Arid, Extra Dry

Week 92: Tucson, AZ

Within 24 hours of arriving in Tucson, my lips were chapped, my nose bloody, and my skin peeling. The conditions here are so dry, that, in spite of 100 degree temperatures, your sweat evaporates before it has a chance to cool your body. The dryness is also, of course, terrible for a singer's voice, and I have had to drink multiple liters of water a day just to keep things lubricated. Such is the desert climate. However, I admit to a little enjoyment that we spent the first official days of autumn in a place that is eternally summer. It won't be until I return to New York for the layoff next week that I will really get that "back to school" feeling, and the reality that I must take up my life in that city of cities will truly sink in.

I think everyone has come to grips with the reality that our tour will be ending soon, and all eyes are on the horizon. Most of our crew and management team have already lined up work for themselves, many joining existing tours, others launching new ones. Some will return to working in shops and for the locals in their home cities. As for the performers, a fortunate few have jobs lined up already; others are beginning the audition process and the search for the next opportunity. Some have decided to relocate to LA from New York, others are going to take their first stab at living the New York City dream. Still others have bought, or are about to buy, new homes and are happily, if nervously, engaged in the process of becoming first time home owners. Some are just looking forward to a much needed break and are squirreling away their money to cover their monthly expenses while they rest, rejuvenate, and plan to spend the holidays with family. As for me, I plan to return to my apartment in New York and furnish it pretty much from the ground up, finally creating the little haven I have been visualizing while out here on the road. Armed with my new head shots and resumes, and charged with newfound confidence and a clear vision of where I see my career heading in the next few years, I plan to insinuate myself back into Manhattan and start that next adventure.

But back to Tucson. I am fortunate this week that I am in a nice hotel with a lovely outdoor pool and hot tub, just a short walk from the Tucson Music Hall, where we are performing. I am sort of treating this as one of those rest weeks, catching some rays and in general just getting myself slowly organized for the busy week in New York next week.
On Wednesday, I decided to walk into town and do the Presidio Trail, a walking tour throughout the downtown core, marked by a turquoise line painted along the sidewalk. This trail takes you through the historic neighborhoods and past the significant landmarks and historic sites throughout Tucson. I enjoyed strolling through the older barrios, or neighborhoods, in town, distinguished by square adobe buildings, some painted in cheerful shades of lemon, red, turquoise, violet. Some of the places that I found most interesting included El Tiradito ("The Castaway"), a small shrine at the side of the road which has had significance for the Mexican community for generations. Legend has it that a violent love triangle in the 1870's resulted in the murder of a woman's lover by her jealous husband, and when the murdered man was refused burial in consecrated ground this shrine was created to pray for the man's soul. Three historic theatres can be found on the Presidio Trail, among them Teatro Carmen, established in 1915 as a venue for dramatic works in Spanish (now an Elks Lodge); The Temple of Music and Art, a Spanish Colonial Revival building with a charming courtyard, built in 1927 as a concert hall and now home to the Arizona Theatre Company; and the Fox Theatre, one of those great vaudeville and movie palaces from the 1920's. The theatre fell on hard times in the middle of the last century and was closed for 30 years until a recent renovation restored it to its former Art Deco glory. I persuaded a box office worker to give me a little private tour and I greatly enjoyed seeing this old gem of a theatre in such gleaming, beautiful condition. The ceiling boasts an elaborate mural with classic art deco motifs, all done in rich Southwest colors of mustard, terra cotta and turquoise; the seats and seat cushions are exact reproductions of the original designs, and the original frosted glass wall sconces and chandeliers have been preserved. The Fox hosts concert and theatrical events as well as what looks like a fantastic classic movie series. So glad I got to see it. Fortified by some terrific fish tacos from a great little Mom and Pop taqueria , I completed my nearly three mile hike around Tucson in front of the gorgeous St. Augustine Cathedral. Built in 1897, it is a serenely beautiful example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture which is currently undergoing a spectacular restoration. Unfortunately I was not able to go inside to view the cathedral due to the work being done there. Tucson is a very interesting mix of cultures--Spanish, Mexican, and Native American. The little pockets of history coexist with the structures and trappings of a 21st century city in an intriguing harmony.



