Upcoming operas I think?
God, there was so much I was going to do tonight- where did my energy go? I’m dead. I’ve only been up for 12 hours but I’m spent. I guess it was that whole working out in my apartment after midnight thing, then getting caught up writing a long email for an hour before eating anything.
Sooooo, all kinds of things going on. Allll kinds.
Home shows for The Sorcerer are this weekend. Brush-up rehearsal was tonight, went well, very silly- you know how brush-up rehearsals are; since everyone knows it already they relax and get very goofy. It was fun. Glad not to have to worry about any more rehearsals now! Still a lot more shows, though. They added this last-minute, far-away show up by Cooperstown that we have to take a bus for. It’ll be cool! But this show is turning out to be such a time commitment (considering that I had never planned on being in it in the first place.)
Oh, this is good- last Saturday afternoon I woke up to a voice mail from the cast asking where I was. They had a concert. The director had told me when she hired me last-minute that I didn’t have to worry about that one, she or someone else would do it. We never spoke of it again. Well, she forgot that she’d let me off the hook on that show, and I hadn’t ever asked about it again to make sure we were covered, so they had no soprano lead. The other soprano, playing a the smaller character, stepped in and sang both roles. Yikes! I hope the venue wasn’t pissed. It was like a veterans concert or something. It was not staged, just concert, and low-key, but I still feel awful. Even though it logically speaking wasn’t my fault, it feels weird to be on the OTHER end of the “singer steps in to save the day” story.
This summer. I’m doing an opera. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT OPERA. It’s to go up in almost exactly two months and we don’t know what opera it will be. The wonderful company with whom I did that fabulous Fledermaus upstate last year is planning another show for this summer, and I signed on early, offering my services even before it was decided what the show would be. So then it was going to be Orpheus in the Underworld, which is great, but even then it got complicated because I didn’t know what part I’d be singing. The producer asked me what role I was interested in singing, and I wasn’t familiar with the opera, but I said I’d check it out- I was kind of assuming the coloratura role would be one of the many smaller ones. But then I find out Eurydice is pretty much a coloratura role- Natalie Dessay has recorded it, as had Mady Mesple, and I also found a DVD with Elizabeth Vidal, another coloratura. So after finding that out and checking out the score I called her back and was like, “Definitely definitely Eurydice,” and she was kind of iffy about it and sounded like she was trying to talk me into one of the smaller roles. But by this point I had my heart set on it. I called the other girl that I know she’d been planning on using, and find out that she’s also requested Eurydice. (She’s not a coloratura, but close enough- the role can be done by different voices.) And we weren’t sure whether or not we were going to be double-cast. So then I’m all calling and writing the producer trying to find out what role I’m singing. Not to mention which edition of the score to order, as there are different versions. At first the answers are vague, and then they drop off altogether. I was baffled as to what was going on. Then last night my teacher, who is friends with the producer, tells me that the director had changed his mind about doing Orphee and they were thinking of doing some other stuff instead- some other stuff I’m totally not interested in doing. I mean I’d still do it but I’d be really disappointed to do roles I’ve done already instead of something I hadn’t done that I was really excited about. Anyways, I still hadn’t heard from her today, so I wrote her an email from rehearsal to see what’s going on. She finally wrote me back a nice email explaining that the director didn’t think Orphee would be good on our budget, and they were discussing these other alternatives but they were also not set in stone. She was kind enough to ask my opinion, which of course I would have given her anyways. I explained that Orpheus could be done on a budget if you do the earlier version of the score, and offered some alternatives for the other works they were considering. I pulled out scores, took into account casting, difficulty, popularity, etc. It was a long email. Haven’t got an answer yet. But I would really like to know what opera I’m doing in two months? Argh. I’m looking forward to it either way. I’m just afraid if things get put off we’ll end up doing something lame. I’m not afraid from my own perspective because I learn music and stuff so fast, but it’s a matter of getting a cast together, and other people having time to learn their roles.
