I need more sleep! Always! The downfall of being so busy these days is that my normal "I need at least 13 hours of sleep a day" (which is only a slight exaggeration) routine is disrupted. Oh, me.
Tomorrow we roadtrip down to South Carolina, so I am looking forward to some Southern fun. It'll be our last time to visit C&K in their home! Weird!
I just want to go play today. It is too pretty to be in an office. Let's frolic!
Remember when I judged that pageant in Indiana back in March? Well, the Miss Duneland we crowned that night just won Miss Indiana!
Congrats, Jackie! Miss America, here we come!K'naan is great running music. And today is great running weather. Anyone know a retail location where I can buy some whistles for cheap? Got some!
As an mp3: WBEZ Promo
Backing track: Resolution by SDS Trio.
Why does everyone always call me Eric?
Or type my name as Eric?
I thought once I was an adult that this would stop happening, but I've gotten 2 emails this week where I've been called Eric. Sigh.
Hello everyone!
There is so much to catch you up on. Here goes nothing:
1) That's The Gig was a total blast! I had a lot of fun working with Jeff and the rest of the cast on the show. I wasn't nervous beforehand (take THAT former anxiety!) but once I got to where I had to recite my lines on stage, I tripped up a little bit. Plus, we learned the blocking only a few moments before showtime, so there was a lot of "is this our scene?" whispering happening backstage. What a rush! My sincere thanks to Megan, Dana, Ever, Lisa, Alex, John, Abby, Hans, Candy, Ed and Jeff!
2) Impress These Apes starts on Monday with a live casting special! It is going to be something else, that's for sure. Then the regular run starts July 11.
3) I took a few weeks off from Kiss Kiss rehearsals (due to the pilot and other things) and this week, I threw myself back into it. So fun! I helped create an awesome solo for Naughty Natanya, and built an adorable trio with Elisa Purls, Minnie Minx and Special K, and tomorrow work on a new solo with Minnie. I am trying to get caught up on my backlog of choreography and reconceptualize some dances as well.
4) Our car had more issues the other day, resulting in tons more work and money. We thought we could buy a gently used car, and test drove some hybrids, but alas, it isn't in our budget for now. We fixed the car and fortunately, they said it can handle our South Carolina roadtrip.
5) Speaking of, we will be driving down to Columbia for the 4th of July weekend to see Christopher and Katie's house one last time and to load up and haul stuff of theirs we are keeping back to Chicago. Cds, special books, etc. Now to deal with all the stuff from Memaw and Mom's houses to make room for this.... yikes.
6) I biked to work today! The new bike is great. It was beautiful and quiet once I got to the North Shore path, and it was fairly easy. 8ish miles in 50 minutes. I think the triathlon distance is 12, so I need to just keep on biking and stick with it. Of course, with this daily rain storming, it makes it a little hard for me. But at least I am trying!
7) Watershed is my new favorite bar. If you live in Chicago and want to go, let me know and I will meet you there.
8) OH! All you Mississippians will appreciate this! Look what we FINALLY got downtown! YESSS!
Heaven!
9) I had been letting my hair grow out for Cutie in DSTW, so yesterday, I chopped it all off again. Ahhhh. That's more like it. Although this photo makes me look like a gopher.
10) Lots of fun things to look forward to these days: Roadtrip, outdoor activites, my upcoming 5 year wedding anniversary...life is good!
The other night, driving home from rehearsal, the air was warm and blues was playing on the radio. I was happy and heading home to the love of my life, who was waiting for me with roast chicken and veggies. These 4 airplanes (or UFOS) were in my field of vision, twinkling an amber light and fluttering in the sky, looking so magical, and I was overwhelmed with happiness and joy and appreciation for my life. I am so very blessed. And really happy. I am consciously aware of this right now, and it feels amazing.
My friend Michael D. Starcevich made this amazing and beautiful 2 part music video. Please watch these 2 in this order, and get ready to bawl.
Watch this first:
Then this:
Then go back and watch the first one again and bawl even harder. Wow. Amazing. My friend Roni is in it, too. I love her.
This Sunday, I am appearing in this show and it didn't even occur to me that Sunday is Father's Day until the other night. I realized, though, that I am honoring my dad in a special way by doing the show. When he was dying, I promised him I would continue to make silly comedy shows for the world. Which, when I stopped performing, I worried about cause I didn't want to not honor my promise. But I am back on stage now, so what better way to celebrate him and his life than by doing a super silly show on Father's Day? Beautiful.
