Aaaaah, to be back in NYC!!
After almost seven weeks on the road, we are back in Empire State! We had a local show in Greenwich, CT yesterday, and we have our big 50th Anniversary Fundraiser show in Tribeca this afternoon, followed by a talk-back session with the audience. Then we are OFF for all of next week, and I can't wait to go back to California and put my long-dormant cooking skillz to work to create a fabulous Thanksgiving feast with my family.
After many moons of eating anemic muffins and weak "coffee" at Super 8s across the South, I can't tell you how wonderful the taste of NYC deli coffee is. Also, not having to pack up all my stuff every other morning to check out and head out for points unknown...the simple joys, I tell ya..
Since I last updated, we had another show in Ohio, followed byt wo days off and a late afternoon show in Donegal, PA. What a welcome respite that was! I got to see Frank lloyd Wright's "Fallingwater" mansion, which was spectacular.
We also took a night trip into Pittsburgh, which turned out to be a lot less "pit"-y than I expected! In fact, it was really very nice! And the men...looked...like...men! Actually, they looked like lumberjacks, if lumberjacks got it on with hipster frat boys. Which, hey, they probably did, I'm not judging... :) There was an incredibl;e view of the "Golden Triangle" from Grandview Avenue up on Mt. Washington, and what a sight to see the city all lit up and sparkling down below. It reminded me of seeing Hong Kong from Victoria Peak many many years ago. Well done, Pittsburgh!
We moved on to a single show in western Maryland where I had NO cell service (Verizon gave me service in the backwater canyons of the Blueridge Mountains in Virginia, but not in Frostburg, MD. Go figure). We had our first--and thankfully, only--triple show day that day, and I have to say that we pulle dit off with flying colors. We then drowned our aching muscles in margaritas at a local Mexican place. We DESERVED those bad boys. We also got to hang out with some of the student techs, which was really nice. usually, the techs--if they involve themselves in our show at ALL--pack us out and say goodnight. But these guys were rockstars. :) Loved it!
After a 12-hour day on the road, we finally made it up to Quechee Gorge, VT for a day off and a double show day in Woodstock (no, not THAT Woodstock). I spent my time having a PT session for my shoulder (resulting in a cool looking kiniseotape up my right side...La Bruja looks even MORE badass now!), heading to the Ben and Jerry's factory in Waterbury, VT, drinks in Burlington, and being totally overwhelmed by the adorableness of eveyrthing in Vermont. Seriously. If Martha Stewart had a child with Town and Country magazine, it would be named Vermont. It actually snowed a bit, which was lovely...but also a little dangerous, as we were constantly seeing signs proclaiming the dangers of Moose Crossings. A deer hitting our van was bad enough...a moose? We'd have no chance. Neither would the moose, frankly, but still. Yours Truly kept her eyes PEELED, for sure!
Anothe 10-hour drive, and we were home in NYC. What a treat to see the Welcome to the Empire State sign, and the lights of the George Washington Bridge looming ahead of us. Even the sights and smells of taking the 1 to my fabulous friend Yaniv's apartment (where I'm currently shackin' up) brought a msile to my face. Which must have been weird, because I was still in full stage makeup. Ah well, it's NYC. We all look like freaks. :)
That's all for now,
Hasta pronto!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Adios, Ohio
It got coooooooooold.
We actually had a few flurries today on th way to Independence from Dayton. Crazy!
We've had some...interesting...shows in the last few days, now that our big three-day trek northward is over.