Also, a local company had asked me a few years ago to do Zerbinetta, and then kept putting it off, and last I heard from them it was slated for this fall- but then I didn’t hear anything from ages. I called them and left them messages and emailed them so many times and didn’t hear anything. I finally took it off my upcoming performances list on my website and resume, and wrote it off as cancelled. Then, when I got a notice from a friend who was singing in their current opera, I checked out their website to see what was listed as upcoming- and it was still listed for fall 2009. I wrote them one last time and was like, “Umm, so what’s up with this?” Yeah they’re still planning on doing it. Thanks for telling me? Whatever, I’m thrilled, it’ll be awesome. But I’m like OMG all this stuff to deal with now- first of all, I asked and they still haven’t told me what month their doing this in. I had been thinking of moving like at the end of September, so do I have to put off my plans to leave town? Or can we possibly do it that soon? Plus they inSIST on doing it in English. I asked around and found a few people who had an English version of the Prologue, and had sent them the contact info, but I guess they hadn’t followed through so I still need to get that- and they need to translate the 2nd act. What? So I emailed them back abuot all this stuff and they haven’t gotten back to me again… sigh. Am I fired because I said I might not be here past September? Am I still supposed to ask someone to send me the English Prologue? I don’t know. Neither do you. I’ll still go out of my way to do the show because I love the opera and I love the company and it will be awesome. Assuming it happens.
Last bit of news: looks like I found a producer for my album. Now I need the money. Will be calling the bank tomorrow about a loan. Remember that thing where I said you could sponsor a song? You can still do that!!! I’ll also accept whatever random donations you want to offer. Just paypal me- you all know my email, it’s amanda at notjustanotherprettyvoice.com. (I totally need strangers to stop knowing my email. But I guess I’ll leave it there as long as I’m desperate for money!!) I need to really try to drum up some sponsors and donations. And the rent that’s due in two days, for that matter. The romance being a starving artist!
Now for the rollicking bun
I know I know I know!!!! I should have blogged like 5 times since the last one. Yeah there’s been a lot going on and I’ve had a LOT i wanted to say. But I was not just busy but- TIRED. I was suffering from some crazy exhaustion post-tour. I was physically drained for weeks- this is actually maybe the first day I feel back to normal, and I slept 12 hours last night. I was going to bed so early!!! (for me)
I guess Sorcerer is the best place to begin. We did Sorcerer!!!!! I had attempted to go to bed early, but the effect was just that the sleeping pills hadn’t worn off my church rehearsal and I was totally out of it. I asked David if I could leave after the communion anthem, which I hadn’t been planning on asking because we sing right in front of the congregation so there’s no way to sneak out, but my soprano friend told me she’s done it before so I asked and he was cool with it. I didn’t mention I have two more Sundays like this- I don’t want to ask again, he’ll think I’m just trying to cut out early!!
Anyways I caught the PATH very quickly- the PATH to Journal Square on the weekends does this weird thing where it goes to Hoboken, which is totally NOT on the way, then sort of backtracks and changes direction and goes to Journal Square. It was kinda cool ’cause I didn’t have to change trains at all. So I got to rehearsal about a half hour before curtain, as expected.
I had planned my outfit around the supposed rain for that day- I don’t know if it actually rained at any point, but it was supposed to- and also so I’d already have pantyhose on so I’d have one fewer item to struggle with in the dressing room. A knee-ish-length skirt with tall boots, the only thing I have that goes with it being a white tank top. Except the tank top has the bra built-in, so I realize on my way there that I don’t have a bra for my costume, and I don’t want to look saggy. Then I remembered when my slightly-too-small costume was showing some skin between the bodice and the skirt and the costumer suggested a white or flesh-colored leotard, at which I laughed, “My leotards are all from doing circus- red, blue, shiney yellow, turqoise zebra-print- I definitely don’t have any white!” But my tank-top was long and tight so I was like, “Hmm- I can just wear my top under my costume!” then while I was thinking about it, I was like, “Maybe my layered skirt can be like a bustle under my poofy costume skirt!” So with the exeption of my sweater-coat and shoes, which I changed from tall boots to character shoes, I basically wore my entire outfit under my costume. It’s a big courtly gown, so it’s bulky anyways- no one could tell! Though I did start sweating under the lights a bit. It reminded me of high school, when people used to “go commando” for closing night. Except, the opposite? (For those of you wondering, I don’t remember ever going commando myself? I don’t see why I wouldn’t have, but I can’t actually remember doing it, either, and it seems like something I would remember.)
OK so the show went pretty well! It was fun, people laughed. A few things could have gone better musically. The conductor and I finally got on the same page for my cadenza, which I guess is the most important thing.
