Good morning! It’s good to be back after such a long time away. I’ve been really busy with an extended birthday celebration, and then my Senior Choral production of The Bright Lights of Broadway.
Which brings me to our topic. What happens when we try to change things in our lives too quickly? In The Bright Lights of Broadway, we have cast members who are as young as me and as old as 96. Seven of the cast members this year are from an independent living facility. They are usually in the audience, but love it so much, this year they wanted to participate.
Like any other Broadway performance, we have a lot of costume changes in “Bright Lights.” For me specifically, there are three I have to pay attention to, and I miss some of the “all choir” songs because of it, which sort of bums me out, especially Ascotte Gavotte, which is from the musical My Fair Lady.
Anyway, the costume changes can get a little hairy even on good days. Joanne (from Independence Village), who is one of the plates in Be Our Guest, like me, and also one of the dancers in Wash That Man, also like me, got a little confused during our third performance and came out all dressed for Wash That Man when it was time for Be our Guest. So, she had on capri pants and a t-shirt, keds… And Gladys and I were wearing our black pants, white long-sleeved dress shirts, red vests, red bow ties, and hefting our plates on our backs. Not that the plates are heavy, just bulky and cumbersome. 😉
That performance we went out with two plates instead of three, and it was just fine.
I think it can safely be said in life it happens often enough, when we try to rush change, we inevitably end up with something far different from what we expected, or we end up in a confused muddle.
Fortunately, we are usually more in control of our change than costume changes in between scene set-ups. We have time to plan, to think, to take a breath. We have time to pray, to tuck into our Higher Power for some much needed help.
I pray you are all well. Change just happens gradually sometimes, and we can move it along with help from God.
Peace out.
Recovery Along Route 66 
I just found out you’d posted this, Chris. So good to see you. And great analogy. God bless you!
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Oh, thanks, Deborah! I’m still not up to full capacity, but getting better. Now I’m dealing with bronchitis. What’re ya gonna do? 😉 God bless you too!!
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bravo, bravo, encore.
extra biiiiiig hug
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*genuine bow from the waist, think about tying my shoes so I don’t stand up too soon* Thank you, thank you, thank you! My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, and I thank you! 😉 *blush*
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I feel a bit jealous of you and your production/ performance. That sounds like a ball! It reminds me of the days back when I was in a competitive showchoir competing around the country. We had several “costume” changes in the wings. There’s nothing like stripping in a hurry, throwing on your next outfit, quickly straightening up, then running back on stage. It’s quite a rush, and this post took me right back there. 🙂
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Oh, don’t be jealous! I have constant butterflies in my tummy, a frozen smile on my face, right now I feel a sore throat coming on because there’s something being passed around the cast and I guess it’s finally reached me 😦 , and I can’t keep a pair a knee highs without running them. Plus I only CONFIDENTLY know the words to about 5 of the 12 songs we have to know. The rest I cheat and listen to the person on the left or right of me, glance down at my words, glance up (frozen smile intact) and sing away! It IS a blast, though, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
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Hi Chris! Thanks for post. When we’re constantly told we need change, it’s good to hear a voice telling us it’s okay to slow down.
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Hi Samuel!! I agree. I love it when God tells me to take a breath, I’m in too much of a hurry. “Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest…” REST. Even Jesus rested, in the middle of a big crowd he would take time to go away and take a breather. So yeah. I think we can learn it’s okay to change a little at a time. 😉
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Great post, Chris! Wish I’d been there to see the production; sounds like a blast. 🙂
Sometimes change comes too slowly, sometimes much too quickly, for my tastes. Happily, it’s all in God’s timing, whether it’s according to my schedule or not. My best response is to hang on for the ride. 😉
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Oh, I wish you could too, Traci! You’d love it, and you’d love all my new friends. We have so much fun.
I love that. Hang on for the ride. Here we go Lord! Hold me tight!!!
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Great reminder not to be in a frenzied rush to change! My daughters did a kids’ production of Willy Wonka this summer and one of my girls had a super-fast change to make, too. We stressed about that to no end. On dress rehearsal night, the kids all grabbed the wrong costumes and my daughter ended up wearing shorts on stage instead of the long white pants every one else had on. What craziness! Fortunately, things went better for the performances 🙂 But it is nice to have that time to breathe and think and move through changes with time to reflect.
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Do you know that old saying that a bad dress rehearsal means you’re going to have a great opening night? That’s what I’ve heard anyway. And it seems to have worked out in your daughter’s case. It IS true craziness at times. BUT – we know Who is in the midst of all the craziness, and – if we can sometimes just stop, even for ten seconds, grab a railing, hold on tight and pray, “Help me God,” He will always be there. 😀
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Welcome back!
I know you had to bow out of the CW blog chain this month but WAY TO GO! You managed to address the issue you suggested anyway–and with an awesome angle. So glad the show was so great.
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Thanks for the welcome back! It’s good to be home. Yeah, I’m glad the show is working out so well too. We’re like a team, you know? We all help each other . . . someone helps tie a bow tie while another one is zipping up a dress. . . it’s amazing; I’ve never done this before!
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