Ode to the Arts

Have I used that title before?  In the past few weeks, we have attended two plays--"Seven Brides to Seven Brothers (Hale Theatre) and "Mary Poppins (Centerpoint Theatre) and one concert by Vocal Point (at Centerpoint Theatre as well).  There is something magical about being in a darken theatre and watching talented people who have sacrificed and practiced and love what they are doing.  And the stories they tell and the songs they sing not only take me away from the daily cares of life (meaning homework) but they inspire, touch me, and encourage me to laugh, to cry, to love more and to try harder to develop my own talents and skills.

For example:

Love never goes away,
It plays on like a song.
Oh, love never goes away,
He holds me and I know where I belong.

I am not really a romantic but for some reason the concept of Love "plays on like a song." really touched me.  How true that is--and not such in romantic love like between husband and wife but in all areas.  I have loved people of all ages, sizes, skin colors, and nations and each one of them still dwell with me in my heart to be remember and re-remembered throughout my life. Like a song from the past we instantly remember the words to when it starts on a the radio--love plays on and on and on.

I am not a fan of this play.  After all, stealing 6 girls from a nearby town to become the wives to six brothers is fairly far-fetched.  But Jena loves it with its music and dancing so I didn't want to simply skip it.  It was a great performance and had its moments of delight with dancing and comic moments.  I left being glad I was there to share it with Jena and Gary.

And who doesn't love "Mary Poppins".  This was the Broadway version which is slightly different than the Walt DIsney show and more closely related to the books.  Jena and I ushered and slipped into our seats as it was getting ready to start.  Seeing a familiar play like "Mary Poppins" has its own rewards.  I waited in anticipation of "Feed the Birds" knowing I would cry (and it did not disappoint--the actress had an amazing voice suited for this haunting tune), eager to see how they danced one of my favorite scenes "Chim Chim Cheree", and excited to see and hear "Let's go Fly A Kite".

As a kite lover, I love the words of that song and a quote familiar to "Mary Poppins" fans:

"With your feet on the ground you’re a bird in flight with your fist holding tight to the string of your kite."

How about "A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down"?  What mother hasn't sang that to a child since the movie brought this story to life?

And there is the whole-  "Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious!  All of us at school at that time were busy trying to learn to say it and some of the more ambitious could also spell it (not me--I cut and pasted it here.).

Plays not only entertain us but they remind us of the beauty and the blessings in our own lives as we see the lives of others' played on the stage before us.  I am so glad that Gary enjoys theatre like I do (I didn't know this until after we were married) and it is fun to share that love with Jena.

Then last Friday night, we headed to the Vocal Point concert in Centerville.  I knew it would be a great concert as we had heard them perform at Roots Tech.  And it was great and made even more fun by the fact that one of the young men in the group was from Centerville and we were sitting surrounded by many of his family and friends.  That made the concert even more fun!

Gary, Jena, Emily (one of Jena's friends) and I went.  It is very hard to get good pictures while they are all moving on stage but these will serve of reminders about this great concert. They are a group of BYU students who actually take a one credit class for Vocal Point that requires about 30-50 hours a week on some weeks.  My music friends always complained about the credits they got for classes which required so much practicing.  I guess it hasn't changed in 40 years.  They are an a capella group which means there is not instruments or sound track used when they sing.  Every sound is made by the different members of the group.  Their BeBop guy was amazing.  He is the one that does all of the drums and other sounds which are in the songs. He did a 4-5 minute solo combining so many sounds.  I couldn't figure out how he could even breath and still make those sounds.  It was very impressive. 

intermission--Emily and Jena

at the restaurant afterwards for dinner 

Check them out on YouTube (if that still exists when you read this blog).   They shared a youtube video during the concert of one of their young fans who has Down syndrome.  His family noticed from the time he could walk how he loved to dance to Vocal Point music and youtube videos.  This youtube was filming this young boy's visit to a rehearsal of Vocal Point.  He was 3 or so years old and it was so fun to watch him dance...and yes, you know I cried.  I had seen the video before as it went the rounds on facebook but it was before I really knew who Vocal Point was so it was sweet to see it in that setting.

Music, dancing, theatre, costumes, the anticipation, the memories---how blessed we are by the talents of those who share this earth with us!!