This is the perfect show for my friends to come to. It’s in New Jersey, but RIGHT on the PATH, so my friends from both NJ and NY can come easily. It’s free. It’s Sunday afternoon- no one I know is working, and it’s post-church. It’s a huge theatre with plenty of seats. Yet somehow only one of my friends came. We had fun though- we went out to a bar called Cowgirl’s or something and drank way too much beer for a Sunday afternoon and met a “gay disco band.” It was a pretty freaking good afternoon.
Other things going on: I have no band. I am supposed to be in two operas coming up except no one will tell me what the heck is going on for either. And I bought this:
oh this thing picture expires? ok well after it's gone too bad!!
First of all, I had no idea the Virgin Megastore at Times Square was closed until I went down there. The lights are still on, but the windows are blacked out- seems they’ve closed down in order to rent the space out to a Forever 21. So I went to the one at Union Square and it’s having a closing sale? wtf Virgin? OK so I was looking for this Orpheus in the Underworld DVD, and their classical section was pretty well cleaned out, but just as I’m leaving I see this set and my heart skips a beat- it has the Orpheus AND the Globolinks video I blogged about awhile back and it’s 30% off yayyyyyyy closing sale!!!! I bought it. Even though I’m broke. So worth it!!!!! Am enjoying.
Well that’s just a little update for you. Hope to have more to report soon, and the time and energy to report it.
Tour finished, band wrecked, Sorcerer underway
AughhhhhOK! I am back. Sorry for the delay! I got back Saturday evening, which seems like forever ago. Was that really only 2 days? Geez, intense days.
My tour was capped off by two and a half days of driving and a fun night out in Harrisburg, PA with a friend and her friends. We went bar-hopping and ended up at the place with the fires. Sawyer’s Cantina, I believe it’s called?
Getting the car returned was a HUGE drama. I left what seemed like way more than enough time, but the GPS directed me through Manhattan to return the car and I hit so much traffic on the GW that I just barely made it before the Avis closed. Furthermore, while I knew perfectly well that the refueling charges are insane if you don’t fill up the tank right before you return the car, I could not find a gas station. I got to my exit and it TURNS OUT THERE’S NOT A GAS STATION IN THAT ENTIRE EXIT. I asked half a dozen people and they either sent me in circles or told me I had to go to the previous exit, and it was too late. Do you know how much the rental place charged me to fill up the tank, when it wasn’t even empty? $86. Yeah. Like, I knew it would be bad, but that’s just evil. That’s like, credit card company evil. Furthermore, they tried to charge me for an extra day since I didn’t return the car by the exact time of day I checked it out in. This was probably in the fine print somewhere, but was never mentioned to me ever at all ever, so I asked them to remove the charge and I did. I think the guy felt bad about the gas charge- in retrospect he was trying to get me to lie about how full the tank was, but I don’t have a dishonest bone in my body. At least they didn’t ask me about the condition of the car- I would have hated to bring up that I banged that plastic guard thing off the bottom of the car on someone’s curb in Alabama. (When I passed that curb the next time, in clear weather, I still almost hit it. WTF is up with that curb. Evil!!!!) Instead I just discretely placed it in the back of the trunk, neat and inconspicuous. Oh that old thing? You wanted it ON the car? oh ok cool, I just thought it was like better in there. OK cool. Just put it back on, whatever. 
My house-sitter had called me that afternoon with an extra standing room ticket to Gotterdammerung. It was the last showing of the season, the end of the ring cycle, and the last moment before this Ring production would be retired. So I knew it would be a good thing to see, though I had mentally made other plans, and didn’t feel up for 6 hours of Wagner. I said I’d go if I got home in time, and wouldn’t know for a few hours, so we agreed to touch base in a few hours- but we missed each other, and when I got home at 6 and hadn’t heard from him I assumed he gave the ticket to someone else. Til he called me at 6:10 and asked if I was coming. eep! I was already in wind-down mode, and would never make it in time for the 6:30 curtain. But even though I was totally not in the mood, and would have to sit out the beginning in the viewing room, I made myself go. My friend left my ticket with a ticket-taker, and I picked it up and sat for the first 2 hours in the viewing room. I was in quite a state- very high-strung, frazzled, even upset about being committed to 6 hours of opera when I was utterly exhausted and really had a lot to do. But I hung out (there were no subtitles, but at least I could SIT) and eventually cheered up and by the time I got upstairs I was cheerful and excited about the opera. Some audience members were wearing viking helmets and crowns, which just tickled me pink!!!! The opera should always be like that. Anyways, the remaining 4 hours flew by, and while my feet did hurt (I was totally unprepared, rushing out of the house in my jeans and heeled sandles- I was freezing and sore in the feet the whole time), I didn’t mind the length or the standing at all. It was just a really amazing… you know- Gesamtkunstwerk. Like, it was really great. So now that’s 3/4 pieces of the ring I’ve seen- now I have to see Siegfried!
