Nerd. Tour Story.

Tour #52: Ft. Collins, CO

2011-10-22T00:30:00.000-05:00

Ft. Collins, my last big tour and most of the fam! Here's Jerry, Jill, Mom, Dad, Amy and Nancy in the lobby.

In honor of my last tour, CSU used the right picture!

The next day, we tried very hard to fit into mom and dad's tiny rental car with all of our luggage. It wasn't going well, but at least we had a good time.

Yay! We made it to the Cracker Barrel! My dreams!!

Aim and I seeing each other for a record second time in one year!

And another set of sisters, mom is presenting our ride to the airport. Thanks, Nanc, for touring us around Denver and helping us get to Vegas!

And go to Vegas we did, later that day. We got a lot of wedding stuff done, all the while leaving some money behind...in casinos, not with the DJ or decorator. Oh well, it was kind of a vacation, right?

This was my last "real" tour. We took one more stop in Peoria, IL the following weekend for an IAS show. And then all that was left was my last homeshow.

Tour #51: Hayes, KS

2011-10-22T00:17:00.000-05:00

Well...

This was Kansas. Show was good.

Next stop: Ft. Collins, CO!

Tour #50: Great Barrington, MA

2011-10-22T00:14:00.000-05:00

The RedCo is coming! The RedCo is coming!

To the Red Lion Inn! This place once housed George Washington. It's for real old.

And the diner was the best. I had this Harvest Wrap: turkey, apples, sweet potatoes, lettuce and cranberries. There was pie at the end. Pumpkin. It was a good tour.

The Red Lion had many buildings...our cottage...

And Warren's house. Derek used the lovely canopy bed to Rock Bottom Dawn.

The house! RedCo!

This show felt weird at first, but the meet and greet was lovely, and then we retired to our adorable 200 year-old rooms. I could've stayed in this town for a week. It was really cool to see the original buildings and metal work. Hooray for the colonies!

Only a few tours left.

Next stop: Hayes, KS

Tour #49: Ann Arbor, MI

2011-09-21T22:13:00.000-05:00

Still one of my favorite places. I'm so glad I got one more chance to go!

A couple of things from last year: 1. Our fruit bowl, featuring a whole lemon. There were more on night two, which Warren and I used to attempt juggling under Derek's instruction.

And 2. Our wall signage from last year. Derek wrote over it after this in sharpee for posterity.

And then he provided some artwork for this year's cast to sign. Hooray 2011!

We had to visit an old favorite, The Cupcake Station. The standout feature of this cupcakery is that they offer all of their regular cupcake flavors in minis. Minis!!

This is what RedCo does with a $12 dinner buyout. STACKS.

Yay, Dawn! Her dad came to town to see our show and brought flowers. What a nice guy.

The best place in all of Ann Arbor, Zingerman's Deli, proved its worth by sending Tilliski an extra side to make up for the side that was left out of his original order. Oh wait...Kalipsky? But they regain all lost points by writing "salad!"

The trip was great, as fun as I remember from last year. Maybe if Second City goes again, I can hide under some suitcases.

Next stop: South Barrington, MA

Tour #48: Minnesota

2011-09-15T01:14:00.000-05:00

Well, techically we flew into Fargo.

Downtown Fargo was lovely. We were a skip and a jump from Moorhead where our show was. What a time! Thanks to the students there for hanging out with us after!

Oh Mahm! Dawn looks a lot more Asian with this hair.

Please don't tell my company that I took this picture during our show. But how could I not??

Backstage in Brainerd, MN. This bunny was a real treat.

I will reiterate, this is our boss.

Much of the fun of Minnesota was Bloomington's Mall of America! We got everyone up early, even Kevin, to hit the biggest mall ever.

It's not just a mall, it's an indoor amusement park!!

A Spongebob rollercoaster? Yes, please!

This was T's first rollercoaster and it was pretty awesome. Not pictured - I got to see my friend from high school, Christina, and her daughter, Ainsley. We road a tamer coaster than this and Ainsley took it like a pro! It was great to see them.

And the other thing to do that day, our show. Thanks, U of M!

Derek accomodated my need to avoid airplanes on our return and we took our own road trip back. It's a 7 hour drive that we stretched to 9ish. There were too many things to see!

Cheese curds and 50s music. It was a success.

I am now about a month away from my last RedCo show. I'm lucky to get a couple of great tours towards the end, this MN one being among the best. And speaking of great tours...

Next stop: Ann Arbor, MI!

Tour #47: Rock Island, IL

2011-09-15T00:52:00.000-05:00

Another road trip, a return for me and for Kevin, to Rock Island, IL.

On the way we got some gas station bit food!

Look, when pizzas on a bagel, you can eat pizza anytime.

Oh boy did they give us a lot of snacks.

The Radisoon! We heard tell of a RedCo pool battle at a bar later that night, but ol' Grandma and Grandpa Shipman fell asleep watching Jersey Shore. Senior.........itis.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Next stop: Minnesota!

Tour #46: Manchester, IN

2011-09-15T00:42:00.000-05:00

This tour was dumb. But the important thing is that Derek and I got engaged the night before! Hooray!!!

Tour #45: Ohio and Indiana

2011-09-15T00:37:00.000-05:00

Road trip!

We climbed into the van for a journey to Ohio and Indiana. We hit a couple of very charming campuses in Ohio and one in Indiana. College! This says it all about the tour van. Gaff tape vent cover courtesy of K. Sciretta.

First stop: Kenyon College.

This was easily in the top 5 tour hotels ever. Just lovely.

So not everything is so charming. This gas station en route featured some creepy life-sized dolls. And those things on the wall too. Zing!

Yep. That says Tom Raper.

Ball State! Dave Letterman's alma mater did not disappoint. Poster sale!!

I do like a road trip. This one was pretty good.

Next stop: back to Indiana

Tour #44: Huntsville, AL

2011-09-15T00:11:00.000-05:00

I went to Huntsville, AL and all I got was this picture of Fox News playing in the airport.

Tour #43: Hilton Head, SC

2011-08-14T21:36:00.000-05:00

Is this a charming southern square? NO! It's the Savannah-Hilton Airport! Crazy.

And it got more charming. Outside our beach front hotel (sure, it was a Holiday Inn, but it was beach front!) there were some delightful rocking chairs.

On our free day before the first show, Derek and I investigated the town shops. Spoiler alert: we have a pretty killer Angry Birds song in the works.

Rocking chairs!

This woman tells us what to do.

Ah, home. Flying into Chicago was very pretty.

Oh yeah, we had a couple of shows at a pretty great Arts Center in HH. But I don't focus on the shows because I have senioritis!!! My final show with RedCo is going to be October 17 here in Chicago. I'm sad to go, but I know it's time. I'll be focusing on being a super tourist for the remainder of my time.

Next stop: Huntsville, AL

No Touring for a While, but...

2011-07-29T23:50:00.000-05:00

I did get to do this show at home.

For two nights I got to do four shows with the wonderful cast of The Second City e.t.c.! The trick is, the show wasn't quite open when I went in for Mary, so I had to learn the stuff in progress. The cast and director are so great, though, that it felt really easy. The shows were a lot of fun and I'm really glad I could do it.

Jessica, Aidy and I are super pretty.

Yay for RedCo! Here is the cast that represented Red on TourCo at some point or another. Good stats for the e.t.c.

Sadly, Jesse Case and Michael Lehrer, talented as they are, did not fall into my Red or female category, so they are not pictured. But I assure you, everyone was great to work with.

Touring starts up again in a little over a week when we head to Hilton Head, SC. I promise new road updates. Especially to you, JJ.

Tour #42: New Haven, CT

2011-06-23T22:51:00.000-05:00

RedCo gets another mini-run, this time at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven. By Yale again!

Oh boy, they got to use our new pictures!

Derek, Warren, Tilliski and I stayed on Yale campus in the Madison Towers. We got this view across the street. Just a reminder, everyone.

In our time we walked the campus quite a bit. Man. It's really pretty and pretty old.

This creepo kept showing up in the girls' dressing room. Gross!

All in all, this was a good trip. It's nice to be able to settle in a theatre for a little while. Yale is lovely and it was nice to get another chance to see it (after our first RedCo jaunt to the Schubert Theatre last April). And thanks to our VP Kelly for coming along for our opening night! Again, summer strikes and we will be tour-less until July 14.

Next stop: Bethlehem, PA

Tour #41: Eau Claire, WI

2011-06-23T22:38:00.000-05:00

Eau Claire and US Bank welcomes The Second City!

I wasn't prolific with the pictures on this trip.

But I did grab a pic of The Plaza Hotel! Our rooms surrounded the pool/arcade area. Our contact at the theatre took us to a lovely bar post-show and then we played a couple of video games before going to bed to gear up for the return 6 hour drive. It was a long two days, but fun show.

No more tours till New Haven. Summer!

Tour #40: Ruston and Baton Rouge, LA

2011-06-23T22:17:00.000-05:00

Before our Cinco de Mayo tour, we had to say happy b to our very Derek Shipman. Rehearsal cake!

He hates snakes, but this guy was so friendly and delicious!

Welcome to Ruston, LA. This was the view from our lunch spot after arriving, on the way to the venue. Mmm, shrimp and fish and things.

Ruston! The show was fun, but we were in and out quickly, bound for our next stop, Baton Rouge.

While in LA, T tests out his new show shoes.

The first official New RedCo family pic. Boy are we dark.

We found some fun bars post-show. Twayne and Lori had a great time.

On our second show day, Derek and I found some real fun things to do in BR. A museum, some street slushies, and this art work. Shame on you, Mike Gutta.

The real fun! The Belle Casino. I was down quite a bit until putting a few dollars into my new favorite slot machine, Rockin' Olives. I was back even when we left. Money games!

We had a great time playing in LA and roaming the waterfront of BR. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that most of Red (minus Dawn and Cec) was put through a rough travel day headed back to Chicago courtesy of a crazy dude who tried to open the cabin door only about 40 minutes from landing. Derek and I were unwilling to continue flying that day, so we rented a car from our diverted landing site of St. Louis and drove home. It was kind of a fun road trip as a result of a super scary situation. I have to hand it to Continental. Their staff was amazing. Quick, calm action and a relatively smooth emergency landing (12 minutes from cruising to landing). I figure that statistically I can never be in a flying emergency again. Or at least for a while.

Tour #39: Aurora and Traverse City

2011-06-23T21:54:00.000-05:00

Another two stop tour! Aurora, CO and Traverse City, MI.

New girl! Welcome to Red, Cecily!

The first show, a one-act in Aurora was over around 1pm. Day time shows mean day time fun! Nancy and Carl came to pick Derek and me up and we toured the area. First to Red Rocks.

I haven't seen these guys in a while. I hadn't seen Red Rocks in much, much longer.

Derek and I tested our cardio strength by running the stairs both at RR and at....

The Cabrini Shrine. It was really beautiful.

Speaking of Bonita...

Oh man. We HAD to go to Casa Bonita, despite the food and my aunt and uncle's aversion. I think it was worth it. The rest of RedCo followed later, and I'll just say that no one felt right for our following travel day.

Next stop, Traverse City. And the most charming airport of all time.

Why? I guess because T plays music? Mozart!

Our show in TC was in a museum. The place was awesome, and we stayed in the coolest hotel I've ever seen on tour. Which of course called for movie night following a little bit of roaming the museum. Thanks, MI!

Tour #38: Omaha and Kansas City

2011-06-23T21:18:00.000-05:00

THIS is the best tour of all time.

First stop: Omaha, NE. Fun show, fun town. I wouldn't mind hanging out there more. We were greeted with these pictures to sign. BlueCo 2009! I signed above Katie, since I have bangs too.

Andel! After we lost JJ to the etc stage, Andel came in and rescued us. In return, the universe sent her this bangerine. This is truly what per diem is for.

Next stop on the tour, Kansas City, MO. This was a Gilda's Club fundraiser featuring Jason Sudeikis and RedCo! We got to perform a couple of archive classics with him as well as improvise a bit. It was a blast. He is still awesome at the stage comedy after all these years on camera.

Oh look at us girls!

And speaking of how awesome it was...Tim Kazurinsky was there for some fundraiser drawings post-show. He is the nicest guy ever.

Jason, Red, Tim.

What a beautiful theatre! My favorite tour of all time for sure. Thanks, KC.

Tour #37: Barack Stars in Springfield, MA

2011-04-12T16:07:00.000-05:00

This was the worst/best tour. There were awesome things, like this Turtle Top Van that brought us from the Hartford airport to the Springfield Sheraton.

And there were just ok things, like the show we had to do. BITS! It was fun. Although we learned quickly that there was not much surrounding the hotel or venue.

So what do you do? Go to NYC for the SNL after party!!!

Derek got to catch up with Shelly, I got to catch up with Vanessa, and we got to do some general celebrity staring.

Oh yeah, and meet DAVE GROHL!! I told him I was a fan, and then Warren helped further make my dream a reality by asking for a picture. I told him my dad made me listen to Nirvana when I was a kid, turning me away from the terrible pop music I had been listening to, forever making me a rock fan. Dave is the nicest guy in the world, and his wife is sweet and lovely.

We drove back right after the party. Thanks, Derek and T for captaining the ship from NYC at 5:30am.

After a sleep break at the hotel we drove out to Boston to see Bryan. I hope the above claim is true!

Bryan took us to an Italian place on the North End and then we grabbed some canolli and things at Mike's Pastry. Stupid.

Director Bryan took us into Improv Asylum for a bit during student shows. It was cool to see the theatre.

At the beginning of the tour, we were RedCo plus Tim Sniffen. At the end, we were RedCo plus Tim and minus the new ETC cast member, Jessica Joy! She got asked to join after our first night in Springfield and we were all excited. A trip to Chuck E. Cheese celebrated the news as well as helped me improve my ski ball game. It was a roller coaster of a tour, but there was more fun than not. Our new cast member, Cecily, will join us in a couple of weeks.

Next stop: Omaha, NE and Kansas City, MO

Tour #36: Dubuque, IA

2011-04-03T21:55:00.000-05:00

Dubuque, IA Grand Opera House. Jessica dons her mimed monicle (mimeacle?) to fit in with the classy greenroom chandeliers.

