Today marks the 50th time we have performed the beast known as Max & Ruby.
It was... not a good show.
First off, yesterday was a 16 hour road-trip day, complete with bickering, high-strung-ness and the usual pettiness that occurs when 7 people are couped up in a vehicle or two for entirely two long. We are getting to a point where this upcoming couple of nights in the city may be the only thing that is powering us through.
Regardless, Michelle and I (who shared a room last night) awoke this morning after a scant six hours of sleep to climb into the vans and drive to the High School in Turin, NY (somewhere upstate near Booneville) where we had a show at 9.30 am.
The good news is we didn't have to build the house, which lightened the load of our usual load-in tremendously. The bad news is none of us had slept enough, there was no breakfast readily available (short of the granola bars some of us had packed in our bags), no coffee and we are all too physically exhausted to give a good product at 9.30 in the morning. I, apparently, had left my voice somewhere in VA and could barely sing through this morning's show.
Others were also hard-pressed to vocally mark and try to compensate for it through the sheer physicality of this show. Long story short, we were all very low-energy and the quality suffered accordingly.
On the plus side, after load-out and lunch, we drove to Saratoga Springs which is the CUTEST little town I've been to in a long while. Feeling as miserable as I did about today's performance, I opted to treat myself to something spa-like and wandered through the little downtown area of Saratoga until I found a place where I could get a pedicure. Michelle joined me for that particular activity, and then the two of us wandered around until we found the Circus Bar, where we enjoyed a couple of exquisite mojitos and finally called it a night around 7.30 to come back to our hotel room.
I've decided that I'm definitely coming back to this town for a weekend to fully enjoy it.
Anyway, 50 down. I don't know how many we have to go, but we're definitely going for another month or so. I'm back in NYC this Saturday for the day and I'm so anxious to get there and touch base with my friends that it nearly boggles the mind. I'm more anxious about getting back to NY than I ever was about my own birthday presents as a young child. I just need to be around my people again, I guess.
Anyway - I'm enjoying the mojito buzz. I'm going to finish the pizza I ordered for lunch, watch some mind-numbing tv and occasionally glance down at my delightful pedicure (it's an orangy-coral, for the record). Goodnight, all.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Shows # 48 & 49 and ROAD TRIP FOR DAYS
Oh Wilmington!
We finished up our two-day stint at Thalian Hall in Wilmington with two absolutely delightful crowds, packed up and drove to to Richmond, VA. It was a good way to end out the 40s (by which I mean the count of how many times we have performed).
Once in Richmond, we slept soundly for a night and geared up for the following morning, when we would not only be driving to Booneville, NY (I'm not making this shit up), but have to stop in Philly to pick up the Death Mobile and drop off the rental vehicle.
It was a long long day; we began at 7 am and didn't get into the old-style boarding house where we slept last night until 11 pm. Then, this morning, we were called at 7.30 am.
Today's show will have to be a separate entry, just to mark the uniqueness of it.
Anyway - to sum it up, Wilmington rocked, the road-trip was long and arduous and we're back in NYC in two days. It's SO CLOSE I can almost chew it up. Almost.
We finished up our two-day stint at Thalian Hall in Wilmington with two absolutely delightful crowds, packed up and drove to to Richmond, VA. It was a good way to end out the 40s (by which I mean the count of how many times we have performed).
Once in Richmond, we slept soundly for a night and geared up for the following morning, when we would not only be driving to Booneville, NY (I'm not making this shit up), but have to stop in Philly to pick up the Death Mobile and drop off the rental vehicle.
It was a long long day; we began at 7 am and didn't get into the old-style boarding house where we slept last night until 11 pm. Then, this morning, we were called at 7.30 am.
Today's show will have to be a separate entry, just to mark the uniqueness of it.
Anyway - to sum it up, Wilmington rocked, the road-trip was long and arduous and we're back in NYC in two days. It's SO CLOSE I can almost chew it up. Almost.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Shows # 46 & 47
Today's performances were LOVELY.
We are currently performing in a delightful old theatre in Wilmington (it celebrates it's 150th birthday in October!) and had two performances today at the entirely civilised hours of 2 and 4 pm.
The crowd was made up entirely of families - as opposed to school groups - and the combination of parents and children was what this show was originally intended for, I feel. The parents laugh more than the kids do! We got responses we have never gotten before - during the first performance, one child bellowed along with us during one of the songs. Parents were able to encourage their children not to be afraid of the tarantula, but rather to laugh at it. It rocked.
