Quarters for Christmas 2016

Last week I helped my officers to sponsor a campaign to raise money for Quarters for Christmas.  My officers worked tirelessly to make this campaign a success and the students of Hunter High were incredibly generous this year!  We were able to present a check for $2,107.20 (the most we've ever raised at Christmastime) to KSL for a segment aired on the news.

Deanie Wimmer, one of the anchors on KSL, met with the officers and graciously thanked them for the donation, spending a considerable amount of time with them.  It was really fun to go behind the scenes to see what happens during a news broadcast.

I am really proud of my officers and the students of HHS for helping to make the holidays better for the children of Utah.

Sing

On Christmas Eve my whole family went to see the movie Sing and we had so much fun!  Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), an impresario with a cash-flow problem, devises a singing competition to save his theater by promising a reward which is more than he can afford thanks to a mistake made by his secretary Miss Crawley (Garth Jennings), a green iguana with a troublesome glass eye.  After a lengthy (and hilarious) audition, several competitors are selected.  Rosita (Reese Witherspoon) is an overworked and underappreciated pig who gave up her dreams of stardom to be a wife and mother.  Gunther (Nick Kroll) is a flamboyant and attention-seeking pig who is partnered with Rosita to give her act some flash.  Mike (Seth MacFarlane) is a white mouse who is a talented, but extremely arrogant, street performer.  Ash (Scarlett Johansson) is a punk-rocking porcupine with boyfriend problems.  Johnny (Taron Egerton) is a mountain gorilla who wants to be a singer rather than a member of his Dad's criminal gang.  Finally, Meena (Tori Kelly) is an elephant with a beautiful voice but is debilitated by shyness.  Each of them must overcome enormous odds to get to an epic final performance.  There are over 85 classic songs as well as an original song by Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande.  It was really fun trying to recognize all of the songs.  My favorites were "Golden Slumbers/ Carry that Weight," "Butterfly" (which Tashena sang out loud), "Bad Romance," and "Call Me Maybe" (which we all sang out loud).  Just like most animated movies for children, there are quite a few funny references that only adults will understand.  Both Marilyn and I laughed and laughed when one of the characters had a Sunset Boulevard moment (we were the only ones laughing in the entire theater).  The plot is definitely formulaic (I've heard it called Zootopia meets American Idol) but it is a lot of fun and it is especially appropriate for families wanting to see a movie over the holidays.

Note:  While the rest of us saw Sing, my Dad saw Rogue One at the same time.  He loved it!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in Concert

Last night I went to a screening of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on the big screen at Abravanel Hall with the magnificent score by John Williams played live by the Utah Symphony.  It was one of the coolest things I've ever done!  Apparently this is becoming a really popular thing to do because I remember the guide at the Sydney Opera House mentioning that Raiders of the Lost Ark was being screened with a live orchestra that night.  When I got a notification about this concert, I was already planning on calling the box office that same day to get opera tickets so I decided to get a ticket for this at the same time.  The agent told me that there were very few tickets left so I'm glad that I acted quickly.  In fact, they added another concert on January 3 because the first two shows sold out so quickly (go here for tickets to the January 3 show).  I absolutely loved this!  It has been a long time since I've seen the Harry Potter movies (I feel a marathon coming on over the break) and I had forgotten just how enchanting Harry's first year at Hogwarts was!  Harry, Ron, and Hermione were so little in the first movie!  Having the Utah Symphony play the music live made the movie come to life and the audience definitely responded!  They cheered when every major character was introduced, when Harry and Ron defeated the mountain troll, when Gryffindor won the Quidditch game against Slytherin, when Ron sacrificed himself in the wizard's chess game, when Harry defeated Voldemort, and when Gryffindor won the House Cup!  It was so much fun and I am glad I was able to get a ticket!  I've heard a rumor that they will eventually show all of the movies with the Utah Symphony and I certainly hope they do.  I highly recommend this experience for the whole family!

