Jekyll and Hyde opens tonight!

It's that time again: Another Op'ning, Another Show!

This time, I'm in the ensemble for Jekyll and Hyde at CenterPoint Legacy Theatre. I'll perform on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays except this coming Saturday (the 4th).

The story, based on the Robert Louis Stevenson novel, is about Henry Jekyll, a doctor committed to curing mental illness by separating the good parts of a man's personality from the bad. The consequences of his experiments affect the lives of all of everyone around him, including his sweet and supportive fiancée Emma, and Lucy, a woman he tries to save from a bad situation. His quest is ultimately tragic (this is not a happy musical), but this musical features gorgeous music and compelling characters.*

My cast boasts two actors who appeared in touring Broadway productions, several voice teachers, at least one high school choir teacher, and a lot of other crazily-talented folks, proving that those who can teach AND do. I can honestly say that I have never worked with a cast so large where the individuals were this talented and hard working. The production design is cool, incorporating steampunk details to highlight Jekyll's effort to bring his fellow men into a modern world view.

The Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday cast

Holly Jo Cushing as Lucy, Jared Haddock as Jekyll, and Cecily Bills as Emma

Jared Haddock as Edward Hyde

I'm thrilled that I get to wear some of my favorite costumes again in this play. The best part is that the costumer had no idea I'd worn them before. I think it's meant to be and I should take them home after we close ;)

Top left: Amy in Little Women
Top right: Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest
Bottom left and right: Jekyll and Hyde

I worry about being a convincing prostitute in "Bring on the Men." It helps that music director Marcie Jacobsen suggested that "Men come to see Megan because she looks like Little Bo Peep!" According to a few friends who saw the show on Saturday, I do just fine. Plus, I'm not a terrible dancer!

My dear friend Jillian Joy

If you come, be sure to let me know when so I can greet you after the show and say "Thank you for coming!" Tickets are available at CPTUtah.org.

"Bring on the Men"

"Murder, Murder"

*It's a dark show. There are murders onstage and two fairly naughty songs. It's probably best to leave younger kids at home.

Like a zombie?

This is one of my favorite commercials, so I'm sharing partly to keep track of it. The actress played Jane in The Lizzie Bennett Diaries and I love her un-phased delivery here!


Happy Friday!

Salt Lake Comic Con 2014, day 1

Day 1 cosplay: Princess Aurora from Disney's Sleeping Beauty.
Several women applauded my choice
of wearing blue instead of pink :D 

I had resigned myself to missing the second annual Salt Lake Comic Con. Then I got lucky and won a free multipass. What resulted was a fun and exhausting couple of days!

On the first day --  Thursday -- the Con didn't start until 2pm. That, coupled with the fact it was the ONLY day my hairstylist could see me in September, meant that I missed the first day. I didn't mind, especially when I heard how much trouble many of my friends had registering and entering the Salt Palace that evening. I had pre-registered on Wednesday (no lines, no fuss) so I don't think that would have been a problem for me. Still, it was nice not to have to deal with.

On Friday, I took the day off from work. It was the Friday before my birthday, so I probably would have anyway ;) After the check-in madness on Thursday, I was stressed that I might not get in in time for a 10:30 photo op appointment. I arrived at 9:15 -- about 45 minutes before the doors opened for multipass and single-day ticket holders (VIP and Gold pass people got to enter an hour earlier than the rest of us).

Fortunately, I was admitted with plenty of time for my photo op with Cary Elwes. Theresa and I were both a little disappointed that he chose to wear sunglasses -- we assume he had a hangover or some such -- but he was as nice as could be, sincerely complimenting our costumes before plugging his new book As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride and then putting his arms around us both for the photo. None of the other celebrities I took professional photos with took the time for any conversation. Guess Cary didn't feel rushed :) 

A good shot, even if the sunglasses make me think of Weekend at Bernie's

We found Carrie pretty quickly, and ooh'd and aah'd over her costume: Astrid from How to Train Your Dragon. She spent months creating that costume and her work paid off -- Carrie looked fantastic. She had even practiced a few of Astrid's poses, so her photos looked awesome. Good thing, too, 'cause she was stopped for photos a lot!

Carrie, me, and Theresa in front of Weta Workshop's display of Smaug the dragon from The Hobbit movies.

Kiss Me Kate nerds = friends for life

I roamed the displays by myself for a little while, resulting in some hilarious (to me) shots. I briefly toyed with a "Sleeping around Salt Lake Comic Con" photo montage... then realized that title doesn't sound very innocent!

Possibly my favorite photo of the day:
The REAL ending to Sleeping Beauty's story!
(Thanks to the 501st Legion for the actors and props)

Belle, Rapunzel, and Aurora

With Carrie, Jillian (as Rapunzel), and a random photobomber

There was no way I was going to miss Alan Tudyk's panel, even if the length of the line at the entrance meant I couldn't get into the stuffed room until 5 minutes after it started. Alan was a doll, inviting people with questions on stage with him, answering their questions, asking them questions of his own like "What is the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?" and "What are the three things most likely stuck in your teeth right now?", and gifting every questioner with something random from his "bag 'o' shi-" (said as one word). The bag was full of souvenirs he had been given at events, like t-shirts, hats a photo book of a race he'd ran, and some sunglasses he'd only worn once because Bridget Moynahan told him they were the wrong shape for his face. He signed everything, of course. He was so candid and funny. (More about Alan Tudyk in the day 2 post.)

