Bugs Bunny on Broadway

Yesterday Logan and I went to "Bugs Bunny on Broadway" with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. It was great. The orchestra sat on stage at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, above them was a screen that showed Bugs Bunny clips. The conductor wanted to make it clear that classical music was very important to Warner Brothers through the 30s and 40s. They had an orchestra on staff and had them play for all of their cartoons.

The list of clips included "Baton Bunny" (1959) where Bugs conducts the orchestra. I am sure we have all seen it. It was pretty powerful to hear the music live while watching the clip.
"The Rabbit of Seville"(1950) which is the play on the Barber of Seville. Bugs and Elmer Fudd go at it. Another classic.
"What's Opera Doc?" (1957) where Bugs and Elmer Fudd sing four different operas, they dance classical ballet. You know the one, where Bugs rides the really fat white horse.

In between their huge orchestral pieces they would show clips from other classic moments. Including "One Froggy Evening" where the frog is discovered in a time capsule but will only sing for the guy. And various other clips and music.

It was really great. And as an added bonus it was Logan that decided to check out what was going on in the city and bought the tickets for us. It was really nice!

Fall Garden

My little garden is over flowing. Most of it has been harvested, but some is still going strong.

Butternut Squash (Flowers but no squash at this point. We will see)

Pumpkin (a number of flowers, and one pumpkin is started)

Red Pepper Plant (the plant got choked out by the other plants. I transplanted it once and then the pumpkin choked it out. But one little pepper did grow.)

With this late season heat the strawberry plants have gone crazy!!! It should be a good summer for strawberries next year.The asparagus is going strong. Next year we will just watch it again. Year three!!!!

The herbs are taking over. Compact Thyme, Thyme, Tarragon, Mint and Sage.
The tomatoes are turning red, finally. There are about 25 on the plant. They are ripening one at a time-which is nice.
And our raspberry bush has fruit. The tag promised fruit the first year, I was skeptical as there has been no fruit until now.
Two Mondays ago Stef and I got together and made Pickles, Pickled Carrots

And Borscht. (please note the open jar of pickles in the background. The perks of making pickles while there are still some from last year - no waiting!)

Broken Rules

In theatre we have a lovely little thing called 10 out of 12s. That means that you are in the theatre to tech 10 out of the 12 hours that you are called. At Theatre Calgary that usually means a noon start. So for stage management that means we come in at 11:00 to get set up. We start at 11 and go home around 12:30pm. So I am only supposed to work for 10 hours - but I work closer to 13. But that is okay, because I am allowed to work 13 hours without being compensated a span of day penalty.



Each show is allowed 4 of these "special" days. But I guess that means by the title 10 out of 12. On any given day that you have a performance before you official open you can have a rehearsal. That means that you have a Preview Performance in the evening (so a four hour show call) and a 5 hour rehearsal during the day. So including the hour prep before the rehearsal I am working 10 hours again. So why make the rule that you are only allowed 4 of these long days if that is not in fact the truth. On this show we only have 3 previews - which is not bad. Some shows preview for two weeks. That means we would have 16 days in a row (not counting our one day off on Monday) of 12 hour days.


On a higher note...we have opened. People seem to like it. This image is of the final scene, Jake with his Rain Making Machine. Doesn't it look heavy? I push it up hill 8 times a show.

Time sheets

I finished tech week last night at 12:30am. I filled out a time sheet for 60 hours. I have had a full nights sleep and my feet still hurt. This show's set is on a rake. A rake is when the stage is on a slant. In our case the back part of the stage (upstage) is 3' higher than the front part (downstage). From the side of the rake their are ramps that go from the rake to the floor. These ramps have compound angles so that they are flush with the edge of the rake on one end, and flush with the floor on the other. My legs and feet ache from dealing with these angles all day.

The most exciting part of this show is that it rains. There is a 10' wide rain zone. A pipe and the front and back that provide a sheet of rain and then a pipe that holds 10 fire sprinklers that cover the space between the sheets of rain.

