Friday, December 16, 2011

White Christmas and New Years Eve

Tonight I took myself out to see White Christmas at CStock theater in Silverdale. Despite a few set mishaps, the night turned out to be delightful. I have never seen the movie, but the show brought back memories I wasn't expecting.

See, the show opens during WWII. The audience is treated as American Soliders in the Army who are overseas for Christmas. The audience/soilders are being treated to a Christmas Eve show by the Captain and a Private. Honestly, I don't think I breathed through the begining of the show. While it was intended to be awkwardly comical, my particular situation this holiday season made it instantly personal. While My Sailor is not on the front lines of WWII, nor is he in the Army, the general idea was enough to make my eyes water. The case would be hard pressed to bring this to the "comical Christmas show" I had heard this was going to be.

But after that scene was over, and the next scene took place several years later, I was assured that I could indeed laugh and would make it through the show dry-eyed, just as long as no one sang "I'll be Home for Christmas". (To see one of my fellow Into The Woods cast mates sing that song during this show would have been too much for me tonight.)

The show was really great, despite a few hiccups. It's always fun to see people I know play different roles. Even though I know none of them well, I was more than happy to greet them with hugs and honest "well done"! when it was all over. There were a few noticable set hiccups. While that's not unheard of (especially in community theater), it was surprising to me that the live band didn't really role with the punches and fill the dark spaces with music. The conductor's profile denoted a world of experience, so it surprised me a bit that he didn't roll with it - at least as well as I expected. That was always one of the advantages of having a live band to begin with.

The acting was top notch. Truly. Mr. Wise is one of my new favorite actors and I was so glad I got to work with him during Into the Woods. His somewhat manic manner taught me a lot about self confidence, and the power of NOT over thinking things and just going with your gut. It's obvious he has fun on stage and his belief in what he's doing is so powerful that you, as an audience member, have to believe in it too. He reminds me of Danny Kaye (one of my favorite old time actors) and is a deeply believable actor.

Well done one and all.

One thing I love about Washington Community theater - they don't seem to be afraid to cast people of a variety of shapes and sizes. In California, if you're not a size 4, don't expect to EVER land a leading role, even in Community theater productions. It's TRUELY rare to see a curvy cast. But thus far, Washington seems to be breaking the mold, unafraid to get curvy girls, tall guys, and various age ranges involved. It's heartening to see that some places are moving beyond the Hollywood anomalies that so much of the country considers the "norm".

So with a live Christmas show behind me, and my trip to California in front of me, it leaves me to think of just one more thing.

What the heck am I going to do with New Years?!

Honestly, it's never been a HUGE holiday for me. I've gone to parties when invited, and thrown some quiet dinners myself, but I know I'll be working this year. Outside of that, maybe Clydas and I will wait until midnight - maybe not. I'll probably just treat myself to lunch and movie on New Years day and move on into 2012. The Navy is throwing a few family events, but I don't quite feel like I fit there, and I haven't been invited anywhere else. Having spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in California, it'll be nice to have a quiet time at home for a change.

And off to bed I go! Back to work in 6 more hours!

3 comments:

  1. I always call my dad on New Year's at the stroke of midnight. It's his birthday after all :) This year, I might be spending the holiday in the hospital haha

    Glad that you had a good time at the theater! Shows are fun.

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  2. That's community theater anywhere but CA and NYC. :) Even in Jersey they allow different shapes and sizes. It's refreshing, isn't it? I love that I don't have to be a size 4 to get a leading role.

    Enjoy your New Year's...whatever you do.

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  3. I saw the Broadway Touring version of White Christmas last weekend - I hadn't seen the movie before either, but I did enjoy the show.

    Our community theater is doing their annual production of a Christmas Carol and it was amazing again this year. They do such a great job on this one! I have season tickets so I've seen it a few times, but enjoy it every time.

    I will be doing a New Year's Day 5K on the 1st for the fifth year so it won't be a late night for me on New Year's Eve :)!

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