By Rick, georgettesullins.wordpress.com
This weekend my husband was in our latest church musical production. He has enjoyed singing since his Navy Blue Jacket choir days. He had words and music to learn (♪”…we’ve got sunlight on the sand, we’ve got moonlight on the sea…”), dance moves to practice…and for the past couple of years, he has taken on set building. Last year it was rectangular prisms with scenes painted on canvass. The stage hands would simply turn the prisms on casters around to create the next scene. He multiplied the possibilities by also creating a rectangle set on a spindle that could create not just one scene per side but two with a spin of any rectangle inside a rectangle. So each prism could generate eight scenes. (No, I’m not about to go into another math challenge.) He enjoys participating so much.
This year he created a marquee for the production “On With the Show.” He consulted with friends and local vendors and was inspired to dream up a design all on a budget! A tight budget!
Remember the garage that I proudly declared could now park two cars? Well, maybe we can return to that next week…but, not this week. A clean garage was short-lived since our garage space turned into “Productions Unlimited and Set Building.” Sigh! How can one be neatly organized when we’re just too busy living life?
Our next door neighbor was keenly aware of what was going on in our garage as their bedroom window faces the garage driveway. During this project, Rick was always considerate in scheduling his sawing not past 9:00. My reminding him to keep his voice down after 9:00 confused him though since by the very fact he wasn’t sawing, he was satisfied that things were quiet. Our garage door needs WD40 or something similar. Oh, how it creaks, groans and squeals at midnight! (I’m the silent worrier.)
No worries. Our neighbor came by the morning after the midnight session to ask if he could help. The guys started talking about Gorilla Glue when he noticed a large bottle laying about. Rick told him not to buy any, that he had plenty. And, they discussed all the properties of gorilla glue. Use only a dot because that stuff “grows”.
Finally, our neighbor helped Rick load the project into the bed of the truck. As he left he added “I’ll be back whenever I need to glue any gorillas together.”
And off the marquee went to find its place on stage. TGF Gorilla Glue, not a single letter fell down. Here it is…ta-dah!!!
georgettesullins.wordpress.com
I love home grown productions. The talent is amazing and the sense of family in pulling it all off, creates a lasting bond of pride and memories. Since the production was in a dinner theatre format, I was working in the kitchen on Friday. My role was clear as I wore my wildflower print apron…set up salads–leafy salads, 3 tomatoes, croutons and grated parmesan on top…√, √, √, √. Served up green beans…”don’t be skimpy”…chicken tetrazzini and garlic bread, not letting that green bean juice soak the bread. As quickly as those were served up –> to the dishwasher. Oh, velveeta cheese turns into concrete fast!
I stole all the peeks I could because I loved watching a sixty something dad dance with his thirty something daughter (♪”Shall We Dance?”*), another dad sing with his third grade daughter (♪”I Don’t Need Anything but You”**) and professional friends show us a move or two (♪”I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair”***). On Saturday I sat among the spectators taking in more in chronological order, not in previews (♪”Music of the Night”****). Yes, every dot of glue grew and is stuck together in my memory (“♪Memory”****).
And now, it’s Sunday…gotta clean out the garage. We have a car and a truck to park inside. “♫five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes♫”***** till we go on with the next show!
Note: Songs from The King and I*, Annie**, South Pacific***, The Phantom of the Opera****, Rent*****
What is/are your favorite Broadway show tunes?
That sounds just wonderful, Georgette! So glad that the neighbor wasn’t bothered in the least as your garage took on its new (temporary) role as workshop.
We’ve got some work cut out for us this afternoon, sweeping, putting up saw horses, winding up electrical cord and as long as we’re doing that — organize the workbench back to the way it was.
Oh how I knew the shows of those songs as you went threw them…and was glad I was right when I finished the read…Your story telling makes me feel like I was right there with all…not loading, but I could drive the truck….. you certainly are a very fun family…..Have you ever thought about writng a play??? With all your travels, memories of family and friends, you should do a “I Knew You When”….until your next post, love Ya!!
Thanks, Margie for reading all these words. Aren’t these songs wonderful? We try to keep things simple, but then there’s always a project. Family Life, I call it.
Wonderful story, Georgette. I was singing along with you!
Don’t you just love all these songs and more?
