Back on the Road - Again

After a wonderful week off for Christmas spent with family, were I ate too much and said too much, we are back on the road in Phoenix, Arizona.  We are playing at the Arizona State University Gammage Auditorium which a very large, unique and beautiful theatre.  We opened last night and the the show was great and the audience amazing.  It is these kinds of nights that make being out on the road tolerable.

I love the desert! There is a certain majestic beauty that is unique to this part of the country.  The weather here is beautiful after having been in the snow and ice of north Texas last week.  It is sixty degrees today and the sun is shining.  It is very dry here which I can tell is effecting my voice.  I can't seem to drink enough water to keep my throat from being dry.  But it is a small price to pay for being in such a warm and wonderful place.

Tomorrow we have a show at noon and then have the rest of the day off.  The Insight Bowl is being played here tomorrow, and I have thought about seeing if I can get tickets.  I don't care anything about the teams that are playing but I have always wanted to go to a Bowl game and this would be my best opportunity.  We'll see.  I probably can't afford it.  Maybe I'll just stand outside the stadium and watch the people go in.

Tempe has one of the top ten New Year's Eve celebrations in the country and it is taking place just down the street.  I think most of the company may participate in those fesitivities.  There is lots of free music and activities and it sounds like it should be a lot of fun.  If I can't spend New Year's Eve with my family what better way to celebrate than with 150,000 loud and crazy strangers!

I hope your New Year is filled with many blessings and that all your dreams come true.

Cay, Alayna, and Ashlea, I especially pray that God blesses you all and that life is nothing but good to you.

All my love,

David

Christmas Layoff! Hooray!

Tonight we did our last performance before heading home for a week long layoff over the Christmas Holiday!  We are in Mason City, Iowa where we played to a sold out house and where I had one of my better performances thus far on this leg of our tour.  We also, said goodbye to the young lady who has been playing "Molly."  So it was a night filled with emotions and we are heavy hearted to say goodbye to "Molly" while be excited at the prospect of going home for the holidays.

Tomorrow I will fly out of Minneapolis and arrive in Nashville around 9:30 p.m.  Tuesday, Cay and I will do our last minute Christmas shopping and prepare for the trip to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area to spend Christmas with our families.  Ashlea will be traveling with us and Alayna will meet us in Dallas on Wednesday.  We will celebrate the holidays with both of our extended families before I head back out on the road in Tempe, Arizona on December 29th.

I hope that this holiday season bring you all many blessings and that all of your days will be filled with Joy!

Mighty Mississippi

Tonight we played as close to the Mississippi river as you can get without being in the river.  The theatre is in Cape Girardeau, MO.  It was a beautiful space in a beautiful setting.  The lighted structure you see behind the theatre is the bridge that crosses the Mississippi River into Illinois.  It was another sold out performance which is awesome.  Almost all of our shows to this point have been sold out or very close to it.  Hopefully that is a trend that will continue after the layoff.

Most of our local helpers tonight were college students.  It was great for them, but I could tell that it made our crews job a bit more challenging.  It was a great show, though, and one of our best audiences thus far.  It is always exciting to perform for an audience that so obviously appreciates your effort

Today was our company managers birthday so we had two cakes at the theatre tonight.  One to celebrate his birthday and the other just because we were here.  The wife of the local production manager made this cake for us.  It was really sweet, in more ways than one.  It is always special to have strangers treat us in extra special ways.

Champaign

Tonight we did our first "arena" show at the University of Illinois in Champaign, IL.  It is by far the nicest arena we will play.  We were able to use most of our set including the orphanage and the stairs which is never the case in an arena.  The dressing rooms were some of the nicest we will have anywhere.   And the "green room" was top notch.  There were a few glitches in the performance including some misplaced set pieces but all in all the show went well.

This is a picture of the shows upcoming at this theater.  I think it is really cool that my friend who is one of the Oak Ridge Boys plays many of the same places that we do.  Last year we chased each other across Canada.  This year their Christmas show has either preceded or followed ours at several venues.

After the show a bunch of us went out for pizza and had a great time sitting around, talking and sharing together. They always seemed surprised when I join them.  I guess my conservative nature hides the fact that I like to have a good time as much as the next guy.  Anyway, it was a lot of fun and I look forward to more opportunities like tonight to just hang out and have fun.

Tomorrow we head to Missouri for another one nighter.  It should be a lot of fun!  Doing a job you love always is.  The only thing that is better is seeing family and friends.  Seven days and counting.

One really cute thing happened tonight.  At the end of the show Warbucks says the line, "We must celebrate, because it's Christmas eve..."  Tonight when I said this a little girl in the audience yelled "yeh!"  Everyone in the audience burst out in laughter and more than a few actors on stage fought back the laughter as well.  It was really cute, but I feel sorry of the parents of the little girl who had to explain that Santa won't be coming to their house tonight.

Merry Christmas.

Make it a Double

Today we performed at the "Whiting Center" in Flint, Michigan where we had our first two show day with a matinee at 2:00 and an evening show at 7:00.  We did get a free meal between the two shows which was really good!  The shows went well, but everyone was reminded of how tiring two shows in one day can be...and this year we have a THREE SHOW DAY!

Tomorrow we head to Champaign, IL for our first "arena" show this time out.  It is a seven hour drive which will be difficult but I have learned to sleep on the bus so it shouldn't be too bad.  We also be changing time zones which can mess with your body clock.  Of course, my schedule is so messed up at this point it probably won't make much difference other than I will be in the same time zone as my family which makes talking with them easier.

Several of the cast had friends and family see the show this weekend.  It is always nice to meet the families of the people I work so closely with and it is nicer having them in the audience cheering us on.

One more week and we will all be heading home for our Christmas layoff.  Have I said how much I am looking forward to being home for Christmas for the first time in three years?!

Sold out again ...and...Buffalo Wild Wings!

Tonight we played to yet another sold out audience!  It was a great evening and a wonderful audience.  Before the show "Rooster", "Lily," and I did a question and answer session with a group of local students who will be presenting the show in April.  It was a lot of fun and we had the two most unusual questions I have ever been asked on tour.  1.  "How much do you get paid?" - Answer - "Name an Occupation.  Less than that."  2.  "Is it going to be good?"  -  We were so taken aback by the question we had a hard time answering.  But we came up with "Do you want it to be?"

The show went the best it has gone this time out in my opinion.  Maybe it was just my performance but I felt really good about the show tonight.

After the show a bunch of us went out to Buffalo Wild Wings.  I sat with "Lily," one of trumpet players, "Apple Seller," and our Company Manager.  It was great to just sit and talk.  I sometimes feel a little isolated from the rest of the company, largely because of the age difference and the differences in where we are in "life" but tonight I felt like one of the gang and had a really great time.

Tomorrow we head north to Flint, Michigan.  Hopefully all the snow we will be gone as we will be walking everywhere.

Happy Hanukkah!

Golf Resort, a night of theatre, and frigid temperatures

I tried to post this yesterday but the internet at the Quality Inn was very lacking in Quality so here it is today.

