21 DAYS OF...SUGAR

DAY 16

The way I work, always have and then trained to, the characters I play have their creature comforts.  Comforts that must be met for them to emerge full force onstage.  One loved to needlepoint. Many enjoy reading.

Madame T?  Loves. Her. Sugar.

Really.

It just doesn't work without it.  And thus I am careful with the rest of my diet, always eat the apple that Cliff gives me in the Act 1 Finale.  And Lipitor?  Haven't forgotten a dose.

I know Hugo describes her as a giantess but the nice Canadian lady whose costumes I wear?  Size 6 tops.

Bitch.

And tonight I have a King size Hershey Bar.

Needs must be fed, my friends. 

21 DAYS OFF....SLUGDOM

DAY 15

Today is a day of slugdom. As are many of my dark days. 

The theater is dark.  I guess I am as well for the majority of it...as my eyes are shut.  My ears and mouth too.

Gregarious soul that I am, I do love my own company.  And that of my wee dog.  

Creative creature comforts.

Xx

21 DAYS OF... SWINGDOM

DAY 14

Les MiZ Broadway has the best swings in Les BiZ.  Hands down. Bar none.  No lie.

Fearless.  Creative.  Exact.  Seamless. And fun. Oh yeah...and they sound great.

What more could you ask for?

Okay...chocolate.  You could ask for chocolate.  And they would most likely have some in their pockets to feed you.  

They're THAT good. 

21 DAYS OF...WISDOM

DAY 13

There is a thing called knowledge of the world, which people do not have until they are middle-aged.  It is something which cannot be taught to younger people, because it is not logical and does not obey laws which are constant.  It has no rules.

TH White (The Once and Future King)

Ripped from my friend Alan's Book of Face

21 DAYS... OF FAVORITE THINGS

DAY 12

A few of my favorite things...

Friends coming to see the skit with delicious drinks to follow.

Birds taking dust baths.

Baxter chasing said birds.

The Imperial stage left petite lady ghost messing with Natalie.  YEAH!!!!

21 DAYS...QUEEN OF SEX THERAPY

DAY 11

Extraordinary in so many ways, yesterday was.  I broke bread with a friend who has survived/thrived with the plague for 24 years.

5 little kids nailed a recording session in under 5 minutes.

I watched Broadway dim in honor of the lovely Marian Seldes.

I met and chatted with the delicious Dr. Ruth.

All this from a day that started so stressed that I downed a giant box of Milk Duds in under ten minutes.

You just never know how it's all gonna turn out, do you?

21 DAYS OF PRINCESS!!!

DAY 10

One of my favorite people in the show has been gone.  Yesterday she returned.  To celebrate, I share with you our song...sung to the tune of "Magic to Do" from PIPPIN.

Join us.  Leave all hope behind.
Join us.  Give me, that is mine.
Join us. Come and waste an hour or tw...three.
Diddle dee dee

Journey. Journey to the barricade.
Bring a big grenade.
Join us.  Don't drink soda, you'll have to pee.

We've got people to kill...some just ill.
We've got run away carts galore.
We've no clothes that are nice.  We've got lice.
Jean Val Jean loves Jesus Christ.
I've got chocolate so let's make S'mores.**

**the line was originally "And TiZ plays a slew of whores," but since one of my favorite people is actually only 9, I had to change the lyrics.  She's not allowed to say "whore."

;-((

21 DAYS...KING and QUEEN

DAY 9

Sometimes you just have to leave town.  Sometime you just have to put on a cotton lawn nightgown and tootle about a backyard for a day, napping in the sun, playing with your dog.

Geoffrey Holder died.  An artistic King.  I did not know him but knew those who did...who cherished their friendship.  His son wrote an open letter.  Open it, please.

Marian Seldes died.  A theatrical Queen.  I did know her...for twelve hours.

We did an intimate concert together at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie.  For some reason they decided we should share a dressing room.  She was grace, she was majestic in her signature purple, she was personable with a wicked sense of humor.  

Pre concert I was trying to determine between flats and 4" heels to wear with my LBD. "You could get away with the flats but you'll be cheating the audience of those legs.  Heels it is."

Heels it was.

