Instead of trying to catch you up I'm just going to jump right in to life right now as I know it.... Enjoy!
So Tuesday night was super crazy, wonderful, spiritually uplifting, and educational! I had the opportunity to Usher for Education Week since my entire Crew (Stage Managers, Stage Operations, House Managers, and Ushers) were being used last night and we still did not have enough people! Ridiculous! Anywho, I ushered last night and it was awesome!
I started out in front of the Pardoe for the Rejoice concert (mormon band) There was a lady there who talked to me for the 40 minutes before the doors opened - kinda weird, but the conversation was welcome and it’s a face job, so I’m happy to talk to whoever - Doug, one of the sound student employees, kept coming in and out of my door (which I thought rather odd since the sound booth has faster in/out acces and the opening to the sound booth leads to the other door... whatev. The first time he came by we talked for a second and after he left the lady asked if he was my boyfriend. Ha! It made me giggle inside... she said it looked like I liked him... hmm well no, but I do like my friends.
Then, one of the volunteer usher’s provided by Ed-week came and was talking to me and we talked about ourselves and where we’re from and why we’re here and she asked how I got into this job. Funny story since Ushering isn’t actually my job, it came up that I do part of the hiring for the HFAC. Conveniently she has a niece that is moving in and needs a job and wouldn’t I like to hire her? She called her in and I met her and today she came in to fill out an application.
Then, the other volunteer usher provided by Ed-week came and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read her name badge it said JoEllen Duncan from Cameron, MO (Missouri). I was flabberghasted! I told her “that’s my mom’s name! Spelled with a capital E and everything!” Pretty cool if you ask me. I thought mom would be thrilled to know. This women was named after her parents - her dad’s name was Joe and her mom’s name was Ellen - hence why, (grammar an effect from dating Ethan) JoEllen.
Then, house doors opened and we were off, I was scanning tickets like a mad woman.
Then, it was time to head upstairs to the Madsen to Usher for Wish Upon a Star the Jenny Oaks Baker performance of her Disney Album all music arranged especially for her by Kurt Bestor. 7:30 rolled around and the doors were supposed to open and her husband came out and said it’ll be about 10 more minutes. So I’m helping people be ready at the right door, having them check their tickets, telling then we’ll open in 10,7,5,3 minutes when the House Manager (Nathan, newly married and I need to remember not to text him for work because he doesn’t have a texting plan) comes out and says 5 more minutes.
Then Husband Baker comes out and says 3 more minutes... longer minutes... I just counted my blessings that the patrons understood that Jenny needed to be ready for their performance...
Then... just for good measure... house opened finally at 7:47pm and the Performance didn’t begin til 8:10pm. No big deal, because....
As Nathan and I are scanning tickets at the same door to get people in quicker guess who comes walking around the corner...
None other than Jenny Oaks Baker’s Father, Dallin H. Oaks! I was soooo excited! He came up to me with his ticket and asked me if someone had taken his wife in without him. I said well I certainly hope not! I scanned his ticket and somehow I got so carried away in my conversation with him that before I knew it he was walking past me and my arm reached out and...
I touched his Arm!
The instant it happened I was mortified! All I could think was “Sheridan you can’t just touch an Apostle!”... but he didn’t seem to notice, or if he did it didn’t seem to have bothered him.
When his wife arrived he came back out and he came back through my line and said “Now you’ve already scanned one of these tickets, but I’m not sure which one.” I scanned her ticket and they went in to enjoy a beautiful performance.
….I know because I got to watch it.
Jenny Oaks Baker is beautiful! She was prettier than a Disney Princess! She had on this gorgeous White dress with a giant hoop skirt on underneath and there were blue flowers and sparkly beads on the dress. The music she played was fantastic! And, because she is a performance Violinist she whips the bow around when she lets of the strings and it’s just fun... Well, in doing this in cohort with Kurt Bestor she told him she wanted a trio piece that her daughters could play (she has four kids and the three oldest are girls under the age of nine is what it looked like. Jenny is 36) So with one on piano, violin, and cello these cute little girls in their fancy dresses played an arrangment of a Fantasia song mixed with “It’s a small world afterall” They were fabulous! Sure they were still kids and it wasn’t perfect, but goodness they were impressive! The best part is that the string players also whip their bows off of the instruments just like their mom! The pianist at the very end leaned in super close to the piano and lifted off for the grand finish! What a family of performers!
Brother Baker was standing by me at the back for this part video taping his daughters. Afterwards I told him they were all so beautiful and that his girls are fabulous and he said “Oh, it’s sooo much work!” Funny. Super impressive.
Tonight I’m going to buy her CD and get her autograph! It was such an experience that I’m so glad I had the opportunity to partake of.
Much love from the HFAC Events Manager!
Sheridan
