Yes, me too!

I have to say, I have never been that affected by the death of a celebrity before. I mean, I am usually sad to hear about it because I always feel bad for the families and loved ones of those people.

Though I have no way been in mourning or even shed a tear for his passing, I find myself pre-occupied with Michael Jackson. Perhaps it is because he is the first icon that I have experienced first hand to pass. I remember Thriller - not the video because we didn't have MTV, but the song. I loved how theatrical it was. I remember "BAD". I was so confused - was it good to be bad all the sudden? Why would you want to be bad? But that bassline - OH that bassline - who could forget that? I also remember Weird Al Yancovik's version - "FAT". I wanted a glove. I would sometimes take off one of my winter gloves in the freezing weather of an upstate NY winter just to be cool.

And then came the pinacle of my Michael Jackson experience. I'm thinking it was around 1988 - we took a family trip to Southern California to visit my Grandma. And we went to Disneyland. I don't remember much from that trip - I actually don't remember any rides, except for wimping out of Space Mountain (which my own children would never do in a million years). But I remember Captain EO.

Quick Tangent: My parents were not into pop culture at all - which was not a bad thing, but my husband still teases me that I've never really seen The Brady Bunch. We did watch The Cosby Show, but I was only vaguely aware of a lot of the 80's culture. I did listen to the radio and take note of classmates hammar pants and concert t-shirts, but mostly I lived in a world of classical music, Barry Manilow and childrens television. I DO remember She-ra, My Little Pony's, Smurfs and I had Whitney Houston and Debbie Gibson tapes...all that good stuff, just not a lot of MJ.

Anyway, Captain EO was special. The 3-D was cool, but the movie itself - well, I know it's cliche'd, but it really did make an impact on me. Something about the music and choroegraphy made me feel amazing! I remember leaving the theatre speechless. I couldn't describe how I felt - it's like I was in a daze, playing the music over and over in my mind, trying to remember the images I had just seen. And it made me long to be up there, on that screen . Whenever I go see a production that I love, I have this overwhelming desire to be up there, be invloved. That's the first time I remember having that feeling. I had some spending money - and I immediately bought a Captain EO sweatshirt. LOVED that thing! My sister was kind enough to post these photos to my Facebook today. She ROCKS!'

Ilona, my siser, and me just back from Disneyland. My sunglasses had Minnie Mouse on the lenses. And I am actually wearing shorts. :) That's my grandma Stimmel in the background.

Ah, yes. The short hair/perm years. Camping in upstate NY. At least I don't have a mullet like my sister Jessica (to my right). Well, at least not in this photo. My brother Jimmy is to the left and Ilona, also in an unfortunate short hair stage, is behind me with my dad.

I don't want to say that I became a performer because of Captain EO because that wouldn't be true. But it is definitely one the earliest memories from my childhood that I can pinpoint where I recognized that excitement - the excitement from good, energizing entertainment. I mean, all those rides at Disneyland and I can't for the life of me remember any from that trip. I remember "We are here to change the world!"

I can't say I was a huge fan of MJ after that - I knew I loved "We are the World" and the video for "Black or White" - it was just cool, especially the end with all the people morphing together. Still total coolness. My sister and I used to love to make movies with our video camera. One time, we made this murder mystery and my sister Ilona played Michael Jackson in it. As I type, I am cracking up just thinking about it. Genius! (Even better than our Wayne's World movie.)

As for his controversial years, I just feel badly for him. None of us can imagine what his life was like - to have that much power with absolutely no perspective on what real life is.

So, thanks Michael Jackson! I hope you are finally at peace.

Back to life, back to reality!

Ok - well, I'm back. Made it home on Sunday night - even with a 3 hour flight delay. I was so excited to see me family again! I had a wonderful time, but it's good to be home! Here are a few more pictures of me in the show!

Before the show - see my new bangs, though I should have brushed them!

My Maria costume!

"Our Favorite Son" - You should youtube it - we did the original Tommy Tune choreography.

Me as Christine and Chris Coyne as the Phantom - so much fun!!

I even got a boat!

There are also lots of pictures on my facebook - facebook.com/sandrahuntsman. I hope I get the opportunity to do something like this again. And, as soon as I can, I'll post some video! I should be getting my copy before too long.

I'm ON THE ROAD!

First of all, my movie shoot was a blast! As soon as I can, I'll do a couple of blogs on it with all sorts of fun stuff - but for now, my non-disclosure agreement is in effect...so you'll just have to wait until August!

The shoot did end up going an extra night, so, on Monday night, I got on set at 8:00pm. We wrapped at about 6:15am. My flight to Spokane was at 10:05 am, which meant I needed to get to the airport at 8:30 am. Needless to say, I didn't get any sleep before getting on the plane, which was fun. I did sleep on the plane the whole way to Spokane - a whole 2 hours. Once we got off, we went straight to the hotel, got our keys and were told we didn't have to be to rehearsal until 7 pm. Music to my ears! I slept from like 2 to 6pm and was actually able to rehearse with some level of dignity.

