Greetings from Sturbridge, MA

We had a two-show day at the JCC in Newton, MA, which was lovely. Of course, there were bagels for us which was nice. And, then we traveled an hour to the hotel that we're at now. Hanging out in the lobby where we can get wi-fi and shortly heading back to the room to watch the rest of the Grammy's.

At Cracker Barrel, the toys we found that supposedly "look like us"- mine is blonde. i don't think so:







peace and love

Shows 8 and 9 +Berlin, CT

I drove the Sprinter from NYC to Englewood, NJ today where we had two shows at BergenPAC. It was very nostalgic to be back in my old area of New Jersey. Many memories of Palisades Ave, Greek to Me, the round-a-bout, the Starbucks, etc. We had help from three crew members there, which was wonderful! It helped soo much to have big burly men carry and help build our set. The shows went great... however, in the second show, Stephen, my dear cast-mate, almost fell off the stage! It was sooo funny and I was cracking up. We were in the final number and he tripped on a speaker and almost catapulted straight down rolling over and down into the pit. It was so intense! Fortunately, he didn't fall, he didn't get hurt or anything... which now leaves a very hysterical moment that we shared onstage. I love onstage mishaps (when they don't involve injury, of course).

Picture of BergenPac theater:


Backstage:




After the shows, we got into the van and drove to where we are now at, Berlin, CT, for the night. We go tomorrow to Newton, Mass for two shows, sleep in Mass, and then come back to the NYC area on Monday.
We went to Chili's tonight for dinner, which was awesome. I had a very well-priced veggie burger, and now, we are here:




peace and love,
Tal

Show 6 and 7

New Hyde Park, NY aka Long Island

We did two shows today. We left at 6:15 am... too early.

We got to hear the morning announcements at the school and they were sooo cute! First a little kid and his mom sang a song titled "Take Me Out of the Bath Tub" to the melody of, you guessed it, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."
Then another little kid, couldn't tell if it was a boy or girl, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

This was followed by the best part ever- a little kid singing "God Bless America"- Seriously. The best way to start a day is to hear a kid sing! This kid was sooo funny!!!! Every word sounded different than it should. The cutest was "pwehwee" instead of "prairie" and the just flat or sharp pitches that slid into pitch. At least the kid knew he/she was out of tune and slid into it. He/she was definitely like 4. It was precious.

Yet again, we got some Dunkin' Donuts today- a delicious Glazed Bowtie always makes a day better.

Perhaps the best part of the day, however, was the fact that we did not have to build the house part of the set! That reduces load-in and load-out by a huuuge chunk of time. It was absolutely wonderful. It made things so much easier. They should definitely always do the show without it. The kids were still amazed that the fences turned and made shelves, so it does make you wonder how stunned they would be by a house that opens and turns, but it was nice to have a day off from it.

I'm on a total dessert high the past few days. Tonight, Alyssa came over and we made some delicious tortellini with sauteed veggies and garlic, and later I made this:

Show 5

New Rochelle

We got to sleep in today, which was lovely(!) and left the parking garage at 10:15. We got to New Rochelle in 20-25 minutes, loaded in the show, to a small stage (the space was even smaller than our rehearsal space), did the show with some minor problems, like a missing prop, and a castle falling apart, loaded out in good time, got on the road... and hit CRAZY traffic. Apparently a fuel truck tipped over on the Bronx Expressway, leaving us stranded for a good hour and a bit. We eventually made it into Manhattan, only to get stuck in more insane traffic on 1st Ave in Harlem. It was intense.

Once we got back to our point of departure, we were all pretty starving. It was odd to be done at the actual end of a day, rather than at around 2 pm, where we have the rest of the day to our disposal. Today, it felt like a long day when really we worked the same amount of time, just later in the day. Bethany and I decided to find a Taco Bell... got on a subway to the nearest one only to find out that it went out of business there(What?)! So, we walked onwards towards our neighborhood and found an awesome little taco place where I had delicious sopes, semi-soft tortillas w/ deliciousness on it. It was excellent, and so was the guacamole. I definitely plan to return another day or to order in.

Then I got home and made this:



Tomorrow we'll be in New Hyde Park, Long Island tomorrow for two shows. We have to leave at 6:15 am :/ So, tonight I will be watching some tv and sleeping.

