Rehearsal: Day One

Election Day!

But on a less stressful note, guess who I'm singing duets with in Oliver?

Her name's Michelle, and she's Roxy in the musical, Chicago on Broadway. Or she was until she took time off to be in this show. Where I'm singing DUETS with her.

How cool is that?

OK, geek moment over.

Our first rehearsal was good today. I'm gettin', ahem...ge'ing my Cockney accent on.

Our Oliver and Dodger are the cutest little guys you ever saw with really great voices and really great hair.

I met a guy named Neil, who is our Fagin, and when he introduced himself to me, I didn't know whether he'd been on B'way or not. Since he was Fagin, one of the LEADS, I figured: probably. But when I started to ask him, I thought twice about it because what if I asked, "So what Broadway show did you just finish?" and then what if he said, "Uh...never been on Broadway." I would feel awful for making him say that, so what happened kind of went like this.

Neil: Hello. You're our Bet?

Me: Yes! Hi, I'm Amber.

Neil: Hi. Neil.

Me: So...what...uh...(and here is where I thought twice)...brings..... Uh.

NEIL: What brings me here?

ME: Haha. Probably the same thing that brought me here.... Yeah.

He kind of laughed.

ME: So...wherrrre...arrrre you from, Neil?

NEIL: New York.

ME: Grew up here?

NEIL: Yep. Born and raised.

ME: Great! (And I'm thinking, Dangit. He's probably this big Broadway star and I should know who he is and I don't and I've insulted him. I should have just asked what Broadway show he did. Change the subject, dufus.) I really like your glasses.

Ugh. That was stupidly painful.

But yeah, he's done a few things here or there.

Anyways, rehearsal was fun.

A Chorus Line

A Chorus Line is a musical about a Broadway audition. Specifically an audition for the chorus of a Broadway musical. The show uses a montage technique to glance into the lives of about 16 auditionees, each person based off of a real live actor/dancer from the 70's, since the show was written in the 70's. Due to its innovative story telling approach and rockin' 70's choreography, A Chorus Line was a huge hit at the time. The revival, however, has suffered poor reviews, and it's leaving Broadway at the end of August, I believe.

At Jenny Wiley, I was supposed to be a cut dancer in Chorus Line. That means I was supposed to be in the beginning "audition" sequence, dance the routine, and get cut. But the girl playing Diana Morales was also a featured dancer in Wizard of Oz. At the end of the first week of Chorus Line rehearsals, which was also the first week of Wizard shows, she came down from a lift in Wizard and in doing so, tore her ACL, which is basically a screwed up knee (known to end careers) the very same injury that happens to the character, Paul, in the story line of A Chorus Line. Interestingly enough, the accident happened in real life to her the same day she rehearsed the pretend scene in A Chorus Line.

Long story short, I was swinging about four roles in the show, which is a fancy way of saying I was supposed to be learning all four parts in case something happened... Obviously it did. I stepped into the Morales role, having to learn it in about two days, and then went straight into designer runs and techs. And it was a blast. I never thought I'd be playing this Latino spitfire from the Bronx who can dance her hynie off, but I'm thankful for the opportunity. Morales sings the tune "Nothing," and the well-known "What I Did for Love." Some see her as the heart and soul of the show...such an uplifting, energizing, positive character. I loved her.

So here we are, dancing our hynies off.

Back from the Dead

It's like I was frozen in ice or something. I get back from Kentucky and find the Olympics more than half over, John Edwards cheated on his cancered wife, Ellen DeGeneres married Portia, and Bernie Mac is dead. Bernie Mac? Not to mention all the other national and international news of which I should be aware.

And I now stare directly into the fact that I learn more from People Magazine than the New York Times. But I mean, come on. We're still at war. It's still Obama and McCain. And "going green" is still the solution to global warming. So...I didn't really miss much there. Oh, and gas prices still suck.

We had no internet for most of the summer, except through Seth's iPhone, which consequently convinced me...I want one. Not just for the iPhone. For the iSolitaire.

