Random Musings (Oct.4)
Sun, Oct 4 2009 08:57
| Permalink
random thoughts:
********************
i realized today after the Donnie/Stosh car scene that i have really gotten a lot of the contents of the blood packet into my throat...
you see the problem is i have to hold the blood packet deep into my right cheek so by the time we get through the scene with all of the dialogue, i have amassed a pretty sizeable amount of spit in my mouth; so by the time i break the packet, it mixes with my saliva and runs pretty freely down my throat.
the worst part is i have no idea what's in the packet. i assume it's some sort of corn syrup with some sort of food coloring, but it tastes pretty much how it looks. it tastes "dark and red".
so if i figure that if about a teaspoon of "blood" goes into one of those packets, and if 6 teaspoons equals 1 fluid ounce, and if 33 fluid ounces equal 1 liter...that means that after about six months in the show (about 200 shows), i essentially am drinking half of a 2 liter bottle of soda that you would buy at the store...but filled with stage blood.
i should find out exactly what the hell is going into my system.
********************
i am horrible at blogging nowadays. but i also sleep a whole hell of a lot less and am working my ass off...so sorry about that but i guess it is what it is.
i don't think i can (or will) promise to do better at blogging.
but i'll try, i promise (i'm lying).
********************
the Chicago company celebrated their 1,000th show last week. that is 1,000 shows since the first public performance that the cast made back in San Fransisco when it opened there after the first national cast left for LA and before they moved onto Chicago.
what an amazing experience i have had being able to celebrate all these milestones with all of these different companies i have been a part of.
it's also amazing to me that i have been a part of three different companies with this show. Tour, Broadway and now Chicago; all so similar and yet completely different. I'd really like to do a show in Vegas so I can say I have done every North American company...
...or they can just send me to Australia for a few weeks.
********************
at intermission, everyone pretty much hangs out in the wardrobe room. not only because the wardrobe staff is freaking awesome, but because there is always so much junk food to eat.
today there were brownies, three different bags of chips/crackers and a birthday cake.
it's like a damn pot luck 8 shows a week and i can't stop eating...!
yet i have lost over 10 pounds.
so should i have more cake?
********************
i hated living in NYC but i can't tell you how badly i miss that city right now. i miss my friends in the Broadway cast so much and i want to see them right now. i miss going to a broadway show. i miss the really good halal cart on 56th and 6th. i even miss the subway a little bit.
********************
a few weeks ago i went with some cast members to this place called Stanley's Kitchen & Tap for a few drinks and, more importantly, for LIVE BAND KARAOKE!!!
they have an amazing live band, and as you would sign up at any other bar to sing for a crowd, you do it with a live band and it's unreal. i want to go back soon because i have not stopped thinking about how much fun i had.
i sang "Baba O' Riley" by The Who and "Everlong" from Foo Fighters and it made me feel just like i used to feel when i sang with my band back in college...
did any of you reading this knew i was in a band for seven years or that i recorded six albums with them...?
anyway - here's me singing The Who song - please excuse the poor video/sound quality:
********************
my daughter is the most adorable baby in the entire world. i look at her and i can't stop smiling. all i want to do is make her laugh and make stupid faces at her and for her to think her daddy is the silliest daddy in the world.
i go outside to do an errand for a few minutes and i walk back in the room and she turns her head to look at me and starts grinning from ear to ear and repeats the babbling of words, "ha da, da da, da da" - which obviously means "hello daddy! look it's daddy! i love you daddy".
she is everything to me and even with her sleeping in her pack and play near me right now, i am excited to spend time with her tomorrow and tell her i love her.
she is also crawling and it terrifies me because i know walking is next...
********************
i have fun news to share but i can't yet. i always love posting that shit because it puts some of you in such a frenzy to figure it out.
********************
good night.
********************
i realized today after the Donnie/Stosh car scene that i have really gotten a lot of the contents of the blood packet into my throat...
you see the problem is i have to hold the blood packet deep into my right cheek so by the time we get through the scene with all of the dialogue, i have amassed a pretty sizeable amount of spit in my mouth; so by the time i break the packet, it mixes with my saliva and runs pretty freely down my throat.
the worst part is i have no idea what's in the packet. i assume it's some sort of corn syrup with some sort of food coloring, but it tastes pretty much how it looks. it tastes "dark and red".
so if i figure that if about a teaspoon of "blood" goes into one of those packets, and if 6 teaspoons equals 1 fluid ounce, and if 33 fluid ounces equal 1 liter...that means that after about six months in the show (about 200 shows), i essentially am drinking half of a 2 liter bottle of soda that you would buy at the store...but filled with stage blood.
i should find out exactly what the hell is going into my system.
********************
i am horrible at blogging nowadays. but i also sleep a whole hell of a lot less and am working my ass off...so sorry about that but i guess it is what it is.
i don't think i can (or will) promise to do better at blogging.
but i'll try, i promise (i'm lying).
********************
the Chicago company celebrated their 1,000th show last week. that is 1,000 shows since the first public performance that the cast made back in San Fransisco when it opened there after the first national cast left for LA and before they moved onto Chicago.
what an amazing experience i have had being able to celebrate all these milestones with all of these different companies i have been a part of.
it's also amazing to me that i have been a part of three different companies with this show. Tour, Broadway and now Chicago; all so similar and yet completely different. I'd really like to do a show in Vegas so I can say I have done every North American company...
...or they can just send me to Australia for a few weeks.
********************
at intermission, everyone pretty much hangs out in the wardrobe room. not only because the wardrobe staff is freaking awesome, but because there is always so much junk food to eat.
today there were brownies, three different bags of chips/crackers and a birthday cake.
it's like a damn pot luck 8 shows a week and i can't stop eating...!
yet i have lost over 10 pounds.
so should i have more cake?
********************
i hated living in NYC but i can't tell you how badly i miss that city right now. i miss my friends in the Broadway cast so much and i want to see them right now. i miss going to a broadway show. i miss the really good halal cart on 56th and 6th. i even miss the subway a little bit.
