Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Barriga Llena.

Went to lunch today had Mexican at this restaurant called Barriga Llena (Full Belly). I have been craving it for a long time. I had Mole Enchiladas. They were GOOD! We also found this wall and decided to take a picture in front of it. Fun afternoon.

On The Steps of the Palace...

Being on this late schedule kind of sucks. We start the show at 10 pm because since it's an outdoor theatre we have to wait for it to get dark. So we don't get out till about 12:30 am. Don't get home till about 1am. And then have to wind down and then end up going to bed really late so we all tend to sleep in really late and miss out on the day. BUT I decided that I needed to go out and be a tourist. So me and 2 other friends of mine decided to go to the PALACIO REAL (The ROYAL PALACE). It was amazing. The best part was the inside but we were not allowed to take pictures. Each room of the palace had a specific function and was decorated by theme. The decor and some of the ceiling paintings were breath taking. Here is a picture of one of my favorite rooms I found on-line.

THE THRONE ROOM

Click picture below to see my Madrid Album and more pictures of the PALACE that I took.
Madrid, Spain

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Barcelona here I come!a

Me and 2 other guys bought tickets to Barcelona last night. We have 2 weeks off coming up and since we are probably the only people with no one visiting we decided to hang out and see what Barcelona is all about. We found flights for 0 Euro. How amazing is that!?!? I mean they do get you on the fees but the flight total came out to 30 Euro. We are also got a Hotel for 3 nights right on the BEACH! That not being bad either. I am so excited. It should be really FUN.

Friday, June 26, 2009

COME TOGETHER

Yesterday was quite a day. The show started pretty normal until the dance at the gym which is early on in the show. Our Riff, Jablonski pulled a calf muscle. He went off stage grabbing his calf in pain. He continued to finish the scene and was called out of the show right after that. So for the rest of the show we had to put on his Under Study Alex who plays Diesel. So it was a mad rush to do a quick put in, costume changes, Mic and everything else. Since the understudy was on we had to put other people in also. So everyone was working backstage in between scenes they are not in to make sure they got it. It was mad house backstage but our cast came together and was prepared to go on. SO AMAZING. Props to everyone who stepped up to the plate last night. GOOD WORK! I wish Jablonski a quick recovery. So far we are thinking he will be out for about 2 weeks but hoping sooner.

In remembrance of M.J. and a theme of last night. Here is M.J.'s video:

COME TOGETHER

R.I.P. Micael Jackson

A Cultural Icon. Your music will live on forever!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Sol y Sombra

So some of the cast and I were roaming the streets of Madrid until I fell upon someone I knew. Adrian was just hanging out in the streets of Madrid when I saw him. I knew he was in Spain but I didn't know how to get a hold of him so it was amazing that I just ran into him. He later came out with us to this club called Sol y Sombra. Adrian did Tokyo Disney with me. He and I shared the same part in the show Minnie Oh Minnie. It was fun catching up. He is just taking a month to travel Europe.
I took some more pictures of us hanging out that night. Check it out here.

Madrid, Spain

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

First Night in Madrid.

WE walked around and had dinner. Madrid is Beautiful and the food was YuMMY!

click on picture to view album.

Madrid, Spain

Monday, June 22, 2009

Viva Espana!

Voila! Lyon is OVER! SO SAD. I love France and kind of wish we were here for at least another week but its ok. WE will be back in France next year sometime.

For me Lyon was a great time. I had an opportunity to go to church yesterday. The same building and congregation I served in 10 years ago on my LDS mission. I didn't see anyone I knew but it was still cool to go and reminisce a little.

Now, we are off to Madrid, SPAIN for a 2 week run and a 2 week lay-off. Not sure what I am going to do for those 2 weeks just yet. But I'll keep you posted. Viva Espana!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Pics of PARIS!

Upun arrival here in Lyon a couple of us decided to take a train into Paris that night. The train was only 2 hours flat. I got in touch with an old friend from college(UVSC days) and she and her boyfriend put me up for 2 nights. First night I went to the Eiffel Tower by myself. The next day Sylvain and Becca took me all over Paris on bike to see the sites. This has bee a dream of mine to go here. I am so glad I did. Well WORTH IT! I need to go again when I have more time. Here are the pics to prove it. Just CLICK ON IT to view them all. ENJOY!


Day Trip to PARIS

Monday, June 15, 2009

THE BOMB!

So like I said I have BAD and GOOD news. I wanted to wait for some things to blow over but I can't wait anymore. Here are the facts then I will share my feelings about this whole situation.

Facts:
Our latest Schedule that we have said we are performing in Basel, Switzerland until the end of November.

We knew there could be an extension until December 20th as far as we all thought and assumed cause what was said to us and what is in our contracts.

We all had assumed and was told to us that we would have at least that Christmas and New Year's off and then re start the 2nd leg Jan 10th if they booked us more venues to perform in if not we would resume whenever they had stuff which right now is I think is in April.

