Where God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window...

Well, not even the pinkest, sparkliest, most magical wish can trump the unfairness that is the "office loyalty" card. Person #2 is walking away with my so coveted ACM position on the Legally Blonde tour. I can't really fault anyone here, except the stupid theatrical hierarchy, but someday it will work in my favor, so I'm finding it hard to even fault that. The CM called today, and was very lovely and diplomatic about the whole thing, saying that we were really neck-and-neck, and the only thing stopping them from choosing me is my lack of experience in that particular office. He said that everything about me was great and perfect, and I needn't change anything, and that he would send my resume around with his highest recommendation. So, see, I can't even pinpoint my sadness on him. He was really very nice. In my theatrically-inclined mind, I've decided that he wanted to hire me, and that the powers-that-be chose otherwise. It'll help me get through it anyway.

Anyway, so thankfully, I was surrounded by wonderfully supportive people to get me through, so to those people, I say thank you for the drink invitations, for telling me I was too good for that tour anyway, for promising me that not getting that job meant Broadway was waiting for me, and for just being there to say it sucks, but that I will no doubt come out on top, thank you. For your favorite Pisces girl, this day has been ridiculously tear-free. Amazing.

The Waiting Game

Oh la la. I'm not a particularly patient person. In fact, instant gratification is something I have a very close relationship to. So, these past few weeks since my big interview with the Legally Blonde crew have been SO crazy. Thankfully, I have the great people down at MCC and the Lortel to help me pass the time, and I was actually content with knowing the Legally Blonde decision would be made "sometime around June 1." Fooling myself into putting something out of my mind is a concept I'm getting a little better at.

Of course, the problem with that is that usually life has other plans for your mind. This kink in my plan came in the way of a voicemail I was checking while waiting for my latte to be brewed at the Starbucks on 43rd and 8th. It was the CM from the LB tour telling me that they haven't decided yet, but will have a final decision by Tuesday. Oh, and it's down to me and one other person. My insides flipped upside down with sudden nervousness. Why did that happen? I was just fine living in my little oblivious world, and now suddenly, I have a constant countdown running in my head. Yikes. So anyway, I have told myself that if they don't choose me, it will be from some random external thing that is so far out of my control, but let's face it...can anyone else imagine this other person being better suited for the job? Me and all my pink, sparkly clothing say no.

It is weird thinking that somewhere out in the NYC void, there is someone else going through their Memorial Day weekend waiting for the same decision to come through on Tuesday. Life is random.

Anyway, besides that, life is going just fine. I'm still trying to kick this obnoxious cold. I may have pushed it a little too far this week, what with the midnight showing of Indy, followed by a late night on Friday with my boys, but what can I say? I'm not turning down those great times out with my friends just because of a stupid cold.

Alright, it's time for me to get ready for work, then choir. Peace out from Astoria on this beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Don't Call me Junior!

Just home from Indy 4!  I loved it!  I loved watching it in a crazy crowd at the Ziegfeld when every time the theme came on people applauded!  And I loved that Harrison Ford completely embodies this character.  Very fun night.  More coherent thoughts after some sleep! 

How to Make me Laugh for at least 10 minutes.

Ok folks, I made it back safely from the MTC Gala.  The only thing that was horrifying was watching 4 people usurp my taxis on the corner of 6th Ave and 55th Street.  Come on!  You can't just run across the street and into a cab when someone is waiting there.  I finally gave up and walked my cold, tired, and sick self down to 5th Ave, where people were a lot less rude.  (I did look awesome though, thanks to my sister trying to make me look a little bit less like the walking dead.)  Also, many thanks to her for insisting I take 2 wraps with me.  She's a smart little cookie that Emily.

And onto my most hilarious moment of the day.  I say this much, it all started with this little bottle of Afrin.  Around 1:00 this morning, as I was opening up my third box of Kleenex, my nose said to me, "Please, please, please...no more sneezing!"  I have to say, I agreed, and as I looked at my face in the mirror, the poor thing was all red.  So, I opened my medicine cabinet for my last weapon against my stupid cold.  Afrin.  Now, I bought this to use a good six months ago, but was so scared of it, I never opened the box.  Today was the day I was going to conquer my fear.  Or so I thought.

I stood in my kitchen making my 4th cup of tea, and thought, I'll just "ready, go" as I wait for the water to boil.  What followed was a good 10 minutes of me trying to get up the courage to spray this stuff up my nose.  Eeeek!  So creepy.  Seriously, I would try to spray, and my nose would just be working in complete opposition to me the entire time.  This was making me laugh so much, which in turn, made it harder to do.  Every time I would barely spray, I'd end up pulling at least 90% of the bottle away from my face, and Afrin would drip all over my kitchen counter.  I'm proud to say that after 10 minutes of chasing myself around the kitchen, I think I managed to get at least .25mL into my actual sinuses.  I'm hoping it's enough to completely cure me, since Lord knows I can't do it again.

