One

I said this week my posts would be in reference to marriage and today I am featuring "one" by U2.  This song captures the angst of marriage for me.

 When your life is so involved with one person, there's bound to be hurt feelings now and then, along with frustration because "we're one, but we're not the same".  But each challenge offers an opportunity to recommit and refocus, proving that love helps us live "the higher law".

Company

This week I will post items that relate to the topic of marriage.

 Today's selection is "Being Alive" from Stephen Sondheim's 1970's Company.   This show is about single Robert  and all his married friends.  They keep trying to set him up on dates and then confiding in him about their own marital problems.

Robert or "Bobby" asks why he would want to someone to "ruin his sleep" and then comes around to plead "somebody crowd me with love".  It's a very passionate song and well performed by Raul Esparza from 2008 on Broadway.

Mary Poppins

Did you watch the opening ceremonies for the Olympics on Friday night?  My very favorite part was at the beginning with the childrens' choirs singing hymns, so beautiful.  

 My next favorite moment was when the Mary Poppins flew down and saved the children from the big bad villains of English literature.

I grew up watching the 1964 film Mary Poppins with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dike, and I love it now just as much as I did.

 

I didn't realize Mary Poppins started as a set of books written in the 1930's by P.L. Travers.

For several years now I have only heard good things about the Broadway production which began in 2006 and  is still packing in the audiences.  Here is a nice overview clip.

This clip shows off the set design that I have heard is so amazing.

White Christmas

This week I am honoring the traditional Christmas in July.

 I remember the film White Christmas feeling very cozy; traveling by train and singing in the dining car...staying at a quaint hotel in Vermont at Christmas time.  It's funny, it's romantic and it's feel-good.
Yes, snuggle up with a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy.

I have found this fun remix of "Snow" which portrays the film in a fresh, cool perspective.

Guys and Dolls

Guys and Dolls is a show I am very familiar with, I own the 1955 film version and have seen it on Broadway a few years ago.  I am always impressed with the actresses playing Adelaide because they sound so convincing with their "cold".

Here is a fun clip of Adelaide and the Hot Box Girls performing "Take Back the Mink".

I highly recommend the movie, which features Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando.

Evita

After I had been dating Daniel for several months, he brought me over to meet his family.  My social skills were not up to par at the time, so it took quite a few meetings before I began to form a friendship with my future family.

One day after visiting the Bridal Dress Shop with Terri, Helen, Sarah, and Emily, they invited me to come back to their place for the evening and watch Evita with them.  Once the film began, the girls decided that everyone would get a turn to sing a song with Madonna, we'd rotate, so we should have gotten several turns since the entire show is music.  But, half way through, someone just couldn't not sing when it wasn't her turn.  There began to be some playful bickering, and then we all sang all the songs for the rest of the film.

What a fun, funny family Daniel belonged to.

Evita, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, was created in 1976 and tells the story of Argentina's beloved first lady of the 1950's, Eva Peron.  Over the years, the lead roles have showcased Elaine Paige, Patty LuPone, Mandy Patinkin, Antonio Banderas, and of course Madonna.

This spring a new production has opened on Broadway starring  Elena Rogers and Ricky Martin.  Here are two clips today introducing you to the new cast - a short commercial for the musical and a longer behind the scenes for the soundtrack.  Enjoy.

An Amazing Drive Home

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The drive from Kanab to the I-15 is so beautiful. Short rock formations with four shades of green; Evergreen, Kelly, Sage and Mint.

On our ride home, we hit it just as the golden clouds were lighting up the sky blue canvas at sunset.

Daniel's current favorite song is "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perry.

This song was playing boldly through the speakers as we drove my favorite landscape. I was mesmorized, and vigorously concentrating with my eyes and my brain, trying to soak in the colors while experiencing my moment of happiness.

