Ruined on The Ruins

So, we have the night off here in Newburgh, NY, outside of West Point and a friend of mine and I decided to see a movie, "The Ruins". Well, we had an hour before the showtime and decided to have a couple . . . see, we wanted to get "ruined" - get it? get it? Hey, this is as good as it gets folks. Anyway, there were no bars around so we went to the local Perkins, yes, the "family" restaurant, we sat at a table and had 2 Coronas, surrounded by families, high chairs, and strollers - very hip!! Well, then we made it to the movie - it was good, I enjoyed it. I would have liked a little more exposition on the actual Ruins, but it was a good movie nonetheless. Jenna Malone was exactly what you would expect from her, but I enjoyed the blonde girl, she was good.

49 down, 1 to go . . .

So, we arrived in Burlington, Vermont today and it was delightful warm for this time of year. I have been traveling a lot over the last few years, as you may know, but one state I have been is Vermont. I am very proud to say I have been to 49 states today, and I have probably performed in 49 states as well. The one I am missing is Hawaii, but I plan to get there someday. Vermont is great, I love the Northeast, so laid back. We have the day here tomorrow as well and I hope to do a little sight seeing tomorrow during the day.

Disgruntled

So, why do to-go coffee cups leak? The coffee industry has very few physical products out there, so you wuld think they would perfect the ones they have. It has always been a frustration of mine when I go to Starbucks, order my coffee, leave it black, (so they fill it to the brim), then walk away and have it spill out of the side and all over me. Ugh, can we just get a paper cup to fit a lid and not spill? Let's get it together people . . .

Perfect Actress

So, I just got on Netflix and watched today the HBO Miniseries, "Elizabeth I", starring Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons. The movie won the Golden Globe last year for Best Actor, Actress, and Miniseries, so I was intrigued. The movie focuses on Elizabeth and her "romantic" life. This is an interesting, unique perspective as I am used to seeing her as a hard, strict Monarch. The scope of the performance that Helen Mirren displays is startling! She is amazing and has a very interesting character to let her artistic flair thrive. You may also remember her winning the Oscar for her performance in "The Queen", where she played the current Queen Elizabeth. To see both performances is a delight and I can't wait to see more of her. If you get the chance to enjoy this Miniseries from HBO, I highly recommend it.

My TLC

Has anyone ever watched the show "Jon and Kate plus 8" on TLC? Well, let me tell you, I have a slight obsession with the show. I see these little kids and they are just so cute and the way all interact and the way every little personality is so unique even at 2 years old is remarkable. I also really like the relationship of the parents Jon and Kate. They pick and yell at each other but then instantly turn it back into love, it is just a delightful relationship. I recommend the show to anyone, except maybe those who have kids and don't find it nearly as remarkable as I do.

Shreveport, LA

Well, it has been awhile since I have reprted on my whereabouts, they have included Florida, Texas, and now Louisiana. Today was the first day in about 2 1/2 weeks that I haven't been in the show, so I sat out and got to watch and note the show. It was fun, good show tonight, our Leo Bloom has been out these past 2 weeks, so the energy was up having him back. They are also shooting a movie right by our theatre, starring Michael Douglas, didn't get to see him, but it's cool to know he is right there.

We go on break in one week and I can't wait!! Just to have a week of no bus will be delightful as we prepare for a 13 hour drive tomorrow. Anyway, here's the report from the road . . .

Sucka's Book Club

Well, happy readers, I don't know if anyone finds these book club entries helpful. But, hopefully some of you have picked up one or two of these from the selections already made. Next up is "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy.

For those movie goers put there. Cormac McCarthy also wrote "No Country For Old Men", that won the Oscar for Best Picture. This is the only book of his that I read, but I really loved it. It definitely grips the reader and keeps you till you can't put the book down. It isn't really written in chapters, but more breaks, and it took a moment to get into the style of the book. Once you do, however, it is pretty great. Well, readers, enjoy . . .

