Des Moines Iowa-Week Twenty Six

Ahhhhhh Des Moines. My life is soooo glamorous.

The flight from Tulsa to Des Moines was fairly uneventful. It was an early morning flight as you can see by the very tired crew scattered about the boarding gate. It is kinda hilarious, walking up to the gate and all around are bodies. One of our lighting guys even had his sleep Apnea machine hooked up. I cannot imagine what that looks like to your average traveller going on vacation or something. To us, it is just, well...life. To a normal person it must look like a bunch of homeless people... After getting in my seat, the couple I was sharing my row with on the first flight decided 8am was a GREAT time for a 5 course meal. They laid it all out and started chowing down. I was fine until they started feeding each other and making out. Good God. They had so much garbage that when the flight attendant came by to pick up trash before we landed, he took one look at the Hefty bag the guy was holding and said (in a very gay way) "Ummmm.... I am SO gonna have to come back for THAT". LOL. Who can eat like that at 8am? and on a flight???

As soon as we started training people on Tuesday, I knew this was gonna be a big week of suck. The dressers here, are a sweet sweet bunch of people, but some of them are beyond help. One of our leading man dressers was not only inexperienced but had been beaten up 6 years ago and now has a metal plate in his head and no short term memory. This means that everyday I was teaching him the show all over again. Not for Nothin, and I mean it, he was as sweet as could be, and really wanted to do a good job. By Friday I had to dig deep for patience and calm, after retraining him every single show. Not only that, but he would come out with these random statements that had nothing to do with ANYTHING. Almost as if the wiring in his head was a little facocked. It wasn't just me either. Francesca had two prop guys who were born during the depression who she had to baby sit all week. I think one was deaf and the other was colorblind. Hmmm I may have that wrong. I think one of the spot ops was the color blind one - which is even more hilarious. You just can't make this shit up people.

So it was an exhausting week althogether as far as the show was concerned. On an awesome note Linda Lee, who is my ultimate-on-high-Mt.Olympus, boss was here. You gotta love her. Linda gave me my first Broadway job back in 1997. We have been trying to work together ever since, but I have been so busy really, that every time she called me to work on her new show, I already had a gig. I think she is the perfect boss. Not an once of pretense about her. She is just a straight up lady. She came out to see how we were doing, and to show the Austrailian Spamalot supervisor around. Normally when a boss from NYC comes out to check on things, there is much nervousness and anxiety, but Linda is just too cool. It has been great having her here, and I hope to see her soon.

Also this week brought my birthday. Usually I am nutty about my birthday. Some fantastic event takes place, with at least a month on planning. The older I get, the more I want something quiet. Not that the day isn't important to me anymore, of course it is. I dunno. I just wanted some peace. It was a good day. I started out by going to lunch with the sister of one of my favorite friends. Joe Porto grew up in Des Moines, but now lives in Oregon -pics of him will of course follow when I go to Portland. I have never met any of his family, except his nephew, so when he wrote me and told me his sister wanted to hang, I thought, well, of course! Eileen is a great lady, and even though we didn't really know each other at all, we had a lovely lunch and a place owned by their uncle. It was a very yummy Italian experience.
After that I went to work. YeeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaw. Happy Birthday to me. LOL
There was an opening night party for the company at a local brewery called the Court street Brew House. I went there last year while I was on (let's all say it together) Hairspray. I like this place. It is fun and cool without being too trendy and irritating. I had only told a few people it was my birthday, but one of the company (Piper) heard me thanking people, and like the Pony Express, galloped throughout the joint and my worst fear came true. Everyone stared at me and sang Happy Birthday. Man, I used to Looooooooove being the center of attention, somewhere between 28-32 I flipped over to just HATING it. Actually, there is no better way to have that song sung, then by some talented folks in 4 part harmony. When I covered my face in humiliation and only listened, it was actually really beautiful. 6 shots later....I went home. LOL. I don't think I have done that many shots since college. And the best part of all, I heard from all my people. My phone was going off constantly with text messages and voicemails from my people who let me know that they love me. Who could ask for more? It was a really good day.

The rest of the week has been about work (God bless my metal headed dresser) I honestly didn't get out at all this time around. If it didn't happen between the block between my hotel and the theater, well, I didn't see it.

I am starting a new segment to this blog. I am calling it "The View From My Hotel Room Window." I like it because it could be a beautiful skyline shot of Anywhere USA or it could be a ventilation shaft. You just never know. This week I have a nice view of the little park between my hotel and the theater which is that cement building in the very back of the photo. So here ya go

Next week we load into St. Paul. We are sitting down there for 3 whole weeks. That means I will actually get some days off!!!
We are on a sleeper bus to St.Paul, which is great. I am so sick of the airport and security and hiding my lighters, and forgetting to wear socks so then I have to put my bare feet on the floor as I walk through the metal detector. EWWW (and the sad thing is...I ALWAYS FORGET!!!)
Anyway, I am missing you guys so much right now. The next few cities I have people in, upper echelon people...so that's gonna be swwwwwwweet.

Love to all.

The Extra Pics



Jovon and Kevin at our opening night party. This is Kevin's last week with us.




a crowd of the Spam Fam enjoying the party




Des Moines has a series of bridges connecting most of the downdown buildings called the Skywalk. It is full of shops and quick eateries. There is a also a lame mall in the center of it. It keeps you out of the horrifying heat though.




The Capitol building. one my my favorites.




That's Janet, the Austrailian Spamalot Supervisor with Linda. They were goofing around on deck before Janet left to embark on her own Spamalot Journey. Hmmm...Austrailia.....wonder if she needs an assistant....




The Court street Brewery named a beer after one of our Characters for the Opening Night Party. I have to admit it was very very tasty.





a show shot. The King Ni potrtion of the show.




A crowd of the locals hanging out before the play. Check out the one digging for gold in the front. It's a 2 knuckle nose pick if I ever I saw one.


Finally, this week I would like to out the Pott Heads on this tour. That is what I am calling the crazy Harry Potter fanatics who ran out and bought the last installment the minute it hit the stands. This is merely a sampling of the many people on this gig, who currently have their noses firmly stuck in that book. crackheads.....lol