Here's Renee, my Tucson dresser.
Renee has a very interesting story. Originally from Maryland, she spent much of her life in San Francisco where she worked as an environmentalist and animal rights activist. Having grown up in a multi-generational household, Renee was very close to her grandfather, and since he and her parents relocated to Arizona, she followed so that she and her daughter might enjoy the time to be with her beloved grandfather. She has done theatre all along the way and her husband also works back stage, and is on our show as a dresser. Renee has a nice, balanced energy about her which is a welcome compliment to the general feeling of centeredness and calm I am experiencing this week in Tucson. Trick is to carry this feeling into my layoff week in New York! No post next week folks, so I will catch up with you at the end of our first week in Costa Mesa, to share with you the final stretch of this amazing adventure.

All in the Family

Week 91: San Jose, CA

You may recall, from my San Francisco posts, that I have family in San Jose. My brother Alex, who has worked for Apple for many years, and his wife Patricia have raised their family here in the Silicon Valley. They have become a part of a great community of people, many who come from Alex's workplace, others who have become friends through Patricia's work as a doula, assisting births. They have three terrific kids--Ben, 17, a senior in high school and a talented musician and water polo champion; Zoe, 14, a straight-A student and a budding actress; and Isobel, 12, also a precocious performer and creative writer with a firecracker of a personality. Because these relatives live cross country from me, and because we all get caught up in our own busy lives, I have not had much opportunity before now to really get to know them all as a family. This week I made up for lost time by staying with them in their home in San Jose.

It has been such a delight to get better acquainted with these intelligent, articulate, motivated and well behaved kids. But the real joy for me has been in witnessing my brother and his wife perform their roles as parents so wonderfully. They are passionately and devotedly involved in their children's lives; encouraging them, nurturing them, applying pressure where needed, but always with a sense of fairness and with love. Watching my brother come in from a long day at work and sit down immediately to assist Zoe with math homework, or proudly show me video of Ben playing water polo--it's hard to describe the feelings I have knowing that of all of Alex's great achievements, his greatest is as a terrific father. I am very proud of him, and I think he has one hell of a great family. I have also enjoyed being the visiting actor uncle, and had the pleasure of coaching Zoe on her very first Shakespeare monologue--Juliet's balcony speech--and of visiting Isobel's drama class at her middle school. I love speaking to kids, especially young actors.
Even though I grew up in a theatrical family, I still received a great deal of discouragement and negativity from teachers and people in the business when I was coming up as a fledgling artist. And I feel like that kind of talk is cheap. What kids need is encouragement. Sure, they have to know that they are contemplating a highly competitive career, with a great deal of rejection and potential for heartbreak. But more than that, they need to know that if they believe in themselves and they persist, they will have opportunities to do what they love. I warned Isobel's teachers that I love the sound of my own voice and will go on and on and ON, but they let me go, and I filled a 50 minute class with my "words of wisdom." Mostly I told these bright eyed, expectant kids to believe in themselves, to take good care of their bodies (no smoking, no drugs), and to find ways to be well rounded and have a full life--nurturing not only their artistic aspirations, but their relationships with friends and family--and cultivating many interests, developing other talents and abilities. I got a real charge out of being able to be an inspiration to them. It reminded me that when I was 12 or 13, I was just like them--stage struck and hungry to live out my dream. Come to discover, I STILL AM.

San Jose, the tenth largest city in the U.S., and the capital of high tech Silicon Valley, is really a very attractive and rapidly developing fine city. The downtown area is attractive and modern, with beautifully designed pedestrian malls, a plethora of restaurants, a state of the art light rail system, and sleek office buildings and upscale hotels. In addition to our venue this week, the San Jose Performing Arts Center, there are other performance venues, including the San Jose Rep, where I had the pleasure of auditioning this week. I also stopped in for a visit to the San Jose Museum of Art. The "historic wing" of the museum is a beautiful Romanesque revival building from the late 19th century, an historic landmark which once served as the San Jose post office and then a library; the "new wing," a slick modern space, was added to the museum in 1991 and the contrast of the two architectural statements is striking. Interestingly, the current main exhibit of contemporary art focused mostly on artist's statements about our abuse of the environment, of the dehumanizing effect of the proliferation of technology, and on corruption in our political institutions. A thought provoking collection of art for a city that owes its existence to the success of high tech corporations. In addition, there was a nice exhibit of Alexander Calder, encompassing his paintings, his jewelry and his famous mobiles; and again, there was our old friend Ansel Adams--this time in a small but striking exhibition of his very early work as a landscape photographer.

