I started this thing because I felt like I had a lot to say, but I haven't said too much. I have been kind of busy this summer, working three jobs and all, and trying to have a social life...or something. So, here's a glimpse of my life. This post is dedicated to the Summer of '12!
A lot has happened over this particular summer. Mostly good, but a couple of awful things. To begin, I started my 6th season with the Old Lyric Repertory Company. I can't believe I have worked there for 6 summers! It was a rough season, this one. First of all, there was no Amanda Pro. Amanda was my rock while I was going to school at Utah State, and the reason I loved working for the Lyric was because of Amanda. It was also tough because we had some big shows to put up with a very, very small staff. But, we made it...barely. The great thing about the Lyric this summer was I got to design my first show for the company. I did the costumes for the apprentice show, Charlotte's Web. It was a lot of fun. I'd never done a children's show before. I think it turned out pretty cute, if I don't say so myself! I will post some pictures when I get them. Lyric did some pretty good stuff this year on the stage. The season was Steel Magnolias, Private Lives, Big River, Lend Me a Tenor, Greater Tuna and Charlotte's Web. Holy crap...6 shows! They are very well done, and thoroughly enjoyable.
My next project was my second season with Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. I absolutely love this company. They make everyone who works there feel so welcomed and a vital part of the company. I am working this summer as an assistant to Vanessa Ballam. It has been such, such fun.
My third project is the movie theatre. I started out the summer as building manager for the University 6 owned by Westates, and then at the end of June, we switched to being Megaplex. I am now the concessions manager at the Movies 5. It's sure different. It's been kind of a hard transition. There have already been casualties! What I thought would be pretty terrific turned out to be pretty miserable. Rough times.
Because of my involvement with UFOMT I was able to take a trip to New York City. I chaperoned the Best Actor and Best Actress of the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards as they went on to compete in the National competition. This was so wonderful! Peter Lambert and Malia Morley were the winners, and we couldn't have picked better to represent in NY. Such talent! I got to see three Broadway shows. Nice Work if You Can Get It which is a "new" musical by George and Ira Gershwin. New means that it is a new story set to great Gershwin songs. It starred Kelli O'Hara and Matthew Broderick. Kelli was amazing! Matthew was pretty horrible. I felt like he was just phoning it in, and didn't really want to be there. The next show I saw was Ghost: The Musical. What I thought was going to be just awful was actually pretty good. The music was great, performers were great and the technology was incredible! I've never seen anything like it. My final show was one that I had been really looking forward to seeing. End of the Rainbow. It was spectacular. Tracie Bennett as Judy Garland is not to be missed. I will go into more detail when I write a post dedicated to NYC. Great trip.
The downsides of the summer were I had two family members pass away within days of each other. Aunt LaRue left us in early June. This was hard because it was my grandma's twin sister and the first of her sisters to pass. I remember visiting Aunt LaRue at the ranch in the summer times growing up. She will be missed.
The second was so unexpected. Cousin Greg. Oh wow! I couldn't believe it when I got the phone call from my sister Chelsey that Greg was in the ICU because of a heart attack. It didn't seem real. The next day, Chelsey called and said the doctors were going to do a test to see if he was getting any blood to his brain. I couldn't concentrate at work. I had to go see Greg. It was a rough drive from Logan to Ogden that day. When I got to the hospital, his wife, Summer was in pretty good spirits. I have never met anyone stronger than her. While all of us were blubbering, she was the one comforting everyone. What an incredible human being Summer is. Well, after a couple of hours of sitting around, the news came. Greg was brain dead. Slowly the family started coming up to see Greg. It's still so weird to think that I will never see him again in this lifetime. Summer brought Greg into our lives 11 years ago and he was such an important part of our family. I think about him everyday. I miss him so much. He passed away the night before I left to New York. I didn't want to go on the trip. I just wanted to be with my family. Before I left, Summer told me not to think about it, but have fun. Easier said than done. After a few days, I started to feel a bit better, but all the while, Greggy was in the back of my mind.
I was so glad that I could attend his funeral. I didn't think I'd be able to because I was in New York for a week and I was sure they'd have it while I was gone. I was glad they didn't. I had to say good-bye to Greg. I was so honored when Summer asked if I'd be a pallbearer. It was a rough couple of days, with the viewing and the funeral. I didn't think it would be so hard. I still don't know how Summer made it through. She's incredible. RIP Superman!
So, that's been my summer in a nutshell. I still don't know what I am going to do when it's over, but that's part of the excitement of life. I am enjoying life, and I do love living in Logan. I guess we'll see what the future brings.
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