Road Show

I didn't even take my camera.
I just wasn't going to try and get a picture from the cultural hall.  They never turn out for me.  So I'm going to have to wait for someone with a better camera to send me one or post one of the finale.

BUT, they were great!

The theme this year is:  "WE SEEK..." and each ward had to choose a part of the 13th Article of Faith.  Each show was so creative and colorful.  I was really impressed.

Of course, I'm partial to ours.  It was well done and the message was timely.  Christine did a really good job as part of the priest/laurel ensemble.  That girl has some real rythm in her!  It's one thing to see her dance around the house, but when I saw her on stage in the group it came naturally to her and she didn't look nervous at all.

Meredith's choreography for their ward was cool.  I sat there and was so proud of her as I watched! 

Tonight is the final performance that they do for each other.  It is always a fun night where they get to cheer each other along.  Then a big dance party to celebrate.

I love Road Show.  When I was growing up our ward always had excellent ones.  Don Spencer wrote them and his wife, Beverly, directed.  I still remember her slamming her yard stick on the stage apron to get our attention!  She exacted our very best effort and it paid off.  Karen Hoopes did the music and you only had access to the piano. Several years my mom was in charge of the costuming.  I remember all the adult committee meetings about those.  All the trips to LA digging in the fabric dumpsters for free materials. 'Back in the day' Road Shows were truly competitive.  You traveled 'on the road' to perform and you had strict rules.  You had to get on and off the stage including set up and take down in a certain amount of minutes.  There had to be so much music in ration to dialogue.  You were given points or had them taken away depending on a long list of drama guidelines. 

During my youth years, we won 1st place in our Stake, and three times won 1st place in the Region and 1st place in the Area.  The years we didn't win 1st place we got 2nd.  It was fun and stressful all at the same time.  We learned so much.  There was no room for 'attitude'.  If you wanted to win there could be no ego involved.  We were a complete team from the second the stopwatch started until it clicked when we exited after the finale.  Everything was precision.  Not everyone could be the star, but every role was important.  And we knew it.

Road Show was only for ages 14-18.  The Beehives and Deacons looked forward to that privilege!  In the meantime, they were the cast for the 'entre' acts, which were small 3-5 minute shows on the apron of the stage while one ward was exiting and the other entering and setting up.  In order to not distract from the entre acts, behind the curtain had to be silent!  Have you ever tried to set up a Road Show silently????  If the judges could hear it from the audience, you got points docked.  It was hard core!  But we LOVED it.  There was so much to work for and be a team for and cheer each other on for even if it was with hand signals and face gestures!

Our Road Shows were in the summertime.  It was a golden time.  Families worked their vacations for August, because the shows were in July and that was when we practiced.  From the time school got out in June our mornings and afternoons were spent in rehearsals peppered with going to the beach inbetween.  It was magical. 

The Saturday after the performances, we had our own version of  "The Academy Awards".  Our stake leaders transformed the cultural hall into an unbelievable award venue.  We all came dressed in suits and school formal dresses.  We sat by wards at round tables draped with long tablecloths and centerpieces and our stake leadership from all the organizations served us a nice homecooked dinner.  They played music from all of the individual shows during it.

Then the awards!  They had all the usual categories:  best script, music, choreography, scenery, actor, actress, supporting roles, costumes, makeup/hair, producers, directors, etc.  Someone had filmed during the performances and they edited clips from the shows just like they do for the Oscars.  There were presenters who opened envelopes and you could feel the excitement in the room as they were opened and announced.  Youth and leaders received recognition.  Every ward won something.  We held our breath, screamed and clapped in support whether we were the winners or not.

And then everyone pitched in for the cleanup and the big dance after.

I have really good memories and a love for Road Shows, can you tell?