We were signing programs after our 2pm performance at Bethel Park High School, our second-to-last venue on the Pittsburgh week. We were tired, but still eager to meet the kiddies post-show. Lunch had been a spectacular Middle Eastern stew over couscous, and, despite a stage that was about 40 feet wide (we're used to a 24 foot playing space, so imagine all that extra running), the performances went extremely smoothly. Our post-show program signings had become a highlight of the day for us, a nice reminder of precisely why we are doing the show. Plus, they always netted me a stack of "kid quotes," and they gave our crews a head start on tearing down the set.
I had, as usual, stolen the green sharpie for autographing purposes (Leonardo is green-ish, so I like to sign in green) and was seated between Matt (Duck) and Nic (Captain Braidbeard), making up the "boy section" of the autograph table. We'd been through a bunch of girls in fancy dresses, a few boys with eye patches and fake swords, one girl who sang Kristen (Babymouse) a few lyrics from "The Sound of Music" and more than one small child that insisted that Matt "quack" for them. A couple of kids had told me that I didn't scare them, and I convinced a few make a scary face for me so I might have some inspiration, lest Leonardo attempt his child-scaring ways again.
And then a little boy, in a green rugby shirt, sheepishly stepped in front of my section of the table.
First thing, I complimented his shirt color. This got a smile. Then I asked him his name. "Nathan," he whispered. "You were my favorite." I thanked him, asked him if he'd read the book (he had not), asked him if he'd seen a play before (he had not), signed his program and gave him a "high three" (as Leo only has three fingers). His sister followed quickly behind, and soon I was back to more fancy dresses and quacking.
But Nathan wasn't done.
Next thing I knew, he was tottering back towards the table, fingers in mouth, mother in tow, staring right at me. I gave him another wave between programs, and he mumbled quietly, "Your story was my favorite." Nobody comes back twice like this for Leonardo, so I gave him a big thanks and, spotting a newly-purchased copy of Leonardo, the Terrible Monster, offered to sign the book. Nathan looked a little shocked, and went running back into his mother's arms. I figured he'd gotten a little shy, so I gave him a "thumbs up" and a smile, and went back to my green pen.
But Nathan still wasn't done.
As I signed my last program, I spotted Nathan, Mom and Sister in a corner. Nathan was alternating between staring at me, staring at his book and crying. With all the attention diverted my way, I had a feeling I might be the current cause of concern, so I excused myself from the table and headed over to Nathan. When I arrived, I discovered the the problem was the book. Mom explained that Nathan really wanted me to sign his book, but the book was new, so he didn't want anyone to write in it yet. A major dilemma. However, Mom and I came up with a very fitting solution: I signed the inside corner of the cover flap, so that the autograph was there, but could be hidden if Nathan wanted to. Then I gave Nathan a huge "monster hug" and sent him on his way to the football game smiling.
So, why does this story stick with me? Because I was the kid who was completely transfixed by the performance of "A Strega Nona Christmas," my very first play. I was the one who was too shy to say hello the first time I got to meet actors after the show, and was beyond-amazed that a "big boy" was performing on a stage. And I was the one who had (and has) so much respect for books that it would have been a huge crisis to even imagine writing in one. I was Nathan. And knowing that I might have helped spark Nathan's imagination, that I made him think and marvel at a play, that I offered him that glimpse of the joy of creativity and wonder, just like some actor out there did for me over two decades ago, reminds me why I endure the long drives and early calls and hard load-ins. Theater has the ability to change lives, and when you do, the feeling is indescribable.
Call tomorrow: 9am, Days Inn, Frostburg, MD.
Kid Quote of the Day: One particularly brash post-show kid twice told me, "You didn't scare me!" But then, when I offered to sign her program, she went running back to her mother with a shriek.
Adult Quote of the Day: While listening to Patti Lupone sing "Being Alive," Courtney fell back on to her bed and announced, "I'm dead."
