pink martini on ash wednesday!

This morning, my email was tugging for my attention right after breakfast.
So glad I checked in for the good news!

"11:01 AM
Hi Faustina!
Can you help us with Pink Martini this evening?
We’ve had a few last minute volunteer cancellations and I see your name on the wait list — are you by any chance available? 6:15 Lucas Theatre, wear red volunteer shirt (or I can bring one for you if you don’t have handy).
Would love to have you, can certainly use your help - it’s a sold out show, so no room for mistakes and I need our best volunteers (yourself included).
Let me know as soon as you can and thank you in advance.
Keeping my fingers crossed,
Daniela"

The time was then 11:48 AM - hallelujah!
I replied enthusiastically in the affirmative and I was in!
This pre-31SMF-season show has been sold out for months.
I had hoped to be one of the volunteers, but I'd responded days late to the email.
i thank You, God, that I had called and been waitlisted for it!
Here, with my photo from the second half of the concert, is the press information.

"Pink Martini’s “little orchestra” draws inspiration from the romantic Hollywood musicals of the ‘40s and ‘50s and crosses genres to make an eclectic, modern sound.
Their arrangements of Latin music, jazz, cabaret, and cinema scores come together in a sound that defies categorization.
The 12-piece band from Portland, Oregon ...has played sold-out concerts at the Savannah Music Festival in both 2012 and 2016."


I had completely missed their previous engagements, but heard great things about them.
Now, I completely understand the hype!
Pink Martini's musicians included a pianist, violinist, bassist, guitarist, trombone man, trumpeter, two drummers, and a congo player.
In addition, there was a rotating cast of four - yes, four - singers, presenting tunes in German, Japanese, Romanian, and Spanish, as well as English.
Absolutely amazing!

See Edna Vazquez, the songstress over to the right of the stage?
The one with the shorn head and flashy guitar?
Her voice was incredible and I very much loved her arrangement of "Bésame Mucho"!
So much emotion poured into an 80-year-old song written by a virgin!

And that lone singer on the right had such a pure falsetto that the crowd would listen in hushed awe when he sang - and gave him standing ovations!
Here, Jimmie Herrod was singing "Tomorrow", from the musical "Annie".
Honestly, I almost cried, it was so beautiful!

The primary singer was Storm Large - no, seriously, that's her name.
One of her first songs was "Pâna când nu te iubeam", which means "Until I loved you".
Even though the words were Romanian, the love and longing were evident.
That's the beauty of having a soulful singer on the stage!

And then there's the energetic singer in the sharkskin suit - oh, yeah!
Timothy Nishimoto sang a tune, in Japanese, about a young soldier having to leave his lover to go to war... and "Zundoko-bushi" was much more energetic and fast-paced than songs of that ilk usually have!

In the first half, the tribute to Helen Reddy and her 1971 "I Am Woman" anthem was my favorite, with me singing along to every word!
Joe Buttner and Alan had the steps at stage left and I was on the stage right steps with David (newly retired, newly volunteering).
We were in charge of letting thirty females audience members up on stage to dance for it!
Daniela had told me I could go up there, but I couldn't take that from a paying member -
but I sure wanted to be on that stage with Storm Large!
Then came the second half's grand finale - a gigantic conga line that extended throughout both floors of the Lucas!
Now, that is how you clear a theatre, and send everyone home dancing, too!
Well done, y'all, well done!

Now, I can hardly wait until Lake Street Dive returns to Savannah in late April!
As I told Yvonne and Louis, they certainly won't want to miss that show!
And I'll look forward to seeing David at the Stringband Spectacular, if not before.
Hopefully, before.
He seems to be a very nice fellow...
and when I'd given Daniela a reciprocated hug, he asked her if he could "get in on that"...
so, he seems to be rather friendly.
Please wish me luck!
(smile)