Getting ready to go a-fringing. Love this festival and the people and the city. Last night’s show was a blast, despite the near-constant ringing. Tonight I go see The Day the Universe Came Closer by Hiram Pines. I met him after my show last night. We’d been e-mailing each other about cross-promotion. When the ringing started, he got up and tried to do something about it. Kind of a chivalrous fellow performer thing.

Tonight there’s finally a party. Gotta admit Cincinnati Fringe leaves NYC in the dust when it comes to the hang. Most companies are local and they have their own deal in their own parts of town. Everything is so spread out. There’s starting to be a camaraderie with fellow one-person shows. Like, I’ve spent some time with Laura Park, who I met in LA at the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival in 2005. We were talking and I said I lived in Burbank. She said she did comedy in a backyard in Burbank. I told her that that was my backyard. It was – March 2004 – the Spike Heels Backyard Benefit. I didn’t recognize her because I was inside getting ready for my set when she was on. She saw my show last night for the first time. I’ll not see hers till Friday. But it’s nice to have a little LA Fringe buddy.

God, I’m loving this.

A weird weird night. Firstly, I am exhausted. The show went quite well, however, there was a mysterious ringing that started about 15 minutes in. It seemed like a cell phone, but it rang literally 20-30 times without stopping. Then it would stop and start again about 5-10 minutes later. It literally rang all the way through my show. I was distracted, but not totally. I’m usually so “in” that the audience disappears and it’s just me up there behaving. But this ringing kept happening and pulling me out. People were still so into and touched. And I think I got extra sympathy points for keeping it together. But I was bummed that there was the slightest distance between me and the audience. And it took so much more energy to focus, that I was about 3 times as tired after as I usually am.

But here it’s 1:15 and I’m still going. There’s just something magical about tonight. (There is more where this came from … )

Been carrying the laptop around the apartment looking for that elusive signal to scam, but to no avail. New Yorkers are all savvy to that shit - they all have their fancy passwords that won’t let you jump on. EXCEPT Mr. “default.” If a network named “default shows up, that means someone who can’t even handle naming the signal got a wireless modem, so you know they don’t know enough to put on a password. And Mr. Default showed up when I finally brought the laptop to the balcony. So this is my workstation: And this is my view:

Just wanted to blog in before bed. The show went great. One of my best shows ever. Definitely the best first show of a festival ever. And my trusty staff was brilliant. Poor Kwame got stuck in traffic. I think he got there just as they were opening the house. I was late, too. There was some Catholic Festival in the Village so it was gridlock for days. Mary Alice and I got out of the cab and walked for about 7 blocks with my big prop case, stuffed backpack, Jan’s fabulous wrought iron/vinyl seat chair and Parents on a Stick. So, there was some adrenalin pumping by the time we got to the Center for Architecture. I did cut it close. I would’ve been late if we hadn’t hit traffic. I think I do that unconsciously to get the energy and excitement going.

I hate that I figured that out. Because it works. Now I know it’s just an elaborate covert self-manipulation, it may just loose its power. Damn my inciteful self-analysis!!!! (There is more where this came from … )

So…today I open. I’ve been kind of low-key since my arrival. Actually forgot about the FringeNYC opening day activity at Washington Square Park. That was bad form – should have been handing out cards and in the middle of it. But I did rehearse.

Last night I appeared in a Variety show that some of the young crazies are putting together. It’s being podcasted, so you can hear my interview and silliness if you go poking around www.fringeNYC.org looking for the podcasts.

I’m feeling good about the show today – oddly not nervous yet at all. It will come, I’m sure. I will check in about how it went a little later.  Here’s some pictures of the space:

August 11, 2006

The birthday was fabulous. I started it being awakened by darling Miss Chayda, Jan’s six year old daughter. She has “baked” me a little birthday cake brought it to me in bed with a little candle. Then she played Happy Birthday on the piano for me – 3 times! How can a year that starts looking at this face be anything but fabulous!
Most of the day was spent in rehearsal. Met the balance of my Craig’s list crew – Gregory Kostroff running the computer and Kwame Clarke on lights. They are both really good at their jobs and have me completely taken care of. And here, finally, is a picture of them at the board: (There is more where this came from … )

I’m here. Finally got my whole deal sussed out. Got in last night sans half my luggage. It was 8 pm tonight before the bag showed up. You really start to appreciate the whole clean underwear thing after a while.

I landed in the lap of my dear friend Jan Leslie Harding. After about 2 seconds, 20 years melted away and we were yakking on the couch like we were young boho girls again. If the tea had been bourbon, and there wasn’t a six year old sleeping in the next room, you’d hardly know the difference. (There is more where this came from … )

I guess I’m in official FringeNYC prep – the send-off show was tonight and it went so very well. It’s the first performance produced by nTG – my new theatre company who has adopted me like a wayward stepchild. I did nothing tonight but set up my props, put on my costume, go backstage a freaking OM until curtain. I was actually PRODUCED. I could just do the gig. I’m so grateful. Paul Millet, Leslie Channon, Brian Pope and DJ (whose last name I do not know) – I am building a shrine to you all. I get so much more than non-profit status! (There is more where this came from … )

Well, I’m told that you don’t actually WIN the Acclaim Award, that it’s not a competition, that the Acclaim people merely recognize excellence in theater in Cincinnati and that I’ve just earned this Acclaim Award, the first to be announced for the 2006 season…wow, they sure know how take the fun out of the syntax.

Anyway, I’m thrilled. This award is apparently very prestigious there in that really cool arts town, so no matter what verb I describe the getting of this thing with, it certainly rocks to be Acclaimed. The unusual thing about this honor is I don’t really know what I’m being honored for. They don’t announce the actual catagory that you have earned recognition for (oh, just let me say “won”, for gyshsakes,) they just announce that you are to be honored at their chi-chi ceremony next May. (Yes, I’ll go. Of course, I’ll go. I’ll wear the dress, bring my mother, make the dignified speech and the rest of the crap you and I have fantasized about. And for the rest of my life I can say, “Hey! They love me in Cincinnati.”) So they may be honoring me for “Best Home movie footage in theatre in Cincinnati.” Ya don’t know till you get there.

The coolest thing about not winning this award is my brother’s voice on the phone when he told me. He’s pretty not so lively on the phone. King of the awkward silence. He called to tell me this and you could hear the biggest smile in his voice. He was more animated than I’ve ever heard him in any conversation since my childhood. Warmed my heart…
Tracy web goddess put up the link - look to the right of the blog window and click away!

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 … )