This is THE month!

D-day is at the end of this month. Am I a little freaked out? Yes. But SUPER excited. And nervous that baby girl could actually come earlier than that. Maybe. Possibly. Eeeeek!!! We're more or less ready for her, whenever she comes.

Anyways... for Halloween, I simply taped a little jack-o-lantern face onto an orange shirt to dress my belly up, but some people at my alma mater got really creative with their costumes. You can see more pictures on the BYU facebook page, but I just want to share two of my favorites with you here:

This guy was walking around campus in slow motion all day. I think it's hilarious.

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And this one is pretty dang cute too:

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We just had our performances for a certain... musical... about a doctor who is rather horrible... for copyright purposes I must not give any other hints, but if you've seen this musical, then you'll know what I'm talking about. Yes, we did that musical. And it was a big success, if I do say so myself. And if you HAVE seen this musical, then this cast picture will make perfect sense to you:

That horse. He's so... bad... okay, I need to stop or I'll get in trouble!

I also went to the first BYU Social Dance Lab of the semester, mainly so I could watch my old ballroom team do a floor show. They performed the same jive that I performed in back when I was 7 weeks pregnant. That was a crazy experience, and I was always so nervous that all the bouncing and jumping would result in a miscarriage. My lungs were always on fire by the end. (1st trimester problems!) Here's a video of one of our dress rehearsals from back in April:

I miss ballroom so much! I danced to a couple songs at the dance lab, and let me tell you... doing Triple Swing when you're 36 weeks pregnant results in angry feet. But it was still so fun!

And one final note... taking my little nephew trick-or-treating was so cute. It made me really excited to take my own kids trick-or-treating in the not-too-distant future. REALLY excited.

Because Gene Kelly is that awesome

You guys. I'm done with the month of March. You don't even know how happy I am about that.

I've had a nice, long, hard month full of ballroom competitions and performances, plenty of homework, and a one-month rehearsal process for the production Jimmy Stewart Goes to Hollywood. We just had our performances this weekend, so the amount of things I have to do in April is half of what I was doing in March. Are there still projects and papers? Yes. Is there still a big, fancy ballroom concert to prepare for that I'm having three 6:30 AM rehearsals for this week? Yes. But there are only two weeks of classes left in my college career - then finals - then graduation!

Meanwhile, let me show off these bright, happy yellow dresses that we used for one of our most recent performances. We did a quickstep to the song "Good Morning" and so I had Gene Kelly constantly echoing in my head, while simultaneously doing a play where the all the characters are from the golden age of Hollywood. Lots of classics in my life. Because people like Jimmy Stewart, Gene Kelly, and Ginger Rogers are all so great.

Happy yellow dresses. I think they're my favorite costume we've had (although I have not seen what costumes we'll be wearing for the concert yet).

Needless to say, every time I'm around my team members in the morning this song is bound to come up. Who can't spend a month working on a quickstep to "Good Morning" and not start singing it every morning?!

Happy end of March, everyone. The green buds that are appearing on the trees are telling me it's going to be a good month.

Piano, Parades, and Such

First of all, Seussical is done with! It was a successful show, and it received a lot of praise. I had tons of fun rocking out on the piano in my little corner of the backstage area. It was a LOT of piano time for me. I even developed a blister on my thumb from all the times I had to glissando.

My next project is being the music director for a production of the musical Little Women. Auditions are coming up at the end of this month, and the show is in February. It very well might be my very last theatre project while I'm at BYU!

Why? Because I'm graduating in April! And I just applied for graduation yesterday. AH! How strange to think about!

Saturday marked the day of the Homecoming Parade in preparation for BYU's Homecoming Game that night. Performing in the parade as part of the BYU Ballroom Dance Company was awesome, even though by the end of it all my energy was gone. It was so fun to have all the little kids on the parade route reaching out their hands to get high fives and to see the adult ballroom fans call out things like "you guys look great" or "you're all so good" or "I love you guys!" Surprisingly, I had plenty of energy the rest of the day and my legs didn't really hurt much. Instead, I was sore in my shoulder area. I think it's because of all the big arm movements I had to do. My legs were prepared but my arms were not, which was not what I was expecting with Triple Swing.

Here's a random picture shot on the parade route. Polka dot dresses, curly ponytails, keds, bobby socks, and all. I'm on the left side of the picture at the very front of that pack of 4 girls. We had to run to catch up to the group before us because when we stopped to do our dance, we would never travel far enough to keep up. So when we weren't dancing, we were running. It was a workout.

On a separate note, I found an opportunity between classes last Wednesday to wander along the BYU South Campus River Trail, and it was lovely. That pathway is always gorgeous, especially in the fall. Many of the trees haven't truly started changing color yet though... shame on them.

