Today Readers I'm going to present you with something that I hope you will think is a treat, and I hope the comments and feed back will be plentiful!
I cant recall if I told you, but I'm currently in rehearsals for the show GREASE! It is one of my all time favorite musicals, and really got me started loving both the 1950's and musicals. I am playing "Doody" the youngest of the "T-Birds" gang and go steady with "Frenchie" the beauty school drop out of the "Pink Ladies". (I have dreamed of this role since I was about nine years old!) In the stage musical Doody sing a song called "Magic Changes".Where Doody who obviously cant sing,("C-C-C-C-C-C-A-A-A-A minor-F-F-F-F-G-G-G-G-seventh") transforms in to a well voiced "Ricky Nelson" type teen idol and I along with my cast mates, would like to sing it for you now... P.S. until I really start singing, its supposed to be that awful!
(Friend Mary was nice enough to film it on my phone, Thanks Mary!)
Please excuse my poor heavily Catholic "Chicago" accent and a few flat notes here and there! (I'm working on it!) The song "Magic Changes" while original to the stage show, did not make the final cut of the 1978 GREASE movie. It is actually used as back ground music during the "National Bandstand" dance in the high school gym.
I am so excited for this show, its everything I love about the 1950's and here I am right in the middle of it, Thank you Jim Jacobs! The sets are going to be great, the dances are high energy and vibrant. As an added bonus lots of my best friends are in the cast so its just non-stop fun from start to finish.
(Hannah, Amanda, Brandon, Craig, Jenn, Bryson, Mary (we're missing Austin!))
I hope you enjoyed the sneak peak, there will be a Sets post to follow when the show opens, and If you'd like to come see our show I can hook you up with ticket and booking info.
Well readers we are still chugging away, making preparations for the Spring Break Dance! I think this year since out theme is "It's Only A Paper Moon" I'd like to try and make one of those old timey photo stands that are a giant crescent moon that one sits on for a picture, you know the kind...
(I love this one, so quaint.)
(I love the starry back ground!)
(But I think the best combo is Stars and Clouds.)
Over at Dollie Deville's blog The Rockabilly Socialite She cut out and made a moon for her FABULOUS wedding reception and I'm hoping to do the same for our dance!
I tortured Patricia for a month on what her "special Christmas present" was, It just about drove her crazy Readers!
Before our tale unfolds here on today's post, I should back up and tell you all about the monster I created...
(The Monster!)
Late last September, while at the Casablanca one weekend I discovered that Patricia had NEVER seen "West Side Story" so I forced her to sit down and watch it. She was so taken by the beautiful music and tragic story of the movie when it was over all she could bring herself to say was "Again." So we watched it a second time.... fast forward a few months and Patricia is now obsessed with "West Side Story"! We have both the Original Broadway Cast, as well as the 1961 Movie Soundtrack records, she has a CD and lyric book of the 1961 movie, and listens and quotes it regularly. (I have even taught the dog to answer me when I whistle the 'Jets Theme'.) So imagine the luck I had when I found out that the National Tour of "West Side" was coming to Fort Worth!
(Was there any doubt that we were going?)
When I finally told Patricia what her surprise was, I let her pick the seats and order the tickets for the performance and she picked EXCELLENT SEATS!
I know it looks far away, but it really wasn't! We sat in the lower gallery and had a wonderfully unobstructed view.
(The opening backdrop of New York's Lower West Side)
As most of you already know, "West Side Story" is a modern retelling of "Romeo and Juliet", the Lyrics to the show were penned by Stephen Sondheim in 1957, and SHOCKINGLY enough this show lost the 1958 Tony Award to Meridith Wilson's "The Music Man".
It was beautiful, it was lively, it was rude, it was soft, it was CRUDE I could rave on and on about what I loved about seeing this show live, but I'm afraid we don't have the time! I picked up so many ideas for our upcoming production of Grease. The important thing is that Patricia loved every single second of it.
(A very, very happy Patricia!)
It was really a treat, and well worth the wait! I cannot wait to go back and see something else we love! Bass Hall was so elegant of a setting as well!
While festivities at the Casablanca might seem dormant, we are actually gearing up for one of our biggest events of the year dear Readers! It has become tradition during spring break to throw a formal dance at the Casablanca. This event has been a long time dream and it is finally starting to blossom into a staple of the "Social Season" here at the C.H&R. Here is the posts from 1958's Spring Break Dance and also the one that started it all in 1957 we had a wonderful time at each!
(Our theme "It's Only A Paper Moon".)
This years Dance Committee has chosen formal dress and a black and white 1930's, 40's, 50's theme for the dance. Our song theme is a classic, and perfectly fitting for all of us theatre folk!
We have big plans for the decorations, and hope to feature all kinds of music! Mostly Big Band-y, older George Gershwin/Cole Porter/ Irving Berlin show tunes, with a Charleston and a bunny hope mixed in here and there!
I love making these invitation every year, there is something so delightfully formal about getting a mailed invitation don't you think? I used the paper lantern shape from last years (it is my favorite and will provably remain so) but added a crescent moon to keep with this years theme.
I couldn't make my mind up on a yellow moon, or a blue one so I opted for both! These white paper lantern invitations will be sent out in black envelopes with white writing on them, they look very 1920's and classic. It is truly one of my most favorite parties to plan and prepare for.