Yesterday we were in Morgantown, WV for yet another one-nighter.  We stayed at a really nice golf resort in an incredibly beautiful neck of the woods.  The show was "Sold Out" which is always fun.  Another plus was that we got to use all of our set pieces.  It is amazing how having one thing missing can make the show "feel" different from onstage.  I am not sure that our audiences really ever notice the difference when just one thing is missing.  Our "Drake" was out due to illness last night so we had our first set of understudies go on.  I always marvel at these performers ability to step into a role that they seldom get to rehearse and get to perform even less and do such amazing work. In the case of one understudy it was the first time he had ever done the part and he did an awesome job.  Everyone of these young performers that work so hard in our ensemble amaze me with their talent an drive.

Today we awoke to frigid temperatures.  We are staying in Decatur, IN and performing in Van Wert, OH and the temperature is around 15 degrees with a wind chill factor at or below ZERO.  It is brutal outside so it is a good thing we get to walk from a warm hotel to a warm bus to a warm theatre.  My southern blood isn't accustomed to this cold weather.  To make things worse, all that snow you see on the news, we haven't seen!  We have been north of it and south of it but have all but missed the "Blizzard" completely.  Actually since we travel by bus this is a blessing.

Speaking of blessings, we get to go home for Christmas this year.  Please keep all of the company in your prayers as we travel home on the 21st and send out prayers that the weather cooperates and everyone gets home without any glitches.

Indiana, Pennsylvania?

Well, yesterday we survived our first really long day of bus travel.  After 11 hours we arrived in Indiana, Pennsylvania.  The bus drive wasn't really all that bad especially since we didn't have to do a show.  Tonight we performed to a near capacity crowd at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  I still can't get used to the sound of that.  We did have the orphanage tonight after several nights in a row without having it.  Still no stairs.  The show went well for the most part and the audience enjoyed it.

The best part of the evening for me was getting to do a Q&A with a group of high school students who will be presenting "Annie" at their school in the spring.  I met with them for about 40 minutes and had a great time answering questions and doing a couple of "Acting Exercises" with them.  Doing these things alway energizes me and makes that night a little more special.

I remember now how hard it is too fill your days in these little towns.  There was very little to do here and I can only watch so much day time TV and can only shop in WalMart so many times a week.  Ah well, a small price to pay to be able to "live the dream.

PA, MA, PA, MA, PA

Thursday we did the show in Pennsylvania.  Friday in Massachusetts.  Saturday in Pennsylvania.  Sunday in Massahchusetts.  Tomorrow we will drive to Pennsylvania AGAIN!  You would think they could work it out to where we didn't have to drive in and out of the same states over and over again.  But alas, we must go to where th audience is.

OK, now that that is over, tonight we did the show in Lowell, MA.  It was a tiny theatre where we were unable to use any of our set.  All we used were the props, and we didn't even use all of them.  And the audience loved the show.  It was one of those weird experencies where you couldn't really tell if the audience was with until the curtain call where they stood and cheered.  I have given up trying to figure out audiences other than I depend upon them for feedback and letting me know if I am doing a good job as an actor.  I depend upon their responses to let me know if I am fulfilling my role and doing my job well.  Sometimes I hit a home run and some times I ground out, but I always go out there and do my best.  Like any other job I have good days and bad days.  But unlike other jobs I get applauded at the end of the day regardless.  I truly am one of the "luckiest men in the world."

Tomorrow we will spend 10 hours on the bus driving to Indiana, PA.  We perform there on Tuesday.  While I don't relish the idea of spending the day on the bus it will be nice to have a day off from performing.  I will probably spend the morning sleeping on the bus.  After lunch I plan on watching the movie "Up."  I am still trying to get back into the swing of touring.  It does take a certain toil physically, mentally, and emotionally.  I also find I am still trying to figure out my relationships with the new cast members both onstage and off.

Two more weeks until our layoff for Christmas!  It will be the first time in three years that I get to celebrate Christmas with my entire family.  I am really looking forward to that.

Springfield, MA - A Night to Remember?

Tonight we played Springfield, MA.  It was my second time to do "Annie" in this venue.  It is a beautiful older theater, however, the stage is a little small for all of our set pieces so we didn't have a "full show."  This doesn't really seem to effect the quality of the production or the audiences enjoyment of the show as they genuinely seemed to enjoy themselves.

As is often the case with "live theater" tonight's performance was filled with lots of little things that will make this performance one that we will all remember for a long time.  Drops that traveled at super slow speed, props knocked over, sprinting down stairs, under the stage, and back upstairs to make an entrance on the other side of the stage because there wasn't room backstage to cross from one side of the stage to the other.  All of these are things that as actors we are aware of and they effect the "how" of our performance.  Hopefully, they don't effect what the audience experiences.

Springfield is a beautiful town.  The church pictured here is across the street from the hotel.  Seeing the church with the nativity reminded me that we are in the midst of the holiday season!  Sometimes being on the road and living in hotels you forget to stop and take time to celebrate the season.  So to all my Christian friends out there, "Merry Christmas."  To my Jewish friends, "Happy Hanukkah."  And to all others, "Happy Holidays."   However you celebrate this magical season, may it be filled with many blessings.

Easton, PA - Home of Crayola

Last night we performed to a sold out crowd in Easton, PA, home of the Crayola Crayon Factory!  It was a beautiful, older theatre in the old downtown area of Easton.  The show went well and seems to be beginning to settle in.  I still feel a little "off" in my performance as I strive to incorporate all of the input from rehearsals into my character as well as figure out the relationships with the new cast members.

Today was a "Golden Day" which means we didn't have a show and didn't have to travel to a new city.  These are rare on the road, especially this early in the run of show.  I spent the day relaxing, doing laundry and catching up on personal business.  Most of the cast went into NYC to see friends, family and shows.  I thought of going to see Alayna but the expense wasn't worth the little time I would actually get to see her.  I would rather use that money to help her come home for Christmas.

Tomorrow we travel to Springfield, MA for one performance.  We will then travel pack to Pennsylvania for a performance in Bloomsburg on Saturday and then back to Massachusetts for a performance on Sunday in Lowell.  Seems like a lot of back forth but that is how this show biz stuff works.

Burlington, VT

Yesterday we had our official opening in Burlington, Vermont.  The city is beautiful and we had a great time visiting the downtown area and eating some rather unique biscuits and gravy at one of the local eating establishments.  Burlington is home one of our cast members (she plays Mrs. Pugh).  We had a great time meeting her family and they gave her a great reception at the show which was sold out!  Burlington is also the home of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.  We were in one of the Ben and Jeffy shops and in walks "Jerry" one of the founders.  It was pretty cool and some of us got a little silly meeting this famous man.

The show went really well.  The audience was great and really loved it.  Afterward, Madison (Annie), Mickey (Sandy) and I got to go to a meet-n-greet and see some of the kids who came to the show and sign autographs. This is always one of my favorite things to do.

Tonight we are in Easton, PA for one performance which is also sold out.  We had our first long bus ride today and it wasn't too bad.  It takes some time to get used to being on the bus, but once we got off the twisting Vermont roads all went well.

Well, time to catch the bus to the venue for the show.  Thanks for reading and keep in touch

Annie Goes to China

Today it became official.  Annie, The National Tour is going international and will be traveling to China this coming spring!  We found out today that we will be playing in four cities in China for five weeks beginning April 17 when we fly from NYC to Shanghai, China.  We will be in Shanghai for two weeks and then travel to Tianjin for a week followed by a week in a city I can't remember but it is home to the Terra Cotta Army, and finally a week in Beijing before heading home on May 24th.