^^^^^ I'm always in my Latin skirt and flip flops/sandals on M/W/F because I have to go from class to class, and half of them are ballroom. Yes, even when it's cold, I wear my skirt. I'm sure I will choose warmth over convenience once the snow comes.

I'm so lucky to attend such a beautiful campus.
I'm so thankful I have a body that allows me to move and dance.
I'm so glad I have an appreciation and talent for music and theatre.
I'm just an artsy gal.
And I wouldn't have it any other way.

When we have theatre parties

Loud talking, hot dogs, strange t-shirts (a surprise every year!), and a chilly nip to the air.

Those things are what I associate with the annual Opening Social for the Theatre/Media Arts college.

And I must say, I liked this year's social better than last year's. Perhaps it was the sunflower centerpieces. Perhaps it was because I knew so many people and was sitting with the noisiest, loudest, craziest group of thespians, all of whom I have worked closely with on theatre productions since March of this year. Perhaps it was the Swedish Fish that someone brought to the party (gotta love red dye #40).

Not pictured: Lindsay.

Because she was busy taking the photo.

I'm a theatre geek. And proud of it.
Oh, how I love these people.

Props to dear Douglas for coming with me and sitting in the midst of a group of people he barely even knows. I'm sure we all seem pretty crazy to him. It's a good thing he did some theatre in high school and has been exposed to my world. Of course, I'm sure he didn't bargain on a wife who goes around singing all of Neil Patrick Harris's past 3 Tony Awards opening numbers for hours on end. Because that's what I was doing yesterday. And I made him watch all the videos with me on Youtube.

And I've been singing Seussical songs for ages. Before that it was Hello, Dolly. And my next broadway soundtrack obsession will probably be Jekyll and Hyde, followed by Little Women. Yes, I plan these things out.

Anyways...

I was cold by the end of the night. Sweater weather!!!!! Come to me!
And I want pumpkin cookies.
Thank goodness for Friday and weekends and the Holy War Rivalry Football Game this weekend. And then there's EviDance, which I have to go see on Saturday night at the same time as the football game. I'm sure the concert will be worth it, but all the exciting stuff in the game better happen during the second half when I'm back from the concert and can watch.

On that note, I'll say good night.

Sitting in my little secluded box

I know, I know. I've been a little MIA for the past week. But I have a good excuse, I promise! We have been having dress and tech rehearsals for a play that I am Stage Manager for. Yesterday was our preview performance, and tonight is opening night!

So I've been spending my evenings cooped up in a little black stage manager box for the past couple days. But I get a birds-eye-view of the stage!

Now that the show is actually opening, my days will be less chaotic because I won't be stressing about making sure the set gets built in time, that the costumes all work properly, that the props are where they need to be when they need to be, feeling that the actors aren't off-book enough, etc.

Now I just get to sit in my little black stage manager box and relax. And do the light cues, because that's my job. And I will not let myself panic if something goes dreadfully wrong, like one of our prop bows breaking in half or a costume ripping at the seams. (knock on wood...)

Break a leg, my lovely cast!

And to the blogging world... I'll finally have time for my blog again very very soon! See you on the other side!

A Wrinkle in Time: From Book to the Stage

Remember that strange, beloved children's book that had us wishing we could tesser, looking at stars and wondering which ones were fighting darkness, and taught us the power of love and courage?

Well... on Saturday we did our last performance of a new stage adaptation of that book - A Wrinkle in Time - and it was quite the adventure! And, for the first time since April, I was able to sleep in today. No classes, no rehearsals... nothing. It was magical.

The rehearsal process was very interesting, but it all came together in the end. And what a production it was!

Meg Murry and Charles Wallace Murry, standing next to IT

From left to right: Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Which, and Mrs Who

Meg and Charles Wallace meet Calvin O'Keefe while taking Fortinbras for a walk

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Teaching about dimensions

A back view of The Man with Red Eyes and his posse

And, of course, we had a blast at our cast party. From hamburgers, to paper plate "W Awards" to bouning on the trampoline with a dinosaur pinata, it was a blast. Thank you to the lovely Jenna Hawkins for the pictures!

Sheets for our Director... Mrs Buncombe's sheets, of course! Mrs Whatsit finally gave them back ;)

I got the Watchful Award

#ThatsNotYourLine

(I was always on-book, telling them the lines they were messing up)

And yes, they drew a picture of a book with the words "Levi-O-sa, not Levi-o-SA"

It makes me happy that they compare me to Hermione.

12 hours

I spent most of my waking hours in the Fine Arts Center here at my college yesterday.

12 hours, to be precise.

Yes, on a Saturday.

