trip blog #1
dear readers...
this blog was actually written teusday, 12/13/05, but never posted due to circumstances beyond my control, but i did want to post it eventually, so here it is!!
tuesday 12/13/05 11:13 am cst
just left the cracker barrel in tuscaloosa, alabama...
The past 48 hours between New York and Bay St. Louis, which we should reach today in the afternoon, have been a mosh of everyone rehearsing, finding a good blend vocally and personally and getting ready to meet the South and Her people with good energy, high spirits and a sense of fun amidst all the destruction. The physical landscape has drifted from the concrete and high fashion boutiques od New York City, down the New Jersey Trpk through the refineries, then past the bucolic snow kissed rolling hills of the Chesapeake area. We are on the the big blue bus from the Bronx, with our driver Ajax, going 70 MPH thru the tall pines of Alabama, where the weather has changed to warm, the coats come off and the sun is bright, soothing and the skies are blue as a baby's eye. Passing Eutaw and Aliceville, Exit 40, on some road I don't know, the bus is humming with lots going on. The camera crew is interviewing singers, they have one left and are busy with that. Liza Politi and Sara Kreiger are busy planning shows, repertoire, the showtimes, who we contact with and the fabulous Jane Gennaro has her voice over crew primed and ready to go with stories for the kids that the cast will narrate, small ensemble style. We await the arrival of two more singers, Derrick and Kate, and plans are afoot on how to pick them up at the airport. Ajax is wearing a pale blue velour running suit and staying in the right lane on the highway, looks like sensible road rules are prevailing and we are on schedule. I'm starting to see some mossy looking trees, and even though it's winter, most of the trees have leaves and the land looks green. Krista and Chris are reviewing their narration parts, Kreiger is getting the vocal books together. Breakfast at "The Cracker Barrel" has become a mainstay on this trip. The folks there have been warm, kind and most gracious to us. The food has a "certain charm" and the gift store shopping is a big hit for those who must have a southern keepsake. A John Deere t-shirt, a pink rhinestone butterfly pin, a cast iron corn bread skillet, a replica of horse drawn carriage Christmas bells and Jane found a reprint of her original childhood book, "Fun With Dick and Jane", illustrations by Eleanor Campell. WOW! So far, so good.... Last night, I went to a 24 hour Walmart with a super market. Everyone tells me a Walmart Superstore is par usual in the south, but for me, it was an interesting experience. Gallons of milk, a shiny Christmas blouse, bananas, cookies and hunting gear all lined up on the conveyor belt for purchase, are things not usually jaxtaposed in front of my eyes. As I perused the handbag section, I must say, it was pretty slim pickens! Excuse me, but eeekkk.... some very tacky fabrics. Lots of snazzy, filmy lingerie though and a veritable plethora of hunting and camping gear. The music section was 20 bins of country music, 20 bins of Rock and R & B and one (1) bin of jazz! However, I did find 1 copy of the new release of the Monk and Trane '57 concert from Carnegie Hall, which must have been meant for me. There were two Miles Davis recordings and one Dizzy Gillespie recording and the other 8 or 9 CD's looked like some "smooth jazz" artists I had never seen before. The grass is getting greener as we drive further south and the bus is getting very animated with voice over sounds!! Someone just said Cuba and Demopolis....We pass there in a half hour or so... People getting revvvvvved up and WOW! WELCOME TO MISSISIPPI!! We enter the hot zone and move closer to Bay St. Louis....
this blog was actually written teusday, 12/13/05, but never posted due to circumstances beyond my control, but i did want to post it eventually, so here it is!!
tuesday 12/13/05 11:13 am cst
just left the cracker barrel in tuscaloosa, alabama...
The past 48 hours between New York and Bay St. Louis, which we should reach today in the afternoon, have been a mosh of everyone rehearsing, finding a good blend vocally and personally and getting ready to meet the South and Her people with good energy, high spirits and a sense of fun amidst all the destruction. The physical landscape has drifted from the concrete and high fashion boutiques od New York City, down the New Jersey Trpk through the refineries, then past the bucolic snow kissed rolling hills of the Chesapeake area. We are on the the big blue bus from the Bronx, with our driver Ajax, going 70 MPH thru the tall pines of Alabama, where the weather has changed to warm, the coats come off and the sun is bright, soothing and the skies are blue as a baby's eye. Passing Eutaw and Aliceville, Exit 40, on some road I don't know, the bus is humming with lots going on. The camera crew is interviewing singers, they have one left and are busy with that. Liza Politi and Sara Kreiger are busy planning shows, repertoire, the showtimes, who we contact with and the fabulous Jane Gennaro has her voice over crew primed and ready to go with stories for the kids that the cast will narrate, small ensemble style. We await the arrival of two more singers, Derrick and Kate, and plans are afoot on how to pick them up at the airport. Ajax is wearing a pale blue velour running suit and staying in the right lane on the highway, looks like sensible road rules are prevailing and we are on schedule. I'm starting to see some mossy looking trees, and even though it's winter, most of the trees have leaves and the land looks green. Krista and Chris are reviewing their narration parts, Kreiger is getting the vocal books together. Breakfast at "The Cracker Barrel" has become a mainstay on this trip. The folks there have been warm, kind and most gracious to us. The food has a "certain charm" and the gift store shopping is a big hit for those who must have a southern keepsake. A John Deere t-shirt, a pink rhinestone butterfly pin, a cast iron corn bread skillet, a replica of horse drawn carriage Christmas bells and Jane found a reprint of her original childhood book, "Fun With Dick and Jane", illustrations by Eleanor Campell. WOW! So far, so good.... Last night, I went to a 24 hour Walmart with a super market. Everyone tells me a Walmart Superstore is par usual in the south, but for me, it was an interesting experience. Gallons of milk, a shiny Christmas blouse, bananas, cookies and hunting gear all lined up on the conveyor belt for purchase, are things not usually jaxtaposed in front of my eyes. As I perused the handbag section, I must say, it was pretty slim pickens! Excuse me, but eeekkk.... some very tacky fabrics. Lots of snazzy, filmy lingerie though and a veritable plethora of hunting and camping gear. The music section was 20 bins of country music, 20 bins of Rock and R & B and one (1) bin of jazz! However, I did find 1 copy of the new release of the Monk and Trane '57 concert from Carnegie Hall, which must have been meant for me. There were two Miles Davis recordings and one Dizzy Gillespie recording and the other 8 or 9 CD's looked like some "smooth jazz" artists I had never seen before. The grass is getting greener as we drive further south and the bus is getting very animated with voice over sounds!! Someone just said Cuba and Demopolis....We pass there in a half hour or so... People getting revvvvvved up and WOW! WELCOME TO MISSISIPPI!! We enter the hot zone and move closer to Bay St. Louis....
posted by liza at 7:34 PM
0 comments
