A BIT OF A LOOK

Well, I’ve been home for  a couple of days now.  It’s so weird that it’s over now.  I don’t have it in me to do the whole post mortem yet but I wanted to share some photos with you.  These were taken by Bruce Monk.

Here he is, folks – ALDOLPHO

Ah, my lady love, the Chaperone, played by my darling DeAnn deGruijter.

Now I have to admit, this one makes me laugh only because (totally unintentionally, I assure you) it mimics the iconic shot of Jennifer Holliday in the shot from the end of the number “And I’m Telling You” from DREAMGIRLS.

And this is my impersonation of a raptor, apparently.

One of my favourite shots.

Finally, a shot of the big group number, “Toledo Surprise”.

THE INEVITABLE

Oh lord, y’all, we’ve hit that shitty time when everyone is starting to get sick.  Honestly, it’s like some kindergarten class.  One kid gets it and in ten minutes, cooties everywhere.   Everyone’s getting some form of illness.  There is so much “oil of oregano” being used, the backstage smells like lunch hour at The Olive Garden.  I’m pretty sure that the cast is keeping Cold FX in business right now.  I can usually will any illness away from me but I’m finding this one is tricky.  It tried to become a full cold, but I wouldn’t let it so it sort of became a slightly stuffed nose with a little bit of runniness.  (Is that a word? – Ah well, it’s my blog) Then it thought it might become a throat infection. Nope, I won’t let it – so it just became a dry scratchy throat with slight swelling of the vocal folds, just to make the singing extra fun.  But since I wouldn’t let any of it really take hold, it got all  uppity and decided “let’s become bronchitis”.  Well, I got the Buckley’s, cause there is no way I’m going to let that happen.  It’s still fighting me and trying to have a complete victory.  I’m determined to wrestle it to the ground.  But I have to admit, the last two nights having to sleep sitting up because of the coughing is pissing me off.   IT WILL NOT WIN!!!!

It hasn’t affected the show too badly.  Although I did have a show . . . on Thursday night, I think, where I was worried I was going to have to speak/sing my way through some of my number.  Which is crazy.  I can sing through just about anything unless the illness is right on my chords.  It was iffy.  But I turned that shit out, y’all.   I’ve got a reputation to protect (that’s what I’m telling myself anyway.  It helps me soldier on. )  I’ve sung through bronchitis, pneumonia, strep throat, vocal fatigue and bad conductors.  I’m not about to be taken out because of “dry throat”.  hahahahaha   Screw that.

But the show is going really well. Holy Crap, it’s being well received.  I told you that Winnipeg was going to poop a little.  We haven’t had a house below about 85% so far.  And word of mouth has been crazy.   Really great.  I’m getting some fun glory which is nice being in the hometown.

Otherwise been busy – seeing family, friends, etc.

Good times.

GUEST BLOGGER

I’m a little tired tonight so my partner-in-crime, DeAnn deGruijter, who plays the Chaperone suggested I let a guest blogger take the reigns tonight.  I thought it’s a great idea so may I present our guest blogger for the evening . . . my Spanish tango pants from the show:

“hhhellooo, good peeples of Thom’s blok.  Ah-ee em soo  trilled to be aple to toke to jou about our leedle show.  Eet was a parteecularly exciteen show tonighd.  Thom was feeleen so rrrrelax, he let me plah-ee a leedle bit.  I haf been e-so eenspire-t by the way I feel when ah-ee em e-stretched oh-fer Thom’s manly thighs.  E-so beefy and maskuleen.  Ant so when he was beesy tinkeen of his lyrics, I took ohfer for one part of de number. I felt thee moment needet some pelvic throhsts, so I took it upon mah-ee-self to insert three of dem.  De audiense thoht it was funny as did de lady in dee oranch pahnts .  (I beelif they call hare the Chaparone or sonteen like that.) Aaanywaysss, I pelvic throhsted at hare ent she broke into beeg smile.  I tin Thom tawt it wohs funny too baycos he got glint een hees eye.  Ah-ee em preety chure he wohs please as he seemed much fohnnier from there unteel de ent.  E-so, dat’s ohl ah-ee haf to tohk about.  Tenk you forrrr listeneen.”

