Cow Tipping!

"Honk! the musical" opened last night.

We had a couple of flubbed lines, a couple missed entrances, some forgotten hula hoops, a mic that went out, some other minor problems with the sound, a snow machine that didn't snow and various other opening night woes.

On the other hand...

We sang our hearts out, we took the energy level up about a zillion notches, everyone made every costume change, our blizzard effect almost worked, our dancing was dang close to superb, we had more fun than we've ever had doing this show, and we all went cow tipping together!

And then...

Patti-oke at my house!

Everyone who wanted to sing put their name into my tip jar. I would draw the names out one at a time, and when your name was drawn, you sang! (Pretty simple system, don't you think?)

Shalise did keep herself to one song (that was the rule; One song per person, please) although, Arlee chose to sing "Stepsister's Lament", which means that Shalise sang with Arlee as well. (This is not against the rules.) Sterling sang a wonderful song from "Dreamgirls", Robert sang a funny little ditty about Santa Claus being too fat for the chimney. Ames wanted to know what did he need with love, while Aleks was just thrilled with Being in Love. Kathy and Michaella insisted I Won't Say I'm in Love, while Michaella soloed with a Little bit in Love. Joshua and Garrett convinced us all to "Seize the Day" (which we all did the echo part! *grin*) and Keatly and Berkley taught us the follies of drinking Cider Through a Straw. I chose to sing "I Still Believe" with Crystal, while Joel croaked his way (literally) through "Happiness"...with lots of help from everyone in the cast...

just a note on "Happiness": Joel started out, people would add in lines as they felt them. Seth sang, "Happiness is...having a sister," I sang, "Sharing a sandwich," we sang, "Getting along!" Different people in the room would know different lines and sing them. When we got to "Happiness is singing together when day is through", we all sang together. I really felt like this line spoke every one's heart at the moment.

Happiness is singing together when day is through,
And Happiness is those who sing with you.
Happiness is morning and evening
Daytime and nighttime, too.
For Happiness is anyone
And anything at all
That's loved by you.

It seemed as if all the little kids wanted to sing (who can blame them!) and we had no problems with them participating, in fact, we encouraged it. If we don't let the children sing, how will they ever learn to be theatre people?

Crystal got to sing last (rather appropriately) and chose to sing "For Good", which she dedicated to this group of people who have made such an impact on our lives in such a short time. Yes, "For Good" is a duet, and yes, I sang with her (we figured two people, two songs, both duets, was not against the one song rule).

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
I do believe I have been changed for the better.
And, because I knew you
I have been changed
For Good.