Thursday, April 30, 2009

Empress theather presents:

THE BIG BAD MUSICAL

May 1-18 2009

For call Box office call, or for reservations
801-347-7373

To order on line go to:
Empress theater

or to read their blog empress theater

Located on Historic Magna Main Street 9104 West 2700 south Magna UT.

Call the box office to reserve your seat early and get $1.00 off admission to any Friday or Saturday performance not valid closing weekend.

Am I apart of this? No. But a friend of mine is.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Count Down

2 more days and the Road Show is over!

Tomorrow is the performance for the stake, friends, family, and everyone in between. So today is crunch time. Friday well be performance for each other, after that well be the cast party.

YES, NO MORE REHEARSALS! NO MORE SINGING THE SONGS IN MY SLEEP! NO MORE WORRIES!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Do or don't do the hair!

For those who know me, you know how much I hate my naturally curly hair. For those who are getting to know me, now you know I hate my naturally curly hair.

Looking on the bright side of my curly hair, I can just spray it with water and go. It's called fake hair do for curly hair. No matter if it was brushed or not, it looks the same.


3 more days until the road show is over!

Last min details.

Today I will be working on last min. detail touches for the road show. Lighting, sound, curtains, audience placements; that's right audience placements.

The plan was that I was going to help sing the songs. Well, sing at my cast in front of the audience, but I found out that I need to be at the very back working that sound system.

During this show I have learned much about the people in my ward. One took me so surprise, I had to get past this person exterior and find the person inside. This person hides things well. Another one, is a young woman whom I have known all her life. She is a natural on stage, she just comes alive. She is amazing to work with. The majority of the cast are stepping out of their comfort zone. The are doing just fine.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Road Show photos


Ok I have like 8 photos. The best part is, this Friday it will be all over, I'm still counting down. Thank heaven's the lack of sleep is catching up. I'm not a photographer as you can plainly see. This show looks great. I thank my cast for all of the hard work they have done to make this possible. Their work makes our work (my Mother, Andrea Fife, and me) come alive on stage. Thank you once again!







Saturday, April 25, 2009

Teaching an artistic child music?

For the past month I have playing with an idea. For those who don't know, I play the violin, I have been playing for little over 20 years. Now my nephew Jonathan who has autism loves the violin. I have seen him taking out 2 of my violin's more then once tying to play it. That is when I decided to hide them. My brother Jeremy has also told me that he has seen Jonathan take out his guitar use his walking stick and use it as a violin bow. Another idea is to teach him the piano.

You can teaching an artistic child musical instruments. The question is how? For one thing he/she needs to learn by ear. I have found some discussions sites on the subject. Are they helpful? That depends on what you are looking for and what you want to know. Here are the sites and you can judge for yourself.

My first lesson with an autistic student
Teaching music to autistic kids
Violin masterclass
Teaching music to handicapped kids

Now this is just talking stage. I may need to wait until he his older, he is only 4 years old. I need to see what Jeremy and his wife Kristal say about this undertaking. He will also need a violin that is his size, if it come to that.

Coming from a music junkie, music can be a wonderful tool. There have been so many studies on music. It can rise or lower your GPA, blood pressure, mood, intelligence, and make the people around you calm. You may have notice on my play list I have mostly instrumental music, not a lot of vocal's. It's not that I don't like vocal's, I do have a lot of favorite singers. Instrumental music creates less emotional stress.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Epiphanies

Don't you just love epiphanies? I usually will get them at the most unexpected times. Like this morning; I got one while I was taking a shower. This one was so powerful that I got goosebumps. I thought of this powerful scene for the play that I'm writing. while I was thinking about this scene I got a little emotional.

I'm so excited for this scene. I would love to tell you about it, it's not going to happen. Besides it is just the first drafted. I usually go though 2-3 ruff drafts at average before the finale.

I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

West valley theater is alive again!

The west valley theater in Utah will be holding auditions for "Annie Get your gun." Anyone is invited.

Date May 1 2009
Time 6:00 P.M-9:00 P.M
Location Utah cultural celebration center
Street 1355 west 3100 south
City/ town West valley city Utah.

Auditions are for speaking and singing roles. Males and females of all ages are needed, including children.
If auditioning for a vocal part, please come prepared to sing a song. A pianist will be available.
There is also a need for technical and staff positions.
Please call Joyce (801)942-2431 with any questions.
Rehearsals will begin May 13 and the performances will be June 25-27 & 29.

I don't think that I can do this one. Besides I'm not thrilled with "Annie get your gun." If I do audition, it will be only for a vocal part. But please tell anyone who you think that might be interested.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Sun is out

A lot of other people was saying that on there blogs. So I had to say something. Here it is:

The day is bright.
The sun is warmer.
My spirit is right.
The windows are open.

That was weird I know. I am happy, 2 more weeks and the RS will be done. I can get on with other projects, finish the ones I have started.

I bribed my nephews to eat chicken nuggets. That's right I bribed them! The bribed? A glazed doughnut. Whatever works.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

List???

Why do guys make list of girls who they want to date? All of my brothers made a list of girls to date. As far as I know the guy's that I have dated, they had a list also!

Yay I have made some guys list of girls. So am I going up in the world? Oh no wait, I'm single. So I'm nether going up or down, just sideways.

But seriously what is up with guy's and making this kind of a list? Truth be told I'm very good a making list. My problem is that I never look at the list I have made. But I have never made a list like this, and as far as I know other girls don't ether.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Something to smile about

OK I'm excited. I have been working on co writing a play. I have a play house interested in putting it one the stage. Will it happen? That is still up in the air. If it will be put on, it will happen sometime next year. I still need to get it copy write.

First things first. I need to get the Road Show out of the way. I need to get some more research so that I know that everything is right. This play looks amazing right now. It needs to be expanded of course be we are on the right track.

