Farewell, Gloop!

HEY EVERYONE!

Tour is done...so GoGloop is not going to be added to anymore! But wipe away those tears...and come visit me at my NEW blog:

The MAnderson Report

You can keep track of my and my life OUT of the chocolate bin and off the road!

THANKS for making GoGloop such a fun escape on while I was on the road. See you at The Report!

Ciao!
Gussy

PATHETIC

....ok.......I'll wait while you pick up your jaw off the floor or table or desk. I'll wait a few more seconds while you compose yourself. I'll continue to wait as you deal with the SHOCK that has just hit your body.....

It's true. After over a month of silence, the tongue has been LOOSED and he who once seemed to have disappeared has suddenly appeared. And in a strange way, what started out as just another crappy Monday morning has turned into a somewhat LESS crappy Monday morning.

And why now? Why today? Well.....because as of TODAY, Monday the 21st of May, 2007, the Wonka crew is looking at 4 shows left. And by the time we lay our heads down to sleep on Thursday of this week, we will be laying our heads down at our own individual homes and in our own individual beds. And the past 4, 9 or 18 months will have become a thing of the PAST... rich with stories, experiences and life-defining moments. And as with everything that comes to an end, there is sentiment and memories and stories to be shared before we head off into the sunset.

And what have you MISSED since March 22? About 327 trips to various Wal-Marts and Targets around the Midwest and East Coast, a TON of hours asleep in the van, various hotels and dressing rooms around the same area, a handful of auditions and Broadway shows in the New York City area, and a couple of great parties hosted by both Roe's family AND Rachel's family. So not much, really, except for the awesome parties!

For the BLOG-faithful....I will do my BEST to wrap things up this week....over the next couple of days. So, although it's a leap of faith at this point, check back to see the last few days notes on my closing thoughts on the Wonka.

And thank you....ALL....for being the BLOG-faithful. And REMINDING me that I hadn't written. Since March 22nd. It meant a lot.

CIAO! Happy Crappy Monday!
G

Hi STRANGER!

I know. I know. I've heard it from many of you. From those of you I haven't heard it DIRECTLY from, I've heard it from your Wonkerer. I've heard it over the phone - I've heard it over email - I've heard it through the US Postal Service. I kind of feel like I'm writing a Dr. Seuss novel to Sam, I am.

YES! I heard it on the phone!

YES! I heard it in your tone!

YES! I heard it here and there!

YES! I've heard it everywhere!

I heard it in bus, van and tram!

I'm FINALLY writing, SAM I AM!

*

so lay off me...

OK. But seriously...what is UP with, like, the 2 week unplanned and unannounced hiatus the blog went on? Who does that? I do, evidently. With all the moving and shaking around we've been doing, the LAST thing I wanted to do each day was to get on and report that we either A) drove to another city and went to ANOTHER Target or Wal-Mart; or B) were in another random city, watching TV shows in our hotel rooms. Reporting like that gets all of us half-way to nowhere. And that's not what any of us want. Because, as I've learned on this, half-way to nowhere is still pretty much nowhere.

So to catch you up since last we were in Sylvania....let me give you one of my favorite graphics to show you JUST where we've been in the past 2 weeks. Please observe:

it's almost like a connect the dots....just start at the circle marked A, which is Sylvania and follow through the alphabet to...um...whatever the last letter is on there. I think it's H - and H is actually where we are driving to on Saturday. But look at it this way: NOW, thanks to the blog, you're actually a head of us! Instead of behind. Brilliant. I know.

I decided I HAD to blog today because we had the craziest experience here in Elizabethtown today. It's something that has NEVER happened to me before with the Wonka on the road. And it was both awesome....and not awesome. So today was our first show scheduled in E-town. It was at noon - which we all thought was a great time! Turns out that the venue we are performing at, the Hardin County Performing Arts Center, is attached to the local high school. So we roll up, go through our regular routine and get ready for the show. There were a few differences from other stops....mainly dealing with the school bells ringing and the large amounts of high school students walking down the same halls we were walking from our dressing room to the stage in. But regardless...we were there and ready to perform.

