Off to greener pastures...

I'm off to Oregon to visit the family and to get a Pacific Northwest fix. I'll be up north for a week, just freewheeling with the schedule. I hope I get a bit of time out at the coast, but for sure I'll spend time with Grandma who is on the quick mend from surgery, and because of that my aunts are also in town which will be great. It will also be wonderful to see the folks (and all the work they've been doing on the house) and my sister and her family. I'll also take along tools to accomplish a little light work if the spirit so moves. We'll see. I'm just looking forward to breathing some of that Oregon air. Peace and love, y'all!

"Not creepy."

I picked up a caricature gig this evening – a lovely bat mitzvah at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades. The agency had found me at PartyPop.Com and so it was my first time working with them. During the event, the agent told me to be sure to call back on Monday to be entered into their rolodex. She said, "Most of the caricaturists we've worked with before aren't as good... or are creepy." I'm thinking about making my new promotional catch phrase, "Not creepy!" Ha ha! Seriously, it was really nice to get hooked up with a new agency on a cold call. They were easy to work with, and it would be great to work together again down the line.

Tomorrow, I'll get to church after a month-long absence and then I'll get a chance to visit with a friend who's in town on the A Chorus Line tour. Monday finds me on a plane to Oregon to visit the family including Grandma who just went through surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from her kidney. Well... actually we just got some great news. The tumor was actually benign and everyone's so excited. So, YAY, answered prayers and happy times. Peace and love, y'all!

Back in the swing... sorta.

It is indeed lovely to be able to catch up with home and my peeps after some time away. Yesterday in particular was really nice. I worked throughout the morning on busy work that had been on the back burner for a while, and then I ran errands. It's wild how much the typical drudgeries can invigorate when you haven't done them in a while – bank, post office, getting a refill for the day planner. I made the rounds and then hit the road for the ocean. On the way, I moseyed through Topanga Canyon. Across the years, this area has been a haven for musicians, blacklisted actors, hippies, and free spirits of all sorts. (The photo above is of a random flying pig sculpture, likely left from an old roadside attraction of some sort.) I appreciate the laid-back vibe, the quirky shops, and the lazy meandering landscape on the way to the Pacific, just south of Malibu. Once at the ocean, I stopped in my favorite little seafood dive, The Reel Inn, and hunkered down with a seared ahi steak, home fries, and salad. Val Kilmer came in for take-out while I inserted fresh pages in my day planner. I wandered on the beach a bit while talking to Mom on the phone, and then headed to Montana Avenue to wander a bit more. The evening brought an invitation from the amazing Meloney to catch one of her Disneyland friends playing jazz at a lovely place in Sherman Oaks.

All in all, it was a fantastic day of catching up with home and taking a breath before diving back into some work which is what I'm doing today (well... while I'm not procrastinating thanks to Blogger and Facebook). So here I go! Wish me well. Peace and love, y'all!

Wichita memories.

Okay, I know I've got to let go a bit. But while I've blathered on about the wonderful onstage experiences at Music Theatre of Wichita, I haven't said a whole lot about enjoyable things we did away from the theatre. Here is a wee list of my favorite establishments around town...

1. Caffe Moderne! Panini sandwiches (my favorite, The Isabella, has smoked turkey, brie, and thinly sliced Granny Smith apples) and gelato. There are so many amazing flavors like Bacio (think Nutella), Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk, Limoncello sorbetto, and Pistachio, but one particularly creative flavor knocked my socks off – Chocolate Coconut Curry with Cayenne. Some rather disparate flavors that just danced together with a slow burn kick in the booty from the cayenne. Amazing!
2. The Beacon and Eggcetera! Two fantastic breakfast places. The Beacon is more greasy spoon and Eggcetera is a bit more frou frou, but both are fantastic.
3. Goebel's Liquors! An absolutely amazing place to get beer. Being a fan of Rogue beers from the home state, I was jazzed to find that Goebel's literally has the largest bottle selection of Rogue outside of Oregon.
4. Il Vicino! While I've never met a MTWichita opening night party location I didn't like, I'm always happiest when we head to Il Vicino. Woodfired pizzas!
5. Uptown Bistro! Before a good portion of my opening nights in Wichita, I've had a lovely light dinner of their Salmon Spinach Salad and a cup of the tomato bisque. Really fine menu and great service.

Well, I'd best be cutting off my list before I run to the airport and go broke buying a plane ticket back to Wichita. Honestly, we didn't spend all our down time eating. But it was close. Ha!

And while I think fondly of Wichita, I'm enjoying getting settled back here in Cali. I'm off to run errands before a liesurely jaunt through Topanga Canyon to the ocean. A little sun, seafood, and sand on a Wednesday. Life is good! Peace and love, y'all!

Melancholy.

I'm back home in North Hollywood after a really fantastic month in Wichita. The travel day yesterday was arduous due to a canceled flight and lost luggage, but I had good company in my daughter Kim and the luggage has now made its way home, so all is well.

I keep thinking about My Fair Lady and Forum and the friends I had the good fortune to play with. And I'm sad. I'll miss the gang. We really accomplished some great things. Best wishes to those who forge on at MTWichita. Big River is next, then All Shook Up and Les Miserables.

Now, since the luggage has arrived, I think I'll head to the laundromat and do some laundry before grabbing a bite with Sammy. Although I miss Wichita, it's really great to be home. Take care, all! Peace and love!

Grateful!

Have you ever had someone who believed in you? I know you all will answer in the affirmative, and I'm blessed to have numerous folk that could be described that way. But I want to point out one person in particular. Wayne Bryan has brought me to Wichita once again, but this time it was for the zany Forum... and then when a replacement was needed for Alfie Doolittle in My Fair Lady, he extended the invitation to stay on and tackle this great role. I was floored since I never thought for a minute that I would have a chance to tackle Alfie for another 10-15 years. I felt the pressure of so many great expectations (mostly my own), but Wayne was a constant guide and support through the process. I felt his support and trust, and I am incredibly proud of our result. The show is going incredibly well, and while I will not rest on my laurels, I am celebrating a personal victory as we head into our last four performances. I will treasure this weekend of shows with a stellar cast and near sell-out crowds that are eagerly embarking on our journey every time we put it out there. My heart is full and I'm so thankful. Peace and love, y'all!

Another openin'!

My Fair Lady at Music Theatre of Wichita opened well this evening. Now that some of the nerves are gone, I look forward to settling in a bit and playing a little – digging deeper into the director's vision in our short run. The show really is good and I'm going to cherish each and every day we have. (Photo courtesy of Jerry Fritchman.) Take care, all! Peace and love!