Hot and Steamy

Hidalgo, Texas

On the road again…

It was nice to have a bus trip since most of our travel days have been flight days lately, but only having one day off made for a tight turn around. 

The poor crew went directly from load-out in Houston to load-in here in Hidalgo and we cannot thank them enough for all the work that they have put in.  Because of them, they have made the show possible so that we could perform for the audiences. 

And even though this is a week that isn’t packed with a 15-pack or anything like that, there were more morning shows than what we have had including a 9:00 AM show!  That made for a very early morning. 

Anyhow, we made it through and even managed to have some fun in the process. 

Yes, it has been exceptionally hot this week with temperatures in the 90’s and thunderstorms at night, but the one night that we needed the skies to be clear; they were.

It was time again for a company BBQ! 

Fun and games and a night full of laughs and for some of us that had other festivities planned it was a night to make lots of memories. 

In the end, for all of us, no matter what we were doing, it was a night to escape work and take in the warm temperatures and yummy food before it was time to pack up and head to the home of Mardi Gras!

When it Rains, It Pours

Houston, Texas

Bring on the heat!  We were headed south again and into warm weather and sun…or at least we thought so.  Having sent 40 bags ahead of our scheduled flight everyone was able to have their bags including carry-ons as soon as we arrived at our final destination airport in Houston.  This hasn’t happened in I don’t know how long; quite a nice surprise. 

However, we were in for an unpleasant surprise soon. 

Even though we left the cold behind, we must have brought stormy weather with us.  Literally, everyday there was some sort of rain or thunderstorms.  The Queen really has cursed the land we travel to each week.  Not really, but that’s the way it seems to be for us. 

It got to the point that the thunder was working with the show and each entrance or pyrotechnic cue went off with a bang of thunder to accompany it.    

And if we weren’t wet enough from the rain outside, we were definitely soaked from the water that was lying on the ice. 

Since we were performing in our second football stadium of the year there were a few things that we could expect, and tank ice (manmade ice) was one.  However, coming off the ice and feeling the water all the way through your layers and in your skates was not one.  Nothing ever dried.

We made it through though with some pretty good laughs I might add as well as some yummy dinners out and new memories.

Special thank you to Lisa Scuffell for coming back and making it feel like we are a true family again just like back in rehearsals.   Also, to Natasha Kuchiki and Cindy Stewart for coming to visit!!

D34 – Once a Family, Always a Family  

North We Went

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Just when we thought we were over the cold and wouldn’t see snow again, guess what happened…More Snow!! This was after the fact that we almost didn’t get on the plane because there wasn’t enough room for all of us and our luggage.  So, you know what that meant; luggage got left behind.  A total of 41 bags were left behind and shipped to us at a later hour.  So late luggage meant no warm clothes for the cold temperatures we were facing now.  You would think that we have seen enough this tour, but clearly Mother Nature does not feel that way.  Thank goodness there was inside entertainment this city and that we were not outside all the time. 

So, of course, most of our time was spent at the Mall of America, a place I have always wanted to go ever since I saw it on television when I was younger. 

It was almost unreal being there.  The place was huge!  There were four levels of shopping and places to eat along with a roller coaster, a water ride, a merry-go-round, a miniature golf course, a movie theater, Lego Land, and a few things that I am probably forgetting to mention.  For the most part, the stores and places to eat were pretty typical for an average mall though.  

It was still just the fascination of being there and taking it all in, just like the movie Furious 7.  While we all have our varying opinions, I couldn’t wait to see the movie.  Yes, I was one of the ones that had tears running down my cheeks at the end, but you will have to watch it to find out why.

And while this was all fine and dandy on the days off, we had to buckle down quickly for our contract talks concerning the upcoming tour season.  It is approaching quicker than what we think.  We are now down to single digits in terms of how many weeks we have left this tour before we head home for a short time and continue on to Mexico and then the West Coast.

For now though, we have to finish the rest of this season so, see you back in Texas in the sunshine and warm weather!

Show Buzz #5

D34!

The Queen has cursed this land…how fitting because the snow just seemed to keep following us. 

We were right in the middle of the Boston snowstorm with over three feet of snow that just kept piling up.  It got to the point that we could not see over the six-to-nine-foot-high piles of snow along the roadside.  There was only room for one person to walk single file on the sidewalk, so most of our off time was spent inside instead of exploring the city.  

Yes, we had a SNOW DAY!! It felt like we were little kids all over again.  Snow Ball Fight!  Having some fun in the snow, made it all that much better since on opening night it took us two hours to get to the arena!  Knowing that we had a long week ahead of us, the snow day helped break things up along with the soup!  Due to the busy schedule and having 16 shows in about five days, we have been graciously given lunches and its always nice to see the new faces of the break workers as well.

It is sad to seem them leave, but always nice to meet new people.  So, it was time that we said goodbye to the D15 skaters and hello to the D32 skaters as we headed slightly south. 

Hoping to get out and away from the snow, we took off to St. Louis where literally everyone ended up with the stomach flu.  While some of us spent the off days laid up in bed, the lucky ones were out rock climbing or exploring the Arch, City Museum, or the Galleria.   

