So in continuation of my previous post, Here are some more tales and images of my life on the road over the last 2 years..
One of my favorite cities to visit on the road is San Francisco.
The first time I visited was in 2005 for 2 months with the First National Tour of Wicked. It was not the experience I had hoped it would turn out to be.. I thought I'd never get back there and be able to truly appreciate what the city had to offer. In 2008 I was fortunate enough to visit the city by the bay twice in one summer.
The first time was for 3 weeks with the First National Tour of The Drowsy Chaperone. We played the Orpheum Theatre (the same as Wicked), where I trained my replacement on the show who took it oer and closed it out for me. The Drowsy Chaperone was a show I LOVED working on. Even though the sales were not great, the people, the company (cast and crew) were all unbelieveably kind and welcoming. I have joined many shows after they have been out for a few months and have never been so accepted into the family as I was on Drowsy. It was on Drowsy that I met one of the coolest chicks I know, my friend Alicia.
If you know me, you know that Side Show, the musical, is a show that has changed my life. I saw Side Show for the first time in early December 1997 when I was a Freshman at Hofstra University. It was a breathtaking theatrical experience. A few weeks later I became involved in the "Save Side Show" campaigin that involved handing out flyers at the TKTS book in the middle of TImes Square with the entire cast of the show and seeing the matinee performance. After handing out the flyers between matinee and evening shows one of the cast members handed myself and another fan $100 to get a 2-for-1 ticket so we could see the show again. To this day it is one of the kindest things that someone has done for me. A few weeks later one of the guys I met that Saturday helped get me an audition at Wagner College, so I could transfer out of Hofstra after my first year. If I hadn't seen Side Show on that cold December afternoon in 1997 I wouldn't be where I am today, and I would not have met many of the people who have helped make me who I am today.
Anyways, Alicia was the Fortune Teller in Side Show.. "I'm a Fortune Teller.. I can See the Future...." she was a swing and covered Drowsy, Mrs. Tottendale and Trix in Drowsy Chaperone. We officially met in Houston, TX which was the 2nd stop for me on the Drowsy tour and became best buds for the 3 months I was there. While we were in LA for 2 weeks playing the beautiful Ahmenson Theatre... Alicia, myself and 2 of the other gals in the show spent a day at Disneyland. We had such a fun day and had an AMAZING dinner at the restaurant that overlooks the Pirates of the Carribean ride.
Here is a pic of the girls on one of the many rides we hit on that very long but FUN day!
Jennifer, Megan (Where's Mickey?) and Alicia
The third time I was in San Francisco was with the First National Tour of Spring Awakening in September 2008. This was the official opening city for the Spring Tour at the Curran Theatre. The Curran is the smallest of the 3 major touring houses in SF and a perfect fit for Spring. The staff there is fantastic. I met 2 buds, Kevin and Tyler. They helped me celebrate by 29th birthday with a double show Saturday and a YUMMY Birthday dinner at Lois's Diner..
Here are Tyler and I being silly during a show..
There's a Moment You Know...
Tyler and I recreating the iconic Wicked poster.. Sort of.
Now that I am reliving all of these amazing experiences on the road again, It makes me realize how truly fortunate I have been to have these amazing experiences and how I wish I had written about them as they happened. Still to come, more photos from the many cities I've been and an entire post dedicated to some of the AMAZING classic old vaudeville/burlesque theatres I have had the honor of working in.
