Sing Along With...

This last December has been all about the music it seems. I joined the Logan Community Choir and performed on December 11th. I also sang in out Church choir and a special performance on the 18th and I also was invited to join the Logan High School's performance of the Messiah.

A few months ago I blogged that I joined the Logan Community Choir and I am so glad that I did. I had a hoot learning new music and also meeting new people. The performance is an annual tradition to drum up support and food for the Cache County Food Pantry and includes the Logan Community Choir, the Logan High Crimson Colony, the Westminister Bell Choir and the First Presbyterian Choir. I was a bit nervous that Sunday morning but after our Church choir practice, I was feeling pretty confident. My friends came and picked me up and I arrived in the beautiful Logan Tabernacle and I was no longer feeling nervous. There is just something about being in that awesome building. I was a bit disappointed that the building did not fill up but it was nice to have my parents attend to support me and it was very nice to see a few of my neighbors.

We sang the following songs:

• Still, Still, Still -- I was not as comfortable with this song as the others, I could have used more practice with this one. It sounded phenomenal with the bell choir accompanying us. 
• Breathe of Heaven -- Now I knew this song beforehand but had never attempted to sing it before. This  song is just so beautiful and the tenor part is absolutely fun to sing. 
• The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy -- Now we are getting to the fun stuff. Beforehand they handed out these small plastic shakers for us to shake while we sung. This is way fun song to sing and it definitely has a spirit to it.
• Praise His Holy Name -- Oh boy... ...this was intimidating since it asked for not only an insanely high tenor part but it also called for some movement. I will never forget this song. I managed to hit some notes that I didn't think I could hit and it was emotionally and physically draining.
• The Hallelujah Chorus -- I wish we practiced this more. I think I might have been the only person in the choir(s) that have never sang it before. Luckily I found a cool tenor tutorial on YouTube that I used to practice. Hearing and feeling the organ pound was almost literally breathtaking. What a way to end it!

Can you see me?

That next Sunday we had our Christmas program at Church and it was amazing. Every one sang absolutely beautiful and I was impressed by our small group of very talented people. I was mostly nervous because I sang in a men's quartet. We sang I Know That My Redeemer Lives and I sang the melody. I was a little intimidated because the highest note is slightly out of my range and if I screw up, every one would know since I am singing the most familiar tune. But it went off without a hitch.

I even received in the mail a very nice and unexpected note from someone anonymous. It is so nice to get things like this. I really appreciate whoever sent this and to all those that supported me in these singing endeavors. It is greatly appreciated.

Kristy, Logan and I also attended the Christmas Program put on by Logan High. One of the girls that came to see me sing with the Logan Community Choir was singing tonight. I wanted to show her how much I appreciated her support by coming and supporting her. And one of my friends who sung with me also came and sat with us. At the bottom of the program it invited anyone who knew the Messiah to come and sing along. I was not going to go down but Logan and Danielle talked me into it. I am glad I went down, it was fun to perform that song again.

I never would have thought that one of my favorite hobbies would be to sing.

List-Mania: Music from Musicals

Two List-Manias in one week? I have always wanted to do this one during my 365 Challenge but I never got around to it. I found these type of columns to be the most taxing but now since I am well-rested, I have the energy to put this one together.

5) My Friends (from Sweeney Todd)

I don't think I was prepared when I first listened to Sweeney Todd and even that didn't prepare me to seeing it live. Sweeney Todd himself is such a tragic figure, here you have a cold-blooded killer and yet you feel for the man. This song is just so haunting and yet beautiful as well. And I love the line "And we'll do wonders, won't we?"

4) Skid Row (from Little Shop of Horrors)

I remember seeing this movie with my family in the movie theaters. This was the first time I was exposed to musicals that went to the beat of a different drum. And I knew I loved it as soon as this song was finished. Playing Seymour would be my dream acting job.

3) Quartet (from Secret Garden)

I had never heard of the Secret Garden before I went and saw it. This musical surprised me in its dark tone. All of the songs had a hint of sadness and this one really hit me. Archibald is one of those characters that steals the show to me and he is the most human out of all of them. Can you really blame him for acting the way he does?

2) One Day More! (from Les Miserables)

I get goosebumps every time I hear this song. It makes me want to stand up for something and fight.

