Happy Birthday to Me!

No, it's not really my birthday. But I'm still celebrating seven months after the fact. Last June, Randy, Jill, Eric & Brent gave me a gift that just keeps on giving: Tickets to a Broadway series at Century II in Wichita.

Last night, we went to "The Wedding Singer." (By the way, I am feeling really "cultured." "Jesus Christ Superstar" wasn't included in the four-part Broadway series, but I got to see that show a week ago. Two Broadway shows in one week ... not too bad for a Kansas farm wife!)

I'm not sure I've seen the entire 1998 movie of the same name. It starred Adam Sandler, and I'm not a huge fan. This wasn't one of those shows where I went knowing half the music already. And it's not necessarily one where I left humming the tunes.

But we did enjoy it. The voices were good. And it's always amazing to me how quickly the crew can change scenes. Having directed little church musicals and having been involved with shows at the Stafford Drama Guild, the logistics of moving such large pieces of scenery in a short period of time or giving that illusion of a new scene is amazing to me. (Not that a cardboard Bethlehem scene compares with a Broadway touring show, but still!)

Another interesting tidbit: The male and female leads were portrayed by a husband and wife J.Michael Zygo and Jillian Zygo. They played Robbie, the wedding singer, and Julia, a waitress at a wedding reception hall. Both are engaged to other people, but Robbie is left at the altar. And Julia discovers that money can't buy happiness, so she dumps her Wall Street guy for the sweet, likeable Robbie.


"Wicked" was the first show in the Broadway series. I LOVED that show. I am still listening to the music from it, and "For Good" has become one of my all-time favorite tunes from a musical. (It's overtaken my previous favorites from "The Sound of Music," which I have loved since I was a little girl and we saw the movie at a theater in Wichita. I've lost count of the times I've seen it since!)

The second show was "Avenue Q." I am not a fan. It was a raunchy takeoff of Sesame Street. I would have preferred watching Sesame Street.

The last in the series is "Rain," which will come to Wichita in March. It's a tribune to The Beatles, so we should know the music.

Century II needs to invest some money in their seats. They are REALLY uncomfortable. Other than that, it was a great evening with my date!