The Denver Opening Show

The Up With People season officially started as Cast B did its opening show with a bang last Friday, August 3. The energy in the air was intense and a lot of us still cannot believe that we were there, about to perform the show in every city that we go to.

According to the show list I had 4 roles to play: We had some songs where we had children as guest performers, and I was assigned to be one of the students "in charge" of the kids, I had to lead them on stage and guide them on where to go and what to do. I also had to be a "signer" on stage during the song "One to One" (involved sign language) , while other cast members went to the audience. For the song "We'll be There", I had to change from my show costume to my Filipiniana costume and be part of the group and get to be onstage ahead. Lastly, I was an Up With People "jammer" which basically meant I am left to "jam" onstage while other castmates go to the audience during our last song, the Up With People theme song.

(Which, may I add, is hard to do when you are wearing the prim and proper Filipiniana costume)

I was not the least bit nervous about the show. I was more of excited! Excited to be onstage again, excited for the whole cast who worked so hard on the show. I knew that on that day we were all exhausted (especially the soloists and the main dance lines!) -- but everyone was pumped for the first showing!

The dressing rooms definitely added to my excitement - they were, well, "just like in the movies"! With bright yellow lights and different posters and signs of theater productions. We had our own mirrors and chairs! Again, the whole experience felt so surreal. i totally enjoyed taking photos. I am not a fan of doing my makeup everyday, so i really enjoyed having an excuse for it for the show.

Right before the show, the staff called us for "the Green Room" - which is a theater term referring to the time prior to a performance to go over final notes and team motivation.

Our first Green Room was very interesting and emotional. Everyone did not know what to expect as we were led to a room full of streamers and balloons plus inspiring and motivational posters made for us by the staff.

(By the way -- I love the UWP staff. They may get overboard with all the happiness and positivity at times , but it is way better than being annoyingly sullen. )

After a few show notes and last minute reminders - a few words of appreciation were said about the members of the Staging staff (Some UWP staff only stayed with us in Denver and did not go on the road) and I really think they did a great job in training us.

Then, Gabe , our dance captain, read a letter to Cast B -- it was a letter of reflection that walked through the amazing experience that we had all throughout 4 weeks of staging. He asked questions like, How different are you today? Are you excited? Do you feel like you have made friends for life? Think about how lucky you are. Think about the people back home praying for you. Who misses you? Who do you miss?

Before I knew it, I was crying and people were sniffling all around. It was such a powerful moment and it really made me very thankful for the experience, for the people back home and those who helped me get where I am right now.

Oh and I TOTALLY THINK THAT OUR SHOW WAS AWESOME (well, to think that we had to prepare for it in 4 weeks and that some of us are not really dancers or singers ;-)