7 Days till 30- 2000

I graduated from college in May after playing Sonia in Godspell for my final college performance. I remember crying in the dressing room with Terri Kent (my director and mentor) after the final show. I was finished with college and I was about to set myself out in the world. It was a scary, but thrilling prospect. I am the one down front crouching with my breasts hanging out (I thought it was a really cool costume!)

That summer I was back at Cain Park to play Gloria Thorpe in Damn Yankees and then I was off to Carousel Dinner Theatre for Evita. It was the first show that I was an understudy and I actually went on. I played the mistress for two performances and it was so exciting. It was exhilarating to go onstage having never done the role before and only having walked through the blocking one time. I loved it. The show closed in early September which was good because I was about to get married three weeks later...

I couldn't have made it to that day without my sister. She basically planned the whole thing; she was indispensable. Because I was never the type of girl to have my wedding all planned out in my dreams, I relied on my sister for everything. I used the florist, photographer, and the DJ that she had at her wedding. She even went with me to register at JC Penney. I think maybe I should have married her!

I have to admit that this is not an easy subject for me to reflect on (hence the joking). So much of what has happened since clouds the happiness of that day. But it was a happy day. It was a happy first month. November and December were tough that year...