Manu talks about how he won his role on Arrow by accidentally knocking out his reading partner.

Last year, the only panel I went to was Manu Bennett's. At the time, I didn't know anything about him, and was pleasantly surprised to learn he was in The Hobbit movies. Since then, I have fallen in love with the Arrow television show, so it was even more fun to hear him tell stories this time. He is a charismatic, charming, and enthusiastic story teller, and his skin-tight pants and shirt weren't unpleasant to look at from my sixth row seat -- haha!

Carrie and I had a photo op with Manu after the panel. He was so excited to ask if he could borrow her ax; we think the resulting picture is brilliant! Very in keeping with his action-star status:

One of my favorite things about these local conventions is that so many of my friends are there, and most of us are okay with hanging out for a bit and then going off to do our own thing if the others don't want to tag along. Chantryce found Carrie and I around dinner time, so we wandered around for a few more adventures to acquaint her with all there was to offer. Hooray for Comic Con newbies!

With Carrie and Chantryce

Holding Carrie's ax, purse, and phone while someone asked her for another photo :)

Cobra Commander and Robin. An unlikely duo, no?

Chantryce and I with the TARDIS

Thor and Aurora would have gorgeous babies

Gotta go back in time with Back to the Future's time-travelling DeLorean.

Asleep under Bilbo's trolls from The Hobbit. Thank goodness this guy was around to save me!

Chantryce borrowed a gown to wear the next day, so of course she had to try it on :)

I was surprised at how well my Princess Aurora costume was received. I worked really hard to lose the weight so I could wear the costume, and it paid off better than I imagined! Quite a few little girls -- and almost as many parents -- asked me for a photo. Some of them didn't even know which princess I was -- guesses included Cinderella, Elsa, and Glinda -- they knew I was a princess and that was enough for them. So many of those little girls approached me with awe. I knelt down to say hi to one tiny Snow White, and she put her arms out for me to pick her up -- it was about the cutest moment of my life. I wasn't prepared for that kind of adoration. I thought I might be okay if I don't have kids; now I'm not so sure. It was cool to be a Disney princess for a day. It's a no-brainer I will be doing it again next time I have the chance!

These girls reminded me of my nieces. They hugged me tightly and pelted me with questions like "Are you a real princess?" I admitted I was not, but I think any girl who is nice and shares with her sister can be. The Captain America girl (on the right) even pulled up the hem of my skirt to look at my shoes (comfy, slightly beat-up, navy blue Toms). "So pretty!" she exclaimed.

I ended the day hearing the Salt Lake Pops play a variety of selections from science fiction soundtracks including Star Wars, Star Trek, The Walking Dead, Doctor Who, and a medley of the Marvel films. They were fantastic!

Stay tuned for a recap of my second day at Salt Lake Comic Con!

Memes that make me giggle: A cow's opinion

You'd be surprised how often I think this about people I don't agree with.

They're all just "moo."

Today is the 20th anniversary of the day the Friends pilot first aired. Even now, it's one of my favorite shows. I find ways to insert quotes into my daily life, and I maintain that I learned my brilliant comedic timing from Matthew Perry's Chandler. In college, I had a major conflict with some roommates who didn't approve of the show and wouldn't let me watch it in our apartment. During my first job, I bonded with another girl over our love for it. I was very upset with my mom for not keeping me posted on character developments while I was on my mission -- she promised to tell me if Monica and Chandler got engaged or married (which they did). Friends was weirdly important for me during my young adult years. Watching those fictional characters make mistakes as they tried to figure out their lives gave me permission to not know what I was doing, too. Like them, my life did not go according to plan, but it somehow turned out okay. I needed that validation back then. I still do, sometimes.

Happy birthday, Friends. Thanks for being there for me "when the rain starts to pour." Still hoping to find my own lobster!

Happy birthday to me!!

I think  you should be a child for as long as you can. I have been successful for 74 years being able to do that.

- Bob Newhart

Another birthday has come and gone. It wasn't a big, fancy, exciting day; just a good day. Frankly, after two days at Salt Lake Comic Con 2014, I was thrilled to celebrate my birth with more subdued activities.

My birthday was on a Sunday, and I was thrilled when I realized that instead of regular church I got to go to Regional Conference at the Conference Center. Sure, it involved getting out of bed several hours earlier than I would have liked, but it was worth it to listen to the church's leadership in that gorgeous location... and also be done with church at 11:30 (my regular ward meets from 1:45 to 4:25 every week -- I love sleeping in, but I end up feeling like I spent the entire day at church). I had a really good seat somewhat near the speakers. Elder Hales and Elder Oaks spoke about families and missionary work. Afterwards, I wandered around Temple Square and thought about how I lived with Heavenly Father not all that long ago. Such a peaceful way to being the day!