1) Pity the Child (from Chess)

Again, the bad guys win out again. Three of the songs I have picked are sung by those that are villainous or have some hidden agenda. One Night in Bangkok made me pick this CD up but this song is what won me over. The audience is made to hate this guy but he bears his soul in this song and you can see why he is the way he is. I remember watching a girl cry outright when this song was performed when I was apart of this musical. I love this rendition the best although the rocking guitar solo at the end was cut dramatically short.

Random Ramblings: Too Many Questions

And not enough answers...

Writing: I am now 9 days (I have not written yet today) into my new novel and I am proud to say that I have posted 20,773 words and I am way ahead of schedule. Like I have said before, one of the most satisfying things is when the novel begins to write itself. When story beats suddenly come out of nowhere and characters come to life. I was worried that my novel was lacking in an antagonist when suddenly the idea of turning a good supporting character into one of the main villains came to me. And it fits so perfectly and I don't have to change anything that I have written before. So when should the main protagonist discover the true antagonist?

Listening Part I: While I write I like to listen to music. I usually get distracted when I listen to Queen (I start to sing along) so I try to listen to movie soundtracks and the like. And one of my favorite bands/orchestras came out with another album. E.S. Posthumus's new album Makara is fantastic and the cover of Moonlight Sonata (featured below) is wonderful. What other music do you recommend I should listen to when I write?

Debating: So I feel that I am at a moral crossroads. I see something in the future that I feel can either turn into some sort of Dateline show or could be completely innocent. What makes matters worse is that I recently saw a Dateline episode that was basically the same thing I am seeing now and that did not end well. So what should I do?

Listening Part II: I have gone through the last five studio Queen albums and I have to say that these new remasters were well worth the purchase. The sound is so much clearer and crisp on the Miracle and Innuendo albums especially. The last two albums are bittersweet, Freddie knew the end was coming and it shows through the songs. While artistically I feel Queen was at their best on these final albums, the songs definitely had hints of retrospect, sadness and dealing with the cards you have been dealt with. So when am I going to post my reviews of each album?

Wishing: I wish I had the NFL Network so I can catch the Thursday games. I just cannot justify paying that much more a month for a TV package when the NFL Network would really be the only channel I would watch. I think I may cancel my TV when the football season ends. It could be that I am getting old but there is just nothing good on TV anymore. The bad stuff on TV clearly overshadows the good. And what TV I would watch, I can catch on the Internet. So should I cancel my TV service at the end of the season?

Calling: Speaking of the NFL game tonight...

Oakland at San Diego:

Both the Chargers and Raiders are in a free fall. Oakland is without RB McFadden and I think that is what will be crucial in this game. RB Michael Bush can also run the ball but lacks the explosiveness that McFadden has. The Chargers usually wake up at this point in the season and I think they will bounce back here.

Winner: San Diego Chargers

Singing: So a couple of Sundays ago I was attending the community choir practice and I got to hear the gospel song we are going to do. Oh boy... ...I really am going to be stepping out of my comfort zone here. A lot of dancing and hand waving and praising. I like to sing and the song is a ton of fun but the actions are not my style. I am going to have to hype myself up to do what they want me to do. I am gonna have to channel my inner Blues Brother.

And shame on you if you don't know who the Blues Brothers are. Have you seen this movie?

So there are some questions... ...now to find some answers.

Random Ramblings: Da-Doo

Shivering: I rather would have cold weather than I would having it unbearably hot. But then I would like to live in a place that has a decent furnace. Our place gets soooo cold. It is nice in the summer because it stays pretty cool most of the time. We finally turned on our heater the other day after trying to go through days without it on.

Watching Part 1: Speaking of shivering. I watched the 2nd episode of the Walking Dead. I cannot recommend this show enough if you like your TV a bit spooky.

Writing: You are going to see this every Random Rambling I do. The Nanowrimo competition starts this Tuesday and I am looking forward to cranking out the first couple thousand words. Reaching 50,000 words really is not that bad when you average out how many words you should do a day. You need to do 1,667 words a day, I like to do more on an average because I like to take Sundays off from writing. Seriously, if you can blog for 365 days in a row, this is a walk in the park!

Meeting: I am meeting with my writer's group here in a couple of hours. Unfortunately I cannot stay to long but I look forward to getting some motivation going.