During intermission of the concert she witnessed me STILL looking at a piece of music from Act 1, trying to figure out how to make it work.  "Tear it up and put it in the garbage. Let me see you do it.  You are glorious and that song it is not.  I am not leaving this dressing room until I see you tear it up."

Little itty bitty pieces floated into the garbage as instructed.

That long and lean delight had an appetite as well.  We went brownie for brownie that day.

7. We each ate 7.  She was 74 at the time. This extraordinary actress had that exquisite ability of making you feel as if you were the most important person in the world. I was so thrilled to play with the woman I saw in my first Broadway play, DEATHTRAP.


Requiescat in Pace you two.  The world is a little darker but our ghost lights glow more brilliantly.

21 DAYS...PAUPER? PRINCESS?

DAY 8

Today we rest.

21 DAYS... PAUPER? PRINCESS?

DAY 7

Okey doke.  So a couple of months ago we had a meeting regarding Carols for a Cure.  That is a CD that the Broadway community contributes to and whose proceeds go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

At this meeting I said, I have an idea.

63 hours and 400 photocopies  later, I think I'm done.  I did a special arrangement for our company.  An unprecedented 27 singers shared their talents (including our stage right electrician), 4 musical directors (one of whom orchestrated) and 5 incredible musicians.

I have rarely felt so out of my element.  I have rarely felt so in my element.  I got edgy.  I got forceful. I got a little overwhelming.

I got a little me.

And I wouldn't trade it for the world.  

I absolutely love every artist who showed up for this shindig.

Les MiZ...We Show Up.

21 DAYS OF... PAUPER TO PRINCESS

DAY 6

Okay, so we also had a chat/work session with the two delightful gentleman who wrote this skit...that has been around longer than some of our cast members have been alive.

Really.

And it was extraordinary.

To watch Claude Michel conduct with such passion, clarity and intelligence.

To learn that the opening "uhs" and "look downs" are from a work song from Calabria.  And if you rush them, you do not hear/feel/see the toil and anguish.

To be told to let the show breathe.

To hear the all the rubato, the give and take, of "A Heart Full of Love."

To slow down the waltz of deception...making it less whimsical and more...well...deceptive.

We may/may not have gone a skoche past 3 hours...depending on whom you ask.

Whichever, the show was magnificent. 

Haroo.

Definite Dear Diary moments.

P.s.  I really must raid Alain Boublil's shoe closet.  Freaking treasure trove.

21 DAYS... PAUPER TO PRINCESS...

DAY 5

Dear Diary...

Last night I got to perform Madame T for the gentilhommes who wrote this beautiful behemoth.

It was fun. And the entities known collectively as NanaPop would have been proud.

Tons,
TiZ 

21 DAYS... or PRINCESS TO PAUPER...

DAY 4

Who's having sex on top of the Thenardier Inn?  Who?

It definitely wasn't the usual yesterday.  That'd be Tizzy (ME) and Arby (no, I don't call him that really but it sounds good here).  But I'm Madame T and he was Marius.  And oh what a glorious Marius he was...

So, who was up there doing the dastardly deed?

I know. I know.

But I'll never tell.

Honestly, THAT I do miss.  It sounds ridiculous but I love me my Arby and we get SO MUCH DONE UP THERE.  We actually plotted and schemed our carol for a cure up there in the midst of all our gyrotechnics. Thrust - themes - thrust - schedules - bump - vocal casting - swivel - orchestrations. 

A very creative setting. In fact, it used to be far more creative up there.  But we got called out for it once they turned the lights on.  I believe the critique delivered via god mic included, "Do NOT give us the entire chicken.  Just a feather. Please."

Chickens - delish. Feathers - ticklish.  

All I can say is thank goodness Madame T doesn't really have a scene with Marius because yesterday? It might have gotten weird.

Chickens and feathers wouldn't have begun to describe it.

Asunderstudies.

I have no idea how to end this post so I'm just going to stop now.

Yes.  That would be best.

21 DAYS... or PRINCESS TO PAUPER...

DAY 3

My principal contract re-debut...rebut as it were...upstaged by a child.

What's the old stage maxim? No animals...no kids.  Is that it?

One of our young male personages (who shall remain nameless because I ain't gonna be held accountable) had to go on for Little Eponine last night.  Why? Well...life goes on. And so does the show.  