The entire company is of course very excited to be given this tremendous opportunity.  As I find out more information I will let you all know what will be happening.  That is pretty much all I know at this time.  The show will be done in English with super titles projected to either side of the stage for translation into Chinese.  I also know that due to travel restrictions and regulations we will be using a dog from China that our dog handler and Annie will travel over to train with.

In the meantime, We have begun our 2009-2010 Nation Tour of ANNIE.  Tomorrow we will travel to Burlington, Vermont for opening night on Tuesday.  We will then embark on three weeks of mayhem as we travel to 16 cities in 20 days!  This will be the toughest part of the tour physically as travel is always a little difficult.  It may also be some of the most fun as I have found that the company really pulls together during these trying times.

We will be playing in 42 cities in the US this season!  That is 42 places that will be exciting to see and exciting to perform in.  If you happen to live in one of those cities we hope to see you at the theatre.  I would love to meet you after show so be sure to stop by the stage door after the show.  For those of you from my neck of the woods, we will be in Atlanta in January.  I hope you will all make the short drive down to see the show!  I promise you won't be disappointed.

If you need tickets or information about the show be sure to visit www.annieontour.com.  It is a great web page with lots of information including links to purchase tickets.

Time to go pack so we can fly out TOMORROW!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I arrived in Dayton, Ohio on Sunday for our one week of rehearsals!  We had rehearsals Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then had Thanksgiving Day off.  Cay and Ashlea drove up from Hendersonville and we spent Thanksgiving together.  NetWorks catered a very nice dinner for everyone in the company and we had a great time relaxing together.  Today we had our final rehearsals before our first performance TOMORROW at 2:00.  So if you add it all up we have had about 40 hours of rehearsal!  That is very little compared to what is typical for a production of this magnitude.  Despite the shortened rehearsal period the show is in great shape and everyone is really enjoying working together.

Most of the cast from last season is returning for this shortened season of 14 weeks (maybe longer if they are able to book some more dates?!).  There are several new additions to our company.  We have 4 new orphans. "July, Kate, Duffy and Tessie" are new this season.  Our orphan "swing/wrangler" is also new this year along with four of the adult cast including a new "Grace."  They are all doing a great job and I am looking forward to getting to know all of them better as the tour goes along.  Our technical staff is mostly returning except for our lead carpenter and electrician which makes it nice since most of them already know the show.  It will definately be nice for me and all of my costume changes.  We have a new Production Stage Manager and a new Company Manager.  They both are really great people and I know they will do a great job.

We will do two "preview" performances tomorrow and then close out in Dayton on Sunday with a matinee before flying to Burlington, VT for our official opening night next Tuesday.  The first three weeks of this season will be difficult as we are in a different city virtually every night but it should also be fun seeing the northeastern part of our great nation during December.

It is hard for me to believe that over two years have passed since I began my "Annie" adventure.  It has been the thrill of a lifetime and I can't wait to see what lies ahead as we continue this amazing journey together.

Getting into the Holiday Spirit

I spent yesterday in beautiful downtown Milwaukee.  It was a great, relaxing day that concluded with a wonderful evening of holiday cheer.  I was flown into Milwaukee to do some publicity for "Annie" that will be in Milwaukee Dec. 18-19.  I was part of the annual "Tree Lighting" ceremony, the "Holiday Lights" kick off and then conclued this morning with a wonderful interview on "The Morning Blend," a local morning talk show.

I have to admit I was surprised at the turnout for the evening events.  There were hundreds of people at the tree lighting and thousands at the Holiday lights kickoff which included a pretty awesome fireworks show.

Traveling from city to city doing "Annie" I don't often get the chance to experience the local atmoshpere or to get to know the town and its citizens very well.  We typically drive in, go to the hotel, go to the theatre, do the show, and leave, often without every seeing anything else.  To be able to stand amoung the townsfolk of Milwaukee and experience their joy and excitement in kicking off the holiday season was truly a blessing.

I can't wait to get back to Milwaukee and exerience their good will from stage.

One Last Time

Well, I have started up with "Annie" again. Sort of. Today I flew to Milwaukee where I will be doing a day-and-a-half of press events including a couple of Christmas Tree lightings and a meet greet for a group of community planners.

It still floors me that they will by me plane tickets, pay for hotels and meals, all just so that I can do a TV interview or two and make some public appearances. I guess playing a famous role has it perks.

I will fly home on Friday and then leave again on Sunday to begin the 2009-2010 Annie National Tour. This tour will be much shorter than the two previous tours lasting for only 16 weeks from beginning to end. We will be playing all over the US again. Places of note include Atlanta, Chicago, Cost Mesa, Seattle, Tempe and more.

If would like information about the show or would like to purchase tickets visit www.annieontour.com. It is a great web site with links to buy tickets, videos, pictures and much more.

As I begin what I assume will be the final phase of my adventure on the professional stage playing "Daddy Warbucks" I am faced with many emotions. Excitement, joy, anxiousness, doubt, fear and great deal more. I am looking forward to be back on the road with show but find myself already worrying about what I am going to do next. Oh well, God will provide and one way or another "the show must go on."

I hope to see you on the road. If you come to see the show be sure to stop by the stage door and say I. Meeting all the fans after the show is one of my favorite parts of touring.

Peace and Grace,

David Barton

Final Friday

Today was our last Friday on tour. Every day from here on out will be a Final day but today was special. We had our final sound check in our final venue, which is amazing by the way. The Performing Arts Center in Tampa is beautiful and BIG. The audience tonight was amazing as well and really enjoyed tonight's performance. They came in droves after the show to stand in line and get autographs. It was heartwarming and overwhelming and a little sad. I also did my final pre-show meet-and-greet tonight with a group of young Lady's and their families. The girls have been attending a six week camp sponsored by a group from the NFL that was performance based. They had a lot of really good questions and some really cute ones as well. They also did a performance for me of a song they had written to JZ's version of "Hard Knock Life." It was adorable. Afterward they all asked me to sign their camp T-shirts. This is another night I will never forget.

After the show we had our final cast party with really good food and lots of good conversation. I have learned over the years to protect myself from my own depression by not getting too close to people, especially those that come into my life for only a short time. It started as teacher when I would get so close to my students that I would be devastated when they graduated or moved. I learned to keep a "professional" distance. I have applied that on the road for the most part as well. I know that sometimes it makes me appear aloof or arrogant or stuck-up. The truth is that I care so much about these people and they mean so much to me that if I were to show that or share it I would lose all control and make a fool of myself. So, to all my "Annie" family, I love you dearly and will miss you more than you can imagine. You have all played a major role in making my "dream" come true. To those that won't be coming back next year, thanks for a great year and may all your dreams come true. To those that will be joining me for "Annie" again come November, I look forward to continuing living the "Dream" with all of you.

The sun will come out tomorrow and we will have four more "final" performances to do. I look forward to each and every moment on stage and also look forward to Monday, when I will get to go HOME. Life on the road is a great adventure and tons of fun, but there truly is "no place like home."

Final Golden Today

Yesterday we arrived in beautiful downtown Tampa, FL. Today we had our final Golden Day. That is the rare true day off where we don't have to travel or do a show. I spent the day walking around downtown, went to the aquarium which was nice but not as good as the one in Baltimore, or at least I thought so, and had dinner with a few friends at a place called Stumps where I had a really good BBQ Salmon.

