Musical Theatre Mondays

I remember a conversation I had a few years ago with a co-worker. We were discussing an upcoming presentation we were a part of at the advertising agency where we worked and she expressed how nervous she was for her portion of the presentation. Because she and I were the resident introverts of our team, she was hoping I'd divulge my secret nerves as well, but it was on that day that I realized something: Presentations have never made me nervous. That realization stumped me for the rest of the day - "why am I not nervous? I'm so painfully shy that I hope that cashiers at drive-thrus don't try to make small talk." It wasn't until later that night when I was preparing for an audition that it hit me. Theatre. Learning to perform for audiences, to commit to a character, and to focus has changed my life for the good in a million different ways, but to see the effects still lingering 20+ years and how it helps me daily in my career? That's pretty powerful.

The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan is a comedic opera. It tells the story of Frederic, a young man who has just been released from his pirate apprenticeship and is looking to live an upstanding life. Frederic meets Mabel and falls in love, but due to a most ingenious paradox learns that his apprenticeship isn't over and he must remain true to his pirate duties. Will Mabel wait for him? Will the rest of his pirate band find happiness too? I will begrudgingly own up to the following things: 1. I am not terribly familiar with anything Gilbert and Sullivan. 2. I've seen Penzance two other times in my life and struggle to remember the plot. 3. I am afraid of opera because I'm worried I won't "get it" and feel dumb. But it was silly of me to let these things attempt to dissuade me from this production because the production team, with Direction and Choreography by Liz Christensen and Music Direction by Antho

Irving Berlin, with hits like "Blue Skies," "Puttin' On the Ritz," and "God Bless America," is one of the greatest songwriters in American history. In fact most might agree with composer Jerome Kern who said "Irving Berlin has no place in American music - he is American music." So it should be no surprise that his first situational musical  Annie Get Your Gun  feels just so derned-tootin American. I had the chance to see it this week at Peery's Egyptian Theater presented by Ogden Musical Theatre and it had me smiling from ear to ear. Annie Get Your Gun is the story of Annie Oakley and her discovery, rise, and success within Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Annie, after winning a sharp shooting contest against the famous Frank Butler, is thrust into the world of show business and the highs and lows therein. Annie and Frank find love, but will Frank's ego and Annie's stubbornness get in the way of their very own Old Fashion