Bye Beantown!

Hey all!

Well, yesterday was our final day at the Wang. Sounds so dirty. No wonder they changed it to Citi Center. Anyhoo, it was a fantastic experience. Stepping foot on that stage for sound check, before anyone was in the audience, is one of those moments I'll remember for the rest of my days. The theatre itself is beautiful, impeccably kept, and, for 3,000 seats, feels intimate. There's just this warm vibe about the place. After sound check, I was ushered downstairs for a little interview time for the news network here - New England Cable News.

http://www.necn.com/Boston/Arts-Entertainment/2009/12/23/101-Dalmatians-takes-center/1261614655.html

They had a rescue Dalmatian as part of the spot, no pun intended. His name....Spots. Another thing that makes me hate the owner that gave him up. Really? You couldn't take five more minutes to think of a better name, people? But I digress. Large dogs seems to know that I have no center of gravity. So as soon as I came in, they said, "We want to get some footage of you interacting with Spots. Cool. Since he's not one of the dogs we travel with, I had no idea of what he was like, his quirks, etc. So, naturally, he jumped up on me, knocked me flat onto the ground and started licking my neck and face with a fervor that removed all of my carefully placed "TV" makeup. So when you take a gander at the clip, forgive the face, and bear in mind that moments after you see him jump up on me, I was on the ground.

We got some groovy reviews in Boston. There were lots, BWay World, Boston Globe. Raj, who plays Jinx in our show, has taken it upon himself to be my PR maven. So he's compiling and searching and putting all that fun together for me.

http://boston.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1008907

http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2009/12/25/as_cruella_rachel_york_puts_the_bite_in_the_101_dalmatians_musical/

There's a couple for ya. Okay, time to finish my laundry and ready myself for MIAMI!!! Next stop on our whirlwind tour! Check in with ya lata.

Love me some PR!

Ok, so in preparation for coming home for the holidays, I've been doing some interviews before our Boston run. I'm so excited!!! A couple of 'em came out today!!!

http://boston.broadwayworld.com/article/Local_Actress_Comes_Home_for_the_Holidays_with_101_Dalmatians_20091217

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/arts/x1599181305/Arlington-actress-is-spot-on-in-101-Dalmations

Thank you Jan! Happy reading all!

Livin' life like it's golden...

That's right. Last time I blogged, I was watching The Golden Girls....and this time, while I blog, I'm watching The Golden Girls. But what do you expect? It's running on a loop on the WE network...you know, for women who love to hate and love men. Or is that Lifetime? Or Oxygen? It's all interchangeable.

So we're coming into our last week here in Big D. It was so groovy to have a day off to recharge and Xmas shop. I don't like to brag (I will), but I'm done! I keep thinking something is going to surface and I'll realize that I have a third aunt twice removed that I need to buy stuff for. We're also in the throes of Secret Santa action at the show. I love me some Secret Santa. People get so innovative, setting up scavenger hunts and bald face lying to our castmates to maintain the sanctity of the secrecy of the Santa. Oooooh say that five times fast.

As fun as the D has been, I am so antsy to get to Boston next week! It's my hometown!!! I've been doing interviews and what not. I love me some PR. The best thing about being home for the holidays? The Maguire family Xmas eve party, complete with the requisite nuclear Boston baked beans (they'll kill ya)? Yup. Being home with my family, sipping martoonis with my cousins Xmas day? Check. But moreover, that my whole family, hometown friends, and people from long ago get to see me in a role I created from scratch, performing at the Wang center, where I've been going to see shows since I was a wee one? ABSOLUTELY. I've always wanted to be one of those people on the stage of the Wang. And this dream is finally arriving. YAY! Get me home!!!

Ok, Big D, I know you're still here, so I won't talk about my love, Boston, in front of you. Instead, I'll sit back and enjoy your TV. Ooooh Golden Girls, what can you teach me about life tonight? I can't wait to seeeee......

I know, I know....

....you feel deserted. Neglected. Left to hang in the wind. When did I write to you last? Detroit? Who knows? The fact of the matter is, I've been a deadbeat mom to my very own blog. And for that, I deserve to be flogged. Blog flogged. But here we are. And this silence is killing me. So let's chat...

Okay, so there have been some more changes to the show. The team came back and made some more nips and tucks and added some pups to some numbers. I must say, I feel like the show is a well oiled machine, cooking along and coming in at around two hours, not including the intermish...that's abbreviated intermission. My roommate Chuck hates it when I abbrev. Too bad I say. All the kids are doing it. "Totes def" is bandied about backstage more than I care to say. That's why I watch "The Hills." It keeps me up on all my youngin' banter.

I had the most AMAZING opportunity since we've been here in Dallas. I got to be Cruella in the Dallas Xmas parade! It was wild. Pics to follow! The company manager got some great ones. The best part of the parade? Getting randomly interviewed in the middle of the parade route by a local TV station. I didn't see it coming. But my best inner PR angel came out and I magically had all the info I need. The last thing the interviewer said to me was, "I hear you and Ebenezer Scrooge I related," to which I replied, "I don't like to brag. He's my brother." And then the fabulous Excalibur car I was driving whooshed me away. Magic. It was a fantastic, and freezing, day.