What we did have was 42 days straight with no day off. 12 - 15 hour days. Spiders in our bed. Three different housing situations, one which involved a tub filled with backed up poop water. And a broken back. Actually it was a bone sheer and it belonged to me. Bone sheers hurt, but osteopaths are miracle men, especially the one who treated me for free. I was out only one show, and half another, which wasn't so bad, considering how bad it could have been. There was no big accident, no mishap, nothing from which I could gain any extra cash. My back started hurting and got worse and worse until I was walking like my father. One day I took 8 Aleve in a 12 hour period and it still felt like 4 knives were being jabbed into strategic parts of my tailbone.

It wasn't all bad.

I rehearsed and performed three different shows in 12 weeks, made a lot of new friends, learned a lot about myself, played three different Five Cent Stand mini-concerts at three different churches, gave away lots of Bitter Kiss CD's, watched four seasons of "House" with our pal, Joey, sang to my heart's content, discovered Wendy's twisted Frosties, learned to like roast beef, worked as a professional actor, and did it all with my husband right beside me. Can't beat that.

So of course whether you like it or not, you'll get pictures. Lots of pictures. And who knows, maybe a video clip, if I can get my hands on one. I'm glad to be done. I'm sad to be done. I can't wait to get back to New York City.

The picture parade begins:

Wizard of Oz (Dorothy):

"Why it's just like you could read what was inside of me..."

"If I only had a brain..."


"Oh look Scarecrow! It's a man...a man made out of tin! Yes."


"If I only had the heart..."


"If I only had the nerve..."


"We're off to see the Wizard..."


"Well, bust my buttons!"


Lil' Dorothies every night.


This one may have been the biggest fan of them all. She came to every show dressed like a different character each time. (I think she was a munchkin's sister)




A Chorus Line up next...

I'm Alive!!

Barely.

=-)

I really am sorry for not being able to blog more. But it's impossible, because 1) we were internet-less for about a week or so and 2) when I'm not in rehearsal or doing a show, I'm sleeping or eating and there hasn't been time for much else.

The day we opened Honky Tonk was the day we started Wizard of Oz rehearsals. Crazy. There have been moments in rehearsal when I think I might just drop down on the floor, criss-cross style, and cry. Mostly because of exhaustion but also because of the demands of the roles I'm playing. But the moments pass quickly. All in all, when I'm rehearsing or doing a show, I'm totally engaged and loving every minute.

Playing the role of Dorothy is more demanding than I thought it would be. To be able to sustain a sense of honest-to-God wonderment and child-like awe throughout an entire show takes work! Lots of work! Lots of work to listen as an actor like you're learning so many things for the first time. An actor should be present in the scene work, listening and hearing things llike they're hearing them for the first time, though they've actually heard them night after night. I knew this. But to play a child who is not only listening, but continuously learning... That's really really hard. I had no idea. Everything about Oz is new, never seen before by Dorothy. Witches, munchkins, wizards, the Emerald City, the jitterbug, Scarecrow, Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion.... To honestly receive all of that is exhausting! And of course, then I'm excited cuz I'm going home, then I'm crying cuz I'm not, then excited cuz I am, then crying cuz I'm not, and so on and so forth. Whew! What a ride. But it is such a beautiful show. The story in it is so beautiful, and the lesson I learn from my journey is such an important reminder of where happiness lies.

"If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard, because if it isn't there....I never really lost it to begin with."

And I get to carry around the cutest little Toto you've every seen in your whole life. A real live dog. She's actually played the role before! But we're having trouble getting her to actually DO stuff on stage. She's supposed to run away from the witch, but when she "escapes," a.k.a. the Witch's monkey puts her down on the ground so she can run off stage, little Zoe (her real name) just stands there. And when I put her down so she can go find the man behind the curtain, she just stands there. She doesn't find anybody at all. Just stands. We'll have to remedy this situation somehow. I think the solution involves Vienna sausages.

Anyway, I am so grateful for this opportunity. This has been a pretty hard gig in a lot of ways, maybe I can expound on them later, but nevertheless I love what I'm doing.

I'll try to keep updating! Hope you're all well!

We made it!