Watching Part II: Last night Kristy and I went and saw a production of "Little Shop of Horrors" put on by Utah State University. Now I love the movie a lot and I absolutely love the music. But I have not seen the original Broadway musical. This production was set in this small and tight theatre and it was a blast. We sat only a few rows from the stage and I was amazed at how detailed this small production was. The sets and costumes were absolutely perfect and the plant was surprisingly detailed and animated. It actually felt like it was its own person. I know an actor was in the plant giving its motion but the plant felt like it had its own emotion. I won't spoil the ending here if you have not seen the musical and have only seen the movie. It is a lot darker than the movie but a whole lot more entertaining. I would love to see this again.



Singing: Last Sunday I joined the Logan Community Choir with a friend of mine. He asked if I like to sing Christmas songs (which I love to do) and said that this choir is a lot of fun. We sat in the tenor section and I was overwhelmed. Luckily we were sitting by a guy that knew the music. I am really looking forward to tomorrow's session when we are introduced to a couple of new songs that we will perform. Last Sunday we started to learn "Still, Still, Still", "The Virgin Mary had a Baby Boy" and the main chorus from the Messiah. Tomorrow we learn some sort of song heavily influenced by gospel music and he expects us to dance and really go to town. Should be a lot of fun.

Yellow Submarine

I don't know which is worse. Putting up all the Christmas decorations or taking them all down?

We have a ton of Christmas decorations and while I don't have a problem with that, I do have a problem with how we pack it all back together. Every time I think I have a handle on it, I find a new pile of stuff that has to be put away. But what really irks me is that everything fit the Christmas before! We only have maybe one extra decoration to pack away. How can that small little ornament cause such a packing logistics nightmare?

Every year Logan gets a new ornament. This time Santa choose to give Logan this:

Can you tell what it is? If you can't look at the topic dummy!

Lately Logan has really taken a shine to singing and to music. Nothing warms my soul more than hearing him play some games on the computer singing along with the likes of Alice Cooper and AC/DC. At first he also disliked music in school but now he has taken a liking to that. He also will join me in singing when I have to practice for a musical number in choir. He learned about the Beatles in his class and they sang Yellow Submarine.

I am so glad that he likes music. I could have a new partner in crime!

Christmas Music

One of the reasons why I chose to join my church choir was for the chance to sing Christmas songs. This year we are singing a couple of songs for our Christmas program. We are singing One Small Babe, Silent Night and Away in a Manger set to the tune of How Firm a Foundation. I am looking forward to singing these in just a couple of Sundays.

I love Christmas music. It is always so uplifting and happy. One Small Babe is a fantastic song, one of the Young Women is singing a solo at the beginning and she fits it so perfect. She has a real sweet and innocent voice that is so pure and I have to admit that it chokes me up a little when I hear her sing it.

I discovered an album of Christmas that I absolutely love. Christmas with Weezer.

It has most of my favorite Christmas songs that is set to more of a rock and roll feel. It doesn't feel out of place and it does not feel that it disrespects the music either. I might have to figure out the bass guitar for this.

Happy Birthday Jennifer!

Day 342

Happy Birthday Jennifer!

This is going to be one of those blogs that are a bit scatter shot. I have tons of things that I can say and share about my sister and it will be hard to put them into any order.

First things first. I have an awesome older sister and I couldn't ask for a better sister. We have always got along and we always have a good time together. When we were younger my sister went to great lengths to make sure I was taken care of. Here is just a small sample of some of the stuff she did for me:

- Jennifer is a protective older sister. She always told me to tell her if any kids at school were giving me a hard time. Having a sister a couple of grades older than you definitely had its advantages. I didn't have any huge problems so Jennifer never did have to open a can of whuparse on anyone. But I remember one occasion she was ready to punch the lights out of a friend of mine. This friend stole my BMX bike and she went right over to his house and "stole" it right back out of his yard. It is too bad that my friend was not there. I would have loved to have my sister and her friend Mindy beat this kid up.

- Our parents used to go out quite a bit leaving my sister to babysit me. It was never really babysitting since we always ended up playing. Our evenings were full of dancing and singing to loud music, making crank calls, eating candy, letting the hamsters out in the living room, letting me watch TV past my bedtime, going to the mall (when I was older), playing Atari and just plain having fun. Some of my favorite memories of my sister were during these times.

- Jennifer would wake me up very early Saturday mornings so we could watch this show called Hammy Hamster. It only came on like at 5:30 or 6:00 in the morning. We would scrounge for some sort of treat and then watch the show. Most times she would go back to bed but occasionally we would play board games like Full House.

