Happy 56th Birthday Disneyland

Congrats to Robert & Amanda (and some kudos)

I should be in bed right now, but as usual... I can't get sleepy. I have been running like crazy since two weeks before Guys and Dolls which opened on June 23 and closed two weeks ago today. Sometimes it happens like that- you get a buzz and it doesn't leave for quite some time. Yes, I am tired, but not so tired that I have to be a baby.

This weekend (the whole week for that matter) was very full. Fourth day of a four day concert on the Fourth of July, after a four day show run the week before as well. Building a little show called Narnia in the next three weeks. Three trips to the airport in Atlanta in three days and one to the airport in Asheville as well- not all me, but making sure the transportation and people are all arranged properly. A wedding (more about that in a bit) rehearsal on Friday night, wedding on Saturday afternoon, concert on Saturday night and a bus load of folks back to the airport in Atlanta Sunday morning. Why do I write all this? Someday my future physicians will need to look back and this and read why I am in the state that I am.

The wedding (because all the other is much less interesting) was a wonderful experience. Robert Jessup and Amanda Munger became Robert and Amanda Jessup on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Nikki and I "coordinated" the ceremony, however, Amanda had already done all the work and so we just had to show and carry on. It was a reversal of roles, if you will. Usually it is my vision and Amanda carries out the production. This time, I was her stage manager- as a visionary, I will give her an A plus.

No, beyond A plus. For those of you who might not know, Amanda did everything for this event. I mean everything, down to the creation of the dress, the reception center pieces, the invitations, completely all from top to bottom. At the same time she was working forty plus hours a week at the theatre and stage managed a major production less than two weeks earlier. To build a wedding from the ground up while working more than full time is as crazy as mounting a dozen shows a year. (We all seem to be surrounded by mutual crazy people.) Not only did Amanda more than excel at her job, but she pulled off a wonderful event with out even a hint of being a Bridezilla. To those of you that think you work hard, suck it. No comparison.

Nikki and I were honored to be a small part of that wonderful day. Very few people know what Amanda actually does when it comes to a stage production, not to mention the everyday running of a public theatrical venue and weekly concerts. After all, she spends most productions standing in the dark out of sight of the audience. This is the best way I can describe it: imagine doing a show is like baking a cake. I gather the ingredients, pick the flavors, the style of cake and frosting. You mix all those pieces together and toss it in the oven to bake, but if you just toss it the cake mix will drip and ooze into an uncollected mess. What you need is a sturdy, reliable cake pan. The best way to describe my working relationship with Amanda is she is the production's bundt pan- she holds it all together.

I have been to many weddings in my life. I love going to weddings, especially those with a good reception. The thing I always notice is the spirit. At Robert and Amanda's wedding, there was a wonderful peace and an overwhelming joy through the entire experience. They, without a doubt, were created for one another, because such joy cannot be faked or created out of nothing. Yes, I teared up.

The best part about going to all these weddings (the joyful ones) is it takes me back to my own wedding day. I have said so many times and will say many more that I have never experienced a day of such wonderful happiness. Just thinking about it I get the "good" butterflies in my stomach and more often than not, I catch myself thinking about that day and I realize I have a giant smile (like right now.) Very rarely is there a day that goes by that I don't regret something- I could have painted that better, made that direction cleaner, stood in the sunshine a little longer, only drank one dr. pepper, but when I think of the day I married my sweetheart, I regret nothing.

One time Nikki gave me a list of quotes all about love. My favorite one that best describes her and me is "love is like a butterfly, it settles upon you when you least expect it."

Many happy days Robert and Amanda!

Happy 4th of July

Happy Number Two!

Two years ago tonight was the grand opening of The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. Congrats to the past and here's to the future!

Backstage With the Cast

Backstage with the cast of Guys and Dolls at our first full dress rehearsal. Check it out!

Lucky Be A Lady Tonight!

Guys and Dolls June 23, 24, 25 at 7:30pm & June 26 at 2:30pm! Great singing, dancing and lots of laughs- a Broadway classic!

What to Do While Waiting for Star Tours to Re- Open?

I Can't Wait for This! Ha!

My Life is So Strange (but in a good way)

This was one of those weekends where I love my job. I always enjoy my job, but some times it is way too good.