Wednesday was a long day of rehearsals - 11am to 11:30 pm, and then yesterday was a dress rehearsal at 2pm and our opening night show at 7:30 pm. I think it went well! I do wish that I had my husband in the audience to give me an honest opinion of the show, but oh well!

So, here are few shots of me in costume and rehearsals. I'm hoping to get some video before long.

In my Christine (from Phantom of the Opera) costume which I made myself!

Rehearsing for "There's No Business Like Showbusiness" with Lynn Steinhurst, Steven Midura, Kellie Wright (she was in Millie with me), and Chris Coyne.

Oh, Kelly and Chris!

"Let's go on with the show!"

My Grizabella makeup!

This is the costume and wig I wear in "No Business Like Showbusiness"

That wig has prompted a new hairstyle I've been thinkin about...

Seeing as how I'll have a lot of free time, I'll be working on getting some of the things I've missed out on lately up. I have new photos Thoroughly Modern Millie as well as the video to post, pics from our recent trip to Disneyland - ya know, the stuff I've been too busy to post about!

My (secondary) dream job!

Wow. So many crazy things are happening. 

First of all - the title of my post. I just spent the last 3 months supervising costumes for Thoroughly Modern Millie as my readers (both of them) will know! I love it. My duties were taking the design of the show and making it happened. I supervised costume builders and bought lots of costumes. It was awesome!

Well, now I'm supervising wardrobe for a film! A very special top secret project for a NY Times best selling author. It just kinda fell in my lap and I'm loving it. And, it's not every day that you get to discuss a book with the AUTHOR! (On our first meeting, he signed a copy of the first book in his series and I read it. I really liked it! So, this time he gave me #2!) I'm able to hire people I know who are very good at what they do to handle stitching, hair, etc. It's AWESOME! Their goal is for this to be a very high profile thing. 

Don't worry - I will certainly be able to tell you all about it in due time, but for now, it's staying on the downlow. This is a GREAT experience that may someday lead to so much more! I'm so blessed. My first dream job will always be performing - which I get to do in 2 weeks. But this is my #2 dream job - wardrobe supervisor/coordinator. :) :) :) :) :)

Ok, so next order of business - Steve and I have been planning a trip to LA/Disneyland for this weekend for quite sometime. Well, Steve gets a call on Monday that they might need him to go do another cruise last minute. He told them no initially, but that he'd see if he could work it out.  He decided it was too late in the game and didn't want to cancel our trip, so he was ready to tell them no if they called back and said it was a go. Well, when they called him, they begged. They couldn't book the job without him and the offered more money. EEEK! He was still ready to tell them no, mostly because he knew that I would be really disappointed that I wouldn't be getting to go and I was really looking forward to it. We have been so busy lately that our 10th anniversary and my birthday both passed by with no celebration to speek of. (Steve did get me a massage for mothers day - he rocked it!) 

Anyway, he called me to let me know that that they were being persistant. I was really sad! So, I was on my way home and told him we'd talk then. On my drive, I thought - well, maybe I can go anyway somehow. I mean, our hotel room was paid for, I didn't want to just forfeit that money.... I can take Chloe and Piper! I've been wanted to take them without the babies - so why not?  I came home and told Steve to go. He started to tell me he was going to tell them no when I said - I'm still going to Disneyland. I'm just going to take the girls with me instead of him! He thought it was a brilliant idea. So, that's the plan.  

So, Steve may get to go to BERMUDA! (I'm really jealous, I've always wanted to go there.) but I get a very special weekend with my very special babies. And my dear friend Alda is watching the babies. They are going to have a wonderful time and be spoiled rottin!!!

I'm so grateful for this time of joy and success in my life and am not taking a moment of it forgranted.

All Good Things...

It's true what they say about all good things - they must come to an end. But the truly good things are often unexptedly so and leave you with enough fond memories and gained knowledge to sustain you until the next good thing. Such was the case with Thoroughly Modern Millie - a production I had originally wanted nothing to do with, but fate stepped in and it has become an incredible experience that has tinted my future a soft shade of pink.

I will post production photos and video when I receive them. In the meantime, you can check out video of Steve and my cabaret performance of "The Song That Goes Like This" from Spamalot and video of the actual show on my Facebook.

Enjoy!

Blessed

Blessed - that's just how I feel right now. I have so many wonderful things going on in my life right now, I can't help but feel humbled and grateful. Let me count the ways:

1. My tooth is back!

See in the first photo, the gaping hole in my teeth - well, I recently had a root canal done on the tooth and went in for the build up this week. Before - it's been this way for over 2 years, since that fateful night I bit into a filet-o-fish and my tooth broke. I usually photoshop it out, I just felt so trailer with it and it's one of the reasons I have hesitated being a princess again.
After! It's a perfect match. It still needs a crown, but it feels great to smile on both sides again!

