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.

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.

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!

Hard To Say Goodbye

Week 33: Vancouver, B.C.

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

By the end of our third week here, I had completely relaxed into life in Vancouver. The realization this week that we will soon be packing up and moving on was a bit like being doused with cold water. I had been lulled into the comfort of a familiar routine. Also, Vancouver is amazing. Absolutely a livable city--expensive, but then so is every great and desirable city in the world. The incredible abundance of majestic natural beauty surrounding the city is in itself reason enough to want to live here. No question about it, Vancouver spoke to me. Granted, we also arrived at the perfect time of year and have had virtually uninterrupted spectacular weather. I am sure the rest of the year, with its gloom and rain, is not perhaps as gleeful. Nevertheless, I will miss this place.

Our final week here started off with a lovely recital given by the talented Ben Davis, who plays Galahad in the show.
Ben is a very gifted classical baritone, who has appeared in numerous Broadway shows, including Baz Luhrmann's "La Boheme." He is also featured as Papageno in Kenneth Branagh's film of "The Magic Flute" (it has not been released in the US yet, but I saw it on video and it is great). Ben gave all of us a wonderful gift of a program of classical arias at the local Christ Church Cathedral. In addition we were treated to a performance of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" for four hands by Michael Gribbin and Adam Souza, two amazing pianists who executed this complex classic masterfully. Ben also had his friend Xiao Yu execute a song on the Pipa, a traditional Chinese instrument, and she gave an equally bravura performance. It was moving to share in the talents of these fine artists outside the scope of our show, and I admit to feeling pangs of hunger for the classical work I was doing before joining "Spamalot." Granted, our show requires a great deal of energy, technical proficiency and a sophisticated sensibility, but it is more a lighthearted picnic than a six course gourmet meal. I find myself hankering after the athleticism and complexity, the vocal and physical demands of Shakespeare. When I think about how it feels to play Posthumous or Macbeth, I feel a rush of excitement and energy. I'd love to show my fellow artists on our tour, as Ben did, the greater range of my abilities; Robin is a sweet character but to play him only requires certain colors from my actor's paint kit, and certain notes in my vocal scale. It's rather like being a swimmer or a gymnast and only ever participating in one event. I have faith that I will again have the chance to tackle some of the great parts in the classical repertoire.


Another feature of our day off this week was a trip to Wreck Beach. I went with Bree and our assistant company manager David. Wreck Beach is a nice stretch of sand down the cliffs near the UBC campus. It is the area's nude beach and is a hoot par excellence. It is quite simply like stepping into a time warp and finding oneself in the late 60's. There is a pronounced eccentric hippie vibe about the beach. Naked vendors in funny hats and fanny packs stroll up and down the sand dispensing, among other things, watermelon, beer, margaritas, ice cream, marijuana, pot cookies, and magic mushrooms. Watching the scene play out in front of us we were keenly aware that we were not in the USA! It was quite something. And of course, the beach was beautiful and the snow capped mountains rising beyond the horizon were fabulous. It was a nice chance to soak up some sun and enjoy something uniquely Vancouver. And no, I did not get naked. There is something rather goofy about nude beaches. People seem to just be getting naked because they have permission to do so in that setting--and I suppose it might be liberating for some to just let it all hang out. For my part, I prefer to expose my body when I have a little more control over the lighting, the presentation, and the viewing audience! Don't especially want all and sundry to be able to study anything that might jiggle, flop or dimple in broad daylight. But different strokes for different folks. I kept my trunks on.

I suppose my travelogue for Vancouver would be more accurate if I recount the things I didn't do here. Fans of the area might be shocked to know that I didn't get over to Vancouver Island and Victoria; I didn't do the Grouse Grind, a challenging mountain hike; I didn't go up to Whistler, the mountain town where the 2010 Olympic alpine events will take place. I feel I got a nice sense of the beauty and nature of the area while I was here, and a nice taste of the flavor of Vancouver itself. For me this place was a blessed respite from the rigors of traveling life. It was a chance to have a somewhat normal routine for a few weeks and enjoy the low key pleasures of this very fabulous city. Vancouver was a place to go within and be with myself. Doesn't make for an exciting travel diary but man, is it good for the sanity!

Some Vancouver snapshots:

Fresh blueberries that burst in your mouth. Reggae bands on the street on Canada Day creating a joyous block party. The ever shifting catwalk of Robson Street. Boys with faux hawk hairstyles everywhere you look. Hippies, drifters and break dancers hanging out in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery. The freshest, briniest oysters I have ever had, enjoyed with a big hunk of sourdough bread and a cool local lager. My kayak paddle breaking the surface of the water in Deep Cove. The rosy cheeked, busty naked vendor who knelt down on my beach blanket to sell me a sweet, juicy hunk of watermelon on Wreck Beach. Groups of Asian school kids jumping up and down on the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge and screaming with fear and delight. The luxurious, supple feel of my new leather jacket purchased in a designer boutique in Gastown. Pushing my limits in yoga class in Yaletown, all muscles straining and stretching while the sweat pours down. Ben Davis' birthday party, where in addition to cake, we were served Lucky Charms, Froot Loops and milk. Boogying with Bree and Sarah Lin to the funky sounds of Soulstream, the ten piece house band at Republic. The sheer bliss of my bike ride along the seawall in Stanley Park. It has been a full and rich time for me here.

