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.