********************
a few weeks ago i went with some cast members to this place called Stanley's Kitchen & Tap for a few drinks and, more importantly, for LIVE BAND KARAOKE!!!
they have an amazing live band, and as you would sign up at any other bar to sing for a crowd, you do it with a live band and it's unreal. i want to go back soon because i have not stopped thinking about how much fun i had.
i sang "Baba O' Riley" by The Who and "Everlong" from Foo Fighters and it made me feel just like i used to feel when i sang with my band back in college...
did any of you reading this knew i was in a band for seven years or that i recorded six albums with them...?
anyway - here's me singing The Who song - please excuse the poor video/sound quality:
********************
my daughter is the most adorable baby in the entire world. i look at her and i can't stop smiling. all i want to do is make her laugh and make stupid faces at her and for her to think her daddy is the silliest daddy in the world.
i go outside to do an errand for a few minutes and i walk back in the room and she turns her head to look at me and starts grinning from ear to ear and repeats the babbling of words, "ha da, da da, da da" - which obviously means "hello daddy! look it's daddy! i love you daddy".
she is everything to me and even with her sleeping in her pack and play near me right now, i am excited to spend time with her tomorrow and tell her i love her.
she is also crawling and it terrifies me because i know walking is next...
********************
i have fun news to share but i can't yet. i always love posting that shit because it puts some of you in such a frenzy to figure it out.
********************
good night.
Comments (5)
Wrigley Field (Aug.28)
Fri, Aug 28 2009 10:09
| Permalink
This afternoon, I was lucky enough to step onto legendary Wrigley Field and sing the National Anthem with the rest of the Jersey Boys cast (well, the majority of them at least). I am not a huge baseball fan (much to my father's dismay), but I can appreciate a ballpark like Wrigley. You just walk in there and the history kind of consumes you. A total "old school" park that still doesn't have a big jumbo-tron scoreboard...just literally someone that replaces the numbers of hits and runs every time they happen by hand.
I didn't stay for the whole game because I wanted to try and enjoy a few hours with Sarah and Riley before I had to head to the theatre, but I really enjoyed the time I was there. And of course, had my traditional dog, beer and cracker jacks...which my stomach was not happy with me about.
For those of you who missed it, here's us singing the anthem. I get a nice closeup as the song is starting:
Also, for those of you kind of wondering who is replacing Craig Laurie as Bob Crewe...all I can say is he is also singing the anthem and you can see him on screen. But I won't tell you his name because it's kind of fun reading all your posts trying to decipher it.
Oh, and another thing...I love whirlyball. It's 5 on 5 lacrosse in bumper cars...amazing. The tradition here in Chicago is as shows come into town (Chicago, Rent, Mary Poppins, Spring Awakening, etc), Jersey Boys challenges those shows to whirlyball for a few hours. It leaves me in pain and I am exhausted and yet it is the best time ever!
So that's all I got. Two shows tomorrow and then a final show for Craig on Sunday with a big party afterward.
Night.
I didn't stay for the whole game because I wanted to try and enjoy a few hours with Sarah and Riley before I had to head to the theatre, but I really enjoyed the time I was there. And of course, had my traditional dog, beer and cracker jacks...which my stomach was not happy with me about.
For those of you who missed it, here's us singing the anthem. I get a nice closeup as the song is starting:
Also, for those of you kind of wondering who is replacing Craig Laurie as Bob Crewe...all I can say is he is also singing the anthem and you can see him on screen. But I won't tell you his name because it's kind of fun reading all your posts trying to decipher it.
Oh, and another thing...I love whirlyball. It's 5 on 5 lacrosse in bumper cars...amazing. The tradition here in Chicago is as shows come into town (Chicago, Rent, Mary Poppins, Spring Awakening, etc), Jersey Boys challenges those shows to whirlyball for a few hours. It leaves me in pain and I am exhausted and yet it is the best time ever!
So that's all I got. Two shows tomorrow and then a final show for Craig on Sunday with a big party afterward.
Night.
Comments (2)
Hello from Chicago (Aug.24)
Mon, Aug 24 2009 06:47
| Permalink
well...just when you think you're out, they pull you back in.
greetings from Chicago. it has now been a full month since i have been back in the show and holy crap, is there a lot of catching up to do. let's start, shall we:
a bit after leaving NYC and moving home to the mitten state, Sarah and i had our beautiful daughter, Riley Addison. she was born on Jan.24, 2009 and the past seven months (yes, already seven months!) have been amazing. she's the happiest baby and she always has a smile on her face. she is sitting up all by herself for huge stretches of time so she can play with her blocks and other various toys and we're pretty sure she's going to be crawling any day now. we started her on solid foods (well if you can call pureed veggies and fruit solid) and she loves things like sweet potatoes, peas, bananas and pears...but hates avocado. it's still amazing to me that I am a parent and right now, i'm just enjoying every second of my time with her.
here's a few pics of her in the past seven months:
a few minutes old
2 weeks old
3 months old
4 months old
5 months old
6 months old
so...yeah...i have a pretty cute kid!
as far as Jersey Boys world is concerned, let me get you up to date there as well.
in mid-March, i was called to come to Chicago for 5 weeks as Michael Ingersoll took a one-month leave. so i traded in the gorilla mask for the mustache and debuted as Norm Waxman while Dominic Bogart played Nick Massi for the month.
cut to a few months later, Dominic gives his notice and i get the call to be the replacement.
so here we are:
i will *try* to do some more updates here and there. i know i have kind of fallen off the blogging grid, but i guess with the baby, that free time i had before is slim to none.
until next time...
greetings from Chicago. it has now been a full month since i have been back in the show and holy crap, is there a lot of catching up to do. let's start, shall we:
a bit after leaving NYC and moving home to the mitten state, Sarah and i had our beautiful daughter, Riley Addison. she was born on Jan.24, 2009 and the past seven months (yes, already seven months!) have been amazing. she's the happiest baby and she always has a smile on her face. she is sitting up all by herself for huge stretches of time so she can play with her blocks and other various toys and we're pretty sure she's going to be crawling any day now. we started her on solid foods (well if you can call pureed veggies and fruit solid) and she loves things like sweet potatoes, peas, bananas and pears...but hates avocado. it's still amazing to me that I am a parent and right now, i'm just enjoying every second of my time with her.
here's a few pics of her in the past seven months:
a few minutes old
2 weeks old
3 months old
4 months old
5 months old
6 months old
so...yeah...i have a pretty cute kid!
as far as Jersey Boys world is concerned, let me get you up to date there as well.
in mid-March, i was called to come to Chicago for 5 weeks as Michael Ingersoll took a one-month leave. so i traded in the gorilla mask for the mustache and debuted as Norm Waxman while Dominic Bogart played Nick Massi for the month.
cut to a few months later, Dominic gives his notice and i get the call to be the replacement.
so here we are:
- Chicago marks my third company with Jersey Boys. all i have to do is perform one show in Vegas and i can say i have done every North American company.
- With playing "Norm", i have now performed as six different characters through my tenure with the show.