The weather here has been fantastic. While a little warmer than we are used to (only two weeks ago we were up north wearing light jackets) it is not overwhelming. Tomorrow I may try and do some shopping, though I really don't need anything. It would just be a way to pass the time. I may go see a movie though there isn't really anything out that I am just dying to see. That is the hardest part of tour is dealing with the boredom.

Tomorrow night we have a show and then our final cast party where I suppose we will begin our goodbyes although we will still have two days of work to do. Should be a fun time anyway. Saturday and Sunday we have two shows each day and then Monday I fly home arriving in Nashville before noon!

The Final Week

We are now in our final week of the 2008-2009 Annie National Tour.

Bartlesville, OK and Austin, TX went well.  I stayed at my brother John's apartment in Austin which was great.  Not only did I save $80 a night on a hotel but I was able to spend some great time with my brother and have a little quiet time away from the Annie family.  It is always good to find some time to yourself and rest and recover from the pressure of always being "on."

Austin, is a great city.  If you have never been, I highly suggest adding it to your list of must see places in the USA.  We played at Bass Hall on the University of Texas campus.  The show went well and was well received.

Monday we had the day off so I drove up to Archer City and spent the afternoon with my parents and visited my Grandmother.  It was good to see Mom and Dad and spend some time with them.  It is too bad we don't realize when we are young and living at home how much our parents mean to us.  I think of those hours I spent doing silly things when I could have been spending time with Mom and Dad.  Now, I will drive 5 hours to send 5 hours just sitting and talking with them.  It was a very special day.  And of course seeing my 92 year old Grandmother is always a joy.  You would never know your age by simply looking at her.  She is an amazing woman and continually inspires me to do my best in all I do.  My Dad is and always has been my hero.  While not a perfect man, he is a loving and compassionate man, and will do anything for anyone.  The way in which he cares for my mother is saintly and Divine.  My mom has always inspired me to love others with all my soul.  She is the most loving person I have ever known.  Even now, in the midst of her horrible illness I look into her eyes and see the face of God.  She is truly a living angel.

Today was our last travel day on the bus!  We have driven over 36,000 miles these past eight months.  That is roughly 600 hours of driving not counting rest and lunch stops.  If you add those in we have spent 30 nights and days on the bus!  This is one part of tour I wont miss.

We performed in McAllen, Texas tonight.  It was a typical early summer day here.  It reminded me of my childhood and youth growing up in Texas.  I laid outside before the show in the shade enjoying the dry warmth of the late afternoon.  Many a day as a kid, my brother and sister and I would sit under the shade trees in the afternoon playing and relaxing.  There is nothing like it.

Tomorrow is our final travel day as we fly to Tampa, FL where we finish our tour.  Only 5 more days to go and then I will be headed for HOME!

Two More Weeks

Well, we have finished another week on tour on the road with "Annie."  This past week we played in Reading, PA, Wilkes-Barre, PA, and Baltimore, MD.  It was a good week but the best part is it puts us one week closer to being done with this leg of the tour.

Reading was OK but not one of my favorite places as the area is a little rundown.  It is one of those smaller older cities that has fallen on hard times and is struggling to maintain itself.  The people there were great though and we had a good show.

Wilkes-Barre was much the same and we were only there for a few hours so we didn't really get a chance to experience the city.  They were doing some major improvements to the river walk area and I know that it will be beautiful when completed.

Baltimore, which is home to NetWorks, Inc., the company that produces "Annie" was a lot of fun.  We were playing a the Hippodrome which is a beautiful old theatre and stayed with in a few blocks of the Inner Harbor which is a great area with lots of shops and restaurants and things to do including a wonderful aquarium (Alayna and I went on Monday and had a great time, especially at the Dolphin show).  Several special things happened in Baltimore.  First, we got to meet some of the folks who will be joining us for next years tour.  Three of our current company members are moving on to other projects.  They seem to be very nice, very young people.  One of them went to school at OU with a former student of mine.  Small world, huh?  The other thing was that we had a special guests appearance by the host of "Ace of Cakes," a reality show on TV.  Chef Dunn and Mary Alice came on Saturday night and did a walk on bit in NYC.  They also had a cake of the "Annie" company that was really cool.  Evidently this was a huge deal as I have gotten more contacts about this than any other thing that has happened on tour.  Mary Alice came back to see the show Sunday night with her niece.  It was the nieces first experience with Annie and Mary Alice is apparently a huge fan of the show.  She and Chef are both great people and were a lot of fun. 

Of course we also had visits from lots of the "bosses" at networks.  Everyone seemed pleased with the show and had only good things to say.

Monday night we did a cabaret performance at an area club to raise money for BARCS, Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter.  Members of the Annie Family performed favorite numbers and we all had a good time sharing our unique talents with friends, family, and locals.  The best part is we raised $1,600 dollars for the shelter.

The best part of the week, however, was getting to see my oldest daughter Alayna, who now lives in NYC.  She is leaving in a few weeks to spend the summer in Oregon leading a Performing Arts Camp there.  She co-directs and choreographs and teaches as part of the program.  Alayna saw the show Sunday night and she and I hung out together on Monday.  

Today we are in Bartlesville, OK for a show tomorrow night before heading to Austin, TX for the weekend.  I am looking forward to being in my home state and spending some time with my brother, sister, mom, dad and rest of the family.  I don't get to see them enough so this well be a welcome treat.

We now have 12 days and 12 performances left before the end of the 2008-2009 Annie, National Tour.  But who is counting

Leaving Canada

Well, we have finished our final Canadian leg of this tour.  It has been a good few days but we are all ready to be back in the states where our cell phones will work!

London, Ontario was a neat town and I had a great time there.  Saw a movie, ate some good food and had two good performances.  I met 8 people worth mentioning at the stage door after the shows.  First was a man and his daughter who was in a wheelchair.  I have no idea what the little girl suffered from but she was waiting at the stage door as we came out with a large hand made poster that said "I love Annie and Orphans" on it.  Naturally she got all the girls autographs and pictures with all.  She was thrilled to get meet the girls and you could tell she was having the time of her life though I think her Dad may have been having a better time. 

I also met and older couple (probably around 60 - Sounds younger every day) who came over to introduce themselves and say how much they enjoyed the show.  The man said he had brought his little girl to see Annie 25+ years ago and had special memories of that shared experience.  As he told me the story and how much he enjoyed watching Madison and I together his eyes filled with tears.  I know that feeling of recalling memories that flood you with emotions of joy you can't suppress.  I think it may be a "Dad" thing, or at least a parent thing.

There was another older lady who came over and hugged the stuffing out of me and told me how much she enjoyed the show.  It was a little shocking but still appreciated.

Finally, there was a young man who was confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak that was there with some friends or caretakers and he was obviously having the time of his life.  His smile spoke all the words that his voice couldn't.

These are just a few of the moments I will cherish for the rest of my life.  Yes, performing is a lot of fun, but meeting people like these is what theatre is all about.  It is amazing the way our simple performances effect so many peoples lives.  God has truly blessed me.

What a week!

Wow, a whole week has passed since I last blogged.  My wife is not going to be happy about that.  This past week has been one of those that we try and forget or at least not dwell upon.  We have been engaged in a week of one nighters where we move from one city to the next with just barely enough time to do the show, shower, sleep, eat and get back on the bus.  Highlights of the week include a performance in Brooklyn where many of the cast had lots of friends and family see the show.  I got to see last year's "Grace" which was nice and met a young woman who has been following my blogs that I had never met.  It is rather odd to me that people enjoy reading this blog who don't know me.  It is humbling and rewarding to know that what I do is interesting to others but I don't find the things I write here all that fascinating.  It was nice to meet and her and has helped to make the week a little more enjoyable.

