Two snapshots

Words can hardly express what I saw and felt, but I'll try.

One: 7:45pm, Friday night. Cast on stage learning the Mormon dance -- really, really dancing. Smiling, laughing, howling, moving to the music and having a blast. Led by two seniors -- both with years of experience, down center sharing their joy. It's too late at night, too little on the sleep, and too far in to still be learning a new dance; beyond all reasonable expectations, past its time. But smiles all around, so much fun the French girls couldn't resist -- they knew a wonderful moment and dove in. A dozen set builders working -- hanging the back curtain, painting, upholstering, hammering. Sarah there, and asking what more she could do to help. Jan packing up to go -- tired and smiling. Steve and Kurt tweaking the sound system -- seeing how high the frequency levels can go before feedback, jamming music through the Sonics, cast pausing from their other dancing to jam with that for a while.

Two: 9:35pm, Friday night. Thanking Deb and saying goodnight. Saying goodnight to Joel, who is washing brushes back in the shop. Josh and Allison asking how early the building would be open, because they both have a lot of work to do. Feeling the strength of an amazing rehearsal that moved us toward a dream, a vision, an idea, a hope of what we could be -- and that it will actually happen. Clicking off the house lights from the main entrance, looking across the auditorium, across the seats, across the stage, through to the shop, to the back corner where Joel was still washing brushes. Good night.