Beauty (and the Beast) is in the Eye of the Beholder

I didn't really get to express my full opinion of the final look back at Joseph and now that Beauty and the Beast is done, I figure I would cover them both at the same time. First of all a warning- there will be bragging. I completely believe that those who can do, those who think they can tell you about how good they are. I'm not going to tell you how good I am, but rather how good the people around me are. I don't have an ego, but I do have confidence in my abilities. Not that I always know what I'm doing, but I will figure out a way to accomplish what I want to do. That comes with having a strong support team. People have no idea the amount of work involved in a production- even a small one and to do two major shows in two months of one another is beyond any normal sanity. We closed Joseph on April 24, we opened B & B on June 24- two months to the day. This may seem that grand of a feat unless you consider that every bit of rehearsal for both shows had to take place after normal working hours. Cheers to people and their passions.

First let me start with the people I see many more hours than I do my own family: Effie, Amanda and Sam. I can have an extreme vision that wows my own imagination but without the three of them, their dedication and desire to create the best possible product, it would be nothing more than some scribbles on paper. Some companies have all the creative people in the world working for them, but they don't have the relationship, support and comprehensive drive needed to create. So often audience members will confuse what truly makes a good show. The building or venue and technology can be the greatest and grandest, but without the people it is nothing but an empty shell. People create the art, art inspires the technology and technology facilitates the art- in that order and only in that order. These three folks go beyond any forty-hour a week job requirement. They sacrifice evenings, weekends, special occasions and almost all holidays. Why? Because they believe in what they are do. If you don't like what you are doing (and I use this term loosely) for a living- get out of it. Effie, Sam and Amanda- I love watching all of you do what you love to do and appreciate your respect, confidence and trust in my thoughts.

Having said that, I believe all your hard work can be celebrated after a wonderfully successful run of a show. Not just a large amount of people saw your work, but thousands! How many acts can say that? Why? Because you don't just entertain, you put every aspect of your being into a production, beyond blood, sweat and tears. You don't create plastic- a shiny experience that is hollow. An audience knows the difference and respects such. I respect ya'll. (Everett and the interns- you too. And especially Nikki for being willing to be married to and OCD type personality. Speaking of Nikki, where do you think my inspiration comes from?!?!?!?)

I am very proud of Joseph- if it was not a commercial success with attendance (that's a whole other story which I will not blame on the vision, execution or performance, but rather something that we are hopefully correcting). Joseph was a creative success in terms of overall production and growth of actors.

B & B was beautiful thanks to the before mentioned creative team and my mom, Catherine and Lainey. The fabric passed between their fingers in the last four months is more than you can imagine... I mean miles.... literally! Not because of the rewards they will reap but because the have a passion, but more importantly a dedication to the dreams and heart of their children. If ever you doubt if you are loved, take a look and see what your parents are willing to go through in order to make their children smile. I don't mean handing them a dollar and saying go buy something pretty, but instead giving them the example of hard work and what will come of that work. Now that is true beauty.