The show started and was rolling along nicely. I am here to report that about 34 seconds after stepping on stage for the first time, I realized how HOT and muggy it was on stage. It was a nice spring day outside...but MAN it was heating up on stage. Felicia and I noted to each other numerous times during the first half of the show how hot it was, and how positive we were that one of us was going to faint. Yeah folks...THAT hot. But we plugged along...because we're pre-fessionals and we do it for the children.

First half is rolling along smoothly....and we get right to where all the children have arrived at the gates....the big REVEAL of Wonka and the factory doors swinging open...and as we're all standing there and getting ready to turn to see Rachel open the gates......THE POWER GOES OUT! Completely out. Sound. Lights. Music. EVERYTHING. We're talking PITCH DARK. But people....never you fear....because as previously stated, we are PRE-FESSIONALS. Not one to miss a beat, from behind the factory gate doors and in the dark of the theater, we hear Rachel, after a brief pause decide to soldier ON! The children are here...and we will not disappoint. So from the darkness we hear Rachel's booming voice declare: "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! (beat) (beat) (beat) WE WILL NOW.......PAUSE."

WELL....forget it folks. I was already giggling at this point (it was ok - my mic wasn't going to pick it up....because THE POWER WAS OUT!) but that sent us all WAY over the edge. And then as Rachel opened the gates and continued with the scene, the flood-lights in the theater came on....and Rachel continued her monologue...approaching each child, collecting tickets, speaking of the 'Chocolate Genius', punching Jonny in the chest....well, the chest-punch is not NORMALLY part of the show...but hey...today? ANYTHING goes! And as soon as Rachel was done, Steve carried on. We were all bewildered...giggly....and extremely confused as to WHAT we would do next. (My thought was just to have Wonka announce at this moment that Charlie wins! We'd bow - head out - call it a day. It totally worked in MY head!)

At this point, a representative from the venue stepped on to the stage to announce that we were going to hold...and asked the students to stay in their seats and the cast to step off stage until we could resume the show. He didn't have to ask us twice. We were off and laughing about it even before his annoucement was done! I mean.....POWER-OUTTAGE? RACHEL'S ANNOUNCEMENT? FLOOD LIGHTS? THE THOUGHT OF HOW WE'D FINISH THE SHOW WITH NO MUSIC OR LIGHTS? Adding it all up in our minds, it was pretty hysterical.

The next few minutes were spent laughing about it and waiting for updates...until finally, the representative from the theater received word that the maintenance workers who would have to work on the outtage were on the NORTH end of the county and unable to make it back. So their plan was to call the show - almost exactly halfway through - send the students home and call it a day. BUT - to make up for some of the loss, they asked us if we would be willing to go into the lobby in costume to say GOOD BYE to the children as they left. All of us agreed it was the least we could do.

I'm hear to report that what started out as a great idea of going to the lobby turned into a pretty heart-breaking scene. I'm guessing the classes that came today were grades K-3. And as they passed us, heading out, we saw a LOT of sad kids (whether they were sad the show ended or sad to be heading back to class, we shall never know...but we like to think it was for the show!) and not only kids that we thought were sad - kids we KNEW were sad...because of the TEARS FALLING DOWN THEIR FACES. That's right folks...long story short...we came, we performed, we brought the children to tears....I'd say our work is done here. But seriously...it was a little bit tragic for all of us, seeing how sad some of these kids were on their way out. It also reaffirmed to me how MUCH kids love the experience of seeing this show! And what a cool job we have ....with the opportunity to affect kids lives like we do. GRANTED today...we probably scarred a few...but I mean on the whole....we're doing a good thing here.

The craziest part of the whole experience was as we were standing there, saying good-bye, as the LAST class started to head out the doors....THE POWER CAME BACK ON! HAHAHAHA! How messed up is THAT? Of course by this time it was too late to STOP all the classes that had already left and bring them back and start up again. But MAN...it sure was bad timing! Hopefully, since we have 2 school shows tomorrow, they will be able to fit a few of the classes back in to see the show. I'm a firm believer that these students lives won't be complete until they see Augustus go IN to the chocolate bin. It will shape their little lives.

