I am sitting here waiting for the laundry cycle to finish up (one of the down sides to touring, LAUNDRY... obviously it has to be done, but not every hotel has working washing machines, or more than one machine, or any at all) my preferred method is a drop off delivery service, but alas, here in Fort Worth....nada.
I haven't written much for the last three cities, as they have been pretty uneventful. We have been collecting for BCEFA (Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids) this happens for about 6 weeks, twice a year. At this time, companies in NY and on the road, and all over the country go into fund raising madness. We sign posters (about 5,000) umbrellas, even hats, so they can be sold for charity. Cast members go out into the lobby after the show and stand around with buckets (pleas sir I want some more) some even pose for photographs with patrons for an extra buck. The audience fidgets as they listen to an after show speech about the importance of this organization and all of the amazing work it does to help those in need... and it WORKS! So far we have raised over $30,000 dollars and we have a few weeks to go.
I did have a stop in Louisville two weeks ago, and had the most dreadful meal I can remember having in a long time. On the upside, I drove up to Cincinnati to see Melissa,Danny, Danny and Michael, and it was really lovely. Then Susan and Dan drove down to see the show, and I gave Susan a voice lesson as well. So I am still trying to keep the skills up.
Nashville was awesome! First day there, we had BBQ at Jakes, and spent the evening down on Broadway, going from bar to bar and listening to all of the live bands. It is really incredible, because you can go down there anytime of day, walk in without a cover charge and get free live music. Some of the bands are really terrific!
I also walked around the Cherry Blossom Festival, which is put on by the Japanese community, as Nissan has head quarters there, and the Japanese consulate moved there after Hurricane Katrina. It was amusing to see all of these people showing up dressed like Hara Juku characters (believe me, some of them might have wanted to chose different outfits, customers could dress up in sumo wrestler outfits and wrestle each other (pretty funny seeing these little heads coming out of massive rubber suits in thongs... it was like a carnival where they sold sushi! The best part was the woman entertainer who was singing country music in Japanese!
Now I am in Fort Worth, pretty blah, enough so that I have gotten three papers written for Music Theory. I have tried to start including going to the gym, but OY.... THIGHS BURNING!!!! Matty said that is my new stage name:) I think I am possibly undoing all the good of the gym because there is a frozen yogurt shop next tho the theater that I seem to be visiting at least once a day.
Ah! Time to go put clothes in the dryer.
TaTa
MB
Monday, April 2, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Oh Appleton....
I love this little town for so many different reasons, it's quaint, it has Jimmy John's Delivery right next to my hotel, my favorite dresser EVER works here. Lets talk about her...
She left home at 15 and became a stripper, yes, she has brought in her black and white photos, and those breasts are huge! She used to have a lovely little gap between her teeth from which hung her cigarette (a permanent fixture) sadly this time around, she has stopped smoking and drinking, lost 50 pounds and had a quadruple bypass... she did wake up from the surgery and when asked what she needed, replied... " A G#*D twinkie and a Fuc*&%%#^ Cigarette"
She currently designs beaded gowns for showgirls and drag queens..., I was fortunate enough to receive a personal strippers g-string complete with attached dangling rhinestone (to use for distraction when one gets bored) from her for my birthday... hopefully we can have lunch soon and she can catch me up, because I think it is going to make a really great one woman show:)
Now, lets talk about sleep number beds... NOT a fan. Searching for the perfect position is going to drive me mad. However, it (along with overage pay from the last two cities) was the rationale I needed to go to the spa tomorrow and spend an indecent amount of money to be pampered and pet. I would say pleasured as well, but then I might be smearing the good name of Appleton, and I could get sued... It is actually one of the 'people in the spa know' go to places. Kohler Spa out in the middle of whoop whoop...
Tonight I will be joining my friend James and we will have some lovely little wine and cheese and pate... and watch GAME of THRONES Season 1 (Season 2 starts in April, and I need a buddy, so I had to get him started.