Treacherous stairs from the stage to the dressing rooms! No injuries were reported.

Post-show. We were very happy to be doing a fun, comfortable best of show after a hard week of rehearsals for next week's Barack Stars jaunt. Here's our new fam ready to hit the hotel hot tub and bar.

Oh! Dubuque is a little Catholic town!

On our way home from a 24 hour trip. Ssshhh. Warren and Kevin are sleeeepy.

*Unintentionally omitted from my last post: another big occurence on the Florida trip was running into Raymond Cardet, a guy I went to high school with, whom I have not seen in nearly 12 years. He was at the show with his improv group. Crazy!

We're taking a break from our regular show and welcoming Mr. Tim Sniffen into Red to perform the theatrical Barack Stars in Springfield, MA. Six days, should be a good trip. I'll keep you posted...

Next stop: Springfield, MA

Tour #35: Naples and Ft. Laudredale, FL

2011-04-03T21:41:00.000-05:00

Florida! Another vacation tour. Awesome.

Rolling into Naples. Palm trees and sun! We had four shows in tow nights in Naples. Hit the mall with our free day. Please see my Facebook page for the best purchase ever: my "I Love the Situation" hat. Thanks, Derek.

Those Who Must be Kept! This statue outside the Naples theatre couldn't look more like Akasha and Enkil. Please see The Vampire Lestat for that reference.

Mahm hit the shorts right away to celebrate the 80 degree weather. She hit her Blackberry to celebrate her new Facebook page. Sucked in.

DAD!!! Dad was there for 3/4 of our Naples shows. He also brought coworkers along and he hit the bowling alley with us on our second night. Oh yeah, and he didn't hate my tattoo. Thanks, Dad!

On to Ft Lauderdale. Sometimes on tour you get put up in motels. Sometimes hotels. Sometimes RESORTS. Thanks, Broward Performing Arts Center.

On the way into town we sought out this lunch spot.

As if it weren't enough that I saw my dad for two days, I also got to see my second set of parents, Meredith's mom and dad, the Barons. They were kind enough to make the trip from Wellington to see my show. It was awesome to see them. Of course this particular night we were slated for mandatory clubbing at a local bar, so I had to take off. Thanks for coming, Barons!!

Clubbing Jess and Dawn. Hanging out on a couch wearing hipster glasses. FUN!

The trip was one of the best in recent memory. Five shows, malls, beaches, pools, free drinks, good food, dad, fake mom and dad, and a Jersey Shore marathon. This trip makes touring the best.

Next stop: Dubuque, IA

Tour #34: Seaside, CA

2011-03-06T16:28:00.000-06:00

Ok, so you could call Wheaton and Orland Park tours #33a and b. I didn't count them, as in my old tour age I no longer conider a Chicago suburb a "tour." No offense, IL.

One important thing about those mini-tours: it was the first time these guys played together as RedCo!

And now our first tour...morning flight to San Jose, CA. Kevin made Tilliski laugh, so it's a good start.

And Warren found a sandwich. Also a good start.

Another drive directly to the venue, thanks to a long flight and long drive. USC Monterey Bay had a lovely theatre. And apparently they was glad to have us. Here is a wall of the press they did in prep for our show. It's very nice of them...and as Jessica pointed out, slightly stalker-esque. But moreso nice. The show did sell out after all.

Here is our lovely hotel, the Bay Park.

And even more lovely...N. California. Everytime we tour around here I don't want to come home. It's beautiful is the point.

Before our departure, we were treated to breakfast at the adjoining restaurant, The Crazy Horse. Derek offers an homage to Ross and Mystic Lake.

Mom was taken from us for this trip and sent to Texas instead. Boo. But we were lucky enough to have Josh Miller step in as our surrogate parent and it was great. Did I take any photos with him? No. Because I am starting to suck at this. Touring for too long.

And speaking of touring for too long, I should mention that I neglected to celebrate my one year tour-versary properly. It was unofficially on January 22 and officially on February 1. In some ways it's flown by and I still feel new. In other ways...I mentioned to Tamara recently that I had been touring for a year, and she said, "Really? It seems like 2 or 3!" Well, yeah. I did get off the boat just over three years ago now, which was my official understudy start, so technically I have been doing some manner of the job for that long. Maybe tour years are like dog years. In which case, I've been on it for 7. Makes sense.

Home for a while. Next stop: Florida!

Tour #33: A lot of places

2011-03-06T16:10:00.000-06:00

First I would be remiss if I didn't mention that we had our last matinee with Ms. Angela Dawe on Feb 12. We are happy to welcome back JJ, but Angela is dearly missed.

I mean, look how sad she is to go!

So off we go on tour #33 (roughly) to Hazard, KY, Blacksburg, VA, Cullowhee, NC, Lynchburg, VA and finally, Rock Hill, SC. After a treacherous flight on a tiny plane (Joe Ruffner, I appreciate your apologies), we landed in Tri-Cities Airport (for the second time on tour, we discovered) and rented our cars for the long journey across the southeast.

Our first stop was straight to the venue in Hazard, KY. Turned out to be a dinner show preceding a morning of improv and workshops the next day. We got to hit the buffet and eat in our weird section-of-a-ballroom green room, so that was nice.

The next day before our IAS show, Mom and I discover an off-brand version of Splenda called Allure...? Anyway, we had a free evening in Hazard and took advantage with a RedCo family dinner at Reno's Steakhouse. Fine, except it was attached to a hotel that had the creepiest doll collection the world has ever known. Yikes. JJ wasted no time in making a quick Flip video. See my Facebook page for that.

Onward to Blackburg, VA, home of Virginia Tech. The on campus hotel was lovely, as was the whole place.

See, classy hotel. JJ, Patrick and Daniel were first to call time and took advantage of the sensible lobby fireplace.

V-Tech show was good...next stop: Cullowhee, NC. This college was awesome. We stayed in their "campus hotel" which was actually a dorm called Madison Hall. JJ talked everyone into a dorm hallway taco party post-show. Cullowhee was by far our best show of the week. The college (WNCU? Something like that) went NUTS for Gaga and Jessica got to be the closest thing to a pop star a comedienne can ever hope for.

Next Stop: Lynchburg, VA. Our show was in a small performing arts center. I think this place won best food of the tour (veggie lasagna, salad and pecan pie from a friend of Tilliski's fam) as well as best het find: a sombrero reminiscent of the one we used to carry for History Boys. Mom's new headshot!

On to the final stop: Rock Hill, SC. We got some free time in Rock Hill during the day where we learned that people who drive there don't think pedestrians exist. Thanks for not actually killing me, you weirdos. Oh yeah...and we did a show in a bank.

The theatre space is a converted bank branch, which still has teller windows and an official FDIC sticker on the door. For turning over a recent financial institution, they did a really great job making it into a theatre. It was acutally lovely.

Especially the mechanical seat for going down about 7 steps. Unfortunately it was only for show, it wasn't functioning.

And we're done. This was Daniel and Patrick's final tour and show with RedCo. We closed out there stay with a trip to a Rock Hill Chili's . They were awesome to have around and I hope they get to tour again. Too bad it may be with Blue or Green. You heard me.

Long, long road trip. Next stop: Suburbs!

Tour #32: Iowa City, IA

2011-02-28T01:01:00.000-06:00

A drive to Iowa City looks about like this.

This was a special tour for me because it was my first real repeat (not counting a revisit to Palos Hills). Iowa City was one of my very first tours with RedCo last year. I looked forward to a) seeing it again, since it was fun last year and b) being the only person to return, on account of my now being Grandma Red.

Back at the ol' Englert. They're great to us and we had two really good shows. Visited the Mill, where Julie took us last year. It was really cool to be back somewhere and feel comfortable. I'm so old.

But at least we had this kid with us. Hi Dan!

And for her last road trip with us, Angela pulled an Angela and slept on the way home. Sshhh.

Next stop: Hazard, KY!

Tour #31: Elizabeth City, NC

2011-02-28T00:40:00.000-06:00

Technically, we toured to Northwestern. No offense, Evanston. I didn't count you as a tour. Too close.

We flew into Norfolk to drive to Elizabeth City. Oh boy!

They were very nice to us and printed us up these delightful show posters.

Of course Patrick had to play the role of Edgar Blackmon. He was a good sport of it.

Next stop: Iowa City!

Tour #30: Barrington, IL

2011-01-16T21:10:00.000-06:00

So most of our tours this month won't exactly feel like tours, since they mostly involve short drives to Illinois cities. But here we are.

It was an IAS show, which in TourCo language means Improv All Stars. And it was understudypalooza! Daniel and Cate were great to have along.

This turned out to be Edgar's last tour with us. I hope he takes this to mainstage with him.

Oh T. Getting over the flu.

Barrington High was a lovely venue and it was for a good cause, a fundraiser for diabetes research. It was a surreal night, being without our regular cast, knowing it was the last time I would improvise with Edgar as a member of RedCo. He was an anchor for us, and it will be a huge challenge to simulate his energy. Just under a year after I became Red, I'm the senior! Let's do this, class of '11!

Next stop: (non-Illinois venue) Elizabeth City, NC

Tour #29: First Tour of 2011! Galesburg, IL

2011-01-09T21:35:00.000-06:00

Back on the road! Oh the glamor.

And speaking of glamor, we had two lovely understudies with us on our trip to Knox College. Daniel and Patrick were just delights.

Oh, touring. We were greeted by the familiar fruit and veggie trays and array of beverages. Now, a show run is great, but man...I did miss all the free food.

Mahm!! Dawn is doing her best Carlo.

Temp RedCo! The show was awesome. It was incredibly nice to have a full house excited about our show again. College kids love things. And it felt nice to be back in our college RO. Post-show we went to Duffy's, advertised to cater to "The friendliest people in town." Patrick and Daniel were regaled with college stories and entertained by a talented young man who could instantly tell you the number of letters in any word or sentence. It truly was a magical night.

It's great to be on the road again.

Next stop: more Illinois!

NYE in the Heights

2011-01-02T12:18:00.000-06:00

RedCo's suburban residency has come to a close. It felt great to be doing an almost completely original show, even on nights when the audience didn't climb completely onboard.

We had a lot of time between the 6pm and 10pm shows...time for naps and Chinese food.

After the show, we presented Ross with the only gift we could've gotten him...a boom box with both a tape deck and a USB port. Like a little electronic version of Ross himself.

Our newly ex-director and his lady friend came to spend the holiday with us. Happy New Year!

For Dawn, who wanted documentation of Mystic Lake's "Gary" nametags and our final RO.

After all the festivities we gathered around the piano to hear Edgar's rhyming ode to TJ and Ross.

It's a little weird to be done with the show and moving on, or back, to our old ROs. Scott, our new director, is at the helm now, so it looks like 2011 really is a New Year. Happy New Year!!

Holiday in the Heights

2010-12-14T23:47:00.000-06:00

Girls! Girls in shows! Angela has been a delightful addition to Red in the Heights. Also, just know that's a Plaids poster behind us. Not an AIDS poster.

But wait! Jess snuck back in for a show! She understudied her own understudy to do a quick etc version of our holiday show.

We discovered that in our opener accoutrements, Jess and I look French and Russian, respectively.

New mom!! Here's the woman who is responsible for submitting our payroll and driving us to our venue each night. Swimming in stage fog. We love Dawn.

Ah the noble cast of Holiday in the Heights. RedCo until the end of 2010.

Angela truly is JJ's understudy.

Mom sits in tiny chairs and eats southwest tofu salad.

And meanwhile, when we get stuck in a room with multiple pianos, music bits happen.

It's been nice to be home, but it's been almost a year on the road and I've found myself kind of missing airports. Airports! Those places suck. But I am excited to get back on tour...in February. January is all suburbs all the time. You're welcome for all the RedCo, Illinois!

Happy holidays!!

Tours #21-28

2010-11-20T18:24:00.000-06:00

What the F, Natalie??? Where have you been? Well, we were on the road a lot. And as such I have been remiss in updating this. Here is a sampling of some stuff that happened in Minnesota, Okalahoma, Virginia, Washington and right here in Illinois...

Our first (and last) road version of RedCo's original holiday revue in Rockford, IL. Tilliski, buddy, that's a mugshot.

SEAN!!!!!!!!!! So we're in Abingdon, Virginia and I turn around to find this guy, my best friend from high school. Come on, universe. You're killing me.

Also in Abingdon, Tilliski enjoys the best milkshake of his life.

Catsuit for Lady Gaga bit courtesy of Jessica Joy and Ragstock. Thank you?

Seattle, WA. We had a free day to explore the city and an understudy stage manager along with us. Kim was a delight!

Back a couple tours to Sebastopol and Pleasonton, CA. Mom and dad came to see it and we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge driving from the airport.

This was Kyle's final tour with Red :( Technically it was Jess's too, although she was able to join us one last time in Tacoma.

And back to Washington...Pike's Market was awesome.

We had to fly into Tennessee to get to Abingdon, VA. And what a fortuitous name for a county.

Way back to tour #21, TJ joined us as an understudy MD for Minnesota State University. Go Golden Hurricane!

Kyle's last homeshow...Yep, my shirt features K's in honor of our outgoing SM. Edgar wrote an awesome rap tribute for the set.

That's a real whirlwind summation, but it's been a real whirlwind time. Red has since added Dawn Wilson and Angela Dawe since Kyle and Jessica went on to the ETC stage. Although we will have JJ back in January. Our new team wrote an awesome holiday show and we're taking it to Arlington Heights after Thanksgiving. Oh yeah, and I turn 30. Crazy.

Happy holidays!

Tour # 20: Madison, WI

2010-10-16T20:06:00.000-05:00

Wisconsin's lovely capitol city, Madison! We had a little time to walk around before Edgar and I headed to our workshop with some great theatre students. It was a beautiful fall day at the U of W. However, we were not playing the U of W, we were playing a small private college nearby called Edgewood. It was a small house, but a really fun show.

I can't resist documenting things with the family name.

And speaking of documenting things, I wanted to take this photo before Kyle killed himself. Spoiler: he's fine. But don't think we weren't all terrified.

With Derek out at a wedding, we had Mr. Witaske in for the night. He did a great job. Thanks for being Red, Chris!