When we had spent two full 13 hour days in the theatre, and had started the 3rd we had a time block to work on our special effects. For three hours we worked out the pyro and rain effects. In that moment, when the rain first came down, I remembered why I do what I do. It was very cool.

See you opening - Friday.

There's no business like Show business

There are times that I step back and take a look at what I do for a living. It can be pretty damn cool. Many people ask "Do you love it?". I would have to say, honestly, no. Do I think that it is exciting and neat, yes. I am doing something that people only dream of, well, normal people don't dream about my job exactly-but of working in show business in general.



For example, today I walked across an empty stage to a meeting. While I was walking I took in the grandeur of the 770 seats looking at me. A moment that most people will never experience.
I get to say the weirdest sentences through the course of the day that make total sense to everyone in the room. "After taping the floor I will move the moose head so that the bed frame doesn't roll over it, if you can preset David's purse and Andrew's skirt." And the people around you are doing and saying things that don't really make sense, until of course they do. "Dave Trimble, have you set your purse?" "Maybe Stevie is farting on an audience member and blowing it on them" "As long as it is good bad, not bad bad, can we set the bad?" "Elk head, deer head, mule head, mule deer head, animal head, ungulate head? Trophy head? Does it have to have a name?" "she's a going! Not yet she's not! Then make a better sound effect". "you mean...your's saying...you...so you...so / And you say you have worked in Stratford?"

We have a good time for the most part. But this show has been a bit stressful. It was suppose to be a small show. There is usually a Stage Manager, Assistant Stage Manager, and Apprentice Stage Manager. There have been plenty of shows at Theatre Calgary that I have done as the only person back stage. I wasn't worried. And knew that this must be small if they are bumping up the other assistant to Stage Manager for the first time. But it grew out of control. In general you have three weeks of rehearsal, the first week you read through the play and talk about it, then you get up on your feet and start adding the movement to the words, once you have done each scene once you add props, after going through them a couple of times you can start to think about wardrobe. But as a general rule you don't have wardrobe in the room, just rehearsal pieces. (If someone is wearing something they don't usually wear you want them to get used to it.) This show has been nothing like that. There wasn't the usually layering. Before we had begun blocking the movement we were talking about costume changes. It has been wild.

And that is my excuse for not writing. I have been working 11 hour days with a half hour travel time on each side (assuming I made it for the bus that comes every half hour).

A quick trip home

Logan, Dan and I just returned from Regina. Logan and Dan (Lindsay's husband) went on a boys camping trip with Lorne, a boys trip.

I joined them for the ride, leaving them at Chaplan where Lorne drove them to Diefenbaker.

I continued on to Regina and had a quick visit with a number of different people! Usually when I head home we have limited time and spend one day with my family, one day with Logan`s family and then we drive home. This time I had the opportunity to visit with friends (as both sets of parents had visited us in Calgary recently).

Mom and Dad hosted dinner for Grandma, Grandpa, Janet and I. It was wonderfully delicious.
I also had lunch with Kendra, dinner with Lisa, lunch with Janet and drinks with the ole Do It With Class gang. I had a great couple of days. They always go by to fast.

4th Anniversary

Our 4th Wedding Anniversary was on the 23rd. We went out for a fantastic dinner at Red Water Rustic Grille. Great Steak!!!!

I don't even know what to say about a day that is so life changing. And here we are, four years later. It was a great day, full of special moments and loving people.

We are on our way to Regina tomorrow. A short visit, we will see you there.

Late Twenties

Yesterday was my 27th Birthday. Were does time go. Think back to high school. How far away does 27 seem then? I graduated at 17 years old. "What do you think you will be doing ten years from now" is a common question. I am married to a man that I love and is my best friend. I have established myself and am very successful in a career that I chose, that I love and have proved to many (that I am sure doubted) that I could earn a living working in professional theatre. I have a house that is everything I could have hoped for, that I am slowly decorating to my taste. I have a little puppy who loves me unconditionally. I have a family that loves me and will make the effort to drive to Calgary to see us, to the city we chose that took us away from that very family. Family that have been brought together by our marriage, that don't have to see each other except when Logan and I ask them to be, that will hang out together, go for drinks or go to concerts together. I think that the 17 year old me would be very happy with where I am at now.

