The fat lady has sung...

the show is over.

They've played the last bars and sung their last encore. The applause has died down and the theatre has been packed up.

The costumes have been put away, maybe to be reincarnated for next years show. I have watched costumes take on a new role for over 10 years now. Even this year the cape 'Belle' wore this year was one 'Sophie' wore in The Chrysalids in '99.

Hayley didn't quite make it through the whole show, having to have a quick breakaway when she wasn't feeling well. (She hadn't been out partying or anything, after a crook neck she now has a sore throat).

Next weekend I'm hoping for good weather as I relay for life. (More on that later)

Tale as old as time...

We thoroughly enjoyed watching Beaty & the Beast show, the music, the costumes and lighting really made for a great show. This is the Broadway version based on the Disney film. Apparently the writers added 15 new songs for this version, adding to the 6 from the film. If you've seen the film you aint seen nothing yet.

We were immensely proud of both the girls. As Hayley has performed in so many shows its easy to become a bit blase about her involvement, she always plays so professionally that we have become used to her high standard.

As for Erin, it is fabulous to see her overcoming her shyness & timidness to perform on stage. I think she would rather not being able to see us watching her, but she is doing really well. As always we have to heap equal amounts of praise on both the girls for their achievements.

After sitting in the crowded orchestra pit for hours Hayley comes out with aches & pains and a crick in her neck. Since she broke her fingers in 2006 she has had ongoing problems especially when she plays for any length of time. And 3 shows in one weekend will do that. A bit of Tiger Balm & Nurofen will get her through the next 6.

Erin is tired and heads off to her Outdoor Education camp this week. She wont have much time to recover from camp before the next weekend of shows will begin. This week I have to get my head around thermals, 0 rated sleeping bags and hiking shoes. The weather forecast for Wed - Fri looks pretty good for them.

It's begun...

Beauty and the Beast has begun its 2011 season in Bacchus Marsh.

This article appeared in the local newspaper.

The rehearsals are done, everything is ready. I think the girls needed something to steady their nerves this morning. The first show is at 1pm today, we are going down for the evening show tonight.

Looking forward to it!

Sergeants, nieces, geocaching & painting...

Chris' niece came to visit us for just one day. She is a Sergeant in the Air Force and is in Melbourne doing a course, her home base is in Toowoomba, Qld. She'll be able to catch up with the Melbourne family while she is here for just 2 weeks. The funny thing about Chris' family is that they are all far flung around Australia and see each infrequently but it is always the same, within a minute of any reunion it is as if they see each other all the time. The old stories come out, new stories are begun and embellishments are added.

Thanks for coming to see us.

Clare put us onto geocaching while she was here. Its something she has started to participate in and it seems to be a worldwide game that is right up our alley.

Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online.

Clare found that there is a cache just a few steps from our door so we went out at 1030pm with torches and found our first hidden treasure. It was fun to find the cache, sign it and leave it there for others to find. As soon as Chris can work out the app for his phone I'm sure we will be on the hunt for others.

(check out the link for all the info)

I'm tired today, having been painting all day at the theatre (enchanted objects are all now complete, just in time as this weekend is the last for rehearsing, next weekend the show begins for real!)
I also found the shoe paint for the dancing shoes after travelling to several shopping centres to get the right thing. The black shoes are now 'dark camel' as requested. And let me tell you shoe paint smells like something dead in a can. But it sticks like shite to a blanket, so will last the distance.

Fortuitously I made a big pot of  pea soup to have tonight, an easy dinner, a warm bath and an early night will make us all feel better.

M is for...

many things but today it is for....molar.

 Hayley is off to a themed 21st party, come as something beginning with the letter M (Melanie's party)

She had worked some magic with some polystyrene, material and stuffing.

It even came with a filling

And was modelled on this acrylic tooth made in the clinic (looks too real for me)

 Depending on the success of her costume tonight she might wear it in the upcoming Djerriwarrh festival as she has ended up on the organising committee. I think it looks like a tooth but I know what its meant to be.

