After about 8 auditions that didn’t result in a part for Olivia, she was finally offered a part in the Music Man at the Scera Shell. She was called pack for the part of Amaryllis along with 4 other talented girls. Liv seemed more anxious than I have ever seen her as she was waiting to hear back. She kept checking my phone hourly to see if there was an email yet. They audition noticed said they were looking for a girl age 8-12 for Amaryllis and kids age 12 and up for the ensemble. So we were worried if she wasn’t given the Amaryllis part, there wouldn’t be a part for her in this play either. She was thrilled though when they offered her a part in the youth ensemble!
Due to COVID, they had to wear masks to every rehearsal. Liv's snack of choice when she got home late from play practice seemed to be salad. 
There were a few people who came down with COVID during the run, so they had to push the show tech week and opening back one week. It ended up being a good thing for us because Liv because she had a very intense workshop scheduled for the same week as tech week with Broadway Kids Auditions in New York which required producing a video of a song and then she ended up sending in a video audition to Nickelodeon that same week and was supposed to send in her video for the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival that week too. I was super glad (and Liv later admitted she was too) that she was not also in tech week that week. On opening night Liv, gave every member of her cast a squeezable stress ball type poop with a note that said, “Best Wishes for a stress free Opening Night to all my ShaPOOPies! Love, Olivia”
Once performing, they wore masks backstage and then took them off as they went on stage. Almost every show I attended during at least one scene someone would forget and come out on stage with a mask and then realize and throw it off. Poppi and Nana made a trip out for Opening Weekend of her show. It was quick. We took them to the dinosaur museum, the kids finagled a trip to target where they ought them legos and a cheap batting machine. We took Poppi and Nana down the Provo river in the inflatable kayaks they purchased for us. Derek and I went to Opening Night. And then I went again the following night with Dad, and Lynn. Steph and Jon et al took our boys to see the show when D and I were in California. Steph bought the boys little army men from the dollar store and they played with them while waiting for the show to start and during intermission. They have been into army set ups all over my house ever since. Liv had tons of friends and neighbors go see her which was fun for her. Liv convinced Derek to come see her all alone one night which just shows you how much he loves his girl because he does not love musicals all too much. Mom and George and I went to Closing night. Liv got a bunch of free and discount tickets, but for closing night I bought tickets for Mom and George and I front and center in the reserved section. I absolutely loved that last performance so much. Liv told me this was her favorite play she had ever been a part of. She just loved the cast and loved hanging out backstage with these kids and made some great new theater friends. With all the COVID stuff I never even got to take a picture of Liv with her costume on. Luckily, one of the other girls in the cast took her Mom’s cell phone back stage one night and took some photos that she shared with me.
She did such a great job and was such an animated actress every time she was on stage. I totally laughed out loud at some of her character choices (falling asleep at school, trying to play her instrument upside down in the band scene at the end of the show…)
No comments:
Post a Comment