WOW! Reading your posts is just like being there in person!! What a writer you are, Georgette – every word making me want to read further on quickly. The things y’all get involved in & do are amazing, but your writing about them is equally amazing to me … such memories!! (never heard of gorilla glue, btw!
Good stuff, Gorilla Glue, but you probably don’t want it around the house with the little ones. Gorilla Glue is even more powerful than super glue. Like I said, if you need some, don’t buy any. Rick has plenty. Thank you for reading, dear friend.
that is so awesome! love that he performs as well as does sets. and SO glad your neighbor is understanding!
yes, gorilla glue grows!
Thank you, Theresa. We do have good neighbors and the cast members are great friends…kind of like family.
Isn’t community theatre fun? I had a role in my town’s production this spring. It required many, many rehearsals and an amazing amount of work — but it was well worth it in the end.
Lynne, how great you were in a production and can share that interest with others who love it. Congratulations! I’m sure you have made memorable relationships you wouldn’t ordinarily know through business. I know it’s a lot of work…just watching my husband.
What a great sign! I remember dinner theaters at our church when I was younger. I can see my Dad working in the kitchen, while my Mom and brother were on the stage. Thanks for sparking those memories, Georgette. Church dinner theaters are wonderful. I am glad you and your husband were able to take part – each with your own piece of the pie.
P.S. I love the soundtrack from Rent and Phantom of the Opera.
Thank you, LD. Found out last night that “Phantom” is the longest running show with the most world wide attention. I love Andrew Lloyd Weber, too…love them all.
Oh, what a wonderful experience…I read your post this morning and enjoyed thinking about it today… the rehearsals, the garage full of creative energy, the neighbor and you helping out with the dinner…what a wonderful event! My husband was kind enough to join our daughter in a well directed parent child musical… Annie. He was the butler and had to sing and dance…it was soooo wonderful! (after the show the director from a local theater asked him if he’d like to come participate in their theater…he thanked them, but turned them down) We’ve also given up our garage for many months at a time for Odyssey of the Mind productions…amazing what can come out of a garage full of glue, wood, odds and ends, enthusiasm and creative energy. We love musicals and enjoy all of those songs you mentioned!
Thanks for sharing so many details about the show!
Thank you for reading. I love to sing…but will yield to my husband. So, I’m content to be just the choir “groupie”. How cute they tried to recruit your husband but he turned them down. ♪”What I did for Love”, i.e. What Dads do for love, n’est-ce pas? I am not familiar with Odyssey of the Mind productions…hmmm.
I can’t remember ever hearing of a church dinner theatre – or a church musical, for that matter. Of course there were the Christmas and Easter pageants and church suppers galore when I was growing up, but this is something different. It sounds wonderful.
I confess I’m not a huge fan of musicals, but four I grew up with are so firmly embedded I’ll never shed them: The Music Man (of course! I grew up in Iowa!), South Pacific (I’ve been to Bloody Mary’s bar on Kauai), Oklahoma (I never drive across that state without bursting into song) and West Side Story (there is a wonderful Leonard Bernstein studio session that just is a killer. Watch the facial expressions – such communication.
The first live musical I saw was “Ipi Ntombi”, on the London stage. The best song from that show was one I already was familiar with – Shosholoza. I think you’ll enjoy this boys’ choir version more than the cast version from the stageshow.
Oh this was gorgeous, thank you. I will have to tell our choir director about “Shosholoza” and also share with Rick. Our choir director and her husband both sing as professional choristers in Houston’s Cantare. I have heard them at MFAH and they have contributed so much to our church life. Stefan Grobler, tenor, Ndumiso Manana, alto, and Simon Tshoeu, bass deliver and set the tone for the rest of the performance. They are multitalented.
Leonard Berstein’s direction reveals his love and approval of the performances he was hearing on clarinet, flute, violin and the marvelous voices. What a treat! Thank you for these links.
I love Broadway theatre. It came early when we lived in Essex County, New Jersey. My parents would go into NYC and return with record albums of the latest Broadway performance. It was around 1957 so they saw “Mr. Wonderful” with Sammy Davis, “Happy Hunting” with Ethel Merman, “My Fair Lady”, “Gigi” and “South Pacific”. Is it possible all that could have been playing at the same time? What a vibrant time that was. My mother still has the records and a turntable to play them.
