did that really just happen?

so something sort of crazy happened today. I got out of class today with half an hour of free time before I had something to do. I decided to kill some time by walking around the bookstore. So I was there, minding my business when I saw someone that I recognized, but didn't think in a million years I would ever see. Standing there in the middle of the bookstore was one of the contenders from this current season of Project Runway! I know! totally random right?! his name is Josh....something, I dont remember his last name, and I knew he was LDS, but how RANDOM is that?!  Im a huge project runway fan so I decided I might as well say hi to him. I don't exactly remember how the conversation went because I was sort of freaking out inwardly, but I said something about recognizing him, but somehow left out the part about project runnway, so he spend the first half of our conversation wondering if he knew me from when he came to BYU. but after we established that I definitely had never met him before, we talked for a minute, and I walked out of the bookstore thinking about how crazy life is sometimes

My Wicked Day

Today was pretty much the greatest day ever! Alex and I drove down to Fresno to see Wicked! On the drive down we listened to the Wicked soundtrack on repeat while I totally freaked out:

yes I am aware that this is a very unattractive picture of me, but it does illustrate just how excited I was feeling and how much I was bugging Alex the whole ride to Fresno. And yes, every once in a while it would hit me and I would get all excited again and scream for real.

so we got to the theater in Fresno and parked, but we were still like 45 min early so we walked around the theater a little bit, found the stage door, and I freaked out about seeing some guys that I though were probably cast members. After a little of that we went in to the theater, did a little shopping, took our seats and waited for the show to start. As soon as the lights went down and the ensemble started singing No One Mourns the Wicked, I freaked a little and punched and elbowed Alex a few times. The cast did an amazing job, this stage was a lot smaller than the theater in San Fran, so a few things about the set were different. But it was all done amazingly. the woman playing Elphaba was actually the standby which I thought was awesome. Everything about the show was just indescribable and I've got to admit my eyes started watering during the majority of the songs.

Ok, so I know that I'm totally geeking out here, but I seriously do love this show. I love the characters, the songs, the plot, how it twisted a story you thought you knew, I love the themes and the whole message, the sets and costumes, and really everything about it. so yeah...thats why Im so hyped up about it.

After the show Alex and I went to the stage door to see all of the actors and stuff. There were surprisingly very  few people there, and I was totally scared to talk to any of them and ask me to sign my playbill. But I did end up meeting the actresses who played Elphaba and Glinda! First Natalie Daradich came out (top pic) who played Glinda. She was so sweet and just as bubbly and sparkly in person as she was on stage. We had to wait for a while for Christine Dwyre who played Elphaba to be "degreenified" but she was super sweet as well and on the inside, I totally freaked when I saw her. All I could think was, wow! this is an amazing performer who gets to be Elphaba! I was trying to think of something more profound to say there, but its true. I absolutely adore the character of Elphaba and so I freaked being able to meet someone who is able to embody her on stage. oh, and she also still had a little bit of green makeup on her face, and here finger nails were painted green, like every elphaba actress has to do...and I just thought that was crazy awesome for some reason.

after taking this picture, Alex and I walked back to our car and it seriously took me a few minuets to compose myself, I was just so ecstatic, and I had a stupid grin on my face that wouldn't leave for a few hours because I was so hyped up.

aksjghsalkdjghlk!!!!! (thats pretty much how I feel right now)

so the craziest thing just happened to me. A week or so ago when I was freaking out about majoring in theater, I came across a blog called Unnaturally Green, by a woman who was the Elphaba standby in the San Francisco production of Wicked. I loved reading this blog because it had a whole bunch of cool behind the scenes type stuff. But about halfway through reading this blog something very unsettling occurred to me: Broadway shows are every night of the week except for Monday. This means that if I ever did end up with any type of job for which I would need to be there during the actual show, I would be required to work on Sunday.
This was a little unsettling for me because as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we are taught to keep the sabbath day holy which usually includes not working on Sunday. Needless to say I was pretty upset when I started thinking about this whole situation. Even on the off chance that I WAS good enough, would I EVER be able to get a job on Broadway? I started searching the internet for answers when I came across a Deseret News article about LDS performers on traveling Broadway shows. One of the actresses mentioned was Nikki Bohne, who has the lead role in the traveling tour of Legally Blonde. I went to her website, found her email and decided to ask her my questions, not really thinking I would ever actually hear back from her.
I had actually pretty much forgotten that I had ever sent her an email until this morning, when I got a reply! here is part of what she shared with me:

"Cutting right to the chase. You will have to work on Sunday. There are
enough actresses out there for the job, that at first you won't be
able to say no. Some people who have established themselves in the
business with a certain job may be able to contract Sunday's off, but
I would say that is the exception, not the rule. The advice I would
give would be to decide within yourself what is most important to you
and your specific relationship with heavenly father. Everyone has a
different outlook on the gospel and so it's important to create your
own personal "code of honor." In my personal opinion, the good that I
do outweighs working on the Sabbath. I work really hard to attend
church each week, so I normally do not miss th sacrament, but it is
hard. It is a personal decision you have to make and in this business
it is tough to find the motivation for the small things. But it's
possible! Maintaining a regular plan of scripture reading and prayer
is essential. I listen to conference talks while traveling and study
the Book of Mormon with my family.


But what it comes down to is your own personal decision. Being an
active member of the church in this field is hard...really hard...but
definitely possible! Most importantly, enter your career knowing who
you are and what you stand for. If you are wavering at all, the world
will get to you. But the lord really is on our side and I feel his
spirit every day, even in the show. Wait, especially in the show ;)
performing is such a spiritual experience for me and singing my shoe
every night brings me closer to my father in heaven.

If you are dead set on Sundays, there is hope. After months of
switching shifts to attend church and showing up in a dress with my
food for the whole day in a bag, Disney finally gave me Sundays off!
It took a lot of work and I wouldn't count on that being a regular
occurrence."


this is just a little of what she emailed me, and I honestly just couldn't believe she emailed me back. What she said really made me feel better because at least at this point, I don't have to give up on this dream. I dont know what the future holds, but as of now, this may still be a possibility for me if I work hard