Next stop: Mankata, MN

Tour #19: Salt Lake City, UT

2010-10-16T19:52:00.000-05:00

Before we head to Salt Lake City, you should know that Derek made us all Human Centipede cookie versions of ourselves. Here I am acquainting myself with little pede-me. Then I ate me.

Oh Salt Lake City, you are beautiful.

We had a great show at the U of U. Salt Lake City was a delightful place, I am surprised to say. I'm not sure what I expected, but it was a kind of hippie town that is clearly pushing toward the antithesis of its conservative, Mormon reputation. I'd love to spend more time there. I should've taken more pictures, but it was a true whirlwind. We were escorted by some of the students who were great hosts. They took us to lunch at Whole Foods (well, Jess predictably ended up at Taco Bell) and out for drinks after. It was also Tilliski's birthday. Happy b, T!

Next stop: Madison, WI

Tour #18: Iowa and South Dakota

2010-10-03T22:02:00.000-05:00

Long. Road. Trip.

RedCo took on the world by travelling by van to Storm Lake, IA, Ottumwa, IA, Watertown, SD and back. It started with a radio phone interview...

Derek, Ross and I all did interviews for the shows in Watertown. They were apparently very excited to have us. But first, we stopped in Storm Lake...

Much of the drive looked like this.

And in Storm Lake our dressing room looked like this. I'm always delighted by our make-shift dressing rooms that are normally classrooms. The show was fun, and the theatre was lovely, but we found that the town was...quiet. Back in the van to Ottumwa!

Edgar wanted to gift us all by contributing a van muffin. What a great bit, I thought! Let's take a photo. Oh man...I didn't need to clarify what the van really looks like. The muffin didn't stay long.

Oh hi, Jess. How's that iPod going?

Here's our press in Ottumwa, in the lobby of the performing arts center where we played. Another good show. We found some seriously great Mexican food in Ottumwa (weird?) before we were served a huge pork chop dinner by the theatre. Bleh. Delicious and painful. Back in the van to our final stop...

Garmin wanted us to take this mud road to our hotel. We listened, but learned to ignore it on the way back. Kyle was a real trooper getting through this mess.

At the end of the dirt road was our casino hotel, haloed by a dreamcatcher. Nice work, Dakota Sioux!

Our venue in Watertown was amazing. The Goss Opera House was really beautiful. And besides being historic, lovely and welcoming we got to hang out in this living room...

We even got to hang out after our Saturday show to see Vanessa and Paul's SNL debut. Huge thanks to our new friend Eric for taking care of us.

The beautiful stage. And look at all those ghost orbs!! Seriously!!!

The trip was awesome, and despite a combined 28 hours in the van together RedCo remained happy. Things I learned about this part of the country: there was a surprising amount of Mexican food, Tilliski is a terrible Black Jack player, and you may just find a few actual "Oath Keepers" in your audience. Ok, the middle thing isn't region-specific. Sorry, buddy.

Next Stop: Salt Lake City, UT

Tour #17: Ann Arbor, MI

2010-10-03T21:35:00.000-05:00

OK, so I'm a bit behind on my travel report. At least 7 people are simply heart-broken! For you, here is the update on the last few trips in our busy fall season...

Ann Arbor's Ark Theatre was lovely. I hadn't been to Ann Arbor since a quick drive through the town while I was doing time at Second City Novi. We had two nights there and found some fun in the town on our free day. Right, Jess?

We were all amused that our fruit bowl included lemons.

On the way out of town, I stopped to enjoy this ad. Werewolves!!

Here is a view of the backyard Jess and I had behind our room.

I didn't do Ann Arbor photo justice, considering we had quite the time on our second day. We walked about the town, taking in comic book shops, cupcakes and Zingerman's, the most awesome deli ever. Our two shows at The Ark went well. Good to see you again, Michigan.

Next stop: long road trip to IA and SD!

Tour #16: Long Beach, CA

2010-09-07T09:36:00.000-05:00

Our trip started with a long plane ride for a short trip. A lot was packed into the 24 hours we spent in Long Beach/Los Angeles, CA. Derek made me some entertainment for the ride.

Once in Long Beach, we got lunch and settled in to our hotel...to get ready and get over to the hotel where our showcase was happening. Oh yeah, this wasn't an actual show. It was a showcase for the Western Arts Alliance. We were an exhibit!

We had an airtight RO set for the fine arts council people.

Including Lady Gaga. Look, if Edgar's nip tape doesn't get us booked, I'm not sure what will. Oh wait.

This'll do it.

Hot, hot RedCo had a great show, got some free drinks from our agent and then set out for LA. Jess, Kyle and I went to Second City to see my friend Kevin's show, and Derek and the guys went with an LA friend to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. We met up for karaoke later. Second City LA was sort of surreal. All the same pictures, smaller place, and odd sightings. We hung out preshow here...

The Lounge? Sure. It was a fun space, and Kevin had a great show. We met some surprise guests (Dave and Carissa, old friends from Chicago) who joined us out later. All in all the trip was a whirlwind and I was very happy to be getting home. And thanks to our successful showcase, we have another one in Indianapolis on Monday. Significantly easier journey.

We technically had a tour the next day to DePaul, but since it's only a matter of blocks from the theatre, I didn't consider it tour blog material. The show was great though. And speaking of touring news, check out this awesome vlog Jessica put together: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcGg7tiB4BA

Next stop: Indianapolis, IN

Tour #15 Lancaster, PA

2010-08-30T18:41:00.000-05:00

Franklin & Marshall College! Oh and Amish Country. And Hershey Park. This place wasn't sure what it was all about. But we had a good time.

There are so many things to do! Where will we start?? Ross and I had a workshop to teach first. It was for an improv group at F&M called, appropriately, Rumspringa. They were really fun, and they were also slated to play with us in the set following the show. So, on four hours of sleep, I plowed through the workshop, the show, the set and some hangout time with Red and Rumspringa.

Like the classy ladies we are, Jess and I went to the campus brewery for drinks in our hot travel clothes.

We had a whole second day and second show in the same venue, so we got to go explore the confused region. We chose Hershey Park, which was awesome. I managed three roller coasters which reminded me that I'm getting a little older when I had to balance myself each time I got off one. Funcussions! They were pretty great.

JJ enjoyed some cotton candy...

And then we enjoyed some Civil War reenactment. Old, old RedCo.

Back to work, we had another successful show back at F&M. This was the first time we had a full version of Gaga in the show on the road, and it killed. Turns out college kids love Gaga, dancing, autotune, and members of RedCo in various stages of dress and tape. And speaking of music, it was this guy's first tour...

Hooray for Tilliski!! He's been great to have around and it's awesome to have a full RedCo moving into our new shows. He's really adding a lot to our company. As you can see.

It's great to be headed into fall with these jerks. We're getting busier and it will be like we're actually on tour again.

Next stop: Long Beach, CA!

Tour #14: Green Lake and Egg Harbor, WI

2010-07-26T13:36:00.000-05:00

Back in the van and on the road through cheese country!

Our trip and our venues were really beautiful.

First stop, Thrasher Opera House in Green Lake. We stayed at the Heidel House Resort, where swimming and cheese curds happened. The Thrasher theatre was adorable. It looked like a an old converted church and we sold out a house of about 250. They couldn't have been nicer...partially because of their response and partially because of the free coffee and pastry we received from the neighboring bakery, Sugar Lips. If you ever find yourself in Green Lake, WI, get some pumpkin bread. And go next door to Little Corporal for breakfast ice cream! We did.

Oh boy, what a couple of badasses.

Also a result of our nearby art patrons, Kyle obtained a set of super strong magnetic balls that come together to make shapes and things. It was pretty mesmerizing. I tried to get this shot of him tinkering with his balls on our way to Egg Harbor.

And here we are! Our stage and...

Our house. It filled up like our own little personal Lollapalooza. We learned that Egg Harbor houses 250 people, and it looked like all of them came to the show.

After the show we went to a nearby restaurant for a quick meet and greet before heading back to Chicago. The shows were really fun and the trip was nice after a long break from the road. But summer is almost over and show regularity will return soon. Of course I have to readjust to road food. Ice cream, cheese and chocolate...not meant to be eaten all in one day.

Next Stop: St. Charles, IL (technically a tour, but still close to home)

Home Tour

2010-06-18T15:51:00.000-05:00

It's not technically on the road, but we're touring all the way over to the lakeshore for Theatre on the Lake.

A friendly reminder in the ladies' dressing room.

It's a bit of a physical challenge to be performing in full show clothes and makeup in an open air theatre. I discovered how spoiled I am when I realized my outrage at my hair curling back up in the outdoor humidity. What a diva.

Speaking of my curly hair. Jess, Derek and I are happy to be here. Edgar and Ross are just badasses.

The shows have been fun so far. Good houses, but definitely very different from our homeshows. Theatre audiences. Lots of silence following the political blackout medley. Hey paying audience, please Google Second City before you come to a show. You'll be far less surprised. But they sure do jump on board when nuns listen to dirty records! Either way, it's super fun to be doing an actual run of a show. It feels like work, but in a good way. Especially good with RedCo.

Tour #13: Prior Lake, MN

2010-06-09T10:37:00.000-05:00

Mystic Lake Casino!!

We entered the Mystic Lake Casino on Friday morning and had all day to hang out in the same building we were having our show and staying. Nice. Of course the whole day trapped in the buidling with blackjack tables and a buffet has its risks. I came out even. Really.

We got these guys on the way in. All access to the same stage Adam Lambert would be on a few days later? Don't mind if we do!

The view from my room was the golf course behind the hotel. Thanks, Mystic Lake!

Don't let a bunch of improvisors in a room with a backdrop. We had a post-show meet and greet with some audience members and photos were taken with this sweet background. But clearly Edgar and I walked a red carpet too.

The show was good and the improv set was great. Now, when I say the show was good, I mean we had a great time, but there was an expected number of walkouts just after Superpowers, which we've come to anticipate when we're in a conservative environment. The new aspect to this was the next day when a guy in a Metallica T-shirt (not a judgment, just an observation) approached us the next morning as we left for the airport and informed us that he was offended and had walked out. Oh....ok...thanks? Not sure what reaction he was looking for. I do respect his personal need to inform us directly. He wasn't aggressive about it, so it clearly took some courage to approach us...even if it was mostly pointless. But we appreciate your honesty, Joe Metallica!

Next tour: not until July. Next run: at home at Theatre on the Lake!

Tour #12: Billings, MT

2010-05-17T13:00:00.000-05:00

Look, the trip wasn't boring, but...the only pictures I have are these. Between the summer slow down and the brevity of our Billings trip, I got lazy with the pics. But not with the bits. I dropped a box of airplane feminine products on Edgar's lap while he slept and as you can see, he woke up before Ross.

Trip highlights: Great show and improv set, giant airplane on the way to Denver, and Showgirls with commentary track after the show. Man. What a trainwreck that movie is.

We're home a lot the next couple months, but we're working on new stuff and our next trip is to a casino. RedCo is still the most fun.

Next stop: Prior Lake, MN

Tour #11: CT and NY

2010-04-17T23:37:00.000-05:00

Welcome to NYC! Your rental car has a sun roof!

And welcome to New Haven! You're on Yale campus!

We had guest artists Julie Nichols and Shawn Pace with us for this mini-tour through the northeast. We were fortunate enough to be performing at the Broadway-preview venue, the Shubert. It was a beautiful theatre and we had a great house. So what do you do when you're on Yale campus, doing hot comedy and staying at the swanky Omni?

Oh no big deal, you just have a robe party to watch Twilight New Moon! We had a long day and only got through about half. Good thing we had two days left.

Before we go, though, I'll have a couple of New Haven coffee beverages.

Thanks, Julie, for being a veg and bringing us to Claire's Vegetarian Cafe!

Off to Peekskill. Look, the Peekskill Inn may not be the best place to watch a movie about werewolves before you go to bed, but we found it charming. Great show, great house, the exciting conclusion of New Moon* and a loopy, bitty pajama party ensued. We also stumbled upon some awesome NY pizza in an unassuming strip mall. Thank you, Peekskill.

Concluding the tour, we moved onto Brentwood. These pink trees were everywhere, and I don't know what they are. Good story.

En route we hit an adorable diner in Long Island, thanks to Shawn's research. Look how excited our understudies are.

Full of ice cream treats and New York charm, we closed our tour at a community college theatre. The show went well, but only after a steamer Edgar was using set off a fire alarm. The alarm monopolized what I guess to be the only full-sized fire engine in the town, but we still only started about 15 minutes late.

Fire alarms do not preempt our bits.

This trip has been a lot of fun. So much fun that I would rather not being heading home tomorrow. Yes, I miss Matt and home and friends...but the next two weeks will be the craziest they can possibly be. I'll be packing my apartment, working my office's annual conference, writing for RedCo and coaching and teaching all at the same time. If I come out of it alive on May 1, I will cry tears of joy and relief. Then I will go back to unpacking and hoping for money to fall from the sky.

Next stop: Billings, MT (a fairly long time from now)

*The Twilight movies are enough fluffy fun for a bunch of dumb improvisors to bit-riff on for hours, but let's get real, this series is TERRIBLE. It's an awful message to girls that you should end up with the guy who's kind of mean to you but you are inexplicably "in love" with while the guy who actually shows concern and care for you gets the shaft. Not to mention Taylor Lautner is hauling around that 8-pack while ex-Cedric Diggory looks like a crack addict. Come on. COME ON. Just my two cents.

Tour #10: Edmond, OK

2010-04-08T00:08:00.000-05:00

Happy DecaTour!

Welcome to Oklahaoma! And to the Salt Lick. We quickly realized there was not much to do in Oklahoma, but that was fine considering Edgar and I had a workshop to teach, we had a 7pm show and then we were leaving the next morning. So we had lunch and ice cream from Braum's (nice work, OK) and stopped by the hotel.

Jessica and I shared a room at Comfort Suites that had this inexplicable wall design.