Today I had crushing news- I have lost my band. I haven’t had a bass player in over a year (which is why I sucked it up and went on tour by myself), I have been playing and composing with the same guitar player for years, but he had been showing much less commitment/cooperation as the years went by. And he was basically supplying my drummer. So today the last straw came in the form of a disagreement over rehearsal costs. He insisted that he couldn’t afford to pay for rehearsal space (which is like $5 each per rehearsal), I maintained that I shouldn’t have to bear all the cost since I’m not the one who needs the rehearsal, and suggested we rehearse privately without drums while we audition bass players, and can resume paying for rehearsal spaces later, he said that “wouldn’t work for them” and resigned, presumably taking his drummer with him. I guess this was a long time coming- I should have known when he bowed out of producing our songs, left me out in the cold to pay for the album myself, refused to play out without a bass player, and so forth, all under the excuse of “it’s your baby,” although we had started out playing music by both of us, and it was never intended to be a solo project. Anyways I know I’m better off with someone more dedicated, and better guitar players are a dime a dozen, but the reality of it is that just as I am starting to really get serious with the project, I am forced to start completely from scratch. Either that or give up the project entirely. The guy I was going to hire to produce the songs seems to have flaked, as well. But I feel like I’m so far along in the whole album thing- despite having no funding, or currently any recording or producing prospects- that it’s too late to back down, even if I have to bear every burden myself.
Today was both good and bad. Being band-dumped really killed me. I cried a lot and drank a lot of Red Bull to try to get myself pepped enough just to leave the house. But I also had my first of only two Sorcerer rehearsals. it was a full dress rehearsal. I was actually nervous before I went on. Afraid I’d stumble over my lines or get lost in the blocking or something. Whatever- I totally nailed everything. Music, lines, blocking- well, I had learned the blocking that was sent to me, but I guess it wasn’t always entirely accurate- and I got into it, the acting and comedy and all. The costumes helped- everyone was in big white wigs (mine is brown but I didn’t have it on tonight), which really helped me get into character. It was a lot of fun, and everyone was happy to see me (but maybe just because I arrived with a huge bag of Doritos). My costume is slightly small but with a few pins it looks great (but I can’t bend over or hug people). The big free show at the beautiful Loew’s in Jersey City is Sunday afternoon! You should come.
OK so I still have to put my Sorcerer shows on my website and send out a mail blast. The thing is, my website redesign launch is supposed to happen like any minute now. Whenever the guy gets to it? And I’m hoping that will happen first.
OK that’s it the end! Talk to you later!!!!
Texas
Hey! I’m in Houston. When last I left you I was still staying in Johnson City, getting over some health problems, and ready to head deeper South.
I decided to spend an afternoon in Nashville on my way to Huntsville, even though I didn’t have a gig, because I had never been to Nashville and really wanted to see it. Unfortunately the weather interfered. It rained my whole way there, cleared up for about an hour right when I got there, and then shifted into a complete downpour, causing me to give up and leave. As mentioned before, I failed to get together with my brother (family drama!), and I also failed to get together with Heather Larkin, another singer I know from NY. I got ahold of her upon my arrival, but she was bartending in a private club so I couldn’t even visit her at work. I enjoyed a nice burrito at one of the Broadway bars, but by that time, as a vegetarian in the South, I felt like I’d fulfilled my Mexican food quota for the next four years. I somewhat enjoyed by walk around the downtown area, but the bad weather coupled with hunger/an inability to locate an affordable dinner that didn’t involve beans and cheese and tortillas kept me from fully enjoying myself. I was happy to see so many working musicians in town (almost every bar on Broadway seemed to feature live music), although would have appreciated hearing more talent and less tourist attraction. But I can’t say much because I didn’t go into any of those places to give them a chance. I’m a picky listener!
