RENT!

SOOO.

i'm about to be that really annoying girlfriend...
but i just can't contain my excitement for kyle!
Nebraska Wesleyan University has a production of RENT currently on.
here is the opening night's amazing review from the Lincoln Journal Star...

"By JEFF KORBELIK / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Thursday, April 29, 2010 11:05 pm



Kyle Thomas (left) plays Mark and Tim Andersen plays Roger in the Nebraska Wesleyan University Theatre production of "Rent." (Courtesy photo)

As a thunderstorm raged outside, the Nebraska Wesleyan Theatre department created a tempest of its own Thursday night with a spirited production of "Rent" in McDonald Theatre. Directed by Jack Parkhurst, the 21-member cast and four-piece orchestra produced a show as good as, if not better, than any touring production of Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner.

It was that good.

Really.

Written by Larson, "Rent" is based on Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Boheme." The musical tells the stories of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive in New York's Lower East side under the shadow of AIDs.

If there's any critique to be made of the opening night performance, it may be that some of the cast members had trouble singing some of the musical's more difficult rock numbers, especially the solo endeavors. And, at times, actors shouted lyrics rather than sing them. It's a small theater. The microphones work just fine. There's no need to overdo it.
But the gaffes were easily overlooked because the students put so much energy and passion into the show.
Especially noteworthy were performances by Tim Andersen as Roger the frustrated songwriter, and Cory Misek as the drag queen Angel. Both possessed the charisma and vocal skills needed for their roles.

Janae Riha brought the house down with "Over the Moon," the performance art piece performed by her character Maureen.
The ensemble numbers were memorable as well, including a very entertaining "La Vie Boheme" and the musical's signature song, "Seasons of Love," which raised a few goosebumps.

Shout-outs also are necessary for the musical's lighting, set and choreography.

Extremely impressive were the very well done tango sequences on "Tango: Maureen," a duet between Kyle Thomas and Kaitlin Klemencic, who, by the way, is a dead ringer for "Sex and The City's" Cynthia Nixon.
In the end, the students provided their own thunder and lightning on McDonald's stage. It was heck of way for the them to end their season.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com, or follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/jeffkorbelik."

Watoto

Last night the Watoto Children's Choir came to sing in St Andrews.
These Ugandan children told some of their stories.
The stories were all along the lines of, "My parents were killed. But God has been SO GOOD to me."
Then then they would sing songs of joy and praise to God.
True, authentic praise.
It was beautiful.

Here is one of their songs:

Watoto Children's Choir singing "I Am Not Forgotten."

N.T. Wright....!?

dude.
N.T. Wright is teaching in St Andrews next fall.
so so so bummed to be missing it.
it would've been so stinkin' cool to study under him...

look! look!: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/news/archive/2010/Title,50669,en.html





CRAZY!

stephanie davis. heck yes.

rarely do i get excited about a tv show.
but 'over the rainbow,' the attempt to find a dorothy for the west end has me hooked.
stephanie davis is my pick to win.
love love love this girl.



...if you live in britain, you should watch.
andrew lloyd weber even sits on a throne.

happy birthday, brother.

happy birthday, joey!
what a super big brother.
memories of him flood my mind today.
non grudgingly driving me wherever i needed to go.
lecturing me about life's big issues.
playing h-o-r-s-e with me in the driveway.

hah. it's fun to remember.

these photos were taken way back when.
we were at Pier 1.. for some reason.. waiting on somebody, and got bored.
so we took these goofball photos. as you do.

they still make me smile.

He Loves you.

i recently came across this.
i don't think the girl who wrote it would mind me sharing it.
she wrote it to encourage. i thought that was beautiful.

"watch out for all the little ways He is trying to delight you, to romance you, and how He responds to the intimate things He knows about you. you will find your every day so lit up with glimmers of heaven's touch that you will stand in awe of this God, who not only saves us, but delights in us. He Loves you."

here's a few ways that God delights me...





how unworthy i am.

times are a'changing.

i have less than two months left in britain.
less than two months until all that is left are memories of wonderful friends and the newfound knowledge that i know nothing.

it's funny how much i've changed.
when i came, i was going to be a single politician.
now i'm dating a wonderful boy, possibly want to be a florist (only for the full health and dental benefits) and want homeless people to live in my house.
when i came, i thought i knew so much.
now i am aware of how incredibly little i understand.

and it's funny really.

before i came to st andrews, my brother urged me to write down what i believed about various topics.
so that when i leave st andrews i can write new answers to the same questions and see how i have changed.
i'm excited to look back on those questions.
i'm excited to see how i have been changed...