Once Upon a Time...

Back in 1998 when I was a junior in high school, our choir took a trip to NYC. While there we saw some fantastic Broadway shoes. My favorite was called Ragtime. It starred some "kind of" famous people: Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Marin Mazzie and a very young Lea Michele. If you're a Broadway fan, you'll know who these folks are! Those who knew me then, know that I fostered a LOVE of Brain and Audra that still exists today.

Brian


Audra


Marin



and Lea



Anyway, in June at our family reunion, my sister mentioned to me that she and Emily were going to see Audra McDonald in a show in Salt Lake. Immediately I was filled with jealousy. I begged her to get me a ticket.

So life went on. Steve and I went to Meadow for our fourth of July trip and I didn't have my phone. She had called Steve and I and begged us to call her urgently. So, I did, and you guessed it...she had got me a ticket. I don't think I have ever been so spontaneous as to say, YES I'M GOING! I was so excited!

So, below you will find some pictures from our excursions that night to see Audra McDonald in 110 in the Shade. I'd like to call the experience similiar to "heaven" for the LDS Broadway fan. =)

We saw the performance in the Hale Center for the Performing Arts in Orem. We were in the THIRD row!


Anybody seen the old LDS classic movie Saturdays Warrior? Recognize this guy?


After the performance waiting for Audra. LOVED the show!


EXACTLY how I feel.


That's right folks. Audra is so amazing that she waits to greet/meet ALL her adoring fans! AMAZING!


Okay, so I guess there's some sort of relationship going on between Will Swenson, of Singles Ward(and now Broadway), fame. Will's grandparents are part owners of the theatre, so he and Audra came out and did the show for two weeks! Lucky us!




Okay, so what did I say when I met Audra? I said, "In 1998 I saw you and Brian Stokes Mitchell in NYC in the original cast of Ragtime, and ever since then, I've loved you!" We preceded to talk about Brain and all that good stuff. She is as beautiful and gracious as she seems! I wish all of you could see her someday perform. She is absolutely incredible! This night was a dream come true!


So, could life get any better? ABSOLUTELY! Emily bought tickets for the Erickson sisters today to see none other than Brian Stokes Mitchell perform at BYU! Will I get to meet him? Maybe not, but to hear him sing will melt me into a puddle for sure!