“Plans Interrupted,” An Evening in December 2009, was suitably titled. From the audience’ perspective they witnessed a story unfold of a young couple with their lives all planned out. “Sarah,” witnessing the famous kickline of the Radio City Rockettes, planned to make her Broadway debut, but discovered instead an unexpected pregnancy. And thus “A Baby Changes Everything.”

But unknownst to the audience, our cast and crew experienced a parallel storyline, and with our show all planned out, discovered several unexpected surprises.

Weeks prior to the show, the cast was hit hard by the “AEID bug.” Flu symptoms, cold symptoms, and phantom lost voices were just the first inkling. One night, Steve Pearce, our soloist in the final numbers, went outside between the two songs and decorated the bushes with his lunch. Tina Converse became acquainted with our black-painted set–backstage in the dark, kneefirst–and was on crushes for the entire run.

During the show, the Tech Crew was hit hard by some bizarre technical bugs. Rebooting computers, unexpected human error, and phantom lost tracks were just the first inkling. In one scene, our accompaniement tracks cut out only 4 minutes into a 6-minute medley. Fortunately, it was in the middle of a graceful “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” whereupon the cast continued singing a capella while the dance partners kept flowing through their waltz section. To the audience, it seemed like it was planned that way.

The next day, John’s cast warmup included this set of notes, and here are my personal notes as I applied them to my role:

[R]eady for Anything – Now that I know my show, I can’t get comfortable. Be on my toes, ready for anything, whether it’s a person getting hurt or sick, or a machine thinking for itself. (Erik Kennedy: “actors, track failed! Come on stage now! John’s starting scene B! Now!”)

[E]nergy to the End - The seven-show run, with two days of back-to-back shows will tax health and energy. From a health side: rest, energize, take my meds and vitamins, wash hands, don’t share germs. From an energy side: I am to give 100% of what I can give every minute that I’m onstage.

[L]oving God and showing it – The music has great lyrics. I have internalized it, but I need to show it in my face and body to the audience members. This isn’t just a song and dance and some clever lines. This is a story that has depth, but our audience can only get it if I give it to them with my whole being. As if my life was on the line. Or their life was on the line.

[Y]ahweh will Provide - Tina’s knee, Steve’s stomach, the lighting unit with its own brain, the computer that sneezed, and other unexpected interruptions came at us from phantom sources. But my full confidence and faith in God meant I and the cast and crew were leaning on God. The Provider. Yahweh.

As you can see, John asked us to RELY on God. He had cast us, trained us, coached us, prepped us, cracked the whip on us, amd loved on us. Now all we had to do was lean on God and rely on Him throughout.

And not just during this show with its unexpected surprises. Plans Interrupted.

During my life with its unexpected surprises. Plans Interrupted.

~geeWhiz

The cast hit its first milestone today: the first full-cast run throughs. What’s so significant about this milestone?

It’s about the separate groups coming together for the first time this year. Prior to today, each group has worked separately during their own time slots. The actors, the kids, the adult choir, the youth and adult choreography team, and of course the elegant and dedicated dance companies all work separately during the week.

But today, all these groups met for the first time during the 6-hour full-cast run through.

There was the expected chaos, confusion, and cacophony. But we ran through the show twice, as planned.

John felt the actors were right on schedule with their characterizations. Let me just introduce a few today (and if I don’t mention you today, don’t get your shorts in a bunch.) The two child actors, Caleb Telander and Heather Plastow, will have the audience giggling at their inane stunts. Jeff Greenfield does his usual masterful turn with a key role. And all the actors believe that some major admiration must go to Laura Voska. The audience will fall in love with her lead role “Sara” as she draws them into her storyline.

Want to know more? Visit the Web site: aneveningindecember.com

Music: Michael W. Smith
Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
Can’t believe the hopes he’s granted
Means a chapter in your life is through
But we’ll keep you close as always
It won’t even seem you’ve gone
‘Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them
And a friend will not say “Never”
‘Cause the welcome will not end
Though it’s hard to let you go
In the Father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long
To live as friends

With the faith and love God’s given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you’ll live in
Is the strength that now you show
But we’ll keep you close as always
It won’t even seem you’ve gone
‘Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

I’ve been good friends with the Raders for some time, and I know they have been blessed with family, friends, health, and a roof over their heads. But those close to them know that their history hasn’t always included all of those blessings. At one time in their lives, they suffered through a dream home that suddenly threatened them with a mold outbreak, creating a life-threatening health nightmare for their family. They lost the house and all their possessions, but thanks to God, they survived through the worst of it. But I’m not here to post that story, just to give context to their latest news.

So it’s with great excitement that I post this link to their latest success story: their “Hope for the Journey” project at
http://www.knprader.com/. In their own words, “the purpose of the site is to provide you with hope, help and encouragement along your life’s journey.”

