Tuesday 30 July 2013

British Pageant Red Cast - Day 6

It's the final countdown (de de doo, de de de de doo)

Today was a tough day, I felt a lot of people were struggling at points today, there seemed to be a lot of technical issues that were needing sorted. We were there from 10am and only got back to our room at 11pm. Although I think everyone would agree that the evening ended very positively with the dress rehearsal played out in front of a  small crowd of a couple of hundred of people. I was especially amazed at how well the children did given they had been rehearsing for about 24 of the previous 36 hours.

I particularly enjoyed getting to move from my official Pageant t-shirt to my 1830's outfit:


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I think I was born 200 years too late, I would have been a catch in the 1830's!

Much of the positive feel surrounding the Pageant has come from the leadership of the Pageant, the leadership is made up by 4 very talented ladies, they are:
  • Alex, the director she is incredibly talented and has an amazing way of talking to everyone, her words are positive and make us feel good about ourselves and give us the desire to try harder.
  • Amy, the choreographer whose vision has been able to design and teach us 3 dances involving over 100 people that are so full of life and has done it such a calm and laid back manner.
  • Charly, the stage manager who is managing to run a very large work crew with a lot of props moving around the stage and controlling much of what goes on.
  • Beth, the music director who takes the choir and has even managed to teach me how to sing - no small feat.
These individuals have really set the tone for the Pageant, as time has gone on I have appreciated their examples, I have tried to soften the tones I use in speaking with my family. I am now even convinced that as a Young Men's President, I can teach and help them without the need of shouting at them or trying to force them. Following their examples has made our family a happier one this week.

I was blessed to grow up in Dundee, which is famed for its strong women. In the early/mid 1900's Dundee had lots of jute mills and at that time mill owners could pay smaller wages to women, this meant women worked and their husbands were unemployed. This empowered many of the women of the city, I was therefore blessed to be raised by a strong and principled mother, and surrounded by similar grandmothers and aunts and went on to marry Lynne who is also very much like this. These individuals have always shown me the best example of how to treat our brothers and sisters in this world.
 
I appreciate the vision and teachings of our living prophets and apostles who teach love and fairness for all and want to reach out to everyone. Sometimes this message is diluted as it comes down as we hold on to many of our incorrect traditions. However, through time I believe it is improving all the time.

One of the main difficulties that I had today was as the director took a back seat in dealing with the cast to deal with the different technical issues or something or other. We were left in the hands of others, I didn't feel that we were dealt with in the same "British Pageant" spirit that had help create the level unity that has been achieved. There was a different atmosphere amongst the cast at points today, it felt like the spirit was decreasing. Not ideal for Pageant eve!
 
Now for this Pageant we have been called as special representatives of Jesus Christ, to teach the gospel through the show. I have no talent to act, sing or dance (and within the Red Cast I don't think I'm alone). So to teach, I need to be feeling love in my heart and hope it can transcend from the stage to our audiences.

However as the director gave us a rousing pre-match speech, I felt lifted, the dress rehearsal went well and the audience were touched. Our spirits were lifted and we are back on track to be able to teach people through our performances.

By this time tomorrow the first ever official pageant shown outside North America will be completed, we need all the prayers we can get. It's an early start tomorrow, so better get some sleep, although I am going to struggle with all the excitement, feels a little like Christmas tomorrow!

It's time to be part of history!

1 comment:

  1. Loving your daily reflections Gary. Thank you for sharing the lessons you are learning from the pageant experience. I am not there and yet, your thoughts are prompting some good ol soul searching in me here.

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