18 days since last waxing. Situation dire.

Just be glad you can’t see the back of my thighs.

So Saturday, Me, Jess, Mom, my brother Wayne and family go to a fun place in Louisville called Lynn’s Paradise Cafe. It’s a great kitchy funky restaurant (There is more where this came from … )

I’m hanging out in this nether region between tour and home right now. The tour officially came to a close when I sent Jess off to Cincinnati from Mom’s house in Valley Station with a Running Willis Goodbye. This is a farewell technique perfected in my childhood. The family will wave someone out of the driveway, and because we are silly, as the car picks up speed, so does the entire family. As the car turns left, so does the entire family. So you have this goofy suburban family running across big green lawns on the busy road waving and saying, “Goodbye! Goodbye! Bye now! Goodbye!” Kind of like the Munchkins as Dorothy starts off to Oz. The largest Willis Family Goodbye I’ve ever witnessed was in Hailey, Idaho as Cricket & I left the family reunion early, all 50 or so Willis’ came out of the restaurant and waved us off, running down the middle of the street, Nancy, Wayne and Marky in the front, leading the uninitiated cousins in the technique.

Today’s Running Willis Goodbye was pretty pitiful. (There is more where this came from … )

Last show – woo hoo!

Great house tonight. Lots of friends, some bona-fide saw-it-in-the-paper audience members. My brother Wayne and his family. And Mom was there, as were a bunch of other people, but with Mom there, the rest just sort of fade back.

She loved it. I knew she would be supportive, but I also know that some of the stuff in it may make her uncomfortable. I’m sure it did, but she just came up loving it anyway.

(There is more where this came from … )

So behind, blogsters, and so much has happened. That yoga class ended up being cancelled, but the studio offered us the room to practice in. I was so desperate for yoga that I taught the three of us. Then, a woman that I didn’t know showed up for class. I told her she was welcome to join, but I wasn’t certified. I taught for an hour! Only fell back on Pilates once. I just did my best Brenda Strong imitation. I’ve been listening to her yoga CD while I’ve been here. “Ehhhhhhhhhks – hale.” Anyway, Jess, Hannah and our new friend Yola thought I did great.

That night we had our two Eenie shows in Lexington and they went really well. The Mayor of Lexington came to the first one! She’s a real nice lady. And I saw so many people that I hadn’t seen in so long. Here’s me and Sheila and Tracey Reagan – we were all in Uncommon Women and Others together in school.

(There is more where this came from … )

And we coincidentally ran in to Mr. Bernitt last night at the Kentucky Theatre. I hopped in the air and squealed and I believe he did the same. We were there to see “A Prairie Home Companion” which I abhorred and Jess and Hannah (lovely 12 year old daughter of Joe & Sheila Ferrell) liked. It feels like the movie slid out of Garrison Keillor’s ego where the radio show seems to spring from his heart. There were lots of funny parts and good performances, but they didn’t add up to me caring what happened. I guess I expected more from an Altman/Keillor collaboration. But I also think that part of GK’s charm, longevity and success is that he just doesn’t belong to Hollywood. I think a movie about his Lake Wobegon characters would do much better. Dan Bernitt went to see “Thank You For Smoking.” He was far more satisfied than me.

The Kentucky Theatre is an untouched Vaudeville era theatre-cum-movie house. It was the only theatre I attended when I was in school here and it was great to see a film there again. It’s shows revival, art films, and commercial features.

We arrived in Lexington day before yesterday and have been decompressing from the Cincy Fringe work/party marathon of the past two weeks. I’ve always loved Lexington, but, again, seeing it through Jess’ eyes gives me a more articulate sense of appreciation. It’s kind of a cross between the South and New England.

And the weather has been idyllic. None of the trademark humidity – which does have it’s own romance. Cool, breezy, seventies, perfect. Right now I type on Sheila and Joe’s lovely brick patio with tweets and chirps abounding.

