Kennedy Center Part 1: Old meets New

Fall Wonka 2006 Cast

So...after ALL THAT, we made it back to the Kennedy Center in time for our shows - AND to jump back in to rehearsals with our 2 new cast members! Starting the day after Christmas, we welcomed with OPEN ARMS our new Violet: the incomparable FELICIA CURRY, and our new Charlie: the talented Jonathan Atkinson! And it was a full week for everyone! We would rehearse in the mornings with the new cast and perform in the afternoons with the old cast. And it was a MAD DASH through rehearsals, because Felicia and Jonny were slated to go ON STAGE with us for their first performance on Friday night! That's right - after 4 days with the cast, they were taking the stage. (All of this is even MORE amazing for Jonny...because unlike Felicia who rehearsed with us back in August, Jonny was coming into this all BLIND! He had never met any of us, and had only had 4 days of rehearsal the previous week with our music director and choreographer! 4 days with them - 4 days with us - 8 days total and then your Kennedy Center debut? WHOA. That's all I can say! And you know what folks? HE DID IT! And he did it with STYLE!)

So that's pretty much the run of the first week: REHEARSE. PERFORM. REHEARSE. PERFORM. SWAP CASTS. PERFORM. SWAP BACK TO OTHER CAST. PERFORM. It was all pretty mind boggling. And I'm going to be pretty honest with you. It was TIRING. And considering everything ELSE that had gone on in December, it made us all that much MORE tired and worn out and ready for our New Years Break! And as luck would have it, we ended up have 4 days off for new years. We all went our own ways...but not before we said HUGE good byes to Eric and Tara, who did their last show with us on Saturday night, December 30th! How weird was that? I don't really know how to describe it. Especially after the fall that we had - and all the amazing experiences we had throughout the tour. It just all went so fast and the end kind of crept up on us.

Excuse me for taking a step outside the GENERAL recount, and for jumping in to a personal note, but I have to say a few things specifically about saying GOOD BYE to Eric. As most of you know, this is mine and Eric's 2nd tour with the Wonka World. We started out together in August 2005, and after an initial 'misunderstanding' with his stupid good-bye party, we became fast friends. Since September 2005, Eric has been my best friend on the road, my right hand man for adventure, and my cohort in crime as we swept the nation. We survived bad movies, car crashes, scary hotels, national parks, bad drivers, landmark performances, HOT smashed pennies...and the list goes on and on and on. Performing with him Saturday night and realizing it was our last show caused me to be a little more emotional than I tend to be during the show, and made me realize just HOW MUCH I'm going to miss having him around every day. Eric is an incredible friend with incredible talent - and I'm letting him leave the tour because I know he has great things out there waiting for him! I miss you madly, Eric...and can't wait to hear where life takes you next!

So that's how Fall Wonka 2006 ended. It was an amazing journey - and the start of another amazing journey as we welcome Felicia and Jonny into our ranks! Wonka 2007 is off and running...and we are starting BIG - as we head to Texas for a month. YEEEEEEE-HAW! is all I can say.

Augustus welcomes Spring Violet and Spring Charlie!

So one picture has better COLORING - but one picture is more FOCUSED. But BOTH of them show the excitement of Felicia and Jonny to be starting their Wonka Tour at the Kennedy Center.

And Fall Charlie, Eric, ponders his time with the tour.

Fall Charlie supervises Spring Charlie as he gets ready for his FIRST performance in front of an audience.

The Tale of 2 Charlie's.

So I had a SLIGHT mishap with one of my props: The Fish Fin. My fish fin SMASHED into the fish piece Jeffrey uses in the show - and since I'm so strong, it RIPPED the tip of the fish fin off and catapulted it into the audience. And then I got it as a souvenir. And then Eric had fun with it in the dressing room.

Felicia getting ready for her first show - WORKIN' it backstage.

L: Rachel shows off her 60's Cowgirl get up. R: Eric and Mike being funny with the new shipment of condoms we received. (FYI - we use condoms to protect our wireless microphone pacs from sweat. Music theater magic.)

L: Jodi and Craig say good bye to Eric! R: not sure what is going on, but it SURE is a funny picture.

L: Director Graham says GOOD BYE to Eric! R: Old friends Roe and Rachel snaps pictures before Eric's last show.

The ORIGINAL Mrs. Bucket from the movie, who lives in the DC area, came to see our show at the Kennedy Center! So the 2 Mrs. Bucket's swapped notes and character analysis.

After our last show, we all went to grab dinner and drinks. Director Graham and Choreographer Ingrid came along to say GOOD BYE to everyone, as well! YOU MADE THE BLOG, INGRID! CONGRATS!

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER. TO THE MAXXXXXX!