- Before the end of the year, i will hit over 1,000 performances.
- Because of the basement crossover here at the Bank of America theatre, I have to climb or descend 462 stairs every show.
- With this contract, I am no longer understudying any of the four seasons (sadly), but am understudying Bob Crewe.
i will *try* to do some more updates here and there. i know i have kind of fallen off the blogging grid, but i guess with the baby, that free time i had before is slim to none.
until next time...
Comments (3)
A new addition to the Jersey Boys family (Jan.24)
Sat, Jan 24 2009 05:56
| Permalink
Introducing...
Riley Addison Gutman
Jan.24, 2009
4:10pm
7lbs 5oz, 21 inches long
Jan.24, 2009
4:10pm
7lbs 5oz, 21 inches long
Mother and baby are doing splendidly. This was the most amazing day of my life.
Comments (10)
The Final Blog (Dec.14)
Tue, Dec 9 2008 08:59
| Permalink
well...
a week has come and gone. i didn't find myself doubling in "Sherry". i didn't catch myself looking for a sunburst strat to play. and i didn't have to put on a wig to play a gay mute handing off a glass of milk.
a week has come and gone. i have found myself at our first birthing class. i have found myself installing a dimmer switch and custom shelving in the nursery. i have found myself drinking with my buddies at The Bench Pub in Livonia, MI.
how much can change in seven days.
********************
let's back up a moment to Dec.7. my last show was great. what a lame adjective to describe it but there it is: "great". it felt pretty much like every other show i've done lately with bits and pieces of the show almost as an out of body experience.
a perfect example was in the few moments i have before i enter as Handsome Hank were very cathartic; right before i walked onstage i found myself back two years ago in front of the entire creative and production team, as well as Bob and Frankie, auditioning at my final callback. And I realized that this was the moment that got me cast. I made them all laugh. In that small room at Chelsea Studios, i said my first "Hey!" and they all laughed. And that is what, I think, locked it in for me.
and so i walked onstage, and with as much excitement as i had in that final callback, i said my infamous line and that was it: "Hey". And everyone in the cast smiled at me.
********************
i wasn't sad at all through the rest of the show. i thought i would be but i wasn't. i was just thrilled to enjoy 150 minutes with some close friends making 1,222 people cheer and scream for us.
i was a little bummed out after "Can't Take My Eyes..." right before "Working My Way" simply because I had to say goodbye to Miles. Miles and i have been friends since day one with rehearsals for the National Tour and rocking out next to him upstage every show has been one of my favorite moments in the 800 shows i performed. having him make his way to Broadway was a thrill for me and to play my Joe to his Charlie again...to watch him play the shit out of that guitar every night...has been an honor to say the least.
and at the end of the show, while the band and i are performing the playoff, it was simply amazing to look stage right and see the entire cast cheering me on as i played my last rhythm guitar part in the show.
********************
the tradition in the Broadway cast when someone leaves is once everyone is out of costume, the entire cast meets back onstage once the house is cleared and we do a champagne toast for that person. a few people will say something for that person and then that person has a chance to speak as well.
Miles said some absolutely beautiful things. Mark and Peter showed love as well in some funny toasts and the Jersey Girls got me an adorable present for the baby (baby Uggs and of course, a "Big Girls Don't Cry" onesie - NICE!). then i got to speak.
i was very emotional the minute i opened my mouth. to see all of these wonderful people who have shared in this journey with me and to have to say goodbye to them...it was overwhelming.
i will try and sum it up the best way i can:
i love this show. i have loved every person i have worked with and feel lucky to have met them. the past two years of my life have been a dream come true and the fact that i have gotten to tour the Country as well as perform on Broadway...well...there are no words.
all my life i have wanted to perform. since i was a little kid, i knew that one day i would be on Broadway. i have achieved my dreams and the fact that Sarah was able to share them with me makes it that much sweeter. and i have lived the dream. i have performed in one of the most amazing musicals written in a quarter-century. i have seen people in the audience scream until they had no voice and i have seen the hardest of men cry when Frankie gets that phone call in Act II. i have performed as Bob Crewe, Nick Massi, Bob Gaudio and Tommy DeVito and i thank Des, Ron, Sergio and everyone else for seeing in me that i can be relied on as a solid understudy and dependable ensemble member.
********************
lastly, i want to thank those of you who have read my blogs and seen our show once, twice or 32 times. you are the reason we are the jugernaut we are. you are the reason that more and more people keep coming. and it still amazes me to this day that the blog i started simply for family, has morphed into something that a few hundred people read regularly. i aplogize for not keeping it up as much as i intended to and i apologize if i forgot some of your names as you said hello at the stage door. i have appreciated all of your kind words, emails and comments and it was nice over the years to have "family" show up at the stage door.
********************
so that's it for the blog. i hope that this does not end my journey with Jersey Boys forever, but for now, it is.
goodbye.
********************
Comments (5)
the early morning before the end (dec.7)
Sat, Dec 6 2008 11:19
| Permalink
this afternoon is my last show in Jersey Boys.
i tallied up all the shows i have done between the tour and Broadway and i happen to be leaving exactly on show #800.
it still hasn't hit me yet. maybe it will sometime in the first act. maybe it will later when the cast and i are out having drinks. maybe it will take two weeks when i find myself doubling Tommy's part in "Big Girls Don't Cry" while i put up shelving in the baby's room.
but it's happening. i am numb to it right now.
i think my cast mates are amazing. i feel blessed to have worked with such talented people both on the road and in NYC. i feel lucky to have had John Altieri in my life. i am amazed that tomorrow i get to walk onto a Broadway stage for 1,222 people and know that by the end of the show, the August Wilson theatre will erupt in applause as it has show after show after show.
800 shows.
11,200 costume changes.
84 blog posts.
i have covered and performed in four principal roles - three of which were Seasons.
i have performed for roughly 1.1 million people.
i will post one more blog after this one. and then...
thank you all for your love, support and encouragement.
i tallied up all the shows i have done between the tour and Broadway and i happen to be leaving exactly on show #800.
it still hasn't hit me yet. maybe it will sometime in the first act. maybe it will later when the cast and i are out having drinks. maybe it will take two weeks when i find myself doubling Tommy's part in "Big Girls Don't Cry" while i put up shelving in the baby's room.
but it's happening. i am numb to it right now.
i think my cast mates are amazing. i feel blessed to have worked with such talented people both on the road and in NYC. i feel lucky to have had John Altieri in my life. i am amazed that tomorrow i get to walk onto a Broadway stage for 1,222 people and know that by the end of the show, the August Wilson theatre will erupt in applause as it has show after show after show.
