Operation Secret Kumquat

Today is my Grandpa Milligan's 97th birthday! Several months ago, we (my cousins, siblings, and I) decided that we wanted to form a Cousins Choir and that our debut would be a surprise performance in the Lakeside Ward (our parents' and grandparents' ward) on Grandpa's Birthday. We didn't tell them that we were doing it and basically just showed up in the chapel when it was time to sing.

Sounds easy, right? Not so much. Trying to keep a secret from your parents is not easy!!! Neal and Amanda had to lie right to their faces once! (After Dad decided the choir was going to sing today and the Bishop, who knew what was happening, told him he had a special number already planned.) The rest of us almost spilled the beans a couple of times. You'd think with none of us living at home anymore, we wouldn't have a problem. But it was difficult!!

Neal dubbed it "Operation Secret Kumquat". And it was successful! They had no clue until we walked in!! (Well, Randy saw Robin and Steph in the hall and figured out we were all there.). But they no clue what we were going to sing until we started.

We sang one our favorite songs, John Rutter's "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." Our singers were:

Sopranos: Amanda, Melanie, Robin, Shannon
Altos: Angela, Shauna, Steph
Tenors: Craig, Neal
Basses: Brian, Steve
Piano: Melissa

It turned out great! Everyone was bawling and Grandpa had a huge grin on his face! Success!!!

Now, I know what you're thinking. How can I hear this? Well, never fear! We also sang it in the Bison Ridge Ward, and we intend to sing it in all of our wards before the end of the year. We also went over to the Candlelight after dinner and recorded it with Neal's soundboard. We also got a video of it. So it's saved for posterity!

It's been a great day, and we had so much fun getting this song ready...even though there was much lying involved.

Happy Birthday and many more to my awesome Grandpa! Love you!

Can't Dance....or Won't Dance?

I can't dance.  Okay, that's not totally true.  I can dance, just not very well.  It takes me awhile to pick up choreography (as long as it's not too hard.)  But here's the thing...the time it takes me to learn the choreography is longer than the time I am given to learn it during a dance call back audition.  This is SO FRUSTRATING!!!  I am not given the time to prove myself because there's just not time.  So then I don't get cast in something and when I go to see the show later, I get really sad when I see the choreography that I would have been doing.  I think "Well, I could have done that."

I guess this is my lot in life.  I'm a good singer, a pretty good actor, and a mediocre dancer.  Audition notices will say "Experienced singers, actors, and dancers needed."  What they mean is "You will be cast if you are experienced at all three.  If not, best of luck to you."

Sure there are shows where dancing is not required, or certain characters are not dance roles.  But at theaters where actors play multiple roles in a show...you have to be a triple threat to be cast.  I'm not a triple threat.  I'm a 2 and a half threat...if that. 

*sigh*

The Anti-Midas Touch

J:  I'm going to retire when I'm 32.
A:  Oh, really?  How do you intend to do that?
J:  I'm going to make my millions by then.
A:  And how do you plan to do that?  Print the money in your basement?
J:  Shhhhhhhhh....
A:  *laughs*
J:  Didn't you hear?  I have an alchemist stone.  I can make my own gold.
A:  And I have the Midas Touch.
J:  Don't touch me.
A:  Actually, I have the Anti-Midas Touch.  Everything I touch turns to crap.

Don't you wish you worked with me so you could be part of these silly conversations that we have?

The Hills WERE Alive with The Sound of Music

This past Sunday I closed my 3rd production of The Sound of Music.  It was a lot of fun, despite some bizarre sickness DURING TECH WEEK.  I played Frau Schmidt, the housekeeper, as well as a nun.  Here are a couple of pictures, for your viewing pleasure:

At the very beginning of the show, I did all of the chant solos!

Frau Schmidt with Franz (Josh Nelson) and Captain Von Trapp (Trevor Warren)

On-Stage Dance Party to "All the Single Ladies" after the closing performance.

Must be nice!

Phone conversation that took place tonight, about half an hour before the start of the show:

Me:  Hi, is this ?
Patron: Yes.
Me:  This is Angela at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse.  We have some tickets for you for tonight's performance of Big River.  Were you still planning on coming?
Patron:  No, we actually can't make it.
Me:  Oh, okay.  Would you like to exchange for another performance?
Patron:  No, that's okay.
Me:  (pause)  So you just want to let the tickets go?
Patron:  Yes.
Me:  (pause)  Okay.  Well, have a good night.

