Bloomsburg, PA & Blacksburg, VA

So, we started this week with a couple of one-nighters, the first being Blomsburg, PA. It was just about 2 hours from Hershey, so not a bad bus trip by any means. The highlights of the city were the mall that housed a Sears, a Bon Ton, and I think a craft store with a couple of yankee candles - basically, pretty lame. However, we did have dinner at the Quaker Steak and Lube, and yes, I too was turned off by that title, but the food was decent. The show was fine and then we moved on to . . .

Blacksburg, VA, home of Virginia Tech. Well, this will probably be one of the most interesting venues we will play on tour. There is no fly system and with a show that has about 10 drops, it makes for a fun night. It fell to me and Lauren to come up with some choreo and blocking changes and it was a fun challenge. The cast hated/loved the show because it was such a departure from the kind of performance we do every night. All in all a good time!! Getting ready for Halloween and I will show you what I was soon!!

Hershey, PA

So, the sweetest place in the country for a week!! Well, it rained about 90% of the time, so that was not so sweet. There was an outing to the chocolate factory planned on Friday and it was raining so hard, so I didn't go into the park. The factory was fun though and we also enjoyed the 3D show.

We had a lot of rehearsals to get our understudies up on their choreography, and Lauren and I taught 2 master classes on the weekend. It was quite busy, but all in all a good week.

We capped off this morning with a long walk to the Hershey Pantry, where I enjoyed pumpkin french toast and delicious coffee!!

We are now beginning our delightful one-nighter week starting in Bloomsburg, PA . . .

Before Sunrise. Before Sunset

So, a while ago, Ryan Dean offered up a recommendation of some of his favorite movies for me to watch, "Before Sunrise" and its sequel "Before Sunset". Well, it has been on my Netflix queue for quite a while and finally watched them last night. If you are a romantic - at all - you will fall in love with these movies. They are mostly dialogue between the actors Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. They are fantastic and so natural, it is hard to believe it was scripted. See these movies and you will feel great afterward, if not a little longing for a more final outcome. Anyway, thanks Ryan, and don't miss these flicks!!

Road Trip

So, we just finished in Wilmington, DE and were going to travel to Hershey, PA, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to dash home for a day. We ended last week with a Sunday Matinee, so after the show I got in a rental car and headed for DC. I love this time of year so much with the changing of the season!! I drove down the BW Parkway as well, just to be surrounded by the trees and the smell of autumn. Well, a couple of things surprised me on my way. The new stadium that they are building in Anacostia in incredible. To think that we used to go to bars down there and now it is just enormous. The traffic after or before a game there will also be incredible, definite must miss!! Also, coming down 395, I passed a statue that I have never seen before commemorating the Air Force, just past the Pentagon, it was also quite impressive. Things certainly have changed since I have been back.

Now, I am back in Hershey and won't be home until December, but will plan on seeing all the natives when I am back!!

Sucka's Book Club

Call me Oprah, I'm starting a book club and it was inspired by a great, great book I just read, "A Thousand Splendid Suns". This book is by Kaheld Hosseini, who you might remember from such books as "The Kite Runner", which I also read. The book was recommended to me by my friend Melissa Harres and I am so glad she did. The author has a very easy to follow form of writing, you just flow from thought to thought. I thought "The Kite Runner" was good, but didn't deserve all of the hype. This book, however, I couldn't put down. I like to not know too much about a book before I read it, to really get the author's perspective as you read.

The book follows two women's journeys in Afghanistan and it deals with a lot of relevent issues. I found myself wanting to educate myself more on their culture and the war at present. It deals with a lot of heavy issues very blatantly and unapologetically. If you are looking for a good read that will give you that accomplished feeling of going on a journey then this book is for you. I will try to offer up book ideas on a monthly basis, as I will be reading a lot in the next year. I hope you enjoy the first installment and go get that book! You won't be disappointed!

Albus Dumbledore is Gay

So, I signed onto AOL today, and low and behold, the leading news revealed how J.K. Rowling wrote the character Albus Dumbledore as gay. I think it's hilarious, actually more interesting if anything. I have read every book and with enthusiasm, I am a big fan of the series. Never once was I concerned with Dumbledore's sexual preference. I also don't feel that it changes anything about the relationship his character has had with any of the others, especially Harry. I think it is an interesting character choice that the author made, and it provokes discussion. I read many posts listed under the headline for people's opinions and boy was it wretched. All you could read was how homosexuals are Satan's children and nonsense that was very shocking. For Christians to be all forgiving - they have a long way to go!! I recommend reading the article and the posts, for a good laugh. Wow - what a society we live in!! Antonio - I think that fact would have won your contest.

