Eight Shows A Week, Four Matinee

Unlike the line from “Evita”.... and unlike our normal schedule of eight shows a week, two matinee .... our first week in Canada is concluding with a Sunday matinee, our fourth in five days. It’s been an intense time with one of our male dancers injuring his hamstring, one of our women singers missing a show with an injured back and our dance captain and musical director rehearsing a new female dancer. Brianna Yacavone ends her time in “Evita” tomorrow and her replacement Dena takes over next week. In addition, our Production Stage Manager, Harold Goldfaden is leaving us for three weeks to have unspecified surgery. He is being replaced by Juliana Crawford; Juliana is new to “Evita” and has spent the weekend learning to call the show.

Dispelling some of the stress from all of these changes and tough schedule was the pleasant surprise that all of our performances have been near sell-outs to sell-outs. It does make a difference as you get an extra shot of adrenaline from the big audiences. At a top price of $94, I think that’s amazing! An opening night party at the Toronto Hilton, (complete with Evita ice sculpture) took the edge off the fatigue Thursday night after four shows in two days. Our group cleans up real nice:)

On Friday, Joel Briel, his partner Scott (on his way back to NYC from stage managing at the Childrens Theater in Minneapolis) and I worked in a bit of tourism. We had lunch at the 360 Restaurant on the 113th Floor of the CN Tower. Typical of an insular American, I at first thought that it was owned by Ted Turner and was the CNN Tower. One C, one N, Neil:) The CN Tower is the tallest structure in the world at 183 stories. If you have lunch in the restaurant, the $20 fee to go to the observation deck is included in the meal and you take a separate elevator from all of the other tourists. The food is delicious, by the way. I had a caesar salad, grilled eggplant lasagna (a generous portion) and a large serving of mango ice cream. Yum!

In the past couple of days, I’ve been reading up on upcoming summer movies. There seems to be a lot of offerings, but the following pictures are the ones that might actually get me into the theater: “Star Wars - Episode III” (I disliked the past two, but might as well see the final episode.); “Madagascar” (An animated film with a “captivating” story line and voice talent); “Bewitched”; “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (It could be a bust, but Johnny Depp is usually oddly interesting:); “Sky High” (What can I say? I grew up at the same time as Kurt Russell); and “Romance and Cigarettes” (Susan Sarandon in a musical. It could be a hoot! Has she made a musical since the orignal “Rocky Horror Picture Show?:) If anyone has any other movie suggestions in the comedy, animated or musical categories, give me a holler.

Since I arrived in Canada, I’ve been reading a series of gentle mysteries by author Alexander McCall Smith. I just finished a wonderful tale titled “In the Company of Cheerful Ladies”. There is a passage in this book about a lady detective in Botswana where she speaks about the comfort of long-term friendships. Its truth inspired me to earmark the page for reflection and I want to share it in this post.

“The two...had known one another for many years, and had moved into that most comfortable of territories, that of an old friendship that could be picked up and put down at will without damage. Sometimes several months would go by without the two seeing one another, and this would make no difference. A conversation left unfinished at the beginning of the hot season could be resumed after the rains; a question asked in January might be answered in June, or even later, or indeed not at all. There was no need for formality or caution, and the faults of each were known to the other.”

I’ve felt a bit disconnected from friends and family in the past few days. Life here in Canada is just enough different to enhance a sense of isolation that flows over me when I’m mighty tired. I’m sure my innate optimism will return after a couple of nights off and a chance to settle in. But for this initial week in Toronto, this lovely passage, describing and defining real friendship, kept me from the blues. I’m lucky as I do know that I have friends and family who love me, faults and all. I wish that for all of you....

