Meeting Brooke Shields, well almost.......:)

[mrdreamjeans]

Ah, another Sunday in New York.... I badly needed this day off. Our rehearsals were intense all week, singing and dancing for seven hours a day with one hour for lunch. This past week was the beginning of the most difficult portion of touring in a show (at least for me) which is polishing staging and musical numbers. Instead of performing them once or twice in a day, during rehearsals we'll do some of the numbers six to eight times full out in a row, stopping to perfect a step, an acting moment or a musical note, then reloading and trying them again. It is also the part of rehearsals where I never vocally mark. I want to know how I'm going to sing or perform a song when I'm exhausted or when I'm ill. If either happens on the road, I then know how to do my best without missing a show.

We started our Sunday by meeting friends of Tim's at a restaurant in Chelsea. VernNYC organized the event and six of us enjoyed a nice brunch. Four of us, including thikstache (Wallace) continued on to the Village where we walked down to the water and tried to get a good picture of a very distant Statue of LIberty. After a bit of sightseeing, Vern continued on with Tim and me to the lottery for the musical "Avenue Q". It's a hot ticket, but they reserve 12 front-row seats and run a lottery for them for every performance. Tickets are $21 versus the regular $100 a seat. We put our names in on both Saturday and Sunday night, but weren't selected. Not surprising, as there were 100-120 people trying for tickets each time.

Since "Avenue Q" was a no-go and there was no time (or money ) left to see something else, I asked Tim and Vern to accompany me to the stage door of "Wonderful Town" at the Martin Beck. My friend Ray McLeod is featured in the show and the audience was exiting the theatre after the Sunday performance when we arrived. Tim and Vern joined me backstage where we got to visit with Ray, who played Peron on the 1998-99 tour of "Evita"; Tim knows Ray and his wife Deb well, and so it was a nice and unexpected reunion. A little bonus - as we were chatting with Ray, Brooke Shields, her husband and baby were exiting the theatre. Brooke is currently blondly beautiful and obviously incredibly nice. She is starring in the show and has been great for box office. It was nice being near celebrity, albeit second-hand:) We weren't introduced, but hey, we were three feet from them. LOL!

Afterward, Tim, Vern and I went for a Mexican meal and then headed to our respective subways. It was really nice getting to know Vern a bit. If you haven't spoken to Vern on Live Journal, just know that he lights up the room with his smile and warm personality.

Tim's here for another day and a half, but I'm back to work in the morning. We are switching rehearsal spaces and moving to a new theatre called Dodger Stages. It has never been used and we are thrilled to be the first to occupy the space. We'll be able to execute the choreography properly for the first time, as the initial rehearsal studio space has been too narrow. It should be of tremendous use to the creative team, production staff and actors.

On Thursday we are going to perform "Evita" for an invited audience. We're each allowed to invite two people and Hal has invited the Broadway company of "Phantom" to be our test audience. Performing the material in front of an audience before microphones, sets and costumes are added, is always beneficial. If you're new to the material, you learn where to expect reactions and responses from the audience and you're not distracted by all of the tech elements of the show. I love a gypsy run-through, as the entire performance relies simply on talent, skill and adrenaline. Musical theatre in its purest form.

Tomorrow night, Tim and I will spend our last evening out on the town in the Big Apple. As always, I'll be a bit sad to see him go; but - as I've said before, we're family and so it's not goodbye. So, another Sunday in the big city comes to a close...one where we met Brooke Shields...well almost....:)

Comments

[nlotic.livejournal.com]

Was it Brooke Shields that said "don't hate me because I'm beautiful?" or is that someone else.

The Evening Neil Post...

[mncuddlecub.livejournal.com]

Neil, you know something I love about your posts... They are always so well thought out, and complete. So many, and when I say that, I put myself at the top of the list, just throw out random thoughts, some show more thought than others. But when you write, you give all the important information, and break it up appropriately while not overloading the reader with usless information (unless it's "uselessly funny" :o) and usual able to wrap the whole thing up with a cute catch phrase. And this is just for one posting. You manage to do this each posting!

I've noticed this about your writing for a while, and finally decided to say something about it. Thanks. Not just for WHAT you're writing, but HOW you're writing it.

Eat Drink and be Mary

[vernnyc.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the experience, and for dinner. It was fun spending time with you and Tim.

On the other hand, you are too kind. I think people are going to start thinking that I am channeling Mary Tyler Moore, when I am perhaps more of a Rhoda :-)

Re: The Evening Neil Post...

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Keith! You could not have paid me a higher compliment! I really appreciate it!

Re: Eat Drink and be Mary

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I always liked Rhoda and her self-deprecating sense of humor better any way! Better to be a Rhoda than bland Mary or pushy Phyllis, don't ya think? LOL!

[excessor.livejournal.com]

I love reading about your work and your adventures. It's so completely different from my life. When I was in high school, more than anything else I wanted to be a Broadway performer and a lot of my peers (and some of my teachers) pushed me in the direction. It's wonderful to see a world-that-might-have-been-for-me through your eyes.