I wish I could be more present these days. We're in 12 hour day rehearsals. Trying to get a show up in 11 days, well...5 more days now. I'm exhausted. But having a blast. Just tired.

The first show to open will be Honky Tonk Angels. I'm diggin' this old country music. I'm actually falling in love with Dolly Parton. Have you heard "Front Porch Swing"? Such a beautiful song. And 9 to 5 is crazy fun. And Paradise Road, great stuff. Dolly just has this facility of voice that's unreal. Such vocal flexibility, while keeping it so pure and beautiful and natural. Love her. I'm also loving Bobbie Gentry and Loretta Lynn.

Other songs...we do a clogging bit in Rocky Top. That's fun. And what else is there...ummm...Cleopatra...Boots are Made for Walkin...The Pill...Stand By Your Man...Honky Tonk Angels (course)...Calling All Angels...Good Girls Gonna Go Bad....Night Life...Harper Valley PTA....Coal Miner's Daughter....Ode to Billy Joe...and my personal favorite.....FANCY!!!

The cast and crew are really great here. So far, no divas. Just sweet people. And that's saying something because this first show is all girls. Except Seth and the band. Three female characters in the show, that's it. And then we have our understudies. And both the director and music director are women. Now that could get crazy, y'all. But so far so good. Seth has to be at all the rehearsals as the asst. musical director, and he plays keys for this show, so he's witnessed an (un)fair share of estrogen-slash-stress induced breakdowns this week. I'm sure there'll be more to come. I'm so glad he's here.

I've never crammed so much information into my brain at one time. I'm loving it.

Kentucky is...Kentucky. It's beautiful here, but it's a culture shock. A little depressing at first, but I think once the rehearsal schedule slows down in July and we have more time during the day, I'll get to enjoy the state park more. Hiking...the lake...sleeping in.....

Hope to post more in the coming days.

And I hope you are all well and enjoying the beginning of summer!

I'll leave you with this, because it's Dolly and I'm just now understanding why everyone loves her so much.

Summer Theater in Kentucky

Well folks, in a matter of weeks, I'm off to theater land again. Theater land nestled in the mountains of Kentucky. Yee haw.

I'll be away 11 weeks. The whole summer. Away from my charming city to live in a cabin in the hee-ills.

But don't fret, fancied friends. For two reasons. 1) Seth is going with me. The whole 11 weeks we'll be together in the hot burnin' sun, workin' our ever livin' arses off. He's the associate music director for the whole shin-dig. Now isn't that somethin'? When I auditioned for the job, they asked me to bring my guitar to the call back and play a tune or two. Absolutely, I said. But really what I meant was, absolutely, I'll have my husband bring my guitar because I ain't truckin' that thing around the city all day. And whadoyou know? Seth brought that ther' guitar with 'im to the call back and landed himsay'lf a JAWB!

2nd reason) We'll be havin' a blast! Three shows in rotating rep. That means we rehearse 1 show, perform it while rehearsing another, perform those two in rotation, while we rehearse a 3rd show, then perform all three shows in rotation for the rest of the summer season. Ai-ya-yai. Lots of work but lots of fun.

We're doing the following shows and I'll be playing the following roles.

The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy

Honky Tonk Angels: Darlene

A Chorus Line: Understudy (yikes, they haven't told me who I'm understudying, but I'm a bit nervous about it cuz they could make me swing 3 different tracks or something. I'm also worried because the dancing might kick my bleep!

I'm really, really excited about playing Dorothy, mostly because "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is one of my favorite songs, and was played when Seth proposed (thanks to our pal Joey) and was also sung at our wedding (thanks to my lovely MOH Laura). And also because Judy Garland is one of my favorite singers. And also because it's a really fun show. And also because I get to wear the ruby slippers. Yesssss.

Honky Tonk Angels is a review of folk/country hits, told through 3 women's stories of leavin' home for Nashville, TN and following their dreams. It's growing on me, now that I've heard the music. Great music, and I get to play the gee-tar. Always fun. And sing songs like "Coal Miner's Daughter," "Ode to Billie Joe," (SUCH a cool song) and "Fancy," among loads of others. I think there's around 25 songs in the show.