Enjoy the fruits of their labor.

by Jesse Smith – “…from the moment Thanksgiving ended I was able to celebrate everything that Christmas is about and I owe it all to my son, Styer.”
And so begins Jesse Smith’s blog entry. Its topic is so fitting to the Behind the Scenes blog, that I didn’t want his entry to become lost in the sea of links.
Jesse has graciously granted me permission to repost this blog in its entirety.

Christmas has been officially renewed!!! Now don’t get me wrong. I have always loved Christmas. I love everything about it. I love being with my family, the lights, the trees, the presents, Santa Claus, the music and, of course, taking time to really appreciate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

But during the last 10-15 years I haven’t really spent much time truly appreciating the season. I think what was really happening was that I had experienced it so many times that I allowed it to lose its youthful excitement. Growing into adulthood and the responsibilities of being a “grown up”, I lost the anticipation of this incredible day. This year from the moment Thanksgiving ended I was able to celebrate everything that Christmas is about and I owe it all to my son, Styer.

Having a three year old who really understood Christmas for the first time brought so much excitement, anticipation, and true celebration of the blessed day. He loved coming home to a house filled with lights. He loved listening to Christmas music in the car. He loved seeing the decorations all over town—pointing out every single display as if he were in Rockefeller Center. He loved seeing for the first time the Grinch, Rudolph, Frosty, and of course my favorite—A Charlie Brown Christmas (thank you DVR!). And he loved coming to church and joining in on the celebration of baby Jesus. He loved the Christmas Eve service. His eyes were as wide as they possibly could have been when Santa Claus entered the worship center. He just sat there staring in amazement when Pastor Ted (his grandpa) interviewed Santa Claus. Although I was really hoping that he would experience a life-changing moment when Santa Claus shared the gospel message, afterward in a very solemn moment he turned to his mom with a very concerned look and asked, “Why does Santa like the Forty-Niners and not the Raiders?” Holly and I just looked at each other and laughed.

He loved getting up early on Christmas morning and running downstairs to see that Santa had eaten the cookies he left out…and left him a light saber under the tree. He was actually jumping up and down screaming, “I can’t believe Santa got me a light saber!”

Ted and Jesse Smith

So for me, Christmas has been renewed. For the first time in a while, I was able to anticipate and celebrate Christmas through the precious eyes of a three year old. But honestly… I loved coming home to a house that had lights on it. I loved listening to Christmas music in the car. I loved seeing the decorations all over town, pointing out every single display as if I were at Rockefeller Center. I loved seeing for the 100th time the Grinch, Rudolph, Frosty, and of course my favorite—A Charlie Brown Christmas. And I absolutely loved coming to church and joining in on the celebration of baby Jesus. I loved the Christmas Eve service. I sat and cried while Steve Pearce sang a beautiful rendition of O Holy Night. I loved watching my son listen to the Good News of Jesus Christ from Santa Claus. I loved the fact that my son loves the Raiders so much that he was disappointed to hear that Santa likes the Niners. I loved for the first time in a long time getting up early on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought. I loved jumping up and down screaming, “I can’t believe Santa got me a sky caddie GPS unit for golf!”

I believe that it is good to take some time—even though Christmas is over—to praise and worship God specifically for the gift of his son Jesus Christ. I also believe that, although New Year’s Resolutions often are for such things as losing weight or saving money, it is a great opportunity to look at how you lived this last year for Jesus and make some commitments for spiritual growth in the New Year. I hope that Christmas was a wonderful celebration of Jesus with your family and I wish you a very happy new year!

by Jesse Smith, Associate Pastor

originally posted on FirstCov.org/Devotions

And the top 10 best moments from 2008, that the audience never saw:

10. Watching a herd of men deadlift a grand piano off the stage and back up again.

9. The little boys in kids’ choir trying to do a spellout, getting it wrong (“J – E – S – S – aaaah ! “), then the big big boys in Dance Team inviting the little boys to join them in a “SHOWTIME” circle (awesome role modelling!)

8. The audience’ first reaction to the SNOW, then getting hit with snowballs, then their reaction to “my brother’s a flake!”

7. The entire Van Aken family making memories with Federica and her Center High School friends that she’ll take halfway ‘cross the world.

6. John complimenting the kids’ choir for singing louder than the choir! YEAH!

5. The visuals, starting from “with a tail as big as a …KITE!” ooohhhh, AA-OOOO”

4. At the end of “Light Your Christmas,” Erik lifting little Makenna to put up the tree topper.

3. Steve Pearce’s discharge papers: “Did you just TOOT?” (ask him!)

2. Brian Bigelow’s ushering challenge and how God used that to result in a torn card.

And my number one favorite memory from “An Evening in December 2008:” The significance of Laura Voska’s solo, especially:

“Next year at this time,
I’m sure that we will find
some things are just not quite the same.
Each season is diff’rent than before.
May we never take for granted
every Christmas from the Lord.”

So, remember your favorite Christmas moments and remember that God Blesses you 24/7.

