“It’s a pungent artichoke”

Caution, this is long, but it’s chock-full of good stuff and hopefully some multi-media if I can figure it all out.

I’m on lunch break at good ol’ Alumni Relations, and my boss allowed me to have some great Pizza Luce leftovers. The pizza is amazing and has some pretty crazy options. Anyway, there are giant artichokes on this particular pizza, and it’s a little too much for me (hence the title of the entry).

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to Pizza Luce. Anyone who goes to Concordia is a short walk from this great place (plus it’s open until 2a.m.) For you incoming freshmen, you can have great pizza AND study for an Old Testament final at the same time!

But I didn’t tell you that.

It’s been an incredibly busy week since my last post. Since then I was part of the Summer Music Theatre Camp at Concordia. Just short of 40 students (7th-12th grade) joined in an exhausting week of singing, acting, and dancing. They are truly “budding young artists.” It was fun, but I definitely know I’m not cut out for camp counseling any longer than a week–and we were in the city even.

The campers and crew got to attend one of the opening performances of Les Miserables at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. It was pretty incredible. With a smaller space, the staging had to be adjusted (the professional touring and Broadway-type theatres use a turning, disc-like stage). But this was an excellent rendition, and I enjoyed the freshness of it all (although the orchestra was way too loud…but I’ll let that go).

Now I’m back into a “routine” of sorts. Back to work with Alumni Relations and getting more training on website updates and stuff. It’s complicated. Homecoming planning is also getting into full gear, and our dear Reena is at her last week of work! I’m sure she’ll tell you all the details of her cross-country adventures before heading off to Boston for grad school.

Man, there’s a lot more to write, so I’m just gonna dive in.

This past weekend was my voice teacher’s wedding, and it was wonderful! She has a lot of music friends, so there was quite a lot of singing from her opera friends. You may say that the wedding itself wasn’t like something you’d see on Bridezillas, but it wasn’t “quiet” either. For the reception, a “command recital” was in order. I got to sing “Lida Rose” with some friends from the Music Man and then the bride came up with her mother to sing Marian’s part with us. Then, the final performance was probably 20+ singers belting out “Make Our Garden Grow” by Leonard Bernstein. It. Was. Loud. But I couldn’t have imagined a better wedding celebration than this for Shari and her husband.

The Barbershop Quartet from “The Music Man”, CSP Theatre spring 2007

NOW, to the meat and potatoes of the entry. Two weekends ago, the Phantom Regiment pulled into Andover High School (north of the Cities). I was able to attend rehearsal and see their show that night. I marched with this corps for three summers, and now my little brother is in it. He is on the world’s best drumline. I’m not even kidding. Here’s a link, and you can see what it’s all about. You’ll have to scroll down a bit to see the videos (I reccomend video #2 of the drumline), but it’s worth it, I think.

Okay, I’m going to attempt to put in a YouTube Video (see, I told you this was serious). This is the show that I actually marched last year(I’m in the trumpet section). It’s the final performance at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. This is when Phantom took 2nd place–mere tenths behind the Cavaliers who took first….

And now, presenting the 2006 Phantom Regiment show: FAUST

Thanks for sticking through this thing all the way. Hope everyone is having an excelleng summer, because school starts in less than two months….