And I've told you all I know about A Chorus Line so far.

The theater's called the Jenny Wiley Theater in Prestonsburg, KY. So if you haven't planned a summer vacation yet, why not Kentucky?

See schedule of shows here.

So I leave you with this, fancied friends, and hope that I can sing it half as well as she does.

American Idol: Memories

OK, as a singer and a theater lover, I have strong feelings about this performance. I'm wondering, before I smear my opinions all over the place, what you thought (or think). Both Randy and Simon didn't like it. Paula, of course, did. You all know the song. Barbara Streisand. Cats. Andrew Lloyd Webber. Whether you watched the show on Tuesday night or not, I'd love to know if you like what you hear or not, and why. Then I'll smear my opinion all over the place. While certainly respecting yours. Cool? Here it is.

Positive Post Tuesday - My friend, Audrey

I have a friend whose name is Audrey. Audrey's 10. Audrey played Chip in the production I was in of Beauty and the Beast in Houston. She's currently singing as a member of the children's chorus in La Boheme at Houston Grand Opera. A professional singer-actress at the age of 10. Wow!

Audrey is my email buddy. She calls it BIFF: Best Internet Friends Forever. She keeps me posted on her life. What's going on at school and what's going on with her "career." She's got boys that won't leave her alone at school, and it really annoys her. I don't blame her or the boys. She's a very pretty girl. And boys get sort of stupid when it comes to pretty girls. But I agree with Audrey. They should leave her alone.

The first time I saw Audrey on stage, she was 7, I think. In Oliver. She was the smallest little tyke up there, but she absolutely glowed. I couldn't stop watching her. She was practically trampled by the other, bigger kids on stage who were dancing like theater-crazed maniacs all around her. But Audrey's smile and the twinkle in her eye were mesmerizing. I knew right then that the stage was where she belonged.

I admire Audrey for that twinkle in her eye. It's there off stage, too. She has the ability to look at every circumstance like it's a gift, and she's just glad she's a part of it. She takes nothing for granted, but delights in the smallest bits of what life offers.

I admire Audrey for her obedience to Christ, and her faith in prayer. When one certain boy wouldn't stop bothering her at school, Audrey (though, of course, very frustrated and annoyed) prayed for him. She said that God would fix him, but that God should fix her first so that she could have the right attitude to pray for him.

Here's what Audrey said after that:

"It is very amazing what miracles God can do. I feel very fortunate to have a great God like I do."

I hope for the faith, love, and fortitude that I see in Audrey. I hope for that ever-so-bright, fear-be-afraid, twinkle in my eye, that unknowingly dares the dead to rise, awakens the worried to a Father's presence, and demands the fearful to face the unknown.

Love ya, girl!

BIFF

More Pictures: The Gold Dress

How can you not love playing this role when you get to wear dresses like this?...

As you can see, I'm real happy about my dress. Cogsworth's sister-in-law made it. She's amazing. I wish I could wear dresses like that every day. My four-year-old niece dresses up like a princess every day. Why can't I?

Me and Lumiere

And when you get to take pictures with little brown-eyed girls like this...

Oh my gosh, she had the biggest, most beautiful brown eyes.

One little 4-year-old girl came up to me, kissed my cheek and said in her sweet little voice, "I love you."

One little girl stood with her daddy after the show, and when she saw me, gasped and said, "She's real!"

And then another one handed me this wilted flower. As she handed it to me, wide-eyed and speechless, her mom told me she had picked it before the show and held it the whole time so she could hand it to me afterwards.



My sweet husband and parents. I'm so thankful for the support my husband and my parents continually give. I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing without the encouragement Seth has given me. I am so blessed. My parents haven't missed a show yet.

And here's some more fun ones I found:

Gaston and the Beast rehearsing the fight scene.

Silly Girls and Lefou swoon over Gaston

"My daughter...odd? Now where did you get an idea like that?"Papa and his invention

My friend and email buddy, Audrey, playing Chip! She did a FANTASTIC job. During the show she was inside a rolling cart, with only her head sticking out the top...until the end of the show, when she ran out as a...GASP....BOY!!!