When some people hear the words “church play,” they sigh, look for an excuse not to accept their friend’s invitation to attend, and think to themselves “yeah, I’ve seen dozens of church Christmas plays.”

But once they see “An Evening in December” their comments are often “wow, that was unbelievable,” or “are you sure those aren’t professional ringers?” or “that was incredible, that was better than (fill in the blank with something familiar like ‘the Nutcracker’ or ‘Music Circus’).”

The cast gets just one chance in front of each audience to tell a brilliantly written story, deliver vocal sounds that will vibrate through to the farthest seat, or execute explosive choreography by Devin LePage, John Plastow, Jennie Johnson, Carolyn Melville, Karla Harris, and Morgan Ortiz.

But when we get that many unprofessionals onstage, how does John inspire us to raise the bar to the highest level? Calling upon his experience with hundreds of productions and passion for excellence, he inspires us with what I call “the director’s message.”
Last run-through, he gave us just six things to remember:

E – is for Energy. I interpreted his comments personally as follows: Overcome my tiredness, overcome the fatigue or the distractions from our work or family life. Give my all.

F – is for Focus. Concentrate on the moment. He’s put me through the show dozens of times, rehearsed me through the dance steps more than 50 times, had me memorize the entire libretto, trained me to know my cues. So, focus on that alone for 90 minutes.
F – is for Fun. We’re singing about Christmas! Snow! “this gift!” When the audience sees that I’m having this much fun, their own experience will reflect that.
O – is for Offering. We have all been blessed with individual gifts and talents. I’ve been blessed. The months of practice and sacrifice of family time (when I could have been sleeping, or blogging, or eating) are mine by choice, so give my performance as an offering.
R – is for Rejoice! Look it up in a dictionary. ’nuff sed.
T – is for Team. When you take a 40-member children’s choir that’s on stage for six songs; a dance company doing some killer moves, lifts, and turns; a talented and brilliantly cast troupe of character actors; a 60-member adult choreography team (of snowmen and snowwomen) doing precision drills through nine numbers; and a hot brass section kicking up some hot licks; we MUST be ONE team. One VISION. One PURPOSE.

It all comes down to our EFFORT. If we the cast can remember all those six points, we will be surprised by the level of performance we can achieve. And the audience will be blessed with the experience.

Thanks John for an inspiring message!

Lace up the dance shoes, cinch up the truss (you tenors hitting the high notes), and take one last peek at the script. It’s the milestone all cast members anticipate: the first full cast run through!

It will be a grueling 6-hour session, packed with 250 cast members of all shapes and sizes. Dancers will stretch out in every available aisle, actors will be running through their lines in little nooks, ensembles and soloists will be “me-mai-mah-mo-moo”-ing in every available corner.

It will be a day full of “hurry up and wait” as we try to put all the pieces together. For you first-time cast members, know that it won’t look pretty.

But speaking of looking pretty, the official “An Evening in December” Web site just got a new look and feel, as the Webmaster just completed a redesign.
Check it out at aneveningindecember.com! Oh, yikes, only 22 days until opening night!

John says the 2008 “An Evening in December” will be like none other that came before this one.
Every year he says that, but based on what he’s shared so far, wow, he’s not kidding.
Without spoiling any surprises, just realize that this year you may surprised by the following changes:

• Artistically, throw out everything you have come to expect. Whether you’re a first-time audience member, or a veteran of any of the last 15 productions, just when you think you know what’s coming, be ready for a surprise. Unexpected staging, unexpected plot directions, unexpected shifts in focus will lead to unexpected results for the audience.
• Musically, be prepared for radical surprises in its flow, format, and feel. That means veteran showgoers, who think they can predict the opening number, closing number, and everything between, will be kept guessing to the end.
• Visually, from set design to costumes, nothing that the audience has seen from past productions will be rehashed in this year’s show. Just when you think you know what you’ll see next, the visual will change.

I can tell you this: the previous year’s ten performances spread over two weeks have given way to a new schedule for 2008, just seven performances over one week.

So, if you have someone special in mind to take to the 2008 production of “An Evening in December,” don’t miss out when tickets go on sale in the fall!
And, after the show, let me know if you indeed experienced moments of puzzlement!

Second.Wind

Sunday, I witnessed the tight horn licks, straight up and funky rhythm section and spot-on vocals of “Second Wind” the new surge of energy in its 2008 rebirth of the ’70s Sacramento horn bands Sparrow, Slippery When Wet, and East Wind Band.
The period of mental and physical exhaustion was purely my own, AFTER the concert.

The venue: the Sacramento Buddhist Bazaar, 2008, where thousands came for teriyaki and culture and walked away saturated with funk and soul.
The music: arrangements from James Brown, Tower of Power, Average White Band, Sly, Santana, and others way too greasy and funky to list (and it’s way too bad that I didn’t bring a video camera or audio recording.)

For now, you’ll just have to live with photos.

Related Links

• myspace.com/secondwindjams
• FunkyFlea’s Second.Wind