Enchanted

Late afternoons at Lake Powell was movie time, time to rest from the sun.  I had two favorite films on the trip, the first was Beezus and Ramona.  I read all the Beverly Clearly books as a child, and I happily watched with my eyes glued to the screen, as I was very curious to see these familiar characters come to life.  

The second favorite film was Enchanted, Disney's fun story of what happens when  fairy tale characters are  relocated to New York City.  It's hilarious when Amy Adams starts singing "How Does She Know"  and Patrick Dempsey states he doesn't know that song.  What? You're not going to burst into song too?

I think because I know what it feels like to be on stage, I am more appreciative of other performances.  I try always to be attentive, smile and give a big applause at the end.  It doesn't matter if its a live production, or if its a movie.  This was not the first time I've watched Enchanted, but I just loved the Central Park scene so much, that I joyfully clapped at the end of the song.  The musicians, actors, designers, and choreographers all worked so hard, succeeding in delighting me, and they deserve my praise.

My Father, Your Father

"You always know when I'm drifting, when I'm lost and I'm hurt.
Somehow you know the
pleadings of my heart, 
before I have spoken a word.

When I feel you there to
catch me and say,
I know you did the best that you could.
Just like a father, just like a father would.


You gently show me my weakness, then you teach how to change.
And though I wander on my journey, your love always remains
When the heartache comes and I'm devastated, somehow you turn it for my good
Just like a father, just like a father would.

Your heart breaks when my heart is breaking, you've been down this road before.
When you desperately want to rush in and help,
You know I have to learn these lessons for myself.

You know the burdens I carry, how they built up like a dam.
You help me see the mistakes I have made, they don't define who I am.
You softly whisper when its time to let go,
When I hold heartache longer than I should.

You believe in me, you love me perfectly,
As only the father of my spirit ever could.
Just like a father
Just like my father would."





Music and lyrics written by Tyler Castleton, beautifully performed by Mercy River, click here to buy the song for 99 cents.  I can't listen to it enough, I feel the spirit so strong each time.

Wonderland

One of my very favorite people during my high school years was Clayton Cornelious. We loved loved loved to sing together, and he was always so fun to be around. Clayton and I performed together for our Senior Recital singing "Tonight" from West Side Story.

Last year he was cast as the Caterpillar in the new Broadway musical Wonderland. His song "Advice from a Caterpillar" is very jazzy and he sounds so great. His voice is very familar, yet I can hear how strong and rich its become over the years.

The King and I

The week the boys had swimming lessons, I brought along my book to browse, Rodgers and Hammerstein by Ethan Mordden.  I was enchanted by a full sized colored page from the The King and I's 1956 movie version of "Shall We Dance".   I decided to read the whole chapter to see what I could learn about the show

The subplot of the king's slave, Tuptim, running away ends up  having a major effect on Anna's relationship with King.  Here is an excerpt of Mordden's assessment:
:
"In the musical they must come to grips with the very core of what they cannot abide in each other-her resistance to authority and his egomania.  Moreover, this happens only moments after the "Shall We Dance" scene, in which they have drawn closer to each other than ever before.  Now with Tuptim held down on the floor before them, the King orders her to be whipped."

The dialogue which follows involves Anna defending Tuptim and the King, in shame and frustration, running out of the room.

Mordden continues, "Anna has destroyed the King.  So fully has he come to depend on her for advice, support, and esteem that he cannot survive without them.  Yet she has come to depend on him, to be the kind of man she can at once guide and admire.  Seeing him as a savage shatters her idol."

I always appreciate the psychology behind a musical, movie, book, or any other kind of art.

Christ Hath a Garden

The best place to seek God is in a garden.  You can dig for him there.  ~George Bernard Shaw, The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search for God, 1932

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt.  ~Author Unknown

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.  ~Hanna Rion

In my garden there is a large place for sentiment.  My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams.  The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful.  ~Abram L. Urban

Here is a performance of "Christ Hath a Garden".  The melody is an old English folk song, I had learned it as the "The River is Wide".  

