Philadelphia - Week Nine

This Week on "AS THE TOUR TURNS"



Lights up on a backstage sequence, Opening Night in a new city, in which our heroine -me- is putting our dressers in place for a quick change and our prop guy Steve rushes by and says "Jaki is sick and puking Stage Right"

Music Cue: (Low tones) DUNDUN DUUUUUUUUUUUN

And sure enough there she is, our heroine's good buddy leaning over a garbage can.

So starts another dramatic episode.

It has been crazy this week. Mike is still gone, we have no idea when he is coming back. Jaki is gone now as well. Some stomach virus has taken hold and beaten the crap (literally) out of her. She thinks she will be back on Tuesday. I think she is on crack and won't be back for a week after that. You should see the girl. Todd is here, and doing a great job of just jumping in and seeing what needs to be done with getting the new people situated with the shops in NYC. We had to hire yet another supervisor from among the locals and the one we chose, is really trying to help, but keeps screwing up the laundry system. Add on to all of this that crazy cast issues are coming up, with multiple people calling out and swings who have never done the parts before going on, which is always fun. Then of course, dressers are calling out, so we keep having to train new people. Oh yes, and all the producers of the show are here, including Eric Idle, adding another level of crazy on top.

Um, yeah.

This week I have spent over 12 hours at the theater every day. I have been saying to myself since I arrived (because of the circumstances behind my hiring) that things will calm down and soon enough we will be running like a well oiled machine. I am starting to wonder if perhaps this is just the gig.

The good news is, is that on Saturday, that stubborn Scottish sickie (jaki) FINALLY went to get some medical attention. THANK GOD. I know you are reading this Jaki. I am sooooo glad you are on the road back to health. I can't wait until you come back so I can start ignoring the laundry again. giggles.

I was out shopping for the show and hit this really fun part of town, on my Philly map it said "Fabric Row", which sounded like the perfect place for wardrobe supplies. Well that street intersects with South Street, which is wicked cool. Very Greenwich Villagey kinda place with funky shops and artists types. I had an "original" Philly cheesesteak, which made me sick for the rest of the day. Me thinks the Original Philly Cheesesteak is a slogan not unlike The Original Ray's NYC Pizza. They must be everywhere and it's a roll of the dice if it's any good. That and, well, I will eat crap sometimes, but I rarely go to that level of crap. Just thinking about that sandwich makes me wanna hurl. I was able to find some of the things we need, which makes me very very long list of things I have to get in NYC that much smaller. The weather was horrible, so no pictures for you.

In a cab on my way back to the theater, it was bumper to bumper traffic. Stopped at a light, I was looking out the window and there were these two girls, about 12 years old. One is on crutches hobbling along, and her friend is bent over holding a big green garbage bag over what must be her cast, because it was raining. They are giggling as they trudge along. So many things run through my mind. I am thinking of my own good friends who I know would do that for me. Thinking about the innocence of them, with flashes of memories of my own scraped knees and Anne Marie Wolf who was my best friend in first grade who would help me into the nurse EVERYDAY to get cleaned up because I was a run around freak of a child who couldn't seem to stay upright. Their teacher is leaning out the school door commenting on how industrious they are, and all they need is a rubberband to hold the bag up. The girls stop and try to decide if they should go back for a rubberband or not, when I remember, I had just grabbed a few from work, because I like to fold my socks and then band them all together when I pack. (compulsive much?) There they were at the bottom of my bag. I yell out "I have a rubberband" and wave it out the window at them. I can hear the teacher "What are the chances??". Non-crutch girl comes over takes the band and runs back. The light turns green and I am pulling away as they are finagling it up over the cast. The cab driver looks at me with a smile in the rearview mirror. I just raise my eyebrows and shrug. It was a good moment. I bet that rubberband broke and they had to hobble home anyway.

OMG I just cracked myself up with that last line. I am such a piss head.

I didn't get to see Philadelphia at all yet, the Liberty Bell still hangs in the balance, but what I have seen is really cool. We have a good crew, and with Todd here, things are moving along. The stress level feels like it has reached it's peak and is starting to ebb a bit. Hopefully, next week, I can get out a little and have some fun.