Any tips or tricks of the trade to help with this?  I was reminded of that Friends episode when Rachel has to put those eye drops in.  We would be good friends in real life.

Now that I've finished typing this, it occurs to me that this story is probably much funnier to me than it will be to my reading audience.  But seriously, if you're ever having a bad day, you should ask me to do this with the Afrin.  It will make you laugh.

Can someone pick me up some Kleenex?

Well, it was bound to happen, I suppose.  After spending my weekend in the teeny, tiny box office down at the Lortel with my box office treasurer, who I love, but who was also sporting a fever all weekend, I'm spending my treasured day off in bed with a stupid cold.  I'm supposed to be volunteering at the MTC Gala tonight, so I'm hoping I can pull it together by then.  

I'm mostly blaming this insane weather NYC has been having lately.  60 on Monday, 45 on Tuesday, 80 on Wednesday, sun, rain, snow.  (ok, no snow, but I needed a third weather element to balance out my list).  I am so over walking around in the freezing rain though.  Gross.  Good think I bought cute new pink rainboots.  They do make it a little easier to cope.

All is well down at the theatre.  The show seems to be in great shape.  I haven't stayed to watch the whole thing yet, and they are still making cuts and adjustments and things, but what I have seen looks tres good.  It's a fun group down at the Lortel, which makes all the difference.  I've been lucky to have really fantastic FOH (front of house) staffs in all my theatres here in New York.  It can be really boring spending your entire weekend inside a theatre, so a great camaraderie is a wonderful thing.

I'm going to see if I can pull myself together for the show tonight.  An update to follow later on whether or not I pass out into my chicken dinner.

"Don't talk of love lasting through time, make me no undying vow. Show me now!"

I just finished reading Julie Andrews' memoir, Home.  Seriously, as if I haven't been enamored with her my entire life, now upon reading the story of how she became what she became is truly amazing.  When I think of the short list of people who have influenced my life beyond words, I'm fairly certain that Julie Andrews is at the top of it.  I can remember sitting in front of our tv for hours and hours a day watching The Sound of Music over and over and over again.  I would spin around my living room pretending to be whichever particular VonTrapp family member I felt like at the moment.  When I reached college, I actually broke the tape on the VCR tape copy of that movie from watching it over and over again as I was getting over that freshman homesickness that inevitably comes from leaving home and needing something familiar to comfort you.

My neighbors across the street from me growing up were named Banks, and Mr. Banks was actually from England, and for a good five years of my life, I fully believed they were related to the Banks family from Mary Poppins.  They would travel to England and send me postcards from her.  (and you wonder why I live in such a fantasy world now...)

Anyway, reading this book did nothing but reinforce my belief that the influence Julie Andrews had over me as a child, silently and without my knowing, pushed me into the person I am in the career I'm in.  Without a doubt, every time "Edelweiss" or "Feed the Birds" pops up on my iTunes, my eyes start to tear up at the sheer beauty of her voice and the complete love that I have always had for her.

Does anyone else out there in the void feel that someone you've never met helped you become the person you are today?  Feel free to post in the comments.  I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Julie Andrews as the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio

Julie Andrews as the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio
Originally uploaded by Travel Weekly Gallery

I mean, seriously, doesn't everyone's heart completely melt upon seeing this picture? I just love her.  I just finished reading her memoir this evening, so expect a long reflection post on how much I heart Julie Andrews tomorrow.

Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to work we go!

Wow, what a difference a few weeks makes.  After way to many Top Chef marathons, I am now back among the employed people of the New York theatre scene.  I received a few emails from some of my theatre friends (how nice is it to know there are people looking out for you!) leading me to my new position as the company manager for Neil LaBute's play reasons to be pretty.  

I just watched the first run though on Friday, and it's great.  They are teching done at the Lortel now, and we get underway on Wednesday night.

I love starting a new job.  Knowing that when I pack up for the day, knowing that everything on my list is accomplished.  How rare a feeling is that?  I can honestly say that I don't remember the last time I felt that way.  So, that's cool.  The new people at my office are great, and I ended up having a million connections to the theatre that I never knew about.  I love becoming a part of this world!  I finally feel that I've been working long enough to be like, "oh right, I know them!"  Seriously, a giant shoutout to my people at the Vineyard and MTC for being those connections that brought me to this job!  I am so grateful to have such amazing people watching my back.  It's moments like this when I realize just how cool of an industry I work in.