The OnCenter, Syracuse, NY
Some famous visitors
James and his little dude having some fun at guitar check
The stunning Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT
Hello all! Remember me?? It's your friendly neighborhood slacking blogger! It's been a busy, eventful, sometimes stressful few weeks. I'm sorry I have neglected my blog, but I promise to make up for it with a quick succession of 3 blogs nearly at once, encompassing the "last" three weeks on tour. So, here we go!!
The drive from Wilmington, DE to Syracuse on Monday morning wasn't all that long, but it was certainly quite a warm one. Even though we were in the northern part of New York state, it's not as though it was freezing; it was clear that summer was on it's way. We moved into our digs in the historic Parkview Hotel, and proceeded next door for the closest and certainly most healthy food option around, Strong Hearts Cafe. James had been talking about it for days because of their abundance of vegan options; more appropriately, everything in the restaurant was vegan. But, over the next few days, everything I tried was also fantastic. I am always open to trying new things, and I was more than pleased to try some healthier food options there for the half week. After a nice meal and a walk to the nearby drug store, I settled into my room for the evening to recharge before the week ahead.
Tuesday was quite rainy, so we opted to stay close to the hotel for much of the day. A delicious breakfast of pancakes, a tofu scramble and free started the day off well, and then it was off to a nearby mall. Because there wasn't much in the area of our hotel, it seemed like a logical thing to do to occupy some time during the day. A quick cab ride to and from the hotel was dotted with a visit to one of the largest malls I have ever seen in my life. Not quite as big as the Mall Of America perhaps, but still. Another trip to Strong Hearts Cafe was in order before the show that night, before making the lengthy but scenic walk to the theatre (see pictures above). The OnCenter (above) was quite nice, and the opening night that followed was quite good! There was a small bar in our hotel, so a few of us gathered there after the show.
Wednesday brought a bit of press at the theatre, which had come to be a nice trend. It allowed us the ability to make one stop but reach multiple media outlets. So, the boys and I gathered in the jam room (which was actually a black box theatre) and played and talked a bit with an interviewer; the interview and performances would then be used not only for our short stint in Syracuse, but also for our upcoming stops in 4 cities in upstate New York the following week. We returned to the hotel in the early afternoon, and I headed to a nearby "brick oven pizza" restaurant, Flame. Oh...it was not so good. It was a little strange, and their limited menu offered little; so the lamb pizza I got was what I thought would be the best choice; not so much. Undeterred, we headed to historic Armory Square to stroll around, take in the sights and I even got to visit what had become a rarity lately, and independent record store. After walking around quite a bit, it was time to head back to the theatre to rest a bit before the show that night. Another surprisingly good show that night, but I was pretty tuckered out from the day, so I laid low for the night.
Thursday was a bit of a slow day, but it was not without some excitement. A trip to Dinosaur BBQ, the flagship location of the popular BBQ joint was in the works (and well worth the ZipCar I got to go there), and then headed back to the mall for a bit. It was time for a low key day close to home, so I headed back to the hotel to chill before our final show in Syracuse. Again, it went quite well, and we had a nice night at the hotel bar following the show.
It was a pretty long drive to Waterbury, CT on Friday morning, and we were greeted with a nice hotel but not much else. Food was pretty slim pickens around the hotel, so I found the (blech) Subway closeby for a sandwich that I brought back to my room. After a bite, I headed to the theatre for our first night there, stopping at (THANK GOD) Dunkin' Donuts along the way. The Palace Theater (above) was just gorgeous, and one of the many beautifully restored theatres we would encounter in the coming weeks. The crowd was quite good that night, and a slew of us gathered in the hotel lobby to chat and have a little food that evening before turning in for the night.
Saturday was it's usual self with 2 shows, though the first was pretty blah. I was starving afterward, so Tyler and I headed close by to Pints and Pies for a sandwich before a little downtime before the show. Thankfully, the show that night was met with a much better response, and we couldn't have been happier. James, our lead truck driver, was celebrating his 50th birthday that night, so almost the entire cast and crew headed back to Pints and Pies for a big sendoff for him. It was an awesome night.
Sunday thankfully brought only one show, but I am sad to say it was as blah as the previous day's matinee. However, nothing would deter me from having a good night, considering it was the day of the Tony Awards!!!! After arriving back at the hotel, I ordered a large tasty pizza, and cleaned up my room about for my castmates arrival to watch a night of awards celebrating the best of the best on Broadway, and quite a few of our friends. It was a small group, but I think we all enjoyed ourselves, talking shop and geeking out on musicals, which I very rarely get to do with other people. It was a bit of a late night, but totally worth it to enjoy the time with my friends.
Well, there is the next installment of my blog. Again, I apologize that it took so long, and I assure you that my next to blogs will be nipping at it's heels. Thank you for tuning in, and keep your eyes peeled for the next installment!
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