Cheers
MB
She left home at 15 and became a stripper, yes, she has brought in her black and white photos, and those breasts are huge! She used to have a lovely little gap between her teeth from which hung her cigarette (a permanent fixture) sadly this time around, she has stopped smoking and drinking, lost 50 pounds and had a quadruple bypass... she did wake up from the surgery and when asked what she needed, replied... " A G#*D twinkie and a Fuc*&%%#^ Cigarette"
She currently designs beaded gowns for showgirls and drag queens..., I was fortunate enough to receive a personal strippers g-string complete with attached dangling rhinestone (to use for distraction when one gets bored) from her for my birthday... hopefully we can have lunch soon and she can catch me up, because I think it is going to make a really great one woman show:)
Now, lets talk about sleep number beds... NOT a fan. Searching for the perfect position is going to drive me mad. However, it (along with overage pay from the last two cities) was the rationale I needed to go to the spa tomorrow and spend an indecent amount of money to be pampered and pet. I would say pleasured as well, but then I might be smearing the good name of Appleton, and I could get sued... It is actually one of the 'people in the spa know' go to places. Kohler Spa out in the middle of whoop whoop...
Tonight I will be joining my friend James and we will have some lovely little wine and cheese and pate... and watch GAME of THRONES Season 1 (Season 2 starts in April, and I need a buddy, so I had to get him started.
Cheers
MB
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Blunders
Well, this is my impression of Milwaukee so far!
My dresser rocks it! Her name is Aggie and she is fun and really good at her job, although she unerringly makes a trip to my dressing room every time I have just dropped trou... And there is a super HOT stagehand, a big yummy Bubba of a fella... they do exist!
Got to the city and into the Hyatt hotel, as I decided to splurge this week (never a good idea as once the expectations are high, there is only one direction to go) I have to say the bed and pillows are yummy, but my non-smoking room had been smoked in so a room change was in order. This bed not so yummy, with a rather large dip in it...
Day off evening, a couple of us went to a famous local German restaurant called Mader's, and had a really lovely put some German-Meat-On-Your-Bones food... followed up by a sour cherry bread pudding.
Opening night we had to stop the show right after Jolly Holiday because of some set issues, we had one of our covers on for the first time, and he and the whole company adjusted to the scene (although Queen Victoria never made it out on her throne from behind the trees). Our amazing crew patched us up and had us back and running in 20 minutes. Later in the show, same fella who was doing the split track got sacked in the face with one of the step-in-time brooms (ouch) so it was packed full.
Woke up yesterday with a really bad chest cough and laryngitis (not happy....Firstly, I haven't accrued any sick days yet, and Secondly, I can't stand the idea of the show going on and not being in it). I took myself off to the Urgent Care, thanks to having NO INSURANCE my visit cost $350... really? Just to walk in the door and have them take my blood pressure and give me a prescription... aaaagh! Got my drugs and went home and drank a huge amount of throat coat, had HOT Thai soup and noodles for dinner to try and sweat some of it out, and went to the show. Another series of 'only in the theater', the local reed player didn't have his reed in his instrument.... again, really? How does that even happen. We had another cover on who did a great job, in the second act, one of our cast tried to make a mad dash through a small space and went flying, second male swing was called up on the fly... end of step in time I got to yank him hither and yon (which was actually really funny as I had both of the swings as my partners so it was pretty much a free for all).
Came home with the intention of writing paper #2 for school (I should be on 3 or 4 by now... just a little behind) and had to suffer through the rhythmic banging from the room next door... THREE ROUNDS OF IT. So actually staying up and researching all of these recordings for class ended up coming to pass after all, and the noise next door added a little percussion to the 20th century vocals on my computer.
To top of the night, I had to pee in the middle of the night (which I try never to do) and so couldn't fall back asleep for about two hours.
Today is PAY DAYand I am going to the Cleopatra exhibit and to high tea with friends... things are looking up!!!
