Countless hours and my heart and soul have gone into making this show the best that it can possibly be. I've already had friends come out telling me this is the best one and that's all I ever want to hear.
I'm having a blast sharing the stage with some of the most talented and wonderful people I've ever met. Can't wait for a summer full of great experiences together! Only 90 performances remaining at this point so get your tix today:)
www.picklevilleplayhouse.com
Click HERE for info on auditions for the most incredible Pickleville summer in history! This is going to be a fun one, folks.
In the words of Bandito: "If you are uncomfortable with large amounts of awesomeness ... you might want to step outside. Because it is about to get really awesome all up in here."
Photo by my love, Erin Davis!
Here are a couple thoughts that kept surfacing during our week away from the “real” world:
1-There aren’t a lot of “things” required to make a human happy.
2-We need to play more. Not just the kids, but big kids too. “Play” = an activity undertaken for enjoyment without any practical purpose. Play means doing something while focusing on the means rather than on the end goal. It’s good for creativity and learning and it’s good for the soul.
That seems like a simple question, buuuuut ... it's not.
Kind of.
This year's production has some of the same stuff with also some brand new stuff. It has a similar storyline with several new scenes and tweaks to make it funnier and more impactful. You'll recognize some of the same characters (Bandito, Alia and Gratilda) and you'll hopefully fall in love with some new ones (Otto, Astrid and Nigel). Some of the actors are the same (4) and some are brand new to the Christmas show (2). The short answer is "kind of". It's kind of the same show.
From the very first Pickleville Christmas show I wrote in 2007, and especially since 2013 when we started to do Christmas with the Bandito character, I have been searching for the right balance of funniness vs meaning. I believe that a really good Christmas show is one of the most difficult things to concoct which probably explains why there is such a shortage in the theatre world. A good Christmas show must be written for families with people of all ages who want not only to laugh and be entertained, but given that it's Christmas, the time of year when we celebrate something so important and sacred, they also want to connect with the Reason for the season.
I hope this doesn't sound too arrogant, but I feel like over the past 10 years we have been getting closer and closer to the correct balance. This year's show will be the closest we have ever come.
So ... is it the same show as last year? Let me put it this way: If it feels new to ME, it ought to feel new to everyone else. And yes, this show feels brand new to me.
Here's to the very best "a little bit new" and "a little bit similar" Bandito's Christmas Carol in the history of Bandito's Christmas Carols! Any specific questions or comments or suggestions (or if you want to send El Bandito a Christmas present:), pls connect with me via the website. Thanks for your love and support! Go Bandito and go Christmas!!!
It's been a long, fun week with Bodie Brower (www.bodwa.com) setting up our new Bandito Christmas site. The creative process for this one has been a lot more peaceful than in past years. I hope that's a sign of my maturity and experience but only time will tell:) Ask me on Dec. 24th once the season is over.
Because of how the dates fell this year, we were lucky to book two separate weekends in SLC which means we have even more showings available. Here's to another fabulous holiday season with El Bandito!
Tix available this Thursday, Oct 20th at 12:00pm!!!
Had to finish the "travel log" with this video which includes the last three days of our Toronto trip. At one point during one of the like 50 or so matches we watched, I turned to Erin and said, "Hey, thanks for introducing me to volleyball. I wouldn't know jack about it if I hadn't married you." It's a fun part of our life and something we both love together. Of course she loves it more than I do just like I love basketball more than she does, but still ... it's neat to have a best friend who likes the same things you like.
And also, she made it home safe. Border patrol coming back into the US didn't even look twice at her:)