Since we were so close to San Francisco this week, I stole a day and drove up there to get a last shot in the arm of that great city's energy and beauty, before I return in a few weeks to the east coast. I got to meet a couple of my new friends and catch up, and then drive around the city again, from Twin Peaks through the Castro and Golden Gate Park, to Lincoln Park, where I stopped at the Palace of the Legion of Honor. This is one of the great museums of San Francisco that I didn't get to visit during our engagement there, and I am so glad I had the chance to see it this week. The museum is perhaps best known for its splendid collection of Rodin bronzes, marbles and plaster sculptures; indeed, one of his most famous pieces, The Thinker, greets you as you enter the building. The collection is exquisite, and beautifully laid out so one may pass with ease from gallery to gallery representing all periods of European Art, with representative works from many of the finest old masters, from Rembrandt to Rubens, and the great Impressionists, from Monet to Degas.
My favorite pieces were perhaps the most theatrical ones (surprise, surprise). These included Thalia, Muse of Comedy, , by the 18th century court artist Jean-Marc Nattier, a playful female nude draped in satin and paying winking homage to the theatre with the mask she bears; and an extraordinary canvas by Spanish artist Jose Jimenez Y Aranda from 1879, Holy Week in Seville. This gorgeous, almost photographic depiction of an 18th century public square full of interesting characters is a fascinating slice of life, brilliantly rendered. I had such a nice visit to San Francisco, all too brief, but it was great to see the fog drift across the Golden Gate Bridge and reconnect with the recent memories of the wonderful time I spent there this year.



I connected with another San Francisco friend when I found out that Lorraine, my dresser from the Golden Gate Theatre, was to be working with me for the week here in San Jose.
Several of our wardrobe workers from that engagement have joined us here and they are all such terrific people. It really was nice to see Lorraine again and of course, a great bonus for me to have a seasoned pro who knows my show assisting me. Thanks, Lorraine! And so it is with regret that I leave Alex, Patricia, Ben, Zoe and Isobel, not knowing when we will next see each other, but confident that we now share a closer connection. It's a great gift to have such people in my family and in my life. Three more performance weeks of "Spamalot" to go, folks, hard as that may be to believe. Tucson, AZ is next for us before a week of layoff and the final push in Costa Mesa, CA. More from Tucson next week. Meanwhile, if you have a brother or sister you haven't called in a while, pick up the phone. You'll be glad you did.

By the Sea, By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea

Week 90: San Diego, CA

After our lengthy "sit-downs" in San Francisco and LA, I had become unaccustomed to our typical way of life on the road, i.e., one week in every city. So when we arrived in San Diego and I checked into another hotel and unpacked my bag for my week's stay, it was something of a shock to the system. However, this city and it's many splendors helped ease the way. San Diego has been rated one of the top five wealthiest cities in the U.S., and one of its most livable. The weather is perfect--sort of an unusually warm spring day every day--and the city abounds with cultural life, tourist attractions, natural wonders, and successful businesses. On my first afternoon here, Labor Day, I wandered around the downtown area, marveling at the eclectic mix of architecture--from historic 19th century structures in the bustling Gas Lamp District, to Spanish inspired buildings of stucco and terra cotta tile, to vintage art deco wonders like the Balboa Theatre, to ultra modern high rises--and eventually found myself at San Diego Bay. Seaport Village, which adjoins the imposing Convention Center, is an eccentric hodgepodge of touristy shops and restaurants clustered around the edges of a beautiful park and waterfront walk. On this holiday afternoon, the place was hopping with activity--families enjoying the sunshine, street musicians playing. A nice introduction to this fine city.

On Tuesday I hopped on the bus and made the short trip to Balboa Park, one of the great features of San Diego. This massive park encompasses the world famous San Diego Zoo, ten fascinating museums, numerous gardens, a fabulous botanical building, and the Tony-winning Old Globe Theatre.
The look and feel of today's Balboa Park is owed to the architectural genius of Bertram Goodhue, who designed the arcaded walks and ornate Spanish Revival buildings for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. It's an incredible treasure, this park, and is one of the premier attractions of San Diego. Before you ask, no, I didn't go to the zoo. I find zoos very sad. I know they are educational and I know they are an opportunity for children and adults alike to see animals they'd otherwise never see up close. But giraffes and zebras should be running through the sierras of Africa, not roaming about a pen. Just my personal feeling. Besides, there is just so much one can do with one day in Balboa Park, and being an art nut, I made a beeline for the San Diego Museum of Art. It's a concise jewel of a collection, with an emphasis on Renaissance art, much of which was endowed by Amy and Anne R. Putnam. There are wonderful devotional works by Renaissance masters like Giotto and Fra Angelico. There are also great pieces of Spanish art, a focus of the museum due to the region's rich Spanish heritage. These include masterpieces by El Greco, Goya, and the haunting Penitent Magdalen by Murillo.
On the Italian Baroque side, I was most struck by the David with the Head of Goliath by Massimo Stanzione, a Neopolitan artist who was strongly influenced by Caravaggio and others of his school including Artemisia Gentileschi, but who studied the work of classicists like Guido Reni. In this sense, his work combines the realism and chiaroscuro of Caravaggio and a mannerist lyricism of the style that came after him. Perhaps my favorite piece in the museum was Blue Eyed Boy by Modigliani, an absolutely classic example of this artist's elongated, whimsical style.