I headed off to Huntsville to stay at my Uncle’s house when the rain really started coming down, and it only got worse from there. It went from an inconvenience on the road from Johnson City to Nashville to a nightmare on the way to Huntsville as it rained harder and harder and I faced Stupid Amanda problems. I didn’t know how to defog the windows, so I had to drive the whole way with them down, even though I was already soaking wet and cold from running around Nashville. The rain was so bad I could hardly see a thing, and I couldn’t get my brights on. I knew what you do when you start hydroplaning (pump the break!), but not how to prevent it in the first place, besides don’t drive too fast- but it’s all so relative, how do you know how fast is too fast? The trip ended up taking about twice as long as it was supposed to, and involved me not seeing a sharp turn in the road close to my destination and hitting someone’s curb so hard that I knocked a plastic guard halfway off the bottom of my car. My Uncle removed it and put it in the trunk, and he didn’t seem to think it was any big deal, but I’m so afraid they’re going to charge me an arm and a leg at Avis. I mean, think how much they charge you when you don’t fill up the gas tank all the way! What do you think? Should I be worried/try to get someone to fix it before I head back up, should I not say anything and hope they don’t notice, or will they just not care because all they have to do is like screw it back on, it’s just a piece of plastic anyways? Anyone know?
I’d never been to my Uncle’s house and it was wonderful! So big and painted such delightful colors, and beautifully decorated. We got a little caught up, but it was so late when I got there because of the rain that I went to sleep shortly after.
The next day I got up and drove 15 hours to Austin. It was way too early and way to long but I just didn’t see any other way of doing it. I had originally wanted to stay with relatives in Mobile, but we couldn’t get ahold of them (seems they were out of town that week), and anyway the extra day I got stuck in Johnson City because of being *ahem* sick meant I had to rush to Austin for my gig on the 3rd.
15 hours is a lot of driving for someone who drives, let alone for someone like me who just a week earlier was telling people they barely even knew how to drive. And I didn’t take any long breaks- no half hour at Denny’s to enjoy a leisurely dinner, just grab what I need and go. Including a (TMI warning!) stop at CVS to chat with the pharmacist and pick up some cream- seems one kind of infection had led to another, which she seemed to think was normal. (I’m so lucky all my doctors and pharmacists this trip have been women- I just can’t believe that a male pharmacist would be so knowledgeable about these things!) Cranky vagina.
I kind of bumped into the toll booth entering Austin. I’m lucky I didn’t hurt the car! Forget about me, just protect the car! I kind of exaggerated to the rental company how much insurance I’m covered for, so they wouldn’t make me pay extra…
So I had thought I’d be staying with my uncle, but he actually had me stay at a friend’s house, which was totally amazing. They have this- I dunno what it’s called, but I felt like I was in a Columbian drug lord’s palace. It was huge, Spanish, castle-like, and I stayed in a separate guest house within the castle gates. They had a gorgeous pool, two outdoor fireplaces, a front door that looked like a drawbridge, and a really sweet, mellow dog. Everything was decorated creatively and tastefully, and they stocked my fridge with bottled water and Coke.
The next afternoon I worked out, went to a vegetarian lunch with my hostess and my uncle, practiced Sorcerer, and went to the botanic gardens by myself to enjoy the nice weather. Then I had to take off for my gig.
The club, Room 710, was pretty cool, with a really neat old round bar. I met some nice people there who were all hanging out before heading off to hear a math rock band. One of them was a bass player, and I invited him to sit in with me, which he did. Awesome! I love making new bandmates on the spot. I think that helped the audience reaction, since he knew half the people in the room so they were extremely polite and attentive. But even the ones he didn’t know were great- one of the best audiences so far. Not a lot of people, but they were completely focused on us and dead quiet.
