Opening Night and the Weekend

It’s been a whirlwind of activity for me since Thursday. That afternoon, the director and choreographer made big cuts to the opening number and restaged about a third of it. We had exactly one chance to do the entire “Christopher Street” sequence with the cuts and new blocking before performing it opening night for the audience. Let’s just say a major change on opening night kicks up the adrenaline an extra notch! The only thing that stayed the same for me in the art show sequence was getting smashed over the head with the painting:)

The performance went extremely well, even with one of the student interns missing with a case of the stomach flu. There are no understudies under this contract; if a chorus person is out, you reshuffle and go; if you’re a principal player, you go on no matter what ... Our first review came out yesterday and it’s a rave! The headline reads, ‘The Fun Never Ends in Dazzling ‘Wonderful Town’. It’s in the Saturday Life-Arts section of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer if anyone likes to read that kind of stuff.

Adding to the excitment of opening night ... really making it special for me ... were my guests at the performance and party afterward at Palamino. If you hadn’t guessed by now, gotmoof came into town for a few days for a vacation and to see “Wonderful Town”. Tim’s been staying with me since late Wednesday night (my birthday) and we’ve had a blast in and around my rehearsal and performance schedule.

lovesongman made a lot of this possible. Pat picked me up after my final preview and we drove to SeaTac Airport to pick up Tim. He treated us to dinner before the opening night show at Shiro, a Sushi restaurant in Belltown, was one of my distinguished guests for the debut performance and partied with us at Palamino where I was able to introduce him to many of my co-workers and the creative staff. Pat! You are the best! I am so very grateful for your friendship and company! I think we made a handsome trio.

We did two shows yesterday for enthusiastic audiences and have two more today at 1:30pm and 7pm and then a blessed day off. With all of the rehearsals and up-to-the-last minute changes, a day off will be very welcome. I’m renting a car tomorrow and Tim and I are going to see the sights ... well, at least the ones we’ve haven’t seen on other visits to the Emerald City. Tim’s had plenty of time to walk around and take pictures here in downtown near the Seattle Center and to visit with other Seattle chums. He’s also been helping me with my computer projects. It’s just nice having him around to hang out with!!

So we’re going to head out of the city, perhaps North ...wherever we spontaneously decide to go. Tim heads back to Minneapolis on Tuesday where coincidently, Pat is working this week. I think they plan to rendezvous for a sushi dinner in the Twin Cities. I’m hoping that Pat will have a chance to meet perkk, Tim’s roommate, and other Minneapolis Live Journalers. Lucky me that I have such good friends! All of you have made the opening of “Wonderful Town” and my birthday week the best! I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

With Conductor Joel Fram, celebrating our birthday!	On My Birthday
The Birthday Cake	Pat and Tim on Opening Night
With David Pichette on Opening Night	David Pichette (Appopulous), Bill Berry (Director), David Armstrong (5th Avenue Artistic Director), Chad Jennings (Frank Lippencott), Billie Wildrick (Eileen Sherwood), Timothy McKuen Piggee (Robert Baker) and Sarah Rudinoff (Ruth Sherwood) at Palamino following the opening night performance of "Wonderful Town"

Opening Night and the Weekend

It’s been a whirlwind of activity for me since Thursday. That afternoon, the director and choreographer made big cuts to the opening number and restaged about a third of it. We had exactly one chance to do the entire “Christopher Street” sequence with the cuts and new blocking before performing it opening night for the audience. Let’s just say a major change on opening night kicks up the adrenaline an extra notch! The only thing that stayed the same for me in the art show sequence was getting smashed over the head with the painting:)

The performance went extremely well, even with one of the student interns missing with a case of the stomach flu. There are no understudies under this contract; if a chorus person is out, you reshuffle and go; if you’re a principal player, you go on no matter what ... Our first review came out yesterday and it’s a rave! The headline reads, ‘The Fun Never Ends in Dazzling ‘Wonderful Town’. It’s in the Saturday Life-Arts section of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer if anyone likes to read that kind of stuff.

Adding to the excitment of opening night ... really making it special for me ... were my guests at the performance and party afterward at Palamino. If you hadn’t guessed by now, gotmoof came into town for a few days for a vacation and to see “Wonderful Town”. Tim’s been staying with me since late Wednesday night (my birthday) and we’ve had a blast in and around my rehearsal and performance schedule.

lovesongman made a lot of this possible. Pat picked me up after my final preview and we drove to SeaTac Airport to pick up Tim. He treated us to dinner before the opening night show at Shiro, a Sushi restaurant in Belltown, was one of my distinguished guests for the debut performance and partied with us at Palamino where I was able to introduce him to many of my co-workers and the creative staff. Pat! You are the best! I am so very grateful for your friendship and company! I think we made a handsome trio.

We did two shows yesterday for enthusiastic audiences and have two more today at 1:30pm and 7pm and then a blessed day off. With all of the rehearsals and up-to-the-last minute changes, a day off will be very welcome. I’m renting a car tomorrow and Tim and I are going to see the sights ... well, at least the ones we’ve haven’t seen on other visits to the Emerald City. Tim’s had plenty of time to walk around and take pictures here in downtown near the Seattle Center and to visit with other Seattle chums. He’s also been helping me with my computer projects. It’s just nice having him around to hang out with!!

So we’re going to head out of the city, perhaps North ...wherever we spontaneously decide to go. Tim heads back to Minneapolis on Tuesday where coincidently, Pat is working this week. I think they plan to rendezvous for a sushi dinner in the Twin Cities. I’m hoping that Pat will have a chance to meet perkk, Tim’s roommate, and other Minneapolis Live Journalers. Lucky me that I have such good friends! All of you have made the opening of “Wonderful Town” and my birthday week the best! I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

With Conductor Joel Fram, celebrating our birthday!	On My Birthday
The Birthday Cake	Pat and Tim on Opening Night
With David Pichette on Opening Night	David Pichette (Appopulous), Bill Berry (Director), David Armstrong (5th Avenue Artistic Director), Chad Jennings (Frank Lippencott), Billie Wildrick (Eileen Sherwood), Timothy McKuen Piggee (Robert Baker) and Sarah Rudinoff (Ruth Sherwood) at Palamino following the opening night performance of "Wonderful Town"