Edgar and I had a good time with our UCO students, members of the campus's comedy troupe, Friday Night Live (Google it!). They were fun to play with and I'm sure that Edgar and I lead them to master the art of improv in two hours. We then headed downstairs to the auditorium to get ready for the show, which went really well and allowed us to debut our college specialty piece "College Gaga." Those are the only spoilers I'll give. My blog is frequented by saboteurs. Incidentally, our set also gave birth to the character Cat Girl. I'm sure it'll be a huge hit one day.

Oh, here's one more Gaga spoiler. For now this is Derek's costume.

After the show we sought out a late night hangout, which in our tour towns isn't always the easiest thing to find. But we ended up at Hudson's, which was cozy karaoke bar/pool hall that served crazy cheap drinks and allowed indoor smoking. Bad news for my hair and clothes. But great news for the two drinks I had that cost the same as one at home. We rocked the karaoke hits and then went back to our weird Comfort Inn where I think we were the sole patrons (more continental breakfast for us!). We had a rough flight back the next day (Good Friday, so I really couldn't complain...Jesus went through a lot that day too) but got home in time for me to join Easter Triduum, already in progress.

Hot, hot RedCo.

Next stop: Conneticut and New York state

Tour #9: Greeneville and Athens, TN

2010-03-25T00:05:00.000-05:00

Back to TN. I have to say, I was charmed by the Knoxville airport. It had landscape!

No denying it, Tennessee is beautiful, and the weather was amazing, which made it a tiny bit hard to board the plane home. But in the end I always want to be back in Chicago.

It was the first tour with the all new RedCo. Yay, Jessica! She had her first show with us at last week's matinee.

Our trip to Greeneville involved a significant car ride from the airport. And what does a car ride involve?

A trip to the Cracker Barrel! I was so excited about sweet tea that I mindlessly took down a full glass long before our food arrived, forgetting for a moment that when I drink tea on an empty stomach, my stomach reacts by wanting to remain empty. But I kept it down in time for my grilled chicken salad to arrive. Good story, Natalie.

I may have actually thrown up, however, if I had eaten 6 of these like I wanted to. Mrs. Sullivan's Pecan Pies??? You're right, I DO LUV PIE! But I got out with a pack of Big League Chew. Crisis averted.

After our southern diversion, we drove into town to check into the General Morgan Inn, one of the most delightful hotels I've ever been in. My room featured a photo of Andrew Johnson and a small collection of encyclopedia-type books circa 1911. It wasn't your standard Holiday Inn, is the point.

Derek and I found some treasures at a nearby antique store before our call time. On the way into town we also saw this.

With all due respect, we are Red.

Anyway, the show was great and the set was fun, and we had done our first show on the road together as a full brand new Co. We would've gone out to celebrate good times, but predictably everything around us had long since closed. Good night.

The next day it was breakfast at the Chocolate Cafe (visit this place if you're in Greeneville, it's incredible) and then back on the road for a couple of hours. Our Comfort Inn was quite welcoming.

Does this mean we're opening for the Youth Rodeo?

(Two very important elements not pictured: cinnamon rolls from breakfast that should be declared national monuments and the kickass water slide in our Comfort Inn pool)

Again, a successful show, although we did lose a few people at intermission. Was it because it was late and they were old? Was it because we were in the Bible Belt performing A.Bill and Sequel? Well...it was a clean show. We did our best. We received nothing but praise from the venue and from the high school group who came to Q&A us after the show. Here I am in the choir room green room. What? I didn't mention we did this show at Athens Junior High? We sure did. It seemed to be one of the only theatre venues in this small town. But they were pretty good to us.

We also got to meet the Shipman family. And tonight we were partying...at Applebee's! There was a headache in my future, but it didn't stop me from ordering TWO Cosmos. I really went nuts. And I had another Cracker Barrel experience to look forward to the next day, courtesy of the Shipmans.

We had a later flight so we meandered back to Knoxville and enojoyed the college town hangout time.

I scored some sweet potato butter (you heard me) and old timey candy from the General Mart and then we were off. Oh wait...we also honored the Tennessee women's suffrage movement.

Our flight was delayed a bit coming back due to the stupid weather in Chicago. But when I finally got back, I was greeted by a real treat.

Sarah's birthday trolley!! It had been a long day, but when someone says, "we're coming to your place to pick you up in the trolley," you go with it. The weather wasn't exactly what Sarah was hoping.

But it was still a good time. Happy B, Sarah F!

And then I went to sleep.

Next stop: Edmond, OK

DQ's Final Homeshow/Derek's First Homeshow

2010-03-11T21:24:00.000-06:00

After four and a half years on the road, Dana has her last RedCo homeshow. I caught her and TJ preshow and forced a posed picture. I knew I wouldn't take too many. I feel like last nights are better in the memory than on a hard drive. (Regardless, I took a few.)

I'll miss her.

We had a great show for a nearly-full house and a very full bench. We couldn't f around nearly as much as some last night casts do, as we had Derek onstage for his first homeshow. I think that was for the best. You don't want your last show being a total cluster, right? The set was Dana's, and in SC tradition she got to do some of her favorite scenes from her time on the road followed by improv with friends, including most of GreenCo and some old Red friends.

Backstage was a party between the show and the set with all the guests. It was a great time for the SC family, with half the new e.t.c. cast being former RedCo (badass), friends from other Co's and the celebration of Dana's "graduation" and Derek and me being newbies. It was a great night all around, aside from Dana and I barely squeaking our songs out due to lost voices and sore throats. We soldiered through.

When it was all over, and before adjourning to the party at Corc's, we presented Dana with our cast gift, having secretly framed a poster of hers. Megan snuck into her apartment while we were in Ohio and made it happen.

Today was our first rehearsal with the brand new incarnation of RedCo. I loved my time with Arch and Dana so much and am glad to have caught them before they moved on. But I'm also really excited to look ahead. There were a few times during rehearsal today where we were all onstage together and I felt a wave of giddiness knowing this is my company and these are the people I get to share the stage with for (hopefully) a long time to come. It's a really f-ing solid group...if I do say so.

Tour #8: Columbus and Cleveland, OH(IO!)

2010-03-11T20:59:00.000-06:00

Dana's last tour with RedCo.

Who's going to drive when she's gone???

It was also Derek's first tour with RedCo. God bless him for wearing this Cubs scarf with no irony.

So we drove first to Columbus to perform at the Southern Theatre. We checked into the Courtyard Marriott and knew immediately where we were.

We also knew immediately that it would be hard to get to sleep after our show. The place (set up like a "suites" hotel with the big space with a pool in the middle) was crawling with crazy loud kids there for what we concluded was a middle-school aged wrestling tournament. I quickly assessed that these people (no offense Ohio friends) are like southerners without the charm. Lots of adults wandering the halls and lobby in their pajamas and yelling PG-13 profanities at their children. Nice.

Our audience seemed delightful, though. Some sponsors (contributors? benefactors?) of the theatre came to our green room to say hello and thank you and take some pictures. Edgar is always up for a picture.

And so is our newbie. Why do I look so shocked?? (Oh yeah, I have bangs now. Thanks, Monique!)

Off to Cleveland, DQ's hometown. We met some of her family for lunch at TGIFriday's when we got into town. Other than her neice's disdain for me and the ominous dismissal of our waitress mid-service, lunch was delightful. We had enough time pre-show to get to our hotel and take showers/naps/gym visits.

And a bit pic. Dana and I took a nap in the lobby.

Dana took me on a mini walking tour of the downtown area. This theatre is the former site of The Second City Cleveland. This day it was hosting a women's roller derby...meeting? We walked through and Dana showed me the stage, which looked similar to the old days. She was pretty nostalgic but happy to see it.

Here was our home for the night. We were in the Ohio Theatre. I was giddy to learn that next door to us was Ted Neely playing Jesus for millionth time in Jesus Christ Superstar. Seriously, he's 66...he's been Jesus twice as long as Jesus was Jesus. I wanted nothing more than to see him on the street, but instead I was happy to put my ear against their stage door and hear the beginning of Act II. Also, some of the cast was in our hotel. When some wirey dudes in skinny jeans, shabby chic beards and makeup remnants came in, I knew they were apostles. Or guys from my neighborhood in Chicago. Hey-o!

For the final time, Dana and I shared the makeup counter and she lamented the last of her bronzer, which she's been meaning to refill since our first trip together. (Yes, Kyle always sits in the girls' dressing room pre-show)

More bits! Here I am coming out of a weird old telephone booth in Becky's, our dinner and after-party locale. They are a bar famous for their perogies. And oh man, are those good perogies. It was like drowning in a quicksand pit of potato. Our show was great, despite a late start and some sound issues. Dana had dozens of family and friends in the audience and we used the set to honor her in her home town. The party at Becky's featured some blow-the-roof-off-the-joint karaoke, especially Edgar's When Doves Cry. It was a good trip, although we did have to leave crazy early Sunday to get back in time for both Bryan and I to make it to other jobs. We made great time getting back, and thus ended my last tour with DQ. It was a great six weeks, and I am grateful to have had the time with her.

No trips for a little bit. Homeshows, then next stop: back to Tennessee!

Tour #7: Nashville, TN

2010-03-01T09:59:00.000-06:00

I was in room 2-2-7. Jealous? Jackee?

We joined Edgar and Arch (already there for a workshop) in Nashville on Friday and immediately went looking for food downtown. Nashville's Broadway (really called Broadway) is very touristy and kitschy, but very fun. There is music everywhere.

And giant guitars!! Look closely, my eyes are closed in this shot. Because I'm so in love with this giant guitar.

We had lunch in this place, Jack's BBQ. Oh man. It was amazing. Pulled pork, five different bbq sauces, and unlimited sweet tea. Oh and cornbread that was like a piece of cake. Thanks, the South.

Edgar's show clothes needed some steam.

Perfect.

We had two great shows. They were Arch's last with RedCo, which was very sad, but also fun. We have a two person scene in the show that we've had a great time playing and it took on some serious bit water in its last night. I'm very lucky to have played with him and am sad to see him go, but happy that he's going on to some fun new things this year. Good luck, Arch.

We got done with our shows too late to go back downtown. Which was unfortunate, because this was the first town we've been in where I was jazzed to go out. Nashville karaoke bars?? Come on! But as it is, it's only an hour or so by plane, so Matt and I will just have to have a weekend there one of these days. Just for fun. Instead of heading downtown, we hit a 3am bar by our hotel and hung out. We were all exhausted, but we had a good time watching the Olympics and eating Hot Chicken Chunks. Not a bit, that's a real menu item. For the record, I ate no chunks.

I suppose instead of going to a bar we could've gone to this kickass Studio 54 party at the Kappa Sigma house. As Arch yelled out our car window, "It looks like the real deal!"

My first RedCo.

Tour #6: Albuquerque, NM

2010-02-23T10:33:00.000-06:00

Our shuttle ride from the airport to the rental car is already so much fun!

My favorite part of the city. Thanks for the safety tip, ABQ.

Our awesome theatre. It had a ghost, whom we never saw. But who needs ghosts, when your procenium looks like....

I'm exremely serious before the show.

After a great show (with Chad, our last minute sub MD who did an awesome job) we hit the streets of ABQ, which had surprisingly turned into what Dana accurately described as a "southwestern Jersey Shore." We passed a lot of lines outside of douchey clubs and found a nice little divey beer bar with an awesome iPod lineup. I left the cast to adjourn to my cushy room at the Hyatt and they hit up a couple more places, including a subpar strip joint. I'm sad (?) I missed it.

Kyle and I found a diner the next morning and although we waited waaaaay too long for our food, I was happy to get some real green chile on my huevos. The flight back was threatening to be eventful, but ended up quiet and only 20 minutes late. I had to get back to CSz as soon as possible for my 303 class's show. They killed it! I was a very proud teacher.

Next stop: Nashville, TN

Tour #5: Notre Dame

2010-02-23T10:10:00.000-06:00

We had two shows in the home of the Fighting Irish. We were greeted on campus by a girl running in a sports bra and shorts in the 30 degree weather. Nice work, ND.

I am sad I didn't get a picture of Touchdown Jesus, but there were beautiful buildings on campus.

Like I said, we had two shows. The 6pm show was lightly attended and a little quieter, but still good. The 9pm show was pretty great and much louder. Although there was one very drunk kid in the front row who slept through the first act and then threw up in the lobby. Again, nice work, ND.

Between-show dinner. We had TJ Shan-dogg with us on the road again. It's been great to have him playing for us, but it's also been a rare treat to get to have our director on the road. This way he can see how brilliant and hilarious we are instead of just reading it in show reports. (Side note of snarkiness: please notice how Edgar looks in that black undershirt...then know that he lives on fast food and candy. Life is not fair.)

This was my improv set night and we went with a quick run of swinging-door edited scenes. It was pretty stupid and fun. We tried to get out quickly, as we had a long-ish drive home and an early call the next morning to head off to Albuquerque. Thanks, Notre Dame!

Valentine

2010-02-15T10:51:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

This year is a little different for me, being engaged and all. Alright, I've never had a Valentine's Day alone. Before all you lady friends of mine start rolling your eyes and whipping Lindt Truffles at my face (mmm!), I assure you I've had my share of boy trouble. Which is why it was ten times nicer to have stayed in this year, have dinner cooked by my delightful fiance and know that we will have 50 more of them (or maybe 75, it's the 21st century!).

I'm well aware at this time of year and at this time in my life, as my friends and I hover around 30, that there are too many awesome women who don't have awesome V-Days. Not to say everyone has to buy in to the hearts and flowers, but I know too many ladies who deserve perfect guys. And those guys are taking their sweet-ass time. Come on, dudes. Man up.

My friend and co-worker Sarah is one girl I know who deserves a good guy.

Three years ago, she went on a few dates with a bit of lame-o. Just in time for Valentine's Day he accidentally broke her glasses and decided to make up for it with this necklace. Thanks? Because Sarah is awesome and has a great sense of humor, she recognizes the bit-value in wearing this thing every year on Valentine's day until it can be replaced by a real token of a great guy's affections. It serves as a heart-shaped, bedazzled Bat signal for a guy who will truly deserve Sarah's attention. Did I mention she's awesome? Guys, if you're lucky enough to find a girl as cool and fun as Sarah, please don't buy her a ridiculous necklace. Start with flowers. (Or in Sarah's case, a little dark chocolate and a night of dancing.)

