The dookah

We arrive in Padukah Kentucky,

Within 20 mins of us getting off the bus, 2 guys who went to the gas station convenient store around the back of the hotel got stopped by the cops, and Id. They were interigated on the spot and asked if they knew some guy, even after they told them that they just got off of a bus from Iowa. Apparently, they fit some kind of description for some folks, ...riiighhht. City folk in a small town. Anyway, the manager of the hotel happened to be there at the same time, and he got irrate, and yelled at the cops for not welcoming the city's guest, and called the mayor, and the chief of police, so that was pretty cool.

Now since this all happened we expected this place to be as small country as could be, we were told not to go anywhere out of a group. But we were pleaseantly surprised by the staff of the hotel(which was a courtyard marriott, haleluha). They were the best staff we have delt with so far, and thats been a blessing. And the theater!!!!!

Woah Baby!! a new state of the art, absolutely beautiful theater, with space galore!!!!! an 1800 seater and we sold about 1500 each night! and again we were met at the end with standing ovations for each show, even with the massive technical problems we keep having. It was really wonderful, and our dressers were so professional, to the point where I felt uncomfortable cause he was willing and ready to do everything. I mean literally He was going to dress me, tuck me in, and button me up, so I did let him know He didn't have to totally help me, just set out my clothes. He even met me with a water bottle at the end of the act,( I must say I kind of felt weird), but it was nice to have someone who knew what they were doing.The only thing that was bad about this theater was the temperature they kept it. Man it was absolutely freezing. Next stop, back to IOWA!!

WELL Opening night was a great hit!
We brought Broadway all the way to this podunk town called Cedar Rapids Iowa. We also had a day off there, which for the most part we thought would be horrendous. Why, cause there is absolutely nothing to do in that town, absolutely boring, we paraded around town and only found these figures and our show on a rolling sign. The only reason why it was ok, was because there ended being 2 cars because our assistant production manager and her friend from Iowa was there to take us to another town that had a real mall. So we spent a fun day in the mall. Actually the hi-light to that day was going to Build a Bear store with Andrew and Brad( our company manager) and making a teddy bear,well cat, for his neice. We were excited to make it, but that excitement was quickly deflated when we found that we were just going from station to station while someone else did everything, oh well.

We actually found an adult ballet class to go to as well. In every town we are in for at least 2 days, we are trying to find a place to dance so we don't loose a whole lot of technique or form, and to get some kind of exercise. My body is so out of wack not being able to eat right, or regular, and since this isn't a dance show we have to really make sure we stay on the top of our game. Anyway, the class was fun, a little crazy, but all the elder ladies welcomed us in with open arms and were just excited to have special company, and we were just excited to have a free dance class.

Well the theater looked really small from the outside. It looked old and run down as well, but looks can be deceiving, cause it was beautiful inside. Many people said it reminded them of a Broadway theater they way the house was set up, the space inside was beautiful, and they did fill it up pretty well. It was a good show, and we got another standing Ovation, nice.

The horrible thing about that whole experience was that our bus call to leave Iowa was freakin 5am!! and Oh I had laundry to still do, so I didn't get to bed til 1:30am, it was absolutely horrible. Well lets just say more people got there issues resolved with the floor that morning. Oh it was just torture. But we survived, and we traveled to the University of Missouri for our next show.

Ok, our first college town! WOah baby are you serious!, The house was just a small lecture room stage. I thought, "man my high school theater was bigger than this." So we all decided to just laugh it off, and try to have fun with this show. They also had food for us so we were really excited to have a good time. Well..., That could only go so far. The crew were just local students, who weren't even theater majors cause they don't have a major at this school. Oh gosh. And everything went down from there. It was our worst show so far. Someone got clocked in the eye from the set breaking, another person ran into a door and jumped into my arms from a door being pre set to early, costumes moved, people getting yelled at. In one number I totally forgot to put my suspenders up, and they were hanging out of the back of my coat, well there went the military dress, and my concentration for my steps, and I flopped big. It was a bad show, everyone thought so, Well everyone accept the folks of Missouri, for we received another Standing Ovation, wow! 4-and 0. None the less we were all to happy to get out of there and back to the hotel.

It's thursday morning, the 20th, our 1 month anniversary, geesh only 9 more to go, feels like we've been with each other for a year already, hahahaha, Next Stop, Kentucky!!

by the way I heard the only bad thing in our review from Cedar rapids was that they didn't print enough programs!

Home Sweet Bus

Opening Preview nights were Great!!

Our first show went well despite the sound totally not being on it's game, but they got there act together for the 2 show, and we got standing ovations for both shows, which was such a surprise to us. The first show during my quick change from military to miner, I guess I forgot to put my mic pack on under my undershirt, so when I went to take it off, it was still attached to my cord, so I just ended up snatching it off, and running on stage without my it, which would be totally fine, but that happened to be the only number that I have a solo line in, I couldn't sing in someones elses mic cause mine was the only one on at that time, so I just stepped out and yelled at the top of my lungs. They stilled heard me.

So we were able to rest easy knowing that we are ready to go on tour.

And Troika had a fabulous party for us, and they gave us Evita traveling bags!.

So we just spent the last day and a half traveling from Tn to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with a stop in St. Louis MO last night. (which was fantastik by the way, we were in a marriot with fabulous beds, and an up to date fitness center with free weights! Yeah Jesus!) And I actually ate in a KFC in Kentucky! We have assigned seats on the bus, and a bus buddy who we got to pick. Well actually He picked me, his name's Chris( his father is U.S. Ambassador)!! Our seat is in the absolute back of the bus enclosed by the bathroom on the right side. At first I was like oh, and then after being there for 7 1/2 hrs got used to it, and like the hiddeness from everyone, everyone totally forgets I'm alive back there. When there's movies on I don't want to watch, I can just read, or write. We got to stop at Walmart today so I was able to get a drawing pad, and markers, and a cusion for the floor, we've already started sleeping on the floor. Our Bus drivers name is Tom, this isn't his first tour, but man it's like he's trying to make a record how early he can get us at the hotel, and we're always drifting over to the side strips. Now we're in the middle of west jablip iowa with a day off tomorrow. Now comes the challenge of figuring out what to do.