I am leaving to go home tonight. Tonight I will be hanging at Steinhof with Kricka and Jim!!!! Doctor's appointments, taxes, and show shopping have bottled up Monday, but there is just nothing like being in your own bed. I can't wait!

Love to all.

Baltimore Maryland - Week Eight

AHHHHHHH
You never really appreciate a day off thoroughly, until you start going without them.
So my day off was lovely. I spent the morning writing to you fine people.
Then I went out to explore a little. Walked to Edgar Allen Poe's grave, which was cool. It is located in the cemetery attached to the Westminster Church. Interestingly enough, I learned that in 1852 the city of Baltimore passed an ordinance prohibiting graveyards not connected to a place of worship, so they had to build the church over the cemetery. Creepy. I wanted to hang there a spell and read all the blurbs around his tombstone, but the Baltimore Crackhead Association was having it's daily freakfest, so I made a hasty exit. Grrr.

Down the street from that is the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum. What a sweet little homage to him! The house is just a tiny row house, but they have really created an enjoyable exhibit. Not a lot of people in there though.I was the only person the entire time I was there. I never knew the reason why the Red Sox sold him to the Yankees. I always assumed he must have had a bad year or something, but in actuality, the owner of the Sox sold his best player for an unheard of amount (for that time) because he needed the money. What an idiot. So all this time Boston fans have hated Yankee fans because that dolt of an owner made the biggest mistake ever. Well that just makes the whole grudge thing even dumber than I thought it was before. Babe Ruth was a very interesting fellow. I would definitely recommend stopping by the museum if you are in Baltimore.

The rest of my day off was spent wandering around Downtown and Federal Hill. Well...of course, I came back to my room and watched 24...

All last week and the beginning of this week I was trying to find a way to get out on the water. Unfortunately, nothing kicks off here until April 1 so my plans were completely thwarted. Desperate, I decided the Water Taxi would have to do. Now the picture in the Baltimore brochure showed this cute pontune boat, people smiling, a bit of a deck to sit out and enjoy the scenery...it was very inviting. So I go down to the water taxi stand, wait about a half hour and it finally pulls up. I don't know where my lovely pontune boat was but this thing was slightly larger than a dingy, reeked of diesel fuel to the point of nausea, and a family of about 4 unruly children were already on. Laughing to myself and how these grand plans I come up with usually end up like this, I got in.
You know, once it got going, I couldn't keep the smile off my face. I love any kind of sailing.
I took the dingy to Fell's Point and wandered around. You can really feel the history of this place. Cobblestone streets, lined with red brick colonial row houses, with hundred year old rails in the ground...sun shinning, bird's tweeting...I had a great time being by myself wandering around with my own thoughts. Went to the Tattoo Museum -
which was very cool. They had some interetsing displays of old tattoo machines and photo postcards from the 20s, as well as artists and their tattoos. There were a few people in there getting inked, and I was tempted, but decided to move on. I strolled back to the landing area and bought Jaki a few pick me ups, cuz she is feeling under the weather, had lunch, and came back to the hotel. A very relaxing day.

All around Baltimore I noticed these signs. The word Believe all by itself, is surprisingly powerful. Believe in what? It stirs up all kinds of thoughts in me. Believe that anything is possible. Believe in God. Believe in yourself. After a week of seeing them and being inspired to think so much, I investigated them on the internet. It is a slogan created by the city to promote a new attitude about changing their communities that are hardest hit by drug abuse and poverty. It is a really thought provoking, very moving campaign. I mean, it is one thing to come up with a slogan and put it all around town, but even if you didn't know what it was all about, it still inspired you to think about your own life and what is important to you. Very Very cool. Baltimore is just the coolest city. I could completely see myself living here. Of course, I would never make enough money to survive and would become one of the homeless bugging people for change outside the 7eleven.


I already spoke about Wednesday with Mike leaving and Jaki so ill. Things are crazy, but nothing overwhelming for me. As I said...you just soldier on and try the best you can to roll with whatever comes your way. Todd Cantrell is coming out. He was part of the original crew, so we are lucky to have him. The famous Todd. I have been hearing about him for years. We have so many friends in common it is a wonder we haven't worked together yet. It is a relief knowing that the person coming out is not only good at their gig, but already knows the show so well. Very fortuitous that he should be available on such short notice. phew.

