Beautiful venue, great audience, amazing people to work with – that’s the best way to sum up our day at the Weidner Center. It is people and places like this that make being on the road so much fun!
It was an extremely smooth set up day. Josh, the Tech Director, and his crew had everything ready when we arrived. His attention to detail eliminated the need for us to make any significant modifications – saving time and preventing frustration! And his pleasant personality made for a stress-free experience.
The staff of Weidner Center Presenters – Katie, Stephanie, and Jodi – was so efficient and professional. BUT they were also personable, warm, and passionate about their work. It’s amazing to me that these three people handle so much responsibility with finesse and such a great attitude. They definitely made our day so much more enjoyable (even went and got us some cheese curds!).
We also had time to make a few repairs during the day. Nolan and Corey (one of the local crew guys) found a place to get a little welding done on one of our illusions. Traveling across I-86 in upstate New York was a very bumpy ride and rattled lots of things loose in the equipment!
And, as we pulled into the loading dock, Cindy had made arrangements for a local glass company to come and replace our truck windshield. We had several small dings in it from rocks and debris but we also had a large crack on the driver’s side that was giving us some concern. This guy had it replaced in no time – and it’s so clear it feels like we’re driving without anything there!
Ticket sales were going well before we arrived but with Thursday’s spotlight in the entertainment section of the Press Gazette and all those morning television appearance, the box office experienced their largest single day of ticket sales of the season. Now, that’s pretty cool! Thank you Green Bay!
When the doors opened, we had a great audience for the show. They were an inquisitive crowd – watching closely and paying attention to every detail. And my view from the stage is always the best. You see performing a magic show is a little different than singing or dancing because I enjoy watching all of you as you are watching us! I can tell when the audience is surprised and I love to see their puzzled expressions. And last night was no exception – applause gave way to a standing ovation at the end of the performance. And that’s something we never take for granted and always appreciate.
I had the privilege of meeting so many people in the lobby after the show – including 170 members of the Lac Baie Council of the Girl Scouts! It was also great to meet the hundreds of people after the show who waiting in the meet-and-greet line – such a diverse audience of parents, children, seniors, and young adults. I have to admit, I’m always humbled and excited when the 20-something group waits in line to get an autograph and/or share their favorite moment in the show. And I love see the wide-eyed amazement in the eyes of the children!
Cindy and I had some very special guests at the show. In the mid 80’s when we were first getting started, we worked with a college student named Cheryl Quirk. Well, she brought her entire family to the show – husband and two very handsome young men. It was great to see her and meet the family, talk about memories and past experiences. She even brought along a few very old photographs of us (something she really should have lost by now!).
Thanks to all of you in Green Bay for making our Friday night such a memorable and wonderful experience. We will definitely look forward to coming back and working with staff and crew of the Weidner Center!