Did you know that I love to sing? It’s true, I do. In fact, my husband and I met when we were both spending a summer serving as Young Performing Missionaries for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, at a church historical site in Nauvoo, Illinois. I thought he was pretty cute . . . until I heard the man sing. WOWZER! After that it was a done deal. 🙂
Young Performing Missionaries in Nauvoo, Illinois. Both of us much thinner, and one of us with WAY more hair… 😉
In the early years of our marriage, my husband and I did tons of community theater together and performed at summer theaters, etc. It was so fun to be able to do shows opposite one another! One year we did a summer theater melodrama and he was the charming hero and I was the villainess. Pretty accurate type casting, actually. 😉 My favorite show that we did together was Crazy for You, where he played Lank and I played Irene. Over the top personalities, fantastic 1940s costumes, and a big belty number in which I got to go from shoving him across the stage to laying one on him! MEOW.
Melodramatic villainess and cowboy hero in Finding the Fickle Fortune at Pickleville Playhouse in Bear Lake, UT. My son is completely fascinated with this picture! 🙂
Benjamin and Dorcas in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at Pickleville Playhouse in Bear Lake, UT.
Irene knows how to get her man! Irene and Lank in Crazy for You in Logan, UT.
Sadly, the years march on and life gets ever more complicated. My husband began medical school and we started our family, and before you know it, we are barely doing a thing with our voices other than singing in the church choir. All of those years of training, and even a minor in music, all just sitting on the shelf, getting dusty. It makes me a little melancholy.
My husband is now in the middle of a residency in general surgery, which basically means that he lives at the hospital. I wish I were kidding! However, last year he sprung on me that he wanted to take a couple years in the middle of his residency to basically pause his clinical training and do two years of straight lab research and a masters in medical research something or other. Whatever, dude, just make this training last for the rest of my life, ok? *sarcasm* I wasn’t pleased about extending this lovely schooling journey, but it has actually turned out to be AMAZING. He is home for dinner! He can have a (volunteer) job at our church because he is able to be there on Sundays! He can help drive our son to his music class at night! It’s freaking AWESOME to have a husband who doesn’t work 80+ hours a week! Who knew?! 😉 We are all going to have a VERY difficult time transitioning back to reality in a year and a half!
One of the happiest surprises of my man starting his “research years” at this particular time is that our church decided to do an incredibly beautiful musical production for the Easter season, and WE ACTUALLY HAVE TIME TO BE IN IT!! It is an Easter oratorio written by Rob Gardner, and it is so lovely. You can hear a sample of the music HERE.
As soon as we heard the music we knew exactly which roles we would each dream of being able to sing and we got to work. Practice, practice, practice! After seven years of zero auditions or serious performances . . . WOW were we both rusty! (Especially me!) I was a nervous WRECK before the auditions, but our hard work paid off! WE BOTH GOT THE PARTS THAT WE WERE LONGING TO SING!!
Our church has recruited a massive choir of singers from all over the Denver metro area, as well as a full orchestra. The oratorio covers the New Testament story of the last days, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I will be singing the role of Mary, the mother of Christ, and my husband will be singing the role of the apostle Thomas (“Doubting Thomas”). To say that we are excited would be a very major understatement. I literally screamed when I found out. Literally. I am a touch over-dramatic, just in case you hadn’t noticed . . . 😉
So, if you live in Colorado and would like to come to the lovely Easter oratorio The Lamb of God then mark your calendars for March 17, 18, or 20! Performances are in the Denver metro area (two at DU and one in south metro Denver) at 7:00 pm. The performances are only for children ages 8 and up. (Ours have to just sneak into a dress rehearsal.) The tickets are only $2.50, which is the fee DU charges for processing at their box office. THE TICKETS GO ON SALE TONIGHT, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9th AT 8:00 PM. They are expecting this event to sell out fairly quickly, so if you’re interested I’d buy them as early as possible! (Additional info on the flyer I have included below.)
I hope that some of you can make it! (And please be sure to let me know if you do!!) Completely aside from my involvement, I think this beautiful music is a great way to begin the Easter season. Listening to the CD has brought a sweet spirit into our home and kept our Savior and His sacrifice for us close to our hearts.
Have a lovely Sunday!
Latest posts by Sarah Westover McKenna (see all)
- Harry Potter Birthday Party - March 22, 2019
- Christmas Caramels - December 14, 2018
- Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe - December 12, 2018
Leave a Reply