Nothing in the world better than running into a phenomenal friend. I was online last night (Friday) and my good buddy Joe messaged me, and through the conversation we realized we were both in Baltimore. What a couple of douche bags we are for being such great friends, yet having no clue we were in the same city. I think back to when I was 26 when I would have KNOWN where all my people were at any given point. Out of 8 framed photos that I travel with and put up in my hotel room, he is in 2 of them. This is an inner circle friend, not some random acquaintance and I had no clue. Shameful. However, it is kismet, because this week has been so crazy, that I think it was best that I had to spent the majority of my week focusing on work.
ANYWAY
Joe is in town to sing with the Symphony, and we got to hang for a couple of hours on Saturday Night. Just a wonderful, old sneaker comfortable few hours. Nothing better than that. It made my week.

So Baltimore is coming to a close. I didn't get to go see George Washington's wooden teeth at the Museum of Dentistry, and I didn't get to Mount Vernon, but considering all that has gone on, I saw a ton, and I still think Baltimore rocks. Not for nothin, but I feel a little more grounded, just cuz I got spend a few hours with one of my people. That is all that ever really matters to me anyway.

Bring on Philly. I have never been, but like Mount Rushmore, the Liberty Bell has totally been on my list of things to see since I was a kid and I just can't wait. Well, that and I get to NYC, sleep in my own bed for a few nights, get my taxes in the mail, catch up with my doctor's apppointments, and see lots and lots of my people.
:)
love to all.

Extra Pics

On Saturday our crew bought us dinner in between shows. This is the group of them. Just a great bunch of ladies. They worked hard for us and stepped up theuir game when Mike left and Jaki was sick. Hope I get to work with them again.




This woman has to be in her late 50s-early 60s. Now, I know St Patty's Day was upon us, but this hair of hers looks like it has been that color for awhile. The thing that struck me funny was that she and her husband were just sooooo nerdy. If you run into an older sassy lady, she is usally an artist type, and her clothing matches the hair. My guess is, like those cornrow braids that everyone gets when they go to the Bahamas, this was a mistake made on vacation somewhere...um...very colorful.





I had a great lunch here while I was in Fell's Point. yum.




Another harbor shot from the dingy. You can't see them, but behind me are those 4 kids beating the crap out of each other.




No comment.

The Wacky Wacky Road - Baltimore Maryland

I am always talking to you guys about The Road and how difficult it can be. I make random references to the differences between home and out here, yet I don't think most of you really understand what I am trying to convey. My blog is filled with the fun things I do in each city, with a smattering of the dramas that arrise. How many times have I written something to the effect of "That's life on The Road." Now is a perfect time to really explain that.