Weird Event

So, last night we played in College Station, TX, home of Texas A&M University. Well, a few of us decided to walk back to the hotel after the show and as we were walking through the campus we heard Taps being played by a solo trumpet in the distance. Well, it was a little eerie and beautiful at the same time. As we kept walking we came nearer to where the player was. Well, after they finished, all of a sudden 4 people start sprinting down the quad, headed in our direction. To get of their way we drifted to the sides of the path, until they sprinted right up to us. We were all like "What the &^$^(&*" Then they told us we were supposed to salute or stand at attention or something for them. We told them "We didn't go to school here and had no idea what they were talking about." They told us how disrespectful we were being and we basically just started walking away, not sure how to react. One of our group was a girl and if a guy ran up to her at top speed and got in her face, what would keep her from pulling out the mace or something similar. This must be some sort of military tradition (it is a very Army school), I'll have to ask my dad about it. Isn't that weird?


This is post 100!!! Woo hoo!!

Quality of Life Has Gone Up :)

So, we are in Galveston, TX today and what a great day. We are staying at a hotel right on the water and we didn't have a show tonight. So, I got dressed and went for a nice run along the water, it was great, so relaxing!! Then a few of us went to a Mexican restaurant for margaritas and delicious food - so good! Then I went and saw There Will Be Blood, didn't like it (sorry Ryan), but I had fun anyway. What a great day!! Quality of life is rising.

Life on the Road

So, these past couple of weeks have been very trying. This schedule is just so difficult, and I don't want to sound like I am whining, but . . . We travel everyday on the bus an average of 350 miles. Some days it is more like 550, some more like 200, you get the idea. I sleep on the floor of the bus on an egg crate after sleeping for about 3-4 hours in a bed and then have semi-restful sleep on the bus for another 3-4 hours. Our lunch breaks, unlike any tour I have done before, are mostly at malls. It sounds great, but let me tell you, if you've seen one mall you've seen them all, and with no new variety, it is just boring and the food courts are pathetic. I have to admit too people, I have reached my Subway limit. I knew this day would come, and it has. Just the smell of the Subway makes me lose my appetite. Hopefully that won't last considering it is one of the healthiest things to eat on the road. I do enjoy Wendy's, however, especially their chicken nuggets, but again, not that healthy. Anyway, we get to the hotel between 3-4pm (usually closer to 4) where we have about an hour and a half of "free time". We load back onto the bus around 5 or 5:30 to head to the theatre. Because we are in a new city every day we have a sound check everyday and are required to be there 2 hours prior to showtime. We usually have about 45 minutes between sound check and half hour, mostly a good time to eat. Do the show, get back on the bus, wait about 45 minutes after the show so that the orchestra (the drums) has time to load everything back up and then back to the hotel where you are literally exhausted and go about doing it all again. It's a good thing I love to sing and dance :)

Ugh

Producers Video

FInally - I did it, I uploaded a video, enjoy!!

Can You Believe It?

So, I was watching Cspan or some such channel and I came across something quite interesting. There was a woman who got married and at her reception, during her first dance with her husband, she had a heart attack and died. What the . . . ?

Tradition

Well, friends and faithful readers. There is a certain blog that will remain nameless (Brudoghaven), that has year after year celebrated the rare achievement of the African American. I always found it quite enlightening to hear what people considered their important fact and the month is half over. I am hoping against hope that a certain website (Brudoghaven) gets their act together and celebrates the tradition that keeps some of us going year after year. If not I will be forced to have the whitest person I know (Mark Minnick) sing And I Am Telling You in the style of Jennifer Hudson/Holiday on a loop. No pressure . . .

This and That

So, I haven't posetd for a couple of days for a reason. I have compiled a little "Producers" video and I tried to upload it here, then I tried to upload it on YouTubde to no avail. Maybe, it just takes a long time, the video is about 5 minutes long. I don't know, maybe I need some tips on how to do it.

Did, anyone watch Oprah today? I have to say I am not a huge fan of hers, but today they had a mini Cosby reunion and it was nice to see them all again!! That Bill Cosby, his humor is so predictable, and yet I can't help laughing out loud to him.

Did anyone vote in the primary today?

We are in Florida right now and although it is raining, it is quite warm - how's the sleet?

Whew - what a show!!

So, last night was a doozy!! It's that time in tour when everyone starts to sick one or another and spreading it around the company. Well, we had 3 people out last night, 2 ensemble boys and 1 ensemble girl. Once again it was show of me playing every part, it was fun, but I am on the verge of getting sick also, and it definitely took it our of me!! Lauren and I also did all the split tracking for the show to figure out who would play what in each scene, I tell ya, this company should be grateful to have us that know the show so well.

