The Pajama Game - Becoming Poopsie

It has been quiet on the blog front, but not quiet in real life, that's for sure. The biggest thing that has filled my days has been local Masquer's Theater's production of The Pajama Game. I was cast as Poopsie in August, and we just finished up 5 weeks of shows. Friday and Saturday night and then a matinee on Sundays. Phew! It was a lot of work...but sooo rewarding. 

Becoming Poopsie was such a fun journey. She is a fun-loving flirt with a fondness for Monday mornings and a pep in her step that could make anyone smile. Poopsie works with her best friends at the Sleep Tite Pajama factory in Ohio, and they are all in a battle for a 7 and a half cent raise. The play is set in the 50's so we had a set full of vintage sewing machines, terrific bright colors, lots of polka dots and a cast wearing amazing, time period costumes. And I got my hair and white as possible, cuz that's how Poopsie would do it. 

I also had the privilege of doing the poster and program design for this production. And I got to be on the poster!! It was so neat seeing my work up all around town. I had a lot of fun working with 50's colors and fonts and vintage sewing ephemera to create the designs. Then I made little personal invitations for each character to share on Facebook and text to their friends to invite them to see the show. They were a big hit. 

I had 8 costume changes, including a pink pair of pajamas and some adorable houndstooth pants.  This play is full of amazing songs, great dance numbers, funny one-liners and characters you can't help but fall in love with. Another great part of this play was having Chris in the cast too. Our characters got to flirt a little and it made it extra special. 

Also I got to be in a special dance number called Steam Heat with 4 other girls. We wore fishnet stockings, black shorts, white button up shirts, bow ties and bowler hats. It was probably the most rehearsed musical number in Masquer's history, but it was so much fun. Glad I got to be a part of it. 

Here are some of my favorite images from the play. My friend Marta came to the show and took some of me so I would be able to have the memory of being Poopsie forever. I love these pictures. 

I am so grateful to my dear friend, and director Holli for casting me as Poopsie and believing that I could do her justice. It was a highlight of my year. I made some new great friends and loved sharing this journey with them. 

The Lone Start Love Potion

This was the most recent production at Masquers Theater in Soap Lake. It was a hysterical comedy with lots twists and turns and surprises. Chris and I really enjoyed it and laughed so hard!

Here are some of my favorite shots from the play.

The basic premise is that the owner of a big huge ranch in Texas dies and everyone gathers for the reading of the will. The niece inherits the ranch, but the butler, Jarvis is allowed to stay and live there for the rest of his life. Jarvis then brings out a bottle and a letter all about this formula for a love potion. The twist is that it works backwards, making the person who drinks it completely irresistible to those who smell them. The sample of the love potion gets tried out on different people throughout the play with hysterical results.

The other cool thing about this production is that I was invited to design the program for the play. I worked with my friend Holli and put together some great western elements. Here are a couple of the pages I created. So proud of how this turned out.

I love being included in things at the theater. This was a fun one to work on. I’m going to be taking the headshots for the next play tonight, and will be doing that program too. Excited for these little jobs and the experience.

Do you enjoy local theater?
What is your favorite play?
Do you like comedy or drama or musicals the best?

Masquer's Theater

For the last few months Chris and I have been hard at work with the most recent play at Masquer's Theater called "The Doctor in Spite of Himself."  Its a seventeenth century comedy by Moliere (see details here).  Chris played the young man in love with the daughter who fakes loosing her speech so she won't have to marry someone else.  And I was stage manager on this performance.

This is the 3rd production Chris and I have been a part of, and its something we really love to do.  The Masquer's Theater is an intimate local theater in Soap Lake, and when we're involved in a play it feels like our second home.  The Doctor was our favorite so far...we loved the cast and crew and just had fun every performance.  The play is full of subtle humor and some laugh-out-loud moments.  So that was my other job: to sit in the audience and laugh.  :D  I love laughing... and even after seeing it so many times, I still genuinely laughed at the jokes.

I also took pictures one of the performances, so I wanted to share them here.

I made Shutterfly books for everyone and they should be here tomorrow or the next day.  I am eager to see how they turned out.

the last performance was last Sunday the 26th.  We're both a little sad its over, but I am eager for a bit of a break.  It has kept us so busy this last month!  This winter there will be a production of "The Wizard of Oz!"  I think Chris would make a fabulous Cowardly Lion, don't you??  :D

So now you know a little bit more about my life "offline."  Hope you enjoyed the pictures.