I was opening for Richard Lloyd and the Sufi Monkeys, but at the time I booked I was the only opening act- by the time I got there there were two others after me. They told me they were charging a cover and whatever money was left after the headliners got their guarantee would be split among the other bands, which was fine with me. Except it meant I had to wait until the end of the night, at 2am, to get paid. That was pretty much ok, because I knew the drummer from the last band so I wanted to stay and see him anyways, but man, was I exhausted. The set was amazing- if anyone has a chance to catch them on tour, DO IT!!!!- but even though I was loving it I was nodding off. Then as they were yelling at the crowds to leave, the bartender called me over and said they just barely made enough to cover the headliner’s guarantee, so they wouldn’t be paying the rest of us anything. They tried to be nice about it but I just wanted to cry. I’m totally in the hole at this point, since I haven’t been successful in selling t-shirts and CDs, wasn’t paid for one of the gigs I expected to be paid for, and had my doctor visit that took all the money I made from the one night I made any. Plus I had just driven for 15 hours (plus the drive the day before) to make this gig. And they hadn’t put up my flyers. They forgot. But I was less angry when I got a MySpace message from someone who apparently went to the club a few days before I played, and someone there told him to check out my music. How nice is that?? They totally talked me up to their customers, even before meeting me. You can’t buy publicity like that. So now I’m not mad they didn’t put up my flyers. And at least they were nice to me when they didn’t pay me. They should have given us free drinks though, instead of this $1 off crap.
Austin was a really great town- it wasn’t as hippie-ish as Asheville, and less corporate-feeling than San Fransisco.
Yesterday I arrived at my friend’s apartment in downtown Houston. She is a new dog owner, having just obtained an adorable chiuaua a week ago. The dog is adorable, still getting settled into life in it’s new home, kind of nervous but starting to relax and be herself.
So in Houston I have gigs at three Dunn Bros. Coffee locations- Houston, Katy, and Spring. The first night I played Houston. My hostess, Carolyn, came, her friend from Boston who lives here, his friend from church, and a friend of a friend in New York. So there were people there, even though there weren’t many people in the cafe. I had a couple people stop to listen, but none of them paid me. wtf? Hello, there’s a tip jar, put in a freaking dollar. Trust me, it’s more money to me than it is to you.
I played my whole set and had fun, and then we hung out afterward with Carolyn’s friend. They’re charismatic Christians, so that was a little weird, but this is the Bible Belt I guess. Oh that reminds me, Fox News was playing on the TV behind me while I played. My friend called it “a little distracting.” Weird, ’cause most of the places I’ve played so far have been super-liberal, even in these little Southern cities like Winston-Salem and Knoxville. One tends to think a coffee shop is going to be not so Fox-newsy, but then it was a very corporate-feeling cafe- it’s a franchise, I believe, with lots of branches. Well, I don’t mind, I’m not a political person at all, I just know what kind of reputation that channel has where I live so I know it’s ironic that I was playing my set in front of it.
Today Carolyn and I decided to be tourists- she’s only lived in Houston a short time and doesn’t know it very well. So we tried to do touristy things but we kind of sucked at it. We walked to the Market Square area but it was way too hot and muggy to be outside. Then we went to the underground tunnels, but they were super-lame and sterile. Most of the places weren’t even open. Then we went to the observation deck at the top of the Chase Tower, which was cool ’cause it was free! Then we drove to Rice Village to check out the shops, but it ended up being lamer than we expected, plus there was a lot of traffic so by the time we got there I didn’t have much time before I had to leave for my gig. But we went into a really fabulous store called Variety 5 & 10, which the tourist attraction site I had been reading recommended. It had the most bizarre things (my favorite section was the Jewish toys aisle, with children’s masks representing the biblical plagues and a plush Seder food set), and little toys and trinkets that seemed to be legitimately from when we were like 2.
After that I had to rush off to my gig, and at this point I started to totally hate Houston. And my GPS. See, they have these tollways, right? Which is fine. I’ll pay a toll. It’s not like NY where you have to pay friggin $8 to take a bridge. The problem is, these tollways are ONLY accessible to people who have Texas EZ Pass. It’s not like other states where there’s a bunch of lanes for EZ pass, and then a couple for cash. It’s, you either have the EZ pass sticker, or you don’t take the tollway. OK fine I’ll go the slow way. Except? My GPS doesn’t get it. No matter how many times I ignore her directions to get on the tollway, she keeps directing me towards it, rendering her completely useless, because I can’t get on it and she won’t help me unless I do. I had to drive all over the place today before I finally got far enough away from the Tollway that she let me go a different route. I ended up 15 minutes late for my own gig, whereas I usually aim to get there like an hour before. I was quite frazzled.