Portland, Maine was a great place to visit though we didn't get to stay there for long.  It is a very quaint town with lots to do and see.  They also really enjoyed the show which is always nice.  After all these performances I find that I still rely on the audience response to keep me excited about the show.  While acting is enjoyable in and of itself it takes the audience response to keep one going after 400+ performances.

Tonight we are in Niagara Falls on our way to London, Ontario.  The falls are amazing but the city is disturbingly commercial.  It is sort of a cross between Rio and Pigeon Forge.  In my opinion it detracts from the majesty of the falls.  

Three-and-a-half weeks to go before the layoff begins.  I am looking forward to being home and being with my family.  But until then, I will try and do a better job of posting on my blog.

Joyful, Joyful

Since I last updated you all we have closed out Detroit and performed in Elmira, NY where Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain lived the last years of his life with his wife who was from Elmira.  Detroit was great.  The audiences were large and excited to have us there.  I was somewhat surprised that we had such large crowds with the economic troubles this area has seen.  I visited the Henry Ford Museum while I was there.  I would recommend it to anyone who ever visits the area.  It would take a good two days to see all that it has to offer.

Here in Elmira the crowds have also been wonderful.  I am really enjoying performing right now.  I had a realization the final night in Detroit that I have applied here in Elmira and it is making all the difference in the world.  I often get asked what is the difference between what you did at home with the theatre you started and doing theatre in this professional setting?  The stock answer includes the abundance of talent.  Everyone here is amazingly talented as there is a much larger talent pool to draw from.  Steeple Players has wonderful talent but we will never have the 400+ auditionee's to select from that they do for these tours.  Another big difference is the money.  I could do an entire musical for Steeple Players on the money they spent building my costumes for this production.  

But there is another difference that bears mentioning.  After a while on the road with these professional productions it does become a JOB.  People reach a point where they are here for the paycheck.  With Steeple Players the performers perform simply for the JOY of performing.  I realized last week I was losing the joy.  Upon realizing this I have made it a point to reclaim that JOY regardless of what is happening around me.

I am married to the most "joyful" person I have ever known and I am drawing on her example of finding JOY in seemingly hopeless and joyless situations.  Our JOY is not dependent on others but only on our outlook, attitude and willingness to accept and relish in the gifts God gives us each and every day.

So, tonight I am filled with joy after having performed for an amazingly appreciative crowd.  I am overjoyed to be able to go to work every day doing something that I love.  And I am looking forward to completing the next four and a half weeks of "Annie" and then returning to Hendersonville to work with Cay, the church, and Steeple Players.

Providence

Well, I am now in Detroit spending some time with my wife after a wonderful weekend in Providence, RI.  The weather there was great and the city is really wonderful.  Very beautiful and some great places to eat.  This is another of those places I will have to return to in order to see more of it as there just wasn't enough time to take it in.

Thursday night most of the company went to the Circus.  It was a lot of fun and was good to do something with each other just for fun.  Thanks to Bill for getting us the discount and arranging it all.

I had another of those moments when I am reminded why I continue to do this crazy thing we call touring.  After the show on Friday a mom brought her daughter over to meet me.  "She just wanted to meet Daddy Warbucks" the mom told me.  I signed her program book and had my picture taken with the little girl.  As I was getting up the girl grabbed my neck and gave me the biggest hug I had gotten in a long time.

In a world filled with so much darkness, despair and ugliness, it is an amazing thing to witness and be a a part of such unbridled joy and passion.  This little girl has inspired this actor and I know now that I will survive the final six weeks of tour with an improved attitude and a brighter demeanor.  My thanks go out to this little girl and her mom for being by "Annie" and filling me with joy, hope, and optimism.

Wonderful Night In Utica

We had a great opening tonight in Utica! The theatre here is beautiful! It was originally built in 1929. They ran out of money and let parts of it unfinished, such as the chandelier that was only a single bulb until the renovation last year. They spent 20 million dollars upgrading the theatre and remodeling it and it turned out amazingly well. The stage house is magnificent, the dressing rooms are wonderful and the house is beautiful. They also threw us a big after show party! It was the best this year so far and went a long way to lifting every ones spirits on the road.

We also got to see one of last years orphans who was at the show tonight. It was so good to see her and her mom. I continue to be amazed at how much these young ladies grow and mature in a year and at what beautiful and gracious young women they have become.

Needless to say, Utica is now one of my favorite stops on tour! Who ever said that Yankee's don't know how to be hospitable never visited Utica!

Utica, New York

Wow, times fly. I didn't realize it had been so long since I last posted. It has been a very busy week for us. We have traveled over 2000 miles since I last blogged and played in Fayetteville, NC, Shippingsburg, PA and Toledo, OH. It was a very difficult week with the travel over such long distances. With that travel stress was high. But as with most things we weathered the storm, did the show, and continue on the journey we know as "Annie."

A couple of revelations hit me this week. The first being that even as wonderful as performing professionally is we begin to take it and each other for granted. We all need to be reminded of our connectedness, of the fact that we all need each other and are all in this together. We need to be about encouraging each other every day.

Second, in Toledo I got a glimpse at how much this economic downturn is really effecting people. It is easy to dismiss when all you see is news of corporations and banks struggling. But when you see a little girl told by her mom that she can't have the "Sandy Dog" or the souvenir program because they "costs too much" you begin to realize that this recession isn't just about money and jobs, it is about people. Every person with the power to do something about this economy of ours should have to look into that little girls eyes and explain to her why they keep fighting with each other instead of working together to solve these problems. (Is that too political? Sorry.)

We are in Utica tonight where we have shows tomorrow and Wednesday. I took a walk through the downtown area and found it to be very quaint and interesting. It is odd to finally see a city that I have talked about for two years now.

We have a reception here tomorrow which should be fun. It is always nice to be treated to special events in the city's where we perform. It will also be nice to only have one bus trip this week!

Seven weeks of tour left and then it will be on to the next step on this journey. I can't wait!

I dreamed a dream!

Up until the spring of 2007 being a professional performer was only a dream. I had never taken advantage of a real opportunity to see that dream fulfilled mostly because of a lack of self confidence and partly because opportunities are rare and the odds are stacked against anyone landing a "dream" role with so much competition out there. Then in March of 2007 I was encouraged and pushed by my wife and daughters and friends and students to take a chance and go for my dream. Thanks to their support (and unwillingness to let me say no to this chance) and the open mindedness of Martin Charnin, Trisha Gentry and Networks and their willingness to take a chance on someone with no "real" professional acting experience my dream has come true.

This week I watched with amazement, joy and happy tears as another 47 year old saw her dream come true. You may have seen her on the news or YouTube. Susan Boyle's story is one that I can identify with and one that has inspired and awed me. If you haven't seen it I encourage to go to YouTube and search for the clip. If you have seen it then you got a glimpse of what I felt like two years ago, standing in that audition room as Martin Charnin said "We would very much like for you to play Daddy Warbucks." It is a moment that I will never forget and one that I am eternally grateful for. Thank you Cay, Alayna and Ashlea for not letting me say no to that chance to live my dream and thanks to Martin for taking a chance on someone like me.