Note:  Yesterday was just about the perfect day!  I slept in scandalously late then spent most of the day with Sean going to lunch and shopping.  We draw names for stockings and Sean drew my Dad.  He needed some assistance and we ended up going all over for one essential item!  I decided to go downtown for the concert really early to avoid the crazy traffic and got there so early that I ended up going to see the lights at Temple Square (pictures coming soon).

A Christmas Carol at HCT 2016

I am now officially on Winter break and I couldn't be happier (It was touch and go whether I would make it through my final class yesterday). I am definitely looking forward to some fun activities (and sleeping in) over the break. At the top of my list: a performance of A Christmas Carol at Hale Theatre. This, like The Nutcracker, is another one of my very favorite holiday traditions and it wouldn't be Christmas without it! Also, like The Nutcracker, it never grows old even though I have seen it so many times I could probably stand in for any part! I always look forward to the octet singing Christmas carols in between scenes. I always look forward to the dramatic entrance of ghost of Jacob Marley and all of his chains. I always look forward to Christmas at the Fezziwig's (especially when they sing "Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella"). I always look forward the party at Fred's house (especially when one of the guests starts laughing uncontrollably).  I always look forward to the terrifying Ghost of Christmas Future.  Finally, I always look forward to the scenes which illustrate Scrooge's redemption, particularly the scenes with Bob Cratchit. During last night's performance, virtually every role was filled by an actor I had never seen before, most notably Stephen Kerr as Scrooge, Josh Richardson as Bob Cratchit, and Spencer Bean as Fred. It almost seemed like a new production because each actor added something new to the character. I thoroughly enjoyed myself last night, and not just because I am on Winter break! I highly recommend that you get a ticket to one of the remaining performances (tickets may be purchased here). Next year, A Christmas Carol will be performed in the new theatre!

Note:  I sat by the most adorable family.  They bought me a drink and a cookie at intermission for putting up with their four children (who were incredibly well-behaved).  It was a lot of fun!

Nutcracker 2016

The holidays will be upon us very soon and I am not ready! I spent most of the afternoon yesterday rushing around trying to check some items off my long to-do list and, frankly, I'm a little bit stressed out. Last night, however, I took some time out to enjoy one of my very favorite holiday traditions: a production of The Nutcracker by Ballet West. It was the perfect antidote to my stress because as soon as I heard the first notes of Tchaikovsky's magnificent score, I settled into my seat knowing it would be a lovely evening. I've seen this ballet so many times you might think that it would get old, but it just makes me anticipate every scene even more! I love it when the Christmas tree grows to giant proportions, I love it when the toy nutcracker turns into a handsome prince, I love it when the Snow Queen dances with all of her snowflakes, I love all of the divertissements provided by the Sugar Plum Fairy for Clara's enjoyment (especially the Arabian dance and the Russian dance), and, most of all, I love the Grand Pas de Deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier because it is so incredibly romantic. I got to see someone new dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy last night, Sayaka Ohtaki, and she was absolutely beautiful and danced the role magnificently. The entire production is magical, from Tchaikovsky's incomparable music, to William Christensen's classic choreography, to the stunning sets and opulent costumes. If The Nutcracker has ever been one of your holiday traditions, I suggest that you try to see one of the remaining performances (go here for tickets) to bid a fond farewell to the current production. In 2017, Ballet West will debut a whole new production complete with new sets, costumes, and special effects, which is exciting but also a little bit bittersweet. I have certainly enjoyed the current production for a very long time and I especially enjoyed it last night!

Note:  My friend's daughter performed as one of the Ladies in Waiting last night.  It was so fun to be able to see her and she did a wonderful job!

Gingerbread Houses 2016

Last night we had our traditional gingerbread house party with Sean and Tashena.  We do this every year, although Sean mentioned that when he is a teenager next year he might not want to do it any more.  Tashena responded by saying that she is sixteen and still likes to do it!  We always buy the kits and then we hot glue them together so we can get to the decorating faster.  It is such a fun tradition!