OK, I think I'm finally done with picture mania.

More Beauty and the Beast Pics

All right, I'm sorry for all the pics here, but grin and bear it, because the show's over, and I'm sad. So here's some backstage shots.

Wardrobe, Belle, Babette, Lumiere, and.... a cheese grater.

Those crazy half-humans

"Oh no, no, no! I've been burnt by you before!!"

Belle and the frightful Beast

Belle and the not-so-scary-slightly-puppy-like Beast

And finally, the Julio-Prince!

More to come!!

Opening Night!

It went REALLY well, considering all the things that could have gone wrong... I absolutely love playing this role. Here are a few pics. They're actually from dress rehearsal. Will have more coming soon. (I'm sure you know, but just in case you don't...you can click on the pic to enlarge.)



OK, well, they're taking forever to load and I'm exhausted, so more coming soon.

Congrats to the cast and crew!

H-town

I have never been more glad to be in Houston than in these past two days. The most beautiful day in the whole history of Houston was Sunday. 60's. Big clear blue sky. Birds singing right outside my window. In FEBRUARY!!

I took a walk Monday. One, because it was such a beautiful day. Two, because I'm so used to walking around town that it's not right to stay holed up in a house or in a car, or wherever. And three, because I can't get enough of that Texas sky. It was always one of my favorite things about Houston.

Almost as good as my friends here. I'm having such a good time visiting my friends that I, at times, wonder why we left at all. I wonder for a fleeting moment, and then I remember. I know we were right to leave. But it makes me long for heaven when we won't ever have to leave our friends, our family. Or if we physically leave them, no big deal, right? Because it all goes on forever and we'll be back in no time. Literally, no time. Which is weird. I've taken the notion of writing everyone a letter. A big, sappy letter to every person I know in Houston. Even my (guys, close your eyes)...girlie doctor, who I visited on Monday. She was so nice to me that I wanted to write her a letter. A letter to my OB/GYN? Yeah. It's kind of ridiculous. Even my dentist! Who I visited today, for only $10. Heck, I should write my insurance company a letter!

I rehearse in the evenings, so my days are play time, basically. I wake up late. (A little like heaven, too, I think.) I make coffee. I sometimes watch Ellen. I go to doctors and run errands. I get my toes and eyebrows done with my friend, Super Churchlady. And then I go be Belle for the evening. It's...I don't know...it's...INCREDIBLE.

When I first got here on Thursday, it felt like I had left a week ago. I remembered everything so perfectly. It was like New York was a vacation and I was coming home. Then I woke up the next day and felt nostalgic and out of place. Like everything was so foreign and strange. And NOW, I want to write everyone a letter. This is so weird and good and fun and sad.... I'm a mess.

A Homeless Man at My Audition

At least I think he was homeless. He sure seemed like he was, but how assuming of me. Because he had lots of clothes on and strange thick glasses over beady eyes and wild thinning black hair, I think he's homeless? OK, maybe not homeless, but surely crazy. He sat on a bench inside the building and stared at people, stared at me, for extremely long periods of time, periodically roaming around the room, sitting back down, staring, smiling his vacant half-smile. He was odd. But then, most actors are odd, so I first gave him the benefit of the doubt. Guess he thought there might be a part for him in "Marcy in the Galaxy," the musical. I had no idea what "Marcy in the Galaxy" was all about, save for what the casting call described. Maybe there was a crazy beady-eyed character in "Marcy in the Galaxy."

That's what I thought until I sat behind him in the audition line. It was his time to go into the room. He had given a headshot to the monitor. That's the only way he got on the line. The person before him had gone in, had sung, and had come out. She was finished, and it was his turn. But he didn't go in. He just sat there next to me as I looked at him. He looked straight ahead with his vacant expression. No book of music. He held nothing. Finally I spoke up. "I think you can go in, sir."

"Oh. Yeah."

So he went in, with no music for the accompanist to play. He shuffled in and closed the door and I waited. We all waited. We all listened.

Ten quiet seconds passed before us. We stared at the door. We heard nothing. Ten seconds, and the door opened. Beady eyes shuffled back out of the room and wandered off. Off to where, who knows?