I had a lovely day yesterday, in my tunic,

We ended up (window) shopping in Armadale & Fitzroy in lots of groovy, expensive places and had a celebrety sighting of Josh & Jenna off  'The Block'. Ness got some bathers for her soon to be trip to Hayman Island. I ended up with a light dress for when I'm lazing about on my summer holiday. I had to put it at the very back of the cupboard for today was quite chilly.

It was a cold start but I rugged up & went down to the theatre to do some more painting. Only 2 weeks til curtains up & still a lot of work to do. Erin was pleased to get into one of her costumes today and it sounded really good while I was painting enchanted objects.

Painting...

sets, props, staging and costumes for Beauty & the Beast today.

Yes thats right, painting costumes, they have cleverly made character costumes from foam shapes and we (the working bee team) base coated them along with other wooden items.

This painting activity stopped me from doing any more gardening today but I did run the vac over the house & clean the toilets before we went down. Housework has been sadly neglected this week, but its always waiting for us isn't it?

Trivial...

Last night we attended the annual fundraising Trivia Night for Performing Arts Headquarters. We had to make amends for last years disastrous effort when we came stone motherless last.

We had a different combination on our table and did a little better coming about half way in the pack. The night had a Beauty & the Beast theme in keeping with this years show. As usual there were musical questions and general knowledge and other bits of trivia that are circulating in your head and don't often come in handy.
We could have done with a super fast link to Wikipedia last night as we got stumped on a few questions.

For example, do you know the meaning of the word nictate?

We guessed to spit but it is actually to wink. Later when the question was 'What does Gaston say in his song is the thing he is the best at?' Well spitting was not our minds then and we missed the answer expectorating.

Another curly one was the word glabella.

As a nurse I think I am pretty good at anatomy but this is a bit of the body I hadn't heard of. It is the bit of skin between your eyebrows, again Wikipedia would have come to our rescue.

All in all a good night and a fun way to raise some money for the show, I think some selling of chocolates will be upon us shortly. Selling chocolates at work might be bit tricky this year as everyone is dieting and Hayley might have trouble selling hers in the Dental module.

I'll leave you with this riddle and challenge you to work it out without Wikipedia

The man who invented this doesn't want it. 
The man who bought it doesn't need it. 
The man who needs it doesn't know it. 
What is it? 

I gotta feeling...

I like this song from The Black Eyed Peas and will have to put it on my running track, when I work out how. I have no helpful children at home at the moment so it will have to wait. I am yet to master the iStore.

We managed to survive the day the world is ending very nicely thanks.

I was able to get washing done & dried in the balmy warm wind.

I made a coffee cake and a delicious lasagna.

I had a cappucino with Hayley at a local cafe while Erin was at rehearsals for Beauty  & the Beast.

I finished my latest Jodi Picoult book 'The Pact' and am looking forward to the next one. I discovered a couple of avid Picoult readers at work and between us we have lots of her titles, a mini lending library has begun.

It was a nice way to spend the last day, not very exciting but satisfying.

I'm off to enjoy a cup of tea with my coffee cake!

They're in...

The girls got their notification today, they are both in the production of Beauty & the Beast this year.

Hayley will be playing flute in the ensemble and Erin will be in the chorus. The ensemble will be fairly small again with just 16 musicians they will have about 54 pieces to play. Erin desperately wanted to play Chip but did not have the pizazz to land such a big role.

Also in April, Hayley and Lucy are playing at a friends wedding. They will play as the guests come in and be seated prior to the ceremony. I'm glad paying for years of lessons is still being put to good use.

Beauty & the Beast...

The announcement for next years show was made at the cast party on Friday night...

Beauty and the Beast it will be.

Quirky timing as B & B is having a revival at the moment. You can buy all sorts of paraphenalia including the DVD. I'm surprised they could get the rights to perform this as anything mainstream costs a fortune, even for a small amateur group.
It was Hayley's favourite movie as a little girl and our copy on video is just about worn thin. She even had a Belle Barbie and a 'Beastly' Ken. The girls are both keen to be in it, Erin has her eye on the 'Chip' part.