800 shows.
11,200 costume changes.
84 blog posts.
i have covered and performed in four principal roles - three of which were Seasons.
i have performed for roughly 1.1 million people.
i will post one more blog after this one. and then...
thank you all for your love, support and encouragement.
Comments (5)
quickly... (Dec.1)
Sun, Nov 30 2008 10:53
| Permalink
i can't sleep...again. i have been away from Sarah and Toby the dog for two weeks now and i don't think i have gone to sleep before 2am since i got back to NYC...not from partying or going out, but truly from sheer boredom and missing my wife.
i am laying here in an 85% empty apartment and i hate this bed and these shitty pillows and i am so exhausted that i can't fall asleep.
i want to quickly make something clear to everyone who posted on the JB boards or who have sent me emails; there is no new "project" or show that i am running to after my last show on Dec.7. i am running home, back to Michigan, to have our baby amongst family and our closest friends - a support team of dozens upon dozens that will help shower her with love and a great sense of family.
performing on a Broadway stage has been the highlight of my life - it is what i dreamed of as a child and what i worked so hard for when i went to college for music theatre. mere "thanks" would not be enough to Des, Sergio, Ron, Richard, the Dodgers, Tara Rubin...and the list goes on and on...for giving me the chance first with the national tour and then to be asked to go to the "big show" and i am forever grateful to this show for the opportunities it has presented to me as well as affording me the chance to provide and take care of my family.
but again, it goes back to that word: family. all of you that read this, all of you that come by the stage door sometimes dozens upon dozens of times - as strange as that may sometimes seem - know the true meaning of that word. we talk about it in the show and it rings true night after night. and as i leave the stage door, you will see me, without fail, holding a cell phone to my ear to immediately talk to Sarah...my family...
and that's why i am leaving. yes, this is a shit time to leave one of the only Broadway shows that has legs and is not folding up in the next 3 months and yes, the Michigan econmony is in the toilet...
but i get to go home. home to my amazing wife who has traveled with me for two years with constant support and home to Toby the Dog who finally gets to feel grass under his paws again. and right around January 19, my daughter will be born into a community of unbelievable and loving grandparents and a network of friends and family that she will never believe!
now i'm just rambling.
well maybe this blog is due for some rambling a little now and then in this next week. chances are, come Dec.7, i will shut it down for good anyway.
in any event, thank you for the emails and thank you for the comments. thank you for braving the cold and rain just to say hello and now, goodbye, at the stage door.
saying goodbye...
i played Gaudio this past Saturday night and Sunday matinee - Sebastian wasn't feeling great. it was weird in the diner scene with Jarrod this afternoon thinking this will probably be the last time i get to play the part. i love the role of Bob. i love the character arc he takes. i love singing "Cry For Me" with three other amazing actors and hearing that blend. and i love that in my head, by parting my hair to the right, i think it makes me look younger.
i would literally give Dom Nolfi $200 cash to take a show off this week so i can play Tommy one last time. other than playong Roy Cohn in Angels in America, Tommy DeVito is the best role i have ever played on stage. the power and sheer terror of having to hold the show in the palm of your hand for the first 30 minutes and then the slow defeat he has to face in the sitdown scene is just...well i'm just so proud that i got to perform it a handful of times.
okay - 2:23am - i need to try and sleep.
i am laying here in an 85% empty apartment and i hate this bed and these shitty pillows and i am so exhausted that i can't fall asleep.
i want to quickly make something clear to everyone who posted on the JB boards or who have sent me emails; there is no new "project" or show that i am running to after my last show on Dec.7. i am running home, back to Michigan, to have our baby amongst family and our closest friends - a support team of dozens upon dozens that will help shower her with love and a great sense of family.
performing on a Broadway stage has been the highlight of my life - it is what i dreamed of as a child and what i worked so hard for when i went to college for music theatre. mere "thanks" would not be enough to Des, Sergio, Ron, Richard, the Dodgers, Tara Rubin...and the list goes on and on...for giving me the chance first with the national tour and then to be asked to go to the "big show" and i am forever grateful to this show for the opportunities it has presented to me as well as affording me the chance to provide and take care of my family.
but again, it goes back to that word: family. all of you that read this, all of you that come by the stage door sometimes dozens upon dozens of times - as strange as that may sometimes seem - know the true meaning of that word. we talk about it in the show and it rings true night after night. and as i leave the stage door, you will see me, without fail, holding a cell phone to my ear to immediately talk to Sarah...my family...
and that's why i am leaving. yes, this is a shit time to leave one of the only Broadway shows that has legs and is not folding up in the next 3 months and yes, the Michigan econmony is in the toilet...
but i get to go home. home to my amazing wife who has traveled with me for two years with constant support and home to Toby the Dog who finally gets to feel grass under his paws again. and right around January 19, my daughter will be born into a community of unbelievable and loving grandparents and a network of friends and family that she will never believe!
now i'm just rambling.
well maybe this blog is due for some rambling a little now and then in this next week. chances are, come Dec.7, i will shut it down for good anyway.
in any event, thank you for the emails and thank you for the comments. thank you for braving the cold and rain just to say hello and now, goodbye, at the stage door.
saying goodbye...
i played Gaudio this past Saturday night and Sunday matinee - Sebastian wasn't feeling great. it was weird in the diner scene with Jarrod this afternoon thinking this will probably be the last time i get to play the part. i love the role of Bob. i love the character arc he takes. i love singing "Cry For Me" with three other amazing actors and hearing that blend. and i love that in my head, by parting my hair to the right, i think it makes me look younger.
i would literally give Dom Nolfi $200 cash to take a show off this week so i can play Tommy one last time. other than playong Roy Cohn in Angels in America, Tommy DeVito is the best role i have ever played on stage. the power and sheer terror of having to hold the show in the palm of your hand for the first 30 minutes and then the slow defeat he has to face in the sitdown scene is just...well i'm just so proud that i got to perform it a handful of times.
okay - 2:23am - i need to try and sleep.
Comments (4)
A 31st Year... (Nov.23)
Sat, Nov 22 2008 08:23
| Permalink
let's start real quick with a shout out to me. i turn 31 today. this year is going to be absolutely amazing.
********************
now then...
two months since the last post. two freaking months. who do i think i am?
let's catch everyone one on the last two months:
Michael Longoria left.
Please welcome Jarrod Spector as our new Frankie Valli.
Christian Hoff left to do "Pal Joey".
Dominic Nolfi took Christian's place.