So here we are at the end of another WACKY day on the road with Wonka. It was definitely a FIRST...and will definitely go down in the books as being the time we broke the children's hearts. But, like life, it's just one of those things you experience, you learn from and then you move on from. And WHAT exactly did we learn? We learned how much seeing this show means to kids. We learned to push on...even when the power is out and it seems like we shouldn't. And most of all, we learned that if at all possible, we should schedule POWER OUTTAGES on days with 3 shows...like tomorrow...because wasting it on a one-show day is like...like....asking for a fresh fruit cup at Coldstone Creamery. I KNOW! KIND of a waste...but still kind of good for you....but still...kind of a waste......

Coming soon...some pictures to catch you up on the past 2 weeks...which is good, since I know most of you come for the pictures anyway! Hopefully, today, a story will do! Happy Friday!

A Correction

WELL....since today was a day off in Sylvania, there is little to report. A little shopping - a little sleeping in - a little movie. (Zodiac....long, but very interesting.)

So since there is little to report, I wanted to take this 'free time' and make a correction on a recent post. Remember the post about the tiles? For the individual shows at the venue in Michigan? WELL....I received a certain amount ribbing and grief today for leaving out one of the creators of the tile. SO....I swore to that creator that I would make SURE and include kudos to HER on here tonight. Our wardrobe guru, JODI, also helped Katie with the WONKA TILE for the ceiling in Michigan. And I always want credit to be given where credit is due....so a HUGE thanks to Jodi for her tile-work!

Our Midwest Madness

OK....so yesterday I made a FEEBLE attempt at an excuse to tell you WHY I haven't even thought about blogging recently. Well, tonight, I wanted to SHOW YOU the madness that has been our past 10 days. Let me break it down for you: from the time we left Cleveland on February 24th, until the time we pulled into Sylvania (Ohio) tonight, we have traveled about 847 miles, done 12 shows in 5 cities, and lived through an average temperature high of 11 degrees each day. (I actually made up that last temperature part....right on the spot...but it has been cold. Probably not THAT cold...but it made the other statistics so much more DRAMATIC! And who doesn't like a good, dramatic weather forecast?) It's been a whirlwind of activity...but it's been a good, tiring time!

Today you're getting the odds and ends of pictures from our last 10 days or so...just to catch up you and catch me up and get us all caught up! Isn't that fair? Totally. Some of the pictures are NEW pictures from OLD topics and pictures you've already been priivy to. And pictures with an asterisk (*) come from the FCPC. (FCPC = Felicia Curry Photography Collection.)

Tuesday is our day OFF...and we are all pretty excited to do absolutely NOTHING...based both on our location AND our physical state of being.

Enjoy the pictures!

G

*Jodi, Felicia, Rachel and Jonny all decked out for a night with Chita.

*Felicia practices KICKIN' with Chita at the Palace Theatre.

*MORE from the Christmas Story House! L: The cast and crew gather round the Christmas tree for a 'Family Picture.' R: Me enjoying my alone-time with the cast...

*A couple of not-to-be-missed pieces from the museum....which I missed. BUT, Felicia got! L: some of the costumes from the movie...including Randy's SNOW SUIT! ("I can't put my arms down!") R: The Red Rider BB Gun. Need I say more?

*Felicia celebrates our time at Clowes Hall on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis, IN.

*Roe, Felicia and Jonny backstage in Wabash! So WHAT'S the big deal about WABASH?

YEP! You read it right. In the WORLD. THE WORLD!

So this was from some random drive day...in some random podunk city...somewhere in the middle of nowhere. We stopped to get gas and across the street from the gas station was this little building with this sad little door and wreath - and a sign over the door that says "CITY HALL." We found it entertaining.

So my friend, Darren, sent me a Dwight Bobblehead...from the HIT NBC sitcom, The Office! And since every Thursday, Felicia, Jodi and I have a standing OFFICE/EARL PARTY...we all wanted our chance to welcome Dwight into our tour lives.