Tour #4: Palos Hills, IL

2010-02-15T10:10:00.000-06:00

This one was in our backyard. A quick 45 minute trip to a suburb and back in time to see Matt play Improvised Star Trek at midnight.

They gave us great snacks.

There's Kyle up there, shouting out orders, like he tends to do. Dictator.

The best part of the night was that I became a real RedCo member. Dana left these treats in my backpack in the dressing room. Additionally, during the intro announcements being made by the theatre manager, Arch looked at me in the wings and said, "You've been here long enough." He then tried to shove me onstage. Now, Arch is two of me. Fighting him was hard, even though he was probably giving it half his strength. He promised to get me once before he leaves us. But he may end up with some scratches.

Tour #3: Purdue University

2010-02-15T09:45:00.000-06:00

We didn't get to see a whole lot of Purdue. It was in and out. But this is what the trip looked like. A whole lot of midwest, not unlike the trip to Iowa last week.

Although this week, we did get to take this guy with us.

TJ "Shandogg" Shanoff was our understudy musical director for a couple shows this weekend. Bryan is in DC with Barack Stars and Julie is out of town, so our director got to join us. Although every time he tried to give a note, I quickly reminded him, "Shut up, understudy." This is how I got fired.

All bits aside, we had a great show, great house and we played the most fun improvised musical I've ever been a part of. It was based on a suggestion of an eye disorder, whose name I can barely pronounce, let alone recall. So Edgar played Dana's blind son and Ross and I, being bespectacled, had a baby with perfect vision that was being coveted by Arch's FBI agent to fight the Russians. As with most improv, you had to be there. But it was a pretty incredible 25 minutes of musical make-em-ups.

Thanks, Purdue!

Tour #2: Iowa City

2010-02-09T09:49:00.001-06:00

This was the most exciting thing to see on the road to Iowa. Lots of farms, lots of cows and then the World's Largest Truckstop. Good thing the inside of the van was fun-filled.

And I also had work to do.

Dana and I enjoy being celebrities beneath our marquee. The theatre was great and the audiences were awesome. We had two really fun shows for the college kids and locals. There was, for whatever reason, a dinosaur theme running through our sets. At least for me personally.

Julie Nichols, a former Johnny's Regret MD and general music extraordinaire, joined us for this trip. No Bryan, we didn't forget you. But it was fun to have an extra girl in our dressing room.

I took advantage of our free day preshow on Saturday to visit the Newman Center on campus and attend the 4:30 vigil mass. The priest was young, hip and funny, as college campus priests tend to be. He told a great story about being young and proud and being humbled by taking a tumble down a hill while trying to impress a girl. A homily on humility was a highly appropriate thing for me to hear in the midst of two nights of standing ovations. We get to be rockstars on the road, but in the end, I have to know how fortunate and blessed I am to be doing any of this.

And I sure am lucky to be doing it with these guys.

I was quickly reminded about show disparity when we performed a homeshow for 8 people last night. Ok, not 8, but maybe 65, which in the Second City mainstage is like performing into a empty cave. The audience was great and appreciative, and I think we did an admirable job. But it sure is a change from the throngs of screaming college town kids. But hey, I did get asked for my autograph last night for the second week in a row.

Humility!

Egaged! Home!

2010-02-03T09:20:00.001-06:00

Sunday night was our engagement party. Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us! We got a basically private party at a place near Matt's apartment called Red Brick. If you live in Chicago, please support this place. Good food, run by really nice people and an amish fireplace! Don't let it go unnoticed.

Some of my best lady friends made an appearance. Meredith and Ali (and others) did some serious cheerleading fro me this weekend. More on that later. Thanks, ladies!

Matt and Arnie's morning show. One day it will become real.

Thank you so much again to everyone who came. We had a really great time and even though the wedding is about 15 months away, we can already be excited to have so many friends supporting us. And ready to have a serious party.

Back to the cheerleading. Ten of our friends came to see Matt's show at Stage Left on Friday night. It was a great house and a great show and it was awesome to have everyone together at once. It's not an easy feat. They even surprised me with a champagne toast pre-show. Yes, they have bottle service at the Blarney Stone. Here's everyone onstage post-show doing the best Breakfast Club bit possible. Well, at least Matt S. is all the way on the left. Super Judd Nelson.

Monday. Homeshow. I blew it and took no pictures. I was a little too preoccupied, I suppose. But there will be more. And I will not make the same mistake this weekend in Iowa City, which has gotten glowing reviews from all who have toured there before. So I'm excited to see this mysterious and exotic Iowa City.

For the record, the show was good. I am so happy to be with RedCo and feel priveleged everytime I'm with them. I'm sure that'll wear off. BITS!

Tour #1: SLO City

2010-01-24T23:32:00.001-06:00

Yes, they call San Luis Obispo, CA SLO City.

We weren't there long enough to learn if there was any truth to the acronym. After the delays from Chicago (and Phoenix for half the company) we spent a total of 18 hours in SLO, including a show at CalPoly and a trip to IHOP. Then it was back on the plane to Phoenix and Chicago.

I'm sad we didn't get to see more of the city. It looked pretty once the clouds cleared.

In the small window of time we had in Phoenix, I shopped the magazine store (someone called it that and made me laugh...Ross?...someone) and acquiesced to a copy of Bride Magazine. Edgar seemed slightly more excited than I was to look at it.

After about an hour and half delayed on the runway, we finally took off for Chicago and had a rather uneventful flight (except for Kyle and I inadvertantly making fun of a girl's thong). It was ridiculously wonderful to be home. And having seen California and Bride Magazine, I have honeymoon destinations to consider.

AAaaaaaaaaaaaAAAaaaAAAAhhhhhhhhhh

2010-01-19T01:09:00.000-06:00

I'm getting married!!!!!

This guy

gave me this ring.

He came to pick me up for dinner and instead of getting into his car like usual, I was caught at my door and offered a ring. I said yes (spoiler?) and we had a great dinner. While he proposed, a car alarm went off. It was very appropriate. One thing - we never got to giggle and scream about it...we had to be in front of people for a couple hours and then make phone calls. We got a little giddy here and there. But I have a lot left in me. Good thing we have time.

We are very happy and really excited to share our wedding with as many people as we can reasonably afford.

Christmas, New Year, New Blog

2010-01-05T22:35:00.000-06:00

We did it, 2009! Here were are. Everything got real today. But I'm ahead of myself. Christmas was...

Mom, dad, Matt and me at the Stratosphere.

A Vegas staple: the Elvis stocking.

Pretty great. We saw a few shows, lost some money, but gained pictures and presents. I'm not mad that I get to go to Vegas to visit my parents. Although it is mildly exhausting. Don't people go "home" over the holidays and watch movies and do crossword puzzles?

I wish I could say New Year's was as exciting. We rang it in in the van on the way back from my last show as an understudy for a while. Happy New Year, seven friends I just did a show with! Now go find your party! My party was Cheers reruns on Matt's TV. And I was very happy with that.

So, Natalie, what's with the new blog? Well. It's about to get interesting. (Also I love puns.) I need to have some subject matter upon which to focus this old thing, so I'm turning my attention to my impending touring. Get ready to see some sweet pictures of hilarious bar names and all manner of theatre venue.

Before I get bogged down in the mire of travel and work and whatnot, I do want to say how excited and grateful I am to have a job I love. I would've never planned for this or imagined it before I got here, but I figured out what I wanted pretty quickly. In January of 2004 I walked into Second City to audition for the Conservatory Program. Today I walked in for my first Touring Company rehearsal. The last six years have been, in all sincerity, awesome.

2009

2009-12-21T09:16:00.004-06:00

This has not been the biggest blog year for me, but it's been one of the best years of all 29 of them. And I promise to share more in 2010. Why, Natalie, why would you do that? Well, in 2010, I will begin touring with Second City's RedCo. After two short years of understudying, I am finally going on the road. There are many emotions wrapped up in this...I am of course very happy and excited...but my sometime-aversion to travel is popping up a little, as is my separation anxiety from Chicago and from Matt. But my attention defecit really lends itself to being on the road, and for that I am grateful and excited to be doing something that may really suit me. Also, who isn't excited to be doing a few shows in Iowa City??? Anyway, this is what I moved to Chicago to do and I feel very blessed to be given the opportunity. And you're welcome, blog audience. My travels will be documented here beginning January 22. FUN!

What else? Well it's been a wonderful holiday. Matt and I spent Thanksgiving in Decatur, IL with no less than his entire family. It's a different experience than my family for sure, considering I have less than a third of the family he has. But I've always liked our small gatherings. Which we will have over Christmas in Vegas! Matt's coming with me, and we already have a full entertainment schedule.

Oh, I haven't said a thing about my 29th birthday. Well...

It was fun.

I hope everyone is having a great holiday.

Thanks

2009-11-25T12:55:00.002-06:00

I feel like I've been waiting for the holidays since January of this year. I am incredibly happy they made it. Tomorrow, very early, I will be on my way to Decatur, IL to celebrate Thanksgiving and other various milestones with Matt's family. His whole family. Virtually every single member. No big deal.

I am also 3 days from my 29th birthday. As Amy so rhetorically reminded me, it is in fact the last year of my 20s. I have to say I'm pretty ok with that. Aside from this annoying biological clock, I'm pretty excited to get the hell out of this decade. My 20s have been fun and interesting and important...but they're also pretty overrated. There's a humorous, but humbling, comfort in looking back on things I did 7, 5, even one year ago and think, "Oh yikes, I would never do that again." So here's to being older and having more life to carry with me.

Think of things you're thankful for. And EAT!!

Slow Blog Year

2009-11-04T22:46:00.004-06:00

I'm going to say it's because of all the exciting things I've been doing. Or it's because I'm ashamed to blog about sitting in my apartment. It's a little of both. But either way I've come back like I always do. What have we missed?

Girls Night Out! Great show, great cast, and I'm sad it's over. But we will continue to hold reunions at douchebag bars.

More girls, but the CSz kind. Ladiez Cook and Clean at TNo's place with a good percentage of CSz women represented. We got serious and made pasta. Serious pasta.

Halloween! Matt and I both went the cartoon route (ugh, I get it, the Flash is a comic not a carto-zzzzzzzzzzzzzz). Regardless here we are, The Flash and Jem!

Other things to report...I was thisclose to being in a commercial for the first time in my life. That was an exciting four days of jumping whenever my phone rang. But really, it was. Despite my lack of funds and the adjustment to rejection, I manage to remind myself how happy I am to be in the position to get that phone call.

And speaking of life progress, I'm fully embracing the fact that I can't live without TV. Maybe some elitist "readers" or "outdoor enthusiasts" will look down their noses at me, but I'm not afraid to admit it anymore. A few weeks ago for financial reasons I decided to go without cable for the first time in my life. Without a digital converter, I've had nothing but DVDs, radio and buffering internet video. Until today. The digital box I borrowed from a friend at work finally decided to cooperate with my TV and like magic, network television appeared. I had never been so happy to see Two and a Half Men. TV is just a fixture. I had all these aspirations of silence and work and self discovery. But instead I would just take too much time to locate my desired Buffy episode on DVD so I could have something on while I stood in the kitchen doing dishes. When you live alone, the TV is your roommate. And if my roommate can't passively talk to me, I'm not ok. So I said it. I need my TV.

And now I have to go and fall asleep watching the Home Shopping Network. Or telenovelas.

Stuff I'm Currently Not Doing

2009-09-03T10:11:00.002-05:00

Here's what's going on in my apartment that I've been meaning to address for...5 years. I keep moving the same crap over and over and thinking I'll get rid of it "next time." So let's take a look.

Top Shelf: Coke stuff. Ok, fine, no issue there. What you don't see sitting in front of the truck's front wheel is my severed Lollapalooza bracelet from this year. Fine to keep, but it needs to go into my oft-idealized, never realized scrap book. In the cup there you may noticed some braided palms from Palm Sunday this year. Again, great to have, but I forget that I never properly disposed of the ones from last year. Sorry, JC.

First shelf: lots of books. Too many. Several of them could stand to go to a nice open space where they can run and play with other books.

Second shelf: Eesh. This shelf is broken. So I've balanced a bunch of light crap there that I don't have any other space for. Stapler, tape, pens, sewing kit my aunt gave me when I went to college....great. Glittler glue pens from an art project for my Sunday school class in 2005?? I'm a mess.

Bottom shelf: Tools. Three hole punch. Mini-speakers for my computer. Giant binder containing my Second City understudy packet. Notepads from a gift set and a two-pack of Silly Putty from my mom's Easter package this year. Come on, Sullivan.

So what have we learned? Well, I've taken the time to share this assessment on my blog while drinking coffee and watching Price is Right rather than actually doing something about it. But maybe the accountability will catch up with me. You know, before I go back to the office next week.

Fall Back On

2009-09-01T17:36:00.003-05:00

Well happy fall. I know it's a little premature, but as soon as Pumpkin Spice Lattes hit Starbucks, it's that time again. The weather in Chicago has been perfect and I'm ready to love things again. The past month or so has been tough. Maybe I hate summer. Maybe I missed Bar Harbor just a little. Maybe...a lot of things. But mostly I think I fell victim to jobless depression. I've been without regular work for 3 months, and I think it took about two months for the fun to wear off. I hate not being busy. If I'm not swamped I get nothing done, I start running late, and I just complain a whole lot more. So it's time to shake off the weirdness of summer '09 and move on.

I am trying to tackle some writing projects as we speak, which means I'm easily distracted. Hence this blog. Also, I fell victim to trying to clean out some email. Which lead me to go all the way back to the beginning of my yahoo account in March of 2005. Four and half years ago my life looked a lot different. Do this. Look at your sent box as far back as you can and see how many of those people you still talk to. Or how many of those emails make you roll your eyes or laugh or groan. Of course I realize the difference between 24 and 28 is significant. So I'm giving 24 year-old me the benefit of the doubt. Plus the space-time continuum doesn't allow me to punch myself, so there are things I just have to shake my head at, chuckle and try to forget. I'm sure I'll do it all over again when I'm 32.

A September 1, 2009 update, in the spirit of time-dashing...