If any of you out there in Blog Land feel brave enough to join us for the dance, shoot me an email and I'll set you up with more info! We'd Love to have you attend!
The weather may have been dreary this weekend, but that didn't stop us from hitting up the Bowie TX flea market! Although each of us was somewhat disappointed by a lack of what we'd been pining for we did find some treasures!
My hauls, a doughnut maker, an AWESOME 1966 Batman Lunch box that Patricia bought me, a "Delaware" Travel plate, an "ABBA greatest hits" Album and a new mint Pyrex Pie Plate!
(1966 Lunch box, a little wear but I LOVE it!)
(The graphics are great! Joker & Riddler)
(The Bat-Cave)
(The Penguin, and Robin in peril)
(On the Bat-Phone)
(Hero's in Action! Even if Robins face is scratched off...)
I cannot wait to try this out! Scored this Popeil Brothers "Donut Maker" on sale for $2.25, I don't think it has ever been used! It was in its original box (opened), and is in pristine condition.
Best thing about the original box? It had tried and true recipes for making doughnuts, that sold me on the deal!
("This is why we don't take pictures before 10 A.M." Dillon, Brandon, Jenn & Pat!)
We finished off the day with a TO DIE FOR meal at "Sweet Boys Cafe" in downtown Bowie, I am still craving the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes!
I am just in shock and total bliss dear Readers! Imagine my surprise and delight when my Grandmother Charlene presented me with a late Christmas gift. HOLY COW! She hunted down and found for me a 6ft Pine Aluminum Christmas tree, with the color wheel AND as an added bonus there was a 4ft pine Aluminum tree also in the box!
To be honest I'm still kind of in shock. Here I am, been whining since 10 years old for a 6ft Aluminum tree and here I am now with TWO 6ft trees and TWO 4ft trees. I'm going have an Aluminum Forest!
I want to thank Grandma "Mimi" Charlene for this WONDERFUL gift! I know I just recently purchased a tree, but in this case its the thought that really does count. I'll put them up and treasure them. I can hardly wait until next year to have a gleaming Christmas!
This is one I have been trying to start for a while. This project will be for the screened lounge at the front of the house. It's the goal over this year to thrift and collect travel plates from all 48 of the United States!
ONLY FORTY EIGHT STATES?! I hear you cry, well yes. As one of my neat little quirks, the Casablanca was built in 1943, and in 1943 there were only 48 states in the union (even thought Alaska and Hawaii were annexed.
While on vacation in Kansas Patricia and I happened on a FANTASTIC start to this project. While rooting around in a Goodwill we found a large stack of travel plates, I was skeptical because usually these plates are $1.00-$5.00 but much to my delight we found 13 plates for $0.48 A PIECE! So we scooped them up and ran away like bandits, the cashier thought i was crazy buying all these old travel plates.
We collected states - New Mexico, Tennessee, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, Utah, New York, Iowa, Arkansas, Wyoming, Indiana, Virginia, and Missouri. Better yet I think I have a few other random state plates tucked away!
Or maybe I should say Mick-torious! While on Christmas vacation Patricia and I met up with Missouri Michael for our second annual "Thrift-A-Thon" to see what we could dig up!
(Missouri Michael, who refused to turn around, already sniffing out deals!)
(Patricia scouting out finds with her newly thrifted opera glasses!)
Well I could hardly wait to show you my first prize catch. I finally got the six foot Aluminum Christmas tree I've always wanted! I had dreamed all year of a six foot tree we saw last Christmas that was $200. I made up my mind that I was going to save my money and if that if by some miracle the tree was still there it was going to be mine! Well we get to the antique mall and the tree I had dreamed about... wasn't there.
But fear not! There were still trees (and thankfully at MUCH lower prices) for the picking! It came down to this reasonably priced "Pom-pon" Aluminum Tree and this six foot "Pine" Aluminum Tree.
(P.S. I had never seen a GREEN Aluminum tree but at $250, it was too green for me.)
So we make our way through the store, and I hem and haw and rack my brain about which tree I'm going to get. They were only $9.00 apart in price. The Pom-pon looked full and ratty, the pine looked sparse and wonky. But rest assured I was leaving with a tree, then I noticed that not all the branches were the same size on the pine tree and knew it must look wonky because it wasn't put together right. so the six foot Pine it was!
When I got it back to my Aunts house we sorted the branches I found that my hunch was correct. The tree had been put together wrong, and when done correctly it filled out and looked much better!
I was so lucky, even the original instructions were in the box!
(From 1959!)
We all came away with treasures, it was a fun afternoon of traveling and smart-assery! I picked up a few other neat things.
(A really cool, and working gold plate thermometer. $2.00)
(A trio of Tupperware tumblers! I can never have to many of these. $0.98.)
This small snowman blow mold was purchased at the same shop the Aluminum Tree came from. $8.00.
(I have no idea why this is upside down, but a neat Missouri travel plate for $0.50.)
The Two Pyrex Thrifter Sisters have had me green with envy and pining to make my vintage ornament collection bigger, so I did. Haha I found one single shiny bright that a paid a whole $0.25 for!
Last but not least, I found these baby saddle shoes for $1.00. I snatched them up and will provably be using to decorate/giving a pair of them to friend Lara for her Casablanca baby shower.
All in all some great finds! We had lots of fun running around with Missouri Michael, and I'm SO thrilled I finally got a tree.
