A Sensible Three Show Day

My apologies for my blogging negligence. I've been working my tail off in Asbury Park doing ROCKY HORROR, and we have very limited wifi access. It's given me more time to catch up on my Chekhov, but I've fallen behind in everything internet related.

The show is SO MUCH FUN! We opened last night, and I'm on a break in between our matinee and 8pm shows. As it's the day before Halloween, we also have one at midnight. Three show day, huh? Let's do the Time Warp...AGAIN. And AGAIN. AND AGAIN!!! Vocal stamina, be with me today!

We're having a ball. I'm learning so much, since we have to be on our toes at all times - y'know, because every audience is different, and more or less responsive, what with call-outs, dressing up, throwing toilet paper/confetti/playing cards, etc. It's fun when the real ROCKY fans come out and know a lot of the more hilarious call-outs. I'm posting a few pics that I'm in - more to come later, when I've raided the CD at the office. I'd say my Magenta is Naughty Nurse Ratched meets Gloria Swanson circa SUNSET BOULEVARD - and then there's my finale costume! The cast is RIDICULOUS. So funny, and amazingly talented singers. And the band - the band! It's so exciting to rock out every night. Or day. Or whenever. I've lost track of time already.





Okay, I have to leave my beautiful internet cafe haven (if you're ever in Asbury Park, do yourself a favor and visit The Twisted Tree Cafe. They make EVERYTHING fresh, and have a lot of vegan/veggie options for those who need that, plus free wifi, amazingly lovely owners, and delicious everything!) and head back to the Carousel House (the show is playing on the boardwalk in what used to be a carousel. It makes for a really cool non-traditional playing space) to get back into mic and eyelashes. I left the rest of my makeup on. There's a huge Zombie Walk going on today on the boardwalk, so people aren't looking at me like I'm strange, just like I'm really lame for not going far enough. I look intense, but not dead. Ha. Ahh, it's all about context, isn't it?

It's Not Worth Putting My Suitcase in Storage Anymore...

I'm calling tonight "Pack-a-palooza!" as there is much folding and such that needs to occur tonight. Naturally, I have yet to begin. Oh, procrastination, thou art my worthiest opponent! Anyway, we started music rehearsals for ROCKY HORROR on Monday, and learned some ography for TIME WARP later in the week. This cast is ridiculous! By that, I not only mean that they can all wail like nobody's business, but also that they are hilarious, in character and in life. So much FUN! You know what I've discovered I love about this show (other than the fact that there seems to be no end to my getting hired to do obscenely over-the-top dialect work)? You really can't go too far. Music rehearsals have primarily consisted of plunking parts and us laughing in disbelief at one of our castmates just belting the flesh off our faces. Singing your face off in this show is actually not self-indulgent! Ahh, the glories of playing aliens. With Russian accents. If you're me.

Anywhoo, I can just hear you now, saying, "Amy, do tell me some tidbits regarding what you've been up to lately! Perhaps with LINKS!"

Oh, twist my arm.

First of all, here's a link to Theatermania.com's cast announcement of ReVision's ROCKY HORROR!

I am very excited for my darling friend Nikka Graff Lanzarone, who is making her Broadway debut tonight as previews begin for WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN! AAAAAH, so exciting!!!

Last week, I saw the Broadway productions of La Bete, starring the always incredible Mark Rylance and delightful David Hyde Pierce, and Pitmen Painters, a beautiful West End transfer (go see it if you can - I just LOVED it), the Off-Broadway production of Angels in America, and both casts of Office Hours at my beloved Flea Theater! All of them were grand, marvelous, wonderful, etc for different reasons! I recommend them all, and feel free to comment or email me if you want a bit more of a scoop. Tomorrow I'm seeing A Life in the Theatre, with TR Knight and the glorious Patrick Stewart. Sunday, I leave for New Jersey to begin our rehearsal process fo rilz (clearly a technical term in the industry for diving into all-day rehearsals).

Speaking of which, I need to pack!

Before wrapping this up, I would like to take a brief moment to mention the recent rash of tragic teenage suicides due to bullying, in many instances because of their actual or perceived homosexuality. These deaths absolutely break my heart. A number of outreach programs have spun into motion in reaction to these events, and I just wanted to pass the information along. Regardless of one's views on homosexuality, I think we can agree that a 13-year-old hanging himself in his backyard in reaction to being bullied and feeling humiliated is horrifying, and that we could all afford to spread some compassion.
The IT GETS BETTER Project
Give a Damn - LGBT Equality