Ok, I love you all, but The Golden Girls are on. It's the episode where they attempt a spin off. A HORRIBLE episode, but hey, it's still the Golden Girls. They're in the episode somewhere... I promise you dear readers, all ten of you, I will not leave you hanging for this long ever again.

Hugs and kisses,
ME

We're back in Rock City!

Hey one and all....all ten or so of you.... we're back on the road after a much needed two weeks off. It was sooooo nice to be home and chill and recharge the batteries. Annnnd now, we're back! In Detroit Rock City. We had a great opening night last night. This theatre is, in a word, MASSIVE. If you've never been to the Fox Theatre, next time you're in Atlanta or Detroit, check out one of 'em. They are ornate and huuuuggeee.... well, the front of house is huge. Backstage, it's a lot of chaos. But the crew is amazing and they somehow made everything fit, which is shocking. We're in rehearsal again.... A, to remember the show after two weeks to let the cobwebs settle, and B, to put the live real actual Dalmatians into parts of the rest of the show. Here goes!
Alright all, I'm off to rehearsal... ok, well, I'm gonna watch Wife Swap before rehearsal. Same diff.

How many years has it been?

...since last I posted? Couldn't tell ya. Things were nutty over at the dog show. The brass came back in and did some more cuts and changes and what not. So now, our show is a streamlined machine. Tragically, some of the bits and pieces in that machine break down and need to be fixed. What do I speak of? The sick castmates. A lot of us started to get sick in our final week before two weeks off. Bodies know when they are about to relax for two weeks, I swear. So, of course, when I'm home for two glorious weeks with my honey, I got the Dalmatian-itis. So I'm sitting on a couch, catching up on episodes of Dexter, and taking a z pak to get rid of said 'itis.

But before it hit, I was out and about on the streets of NY. It feels so good to be home for a couple of weeks and reconnect. It also helps to see ads for your show in front of Radio City!!! There is a fab new ad campaign going out, a pic of Rachel as Cruella, and it's starting to pepper the city. How cool is that?!? Tix are on sale, good people. So run and get 'em. Also, on another exciting note, we record our cast album as soon as we get back from layoff, in Detroit Rock City. So I'll let you know how that all goes!

Alright one and all, I need to go suss out my maid of honor speech. My best pal is getting married next week and they're giving me a microphone to talk about her. Danger. Hugs and kisses one and all.

Hotlanta!

Ok, so remember when I started this blog, I said I would attempt to blog daily? Yeah, I fell off the wagon on that one. Forgive me one and all....Appleton was severely lacking in sunshine, activity, and most importantly, consistent internet access. My iPhone was rarely even in service. Dear Appleton, we need more towers. Anyhoo, it was a crazy week anyway. I went on for Cruella! I had a blast. I woke up the next day feeling like I had been hit by a truck. It's exhausting being evil and belting E flats. As if I didn't respect Rachel York's talent enough, step into her vocal shoes for a night and you will develop a whole new respect. It's a tough track, but totally satisfying. And wearing those fabulously evil sassy costumes sweeten the deal.

So here we are in Atlanta now. We had a day off yesterday! It poured all day. I swear, this weather is following us across the country. We were so happy to get out of the midwest and away from the cold and gloom and, tadaaaa, we walked right back into rain. But that didn't stop us from going to Netherworld last night...one of the biggest and most elaborate haunted houses in the country. It was....AMAZING! If you're in atlanta and it's around Halloween times, DO NOT MISS THIS.

Some other show sidenotes - we were on NBC news last night! There was a little segment about the dogs and our show. I'll find the link and post it in a bit, when I have more time. We're here for one week only. We start tonight. It's going to be a crazy busy week. Jerry is back to make some more changes and what not. But on the other side of this nutty week is two glorious weeks off! We get to go home to our loved ones and relax and recoup. It comes at the perfect time.

Ok, must must must get into the shower and get going. I will do my damndest not to forget you, dear dear Blog.

Bye bye Minne!

So I woke up today in Appleton, WI, one of my fave little teeny tiny townlets to tour through. It's just like I remember it, from waaaay back in 2003. Very cute little college towns, rife with indie coffee shops and occasional boutiques. We actually had a beautiful fall day, so Chuckles and I took advantage and sauntered around. We celebrated our first day in a new town by having a HUGE steak dinner, which I'm still digesting. Minne was a grand ole time, but we were ready to leave and feel like we are officially on tour. So away we go!!! The latest news in Appleton... I'm going on for Cruella tomorrow! Whhhaaaa? Yes yes, it's early in the game, but I'm ready to play. Rachel has a concert, so I'm stepping into the villainess's shoes, or stilts, for the evening. I can't wait. I'm taking a looootttt of pics. So I'll be posting more as we go along.