- I also fondly remember the last few days I was in Edmonton. I stayed with her overnight at her apartment and we hit the town. We ate at the Progi House (or sooooo good) and we went to West Edmonton Mall and she spoiled me rotten. We had an awesome time together and I will never forget it. "Baddest Living Bikers" indeed!

I don't think I need to say anything about this pic.

- One of the best things about having a sibling is that you can share things together that only we get. All I have to say is LATE NIGHT RAVIOLI'S and I am sure it will make my sister giggle or gross out.

- Even though we were separated when my mom and I moved to the States, Jennifer still made sure she stayed in contact with me. She called at least once a month and I would get letters and packages in the mail all the time. This is where she debuted her first novel "Hey Bro". It was always good to talk to her.

- Jennifer always supported me in whatever I did. When I left for my LDS mission to New York I had her full support. She helped out in preparation for my farewell and gave me my first mission journal. She wrote me quite a bit too. I guess that my sister missed me so much that she called me while I was on my mission! Here is the journal entry (April 18th, 1995) of when it happened:

That evening the phone rang and Davidson answered it.  He said “Who you looking for?”  Then he turned to me and said, “Hey Matt, the phone is for you.”  I thought it was strange that he called me Matt.  Did the person ask for Matt?  I got the phone and it was my sister Jennifer.  That totally surprised me.  She said she was thinking of me and wanted to call.  It was fun talking to her.  Davidson I am sure was suspicious that it was my girlfriend or something.  I told him it was my sister and there was a small family emergency and he asked why they didn’t call President Bailey.  I told him they might have but it is not a big deal, it was after the emergency.  He then suggested I call the President if there was a problem.  Yeah right, that would be the last thing I would want to do.  I said that the family emergency had already passed and that she just wanted me to know right away.  I hate that I have to lie to my companion but it is much easier to deal with him this way.

Jennifer and her family came to the airport when I came home from my mission. This is one of my favorite pictures of us.

Jennifer also called the local McDonald's the day before I came home from New York so they can post this special welcome.

- After I got home from my mission Jennifer wanted to make sure that I was dating an awesome girl. She met and liked my future wife in Kristy and she even took Kristy to come see me when I was acting in the musical Chess. I am not sure how many times Jennifer saw me in Chess. But I appreciated her coming to support me and for taking my girlfriend. Jennifer also came over the morning of my wedding to do Kristy's hair. I had no idea she planned that. Jennifer has always supported my wife Kristy.

Now that we are both older I can clearly see the qualities that my sister has and has always had.

- One thing that Jennifer and I have in common is our love of music. And any type of music. Jennifer was the one that introduced me to Rob Zombie. We love that type of music as well as broadway stuff (she also introduced me to Sweeney Todd) to Billy Joel to classical stuff to...  ...well, just about everything. When we were kids we would pretend to sing (oftentimes we would sing out loud anyway) and make our own music videos and reenact them in her large mirror. Some of the ones that I remember are Billy Joel's Pressure, Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain (remember the birds crapping on us?) Prince's, Let's Go Crazy, the Beatle's Eleanor Rigby and Elton John's Funeral for a Friend. Throw in some Black Sabbath too. Like I said, we listen to anything. This is good because we can go to concerts and musicals together. It is nice to have someone I can share my love of music with.

- One thing (out of many) that I really admire about my sister is that she will tell it like it is. And she does it in such a way that it gets her point across but it doesn't come out angry. She just says it and I wish I could do that. Even if it is in the middle of the night, she will call and say exactly what she feels.

- Jennifer is also a very hard worker. From working at a doctor's office to Convergys to the Police Station to her current job at the Alternative school. She does her best and works very hard. I admire that quite a bit and I wish I had a shred of her hard work. She takes great pride in her job and she should. She always does a great job.

- One of the biggest things about my sister that I admire is watching her be a mother. She is very good to her kids. I love watching her interact with her children and I try to live up to her example in her relationships. This started early on with Jill and continues today. She is a great mother!

You are a great sister Jennifer! I am proud of who you are and I am proud to call you my big sister. Love ya!

And since I am the little brother, I get to tease my big sister by posting this picture. My dad and I wanted to include this picture in her wedding picture book but she wouldn't let us. So many years later I can finally include it. You thought since you took the pictures I wouldn't have this gem didn't you?

Please don't give me another black eye (inside joke).

