Peakapades

Ok, so we were planning on doing Disney’s Beauty and the Beast this Labor Day weekend up in Breckenridge. Well, we were notified that a moratorium has been placed on the show by the national touring company. That means they are getting ready to do a national tour of Beauty and the Beast and don’t want any competition! Major bummer! BUT it’s actually turning out to be even better!

Now, instead the theater up in Breckenridge will be doing Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella! The director asked me to play Grace, one of the step sisters, and Colten would still be in the ensemble and play various characters. Why am I excited about being a step sister you might ask!? Well, it’s actually a much bigger role than Babette—more lines and stage time. And the step sisters also sing a duet and several other songs with Cinderella and the step mother. And the role will be a lot of fun. Our University actually just did this musical in the spring and we thought the step sisters were hilarious! And I am really glad now I didn’t get the role of Belle because that would have been the BIGGEST disappointment ever.

Always look on the bright side of life ;)

Wow. The Lord really worked through this one.

So several months ago, the Denver Center Theater Company and the Colorado Theater Guild announced their auditions for the 2010-2011 season. This is a BIG deal--the most important auditions in Denver every year. Well I was chicken at first and didn’t sign up right away. But I did find a new voice teacher and a monologue coach to work with. Both are AMAZING. So I finally signed up to get an audition time and they were full. Bummer. But I kept working with the monologue coach because I figured it was valuable no matter what. So the auditions were scheduled May 14 & 15 and nothing opened up as far as I knew. So Friday at work I got up enough courage to take a personal day the rest of the day and left about 10:00am. I got downtown to the Jones Theater about 10:30 and they weren’t even starting auditions till 11:00am! I was right on time. So I went up to the sign-in desk and told them I was on the waiting list but wanted to check and /or wait for a slot to open. They already had one open for 11:15! It was totally God! So I ended up getting to go 4th. I went in, said my name and recited my 2 monologues, said thank you and I was done! Here’s hoping I caught someone’s eye.

So not only were the directors of DCTC there, but any theater in Colorado who is a part of the Colorado Theater Guild could come and watch the auditions too. So I basically auditioned for about 10-12 different theaters! They also create a database of all the actors’ pics and resumes for all the directors to have on file. And I may not hear anything for quite some time or not at all! But I was so thankful I at least got the opportunity to put myself out there in such a big way.

It was also interesting, because I came from work and had brought a pair of jeans with me—so I changed into those and just wore a semi-nice black turtle neck top and my black flats. All the other women I saw there were in SUPER high heels and SUPER short skirts! So maybe they’ll remember me even more because I DIDN’T look like that. I really just wanted to show them my face and my talent. Not the REST of my body! It was funny. And a great experience! My trust is in the Lord now. I feel He’s moving with a plan. I believe He can make a way where there is no way.

On May 10, 2010, my oldest brother, Garrett Gradisar, and his wife Beverly, gave birth to Elizabeth Rose Gradisar at 10:38am MST, officially making me an aunt and Colten an uncle for the first time! She weighed in at 7lbs and 13oz and is 20in long. We went to St. Joseph’s hospital downtown Denver that night and met her only hours old. It was absolutely amazing. She is perfect and beautiful. And was a lot more active than I thought a newborn would be—although her tiny eyes were closed tight. So now I am Auntie M and Colten is Uncle Colt! I’m so excited to have a baby in our family and watch her grow and be a part of her life. What a miracle! And what a blessing.

“Beauty and the Beast” opened this weekend on Saturday at 1:30 and Sunday at 11:00am. Saturday Colten and my parents came, there were no young kids, and it was a very small audience. I was pretty nervous Saturday! But mom and dad and Colten said it was really good and enjoyed it. Except for the kissing part ;) And afterwards we went out and celebrated Mother’s Day.

Sunday was an early start going to church and then heading over to the theater at 10:00. We had an even smaller audience this time, but there were four kids that came. And afterwards we have a little autograph page for them to come up and get signed. Mostly they just want my signature—and they are scared of the Prince! (I don’t blame them…) Speaking of which, the kissing got even more disgusting. The Beast/Prince got really sweaty in the two shows so by the time he “transforms” and our kissing parts come up—he’s drenched! So gross. But, as Laura said, with theater you’ve got to take the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, there’s nothing in there about DISGUSTING. Oh well, 2 down, 14 more to go.

Soooo looking forward to having family and friends come! The other thing is, on Sunday one of the other directors from the board came and absolutely loved it. She said it’s the best children’s show they’ve done at the theater! So, that was very encouraging. (Not to mention I'm the only one who didn't mess up or drop a line all weekend!)

“Beauty and the Beast”
May 8-June 27

73rd Avenue Theater Company
7287 Lowell Blvd Westminster

Adults $8
Children $6

Reservations 720-276-6936
http://www.the73rdavenuetheatrecompany.com

So excited!! I just found out on Sunday that Gary Haugen, CEO of International Justice Mission, is coming to speak at our church on May 23rd!!! And for the chapel service I will be reading Psalm 10:1-2 & 17-18 before his message! My drama director wanted me to read for the main services, but I have to leave early in order to get to my “Beauty and the Beast” performance. But so thankful I get to read for the 7:30 Chapel service and hopefully meet Mr. Haugen!

Here’s another little blurb about IJM and Gary Haugen:

“International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that works with local governments to ensure victim rescue, prosecution of perpetrators, and strengthen and promote functioning public justice systems. In the past Gary Haugen has served as the Officer in Charge of the U.N.'s genocide investigation in Rwanda. He also examined the Philippine government's prosecution of human rights abuses committed by the police and military, and he served on the executive committee, chaired by then-Bishop Desmond Tutu, of the National Initiative for Reconciliation in South Africa, a movement of Christian leaders devoted to the cause of political reform and racial reconciliation.”