Last Night brought an evening filled with turmoil. After the show Mike let me know he would be leaving to go home. He has some personal issues that need to be dealt with, which of course, I can't go into. This shakes things up a bit. As I have said in earlier posts, the relationships between the wardrobe/hair departments with the props/carpentry departments have quite a history on this tour, and I think the stress of that has added to Mike's need to go. I haven't been out here long enough for anything to really bother me or upset me, but there is a great strain on you if things are not right at home AND not right at work. Everywhere I look on this tour I see great potential. This could easily be a great tour. All the elements are there. Good show, some awesome people, good cities. For some reason though, it just hasn't manifested itself. Yet. I am still very optimistic about that. We shall see.
Also, our fair Jaki has been mad sick the past couple of days, peaking with a crazy fever on Wednesday. So needless to say, Wednesday was hard. But Mike can't help the things that are going on at home, and Jak certainly can't help being sick, so you just soldier on. Again, as I have said before, when you are on the road, these things, which normally would be only 25% of your personal day, are now 85% of your day, because you are not home, but in a hotel, and your work enviornment isn't at the same desk, or theater everyday, hell, it's not even in the same state.
Imagine something going on at home...something arbitrary...the toilet breaks down. Now instead of just walking to the kitchen and calling the plumber and waiting for him to come over...you have to get back to the hotel, call people to make sure the house isn't flooded, call the plumber and arrange between him and SOMEONE to meet at the same time at your house to fix it. Then of course the plumber will need to come back, because THEY ALWAYS DO, so you have to AGAIN call everyone in the free world to meet the plumber at your place.
Even just getting my mail is a exercise in patience. At home, you walk to the mailbox and get your mail. For me, I have to call Jim to let him know where the hell I am. Jim has to box it up, find some time in his hideous schedule to mail the box, and then I have to go online and track the thing, because if you leave it up to the hotel to let you know when it comes in, you will never see it.
Something as simple as getting the mail is a multi phone call situation.
A co-worker being sick isn't just sending them home early and then they are in the hands of their family, who will care for them. Your involvement is at a complete minimum. None of us out here are travelling with family, who will nurse us back to health. In a normal situation, the sickee, would call out for a few days, lay in bed, someone who loves us would make us soup, or even just change our ice packs when our backs hurt (shout out to kricka!). You can't call out sick for days when you are on tour. You just can't. There is no one to cover you. Tony, our sound guy, has been sick, really sick for at least 2 days. I asked him yesterday why he was still here, and he said because the locals can't do his job. I mean, if Tony was on death's door, of course someone could fill in, but that's for some debilitating disease, not a fluish type of thing.
It is a wacky wacky thing being on tour. Kricka says "It's kinda what I guess having a whole pack of kids is like. There is always something that needs to be done. ALWAYS!!!" She is right. It's a travelling family, complete with the dysfunction that any family with 45 members might have. LOL
But that is also the beauty of it too and one of the things I love about it.
So yes getting your mail can be a total drag, and when things go wrong at home, it can be a nightmare of helplessness, but it is also a wonderful opportunity to create lifelong friendships like no others. War Buddies are the closest things that come to it, without all that machine gun fire and killing people stuff.

winks.

Baltimore Maryland - Week Seven

Well, since the crisis at home is under control and my mom is doing great, my spirits have picked up. Just in time too! I have always loved Baltimore. Unlike Memphis, which I also love, Baltimore has a booming downtown. It is so rare these days to find a medium sized American city that can still boast about the downtown area...of course it helps to have the Chesapeake Bay gleaming at it's feet!
Load in at the theater was easy peasy. Jaki kept burping and farting on me. Why is it that my American friends do that and it is gross, but Jaki does it and it is completely hilarious. Must be that Lucky Charms accent of hers. To her credit they didn't smell, although one time she burped and almost choked which threw me into a spastic fit of laughter. Work is always better when you can laugh the whole time. The costumes are all looking good, because of our kick ass crew in Atlanta. I expect the same here with another good crew. It has been a great week as far as the locals are concerned. Much has been accomplished and Opening Night was a breeze. I keep forgetting that Florida is just a completely different planet. Too many perscription drugs, if you ask me. Once you get through the tough ones down there, you are really looking good. Well..until we get to Rochester...
The beginning of the week was fairly smooth. I spent a lot of time fixing the French flag for props this week (Olive branch anyone?) It was shredded all around the ends at the pole and had been repaired on top of other repairs without really fixing the issue. 4 hours later it was done. I have to admit that towards the end, I just wanted to tear the thing up. French people bug me.

The venue threw us a party on Thursday night, across the street from the theater called Maggie Moore's. I keep calling it Maggie May's. Seriously, I just had to correct my typing just now. Maggie May is my favorite Rod Stewart song. (I am such a geek. ) The bar is this enormous Irish pub. They had us in the upstairs bar, but downstairs they were playing U2 so Suzanne and I sauntered down there. You can always count on some U2 and a flirty brogued bartender in a city irish pub. good times good times...

