Friday, August 22, 2008

Philadelphia Freedom


Week 37: New York, NY and Philadelphia, PA


"The doors of wisdom are never shut. Well done is better than well said."
--Benjamin Franklin

I freely admit that I am a bad American this week. I regret to say that in the week I have been in Philadelphia I have seen no sights, have not traced the footsteps of history. As the keeper of a blog that is essentially a travel diary, I have certainly not had the kinds of experiences here that make for "a good read." So, mea culpa, dear reader. Philly is a terrific city, with a wonderful history and a vibrant multi-cultural urban life. If you have not visited it, I highly recommend it. Having grown up in the Boston area, I know how important these northeast cities are to our sense of ourselves as Americans, steeped as they are in history; rich in character. Yet I have enjoyed the simple pleasure here of having a mellow routine. My inn is a charming, lovely old house which in it's heyday must have been something right out of Henry James. My corner of the house is a comfy, quiet retreat and the neighborhood is quaint and relaxed. It has been such a pleasure to move slowly through my days here, with little or no agenda--a gym workout here, a dinner with my cousins there, and of course, the show. Perhaps I am just reserving my energy for my trip next week to Amsterdam. There is a strange contradiction to taking a vacation from traveling by traveling--to Europe! But this vacation is a promise fulfilled. My dear best friend, Mickey, and I have been talking about seeing Amsterdam together since college. And no, I won't tell you just how many years ago that was! "Spamalot" has made so many wonderful things possible for me and this week in Europe with my best buddy is one of those fabulous perks.

Another reason for my lack of Philly adventures is that I went back to New York for our day off this week, catching a train right after Sunday's show and staying in the city until just before showtime here on Tuesday. Easy visits home are few and far between and I used this one to do important things like get an annual physical, get my teeth checked, and do sundry bits of business with my apartment building, etc. While my halfway mark was three months ago, this juncture of the tour for me feels like a transition mark, with my vacation coming, the end of Gary Beach's tenure as the King, and something more intangible: a growing sense of comfort and relaxation in my routine as a touring actor. I think I am just getting good at all of this and it feels freer and more manageable, this road life. There are many changes in store over the next few months, many changes of cast as well as an entirely new physical production of the show which we will have to rehearse with and adjust to. So perhaps it is best that Philadelphia has been a resting place rather than a tourist whirlwind.


Being in Philadelphia is evocative for me because it reminds me of the musical "1776." I was in strong contention for the role of John Adams last year for the Goodspeed Opera House, and the preparation for the audition process led me to fall in love with the show, and of course the role created originally by William Daniels. Gary Beach has told me some of his stories about his history with the show. He was in the first national tour of the show, started in a smaller role but was promoted to the part of Rutledge and transferred to the Broadway company when the original cast went to Hollywood to make the film. I am pretty much dying to play Adams. But I digress.

Those of you who follow this mishegas of mine may remember that my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Larry came to see the show in Clearwater, Florida. These are fabulous Beaman relatives who are living a marvelous retirement bursting with all kinds of travel.
They came to see the show in Philly with my cousin Kristen, her husband and their son, Brandon--a real charmer, this one, quite a young actor himself, who is also a mean hockey goalie! My family is far flung and we don't intersect as often as we could, but what a pleasure it is to visit with them and have them experience the work I am doing.

I did do one touristy thing and that was a visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a mammoth collection housed in a massive building.
The steps of the museum, as you may recall, were the place where Rocky triumphantly ran to strains of "Gonna Fly Now." I chose only a section of the museum to explore--the European art of the 16th through 18th centuries. Some really wonderful stuff here; many important Flemish paintings as well as numerous portraits by Gainsborough and a large number of paintings by Tintoretto, one of my favorite Venetian artists. Philadelphia is a great US city with a rich cultural and historical heritage. I am glad I got a taste of it.

My dresser in Philly is Elisa, who has been in wardrobe for many years as part of a family tradition.
Her mother began doing this kind of work when Elisa was a kid and she herself started when she was sixteen. Which of course makes her an absolute pro and a delight to work with. What is great is that Elisa's mom is still doing wardrobe and is in fact working on our show as well. Having grown up in theatre as a family business I can appreciate how unique and special it must be for Elisa and her mother to share this common profession. Thank you Elisa! I know you will take good care of my understudies next week while I am in the land of wooden shoes and tulips.