Still feeling somewhat uncool, and not wanted in a clique yet, but Learning to not let that effect who I am.

Oh to be dressed!

Sorry it has been so many days before I have written, like I said it has been a very long week of tech. We have had 10 hr days since we got here last thursday.

But, Lots of things have gone on. There was the first day we had to put our costumes on and see what problems we were going to face changing from scene to scene. Now in almost every scene we are either in a different place or different year, or some kind of different person, so in every scene we have a different costume on. Now since this is an operetta, we don't stop the music or the singing, so that means people sometimes only have one line of a song to fully change clothes, and I mean everything, down to socks and shoes and all. There are a couple poor cats who only have a black out to change clothes, which is the one scene ends, there's a blackout on stage to change the set, and then the lights are up on a new scene, and they have to be on, so those people have to under dress, which is putting on there next scene's costume on under there previous.( and there are some who under dress 3 and 4 costumes at a time.)

I however am not so unlucky. In fact I have I only one change that I come right off, and have to go right on for the next scene, but the costume i have to put on is just overalls and a tangtop, and a miners helmet.

What's really cool is the only time we're in our dressing rooms are before the show and after the show. We get into our under garments get into robes and then go on stage where the gondolas of our costumes are, and then we just leave it all there, and go back. It's pretty sweet actually. Now something in the profesional world of theater I didn't know was that we have dressers at each city. Local people who come in specifically to just dress us backstage. It's a job they get payed for, but I found that it's customary to tip if they are good, and if you have a long run at that theater with the same dresser. It works kind of like a waiter, you tip to the service. Well that was news to me!

What's real fun is there are so many styles of costumes we could do many shows, Guys and Dolls, Newsies, Titanic, and certain scenes from A League of Their Own.

The Long Road of Tech

For the last 3 days we have been toiling away thru the show with lights and sounds trying to get everything cued up just right for the show. We were suppossed to end today by dinner time, and we almost did, but not quite. It is a very long very boring , some what tedious process, but it has to be done, and all and all, it's what makes the show so good. We also got to work with the props and flags, and banners, and drops that are also apart of the show, in fact some of us(mainly myself), found out that we actually do have props. I am a stage hand for one scene, and I just have to come up with my own mimeing action of what I'm doing, so I was acting all the ways I knew how to show I had a rope, and that I was fiddlin around with it, and lo and behold, I get yelled at for not having my prop, which is actually multiple feert of rope! So my acting was so good it just came into fruition, hahahaha.

Anyway, there's alot of down time when you're not on stage, and just waiting in the house, or waiting in the wings before you have to go on stage. SO alot of the cast has decided to try and get in shape as much as they can, so they will do push ups, and pilates in the ailes, it's been quite fun to watch. One time Kim just took over and gave us this massive hard pilates ab workout. But overall, you're just standing around bored and cold, to you have to go on stage, and stand around bored and cold, but in good light.

Because of the crazines of all this, and having to eat out all the time, some of us got up early today and walked a couple miles to a grocery store, it was a nice little walk.

The coolest thing about today was the fact that we got to go to the recording studio and record some tracks for the show, and some promotional reels to send out. That was way cool! Even when we were bored and tired in rehearsal, I would turn to people and just say, I'm livin the dream! Being in the studio is just another affirmation about how cool this all is, and how much of a blessing it is that I get too live out my dreams.

It was nice that today was different because of the studio session, cause we got to go home early, and that means mad relaxin in the hot tub! and drinkin jungle juice!!!(yeah right, it's just fruit punch).

Chattanooga CHoo CHoo

So here we are!,

Our first hotel stay, down here in TN. We arrived here yesterday evening after a flight and a bus ride. We had alot of fun on the bus, we were all apprehensive at first but then just started moving around and playin with each other. Watched the movie the Breach, about the biggest trader to american history so far. Interesting movie.I have to admit I get scared at times cause I feel that I'm not connecting with everyone as much as everyone else seems to be. But I have to remember that I'm primarily here for a job.

We are now in tech rehearsal, and the first element to add is the lights. So we go thru the show and set every light placement. Out of the whole day, and I mean whole day, we started at 1pm and ended at 1030pm we only got to the end of scene3. It's an incredibly long process of starting and stopping, and holding, very draining. Hopefully we'll be done with this part by Sunday. I also found out that the director may want me to cut my gotee into a mustache! Oh boy, talk about something shady looking to wear for the next 10 months. I don't know if I can do it. We'll see what ends up happening.

Being that we don't get done til 1030 I didn't get back to the hotel til 11, and now I'm tired so I'll tell you more bout Chattanooga later.

The Journey Begins

Well friends,
it is late wednesday night, and tomorrow morning i board a plane bound for TN. That's right folks the long awaited day of my life so far(almost), is about to happen. And MAn I Am Just SO freakin EXcited!!!!
I'm going on a nat'l tour HEY! I'm going on a nat'l tour Hey!
Right now I'm trying to pack, and repack. I still don't have a pair of black dress shoes either, hopefully I can find a decent pair down there.
Not too much to say, you can expect alot more though fom me, and on a MOn, Wed, Fri sort of basis. SO
Love people as hard as you can!!!