Andrew's BlogTuesday, October 21, 2008 -
I'm on the plane flying to Spokane, WA to join the company of the Phantom tour. Man I hate flying, but in a different way now. I used to hate the turbulence and the dangers that most white-knucklers like myself hate. Now my hate starts with checking my bags. They even charged me for having a bag at all, I guess the jackasses who put their giant carry-ons in the overhead bin are being rewarded. Pisses me off. There's a flight attendant here who hates all of us and she aint shy about showing it. Her face is a permanent half-smile, like the one on the face of the nazi torturer in the first Indiana Jones movie. Oklahoma was great. I really enjoyed the cast and the response I got for the work I did on Jud. I did, unfortunately, get a case of laryngitis and missed my last 7 shows. Never happened to me before. I was sad to collect my belongings and make the rounds saying goodbye to everyone before the last show, but that's how it goes sometimes. So now I'm flying to Spokane, with Frau Kleinenbaum giving me the stink eye. Friday, October 03, 2008 - Aint we having some fun now...
Update: they cancelled the show! In all my years I've never had a show cancelled out from beneath me. We performed the post-bows OK reprise and went home. Thursday, September 18, 2008 - Fallen off the face of the earth.
So now I'm backstage at Papermill, all dirtied up and ready to go on as Jud. This is a new kind of role for me, for a variety of reasons, but I'm digging doing something outside of my musical comedy comfort zone. I'll post reviews and pix of the show later on once they come in. After Papermill, I'm heading off on tour (again) with Phantom of the Opera. I don't relish leaving my Susan and Oscar, but the opportunity to learn the role of the Phantom is just too good to pass up. I learned that whole album by heart when I was in high school, and I recently had a makeup fitting where they put all the Phantom prosthetics on my face. Very cool. Later Gator.
Monday, November 26, 2007 - Tech
When I auditioned, Jon Kimbell (our director) came around the table and said he was really interested in me for the role, so how could I not do it? Also, the luminous Susan Spencer Varela was cast as Belle so we made all kinds of plans to spend the holidays here in Mass. As luck would have it, a few days we while walking to go see the Christmas Show at Radio City, our little boy tripped and tore a nasty gash in his head. The follow up stuff precluded Susan from doing the show, so that kind of sux but they've just left after spending the Thanksgiving with me here. btw she drove away in one of those PT cruiser rentals from avis, man that's a ridiculous looking car. Gold. The car is gold in color. U gotta be kidding me, I kept expecting clowns to come out of the back of it. I'm doing Roundabout's Sunday in the Park. That's a great gig for me because Roundabout is a great theater and I've never done Sondheim before. This production is a pretty successful one that's coming in from London so its a great opportunity on so many levels and I'm really looking forward to it. I also got to audition for Sondheim who paid me a compliment when I finished singing "In Praise of Women". He said, "Good." I peed a little bit. no lie. Incontinence is not funny. Thursday, August 09, 2007 - Moving On
I'm actually in Chester, CT, working at Goodspeed's Norma Terris theater on their production of Happy Days. Its a musicalization of the famous tv show written by Garry Marshall and music by Paul Williams. Direction is coming from my friend Gordon Greenberg and musical supervision from John McDaniel, both from Pirates!. Today will be the final dress and also our first performance. I'm playing several roles including: Count Jaques Malachi and Elvis. Its lots of fun and we have some genuine nutbirds in the cast. Genuine. From here we move into Papermill, and who knows after that. So today, when I'm done here, I'm meeting Fonzie (Joey Sorge) and we're going to have b-fast at the Whistlestop Cafe, which is just around the corner from here, and then go on to rehearsal. Living here is really pretty nice, its sort of "ex-urban" so you got farms but your not too far from movies and your cell phone works (kinda). Monday, June 11, 2007 -
I'm not going to qualify my enthusiasm, the show is kicking ass. I seriously recommend you get your tix now before the word gets out. Tuesday, June 05, 2007 - Tech
Anyway, we're teching the show and I'm laughing so much already. Its slow going but we're too busy having a good time to notice. Seriously, with what our lighting designer is doing with lights, this "concert" is looking off-the-hook. Every instrument (light) is moving and firing images throughout the theater, the final tableau of "The Pirate King" is this backlit jump into space that is CRAZZY. (the extra z is for extra crazy). Warren Carlyle has given nicknames to all the guys so far. Mike "Twice" Daly, Tim "T Dot" Allen, Dan Spiotta (he kinda sings his name). I give nicknames to people but its more because I suck at remembering names. Warren always gets them right. He's such a good energy and a real powerhouse talent. Anyway, tech is usually where the flaws in a show are revealed, but ours has only reinforced my deep faith that this show is exceedingly special and our run at the Pmill is going to be a triumph for both the show as well as Papermill's "Phoenix-from-the-ashes" moment. Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - Finally
Its been a rough month, wondering daily if Papermill was going to go under or what, but now its all worked out and the show is going up with a few minor alterations, mostly having to do with dealing with the fact that, since there's no time to build a proper set, a reduced set. I've read online some people grousing about having to pay full price for a "concert". That kinds makes a certain kind of sense, but this is not the show to have that worry about. ITS JUST TOO DAMN GOOD. I'm not going to oversell it. You come see the show and you'll see what I mean. I dare you. Saturday, March 10, 2007 -