Across the way from the SDMA is the Timkin Museum, housing a very small but delightful collection of European works, including a Rembrandt, a Rubens, and a glorious crucifixion by Veronese. The museum was also hosting a special exhibit of Russian religious icons. From there I wandered over to the Old Globe. For a classical actor like me, there are a handful of Shakespearean theatres that represent the finest in classical English speaking theatre; among these are Shakespeare's Globe in London, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the Stratford Festival in Canada.
The Old Globe is among these hallowed theatres, and not only produces classic plays, but has originated many successful musicals which have had Broadway success, inlcuding "Avenue Q" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." Standing in front of the beautiful buildings--a replica of Shakespeare's Elizabethan playhouse and two other great spaces,--I felt that frisson of excitement and longing I always feel in such places. I still have a strong ambition to play the great roles and to play them at the finest classical theatres. I hope someday to work at Old Globe, but on Tuesday, they were loading in a show so I couldn't even get a peep at the stage! Ah well. From there, I went to the Museum of Photographic Arts, which was hosting a retrospective of the work of legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams. Here again were those silvery, majestic images that celebrate the natural wonders of America. Alongside this exhibit was one dedicated to the work of Jo Whaley, "Theatre of Insects." Whaley was a scenic artist who turned to art photography, and she has a fascination with insects--beetles, butterflies. She takes these colorful creatures and places them in miniature theatrical settings, producing richly detailed and highly evocative tableaux. I was a real fan of this show.



On Wednesday, I had an audition for a director who runs a theatre in one of the coastal towns north of San Diego, so I drove out there and back, enjoying the gorgeous scenery along coastal route 101, and the interesting, affluent communities that dot the shoreline. Del Mar seems to have chosen Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon as the model for it's community's look--strange, faux Tudor buildings and squares occupied by blonde surfer types. Odd. La Jolla is a very wealthy enclave which encompasses UC San Diego, and another fine regional theatre, the La Jolla Playhouse.

Thursday, I kept my rental car so I could hit the beach. This is an incredible area of the country, and the beaches are some of the best. I took myself out to Torrey Pines, and the Torrey Pines State Beach, a portion of which is known as Black's Beach. This glorious, unspoiled, vast expanse of beach lies at the foot of dizzyingly steep cliffs. To reach the sand, one has to make one's way along a winding, crumbling, terrifying trail down the cliffside (and then scale its exhausting length on the way back up!)--however, the trek is worth it. The beach is incredible, the water the perfect temperature, the atmosphere serene. My only regret is that I didn't bring my camera to capture some of the beauty of the place--however, Black's is a nude beach and I am quite sure my picture taking would not be taken to kindly!

Friday, I had a mission. I got up early and caught a water taxi over to Coronado Island, which lies across San Diego Bay. This charming community was built in the late 19th century by rich industrialists as an elite resort town. It is not much more than a mile across from bayside to oceanside, and is a lovely, small town America sort of place (with palm trees). The jewel in the crown of Coronado is the historic Hotel Del Coronado, affectionately known here as "The Del."
This great old beach hotel from 1888 was my destination because of it's famous appearance as the location of the "Florida" sequences in the classic Billy Wilder comedy, "Some Like It Hot," one of my all time favorites. And while the hotel has seen an expansion over the years, to include a spa, multiple pools, retail shops, restaurants, and some rather ugly additional guest bungalows, it still retains its familiar silhouette. More frissons of recognition and excitement as I stood on the beach where Marilyn, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon romped 50 years ago this year. In fact, next weekend Tony Curtis will be the guest of honor at a special weekend celebration at the hotel commemorating the film. I played the Jack Lemmon part of 'Jerry' several years ago in the musical version, "Sugar," and it is a role I very much hope to play again. I strolled down Orange Avenue from The Del back toward the bayside area and ferry dock and stopped on the way at the Coronado Historical Association to enjoy a charming exhibit of the work and life of L. Frank Baum, author of the "Oz" books. Baum was a guest for many years at the Hotel Del Coronado and also owned a vacation home on Coronado Island which he shared with his family. The exhibit had some terrific old photos and artifacts, and some pristine first editions of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and other of Baum's classic children's works. It was a nice added treat to an all around lovely day. Next time you find yourself in San Diego, don't miss the chance to visit nearby Coronado.