Monday, October 25, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Pittsburgh Week Part 1: Opening Night
“The Pittsburgh Week” seems to be a Theatreworks institution. Each year, the Pittsburgh International Children Theater presents a series of different touring children’s shows, including a few from Theatreworks. Last year, one of them was Click Clack Moo, so I had some foreknowledge of how this whole thing worked from my old SM Alaina. Basically, over the course of a week, the show tours to different high schools and performing arts centers in and out of Pittsburgh proper, performing mostly afternoon and evening shows for paying audiences. What? A week of evening shows? Days when I don’t have to be in a van until 4pm? This sounds a little too good to be true.
Our first show was at the beautiful (and historic!) Byham Theatre in Downtown Pittsburgh, a truly beautiful venue that really deserves a photo:
After battling Steelers traffic, we arrived at the theater to be greeted by an IATSE crew, who had us in and up in no time. One of the guys even fixed a broken wheel on one of our flats! This was already a winner in my book. IATSE Local 3 requires an hour break before the standard “half hour” call, so we took our lunch break with them, expecting to head off to the surrounding areas for eats. Not so, again! Lunch appeared in the basement, provided by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, along with two board members who sheepishly asked us if we would mind signing some posters. In four previous Theatreworks tours, this has never happened to me. We all naturally said yes, and also gleefully agreed to two post-show receptions, both of which meant more autographs for the kids. We ate and autographed, changed, David called “places” and we headed onstage for our first of 10 shows in the Pittsburgh area. To a full house of nearly 1100 kids and families.
Performing for over 1000 is a singular experience. There is an extraordinary “group think” that goes on, particularly if the crowd is revved-up (which they were), which transports the performance to a near-transcendent level. The audience grasped every (and I do mean every) joke in the show, and applauded with such enthusiasm that we wound up holding between stories in order to accommodate their cheers. I have very little memory of the rest of the show, except for one point backstage when I looked over at Nic and we shared a smile like none I have ever known during a show. We may as well have been a first-class Broadway national tour with the response we received.
The fun continued after the show, with our meet-and-greets. So many little girls (and boys!) showed up dressed in their “fancy clothes” to meet Nancy, and more than a few brought copies of the books to get signed by the characters. I learned that Leonardo is a little scary up close to those under the age of 5, but letting them pet the green fur helps tremendously. (It also helped that Kristen, as Babymouse, gave me a big hug in front of the kids and told everyone that I’m really bad at being scary.) It was one of those evenings that goes down in memory, and gets you through the rough performances. And I’m so very glad we had it!
The rest of the week progressed similarly: load in, provided lunch/dinner (!!), a show or two, autographs afterwards, and load out. I won’t detail each one, but look for future posts about some very specific moments that remain in my memory. However, a huge thanks goes out to Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater, its artistic director Maranne P. Welch, executive director Pam Lieberman and the dozens of volunteers and staff members that helped us throughout our time in the area. Your hospitality made it a week to remember.
(P.S. We were also on the marquee!!)
Call tomorrow: 7:45am, Days Inn, Frostburg, MD. We’ve got a three-show day in a real theater on a college camps. And there is talk of a crew. And coffee.
Kid Quote of the Day: During the “meet and greet,” there was a little girl who was very taken with Babymouse. Kristen, charmed, asked her if she had ever been in a musical before. The little girl answered, “My first show was Charlie Brown and, well, I love the signing and dancing but... I didn't think it would be so much work! I love to sing and dance, but I don't like all that work!”
Adult Quote of the Day: Our van required diesel, and Matt was at the wheel. Upon arriving at a Sheetz, David passed the company card to Matt, with the expectation that Matt would fill it. Matt looked dumbfounded. “Um, I don’t know how to pump gas.” Matt is from New Jersey. Never let it be said that Theatreworks is not educational for ALL involved…
Our first show was at the beautiful (and historic!) Byham Theatre in Downtown Pittsburgh, a truly beautiful venue that really deserves a photo:
 |
| (photo credit: David V.) |
Performing for over 1000 is a singular experience. There is an extraordinary “group think” that goes on, particularly if the crowd is revved-up (which they were), which transports the performance to a near-transcendent level. The audience grasped every (and I do mean every) joke in the show, and applauded with such enthusiasm that we wound up holding between stories in order to accommodate their cheers. I have very little memory of the rest of the show, except for one point backstage when I looked over at Nic and we shared a smile like none I have ever known during a show. We may as well have been a first-class Broadway national tour with the response we received.
