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
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
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!
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!
Friday, April 3, 2009
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.
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.
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