Alright, time for me to get a move on, get to the gym, and work off that filet. Hugs and kisses!

Up and running!

Wow, I can't believe it's taken me this long to blog, post the official opening of the show!!! It's been insane. Shocker. And instead of blogging about it, I've opted to sleep until 11:15, apparently. I don't think I've done that since college.....a year ago....yeah, that's it.... a year ago. *cough* Anyhoo, back to blog. We opened Tues night to a packed house of, oh, 2600. This theatre is, in a word, MASSIVE. For those who don't know, this is where Lion King started. Yes, the dog show is following in the footsteps of the cat show. I have to believe that is good juju. There is even a big circle still left on the stage, as a reminder of Pride Rock's temporary housing. Though, I can't see it, since we travel with our own deck.

So audiences for the past few shows have been loving it. Standing O's every night and I can see people all the way up to the back of the mezzanine. It's a bit like performing in a barn. Even though we're technically open, we are treating this week as a preview week, and we continue to change and refine a lot of things. So if you saw the show Tuesday, it was different Wed. If you saw it Wednesday, it was different Thursday. By tonight, we may be doing Fiddler. This is part of the process. As Jerry said, "This is when the real work begins." This is when we get an audience to tell us what is working and what isn't. It's really fascinating how things become so blaringly apparent once you get in front of a crowd. Lines or moments I didn't anticipate being hugely funny are getting a BIG laugh. And things you thought would surely fly just don't. But we learn and we change.

Oh sidenote... I know we just opened and all, but I'm going on for Cruella next week! Yay! Insanely fast. And with all the tweeking rehearsals and changes, I think the first rehearsal I'm gonna get for our fave villainess is going to be on the day I actually perform it. So say a little prayer for me and send me your good vibes. I'm gonna take pics and continue to drop a few on here. I just don't know how to make them any smaller than that massive Dalmatian pic I attached last time.

Until next time,
xoxo
Puppy Lover

Is it time already?!

Ok cats, sorry for the radio silence. It's hard to find a spare moment, what with the long tech days and what not. Every hour not spent in the theatre is spent eating, searching for a place to eat, paying for what I ate, or going to Target. So I thought I would take this rare moment sleeplessness to blog a few words. We ran the show full out tonight, costumes et al. It went astonishingly well, especially considering all the really elaborate tech involved in this show.

Literally, at two points in this show, when I am running off stage and down a ramp in stilts, the crew is hoisting eight kennels with the live dalmatians onto the stage, while on the opposite side, set pieces are being hauled and hung in the flys. It is a detailed dance, and everyone is on top of their game. It's really extraordinary. This is the case with 99 percent of the shows I do. I always hit a point in tech or dress where I think, "There's no way this is gonna pull together. I can't imagine a day where this will be easy." And then, all of a sudden, through the magic of theatre, there it is. A completed piece.

We also got to see the dogs do their tricks today.... of course, we had to watch on the monitors backstage. But still, it was fantastic. We were all hovering around a little screen on stage right, making googoo noises while dogs ran around onstage. Now we face the next time....an audience. Here's the point where we hope and pray that they laugh at everything we have been laughing at for the past two months. We have an invited crowd tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Ok, it's 1:30 in the morning here and I have a photo shoot tomorrow. Can't have bags under the eyes when a souvenir book is involved. Signing off for the mo. Next time I blog, we will be officially open and running!!!

Here goes

Ok, so thanks to Jan, I took some time today to attempt to add a pic. Here's hopin' it works. It's a pic of the dogs getting ready for their close up. Remember how I said there was gonna be an article in People magazine? It's supposed to hit news stands on Friday. Who says that anymore? "Hit news stands." What's wrong with me? According to someone in the cast (Robert Anthony Jones, if you're reading), I talk with just a hint of "vaudeville." It's true. I think I was born in the wrong era. I'll have to bring this complaint up with my parents. But if I were born in the vaudeville era, I wouldn't currently be enjoying Cash Cab and Vitamin Water 10. So ya give a little, ya get a little.

So a week from yesterday marks our opening night countdown. Yes. In less than a week, the public will be allowed in the front doors of the Orpheum. I sat out in the mezzanine last night to check out "Spot On," the 11 o'clock number in our show. This is the first time they've tried costumes on the peeps with stilts. It looks amazing. It really does. It's a cool effect. And the weird thing is, after a minute of watching them, you forget they're on stilts and just sort of accept it as reality. You start paying attention to the story.

We also had a wanderprobe the other day. For those that don't know, a wanderprobe is when we sing with the orchestra for the first time and just sort of generally mark through our movements. This is always one of my favorite days in putting up a show. It's so exciting to hear all the instruments underneath you as you sing. It was especially cool in this case, cause it's a new show. You have no idea what you're going to hear, since there's no template. We have an orchestra of 12 that will travel with us. They sound like 30. It's really astonishing. I was so ridiculously excited when I heard my song, full of trumpets and tympanies...it sounds HUGE. Danny Troob did the orchestrations. Google him. He's kind of a big deal. Don't ya think?