Surviving Girl's Camp

Day 232

Let's just say this. If I had to do it again, I would do it in a flash with only a few minor differences. I would stay the whole time and I would make sure that I drink lots of water.

Speaking of water, I learned from Taylor that you can tell how much water you drink by how much skin you can pull from your kneecap. She told me that I don't drink enough water. I guess I have a lot of skin around my kneecap. See? I did learn something at Girl's Camp! I should have seen the signs.

I had a great time at Girl's Camp and so did Logan. Logan really should have loved all the extra attention he got. His newly buzzcut was constantly stroked by one of the girls with them telling him that he was so handsome. I would say that he was a chip off the 'ol block but he is a cut above what I brought to the table. At least he got his eye color from me.

We arrived at the cabin and quickly set it up because it was about to storm and it really rained hard. Manuel and I quickly set up some tarps to offer some protection from the rain. Then the rain stopped and we ate lunch and went out for a long hike.

It was sunny for most of our hike.

Except in the beginning where we thought the lightning might kill us before the rain drowns us.

Logan and I were not the only guys at Girl's Camp. Manuel was there also to help set up camp but we also had Anthony.

Kara, Taylor and I teased Logan as he was about to use Anthony that he should remember to flush. After Logan came out, Taylor asked Logan if he flushed and Logan just ignored her and went up the hill. After a few steps Logan turned to me and called the girls crazyheads.

It rained hard again and then disappeared as quickly as it appeared. After the hike we got back to the cabin and before dinner the girls had an activity, they gave each other pedicures.

So I guess I was not that far off with the whole makeup and painting nails. Logan and I didn't get one. They didn't offer and we didn't ask!

We ate dinner in the rain and finally the rain stopped and all the girls came out to make smores and roast Starbursts. Yup, you heard me right, Starbursts. I have never tried this and being a major candy addict, I had to try it. And I have to admit they were awesome. Crunchy on the outside and creamy in the middle. We also sang a bunch of absolutely silly (but fun) songs my personal favorite being the Beaver Song.

You can't tell from this picture but it is pouring out!

I wonder who was the person who thought of roasting Starbursts and what were they thinking?

Silly dancing and singing? Check. Blackmail pictures? Check.

This was the first time I had heard any of these songs.

Logan and I doing "Beaver Time!"

That night Logan and I slept in the front room of the cabin. Manuel was out in his camper, the girls were all outside sleeping in tents and the Young Woman Leaders were in the back room. Everyone was cold but me. I think I got majorly dehydrated. Just as everyone was settling in a major thunderstorm swept through and knocked one of the girl's tents down. They came in to the cabin and Manuel said they could stay in his camper. So where did Manuel sleep? He drove home! I didn't know that was an option. I don't think I slept much that night. I got so hot that I would kick off my sleeping bag and then minutes later I would be freezing my rear off and I would snuggle in my sleeping bag. I did that all night.

I woke up early (I don't think I actually fell asleep) and got my gear all ready to go. I wanted to be awake and ready before any of the girls came into the cabin. I walked some of our gear to our car and by the time I got back most of the girls were up. We ate some fantastic crepes and then packed up and headed to Bear Lake. It was sooooo cold, at least it was for the first little bit and eventually it warmed up. We went to a private beach that only allowed one or two vehicles so we met at a Bear Lake Pizza joint and we all climbed in Manuel's camper and drove in.

I was the last one to get in, I wanted to make sure all the girls got in and had someplace to sit/stand. I shut the door and when I slammed the door it broke into two doors. It didn't actually break but I had no idea how to get the door shut. Manuel started to go and the girls screamed that the door was not shut so I sat by the door to hold it in place. As I looked back at the girls I felt like we were fugitives or smugglers.

Riding in the camper. Hoping to make it across the border into the private beach.

Logan looks like he has had enough of all the girls especially all cramped in the camper.

That's me in the hat holding the door tightly closed so we wouldn't lose any girls.

We played at the beach and I took a nice nap on the grass in the sun. We then ate pizza (the biggest pizzas I have ever seen, they were 28 inches!) and we headed back to camp. At this point I was feeling really sick. I stupidly forgot my asthma medication at home and I was already having difficulty breathing. I got to remember that I am also very sensitive to the heat and I easily get Heat Exhaustion. I thought I was going to barf all the way back to camp. I had planned on staying till that evening but instead Logan and I left when we got back to camp. Kristy drove us home and got a ride back up with another lady going to camp. A couple of Crystal Lights and Mountain Dews along with my asthma inhaler and I was feeling a bit better. But I was sad that I had to leave the girls.

