Not all jobs are fun. Sometimes the pay is poor,a the budget low, and the actors demanding. So it’s important to savor the great jobs!
Last night was one of those! I was a part of Las Vegas history, doing the costume coordination for the Opening Gala show of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. The magnificent center, ten years in the planning and three years in building, comprises a large La Scala type opera house for Broadway shows, ballet, and concerts; a smaller theater; and an intimate cabaret theatre. In addition, still to come are the Discovery Children’s Museum, a state of the art rehearsal space, restaurants, and beautiful parks and public spaces. It is a testament to the belief in the future of Las Vegas as a great place to live as well as to visit as a tourist.
It was a star studded night, with the Nevada dignitaries and benefactors in black tie and formal gowns in the audience, and an A-list of bedazzled performers on stage from classical artists like Joshua Bell and Arturo Sandoval, to rock, country, pop, dance and Broadway artists of the highest caliber.
I had the honor of costuming the Broadway dancers and the Rob Mathes Band, Arturo Sandoval, and putting together a wardrobe team to take care of the needs of any or all of the stars performing last night. I loved every minute of it!
In addition to the regular responsibilities, I always love taking care of those last minute backstage crises! For instance, Broadway singer Laura Osnes got black tulle on the back of her gown caught in her zipper a few minutes before she was due to go onstage. It took three of us to work on it and get the fabric free and the zipper up in time! Arturo Sandoval discovered that his tux shirt no longer fit his neck so I had two minutes to put the top button on a piece of elastic so it would close. He could not find his bow tie, but at the last minute I had thrown an extra black bow tie in my purse, so that took care of it. (Though he later found his tie). Smith Center Board Chairman Don Snyder discovered he had left his studs at home a few minutes before he was due onstage to make the opening presentation with CEO Myron Martin and Fred Smith (as in The SMITH Center) and I was called by a frantic stage manager to come with double stick tape. However, I had an extra set of studs on hand. One of the dancers broke her dress straps while doing a lift, so we quickly sewed on new straps made of elastic. And so it goes. Never a dull moment! (Thanks to my team Brunie, Emma, Ron, and Yo-yo!)
It was a joy to see how an experienced team of producers, stage managers, talent escorts, stage crew, and hundreds of others, can work together seamlessly to put on a show of this size with well over a hundred performers (choir of 55, orchestra about 40 members, 2 dozen stars, 8 dancers) with only 2 days rehearsal and have it all come off so beautifully.
So, if there are a few difficult jobs now and then so what, when you can be part of a joyful experience such as this one!
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