Alright, back to my Vitamin Water and Cash Cab. I hope you can see the pic. If not, I'll give it a whirl again later. Hugs and kisses from chilly Minne.

The Mall o' America!

Ok, so yesterday was our first day off in Minneapolis... and what does one do on a day off in Minneapolis? If you have to ask, you have maaaaaddddd problems, yo. Go to the Mall!!! The Mall of America! Only under this one roof are you able to buy shoes, ride a coaster, check out an aquarium and get married. Yes, get married. Did you know there was a chapel in there? The ceremonies must be all of 10 minutes long because people are so anxious to get back out there to the Log Flume and the Gap. "Can we speed this up? Abercrombie is calling my name." Who am I kidding? I never go into club Abercrombie anymore. Not only cause I shouldn't be wearing the same clothes as my little cousins, but also cause it's so damn loud, dark, and perfumed in there. Does that make me sound old?

Thanks Jan, for the words of wisdom on the photo front. I need to do some downloading and sorting when I get a mo. After all, I used all my time at the Mall and the Guthrie yesterday. Michael Thomas Holmes, who plays Jasper (one of Cru's henchmen), got us all tix to see "The Importance of Being Earnest" at the Guthrie. The new space there is AMAZING. if you find yourself out this way, go see a show there. Very cool, Frank Lloyd Wright-esque building, fantastic performances. The set was amazing. Walt Spangler, who designed my set when I did "Flight of the Lawnchair Man," did the sets for the Guth. It was an awesome night out - it afforded us the rare opportunity to sit back and have someone entertain us. So even though the roller coaster and Bloomie's drained me of my life blood, I rallied and went to the show. And I'm glad I did.

We're back into week two of tech and chugging along. I had a wig fitting the other day. This.show.is.fantastical. It really is. I can't wait to put all the pieces together to see where we're at. I had the afternoon off, since I come in later into act two. So I'm taking this rare opportunity to do my laundry. I love all y'all! Keep reading and letting me know what you think! Next blog will, hopefully, have some pics attached. Stay tuned.

E Money.

It takes a village...

...to create a show. Ok, so we're a week into our two week tech process. One more day before a day off and....wait for it...Mall of America!!! So exciting. Mama needs a new opening night dress. We are beginning teching Act Two today, so that means I get to sit and watch all the action for a while. My character(s) don't appear again until the middle to end of act two. So I'm gonna take advantage of this opportunity, and walk around with my camera to take some pics of all the goings on backstage. And I mean some MAJOR goings on.

Costumes arrived yesterday and you should see what some of these outfits look like. It's amazing. First of all, there seem to be a metric ton of them. But the gowns....man oh man....the gowns are, like, couture (in the words of Rachel Zoe). I can't tell you how many people are down there sewing and sorting and washing and hanging and styling wigs (which are genius)....not to mention all the crew, moving massive pieces of scenery, the dog handlers bringing the dogs to the stage. There's all too much to mention. It truly takes a village to put this spectacular on. And it will be just that...spectacular.

Let's see....what else can I tell you? Oh yeah....People magazine is here today to do a piece on the show!!! So I'll take some pics as well. Does anyone know how to post pics on a blogspot page? The fact that I even got this blog up and running is a mystery, as I am sooooo technologically challenged. So those who have been there, done that before, drop a line and let me know your secrets.

Ok, back to watching "I Am Legend" on this rainy Minne morn.

Day three...

...of our two week tech process. It's wild to come into work, get to the theatre and see 15 Dalmatians running around on the set, doing tricks and pushing lawnmowers and turning levers and what not. It's amazing. I love my job. The only thing is, I'm a HUGE animal lover. I want nothing more than to run up onto the set and play with them. But these dogs are all business. Like I said on Facebook, I'm worried that they have a better resume than I do. They're all about the biz and when it's time to work, they woooorrrkkkk. Not to worry though, once they have some "Down time," I'll be all over that. Though, there are certain sounds and stuff that you can't make because they are cues for their tricks. So knowing me, I'll go up to them, make some rogue noise, and the dog will suddenly grab a lawnmower and go at it.

The set looks wild as well - everything is super bright and slightly warped...there's a set piece I call "The slanty shanty," cause it's twisted and warped. It feels a bit Tim Burton-y to me. Bear in mind, this is a story told from the dog's perspective, so everthing looks like it would from their eyes. And since we're on stilts, things are built according to that scale. So there are massive chairs and love seats and tables. And they're eerily comfortable. Ikea should take note, as the average height of this country seems to be getting taller and taller. Did you guys see the world's tallest man on the news, by the way? He reminded me of "Big Fish." I gotsta rent that again. I dug that movie. It definitely didn't hurt that my boyfriend Ewan McGregor was in it.... what? He knows he's my boyfriend.

Ok all, more news lata. I got to hop in the shower and pry myself out of the uber comfy hotel bed. It's one of those "dream" beds. deeeellliiicious. Talk at ya soon.