I really appreciate the intentions of raw-food vegans, but I am not meant to be one.
2010 will be my year of superficiality. In a good way.
I love spending full days at home cooking and cleaning. But after two months of it, I begin to break things.
A year ago this time I was preparing to go to Novi, MI. I really loved that.

I'm ready for my first fall at home since 2006.

My Favorite Things

2009-08-21T09:46:00.003-05:00

When I started this blog my intention was to focus on things I love. Well I am suffering from a serious lack of geek-out. This needs to be remedied.

So what am I doing these days...well, I'm involved in some super awesome things.

District 9!! No, not the movie. And not just these two ladies. I just don't have any full team pictures. But Bev and Julie are 20% of this kick-ass CSz Rec League team. It's been an honor for me to coach them.

Uniformless! It's been a fun summer with these guys. Shortform players doing longform...without our UNIFORMS. Come see a show, you'll get it.

I'm very lucky to be in this van. Girls Night Out has been great so far and the cast couldn't be better. Our rides to and from Arlington Heights every weekend are ridiculous. Totally ridiculous. Speaking of ridiculous...I found this magazine backstage and it has clearly left me dumbstruck. DramaBiz Magazine, tagline: Giving You the Business. YES!!!!!

I miss reveling in my lameness. More to come.

Summery

2009-08-15T09:55:00.004-05:00

A couple months ago I said I wasn't going to blink until after Lollapalooza. I got to blink!

So I went to DC and did my show and saw this.

And this...

And Bethany! Here we are on the tour of the Capitol that I tagged along on... And Matt came to see my show! But really he came to see the Air and Space Museum.

It has been a ridiculous summer. Good ridiculous. It's nice to settle down and be doing a regular show. Girls Night out opened last weekend and is going along very well. I haven't done a regular show run since Novi, and I forgot how nice it is to saunter into a theatre, put on make up, gossip, do stupid bits, flip through a magazine and then make a bunch of normal folks laugh at a song about dicks. It's nice to be home too.

Speaking of home, thank you, Chicago!

Forsythe and I were the only serious ones. Open to close.Roommates! Former roommates. Rob's made a tradition of coming back from Hollywood every year for the occasion.Hot ladies. No, really, it was really hot out there.

So about settling. Now that things are quieting down, and I have a show going on, and I have a return to the office on the horizon...this is where I tend to get weird. I like when things are in flux and I get uncomfortable when they're stable. Well. I'm waiting.

2009: The Fastest Year in the Entire History of Forever

2009-07-13T00:52:00.004-05:00

I still have to make the conscious effort to write '09 on checks, etc and it's July! Holy F.

So I've taken a real summer vacay in a lot of ways. Literal ones...

Portland! Sarah really was having the best time ever. Bob and Stacey hosted us at their theatre, and we held an official Firecracker reunion.

Oh man, I'm having so much fun!

Portland led to Sun City, AZ.

Uncle Pete: Here, Nat, take this. In my chair with a right wing book and a remote. This is me.

Back to my days of liesure...Uncle Carl visits! A pic of him taking a pic on the lakefront Loyola campus.

These kids got married! The wedding was a great time. Thanks and congrats, John and Tracey!

And speaking of lovely couples...in the tent backstage of the CSz Taste of Chicago shows.

Happy 4th! At Tamara's annual bbq. Matt and I are strategically placed in front of a box of Twinkies. Pure coincidence.

CSz Chicago represents at Tournament in Milwaukee! A few of us dropped in the last night and hit up some shows and partying.

So Chicago didn't win tourney, but man look at these prizes!

In addition to the literal vacation, I've clearly taken some mental time off. It's a bad sign when blogging is a chore. Or a good one? I've been busy with travelling and shows and preparing for the trip to Washington DC for the Fringe Fest. After that, I start rehearsal for Girls' Night Out in Arlington Heights. That's mostly what I have to report.

I hope the 8 of you are happy for the update.

mom and dad

2009-06-08T01:02:00.002-05:00

My parents celebrated 37 years of marriage this past week. I am proud of them. Two more reasons they are the greatest:

Me: I have enough money not to work, but I may be broke at the end of summer.
Mom: You know you can always come here. You know, if you had to.

Me: Hey dad. Are you busy?
Dad: I'm always busy. But never too busy for you.

Both true stories. I love you, mom and dad. Thank you for returning the favor to Amy and me and each other.

What's the Buzz

2009-06-01T23:54:00.003-05:00

Tell me what's happening...

I have some great pictures. But my incidental internet connection is uncooperative. A recap:

I attended my second conference for work. Hollywood, FL!!! What a delight.

Visited Danny and Honit. They have a family. How crazy and wonderful. It was so fun to see them and their boys.

Lost my day job. Well, that sounds dramatic. I'm just on hiatus for the summer, which is actually a pretty good time. I've become a poster-child for daytime buyouts at CSz. Happy graduation all you middle schools!!

Speaking of CSz, I've adopted a Rec League team. What a kickass group of improvisors. Come see District 9 if you're in Chicago!

I'm on the verge of a trip to Portland, OR to see Bob and Stacey. YAY!!!! That trip will be followed by a trip to DC for the Fringe Fest. Vinnie and I are digging Hopelessly Devoted out of the old hope chest and shaking the dust off it. Yay for a bi-coastal summer!

John and Tracey had their respective bachelor/bachelorette parties and their wedding is approaching. It's been a long time since I've seen friends get married. Nice work, you two.

So...things are good.

Mom.

2009-05-07T11:12:00.003-05:00

Last night I performed in the first show I've ever produced on my own. I had an idea, I talked to people about being in it, I secured a space and a music director, and I wrote something. It only took 5 years to get to this. And the show came together in three weeks.

I took for granted how frantic and scared and scattered this would make me. I didn't take my camera to the show, which I'm still sad about, but despite my willingness to blog, I take some delight in having things that will always stay in my head and not on a memory card. Or that's how I will comfort myself anyway.

The show was great. Really great. I was amazed watching 9 women whom I really respect and enjoy create original work, and I was honored that I got to do it alongside them. Some of them I've been friends with since I got to Chicago, some I've only watched and looked up to. All I regard among the best performers in the city or in all of comedy. Not hyperbole. They are that good. I'm so grateful to know them and to be able to do this thing I love. Thank you, ladies. And thank you to everyone who helped make it possible.

I did manage a few pics with my phone when a few of us went to Cesar's afterward...

Tamara, what's with your hand? I don't know.

TD and KD have a lot of business on their phones.

Katie, Tam's roommate, showed us her "dad dollar." This inspired talk of a Father's Day show. Oh boy.

Huge thanks of course to my mom. If not for her, I wouldn't have been motivated to put this show together. I would maybe not be in Chicago, not performing, well of course, I wouldn't be in this world when it comes down to it. But logistics aside, she is nuts, and I love her. She's done everything for me, and I hope that I can be the same kind of mother one day. Well, minus a few things. Thanks, mom.

Off to Florida tomorrow for the office's annual conference. And, speaking of moms, to see Danny and Honit. YAY!!

KNIFE FIGHT DANCE PARTY

2009-04-29T23:38:00.003-05:00

We're really doing it. Timmy, John and I enjoy Micou's dance at Potbelly's. His dance that might be in response to his 2 year-old daughter psychotically screaming DANCE PARTY!!!!!!! It will all make sense when our videos hit the internet.

Starting next week, I might not blink until after Lollapalooza. I'm going to Miami, Portland, Phoenix, DC and...Lollapalooza. Summer in Chicago really is the best. Even in other places.

What I do for a Living

2009-04-15T20:01:00.002-05:00

Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!

I missed these Macy's jobs. I get to do another one this weekend. If you're in downtown Chicago Saturday from 1-3, stop by the kids dept. You can get your face painted too.

The Daddy Tomato Squished the Baby Tomato...

2009-04-04T16:06:00.003-05:00

Almost a week ago, I was doing this.... Shamrock Shuffle! Megan, Timmy and I braved the Chicago spring and walked 5k through slush and snow with squishy shoes. In the end, we had our pride, accomplishment and whole wheat bagels provided by Whole Foods.

Today, I did this. We filmed some promo videos for CSz at the Intercontinental. He's blurry, but that's Brian about to pull a Looney Tunes on the inexplicable subway staircase painted on the wall. Good bit.

And the day just gets better. Mom sent me this novelty card and a kick ass recipe for brownies. Between this, yoga and Buffy, it's really shaped up to be the best Saturday on record.

So what has been happening since I've been blog-absent...well, not a lot. It's the eve of my favorite mass of the year, not counting Easter Vigil. I'm all giddy for Palm Sunday tomorrow. And how has Lent been? Well, every year I have pretty grand designs on how my Lent will unfold...how many rosaries I will say, how many volunteer hours I will accrue. And I tend to reach Holy Week with an unchecked spiritual to-do list and an intent to cram for the final. This year is no different, except that it's very different. Unchecked list, check. Unchecked Catholic guilt, uncheck.

Holy Weeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

The Best Thing I've Seen in a While

2009-03-19T15:28:00.002-05:00

(Thanks, Micou.)

Becoming

2009-03-05T15:32:00.002-06:00

Last week on the first Friday of Lent I was abstaining from meat, as is Catholic tradition. Throughout the day I started to think, "Huh...I wonder if I really need to be eating meat at all." The answer over the last few days has become a clear, "I don't think so." And so I have done what I tend to do with any new idea: jumped in with my clothes on and swam around in it. I've been reading all kinds of vegetarian websites, health info, recipes, etc. I've known vegetarians and Vegans my whole life and have never really understood it. I think I'm beginning to. I will not use my blog to elaborate on the health or environmental benefits of vegetarianism in an effort to inform or convert my 8 faithful readers. As with my religion, I don't believe in outright evangelism, I believe in living your principles. So I'll talk about how I feel, but I take no official position on your eating habits. Yes, you.

That said, this is not about vegetarianism per se. This is about "becoming." It's a big word, in addition to being the title of one of the best two-part season finales in all of TV history. I have been meat-free for almost one week. I've felt compelled to keep people informed of my decision, but at no point have I told anyone, "I'm a vegetarian." I don't feel like I am one. Not yet. We can call ourselves a lot of things. I am a girl. I am a 28 year-old. I am an American of Irish-German descent. Those are finite titles that can be scientifically proven. The phrase "I am" shouldn't be thrown around the way it often is. This is well illustrated in the Spanish language, where there are two separate forms of the verb "to be," ser and estar, one referring to state of being and one referring to properties of being. The English "am" is...broad.

I tell people I'm Catholic, that I'm a Democrat, that I'm a bad flier. The truth is, I practice Catholicism, I'm more aligned with Democratic ideals and sometimes I take valium and fall asleep at my gate and miss a business flight. The tangible act of "being" one thing or another demands long term commitment, unwavering consistency, a binding legal contract or plain old genetic programming. I've only recently started referring to myself as an actor because in the past year I have more times than not gotten paid to do just that. Before I was an actor, I was a contract administrative assistant who practiced the skill of comedic performance. That doesn't sound as cool when you're introducing yourself to someone at a bar.

A woman who has a baby becomes a mother. She becomes a mother through the experience of carrying a child and enduring labor (I am in no way undermining the motherhood of a woman who adopts. She becomes in a different way). A man becomes a father through his interaction with the mother and the child. That's why I always contend that a woman becomes a mother...a man has to earn fatherhood.

My favorite yoga instructor always talks to us at the beginning of class. There is a clear delineation between the instructors at my gym who teach "fitness yoga" and those who teach "spiritual yoga." This particular woman strikes the perfect balance. So she talks to us before class about setting our intention and often she offers some yoga-inspired philosophy. The most striking to me so far was a quote she relayed. So striking in fact that I'm paraphrasing it...but it was something to the effect of "The perfection is in the practice." It is difficult for any of us in our lifetimes to say we've arrived somewhere or finished something or fully become whatever. But we sure do practice.

Each Sunday I practice my Catholic faith. A couple times a week, I practice my improv and acting skills in front of an audience. Now when I eat, I practice vegetarianism. Hopefully in the times between practicing these things, I am becoming them.

Reach Out and Touch Faith

2009-02-26T16:20:00.002-06:00

Mostly because I'm listening to Johnny Cash's cover of Personal Jesus right now. Man, that guy, huh? (Thanks, Wolfson, for this CD. You're getting it back tonight)

I won't bother to continually apologize for my lack of blog. Wait, did I just...? Regardless... it's suddenly Lent again. I feel like just yesterday I was receiving ashes in the Galaxy of the Stars lounge aboard the NCL Spirit. So each year I make some Lenten promises, sacrifices and intentions. The intentions this year are more nebulous than usual, but nonetheless, um, intentional. My sacrifice is pretty concrete: I'm giving up drinking for 40 days. It's not as though I drink regularly to excess, but the regularly part is true and I've decided it can only save me money, calories and dignity to lay off for a while.

As for intentions...well, the pattern I noticed of Natalie circa 2008 was excess. To "comfort" myself in the hard/lonely/confusing times of '08 I grew accustomed to never saying no to myself. So in the tradition of Lent in general, this will be a season of denial. Not arbitrary denial for the sake of it, but denial for the sake of health and patience and growth. In short: for Lent I'm giving up being spoiled.

Ash Wednesday is one of my favorite days on the liturgical calendar. It's the heading at the top of a clean slate.

A Little Out of It

2009-02-10T10:54:00.003-06:00

I took Nyquil last night for my cold (or whatever it is) and I am still in a haze. It's a great feeling to fall asleep to, but then you spend the next day in slow motion. I'm not upset about it. Just trying to get back to work. I guess listening to NPR at my desk isn't exactly a wake up call.

And speaking of "out of it" it's been nearly a month now since a blog posting. What's going on?? Well, I'll tell you. The following are things I blame for my absence:

1. Matt

2. Travel

3. Lack of creativity

In regards to travel...

This is what happens when you're driving from Chico to Reno and you say, "You know we're driving over Donner Pass." And Tara says, (screeeeeeeeeeeech) "We're doing a bit pic."

BlueCo with newbs and temps. Katy and Greg are newbs, Vanessa and I are temps. What a fun trip with three fun shows. Thank you, BlueCo, for making us feel so welcome and for taking me to visit my fam in Reno.

