We Don't Drive Around Enough

Hi everyone! Happy Monday morning...or whatever time you're reading this. Hope everyone had a great weekend and is happy to be starting a new week!
At your last reading, we were heading a really long distance - from Sioux Falls, SD over to Joliet, IL. Well, we made it to Joliet. We got there Friday afternoon (after a quick 3 hour drive from our stopping point the night before) and everyone just hung out. Our hotel was situation in a great location - close to a mall, restaurants, movie theater, THE WORKS! So everyone was free to do their own things...and they did.

Look! Somewhere between Sioux Falls and Joliet, we took a wrong turn. But we got back on track and ended up in the right place.

Saturday was a big day for us. To catch you all up (especially those who were wondering about the addition of Jill to our recent posts). As most of you know, we've been doing an altered version of the show because Jen was having trouble with her legs. It got a point where it was something more serious than shin splints, so Jen headed home and her understudy, Jill (2nd half Veruca) flew out to take over. She watched our shows in Sioux Falls and traveled with us to Joliet, Jen flew home to Ohio, and on Saturday, we got to the theater early to run through the show and make sure Jill know where her comings and goings were. It was a really long day - we finished walking through the show - then we ran the show (so Jill could get used to her costume changes) - and then we had an hour for lunch, came back and did a public performance! What a day.

Here is the RIALTO THEATRE - in Joliet, IL. It was a beautiful space (over 100 years old) with the most beautiful lobby I've EVER seen. You can see more pictures of the lobby below. Enjoy them.

But let me take a moment in this PUBLIC VENUE to say a huge CONGRATS to Jill for handling it all with style and making it through the show. It was fun to have her - thank GOODNESS she was in rehearsals with us in August and kind of knew what was going on. She was great - and you could tell that she was having fun doing the show, as well! It's been great to have her with us.
We also hope that things with Jen and her legs are working out! The Bond-Girl-Jumpsuit misses you!
Saturday night, all of us headed to the movie theater to see the newly released 'CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE.' IT. WAS. AWESOME!
For those of you wondering, I gave it a 9.5 on the MASE. Most of the ratings from the other people in our group ranged from a low 8 to a mid-9! It was entertaining and visually very well done! And I felt like they did a great job adapting the book. And the talking animals - very believeable. Loved those beavers!

Here is the group at the movies! BRING ON NARNIA! On the right, Eric and his friend, Elise, wait for the movie to start. Elise lives in Chicago and come out to Joliet to see the show.

Today - you're going to be jealous - WE DROVE AGAIN! This time, we loaded up the van to head BACK West - another 450+ miles - with our final destination being Saint Joseph, Missouri.
What's the big deal about Saint Joseph, you ask? Well, my initial research has turned up the fact that the Pony Express started here - and this is where Jesse James died. So...you know...
those 2 things ALONE make me excited to explore tomorrow.
We are heading into our last week on the fall portion of the tour. We are looking at 8 performances left...which will cover 3 different cities...and a lot more driving! This touring is a crazy ball of wax. It is such an amazing experience - to see what we've seen, and travel where we've traveled and receive the reception that we have. It's stressful and relaxing - it's exciting and boring - it's challenging and mind-numbing - and it's turning out to be one of those 'life experiences' that no matter how hard you try and how much you write, you just will never really be able to explain it to any one in a way that TRULY captures the experience. Hopefully, when we look back on it, this blog will come as close as we can.
Stay tuned for a report on our Saint Joseph Experiences!
G


Everyone, this is KEN! Ken is a stagehand at the Rialto Theatre. Ken saved my LIFE on Saturday - after I dropped my cell phone between the stage and the orchestra pit, to be lost in the darkness forever, it seems. And then came Ken. He took a flash light, he crawled underneath the orchestra pit (into a DARK, musty space) and he found the 3 pieces of my phone. Hats off to Ken folks!


L: Jackie has some fun with some art in downtown Joliet. R: Puppetmaster Chris gives Elisa a quick rub down before our Saturday afternoon show. (Rub down? Hmmm...there HAS to be a better phrase for this act....)


The STUNNING lobby of the Rialto Theatre - decked out in its holiday-finest. I HOPE these pictures capture even a portion of the grandeur of this place...it seriously was amazing!

and now for something completely crazy....


So on our big drive today, from Joliet to Saint Joseph, we stopped at THE LARGEST TRUCK STOP IN THE WORLD - somewhere in Iowa. And trust me, readers, it was HUGE. CRAZY BIG. So Jill and I were walking around, laughing at the things they had there, saying silly things to each other like, 'Hey Matt! Here is that dedazzled pig statue you wanted.' (And so on and so forth...) AND THEN - we turned a corner, and Jill found some animal statues she LOVED and ended up buying. Above - she models the otter and vulture she bought. And then, they each get their own chance for a close up. This place REALLY is the last authority on Christmas shopping. Don't miss it!