April Jeppson: Live entertainment is good for the soul – Albert Lea Tribune

Every Little Thing by April Jeppson

As part of my birthday present, my husband purchased two tickets to a comedy show for us. I enjoy live events, whether it’s a play, concert or in this case, a psychic comedian. I don’t watch live TV, so I was unfamiliar with the entertainer, but I knew that it would be a fun date night.

As we entered the theater, we were greeted by familiar faces, handshakes and even a hug. Our city is blessed with amenities, but at its core, it’s still a small Midwestern town. It was heartwarming to look around and see the people who help keep this community alive. All the tickets that were purchased help ensure that future events like this can take place.

The venue was open seating so we faced the task of trying to figure out where we’d want to sit for a show. We figured there would be audience participation and after an exhausting week, I knew I didn’t want to be called up on stage. We found seats towards the back.

Throughout the evening people from all parts of the theater were called on and called up to participate. There wasn’t a “safe” seat in the house. To those who stepped up to the challenge, I salute you.

You all helped make the evening hilarious and memorable.

As the show progressed, my mind wandered to all the tricks he had up his sleeve. Was he able to catch a glimpse of that word before he sealed it away? Was there some sleight of hand I missed, and all the keys actually unlocked the lock? In the beginning, I felt like it was a very good magic show that was definitely worth the ticket price. By the end, my jaw was on the floor.

I was speechless. Or rather the most intelligible things I could muster were “Wow. What? How? Whoa.”

The icing on the top was how beautiful the weather has been this week. My husband and I parked a few blocks away from the venue and were able to reflect on our favorite parts of the show as we made our way back to the car. Normally by 9:15 p.m. I’m ready for bed, but this event was like a shot of caffeine to my soul.

I’ve been to a few events at the Marion Ross theater, and I always leave feeling energized. Whether it’s folks from our community or a traveling comedian, I’m continually amazed at how talented people are. Seeing others share their gifts with the world brings me joy.

At the bottom of my column, it says that I’m an encourager of dreams. I am. If there is something that you want to do, or feel called to do, I’m your cheerleader. Watching someone’s eyes light up as they tell me something they are passionate about is one of my favorite things in the whole world. It fills my cup.

Watching someone share their talents plus getting an entire room excited about their gifts as well … I do believe that fills my bowl.

Albert Lean April Jeppson is a wife, mom, coach and encourager of dreams. Her column appears every Saturday.