We had two shows in the basement of a church in North Royalton, OH--or what we've dubbed a "churchatorium". It was the first time in a whil that we've had to unload ALL of our set equipment, including the speaker stands and tons of cables. It really is a blessing when we're in an actual performance space!! The thing that stood out for this venue for me, however, was the absolute SILENCE that followed my big solo ("Powerless"), in which La Bruja conspires with her Monkey to destroy Dora and get the precious zapatillas de rubís. The schoolchildren of St. Albert the Great Christian School were NOT havin' the Bruja's satanic chicanery, apparently. I have never been more uncomfortable in a performance. Caro was a bit sick and her Monkey wasn't 100%, which maaaaay have had something to do with it, but I doubt it, because eveveryone LOVES Monkey. And seriously...UTTER. SILENCE. In the second show, someone STARTED to clap, then instantly stopped when no on else joined in. No bueno.
Today's shows were at the lovely Victoria Theater in Dayton, and the kids LOVED it. What a difference a lack of religious stranglehold makes...
I got a WONDERFUL surprise after the show, when my uncle Jim happened to be n the area and stopped by to say hello! It had been much too long since we'd seen each other. It just so happened that he was in Dayton one of the few times a year he has business, and it coincided with my show! It's a shame he couldn't see it, but it was a treat to get to spend a little time with him.
We have one more show in Ohio tomorrow, again in North Royalton, then we're off to Donegal, PA for a muuuuuuuuuuuuch-deserved two days off before a 1pm show on Monday. I'm going to sleep like a CHAMPION this weekend.
Oh, also, we hit a deer on the freeway yesterday. That was definitely a new experience. Sorry, Bambi.
That's all for now, mama had a looooooong night last night. Oh, Dayton, you are a wily mistress...
Hasta pronto!
We actually had a few flurries today on th way to Independence from Dayton. Crazy!
We've had some...interesting...shows in the last few days, now that our big three-day trek northward is over.
We had two shows in the basement of a church in North Royalton, OH--or what we've dubbed a "churchatorium". It was the first time in a whil that we've had to unload ALL of our set equipment, including the speaker stands and tons of cables. It really is a blessing when we're in an actual performance space!! The thing that stood out for this venue for me, however, was the absolute SILENCE that followed my big solo ("Powerless"), in which La Bruja conspires with her Monkey to destroy Dora and get the precious zapatillas de rubís. The schoolchildren of St. Albert the Great Christian School were NOT havin' the Bruja's satanic chicanery, apparently. I have never been more uncomfortable in a performance. Caro was a bit sick and her Monkey wasn't 100%, which maaaaay have had something to do with it, but I doubt it, because eveveryone LOVES Monkey. And seriously...UTTER. SILENCE. In the second show, someone STARTED to clap, then instantly stopped when no on else joined in. No bueno.
Today's shows were at the lovely Victoria Theater in Dayton, and the kids LOVED it. What a difference a lack of religious stranglehold makes...
I got a WONDERFUL surprise after the show, when my uncle Jim happened to be n the area and stopped by to say hello! It had been much too long since we'd seen each other. It just so happened that he was in Dayton one of the few times a year he has business, and it coincided with my show! It's a shame he couldn't see it, but it was a treat to get to spend a little time with him.
We have one more show in Ohio tomorrow, again in North Royalton, then we're off to Donegal, PA for a muuuuuuuuuuuuch-deserved two days off before a 1pm show on Monday. I'm going to sleep like a CHAMPION this weekend.
Oh, also, we hit a deer on the freeway yesterday. That was definitely a new experience. Sorry, Bambi.
That's all for now, mama had a looooooong night last night. Oh, Dayton, you are a wily mistress...
Hasta pronto!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Hola, otoño! (Hello, autumn!)
And so we crawl our way north...
We had our last show in Florida on Thursday the 3rd, at the Coral Spring City Center, home of the World's Least Helpful Tech Crew. The day before we performed at the GORGEOUS Kravis P.A.C. in West Palm Beach, home of the World's MOST Helpful Tech Crew (also Diego, World's Most Unexpectedly Attractive Tech Crew Member...thank yooooooooou, Florida!), to a crowd of 2,000 very enthusiastic school children. Neither venue featured the inexplicable Clap-Along, and I'm kind of hoping that's the last we'll get of it. I think I'm alone in the cast with this feeling, but hey, theater etiquette starts early! After our show in Coral Springs, we began our long trek north to Sylvania, Ohio via Cordele, Georgia and Corbin, Kentucky. Google map that bad boy. That's a lot of driving.