Look how pretty this space is:
Tomorrow, we have morning shows, but we were able to leave the set there this evening, so we don't have to build tomorrow - just load-out.
Call-time - 8 am.
We are currently performing in a delightful old theatre in Wilmington (it celebrates it's 150th birthday in October!) and had two performances today at the entirely civilised hours of 2 and 4 pm.
The crowd was made up entirely of families - as opposed to school groups - and the combination of parents and children was what this show was originally intended for, I feel. The parents laugh more than the kids do! We got responses we have never gotten before - during the first performance, one child bellowed along with us during one of the songs. Parents were able to encourage their children not to be afraid of the tarantula, but rather to laugh at it. It rocked.
Look how pretty this space is:
Tomorrow, we have morning shows, but we were able to leave the set there this evening, so we don't have to build tomorrow - just load-out.Call-time - 8 am.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
TRAVEL DAY
So about 15 hours ago, I got into the Death Mobile (aka the passenger van), drove with Emileena into Philly, dropped it off at a Dodge dealership (where they will hopefully repair the van), picked up our rental car and then headed back to Chester to pick up the rest of the cast and drive back down to North Carolina.
We drove.
And drove.
And drove.
this is what the moon looked like, as we drove
It is now midnight, we just checked into our hotel a few brief minutes ago and we are called at 11.15 tomorrow morning for two shows.
One of these days, I swear I will sleep.
One of these days, I swear I will even sleep in my own bed (dare to dream).
We drove.
And drove.
And drove.
this is what the moon looked like, as we droveOne of these days, I swear I will sleep.
One of these days, I swear I will even sleep in my own bed (dare to dream).
Friday, April 18, 2008
Shows # 43, 44 & 45
Today was our first (and hopefully only) three-show day.
Yikes! Three shows!
We were called this morning at 6.30, drove to Drexel Hill High (well, took taxis, as our passenger van is out of commission), loaded in our set without any additional crew and ran the show twice, pretty much back to back.
Then we were "on break" from 1.30 til 6.00, but unfortunately, the taxis we called to pick us up after lunch (so around 2.45) didn't show up until 4.00. Yes, we loitered in the front area of the Perkins at which we had lunched. Yes, the manager thought we were vagrants or something and asked us to leave. No, we did not leave.
Eventually, the cabs showed, we crawled in, rode back to the hotel. Some of us showered, all of us napped and at 6.00 pm, we were fired up (or attempting to get there) and ready to do our third show and load out the set.
We did, and we did.
Now, we're here at the hotel and gearing up for tomorrow's road day.
There are almost too many details to add to today's entry, but know that there should be another video in the near-ish future, fully illustrating JUST how ghetto these three days have been.
Goodnight.
Yikes! Three shows!
We were called this morning at 6.30, drove to Drexel Hill High (well, took taxis, as our passenger van is out of commission), loaded in our set without any additional crew and ran the show twice, pretty much back to back.
Then we were "on break" from 1.30 til 6.00, but unfortunately, the taxis we called to pick us up after lunch (so around 2.45) didn't show up until 4.00. Yes, we loitered in the front area of the Perkins at which we had lunched. Yes, the manager thought we were vagrants or something and asked us to leave. No, we did not leave.
Eventually, the cabs showed, we crawled in, rode back to the hotel. Some of us showered, all of us napped and at 6.00 pm, we were fired up (or attempting to get there) and ready to do our third show and load out the set.
We did, and we did.
Now, we're here at the hotel and gearing up for tomorrow's road day.
There are almost too many details to add to today's entry, but know that there should be another video in the near-ish future, fully illustrating JUST how ghetto these three days have been.
Goodnight.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
So, about Myrtle Beach...
This photo is indicative of what the entire stay at Myrtle Beach was like. These are the wind-chimes outside the back window of my aunt's beach house in Pawleys Island. 
We went to the beach (just to say we'd been).
We ran from this giant shark by the side of the road (luckily, everyone survived).
the photo that wasn't.
all of those are self-explanatory.
the COOLEST MEMORABILIA EVER!... it was
SO AWESOME.
Shows # 39 & 40, 41 & 42 and the Saga of the Van Door
This will be cryptic, because I'm too excited about what just happened, but I want to catch up as much as possible before I spill.