Birthdays and Travel Days

Wednesday was my birthday and I had the great fortune of spending it with my wife and one of my best friends. We drove to the Makers Mark Distillery in Kentucky and had a great day enjoying the scenery and each other. That night we performed for a very appreciative crowd in Danville, KY.

Thursday the company traveled to Athens, Ohio and performed on the Ohio University campus. The audience was wonderful, the show was fun, and the fellowship afterwards with friends in the cast was amazing. (They even got me to dance with them which I never do!) The best part of the day though had to be walking out and seeing a giant orange ball in the sky and feeling it's wonderful warmth!

Today we traveled to Columbus, Ohio were we will be for the weekend. The theatre is nice and we were able to get all of the set elements in thanks to the ability to "fly" the stairs to store them. This is really complicated to explain, but basically the huge staircase used in the final scenes is broken into 4 of 5 pieces that are then flown up into the fly space above the stage so that it doesn't take up needed floor space. The pieces are attached to motor lifts that raise them up into the air one at a time with each piece then being attached by cables to the piece above it. It is amazing the steps we will go to in order to make this show happen. Our crew is the best.

The hotel here is really nice as well. We are in suites at one of the nicest hotels around. A rare treat to live so extravagantly while on the road.

But the best part again is amazing weather. I was able to walk around today in my shirt sleeves! Finally, spring seems to have arrived!

OOPS and Evansville

Ok, I guess I really like the month of February because I have made the same mistake twice now. Our tour ends on June 14 in Tampa not February 14 as some of you may have seen if you get this by e-mail or read it early.

We played Springfield, IL last night and are in Evansville, IN tonight but play in Henderson, KY. Not sure why we are staying in Illinois and playing Kentucky, but a bed is a bed as far as I am concerned.

Happy Birthday to Ashlea and Caleb. Hope you had a great day.

South Bend, Indiana

Happy Easter!

For the past three days we have been in South Bend where we did three performances Friday and Saturday before having a day off today. The theatre here is great. It is one of those old, ornately decorated houses and the audiences were wonderfully responsive. While we were here "Annie" had it's own resurrection experience as we discovered new life and new focus in our performances. I always get asked if it is difficult doing the same thing over and over. "Do you ever get bored?" is the way one young person put it too me recently. While we aren't really bored it can become "routine" and in theatre that is something we seek to avoid. Well, this weekend we broke out of our "routine" and had three great performances. I found a new energy within myself as we played here and while it probably went unnoticed to those who see me do this day in and day out it was real and tangible to me onstage and left me each night ready and excited to do the show the next day.

One bit of tragedy on the road this week, our bus was vandalized on Friday night. Someone broke the window out of the door of the bus. Fortunately, with us being in one place for three days and within walking distance of the theatre not much of value was on the bus but it still leaves us all feeling a little violated. That bus, as much as we complain about it, is our home while on the road. We are all just grateful everyone is OK and the damage was minimal.

Monday we head to Springfield, IL and then we will be in Kentucky for two days before heading up to Ohio. I will get to see Cay while we are in Kentucky. I am looking forward to that. I will also be having my 49th birthday on Wednesday which I am looking forward to. I learned a long time ago that every birthday is a day to celebrate life! Getting old is something to celebrate and that brings joy to the hearts of all those who love us.

We have only nine weeks left of the "Annie" tour that began back in October of 2008. We will close on June 14 in Tampa, FL. I tell you all this now so that you can celebrate with me the joy I have experienced in living out my dream of performing professionally in a production of this caliber. I would love to have you all join me in these final weeks to celebrate this "Dream Come True." While "Annie" will continue to tour next season none of us knows for sure what the future will bring and while the "sun will come out tomorrow" we never now what it will reveal. Therefore, let us celebrate the present and thank God for the joy we know in this moment! In doing so, we honor ourselves, our loved ones, and our God.

Blessings to all on this Easter Day and I pray you all are filled with joy and peace on this very special day.

David

It's Good To Be Home

I am really nowhere near "home" but just being back in Texas brings back wonderful memories. Sunday we played our smallest stage yet at the Hippodrome in Waco. The show was a lot of fun as we faced the challenges of adapting to small spaces. It is amazing how we get used to a certain thing and how changing it even slightly can bring new life to a production. The audience seemed to really enjoy our "scaled down" Annie. Really, other than the small stage, 28' by 20', and the missing set pieces, the show was the same as every other performance.

Monday we were in Longview, TX. I met up with my father-in-law and sister-in-law by chance at our lunch stop at a Subway on our way to Longview so I drove with them the rest of the way in and spent the afternoon with them and a close family friend who is more of an aunt really than a friend. It was great to just sit and chat with family. The Belcher Center in Longview is beautiful. We played to a nearly sold out house and a lot of fun being there. It was our props guy's last day with us which was kind of sad but joyful at the same time as we wish him well and welcome his replacement. Yet another reminder that this is a business after all.

Today we spent 10 hours on the bus driving to Cape Girardeau, MO on our way to Macomb, IL where we perform tomorrow night, then on to Joliet, IL for a one nighter before spending the Holy Weekend in South Bend, IN. We have performances Friday and Saturday and are off on Easter Sunday. I think some of us are going to go to Easter services at Notre Dame if possible.

Well, that is all for now. Life on tour is a whirlwind of activity as we hustle from town to town, performance to performance living our dreams of performing professionally. What a life!

Windy Lubbock

We arrived in Lubbock yesterday afternoon and played to a great audience last night. Things were kind of crazy around the theatre. It is next door to the colesium where they are having a huge rodeo and across the street from the baseball field where they have games all weekend. This added to the road construction created huge traffic problems which caused us to start the show nearly 20 minutes late, something we don't like to do. But the audience seemed to tolerate it pretty well and enjoyed the show.

Today I left at 5:45 am to do two TV spots and 4 radio interviews! A really early morning for a night owl. Afterwards I went to Lubbock High School where my cousin is an administrative intern and spoke to their theatre and choir students. This is the school that Buddy Holly went to and graduated from in 1955, two years after my Uncle graduated from the same school! My uncle still has his annual from his Senior year that has Buddy Holly's picture it.

Speaking to the students was terrific fun. It was good to be back with high school students and to be fueled by their enthusiasm and energy. We spent a great two + hours together as I told them my story and anwered their questions about touring, acting, and more.

I had lunch with my Uncle and his wife and we had a great time just chatting and catching up on family things and sharing funny stories. Every family has a "crazy uncle" and Uncle Weldon is mine. It was great to spend the day with them and reconnect.

Tonights show went well after starting late yet again. Scott Jackson from the home office was here to the show. It is always nice to have someone from the production company come and see us. It gives a sense of security to all of us on the road that we are important to them and haven't been forgotten. Scott was very complementary and praised us in our work and efforts. Nice to know we are appreciated.

It is very dry here in Lubbock as it is in most of Texas. Typical for this time of year. When the wind gets to blowing the dust is overwhelming. While it was a beautiful day out today there were a few times when the blowing dust was more than a little uncomfortable. It sounds weird, but I actually enjoyed watching the dust blow and tasting it in my mouth and feeling in my nose, eyes and ears. It brought strong childhood memories.

Tomorrow we will wrap it up here in Lubbock and then we head to Waco.

