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.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
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!
Alright, time for me to get a move on, get to the gym, and work off that filet. Hugs and kisses!
Friday, October 16, 2009
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
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
Sunday, October 11, 2009
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!!!
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!!!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, October 5, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
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.
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.
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