Thanks SOOOO much to my friend Joe - he finished up dental school on Friday and is going to Arizona to be a dentist. He is fantastic and is going to be so successsful. Good luck to the Hale family!

2. My oldest baby is 9!

On April 8th, Chloe turned 9. We celebrated with cake and ice cream on her birthday and I also built her a birthday/easter gown in the style of Thoroughly Modern Millie - her very own 20's dress, complete with coordinating cloche hat. Unfortunately I forgot to take photos with her at the show when she came the night after her birthday, but here are some photos from Easter.

She's a natural poser!

Now, where have I seen that before?

3. Piper at the show!

The next night, Piper came to the show. For easter, she wanted a dress just like one of the ones I wear in the show, and I had extra fabric, so I did it for her! She loved it and was precious as can be. I did get pictures of her at the show, as well as Lola and Ryder who showed up as well. Enjoy!

Close-up of the blondie bugs!

2 of a kind in Miss Dorothy's signature pose!

Little Dorothy and the evil Mrs Meers - AKA the fantastic and sweet Kellie Wright

Little Dorothy and Jimmy - AKA Eddie Gelhaus

Little Dorothy with the star of the show - Millie (Kelly Albright, one of my oldest and dearest friends)

Stop the cuteness!

In the dressing room with Lola!

And my little love bug, Ryder!

4. Thoroughly Modern Millie - a smash success!

The show is a hit! I've never recieved so much positive feedback about a show or my performance. I'm so grateful I had the opportunity!

We were really lucky to have Paul Canaan (he's done like a million shows on Broadway - including Millie, and was also a judge on MTV's Legally Blonde: The search for Elle Woods) come and do a workshop for us and he also saw the show - and LOVED and RAVED about it. That was awesome! I auditioned for him and a casting director at a workshop the next day, and though they had a lot of constructive criticism for me, they were really impressed with my voice. Awesomeness! (http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/legally_blonde_search_for_elle_woods/cast_member/cast_member.jhtml?personalityId=9959)

PS - if you want to check out some real video of the show - visit my myspace page! If you aren't my friend, search for me. I even have a fanclub I share with my onstage love interest, Erik Ball! You can see photos of the show at http://www.signatureproductions.net/ReheasalPicturesTMM.htm

I can't tell you what an amazing experience it's been for me to do this show. My skills have improved and my confidence has grown leaps and bounds! My waist size has shrunk and I feel a keen awareness of the direction I want to do go in the future in my life and with my family. Blessed, indeed!

and, drumroll please......

#5. MY TURN!

You know how Steve went on his cruise as a performer for 2 weeks back in February? Well....

The woman who plays Mrs. Meers - Kellie Wright, is doing this show called Showstoppers, Too! that's touring to Spokane, Washington in June. She posted an audition notice to the cast of Millie and I though about going. Steve told me I absolutely should go. I decided I'd give it a shot. I don't take too much interest in most of the professional auditions here in Las Vegas because they are't usually my genre, but because this one is a broadway review, I decided - why not?

Well, the night before, I realized all of my music was in storage, I didn't have a headshot and I left my dance shoes at the theatre. I almost didn't go, but stayed up late finding music, creating a resume and figured I could just dance barefoot if I had to. Why not?

Kellie told me that they wanted to do some music from Phantom of the Opera, so I auditioned with "Think of Me." I got nervous when all of the other auditioners sang belt songs, but I had a belt number with me if they wanted it.

So, I sang my piece, but my cut didn't include the end with the high note. They asked me to do that part, which I did acapella. When I was done, they guy says "A word of advice - always do that high note in your auditions. That will get you the job." And - it DID!

I got a call last night at the show from the director. He wanted to know if I thought I could do "You've Gotta Get a Gimmick" from Gypsy along with the Phantom stuff. I was like - of course? Are you kidding me? I am THRILLED to get to perform that number. So, he said he'd like to add me to the cast.

I start rehearsals on my birthday and I'll be gone for about the first two weeks of June. And, I don't have to be stuck on a cruise ship!

I'm so in shock that all of these great things have been happening to me..but more than shocked, thoroughly grateful and blessed. YAY!

Lights, Camera....ACTION!

So, I filmed my first commercial today. It was a PSA (Public Service Announcement) for building permits, and Steve and I were the actors. We played a married couple - duh! Anyway, it was fun. I was in the kitchen making a cake while Steve kept passing by the window, working on a patio addition or something. We filmed in a really beautiful model home. I'll probably hate the outcome because I'm so critical and I feel "on the fat side", but it was a good experience. The producers were really happy with us - that's the important part.

Here I am - I just took the cake out of the oven.

Whalah! Frosted cake, ready for slicing.

Oh no! Steve should have gotten a permit. Instead, he got a black eye.

The STARS of the show.

The really cool part came later in the day. Because it was a PSA, we were volunteering our time - it's good experience and exposure for us. But they were SO impressed with us that they are going to send some money our way. Wow. Very nice.