Cheers
MB
My dresser rocks it! Her name is Aggie and she is fun and really good at her job, although she unerringly makes a trip to my dressing room every time I have just dropped trou... And there is a super HOT stagehand, a big yummy Bubba of a fella... they do exist!
Got to the city and into the Hyatt hotel, as I decided to splurge this week (never a good idea as once the expectations are high, there is only one direction to go) I have to say the bed and pillows are yummy, but my non-smoking room had been smoked in so a room change was in order. This bed not so yummy, with a rather large dip in it...
Day off evening, a couple of us went to a famous local German restaurant called Mader's, and had a really lovely put some German-Meat-On-Your-Bones food... followed up by a sour cherry bread pudding.
Opening night we had to stop the show right after Jolly Holiday because of some set issues, we had one of our covers on for the first time, and he and the whole company adjusted to the scene (although Queen Victoria never made it out on her throne from behind the trees). Our amazing crew patched us up and had us back and running in 20 minutes. Later in the show, same fella who was doing the split track got sacked in the face with one of the step-in-time brooms (ouch) so it was packed full.
Woke up yesterday with a really bad chest cough and laryngitis (not happy....Firstly, I haven't accrued any sick days yet, and Secondly, I can't stand the idea of the show going on and not being in it). I took myself off to the Urgent Care, thanks to having NO INSURANCE my visit cost $350... really? Just to walk in the door and have them take my blood pressure and give me a prescription... aaaagh! Got my drugs and went home and drank a huge amount of throat coat, had HOT Thai soup and noodles for dinner to try and sweat some of it out, and went to the show. Another series of 'only in the theater', the local reed player didn't have his reed in his instrument.... again, really? How does that even happen. We had another cover on who did a great job, in the second act, one of our cast tried to make a mad dash through a small space and went flying, second male swing was called up on the fly... end of step in time I got to yank him hither and yon (which was actually really funny as I had both of the swings as my partners so it was pretty much a free for all).
Came home with the intention of writing paper #2 for school (I should be on 3 or 4 by now... just a little behind) and had to suffer through the rhythmic banging from the room next door... THREE ROUNDS OF IT. So actually staying up and researching all of these recordings for class ended up coming to pass after all, and the noise next door added a little percussion to the 20th century vocals on my computer.
To top of the night, I had to pee in the middle of the night (which I try never to do) and so couldn't fall back asleep for about two hours.
Today is PAY DAYand I am going to the Cleopatra exhibit and to high tea with friends... things are looking up!!!
Cheers
MB
Monday, February 20, 2012
9 in a row!!!
Whew! It has been a while since I did 9 shows in a row... I am definitely older (not sure about wiser) this time around. It has been a great run here in Providence, and I have really enjoyed my stay. We said goodbye to Ginny, who was kicked in the side of the knee during Step in Time during the previews in Charleston. She is off for 6 months having surgery:( I can honestly relate, as I hd to leave Les Mis for 4 months when I went home for back surgery. No fun, but has to be done.
I realized that I spent the entire week taking off my clothes! Not sure there are any other careers that you can say that sort of thing without censure from the public, but I did it... about 19 times. That is probably the most annoying thing, pinning and unpinning my hair, and getting dressed and undressed over and over. But, if that is the most annoying thing, then I count myself pretty lucky.
Few things come to mind for future performers
1. It is considered rude to vocally warm up in a shared dressing room after half hour.
2. Like the previous, talking on the phone in your dressing room is rude, take it outside.
3. If you have stinky feet, bag your shoes:)
4. Be aware of dresser tipping rules- $10 a week is a base, but if your dresser is working really hard for you, with lots of changes, then it is nice to up it, or buy a gift to go along with the tip.
5. Everyone talks, so don't give out information you would rather was private. Also, be careful how much you drink around management, things come flying out of your mouth and can get back to the production team.
6. Nice piece of advice we were given by the director. "If you choose to pay attention to the good reviews, then it follows that you must then give credence to the bad ones, it is better to disregard them completely."