On the Road Again

Well, we are back out on the road. This week we are in the Great State of Texas! I grew up in Texas and my family still lives here. While I may not get to see all of them this week it is great to be back "home." Today we are in Amarillo which is located in West Texas a few miles from Palo Duro Canyon, one of the most beautiful places on earth. We will be here for two days and have a 10:00 am performance tomorrow. Early morning shows are tough because of the strain on body and voice but it should be fun as the audience will be mostly school children.

Thursday we will be in Lubbock where I will be able to see my Uncle and cousin and will be doing a Q&A at my cousins school on Friday. We will be in Lubbock through Saturday before heading out to Waco for a day and then Longview for a day where several members of my wife's family will be seeing the show. After that we head north to Illinois.

Everyone seems to be dealing with being back on the road pretty well and I believe the week off has helped to rejuvenate most. I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things but will miss being at home. This is the single greatest struggle of this life style. I love performing but the sacrifices are huge. Thank goodness for cellphones, internet and an understanding and supportive wife.

Anchorage Airport

I am now at the airport with a boarding pass to get on a plane so things are looking up. While I have all this time on my hands I thought I would share some photos of Alaska. Those of you who get this via e-mail may have to log on to blogspot to see the pictures.

Many of the roads in the mountains were still closed due to snow so we weren't able to get very far into the mountains. The first picture is rather had to make out. It is taken from Anchorage looking across the bay to the mountains. You can see in the distance a very faint image of some mounains. The tallest mountain is Mt. McKinley which is the highest point in North America. It is several hundred miles from Anchorage to the mountain. The second picture is of Anchorage with the mountains in the background. It was amazing. The third picture is of me in front of the Alaskan Railroad with mountains in the background. You can see the bay that is just outside of Anchorage and it is nearly completely frozen over. It was the first time I had ever seen a frozen ocean in person. It is rather actually overwhelming to think that a body of water that huge and with that much movement could get cold enough to freeze over.

Anchorage and MT. REDOUBT!

Well, we have finished up here in Anchorage and ready to head home for a much needed week off. IF we can get out of Anchorage. A volcano is playing havoc with our travel plans. I was suppose to fly out tonight but had two flights canceled. The hope now is fly out in the morning at get home about 9 tomorrow night (Tuesday). I just hope they cancel more flights. Everything is up in the air right now (no pun intended) due to the volcanic activity at MT Redoubt. I wish I could say it has been fascinating being apart of a volcanic eruption, but except for canceled flights we haven't experienced anything.

Alaska is beautiful. There are no words to describe it and pictures don't do it justice. It is brutally cold though. I could never live here.

I did have a nice thing happen tonight after I got back to the hotel from trying to catch my flight. We were eating at a bar near by and a young lady who is friends of a member of the cast came over and spent several minutes telling me how great she thought I did in the part and what a natural it was. It is often the only feedback we get on the road other than laughter and applause and it is reassuring and affirming to receive such praise even after 394 performances of the National tour.

Well it is late and I have to catch a bus so I can catch a plane in a few hours. Keep us all in your prayers that we all get home on Tuesday. We need it more than you can imagine. The prayers and home.

Week 17 in the Books

We closed out our 17th week on the road Sunday in Edmonton. The highlight of the week for me was when one of the local stage hands stopped me in the hallway to tell how much he enjoyed the show and my performance. He had worked other productions of Annie here and felt compelled to tell me that I was the best "Warbucks" he had seen. I never know how to take these things as they are always a matter of opinion and based on many factors including how well we as performers treat them as stage hands. Regardless of all that it is very fulfilling to receive such compliments.

Later that week as I reflected on that I realized one reason I struggle on the road with my performance is that I believe I will never be "good enough." Every performance can be better. Every personal interview and personal encounter with fans and others can be better. I will never be a good enough performer or singer or father or husband or person. This drive for perfection while often serving me well by driving me to seek to always do and be better can also be a handicap. It makes it difficult to enjoy the applause, the accolades, and the camaraderie of tour. It also can get in the way of relationships at home with Cay and the girls and my parents and siblings and on and on and on. I hope by the time this leg of my life journey is over that I will be able to look back and truly say and believe "Job well done."

Sunday my throat started hurting. I thought it was just due to the dry cold of Edmonton. Monday I woke up with a full blown cold that was only made worse by the plane trip to Anchorage, Alaska. By the time we got off the plane in Anchorage my head was throbbing from congestion and my ear was clogged and ringing from a combination of the plane ride and the congestion. So Today I went to the doctor and spent way more than I would have at home to get an injection to fight the inflammation and a nasal spray for the congestion along with a couple of other decongestants. The good new is it doesn't appear to be a sinus infection so if all goes well I should be better in a couple of days. I also found out that my blood pressure is doing great 119/87 and that I have lost 80 pounds since April 1, 2007 when I began my life style change.

Anchorage is beautiful. At least what I have seen thus far. Madison (Annie) and I went an elementary school here today and did an assembly for about 500 students. One of the students played the role of Sandy while Madison did "Tomorrow." It was very cute. After that we did an autograph/photo session at a local mall in conjunction with a radio promotion. It was a lot of fun.

Our schedule here is different. We didn't do our usual opening night on Tuesday to allow the sets to get here from Edmonton (a two day journey from Edmonton, especially with all the new fallen snow.) So we will open tomorrow on Wednesday due or regular schedule through Sunday and then close on Monday before we get a much need week off. I will fly home a week from today and spend a glorious week in good ole Hendersonville sleeping in my own bed, eating in my own kitchen, and hanging with my daughter Ashlea and bugging my wife Cay at work. And life doesn't get much better than that.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to All!

Frigid Edmonton

We arrived in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Monday to the coldest temperatures I have ever experienced. The low Tuesday morning was a -52 Fahrenheit. The high Tuesday was a -22F. Today it was 42 Fahrenheit. That is a 90 degree swing in two days. There is no way to describe how cold -52 is. Let me just say that frostbite can begin in just a few minutes in weather that cold. You can literally feel your skin freezing as you step outside. The pain is very real. Fortunately we didn't have to get out in it much as our hotel is attached via the "pedway" to a mall with food courts and restaurants and even the subway is accessible without having to venture outside.

The performance venue is an exact duplicate of the one in Calgary. The names are even the same. The one in Calgary is the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium and the one here in Edmonton is the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. They were built for a visit by the Queen I think and the people of Calgary and Edmonton wanted equal presentations so they built them exactly the same. Two years ago they did renovations and even the renovations were the same.

I find that my sleep schedule is completely out of whack. The last three weeks we have been bouncing between time zones and my body is stuck on Pacific time so I keep going to bed later and later and getting up later and later. I hope to get back on schedule in time to go to Anchorage and get all messed up again.

The big attraction here has been the West Edmonton Mall. It is a huge indoor mall with an indoor amusement park, water park, aquarium, casino, 3 hotels, life size replica of the Santa Maria that Christopher Columbus sailed in, and over 300 stores and an IMAX Theatre. It was a very interesting place but still felt like a mall. Great for a place like this though were it is so cold so much of the year.

It is strange, it doesn't snow that much here but what snow they do get stays with them all season as it is so cold. The river that runs through town is almost completely frozen over. Imagine being able to walk across the Cumberland River. That is what it reminds me of.

