Road Roulette
Dec. 8th, 2005 05:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mrdreamjeansI just called in/out sick .... I haven't missed a show since May, but this cold, virus, whatever it is that’s going around the cast is laying me low today. I’ve fought it for four days, flown with it, but today I'm getting a fever and it’s better not to expose people to it. It’s my rule - if I have a fever and I’m contagious, I don’t come in to do the show.
Show Bits - We had a full house for the opening at Gammage Theater here in Tempe, Arizona and it continued a string of standing ovations for “Evita”. I never take these for granted. “Phantom” always plays to full houses and standing O’s, but it’s unusual for this piece. It’s usually a bit too cold, cynical and political to earn ovations. We’ve been earning them regularly.
Our past three or four cities haven’t seen an “Evita” tour in 12-13 years. We didn’t play Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, San Antonio or Tempe on the 1998-99 Tour. Along the same lines, we’ve earned overages for Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and San Antonio. No overexposure = overages?
This is the final week of “Evita” for Candy Olsen, our tango dancer. Candy’s leaving to go home to her hubby in Los Angeles and pursue other dance opportunities. She’s one of those people who touches everyone with the purity of her heart, her sunny personality and her extraordinary talent. I’ve known her since she was 19 years old and she always makes any experience you share with her a joyful one. I’ll miss her dearly. She’s made the road a friendlier place.
We’ll have a replacement for Candy after the first of the year. Meanwhile, Nova Bergeron becomes the new tango dancer and a new person will be hired to play the final six weeks of the tour. Our associate director, Kim Jordan, will fill the empty slot for the two holiday weeks. It appears “Evita” will end with only eleven of its original cast members.
Odd Calls - My final morning in San Antonio, I received a phone call from the hotel front desk at 7am. The lady on the other end of the line said, “You requested more lotion for your room?” I told her that I hadn’t made a call requesting anything and that she had awakened me. She said, “Well, You’re in Room 420 and called for lotion.” I replied, “Ma’m, I did NOT call you. Why would I want more lotion at 7am on a Sunday morning?” .... ummm .... Now that I think of it ....
Pride (Borrowed) - Four friends, who hadn't seen each other in 30 years, reunited at a party. After several drinks, one of the men had to use the rest room. Those who remained talked about their kids.
The first guy said, "My son is my pride and joy. He started working at a successful company at the bottom of the barrel. He studied Economics and Business Administration and soon began to climb the corporate ladder and now he's the president of the company. He became so rich that he gave his best friend a top of the line Mercedes for his birthday."
The second guy said, "Darn, that's terrific! My son is also my pride and joy. He started working for a big airline, then went to flight school to become a pilot. Eventually he became a partner in the company, where he owns the majority of its assets. He's so rich that he gave his best friend a brand new jet for his birthday."
The third man said: "Well, that's terrific! My son studied in the best universities and became an engineer. Then he started his own construction company and is now a multimillionaire. He also gave away something very nice and expensive to his best friend for his birthday: A 30,000 square foot mansion." The three friends congratulated each other just as the fourth returned from the restroom and asked: "What are all the congratulations for?"
One of the three said: "We were talking about the pride we feel for the successes of our sons ... What about your son?"
The fourth man replied: "My son is gay and makes a living dancing as a stripper at a nightclub."
The three friends said: "What a shame ... what a disappointment!"
The fourth man replied: "No, I'm not ashamed. He's my son and I love him. And he hasn't done too bad either. His birthday was two weeks ago, and he received a beautiful 30,000 square foot mansion, a brand new jet and a top of the line Mercedes from his three boyfriends!"
Odd Jobs - I was discussing unusual jobs with my dresser Lynn in Fort Lauderdale. She said the most unusual job she’s ever held was in 1980 as a relief route truck driver for Leggs, the panty hose company. Her required uniform was a tight logo tee-shirt, panty hose and short shorts; she had to wear full make-up as she delivered shipments around South Florida. Lynn told me, “I was a single mother with a three old daughter. It was a good job, though I didn’t do it for long.”
