So here's what's on my mind. It's not only a huge blessing to be constantly surrounded by amazingly talented people, but it's really fun, too! There's something exciting about hanging out with and working with kids who just might end up making "the big-time." Which as I get older and more experienced, becomes less and less exciting, just because it seems nearer. And the fact that it's not as exciting anymore makes it exciting. Does that make sense?
For example, Andrew Maughn, who played Perchik in "Fiddler on the Roof" and who we know affectionately as "Fu" is moving down to L.A. this summer to find work there. And then there are the Brant Wadsworths and JD Taylors whom I love dearly and who have a tendency to gain fame in little ways whatever they do, no matter if they want it or not or are even aware of it. If they ever tried to make it "big" I don't think they could help but succeed. And then I'll be flipping channels on the TV one day and see them show up somewhere on the screen and laugh and smile and think of all the fun I had learning from them and working with them and playing with them. Actually, that may not happen, seeing as how I tend to not watch TV, which is occasionally to my detriment, since I don't know what's going on sometimes.
OR WHO PEOPLE ARE! I forgot about this story...speaking of fame, here's one instance where my lack of watching TV almost caused me a small embarrasment. So, during "Fiddler on the Roof," I spend intermission running around backstage giving notes and cues and fixing props and moving costumes and chatting with actors when I have time and basically making sure everything is going the way it's supposed to backstage. During intermission of Friday's show last week, I was running around doing my usual ASM duties, when I noticed this guy from the audience just wandering around and chatting with people. As Assistant Stage Manager with broken bottles, water-damaged props and quick costume changes and cues swimming around my mind, I thought "What the heck? Who is this kid? Why is he back here? Who does he think he is, just waltzing in backstage in the middle of a show?" I was about to ask him to leave (aka just give him the boot and maybe a little attitude to put him in his place while I was at it), when someone asked me a question that distracted me and by the time I got around to remembering to kick out the delinquent wandering audience guy, I decided that he probably knew someone and intermission was almost over, so I decided to just let it go. I had to go cue the orchestra and stage crew anyway.
But then, after the show, we were all hanging out at Dairy Queen, and as I was glancing around and thinking about how great all the people I know are, I locked eyes with a kid who wasn't in the show, but was nevertheless hanging out with us. I thought he looked a little familiar, but I couldn't place him at all. When he caught my eye, he smiled at me, which smile I returned. We chatted a little throughout the night, when all of a sudden in a moment of abrubt realization, I recognized him as the kid from backstage during intermission! The nerve of him. I guess he did know someone in the cast, cause here he was at DQ with us. I turned to Benji and the following conversation took place...
Me: Ben, who is that guy sitting next to Brant?
Ben: (looking at me incredulously) Who's that?
Me: What, should I know this guy?
Ben: That's Jon.
Me: Who the heck is "Jon"?
Ben: As in Jon Peter Lewis?
Me: (somehow the name sounds familiar, but I still don't know what he's talking about) Jon Peter Lewis?
Ben: From "American Idol"?
Me: OH.
Then it hit me. It was kind of one of those "duh" moments when you feel really stupid and kind of regret not watching TV at least sometimes. I remember before he came back to Rexburg, JD and Brantley and Ben talking about Jon, cause they were all really good friends and some of them roomates and had done a few shows together. But I felt kind of stupid for not recognizing him like everyone else did, even those who hadn't known him before.
He's a nice guy, for anyone who's wondering. Gorgeous blue eyes, cool sense of style and really short. Almost shorter than me. Funny sense of humor. I'm glad I didn't kick him out like I was going to. Poor guy...I would have felt bad if I'd gone through with it.
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