It was my turn. I walked into the audition room and over to a stunned accompanist and a bewildered casting director. We looked at each other wide-eyed. I tried not to laugh, but I couldn't help it. I laughed. They laughed.

"I don't know what that was all about," I said.

The casting director shook his head. "I thought I was being punked or something."

I sat my music on the piano in front of the accompanist. "Well, whatever you do," she said, "it'll be better than that."

I wouldn't mind a crazy homeless man showing up at auditions more often.

Christmas Time

It's been a while. Sorry bout that. The show's going well, but leaving little time for blogging, since on my days off, I'm trying to make more money and spending it Christmas shopping. I'm paid to do the show, but, well, let's just say my paycheck leaves much to be desired, or much to be NEEDED...you know, for rent and nonessential things like that. But all is well! All is well. 'Tis the season for yuletide and carols, and the city is the best place to be in a season such as this. My Christmas season has truly begun. Yesterday we went to see the Rockettes with my parents, who are in town to see my show. And see my show, they did. Twice, in fact, because on Saturday night I got to go on as "Violet," which was nerve racking and fun all at the same time. So they came again on Sunday to see me in the ensemble. The Rockettes were really great. We saw the 75th anniversary Christmas Spectacular show, and it was quite enjoyable.What is it about girls kicking in a straight line that's so cool, and who figured that out? It was a full day with the parents yesterday. Brunch at Good Enough To Eat, one of our favorite restaurants down the street, a quick cab ride to Radio City Music Hall for a chance at getting into the 2 o'clock show, success, lots of sparkle and lots of leg, a warming cup of hot chocolate, a last minute trip to the Museum of Modern Art, where artists attempt to prove how inanimate objects arranged in puzzling formations is art, a brisk walk to Rockefeller Center to see the tree, dinner at Virgil's Barbecue (Oh yum), dessert at Nonna's, then back home to play two games of Scrabble, the first of which I came in second to my father, and the second of which I whupped major heinie, especially that of my dear husband, which is saying something because he ALWAYS beats me in Scrabble. ALWAYS. But NO LONGER. I am the champion.

And my show was reviewed by the New York Times. The picture below is from the article. The reviewer liked the cast and the new theater, but didn't think the show measured up to the movie. I get that. But come on. Everyone knows that nothing can measure up to the movie. Get real. Listen to the story. It's told well, and it's a life-changing story. And in my opinion, the music is really good. Resembles Sondheim. Great lyrics. But it's a critic's job, so whatever. Here's the article.


I'm the first girl from right to left. You can see my little head directly above the guy kneeling.

A Wonderful Life

My show opened this past weekend. I've had Monday through Wednesday off, a needed break after an intense rehearsal schedule with techs and dress. Back to it tomorrow. We've got a big week this week with double shows on Saturday and Sunday, so 6 shows in 4 days. I'm loving it!

I have a fantastic cast. Not only are they all extremely talented, they are sincere and kind people. I've become close friends with many of them and look forward to seeing everyone again on Thursday. Here's a couple of pics.

At the high school dance. I'm on the left. We have a really fun Charleston number in these costumes.

Here we are as angels. (Go ahead and laugh.) We surround Clarence the "angel second class" as he dreams of getting his wings. Again, I'm on the left. Nice Carol Channing wigs, huh?

So that's what I've been doing. I'll post more pics as I get them. I'm relying on everyone else because I no longer have a camera.

What to say

It's not that I don't want to blog. It's that I'm having a hard time figuring out what to say.

My life now consists of auditioning and babysitting. And now rehearsing. I'm taking a break from auditioning (thank the good Lord above) because I booked a show. Woo hoo! It's a Wonderful Life, the musical. Didn't know that was a musical till I auditioned for it. I'll be understudying the role of Violet. She's the trampish character (modestly trampish, more like excessively flirtatious). Remember from the movie? George Bailey gives her money, but she selflessly returns it in the end. Rehearsals start tomorrow.

