Opening Night! SHOUT! onstage at C103

It has felt like a whirlwind, but a good one.  The best is working with the fabulous people involved in this production... no wait, the best is singing this music... no wait, the best is being onstage again... no wait... how can you sum up 'the best'? It's just really a great time.  There are nerves but mostly excitment about Opening Night and sharing this with an audience.  I really feel like we need one.

We received some nice words from Colin MacLean in the Edmonton Sun.  He came to our Dress Rehearsal last night.

Shout! takes us back to the 60s

"The music is warmly familiar, the ladies create five distinct characters, have excellent voices and their long stage experience makes them completely at home in front of an audience." - Colin MacLean, Edmonton Sun

There are only 4 shows, January 7th - 10th, so I hope you can make it out for this Fab Mod Musical! The music is terrific and it's a fun, colourful way to warm up your January!

Tix available at www.tixonthesquare.ca or at the door (Cash only at the door).

Fantastic Sounds - CD Release Party for Lesley Pelletier

Last night I took a little break from theatre to attend the CD Release Party for Lesley Pelletier's new CD Turn Down the Lights at Fiddler's Roost.  It was a great night of music and visiting with my good friend Julie who took me as her guest, and I was doubly pleased to leave with one of the new CDs to listen to.  I have known Lesley ever since I did the show Baby with her a few years ago.  I have known her mother Judy Stelck even longer and I had a great time visiting with her as well.

The music - well, you can hear some of it here on her website.  The album is fully produced with a band, while the website is mostly just Lesley with guitar, but it still gives you a great idea of what her sound is.  It is music that requires a strong singer, which Lesley certainly is.  She has one of those full bodied voices that can belt as well as soar and which can express a variety of emotions.  Lesley also wrote all the songs on the CD and what impressed me most is that they are all so unique.  Some writers have very little variety of sound, but not Lesley - some are whimsical, some rocking, some bluesy, some sad - and all have distinctness that make them worth the listen. In a world of auto tune it was truly refreshing to hear this fabulous talent performing live.

If you check out the songs and want to get a copy you can buy them at Tix on the Square (in Winston Churchill Square). The website linked above probably also has information on where you can get them, too. I recommend!

Mystery Solved

So last night I told Mark about the conversation with Gibson about chords and harmony and tempo and he nodded and said, "yeah, I have been teaching him all that stuff" so maybe he's not a genius (ha ha ha). Anyhow, I still think it's pretty cool that he is so interested. This morning Mark and I and Gibson sang a few chords. Oliver wasn't much interested in joining in, but he was looking for something Pokemon related at the time.

Gibson and Music

Both my kids like music. They both like to dance and sing and they are both taking piano (because I make them), but Gibson not only likes music... he's really insightful about it. I always say that Gibson sang before he talked. He would babble and coo in tune with songs on the radio in car. I was in a musical while pregnant with both of the boys, and with Gibson I was also in Honey B's and they both attended many Honey B's rehearsals in the sling (Gibson more than Oliver I would say). Maybe that was a factor. So tonight. Tonight as I am putting Gibson to bed we start talking about school and what he likes and we get on to talking about Music Class and he starts asking me about Do Re Mi... we then sing Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do several times (he is in tune and it sounds lovely) and then he has me sing a solo and then he sings and solo and then we sing a duet. He uses the terms solo and duet. Then he starts asking about chords and whether people can sing chords as well as play them on the piano and we talk about songs he knows and where the chords (harmony) happens. He is articulate and understands the concepts. And then he brings up tempo, and he starts clapping different rhythms telling me which tempos are fast and slow. He drove the whole conversation with questions and input. Sometimes he freaks me out a bit. I am looking forward to hearing him play and sing as an adult.

Nature's Own Light Show...

Went and listened to Prairie Nights (formerly Drew Malcolm and Lindsey Walker duo) at The Carrot on 118th Avenue last night. Just after the opening act and just before their set the power went out. However, since it's a small room and Lindsey has a big voice, they started the show in the dark acoustically. The lightning provided a delightful show behind them and about 4 songs in the power came up and they brought tow other members of the band to the stage and finished the show. It was a nice night.

It was good to see and visit with Lindsey since I have not seen her since Whorehouse closed. We briefly talked about plans for the show she is writing. Nice to have a project percolating even if it is a ways away.

2004 Brings Son #2 - Gibson aka Speed Bump...

Just when you think you have the parenting thing somewhat figured out, you have a second child and all the tricks that worked with the first one do not work for the second. Gibson was a real surprise for me. For one thing, I really thought he was going to be a girl - the pregnancy was totally different than my first. I also successfully had a VBAC so I could drive the day after coming home and my body didn't feel like I had been in a car accident. I knew how to nurse. I wasn't afraid of him dying if I left him alone in his room while he slept. I was way more relaxed. BUT I didn't instantly *get* him like I did with Oliver. It took me awhile. Oliver liked to rock to sleep. Gibson wanted to just be laid down - back off Mom! Gibson was not a snuggler, nor was a he an up and down baby - he was a side to side baby. So I took a little while to get used to him.

Now he is five. He started Kindergarten this fall. While Oliver was a late talker, Gibson spoke early and well. He actually sang before he spoke, humming tunes he heard on TV or from the radio. He still sings all the time, almost unconsciously. He has always sung/hummed in tune. Even our Kindermusik Teacher was impressed (and she must hear many, many kids who sing early). I think that he will be somehow connected to music in his life. Not surprising really. I was doing a musical when pregnant with him and it had very challenging harmony. He also spent many of his early months at Honeybee Rehearsals - only really content when we sang.

In many ways Gibson was easier than Oliver. He was our second so we went through things with Oliver for the first time and had the luxury of systems in place for Gibson. However, Gibson has his challenges. He has been able to lie very convincingly from a very young age (Oliver still has a hard time). We know we must teach him to use this 'gift' for good (acting perhaps?) and realize that it isn't just about getting caught... it's about being wrong. He is also more emotional when things do not go his way. The world isn't *fair* a lot of the time for Gibson. I think he sees the things that Oliver is allowed to do and he wants the same privileges but doesn't want to wait until he is old enough. He is, however, adorable. I know, I know, I am his Mom. But he is a sweetie pie.

I am lucky with the 2 of them.

Tuesday We Sang!

On Tuesday night, at the McDougall Church, the choir I sing with (Chanteuses) sang. We sang 5 pieces and I think it went well. It was nice to see all the work come to a performance. I do get a little stressed with this group. However, it is nice to do the work and hear the results. I loved doing Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) and Fair Phyllis. The five pieces challenged me in different ways and I am learning that in a group like this I really have to work on NOT singing too loudly. The blend is so important. Singing Soprano 1 and doing it softly is a challenge for me. I am also used to being one of the "power" voices, so it is a new skill for me to find the right place to set my volume at. It is a real "team" kind of thing. I am going to try to figure out how to post the recordings so that you can have a listen (I may have to consult some of my "blogger friends").