So I get there- and I called them to ask directions so they knew I’d be late- and the mic and PA were not set up and there were no customers. When I wandered back to use the bathroom I saw there was a group of teenagers in the back room, but it was so separated from where I was performing, and they were having a study group so it seemed clear they weren’t going to come join me.
Anyways, I started playing anyways, for the baristas, and eventually the kids in the back got involved, clapping and cheering from the other room. It was pretty funny, I called them my invisible fan club and they cheered every time I gave them a shout out over the microphone. And halfway through my set a mom came in with two little kids and sat down at the “stage” area. She told me between songs that her 5-year-old son was into guitars, so they came to see musicians at the cafe whenever they could. Fortunately I had gone through the “adult” portion of my set already (that’s how I got the attention of the crowd in the back room), and they enjoyed the rest of my set. I talked to the kids between the songs, and they gave me $5 before they left which was the only money I made all night. I played all my originals plus one cover song, and then I got a couple different sets of directions to try to get home on, and after turning the wrong way and driving in that direction for 10 miles before figuring it out and getting turned around, I made it back to Carolyn’s, and we went out for Tex Mex in celebration (accidentally) of Cinco de Mayo.
I came back here and finished my article for CS. I don’t know if it’ll make it into the July issue, as I turned it in a little late and hadn’t given them a definite heads-up that it was coming. But it was a big article, in terms of covering important topics and doing an enormous amont of research for it, so even if it has to wait a month I’m glad it’s done with.
It’s been several days and so much has happened that I’m probably forgetting something, but I’m tired so good night!
Tour MADNESS!!!
Ohhhhhh man. What a couple of days it’s been. So we last spoke Monday night, when I had just arrived in Johnson City, at Sunny’s house.
Tuesday morning I receive a frazzled phone call from the director of the current show at Ridgewood Gilbert and Sullivan Players, the company with whom I recently starred in Ruddigore and Pirates of Penzance. They’re doing Sorcerer now, for which I didn’t audition. I’d had a chat with the director on the phone and we mutually decided that the schedule wouldn’t work out for me unless they decided to double-cast, which they didn’t. It’s just that most of the shows are Sunday matinees, and I can’t make them in time from church.
Well, it seems they were having trouble with the soprano they did cast, and were in the midst of firing her, and called me to see if I could fill in last minute. Two problems: the Sunday matinees, and I’m on tour right now and won’t be back until May 9- the first show is May 17, leaving me with 2 rehearsals. For a fully-staged operetta with orchestra. OK you know me, it wouldn’t be the first time. Which is why I gave them an unqualified “Yes I can learn it in time.” And we worked out rides for me to the Sunday shows so I could swing the schedule. I printed the score, which is available free online (I have a copy at home but that doesn’t help me much right now) and the director emailed me all my stage directions, which I wrote into the printed score. I downloaded a recording on iTunes, which I’ll burn onto a blank CD tomorrow and listen to in the car. Looking at the stack of paper I printed, it’s a huge part. But you know I can handle it.
The show at the Acoustic Coffeehouse was great!! I love it there. The girl who was supposed to go on after me had a flat tire and was very late, so we postponed my set by an hour. There was really no one there at 6, but by 7 people were starting to wander in. The owner, who plays cello, accompanied me for almost the whole set. (I let him sit out Monica.)
Wednesday I went to Knoxville. I was planning on going to Nashville the following night to play an open mic, then head to Mobile the next night and then to Austin to get there a day early for the May 3 show. So I start trying to get my lodging in order from my iPhone while I’m enjoying Knoxville, which ended up being a lot more pleasant than I’d expected. Well, I can’t get ahold of the family in Mobile, and my brother in Nashville completely dissed me via text message- totally out of the blue, from my perspective- effectively (if not literally) uninviting me from visiting him. This put me into shock, as I am not a person who has family problems like that. First of all I hardly ever see them so we never have a chance to get mad about anything, and second of all I’m pretty no-drama in general. So I was not a happy camper about that. To put myself back in a good, sunny-day mood, I wandered into an empty ampitheater, and sang an aria to the gentlemen sitting in the top row hanging out. (I found out after the fact they were sound guys.)