The fun continued after the show, with our meet-and-greets. So many little girls (and boys!) showed up dressed in their “fancy clothes” to meet Nancy, and more than a few brought copies of the books to get signed by the characters. I learned that Leonardo is a little scary up close to those under the age of 5, but letting them pet the green fur helps tremendously. (It also helped that Kristen, as Babymouse, gave me a big hug in front of the kids and told everyone that I’m really bad at being scary.) It was one of those evenings that goes down in memory, and gets you through the rough performances. And I’m so very glad we had it!
The rest of the week progressed similarly: load in, provided lunch/dinner (!!), a show or two, autographs afterwards, and load out. I won’t detail each one, but look for future posts about some very specific moments that remain in my memory. However, a huge thanks goes out to Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater, its artistic director Maranne P. Welch, executive director Pam Lieberman and the dozens of volunteers and staff members that helped us throughout our time in the area. Your hospitality made it a week to remember.
(P.S. We were also on the marquee!!)
Call tomorrow: 7:45am, Days Inn, Frostburg, MD. We’ve got a three-show day in a real theater on a college camps. And there is talk of a crew. And coffee.
Kid Quote of the Day: During the “meet and greet,” there was a little girl who was very taken with Babymouse. Kristen, charmed, asked her if she had ever been in a musical before. The little girl answered, “My first show was Charlie Brown and, well, I love the signing and dancing but... I didn't think it would be so much work! I love to sing and dance, but I don't like all that work!”
Adult Quote of the Day: Our van required diesel, and Matt was at the wheel. Upon arriving at a Sheetz, David passed the company card to Matt, with the expectation that Matt would fill it. Matt looked dumbfounded. “Um, I don’t know how to pump gas.” Matt is from New Jersey. Never let it be said that Theatreworks is not educational for ALL involved…
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Misadventures, Part 2
(A note to my more sensitive readers: this post contains PG-13 elements.)
I sense that this will become a series for this blog. Sometimes, there are events that are too small for a full entry, but deserve recognition. So, I give you some quick-and-dirty highlights from the last week or so:
• Remember that trip Team ECK took to the winery in Ellicottville, NY? Well, one evening, Courtney and Kristen decided they wanted to uncork a bottle of wine. Problem? I had the wine key, and I was downstairs doing laundry. So, they called me to ask which room I was in to see if my roommate (David) might be able to let them in. "I forget which room I'm in," I said. "I think it's 215." So, the ladies trotted to 215 and pounded on the door. Repeatedly. To no avail. Just as they were about to give up, the door swung open, and a gaggle of tipsy college jocks greeted them. Kristen and Courtney bolted for the elevator, but the college boys were too fast. "Hey ladies," they slurred and stumbled. "You married?" "Yes," Kristen blurted out, as the elevator doors closed, "to each other."
• This company has a big sweet tooth, led by Nic and Courtney. If there is a cookie, cake, cupcake or whoopie pie within 50 feet, somebody in the company will find it and eat it. And our downfall was State College, PA. We were eager to spend an evening hanging out as a group, since we happened to have one free, so we headed to the downtown area to do some window shopping and grab dinner. And then we discovered the farmer's market. Within two minutes, everybody had some sort of delicious, Amish-made treat in their hands. But the fun didn't stop there! After dinner at a fancy Thai restaurant, we ventured off to the fabled Penn State Creamery, where we downed mounds of delicious ice cream (although no one got sprinkles).