(I think that is so smart, negative reviews can really stick with you and can affect your work. However, I did read a review from our first week here in Providence which said I was "hilarious and had a good voice and great physical comedy"... Can't lie, I was pleased:)
We had interesting twists and turns these last two weeks, the umbrella tore coming in and was swinging wildly (nerve wracking), we had exploding faucets in the sink that miraculously didn't injure Blake when they went off, broken boots, lamps falling off the wall, nursery molding breaking, too much fog, too little fog, and my personal favorite... my duster molting allover the floor as I am gesticulating wildly... oh the joys of live theater!!!!
Grand Rapids here we come.
Cheers
MB
I realized that I spent the entire week taking off my clothes! Not sure there are any other careers that you can say that sort of thing without censure from the public, but I did it... about 19 times. That is probably the most annoying thing, pinning and unpinning my hair, and getting dressed and undressed over and over. But, if that is the most annoying thing, then I count myself pretty lucky.
Few things come to mind for future performers
1. It is considered rude to vocally warm up in a shared dressing room after half hour.
2. Like the previous, talking on the phone in your dressing room is rude, take it outside.
3. If you have stinky feet, bag your shoes:)
4. Be aware of dresser tipping rules- $10 a week is a base, but if your dresser is working really hard for you, with lots of changes, then it is nice to up it, or buy a gift to go along with the tip.
5. Everyone talks, so don't give out information you would rather was private. Also, be careful how much you drink around management, things come flying out of your mouth and can get back to the production team.
6. Nice piece of advice we were given by the director. "If you choose to pay attention to the good reviews, then it follows that you must then give credence to the bad ones, it is better to disregard them completely."
(I think that is so smart, negative reviews can really stick with you and can affect your work. However, I did read a review from our first week here in Providence which said I was "hilarious and had a good voice and great physical comedy"... Can't lie, I was pleased:)
We had interesting twists and turns these last two weeks, the umbrella tore coming in and was swinging wildly (nerve wracking), we had exploding faucets in the sink that miraculously didn't injure Blake when they went off, broken boots, lamps falling off the wall, nursery molding breaking, too much fog, too little fog, and my personal favorite... my duster molting allover the floor as I am gesticulating wildly... oh the joys of live theater!!!!
Grand Rapids here we come.
Cheers
MB
Friday, February 10, 2012
Made it to Opening
Well, we did it. Got to Providence and opened the show without too much trauma. We did have to stop the show for a few minutes with a slight malfunction, but then finished without a hitch.
The theater here in Providence is gorgeous, I played it back in 1997 with Les Mis. It also holds over 2000 people, and we had a full house. It was crazy around the theater, opening night gifts everywhere. The networks company gave us MP duffel bags, MP laundry bags and MP travel plugs with extension cords. The creative team had these lovely silver sixpence necklaces made for us, chocolates and spoonfuls of sugar, earrings... just like christmas!
After the show they threw us a party at the Westin, and it was really nice. DJ and food, drinks... lots of fun and we all had a great time! Tara Rubin and Eric Woodall came which was really nice, and Geoffrey Garrett left my answering machine voicemail... very fun.
We did have a hard time loading in, and I think it will take a while for the crew to figure out all of the ins and outs, we actually got extra time off as they weren't ready with the stage, and then on the fifth preview performance we had to stop for about a half an hour because the kitchen jumped the track and came off the back of the house while it was turning... again, the audience was really great, and thanks to our crew we got it back up and running.
On Monday (our night off) a group of us went to Al Forno, this highly recommended Italian Restaurant on the water, and had a crazy amazing meal. I had cassoulet with duck leg and sausage, and finished up with a chocolate bread pudding. Ahhhh food. I spent the day shopping and coming up with my opening night gift for everyone. I went to what is considered to be the best Italian bakery in town, and bought three kinds of biscotti (chocolate/pistachio, hazelnut, vanilla almond) and then bagged them (72 of them) I then got little recipe cards saying BRILLS BISCOTTI, from the kitchen of GERT BRILL. Then wrote the message
Congratulations on all of your hard work! Here's to a 'blooming' BRILLiant opening night.
