Sweet Smell of Success

The practices are over, the chairs empty. The lights are off, and the curtain is closed. Scripts have been returned, costumes cleaned, and sets taken down. In short, Dinner Theater 2010 has officially ended.

So, how'd we do?

Well, let's just say God showed up in a big way for us this year. After having been told in July that we would only have one weekend to raise as much money as previous shows had in two, the musical director and I decided to choose one of the most expensive shows to perform. We then decided to double the cast number from last year and rent our costumes instead of using what little we had in storage. Basically, we spent a lot of money. In order to make up for all our spending, we pretty much needed to sell out every show.

Then, about two weeks before opening night we get the good news. There's a waiting list. That's right, all of the pre-sold shows filled up; so much so that we had to create a waiting list in case parties didn't show up. Out of our six scheduled performances, four had already sold out. There was a small celebratory dance held that Saturday practice. Four down, two to go, and these were going to be our hardest shows to sell out: the student shows. Now, we all know that college students can be fickle when it comes to evening plans. We had one show on Thursday and one on the following Wednesday, and I prayed so hard that they would sell out as well.

Well, to make a long story short we sold more seats than we originally had and had to bring in extra seating. It was magical! The cast did such a wonderful job, and it truly was an experience of a lifetime. Sadly, it is now over, and I have to go back to life before song and dance daily filled my head. There's no more planning for me to do, rehearsals to schedule, or props to make. I have so much free time now that I find myself sitting in front of the computer searching Hulu for something to watch.

Do I miss Dinner Theater? Yes, of course I do. Do I wish we had continued the show? No. It was the perfect time to end it, and although I'm sad it's gone, I can take pride in knowing that it was one darn good show!