Suzy and I wanted to do something different for this special day, the last of 2006. So we purchased tickets to see Bye Bye Birdie which was voted Seattle’s best musical production of 2006 by Footlight Awards. It has the added benefit of being really close to where we live as the Village Theater is located on Seattle’s eastside in Issaquah.
This theater only uses musicians from the union and among them is one of my favs, Jay Easton a phenomenal woodwind player. Here is a shot of him with all of his saxes. He has another shot somewhere on his website with the clarinets he plays.
I’ve heard Jay play on the Internet and on the CD "So Low" I purchased this year. I’ve also conversed, albeit very little, with Jay online. Now we are going to get to hear him in person playing the baritone sax, bass clarinet, and clarinet as part of this show. One of these days I play to get the obligatory shot of Suzy and me with all of our instruments. :o)
Because Suzy and I performed in our first musical with the Second Story Rep, where we did ‘Anything Goes", we have become fascinated with musicians who double on many instruments. We love to go and get a chance to peek into the orchestra pit to see the musicians and their arrays of instruments. And when we did this at the Fifth Avenue theater in Seattle earlier this month, we learned a lot.
Here’s hoping you and yours have a special night and a fabulous New Year. Keep the music real!
About Gandalfe
Just an itinerant saxophonist trying to find life between the changes. I have retired from the Corps of Engineers and Microsoft. I am an admin on the Woodwind Forum, run the Pacifica Big Band (formerly the Microsoft Jumpin' Jive Orchestra) and participate in other ensembles. Mostly enjoy time with family and friends.
The Bis Key Chronicles 
Happy New Year! A musical is a great idea! What a fun and different way to spend your evening.
Wishing you the best in 2007!
A word of warning… Alot of my posts are serious like the one you commented on today. They do tend to sound depressing. I try not to always think of it as depressing, but more like good therapy and a way of my own learning from past mistakes, etc. In the end…it can be a very positive thing for me. I mean no harm in my posts. I dont intend to bring others down in any way. I am only writing about what I need to write about for my own therapy and healing. Sometimes things are not a matter of choice. Sometimes they are. There are certain things and people who come and go in our lives that are there because of a certain purpose or reason. I believe God places certain things, people, and situations, in my life. Things do happen for a reason. Even when I dont necessarily choose them. Even if I dont view them as happy or positive things. Not everyone has this same opinion. Which is fine. I am only writing from my heart and my own feelings and going by my own past experiances.
I am so very glad that you have found your one and only. It is so nice to know that there are people out there left in this world who are true to one another and who appreciate what they have in each other. You are blessed and so is your lovely Wife. If my post depressed you, (which I did not intend to do) but then in turn made you feel that you are very lucky to have true love and feel blessed by that, then that is a very good thing! I am glad you are rejoicing by giving your Wife a kiss. THAT is the kind of love I am talking of. Finding a wonderful man like that for myself. Happy New Year to you and your Wife!
Tammy~
The music sounds great! I enjoyed your most recent blog, as well, and will come back later, when I have more time to read some of they others. Living in Alberta, we often get News and other programs from the Seattle area, so I feel like I know some of the areas there, even if I really don’t. Have a blessed and Happy New Year 2007.
Beth
Wow sounds like you and Suzy had a great evening. You’re lucky to be close to a city that offers so much. We have to drive 50 miles to a big city for theater (which isn’t bad in the summer). Winter is altogether different though. We stayed in which I didn’t mind since we had done quite a bit of traveling (1500 miles covered) over Christmas. As always love the music here :-)
Hi Gandalfe, Thank’s for popping by. There are a couple of Gadget’s about, Google and Tecknorati. If you join Hack MSN Forum’s you can get answer’s about spaces from different member’s, Your suggestion’s there would be food for thought for people if nothing else. Here is a link to the Forum’s. Click Here. Here are two gadget’s you might like. Tecknorati and Google Click Here and Here. Have a great day from Spence.