Another Opening, Another Show

So I have time for a quick post while my L'oreal Preference sits and covers my grays. I am now in lovely *cough* downtown Fresno. It took us about four hours to get here. We literally stopped for lunch at some strip mall that time forgot in the middle of the Mojave Desert, I shit you not. There was a Subway so we went there and they asked if I wanted my sandwich toasted. I declined as this was such a waster of energy...all I had to do was walk outside for the same effect!!!

We survived our first two previews at the California Theatre in front of less than large crowds. I'm praying everything else is selling better. The theatre was in charge of promoting us and got any profits in exchange for letting us tech there. Mom and Dad sent me a great bouquet of flowers which I arrived to find in my dressing room and it was a lovely surprise. I couldn't travel them so I gave them to my dresser to take home. Saturday night went great! I got applause for a scene which is always really nice! Then Chaz and I got a big woo at curtain call. This meant a lot to us as we didn't know a soul in the house. Sunday for me was a hot mess! I think I was just overtired from staying out a little too much after rehearsals and the first preview (see the Drunky McDrunkerson pic with Matt). Don't judge me...wine is crazy cheap here. I totally blew stuff in act two and was kicking myself for it. I know, it happens. Chaz got applause at the end of one of our scenes and the audience seemed to like us again but that was all Chaz, I swear. I'm glad I got it out of the way and am hoping to rock our official opening tomorrow night.

Sunday night was amahhhzing! Matt and I went with Clayton and Kirk (our incredible lighting designer) to see the new 9 to 5 musical in L.A. at the Mark Taper Forum. We were really stoked!!! Exhausted but who cares right!? I had never been to Los Angeles so I got to see a little of it. The theatre is in a complex that also contains the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion (best know to a lot of us as the place where they taped the video of Sweeney Todd back in 1980). The complex is like L.A.'s version of Lincoln Center and was lovely. It was a very warm night and the people were SOOOOOOO L.A. I treated myself to a glass of champagne and we headed in to our kick ass second row, center orchestra seats. The show started with "9 to 5" and as soon as those first beats started Matt and I were like little kids. I saw the movie with my mom when it came out and I've always loved it. Even more so now that I'm older and can relate more. Allison Janney was Violet (Lily Tomlin) and although she's not a singer, she can sing passably and of course is a fantastic actress and I was mesmerized by her. I've seen her onstage before and she just has a light in her that makes it impossible not to watch her every move. Stephanie J. Block was Judy (Jane Fonda). The character was much broader than in the movie and her fantasy sequence was not the one from the movie but was fun nonetheless. Stephanie has a huge, crystal clear voice that is a treat to hear. Doralee was an insanely boustier'd Megan Hilty who had Dolly's dialect down to a science. She was a lot of fun. Marc Kudisch was a decent Hart if kind of flat. He has the voice and the looks to be sure and they aged him appropriately but everything seemed a little too one-dimensional. Roz was fun and she got a song and the ensemble was pretty good too. Fun sets! I was in awe of the huge xerox machine they had to build to malfunction on cue. I loved the opening and also when Allison rose out of the stage in a Disney-eque costume for her fantasy I nearly peed. The music is all Dolly but not all a hit with me. But I had so much fun I didn't care if some of the music was pedestrian. Go see it when you have an opportunity, it's loads of fun!

So today's cast member is Erin Spears. I remember Erin from callbacks and I was hoping she would get the show because she's really talented. I saw her as a Nancy type but she has so much more to offer and you'll get to see it in her portrayal of Mrs. Sowerberry and Old Sally. She takes two roles that have always been forgettable for me personally and makes you laugh. She's an awesome girl, 25 and from Ohio, and she and Andrew and I are especially tight. Add to all this the fact that she's hot and you've got a total package! We laugh a lot. We were all talking this afternoon on the bus about how none of us have laughed this much in ages and it feels great. I can't believe we've all only known each other for just over 3 weeks. This pic is Erin and, of course, Andrew at El Torito restaurant where we were all wearing these ridiculous hat things.

The other pic in front of the fly rail is our A.D. Rodney Peck and he is the bomb! He left us after San Bernardino and I was sad to see him go. We say goodbye to the rest of the creative team when we close Fresno on Wed. Can you guys see the weight loss yet? I'm living in yoga pants because my jeans don't fit. Our poor costumer had to take my costumes in twice this week. The Vince Pesce diet works y'all!

So that's that for tonight! Time to go wash that gray right outta' my hair and send it on it's way. Think good thoughts!