The babysitting is calling forth my maternal instinct, which has since been buried deep under discontent and nomadic tendencies. But the biological clock is ticking away, ticking, ticking away, and I actually told Seth we have to be in a position to have children in a year.

I quickly reconsidered, and sanity (or is it insanity?) resumed its place in the forefront of my mind.

I'm reading Jane Eyre and have fallen in love with it.

I'm editing a book for my Renaissance man of a husband, who just decides one day that he wants to write a novel, and so does. And it's the funniest thing I've ever read....ever.

And I'm trying to figure out how to fit my blender and good set of knives into my new kitchen down the hall from my old kitchen, and counting the days until my dad comes again to hang more shelves. He's the greatest shelf hanger of all time. Seth can write a novel but doesn't really like hanging shelves.

Last but not least, I had the worst audition of my life today. The worst...ever. Synopsis: "Mean casting director is relentlessly harsh and condescending to a flustered auditionee." First layer of thick skin applied...moving on.

We're Moving to NYC!!!

You already know, if you read Seth's blog, and most of you do. (Observation: Everytime I write, "if you read Seth's blog," I nearly always follow it with "and most of you do." So henceforth if I am blogging on a topic already mentioned by my husband, then I'll always say, quite naturally, "blah blah blah dee blabady bloo....if you read Seth's blog, and most of you do." Just so you know.) So thanks alot, Seth, for stealing my thunder about the move. But you started blogging before me, so in my line of reasoning, you hold the right to blog about it first.

Most things I have to say about this move I will reserve for a later time when I'm not doped up on Mucinex DM. (I'm telling you, that stuff makes me bonkers.) I caught a nasty cold in NYC and have almost lost my voice entirely, but thanks to Mucinex DM, I can vociferate, which means to "shout, complain, or argue loudly." I know this because I had first written "vocificate," which I believed to mean "utter any sound with the vocal chords." Clearly I made that word up. My vocal chords thank thee, Mucinex DM.

Here are some things I learned in the Big Apple:

1. Don't help old ladies cross the street.

2. The term "very light" in regards to the creamer added when ordering coffee at the local bagel shop alludes to the color of the coffee, not to the amount of calories.

3. People in New York stand "on line" instead of "in line."

4. The naked cowboy is really, really tan.

5. The D train stops locally until a certain point and then all of the sudden becomes express and it's a very...very long time until the next stop.

6. The place to buy music is called...oh shoot, what's it called? Company? I don't think that's right.

7. The partial-viewing box seats for 25 bucks at the Mary Poppins show are precisely partial-viewing and require one to lean halfway out of the box to see half the scenes, and still only half the stage is seen.

8. Rebecca Luker, who plays Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins, is more magical than Mary Poppins played by Ashley Brown, although Ashley Brown has one of the most delightful voices I've ever heard.

9. You can hear incredible jazz in Greenwich Village, which is pronounced GRENNICH Village and not GREEN-WITCH Village. The rock and folk and whatever else is found on the East side.

10. Ordering a grilled chicken salad for $15 does not give you a gigantic salad like you'd think, but a very small salad, leaving you hungry still and in dire need of the Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Pie at The Brewry in The Empire State Building.

The Sound of Music

Forget few and far between. The posts this past week were pretty much non-existent. The Sound of Music went very well, I think. A big thank you to those who came out to see the show!

I had such a good time. It was probably the most fun I've ever had doing a show. I've missed my Van Trapp kids today. The day after a run ends is always somewhat bittersweet. You're happy for a job well done, but there's a sense of loss. It's like waking up from a dream. The goal for which you've worked so hard is gone. Done. The moment vanished. Glimpses only in pictures. Quiet. No music, no lines. No applause. It's still, and it's healthy. It reminds me it's a job, something I do. Not something I am. I'm incredibly thankful for a husband who not only encourages me, but leads me, to do the things I love to do.

There have been some requests for pictures, so here ya go!
"Van Trapp children don't play. They march!"
Do Re Mi
"I am 16 going on 17..."
"Um...you want me to wear...that?
My new mother
The Festival
Kids taking a bow. It doesn't get much cuter than this.
The Cast
Now that's one handsome guy right there.
The Van Trapp Children