Opening Night

Yesterday was our first full day of rehearsing and opening night of the pageant. We rehearsed at the school and learned one whole dance and half of another. It was a lot of fun, especially since we were indoors and not in the humidity! The days are really long, so it's often hard for me to remember everything that we do!

In the morning we were taught how to do our stations at the Frontier Country Fair that happens for the hour and a half before the pageant begins. I'm at the rag tying station where we make a carpet out of rags. It's pretty easy, but it takes some time to get the carpet started. We have set up a bunch of benches that that people can come up and we can sit down to teach them how to do it. It is a great way to have extended conversations with people. I only work the station this week and next week I will be going around talking to people at this time.

One thing that I am loving about being in family cast is that I have so many opportunities to talk to other people in the cast--particularly the adults and the core cast. Yesterday at lunch I sat and talked to another cast member (Sis. Clark) for over an hour about lots of different things. We have a little down time after lunch and before afternoon rehearsal so that's why I can do this and how come I could talk to her for so long.

Yesterday afternoon we learned more stuff. I honestly don't remember... it's too long ago already! But by the time we were done it was dinner time and we weren't very hungry, but we ate anyway because we'd not be able to eat again later. I got dressed in my "light" costume and then headed to the missionary meeting. I have a light and a dark costume because we start out in dark and gradually the whole cast changes to wearing all light costumes to make a really cool effect on stage. This week I am in the finale scene, so we all wear the light costumes.

Last night I got a total of 5 referrals. I got one referral the other day before the rehearsal, so I have a total of 6 referrals. I've realized though that as much as we want referrals, the most important and most effective work I do is me talking to people in meaningful conversations. I love the rag tying activity I'm doing because it give me just that opportunity. Last night I talked to a girl named Tanah who is only 13 years old. She and her mom came not knowing that the pageant was even going on. They have gone around to different church history sites, ending here. She and I talked for over an hour as I taught her how to make the rag rug. I ended up getting two referrals from her, but that wasn't what made the interaction meaningful. I answered her questions and helped her with some things that she's trying to do to help her beehive girls that she is over. I challenged her to watch the pageant through her non-member/less-active friends eyes. After the pageant was over, she told me the impressions she had and what she thinks she needs to do. It was a really sweet experience.

After the pageant ended, I went out with my "companion" Carsten to talk to people. We got 2 referrals and had some good conversations.

This morning we got up early and started rehearsing the first scenes of the pageant. It goes really fast, but we were all able to keep up. The director and stage managers are really good teachers and know our limitations. The major limitation definitely is the heat and humidity. We all are chugging down water trying to prevent getting dehydrated. I drank 2 water bottles in an hour and I still could feel the effects of it a little. I'm in the opening welcome scene. I am one of the "established saints" that welcomes in the converts from England. It just so happens that my "husband" or dance partner in a later scene is one of the ones arriving, so I joked about that this morning with the people around me. I am then in the healing scene. That is one of my most favorite scenes. I'm with my district, which is divided between two blankets. I'm a mom in that one. We are one of the last ones to have the apostles come around to heal.

I forgot to mention that yesterday when we practiced the dance scene, they chose who was going to be Mary Fielding Smith... and it wasn't me. At first I was a bit disappointed, but then I remembered what another cast member said on Monday about how each of us is representing someone who lived in Nauvoo even if we don't know what their names are. I decided that I will represent my ancestors. I have many ancestors that lived in Nauvoo and I have their names. So, each night I will pick one of them to represent. Last night I was Pheobe Wooster Child, wife of Ebenezer Clawson Richardson, who did a lot here when he was here. Tonight I will be Lowly Foote, wife of Josiah Richardson. I will most likely repeat names because I can. :D

Now I'm going to music rehearsal! I already know all the songs, so it will be pretty easy. It will be indoors, which is awesome. Then it's dinner and the pageant!!