LEADING UP TO OPENING

Okay my peeps, so I just that had horrible thing happen where you type a whole bunch of shit and the computer shuts down before you’ve saved it and now I have to do it all again. So here goes.

I wanted to catch everyone up on some Drowsy – leading up to our opening night which was last night.

REHEARSALS WITH TECH

So we spent several days after the last post “teching” the show.  For the uninitiated, that means simply rehearsing the show with all of the technical elements now that we’re onstage – light, sound, sets pieces moving, etc.  These can be such long and tedious days. A lot of standing around, waiting, doing the same thing over and over again, fixing a light or the timing of something.  Invariably someone gets bitchy – director, choregrapher, cast member, stage management.  We did pretty good. There was a little shortness of temper or sharpness of tongue from the odd person but otherwise not too shabby.  That cast stayed in high spirits, a lot of laughs.  There  were a couple of things that constantly needed looking at.  One was the “Monkey” number and the other was the whole “airplane” sequence.  For those of you who’ve seen the show, you know what I’m talking about. For those of you who haven’t – intrigued, aren’t you?    Anyway, those required tweaking right up until our last rehearsal on the day before opening.   But all was solved by opening night.

TECH/DRESS

So our Tech/Dress (1st time with technical elements and costumes, make-up, wigs, etc.) was the first time anyone had really seen each other as well as themselves all made up.  And let me tell you, my friends, there were many moments of spontaneous laughter as people would get surprised to come off stage or turn around and see some new manifestation of comic costume genius or incredible beauty.  Charlotte Dean, y’all.  I take my hat, my wig, my shoes off to her.  Everyone looks so spectacular.  And I won’t lie, my costumes are pretty amazing and funny and right for Aldolpho.  But I feel I need to warn everyone, my second pair of pants that I wear for the seduction are elastic and so . . . “form-fitting” . . .  that if I ever sneeze, I could be arrested for indecent exposure.  But they are perfect for the scene.   Really fun.  The wigs are so incredible, from my Cesar Romero pompadour to the Chaperone’s finger waves and kiss-curls.

INVITED DRESS REHEARSAL

We had about . . . oh . . . 450 people come to our invited dress rehearsal.  It’s basically like just doing a show.  It was great though.  People were so excited and nervous, wondering what the crowd would be laughing at, what they would react to.  You think you know where the jokes fall in a piece but there are always surprises.    The show was a big hit with the crowd right from the first line.  Lots of buzz from the cast of understanding what to fix or what “bits” to massage to get the right reaction next time.  All in all, people felt pretty good and glad to get an audience.

2 PREVIEWS

I’m simply lumping these together as they were more or less the same.  The crowds loved the show both nights.  It’s fascinating listening to Dean Paul Gibson who is our Man In Chair this time around.  So completely different from Jay Brazeau and yet such another totally engaging version.  The audiences love him. His M.I.C. is much more giddily joyful about the show but also has a much meaner streak in him.  It’s really funny.  And just as heart-breaking in the end.

It’s been really great for me to have an audience again.  I was starting to wonder if I had made some wrong choices on this one.  But I’ve been able to fix a couple of things and massage a couple of things and I think in a few more shows, I’ll be really satisfied.  But I’m always fixing and playing.    We’ll see.

OPENING NIGHT

Everyone was wonderful.   Opening nights can always be tricky because often, the audience is tough.  They expect to be entertained, they’ve had a little to drink, they’ve eaten, they can be a bit dozy.  But, my dears, there was no dozing last night.  They were attentive and Dean got them going right from the start and they stayed with us.  It was really fun.  I felt like I was pushing a little too hard – opening night, home town and all.  But I was still in the ball park and I think it went well.