In regards to lack of creativity, I recently took a trip to Dallas for BizCo and I think my soul is still recovering. Alright, it wasn't bad. The script was daunting, but there was also barbeque, conspiracy and 15 fun people. Yes, 15. So all in all, another fun trip.

As for Matt...well, it turns out having a boyfriend means a lot less free time. Seriously, he is super annoying. Always, "Hey let's hang out, I'll buy you dinner." Or "I still have The Office saved on my DVR." Or "I got you another gift." I get it!

Uh....he's reading this isn't he....

Challenge!

2009-01-14T09:28:00.003-06:00

I'll say it, my blog has been useless lately. Sure, I've taken a few pictures, but even that has tapered in the new year. Should I feel better that so far 2009 has robbed me of time to sit and ponder the shallow philosophies afforded us by our elastic Western lifestyle? I guess. So I thought, hey, eight readers (up from six in '08!), let me do you a service and get you involved. I'm an improvisor, I should invite audience participation. So I'm unveiling my first ever NerdTrueStory Scavenger Hunt (trademark)! Feel free to comment/email/text (depending on the depth of our friendship) and let me know how it goes for you.

Task List (loosely based on the events of my '09 so far)

1. Go to a restaurant that has a specific food in the title, but DO NOT get that food (ex: get something other than bagels at Einstein's or go to Chicago's Pizza and Oven Grinder, but get neither a pizza nor an oven grinder)

2. Listen to music that reminds you of high school (or some significant era in your life). For me, this means I have a playlist featuring Dave Matthews and Matchbox 20. It's great for office background.

3. Call your parents and ask them what they did today. I tend to only call my parents to report on my life...which is generally what my mother wants. But yesterday my dad passed an important HR certification test, which is his equivalent of getting a TourCo put-in. We're all still delighted over approval, even as grown-ups.

4. Tell someone exactly what you think of them. This doesn't apply to people you don't enjoy...but think of someone you really like or appreciate (even an acquaintance) and just say, "Hey, you're funny/doing great/wearing a cute scarf/etc."

5. Change the picture on your computer desktop. At home or work, make your desktop picture something totally different. It sounds dumb, but it changes things just enough.

6. Do something you don't want to do. This sounds super vague and not fun. But really, next time you think, "Ugh, I do NOT want to do dishes/take out trash/return this phone call" just do it without thinking about it. It can be small. You'll feel like Master of the Universe after.

7. Leave your phone at home. Natalie, I'm an actor/server/super f-ing important person! I can't leave my phone! What if someone needs me??? What if I get an email?? Yeah, I know. Everyone who knows me knows I'm glued to my stupid Centro (just kidding, baby, I love you and your Facebook app). But just see what happens if you go to the grocery store without it. Or a diner. Or the gym. I'm not talking the whole day. Just one hour. It's amazing. And think of how fun it will be to check it when you get back, just like an old-timey answering machine!

Well, there it is. Go.

Epiphany

2009-01-06T09:07:00.002-06:00

This means I'm back at work.

I'm back in the office, not full time but the closest to it that I've been in three months. I realized yesterday that I'm coming up on my two year anniversary here, give or take three tours of duty. Our location has changed since February '07, my desk is different, but my job is roughly the same and so is my coffee mug. I complete the same ritual at home in the morning, watching MSNBC while I make my travel-friendly coffee and put together my lunch, which has been the same since the day I started: tuna, red peppers, plain yogurt. As I revisited these motions yesterday morning, I had strange flashbacks from the past two years all associated with whatever goings-on coincided with them. Hard-boiling eggs shouldn't come along with emotional baggage...but what can I do.

So it's Epiphany, the official end of the holiday season, but also the official launch into a new season of preparation on the liturgical calendar, from Advent to Christmas to Lent. That Catholic Church...it's always a party. I've put a lot of weight on the calendar this year, carefully observing mile-markers and symbolic numbers. I'd very much like to let that go, but I can't look at a date or a time without putting it in the context of some preceding event or commemoration. I'm using today, the Epiphany (I recognize the irony), to try to see things in front of me as new and unassociated. I need new memories.

Time is Never Time at All...

2009-01-01T14:24:00.003-06:00

2009 huh.

I spent the New Year exactly as intended, with some good friends and food and the small adventure of walking through Rogers Park for 30 minutes looking for a cab. Alright, it wasn't all intended, but it all worked out. I didn't want the big party this year, and so instead Timmy benevolently allowed us to crash a grown up party with him. We started at a place called Anteprimo in Andersonville. Please have dinner here...it's amazing.

John is Spiderman.

Timmy, you've uh...got something...on your glasses.

Abby's sister Ann was in from Seattle. And thank God for her, or I would've been dateless.

Yes, it was Couplesville, USA, but these girls are the best.

Welcome to a decade of these pics.

As is my tradition, I went back and looked at my blog from the beginning of 08. My life is unrecognizable now...or at least my surroundings are. I've been saying how 2008 was awful and I hope 2009 can be better. But really, I'd just like it to be different. Some parts of 08 were the best parts of my life thus far. No need for regrets. The bad parts are over, the good ones hold steady and all in all I'm just glad for those people who stay my friends no matter what. I got to spend my New Year's Eve with several of those people. What's better than that?

The Day after Christmas

2008-12-26T14:23:00.005-06:00

Today is supposed to be a big downer, right? Well, so far it's pretty good. I am taking a vacation day from my vacation. Vegas was great and I miss it already. I also had two really good flights (sorry to all my friends who were delayed, I was very fortunate) which makes me brave about flying more...which makes me try to find ways to travel more often. So another trip to Vegas soon? Maybe.

She (in the tradition of assigning gender pronouns to a city) was good to me this Christmas. I came home with some money and many Christmas gifts from my awesome parents. In fact, I am currently killing time writing this while waiting for my new iPod to sync. In addition to gifts, I brought home some memories (I know, gross). We visited the Ethel M's chocolate factory, saw a lot of Christmas lights and saw The Beatles Love at the Mirage. It was one of the best shows I've ever seen. First time with the Cirque du Soleil, and now I get it. When we got into the theatre, my first impression was, "Oh, this will be like a live action Pink Floyd laser light show." While that is a pale, lame way to put it...it's kind of true. I'd like to see more Cirque du Soleil shows, but I doubt they will be as amazing as when set to the Beatles. Those kids were good.

So I'm home now, drinking some seasonally appropriate peppermint coffee, playing with my new Christmas toys and preparing for a show in St. Charles tonight. We had such a good audience last week, I hope things are as good tonight. I love my cast, I love the original stuff we have in the show. It's only been a few weeks, but I'll miss it when we're done.

Before we opened presents. The tree and the train.

The carnage after.

The big drive-through light display.

Our pre-Christmas Christmas dinner.

The obligatory mirror photo in the lobby of Love.
One of the amazing reliefs (this may or may not be the correct art term) in Most Holy Redeemer Church, a Catholic church on the strip where we went to Christmas vigil.

From the church we walked across the street and had dinner at the Luxor. Next time I go to Vegas, I want to stay here. Anyone want to go?

Before I go, let's play one year ago today: I was in Honduras. The end.

Vivaaaaa...You get it.

2008-12-22T16:47:00.003-06:00

Vegas. It's nice here. Got in early yesterday morning and ran the rest of the day on roughly 2 hours of sleep and two additional hours of day. It's great to be "home." As I was approaching the gate at McCarran, I called to tell my parents, who were waiting at the baggage claim, that I was on the ground. To which my father responds, "peppermint mocha or gingersnap latte?" Merry Christmas, Natalie! Time to be a spoiled 12 year-old again. I'll take it. (if you're dying to know, I chose gingersnap)

Tonight: going to see The Beatles' Love. It's the one show in Vegas I've really wanted to see for a while and never been. There will also undoubtedly be blackjack involved. Let's hope I do better than I was doing in Detroit.

Happy Holidays!

Immaterial

2008-12-14T22:44:00.003-06:00

Christmas, right?

Last year I was on the ship, which clearly made things weird for Christmas tradition. I found my way around it and managed to eek out some ritual. This year for many reasons I just don't feel like participating in any Christmas traditions. Reasons I am comfortable sharing:

I live in a studio that will not accomodate a three-dimensional tree.

I am day-jobless, so I don't want to spend money on temporary items.

I have enough stuff in my tiny space already without a bunch of red and green crap.

I have less than the secular holiday spirit (see above "red and green crap").

An ex-bf of mine liked to point out that I am materialistic. Yes, I idenitify alot with things. Advent calendars and wreaths and trees equal Christmas. Baskets and bunnies equal Easter. Stargazer lilies equal love. I moved so much growing up and never had a real "home" that the things became the only constants. Yeah, yeah, my family too...but to a transient 9 year old, a pink inflatable Easter bunny has a little more imprinting power. Of course as a grown up, I realize that as sure as the Grinch's heart grew three sizes, Christmas will come without ribbons, tags, packages, boxes or bags.

Doesn't mean I don't love this stuff.

Meredith and I had the best day ever at Williams-Sonoma and Trader Joe's. I'll be baking this week. Happy holidays, everyone.

Time Out

2008-12-07T19:22:00.002-06:00

Blogging happens when I should be doing more pressing things. Tonight that thing is learning my lines. I'll get there.

In the meantime, I'll comment on my great weekend. Friday: The Violet Hour. If you live in Chicago, you should take the time to jaunt out to Wicker Park and experience this place. It's beautiful and blue and dim and warm and pretentious and expensive...all of which make me very happy in moderation. So maybe that's not the glowing review that will motivate you to go, but do yourself a favor one night. It's near the corner of Damen and Milwaukee. Tracey and Megan took Meredith and I there for a belated birthday celebration. It was nice to be back with these ladies, since our respective careers keep us apart so often. Also, we got to sit next to a creepy guy who was there alone and eventually struck up a conversation with a couple near us about how he would be hitting a strip club (alone) later. Charming.

Saturday was shows and more shows. CSz 4 Kidz and the 10pm show, both of which were adequate (not the best descriptor, but there it is). I saw Listen Kid at the Skybox, starring the incomparable Jon Colby and Tamara Nolte. I could've watched Tamara dance in a wheel chair all night long. The night was capped by the best Karl show I have ever played in. It was seriously some of the most fun I've had on that stage in general, which is saying a lot. I'm very thankful that these guys invite me to play...you know, when the shows go well. Jokes!

Today, another CSz show and lunch with the lovely Gillian B. It truly is nice to be home.

A note on being unemployed, especially this time of year: I barely know what day it is, except that the weekends are painfully crowd-ridden. I've really learned to appreciate the blessing of weekdays. No crowded stores, no wait for brunch, less people on the train between rush hours. Monday has become my favorite day of the week. Some of you hate me for saying that. But you can hate me all you like while you swim in paychecks and health insurance all Scrooge McDuck-style. Our grasses are different shades of green.

Return of Saturn

2008-11-30T13:50:00.005-06:00

I'm 28.

One year ago I wrote a blog aboard the NCL Spirit "on the eve of my 27th year." That day was unique...it was my first, and possibly only, birthday spent living on a cruise ship. Here we are a year later, and I write again from a bed in front of a TV in something very much like my ship cabin, a studio apartment. My 27th year has turned out to be the hardest, worst, most challenging, most exciting, most fun, best, saddest, happiest and craziest year of my life so far. I've been in and out of Chicago, which has made me love it that much more. It's always been good to come home. I got to see my family a couple of times, which is as at least once more than I tend to see them in a year. Some relationships have ended, some have begun, some have evolved to a place I would've never expected. I'm working as an actor now, and while I don't know how long I can keep eating and paying rent this way, it has not escaped me how blessed I am that I am doing something that I care about more than anything else. Most people don't get to say that their work is also their life, and maybe they don't want to. But I can, and I do. The one thing that has really changed this year is that I don't have one person to go to anymore. Since I was 15 years old, I have always had that one person. That person you tell stupid things to, say goodnight to, think of when you wake up, yell at because you know they'll understand and forgive. That person is gone. But I've been understudying the role. My put-ins have been rough, but I'm getting better.

Here's to my 28th year.

Holiday

2008-11-30T13:14:00.005-06:00

First Thanksgiving in Chicago...

And it started like this. Thanks to the Baron family, I have adopted the tradition of watching the Macy's parade with some hot cocoa and a candy cane. It was a delight. I completed my morning by going to the gym then coming home to bake my pie...only to discover that my oven is no longer in working order, and thus I had to deconstruct it and take it to Tamara's to bake. Oh boy.

Nothing like a broken oven to remind you who you are really thankful for.

And speaking of thankful...Sara created an awesome Thanksgiving dinner for a lot of people. She was amazing. There was a lot going on in the Wolf-berg kitchen.

Tamara found her own spot in the house.

Brooke, where's Josh?? Oh, there he is!

Josh, stop it. Tamara is sad over there on the southbound platform.

And thus ended my first Thanksgiving in Chicago. No biological family, no significant other. Just me and cocoa and pie and a lot of really good friends. Thanks.

Meanwhile, back at CSz...

2008-11-27T01:15:00.003-06:00

Back at home... Martin, our captain.

Ben, enjoying ridiculously awesome pumpkin butterscotch cookies (aka God's Gift to Natalie) courtesy of Melissa Cathcart.

I'm just happy to be back.

We had a really fun show, good audience, good notes and some hangout time after. It was a little hard not to be driving down Grand River Ave tonight, not to be seeing how long Nixon's Fault would be drawn out or if the audience would be too conservative for Scandalous. It was definitely a different Wednesday night. I was nervous I would spontaneously break into sketch. But instead I got to play a puppy and a waterboy who likened getting onto the hockey team to being pushed out of a womb. Oh the magic of improv.

Tomorrow: cocoa, Macy's Parade, turkey and pumpkin pie! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...

2008-11-23T01:30:00.005-06:00

Although tomorrow night is our last official show, I have a feeling our last "real" shows were tonight. Saturdays have been the best every week. We had a decent first house and a pretty kickass second house. Great set...Nancy and Kevin (our redheads) were on fire. Coincidence? Probably not.Oh man, I was really phoning it in tonight. Huh??? Get it??? YES!

