v2, d152: "Spots and guests and all!"

Man, if they had got the sound to sync with the video on that clip, the whole thing woulda been freaking awesome.

Tonight was our annual recognition of our season ticket holders/end-of-the-year awards show. This is often a stressful event for everyone involved due to a number of factors.  A lot of it has to do with scheduling, because it's always going on while one show is still running, the next is rehearsing, and our other departments are working toward starting up the new year.  It's an awkward time to try to add an event that includes the entire company, but there's really not a better time to do it.  (There are other factors, too, such as juggling so many schedules to try to find enough rehearsals in a short span of time, etc, but who wants to get into all of that on a public blog?  Not this guy.)

This year, I learned I was going to be "directing" the entertainment portion of the event.  I have to admit, I wasn't looking forward to this assignment.  The director of Spotlighter has never been a person I've envied, and I didn't think there was really a way I was going to succeed with it, but I decided to do the best I could to try to make it as smooth a process for everybody involved as possible. 

Much to my surprise, rehearsals were very productive, we were able to identify and take care of tech needs early, the script was enjoyable, and attitudes were (for the most part) very patient and positive.  I feel God's hand has been all over this process, helping us avoid major headaches.  A lot of people commented on how smoothly the whole process went, and I know it's nothing special that I did.  I'm glad that it's over, but I'm also glad that it happened.  It was a positive experience, and that's not always something we're all able to say afterward.

Interesting side note: I've suspected this for awhile, but it turns out I've got terrible taste.  We give out something like twenty awards, and as company members we get to vote on all of them.  Of my twenty votes, two of them turned out to be winners!  This is generally the trend I've noticed.  Not that I don't think the winners aren't all very deserving, they just weren't the ones I'd pick.  And this happens pretty much every year.  So, if you're reading this and you're somebody I voted for, I'm sorry.  I may very well have jinxed you.  Next year, I may try to identify the biggest "threats" to the people I want to win and vote for them and see what happens. 

Seriously, though, congratulations to all of the winners.  I'm always so proud of all the work and care that we all put into our shows.  In most cases, it's really hard and, in my opinion, unfair to try to pick a "best."  Fortunately, I don't think many feelings get hurt over these things. 

Funny fact: the only Spotligher I've ever taken home (and likely will ever take home) was my intern year for a props design. 

Clearly, I've missed my calling with all this extraneous stuff I've been doing since then ;-)