And with that, I depart for Amsterdam, friends, for a well-deserved rest and relaxation. I will write more in two weeks, when I have returned from Europe and rejoin the company, with our new King, in Hartford, CT. Meantime, I had a request from a reader to do a Q&A blog post, to answer some of your questions about tour life and the theatre. Feel free to formulate your questions over the next couple weeks and email me at james@jamesbeaman.com.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Week 36: New York, NY and Philadelphia, PA

In my effort to be the smart, savvy touring actor, I took it on myself a couple months ago to anticipate the travel from Calgary to Philadelphia (with three days off to allow for the transport of the set) by purchasing for myself a ticket from Calgary to New York. This allowed me the chance to be home for the first time in nine months. Ironically, when our company manager announced the company flight, it was from Calgary to Newark, NJ, a short jaunt to NYC. My flight was to New York via Houston, which meant a very long travel day. I left my Calgary digs at 4:30 AM to make a 7:00 AM flight to Houston. When I reached Houston it was announced that due to weather in New York the flight to LaGuardia was delayed, three hours. I got home at 10:00PM while the company flight touched down at 5:00. But the most important thing was that I GOT HOME. When I arrived and was standing in the taxi line, brightly lit signs mounted on the cabs advertised "Spamalot" starring Steven Collins and Drew Lachey. I can't escape it!!

Being in my neighborhood was a surreal experience after being on the road for nine months. It felt almost like I had been in a dream all that time and woke up back home. Yet the landscape of the city has changed so much in that short time: new developments, new businesses, old businesses disappearing. But how good it was to be home. I saw old friends, had meetings with my agent, my trainer, and a session with my genius massage therapist. Slept in my own bed, for which I bought all new bedding. It was a productive, hectic and expensive visit home! Thursday, I hopped the Amtrak for Philadelphia.

I spent a good part of my youth in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs, visiting my grandparents and other relatives who lived here. I remember childhood trips to Independence Hall, the mint, the Liberty Bell. I have not yet explored any of these or other sights in Philly this trip but certainly plan to do some of that next week.
I am staying here in a charming, historic part of town known alternately as the Washington Square District or the Antiques District; a lovely area of bricked and cobblestone streets, narrow lanes, old row houses, antique shops and cafes, which is a short walk to the theatre. My hotel is an enchanting inn, the Clinton Street Bed and Breakfast, which is really a sort of suite hotel in an old Victorian house. I have a lovely large suite with its own kitchen and bath, elegantly furnished with antiques, and it is very homey indeed. The neighborhood reminds me of historic districts like Capital Hill in DC, the South End of Boston, or Greenwich Village in New York.

We are performing in Philadelphia at the Academy of Music, one of the great historic American theatres. Built in the 1850s, the theatre was originally an opera house where some of the greatest artists of all time performed: Enrico Caruso, Joan Sutherland, Anna Pavlova, Pavarotti...the list goes on and on. The house is glorious--opulent, gilded horseshoe shaped tiers rise up and up, crowned by exquisite ceiling murals and an enormous crystal chandelier which right now is wrapped up, having been recently sent to France to be refurbished. I am told that one of the scenes in the film "The Age of Innocence" was shot in the Academy of Music, and one can see why. It truly is like stepping back in time to a more elegant age. It is always thrilling to play one of these famous theatres and to be a part of its rich history.

Opening night, my Aunt Stefi, cousin Amy, cousin Jennifer and her son Aryeh, and their friends came and saw the show. It has been a joy to share my success and my work in "Spamalot" with relations that I rarely see and who almost never get to see what I do. This reunion was delightful, as Jennifer and Amy, along with their sister Robin, spent many summers during our childhood vacationing in Massachusetts with my family. Incredible how fast time passes. It really was so nice to see them. Left to right here: Aryeh, Amy, Jennifer, moi, and Stefi. The poor dears are all wet because they waited in the rain for me by the stage door!




