This summer, my younger son took a theater intensive for high school students, hosted by a local university. The participants auditioned a couple months in advance and, prior to starting, they were supposed to have all their lines and music memorized. (I think they each had at least one check-in session via zoom with their acting coaches, too.) Then once the intensive started, they had three weeks of daily, nine-to-five rehearsals, and the course concluded with three performances this weekend. Our family went last night.
My expectations were pretty low, but oh my, what a riot.
The cast had less than three weeks to mount the whole show, so every little thing felt extra special: live music, mics, dancing, harmonies, a full set, props, gorgeous costuming, speedy transitions, high energy. The kids were clearly having an absolute blast, and their joy and energy overflowed into the audience. There was so much laughter, cheering, and hooting!
The whole thing was a delight — I’ve always thought of Mamma Mia as a fun, but trite, show, so I was surprised to find parts of it actually meaningful; a couple times I even teared up — and I am beyond impressed with all the hard work that went into the show, and grateful to all the people who made it happen.
If you’re local and have a free evening, tonight’s the last night to see this rolicking, family-friendly show. Tickets are sold at the door, and the show starts at 7:00.
I thought it might be an unnecessary extravagance — was it really any better than old-fashioned (and free) massaging? — but we have been LOVING it. My husband has a wonky back, and using it on the sore spots every other night or so has made a huge difference.
For me, my hamstring is still giving me grief. It got better, but now that I’ve started playing Ultimate again it’s aching and burning quite a bit. Days that I work it harder than normal, I’ll use it on the back of my leg. I’m not sure we’re using it correctly, but my leg feels all warm and relaxed afterward, so I guess it’s fine?
And it does wonders for getting that jittery feeling out of crazy legs! Nights when I feel an attack coming on, I use it on a few pressure points and the crazy feeling lessens dramatically. It’s a marvel!
Sidenote: I’ve recently had an increase in leg muscle cramps: as in, I went from none to lots. So I did a little research and learned that leg cramps are a symptom of perimenopause: lower estrogen levels make it harder for the body to absorb magnesium. Anyone else have this problem?
I’d preordered the book and it arrived at suppertime. I started reading right away and got so absorbed in a story about marriage, morels, and venison that I burned the burgers. (They were still good.)
The takeaway: Lucy’s essays about marriage, the natural world, and growing up are a delicious read, her writing rich and chock-full of insights. I’m thoroughly enjoying it, and am full of admiration for her mad writing skills. Recommend!
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Have you watched Julia (HBO Max)?
Both my husband and I enjoyed the show — it did my heart good — and I hear there is going to be a second season, yay!
And speaking of shows, I need recommendations. My husband and I are (very slowly) watching Station Eleven, but I’ve spent so much time being confused (perhaps because I keep trying, and failing, to relate it to the book) that we may need to start over from the beginning and rewatch it as a stand-alone story.
Other shows I’ve recently watched: Inventing Anna (loved it, but my husband refused to watch it due to the cringy factor); Somebody Somewhere (okay); Hacks (fading interest); Working Moms (okay, but meh); Life In Pieces (lost interest). I did enjoy Life & Beth, after the first few episodes. I see Netflix has a new season of Alone which I’m looking forward to watching with my younger son…
