Let It Go

December 2012

Christmastime 2013

Aunt Kenzie knows little girls, despite being the mama of a soon to be 7 year old boy. She is responsible for the first, but not last, karaoke machine in the family.  It was a gift to both Lizzie and Abbie Christmastime 2012.  They wasted no time in serenading us all, but found Grandpa Blake a particularly appealing...and captive....audience when he was ensconced on the leather couch.

I don't remember what they sang when they were five years old, but by Christmas the next year,  there was only one soundtrack on everybody's mind and that was 'Frozen'.  In the third photo, Lizzie is dancing her little heart out in front of the Christmas tree to 'Let It Go'.  

I learned to love musicals from my parents. My dad was in the pit orchestra when Carousel first broke my heart. We saw How to Succeed and Guys and Dolls live. I was crushed when I first heard a recording of my spoken voice and realized how awfully squeaky it was.  And even though I could carry a tune and read music, my singing voice was just plain ugly.. Even in church, people would turn around.  'Life upon the wicked stage' was not going to be in my future.  

This makes watching the grandkids grow up in our local theater ever so sweet.  From Aaron's first appearance as Louis in the King and I through a fine menagerie of imaginary chorus creatures in Little Mermaid, Shrek, and Beauty and the Beast, the children have song and danced their way with joy and enthusiasm with the help and encouragement of parents and music loving volunteers. 

And...needless to say... Blake and I have watched and laughed and cheered.  We also applaud the patience and cunning of the producers and directors who realized what the addition of all these cute faces and costumes to the stage would do for the box office of the Liberty Theater!   

And now the little girls who sang to their Grandpa are singing to a crowd, acting alongside their friends, putting their hearts and hands and smiles into the story of Elsa and her kingdom like it's the first time told....and the magic isn't just in the fairy tale, or the tunes.

July 2019

The magic is in the theater itself...it's in the lights and the applause and the generosity of the volunteers who put community into their theater.  And in the applause, the bravos, and the tears of  those in the seats who can't sing, can't act...but love those who do!