Swear Much?

So, my roommate and I were talking about how much we involuntarily swear. We decided to make a pact to not swear for as long as we could. I lasted 7 minutes :(

Wilmington, DE

So, we are here in Wilmington, DE for the week. I have to say I really do enjoy being on the east coast!! On Tuesday we had our opening night of the full version of the show and it went pretty well. We are in a small venue and still getting used to some of the new set pieces with the new crew. We had the mayor of Wilmington do a walk-on role as the Foreman of the Jury on Tuesday to great applause. Usually when we have these walk-on roles it is Lauren and my responsibility to take of them and make sure they get where they need to go. Well, the next day we went out to eat between shows and saw the mayor on the corner, pretty random, but we gave hime a shout out anyway! It has been a long week and we luckily have had Thursday and Friday off during the day to recuperate. All is well!

Bed Bugs!!

So, a few days ago my roommate asked me if I had been bitten because she suspected bed bugs. Well, as a matter of fact I had, but the night before we had been hanging out outside and I figured they were caused my mosquitoes. Well, last night my roommate felt one bite her in her bed only to pull back the sheets and see a couple there. What a nightmare!! We told the front desk and they seemed so unimpressed! They said they were sold out when we asked for another room, until some pushing and then miraculously a room opened up. We have been steaming our suitcases and belongings to kill anything with the high temperature and then using anti-bacterial spray as well!! What a mess - bed bugs suck!!

Just Some Thoughts

So, I am trying to write more regularly and since I don't have anything specific to talk about, I will just ramble a bit.

We have had rehearsal every day this week during the day and shows at night, very busy!! We are currently performing a 90 minute version of our show and then the full 3 hour show during the day, so minds are being worked and hard!! This afternoon our Leo Bloom sprained his ankle during the rehearsal and will be out of the shows for the remainder of the weekend. So I am in!! I have posted a few pictures of some of the characters I play, just for this track. I also have a good friend from NY coming down to see me tomorrow so that should be fun! Enjoy the shots . . .

Chris the nerdy Accountant

Chris the curmudgeonly judge

And our personal favorite - Chris as Kevin, the costume designer

Keeping It Gay Across America!!

Knocked Up

Have you people seen "Knocked Up"? I saw it in the theatre when it came out and although I had had a few drinks beforehand, I really liked it. Now, I watched it again tonight with some friends and decided I should own it, it's that good. Kristen Wiig is hilarious!! So are all the others, it's great - watch it!! :)

More Comedy Fun!

So, Saturday night we went to see Jon Stewart live at Caesar's. Now, having just seen my favorite Kathy Griffin, I wasn't sure how much I was going to enjoy him. Well, he was hilarious as well and just a lot of fun. Although his style deals more with politics, which I don't totally follow, he really dealt with the major political issues that you can't help but have an opinion of, it was great!!

Last night, a bunch of us, mostly crew, got some pumpkins and carved out some jack o'lanterns on the hotel patio. Here are some of the pictures of the fun:

Corey's Ying Yang Tarantula

Keleen's Crazy Face

Ingrid's Vampire Kiss

Jason's Irony(and the pumpkin is cardboard)

And the piece d'resistance (sp?) Lauren and my Halloween graveyard scene with a scary tree :)

Kathy Griffin!!!

So, last night Kathy Griffin played at The Borgata and a few of us went to see her show. She had an 11pm show and we come down right at 10:30 so it was a tight squeeze to get to the theatre, in fact we sprinted at the end :) In true Kathy fashion she was hilarious!! I love her and think she is just so funny!! It was actually weird watching her live, it felt like I was watching a TV show, very strange. And she is so small, 3' 3" or 3' 4" at the most. Anyway, we also got free tickets to go see Jon Stewart tonight at Caesar's and we are looking forward to a good show.

A New Hit

So, (Antonio), I was watching TV the other day and saw a preview for a new show. They take the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA, and Miss America and put them in an apartment together in New York to further their platforms together. Then, to add a twist they add the Miss USA that had her crown revoked. This sounds like genius TV and reality that couldn't be written any better. I can't believe no one has thought of this before - what a HIT!!