Yours is a family of many talents! Sounds like you have a great neighbor, too.
Thank you, Patti. We raised the girls with music as both Rick and I were raised around music. There has always been music in our house. With so many music programs being cut from the curriculum in the public schools, it seems that it may become the work of our churches to provide music education.
I’m singing in my head right now – all the tunes from South Pacific. But Sound of Music ranks at the top for me, as does Phantom of the Opera.
I’m glad you enjoyed remembering the titles and a line or two. The American Music Theatre is a gift and legacy we can’t take for granted. I’m so glad we can participate at our church inter-generationally to assure that it’s shared.
What fun! I’m impressed with Rick’s talents. As for Broadway show tunes, I love the songs from South Pacific. That has always been one of my favorite musicals, especially because I love the message it gives.
It was fun, Susan. American Broadway theatre delivered important messages in “South Pacific”, “West Side Story”, “Hairspray”, “Rent” and yes, even our beloved “The Sound of Music.” They were important popular works in social commentary. As I mentioned to Patti, it’s beyond a darn shame/crime in education that music education is being cut from the curriculum in TX. It seems our churches are one way to keep it alive, something at which they are very good.
I love the scene where Eliza Doolittle offers Professor Higgins a small sum to teach her how to talk like a “laidy”, but then he calculates that based on her small wages selling flowers, she really offers him an irresistible and exorbitant sum. In that scene we see George Bernard Shaw’s thoughts on social economics…charities and volunteer work.
Yes, Georgette, it seems that so many people engaged in the arts, whether it is music, writing, or the visual arts, have had the courage to speak out against society’s ills and made us take a good look at ourselves.
Love it!!! Just as the Gorilla Glue grows, your family seems to always be expanding your love for each other and for the things you love by being supportive and loving and noticing the wonderfulness of everyday life. Simply spectacular! I’ve done some theater, worked on sets and we’ve banished cars from our garage for many things. Church projects (lots), prop making, and home improvements. My kitchen has been full of tired, hungry kids and adults how have been either rooked into helping or just wanna hang to see what’s next. Musicals? Pure heaven. I love children’s musicals as much as I do adult ones.Date nights with dad were always centered around our season tickets to musicals and plays. Thanks for sharing your family with us! I may go pop in The Sound of Music or Chicago in a minute and start singing.
Thank you, Carla. Oh, I hope this inspires singing to the words! ♪”Sing out, sing strong” (Karen Carpenter) The lyrics are as inspirational as the music. I’m so glad you can relate to our scene. Our children’s musical is in August, another awesome event thanks to our wildly talented Fine Arts director, choir members and choir “groupies”.
I have always loved Karen Carpenter’s voice and her music. As an alto, my vocal radar picks up on someone I can sing along with.
I still have one of my old Carpenters albums and yes, I still play it and “♫ Sing, sing a song! ♪
Sounds like you had a great experience. I love the collaborative feeling of working in the theater. There aren’t many situations like that as adults when everyone comes together to be creative and let their guard down.
It was great! I live it vicariously through my husband and love my role as a “groupie.” Yes, it’s a place where lawyers, unemployed, hospital administrators, stay-at-home-moms, geologists and teachers (to name a few) get to play with/as the players.
This is one fun and exciting family activity. I bet your husband has an amazing voice and great dancing moves. When I was a younger, my 5 sisters and I would sing some of the Sound of Music songs while our plays the piano. One of our sisters took singing at heart and did some school plays like Ms. Saigon. Music brought our family together. It also created unforgettable memories. Memories that made me realize how fortunate I was to have a wonderful childhood. Best wishes to you and your family.
So glad this brings great memories! Growing up there was a piano in our house and when the girls were growing up I got a second hand player piano. Unfortunately the motor gave out when our grandson was 4…even the best piano technicians in Houston couldn’t fix it…but it’s still a Wurlitzer and it still plays manually. My best wishes to you and your family as well.
Sounds like such great fun!! All of it. I found myself singing right along with you as I read this post.
It was fun and I’m glad you had fun singing along. Rick ordered South Pacific on Netflix and we watched it last night. It was almost three hours! Crazy we should rent it when we had the VHS…but we’ve decided we’ll rent flicks on disk rather than have to buy them again.