But, of course, I have to have just one good story.  Sooooo . . . . I’m doing my number and it’s going quite well.  Just before I sing the last line, I do this run onto the bed that the Chaperone is on and I take a huge Matador pose with my arms up above me, facing her.  I’m supposed to drop my arms, turn to the audience and sing the last bit.  Well, I jump on the bed, take the pose and I feel this nice, wet, booger flop out of my nose and onto my mustache as I stop in the pose.  Okay so in the moment, I don’t know how much of it is out there, how far down it is, if it’s just glistening away, if it’s going to drop into my mouth as I breathe in for the last phrase.  All I’m thinking is, I have to get rid of it so it doesn’t ruin the finale of my song.  So I build in this “inhale” where I breathe in through my nose and wipe underneath my nose with my left hand but it looks like I’m stroking my mustache.  I go into my second last big note and, because I was thinking about the booger, I start the note too low (I’ve never done that before) – so what option do I have ????  I make it a “bit” and do a long scoop up into the note like it was on purpose.  Then finish the number as rehearsed.  The crowd went wild (Thank you, universe).  A couple of the cast saw what had happened but the ones who hadn’t thought I had just come up with another funny bit and loved it.   Needless to say, when I told everyone what had happened, we all laughed even harder.

I think we have another hit on our hands.  I’m so happy for the cast and MTC.  I do love this theatre.  I spent many happy evenings seeing things here while I was growing up. And I now, hopefully, I get to be a part of someone else’s wonderful memories.

DROWSY – 1ST DAY ON THE SET

Me  as Aldolpho in Vancouver, Dec. 2008.

OH MY GOD, MY PEOPLE, LISTEN UP!  THE SET IS AWESOME.  Michael Gianfrancesco’s design is so gorgeous.  I haven’t talked to him about what his actual inspiration was but the stage is framed in these descending sizes of rectangular arches as it goes away from the audience.  (I know they have a technical name but I can’t remember.  I know – “Bad member of the theatrical community.  Bad member of the theatrical community.”)   But it looks like the rest of the stage is just floating in Champagne.  I know that sounds odd but when you see it, you’ll know what I mean. Not in a glass of  Champagne  – that’s not the shape – but it’s like you look into a bottle of Champagne and you see this jewel of show.  It’s like Whoville living on a speck of dust. (Hmmm, too obscure??  Dr. Seuss?  No?   Oh well, it’s my blog. I get to be obscure)

The rest of the set is equally as beautiful.  It looks so rich and chic.  It has “1920’s” all over it.  Very Art Deco and the colours are so incredible.  But it’s smart and functional.  We had a spacing rehearsal yesterday.  Basically that just means that we get on stage and our director and choreographer get in the audience and we see how things actually look from the audience and we make sure we are in the right spots to be seen by everyone and the shapes that the choreographer, Tracey, has created makes the right patterns on the stage.  It’s always funny when people hit the stage for the first time.  There are things that just become different when you get to the stage but it’s like actors suddenly become developmentally challenged for a day.  “Is this where I am?”  “This feels closer now.”  “Have I always been here?” “I thought I was behind him.”  It’s very funny to watch and be part of.  I totally admit it, I usually have at least one of those moments . . . and in fact did.  What happened, you ask?  Well . . . the details aren’t important (he says trying to hide his shame.)

Today should be fun.  We have our Sitzprobe.  That’s a lovely German word that basically means that we sit and sing with the orchestra for the first time.  It’s always one of the most thrilling days to finally hear all of the musicians, all of those amazing players and instruments, the trumpets and trombones and saxes and percussion.  And with a show like this, the way the instruments are used for the music is so inventive as they were just discovering such bold sounds in the 20’s – all kissed by the Jazz Age.    Can’t wait, y’all.  I’ll keep you posted.”

LITTLE MORE DROWSY

It’s been so crazy busy I haven’t had a chance to really sit down and write something.  But here I am on Boxing Day and I finally have some time to myself to jot down some thoughts of how it’s been going.

I had a wig fitting the other day and  . . . . WOOHOO, it’s awesome.   It wasn’t totally finished yet but it had been roughly styled for the designer to have a look. The shape is great, the streak is fantastic.  It’s sort of Cesar Romero on steroids.  Seriously, it’s wonderful  And I think the sideburns are my favourite of all three hair versions I’ve now worn for this role.   Isaac (wig maker/wig designer), Charlotte Dean (costume designer) and myself laughed so hard we all had tears in our eyes.  And the mustache hadn’t been cut yet but the shape was spectacular.  It’s how the details become so important in something like a moustache – how thick; what angle; how long; pointed or rounded ends; does it curl up or curl down. And it’s all about the designers taste and when it’s a good designer (and Charlotte is amazing – one of my favourites), they also take info from the actor in terms of how you see the character looking.