Phew! What a week! And while I must admit I am looking forward to going back to New York and being again home and in one place, I was reminded this week in this wonderful city of how fortunate I have been to be able to explore our great country. San Diego and environs is a terrific place and I am so glad I got a nice taste of it's many splendors.
Now to introduce you to Judy, my San Diego dresser. Judy got into the costume and wardrobe business through the design and construction end of things, and she is still a costume designer for both theatre, and interestingly, the circus! She and I had a great chat about San Francisco, a city she lived in for a long time and has great affection for--something we have in common. She has done a great job this week, so, many thanks Judy! Monday we return to the bay area, for a week in San Jose. For me it will be a family visit, as I will be staying with my brother, his wife and kids, whom you have all met before on this blog. More from there next weekend, folks!

Say Goodbye To Hollywood

Week 89: Los Angeles, CA

It's somehow symbolic of Hollywood that Tara was just a facade, with no rooms inside.
--David O. Selznick

We had two celebrity visitations last weekend, from two ends of the show biz spectrum. On Saturday night, Miss June Lockhart, who you may remember as the mom on "Lost in Space," came back stage. In her eighties and still lovely, Miss Lockhart was so gracious and so enthusiastic about the show. She won all our hearts. On Sunday afternoon, Placido Domingo came by and saw the first half of our matinee. He came back stage at intermission to congratulate us, and was warm and charming (especially to the show girls!). Mr. Domingo is the director of the LA Opera and is of course, one of the greatest tenors who has ever lived. Wonderful to meet him.

Our LA run is winding down, but the houses have been consistently full, and the audiences rapturous. It is a rather odd time to be here, as the wildfires continue to blaze in the surrounding area, with no sign of abatement. It is rather like being in Pompeii and waiting for the lava to ooze into town. Nevertheless, everyone gets on with business as usual in Hollywood, even if the air is sooty and the heat unbearable. I have truly enjoyed my personal routine here: my gorgeous condo sublet, my little rental car, my gym and amazing yoga teacher (who I will dearly miss). I've accomplished so much here, from becoming a competent driver, to gaining valuable exposure to the business through my performances in the show, and some few positive meetings, to getting my new and wonderful head shots (see image above). Things are starting to buzz in New York, with some interesting projects to audition for and new ground to gain after the tour ends. Despite my enjoyment of LA, I am excited to be returning to New York in a few weeks' time.

Those of you who follow my blog and also are fans of the tour and touring cast might be interested in a copy of a terrific book of photographs put together by our stage manager, Francesca Russell. It's called "Travels on the Bright Side" and is a chronicle of Francesca's journey with the "Spamalot" tour. She's got a great eye and there are terrific back stage candids and wonderful scenic shots from the various cities we visited. For more information or to order the book visit: http://tiny.cc/6sLm6 .

It's time to introduce you to Loretta, my wonderful LA dresser.
Boy, Jeff Dumas and I lucked out, when Loretta was assigned to us. Not only is she a consummate pro and absolutely fantastic at her job, but she is a genuinely fun person to be around. Loretta has dressed some great actors (including our beloved Richard Chamberlain) and has toured with shows as well. She is an enthusiastic crossword puzzle solver, a delightful conversationalist and has given me great tips of things to do and see and eat in the area. In short, we love Loretta, and will miss her!

A friend from college who I had not seen in over twenty years came to the show. We reconnected at the stage door and talked a little about LA. She said to me, "Do not move here. It is a hellpit and will devour your soul." Obviously she has her own story to tell about life in Hollywood, and no one who lives in a major show business town walks away unscathed. I told her, don't worry, there are many things I like about LA. The weather. The beaches. The less stressful interpersonal environment. But I hate the drivers. And the traffic. And the drivers. And the parking fees. And oh, did I mention the drivers? USE YOUR @#&%!! DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL, @#&%!! MORON! Ultimately, give me Manhattan. She is a harsh mistress but at least I understand her now. Another of the blessings of travel. You learn to appreciate HOME. Next week, San Diego.