Jake Speck from the Chicago cast took Dominic's place.
Travis Cloer left to be the 2-show Frankie in Vegas.
Please welcome Russell Fischer as our new Joey.
Dominic Scaglione, Jr. from the Vegas cast became our 2-show Frankie.
Bobby Spencer left to do "Next to Normal".
Please welcome Matt Bogart as Nick Massi.
John Leone left.
Please welcome John Hickman from the Chicago cast as our new swing.
Eric Schneider left to be Danny in the national tour of "Grease".
Please welcome Taylor Sternberg from the national tour as our new swing.
that is an ass-load of new faces and changes. in any event, if you wanted an excuse to see the show again - come now and see the new dynamics rocking all over the August Wilson stage.
********************
Still doing recording for "International Hareport" and we are into (I think) the 16th episode. Still have no idea when or where it will broadcast but i promise i will announce it as soon as i hear anything. i've really been enjoying getting in that studio a few times a month and really digging into Fred the Rabbit. i also have been doing a few other voices on the show - my favorite being an 8-year old beaver with a lisp named Doodle.
********************
I have another pet-peeve; people taking pictures during the performance. i mean, don't get me wrong, if someone sneaks in a shot at curtain call, i could care less - but when they take their digital camera out throughout the ENTIRE show and you see that annoying orange light in lieu of a flash...guess what...we can still see the orange light and it's distracting. and i'm sorry if you are not happy with your pics and you decide to get a clearer picture but actually turning on the flash...but we don't like that either. so stop taking pictures, stop leaving as we are taking our bows and stop putting your playbills and bags on the lip of the stage.
********************
Sarah is now into her 31st week of pregnancy and she looks gorgeous. we found out we are having a girl and as every week draws closer, i get more and more excited to meet her. you'll usually find me at night as we are going to sleep talking to her belly and telling her about my day. we're pretty sure that she is going to be a gymnast or a swimmer because all she does is roll around and kick Sarah all day. and yes, feeling your baby kick is about the coolest thing in the world.
i also put her crib together by myself last week:
i also installed a new light fixture in the baby's room and yes, i know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but i have never installed a light fixture by myself before and it was pretty cool. true, it took over an hour and i ended up with fiberglass all over my hands and face, but it was totally worth it. next project is installing a dimmer for the light switch. then we need to paint her room and finish getting everything she needs before she arrives in the world.
the other fun thing about the pregnancy is that Sarah gets updates once a week about her pregnancy from babycenter.com and one of my favorite things is going to the girl's dressing room every tuesday and giving them the update on how big the baby is getting. babycenter does a fantastic thing for us to visualize better what is growing with updates by comparing the baby's size to produce. this week she is roughly the size of 4 naval oranges (roughly 16 inches long and 3/3 lbs). my baby has also been a head of cauliflower, butternut squash and chinese cabbage.
Can't believe in two months I am going to have a baby!!!!!!!
********************
been having a really great time with the cast lately. i mean, it's actually pretty rare for all of us to hang out but there's been everyone seems to be getting along fantastic and maybe it's just the holiday season or something, but it's just a fun time to be in New York with friends. Bridget Berger and i had a great time between shows today and ordered Afghan food from this INCREDIBLE place on 52nd and 9th called Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant. Their lamb and chicken kabob dishes are soooooo good and i wanted to put their spinach samusa in my pocket for later. only crappy thing was we hung out in order to watch the MSU vs Penn State game...and MSU got spanked all up and down that field.
i also had a late dinner with Jarrod's mom and dad Friday night, Chuck and Beth Spector. we went to The Palm after the show and i just want to thank them again for a wonderful dinner and spending a little time with their favorite son...me. honestly though, it was great hanging with them and how great that they are now able to drive in from Philly and see Jarrod on Broadway performing in this dream role.
and the filet was freaking good!
********************
so we are starting to collect for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. it's been nice to see that audience members are so receptive to digging into their pockets even in these hard times. i did the curtain speech a few days ago and got a few good laughs (to the expense of the "Carols for A Cure" CD) and someone signed me up for the rest of the week and honestly, now i am not only feeling pressure to get people to donate, but more importantly to make them all laugh a few times. i am pulling all of my "A" material out but i am getting exhausted. i swear, the curtain speech is wearing me out more than the show. that's probably not the best thing to admit.
********************
so much more to talk about but this should do it for now. i will leave you with one other cast thing i forgot to mention above:
Please welcome back to the Broadway cast Matthew Scott.
My final show in Jersey Boys is December 7.
********************
now then...
two months since the last post. two freaking months. who do i think i am?
let's catch everyone one on the last two months:
Michael Longoria left.
Please welcome Jarrod Spector as our new Frankie Valli.
Christian Hoff left to do "Pal Joey".
Dominic Nolfi took Christian's place.
Jake Speck from the Chicago cast took Dominic's place.
Travis Cloer left to be the 2-show Frankie in Vegas.
Please welcome Russell Fischer as our new Joey.
Dominic Scaglione, Jr. from the Vegas cast became our 2-show Frankie.
Bobby Spencer left to do "Next to Normal".
Please welcome Matt Bogart as Nick Massi.
John Leone left.
Please welcome John Hickman from the Chicago cast as our new swing.
Eric Schneider left to be Danny in the national tour of "Grease".
Please welcome Taylor Sternberg from the national tour as our new swing.
that is an ass-load of new faces and changes. in any event, if you wanted an excuse to see the show again - come now and see the new dynamics rocking all over the August Wilson stage.
********************
Still doing recording for "International Hareport" and we are into (I think) the 16th episode. Still have no idea when or where it will broadcast but i promise i will announce it as soon as i hear anything. i've really been enjoying getting in that studio a few times a month and really digging into Fred the Rabbit. i also have been doing a few other voices on the show - my favorite being an 8-year old beaver with a lisp named Doodle.
********************
I have another pet-peeve; people taking pictures during the performance. i mean, don't get me wrong, if someone sneaks in a shot at curtain call, i could care less - but when they take their digital camera out throughout the ENTIRE show and you see that annoying orange light in lieu of a flash...guess what...we can still see the orange light and it's distracting. and i'm sorry if you are not happy with your pics and you decide to get a clearer picture but actually turning on the flash...but we don't like that either. so stop taking pictures, stop leaving as we are taking our bows and stop putting your playbills and bags on the lip of the stage.