My birthday was fantastic. The weather was the best it has been...maybe all summer. As I had mentioned in the last post we sat on the deck in the heat all day. Logan pulled out the pool and we had a great time watching Charlie and Robyn. After our classy meal of McDonald's I opened up some presents.

Logan got me the newest and coolest in scrapbooking, a Cricut Cutter. I have been asking for one for a bit, doing my research and trying to find the best deal. It is like a printer but works without a computer. You select the shape/letter/design and insert paper and the machine cuts it out in any size. Very intricate shapes and letters. I am very excited. Everyone watch out, homemade cards are on their way for years to come.


Leah and Marc headed on to the family they were here to visit and Mom, Dad, Logan and I had supper before heading over to Meagan and Stef's place for my party. All I knew was that they were working their tails off...no idea on what. It was a Musical Themed Party. I was very excited. Not many people I hang with now know the musical side of me. It was a huge part of my life for so many years. It is primarily the music I listen to by myself. It was great to let that side of me out for the night.


Everyone was dressed up as someone from a musical. They even were able to steal my Marty costume from "Grease" that was hanging in my guest room closet. They had it there ready for me to wear it. (It was a bit warm, but you can see my pink ladies jacket on the chair).
Logan, Sonny from "Grease".

Dad went as a Greaser.

As you can see from the comments below, I was corrected (and apparently uninformed or not a very good guesser) Mom went as one of the ladies from the new musical 9 to 5.

The Hosts of the Party Stef and Meagan, along with Raveigh dressed as Diamond Dogs from "Moulin Rouge".

Cris dressed as Ash from "Evil Dead: The Musical". (He was not the only one, Ruby Dawn arrived later in the same outfit - only she had just spent three months working on the show)

Meagan's Mom May also attended as Annie Oakley from "Annie Get Your Gun". It was great that she came, we have been doing a circuit workout two/three times a week (Meagan leads May, Stef, Auntie Shelley, Rackhee and a couple other friends of Meagan's).
They went all out with the details. Music playing all night.

Mom made Sangria, the girls had Pink Lady Punch, Technicolour Shots, Carousel Jello Shooters.

And a whole table of food.

Yellow Brick Road out of cheddar cheese, A Taste of Siam eggrolls,
Oliver olives, Diamonds are a girls best friend Veggie Diamonds from "Moulin Rouge" and my favorite the Venus Fly Trap Audrey Two made out of pickles.
And desserts, Rumblin' Sharks Gummies from "West Side Story", and Phantom cupcakes.

And This is my boomstick "Evil Dead" cake.

I had such a good time.

A little fABBAulous bubbly ala "Momma Mia"
They even had a game (because "what Stacey party would be complete without planned activities"). They had a crazy difficult Musical Quiz. I didn't do very well. The questions were so detailed, but great. I even had to perform.

So Long, Farewell from "The Sound of Music"

The Hand Jive from "Grease".

With Meagan and May you will also see Rakhee who also does the circuit training dressed up from "Bombay Dreams" and Craig as Roger from "Rent".

I opened up some great, extremely thoughtful gifts.

Ate a delicious cake, Chocolate with Raspberry center.

After cake we went out for a fire. It was a beautiful night, still very warm. Not at all like a normal Calgary night.

Ruby Dawn as Ash from "Evil Dead". She joined us in time for cake a the fire.

I wasn't the only one that enjoyed myself. Stef and Meagan dancing to each other through the kitchen window.

A visit

Stampede started July 2nd and we were there. Sneak a Peak night is Thursday and a friend of ours band "Seventh Rain" was playing at the coke stage. Logan and I met up with Jen and her cousin as well as Lindsay and Dan to watch the show. They were the opening act and after meeting up with Phil the drummer we moved into the Cantina next to the stage for a drink where we were met by Nicolle Montague, a friend from Regina, and her boyfriend Brad who is a friend of Dan's.