We always have to get the shot of Sean eating the frosting because we have one from every year!  He eats more frosting than he puts on his house.  In fact, he ate so much this year that he had to use my leftover frosting to finish!

Working on their houses!

Various stages of construction!

Tashena with her house.

Sean with his house.  The random purple candy on the window kills me!

Our gingerbread village!

La La Land

Last night I was, once again, at the Broadway Theater downtown.  This time I saw a film that I have been looking forward to for months and it was as good as I was hoping it would be!  La La Land is an homage to the classic old Hollywood musical (director Damien Chazelle was inspired by Singin' in the Rain and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) but it is set in modern-day Los Angeles and it tells a very contemporary story.  Mia (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is a jazz musician who dreams of owning his own club.  They meet and spend an idyllic summer together full of singing, dancing, and old-fashioned romance.  They both struggle to achieve their dreams but will they choose success or love?  After they make their choice, we get to see what their lives are like five years later but, in an incredibly clever sequence, we also get to see what their lives would have been like had they made a different choice.  Oh, how I loved this movie!  It is charming, delightful, and magical with wonderfully engaging performances by both Gosling and Stone, made even more impressive by the fact that neither of them are known for singing and dancing (Gosling learned to tap and play piano for the role).  The choreography is spectacular (it was choreographed by Mandy Moore, who is most noted for her work on So You Think You Can Dance), especially in "A Lovely Night" shot in the Hollywood Hills at sunset, and I loved the music so much I downloaded "City of Stars" before the final credits ended.  I cannot recommend this movie enough!  It put a smile on my face at I time when I have become a bit jaded about life.

Manchester by the Sea

I live equidistant from a large and state-of-the-art multiplex, where I go to see the latest blockbusters, and a quaint and charming art house theater downtown, where I go to see independent films and documentaries.  I spend an equal amount of time at both:  Thursday night I was at the multiplex and last night found me at the Broadway for a screening of Manchester by the Sea.  This film was easily my favorite at the Sundance Film Festival last year and I was quite eager to see it again now that it is in wide release.  Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is a janitor working in Boston with a habit of getting written up at work and getting into fights at the local bar.  He is clearly troubled but there are flashbacks to happier times with his brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) and young nephew on their boat in Manchester.  When his brother dies, Lee learns that, unbeknownst to him, he has been made guardian to his nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges), now sixteen years old.  Patrick does not want to leave his life (and multiple girlfriends) in Manchester to move to Boston but Lee doesn't want to move back to Manchester because he is haunted by the memory of a tragic accident for which he, his ex-wife Randi (Michelle Williams), and most of the town hold him responsible.  Lee attempts to make it work but finally realizes that he cannot live with his demons and makes other arrangements for Patrick, although the film ends beautifully with Lee and Patrick on the boat trying to forge a relationship.  This movie is brilliant!  It is getting quite a bit of Oscar buzz (it has been nominated for multiple Golden Globe awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Affleck, and Best Supporting Actress for Williams) and, should the Academy request my opinion, it definitely has my vote for Best Picture!  The flashbacks of the accident with Albinoni's Adagio for Strings, one of the most mournful pieces in the classical repertoire, underneath it is absolutely gut-wrenching as is the scene where Randi tells Lee that she still loves him.  Affleck gives the performance of his career and, upon a second viewing, I was even more impressed with his portrayal of a man so consumed by past grief that he cannot face the future.  I highly recommend this film, although some might find the excessive profanity to be offensive.

Note:  At Sundance it received one of the biggest distribution deals in festival history, second only to The Birth of a Nation.  Good stuff!