Here is the fabulous Tanya!
Tanya was my dresser here in Vancouver and because we worked together for a month and because she is just such a funny, sassy, irreverent gal, we have become friends and have had some good times hanging out together. Tanya is from Nanaimo, a small town on Vancouver Island, and has recently moved back into Vancouver to restart her life here. I wish her the very best of luck. Her winning personality and great sense of humor will take her far and win over many people here. I certainly hope we will stay in touch. And so I wistfully say farewell to Vancouver. I hope that I will return here one day. Edmonton, Alberta is next, friends. The Canadian odyssey continues...

The Great Outdoors

Week 32: Vancouver, B.C.

We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success.


--Henry David Thoreau

That is just about the definition of "adventure," is it not? So much of what I experience on this tour comes from acting spontaneously and feeling each place intuitively. Vancouver certainly appeals to the naturalist in me.
This week started with a low key day off, which began with a visit to Lynn Canyon, a beautiful park and ecology center with a rain forest, a 30 foot pool, waterfalls and a suspension bridge rising 20 stories above Lynn Creek. With the glorious weather we have been having, the fresh air and the magnificent natural setting, I had such a pleasurable time with Bree and TJ. TJ works wardrobe on the show and is a singer/songwriter among many other things. That's her dog Acon. We sat under the trees and ate cherries bought at a roadside stand. Find your bliss. Find your bliss.





I have taken to riding the seawall route in Stanley Park almost every day. Finding a beautiful vantage point facing the sea to sit and journal. The local yoga studio in Yaletown had a special deal for two weeks unlimited classes and I have been seriously challenging myself in these hot yoga classes. Of course nothing could have prepared me for our fantastic kayaking trip this week at Deep Cove. Twenty members of the cast, crew and extended "Spamily," went kayaking together on a sparkling Tuesday afternoon. The natural beauty of trees, crags and mountains spectacular. A small handful of us decided to push our limits and really get out there in the cove and so we set a goal to reach a vantage point far out where there was a view of a snow capped mountain peak. So we went for it and have pictures to prove it. The "final five:" me, Ryan, Brian, David and Bree then had to paddle our way BACK. This was a greater challenge as we were moving into the wind and the water had gotten quite choppy. I thought, all I can do is go for it, so I really threw my back into it and moved at quite a clip. It was exhausting and exhilarating and I was proud to be the first of the fearless "five" to make it back to harbor. In all, our little posse kayaked seven miles. Kickass!







This week I had a lovely moment when I was stopped on the street by a fan. I was riding home on my bike, with my yoga mat on my back and heard a girl call out to me. I stopped and she walked up and asked me, "Are you James Beaman?" I was so surprised because people rarely recognize me out of my Robin gear, and I was quite delighted by her enthusiasm for the show (she has seen it twice and plans to come once more before we leave) and of course her appreciation for my work. Thanks so much, Meghan!

A Few Canadian Quirks


Canada loves coins. Instead of one and two dollar bills, they have one and two dollar coins, called respectively, a "loonie" and a "toonie." Being a New Yorker, I empty my pockets of all change every evening into a bowl. I looked in my bowl this week and I had over $20 in there. I guess the coins are a carry over from the British heritage.

Speaking of British, the Canadians do use certain English spellings of things like 'flavour' and 'harbour" and 'centre.' The accent is distinctly American sounding here but with certain oddities. 'About' becomes 'a-boat,' and 'out' becomes 'oat.' And you would never say you were 'sorry,' you'd say you were 'sore-y.' And no matter how my sophisticated new Canadian friends protest that they never say it--they do indeed say "eh."

Cocktails in Canada SUCK. The government regulates everything having to do with alcohol sales and consumption and so bars are only permitted to put one regulated shot of booze into every drink. Add ice and a whole lot of mixer and you have a $7 or $8 weak drink with a thimble full of liquor in it. It's terribly sad. I have seen martinis here so meager they didn't manage to submerge even one of the three olives standing in them, withering from dehydration.





We had a visit from our general manager who brought with him news of many exciting and interesting changes in the tour and some really terrific new territory opening up for "Spamalot." With the Las Vegas company now closed, the tour is able to perform finally in California among other West Coast states. So next summer, you will be able to see "Spamalot" in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Great developments and a nice future for the production!

This is the Life

Week 31: Vancouver, B.C.

Morning. Wake up to bright sunshine and a panoramic view of glass high rises with the sea and mountains in the distance. Morning coffee and email. Perhaps a bike ride around Stanley Park? A strenuous yoga class? A day at the beach? Each day includes a fabulous meal of some sort, usually the incredible fresh seafood one can get in B.C. Go to work at 7:30 and entertain a couple thousand laughing, cheering people and GET PAID for it. Go out for a drink at a hot bar or nightclub, or a late snack at a local eatery. Roll in to bed. Sleep. Repeat.

