Hello all!
As I was getting ready for work the other night, I realized that we only have about a week of this left. Tomorrow will be our last Sunday performance of the season. It's been a fantastic summer, and I'm going to be sad to have to leave all of my new friends to travel back to Illinois, but this has been an amazing experience for me and I would not have changed it for the world. I have learned so much about what it takes to run the front of house at a large outdoor amphitheatre like the Pioneer. I had never worked front of house before (even at school), except for maybe a little ushering here and there. Now I know that ushering is so much more than showing customers where to sit.
What I mean is...I cleaned up a little kid's vomit a couple of weeks ago. While the show was going on. I caught a scorpion last night and moved it to a safe place away from customers. I have been covered in trash juice more than a couple of times and still skipped back from the dumpsters on the other side of the parking lot. I have cleaned fresh poo off of a toilet seat (that's right, off of the seat of the toilet). I helped clean out the storage sheds behind the gift shop. I have taken broken flags backstage to be fixed. I have given tour after tour after tour of the amphitheatre. I have also given tours of the canyon (not many, but a few)--I decided after a couple of those that I like giving backstage tours better. It's a more intimate group because you're not talking to a whole charter bus full of people at once. I have met people from all over the world. I have a new friend who works at Disney World, Universal Studios doing sound stuff (maybe Disney will be an option next summer?). Who knows?
Okay, so after the list of things that I've already done, here's my goal list for this next week:
Ask Leland if I can run the deck cord. (A deck cord is basically a long rope of fire crackers. It's what we use to make the effect of the lightning bolt every night. Some people know it as a dynamite line. What happens is someone is strapped into a harness, and about ten feet below them, on a rope, they attach the deck cord, and that person literally runs up the wall of the canyon to set it. All it takes to detonate a deck cord is a specific amount of pressure--although I'm not sure exactly what that amount is.) I think this would be fun!
Ride some horses! I haven't gone riding all summer, but I think that will change come Monday!
Learn how to two-step. I've learned how to boot scoot boogie and cotton-eyed joe, but I have yet to learn how to two-step.
Learn how to run the registers in the gift shop. Along with that....learn how to use Ticketsage in the box office.
I think those are all of my goals for now. If anybody can think of any other interesting goals for me to try to accomplish before I leave, that would be awesome. Just let me know! I'll try to post again before the end of next week when I leave.
I hope everyone has had just as amazing of a summer as I have!
~Jen
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Picture Post Number 2
Someone recently informed me that I haven't posted anything on my blog for a while.
So, in light of that, here are some pictures of one day last week when it rained before work. And when I say it rained, I mean it POURED.
So, here are some pictures of the fun we have at work when it rains!
Wet feet!
Dinner in the rain! Even though I'm not a technician for the show, I'm not sure they're supposed to be eating on that set piece....
The rain made the flowers really pop out! (This is part of our courtyard.)
Tim...upset because he knows he can't possibly get anymore wet than he already is.
Skylar...trying to sell cold drinks in the rain.
Trying to stay dry...didn't work out to well for Matt.
TEXAS! Isn't it pretty?
This I thought was pretty. :)
So, in light of that, here are some pictures of one day last week when it rained before work. And when I say it rained, I mean it POURED.
So, here are some pictures of the fun we have at work when it rains!
Wet feet! 
Dinner in the rain! Even though I'm not a technician for the show, I'm not sure they're supposed to be eating on that set piece....
The rain made the flowers really pop out! (This is part of our courtyard.)
Tim...upset because he knows he can't possibly get anymore wet than he already is.
Skylar...trying to sell cold drinks in the rain.
Trying to stay dry...didn't work out to well for Matt.
TEXAS! Isn't it pretty?
This I thought was pretty. :)I'll have another post soon! I have more pictures, but I need to get them all organized and then I'll be sharing them!
Until then, enjoy!
~Jen
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
"A Midsummer Night's Dream"
I got to perform in the canyon tonight!
I don't know if I mentioned it before, but a few weeks ago, the Texas company held auditions for A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare. It's not really a long story, but obviously, since I got to perform in the canyon, I was cast in it. I was cast as one of Oberon's fairies. It was so much fun, and I got to use some of my new dancing skills as well!
Although I didn't have any lines in the show, it was great to get to perform again. We had a lot more people show up than we expected, which was great!
