Our Life Together

Summerfest and Friends.

Our picnic basket has already been getting a lot of use this summer! One of my personal favorite events of the whole summer (as you may recall from our summer checklist) is Summerfest, formerly known as the Lexington Shakespeare Festival (or, Shakespeare in the Park). While the outdoor theater series has changed over the years, from Shakespeare-focused to incorporating musicals and modern plays, I am still always eager to go to the UK Arboretum and experience a show.

My love for theater is tied to my high school experiences, when I spent all 4 years of high school working in backstage theater, often with my friend Lauren. I had the privilege of stage managing or co-stage managing three productions – The Crucible, Psycho Beach Party, and the musical Annie Get Your Gun. After high school, I did not continue with theater in college; instead I pursued and got wrapped up in other interests (crew and soccer). But on a college summer break, I was asked to be the Assistant Stage Manager at the Shakespeare Festival for The Taming of the Shrew in 2001. It was my lowest paying job, ever (I calculated that I earned less than a quarter an hour for my time), but a rewarding experience. It now causes me to feel more connected to the annual festival in Lexington, and I regularly recognize familiar faces from my theater days.

This year, Summerfest featured The Merchant of Venice, Pride & Prejudice, and the musical Rent. Trevor and I decided to jump for season passes and try to catch all three shows. We are watching the last show this weekend. Last week we enjoyed the company of dear friends, my former Belarusian roommate, Yulia, and her fiance, Taras, and my wonderful friend Ali. It is great to share things I love with the people I love.