Then we also had to look at a mask for a section I won’t talk about but it is, perhaps, one of the funniest parts of the show and there are some FUNNY parts in the show. It always makes the audience go wild when they realize what is happening and it’s the moment that consistently gets talked about as a favourite moment by the people who see the show.  I can’t really describe it without giving something away but it so politically incorrect in the most hilariously cringing way. It’s one of the things I love about this show. It lovingly shows us how far we have come as a society by hilariously showing us how far behind we were in 1928.    LOVE IT.

We’ve started doing “run-throughs”.  For the uninitiated, a run-through is simply going through the show from beginning to end to actually put it together and link everything so we can all start pacing ourselves and get used to the show in terms of sense, and stamina.  It’s also the time when the director and choreographer can see what the show is and how things work.  They can start fine-tuning, changing, fixing, filling in any holes in the storytelling.  It’s always fun when we get to see each other’s work as there is often a lot of work done on scenes we’re not in when we’re not there.  People . . . there is some crazy funny shit going on.

One of the great things for me is that the cast and character choices are so different, I don’t even feel like I’m doing the same show so it’s great to go in and play each day and they’re really inspiring me to make different choices and refine some other choices.  There are seriously some incredible things happening.  And I can honestly say that everyone is bringing their A game – from top to bottom.  Two standouts are Diana Coatsworth’s “Kitty” – she’s created this character who is so goofy and mercurial, every line out of her mouth is an adventure in comedy.  And Kyle Golemba – who is our sole male ensemble member.  He is a thinking actor who is constantly finding fun, interesting, detailed choices.  He’s a young performer who has the respect for the craft and the talent to go really far.  What I really like is he doesn’t complain about how he is “just in the ensemble” and then not do the work.  He reminds me of myself when I was a young actor.  (Not that I’m old, I’m just previously enjoyed.)  An older actor once told me, “At any given moment onstage, at least 5 to 20 people are watching you, no matter how small your part.  And for that moment, YOU are their show and if you don’t have a story to tell or if you’re fooling around or you decide that what you’re doing isn’t important, YOU LET THE STORY DOWN AND KILL THAT MOMENT FOR THEM.”

I never forgot that.  Even when I was in an ensemble of 20 guys, I would treat the show like it was about my character.  ie Wizard of Oz – “The Wizard of Oz is about this guy named Zeph who has a job with the Oz glee club, cleaning up guests who come to visit the Wizard. If I do a great job, I get medicine for my mother. If I don’t, I won’t get paid and I can’t even bring her food, let alone medicine.  One day, a group of four and a dog come to see the Wizard. The folks in charge tell me to clean up this guy made of metal or something and to sing him a song because he’s heartbroken so if we cheer him up and make him sparkle, I’ll get food, medicine and a longer skirt (the doorkeeper keeps checking me out.)”  You get the idea.  I see the same care in Kyle and it heartens me.  Not all of the performers of his generation have the same integrity.  I look forward to seeing where he goes in his career.

We’ve had people coming in to check out the show – lighting designer, sound designer, costume designer, set designer – just to see what they need to be thinking about and looking out for in the show.  They all seem to be enjoying themselves.  Rob Patterson who is the artistic director of the Tom Hendry Theatre and Zaz Bajon, General Manager, came and saw our last run-through before our Christmas break.  I don’t think I’m telling tales out of school (how old am I to use that line?) to say that Zaz had a big smile on his face when he left the rehearsal hall at the end.  And Rob laughed so hard through the run-through, I thought we may have to pay for his dry-cleaning.

We now come into a long week.  Those of you dear people who think that what we do is all glamour and parties. Bite me!   We are about to enter a 7 day week.  Included in which are three 12 hour days.  Not so glamourous.  But thankfully, it’s such a great group, we basically laugh for 8 (or 12) hours a day. It’s what we call “tech week”.   A couple of days refining in the rehearsal hall and then we go to stage, which will involve re-spacing on the set, walking through lighting states to make sure we are in the right places, then adding the orchestra, which is always a thrill, then costumes, make-up, wigs.  To quote the Chaperone, “Yes, life is a mad whirlwind.”