Oops

Ok, so I hit the wrong blogger account and my latest blog on the dog show is at www.erinmaguire.com

Check it out over there. Pay no attention to the first pic you see. I don't have that hair anymore... or that jacket... what was I thinkin? Anyhoo, read it over there and I will update later. I'm mid first tech day!
E

A week to go!

We are a week away from leaving NY for the road!!! Can you believe it?! Man alive, I can't. I'm still in denial about packing. It's never an easy thing for me. And I am, most definitely, a tragic over packer. Mostly, I have no idea, after years of travel and gypsy livin', how to appropriately pack toiletries. I start out so good, so organized... and then something horrible happens somewhere along the way (read: I get lazy) and everything ends up in a gallon size Ziploc bag. So if you have any suggestions as to where to get a good toiletry bag, where I can just shove everything in and leave it there, drop me a line.

Alright, this is a short and sweet one, as it's time to take advantage of my day off. Hugs and sloppy kisses.

Hola Act Two!

For the record, I saw the word "hola" today and read it as "holla." I need to lay off all things pop culture...no? But I can't help it. I'm ashamed to admit that I watch "The Hills." Anyhoo, the reality hit me today that we are leaving ONE WEEK from tomorrow!!! Wha wha whaaaa?!? Methinks it's time to start thinking of packing. Man alive. So many shoes, so little trunk space. We're all but done staging the show, which means we're now going back and taking a look at some stuff and shifting some things, etc and so on.

I forgot to write a great Jerry Zaks quote from last week. I've been meaning to blog it down and I just keep forgetting. He used the term "terminally creative," and I LOVED it. That's how I want to be known. When I leave this wacky world, I want my headstone to read, "Here lies Erin. She may have had low blood pressure, but she was terminally creative." Works, don't it? Lots of people have been writing down these nuggets of genius, but this one stuck with me....it has that awesome implication of urgency, that your creativity goes on and on because you have no choice. It's in your blood. That's my deep thought for the day. Mind you, I'm writing this deep thought while watching "The Bird Cage" and eating cold cuts. Ahhh the simple joys.

Ok, I really need to start thinking about what in God's name I'm gonna pack and start flipping out about all the hair cutting and doctor's appointments I won't be making before I leave town. Things might be nutty next week, so don't be hurt if my blogs are fewer and further between. I still love you. Don't worry.

Didja miss me?!

I've no doubt you did. Okay, so I know I've been mildly neglectful of my blog baby, but with good reason. Things have been insanely nuttily (ewww) busy lately. I was playing the role of the maid of honor and showering a bride, not to mention playing the role of good girlfriend and paying attention to my boy. Can't have the loved ones feeling no love, ya know? Anyhoo, back to the blog.

Things are chugging along over at the dog house. We are wrapping up staging act two, which is just wild to me. Like I've said before, I've never been part of creating a show from absolute scratch like this before. So as was the case with act one, I'm shocked that we suddenly have a run of act two tomorrow. When did we do it? Man alive, I hope I remember. Well clearly, I've been working, because I was so pooped the other day, I fell asleep on the PT table.

I went in to get a little hip work done. I was laying on my stomach. Our PT gal put a couple ice packs on my lower back and the next thing you, I was out cold. Literally. This is one of the perks of having dangerously low blood pressure. My heart may only beat once every five minutes, but damned if I can't sleep like a champ.

Also, I have found a new ennui for EVERY restaurant in midtown. NYC is one of THE food capitols of the world. Yet, how do I feel like I have been to every restaurant in midtown at least twice this week? And I'm somehow tired of alllll of them?!? Apparently, 40 restaurants in a two block radius isn't enough for me. I tell you what, I'm gonna be missing all these options when I'm in BumbleCrud, Iowa and my only choice is a Ruby Tuesday's next to a Holiday Inn.... I kid.... we're not going to BumbleCrud....we're saving that for the non union tour. Teehee.

And on a final note, I had an out of body musical theatre experience yesterday. Addams Family is rehearsing upstairs from us. I was getting onto the elevator with our director, Jerry Zaks, to go downstairs. The doors open, and Nathan Lane was in there. Jerry was pow wowwing with him in the elevator down. I was just watching these two huge theatrical icons, chit chatting on the 'vator. Anyone who's into musical theatre knows that it's just cooool to be privvy to these peeps hanging in an elevator chatting about their respective shows.

Ok, I've blah blah blogged for far too long. I have to go watch Tyra teach girls how to smile with their eyes.

Busy bee

Hey all -

Please don't think that I'm a deadbeat dad to my very own blog. I don't mean to neglect. Things have been nutty busy, since, in addition to putting up a new show, I was also playing the role of Maid of Honor this weekend. I had bridal shower duties. And right now, I am brutally tired. So I will give a better update when I have a little more brain power. In the meantime, found this little nugget on Talkin Bway -

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat/d.php?id=1771944

An honorable mention! You people are reading! Now look to the left of your computer screen and sign up to become a "follower." I promise I won't make you drink the Kool Aid. Ok, I'll talk at ya tomorrow, when I can see straight.