Rogue One

I love the anticipation of a big blockbuster:  buying a ticket weeks in advance, looking forward to the screening all day, entering the theater with an excited and rowdy crowd, and eating a big tub of popcorn while waiting for the lights to dim.  Since I am a huge fan of the Stars Wars franchise, it is no surprise that I did all of the above for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.  I scored a ticket to an advance screening, a hot commodity in these parts, late last night (early this morning?) and I absolutely loved it!  I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about a so-called standalone story leading up to the events portrayed in the first trilogy.  Would it live up to the magic of the originals?  Then I saw the first extended trailer and I started getting excited, which is always a bit dangerous because, when you walk into the theater with high expectations, you are sometimes disappointed.  Rogue One actually exceeded my expectations because it is a powerful exploration of what it means to believe in something enough to die for it.  An Imperial scientist with a conscience named Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) is forced back into service to create a powerful weapon for the Empire.  When the Death Star is about to become operational, Galen secretly sends an Imperial pilot with a message for his daughter, Jyn (Felicity Jones), telling her about a weakness that he created in the design.  She along with a band of misfits, including Rebel Officer Cassian Andor (Diego Luna, sigh), a reprogrammed straight-talking Imperial droid named K-2SO (Alan Tudyk), Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) the Imperial pilot who defected to the rebellion, Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen) a blind monk with the power of the Force, and Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen) a mercenary who doubts the Force, embark on a dangerous mission to recover the plans for the Death Star.  There are a myriad of characters and locations in the beginning and a great deal of exposition but it is worth it to get to the climactic final battle which is exciting, intense, and suspenseful.  The crowd cheered every time a familiar character made an appearance, especially Governor Tarkin, Darth Vader, C-3PO, and R2-D2 and they just about lost their minds over the final scene.  Again, I loved this movie, much more than I thought I would, and I definitely recommend it to fans of the franchise.

Note:  On another Thursday night exactly one year ago, I attended an advance screening of The Force Awakens (in the same theater).  That was an epic, never-to-be-forgotten experience but this movie was a lot of fun, too!

Colorado Avalanche vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Last spring, when I heard that Air Canada was coming to the Salt Lake City airport, I got really excited!  That meant that I could fly directly from SLC to Toronto for a reasonable price.  I knew that I wanted to plan a trip because I hadn't been to my hometown since 2005!  I've always wanted to see my favorite hockey team, the Colorado Avalanche, play a road game so I thought it would be epic to see them play the Maple Leafs in the Air Canada Centre!  I mentioned it to my Dad and we eagerly awaited the release of the 2016-2017 hockey schedule to see when the two teams would be playing.  When we learned that they would be playing on a weekend, it seemed feasible.  We bought our tickets about a month ago and I flew to Toronto last weekend for an amazing trip (My Dad got there a week earlier).  I can't tell you how amazing it was to be back home for a few days!  My Dad picked me up at the airport and took me visiting people who have known me my whole life and love me.  Brian, my Dad's best friend from childhood, and his wife took us to dinner and we didn't stop talking or laughing.  I got to visit all of my favorite spots, including a quick trip to Niagara Falls to see them illuminated with colored lights, several trips to Tim Hortons for donuts, a visit to my grandparents' graves, and a visit to the locks on the St. Lawrence Seaway (a big cargo ship had just entered a lock when we got there and I got to see it go through).  Sunday night was the game and it was absolutely thrilling to be in the ACC!  I loved all of the Stanley Cup banners!  It was fun to cheer for the road team, especially in a place that loves their team as much as Leafs fans do!  I did, however, see quite a few people in Avalanche jerseys and we would high five each other in solidarity!  My Dad's friend Brian, despite the fact that he lives there, had never been to a game before so we got him a ticket.  He took me to my first Blue Jays game back in the day so I thought it was fun that I got to take him to his first Maple Leafs game!  I asked him who he was going to cheer for and he emphatically said, "Toronto!"  Although, I did catch him cheering for the Avs so maybe I converted him!  It was a great game!  Colorado scored two really pretty power play goals and, after the second one in the third period, the usher in my section came and told me that I was being too loud!  The Avs got two penalties in quick succession late in the third so the Leafs pulled their goalie and scored.  The guy sitting next to me gave me a hard time throughout the whole game so when he started cheering like a crazy man after the goal, I told him that the only way the Leafs could score was when they had a six on three advantage!  The Avs scored an empty net goal in the last few minutes to win 3-1!  It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and having the Avalanche win was like icing on the cake!