I still can't imagine just throwing the money away.  Seriously...come again or give the tickets to someone else.  But just letting it go?  I wish I had that kind of money to just throw around.  Must be nice!

So much for A Bird on a Wire...

I arrived at the theater for work this morning and I immediately knew that something was wrong.  There are always lights on above the will call desk.  Always.  And they weren't on.  I flipped the switch, thinking someone had randomly turned them off.  Nothing.  We had no power.  The computers were off.  So I walked back to the administrative offices.  The lights wouldn't turn on, but the phones were on, as were the box office computers and the copier.  I tried to turn on the house lights, but they were flickering weird and not fully coming on.  It was about 10 minutes before work would begin, so I started calling around to the management.  Jon arrived shortly after me and we were able to clock in (with the one terminal that was working.)

Dave came over and started looking around and eventually we had a guy from Poudre Valley REA come out.  They poked around for awhile, and we went to work in the dark.  Our computers and phones were working, but we just had to use the light from the window.  At one point, we turned on the overhead lights and they were flashing like we were in a night club or something. 

A couple hours later, the problem was found.  A bird had gotten into the electrical box outside and had pecked into one of the breakers.  The bird, obviously, electrocuted itself.  But that affected the power to just certain parts of the building.  So weird!!!!!!!!!

Never a dull moment at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse.  I would say CDP 1, Blackbird 0, but he did take us out for awhile.  We'll call it draw.

Being Sick SUCKS!!!!!!

Why do I keep getting randomly sick at the worst possible times?  And what the HECK is up with the canker sores on my tongue?!  Seriously, I am so over this.

I can't remember about half of Sunday, July 10th.  I woke up, knew I was sick, managed to call people to make arrangements for my responsibilities for the day...although I called Juliana instead of Britni and this caused Juliana all kinds of confusion.

But spending the day in bed made me feel like I lost a week of my life.  It was the weirdest feeling EVER!  And getting sick like at the beginning of tech week for The Sound of Music was the worst possible timing.  Especially with the canker sores, because I could hardly talk!  By the time the show opened, I was okay, but it was super frustrating all week long!!

I'm okay now, but I think I have some nerve damage on my tongue.  I can't taste some things.  Maybe it's taste bud damage.  Who knows?  Ugh!!!

"The Princess Store"

Yesterday, I had Emily with me all afternoon.  We are all going to Idaho for the 4th of July, and we had to take two cars.  Because of various circumstances, the 3 younger kids went in the first car yesterday and Emily is going with the rest of us tonight.  We had a lot of fun hanging out yesterday!

We got over to Centerra about 45 minutes before our movie (Cars 2) was to start so I said "Do you want to go to the Princess Store?"  She says "The Princess Store?" like she can't believe there is such a thing.  I said "Yeah!  Let's go!"  So we went to Claire's.  Oh, come on....everything a princess could need is in there.  Why not call it the Princess store?  Hello!!!!  They have tiaras!!!

I told her she could pick out one thing.  She got a little pink headband that had a bow that had Rapunzel (Tangled version) on it.  We decided that I needed something, too.  I don't do headbands, because my head is a weird shape and they hurt me after awhile.  I don't really wear that much jewelry for everyday.  But I'm always on the lookout for various fancy jewelry that I can wear for performing.  I found a necklace and matching earrings.  They are probably glass....doesn't even say if it's any kind of crystal even!  They were originally $16.50 and were marked 1/2 off.  $8.25 was a little more than I wanted to spend, but it was the only thing I really liked and Emily said I should get it.  Well, when I got to the checkout, they took off another 1/2!  I got it for $4!!!  Sweet!!!

Emily loves her headband!  She put it on as soon as we got back to the car.  When we got back to my mom & dad's house, she took a shower and put it back on immediately upon getting out!  She probably would have worn it to bed if I had let her.  But I told her it might break, so we put it next to the bed.  I'm sure she's already wearing it this morning.  Rebekah is going to be so jealous when she sees it!  I foresee a return to the Princess Store in my future.  :)

It was a "Tangled" kind of night...Emily had on her Tangled PJs and we watched the movie!  And when I tried to comb her hair when it was wet...it was tangled, too.

Here's a picture of Emily that I took at Red Robin.  Check out the cute headband!