Melissa left us on Thursday to fly to Pennsylvania and sing for her BFF's wedding, so it's only been six of us cruising up the 75 and soaking up all the...um...billboards advertising pecans, fireworks, and anti-abortion. The South is WEIRD, y'all.
Yesterday was the first day in many weeks we experienced actual chilly weather, which is a bit of a disappointment. Yes, I know it's November and by all rights I should have busted out some peacoats by now, but there was a certain amount of schadenfreude in knowing that my New York friends were shivering their buns off in unexpected mid-October snow while I was traipsing around Miami in a tank top. Le sigh.
We got a little treat in Vero Beach on Thursday night, with comp tickets to see Boeing Boeing at the Riverside Theater. Our Stage Manager's friend Jen Cody (who--fun fact--voiced Charlotte LaBouf in Disney's The Princess and the Frog) played Gabriella in the show, and it was a really nice production. We went for a post-show drinkypoo afterwards, where we got our first round taken care of by a trio of very grateful Canadians whose Porsche we jumper-cabled. You know, people make jokes about how NICE Canadians are, but these guys went above and beyond the stereotype. I ordered the MOST expensive red wine by-the-glass on the menu, instead of the cheapest! DREAM BIG. All in all, it was nice to get out of our routine of show-drive-hotel-internet-sleep and see some really great theater.
Also, tonight we visited the site of the very first Kentucky Fried Chicken (originally "Sander's Cafe"). Who knew it was right here in Corbin?
Hasta pronto!
We had our last show in Florida on Thursday the 3rd, at the Coral Spring City Center, home of the World's Least Helpful Tech Crew. The day before we performed at the GORGEOUS Kravis P.A.C. in West Palm Beach, home of the World's MOST Helpful Tech Crew (also Diego, World's Most Unexpectedly Attractive Tech Crew Member...thank yooooooooou, Florida!), to a crowd of 2,000 very enthusiastic school children. Neither venue featured the inexplicable Clap-Along, and I'm kind of hoping that's the last we'll get of it. I think I'm alone in the cast with this feeling, but hey, theater etiquette starts early! After our show in Coral Springs, we began our long trek north to Sylvania, Ohio via Cordele, Georgia and Corbin, Kentucky. Google map that bad boy. That's a lot of driving.
Melissa left us on Thursday to fly to Pennsylvania and sing for her BFF's wedding, so it's only been six of us cruising up the 75 and soaking up all the...um...billboards advertising pecans, fireworks, and anti-abortion. The South is WEIRD, y'all.
Yesterday was the first day in many weeks we experienced actual chilly weather, which is a bit of a disappointment. Yes, I know it's November and by all rights I should have busted out some peacoats by now, but there was a certain amount of schadenfreude in knowing that my New York friends were shivering their buns off in unexpected mid-October snow while I was traipsing around Miami in a tank top. Le sigh.
We got a little treat in Vero Beach on Thursday night, with comp tickets to see Boeing Boeing at the Riverside Theater. Our Stage Manager's friend Jen Cody (who--fun fact--voiced Charlotte LaBouf in Disney's The Princess and the Frog) played Gabriella in the show, and it was a really nice production. We went for a post-show drinkypoo afterwards, where we got our first round taken care of by a trio of very grateful Canadians whose Porsche we jumper-cabled. You know, people make jokes about how NICE Canadians are, but these guys went above and beyond the stereotype. I ordered the MOST expensive red wine by-the-glass on the menu, instead of the cheapest! DREAM BIG. All in all, it was nice to get out of our routine of show-drive-hotel-internet-sleep and see some really great theater.
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| Add look damn good doin' it, too. |
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| I love doing this stuff. |
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