Speaking of performances, we have another one coming up (one that is something other than TEXAS!, I mean). T.O. (Texas Originals) is something like a variety show or talent show of anyone who works for TEXAS! that wants to audition and perform to be entered into winning a scholarship. I think auditions are sometime tomorrow afternoon.
ALSO, my best friend is coming to visit! Duane and a couple of his friends will be here tomorrow evening to have dinner and see the show.
Well, that's all I have for now. Look for another picture post soon--I'll have pictures from A Midsummer Night's Dream very soon, so I will definitely try to share those with y'all!
Have a wonderful week and I'll try to post again soon!
~Jen
I don't know if I mentioned it before, but a few weeks ago, the Texas company held auditions for A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare. It's not really a long story, but obviously, since I got to perform in the canyon, I was cast in it. I was cast as one of Oberon's fairies. It was so much fun, and I got to use some of my new dancing skills as well!
Although I didn't have any lines in the show, it was great to get to perform again. We had a lot more people show up than we expected, which was great!
Speaking of performances, we have another one coming up (one that is something other than TEXAS!, I mean). T.O. (Texas Originals) is something like a variety show or talent show of anyone who works for TEXAS! that wants to audition and perform to be entered into winning a scholarship. I think auditions are sometime tomorrow afternoon.
ALSO, my best friend is coming to visit! Duane and a couple of his friends will be here tomorrow evening to have dinner and see the show.
Well, that's all I have for now. Look for another picture post soon--I'll have pictures from A Midsummer Night's Dream very soon, so I will definitely try to share those with y'all!
Have a wonderful week and I'll try to post again soon!
~Jen
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Boz Scaggs. Wait, who is that?
Howdy, folks!
I've been staying pretty busy, but I found a few minutes to update everyone.
On a normal night, I would still be at work right now, but tonight wasn't a normal night. Rather than the normal show, TEXAS!, we hosted Boz Scaggs. I had never even heard of him until we were told that he would be performing the day after the Fourth of July. It was a pretty slow night, but we were all able to stay busy for the most part.
While the cast and most of the crew got today off, front of house was required to work. I can't complain, though, because I'm getting paid.
Nothing more has really been happening. We found two tarantulas today. You can see pictures on my facebook!
I had better get going. I haven't been getting enough sleep and it's about time I catch up!
Have a wonderful week, everyone!
~Jen
I've been staying pretty busy, but I found a few minutes to update everyone.
On a normal night, I would still be at work right now, but tonight wasn't a normal night. Rather than the normal show, TEXAS!, we hosted Boz Scaggs. I had never even heard of him until we were told that he would be performing the day after the Fourth of July. It was a pretty slow night, but we were all able to stay busy for the most part.
While the cast and most of the crew got today off, front of house was required to work. I can't complain, though, because I'm getting paid.
Nothing more has really been happening. We found two tarantulas today. You can see pictures on my facebook!
I had better get going. I haven't been getting enough sleep and it's about time I catch up!
Have a wonderful week, everyone!
~Jen
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
TEXAS! Picture Post Number One
This is the backdrop of the play! Cool, huh?
One of the sheds that houses part of our set. 
The other shed (sorry, it's a bit blurry).
View from the back of the house.
The view from the balcony of our apartment. The horses that we use in the show live across the street!
On the way to work.
The canyon is so beautiful!
On the way to the canyon. The sky is so pretty!
Monday, June 29, 2009
"The Bucket List"
Y'all have heard about that movie, right? With Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman and they make a list of things to do before they kick the bucket?
Well, last week at work, Ken (our hospitality specialist) told us during round-up at the end of the night that there was a lady there a few nights ago who was doing just that. She had a list of things that she wanted to do before she died and seeing TEXAS! was one of them. Ken told us that this woman really enjoyed herself while she was here and everyone was very kind and friendly and made her feel comfortable. It made me feel really good to know that I was a part of fulfilling one of someone's wishes.
Oh, by the way....There was another beautiful rainbow the other day. I took some pictures with my phone because I didn't have my camera. As soon as I figure out how to get them from my phone to my computer, I'll get them uploaded.
In the meantime, look for pictures of the theater soon! I actually had my camera with me one day last week! You'll be able to find them on facebook, but my next post will definitely be pictures of my workplace.
I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer! I will definitely try to blog a bit more often. I know I've been slacking a little.