Also, please check out this link to advocate IJM and the elimination of Human Trafficking to President Obama:

http://bit.ly/9XU5gp

When we go to Washington DC this August, I’m hoping we can visit their headquarters! They have tours on weekdays at 10:35am and visitors are also welcome to join all-staff prayer held from 11:00-11:30am. How awesome! If only they were located in Denver…

So, a couple of weekends ago, Colten and I drove up to Breckenridge (about 1 ½ hr drive) to audition for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast musical! Yes—the real thing this time! And man, it took me a LOT of effort to convince Colten to try out with me, but finally he consented.

The auditions went great and we both had a lot of fun! We auditioned in groups and there were 9 in our group. They first had us each individually sing lines from a few songs from the show—no problem! Then they had us all learn a little bit of one of the dances…we faked our way through that one! And Colten a lot better than me! I just keep smiling. Then they passed out lines for everyone to read. Colten read as Gaston & LaFou. It was so funny! And they had me read as Belle and Colten as the Book Keeper. I was the only one they asked to read as Belle! After that they just asked me and Colten and 2 other ladies to stay. They dismissed everyone else. They asked me and Colten to read a scene as Lumiere and Babette (the little French maid/feather duster). Apparently it was hilarious b/c they were laughing hard when we finished! And then they asked me to sing Belle’s song “Home”. Unfortunately I got super nervous and didn’t do that great of a job. I came SO close though! Argh!

But anyway, we found out last Tuesday that they offered Colten the role of the book keeper and “various other ensemble characters” and offered me one of the principal roles as Babette! So we have accepted! We don’t get paid, b/c it is a scholarship fund raiser, but they do provide accommodations for us during rehearsals and the run of the show. The performances will be September 3-6th at 7:30 every night at the Riverwalk Center Amphitheater in Breckenridge. I am mostly excited about doing a show with Colten again—seeing as that is how we met, became friends, and fell in love. *le sighe*

It has been so great getting to be Beauty in “Beauty and the Beast” for this little theater up north in Westminster. There’s something in me that just needs to be performing. I have been very thankful for the choir at church and especially for our drama team. It’s nice to be known at church as the “girl with the really good fake sneeze”. (I did a “Mary Monologue” Christmas ’08 as a modern day pregnant Mary out in the cold waiting for Joe to come back once he found a place to stay.) I have enjoyed immensely working with other believers and honoring God through singing and drama.

And this show is my first to do out side of CCU. I did one show in high school just because I was in the women’s choir and we sang in the opening song. And took a drama class in middle school and actually did several little productions in elementary school. But this is a whole new world I’m in now. There are 3 other actors besides myself in the show who are all divorced and tend to curse quite a bit. And the beast likes to make comments about me doing a pole dance on the ships mast…what a beast! So talking with Colten and praying a lot I’m trying to figure out how doing this show or doing theater period in a secular context brings Honor and Glory to God. I’ve been praying, and would appreciate your prayers also that I can be salt and light to the rest of the cast. They certainly like to tease me about being a Christian. The beast just asked the other day how I am going to attend church and do our show on Sunday mornings at 11:00am. I was able to inform him that we have a chapel service at 7:30am and I will try not to miss it. I talked with Colten about how I will have to be careful about what shows I do (what is the message they are conveying) and what roles I take on. I certainly feel that "Beauty and the Beast" has a positive message to put out there. This is one of the few stories in fairy tale lore where the hero and heroine fall in love over a period of TIME by getting to know one another. It also places the importance of inner beauty over outer beauty and selfishness. And fortunately I am not depending on theater for any sort of income and Denver has such a great theater scene, I think I will be able to avoid anything inappropriate. I would appreciate any input, comments or advice! And certainly prayers :)

And remember we open May 8th and run through June 27th!

http://www.the73rdavenuetheatrecompany.com/childrens-shows/

I am depressed today. I found out about this organization called International Justice Mission (I actually heard about it on KLOVE) and looked up their website to get more info.

If there is one thing in this world I HATE and loathe and cry just thinking about it, is the trafficking of women and children who are sexually abused. While I was in college I attended a presentation on this very subject and literally thought I was going to throw up afterwards--I was so disturbed.

I've felt the tugging to get involved more with ministries and finding more ways to help the poor. Colten and I give money to our church, of course, and also have been financial supporters of the Denver Rescue Mission for a few years now. We use our talents at church, and soon I would like to actually be able to volunteer my time at DRM. We have a Compassion International child, Andres, whose 5 we support and write to as well.

But the International Justice Mission is WHERE my heart is. The stories about the young girls they have saved from prostitution (as young as 12 years old) are heart wrenching. I was so bummed to find out their headquarters are in Washington DC. So the most I can do from here is tell others about it and give financial support. I'm thinking of hosting a fundraiser dinner with friends to raise money to send.

I know a lot of people know where Colten and I stand on the new Health Care Bill. But one thing I do want to point out is that Christians are not giving like we're called to do. My dad told me a statistic he read lately about how much Christians tithe and it was only about 4%. The Church should be the ones responsible for caring for the poor--not the government forcing us too. We should give because we can, we care, and we are called.

Please check out this website and give if you can! And if you are a Christian please remember to tithe what God has blessed you with!!!

http://www.ijm.org