But it's worth it when I see the progress that "A Wrinkle in Time" is making, and see the awesome choreography they're learning in "Seussical the Musical".

This is a small "experimental theatre" that we do student-directed projects in.

And the picture's a bit blurry, but the guy in the center is lifting a girl over his head and spinning.

Oh, so exciting.

They're all having so much fun, and half of them are just as tired, if not more tired than me.

Theatre does that to ya.

A Wrinkle in Time opens in less than two weeks! We start tech rehearsals in the De Jong Concert Hall on Tuesday. It will be over before I know it, I'm sure.

Happy Sunday to everyone!

The amazing bearded woman

If you have never seen a bearded woman, now is your chance.

Prepare to be amazed.

Ain't I lovely?

This is probably the most amusing makeup project I have done yet.
It was messy.
Hair was everywhere.
It was a little bit itchy.
I felt like a pedophile.

Part of me cannot understand why boys ever grow beards. Then again... it was really fun to stroke. I sound like a creeper for saying that, but it's true! My husband prefers my face to be beard-less, but one of my guy friends told me that I wear a good beard. I'll take his word for it.

What do you think? I mean, it's not every day that you see a bearded lady!

*Disclaimer to new readers... I'm usually not this hairy and weird, I promise! I just have to do interesting projects for my Theatre Education major!

Sometimes, I wonder...

This week, I am spending all of my evenings (except Sunday) at Springville High School. I am helping out with some of the technical aspects of their production of "Hello, Dolly!" and I've been learning some new things... including just how stressful it is to be a theatre teacher at a high school.

Sometimes, I stop and wonder, "What am I getting myself in to?!"

In addition to teaching 5-7 classes, theatre teachers also have to put together productions. And that is NOT a light, easy task.

I'm experiencing that right now. Or rather... I'm seeing the Springville teacher(s) flip out because of how much work there is to do, and opening night is on Friday.

And yet... I keep at it.
Why?
Because I love theatre so stinkin' much, and I want to make a difference in the lives of my students. And that is worth every hour of sleep-deprivation I get.

But... you're so OLD!

Here's what I might (kind of) look like when I'm a granny!
Although... this makeup is designed for a stage, so the wrinkles wouldn't look so strong under stage lights...

Can I just say that my makeup class is so fun!
This was the first time I've tried wrinkles, so some of them could probably have been made more realistic... but this is just supposed to be late middle-age. I'll be doing really old age makeup in a few weeks. I'm gonna look ancient!

Let me tell ya... it is really fun to make faces with this makeup on.

The next time I try it, I'm going to try graying my hair slightly. That would help me look more granny-like.

These are such great techniques to know, since Halloween is coming up.
Doug and I are considering using my makeup skills to be Carl and Ellie from the movie Up.
What do you think of that idea?!

Black Eye...

I'm sure that the last thing you want to see when you are surfing the blog-o-sphere is someone with an injury.

But dang it, this week has been so busy and I don't know what else to post about at the moment, so I'm just gonna go ahead and post a picture of the tiny experiment I did in my theatre makeup class yesterday.

Yeah. A fresh black eye.
It's just starting to swell up and turn color.
Beautiful, isn't it?
Even more beautiful with the blotchy quality of the pictures my phone takes!

Bear with me, it was only my first attempt at a black eye.

I walked home with the makeup still on, and it was so funny to see people double-take when they saw my face

They even tried to be sneaky about it so I wouldn't know they were looking at me.

Hilarious.

Don't worry. We don't always give ourselves black eyes in makeup.

Next week it's much better!

We're giving ourselves burns, broken noses, slit throats, cuts, scrapes, bites... you name it!

Oh, the magical wonders of stage makeup.

Thank goodness it's Friday tomorrow.

Wigs and cupcake cravings

Before I get to my main post, I would just like to say...

I'm really craving these red velvet cupcakes from The Cocoa Bean.

Totes getting this type next time I go.

What can I say... I like chocolate-dipped strawberries!

                                                                              Source: facebook.com via The Cocoa Bean on Pinterest

Alright.

We were working with wigs in my Makeup class today.

I was super disappointed when I found out we wouldn't be putting them on our own heads...

And then I saw how gross the wigs looked.

So I'm okay with it.

This is called an "Esmeralda" head.

Isn't she gorgeous? Haha. Ha.

Oh, the lovely pictures I can take with my phone... (cue the eye-roll)

And here is what she looks like with her wig on!

It was a real process, getting that thing on her head.

I had to put parts of her hair in pin-curls, parts of it in French Braids, put a wig cap on... etc...

And the wig ended up being too big for her head. Wonderful.

It was nice and secure though.

You could yank on that wig and it wouldn't come off.

So... need a legit wig put on your head?

I can take care of that.

Haha... ha...