BACKSTAGE PASSES

During Andrew’s spring break from Troy University he was scheduled to perform with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. He had performed with them many times before, but this performance was a bit more special. The orchestra would be performing onstage just behind the performance of Cirque de la.

As usual we planned on attending with the two comp tickets Andrew always received as part of his payment when he performed with this group. As I was scrolling through Facebook on the morning of the performance I noticed it was almost sold out.

“Did you call the ticket office yet and get our tickets Andrew?”

“No. I’ll do it now. I always do it the day of the performance.”

“You better do it now,” I said as I searched the website for the number to the box office. “They are almost sold out and they may not save back tickets for the orchestra.”

Of course I got that look. You know the one. The Mom you don’t know what you are talking about look.

He called the number – twice. No answer.

I looked on the website again and read him the schedule. The box office opens Saturday at 6:00pm on the day of a performance. 

“I’ll get them when I get there. I have to be there to set up at eleven and I’m sure there are some of those old ladies walking around somewhere. There always is.”

I just gave him that look. You know the one. The I can’t believe you forgot to get our tickets look.

About an hour later I received this text message from him:

“We don’t get comp tickets for this one because it’s a fundraiser and now they are sold out! I feel bad. I didn’t do my research!”

 

What could I say? It wasn’t really his fault. He expected tickets as usual and I expected him to get them. If I had known I would have bought our tickets as soon as they went on sale because I really wanted to see this and knew it would probably be a sold out performance.

Twenty minutes later he sent another text and told us to come to the rehearsal and sit backstage. Harry was all for that. We would be late, but he just wanted to hear the orchestra play.  He had been listening to Andrew practice all week and knew the music would be great. Also, these were probably the only backstage passes to anything we would ever get!

What we saw of the performance was amazing to watch from backstage. The performers were flying right over the orchestra. If the cable were to break…well, we won’t think about what would happen! The seven or so guys who manned the pulley with the cable attached were right next to us in the wings. Talk about a front row seat!

After the rehearsal was over, Andrew said, “Come back at seven and you can sit back here for the performance. There is never anyone guarding that back door and there are people all over the place. But if anyone asks, you don’t know me.”

That wasn’t very reassuring. We could be thrown out or hauled off to jail but he didn’t want to be embarrassed! We decided to skip the performance. H didn’t want to take the chance of being thrown out of a public place!

I have a great backstage video I’d love to show you, but have no idea how to upload it from my phone to this post. Uggh! Here’s an idea…..go to my author Facebook page and it will be posted there! You can also like the page to thank me for that! 😉

Andrew said it was such an amazing experience and he would probably never have the opportunity to do something like this again. He also told me about a gazillion times how sorry he was about the ticket mix-up.

Saturday, March 14, 2015 – Cirque de la Symphonie

At the NFSO’s special event concert of the 2014-15 Season, thrill to the magic of Cirque in a live performance with the NFSO! A visual and sound sensation feast for the senses that you don’t want to miss! This special event concert is included only in the Gold Season Subscription (6 concerts/2 receptions) package.

With exciting artistic performances seen in theaters worldwide, Cirqu de la Symphonie artists will present aerial flyers & silks, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen – all choreographed to magnificent music presented by the NFSO.

“The event will be a full-scale music and visual feast for the senses that’s only possible in the state-of-the-art Mattie Kelly Arts Center,” noted NFSO conductor Jeffrey Rink of the NFSO’s home performance venue which boasts a 10-story fly space, a huge stage that hosts touring Broadway shows, and a custom orchestral music shell that provides optimum acoustics for symphony patrons.

Cirque de la Symphonie has been praised as “nothing short of breathtaking” by the Washington Post and “stunning … scintillating grace of movement … that brought down the house” by the Kansas City Free Press. “Cirque de la Symphonie will dazzle audiences of all ages,” said Maestro Rink, “These are the world’s finest cirque artists that draw sell-out crowds wherever they perform.”

Rehearsal time!

Andrew is center back in this picture. I only had my cell phone

and couldn’t really zoom in to get a good shot!

 

So…how many backstage passes have you ever had? As I said, this was probably my one and only backstage pass and it was well worth it!

~Elle