Yep, Vancouver is pretty spectacular. It has all the things you want in a city--great restaurants, ethnic diversity, cosmopolitan style. The bonus is the natural landscape that surrounds the city.
Stanley Park, one of the most incredible public parks I have seen, is only blocks from my apartment here. The park is situated on 1,000 acres of a peninsula at the west end of Vancouver. The woods, lawns, and diverse ecosystems of the park are all embraced by the sea on all sides. The bike ride or walking path that takes you along the perimeter of the park is just breathtaking and it has become a daily ritual for me. Unfortunately on our second Friday night here, I fell off my bike along the seawall path and banged up my leg. It was only bruised and swollen but I did have to sit out the performance; my third missed performance in 7 months.

Dinners out here are fantastic, especially if you love seafood. At Rodney's Oyster House in Yaletown we feasted on a fresh variety of B.C. oysters, which are smaller and delicately flavored. This with fresh sourdough bread and a nice bracing local lager was heaven.
At Coast, and also at The Fish House in Stanley Park, I was introduced to the wild B.C. salmon, which is unlike any salmon you have ever had. Light, buttery, not fishy, and with an amazing dark pink, almost red color. Of course sushi here is fantastic too, what with the fresh ingredients and the large Asian community in Vancouver. A trip out to Granville Island brings more culinary blessings, because it is home to the Granville Public Market, a great place for fresh produce and gourmet goodies. Also ate lunch at the Sandbar, which is beautifully situated right under the Granville Bridge with a great view of the water and the skyline of Vancouver just across.




There are also very interesting cultural activities in Vancouver. Of course I visited the local art museum, the Vancouver Art Gallery. The current exhibition of cartoon art and anime art didn't wow me, but it wasn't really my thing. There were some smaller exhibitions from some interesting contemporary artists, the most interesting being Beijing -born Zhang Huan. A performance artist, photographer, sculptor and self-portraitist, Huang is a compelling artistic mind. Included in the exhibit were photos from his stunning performance art events, as well as photographs like this one, (Huan himself holding the child). He also makes sculptures and paintings that express his feelings about his Chinese and Buddhist roots, using as his material the tons of incense ash that gathers from offerings made at Buddhist temples in China.



Sales for the show are picking up and the audiences have been increasingly receptive and responsive. I really think they are loving it here. I am sure by the end of the run we will be very full. I have some activities planned for next week, including a group outing to go kayaking, which, if I don't drown, should be a lot of fun. Meantime, Vancouver life continues to be a pleasure--an expensive one, but worth it.

Promised Land

Week 31: Vancouver, B.C.

O Canada! We stand on guard for thee. After 22 one week engagements, we arrived weary and grateful at Canadian customs, ready for the month long stay in Vancouver. And what a wonderful place to spend a few weeks! The weather on arrival was mild and perfect, the air fresh, and the sun shining. Vancouver is a beautiful city, a blend of urban streets and glass high rises, tree lined neighborhoods, a true melting pot of cultures, all surrounded by extraordinary beauty--ocean, mountains, trees, beaches... it's breathtaking. The city has a youthful energy and a funky style--the streets are a constantly changing catwalk of contrasting styles. Everyone seems to be parading their own special identity here. And everyone coexists, as in other major cities like New York and London. The second day here was Canada Day, their answer to our Independence Day, and it was a citywide party--outdoor bands, balloons and a generally jubilant energy.




My first couple days were spent walking the streets and neighborhoods of downtown, including a lovely afternoon with my friend Bree in Gastown, which is the historic district and site of the original city that became Vancouver. This area has two characters, which I liken to NYC neighborhoods: the first is a sort of East Village grit--punky shops, crazy junk shops, head shops and cafes where one can smoke-- but not purchase--marijuana; the second is a sort of Soho chic--upscale restaurants, designer clothing boutiques and modern furniture emporiums. The mix is great fun. I indulged in retail therapy in Gastown, adding a designer trench to my growing wardrobe. I have a feeling Vancouver is going to be very, very bad for my wallet.


We are performing at the Centre for the Performing Arts, a modern, glass enclosed complex with an intimate 1800 seats. The interior of the theatre is white with violet velvet seats. We were told that ticket sales are light here in Vancouver but I get the impression that this is a word of mouth town. If our opening night audience is any indicator, Vancouver audiences are a blast! Spontaneous, raucous and very much into the show. We even had a few Python fans in homemade medieval helmets in the front row on our first night. I think we will have a very nice run here.

I love Vancouver! It is the first place on my tour that has felt enough of a world class city, akin to New York, that it feels like a place I could live in happily. As of this posting I have not seen a lot of it but the hustle and bustle of it, the scale of the architecture, the mild weather, and the style of the place all have me energized. Because it is such a cool city, many members of the company have friends and loved ones coming to visit while we are here, and I am no exception. I have someone special here all weekend, and so this first Vancouver posting will have to be a brief one. But never fear--we have three more weeks in this great town and there will be more adventures to come. Meantime, to all my American friends, Happy Fourth!!