And welcome him we did!

Bobblehead Dwight has gotten pretty used to life on the road so far. He REALLY likes it when I end up getting a DOUBLE - instead of a KING. When it's a KING, I make him stand on the desk for the night. But when I am dealt a double, Bobblehead Dwight gets his own bed...and look how happy it makes him. So happy.

So I introduced Felicia to the magic of Pei Wei restaurants while we were in Clinton, MI. (Pei Wei = PF Changs 'fast food' restaurant...and delicious.) At the end of the meal, felicia cracked open her fortune....

...and was told she needed to eat more, evidently. HONESTLY? This isn't a fortune, Fortune Writing People! Please make a note of it.

Clinton, MI was a big stop NOT just because we got Pei Wei...but Felicia got to see her MOM, too! (In the center, next to Felicia!) She lives in the Ypsilanti area...and came over for the show! Felicia's aunt and her 2 cousins, and a friend of Felicia's mother and her 2 sons came to the show, as well! Needless to say, Wonka was a HUGE hit in Michigan!

The venue in Michigan has a little 'tradition' to have the shows that come through decorate a ceiling tile...and then hang it up! It's pretty fun....to walk down the halls and see all the different shows and art creations! Here is Katie with the WONKA TILE she made! HUGE props to Katie for her awesome work on the time! It looked awesome and we all got to sign it! THANKS, KATIE!

Katie in the process of hanging the tile!

A couple of other shows tiles...which I took for a couple of friends with ties to these shows. You know who you are! I lay on the GROUND for these...so you better LOVE THEM! ha. Or not. It's cool either way.

Jonny watches all the ceiling-tile-excitement from his STAR dressing room. Which (he won't tell you) he had to share with ME. And it was pimped OUT! Sort of.

Hey look everyone! It's Rose and Marie...our Siamese Twins! Rarely seen...but really good girls. With fierce high kicks...and gas.

The Ritz Theatre marquee in Tiffin, OH.

Jonny and a couple of well-dressed squirrels. Hanging out...enjoying the weather...in Tiffin.

Mr. Squirrel Dude even has a bushy moustache AND eyebrows. I'm going to call CREEPY...just a little bit.

And finally...today, after our shows in Tiffin, we had the rare....treat...of helping with LOAD OUT! A good time was had by all! The pictures tell it all.

Whoa.......

WHAT the CRAP happened to ME!? Honestly...what's really funny about it all is that Thursday night, or early Friday morning, I woke up out of DEEP SLEEP and started laughing...thinking to myself, "SELF! You haven't blogged in over a week! And not only that...you FORGOT ABOUT IT!" And then I got an email from my mom later that day that said, 'WHERE IS GUSSY!?' So - I guess some of you noticed. Sorry about that.

We are just kind of zipping along here in the Midwest...and it's been such a crazy week with all of our moving and shaking, I guess I just put blogging on the back burner. Since we left Cleveland, we have been to Springfield Ohio, Indianapolis and Wabash Indiana, Clinton (Detroit) Michigan and now Tiffin Ohio! ALL since February 22nd! Again...WHOA. What the CRAP? And the next 3 weeks are going to be just as crazy...if not more. BUT - I will do better at keeping you informed.

Today, I'm going to catch you up on the pictures I have to share from the rest of our stay in Cleveland...and tomorrow, I will share with you the pictures and stories for our time in the rest of the cities. Don't worry - NONE of them are as involved as the Cleveland report!

THE REST OF CLEVELAND...

Here's the Cleveland Browns Stadium...which sits right on Lake Erie. So...that's fun.

During our stop in Cleveland, Steve and Jonny did an interview at a local television station...and got a pimped out ride to the station! I've said it before, and I'll say it again...we are BIG TIME Children's Theater Stars. PLEASE make a note of it!

One night in Cleveland, we got tickets to see CHITA RIVERA: A DANCERS LIFE at the Palace Theatre...part of the complex we were performing at. Here are some pictures of Jodi, Felicia and Rachel, all dressed up and enjoying martini's before we headed out to the theater.