Christ hath a garden walled around,
A Paradise of fruitful ground,
Chosen by love and fenced by grace
From out the world's wide wilderness.

Like trees of spice his servants stand,
There planted by his mighty hand;
By Eden's gracious streams, that flow
To feed their beauty where they grow.

Awake, O wind of heav'n and bear
Their sweetest perfume through the air:
Stir up, O south, the boughs that bloom,
Till the beloved Master come:

That he may come, and linger yet
Among the trees that he hath set;
That he may evermore be seen
To walk amid the springing green.

The Muppets

I have always loved the Muppets.  I watched The Muppet Show every Sunday night in the 1980's.   One afternoon this March,  I heard about the Muppets' new movie being nominated for an Oscar in the "Best Song" category.  I hadn't seen it at the movie theater, so I was cracking up as I listened to "Man or  Muppet"  for the first time over the radio.  Music for this film was written by Bret McKenzie.

I just stumbled across more fun Muppet material.  The Chaos Theory: A unified theory of Muppet types  by Dahlia Lithwick, featured on Slate.com.  Basically, the idea is we are all either an Order Muppet or a Chaos Muppet.  A Kermit or a Grover, a Bert or an Ernie.  When trying to figure out what you are, Lithwick says

 "It’s hard to be ruthlessly honest when evaluating one’s own Muppet classification. As is the case when going shopping for white pants, your best bet is probably just to trust a friend. "

Calee Reed

Recently I asked my mom what talents and tendencies she had hoped her children would possess.  I know when ever I hear George sing, I stop and wonder,  "will he be my musical one?"  Really, I have decided my three big goals for my children are:

1. Receive answers to prayers
2. Make smart money decisions
3. Be a great conversationalist

 But back to my opening statement...thinking about it some more, I can see how my mom was influencing us- me and my siblings. Going to the library was a steady occurrence in my childhood. We'd go for story time and then enjoyed  the freedom to wondering thru the stacks, twists and corners, searching for known and unknown treasures.  The library - any library is a happy cozy place for me,  I am so fond of those earliest memories.

We were always listening to good music, in car and in the house; "Four Seasons" by Vivaldi, the soundtrack to Out of Africa, Barry Manillo, Les Miserables, James Galway, the Beach Boys, the list goes on.

My mom exposed us to a wide range of cultural arts.  I remember as a little girl, going to see the Lamanite Generation perform, now known as the Living Legends.  I was blown away, and declared that was what I wanted to do when I grew up, as she tucked me into bed that night. My mom is still introducing me to new books and music all the time with her frequent gifts in the mail, and her magazine clippings that she thinks I will appreciate.  I do.

My mom is the most well rounded person I know.  She is always up to date on politics, sports, Hollywood, Broadway, classical musicians, authors, and she is my number one go-to for spiritual advice.   Though I enjoy a wide variety of topics with my mom, hearing her testimony, is what is most special to me.

This whole post was inspired by Calee Reed's song "She Put the Music in Me", a song written about her mom.  I echo her sentiments.  You can enjoy the music video just below this cover art.

Here is Calee's webpage where you can listen to samples of other songs on her album.  I really like "Time to Love".

A Little Night Music

My senior year in High School Mrs. Lorene Ritzel became my choir teacher. I was smitten right away with her beautiful voice and sassy attitude. For Opera Workshop that year she broke from the traditional Gilbert & Sullivan, and introduced us to Stephen Sondheim. My life would never be the same. We performed selected songs from three of his shows: A Little Night Music, Company, and Sweeney Todd. I devoured these shows and went on to study the rest of his repertoire; checking out sheet music and cds over and over again from the Carnegie Mellon University Library, which was just a 20 minute bus ride from my home in Pittsburgh.