• Also in State College, David and I shared a room, as usual. I was digging through my bag to find my winter coat, and clothing was flying everywhere. Which is typical for me. Anyway, as I repacked my decimated bag, I came across a black item that didn't seem to belong. As I turned it over, I spotted lace and a Victoria's Secret label. It was a thong, torn at one edge. This item wasn't mine. Further room inspection revealed two broken hair binders under the bed and scratches on the headboard. I have chosen not to dwell on how all of this came to be.
Call tomorrow: 8am, La Quinta Hotel, Moon Township, PA. We're sitting down in Pittsburgh for a week, and have workshops tomorrow morning.
Kid Quote of the Day: At a performance in State College, a little boy in the front row mirrored the choreography to "Leonardo the Terrible Monster" step for step. It was both incredibly adorable, and extremely impressive. Connor, should we need another replacement, I've got one for you.
Adult Quote of the Day: There are interstitial moments between stories, which each of us fill with choreography or story-specific business. Nic bears the brunt of this. During the transition into Leonardo, he does some funky dance moves, including a fair amount of "booty shaking." During this section at one performance, a woman in the front row (who had been thoroughly enjoying the production thus far) shouted, "Yeah, baby!"
I sense that this will become a series for this blog. Sometimes, there are events that are too small for a full entry, but deserve recognition. So, I give you some quick-and-dirty highlights from the last week or so:
• Remember that trip Team ECK took to the winery in Ellicottville, NY? Well, one evening, Courtney and Kristen decided they wanted to uncork a bottle of wine. Problem? I had the wine key, and I was downstairs doing laundry. So, they called me to ask which room I was in to see if my roommate (David) might be able to let them in. "I forget which room I'm in," I said. "I think it's 215." So, the ladies trotted to 215 and pounded on the door. Repeatedly. To no avail. Just as they were about to give up, the door swung open, and a gaggle of tipsy college jocks greeted them. Kristen and Courtney bolted for the elevator, but the college boys were too fast. "Hey ladies," they slurred and stumbled. "You married?" "Yes," Kristen blurted out, as the elevator doors closed, "to each other."
• This company has a big sweet tooth, led by Nic and Courtney. If there is a cookie, cake, cupcake or whoopie pie within 50 feet, somebody in the company will find it and eat it. And our downfall was State College, PA. We were eager to spend an evening hanging out as a group, since we happened to have one free, so we headed to the downtown area to do some window shopping and grab dinner. And then we discovered the farmer's market. Within two minutes, everybody had some sort of delicious, Amish-made treat in their hands. But the fun didn't stop there! After dinner at a fancy Thai restaurant, we ventured off to the fabled Penn State Creamery, where we downed mounds of delicious ice cream (although no one got sprinkles).
• Also in State College, David and I shared a room, as usual. I was digging through my bag to find my winter coat, and clothing was flying everywhere. Which is typical for me. Anyway, as I repacked my decimated bag, I came across a black item that didn't seem to belong. As I turned it over, I spotted lace and a Victoria's Secret label. It was a thong, torn at one edge. This item wasn't mine. Further room inspection revealed two broken hair binders under the bed and scratches on the headboard. I have chosen not to dwell on how all of this came to be.
Call tomorrow: 8am, La Quinta Hotel, Moon Township, PA. We're sitting down in Pittsburgh for a week, and have workshops tomorrow morning.
Kid Quote of the Day: At a performance in State College, a little boy in the front row mirrored the choreography to "Leonardo the Terrible Monster" step for step. It was both incredibly adorable, and extremely impressive. Connor, should we need another replacement, I've got one for you.
Adult Quote of the Day: There are interstitial moments between stories, which each of us fill with choreography or story-specific business. Nic bears the brunt of this. During the transition into Leonardo, he does some funky dance moves, including a fair amount of "booty shaking." During this section at one performance, a woman in the front row (who had been thoroughly enjoying the production thus far) shouted, "Yeah, baby!"