Did you check out the NYTimes full page ad? I had no idea that was in the works. My mom left me a voicemail freaking out about it. Apparently my brother-in-law was on the toilet (sorry) and he turned the page to see my scowling face and started screaming for my sister. Sorta like what happened on Elvis' last day... Thanks to all of you who come by and leave a little note to me in the guestbook. If you manage to get out to Papermill June 6 thru July 15, I'll come out and say hello after the perf. Just make sure you give me the secret handshake..and by that I mean.... Tuesday, December 05, 2006 -
Well, Pirates at Goodspeed is going better than anyone anticipated. Our reviews have all been raves (with the exception of the Norwalk critic who found us "vulgar" but he can suck it) and my reviews have been particularly good (not bragging, but good reviews are the coin of the realm). Go to the news section to find the links. Ineresting fact: The New York Times critic said I was "dashing if not breathtaking". Now I was perturbed by that turn of phrase, but everyone else in the cast came up to me to offer their congratulations. I guess I read it wrong, assuming that the critic had wished me to be "breathtaking" but had to settle for "dashing", but everyone else had a much more positive read on it. So I drank their Kool Aid and am happy once again. The cast is really a gift. Gordon Greenberg (director) really got together a crew of different types, each with their own appreciation for the material and senses of humor, that work together in that "lightning in a bottle" way (Gordon's words, not mine). As far as interpersonnal relationships, everyone is having fun and getting along in a way I've not seen in a 24 person cast. The girls are even cooking for each other and I even do yoga on a regular basis with some of them. If you've never been to East Haddam, you can only imagine how important it is to get along with the cast since there is NOTHING else to do in town. Its a lovely place, but you need a car and there are precious few to be found. Ed Dixon (Major General) has solved that problem with the purchase of a small scooter that labors to carry him from place to place. If you're driving in the area and you ever see a man on a scooter, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and cap, and he's crying while looking at a particularly pretty view of the river or a waterfall, you've stumbled upon our Ed. Thanks to everyone who has posted a supportive note in the guestbook, its really great to stop over there from time to time (every day) and find a new one. Here's to hoping that the magic holds enough to ensure our casting for Papermill (which is not yet announced, so do your part and insist that the cast be maintained!) Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah! Saturday, October 28, 2006 -
Thursday, October 26, 2006 -
Well, we're up and running and the show is going great! Its hard to explain to the uninitiated just how small this space is and how carefully one must move, especially considering the presence of flashing swords and such. Yesterday, I injured myself in a half dozen ways in a single performance, a new record for me. The cast is great. Ed Dixon is the kind of actor that makes you glad to show up for work: professional, whimsical, and with an evil streak that makes every moment offstage like an eighth grade classroom with no adult supervising. Jason Snow is a great guy with buckets of talent and a Jennifer Coolidge imitation that never fails to make me laugh. The pirate ensemble is a bunch of guys who individually would be great to work with but collectively make every moment onstage a cross between a Broadway show and a pickup game at the Y. Check out the news section, I've got some new interviews up now. A Friday, September 15, 2006 -
The show rehearsals are going well. For those of you that don't know, the graph of rehearsals is a wave. You show up, all full of energy and enthusiasm, and about five 8-hour days of learning music and dance combos (yeah, I'm dancing) you find yourself in, what I'm taking to calling, "The Weeds". You don't know what you're doing or if you'll ever really get it, but you plow ahead. Its easy to feel dumpy but, hopefully, some costume pieces come in or you finally get that dance move that was crossing your eyes, and opening seems that much closer. The theater itself is TINY, which is funny considering how sterling a rep this place has. Annie started here as well as Shenandoah so there is a pedigree to anything and anyone associated with this place. Roger Preston Smith is in the show. He and I did Pirates at Mill Mountain Theater in Roanoke, VA about 6 years ago. He is in an apartment near to me and our evenings aren't complete until we sit like country gentlemen on our front porch talking about the events of the day. He's a character as well as a very decent man. The show is going to be something special, that feeling is already in the air. Ed Dixon, who is our Major General, said that he knew this was going to be great as soon as he read the script. Our fight choreo is none other than Bway's gold standard Rick Sordolet. He's great to work with and has an infectious enthusiasm that makes a long day seem much shorter. He and I went to the same college (Rutgers University) and did a few operas together back then. The swordplay in the show is going to be sick. Monday, August 28, 2006 - Hello!
Please sign the guestbook and make me feel loved. Saturday, August 26, 2006 - First post
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