I held my most unusual job the summer after my Junior year in college. I worked in a convalescent home. I took care of bathing and shaving truculent old men with colostomies and amputations (changing the bags was the worst). My oddest duty was to put on latex gloves, take KY Jelly and stimulate bowel movements for the male parapelgics at the facility. What was your most unusual job?
Show Bits - We had a full house for the opening at Gammage Theater here in Tempe, Arizona and it continued a string of standing ovations for “Evita”. I never take these for granted. “Phantom” always plays to full houses and standing O’s, but it’s unusual for this piece. It’s usually a bit too cold, cynical and political to earn ovations. We’ve been earning them regularly.
Our past three or four cities haven’t seen an “Evita” tour in 12-13 years. We didn’t play Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, San Antonio or Tempe on the 1998-99 Tour. Along the same lines, we’ve earned overages for Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and San Antonio. No overexposure = overages?
This is the final week of “Evita” for Candy Olsen, our tango dancer. Candy’s leaving to go home to her hubby in Los Angeles and pursue other dance opportunities. She’s one of those people who touches everyone with the purity of her heart, her sunny personality and her extraordinary talent. I’ve known her since she was 19 years old and she always makes any experience you share with her a joyful one. I’ll miss her dearly. She’s made the road a friendlier place.
We’ll have a replacement for Candy after the first of the year. Meanwhile, Nova Bergeron becomes the new tango dancer and a new person will be hired to play the final six weeks of the tour. Our associate director, Kim Jordan, will fill the empty slot for the two holiday weeks. It appears “Evita” will end with only eleven of its original cast members.
Odd Calls - My final morning in San Antonio, I received a phone call from the hotel front desk at 7am. The lady on the other end of the line said, “You requested more lotion for your room?” I told her that I hadn’t made a call requesting anything and that she had awakened me. She said, “Well, You’re in Room 420 and called for lotion.” I replied, “Ma’m, I did NOT call you. Why would I want more lotion at 7am on a Sunday morning?” .... ummm .... Now that I think of it ....
Pride (Borrowed) - Four friends, who hadn't seen each other in 30 years, reunited at a party. After several drinks, one of the men had to use the rest room. Those who remained talked about their kids.
The first guy said, "My son is my pride and joy. He started working at a successful company at the bottom of the barrel. He studied Economics and Business Administration and soon began to climb the corporate ladder and now he's the president of the company. He became so rich that he gave his best friend a top of the line Mercedes for his birthday."
The second guy said, "Darn, that's terrific! My son is also my pride and joy. He started working for a big airline, then went to flight school to become a pilot. Eventually he became a partner in the company, where he owns the majority of its assets. He's so rich that he gave his best friend a brand new jet for his birthday."
The third man said: "Well, that's terrific! My son studied in the best universities and became an engineer. Then he started his own construction company and is now a multimillionaire. He also gave away something very nice and expensive to his best friend for his birthday: A 30,000 square foot mansion." The three friends congratulated each other just as the fourth returned from the restroom and asked: "What are all the congratulations for?"
One of the three said: "We were talking about the pride we feel for the successes of our sons ... What about your son?"
The fourth man replied: "My son is gay and makes a living dancing as a stripper at a nightclub."
The three friends said: "What a shame ... what a disappointment!"
The fourth man replied: "No, I'm not ashamed. He's my son and I love him. And he hasn't done too bad either. His birthday was two weeks ago, and he received a beautiful 30,000 square foot mansion, a brand new jet and a top of the line Mercedes from his three boyfriends!"
Odd Jobs - I was discussing unusual jobs with my dresser Lynn in Fort Lauderdale. She said the most unusual job she’s ever held was in 1980 as a relief route truck driver for Leggs, the panty hose company. Her required uniform was a tight logo tee-shirt, panty hose and short shorts; she had to wear full make-up as she delivered shipments around South Florida. Lynn told me, “I was a single mother with a three old daughter. It was a good job, though I didn’t do it for long.”
I held my most unusual job the summer after my Junior year in college. I worked in a convalescent home. I took care of bathing and shaving truculent old men with colostomies and amputations (changing the bags was the worst). My oddest duty was to put on latex gloves, take KY Jelly and stimulate bowel movements for the male parapelgics at the facility. What was your most unusual job?
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