Again I will sing praises of our hosts. Sheila has arranged everything for tonight’s performances, down to an appearance on local TV yesterday. Yes, I was a guest on the noon show at WKYT-TV. It was fun – they showed footage from the show while I talked – all very well done. Jess had me dressed right – everything I brought was black and white – not well suited for TV, so we hit Macy’s on the way out of Cincy.

(There will be pictures anon – my Photoshop is doing weird stuff so I can’t size them now.)

Tonight is two shows at the fabulous Downtown Arts Center. The tech there, Michael, is a traveling show’s dream. Everything’s yes. Can we hang the projector? Do you have and extra cable? Can I hook the mike up backstage? Move the screen a little to the left? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. And even keeled, calm, competent.

Terry and Bill of Act Out! Were there at tech. The company is hosting my appearance and they are so great – a whole theatre company behind me. I’m so grateful

So now, Jess, Hannah and I are off to Yoga at Dudley Square. It will be my first public yoga class since LA – though I have been practicing with Brenda Strong’s CD every show day.

Actually slept last night at 1:30 am – perhaps I will shift my sleep orientation just in time to go home. I fly home a week from today. Getting homesick in this moment, but excited about the Kentucky part of the journey. Cricket’s keeping the home fires burning so I can dance in the hinterlands. Love her. (There is more where this came from … )

You may not know that hangovers happen when one is perfectly, devotedly sober. They are not nearly as devastatingly unpleasant as the real thing experienced regularly throughout my twenties. And they aren’t all bad. The mouth is dry, the eyes burn, the bed is something from which it is nearly impossible to extract yourself from and coffee is utterly essential for any semblance of functionality. But there’s also the inner glow. If a night out results in a hangover, it’s usually because I’m having so much fun that obeying the demands that my forty-something body puts on me for minimal functionality is out of the question.

Last night was such a night. Eenie Meanie’s closing performance went off without a hitch. (There is more where this came from … )

Every night. No matter what. Every night in Cincinnati I have not slept when I wanted to sleep. Oh, there were grand dreams of 9 am yoga every morning on Ludlow Street, but that’s about when I knock the sleep out of my eyes on good days. Guess I’m just staying on west coast time.

Tonight I did not Fringe, and it haunts me. I did very worthy fabulous non-Fringe activity of going to an amazing fashion show for DAAP – Design, Architecture, something, something College at UC. This is the department that my brother works in and they are some hot shit. I’ve never been to a fashion show before, so this is one area of the arts where I am sorely lacking a critical eye. But I know polish and excellence when I see it. You know how you don’t quite know what you’re looking at but you know it’s good? That’s what I mean. Plus, all the seniors graduate straight into cool jobs with macy’s and target and penneys. We also browsed all the senior displays from all the different disciplines in the college, which was really cool. The stuff is out all over the building – architecture, urban planning, fine arts, computer graphics, graphic design, other stuff that requires mat knives, balsa wood and access to the coolest fonts. And some smart ass student…

…created this effigy of a smart ass student. Kind of snuck in the middle of the night and erected him about a year ago. You can’t tell from the pic, but he’s sitting on a seemingly inaccessible ledge about 15 feet up. And his mac cord is dangling down plugged in at floor level. Bob says people talk to him all the time. The dean of the college yelled at him to get down. Fooled me at first glance, too. Coolest thing is they left him up. I guess the powers that be gotta respect the prank. (There is more where this came from … )

Jess and I agree – Cincy Fringe is like summer camp – sans making out and mosquito bites (for me, at least.) Just as we get to know people, have meaningful conversations, bond – heck, as soon as I know everyone’s name as soon as I see them, we’ll be gone.

The show was great again tonight. Most of the people that I’ve met and hung out with came tonight – Dan Bernitt, the cast from When the Lights Fade, godsplay people, Stephanie Dunlop and Jennifer Spillane, who is a former student of my former UK teacher, Rhonda Blair. Tonight was fun because weird things hit funny – got a huge laugh when I turned my Dad-on-a-stick around to mean face. And there were about 40-50 people there, which is the biggest audience yet. Seems I have good word of mouth out there.

