I'll be honest, I was almost so fed up that I wanted to curl up on my couch and reschedule, but I needed to keep moving to not really break down.

The show was AMAZING.  As a dancer and musical theatre lover (I swear my inner monologue is a song and dance) I couldn't help but feel blessed to experience this show.  It was Chita Rivera in concert!  I would say I smiled the entire show, but there was one number that was kind of a crazy song and in my hyper-anxious mood it was almost enough to set me into an attack. (The song is called "Carousel" and was done extremely well.  I think my almost panic attack is a testament to how effectively it showed the emotion of crazy, frantic carousel rides as a metaphor).

 At the after party, I got to meet Chita briefly.  Oh. My. Gosh.  I want to be as vibrant as she is when I grow up.  She literally made my day.  I think that when I'm overwhelmed for the rest of the year I'll just look at this picture and remember how blessed my life really is:

It's the little things.  Seriously though, this is how musical theatre can totally turn your day around.  This woman can move, sing, and fully embrace life at an age when most people are well into retirement.  Truly an inspiration.  So much so, that she really deserves her own post.  Perhaps later, but for now I'm just so grateful for the happy moments that can be the rainbow after the storm.

The Call that Broke the Ticket Girl's Filter

Long time no see!  It's been an ever eventful summer, as always.  Things started off slow, but I have quickly come to regret ever feeling disappointed to be less than sprinting, as the last week or two has been nothing short of a marathon.  I always say my job tends to be all or nothing, and we are all in baby.


My ticket office manager is currently performing in our show, and he is wonderful might I add.  The only hitch is that leaves me as the person with the most experience in the box office.  That gives people the impression that I know things, which leads them to believe I should be in charge of things.  Yeah, that would make sense.  Still scary!


Let's just say, I have a new and undying admiration, respect, and dare I say love for anyone who runs a ticket office.  On top of all else, it's season renewals time, when I'd normally need to be there every night to help but now I want to be in two place at once handling all questions, issues, and snags.  I haven't a time turner or a clone though, so I have to remember to actually TELL people what's in my head and not assume they know so they can be as awesome as me.  That's working pretty well.  Now I see where OCD and control issues come from.  Perhaps that's a trait across the management board.  I've got my system, I know where my piles are, but for the love of all that is good in this world do NOT put more paper on my pile!


*ahem*


I have discovered neurosis I never realized I had.


Most of all though, the days are long and the patrons are crazy, which leads to worn down patience.  Take this conversation for example:

Me:  Ticket office how may I help you?

Patron:  Yes, I’d like two tickets, best available.

Me:  “Best available” is a matter of perception.  Did you want closest to the stage?  I have some in the pit area, added in front of the orchestra section, literally front row center.  Our star could reach out and touch you if she felt so inclined.

Patron:  No, that’s too close.  How about something in the first 5 rows of the orchestra section on an aisle?

Me:  I don’t have an aisle in that area.  How about orchestra left row F seats 3 and 4?  Seat 1 is the aisle closest to the center.

Patron:  You don’t have ANYTHING orchestra center?

Me: Not until row R sir

Patron:  Oh that’s too far back.  Do you have any first level box seating?

Me:  Box 4 on the right hast two seats available. 

Patron:  Oh, I don’t know.  Which do you think are the best seats?

Me:  It doesn’t matter which I think are the best seats.  It matters what YOU think are the best seats.  I’d like row R.  Row F sounds the most like what you asked for, the box has the leg room you’d like if you prefer aisle seats but is probably about as far back as row R and is off to the side.  It’s really up to you.

(This is clearly where I am losing my filter, and where a coworker sitting in the lobby is laughing at me.)

Patron:  Ok, row F then.

I capture the seats and am reviewing the order

Patron:  Oh I’m sorry, can I switch to the box seats, will that mess you up?

Me: *eye roll that thank God the patron can’t hear* No sir, I can switch it out.  Give me a moment.

Me:  Now what credit card would you like to use today?

Patron:  I was hoping I could use yours.

Me:  No sir.  You have to use your own credit card to pay for this.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Sadly, this conversation isn't too far off from a typical crazy patron phone call.  Ok, the time the person wanted to LIVE at the venue was a bit more strange, but that was a REALLY crazy patron.  I've even heard the line about using my credit card before.  They think they're being cute and funny.  I am never amused.