Not spending too much money at the mall in hopes of really good shopping in the next week, we headed to Montreal and it was time to cross the boarder for the first time this tour season. 

We were headed into a 12-pack with 14 shows in five days in FRENCH without any rehearsals.  On a brighter note, for the first time ever, we had a shuttle from the hotel to the arena!  

And before we knew it, we were back in the states again! 

Even though it was a long time coming and 10 hours later by bus, it was so nice to be back.  It was time to go shopping so we could hit the slopes the next day.

The car rental companies loved us this week, as we all headed to Mount Brighton for some skiing and snowboarding.  Somehow, we all managed to stay in one piece and no one got hurt so I would say it was a successful trip. 

On top of that fun, there was a Culver’s right across the parking lot from the hotel so in the free time and even after the shows, the whole cast and crew could definitely be found enjoying the frozen custard. 

Unfortunately our weigh-ins were impacted by the convenience, but it was a tasty treat for the time being and brought back all our memories from Freddy’s during rehearsals in Florida. 

Then, just as we were getting comfortable being back in the states, it was time to depart and head back to Canada.

We had some special visitors in the audience as well to start everything off with a bang.  Not only did Patty Vincent come, but also the cast of D15 did as well on Opening Night.  Other famous faces in the audience appeared later in the week, like Elvis Stoyko, Piper Gilles, and Javier Fernandez.  It’s always nice not only to have the support of other fellow company members, but competitive skaters as well.  Some even came to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with our group.  The CN Tower was also a main attraction for everyone as well. 

And even though getting outside was key, there were a fair amount of us that never stepped outside because the hotel and arena were connected.  It only took about three elevator rides to get from one to the other.

Somehow though, everyone was in high spirits performing in the first baseball field stadium of the tour season and on tank ice again, in the dark.  It was literally always dark in the building and our makeup rooms and costumes rooms were in tents.  Even though everything was really close, it was also covered in dirt.

Hoping to be clean and see sunlight again, we were headed south to the Lone Star State.   

The departure time was at 3:30 AM so that we could make it through customs and let me tell you, pulling our bags at that hour is a struggle to begin with, let alone for about a mile.  Luckily after that we got in to Dallas early, but unfortunately some of us had to wait around for four or more hours for our rooms to be ready.  So, we basically took over the lobby and crashed out on the couches.  When we finally got into our rooms, we couldn’t wait to get to the pool.  It had been what felt like ages since we had seen sun and warm weather.  We wanted to spend every moment possible out there soaking up the rays especially because the pool had a nice view overlooking the city from the ninth floor and since we knew the workdays were approaching quickly.

We performed our 334^th show as this city’s performances commenced and are still going strong while some shows have already finished for this season. 

Continuing our journey, we headed across the state of Texas to San Antonio where it was time to enjoy a few days off and hang out together besides seeing everyone at the arena.  It was time for the first Girl’s and Boy’s parties of the year.

It’s crazy how much time we can spend together at work, but you really don’t get to know a person or a group of people until you see them outside the work environment.  That is when you really get to know a person and how their journey in life has brought them into yours.  As this tour continues to go on and each show passes, we may be counting down, since we are into single digits of weeks left for this season, but we are all wishing that one another returns so that we can see how each grows and masters the road that lies ahead. 

Places to see:

Boston – Harvard, little shops and eateries lining the streets, Beehive (jazz bar, restaurant, lounge, club)

St. Louis – The Arch, City Museum, Rock Climbing, The Galleria

Montreal – A&W, Tim Horton’s, shopping, Mount Royal, Old Montreal

Auburn Hills – Brighton Mountain, Great Lakes Shopping (?), Culver’s

Toronto – CN Tower, Rogers Center, shopping

Dallas – Skyline at night (literally every building in lit in a different color), Dallas Aquarium, Dallas Science Center, lots of places to eat – Mexican, Katy Trail

San Antonio – River Walk, River City Mall, Mirror Maze, Wax Museum, Market Square

Special Thanks to all the Break Workers that we have met along the way!! THANK YOU!!

River Walk City

San Antonio, Texas

Say hello to three days off in a beautiful city!  Even though it was cloudy in the morning, the sun did come out just in time to warm the pool and make for a few gorgeous days.

It was definitely time to get out and about and see the city since the hotel rooms were so humid, but having a balcony was a major bonus though. 

Also, since the weather was warm and we only had a six-pack this week, it was prime time to have our Guy’s and Girl’s nights. 

While the guys chose to go out with a bang, the girls were more reserved and enjoyed a nice dinner out together on the River Walk. 

Of course this was one of the main attractions for the week and everyone wanted to go every night that we possibly could.  The River Walk offered not only its’ picturesque landscape, but also an abundance of shops, restaurants, and entertainment. 

There was a Wax Museum, Mirror Maze, the Alamo, Whataburger, and if we weren’t all busy along the water, we had to make time to enjoy the pool and hot tub that looked so inviting at the hotel.  

It was safe to say that no one wanted to leave and head north to colder temperatures, but we had no choice.

Here we come; home of Mall of America.