Finally, there is huge buzz on a new $27 million dollar stage musical version of “The Lord of the Rings”. It will begin rehearsals in October and debut in Toronto next March. I only saw the first film of the trilogy. Think I could play Gandolph? I wonder if I just might be able to finagle an audition. Only time will tell...meanwhile, it’s back to “Evita” and eight shows a week, two matinee:)

Eight Shows A Week, Four Matinee

Unlike the line from “Evita”.... and unlike our normal schedule of eight shows a week, two matinee .... our first week in Canada is concluding with a Sunday matinee, our fourth in five days. It’s been an intense time with one of our male dancers injuring his hamstring, one of our women singers missing a show with an injured back and our dance captain and musical director rehearsing a new female dancer. Brianna Yacavone ends her time in “Evita” tomorrow and her replacement Dena takes over next week. In addition, our Production Stage Manager, Harold Goldfaden is leaving us for three weeks to have unspecified surgery. He is being replaced by Juliana Crawford; Juliana is new to “Evita” and has spent the weekend learning to call the show.

Dispelling some of the stress from all of these changes and tough schedule was the pleasant surprise that all of our performances have been near sell-outs to sell-outs. It does make a difference as you get an extra shot of adrenaline from the big audiences. At a top price of $94, I think that’s amazing! An opening night party at the Toronto Hilton, (complete with Evita ice sculpture) took the edge off the fatigue Thursday night after four shows in two days. Our group cleans up real nice:)

On Friday, Joel Briel, his partner Scott (on his way back to NYC from stage managing at the Childrens Theater in Minneapolis) and I worked in a bit of tourism. We had lunch at the 360 Restaurant on the 113th Floor of the CN Tower. Typical of an insular American, I at first thought that it was owned by Ted Turner and was the CNN Tower. One C, one N, Neil:) The CN Tower is the tallest structure in the world at 183 stories. If you have lunch in the restaurant, the $20 fee to go to the observation deck is included in the meal and you take a separate elevator from all of the other tourists. The food is delicious, by the way. I had a caesar salad, grilled eggplant lasagna (a generous portion) and a large serving of mango ice cream. Yum!

In the past couple of days, I’ve been reading up on upcoming summer movies. There seems to be a lot of offerings, but the following pictures are the ones that might actually get me into the theater: “Star Wars - Episode III” (I disliked the past two, but might as well see the final episode.); “Madagascar” (An animated film with a “captivating” story line and voice talent); “Bewitched”; “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (It could be a bust, but Johnny Depp is usually oddly interesting:); “Sky High” (What can I say? I grew up at the same time as Kurt Russell); and “Romance and Cigarettes” (Susan Sarandon in a musical. It could be a hoot! Has she made a musical since the orignal “Rocky Horror Picture Show?:) If anyone has any other movie suggestions in the comedy, animated or musical categories, give me a holler.

Since I arrived in Canada, I’ve been reading a series of gentle mysteries by author Alexander McCall Smith. I just finished a wonderful tale titled “In the Company of Cheerful Ladies”. There is a passage in this book about a lady detective in Botswana where she speaks about the comfort of long-term friendships. Its truth inspired me to earmark the page for reflection and I want to share it in this post.

“The two...had known one another for many years, and had moved into that most comfortable of territories, that of an old friendship that could be picked up and put down at will without damage. Sometimes several months would go by without the two seeing one another, and this would make no difference. A conversation left unfinished at the beginning of the hot season could be resumed after the rains; a question asked in January might be answered in June, or even later, or indeed not at all. There was no need for formality or caution, and the faults of each were known to the other.”

I’ve felt a bit disconnected from friends and family in the past few days. Life here in Canada is just enough different to enhance a sense of isolation that flows over me when I’m mighty tired. I’m sure my innate optimism will return after a couple of nights off and a chance to settle in. But for this initial week in Toronto, this lovely passage, describing and defining real friendship, kept me from the blues. I’m lucky as I do know that I have friends and family who love me, faults and all. I wish that for all of you....

Finally, there is huge buzz on a new $27 million dollar stage musical version of “The Lord of the Rings”. It will begin rehearsals in October and debut in Toronto next March. I only saw the first film of the trilogy. Think I could play Gandolph? I wonder if I just might be able to finagle an audition. Only time will tell...meanwhile, it’s back to “Evita” and eight shows a week, two matinee:)