There’s something so cinematic about downtown Cincinnati where the Fringe takes place and many of the local theatre people live. It kind of reminds me of the East Village in the 80’s. Gorgeous old run down buildings that are being redone. Rent is cheap and the artists have come in like squatters, plopping themselves in the middle of the street people, drugs dealers, prostitutes and generally impoverished population. You can see the area teetering on the verge of gentrification, but right now, it’s still a pretty intense atmosphere. The artists are defiant when queried about their neighborhood. “It’s fine here – those people don’t bother me.”

I have a feeling this is a really special time in downtown Cincinnati. In 5-10 years when rents have skyrocketed and the upwardly mobile get into bidding wars for funky lofts on Main Street, the leftover bohemians will wax reminiscent of when the streets were urban canyons, seemingly bereft of commercial value, with splotches of the tattooed and insightful peppered among an angry black populace. I sense a respect between the two groups. Like, when I lived in a pre-gentrified Hell’s Kitchen in the 80’s, the neighborhood guys gave the tourists trouble, but I was a neighborhood girl. I stumbled home many a night unscathed. I was theirs, they not only didn’t bother me, they made sure I wasn’t bothered. Maybe it’s like that here.

The thing is, the very thing that most businesses and residents want to happen here - the revitalization - will kill the edge and probably price out many of the artists. An old story…

This is the third time I’ve come to Sitwell’s Cafe on Ludlow St. to set up office and get work done while in Cincy. I just sit here for hours with the wireless and the coffee and get stuff ready for Lexington, Louisville, New York. If I had know how much work all this takes - would I have still done it? Only if they would have told me how gratifying it all is, too. I love doing the show, making people think, meeting those people, meeting other artists, seeing other artist’s brilliant work. It’s a great way to not make a living - oy…money.

So last night the show went quite well. About 15 people in the audience and they were all right there with me the whole time. Some times I don’t feel like I can talk right to the audience, but sometimes, they invite me right in and it’s like sitting around a really big, well-lit living room with a really big projector tv. Last night was such a night and I have continued to stay out of Eenie Meanie’s way and let it get to people.

We got in kind of early last night and Jess asked if she could borrow some tea. As we let ourselves in, she confessed that she really just want one of Jean’s cookies.

OK, gotta sidebar here, cause I haven’t talked about Bob & Jean, my brother and his wife with whom I’m staying. I love them. I have a great room, Jean is a wonderful cook and we have great talks. My brother is so proud and loving. He built me this great platform to rig my projector! They are both such great supporters of the arts in Cincinnati and always have the Enquirer coverage screened for me when I get up in the morning. It’s a lot like staying at your parents - all the comfort without the hassle. So we’ve had a few meals together and appreciate them even more through Jessica’s eyes. She’s so Brooklyn and Bob and Jean are so MidWest traditional…well, she just has an appreciation for my brother and his wife that I find very sweet. Last night we were leaving for the theatre and we notice Jess has a tear in her skirt. Jean says, “You want me to run it up real quick.” “Why, yes, I would love that.” Then she says to me, “Run it up? She can just run it up? I want to know how to run things up.” By the time we got back into the house, Jean had her machine out on the kitchen table. Jess sat with a sweater in her lap as Jean did, indeed, run it up, cursing about the invisible zipper all along. On the way to the theatre, Jess marvelled at Jean. “She cooks, she sews, she bakes bread, she plays tennis…” This is pretty par for the course for my family, but Jean does pull it off rather well and I appreciate her (and the stability she and Bob are providing for me during this adventure) a little more sharply thru Jess’ eyes.

So, back to last night, midnight, cookies. We come in, after all this Jean homage has occurred, and the woman has baked in our absense! Fresh, chocolate chip cookies - a whole freakin jar full. We are amazed and awestruck at our discovery and immediately embibe with such enthusiasm, one would think we’d traded our prop parsley in for the real thing.

So today is work, tonight is 3 fringe plays. I am doing my best to see everything possible.

Thanks for reading my blog! Please comment. I love comments.