So is this something to smile about? Oh yes it is!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Whaz up?

Me? Off to exercise!

Getting ready for Road show practice.

Hoping all will go well today. So on ward and up ward!

But I would like to find the book "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" For the book go to Amazon
I'm going to look for it at the library. I don't think I want to buy it.

Description:

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains." So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Can she vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you'd actually want to read.

I'll try and find it soon, and I'll tell you what I think.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Found old notes

While I was looking at an old note book I had found my old notes to a play I directed for special needs. It had my original drawings of how I wanted to have the stage set up. The drawings were very primitive, only because I cant draw to save my life. I helped write a play, pacifically for special needs. It was about a boy who was special needs wanting to be normal. But in the end found out that he had a special purposes. I even had some audience participation.

All of my actors were special needs. Some couldn't read, all couldn't memorize those lines. But I had people who could, read their lines and my actors repeat the lines. It was perfect. After wards so many people told me as well as other's how much they loved it and it touched them.

I loved working with them. They took direction, they wanted to be apart if it. I just wish that the people I'm working with right now would take direction and have the same enthusiasm as my special needs cast had.

Monday, April 13, 2009

The world of Autsim

Nobody knows what people with autism are thinking, act the way they do, or do the things they do. Various people are trying to understand the autism spectrum. Regrettably there are some people who are on the autism spectrum become the object of ridicule, or they get yelled at, and become abused.

People on the autism spectrum see the world differently then we do. There are some who can't take high emotion that "normal" people display, it will overwhelm them, they can't handle it. They respond to positive music, mostly the classics. Some I have notice that they retreat into their own world, others can't remember all what happen yesterday.

So being in contact with people on the autism spectrum, I have learned that you must take it at their pace. They learn at a different pace. Remind them often, encourage involvement within positive activities. Give them positive praises. This is one of many ways they are just like us. We respond to positive praises, they do also.

Pleas try and not to raise your voice at them. Don't assume that they understand everything that you tell them, most likely they don't. Remember they see the world differently we do.

I had the privilege to work with a woman who had autism. She had the best smile. She also would color a picture if I would put the crayon in her hand, then I would take her hand and guide it. She had so much fun doing that. This woman was in her 40's, but her mind was still a little 3 year old.

I have many more stories about special needs. Maybe I will tell more latter.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Last min. touches

I need to do last min. touches on the props for the Road Show. I have a bench that needs to be painted. So I'm off to Lows to find the paint.

The weird thing is that this bench needs to be the color of raw copper. So that means a lot of creating painting.

Get this last practice the other person that is in charge of this did not even show up. He needed to be there. I was so disappointed in him. When you are committed to do something be there, people are counting on you. So yes, everyone is needed and important.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

My little bit of happiness

Today I had finely found jeans that are in my size. I found them at Costco. I have been looking for 5 months. No Joke! I was floored. I could almost never find anything in my size.

I'll tell you this it is so good to find pants that won't fall off my back side. They fit yeah!!
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This morning I went to see brother Seth in his unit formation, before he goes to Afghanistan. At times it was hard to keep the tears back. But I did. They said a prayer. Within this prayer it asked for blessings to keep the solders safe and be successful in their mission. Some of these solders look so young.

Good luck Seth we are praying for you.

Spontaneous Dancing




Wouldn't this be fun to do!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

My crazy family


This is a photo of my crazy family.
Yeah we are a bunch a nuts.

Church with an Autistic child

My SIL teaches the sunbeams in church. Her son has autism and is in her class. He is a typical child with autism. That means he is in his own world. He loves very bright colors and is cute to boot. With his level of autism he need lots of attention.

One of the sisters in my ward has a son in that same class. She has taken her son out of that class and put him in a different sunbeam class. The reason was she thought that her son was not learning enough. Meaning that a lot of attention is focus on my nephew. She did not like that.

So instead of teaching her son the importance of respecting the differences in others and their abilities. She is teaching her son to stay-a-way from people with disabilities, because they are not "normal".

What ever that means!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

A diffrent breed of animal

After chatting with some people on one of my social networks about what would little boys would do. The stories I got. Here is a few they told me, but most came from my own family:
  • back flips off of a stage
  • riding a skateboard down Devils Hill
  • balancing chairs on their heads
  • French braiding their leg hairs
  • Tired to kick a glass door open, missed and foot went into glass
  • Keep boots on while taking a bath
  • Made an make shaft snow chair in the front yard
  • Wrecked the mission presidents car
  • Tried to make Root Beer in a bath tub
  • Stuffed himself in a suitcase and friends at the MTC zipped him in.
  • Eat Rattle Snake- I hear is taste jest like chicken!
  • My brothers companion had play dough, made horns and sucked them to his head.
Some of the men replied saying:

"They wonder how they survived, with so many broken bones."

My conclusion my nephews are typical boy's. I hope they can survive being a boy. Like countless of others have.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Nephews

Wow it was my mom's birthday when I last posted.

Over this weekend my nephews were over. They are sooooooooooooo boy! I mean only boys would put there foot on there plates, inside cups, and things like that.

What is up with that?!?

We also had a Veggie Tales fest. I have the theme song memorize. My brother have it memorize also. So you know what it sad? My brother (Jeremy) and I would harmonize the theme song.

Yeah I know.

I hope you had a great weekend!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

"My husband keeps telling me to go to the devil!"

The title of this post is a line in the RS. Now why did I put it up? Well the woman who is saying that line is the bishops wife. He is in it also (of course), looking all mean and wagging his finger at her. He looks absolutely ridiculous while doing that. I love it!

It will work. It needs to work.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

This is so amazing!!!

Take a look at this art promo by Deirdra Eden Coppel



By the way Happy April Fools Day. The art work isn't a joke.