I thought it was a pretty cute idea (thanks Jenee for helping me come up with it)
Cheers
MB
The theater here in Providence is gorgeous, I played it back in 1997 with Les Mis. It also holds over 2000 people, and we had a full house. It was crazy around the theater, opening night gifts everywhere. The networks company gave us MP duffel bags, MP laundry bags and MP travel plugs with extension cords. The creative team had these lovely silver sixpence necklaces made for us, chocolates and spoonfuls of sugar, earrings... just like christmas!
After the show they threw us a party at the Westin, and it was really nice. DJ and food, drinks... lots of fun and we all had a great time! Tara Rubin and Eric Woodall came which was really nice, and Geoffrey Garrett left my answering machine voicemail... very fun.
We did have a hard time loading in, and I think it will take a while for the crew to figure out all of the ins and outs, we actually got extra time off as they weren't ready with the stage, and then on the fifth preview performance we had to stop for about a half an hour because the kitchen jumped the track and came off the back of the house while it was turning... again, the audience was really great, and thanks to our crew we got it back up and running.
On Monday (our night off) a group of us went to Al Forno, this highly recommended Italian Restaurant on the water, and had a crazy amazing meal. I had cassoulet with duck leg and sausage, and finished up with a chocolate bread pudding. Ahhhh food. I spent the day shopping and coming up with my opening night gift for everyone. I went to what is considered to be the best Italian bakery in town, and bought three kinds of biscotti (chocolate/pistachio, hazelnut, vanilla almond) and then bagged them (72 of them) I then got little recipe cards saying BRILLS BISCOTTI, from the kitchen of GERT BRILL. Then wrote the message
Congratulations on all of your hard work! Here's to a 'blooming' BRILLiant opening night.
I thought it was a pretty cute idea (thanks Jenee for helping me come up with it)
Cheers
MB
Friday, February 3, 2012
Pizza with Cameron Macintosh
Well, I am back. Sorry about the delay, but the last week has been HECTIC! We have started our preview performances here in Charleston, and they have been going really well. The audience here is very responsive and delightful. This was also the week all of the big wigs came to town. Tuesday night was our last invited dress rehearsal, and Tom Schumacher (head of Disney) came in, as a result we had notes and work session on Wednesday. My greatest fear was fanned when the note I received was they were going to have to age me as I looked too young. Seriously? What do I have to do? I have often teased about going and tanning myself to a crisp and taking up cigarette smoking, and I might need to give it a try. I took off the last 5 years, giving myself time to age, and it comes back at me again. Anyway (other than that), they were happy with my performance. So that evening I added LINES to my perfect 16 year old skin:) and was a nervous wreck because Cameron Mackintosh was coming. The last time he came to see one of my shows (96 Les Mis) he decided to fire the entire company (I was sent to the tour thankfully) so needless to say I was feeling a little concerned. It was our first preview performance and it went really well. Our crew is SOOOO good, and they are doing an insane amount of work (this show is a massive technical nightmare) and it was super smooth. Afterward, the producers threw us a little party, and we ate, drank and were merry ( the kids had gotten all decked out, and were just darling, they were taking pictures with everyone).
Thursday, we came in for notes and a work session, and were told that Cameron was very happy with where things were (big sigh of relief, we all still have a job) and then were given notes and went into another work call for the day. After the performance Networks/Disney threw another little party at the hotel and Cameron came. So, I shook his hand and he told me I was doing a lovely job as Mrs. Brill (I am happy) and then proceeded to say how impressed he was with our accents, and that they were better than the Broadway company (I chose to have that be a compliment directed solely at me:) but there were three other people standing there if truth be told. And then he stood and chatted with us for about a half an hour, telling us all about the new movie musical version of Les Mis and that sort of thing. He was very gracious and it was fun.
So the stressful part is over, I am happy as long as all of the creative types are happy with me! Ready to get on the road and get this going, and amused that I had pizza with Cameron Macintosh.