I was cast as Anne in A Little Night Music and performed the song "A Weekend in the Country". Our costume designer dressed us all in creams, very similar to the Broadway revival production in 2009 with Bernette Peters. When looking for a video to post I discovered a film version was made in 1977 with Elizabeth Taylor. There are many great actresses who have played the part of Desiree and sang the song "Send in the Clowns"; Patti LuPone, Catherine Zeta-Jones...Judi Dench was especially great.  An fun fact about this show is every song is written in 3/4 time, perfect for waltzing.

Good-bye Mr. Chips

Last November my neighbor Robert Earnest Williams passed away.  He was the most cheerful man, who always blessed my family with kindness.  The boys and I still talk about him regularly, even though his widow has since moved away.   Not only was he a special neighbor, but he was also the song leader in Primary for three years.  All the children adored him.  He would wear his utility belt and construction hat each week when he taught the Primary song "I am a Builder."

"....My Heavenly Father sent me here, and He knows I can be,
Strong and righteous, as I build my Eternal Family...."

 For his funeral I was asked to be in charge of one of the special musical numbers.  Robert's favorite male friends from Woodland Hills were chosen to sing "Did I Fill the World With Love?"  and I arranged the practices along with accompanying them on the piano.  Yes, Brother Williams, you certainly did.

 This piece of music came from the movie Good-bye Mr. Chips. I love the earnestness of the school boys singing  in their school assembly and the passion of Petula Clark who can't resist belting it out.

Hello Dolly

In my memory, this is the order of musicals in my life.

First, there was The Sound of Music on the television. When Utah Lake flooded in 1984 I wanted to run away to the mountains like the Von Trapps. Then there was The King and I at the Provo Tabernacle, just me and my parents. I knew I loved live theatre at six years old. Next was Hello Dolly on VHS. I loved the comedy, romance, costumes, and of course the music.  I watched it over and over. "Horace Vandegelder, you go your way and I'll go mine!" Unlike the part of Liesel, which I have long outgrown my chance of obtaining, I still have dreams of playing the part of Dolly Levi.

Here is a trailer from the 1964 movie featuring Barbara Streisand, Barbara who taught me how to sing.

Sandra Turley

For my birthday my mom gave me an album of Broadway songs performed by Sandra Turley.  I used to be friends with her older sister when I lived in Danbury, Connecticut and now she lives near my parents in the D.C. area.  Sandra graduated from BYU and then went on to live the dream,  playing the parts of Cosette and Eponine in Les Miserables for several years before becoming a mother.

I am impressed with Sandra's vocal range and the precise control of her tone .  She performs a great version of "Popular" and "Girl in 14G", but I always appreciate learning a new song when I listen to an album.  I am enjoying "Christmas Lullaby" from  Songs for a New World.  I think the lyrics are special.  If you click  http://sandraturley.com/album/ you can hear a sample of each song on the album.

"In the eyes of Heaven, my place is assured, I carry with me Heaven's grand design.
Gloria, Gloria, I will sing the name of the Lord, and he will make me shine.
And I will be like mother Mary, with a blessing in my soul,
And I will give the world my eyes so they can see.
And I will be like mother Mary, with a blessing in my soul,
And the future of the world inside of me."

Michael Buble Concert

Wednesday night I piled in the car with Terri, Helen, Sarah and Emily for a night of Michael Buble. I had seen him in concert on PBS so I knew he was someone I didn't want to miss, as long as I could view him up close. Thanks to Sarah's hard work on the phones I was in row 12, and later left my seat to squish up closer.

How exciting to witness a live performance! He is energetic, personable and sincere. That is all on top of the fact that I thoroughly enjoy his music. It was fabulous.

Connie Talbot

For Christmas 2007 my parents sent me an album of a six year old girl named Connie Talbot. She had been a finalist in the show Britain's Got Talent.

I was impressed with her vibrato, but admit it has sat on my shelf since then. Recently I put her CD in the player, thinking my boys might enjoy the songs. Now I can't get enough! Each of her selections are uplifting, and to hear those lyrics come from her little voice fills my soul. My very favorite song is "I Believe". You should check it out.