For this whole experience to make sense, I need to go back over twenty years ago. It was the summer before I went into seventh grade and the Disney Channel was only a few years old. One particular day the channel was showing old retro editions of the Wonderful World of Disney. The episode airing that day was the Osmond Brothers and Kurt Russel opening the new Haunted Mansion attraction. I taped it (on VHS of course) and watched it over and over. The show was so cheesy, it was wonderful: the bell bottom costumes with fringe, the hair cuts and the whole "gee-whiz" attitude. To this day... amazing in every sense of the word.

Advance to May 20, 2011. The Osmond Brothers were going to be performing at the theatre. Wow, they must be really old. That's what I thought and I was right, but from the show they put on, you would never know. By far one of the best I have seen in the past two years. Nothing but pure bubblegum joyfulness. Not only that, they were some of the nicest performers we have met- they even tried to buy our dinner in Atlanta.

Coming from Branson, where the brothers are currently performing, they were flying into Atlanta airport with their band. Someone would need to pick them up, so Samuel and I headed down Friday afternoon with the shuttle bus for an 8:25pm pick up of the American music legends. I knew things were going to go well when the first thing they said when they got on the bus was, "Where is the nearest Chic-fil-a?" I kid you not...

Show was great (see above section of this post) and Sunday morning back to the airport. Since it wasn't late at night this time, they were very talky. I answered lots of questions about the area, the theatre and giggled under my breath when they got excited everytime they saw a veggie stand on the side of the road. To quote, "Wow, we don't have farmers markets in Branson." It was lots of fun to talk to them. After I felt like I wouldn't be annoying, I brought up the story of watching them on a re-run episode of the Wonderful World of Disney episode that summer before seventh grade. Not only were they excited to talk about it, but they told me all about the experience of how they filmed it and several other projects with Disney.

How crazy is life. Today I drank Dr. Pepper with those same guys with the silly haircuts and deep down, secretly in my heart if only for a brief moment, I wish I had fringe on my cuffs.

Spectacular!

If you don't already know I am a nerd, then where have you been?

I found this great picture of the construction of Spaceship Earth at Epcot, or as Nikki calls it, "the big, silver golf ball." This is taken from the rear of the attraction and you can see the monorail beams circling the someday to be park. The greatest thing about this photo is you can see the corkscrew design of the ride inside the sphere and realize how high you actually go.

Fun facts bout Nikki's second favorite Disney ride:

The geosphere is 165 feet in diameter, 180 feet high (it stands 15 feet off the ground), encompasses 2,200,000 cubic feet of space, weighs 15.5 million pounds, has an outside surface of 150,000 square feet, and is covered by 11,324-silvered facets on 954 triangular panels. The exterior tiles are made of Alucobond¨ material, a composite of ethylene plastic which has been chemically bonded between two aluminum panels. The name comes from ALUminum Composite BOND. This material can withstand the Florida climate and is self - cleaning. A specially designed gutter system prevents water from cascading off the sphere; rainwater is channeled through the structure and sent to underground drains, where it replenishes the World Showcase Lagoon. The pilings for Spaceship Earth extend far into the ground with a range of 110 to 185 feet.

Pirates 4 Premiere... With a Great Host

Couldn't go all week without at least one post about this wonderful place.

Three Years Ago Today Life Changed... So Good

Three years ago today I married my sweetie. By far the greatest decision of my life and the greatest day of my life. Each year we watch the picture show that we showed at our rehearsal dinner. Just in case you missed it two years ago, check it out here. The one thing you will notice is we are always doing a show or we are always at Disney World. the best things in life, I tell you... the best things.

Do-Ti-Ti-La-Fa-Mi-Do-Re-So-So-Do

"Anything!"

Like Mother Like Son

Don't you hate it when you show up somewhere and realize you are dressed like someone else? I guess they're both afraid of being pinched today. Happy St. Patty's Day!

Just When You Think It's Safe

You realize the world is full of bigger morons than you first imagined. Note to self, create a pesticide for idiots.

When You Think About...

SEUSS!

You Know It's Time to Do Laundry When...

Lost Footage

I just discovered this lost footage of Nikki when she was younger. I am here to say rehab does work.

New Babies

Now we know how puppets are born.