You better BeBelieve it!

I had my first Bebe Neuwirth sighting today in the green room of our rehearsal space. I knew it was only a matter of time. She was trying to get a soda out of the vending machine, which was broken. I did the same thing yesterday. A woman after my own heart. Everyone needs Diet Coke after 12. We're chuggin right along with Act Two. People Magazine was there today, taking pics and doing interviews!!! How cool is that? Very, I say. And with every passing day, I discover my Collie a little bit more. That may be cryptic to some, but all who are involved will understand... it's very tricky when developing your own dialect...Irish pirate.

Alright, back to chaos of life outside of New 42.

An afternoon off!

It's a rare happening, but I had the entire afternoon off. Done at noon. Whhhhaaa? It must be a sign of the apocalypse... that, and the fact that the marquee at B.B. King's says that Sanjaya is playing there. Tragic. I fully expect to see the four horsemen buying a ticket to that one. Since I was only there for the morning, not too too much to report, except the fact that we had multiple cameras there, filming B roll, taking pics of the rehearsal process, documenting the experience and what not.

Oh and I almost knocked Joan Marcus out. For those of you in the business, you know her name. For those of you not in the biz, you should know that she is THE primary photographer of all things theatre. She was moving around, taking candids and stuff. I was rehearsing a hip hop move with Garett and she walked clear in my hip hop exit path. So what have we learned from this experience? Never make me do hip hop.... and if you do, keep all important theatrical peoples far, far away from me.

Ok, I'm taking advantage of my hours off (aka napping)

Ahhh, the difference a day can make.

Or two. We had TWO days off. I, however, did more labor than resting. And so did a handful of cast mates. That sounds so... "pirate." I wonder if pirate will be the next trend in television, like vampire being so trendy now. Really, if I see one more ad for a vampire based series, I'm gonna hurl. I was really confused when AM NY did a whole newspaper insert of all the places vampires like to hang out in the city. It was all an effort to promote True Blood, though I thought it was for real. My favorite part was when they did "man on the street" interviews and gave people's ages... Jane, 126 years old, from Williamsburg likes blah blah blah. For serious. I was sucked in hook, line, and sinker... but I digress, as usual.

We are in our new rehearsal digs, which are FAB! Thank the maker for one whole wall of windows that looks out over Madame Tussaud's museum. Not only is natural light a refreshing break from the buzzing flourescents of Ripley, but the view of the people going into Dave and Buster's is worth the price of admission. We have huge high ceilings, twice the width, and The Addams Family is rehearsing two floors above us. Fingers crossed I run into Bebe Neuwirth.

We're moving onto Act two and chugging right along. We also had stilt camp again this morning, which is so needed, as I wanted to brush up on basics. You start to get comfortable and you forget about some basic safety bits and pieces. I tell you what, my abs feeeeeelll ittt!

Alright, I'm pooped, as I labored on Labor Day. Time to have leftovers and kick it old school, by watching "Parenthood." Ahhh Diane Weist, is there nothing you can't do?

No Laboring...

...on Labor day. And that means no labradors too. Yuk yuk. I sit here on one of my two days off (huzzah!), unwinding after a long and productive week, eating Sabra hummus and watching "The Eye" with Jessica Alba. Loving the hummus... underwhelmed by "The Eye." I live for horror movies. Moreover, I live for crap horror movies. This is somewhere in between - that gray area that is neither terrifying nor campy.

So back to the dogs... end of week three, we had a run thru of act one! I didn't realize how much I knew until we did it. Even though we're still in our pupa stage, I think it's pretty dang fantastic. It's so great to see all the stuff we haven't seen in rehearsal because we were elsewhere, stilting or singing or what not. We have an obscenely talented bunch. I can't wait to see what the next few weeks will bring. And I definitely can't wait to move into the new rehearsal space. We'll finally be able to step back a bit and get a better view. It felt like the last day of school on Saturday. You could tell that, A, we were ready for the holiday weekend and, B, we were ready to move to a place where we wouldn't be on top of each other, especially since now we were all in the same place at the same time.

But what am I doing talking about work on my two day vaca?! Back to "The Eye".... nothing makes me laugh harder than Jessica Alba pretending to be a blind concert violinist. I hope you find something that makes you laugh equally as hard on this fine holiday weekend!

Holla Act One!

End of week three approaches tomorrow and we have a work thru of act one to do tomorrow! Can ya believe it? I know you can't. Neither can I. I can't wait to see where we're at, since we're at the midway point of rehearsals here in NY. That means we have three more weeks before we hit the road. It also means we leave the confines of Ripley Grier and move over to the roomy, bright rehearsal rooms of New 42. Sooo happy for that. We're outgrowing our current surroundings. There's too many bodies for l'il old studio 16L. I don't know why, but it reminds me of the line from Muppets Take Manhattan, when Kermit says, "We need more dogs and chickens and things." Random reference, but we should all be reminded from time to time of the cinematic genius that was Muppets Take Manhattan... and all Muppet movies, for that matter.