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
A New Duck
What is it about Theatreworks and their ducks? It seems to be the hardest track to cast, and the easiest to lose on the tour. On Click Clack Moo, our first Duck, Shaun, left us to pursue a fabulous opportunity that awaited him in the city. He is now shooting a super-secret-but-crazy-big-deal film, and is in a Pizza Hut commercial. Likewise, our Duck in Duck For President, Jonathan, received word after our second day of shows that he had been cast in the new Off-Broadway show Extraordinary Ordinary, which will be premiering at Theater Row this December. It's sorta one of those things you don't pass up. And so he didn't.
Clearly, Theatreworks doesn't mess around when casting their web-footed characters.
Anyway, Molly (Associate Artistic Director), Kevin (Director), Connor (Choreographer) and Matt (Musical Director) worked their magic and got us Matt:
Matt comes to us directly from my alma mater: NYU/CAP21. In fact, when I stalked him via Facebook, I discovered that we have at least 25 friends in common. So I figured he would be a good guy. My friends have discerning taste.
In accordance with Equity rules, Matt received four days of rehearsal in New York City with our production staff to learn the show. Four days to learn what took us about two-and-a-half weeks. And he didn't have props to handle, set pieces to move or costumes to change. And, because our show is brand-new, he didn't even have a video to watch. Yeah. On top of that, he gets to see a show (or two), and receives a put-in with the cast and whatever props we could muster. Which isn't a lit. I don't envy anybody this task.
Matt drove up to Connecticut with us on Columbus Day, as we traveled for a show the next day. Because our van only seats six, we were joined by a rental car. We lunched on pizza, learned that Matt is from Trenton and loves apples, and then went looking for rehearsal space. You see, our hotel's "breakfast nook" would barely fit the cast, not to mention our set pieces and costumes. David called around, and eventually found a Residence Inn down the road that had a decent-sized conference room at a relatively OK price. We loaded in, plugged some speakers into David's computer and got ready for some review. Jonathan was on hand to give pointers. Matt's instruction to us had been "shove with love."
He didn't need any.
Matt came into our rehearsal with every lyric memorized, every dance step down pat, his blocking locked in and his shifts almost perfect. It was rather incredible, and I'm fairly sure everybody was completely blown away. Our whole show down in only four days?! Look out, New York City!! Matt Steele is here, and boy is he good.
We grabbed a "Margarita Monday" dinner together, slept away the night in our lovely Holiday Inn Express, and awoke ready to give Jonathan a good sendoff performance. Our space had a crew (which made loading in and out a cinch), we had a great dressing room in the basement (which had a brutalized prosthetic hand that gave us all a laugh) and the house was full of eager, energetic kids, who were ready to have fun. Jonathan gave two outstanding performances, the kind we've grown accustomed to. As much as we are thrilled to have Matt joining us, we'll miss Jonathan a ton. He's a phenomenal performer, a team player, and an all-around great guy. He'll always be a part of this Duck for President family. Best wishes, Jonathan! We can't wait to see your show when we get back!
Clearly, Theatreworks doesn't mess around when casting their web-footed characters.
Anyway, Molly (Associate Artistic Director), Kevin (Director), Connor (Choreographer) and Matt (Musical Director) worked their magic and got us Matt:
(photo credit: David V.)
Matt comes to us directly from my alma mater: NYU/CAP21. In fact, when I stalked him via Facebook, I discovered that we have at least 25 friends in common. So I figured he would be a good guy. My friends have discerning taste.
In accordance with Equity rules, Matt received four days of rehearsal in New York City with our production staff to learn the show. Four days to learn what took us about two-and-a-half weeks. And he didn't have props to handle, set pieces to move or costumes to change. And, because our show is brand-new, he didn't even have a video to watch. Yeah. On top of that, he gets to see a show (or two), and receives a put-in with the cast and whatever props we could muster. Which isn't a lit. I don't envy anybody this task.
