Birthday Parade

[mrdreamjeans]

I was just checking my Golden Retriever Puppies calendar and making sure I was up-to-date on sending birthday cards and planning ahead for presents:) From March 1 though April 14, I celebrate more people’s “natal anniversaries” (to borrow a phrase from lowfatmuffin) than at any other time of year.

Since I’m sitting here in my hotel room at the Ram-It-Inn West Hollywood ... air conditioning cranked, avoiding the smoggy LA weather, I thought it might be interesting to analyze how long I’ve been honoring the friends and family members on my birthday list for this period of time. Only one friend is on Live Journal. So here goes:

March 3 - Michael in Pittsburgh (my first boyfriend) - every year since 1977

March 5 - Henry in Washington, DC - since 1993

March 8 - David, an actor friend from “Phantom” - since 1994

March 17 - Twin nephews Ryan and Brennan - since birth in 1987 (Yep! They’re 18 next week.)

March 18 - Brother-in-law Wayne - since 1983 (He’s 50 next week!)

March 21 - Rick in Cleveland Ohio - since 1980

March 22 - My birthday! Every year since 19#$%^*&*!

March 31 - John in New York; we met on a cruise ship in 1983. I was his “first” :) He’s been with
the “second”, his partner Herb since 1984.

April 5 - Tim (bluedevilsf on LJ) ; we met through gotmoof in 1998 and my life has been enriched
ever since.

April 7 - Judy - since 1989- Our friendship ended abruptly last year. I don’t know why. I am
debating whether to hang in there. Should I send a card? None of my efforts to communicate and find resolution have been successful.

April 8 - Sister-in-law Lisa - every year since 1978. My brother and she met the third week of their freshman year at college and have been together ever since.

April 10 - Stan in San Fran; he’s the partner of my ex David and I adore him. Since 1999.

April 14 - Bill - an actor friend; the best metrosexual I know - since 1992.

So, that’s the tally... 15 birthdays in 6 weeks with five of them in the family (if you include me... and I always include me by buying myself presents:) Lots of Pisces and Aries in the mix. Just know that each of these people has brought joy and happiness to my life. Happy Birthday to all!

Comments

[listens2kids.livejournal.com]

I was just checking my Golden Retriever Puppies calendar

Awwwwww!

[orange-groves.livejournal.com]

Were your friends born in Africa or Brazil?
natal
1. A region of southeast Africa on the Indian Ocean. First sighted by Vasco da Gama on Christmas Day 1497 and named Terra Natalis, it was settled by British traders in 1823 and by the Boers after 1836. Annexed by the British to Cape Colony in 1843, Natal became a separate colony after 1856 and a founding province of South Africa in 1910.
2. A city of northeast Brazil on the Atlantic Ocean north of Recife. Founded in the late 1590s, it grew rapidly in World War II as a base for flights connecting with Africa. Population: 767,000.

[gotmoof.livejournal.com]

The Muffin Man would be correct in this case.

Hey there

[howbearca.livejournal.com]

I friended you because you are an actor and I would like to get to know you better...i am currently an actor/director but only in the community theater level...i look forward to reading more about you...especially your experience with EVITA...i am hoping to see the show while it is in SF

Re: Hey there

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

LOL! Thanks Bob for the cheer! And you're welcome for the use of my journal space as a free commercial for Spontaneous Productions and your current production:) LOL!

Re: Hey there

[howbearca.livejournal.com]

wow...very cool...i look forward to reading more about your group.

I will be in a production of LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO next month in San Jose (I am playing Peachy) and then next fall, I am directing my first musical...OKLAHOMA!

Re: Hey there

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Thanks for checking out my journal. Participating and/or appreciating theater at any level is important. Creating is important. Welcome! I look forward to getting to know you through LJ.

Re: Hey there

[howbearca.livejournal.com]

thanks...same here!!

Question??

[howbearca.livejournal.com]

Were you in PHANTOM or PHANTOM OF THE OPERA?

Re: Question??

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Nope. I was in the Music Box Company of "The Phantom of the Opera" for four years. I was in the ensemble and covered the role of Ubaldo Piangi, the Italian Opera Singer who is Carlotta's sidekick. I went on exactly 100 times in the role. I only sing "Music of the Night" in late night Karaoke:)

Re: Question??

[howbearca.livejournal.com]

cool...i think you misread the question though...i was asking which version of PHANTOM you were in...the ALW version or the other one...i forgot the author's name...we did the other version a few years ago and I think it has better music and a better book.

Re: Question??

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

LOL! I did mis-read the question. I was blurry-eyed when I was answering mail at 1:00am:) I've done both shows. I did the ALW version for 4 years; I did the world remiere of the Yeston-Kopit version in 1991 in Houston. We worked directly with Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit for several weeks and I very much agree that it is a stronger book and a much more accessible, diverse score. Thanks for asking!

Re: Question??

[howbearca.livejournal.com]

How very cool that you have done both and I am glad that I am not the only one that likes the Kopit/Yeston version...i would love to see a really good production of that show...ours was good..but I mean on an ALW level.

[gotmoof.livejournal.com]

bluedevilsf is April 5.

And your birthday is March 23. Remember, I declared it so?

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Um... I just wanted to see if you were reading. I always seem to mix up the date for Tim between April 3 and 5. I am going to correct it on my calendar for the third year in a row:) My birthday is March 22 even if you continue to insist my mother was wrong and that it's March 23. At least you're consistent too:)

[gotmoof.livejournal.com]

Consistency is also good for regularity.

:D

The LA Run

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Hey Brett! Audiences have been good. We've consistently played to 7/8 houses, much better than what we did when the 1998-99 tour played here. The audiences have been generous. So far in nine performances, we've raised over $18K for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS through our post-show collections and poster sales.

Backstage hasn't been as positive because of the bug that has vocally nailed many members of the cast. We've had almost half the people ill at one time our entire time here. It puts a lot of stress on everyone. We've had a different line-up every night, but the shows have been excellent.

Sunday night, it will all be over in LaLa Land and we'll be headed to San Fran for a month. Thanks for reading and caring! Hugs!

[teddybtoronto.livejournal.com]

Hi, Neil. I landed on your journal after seeing your comments on a mutual friend's page. I've enjoyed reading about your current tour, and I hope to see the production when you guys get to Toronto. I see we share an interest in bluegrass and Alison Krauss. I love her stuff with Union Station. I saw them here in Toronto a couple of summers ago, and loved every minute of it. I've added you as a friend, I hope you don't mind.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Not at all! I appreciate you taking interest in my journal. We'll be in Toronto for 5-6 weeks, so you'll have plenty of opportunity to see the show while we are there. Please encourage any theater-going friends you might have to attend the show. I'm looking forward to our run North of the border:)

[teddybtoronto.livejournal.com]

I will definitely drum up some interest in the show among my buddies here in town. I am sure a lot of them will want to see it. Do you know what theater the show will be booked into? For an extended run like that, I'm guessing it must be part of a subscription package like the one put together by the Mirvishes.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I'll have to double-check, but I think we're at the Prince Edward? I'll get back to you. Thanks!

[teddybtoronto.livejournal.com]

After I posted my earlier note, I did a quick check, and I think it is the Princess of Wales Theatre, for the Mirvishes. That's the theatre David Mirvish and his father Ed built for their production of Ms Saigon. (I'm told it has some amazing fly space to accommodate the helicopter for the climax of that show.)

I've always heard the Mirvishes are great to work with, and I hope your Toronto run proves to be more of the same.

I think quite a few of my bear buddies have subscriptions to the Mirvish series, so you'll definitely see lots of us in the audience. *grin*

Break a leg in SF!