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

There’s not much else to say.  I’m so thankful and grateful that you all come to my blog and read and keep up with my bits and bobs.   I’ve so loved sharing my life with you guys.  Thanks for sharing my life with me.

Happy Holidays.

WEIRDNESS

So I hit that dangerous yet not surprising place in rehearsals yesterday.  Because I have known where Aldolpho lives since we started having done it already, I’m not getting consistent laughs in rehearsal where you normally feel out what works and what doesn’t.  So now the instinct of “I’m not funny.  My shit doesn’t work.” finally started to roll over me yesterday in the stumble-through.  I have to find a way to breathe through that and start really stretching and finding other stuff – whether it’s right or wrong.  Just so I can 1. find some new breath in the work and 2. come back to the things that I realize do work best for me but with fresh eye.  Otherwise, I’ll start falling apart.    Woohoo.  But I thought this may happen so I’m ready to just breathe throught it . . . . pray for me.

GOD BLESS TRACEY FLYE

Just a quick word of praise and glory for our choreographer, Tracey Flye.  So much of the show is musically staged that her job is huge.  She is so calm and so thoughtful in her work.  I don’t mean “thoughtful” as in nice or caring, though she is definitely both of those things.  By “thoughtful”, I mean filled with ideas about character and relationships and connections.   She and Steven Schipper, our director, are a great team.  They seem to really be on the same page and he clearly trusts her and rightly so.  She just jumps in fearlessly and gets things swirling.  She comes with fun ideas for the numbers but is completely open to the thoughts, instincts, impulses of her performers; always willing to amend or enhance or pare down.  And her taste is incredibly well balanced.  Again, what I mean by that is what she thinks is funny, how she thinks something is funny.  She really knows the balance between broad humour and cheap humour and knows how to use or avoid one or the other.  Amazing.  We’re very lucky.

By the way, y’all, I woke up today and luckily was able to walk.  After the rehearsal for my number yesterday, I wasn’t sure that would be happening . . . so soon.

MY NUMBER – “ALDOLPHO”

So yesterday, we get to my big number “Aldolpho”.  I have to admit, I was a little nervous going into the rehearsal hall.  The last version I did with Dayna Tekach choreographing was so great and fun and she really knew how to use what I could do and was still really able to push me further physically.  I knew Tracey Flye (our choreographer on this version) was creative and clever but my God, we had a blast.  For about two hours, I laughed, sweated, tangoed, showed off, brainstormed and begged for mercy.  By the time I was done, my leg was bruised, my back was killing me, my knees hurt.  I COULDN’T HAVE HAD A BETTER TIME.  It is going to be soooooo freakin’ hilarious.  Seriously, people, there were times we simply had to stop because we were laughing so hard.  Deann DeGruijter, who plays the chaperone and is my partner in crime in the number, said it best about half-way through, “Can you believe we get paid for doing this?”  Because Aldolpho believes himself to be a great lover but his seduction “technique” is wanting, how he goes about   . . . . hmmm  well, I don’t want to give too much away . . . . .  hahaha suffice it to say,  slapstick has never been so “spicy”.   hahaha

We seem to be getting through the show – staging and choreography.  I think we will have gotten through the whole thing by Saturday.  Then we can start cleaning numbers (refining, changing, making improvements, polishing) and rethinking moments in the show, making them better, cleaner, clearer, funnier.

At any given point during the day, if you didn’t know we were at a rehearsal, you would think the room is full of the mentally unbalanced.  Someone is always working through “bits” (moments of comic business), coming up with things, physical things that will be funny.  But it looks like a room full of schizophrenics and Tourette’s syndrome sufferers.    (Nothing’s funnier than fake mental illness around the holidays!!!!!)

The cast is so great and funny and insane – in the good way.  It’s really fun watching them clue in to certain story bits and find their characters, making discoveries.  And seeing everyone get excited about each new thing that happens . . .  a costume fitting, a wig fitting, a shoe fitting, a song being choreographed, a scene coming together.  You can feel the excitement.  And though no one feels ready for an audience yet, you can feel how excited everyone will be to finally share the show, once it is better rehearsed.  I think Winnipeg is going to poop a little bit.