Peace <3

Shows 3 and 4

Show Three and Four

We're on our break between shows three and four of the show. We ha an interesting drive over. The gps led us on a different route, but we still managed to make it on time. First show went great and now we're snacking between shows. We're at the same theater as we were yesterday so we didnt have to build the set. However, we have to load out later today.

Good news! Tomorrow we have a late start to the day, and we're going to New Rochelle, the setting of Ragtime.

Here's also a pic of today's theater in Staten Island:

Staten Island 1

We drove out in the rain at 6:30 am today from Inwood in Manhattan, where the vans were, to Staten Island in... the rain. Fortunately, I did not drive the van in the weather condition. I was too nervous. Bethany, who plays 'Grandma' drove the passenger van, and was great. Once we got there, the driveway that led to the loading entrance was blocked by a dumpster! So, the set van was placed on the grass beside it, and we had to lift everything to the pavement behind the dumpster that we could roll... it was exhausting. Then, most of us started building and realized that our SM and another actor weren't in the theater... they were working on getting the truck out of the mud... it was raining really hard and the van was stuck in mud at both ends of the car. In comes Andrew, who plays 'Max,' telling us we all have to come out and push the van out of the mud... so there we are in the rain, first day of performances, an hour and a half from showtime without the set built yet, 6 actors, Danny or kick-ass SM, and two amazing men who work for the theater who hired us for the day, pushing (more like trying to push) a Sprinter out of the mud in the pouring rain. I got into the car and was the one to push the gas in a rocking motion and then floor it when we were clear. However, it did not work... and we had to call a towing company to get the van out. :/

Eventually, we got the set up and everything was ready. We worked into our half hour, but everything was up, looked great, and we had this beautiful theater to perform in for loads of little children!

We performed for the kids- and it was suuch a blast! It's soo funny to hear the reactions of kids in an audience. Their responses are outrageous! They laughed all the frickin' time and there was this buzz, like a literal noise, that was constant throughout the show. It was so funny! And kids love everything- it's fun to perform for them 'cause they love whatever the hell you do pretty much!
We did a second show 45 minutes later, and this crowd was pretty much the same. However, during the 'Tarantula' scene, which is where 'Max' reads a book about a tarantula and a tarantula comes to life behind him (us other actors backstage), the second show kids screamed and seemed actually frightened, whereas the first show's kids laughed at it. Silly...

The theater that hired us to come there brought us food and drinks, which was so sweet, and they were incredibly wonderful and helpful. We're going back to do 2 more shows there tomorrow, so we got to leave the set and not break it down. Our strike was just to put the props away, lock up, and drive back to the city. We got stuck in quite a bit of traffic, which was odd because it was 2 pm, but we eventually made it back.

I went food shopping at Fairway Market- bought delicious Sweet Potato and Fig Ravioli, and made a delicious creamy cheese sauce to add to it. It was amazing:


Needless to say, it was an interesting first day of performances.

First Performance

We had our final dress rehearsal yesterday. Our magical director, Tracy, gave us a bunch of great goodies for the road, as well as words of wisdom. Molly, another lovely person from the office came down and told us a bunch of horrifying stories, as well as some really inspiring ones. And, then we broke the set and loaded it into the van (which came late).

This morning our call is at 6:30 A.M. So I am up and about. I already ate a piece of toast with nutella, and wishing I had cheese in my apartment. Ah well... I woke up to the Kaballah email below. I receive daily emails that are inspiring or give me an intention or goal for the day. I find it really fun to remember it throughout the day, or to start off the day with a smile:

Monday, January 25, 2010

Many people seek to relive the excitement of the past, instead of renewing the mystery of the moment. They compare their life now to what it once was.

Hello, you are alive now! This is the most important, potentially exciting moment of your life.

Today, be open to the joy and excitement life wants you to experience. Now, right now, this moment.



I am totally ready to be open to the joy and excitement life wants me to experience... right now! Even though it's not yet 6 a.m.
I'm excited to be embarking on what is pretty much a paid trip throughout the country while performing(!), and for kids, some who have never seen live theater before!