I was really impressed with these girls. They were so kind, funny, helpful and a joy to be around. But I was amazed at how these girls carried themselves. It is hard to put into words and describe what I think and feel about these wonderful girls. But I want to share an experience that I had at Girl's Camp, one that made the whole experience worth it.

The older girls prepared a theme for camp and it was about Helaman and the Stripling Warriors. For those that are not familiar with this story let me give you the Cliff Notes version. There were these people called the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. They made a promise to God that "they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood". A few years later they were attacked by the Lamanites. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were considering breaking their oath to defend themselves when two thousand of their sons (who had been too young at the time to have made the promise) volunteered to fight. Though every soldier was wounded at one time or another, there were no fatalities among the warriors. Helaman, their commander and the young men themselves, attributed this to the upbringing provided by their mothers and the great faith they exhibited.

So now you have some background on who these Stripling Warriors are. The older girls at the camp said that it was not only their mothers that taught the Stripling Warriors but also the other women in their lives. It was their girlfriends, their best friends and their little sisters that helped them and inspired them.

Yes, costumes were all part of this presentation.

Kristy and some of the other leaders singing that awesome song they wrote.

The youngest girls are called Beehives. They were so excited to be the little sisters of the Stripling Warriors.

They introduced these concepts to the other younger girls and they also took one of my favorite church songs (We’ll Bring the World His Truth) and re-wrote the lyrics. And I have to admit that I was touched. It reminded me of what I should be doing and who I am doing it for.

I would be happy and proud to have any of these awesome young women to be my little sister.

Thanks to all the girls and the inspired leaders for making Logan and I feel welcome. We had a good time.

Each Game of Chess...

Day 97

I love musicals. There is just something about them that really captivate me. So this column is devoted to my all-time favorite musical called Chess.

My love of Chess started a long time ago before I got into musicals. There was a pop song that came on the radio when I was in elementary school that I adored. I remember recording the song off the radio onto tape. (remember when you had to do that?) It was One Night in Bangkok by Murray Head. I had no idea that came from a musical, as it was not a true musical at the time. It was a concept album but it was made with the intent that it would be made into a musical or concert. That song stuck with me all throughout my life. Later in life I spent 2 years on an LDS mission to New York and it was at that time that I began to love musicals. After I returned home from my mission, I quickly looked for a copy of the musical (the London version) and fell in love with it.


But then the unthinkable happened. Chess was not a very successful musical at all so the chances of me seeing a live production were extremely slim. But then my friend Lared and I got some dates and we went to see the StageStop’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which was a very funny and very nice production. I saw on the back of the Playbill that they were planning to produce Chess the next year. I was extremely interested and enthused. The StageStop was a local theatre company so I knew I wouldn't see the complete version but at least I would see Chess and understand what Broadway attempted to do so many years ago.

Later in the year my friends and I got together and saw The Secret Garden also produced by the StageStop Theatre. I sat beside David Weekes (whom I would get to know much later) and we spoke about musicals and we laughed at how they would put the furniture props on the sick boy who was in bed. Which we all thought was pretty unprofessional. During intermission I brought up the subject of Chess to David and that I might try out for a production next year. David was also excited, he loved that musical as well and we both decided to try out when the time came. A few weeks later, on the way home from school one day, I dropped by the StageStop Theatre to find out when tryouts were. I spoke with Andrew Barrus and he was impressed that I knew the musical. I told him that my dream part would be the Arbiter and to sing the "Arbiter’s Song". Andrew said he loved that song as well and would do everything to keep it in the production. He told me when tryouts were and what to expect (because I have never done any performing arts) and I came home excited.

I called my good friend Lared Hansen and we worked on what would be best for me to audition with. We both decided that "Any Dream Will Do" would be a fun one to do. I also told a new friend of mine, Curtis about this. He was interested and both him and his wife tried out too. I practiced with Lared for a couple of weeks and I went to my audition and I was soooo nervous. David Weekes was also there and it was fun to speak with him again. He really boosted my confidence. Right before I auditioned, this kid went in there and slaughtered "Pity the Child". David and I looked at each other and we both knew that he was not going anywhere and David joked that it was good that I was next. Before I went in, to my surprise, Lared came. He had gotten off work and made the trek over to Smithfield to support me. What a good friend. When I got into the audition I noticed that Anne Campbell was playing the piano. She was a friend of mine back in high school and she was happy to see me. That helped ease my apprehension but I must have been more nervous than I thought because I totally missed a verse when I sung my song. I didn’t stop, I just kept going. Luckily Andrew liked my voice well enough that he told me to come back Saturday morning to try out again. I was elated! I walked out and David remarked that I had a soft and gentle voice but was very sweet and surprising. I stayed to listen to David and then Lared and I took off.