The Salt Lake Temple

The LDS Conference Center

Next, I met some beloved friends for lunch at The Original Pancake House. I wanted waffles, and I was grateful they were willing to join me, even on a Sunday. Special ladies on a special occasion. It was especially great to have Carrie with us during her short stay in SLC. We miss her!

From left: Liz, Chantryce, me, Carrie, and Kati

After lunch, I went home and took a lovely, lovely nap. Birthday naps are just the best, aren't they?

Then I skipped over to my parents' house for a family dinner. Fettuccine alfredo, german chocolate cake, yoga equipment, and a new crock pot. What could be better?

Cousins bonding. One of the best things ever.

This t-shirt was a gift from Liz. She gave it to me at lunch :)

First year in awhile I've managed to blow out all the candles
and I forgot to make a wish. Whoops!

Dave is by far the best gift wrapper
(Isn't his penmanship lovely?)

The G-unit has recently shown an interest in Doctor Who, so we watched the latest episode together. It happened to include Robin Hood; I thought it was nice that G's first full episode was a mostly family-friendly one. I'm sure his parents were relieved -- so many of the best DW episodes are the scary ones!

If you know me at all, you know that I like to stretch my birthday into "birthday weeks," and since this birthday was on a Sunday, I cheated a little and celebrated for two!

My grandmother (not pictured per her preference) treated my mom and I to dinner at The Olive Garden before our season ticket-holder date to see She Loves Me at Hale Centre Theatre. The play was darling, and the set amazing. I loved all the different chandeliers hanging from the ceiling!

Cutie Gina insisted on taking me to lunch, and we both enjoyed huge meals plus cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory!

Lastly, and far from leastly, my best friends and I went out to dinner at Romano's Macaroni Grill and saw Magic in the Moonlight. Cute movie! Colin Firth is still handsome, and I adore Emma Stone. Even better to spend the time with women I think of as my sisters.

Nichole, Larissa, me, and Kate.
Finally got them all together in one place.
Totally worth the wait :)

That's it for this year. It's been a perfect kick-off for this coming year. I have a few ideas about what is to come, and I hope there are a lot of fun surprises, too. I am a lucky and blessed girl!

My year in theatre

Last year at about this time, Larissa gifted me A Theater Goer's Journal. The idea is that there is a page for each show where I can paste in the ticket, record details about the show such as cast members and who I saw it with, rate the elements such as direction and set design, and write reviews. It's been a fun project and I've enjoyed keeping up with it.

The first play I recorded in the journal was Peter and the Starcatcher at the Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF) on September 20 last year.

I have seen 45 plays since then.

Yes, I have attended 46 plays in the last 52 weeks.

I'll give you a moment to let that sink in.


Granted, my idea of a fun vacation is to pop down to USF for the weekend, or head to New York City to see as many Broadway shows as possible, and I did both last year (multiple times in the case of USF). And granted, I buy season tickets to Hale Centre Theatre every year and have earned free tickets to CenterPoint Legacy Theatre the past few seasons. But, wow, how in the world did I manage to see so many plays in such a short period of time?

There is a place in the book to record ticket prices, so I did the math: I spent over $1100 on theatre tickets this year. A good chunk of it was spent on community-produced plays, most of which involved my friends in one capacity or another. I am lucky that I was given complimentary tickets to 13 of the plays or I'd have to add another $200 or so to my total.

Never let it be said that I don't support community theatre!

I've filled nearly 2/3 of the journal already.

So... I think it's time I pull back a little on my patronage. Since I have been involved in local theatre for 20 years, I've made a LOT of friends in the theatre community. Many do several productions a year. For a long time, I felt guilty if I missed a show, but I've come to notice that although most of them are thrilled to see me and genuinely grateful that I support them, very few feel the need to reciprocate. I understand that life gets busy, but if one of those friends hasn't seen me in a play in the last two years or so, I feel ok about missing theirs. Even worse are the friends who go out of their way to assure me they'll come to my show... and then miss it and never say anything about it; I think they hope I don't notice, but after they fuss they made, I definitely notice and it irks me. It's sad that our busy schedules mean I won't see most of those people otherwise... until we do another show together, of course ;) That's what Facebook is for, I suppose.

I've veered off topic, haven't I?

I love live theatre. I love that six productions of any given play will be different (Steel Magnolias and Shrek are popular this summer, aren't they?) as will six performances from any one production. I've seen plays here in Salt Lake City that were every bit as well-done and entertaining -- if not more -- as anything I've seen in New York. There is so much to explore and enjoy.

Utah Shakespeare Festival Summer 2014.
#fourplaystwodays

There is also real life to enjoy, and I think I need to spend a little more time and money on that. Of course I still want to support my dearest, most supportive friends and fans, but if I'm not able to make it once in awhile, please cut me some slack. $1100 in one year really is excessive.

Let's see if I can stretch this journal through the next 52 weeks, at least!