Pool Fun and Summer Sun

Happy official start to summer!  What better way to show summer's skin than to have pics of cute kids in the pool. I'm also listing 10 things I hope to do/attend this summer.......

10 in Summer 2013 (in no order)

1. Readington Balloon Festival (Readington, NJ) - July 26-28
2. Peach Festival (Chester, NJ) - an annual family tradition since I was a kid  - Sat., Aug 3
3. Peach Festival (Peddler's Village, PA) - August 10-11
4. Go to the Philadelphia Zoo
5. Go to PA local parks I've not yet been to, or haven't explored in depth, including Peace Valley Park,  
    Tinicum Park, Valley Forge Park
6. Have a picnic dinner with friends
7. Take my nephews on 'dates' (for their birthday presents)
8. Eat as much potato salad, pasta salad, macaroni salad as I can, and drink homemade sweet tea as
    often as possible
9. Get to the NJ beaches at least once
10. Attend a free music night in a local park and then get ice cream

There was a plane overhead

Celebrating Stephen's birthday

Opening his cards from the kids

Annie Get Your Gun:: Cairn University Spring Musical

This past week I had the opportunity to photograph Cairn University's spring musical - Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun. The directors and cast put on a fantastic show. The costumes were beautiful and ornate, fitting to the scenes and the characters. The scenery was minimal, but very effective. The singing, dancing, and character interaction was done so well, and with such infectious smiles. The leads were spot on, and the ensemble and supporting roles played an equally tremendous role in the entire production being a hit. Here are some images from the show...

(pictures taken with permission from Cairn's School of Music and Performing Arts)

Million Dollar Quartet:: Forrest Theater - Phila, PA

Upon completing my master's, I received a special gift from my faculty advisor and friend. She gave me two tickets to see Million Dollar Quartet at the Forrest Theater in Philadelphia. I looked up the show and realized it was a musical about the one day that four icons came together for a day in the studio: Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.

This is the description on the site referenced above:

"MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is the smash-hit musical inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time.
On December 4, 1956, these four young musicians gathered at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions ever. MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET brings that legendary night to life, featuring a score of rock hits including "Blue Suede Shoes," "Fever," "That's All Right," "Sixteen Tons," "Great Balls of Fire," "Walk the Line," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Who Do You Love?," "Matchbox," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Hound Dog" and more.
This thrilling musical brings you inside the recording studio with four major talents who came together as a red-hot rock 'n' roll band for one unforgettable night. Don't miss your chance to be a fly on the wall of fame... at MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET!"

(obtained from: http://www.milliondollarquartetlive.com/tour-about.html)

The real artists
[image from Google image search]

MDQ actors/musicians (l to r: Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash)
[image from Google image search]

The show was SO well done. The voices that the actors had were spot on. The energy that the character playing Jerry Lee Lewis had was infectious. The guy playing Johnny Cash had a lower register that mimicked the real Johnny Cash. The people in their seats were singing along, clapping, and in the end gave a hearty standing ovation, which caused an encore to ensue.

I have tried to share with friends the high energy throughout the show, but came short. So I tried to find a video online with a sample of the music...and was successful. If you're interested, check out this clip from an interview the cast members had on Hollywood Access Live.

I took my mom along with me. We both enjoyed a fabulous evening in the city. Here are just a few pictures I posted to Instagram throughout the evening:

Sansom St. (along Jeweler's Row)

Outside the theater

Interior of the Forrest Theater; it was stunning!