"Everything's Coming Up Roses"

A little "Gypsy"......

Mallie at Tiger Stadium (Comeria Park)

Here she is, Boys! Here she is, World! Here's Mal!!!

Is Blogging Dead??

Hmmmm.. I have gone to three of my favorite web-blogs and NONE have been updated in months! Wow... I miss you guys!!!

I have found this venue to be a great sounding board for myself. You know when you go on and on about something....and then read it back..? I've had a few AHA's.

I may (or may not)have anyone else readying this but I do it for me. Hey - reminds me of a line in the show....

"I guess I did do it for me."
"Why Momma?"
"Just wanted to be noticed."

AMEN.

Off to the theatre!

What a ride!

Here we are, in the final week of this long odyssey called "GYPSY"! In these photos you will see two of our three amazing "strippers". Jason is our wonderful director and the handsome dark haired gentleman in the photo with Tessie/Loni. Barry also got nabbed for a photo with Loni and cutie Patrick is with me in this first photo. The lovely ladies are part of the showgirl/Toreadorables group and one plays the back end of the cow - wonderfully, I might add! Aren't they beautiful?

Three more performances left. At the end of this run, we will have completed 13 shows and countless hours of preparation. Somehow, I thought I would be relieved to be finished. After all, it's taken a toll on my time and talents, to be sure! It will take a bit of time to let go of this low belt voice I have cultivated and go back to my own range...and repertoire!

Sadly, this is not the case. I am already getting teary eyed at the thought of the final curtain call - my most favorite part of the show! (Not really!)It has been the nicest side trip I have taken in the past 6 months. It also means that I will have to face, head on, the reality that my mother is not here anymore. Do you know I actually looked for her on Opening Night? For a brief moment I wondered...."now where is she and is she okay"..? Mother's Day we had a matinee and I was okay..until the curtain came down and so did the veil that had covered my emotions for the duration. Luckily, my cast was supportive - especially Rachel who plays my grown daughter, Louise, in the show. She too has lost a parent and understands how I feel. She was right there with a warm hug. Thanks honey!

Thanks go to her for the fine, fine work she has done. It's been so much fun to work with her. She gives back everything I throw at her, onstage. It's really been a thrill to do that last great scene with her. I don't know when I have enjoyed acting as much as I do when we throw down there.

These pictures I've posted were taken by my friend, Loni, who plays Tessie in our production. Loni has been a voice student of mine for some time and I am proud to call her my friend now. I am so glad I mentioned the audition to her all this time ago. I wanted to have some friends around me in this production and she has been great - onstage and off!! Thanks!

My onstage boyfriend, Herbie, aka Barry, has been terrific and I could not have asked for a more wonderfully supportive actor to smooch with onstage. Barry, you are a lovely person and a gentleman to the core.

Everyone in our production is really great - onstage and off! This time has helped me heal a little after that dark November night. I know I sound dramatic here but really ...that was the night I had to grow up. It also helped me to play the whirlwind that is Mama Rose.

Now, I have to go back to the real world and finish the job of emptying my parents' home and going forward as the adult orphan I am today.

Thanks, cast and crew of "Gypsy" for your love, support, hugs, laughs, hard work and sparkle! It has been my privilege to share the stage with you. Thanks for the friendships and the wonderful conversations I've had with some of you at those lovely after-show parties. What fun it was to have most of you in our home that Friday night. Thanks for coming!

Finally, thanks to the Theatre Gods! You have, once again, lifted me and reminded me that life is colorful and full of gifts along the way. I promise to keep looking for them and going forward even when I'm not sure of the outcome.

After all, no one knows what's coming down the pipeline, eh? Get ready and JUMP INTO THE POOL!!!!!

Local coverage

http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20100506/NEWS06/5060549/1023/Farmington+Players+salute+moms+on+Mother+s+Day

The only bad thing about this is the fact that they took the pictures before I got my wig. Here I am in it!

WE ROCKED!

Opening Night was a success!!! We were sold out!! Thanks everyone. Pictures and reflections to come! Come see the show! We run till May 22nd! Show/Ticket info at www.farmingtonplayers.org