This call was the straw that broke the ticket girl's back, or at least the call that almost broke her filter.  After that one I told my other cohort that I was no longer allowed to talk to people, I was sure to start saying things everyone would regret.  Only three more shows and then a week's break from extended show time hours!  :)


Pray for my sanity y'all.  I have started song and dance numbers that make my fellow musical theatre peeps ask if I'm losing my mind. That's never a good sign. . .

Everybody cut FOOTLOOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While I know and acknowledge that the original version of "Footloose" is a classic and there are many people out there who feel it should not have been remade (I'm looking at you Pioneer Woman), I still felt the need to see it.  Well ok, maybe it wasn't the top of my list of things to do until a friend offered to take me to see it for my birthday, but it still somehow felt RIGHT to watch this movie.  Now, I had to do my preparation mind you.  I'd only seen "Footloose" on stage at my university, not the hit movie.  I assure you, I watched the movie BEFORE seeing the remake so of course the 2011 version had some mighty big shoes to fill.

Let me also say that because I work in the theatre, it is not uncommon for works to be revisited.  Ever heard of revivals on Broadway?  They are especially secure for producers in hard economic times because a lot of the revivals are classic, feel good shows that are proven to resonate with audiences.  The thing about movies is that you can take them home and watch them over and over again.  For the price of a DVD or Netflix subscription you can feel good watching your favorite movie hundereds of times if you choose.  The thing about theatre is it's never the same show twice.  Each no production breathes new life into a script.  Even a different performance of the same production is never quite exaclty the same!  With an old movies, well you always know what you're going to get.  It's always the same. . .

My point is, don't knock the fact that a new creative team is taking on the challenge of a classic movie.  I had high expectations for this movie and boy, did it rise to the occasion!  Original dialogue, similar wardrobe, props, settings, etc. were all included  in this movie, all without making it set in 1984.  While there were some tweaks to the story and how it was presented, it was not (in my opinion) greivous and detrimental to the entire point of the movie.  In fact, I think it made the story and the characters stronger because of the choices made by the writers, director, actors, whomever.  Choreography was updated, and I felt that some of the choices did a better job of telling the emotional story of what was going on for the characters.  There was still enough cheesy dance moves to make it fun and light hearted though.  Random jazz squares anyone?

Most of all, I think I fell in love with this movie because it was easier for me to fall in love with Ren.  That might be because Kenny Wormald looks like a young Johnny Depp a la 21 Jump Street

 See what I mean?

In all seriousness though,  it's his character development over the course of the movie that won me over.  From the moment he steps off the bus and hugs his cousins (who are the cutest girls on the planet btw), to the moment he refuses to let Ariel play games with him, to the moment he has a mature, sincere, almost bonding sort of moment with Reverend Moore, Ren is a strong character that makes me say "Where as that guy at MY high school?"  Kevin Bacon also did a great job and I definitely loved his version of Ren.  I think the real champion of 2011 Ren's character development lies in the choices of the writer, director, and of course Kenny in how Ren was presented and portrayed.

Anyway. . . that's my rave about 2011's "Footloose."  While I am tempted to join the petition to save "Dirty Dancing" from a remake, I'm quite pleased with how this film turned out.  I actually think that if the generation who fell in love with this movie orignially gave it a shot and went with younger family members to see it, they might be pleasantly surprised and a good time shall be had by all.

One more thing though:  In searching images of "Footloose" (trying to find a good compare and contrast picture to show how they diversified the cast in 2011) I remembered that Zac Effron was originally considered for the role of Ren.  While I do love Zac and his dreamy blue eyes, I think he already got his fair share of angsty song and dance.  "Never" definitely gave birth to "Scream" from High School Musical 3:

My Automotive Misadventures: Fall 2011 Edition

Ever have one of those weeks where you are convinced there have to be hidden cameras somewhere?  A week where your life is just too outrageously dramatic and hilarious to not be somehow scripted as a sitcom or dramedy?

About once every six months I have some sort of catastrophic car situation that makes me feel exactly like that is the case in my life.