Matt drove up to Connecticut with us on Columbus Day, as we traveled for a show the next day. Because our van only seats six, we were joined by a rental car. We lunched on pizza, learned that Matt is from Trenton and loves apples, and then went looking for rehearsal space. You see, our hotel's "breakfast nook" would barely fit the cast, not to mention our set pieces and costumes. David called around, and eventually found a Residence Inn down the road that had a decent-sized conference room at a relatively OK price. We loaded in, plugged some speakers into David's computer and got ready for some review. Jonathan was on hand to give pointers. Matt's instruction to us had been "shove with love."
He didn't need any.
Matt came into our rehearsal with every lyric memorized, every dance step down pat, his blocking locked in and his shifts almost perfect. It was rather incredible, and I'm fairly sure everybody was completely blown away. Our whole show down in only four days?! Look out, New York City!! Matt Steele is here, and boy is he good.
We grabbed a "Margarita Monday" dinner together, slept away the night in our lovely Holiday Inn Express, and awoke ready to give Jonathan a good sendoff performance. Our space had a crew (which made loading in and out a cinch), we had a great dressing room in the basement (which had a brutalized prosthetic hand that gave us all a laugh) and the house was full of eager, energetic kids, who were ready to have fun. Jonathan gave two outstanding performances, the kind we've grown accustomed to. As much as we are thrilled to have Matt joining us, we'll miss Jonathan a ton. He's a phenomenal performer, a team player, and an all-around great guy. He'll always be a part of this Duck for President family. Best wishes, Jonathan! We can't wait to see your show when we get back!
 Call tomorrow: None. A glorious, glorious day off in New York City. Kid Quote of the Day: When we rotated the panel for "Babymouse: The Musical," a little boy squealed in the front row: "That's my favorite!!" Adult Quote of the Day: At "Margarita Monday," Kristen ordered a hefty meal. About it, she defended herself: "I'm belting like I'm Patti Lupone, and I'm eating like I'm five people!" Clearly, that memoir we listened to on the six hour drive has done a number on this company. |
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Adults in the Audience / The 11th Show
One of the things that Theatreworks shows are particularly good about is engaging a broader audience than just the "kids" for whom the show is initially meant. For every group of kids at a school of field trip show, there's at least one adult who must sit through the show with them. When we have a show that's open to the public, the grown-ups often outnumber the kids. And this week included our first slew of more-adults-than-kids shows, with an evening performance in Altoona, PA and two weekend shows near Princeton, NJ. Which, of course, changes things, as far as audience reaction is concerned.
Grownups generally seem to be afraid to laugh at a “kids show,” particularly if the audience is smaller. I say this because, when we have a preponderance of adults at a performance, it often takes about two or three stories (of six) before we start getting laughs. “Duck for President,” our first story, is littered with more advanced humor, but frequently our adult-heavy audiences remain silent for almost the entire piece. “Fancy Nancy” will often get a few cheers and some applause, but the responses are mostly from the kids. It’s not until we arrive at “I Have To Go” that everybody clicks in. Which leads me to my first large observation of the tour: everybody laughs at pee jokes. I don’t care who you are or how sophisticated you think you may be. When we talk about somebody peeing, in either direct or indirect terms, you will laugh. Guaranteed.
After the pee jokes have loosened up the audience, the rest of the show (and jokes) run without a hitch. Nobody can resist a musical disaster in “Babymouse: The Musical” or the silly baby costume in “Pirates Don’t Change Diapers.” And, while “Leonardo the Terrible Monster” doesn’t seem to be terribly joke-filled, the older the audience is, the more vocal responses we get to the highs and lows of the tale.
However, one of the reasons I love having adults in the audience is that, if they give over to being silly with us and laughing from the start, they can bring the energy we thrive on and make the show incredible.
And that leads me to “The 11th Show.”
Contractually, Theatreworks gets nine shows from us each week, and can get up to 12 if they pay us for each additional shows. Nine shows is an exhausting experience, and anything above that adds to the fatigue. Throw in a six-hour drive back to New York City (see previous post), and we were pretty much done. Our 10th show, near Princeton, NJ, was taped for posterity by Theatreworks/USA, and nobody was really feeling number 11, especially since it was scheduled only an hour after number 10. As David called places, we trudged to our spots, and it was all anybody could do to bring the energy. Yet, we had a secret weapon in the audience: Courtney’s family, two of Jonathan’s friends and Kristen’s “entourage” of nearly a dozen friends and family. And boy, were they ready for us!