(If you look closely, you can see my name in the credits even though they spelled my name wrong.)

I had about a week to find another song to sing and practice. I wanted to do something completely different than the normal songs that people used to try out. I wanted to show my depth and I wanted to show what I was capable of. So I decided to go with "Grow for Me" from "Little Shop of Horrors". I again practiced with Lared and Saturday finally came. I sat with Curtis, whom I was happy that he had made it to Saturday as well, and I was called up to sing. And I personally gave one of my best performances. It made Andrew's mom laugh and she clapped when I was done. I stayed through the whole audition and took Curtis home and lent him my Chess Cd’s. I think Andrew was impressed at my dedication and enthusiasm for going for this that he called me later that night to tell me I got the job. Unfortunately I was not the Arbiter but I was the lead Merchandiser. I quickly called Lared and told him the good news. But I foresaw a problem. My job at MotorCargo was every night and I needed some evenings off to work. So I took the part as the Merchandiser and quit my job at Pepperidge Farms and worked for my dad at Dutro. It gave me a good schedule so I could go to school during the day and could work at night but I was also able to practice and put on live performances in Chess. My role was not as good as I wanted. They cut the Merchandiser song because of time limits and I didn’t have any speaking roles and I had only one solo during "Endgame". But honestly it didn’t matter, I was in a production of my favorite musical.

In addition to being the Merchandiser, I was also assigned other acting jobs. I was one of the lead reporters, the waiter at the restaurant, drunk frat guy at a bar in Bangkok‚ and a CIA agent. And I had a hoot doing each of them. We started to practice and sing parts of songs and to figure out how we can move the set around. The StageStop was a unique theatre because it was "theatre in the round". Meaning the stage was in the center of the theatre and was surrounded by audience members. We had some room up on the stage but not enough to really make a scene out of it. Practices were a lot of fun. There was a lot of the music that I was not as familiar with. We used a mix of the American version and the London version. To prepare even more, I purchased the American version of Chess.

February was soon approaching and we stayed very late to get things up and going. They painted the floor in a black and white chessboard which we revealed after intermission. They also made chess pieces that were large (about up to your knee) for the dramatic finale.

The first scene I was in was the reporter scene where we questioned Florence and Freddie. I made a lewd comment that pissed Freddie off and he would confront me. He would come right up to me and throw his glass of water in my face. Then I would sing my first solo "Well, what did I say? He’s out of his tree!" That was one of my favorite parts to do. Opening night came and went and my family came and so did my friends to support me. There were times I was a little frustrated because the main Merchandiser part was not totally within my voice range. But all in all I had a fantastic time doing this and I regret nothing. I met a lot of great people. There were a lot of funny moments that happened during the 2-3 months we staged this. Hopefully I will remember them all here.

The most exciting part of the play for me was the Night on Bangkok scene. I played one of the guys at the bar that was drinking away with a gal beside me. One time we sang it and I took a sip of the fake beer I had (usually there was water in it) and this time we forgot to empty out the apple juice we had used before. It hit my lips and I spit it right out. It was so gross. It took ALL evening to get that taste out of my mouth. Andy was always pushing us to go all out during that song. Daniel (our Arbiter) did a fantastic break dance scene (we even extended the song to include it) and it was hilarious to watch everyone in the audience watch as he pointed and danced right to a couple of front row seats. One time, Andy really wanted us to go all out and I remember getting off my chair and swinging my arms right out that I smacked Rebecca’s tray of drinks. They came crashing to the floor and I didn’t miss a beat, I sang and danced and picked up the shards of glass from the floor. Another time, I hopped on top of the bar and did my best impression of Saturday Night Fever.