It was so much fun to watch my Dad and Brian interact with each other!  They were like two teenage boys!  I think it is amazing that they have been such good friends for so long!

This was definitely a bucket list game for both me and my Dad and I am so glad that we got to do it!

Note:  I have always considered myself to be Canadian and it was very emotional for me to be back home.  While my life is in SLC and it would be difficult for me to pull up stakes and move back, I have to admit that I shed a tear when I boarded the plane to leave!

The Lower Lights 2016

What a fun week I've been having (the essays are still not graded)!  Last night I went to my second holiday performance in as many days and, since I love hearing Christmas music performed live, I was thrilled to end the week with the Lower Lights Christmas concert at Kingsbury Hall!  Truth be told, I have been looking forward to this for weeks.  I went to my first Lower Lights Christmas concert last year and I loved it so much that I knew I had to make it a Christmas tradition.  The Lower Lights are a super-group of 21 insanely talented musicians and vocalists, many of whom are famous in their own rights (perhaps you've heard of Ryan Shupe?), who have a distinct folk-gospel sound.  The concert began with one man, one guitar, and one spotlight and a beautiful instrumental version of "O Little Town of Bethlehem."  Then for the next two and a half hours, a variety of different singers and musicians were featured performing both Christmas and gospel songs.  I was very impressed with how seamless the performances were with musicians coming and going from the stage and different singers moving to center stage to introduce songs and talk to the audience.  Some of the Christmas songs included "I'll Be Home For Christmas," "I Saw Three Ships," "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful," one of the most beautiful renditions of "Away in a Manger" I have ever heard, "White Christmas," "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,"  "Silver Bells," "Mary's Lullaby," "The Holly and the Ivy," "A Cradle in Bethlehem," and "Mary's Boy Child."  They sang "Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella" which is one of my favorites because I used to sing it every Christmas when I was in the choir during college.  Another favorite from my choir days is "Still, Still, Still" which they performed so beautifully that it brought a tear to my eye.  They also sang a few songs from their latest album, Old Time Religion, including the title track and "Down to the River to Pray, encouraging the audience to sing, clap, dance, and cheer!  I will admit that we got a bit raucous!  Towards the end of the concert they invited the audience to sing along with "Go Tell It On The Mountain" and, like last year, they performed a very heart-felt version of "I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day," hoping that we could all find a little bit of peace during these very dark days we are living through.  Another favorite moment was an epic instrumental version of "What Child Is This?" with a guitar, steel guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and bass.  For the encore, they performed a fun version of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" and a rock and roll version of "Once in Royal David's City,"  The final number, like last year, was a beautiful rendition of "Silent Night" with just a guitar for accompaniment.  I loved this concert so much and I wish that everyone reading this could attend their final concert at Kingsbury Hall tonight (go here to see if there are any tickets left).

Note:  Mitt Romney was sitting two rows in front of me.  First Sting and now Mitt Romney!  I am a magnet for celebrities!

White Christmas at the Eccles

Last night I braved all of the downtown traffic (there was a Jazz game, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert, The Nutcracker, and people seeing the lights at Temple Square, not to mention snow) to see the Broadway touring production of White Christmas.  This musical is such a holiday tradition for me!  I've seen the movie countless times and I saw the PTC production several years ago as well as productions at both Hunter High and Bountiful High but I had never seen the Broadway version before.  It was so much fun!  Broadway stars Bob Wallace (Sean Montgomery) and Phil Davis (Jeremy Benton) meet the Haynes sisters, Judy (Kelly Sheehan) and Betty (Kerry Conte), and decide to follow them to Vermont where they have a gig at the Columbia Inn.  There they meet their former commanding officer from the war, General Waverly (Conrad John Schuck), who owns the Columbia Inn and is having financial difficulties due to the lack of snow.  Wallace and Davis decide to bring their show to the Columbia Inn and invite the soldiers from their company to a performance on Christmas Eve.  Add a receptionist (Lorna Luft) and a granddaughter (Clancy Penny) who think they should be in show business, an overwrought stage manager (Aaron Galligan-Stierle), and love gone awry, and you have a delightful show full of big song and dance numbers.  I especially love the songs "Sisters" (my sisters and I sing this all of the time), "Snow," "Blue Skies," and "I Love a Piano."  The cast is superb (Lorna Luft is Judy Garland's daughter and she can certainly belt out a song) and the ensemble performs all of the high energy choreography (I loved the tap dancing) brilliantly.  The costumes are over-the-top and the sets are quite elaborate, especially the Regency Room.  The message is heart-warming and the final scene where the cast performs "White Christmas" just as it starts to snow (even in the audience) will definitely give you a big dose of Christmas cheer.  This holiday classic runs at the Eccles Theater until Dec. 11 and tickets may be purchased here.