And he hit it out of the park. How did a 12 year old keep from camping it up when every one of his adult colleagues was offstage watching? I will never know.

Pro. Pro. Pro.

Me? I had a great time and made more bobos than ever before. I am a bobo hobo. But who noticed?

No one.

'Cause there was a flipping kid on that stage.

Thanks, kid.  I owe you one. I mean it.  You're the best.  The cupcakes are on me...

21 DAYS OF THENARDIER or FROM PRINCESS TO PAUPER IN 18 SHORT YEARS

Day 2

Seems I scared oodles of crap outta oodles of you when I posted I was unemployed on DAY 1. I'm sooooo sorry.  And because payback is always a bitch...

I woke up at 4 am

and

the dog got into the bathroom garbage.

That'll teach me to play that hard.

I woke up at 4 am 'cause I'm ridiculously psyched to play...on the stage.  It has been 18 years since I had my last production principal contract for my very own role. It has been 18 years since I haven't had to put u/s or s'by on my resume for a Broadway show.

Yippee!!!

The coach turns into a pumpkin again in three weeks but

Yippee anywayyyyyyyyyyy!!!

I am well-rested (I fell asleep at 8 pm...really...I think I come from farmers), TaBbed up and raring to go.  Just need to walk thorough Master of the House since it's been a month.  It's  complicated...and so am I.

And I forgot a razor and there's no time to bathe back in the city so I'm coming at you all hairy to boot.  Method acting at its wurst. (That is not a typoo.)

You're welcome!!!

  

21 DAYS OF THENARDIER or FROM PRINCESS TO PAUPER IN 18 SHORT YEARS

DAY 1

I am born.  

Nope.  That's a lie.

I am unemployed.  

Yup.  That's right. Starting today I am on a Leave of Absence from my regular ensemble role and my Madame T contract doesn't start til tomorrow. 

Unemployed.  Slacker. Ne'er do well. 

The 405 Club.

Oooh...what a feeling of freedom...like the wind blowing through my hair even though I'm still lying in bed.

I am in an undisclosed location with a jacuzzi and a beach and a fireplace and a dog.  And a bottle of wine.  Maybe some TaB.  And some tostitos. And I am still in bed.  And for the first time in eons, nothing has to be done.

Not miserable. 

Happy. 

I Left this Computer Out and On the Last Three Months

in hopes of writing and...

nada.

But that changes.  Tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the inauguration of 21 DAYS OF THENARDIER or FROM PRINCESS TO PAUPER IN 18 SHORT YEARS.

Yup...my bosses were kind enough to give me the principal contract for Madame T for three whole weeks and I'm gonna write about it.

Don't know what I'm gonna write 'cause it ain't happened yet...but I'm gonna write.

And it's not gonna be a Book of Face Update of Status or 140 characters of less. And if there is a hashtag involved you can feel free to murder me.

So THERE!

I Left This Computer Out and On Last Night

in hopes that I would write out and on it today.

Hopes dished, dashed and douched.  The wrong molecules of my being wish to write.  It has to be my solar plexus that is activated but right now...RIGHT NOW ONLY MY LEFT SHOULDER WANTS IN!

What the what?

And that's not the write spot.

Out, damned spot!

Boo. Hiss.  Get off the stage.

So I post this, pissed that so much time has passed since I've offered you a repast.

And in hopes that I write out and on my computer someday soon.

Kurt Vonnegut Told Me to Write This

Okay...not me but a bunch of high school students.  HuffPost exposed this today. 

This is my little poem.  I'm breaking the rules through sharing it.  But at least I'm not sharing it with Ms. Lockwood, so there's that.  


I have a warbly, wobbly dog.
He wrests the day from being a slog.
I love him and he loves me.
We both have inordinate 'mounts of pee.
We keep each other company.
He takes a dump, but ne'er on me.


I know...it's no good.  But it's mine, ALLLLLLLLL mine.  And sometimes you just have to create something that's all yours.  And please note the split rhyme (if that's what it's called) in the penultimate and final lines...dump rhymes with comp and me with ny.  


Oh yeah.

I think I'll go color now.

Happy New Year

Hasten
And
Prepare,
Penpal
Yearling.

Next
Excellent
Wrangle,

You
Examine
All
Realities.