So in homage to moving to our new digs, I am making a list of things I will miss and things I won't miss about Ripley Grier.... ahem....

Things I won't miss
*The slower than molasses going uphill in winter elevators. While I enjoy the fun facts and news tidbits the little screen in the elevator shares with me, I will not miss the lag time it takes between the time that you press your floor and the time the elevator doors close. I will also not miss the grated walls that pull out a chunk of your hair when you lean up against them.
*The smell of dance calls....particularly the day of the Taylor Swift back up dancer auditions. Wretched.
*The tanning salon decor

Things I will miss
*Butch's Oasis Cafe... they have amazing cookies that they make fresh every day. The smell is unreal.
*Running into random pals I haven't seen in eons. Why is Ripley Grier as social a hang out as Five Napkin Burger? Dunno. But I've seen people I haven't seen in years in the past three weeks.
*The tanning salon decor

Alright lovers, time to chill. I'll give a little week three wrap up tomorrow. And then sign off for Labor Day, as I plan to... not Labor.
E

Oopsy

Okay, so I missed a day of blogging, but you have to cut me a break... I'm a maid of honor. In a wedding. A wedding of my best friend. And I'm in this midst of trying to put together a bridal shower...all while on stilts. Maybe I should wear stilts to the bridal shower....I digress....so cats and kittens... or dogs and puppies... I had a big rehearsal day today. Rachel and I worked on our song, which is on the verge of hilarious wacky antics. Let's just say, this is the kind of show where I can't walk out the stage door without having taken a shower first. I haven't had to do that since CATS.... that was possibly the gayest thing I have ever written. Well, according to my deal friend Chuck, I am one of the gayest men he's ever met. Touche indeed.

So where was I? Oh yeah, rehearsal. Let me just say, in addition to all the wacky antics and the dogs and the fun that is in this show, it is chock full o'touching moments. I cried twice in rehearsal today. Some may blame PMS. I say it's great acting. There are some absolutely charming moments that will tug on your heart strings. And there are some very real genuine circumstances that, even though these are 'dogs' you are watching who are having these experiences, anyone can relate. I can't wait to see where we're at by the end of week three.. time is flying... soon we'll be moving to our new, larger rehearsal hall in midtown. So excited about that. I plan on, however, doing a top five list of things I'll miss about our current rehearsal space... but that's later in the week. Look what you have to look forward to!!!

Also, people are already in costume fittings. The design for this show is going to be wild. I love it when people are coming back and talking about what they're wearing as what dog or human. I've already started planning on what items I want to buy at the end of the run... and by buy, I mean steal, of course... but you didn't read that here.

Sidenote dear readers, you may note that I use the phrase "wacky antics" many, many.... many times. This, I can't help. It's part of my verbology, my lexicon, my styllllleeee, baby. I once told someone if I had to start up a company, I would call it Wackantics, and I would be CEO. The CEO of wackantics. You'd buy what I was selling, right? Damn skippy. So from here on out, I plan on merging the phrase, "Wacky antics" into "wackantics." It's really more time efficient this way. I'm always looking for ways to save a few minutes here and there.

And on that note, I'm off to take a nice long shower and watch some Top Chef... which I don't think I'm all that into any more. But I need a way to bide my time until America's Next Top Model comes back.

Over and out,
CEO of Wackantics.

Steady as she goes...

Nothin' overly major to report today. We did some scene work, which was fun to get into. Let me say this... and I'm not just saying this cuz I'm spending the next X amount of the year with them... we have a kick ass cast. For serious. I was just looking around and thinking how perfectly suited everyone is to their role.

But enough of all this sacchrine... sweet and gooey has never been my strong suit. We did some music amending and a wee bit 'o stilt time, which gets more and more comfortable. The most major news of the day was that I had a cookie from Pax that had a distinct aftertaste of parmesan cheese. Wretched.

Ok, time to watch the cheese taste out of my mouth and watch "Devil Wears Prada" for the umpteenth time. Talk at ya lata.
E money.

Day off!

And never before has a day off been more earned. Why, you ask? It wasn't enough to have a week of rehearsal, I decided to MOVE last night. That's right. Move. Furniture. For those that know and have seen me, mine is not exactly a furniture moving body. According to the sassy lassies in our PT department, I need to "work" on my upper body. That was their politically correct way of saying, "You're a wuss with no guns." And if they said that to me, I wouldn't disagree - my ego wouldn't be shattered. They would be speaking the truth. So after a long day of stilts and singing, I decided to tack on a five hour move.

It's amazing how sentimentality goes out the window when you move. Things that you once thought you couldn't live without, items that had some precious memory of some show you did in third grade attached to them, end up getting tossed in zero hour because you just can't bring yourself to lift one more thing and put it into a truck. At 1AM, I'm surprised I didn't throw the fridge out. Oh yeah... did I mention this move started at 11PM?

But enough of the rant. It's my day off. I'll talk dog tomorrow night. Time to sit on my keister and watch HGTV all day.