Note:  Almost all of the people sitting around me have season tickets and, after meeting at Beautiful last month, we greeted each other like long lost friends last night!  The man in front of me called us the Thursday Night Club!

Oliver at PTC

This is the time of year when I visit Charles Dickens' London.  However, instead of the usual holiday classic, A Christmas Carol, I made the journey with PTC's Oliver, the musical adaptation of another Dickens classic (I will be seeing A Christmas Carol at HCT in a few weeks). It was a really great production about the exploits of an orphan named Oliver Twist (Maxwell Rimington).  We first meet him in an orphanage, then he is sold to an undertaker, next he joins up with a gang of pick-pockets, and finally he finds his real home.  All of the big production numbers are a lot of fun with very energetic choreography and I especially enjoyed "Food, Glorious Food" with all of the orphans, "Consider Yourself" with the Artful Dodger (Christian Labertew), "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two" with Fagin  (Bill Nolte) and the pick-pockets, "It's A Fine Life" and "Oom-Pah-Pah" with Nancy (Natalie Hill), and "Who Will Buy?" with the vendors.  All of the actors give great performances, including all of the children in the cast, but Rimington will absolutely melt your heart as Oliver.  I actually had a tear in my eye when he sang "Where Is Love?"  I was also extremely impressed with Labertew's Artful Dodger.  I was sitting very close to the stage and I loved all of his facial expressions.  Speaking of the stage, the set was very clever with lots of different levels depicting alleys, bridges, streets, pubs, shops, and a proper Victorian mansion.   I thoroughly enjoyed this musical, as did all of the children in the audience, and I highly recommend it for the whole family as a great evening of holiday entertainment.  Oliver runs at PTC until Dec. 17 and tickets can be purchased here.

Twelve

Sean turned twelve years old on Saturday and our family celebrated his birthday yesterday.  The birthday boy or girl gets to pick the menu for their birthday dinner and since Tashena picked Cafe Rio, Sean decided to go to Chick-A-Rama.  Then we came back to his house for presents and cake.

Sean's parents got him an Xbox One (which he has already been playing with) and a Pokemon game for his 3DS.

Marilyn and Grandma and Grandpa got him some clothes and a Fire Stick with a game controller for his TV.  He was pretty happy about that!

I got him the Halo game for his Xbox One and an Amazon gift card so he can download apps on his Fire Stick.  (I think I want a Fire Stick for Christmas).

After presents we had the traditional ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins.

I sure do love this kid and I hope he has a lot of fun with all of his new games!

Winter Ball 2016

Bountiful High School held its annual Winter Ball last night.  It was girl's choice and Tashena asked a boy on the basketball team but he didn't answer her for weeks so she arranged to go with a group of friends.  (He finally told her he would go with her but she told him she was over it).  Then, this week, all of her plans fell through.  She had the dress and the tickets so she decided to ask Colton, a family friend.  Isn't he adorable?  He was actually quite excited to be asked by Tashena (I think he has a crush on her).  During the day they went ice skating, had dinner at Panda Express, and then went to the dance at the University of Utah Alumni House.

Putting on the boutonniere!

Colton and Tashena.

The girls.

The boys.

The whole group.

Tashena looks like Cinderella!