Our first performance is in a school in Staten Island at 10 or so this morning. Fortunately, that means that I'll be home by the afternoon and then able to do my laundry! And then, I plan to sleep. Because we have to repeat the exact same thing tomorrow.

Wish me luck! First performance, here I come!

Final Stretch of Rehearsal

We have just three more days to polish up the show and we perform in Staten Island for our first show on Monday. We did a costume stumble-through today which was exhausting and difficult, and following that we did a producer's run, which went quite well.

We built the set together again, today- we needed to practice. It's definitely a difficult process... especially for a person who has veryyy little muscle. Basically, doing the set, a show, and then striking the set takes 3 hours and it's a non-stop workout. Originally cast members and I had spoken about working out at a gym at hotels. Doesn't look like we'll need it that much.

Meanwhile, I am spending this evening relaxing my body, watching tv, and having some mint brownie ice cream that's slightly freezer burned. Ah well.

I saw A Little Night Music last night! I am constantly moved by the composer, Stephen Sondheim's work, and the cast was superb. Catherine Zeta-Jones was stunning and only got better as the show went on. All of the men had these incredible booming voices and the women beautiful legit tones. It was really lovely. And the story, though I've seen it before, was really great to watch. Angela Lansbury, a Broadway veteran was also hysterical and legendary onstage. Lots of fun!

Peace for now.

Equity

It's official. I am EQUITY. I paid the minimum today and got my temporary card. I get the real one in the mail in a few weeks.

Rehearsals have been going wonderfully. We finished and blocked the show a few days ago and have been fixing things the past few days. We're now at the point where we are beyond comfortable with it. We have a day off tomorrow and then we're doing a costume stumble-through and a run-through for the producers on Thursday.

I got a schedule of the upcoming 4 weeks. We're going to be in the NYC area until Feb 15th. I'm staying in my apartment till the end of the month, then a week with Elaine, and then a week in a place yet to be determined.

We already sold out Paper Mill Playhouse in NJ which is one of our first shows next week! And, we have one at Town Hall right in Time Square! We will also be performing in the Lower East Side of Manhattan at a school one day- very close to a divine little bakery called Babycakes- which I can't wait to get some baked goods from.

Anyways, it's been a great few days in rehearsal, and more to come in the future I'm soon. I'm excited that now while I am in NYC till mid- February that I can audition for Equity shows. I'm going to a South Pacific audition and the Fiddler on the Roof tour audition in two or so weeks... will keep writing.

This song, "One Tin Soldier," has been in my head constantly lately. And then... I found a youtube video of it with Cher and a cartoon. Enjoy:

Day 3

Day Three

Today when we got to rehearsal we had a meeting with the production manager, Teresa. We discussed some driving rules/safety/etc. Teresa told us some really sweet stories about some experiences that productions have gone through- it's really nice to see how effective these shows are on all of the kids who see them.

Following that, we went over the opening number that we staged yesterday. It's been a challenge to do so much movement while singing and doing so much with props and stuff- it's been a while since I've really danced in a show! And now I'm playing a child-bunny with crazy energy doing a lot at once.

We then went downstairs and unloaded a truck filled with our set... which we had to load into the freight elevator and bring into the studio, followed by having to build it up. It turns into Max and Ruby's entire house! And it's a two story house, with all sorts of additional things- like table and chairs, bush, fence, and several backdrops. It's pretty intense... actually a lot intense. It takes about an hour and a half to set up! So, we did that. And I realized that by the end of this tour I am going to be super jacked and fit. That'll be nice! :)

We had lunch when we were done, fixed a few things in the opening number with our director and continued to stage more parts of the show. We got to the end of the Bunny Scout song, which is superbly funny! It's really cute and a blast to do. It's physically easier, too ;)

So, now I'm home, just finished the other half of my Chipotle lunch for dinner, and watching American Idol. Tomorrow we continue to stage more of the show and review.

Day 1-2

Day One

Yesterday was my first day rehearsing at Chelsea Studios! Our call was at 9:30 in the morning and we started with a meeting with an Equity representative. For those reading who don't know what this is (aka my mom and family friends), Equity is the actor's union. The rep came in to let us know our rights, how we deal with any problems that may come up, benefits, and the initial application process.
After that we had a Safety meeting... This was where a therapist of sorts came in and showed us how we should best lift any set pieces and props, how to deal being in a car and its physical consequences, and how to keep a healthy diet along the road. We had a little exercise where we had to pick up things around the room, using our legs and not our back. Simple enough.