On Labor Day I was driving down the interstate, smooth sailing, when all of the dashboard lights of death came on.  Calmly, I pulled over to the safest place I could decelerate to.  The "safest place" happened to be in a spot I will forever refer to as the "triangle of death."  This space with that tiny triangle of white caution lines between the interstate and the on ramp.  Translation:  No matter which door I exit out of I run the risk of getting hit by a car going around 65 miles an hour or so, or more.  Since I'm not a big fan of death, I put on my hazard lights, called road side assistance, and got ready to hunker down for a nice hour long wait for a tow truck.

Fortunately, the tow truck arrived in about 15 minutes.  We called for a police officer to direct traffic, but the tow truck beat him.  After getting the car to a garage that was closed for Labor Day and having my best friend's husband attempt a basic diagnosis, nothing was clear except that this car had no intention of starting whatsoever.  The next day, it was pronounced dead.  As in, the engine was locked up and the cost to even tear the sucker down in labor wouldn't be worth fixing.

Rest In Pieces Bessie, aka Old Blue.

Supposedly this car was meticulously cared for until I came along.  I certainly didn't abuse her!  I changed her oil, gave her a new battery, new computer,transmission flush, etc.  Cars close to two decades old just tend to wear out eventually.

In order to maintain my preferred life style of transportation independence and stay within my budget I am driving a car from my Okie family that was set aside for just such inevitable mishaps.  One thing about it though:

That's right:  Manual Transmission.

Now, I've always wanted to learn to drive a standard, and in theory I did actually know how (thanks to lessons from my sorority sister who was the former owner and driver of this car).  It looked like fun, people who drove them were speedy and cool.  In fact, every time I got in a car with someone who drove a standard I gave them a few bonus points of new found respect.  The other thing is though, that when I was learning to drive this bad boy, I had considerable anxiety stopping and starting as well as on hills.  I would only drive with Jenn, anyone else putting in their two cents would make me nervous.  Well, Jenn wasn't around, but her dad was.  It went pretty well, but occasionally he'd talk too much and I couldn't compute what he was saying because all I was thinking was "Shift now?"

So I made peace with it well enough to drive it 10 miles across town and start getting used to my new driving style.  Well, two days later I was still working through stall out panics, upshifting while merging onto a highway, AND I just felt like something wasn't right (and it wasn't not my novice driving). 

Turns out a whole bunch of stuff in the front end was going awry because the wheelbearing needed to be replaced, and hadn't been.

Do I have excellent car mojo or what?  It's like I'm a therapist for cars.  I drive them and all their hidden issues suddenly emerge!

So we get that fixed and I've been driving happily ever after (for the most part) for a week.  Just when I think I'm getting the hang of it, I get lost somewhere and stall out because I'm frustrated, or something else like that.

Lists of reactions to this news from friends and acquaintances:

1) Good for you for learning how to drive a standard.  I couldn't do it.
2) About time you learned how to drive a standard!  (All males have said this, btw)
3) How do you like it?  Would you actually want to keep driving a standard when you get a new car?

I'm still in the love/hate part of this relationship.  Mostly I like it because a) I don't have to depend on anyone else for transportation and b) it really is kind of fun to drive, even though it takes a little more thought.  I don't know if I'm so in love with it that I wouldn't go back to an automatic yet.  We'll have to see if I truly master my driveway of death (so far I've been either parking on the street or gunning it up the driveway so I don't stall out and roll back).  That might have to be the tell tale sign of whether or not I'm ready to call myself a master at driving a standard.

Please remember though drivers, that it is not always necessary to slow down to a  complete stop (or close to one) to make a turn, especially of the right hand variety.  Also, don't pull up super close to the car in front of you at a stoplight.  It might be a neurotic girl just learning to drive a standard who will get really nervous when she can't see your headlights in her rearview mirror.  Be nice!

Safe driving,

Harry Potter Identity Crisis

As I anxiously awaited the release of the FINAL (sob) Harry Potter movie, and as it was an off week at work with a certain lack of phones ringing to keep me occupied, I took some of those "Sorting Hat" quizzes online. 