Other than that all is well. As is usual with these week long stays, now it is Friday and I am ready to move on. Can't wait to get to Alaska and see the Northern Lights and walk on glaciers. Well, have to catch the bus to the theatre. Will post again soon.

Peace.

News from Vancouver

We have had a nice week here in Vancouver. The weather has been really nice all week, although it was snowing this afternoon after the show.

Wednesday, Madison (Annie), Mikey (Sandy), Patrick (Mikey's handler) and I had press all day. We went to 3 TV stations and did interviews. The highlight of the day was watching Madison get so excited about having makeup put on her. She thought it was so cool we had to take time between interviews so that she could remove the makeup from the previous station so that she could have it applied again at the next station. We also were in a greenroom at one of the stations with a massage chair. Madison and I thought was pretty cool. The best part was at the last station where they had a phone that we could use to call anywhere in Canada or the US for free so we all used it to call home. Also, one of the guest on that show was the owner of a Dairy Queen talking about making Blizzards. They had some new flavors they were advertising including "Cotton Candy." Afterwards we all got to make and eat Blizzards. That alone made the long day worth it.

Thursday a bunch of us went to a place called the Capilano Suspension Bridge. It was really neat though a bit overpriced. It was a forest area with bridges between the trees and a really long suspension bridge over the river. It was well worth the time and effort to see.

Friday I went to Stanley park which is the largest city park in Canada at over 1000 acres. It is on the ocean and is very beautiful. I only saw a small portion of the park but it was truly breathtaking. I then went for a walk on the beach. This has to be one of the few places where you can walk on the beach in the morning, play a round of golf and go snow skiing in the afternoon all without spending more than 30 minutes in the car.

There were many other things to do and see here that I didn't get to enjoy. After all I was here to do 8 performances of "Annie." Ah well, a great excuse to bring the family here on vacation someday.

Talk to you from Edmonton in a few days.

Balmy Vancouver

Yesterday we arrived in Vancouver, BC, Canada and were welcomed by sunshine and warm weather...at least compared to where we have been. The weather here IS really nice with highs near 50 each day. Jolie and I went to lunch yesterday and spent an hour just walking around Vancouver. It is a beautiful city! Another one of the places I recommend everyone try and see if given the chance.

We opened the show tonight and went well as usual. (I wonder how many times I have written that in this blog?) The theatre is great and the audience was very receptive. After the show we had a Meet-n-Greet with a few folks. It is always nice to meet people after the show and hear their compliments. It helps to know that folks genuinely enjoy our efforts.

After the show I grabbed a bite to eat at the grocery next to the theatre. As I was leaving I ran into all the orphans in the show running across the street screaming. The dad of one of the girls had arranged for a limo that just happened to be driving by to take the girls back to the hotel so that they wouldn't have to walk. One of the moms said I should ride with them so me, the 7 orphans, and "Annie's" grandma rode back the 8 blocks to the hotel. The girls were so cute and excited. One of those moments I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Week 15 of Tour

Tonight we finished our 15th week of shows! I can tell you that it is beginning to feel like it has been almost 5 months since I have been home. I am looking forward to the layoff in three weeks.

We played in Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon this week. The show has gone great and audiences here love ANNIE.

The big news has been the weather. Highs have been hovering around ZERO! Yes that is right, the highs!. Lows have been down as low as a -25!. It is unbearable. I don't know how these people deal with this all the time.

Fortunately the theatres and hotels have been nice so no need to venture out except to get on and off the bus. This is a picture of our hotel rooms in Winnipeg. The nicest room I have stayed in on tour by far. This is not normal. (The guy in the corner is my roommate Zander.)

That is really it for now. I have to get up in 5 hours to get on a bus. I will write again from beautiful Vancouver!

Peace,

David.

Calgary and Winnepeg

Well, we finished up in Calgary on Sunday night. The audiences there were great and the shows went really well. I am glad to be out on the road again because I ate way too much while I was in Calgary. I gained about 5lbs in that one week according to the scales! Ouch! Ah, well back to the diet.

Monday we left to head to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with a stopover in Regina where we will be Thursday through Saturday with two shows on Saturday and a Golden Day (day off with no show or travel) on Friday.

Tonight we are in Winnipeg where it has been snowing all day and is suppose to get down to -31 degrees - Celsius. That is about -23 degrees Fahrenheit. I don't think I have ever been in weather that cold. It actually doesn't feel that bad if you don't stay out too long and stay out of the wind. The snow has kept the temperatures up so the predictions may be off. I do know that when we got here it was 2 degrees Fahrenheit.

Anyway, the show went well tonight. It is always fun to open in a new city. It is like an opening night all over again without the anxiety which makes it a lot of fun. On top of that I got to do a Meet-and-greet with some contest winner before the show. There were several little kids there and one Down Syndrome child there that stole my heart. When I was teaching at Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, TN I taught 3 students with Down Syndrome that were a part of a special program there. I hope they are all doing well. If I am not mistake they will graduate this year! (if not last year? Funny how you lose track of time.)

The hotel here in Winnipeg is really, really nice. We are in very large two room suites with full kitchens. Living that this will only get us spoiled. I anticipate hearing some complaints about future accommodations in comparison. Ahh, life on the Road!

Layoff starts in two weeks! I will be home Tuesday, March 24. Cay and I are available for dinner and lunch if anyone out there wants to visit. With only a few days I know I won't get to see everyone but hope to catch as many as possible. I will be at church on that Sunday so all you Methodists I expect to see in worship!

As to the China leg of the tour, I should be able to report something on that before the layoff on March 24. It is all still up in the air what with the economy in the mess it is.

Well, that is all for now. Happy Fat Tuesday!

Greetings from Canada

It has been a while since I have blogged so let me catch you up. Since I last blogged we have played Whitewater, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Grand Forks, North Dakota; and are now in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. During that time we have played to some fabulous audiences.

Minneapolis is the home town of Jeff Duncan, who plays FDR in the show as well as being close to home for Cheryl Hoffman who plays Lily and our Technical Director, Corey (I am not even going to try and spell his last name) so it was very exciting for them to get to play in front of huge groups of family and friends. Along with this excitement the audiences in Minneapolis were some of the most enthusiastic we have had on this tour. It was all a lot of fun and very exciting.

The weather wasn't even too bad. Jeff had talked about sub-zero temperatures and snow and wind but it was fairly mild while we were there with highs close to 20 and lows above Zero!

Monday we traveled to Calgary and my wife, Cay, met me there. We had a great week just spending time together and talking and being husband and wife present with each other. Everyone kept asking what we did each day and it was actually pretty boring to them I suppose, just dining and talking and sitting together watching TV or looking on the Internet but to us old married folk it was a wonderful and blessed 5 days. Tonight she is back in Nashville and I am very lonely but filled with joy to know that there is someone out there who loves and supports me as much as she does.

Doing the show in Canada is a little different from doing it in the states. The crowds have been great and audiences have thoroughly enjoyed the performances. Their reactions to the play, however, make it obvious how much of the play is rooted in USA culture and politics. The lines about Democrats and Republicans don't mean the same thing here as they do back in the States. While the reactions are different they don't, however, diminish the fun and enjoyment the audience seems to get from seeing the performances.

Being out of the country I won't be able to call home like I usually like to so I will do a better job of updating this blog so that everyone can keep up with me. Also, don't forget that I do have e-mail and you can always write!

Well, that's all for now. Hope you are all having a great week and I will be home March 24!