Anyway, so here is the bomb! THE GOOD/BAD NEWS. One day after one of our shows in Saarlouis where we were doing our previews the BIG producers guys come on stage and tell us they have extended the tour(with all good inentions and excitement)....YOU KNOW WHAT...I AM ADDING my feelings to this now. Sorry. I can't help it. So they say that "WE are extending!" In my mind and probably most of everyone else's mind I was thinking Decmeber 20th.....which we all thought was in our contracts and what was told to us multiple times. But they continue to tell us that they have booked us THROUGH Jan 10th 2010! It was so awkward when they dropped that bomb because then our Director moved in and said that this means we get a shorter break and only have maybe a week off for Christmas but as soon as he said THAT the Producers corrected him quickly and said NO there will be NO break. My face dropped. I was like WHOA! I mean they were really excited and don't get me wrong. It's WORK. And they booked us in some really good venues with really AWESOME promotors. But I was shocked cause I thought it was a for sure thing that we were going to be done at least by December 20th for the 1st leg then reassune some time in 2010 probably Jan 10th. But that is NOT the case.

Sorry I hope this is making sense. I am just now letting it all out on "paper." So the deal is that after Basel, Swizerland they booked us in Bremem, Germany until December 13th then off to Scheveningen which is in the Netherlands until Jan 10th. So I won't see my family for Christmas yet AGAIN! BOO! I am really sad about this. And guess what...if that isn't sad enough we get to do 2 shows on CHRISTMAS. Ughhh! I am just venting and this in no way really shows my feelings towards any of the people in managment or producers of the tour or otherwise. Its jsut a frustration and a dissapointment with some confusion.

I will miss Christmas and New Years with my family and close friends. So there you GO! Now, for a more positve note. I will have WORK until then. YEAH! So that means money will be coming in. I can't complain about that and apparently these 2 extra cities are really neat. I belive one of them is a resort town that is really cool. Even though I am grateful for the work I am really sad that I don't get a break and not sure if I WILL until May.

So here is the deal with all this. We are in the middle of getting some answers on how this is all going to work out with contract stuff because of what was written and what was said. I do believe that in our conracts it says that they have the right to extend any dates with a 2 week notice or something. Anyway, the details aren't terribly clear on that so when we get more answers I will let you know and how that effects us. I just hope we are not being taken advantage of which I don't think is the case....but also that the communication between the producers and us the actors are MORE CLEAR. I hope more information comes soon about this. Our Copmany Managers appolgized on how the information came to us and said that we will be contacted about this with more details. I wait for that.

Anyway, so that is that. So if there is anyone wanting a Christmas vaction in the Netherlands I would love to have you. Oh THE BUSINESS!


Oui Oui!

PARIS was amazing! It was all I dreamt it would be and more. I have way too many pictures to upload one by one. So I am going to try to put an album up somewhere on the internet and just post the link so that you can view them. The internet is really slow where we are staying so the programs I wanted to download are not dowloading fast enough. But I will put the pictures up soon. Here is one to tease you:

Friday, June 12, 2009

PARIS HERE I COME!


I just bought a train ticket to PARIS!!!! I'm going for a day. I leave Saturday night late at 8pm when we arrive from Germany to Lyon then leave early Monday morning from Paris to come back for Lyon. Its a quick trip but I am so excited. I have a friend from college I am going to stay at that lives in Paris. I am so excited!!!! I always wanted to go! Here I come PARIS! Pictures to come!

I also have some BAD and GOOD news to share. I have to wait until its official official to say what it is.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Pre-views Opening-Saarlouis, Germany

The Important People That Brought The Show to Saarlouis
Me and Some JETS!
Me and Anita(Oneika Philllips) She is FIERCE!
Me and Sylvain(Musical Director-He's French)
Me and the Dance Captains(Jaque & Ryan)
The Jets striking a POSE!
The Sharks striking a POSE!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW!

This is before I was heading back to NY from visiting about a year and a half back.

So today is my Nephew's 12th birthday! I can't believe it. He is so big. I am so proud of him and more proud to be his uncle. I wish I could be around more but I want to let him know that even though I am away I love you. I know you are at Disney World right now. Have so much fun. I love you and have a very HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

"Where We Turn Water Into Wine!"

I found this sign walking around town yesterday. HILARIOUS!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Little Town...what a quiet village

Restaurat Row in Town

So I'm sitting here in tech rehearsal enjoying the free internet. I have to pay for it at the hotel. So I try not to be on it as much as I usually am. So Joey or director is out for a couple of days because he had to go back to America because he is going to the TONY'S. For those who don't know our director Joey McKneely choreographed the Broadway rivival production of West Side Story. And I do believe it us up for Best Rivival of a Musical along with the Maria being up for Best Actress and the Anita up for Best Suporrting Actress in a Musical. I hope it wins. That would be good for everyone invovled. Anyway, yesterday before rehearsal I went out to town to enjoy the little town square here in Saarlouis. Had some lunch and Gelatto. Yum!
Alex playing on a random Merry Go Round thingy in the midle of the sqaure
This little train that is trasnporting little dirty German kids.
Me and the some of the ladies in the cast.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Saarlouis


We are in Saarlouis, Germany. Our first travel day. Its about a 5 hour drive from our last city. A bigger city from our last but not by much. We are here for 2 weeks then off to Lyon, France for our opening. I am excited to go back to Lyon. YAHOO!

Here's is to tech rehearsal. Alot of standing around and costumes. Yeah!