ANOTHER NIGHT OUT WITH 'ALICE'

The cast of ALICE came into the city for a second night...and it was another night of fun! Here are Felicia and Dionne...who quickly labeled themselves the Black Girl Mafia. LOOK OUT!

Fun at the table...at Cleveland's local Irish Pub!

Part of the fun for Roe in Cleveland was being in town the same time her cousin! And for the rest of us, part of the fun was them joining us at Flannery's!

Best friends forever...TO THE MAXXXXXXXXX!

A final farewell outside Flannery's!

KIRTLAND, OHIO

So what's the deal with this 'Kirtland'? Well, Kirtland is a historical stop along the Mormon history trail! And since it's right outside of Cleveland, I took an afternoon to run out and check it out...with Jeffrey and Jonny in tow! It was cold...we were the only people there (note for future reference: WINTER...not a real tourist-time for the Mormon history sites)...but it was pretty interesting, I think, for both Mormons and non-Mormons alike. For me it was a pretty cool to see a part of the actual HISTORY of where my faith and beliefs came from. And part of it was a deeply humbling reality check for me...just to realize that who I am really does have a real, profound, rich, interesting history. And I'm proud of it.

Um. A picture at the visitors center.

So....it was pretty snowy...and cold. But OH so beautiful.

Some of the buildings on the grounds. Upper L: The Whitney Store. Upper R: The Johnson Inn. Lower: The Whitney Home with Jeffrey passing by in front.

Various scenes from inside the Whitney House...complete with Jonny and Jeffrey listening to our tour guide for the day. He was very informative...and a bit chatty...but still....VERY informative. But chatty.....

Jeffrey invites us along....out the front door of the Whitney House across the street to the Whitney Store!

Scenes from inside the Whitney Store. Um....I could swear Jonny was shopping for bonnets in that first picture. And, Easter IS fast approaching...but still....OH! AND...there is our tour guide, informing us along the way....and chatting....

A couple of random shots from the store. L: B&W of the shelves. R: A fun little corn cob checkers set. Don't worry, I didn't touch.

Some scenes from upstairs in the Whitney Store...where the Prophet, Joseph Smith lived with his family during part of his time in Kirtland. Upper L: The general living area. Upper R: The School of the Prophets room...where Joseph Smith taught other leaders of the church. Bottom: Looking in to the room used for the School of the Prophets.

Saying good-bye to the Whitney Store AND to our informative, chatty tour guide!

And we bid the Kirtland Visitors Center a fond adieu!

Some scenes from our QUICK stop at the Kirtland Temple...which was not open to tourists...due to the whole WINTER lull in tourism for the area.

On our drive out of town, I snapped a quick drive-by picture of the last house Joseph Smith and his family lived in...before they headed West.

'A CHRISTMAS STORY' HOUSE

That means exactly what it says! Our final HURRAH in Cleveland was visiting the recently renovated house used in the filming of 'A Christmas Story'. What we learned at the new museum? Only the exterior of the house was really used...since the interior at the time was a duplex. (Although the scenes of the Leg Lamp in the window ARE in the house....with the dad looking at it from across the street.....) But regardless, we had a BLAST visiting it and reliving our favorite moments of the show! PLUS! We ate lunch at C&Y Chinese - where the family had dinner. FA RA RA RA RA! They DID recreate as much of the interior of the house as possible, for the $5 museum fee...and you can check it all out by clicking HERE!

I got nothing....

Here it is! And here we are! And there is everyone jumping! And we were all just so excited! But who wouldn't be?

Electric Sex...GLEAMING in the window.

Mike and Jeffrey both enjoy their time with the Leg Lamp.

It's a major award! FRAGILE? It must be Italian!

Roe re-creates the Pink Bunny PJ's scene. Well done, Roe.

Rachel celebrates Christmas morning with the family.

The cast...and Jodi.

L: The Shed. (Don't remember? Think BLACK BART!) R: A look down the street out front of the house.

A couple of things from the Museum/Gift Shop across the street from the house that delighted me.