Just an average day at work...

...ya know, stilts and what not. Just an average day. Because of sched stuff, I haven't been on stilts in two days! Feels weird after a solid week and a half in them. But I got to sit and watch all the rest of my posse play on 'em. Peeps are looking goooood. It's gonna be a really cool effect. The cast already looks comfortable on them. Oh, for those who don't know, the humans are on stilts in this show. The story is told from the dogs perspective... so humans who play dogs are firmly on the ground. Humans who play humans are a foot up in the air... confused? Good. I like to be a little enigmatic. Just to keep ya guessing.

We're approaching the end of week two here in NY. One more day before a day off, which I apparently need, as I can't find the energy when I come home at night to do any work around the house. My laundry has been sitting in a dryer for three days. And I'm leaving a trail of clothing carnage behind me... there's a pair of socks and PJ pants sitting next to the bed in such a position that they look like I fell out of them. I refuse to move them because, A, that would take energy, and, B, it makes me laugh. So I clearly need to be getting more sleep.

The best thing about being on stilts? It's such a unique workout. If you ever want to tone up your legs, this is the way to go. It could very well be the latest trend in exercise, replacing the pole dancing class at Gold's. Toooo many people you never wanted to see mime strip... And our gluts (that's the scientific term for boottaaayyy) are gonna be so rock solid, you could serve biscuits off them... speaking of biscuits... it's time for dinner.

Time to make breakfast for dinner... I have an unending craving for eggs and my friend Adam's fig preserves....and a little quality time with Family Guy. These are all things that can keep me from tending to my three day old clean laundry. Ahhhh, what a plan.

Over and out for now.

Holy Craig's list.

Ok, so I know this, again, doesn't have anything to do with the dog show, but I had to share it anyway because it was too good. I am trying to sell some furniture on Craig's List because I'm moving. Here's one of the responses. I just got up and checked my email.... it's too early for this... here goes.

Hello,
How are you doing today,i hope everything is okay with you? well my name is Malcolm Smtih and i live at 407 S Main St Stuttgart, AR 72160-4358... I was browsing through the craigslist to check out some furniture's i need to buy for my new house and i came across the ad for your furniture and would like to buy it because i really like it.
I wish i could come down to you to look at it but unfortunately i am still in AR but will be moving there soon but i can do the whole transaction from here.
Please kindly get back to me immediately if the furniture is still in good conditions for use and also if you can accept a check for payment as that is the only way i can have payment to you.The check will be delivered to you via mail just few days after it has been mailed from here by me.
If you are ready to sell the furniture to me and okay with my procedure,kindly get back with the information below so that i can use it to make payment to you immediately i get them from you,
1)Full Name
2)Full Address
3)Phone Number
I want you to know that i am okay with the price of the furniture and i am not going any less for it.But would be glad if you can do some reduction but i am okay with the price I would be so glad if you can sell the furniture to me as i would really love to buy it as soon as possible and i want everything done fast because i am moving out of AR soon and i am expecting a new baby.
Please don't bother yourself about the pick up,i know a forwarding courier in your state,they will handle the pick up immediately you inform me that you got your check and that you have cashed it,then i will contact them to come for the pick up of the item at your location at your own best time.
I will be waiting for your quick response tomorrow latest.
Stay Blessed.
Malcolm

Stay blessed indeed, Malcolm. Okay, check back in later for more dog blogging tonight.

Dog Bloggin'

Let the blog begin!

So here's the skinny... 101 Dalmatians is being made into a musical... and guess what? I'm in it...along with some other crazy folks. I plan on, hopefully, doing a daily blog, chronicling the process of putting the show together and taking it on the road. The rehearsals, the tech, the dogs, the kids, the people, the music... ya know, the usual. It's not often that actors get the opportunity to create a role and a show from scratch.. pardon the pun. So I figured this warranted a journal. Also, touring around the country with a cast of over 30, 19 dogs, dog trainers, physical therapists, musicians and what not is bound to bring about plenty of wacky antics. Those antics MUST be shared.

So check back here at the dog blog for odds and ends and personal tales and fun. And now, my non show related thought for the day... we're rehearsing a few blocks from Penn Station... I need to go to Penn to get my train home. Glorious, right?

A few blocks away from my train station. For some reason, this few block walk is possibly the longest stretch of a walk in all of NYC. What should technically only take five minutes requires at least ten. Why oh why oh why? It is so obscenely congested with the world's slowest moving people. I don't know why people anywhere in NY feel the need to saunter anywhere.

Everyone has a destination. But for some reason, we must be in a time warp around the 34th St zone. People move slower, randomly wander... and frankly, if you want to wear mules, learn how to walk briskly in them. I'm all for heeled footwear. You'll rarely see me wearing flats. But if mules cause you to walk at a glacial pace, please reconsider.

And that is my thought on 34th. Random tangent, I know.... but isn't that what blogging is? Okay, tune in tomorrow for dog talk and random chattah.