Quoth He: "Sometimes it is smart to realize that your cat doesn't want to wear a mustache." "Sometimes the nobler path is to realize that the cat doesn't want to wear a fake mustache."
The Full Cast!
Here are some more production shots from the Don't Spit the Water! pilot from the very handsome and talented Fuzzy Gerdes!
Steve and Paul hanging the curtains
Sign detail
My marshmallows, made especially awesome and expressive by our PA Ruby Park
Greg, Paul and Bryan, chillin
The home game
Stock Yard Films, the awesome production company that did the shoot
Monique Madrid and Louis Saunders, one of the Don't Spit the Water! Dancers
Don't Spit the Water! Dancers
Mr. Pickles!
Taking a moment before the show begins
I am doing a lot of self-indulgent Googling today, and I stumbled upon this classic from May 20, 2008, when Sasha and Cutie Bumblesnatch crashed the Senior Soul Train on the WGN Morning News:
Hoooo boy, was yesterday fun! It was a long day, and I loved every second of it. The set looked great, the costumes were vibrant, and there were plenty of laughs. I cannot express the feeling that I had when I first walked onstage after hearing Sasha call my name and being in a hot room with multiple cameras, sparkley things everywhere and a room full of about 120 eager and supportive fans. Incredible. Getting spits (no spoilers) was pretty great, too. Our production team and all the cast was so great and the show was so fun and it was neat doing this show for TV instead of the stage--it just had a different feel to it. I can't wait to see the final product, and also to shoot more shows in the future (I hope!)
Of hilarious note to me: Since I couldn't use many of my old tried and true bits due to music rights, I spent a lot of time fretting over my new bits and making sure that I had lots of material to build towards to not crap out onstage. Well, it turns out that a lot of bits were cut or shortened mid-day due to show timing, but also that you can't beat the old classic magic of Cutie Bumblesnatch--the ole "stand and stare."
Here are some production photos from the day. Hopefully more will come soon!
From Fuzzy:
TimeKeeper Willis (Bryan Bowden) and Cutie Bumblesnatch (me!)
Our amazing sign by the HMR Design Group.
From Bryan Bowden: Sasha (Steve Gadlin), Mr. Pickles, Cutie B and the Don't Spit the Water! Dancers:
Things are busy and exciting! Tomorrow we film the pilot of Don't Spit the Water! I can't wait. Thank you to all who donated to our fundraiser. It's because of you that we are able to have this! I will let everyone know air dates and times once everything is complete. I will try to give a report on how it went after tomorrow. All I know is it is going to be a long (and fun) day of production.
Our weekend was glorious. It was super jam packed with things, but yet we had some down time thank goodness and I was able to get some good sleep and exercise. I also had a mini-reunion of sorts with a lot of my old Goodman coworkers at a wedding on Saturday, and that was so much fun. It was so great seeing everyone and catching up, and I talked so much I was losing my voice by the end of the night. Also, a lot of them asked "Are you still doing Don't Spit the Water!?" and it felt so great to be able to say "Yes! Let me tell you about our pilot!"
So! You won't hear from me for a few days, but I will post when I can! Woop woop!
It is a busy season for performing! Hooray! It is good to be back onstage. We'll soon see if I've still got it...
Here is a list of my upcoming shows:
Don't Spit the Water! Pilot--Tuesday, June 14th 7:00pm, www.dontspitthewater.com for tickets (though there aren't any left, really)
That's the Gig! Sunday June 19th 10pm $5 IO Theatre http://chicago.ioimprov.com/io/shows/241
Impress These Apes! Mondays starting July 11 at 8pm at ComedySportz. www.impresstheseapes.com
Yeah!
I wish...
...that Mom's physical ailments would be healed.
...that Mom's house would sell.
...that Christopher and Katie's house would sell.
...that we had no credit card debt.
...that every day could be as beautiful and warm as today.
...that Fuzzy and I could just travel and play and run and laugh.
...that my job job was somehow going to dance class, working out, hanging out with my friends.
...that all of my amazing friends could do what they want to do in their lives without worrying about failure or money or anything.
...that I could be a benefactor so that all my friends to do what they want in their lives.
...that Fuzzy's job could be the creative projects he wants to do.
...that no one would ever get cancer.
...that I could hang out with my Dad.
...that there was no stress ever.
...that we were in Hawaii right now.
There is much to talk about and lots of great photos of our Memorial Day weekend with Christopher and Katie, but I am sick and worn out, so for now, I am just going to post this amazing photo of Parker. Crown by Fuzzy Gerdes, photo by Christopher Reid. Adorableness by Parker.