We had planned on going again a couple of times that week but the weather was so bad that I wasn't interested.

Matt flew into Calgary on Wednesday afternoon and we had an opportunity to catch up.

Mom and Dad drove in Thursday after work.

We all went out to Stampede on Friday night. It was busy as hell as it was the first nice day during all of Stampede. We walked about, checking out the sights, sounds and food. And ended up at that same Cantina by the coke stage.

Saturday Mom and Dad went to the George Strait concert (the reason for the trip). We took Matt out for a drink.

While everyone was together, something extremely rare these days, we took some family photos.

Sunday we had the entire Uncle Gord family over for dinner. We cooked up Rotisserie BBQ Roast Beef (that I marinated overnight and was delicious) and all of the fixings, including a spinach strawberry salad from my garden. Sangria was the cocktail of choice.

Did took it easy for the rest of the week. Matt went home on Monday. Logan went off to work. Mom and Dad and I hung out. It was nice, relaxing and different from most of the usually "jam it into 3 days" kind of trips.

On one of our days we went out shopping. I wanted to look at vacuums. Our current vacuum is broken. The plate on the bottom is plastic and broke off and if you aren't careful the bristles will burn into the floor (kinda like I did to the lino in the bathroom). I wanted something that I could use on the hardwood as our whole main floor is wood. But doing my research I learned that what most vacuums consider a "bare floor" function can actually scratch the wood. This function just lowers the vacuum to the floor, even if you stop the brush it will still brush along the floor. I wanted something that was just as good for floor and carpet. If you want that you are looking at $600. So we started looking at a hardwood vacuum and a carpet vacuum. Try to find something reasonable without bells and whistles. We were successful.

Bissell Versus for the hardwood. Build exclusively for bare floors and low pile area rugs.

For the carpet we found this Bissell Healthy Home. It was the floor model, no box and missing the bristle tool and "turbo brush". A $350 vacuum that we bought for $160. It was awesome that Mom and Dad picked this up as an addition to our Anniversary gifts. They also brought with them padded folding chairs (that we have used every day since they brought them) and a handmade (by mom) Afghan.

On Wednesday night Logan's Uncle Earl was in town. He came over, as well as Lindsay and Dan, and he cooked us BBQ Greek Ribs. It was another great meal.

On Thursday Leah and Marc and their little one Robyn joined us. They were just here for the night and Friday. Leah and I were friends from University and Marc and Dan were friends from University. Lindsay and Dan joined us for drinks after supper. We had a nice night of visiting.

Friday, My Birthday, we hung out on the deck. The first really hot day in weeks. We pulled out the kiddie pool and Robyn and Charlie had a great time. The birthday girls request of a classy meal of McDonald's was a birthday lunch.

Painted again

I did some more painting. The whole house is nearly completely new paint. It is a bit sad that I can't say the whole house is complete after a year. But all that is left is the stairs and the computer room.

The Top of the Stairs
There were ugly stencils (here and in the computer room)

I chose a good ole builder beige. I want to paint the stairs this colour too. I thought if I chose an easy beige I wouldn't have to paint the two story danger zone again.

It was the most unsatisfying two days of work ever. The colour is almost exactly the same as what was there, just a bit more of a yellow beige than a pink beige.

Bathroom

I don't have any before pictures on hand but it was the same beige as the hallway. The only really offensive thing about the bathroom was the tile above the tub. As you can see in the picture it was not just the crazy late 90s colours of royal blue, pink and yellow, but the texture.

I painted over the tile with a melamine paint. Choosing the colour to match was tough. I chose the first step away from the white in the can. The paint man told me that there was .38 of a drop of yellow oxide. And it is too yellow.

It matches the tub surround nicely.


But isn't even close to the other tiles. Perhaps if I added a top coat of shine...

The colour blue ended up being a little more baby blue than the steel blue I was looking for, but it is nice.

Now I just have to decide which towels I will consider my "good towels".

Brown, Red, White or Navy Blue (in the wash at the time of publishing).

I think it will be the blue.