********************
Sarah is now into her 31st week of pregnancy and she looks gorgeous. we found out we are having a girl and as every week draws closer, i get more and more excited to meet her. you'll usually find me at night as we are going to sleep talking to her belly and telling her about my day. we're pretty sure that she is going to be a gymnast or a swimmer because all she does is roll around and kick Sarah all day. and yes, feeling your baby kick is about the coolest thing in the world.
i also put her crib together by myself last week:
i also installed a new light fixture in the baby's room and yes, i know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but i have never installed a light fixture by myself before and it was pretty cool. true, it took over an hour and i ended up with fiberglass all over my hands and face, but it was totally worth it. next project is installing a dimmer for the light switch. then we need to paint her room and finish getting everything she needs before she arrives in the world.
the other fun thing about the pregnancy is that Sarah gets updates once a week about her pregnancy from babycenter.com and one of my favorite things is going to the girl's dressing room every tuesday and giving them the update on how big the baby is getting. babycenter does a fantastic thing for us to visualize better what is growing with updates by comparing the baby's size to produce. this week she is roughly the size of 4 naval oranges (roughly 16 inches long and 3/3 lbs). my baby has also been a head of cauliflower, butternut squash and chinese cabbage.
Can't believe in two months I am going to have a baby!!!!!!!
********************
been having a really great time with the cast lately. i mean, it's actually pretty rare for all of us to hang out but there's been everyone seems to be getting along fantastic and maybe it's just the holiday season or something, but it's just a fun time to be in New York with friends. Bridget Berger and i had a great time between shows today and ordered Afghan food from this INCREDIBLE place on 52nd and 9th called Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant. Their lamb and chicken kabob dishes are soooooo good and i wanted to put their spinach samusa in my pocket for later. only crappy thing was we hung out in order to watch the MSU vs Penn State game...and MSU got spanked all up and down that field.
i also had a late dinner with Jarrod's mom and dad Friday night, Chuck and Beth Spector. we went to The Palm after the show and i just want to thank them again for a wonderful dinner and spending a little time with their favorite son...me. honestly though, it was great hanging with them and how great that they are now able to drive in from Philly and see Jarrod on Broadway performing in this dream role.
and the filet was freaking good!
********************
so we are starting to collect for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. it's been nice to see that audience members are so receptive to digging into their pockets even in these hard times. i did the curtain speech a few days ago and got a few good laughs (to the expense of the "Carols for A Cure" CD) and someone signed me up for the rest of the week and honestly, now i am not only feeling pressure to get people to donate, but more importantly to make them all laugh a few times. i am pulling all of my "A" material out but i am getting exhausted. i swear, the curtain speech is wearing me out more than the show. that's probably not the best thing to admit.
********************
so much more to talk about but this should do it for now. i will leave you with one other cast thing i forgot to mention above:
Please welcome back to the Broadway cast Matthew Scott.
My final show in Jersey Boys is December 7.
Comments (5)
I'm A Rabbit (Aug.11)
Thu, Jul 17 2008 09:17
| Permalink
i don't even no where to start. i feel like in the past two months there has been so much to discuss, and yet i continue to be completely unmotivated to do another blog. i have no reason to be unmotivated; all of you that email me or call me or talk to me at the stage door are super nice about it and give me such nice feedback...
...maybe it's the freaking heat.
let's talk about that:
it's summertime in New York City. now, i want to make it clear i enjoy the summer. i really don't like snow and the summertime reminds me of when i went to camp and it's great for soft serve ice cream and playing softball.
but NYC's summertime blows. it's 96 degrees with 320% humidity and all the garbage on the street cooks under the heat so everything smells. and though i have a short 10 minute walk to the theatre, by the time i get there, i am absolutely disgusting and sweaty and just want to turn around and sit in my air conditioned apartment.
speaking of summer softball...
well last time i blogged, i started talking about the Broadway Softball League. i'm not going to lie...it's been pretty sad. in our ten game regular season, we were 2-8. and honestly, there were at least four games where we lost by one or two runs and we really should have won (damn you Grease!) but all in all, it doesn't matter because everyone gets to go into finals for double elimination...
...and we're halfway there. a few week ago we lost to Blue Man Group 10-0. i want to say that i will blame that on the sole fact that i could not be there to play second base because i was at stupid-rehearsal-for-jerks that day. but then again, it was also 94 degrees that day so maybe it's better i wasn't there.
the week after that, we were scheduled to play Altar Boyz but due to scheduling, they had to forfeit (thereby eliminating them completely from the playoffs).
last week though was amazing. we played New World Stages and...WON...in extra innings by one run. it really was a pretty intense game (for Broadway softball) and to win with a 2-out rally was even better than winning by a landslide.
this Thursday is going to be a tough one. we play Little Mermaid at 11:30 ("squish the fish") and should we win, we immediately go into a double-header against South Pacific. so all i can say is that if any of you wanted to show support for our team, this Thursday would be the day to do it...
...i mean, Toby is there every week and he loves sitting in people's laps.
********************
so i have been enjoying some really cool special appearances lately in the Jersey Boys world. you see, as an understudy for three of the four seasons, many times if Christian or Bobby are busy and can't do a special appearance, our press rep contacts me to take their place. a few of the things i've done (honestly) are kind of lame...doing a medley of the songs for random people that i don't quite understand why we have been invited to sing. okay, not "lame" but kind of strange that we are there.
HOWEVER, i want to talk about two events in the past month that have been great.
the first was the 2008 Friars Foundation Gala honoring Frankie Valli. It was hosted at Cipriani in NYC - which i have never been to - and other people who performed were legends like Steve Tyrell, Julie Budd, Norm Crosby, Tony Orlando and Joe Piscopo. oh, and yes, i hung out with Joe Piscapo for almost three hours in our shared green room and he was about the nicest guy i have ever met.
but we got to end the night with a medley of songs and Frankie was right there watching us and cheering us on. it was such a thrill and honor doing some songs for the man who has essentially changed my life in the past 18 months and how cool to get to perform last in the evening to close everything out.
the other event that we did, which was also probably one of the highlights of my professional career as a performer, was singing the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium for the 2008 MLB All Star Derby.
i don't know what was the most exciting part; it might have been getting to the stadium early that morning and stepping on that dirt for the first time and doing sound check right in the middle of the field before the place filled up. it might have been getting there later that night and hearing the crowd already roaring with anticipation. it might have been meeting Derek Jeter and having him sign my program and take pics with some of is. it might have been sitting at the Derby and watching history being made as Josh Hamilton crushed 28 home runs in the first round. but i would say it was hearing the crowd go ape-shit for us as we held out that note at the end of "the land of the freeeeeeeeeeee".
in any event, i will never forget the feeling of doing this event and being able to watch the game afterward. i just wish i could have had my dad fly in and taken the show off on Tuesday to go to the All Star game with him at legendary Yankee Stadium before they tear it down.
and for those of you that would like to hear it - here's a YouTube version of it (if you listen, you can hear Dominic Nolfi and i on the high notes in "and the rockets' red glare").