From the get-go, we had a cheering section, and they laughed louder and stronger than any audience we’ve yet had. They were pretty far back (the front row is usually reserved for the youngest of the crowd), and their infectious energy crept forward faster than any I have ever seen. Soon every single audience member was cheering, laughing and crying along with us, and that was the energy that got us through the show. It was one of the most theatrically fulfilling performances I’ve had, and it’s all because everybody got into the act.
So, to all you Theatre for Young Audience-attending grown-ups out there: laugh a little. It’s good for you, and it’s good for us.
[I want to give a particular thank you to Granny (Courtney’s grandmother) who has supplied our van with a gigantic bag of sweet and savory munchies, and to Nana (Kristen’s grandmother), who is a regular reader of this blog. You ladies rock!]
Call tomorrow: 9:30am, Upper West Side garage. We’re traveling to Connecticut with a new cast member. What??? Details soon.
Kid Quote of the Day: Post-show, David asked a little girl in the front row what she thought. Wide-eyed, she gushed, “That was WONDERFUL!”
Adult Quote of the Day: When Courtney asked her mom what her dad thought of the show, she said, “He liked the one about the pee.” SEE!?!?
Friday, October 8, 2010
The Six Hour Drive
The Theatreworks manual for actors states it very clearly (in all caps, and underlined): "YOU WILL SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE VAN." And this tour is no exception. Usually, Theatreworks seems to schedule no more than a three hour drive on a performance day. However, after our 10am show in Delevan, NY, the orders were simple: get back to New York City. Problem? Delevan is about 45 minutes south of Buffalo, NY. Other problem? The Yankees had a home game. And so began our six hour trek back to New York City. Accompanied by the audio book of Patti Lupone's new memoir (which has created catch phrases for the cast such as "MY MOTHER!" and "Oh God!"), we headed out on the open road:
It is worth mentioning that Jonathan, who loves his long drives, sat behind the wheel for all six hours. He is our hero.
Call tomorrow: 10:30am, Upper West Side garage. Yes, there's a show tomorrow. Two actually: numbers 10 and 11 for the week. And Theatreworks is videotaping for posterity. Gulp!
Kid Quote of the Day: Backstage after our first evening show of the tour, a little girl introduced herself to the cast. "This summer I went to Dollywood and saw Dolly Parton's touring van and, and, and you expired [sic] me to be an actress and tour like you ." But she didn't stop there. "Oh, and, yeah, I guess y'all were pretty good."
Adult Quote of the Day: From a teacher in a teacher's lounge, as we enjoyed a provided lunch, "So, you're NOT college students? They actually PAY you to do this?"
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| Hour 1: Kristen "primes" for the trip |
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| Hour 2: Courtney is perky as always in her middle seat. |
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| Hour 3: David employs the ideal coping mechanism for long drives |
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| Hour 4: It's starting to get to me. |
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| Hour 5: Nick's descent is apparent |
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| Hour 6: Need Jonathan say more? |
Call tomorrow: 10:30am, Upper West Side garage. Yes, there's a show tomorrow. Two actually: numbers 10 and 11 for the week. And Theatreworks is videotaping for posterity. Gulp!
Kid Quote of the Day: Backstage after our first evening show of the tour, a little girl introduced herself to the cast. "This summer I went to Dollywood and saw Dolly Parton's touring van and, and, and you expired [sic] me to be an actress and tour like you ." But she didn't stop there. "Oh, and, yeah, I guess y'all were pretty good."
Adult Quote of the Day: From a teacher in a teacher's lounge, as we enjoyed a provided lunch, "So, you're NOT college students? They actually PAY you to do this?"
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
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