After the show we went bowling. Marke killed us. Just killed us. This is his strike face. This really got to Rob.Despite battling me for worst bowler of the night, Kevin still managed to be a rockstar.I kept leaving one pin standing. WHY??

I can't believe we're down to our last show. I have one more night in Novi and then back to Chicago and real life. I've had such an amazing time here. Of course it'll be nice to be home. Just new again. Again.

20 Years of Sadness (or Still Angry after 20 Years)

2008-11-19T23:12:00.007-06:00

Last night I saw the Smashing Pumpkins for the fourth time, Billy for the 6th or 7th. It was at the Chicago Theatre, and I entered into it with more than a little trepidation. I was so afraid it would let me down somehow, that the current incarnation of the Pumpkins would not stack up to the original lineup, who I never really got to see. The first and second time I saw them Filter's drummer was sitting in for the rehabbing Jimmy Chamberlin, and the third time Melissa was in for D'Arcy. So when Vinnie and I had dinner at nearby Elephant & Castle and they were playing the Greatest Hits album, my anxiety mounted.

Spoiler alert: they did not disappoint me.

The set list (which I kept wanting to call a running order) was awesome. Going from Siva to Mayonaise to Tonight Tonight...I lost my mind. I loved that they threw in Eye and the surprise favorite song of the night for me, a mesmerizing rendition of The End is the Beginning is the End. The audience turned a little when the encore was a bare performance of We Only Come Out at Night featuring kazoos. I loved it, and I loved that the show ended on Billy getting a little soap-boxy and following through on his promise not to "do what people want" and play another song. Look, it's f-ing Billy Corgan. He's been accused of being a controlling d-bag when it comes to his music and I have all the respect in the world for him to do what he wants onstage. I couldn't believe it when I heard people waiting for the train after the show say "If they had just played two more songs"..."If he hadn't talked so much." Really? How long have you been a Pumpkins fan? The tour is called 20 Years of Sadness...not Reunion Tour of Greatest Hits for Money. Yes, Billy got a bit snarky at the end. And he definitely teased us with the possibility of more music. But that's who he is. If you want to hear a cold set of songs, stay at home and make a playlist. I wanted to see Billy. And I did.

I stole this picture from the internet since I didn't get anything great with my phone...

For the record, Billy came out for the first song wearing this crazy white gown with a giant gold headdress thing. Standard. The rest of the show he wore the above...a long white skirt with a white ZERO t-shirt. He certainly is, as he asserted several times, a heavy metal machine.

Billy's been with me at every twist and turn of my angsty adolescence up through my current angsty young adulthood. SP has been my favorite band since I was 14. My first boyfriend gifted me with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness as well as the Aeroplane Flies High boxset. When I moved to Chicago I thought, "Hm, maybe I'll see Billy Corgan one day." And less than two months after my move there he was, sitting along the wall in the Second City ETC, about ten people away from me. He's a landmark for me. Last night was no different.

Few things settle into my soul the way these guys do. Thanks, SP.

Thank you, Vinnie, for making sure we got these tickets.

Home in 4 days.

Pretty

2008-11-16T13:44:00.002-06:00

I got to see this this morning...

Of course it's only pretty if it doesn't interfere with our drive to Chicago tonight.

And last week Meredith and I had a fancy business lunch at the Walnut Room in Macy's (formerly Marshall Fields).

Everything's coming up Christmas. It's not even Thanksgiving. Or my birthday! But I don't mind. I love the holidays, so I will not cringe when I hear Christmas music playing in stores already.

One week left in Novi. I can't believe it.

The Thing about Family

2008-11-14T23:03:00.003-06:00

Hi mom and dad and Amy and Nancy and grandma and Pete and Jerry and Lisa and Bryan and Andrew. This is about family. But not you guys. Just wanted to say hi and thank you for being my blood family.

This is about my other families. My show families. My friend families. There is a saying that is sewn on pillows and printed on picture frames out there that goes "Friends are the family we choose for ourselves." While that's very true, more often than not the people who have become my extended families have been chosen for me. This year I've been more than blessed to have a few of them.

First and foremost, my Spirit family. James, Shawn, Katy, Tab and Peter. These guys were my world for 19 weeks all over North America. They had my back before every show and the other 23 hours of every day (cue Peter: guh-rossssss). Katy loved napping with Law & Order in the background. Tabetha loved eating beans for breakfast like a real Canadian, and she loved bringing them back to our cabin so as to avoid the Raffles crowd. Shawn loved chocolate ice cream and laying by the pool. James loved our regular breakfast table, girls, gossip and Bill Murray movies. Peter loved walking the line between benevolent and belligerent, pouring his angst into various artwork and White Russians. I loved every minute I spent with them, especially our family dinners every Sunday to reset and prepare for another cruise. Sound too adorable to be true? Yep. It was.

My Maine Mini-Fam. Farrell, Sam and Sarah (cameo by Andy). It was only 3 weeks, but you get a crash course in friendship when you climb a mountain with someone. I learned quickly that I hike much more slowly than others. I learned that Sam loathes seafood but loves mini-golf and symbolic spiritual healing. I learned that Sarah lives on her Blackberry and cares as deeply for her friends as she does about who's on the Perez Hilton's homepage (don't be fooled, it's a lot). I learned that Farrell is the most fun to play a scene with but the least fun to climb rough terrain with...because he's part mountain goat.

My current family, for (tear) another 10 days. I've met some really incredible people here in Novi. To call them "funny" or "nice" would be ridiculous. These people are just f-ing awesome. Marke and I share an obsession with our mobile devices and our endless frustration with boys. Kevin and I share an alma mater and an incurable addiction to bits. Jason and I share an excessive love of seasonal dessert items. Quintin and I share several stage kisses each night, thanks to Out of Gas. Rob and I share a lot of car rides and painfully tasteless jokes. Nancy and I share many girly moments and the fear that singing a song about dicks will alienate the conservative old couple in the front row ("Pearl, get your coat!"). Additionally I'm treated to the extended family here of the Detroit improv community. I'm so lucky to get to see other improvisors in their natural habitat, one that isn't Chicago. It's the same and different. Either way I'm so happy to have been a foster child here these past weeks. It will be great to go home, but difficult to leave.

My mother calls my castmates my coworkers. Sure, I work with them. But to an actor that means that you pour your guts out onstage with 4-6 other people nightly in hopes that a room full of dimly lit faces will approve of said guts. Plus you've likely seen those 4-6 people in their underwear. Family.

Word.

2008-11-13T11:20:00.002-06:00

I noticed lately I've been good about photos and bad about actual words. I guess I just feel a lot of pressure to say something interesting if I string together more than a few sentences at once. Here goes.

I'm less than two weeks away from being back home in Chicago for good, or at least for the remainder of 2008. I've got 6 shows for Second City to look forward to in that time, which is great since I'm not sure what else to do with my time. I'm thinking I'll finally get to go to the gym as much as I'd like. I'm also looking forward to writing more. Vinnie and I have new ideas for our next show and once the mainstage is up and running we can finally have Anthony back for some guidance.

Meanwhile, I'm sitting in my Novi home, on my third cup of coffee, watching MSNBC and listening to the sweet sounds of the in-unit washer and dryer. I'm still in my jammies, which is standard for early afternoon. Rob and I will be running lines soon for a show we're in together upon our Chicago return. I am a bit aglow from last night, since our original cast was back together for the first time in a while. Nancy's return was like climbing back into a warm, familiar bed with a large cup of jasmine tea and my favorite book. Maybe that's not the most high-energy way to look at a comedy show, but wow it felt good to have everyone back together. We missed her so much and are happy to have her back. Leaving this show will be hard. So I'll choose not to think about it now.

These sentences are hard to put together. Next time: pictures.

Yes We...

2008-11-06T09:40:00.003-06:00

BARACK OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meredith, my best friend and personal hero, made me her plus one for the election night party in Grant Park. It was NUTS.

Ultimately, we saw what people at home were seeing, just bigger. The stage was far away, but it was still amazing to be there with almost 100,000 friends of Barack.

I was so hopeful! And so was Abby.

I tried so hard to get a picture of CNN saying "Barack Obama Elected President." But there was just too much going on around me.

Meredith and I, post news. It came out of nowhere. Ohio...Virginia...Florida? NO, PRESIDENT!
The closest we got to really seeing them. If you look very closely, there is a tiny Obama and a tiny Biden in the middle.

I imagine that they went backstage after his speech, looked at each other and said, "Holy fuck, we're going to live in the White House!!"

Some friends I had over to watch the election results.

Our new president. He's dreamy.

Visitor 2

2008-11-06T09:12:00.003-06:00

My dad! He was here last weekend to see the shows. And he was treated to two slightly different casts.

On Monday we walked into lovely Farmington Hills in the unseasonably warm fall weather. What a delightful fall path. I said it. Enjoy Downtown Farmington! We sure did.

I'm just confused over the historical Methodist Episcopal church. But I'd love to see more fusion churches. Nothing confusing about this. Obviously my father is a Christian ventriloquist.

Thanks for coming, dad!!

Trick or Treats

2008-10-31T23:23:00.003-05:00

Bella was so excited for candy!!!! And I am so excited to play a Republican. Although in this neighborhood, I was absolutely not coming off as ironic.

And we're so excited to be doing shows for 30 people! Oh boy. Hey, we had a lot of fun. Happy Halloween, friends.

Happy Halloween!!

2008-10-31T14:18:00.004-05:00

Jason, our music director, risked his precious hands to help me get the lid off my pumpkin.

I think Bella was having much more success with her Play-Do Fun Factory than I am with my steel pumpkin.

A pumpkin for change! Ok, I took some shortcuts...but seriously, did I mention how hard this thing was to carve?

Tomorrow: my costume.

Barack-stage pass

2008-10-29T21:36:00.002-05:00

Puns are back ya'll.

These things make me giggle backstage.

Kevin rocking the Epiphone. Those stacks of toilet paper aren't normally there.

Up in the greenroom there is a big corkboard covered in sketches. This corner caught my eye.

The running order. Pure comedy!

My Chicago weekend was fun. Busy again, playing Tetris with my friends' schedules and trying to see everyone. I came back to Novi today with an addition to my closet:

The best t-shirt I have ever owned, possibly. And it was a gift from Vinnie "I don't spend money on girls" Lacey. Thanks for making an exception, Vinnie. Wearing this in Chicago, I am the envy of the bus shelter. In Novi I'm the pariah of the strip mall parking lot. Different worlds...

Grand!

2008-10-25T12:59:00.004-05:00

We had our second casino night last night, thanks to the benevolent Marke Sobes. He got a swanky hotel room at the Detroit MGM Grand and we all joined him to play some games and have some hang out time. I got very lucky on a dollar slot machine, but gave most of it back to blackjack and roulette. Overall, being in the room was more fun than being on the casino floor.

Jen: Let's tell them I'm without a toddler tonight! (upon learning the casino bar stopped serving liquor at 1:30am)

Marke: I have to update my Facebook with (undisclosed adult-themed statement).

Me: Marke, you're a teacher.

Marke: That's true. (pause) Aw, fuck it.

Rob's birthday was Thursday. He hates being on the internet, so I'll just post his "cake" picture. Here's some pumpkin bread I added candles to for a mini backstage party. Marke presented him with a sweet Detroit t-shirt to remind him of his time in the Motor City.

I'm excited for Saturday shows tonight and also excited to go home to Chicago post-show tomorrow night. I'm off now to work on updating some post-election show material. Hoping for the best, election-result-wise. If I write as though Obama wins...?

Like Jack Kerouac...

2008-10-21T11:44:00.002-05:00

Road trip!!

Quintin captained our big white van.
This is Vanessa's put in! (she was great, btw)
Jason: Blurry and Angry. My favorite part of the van put-in was Jason playing the piano as it lay on the backseat of the van.
This was Vanessa's favorite thing. A giant potted plant prop center piece.
Me taking a picture of Marke taking a picture. It was all very artistic.

We had a really great time on the road. Did a van run-through, a ton of iPhone bits, some ship talk and some indie rock. The Central MI U crowd was really fun. It turned out to be a great way to spend a day off.

Nothing Special

2008-10-20T10:40:00.002-05:00

My last post was my 100th post! I was remiss in recognizing it, so here it is. Balloons! Confetti! Whatever!

I'm working today instead of going home to Chicago, so in the spirit of a mixed up schedule, here are some random things...

Last night I lost some money to the Detroit MGM Grand casino. Well, I guess if you're going to get robbed in Detoit... (hey-o! I'll be here all week, folks)

Drew Carey finally seems to be making The Price is Right his own. Way to use your own bits, dude. I love it.

Thanks, This American Life, for being so great.

How about that Colin Powell, huh?? Nice work, sir.

I am extremely excited to carve pumpkins later this week.

My life is quiet right now. Not boring. Quiet.

Sunday, Sundae, Sundais

2008-10-19T11:17:00.003-05:00

Sundays have always been a dichotomy of delight and disappointment for me. Church, groceries, gym...I love those things every Sunday, but it's also the eve of a new week of work and rehearsals and sleep deprivation. Not in Novi! Sunday is now my Friday, making it the most perfect day possible. We have one show tonight and an improv set. Normally we'd be off tomorrow, but we are travelling to Mt. Pleasant to do a show instead. No complaints. Riding in a van with this cast should be a good time. Speaking of...

Quintin is here in spirit. That gentleman to my left is Bryan, our fake Kevin for this weekend. He's no Kevin. But he sure is Bryan. He's been great.

Marke: Happy Sweetest Day!

Me: Sweetest Day isn't real.

Marke: (pause) Well. You'll wish you hadn't said that.

Marke is the BEST. He got us all Sweetest Day chocolates, marking the first (and possibly last) time I'll ever receive a gift for this Midwestern version of Valentine's Day.

Things of note in Novi:

Holy Family Church. Right around the corner from the theatre, very friendly, conveniently timed 5pm Saturday vigil mass.
Sunflour Bakery. Oh man...vegan chocolate chip cookies...
Busch's Grocery. I've been seduced by their pumpkins since I got here.
Halloween Superstores on every corner. I've seriously seen at least 4 of these in the 3 miles between my apt and the theatre. Why so many??
Astarte Yoga. Thanks, audience member, for free class!

Happy Sunday!