Daniel replaced David (who was cast as Freddie) for a couple of nights and his first performance and opening scene was one to remember. I was supposed to get water in the face but he was so nervous that he threw the water clear over my head and it splashed one of the patrons on the first row. This wasn’t the first time we had the audience participate unwittingly. After the second scene I along with Daniel (different Daniel) was supposed to go and grab a heavy couch. As I headed towards the exit, he yelled quietly that there was a guy in a wheelchair that we needed to avoid and be careful with. I backed Dan right on to the guy’s lap and he was pissed. I couldn’t stop laughing though.

One of my other responsibilities was to be the waiter. This was an easy role, all I had to do was escort then Russians to there table and then walk over and intervene during a tense moment between Anatoly and Molokov. Some people in the audience didn’t notice me (I was WAY off the stage) and that became more apparent when I saw a girl *ahem* mess around with her boyfriend in the back row. They realized I could see them when I walked on stage during the confrontation. After the play we would meet the audience in front of the theatre and talk with them. That couple came up and wanted to shake hands. Oh boy.


Another one of my favorite moments was during "Nobody’s Side". There was a real cool dance scene and Florence would sing while they danced around them. During the chorus we would sing from the background. Kristy’s mom and younger sister Renae attended one evening and she saw me march behind (all dressed in black) the audience. She turned around to see where I went and saw that I was DIRECTLY behind her. She quickly whirled around in embarrassment. At that point I would go and dance on stage. This part always made me a bit embarrassed because I am not a singer at all. During practices they would play the music and Andy and Angela would dance. Sometimes I would go out and sing the song for them (which was horrible because it was well out of my range). One time Angela split her pants during rehearsal. I decided to be funny and I changed the words I was singing to "Maybe I should change my pants!" She didn’t find it as funny as I did.

The CIA agent I played was even easier. All I would do is escort Florence (Katie) on stage and watch for Walter to come. I would also run on stage in another scene and run them out off of stage. I came up with the idea to jump from the balcony (sometimes right over the top of people) and run down to the stage. This was fun because it would startle the patrons. I remember one time I escorted Katie on stage and Walter (David) came running in the scene and he tripped and fell right into me. I tried not to laugh but it came right out. He yelled at me in character and I replied I was sorry sir in character. I really tried hard not to laugh but he looked so silly trying to keep his balance.

Endgame was the big finale. This was where I had a chance to sing all by my lonesome. All the chess pieces were on the board. My part was right in the beginning. I would march out on the board and tell the Arbiter that I was displeased that the game was not started. "Does the player exist in any human endeavor? Who’s been known to resist, sirens of fame and possessions? Threaten to cut off supplies and he’ll come out to play!" Then I would watch the match. I also decided that it was best for me to support Freddie because he was making me the most money. After watching the match, I was supposed to go out and celebrate with Freddie by raising his hand in victory and then lifting him on our shoulders and chanting USA! This didn’t always go right, about 90% of the time it would work but one night we blew it big time. Dan and I counted off and we lifted him up and he fell flat on his face. He remarked "Let’s try that again boys!" and we got him up that time. But this time it FELT different. I realized that he had split his pants and my hand was on his bare thigh. He was showing his tighty-whities to everyone. I wanted to die. Freddie about did. Part of the fun is when the unexpected happens.

We had a fun scene we called the "Yogurt Scene" because it was a funny exchange between Anatoly and Freddie about how they didn’t trust each other because Freddie thought Anatoly was getting secret messages through yogurt. One evening the lights came on and Freddie was no where to be seen. We all looked at each other and waited and waited. We could hear this rustling sound and then we all came to the realization that Freddie was backstage changing. He totally forgot about the scene. Florence improvised and went backstage to get him. Then we heard this small whispered word over the mike. "Sh**." Then Freddie busted on stage with his pants wide open and his belt flying all over. He tucked his shirt in and was mad that he was interrupted during his sabbatical in the restroom. The audience I think believed it. We were very lucky.


(I wish I had more pictures of the cast. This was my only clear one and it didn't have everyone.)

It was also fun backstage. One time I was in the dressing room by myself and I thought it would be good to quickly get dressed in my tux ahead of time. I stripped down to my underwear when one of the girl stagehands came busting in. I was up against the wall with no pants on and she walked right past me. She didn’t even know. When she was out of site, I quickly put my pants on and she came back and was startled to see me. She said she was sorry and I replied "What about the first time?" And then she realized that she came in when I had no pants on.

I will never forget the fun time I had. I made some good friends and I am extremely lucky and fortunate that I can say that I was in my favorite musical. Hopefully other funny memories will come back and I will comment on this blog.