I eventually wandered over to 4620 Reinvented, which was gorgeous. The people working there are all super-nice, and I had some nice chats with the regulars. There was a band playing after me who had a local following so there was a decent amount of people there while I played. It was a nice set- very chill, just the right length, I felt very relaxed. Of course there was the usual amount of noise and bar chatter, but definitely many people were hanging out watching me.
Before I left the bar it became very clear to me that I was not in good health. TMI warning!!! This is one of those things that people tend to be tight-lipped about, but I can’t see any way around discussing it openly here. So I realized I had a urinary tract infection. I’d never had one before but I knew what they were about from friends who’d had them, and it was obvious that’s what I had. And sadly I did not get it doing anything fun or naughty- I found out after the fact that it was pretty clearly a result of those long drives (especially the first one) having to pee really badly but not having the chance/taking the time to get off the road. I didn’t know you could get a UTI from that, but now that I’ve mentioned it to a few people I guess it’s not all that uncommon.
I didn’t get back to my friend’s house til after 2am, and it was so bad that instead of going to bed, I made a bunch of calls and googles until I found a 24-hour pharmacy and drove there to get some OTC relief pills. I had indeed googled the disease and found my suspicion confirmed, that you can only cure a UTI with prescription antibiotics, and that it needs to be taken care of quickly, but that you can get OTC pills to help deal until it goes away.
So, I have absolultely 0 health insurance and am in a far-off state, so I was really stressing over what to do. When I got to Walgreens at 3am, I asked the pharmacy lady and she told me to try the Health Department. I cried when I asked her. I reassured her when she asked that I was ok, just it was 3 in the morning, I was sunburned, I’m hundreds of miles from home, I didn’t know what to do, and I just wanted to go to bed. I mean there’s no good time to get sick, but you know that feeling- this is the last thing I need right now. This had been the first show I’d played where I’d made ok money, and now I was going to have to spend every penny of it on a doctor. And I knew it was going to take all day to figure out where to go, fill out paperwork, and hopefully eventually get an evaluation and a prescription. I would have to postpone my plans and stay on in Johnson City the next day to get it taken care of.
Today I slept late, not wanting to face the chore that lay ahead. Finally I got up and started driving around, looking for a place that could help out an out-of-stater with no health insurance and no time to stick around.
The Health Department was friendlier than any state-run facility I’ve ever been in, but they couldn’t help me- they only worked with people in-state. The lady sent me down the street to a clinic.
She gave me the wrong name of the clinic, so I couldn’t find it at first, but stumbled across it on my way back. They were also pretty nice, but it turned out it was going to be too expensive.
I went back to my car to cry a little more and start making phone calls. I called 3 or 4 different places, and finally someone told me that there’s a Value Care in the Food City grocery store that has a cheap walk-in clinc. So I headed straight there. It turned out to be right by my friend’s house, so I could have saved myself a lot of running around if someone had just known about this besides like the 10th person I talked to.
The clinic doctor was out to lunch, and at this point that sounded like a good idea- I was starving. I bought some donuts from the nearby “cafe” portion of the supermarket, and ate them while I waited in the clinic booth. I was quite cheerful to be the only one there- no line, which is what I would have been afraid of in a budget walk-in clinic. Also that I calculated from the signs on the walls that I would only be paying $55.
Eventually the lady came and I told her my situation. She did the whole paperwork, check-up, urinalysis- it was quite obvious that I had a UTI and she wrote me the prescription, which I was able to get filled right there for $15. So yes I spent all (more than) the money I made playing the night before, but I was soooooo happy. It was so quick and painless and cheap!!!! And my drama was over.
I was still exhausted and uncomfortable, though, and decided to try and take a nap while I waited for the pills to kick in. I fell asleep right in my clothes and napped for two hours before a phone call finally dragged me back into reality. I’m not sure if the pills made me tired or if it was just the stress. But anyways Sunny came home and then we went for dinner because it was her birthday!!!! It is also someone else’s birthday- I had a new cousin born today in Huntsville!
Speaking of Huntsville, that’s where I’ll be staying tomorrow night, as I can’t stay in Nashville now. I had planned to stop for a night in Mobile before heading to Austin, but still haven’t heard from the Mobile branch of the family, so I might have to drive straight through. We’ll figure it out tomorrow!
I am crazy tired. I better go to sleep. I have to get a move on tomorrow!
