Oompa Oops!

Well, our last day in Austin brought 2 school shows...and I think it's a cast-wide belief that the children we performed for at those 2 shows are probably the cutest kids we've performed for this entire run. I think both audiences were the youngest overall group that we have had. There were about 800 kids in each audience, and I'm guessing that they were Kindergarten and First Grade students. MAN they were cute. They were pretty quiet throughout the show - but they were VERY attentive and you hear them reacting to different parts of the show. And I think overall, they were big fans! It's always fun to have those audiences that are swept up in the "MAGIC" that we serve in Wonka. A HUGE thanks to the students and teachers in Austin for coming to the show and being the great audiences that you were!
Our second show in Austin is what we like to call a 'Golden Tits' show. (Let me explain that before we go on. Back in rehearsals in August, during a really terrible run of the show, Jeffrey got to a point where he is supposed to say '...5 golden tickets will be put in candy bars' - but instead, said, '...golden tits and candy bars.' And of COURSE we were all in stitches...and it caused Graham, our esteemed director, to dub all further TERRIBLE runs of the show 'Golden Tits' runs. So there.) From the get go, everyone was a little delirious and punchy....and little THINGS kept happening through the show that kept cracking everyone up. But the REAL clincher was on the very last Oompa pass...when we are all on stage with our Oompas. As we are rolling on stage from stage left, we are moving the heads up and down and walking across the stage. After 2 or 3 head nods, I heard a SNAP, and felt SOMETHING fall in to my lap. I took a QUICK glance down and noticed that the entire bottom half of my Oompa body was sitting in my lap....while the top half was stuck where it had been seconds before...but the head was now immobile. Well, it set me off...and instead of rolling to my place, I simply continued rolling across the stage, picked up my left Oompa hand, waved and rolled OFF stage left. It was a MESS people. Oompas falling APART? Splitting in HALF? I'm surprised many of the children weren't traumatized by seeing an Oompa fall apart. I pulled it together - while everyone off stage was laughing with me and everyone ON STAGE was trying NOT to laugh - we finished the song and the show and all was well! (I'm happy to report amazing Katie did a big surgery on the Oompa today and everything should be fine. Thanks Katie!)

I will just call these pics 'The Aftermath.'

After our shows and lunch in Austin, we packed things up and were on the road again. Our next stop was due South in San Antonio. Everyone is excited to be in San Antonio...probably more because we have 3 days off over any other reason....but we are excited to do some exploring of the San Antonio area, and eating some serious great food down on the Riverwalk and beyond! Oh, and we're going to see the basement of the Alamo on Thursday, too. Tomorrow we have our only 2 shows here, and then Thursday and Friday OFF! Saturday we head out to Dallas.

Check back in for the stories of our free time here in San Antonio...and for any other mishaps we might experience during our 2 shows here.

Have a great Wednesday!

Adios....

G

I got a FULL Pecan Pie from my cousin, Jeff's friends in Austin who came to see the show! It was VERY nice of Wendel and his family to send the pie...and it was a HUGE hit with everyone in the cast! There ain't NOTHIN' like a pecan pie in Texas. So good.

So as I get to know Jonny, I'm starting to learn that he has some STRANGE practices in our dressing room between shows. I don't ask questions...I just point and click.

Here is the MTV Real World AUSTIN house in broad daylight. Loved me my dinner at the Rio Grande cafe! Check it out if you get to Austin.

But before you get to the Rio, head to Iron Works BBQ. This was a recommendation from my brother, Tim...and people...Jeffrey, Steve, Jonny and I all agreed that it changed our LIVES. Plain and simple. I had the brisket...and it was amazing. And even that doesn't seem like the right way to describe it. Thanks for the eats, Iron Works...and the recommendation, Brother! This was a definite 10 on the MASE!

This is just a couple of shots of the Frost Bank Building...my favorite building in the Austin Skyline. It's nice. Trust me.

Jonny getting close to some street art in Austin. It wasn't loaded....don't you worry.

Felicia is probably MOST excited to be in Texas. She carries this flag around with her everyone. OR - she found it on the back of her menu at dinner tonight. I can't remember.

Tonight, Jonny, Felicia and I went to the Lone Star Cafe in San Antonio on the Riverwalk. We all got dessert - our desserts all had cherries on top of them - and this picture is of Jonny and Felicia trying to tie the cherry stem in a knot in their mouths. It was pretty entertaining to watch.

And here they are STILL trying...