I'll admit, part of this had to do with a discussion with friends about which house we saw oursevles in.  Someone put me on the fence between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.  REALLY?  That's not how I pictured myself.  Let's go to the quizzes and find out

Quiz #1 Results: 

Meh.  I mean, I got good grades in school and I'd like to think I'm fairly clever, but I'm not sure that's the best fit.  Besides, that quiz was one of those "What's your favorite color, animal, class" type quizzes.  I don't trust it!  Time for a second opinion. . .

Hmmm.  Well, I suppose I do try to be fair, inclusive blah blah blah.  Hufflepuffs have good qualities.  Tonks was a Hufflepuff!  Still, maybe a third opinion will clarify which one I am once and for all, even though this was more of a genuine "personality" quiz.

Well hot dog!  This IS what I thought I'd be in the first place (I like to think of myself as a more extroverted version of Hermione, huge curly hair and all) but now I just feel like I'm dealing with an identity crisis.  No, I didn't take a fourth quiz to see if I'd get Slytherin and complete the confusion.  I'll just leave it at this, with my Hermione comparision standing as the trump card (and my roommate's comment on my loyalty as another defining characteristic.

At least I didn't wind up like this lady who didn't quite make it into Hogwarts all together.

P.S. In case you were wondering, the final movie is epic.  I bawled, no surprise.  The book is, of course, much better but the film adaptation is pretty much as good as you'll get.  Visually stunning, great portrayal, included the REALLY important stuff.  I'm satisfied, and somehow empty because it's over.  *sigh*

The Inferno!

Attention readers:  It. Is. Hot.

I seriously think I might melt like a popsicle.  We were blessed with rain today, which helped provide some relief from the sweltering heat wave we've recently been experiencing.  Seriously, with today as an exception, I don't remember the last time I checked the weather and it did NOT reach 100 degrees or more.  The local water park must be losing a ton of money from their partnership with the top 40 radio station.  Basically whenever the temperature reaches 103 degrees, water park admission is $10.30.  If I didn't have reliable air conditioning, fair Irish skin, and a job that keeps me busy until at least 6 pm, I think I'd have to resort to the water park for a cool down.

Let's compare weather from my three "home towns" shall we?

Home Town #1 (where I grew up, in Louisiana)

Home Town #2:  Where my family currently resides (in New Mexico)

Home Town #3:  Where I currently live and melt (Oklahoma)

Yup, you saw correctly.  The semitropical swamp and the arid desert are both COOLER than my midwestern abode, which has a severe heat advisory until Saturday, which doesn't even look like the hottest day coming.  109 degrees on Sunday.  You'd think on the Lord's day he'd want it to cool off.  Oh how he works in mysterious ways, probably tricking people into resting because it's too darn hot to do anything else.

I'm gonna go chase down the icecream truck, then the sno cone truck.  Then water ever truck has frozen refreshment that hasn't yet been invented but soon will be out of survival necessity.

Take care, stay hydrated!

Summer Time!

Schools have let out, Memorial Day has passed, everywhere you go summer is in the air!

After a crazy vacation (more on that later) I returned to work yesterday for all of the things that kick off the summer season in the theatre world:  the first meet and greet!  Our summer staff slowly started trickling in during the month of May:  Business Office Assistant, additional Ticket Office staff, new Technical Director, Assistant Company Manager, interns, etc.  Meet and greet is the day that all of the cast comes together for the first rehearsal of a show.  We open our season on June 21st, so that means the cast is only rehearsing for about two weeks before opening.  Crazy, huh?

Our first show is huge!  Pretty good sized cast and ensemble, then over 50 kids participating in a musical theatre summer camp.  The kids started camp yesterday too.  The energy in the air with everyone singing, dancing, practicing lines, and doing other rehearsal things is electrifying.  This time of year, crazy as it is, is what I live for!  I may not be on stage or backstage, but everyone has a part in making sure the season is successful.  Selling tickets, advertising, welcoming donors and patrons,  and making sure everyone has the office supplies they need are just a few of the tasks the administrative team at any theatre does to make sure the season is truly spectacular off stage as well as on.

I'm so happy to be where I am.  It's been one year since I started at my theatre.  I've still got a lot of learning curves since I'm not working in the same area as last year, but in general I know what kind of things to expect.  I even helped on of the assistant stage managers with the copier today.  A silly little thing perhaps, but last year I was the one being trained in that area.

Anyway, I'm just really excited to be back!