Well, it is time to prepare for another four show weekend, and then back to New York on Sunday night for my day off. I am doing all sorts of preparations not only for the next leg of the tour which will take us back to Canada in September, but for my long awaited vacation in Amsterdam week after next. So friends, more from Philadelphia next week. It will be a bittersweet time, as Gary Beach will be leaving the tour while I am on vacation as will my friend Vera, our props department head with whom I roomed in Vancouver. This is the nature of our business but it is always hard to see good friends leave the fold. Enjoy these last halcyon days of summer, wherever you may be, and remember to express appreciation for the friends, coworkers and loved ones who surround you. These good times are to be savored.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Cow Town


Week 35: Calgary, AB

"Oh Rose Marie, I love you!" warbled Canadian Mountie Nelson Eddy to Jeanette MacDonald. And Calgary was originally a Mounted Police outpost. There is also a decided Country and Western vibe about this town, home as it is to the Calgary Stampede--a spectacular outdoor festival of rodeo, native culture, agricultural competitions and chuck wagon races. I admit that as an American, I thought the whole cowboy thing was a truly American tradition--something defining about our country. But it is a large part of the Canadian tradition as well.

I find Calgary a very pleasant city that seems to be doing extremely well for itself. Voted one of North America's cleanest cities, it just feels well-heeled.
The foundation of the city has long been the oil business, so 'nuff said. I am staying in a fabulous condo in a trendy neighborhood and rooming with the lovely Angela, our wardrobe mistress, whose genius landed us this sweet pad we are in. My days have been filled with visits to the gym or yoga class; happy dreaming as I browse through the furniture stores and art galleries of the Design District; a little retail therapy along the trendy 17th Avenue strip. Our audiences this week have been our most enthusiastic audiences in Canada thus far. The show was reviewed very favorably in the major dailies here and attendance has been great.




On Wednesday, Angela and I were picked up by Tim, who rented a car so we could drive to Banff, the beautiful town in a glorious national park at the foot of the Rockies.
And man, is it ever beautiful out there. Just an hour and a half outside Calgary is this majestic panorama of mountains and pine forests and crystal clear lakes and rivers. It's just spectacular. The town is very touristy and playing up the Swiss mountain village theme to the hilt. It's all very quaint and picturesque and surrounded by incredible natural beauty. But there's still the Gap and McDonald's. Sigh.


On the way back from lunch in Banff, we stopped at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a sprawling castle and grounds built in the late 19th century by a visionary railroad magnate who saw in this beautiful location, with mountains and lakes and the therapeutic hot springs, a gold mine of a tourist destination. So he erected a compound reminiscent of a castle in the Scottish Highlands. And the place is dramatic, over the top, swellegent and just plain glamorous. The terraces overlooking the mountains, the golf course, the huge ballrooms and soaring cathedral ceilings... we decided it was the perfect location for some Hercule Poirot 1930s murder mystery. It was a real treat to see a resort that still does it with style. There was even a bagpipe player greeting the bus groups that pulled up!



Later in the week I visited the Glenbow Museum. It is a very interesting place that is primarily a showcase for anthropology and for exploring culture and cultural phenomena. They have a primary exhibit on called "Mavericks," which tells the history of the Province of Alberta through the stories of various people, both powerful and ordinary, who shaped the land. I enjoyed aspects of the museum but have been disappointed yet again in a Canadian city that does not have a real fine arts museum. I appreciate all the art institutions I have visited thus far but am at a loss to understand why some of these major urban centers don't have more collections of antiquities and classical art. Ah well. It is truly always a great thing to get to visit these places and to learn about the local culture. Speaking of local culture, I have observed that the punk revival has firmly taken root in Canada, much to my amusement. I guess you know you are getting older when the teens and 20-somethings are discovering the fashions and trends of your youth. Every day I see kids with neon colored mohawks, tutus, leopard tights, high top sneakers, rubber gasket bracelets, safety pins in their noses and t-shirts emblazoned with the names of rock bands that disbanded long before they were born (and some of those I saw in concert in the 80s!). It's a bittersweet moment when you realize you are "retro." Emphasis on bitter...

My dresser in Calgary is Lillian.
Lillian is the prop master for Calgary's major resident theatre. She is dressing us this week "on the side," as it were. She is efficient and very nice to work with. Calgary audiences have been great and I have very much enjoyed the low key week I have spent here. But New York beckons! While the set is trucked down to Philadelphia for our opening there on Thursday, we get three days off. And I can be in my apartment in my city for the first time in nine months! I can't begin to express how excited I am about getting a dose of home. More from Philly next week.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Festival City

Week 34: Edmonton, AB

After the distinct style and extravagant beauty of Vancouver, Edmonton is rather like the plain jane bridesmaid at a society wedding. The capital of the Province of Alberta, it has a rather dull feel to it, like many nondescript cities we have played in the states; I have heard a couple company members liken it to Dayton, OH. Of course it is unfair to compare it to Vancouver but nevertheless it does make one really appreciate how special that city was. Edmonton closes down at 5 or 6PM and before the sun has set the streets are deserted. In Vancouver, every night of the week was full of street life; bars and restaurants and music venues all hopping. It is perhaps a blessing that Edmonton is so sleepy. A chance to recover from the expenditures of money and energy in Vancouver.