Shows # 39 & 40 took place in Wilkesboro, NC - the floor was so slippery that most of us slid on stage for our entrances, slid off for our exits and I even face-planted mid-scene, as I was running around various set pieces and actors. Also, there was almost no air and we were very overheated. Also, it was discovered that Leah misplaced her mesh-bag containing socks and tarantula gloves and so she and I are currently sharing tarantula gloves.
I hope we find her her own pair soon.
So that was Wilkesboro.
Then we drove to Wilmington, where we performed in the most beautiful theatre - it's part of the North Carolina School for the Arts. The ceiling must be 80 ft up; there's enough fly-space to fit a few rockets up there. Also, the seats were a brilliant, vibrant green, giving me the impression that I had stepped into the Emerald City when I first walked in to the theatre.
The crew was very helpful and the shows ran fairly well, given the unavoidable hiccups that always happen - mic issues, scene change minutiae getting missed, what have you - and after our two performances (#'s 41 and 42, respectively) we loaded out and lunched at the Mellow Mushroom. A good day.
Then, today, we drove to Chester, PA. Yes, you read correctly. From North Carolina to Pennsylvania. Eight hours, 4 states, 3 ten minute breaks and 1 lunch-hour after we stepped into the vans this morning, we pulled into the parking lot at the illustrious Days Inn of Chester, PA, where I was gloriously reunited with my laptop!!! It's in PRISTINE condition, completely re-outfitted with a new outside structure, new charge port and complete with all the memory it got sent to the Apple Centre with. It's a beautiful thing.
After a couple hours of blissfully tooling around on the internet, Ben and I opted to drive to a nearby Walmart to buy some breakfast and snack food for the marathon day that tomorrow promises to be. On the drive back, we discovered that the side door on the passenger van is no longer functional. At all. Even with bungee cords holding it shut ( and yes, I bungee-ed the door shut, after vaulting over the seats while we were briefly stopped at a red light. I felt very MacGyver-like). So, having just returned to the hotel for the last time this evening, Ben and I informed Emileena, the stage manager, who in turn informed the rest of the cast. We have removed the most important personal belongings and ordered taxis for tomorrow morning. I only hope we can get it fixed before we have to drive back to North Carolina (which we do on Saturday).
To follow: Photos from Myrtle Beach!
Shows # 39 & 40 took place in Wilkesboro, NC - the floor was so slippery that most of us slid on stage for our entrances, slid off for our exits and I even face-planted mid-scene, as I was running around various set pieces and actors. Also, there was almost no air and we were very overheated. Also, it was discovered that Leah misplaced her mesh-bag containing socks and tarantula gloves and so she and I are currently sharing tarantula gloves.
I hope we find her her own pair soon.
So that was Wilkesboro.
Then we drove to Wilmington, where we performed in the most beautiful theatre - it's part of the North Carolina School for the Arts. The ceiling must be 80 ft up; there's enough fly-space to fit a few rockets up there. Also, the seats were a brilliant, vibrant green, giving me the impression that I had stepped into the Emerald City when I first walked in to the theatre.
The crew was very helpful and the shows ran fairly well, given the unavoidable hiccups that always happen - mic issues, scene change minutiae getting missed, what have you - and after our two performances (#'s 41 and 42, respectively) we loaded out and lunched at the Mellow Mushroom. A good day.Then, today, we drove to Chester, PA. Yes, you read correctly. From North Carolina to Pennsylvania. Eight hours, 4 states, 3 ten minute breaks and 1 lunch-hour after we stepped into the vans this morning, we pulled into the parking lot at the illustrious Days Inn of Chester, PA, where I was gloriously reunited with my laptop!!! It's in PRISTINE condition, completely re-outfitted with a new outside structure, new charge port and complete with all the memory it got sent to the Apple Centre with. It's a beautiful thing.
After a couple hours of blissfully tooling around on the internet, Ben and I opted to drive to a nearby Walmart to buy some breakfast and snack food for the marathon day that tomorrow promises to be. On the drive back, we discovered that the side door on the passenger van is no longer functional. At all. Even with bungee cords holding it shut ( and yes, I bungee-ed the door shut, after vaulting over the seats while we were briefly stopped at a red light. I felt very MacGyver-like). So, having just returned to the hotel for the last time this evening, Ben and I informed Emileena, the stage manager, who in turn informed the rest of the cast. We have removed the most important personal belongings and ordered taxis for tomorrow morning. I only hope we can get it fixed before we have to drive back to North Carolina (which we do on Saturday).
To follow: Photos from Myrtle Beach!
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