Right afterwards we started learning the entire show's music. Carol Hall, the composer of the show, also wrote The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The music is really cute.

The cast are all a bunch of super talented people that I'm excited to work with, too. I had a good lunch with two of them yesterday, and then we went back to learn the rest of the music.

Day Two

Today we started a little later- 10:30 and sang through the show. Following that, we fixed a few things, had lunch (grabbed Subway with the entire cast), did a read-through of the entire show with our lovely director, and then blocked the opening number of the show.

I'm recovering from a foot injury so have been having to take it easy in the dancing and movement on stage, but it's pretty basic movement that's really looking so cute.

I got home around 6:45 tonight and am exhausted. So, I'm hanging around the apartment watching some Seinfeld, reviewing the blocking (staging of the show), and having the other half of my Subway sandwich (a great technique to save money).


I was thinking about how this production of "Max and Ruby" is probably going to be the first show that a lot of children will see in their lives, and I'm so thrilled to be a part of that experience for someone! That's definitely something that I may have to keep in mind when we get to the 150th time we do the show and it gets repetitive- we're doing 178 or something(?) I may have just made that up, but it's somewhere in the mid 100's.

Back to the Big Apple

I flew in yesterday and I am back in my Washington Heights apartment through the end of the month.

I signed my contract today and then headed to Actors Equity to join. It was really exciting- filled out some paperwork and had a lovely chat with one of their employees who handles new members. In a few short weeks I will officially be a proud member of Equity! I'm definitely stoked about that- and can't wait to use all the perks that go with it.

Other than that, today was lovely- not as cold as I heard it would be, not that it was warm. But, I was very efficient today and got a lot done, and had time to grab hot chocolate with a friend. On the subway ride home the subway conductor was really awesome, too- very joyous and fun with her announcements.

Rehearsal starts Monday!

About "Max and Ruby"

I forgot to mention... "Max and Ruby" is a children's television show that airs on Nick Jr. It originated in Canada. It's about two bunnies (the ones in the title) and their little adventures with morals.

Carol Hall and Glen Berger have adapted it to the stage and I will be playing three characters in it...

Bunny Scout Valerie. According to treehousetv.com: Valerie is Ruby’s funniest friend and is also in Bunny Scouts. She sits on the other side of Ruby in class, and isn’t quite as close to Ruby as Louise is. In fact, she’s very different from Ruby and Louise B not quite the perfectionist that they are. But Ruby and Louise would never exclude Valerie from their play. She’s just not as likely to have the same idea at the same time as they do. In fact, sometimes she’s just a little bit out there, and says things that don’t quite fit the situation. But if that’s pointed out to her, she just laughs. Valerie has a flare for the dramatic and loves to tell scary ghost stories and make her friends laugh.

I'll also be playing a neighbor who is currently unnamed, and Sally-Swims-a-lot Doll, Ruby's doll who comes to life.

Interesting tidbit: I was born in the year of the rabbit.

Bunny Beginning

Like a bunny, I digest lots of green vegetables. Unlike a bunny, I am allergic to raw carrots.

I was recently cast in a production of "Max and Ruby," a Theatreworks tour- children's musical theater to be precise. I jump through the bunny hole on January 11th, when we start rehearsal in New York City, where I've resided now for 4 1/2 years. Then I journey through the United States with six currently strangers/ my soon-to-be cast starting January 25th, and I will be chronicling my journey via this, my Bunny Blog (the name courtesy of my mom).

Currently, I am in the pre-rehearsal/post college-graduation stage- I finished my BFA in Musical Theater and BA in Communications a few weeks ago, the holidays have just ended, and I am out on the West coast at my parent's house in Southern California. I have just digested food beyond my wildest dreams the past few weeks at home and I am ready and stoked to endeavor across the country in the coming months. Who wouldn't want to graduate university and travel the country?

Follow this blog to see how this 22-year-old curly/wavy-haired, red-headed, peace-loving vegetarian manages to survive amidst traveling the country the next few months! (Hopefully, by the end of this there will be a plan for summer travels abroad, as well)