Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving.

My mom is an amazing cook. A... mazing.  Everything she cooks, tastes like heaven, and turns to magical calories inside my belly. The turkey was delicious. And the mashed potatoes were beautiful.
The stuffing was gorgeous.  Her pie was so tasty.  That's right, I said pie. As in singular. Only one.

Granted, there were other desserts, cherry crisp dessert, homemade kit kat bars, a strawberry cheesecake jello that was incredible.... but still... ONLY ONE PIE. This was sad to me.

I have a desire to make another pie. Pie is wonderful. Hmmmm... Perhaps tomorrow.

My brother brought his friend Hegon home with him. It was great having a guest from Korea at home for the holiday. And my mom gave me a bunch of new/old books! My mom is finally taking the time to get rid of some of the stuff they've kept over the years.

One of those things is their car.  It's a gorgeous hybrid! If you wanna save loads of money on a good hybrid--the car is only $11,999. It's such a beautiful car.  My dad works with cars for a living and they kept copious records. They are the original owners. So if you're a commuter and you wanna save money visit this link on KSL:
Honda Civic Hybrid

Thanksgiving being about gratitude...

I am grateful for my cpap machine. It helps me breathe! And I am ever so grateful to breathe!
I am grateful for my friends. It seems that whenever I feel most lost, some random friend calls. It's uncanny.
I am grateful for my Heavenly Father and for my Savior. Sometimes I'm not good at keeping up a relationship with God, but then He inspires someone to call, to write... and I am overwhelmed that H still remembers me.
I am grateful for my talents. They help me to feel like I have something to contribute to the world.
I am grateful for my family. They are so patient with me. I wish I had better lived up to their expectations. It's hard when you plan on growing up to do so much, and it turns out you end up just being a regular old adult with regular old adult problems.
I am grateful for my future. I am grateful for those precious moments when I am wise enough to still have hope in that future.
And I'm grateful for the present. Sometimes I wonder if our lives don't manifest our true desires. Perhaps my present is merely a reflection of the true desire to just enjoy a piece of pie, a good show, and the company of funny friends.

Auditions for To Kill A Mockingbird

Eversince losing my job, life has been continually busy, just without the promise of a steady paycheck.

I was offered a position to teach voice and acting lessons at Midvale Main Street Theatre and I am directing their next production of To Kill A Mockingbird.

Tonight we had the main auditions. It's times like these that I wish I could create a show to include all of the talented actors that come to audition for me. It's hard to turn down actors that are so talented. Because this show is without music, I can't just cast actors as "chorus".  It's going to be very difficult next week. I already had to send a couple of rejection letters tonight. It made me so sad because they were such talented girls... uggggghhhhh!!

I want to see if I can make a living teaching voice and acting lessons, directing shows, and substitute teaching. I also want to start teaching college classes again. Wanting something and making it happen are two very different things. I'm trying though!  Probably not hard enough...

I have an amazing production team working with me on Mockingbird. Miss Heather is my dramaturg and there isn't anyone in the world more qualified. I feel so lucky to have her on board! Tammy is producing the show,  Jan is my costume designer and Cassidy is my set designer.  Now we just have to find the perfect Atticus and Scout. We saw some talented actors tonight, but I am looking forward to call backs.

If this all works out, I am going to love my life. As it is right now, my stomach is in knots. I need a little guidance. I feel like wonderful opportunities are mine for the taking if I prioritize my time well.

Dad and Matt's Visit

Last weekend my dad and my brother came to visit. My dad met Kannon for the first time.

We had a great time visiting. It was great to see them. I'm so glad they came from Iowa!

 Popop and Kannon. He's such a serious baby. Such a seriously CUTE baby!

 This is my brother Matt. He's found his calling as the birdman of Alcratraz.

These are my step-brother Nathan's cutie pie little girls.  I remember when these two were born! They're such little angels!

Must Find Silverlining

I lost my job. Whoopie.

Today is my 2nd day without employment. And I'm officially bored.

During the past three months, I've been working full time, preparing to play Mrs. Lovett and acting as musical director for one of the most difficult musicals...

And now I'm unemployed and the show is up and running.

I've applied to unemployment, I've pumped up my linked in profile, I've self-promoted up the wazoo...

And now I'm watching tv and eating pizza that my dear friend Miss Heather bought for me.

There are a number of things that have gone wrong over the past year... but really... that's just sooo not what I wanna be about.

Here is a list of blessings. Because I came to Utah....

I have been able to get to know my little sister Bethany and her new baby Kannon.
I have been able to spend quality time with my little brother Nick before he goes on a mission.
I got to sing at my cousin Maren's wedding.
I got to stay with my grandma and get to know her better.
I got to play two dream roles--Nurse Rached and Mrs. Lovett.
I have made lifelong friends and reunited with other lifelong friends from days past.

I need to get a new job, but I'd like to make the most of the unemployment time. I'm going to start teaching lessons and substitute teach whenever possible. And I'm going to keep acting! Wahoo!

The Sweeney Reviews are IN!

This was just posted in the Deseret News. Follow this link.

Blair Howell said this about me: "The showstopping comedic number, “A Little Priest,” doesn’t disappoint, as Dale is partnered with Eve Speer as Mrs. Lovett, Todd’s accomplice. Speer, in fine voice, plays Mrs. Lovett as a barrel of laughs."

He also criticized my opening number--but the night he saw it, I had to use the bathroom, and I ended up running on stage out of breath.  It was enough to give me a grand ol' panic attack. But everything else went swimmingly.

This was posted at Backstage. Click here. 

And this is what Robert Easton said: "Eve Speer, who played the diabolical pie maker Mrs. Lovett, was also a standout in this show. Despite an early stumble where it appeared to me she momentarily lost her breath during her first song, Ms. Speer didn’t miss a beat the rest of the night, holding her own opposite Jim Dale’s enthralling Sweeney Todd. Although obviously much younger than the role she was playing, Ms. Speer brought great energy to her darkly comic role and her accent was well done."

This was posted on UTBA. Click here. 

And here are the kind words of Tony Porter: "Eve Speer was fantastic as Mrs. Lovett. She had a believable accent and the right mix of humor and deceit to make her character quite endearing. She was marvelous in “A Little Priest” and “By the Sea.”

I am so thankful for the friends who have come to see the play! An older woman came up to me and paid me the most lovely compliment. She is a jazz singer. She and her friend said that I was the best Mrs. Lovett that they had ever seen.

I fairly floated home that night.

So happy. So very happy.