Frozen
by Ashley Weeks Cart
That time when Kristen Anderson-Lopez ’94 (and her husband, Tony) agreed to host a sing-a-long of Frozen songs as part of the Williams Reunion program and the Cart Household nearly combusted with joy and star-struckness.
She even signed her email to me with an xo.
That’s my kind of woman.
Yeah, we’re geeking out over here. In a big way.
My day job is (primarily) to run the Williams College June Reunion program. Think 16 weddings. Two nights in a row. Simultaneously. With over 3,000 bodies.
It is a massive undertaking and I rely on the help of so many people and departments and alumni volunteers to make it happen year after year. It’s always incredible the way it unfolds and comes together into a truly joyous display. People are just so dang happy (er, most of them. There are always ALWAYS grumpy gooses and squeaky wheels in the mix, but of the thousands on campus, they are well in the minority).
I am always so grateful and heartened by the enthusiastic and quick replies I receive from alumni who I invite to present or be a part of the larger reunion program. I try to select alums whose work or life story will resonate broadly, as we have 26 year olds through 94 year olds to entertain.
For instance, I’ve had the immense privilege of welcoming the Besser brothers together on stage (Dr. Mitch Besser ’76, founder of Mothers to Mothers, and Dr. Rich Besser ’81, ABC News’s Chief Health and Medical editor) to talk about their phenomenal careers in medicine and public health while seated next to Annie Lennox, Mitch’s wife.
This year, a number of successful Ephs in a reunion cycle are on the front lines of pop culture. Sebastian Arcelus ’99, who plays Lucas Goodwin in House of Cards, is going to come nerd out with his former advisors from Williams (a prof in the theater department and a prof in the polisci department) to talk about the show, its impact, its critiques, its reception. And, as I mentioned, Kristen and her husband are going to conduct a sing-a-long and talk about the music from Frozen, their writing process, their inspiration, led by one of Kristen’s former music professors.
These people are so warm and approachable and enthusiastic, and I love that about being a member of the Williams family. We are so good and generous and kind to our fellow Ephs. And there is a trust and respect that so readily welcomes people back, even at the height of huge moments in their careers or lives. Given that I’ve been buried in prep work for this year’s reunion, and have yet to sit down and even look at photos from our trip to Florida, I wanted to pause and acknowledge the parts of my job that I so adore, that I find so special and unique. I don’t often write about my day job so explicitly in this space, but the past two weeks has been remarkable when it comes to the connections and generosity of spirit I’ve experienced firsthand.
I am so looking forward to June. You better believe my girls will be rocking their Ella Dynae costumes to sing their hearts out with Kristen and her family.
In the middle of this shoot, Sunny looked at me and declared, “Mommy, I know that the snow and cold doesn’t bother Elsa. But it bothers me!” This was a very quick attempt to capture the costumes in the snow. Elsa costume available from Ella Dynae designs here.
Pardon the pajama pants under the costume. Kaki refused to take them off when she heard we were going out in the snow. Anna costume available from Ella Dynae designs here.