Edmonton is nicknamed "Festival City" because it hosts several cultural and sporting festivals throughout the year, among them the Edmonton International Fringe Festival, a theatre festival second only in size and scope to the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland. It also hosts things like the International Street Performer's Festival, the Free Will Shakespeare Festival, and the Canada Rodeo. None of these will be happening while we are here--the Fringe Festival starts a week or so after we depart, which is perhaps a good thing for our box office! In addition to the cultural festivals, Edmonton is home to the largest mall in North America, the West Edmonton Mall, with over 800 shops. Edmonton is also home to the impressive Muttart Conservatory, which is a cluster of enormous glass pyramids housing plants and flowers from all over the world. Regrettably this is closed during our visit here.

I did visit the West Edmonton Mall and it is just heartening to know that America has not cornered the market on tackiness.
The largest mall in North America is everything every U.S. mall is, but on steroids. It's all the same familiar stores and chain restaurants but just loads of them, accompanied by rather absurd attractions, including a giant pirate ship surrounded by water on which kids can paddle boat around, an ice skating rink, and an actual amusement park with rides, including an indoor roller coaster. I suppose the winters here in Edmonton are long and brutal so a place like this is a welcome distraction for families with kids. While I found the whole place ridiculous, I did join in the celebration of capitalism by making perhaps my most frivolous purchase yet on the tour--a pair of Prada sunglasses. They are gorgeous but there is no doubt that buying them was an act of complete indulgence. Ah well, hard work should entitle us all to a few toys.

On the side of substance, I had the pleasure of visiting the Art Gallery of Alberta, temporarily housed in a University building downtown while its permanent home is under construction. The current exhibitions all reflect, in various ways, the relationship between Canada and its Aboriginal peoples, as well as Canada's artistic relationship with itself. There was a very interesting showing of the Group of Seven, an early 20th century group of painters in Toronto that were the first organization of modern artists in Canada. These artists sought to present impressions of the unspoiled Canadian landscape and created much controversy amongst those that wanted to project a more modern view of the country.
There were several exhibits of art and photography by contemporary Aboriginal artists who use their work to express their feelings about reconciling their traditional culture with the modern Canadian world they live and grew up in. Some of these expressions are funny, some bitingly satiric, and others mournful.
My favorite exhibit was of portraits by Nicholas de Grandmaison, who grew up in Imperial Russia, emigrated to this area and became fascinated by the various tribes of Plains Indians. He traveled extensively, meeting these peoples, executing startling oil and pastel portraits of them and using early recording equipment to capture audio records of the stories and history of the Indians from their own lips. For his efforts he was not only honored by Canada as an artist, he was presented with ceremonial garments and inducted into one of the native tribes he befriended. The portraits are truly beautiful and masterful and give a very personal face to people who at that time were considered little more than picturesque remnants of a dying culture.



We are performing this week in the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, which is located on the attractive University of Alberta campus.
The theatre was a gift to the people of Alberta from Her Majesty the Queen of England in 1955, along with a twin theatre in Calgary, the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium (where we will be next week). The two theatres are completely identical and whenever one gets improvements, the other gets the same. Both theatres were renovated in 2004 in preparation for their 50th anniversaries. I find the house acoustically one of the best we have played, and the audiences have been large and appreciative. We take the local light rail system to work every day, and the trip affords a beautiful view of the Saskatchewan River.

My dresser in Edmonton is Donna, and what a versatile and talented lady she is.
Donna, in addition to working wardrobe for theatre, film and TV, is also a costume designer for a local burlesque troupe, and a trombone player and singer in an eccentric rock band called The Wet Secrets. She is a friendly and charming person to work with and this week has been a pleasure. So, next week takes us to Calgary, where we will celebrate the tour's 1000th performance, and where this Canadian leg of the tour will end. The following week I will get three wonderful days in New York prior to our Philadelphia opening. Since I have not seen my apartment in eight months, you can imagine how excited I am to tread those dirty streets again!