Y'all have a wonderful day, now!
~Jen
Well, last week at work, Ken (our hospitality specialist) told us during round-up at the end of the night that there was a lady there a few nights ago who was doing just that. She had a list of things that she wanted to do before she died and seeing TEXAS! was one of them. Ken told us that this woman really enjoyed herself while she was here and everyone was very kind and friendly and made her feel comfortable. It made me feel really good to know that I was a part of fulfilling one of someone's wishes.
Oh, by the way....There was another beautiful rainbow the other day. I took some pictures with my phone because I didn't have my camera. As soon as I figure out how to get them from my phone to my computer, I'll get them uploaded.
In the meantime, look for pictures of the theater soon! I actually had my camera with me one day last week! You'll be able to find them on facebook, but my next post will definitely be pictures of my workplace.
I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer! I will definitely try to blog a bit more often. I know I've been slacking a little.
Y'all have a wonderful day, now!
~Jen
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Thunderstorms in the Canyon
It's been a while since I've last posted about my internship in the Palo Duro Canyon, and I apologize for that. I've been staying really busy! There is a dance class every day at 3:30 that I've been trying to go to--it really kicks my ass, but it's totally worth it. Every other day is ballet and on the other days it is modern. Then on Sundays it is something different. This Sunday it was jazz.
I have yet to hear anything about master classes, but I figure a dance class is as good as anything else! A new skill to have, at least.
This past Sunday at work, I had to give my first bus tour by myself. (A bus tour is when one of the trained tour guides hop on the bus with the tour group and give them a tour of the Canyon.) Luckily, I had a book with me that Matt had made so I didn't have to know everything off the top of my head. And I had one other girl with me, but she hadn't even been trained at all yet. It was a bit nerve-racking, but we were giving this tour to a group of jr. high students, so that made it a little less scary.
A fun fact that I learned is that Palo Duro means "hard wood." It's because of all of the mesquite, juniper, and cottonwood trees that inhabit the canyon. Pretty cool, huh?
Well, I do enjoy giving back stage tours a lot more than bus tours. It's not that it's easier or more difficult, I just find it more fun!
It also rained on Sunday. A HUGE thunderstorm rolled in just before intermission. But it was perfect timing on God's part because there is a thunderstorm scene, right before intermission, and Corey and Stephanie (the actors) are meant to be dancing in the rain. It couldn't have started raining at a more perfect moment. Then, as patrons were wandering around during intermission, it POURED. I was soaking wet when I got home on Sunday night. It was a fun time, because Texas rain is for shiz better than Illinois rain. Definitely not as cold, anyway.
That's all I've got for the moment, but I have to get ready for this afternoon. I have CPR/AED training in about an hour and I have no idea how to get to the fire station in town, so I need to make a couple of phone calls.
I hope everyone is having a fabulous summer!
~Jen
I have yet to hear anything about master classes, but I figure a dance class is as good as anything else! A new skill to have, at least.
This past Sunday at work, I had to give my first bus tour by myself. (A bus tour is when one of the trained tour guides hop on the bus with the tour group and give them a tour of the Canyon.) Luckily, I had a book with me that Matt had made so I didn't have to know everything off the top of my head. And I had one other girl with me, but she hadn't even been trained at all yet. It was a bit nerve-racking, but we were giving this tour to a group of jr. high students, so that made it a little less scary.
A fun fact that I learned is that Palo Duro means "hard wood." It's because of all of the mesquite, juniper, and cottonwood trees that inhabit the canyon. Pretty cool, huh?
Well, I do enjoy giving back stage tours a lot more than bus tours. It's not that it's easier or more difficult, I just find it more fun!
It also rained on Sunday. A HUGE thunderstorm rolled in just before intermission. But it was perfect timing on God's part because there is a thunderstorm scene, right before intermission, and Corey and Stephanie (the actors) are meant to be dancing in the rain. It couldn't have started raining at a more perfect moment. Then, as patrons were wandering around during intermission, it POURED. I was soaking wet when I got home on Sunday night. It was a fun time, because Texas rain is for shiz better than Illinois rain. Definitely not as cold, anyway.
That's all I've got for the moment, but I have to get ready for this afternoon. I have CPR/AED training in about an hour and I have no idea how to get to the fire station in town, so I need to make a couple of phone calls.
I hope everyone is having a fabulous summer!
~Jen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)