Friday I finally got out a little and went to the Aquarium. As far as fish museums go, this one has always ranked pretty high for me, but I have to admit, this time I was a tad bummed. The last time I was here was in 1993. Back then, the Rainforest exhibit they had just built was ground breaking. It is still exactly the same. Lovely, but no big shakes if you have seen others. I don't know why I bothered to take the 35 minutes to blow dry my hair straight. By the time I walked out of there I looked like Shirley Temple.
The new exhibit they had which was kinda cool, was the Austrailian Pavillion. As soon as you walk in look up.
There are 5 of the biggest fruit bats I have ever seen hangin by their rodent feet right above you. They are actually quite cool and I couldn't help but stare at them for a spell. Very social creatures. I also hung out at the Dolphin tank for about a half hour. They were playing together, and I swear I could hear them laughing.

That pretty much sums up the week. Sunday was the St. Patrick's Day Parade here in Baltimore. I could lean out my hotel window and see it. Man, you have never seen such a ragtag crap parade in your life. The marching bands had no formation, the Riverdance wanna be's were never in time, and they actualy let traffic pass during the whole thing. Hilarious. The guys in kilts and bagpipes held it together at least. I guess I am spoiled by the all out, uber-organized parades that happen in NYC. I mean, if there was a Hamster Day parade in New York it would have an executive board that would hold weekly meetings to make sure it was JUST SO.

Lastly, I went out on Sunday night with a small crowd to Fell's Point. Fun was had by all, although my head hurts a little this morning. We went to this place called Bertha's and all I kept hearing about was the mussels and Bertha's. the place is plastered with bumper stickers that say Eat Bertha's Mussels. So everyone settles in. They order the stinkin things (except me. I think they feel like snot in your mouth. gag) and they don't have them!!! Hilarious. I had to take a picture of the bartender Michelle. What a nut. I had to remind her, not once, not twice, but 3 times to take my money. She was a riot. The locals were singing songs like Irishmen and she is running around with rose petals plastered to her lips asking for chapstick. You can't make this shit up people. It was fun. We moved on to a place called the Cat's Eye. Just your average bar with some decent live blues. A good group outing actually. My trunk now has bumper stickers on it and I have another t-shirt from a bar to pack. Josh bought us all shirt's at Cat's eye.

Josh Moberly. Lots of people know him, but this is my first time meeting him. He looks so much like a friend of mine from college. Jurgen.
Jurgen was always so special to me. I had a horrible freshman year and it was Jurgen who brought me out of it. He was a senior and somehow saw something of value in me, when I saw none. He took his own life in August of 2001. I have been thinking about him all week, and how he must have not seen his own value in the world, which is beyond wrong to me. Maybe he knows now. I thought I was over that loss. It amazes me how even when you think you have conquered something, just a face will bring it all right back to the surface. Jurgen should still be on this earth. It was incredibly hard to look at Josh and talk to him everyday. But that was all an instantaneous shock. The more I work around him, the more he becomes an individual instead of my memory of a friend.

Yeah, that was a total downer, but at least Josh is cool and fun. It would suck if he looked like Jurgen and was a jackass.

Alright, back to the fun and frivolity. I gotta get out of this hotel room!!!!!!!!
ahhh all hail The Day Off!!!!

Love you guys.


The Extra Pics:

First some arty Aquarium shots
Arty Baby Reptile.



Arty Dolphins Playing




Arty Fish.








Went back to Maggie May's (see???? I keep saying it!) on Saturday between shows and had dinner with Jaki, Jamie, and Micheal. Michael plays King Arthur. He is really good in our skit and a great hang too. Jamie was the first person I didn't already know to be genuinely nice to me. Love her. And of course the ever fantastic Jaki. You all know how I feel about her.




This is the Men's Quick Change Area during the show.




This is taken from Stage Left during the show, right before the Lady of The Lake makes her first entrance. Kinda weird with the giant dice (die or dice? 37 and i still have trouble with the English language.)




Jaki attempting to fart on me. LOL. She kills me.

Sanctuary -Baltimore Maryland

I love it when I get my trunk
my candles
my photos
my 34 year old stinky kuala bear
and my scarf that my good good friend laura gave me
my room is better already
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Mom update: Out of the hospital and at home. She sounds really really good and my brothers and sisters are completely rocking out and taking awesome care of her as she recovers.
Thanks everyone for caring so much to call and stuff. You guys...you make me all warm and fuzzy inside.
Um
in a completely platonic way.
winks.