Doing A Broadway Musical … Day 50

This was a short blog from yesterday that I didn’t get up in time …

I had a long and overdue sleep because we had a late call at the theatre.

The show went well with only a few notes from the director and the audience continues to enjoy it … I had visitors from Germany, Kentucky and locally … how wonderful to be so supported by so many. Thank you all.

Wednesday …

After today’s evening show I met Dancy Bateman, a fan for years who gave me this gorgeous bridle for Bowie after seeing our show. Thank you Dancy.

For those of you in the Chicago area, I will be ringing in the New Year on the Countdown Chicago 2016 local channel 7 show, shortly after 11pm. Here is a link … http://abc7chicago.com/entertainment/countdown-chicago-2016/1124991/

Happy New Year to everyone!

Gotta go, GOTTA DANCE.

Stefanie

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Doing A Broadway Musical … Day 49

Monday …

Our official opening night so we had the day to tweak then perform.

The after party was only a block away. Through the slush of the melting snow, but typical of our generous producers, the party was lovely and everyone fluffed up for the occasion and they looked gorgeous … it was great to blow off some steam.

The after party of opening night … in the ballroom of the Palmer House Hotel.

Peggy … my role model from which my character is based.

Cast and guests doing the electric slide.

Our gorgeous juniors Anthony and Syndicate.

Our producer Bill Damaschke and our director Jerry Mitchell at the after party of opening night.

Gotta go, GOTTA DANCE.

Stefanie

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Doing A Broadway Musical … Day 48

Sunday Matinee …

I think we were all happy that there were not two shows today. Actually, it felt wonderful to finish while there was still some light on the horizon, otherwise we seem to enter the theatre in daylight … which is our only glimpse of the sun … and not leave until it’s dark outside. As I heaved a sigh of relief in my dressing room after the show I was reminded by my wig master of the saying that was credited to the great comedy writer Larry Gelbart, who famously said “If Hitler’s still alive, I hope he’s out of town with a musical”. We have more changes to go before we finish Chicago, but I’m sure when we do close here it will be the show that we open in New York.

I was surprised by some friends who got last minute tickets to today’s show. Poppy and Paige took this photo from the rear of the balcony of the finale.

We went across the street for dinner and ran into a long table comprised of some of the original dancers our show was based on. They have been hosted by our producers to come to Chicago for our official opening tomorrow night. Tomorrow is the night the critics come and the local celebrities and it is “Opening Night”.

Doing A Broadway Musical … Day 47

We had two shows today … and for the second show we had a surprise guest … Jane Lynch.

We were also visited today by the real life Chicago Bulls Swingin’ Seniors who do the half time show for the Chicago Bulls.

Gotta go, GOTTA DANCE.

Stefanie

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Doing A Broadway Musical … Day 46

As we get toward the Christmas holidays our adventure in the theatre is reaching audiences who are filled with the seasonal joy as was our audience tonight. Having begun the day very early doing the local morning news show followed by rehearsing edits to the dialogue and a new version of the finale musical number, I thought I would be wiped out for the evening performance. But the audience was so responsive that it filled the cast with a certain energy that I had not felt before. I can honestly say that for me this was our best performance so far. Tomorrow we have two shows and the 24^th we have a matinee, so excuse me if I resume writing the blog on the 26^th,, and in the meantime I wish everyone great happiness, long term health during these lovely holidays and for those of you who celebrate Christmas Ho Ho Ho! I will be having a Polish Christmas with all the traditional food and a midnight Mass in the company of my dear friend and manager John Sobanski along with many of our Polish friends here.

Much love.

Gotta go, GOTTA DANCE.

Stefanie

Getting puppy love from Honey … Her Mom Adinah plays Brenda in Gotta Dance

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Doing A Broadway Musical … Day 45

Sunday …

I can’t speak for the cast, but I assume they feel as I do that Monday off after two shows Saturday and two shows Sunday this weekend and next weekend will be greatly appreciated.

I am trying to understand how to respond to Twitter … I feel like a Neanderthal. But I am learning with the help of our junior cast … I fear that by the time I become conversant with Twitter everyone will have gone to Instagram or some other means of communicating … I also have been told that unless I have a blue dot next to my name no one will think it is me, so what is the point?

Anyway, I am trying and that is the point … funny how the moral of our play echoes daily … never stop and never give up.

Gotta go. GOTTA DANCE.

Stefanie

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Doing A Broadway Musical … Day 45

Friday …

Another really busy day … my sciatica is acting up … I soaked in a bit of Epsom salts because we have 2 shows on Saturday and 2 shows on Sunday.

So, gotta go. GOTTA DANCE.

Stefanie

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Doing A Broadway Musical … Day 44

Thursday …

After a wonderful opening night last Sunday for our first preview with an audience of lively and responsive people, Monday was a day off.

Tuesday we went back to work . Excuse me for not having written since Sunday but I’ve been a bit busy, and I will try to catch you up by giving an overview of why we are in Chicago. The purpose of an out of town opening … meaning out of New York City … is to perform the material we have, fix what does not work, modify some of what does work and tryout new ideas. With this in mind every day begins with changes, then they have to light the changes, re-program the computers to accommodate the changes, and rehearse the changes so they can be put into the show that evening. The stress is constant and so is the pressure, mostly the pressure we put on ourselves, which is something we have all been doing for a very long time in a quest for perfection which we have not yet achieved. Once the powers that be decide to keep the new material it will be easiest to commit to making it work, even if the road to that point is rather insecure.

Our audiences are lovely and generous. I have had the added pleasure of being blessed by visits from some of my oldest and most loyal fans who are also supporters of the William Holden Wildlife Foundation. These lovely people have donated for many years to our work and surprised me by presenting me with a check to the foundation from some fundraising they had done organized by Sarah, Gysa and Silvia. This past few days other fans fans have traveled from Arkansas, Maine, South Carolina, Virgina, Alaska, Mississippi, Scotland, England, Kansas, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Indiana, Oklahoma, Montana, California and Missouri. I will never be able to find words enough to thank them all, but I think, and I hope they know, how much I appreciate them. What a lucky girl I am indeed to have all of them in my life.

Gotta go, GOTTA DANCE.

Stefanie

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