Tuesday's Tune: Arrrrrrr, me matey!

Since I am not running I don't have any tunes to tell you about.  Tuesday has also turned into an easy day.  I teach a yoga/pilates class and do some strengthening exercises.  Otherwise I'm not forcing any structured cardio (no running, of course, no biking, no swimming).  This is partly to just scale back for awhile, sometimes I just need this.  Also, until the kids get out of school my schedule keeps me from taking my time to do what I want.  Once school gets out (2 more weeks) I plan to really hit the pool on Tuesdays & Thursdays.  I'm excited about this for a few reasons.  Swimming is not #1 on preferred list of exercise, but I know and see great benefits from spending a chunk of time in the pool.

The last few years my summer has been structured around another life component: the Prairie Player's musical.  Prairie Players is a community civic theater.  I was first introduced to this when 3 of my kids participated in The Music Man.  The next year the need for kids was sparse as they put on The Sound of Music.  My kids were not a few of the 100 or so that auditioned for a Von Trapp child.  However the need for a stage full of nuns opened the door for me to audition and participate.

That is me on the left.  Don't I make a smashing nun?  If you know me and the fun I love to have where ever I go then you know I hammed it up & had a great time.

Once I had gotten that musical buzz I was hooked on being in the summer productions.  I grew up surrounded my music & am a huge fan of the stage, especially Broadway.  I didn't choose to pursue it too much, it often conflicted with my sports in school.  Then my life with 6 kids didn't exactly afford me much time or money to be in the midst of it on either side as a participant or spectator.  I still loved it and now with my kids getting older I can give my time to the art.  It can be a little demanding on my time, but my husband and kids are great is supporting me during this time.

Last year the musical was All Shook Up and was based on all Elvis Presley songs.  Once again I auditioned and given a general towns person/chours role.  I don't mind not getting any specific or spotlight role.  It is still just a fun and important to be on the stage in a general supporting role.  This musical required me to be on stage in numerous group songs, in addition to, a few smaller group songs that I was picked for.

  Jailhouse Rock, front, right corner

 center statue, I had to alternate between standing perfectly still and coming to life to sing

on left, captured mid song

I had so much fun, singing and dancing my summer away!!

This year the musical to be performed is The Pirates of Penzance.  This will certainly be a much different musical than the last few years.  It's more of an operatic tone.  90% of the script is sung.  During auditions the director showed us that of the 215 page script, only 3 pages are spoken.  We have been told to think of it as a cross between Monty Python and Pirates of the Caribbean.  Prairie Players has been proven to be quite the theater for a smaller town.  We don't have a lot of resources here like the big cities, but man, can we put on a show!

Auditions are always required when casting a show.  I went with the usual mindset of hoping to at least get a chours part.  This was going to be a little tricky since there are only a small handful of female roles, mostly tailored to teen/young adult ladies (which, I am neither, although I am frequently told that I age so gracefully that I often appear as one).  Once there & having what I thought was a great audition I had began to secretly hope to get a part of one of General Stanley's daughters.  I didn't get such role, but was cast as 1 of 3 governesses to the daughters.  These roles were specifically created to allow more female cast members, especially those of us who are....uh....older more mature in age.   I'm thrilled none the less.  Not everyone who auditioned was given a role at all.  Some musicals allow & can afford to give everyone a part so it's a given that if you audition you have a role.  This one does not, so regardless of what I was assigned I am beyond excited to be a part of this production.

What about you?  Do you like to dance & sing?  On stage?  In private?  Used to many years ago?  What activity do you like pursue now that you are older?