********************
so some other changes have been taking place in the show: first off, as of now you all know that Donnie Kehr has left the show to be in Billy Elliott (leave one big smash to start another smash hit) and my buddy Miles Aubrey has taken over the reigns in the Norm track.
i cannot tell you all how happy i am that Miles is in the NYC company. forget the fact that he is great in the show and truly one of the best guitarist i have EVER met. forget the fact that for almost 18 months, he was on the road without his lovely wife, Erica, with him - i don't know how people can do that - especially during their first full year of marriage!?!? but i am thrilled he is in the NYC cast because the entire time i was on the road, Miles and i were either sharing a dressing room or stationed right next to each other. he and i became fast friends and never lost touch after i left the tour for the Broadway cast and having him around is a real treat for me. only thing that sucks is that he and i don't share a dressing room anymore and now i have to walk a good seven feet to go hang out with him.
i also would love to take a quick moment to officially welcome our new female swing, Katie O'Toole to the cast. she is a sweetheart and has already gone on as Lorraine and Mary and we are so thrilled to have her in the family.
and with Miles coming in and Donnie moving out - what happens with the cover/understudy situation...?
well my friends, Friday, July 18 was my final performance as the understudy for Nick Massi. i have been moved out of that cover spot and Miles takes it over (he can sing the bass notes a lot easier than i can!) and I move over to cover Bob Crewe! all i can say is i am ready for the opportunity to do the role and i have been told (though things can change anytime) that next time Peter calls out sick or is swung out to note the show, that i will be on to make my Broadway debut as Bob Crewe.
*******************
some other fun things going on in the world of Eric...
i have been cast in a animated series!!!!!!
it's actually a great story: Rebecca Kupka, our vacation swing, came up to me a few months ago and asked if i did voiceover work. i told her that i had always wanted to break into it considering i talk in weird voices all day anyway and i would love to get paid for it. she mentioned that she auditioned for this new series and they were having trouble casting the two leads and she was going to give my number to her agent.
sure enough, the next day her agent calls me and tells me she might have an audition for me. i tell her to keep in touch with me and let me know but not to make it too late because it's already close to noon and i have a matinee to do that day. 20 minutes later she calls me and i have to fly over to 45th and 6th to Big Yellow Duck studios for this audition.
now please understand...though i have done lots of studio work in my life with the bands i played in, i have NEVER auditioned for a voice over gig and though i do consider myself very good at cold readings (that means that you get the script walking into the audition, not before to prepare), but i was soooooo pressed for time when i walked into the audition and i was just trying to concentrate on not rushing let alone getting all the words out without stumbling.
in any event, a few days later, after never auditioning for voiceovers before and never even meeting this agent face to face - i booked the gig!
it's a really cool series called "International Hareport" and essentially it's about the show's main characters, Fred and Ned, two rabbits who decide to build an international airport on their own garden after discovering that all animals can finally fly. I have no idea what network (if any) it will premier on, but all i know is that we are going to tape all 26 episodes and then see what happens from there.
*******************
a few other things happening in the coming weeks or months:
i am going on as Bob Gaudio while Sebastian is on vacation from Sept.16-21. i am thrilled to have a full week of shows and hope that a few of you might come check it out. i have tons of family and friends flying in from Michigan to check it out that week and i am so honored to have all of their support. even Bubi Goldie is flying in on Saturday morning with Sarah's dad and (new!) stepmom, Cheri, to see the matinee and then turn right around and fly back home that night! i am also scheduled to go on as Tommy on Sept.12 while Christian takes a personal day and Dominic is on vacation. this can totally change, but i think it's pretty much locked in. i really hope so because i haven't played Tommy in forever and i love what i do with my hair in that role.
my brother, Brian and his fiance, Allison are moving to NYC this Thursday. it's kind of freaking me out because here's my baby brother...all the sudden moving to the fastest city in the world. he is going to be going to law school and she is going to grad school and less than two weeks after they move here, we are all flying back to Michigan for their wedding. i'm very excited for him and just hope that the stress of a big move, being in a city he is not familiar with and starting freaking law school doesn't mess with the excitement of their big day.
Toby the Dog's third birthday is coming up on September 3. he's pretty excited because Chris and Jenna will be back from St. Louis which means he gets to play with Fender again (who he misses incredibly).
*******************
one other thing to report. we've been keeping it under wraps for awhile now and it's also one of the biggest reasons i have not been blogging lately. just wanted to share a picture with everyone:
Sarah is 17 weeks pregnant...
...maybe it's the freaking heat.
let's talk about that:
it's summertime in New York City. now, i want to make it clear i enjoy the summer. i really don't like snow and the summertime reminds me of when i went to camp and it's great for soft serve ice cream and playing softball.
but NYC's summertime blows. it's 96 degrees with 320% humidity and all the garbage on the street cooks under the heat so everything smells. and though i have a short 10 minute walk to the theatre, by the time i get there, i am absolutely disgusting and sweaty and just want to turn around and sit in my air conditioned apartment.
speaking of summer softball...
well last time i blogged, i started talking about the Broadway Softball League. i'm not going to lie...it's been pretty sad. in our ten game regular season, we were 2-8. and honestly, there were at least four games where we lost by one or two runs and we really should have won (damn you Grease!) but all in all, it doesn't matter because everyone gets to go into finals for double elimination...
...and we're halfway there. a few week ago we lost to Blue Man Group 10-0. i want to say that i will blame that on the sole fact that i could not be there to play second base because i was at stupid-rehearsal-for-jerks that day. but then again, it was also 94 degrees that day so maybe it's better i wasn't there.
the week after that, we were scheduled to play Altar Boyz but due to scheduling, they had to forfeit (thereby eliminating them completely from the playoffs).
last week though was amazing. we played New World Stages and...WON...in extra innings by one run. it really was a pretty intense game (for Broadway softball) and to win with a 2-out rally was even better than winning by a landslide.
this Thursday is going to be a tough one. we play Little Mermaid at 11:30 ("squish the fish") and should we win, we immediately go into a double-header against South Pacific. so all i can say is that if any of you wanted to show support for our team, this Thursday would be the day to do it...
...i mean, Toby is there every week and he loves sitting in people's laps.