Thursday, we came in for notes and a work session, and were told that Cameron was very happy with where things were (big sigh of relief, we all still have a job) and then were given notes and went into another work call for the day. After the performance Networks/Disney threw another little party at the hotel and Cameron came. So, I shook his hand and he told me I was doing a lovely job as Mrs. Brill (I am happy) and then proceeded to say how impressed he was with our accents, and that they were better than the Broadway company (I chose to have that be a compliment directed solely at me:) but there were three other people standing there if truth be told. And then he stood and chatted with us for about a half an hour, telling us all about the new movie musical version of Les Mis and that sort of thing. He was very gracious and it was fun.
So the stressful part is over, I am happy as long as all of the creative types are happy with me! Ready to get on the road and get this going, and amused that I had pizza with Cameron Macintosh.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Bravo
Well, again I am wishing that appreciation for crew was taught in the universities. I recall having a discussion with my cast (when I directed BLWIT) about not going out to meet their friends and family until they had removed their costumes and microphones, as these crew members had worked all night and it was rude to just assume they could wait to pack up their departments to go home until after the actors had gone up to receive accolades for their performance. I was surprised that I even needed to say this, and even more taken aback by the attitudes that were thrown back at me, accompanied by statements of "Well I have people here to see me..., Can't they wait a few minutes? Isn't that what they are paid to do?...
Why is theater etiquette only taught to theater majors, and musical theater/voice majors have no idea, and no respect for the hard work of others around them? (I realize this doesn't apply 100%, but in my experience at ASU, it applies to about 95%) I feel like they felt so entitled, and it was all about their moment to shine and be given kudos for their amazing talents.
I bring this up (firstly because I don't really have to worry about anyone reading my blog) but because I was reminded of this Sunday night in rehearsal. The crew are working fifteen hour days to make this production work. They are constantly on alert for safety issues, to keep the show running smoothly, and in this arduous tech process are resetting sets and cues again and again to make it right. I am also so impressed by my cast. No one their work for granted. No diva attitudes, everyone stays in position and repeats these cues ad nauseum until they are perfect. I was especially impressed with our Valentine (SP) who was folded into a doll house on and off for over a period of two hours. Every so often they would open it up to let him have some air and release his upper body, and a few times he was able to get out and stretch. There was no complaining, no eye rolling, and no sense of self importance and "poor me", also JT in the jack-in-the-box sitting in there waiting for his cue to emerge. These actors realize that it is all part of a whole, and without the crew who is working tirelessly to create our world, we would have nothing.
I do realize that youth and arrogance can bring all of this about, but I feel like it is a disservice not to ingrain this in the department early on.
Cheers
MB
Why is theater etiquette only taught to theater majors, and musical theater/voice majors have no idea, and no respect for the hard work of others around them? (I realize this doesn't apply 100%, but in my experience at ASU, it applies to about 95%) I feel like they felt so entitled, and it was all about their moment to shine and be given kudos for their amazing talents.
I bring this up (firstly because I don't really have to worry about anyone reading my blog) but because I was reminded of this Sunday night in rehearsal. The crew are working fifteen hour days to make this production work. They are constantly on alert for safety issues, to keep the show running smoothly, and in this arduous tech process are resetting sets and cues again and again to make it right. I am also so impressed by my cast. No one their work for granted. No diva attitudes, everyone stays in position and repeats these cues ad nauseum until they are perfect. I was especially impressed with our Valentine (SP) who was folded into a doll house on and off for over a period of two hours. Every so often they would open it up to let him have some air and release his upper body, and a few times he was able to get out and stretch. There was no complaining, no eye rolling, and no sense of self importance and "poor me", also JT in the jack-in-the-box sitting in there waiting for his cue to emerge. These actors realize that it is all part of a whole, and without the crew who is working tirelessly to create our world, we would have nothing.
I do realize that youth and arrogance can bring all of this about, but I feel like it is a disservice not to ingrain this in the department early on.
Cheers
MB
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