Well, we are darting back and forth here in south from Opelika, AL to Athens, GA to Fayetteville, NC and then today to Statesboro, GA. We stopped yesterday for a mall lunch stop in Atlanta - great mall. Also, our bus broke down earlier in the week and we don't have any of our bus bedding or groceries and I have on eof my suitcases on the other bus still. We have beeen moving from bus to bus every day with uncomfortable bus rides. Whew - what a week. Two days in Macon, GA this weekend - can't wait!!

Kindness From Strangers

So, this evening after our show in Fayetteville, NC, a few of us wanted to get something to eat after the show. Well, not much around except for a Burger King across the street. Now, only the drive-thru was open, which is usually the case late at night, but sometimes you can get lucky and they will serve a walk up. We, however, were not so lucky. When suddenly the tides turned and a car approached the order menu. Well, I came up to car and asked politely if they would mind ordering for us, since they were in a car. The woman behind the wheel couldn't have been more pleasant and to the chagrin of the BK employees, who begrudgingly took our order.



I ask you, would you do the same for a stranger?

Sucka's Book Club

Well, everyone it is about that time again to talk about another delightful little read. This next book was recommended by my mom and I really liked it. It is a very quick read and will keep you hooked. It is called "Ella Minnow Pea", and as the title indicates it is about the alphabet. Well, picture the Hollywood sign, now instead of the Hollywood the people of this land have giant letters of the alphabet that they more or less worship. The main character is writing correspondence to I can't remember who, when all of sudden the letters start to fall and crumble. Well, the town takes it as a sign that those letters can never be used again in writing or the like. You can imagine where the story takes you and it is very interesting the way the author deals with all the missing letters. I hope I have done the book justice with my summary and I hope you enjoy this quick read!!

Lost

So, to celebrate the Lost Season Premiere my roommate and I hosted a party in our room. We supplied the pizza, beer, ambience, and the entertainment. It was great getting a group of about 15 people to discuss theories and ideas about the show, and just getting caught up. So, what did we think? How was the premiere? I really liked it, I thought it posed and answered questions in one episode and that is always delightful for Lost fans. Well, let me know what you thought . . .

Upstate New York

So, I haven't been able to blog for a few days, so I have a little to catch up on. First, we played the city Ogdensburg, NY. Very Upstate and very cold. The theatre was actually in the Middle School Auditorium, yes folks, I have made it. Our dressing rooms were in the library, which was quite a trip! I perused some of the titles and found a delightful book - "Everything You Need To Know About Incest". I am sure someone has put in the research to see if this book should be sustained in a middle school library, let's just say I was surprised. And our guest star as our foreman of the jury was the janitor, nuff said.

Next we went to Buffalo, where it was equally as cold but a much better city. Now, being in Buffalo, clearly had to try their Wings. Let me tell you they were great!! Huge wings with a great sauce, we didn't go to the famous Anchor Bar, but where we went was just as good!! Today we played Athens, OH and then tomorrow we play a one nighter in Elyria, a suburb of Cleveland. Well, that's it, and who is looking forward to the Lost season premiere? This guy!!

Debt Free!!

So, after today I am debt free!! I have paid off a very persistent credit card bill, that I am ashamed to say has taken me so long to pay off. I don't have student loans, car payments, or rent, however - due to bad money management I have been trying to pay off a hefty debt for almost 10 years, and the happy day has finally come. I am so thankful to being on tour and practicing the profession I love, while saving money. I invited my cast out tonight to celebrate with a drink on me and everyone was very supportive. The company manager even offered to by the second round on him, great night and a happy 2008!!

Movie Reviews

So, I went to the movies tonight and saw "Cloverfield". This movie has received a lot of buzz because you really don't know what it's about. Now, I am not going to give anything away, but I really enjoyed it, and if you are like Antonio and like to reserve going to the movies the big action packed movies, then this is one for that!! Go, go, go!!