********************
so i have been enjoying some really cool special appearances lately in the Jersey Boys world. you see, as an understudy for three of the four seasons, many times if Christian or Bobby are busy and can't do a special appearance, our press rep contacts me to take their place. a few of the things i've done (honestly) are kind of lame...doing a medley of the songs for random people that i don't quite understand why we have been invited to sing. okay, not "lame" but kind of strange that we are there.
HOWEVER, i want to talk about two events in the past month that have been great.
the first was the 2008 Friars Foundation Gala honoring Frankie Valli. It was hosted at Cipriani in NYC - which i have never been to - and other people who performed were legends like Steve Tyrell, Julie Budd, Norm Crosby, Tony Orlando and Joe Piscopo. oh, and yes, i hung out with Joe Piscapo for almost three hours in our shared green room and he was about the nicest guy i have ever met.
but we got to end the night with a medley of songs and Frankie was right there watching us and cheering us on. it was such a thrill and honor doing some songs for the man who has essentially changed my life in the past 18 months and how cool to get to perform last in the evening to close everything out.
the other event that we did, which was also probably one of the highlights of my professional career as a performer, was singing the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium for the 2008 MLB All Star Derby.
i don't know what was the most exciting part; it might have been getting to the stadium early that morning and stepping on that dirt for the first time and doing sound check right in the middle of the field before the place filled up. it might have been getting there later that night and hearing the crowd already roaring with anticipation. it might have been meeting Derek Jeter and having him sign my program and take pics with some of is. it might have been sitting at the Derby and watching history being made as Josh Hamilton crushed 28 home runs in the first round. but i would say it was hearing the crowd go ape-shit for us as we held out that note at the end of "the land of the freeeeeeeeeeee".
in any event, i will never forget the feeling of doing this event and being able to watch the game afterward. i just wish i could have had my dad fly in and taken the show off on Tuesday to go to the All Star game with him at legendary Yankee Stadium before they tear it down.
and for those of you that would like to hear it - here's a YouTube version of it (if you listen, you can hear Dominic Nolfi and i on the high notes in "and the rockets' red glare").
********************
so some other changes have been taking place in the show: first off, as of now you all know that Donnie Kehr has left the show to be in Billy Elliott (leave one big smash to start another smash hit) and my buddy Miles Aubrey has taken over the reigns in the Norm track.
i cannot tell you all how happy i am that Miles is in the NYC company. forget the fact that he is great in the show and truly one of the best guitarist i have EVER met. forget the fact that for almost 18 months, he was on the road without his lovely wife, Erica, with him - i don't know how people can do that - especially during their first full year of marriage!?!? but i am thrilled he is in the NYC cast because the entire time i was on the road, Miles and i were either sharing a dressing room or stationed right next to each other. he and i became fast friends and never lost touch after i left the tour for the Broadway cast and having him around is a real treat for me. only thing that sucks is that he and i don't share a dressing room anymore and now i have to walk a good seven feet to go hang out with him.
i also would love to take a quick moment to officially welcome our new female swing, Katie O'Toole to the cast. she is a sweetheart and has already gone on as Lorraine and Mary and we are so thrilled to have her in the family.
and with Miles coming in and Donnie moving out - what happens with the cover/understudy situation...?
well my friends, Friday, July 18 was my final performance as the understudy for Nick Massi. i have been moved out of that cover spot and Miles takes it over (he can sing the bass notes a lot easier than i can!) and I move over to cover Bob Crewe! all i can say is i am ready for the opportunity to do the role and i have been told (though things can change anytime) that next time Peter calls out sick or is swung out to note the show, that i will be on to make my Broadway debut as Bob Crewe.
*******************
some other fun things going on in the world of Eric...
i have been cast in a animated series!!!!!!
it's actually a great story: Rebecca Kupka, our vacation swing, came up to me a few months ago and asked if i did voiceover work. i told her that i had always wanted to break into it considering i talk in weird voices all day anyway and i would love to get paid for it. she mentioned that she auditioned for this new series and they were having trouble casting the two leads and she was going to give my number to her agent.
sure enough, the next day her agent calls me and tells me she might have an audition for me. i tell her to keep in touch with me and let me know but not to make it too late because it's already close to noon and i have a matinee to do that day. 20 minutes later she calls me and i have to fly over to 45th and 6th to Big Yellow Duck studios for this audition.
now please understand...though i have done lots of studio work in my life with the bands i played in, i have NEVER auditioned for a voice over gig and though i do consider myself very good at cold readings (that means that you get the script walking into the audition, not before to prepare), but i was soooooo pressed for time when i walked into the audition and i was just trying to concentrate on not rushing let alone getting all the words out without stumbling.
in any event, a few days later, after never auditioning for voiceovers before and never even meeting this agent face to face - i booked the gig!
it's a really cool series called "International Hareport" and essentially it's about the show's main characters, Fred and Ned, two rabbits who decide to build an international airport on their own garden after discovering that all animals can finally fly. I have no idea what network (if any) it will premier on, but all i know is that we are going to tape all 26 episodes and then see what happens from there.
*******************
a few other things happening in the coming weeks or months:
i am going on as Bob Gaudio while Sebastian is on vacation from Sept.16-21. i am thrilled to have a full week of shows and hope that a few of you might come check it out. i have tons of family and friends flying in from Michigan to check it out that week and i am so honored to have all of their support. even Bubi Goldie is flying in on Saturday morning with Sarah's dad and (new!) stepmom, Cheri, to see the matinee and then turn right around and fly back home that night! i am also scheduled to go on as Tommy on Sept.12 while Christian takes a personal day and Dominic is on vacation. this can totally change, but i think it's pretty much locked in. i really hope so because i haven't played Tommy in forever and i love what i do with my hair in that role.
my brother, Brian and his fiance, Allison are moving to NYC this Thursday. it's kind of freaking me out because here's my baby brother...all the sudden moving to the fastest city in the world. he is going to be going to law school and she is going to grad school and less than two weeks after they move here, we are all flying back to Michigan for their wedding. i'm very excited for him and just hope that the stress of a big move, being in a city he is not familiar with and starting freaking law school doesn't mess with the excitement of their big day.
Toby the Dog's third birthday is coming up on September 3. he's pretty excited because Chris and Jenna will be back from St. Louis which means he gets to play with Fender again (who he misses incredibly).
*******************
one other thing to report. we've been keeping it under wraps for awhile now and it's also one of the biggest reasons i have not been blogging lately. just wanted to share a picture with everyone:
Sarah is 17 weeks pregnant...
Comments (15)