Now, I also watch the movie "Bobby" from my Netflix and was very pleasantly surprised! I thought this was going to be bit boring and long, well I was wrong. Everyone is in this movie, seriously, I have never seen so many A list actors in one movie together. I also really like a movie that is clearly about one major event, but focuses on lots of events and people surrounding it, I am sure it is mostly fabricated, but it was all woven very well. A definite surprise!!

I am watching TLC right now and just saw an ad that Paige Davis is returning to a new and improved Trading Spaces, there is a God after all!!!

What You Are Drinking For Breakfast Could Be Killing You . . .

Well, I was on my way to get a cup of coffee perk me up after rehearsal and made my way to a nice mom and pop coffee house here in Hartford, CT. Well, I enjoy a flavored brewed coffee because I drink my coffee black and like a different flavor now and then. Well, I asked the barista if she had any brewed coffees and she laid into me with this knowledge. Apparently to make a flavored brewed coffee you add a chemical to the beans before you grind them. Now don't get me wrong, I never imagined there was a pumpkin spice coffee bean being grown in Malaysia somewhere, but the actual mechanics to the making of the flavored coffee eluded me. She then went on to inform me that the chemical they add requires that you where protective gloves, because should you get it on your skin it will cause a rash and irritation. Well, imagine what it does to your insides!! I always tried to avoid adding the syrups they offer because I thought they were unhealthy, well!! Now and forever more I will drink my coffee black and treat myself to a syrup now and then. Consider yourself warned . . .

Sucka's Book Club

So, I hope people are enjoying the book club. I have a lot of time to read on tour, especially on our many bus trips, so I go through a fair amount of books and want to pass on the good ones to you.This next selection is "Water for Elephants". I thought it was a very easy read that totally held my attention. It is about a traveling circus in the 1940's. A very interesting time and story. I hope you enjoy it!!

New Computer!!

So, it has been a few days since my last post because my computer finally bit it. I went to plug in my already sketchy power cord and as I did, sparks came out of my computer - great. Well, I tried again the next day and same thing, so, without power my computer just went to sleep, it's actually quite sad, never to be turned on again. Good news, I went and bought a new Gateway - it is great, powerful, and red!! Good times, they are so affordable now too. I spent about $700 less than my first laptop.

Well, this week in the show has been quite busy. We were in the following cities in the past 7 days - Kitchener, ON; Saginaw, MI; Wabash, IN; Portsmouth, OH; Mansfield, OH; and Scranton, PA. Can you believe it? and we did 8 shows. On Saturday we left the hotel at 6:30am to arrive at 1:00pm for a matinee at 3:00pm and an evening show at 7:30, only to repeat the same thing the next day - quite a week. Well, it only gets better as we travel to Hartford, CT for a week sit down and get the newbies ready for the show. Until then . . .

Saginaw, MI

So, it is nice to be on the road again. And, I wanted to say that it was so great to see sooo many people over my break in DC. It gets tiring when I make these trips home and try to see people once before I head back out again and it is Hello and Goodbye all in one visit. Well, getting to see people 2 to 3 times really made it feel like I was back and home and welcomed - so thank you for that!! I miss you all and will be settling back there soon!

Well, word on the road . . . Not only has our Leo Bloom been sent home because of a pinched nerve in his back, now our Franz Liebkind has called out and I am playing double duty in the show this evening, taking on both Character Male parts. I basically utter every word spoken by the ensemble, it is a lot!! Good thing I am so talented - ha! Anyway, I try to title the blog where I am to give you a sense of my being on the road only to not write a word about the city because when we got here I went to the Target and got groceries and then off to the theatre. Until we meet again . . .

Kitchener, ON and back on tour!!

So, I know, I suck, and guess what . . . there probably won't be an Alaska Part 2. But, you know what, a good new years resolution is to not focus on the past and to live in the present, so, enjoy the blog today.

We are in Kitchener, ON, an hour outside of Toronto. We rehearsed here for the first leg of the tour and never did a show here, so it nice to be back in the theatre performing. And yes, I am in the show. Our Leo Bloom come back to tour with a pinched nerve and is unable to do the show, so I will be in for his understudy for probably a little while. Kitchener is fine, not much to say, it is just your typical Canadian town. Well, more to come, so stay tuned!!

Also, I am writing in black again to bring me closer to my roots :)