Maine-ly Speaking - 11/06/05

Augusta, ME - Arriving in Maine has slowed things down a bit, and I think everyone had a good day off today. The passenger van is now back with us, we've done the St. Joseph shows (two matinees of Much Ado and one evening performance of R3), and one MA here in Augusta at the Univ. of ME - Augusta. West Hartford was somewhat tiring itself, and a bit stressful for me, since while there I found out my mother-in-law had been admitted to intensive care with kidney problems. She's doing much better at the moment, and Ann Marie travelled down to Long Island to help out. That was very good news today. So all in all, things at the moment are quite good.

The company split up after the second matinee of MA, with the Acting Shakespeare workshop crew (which includes myself) staying behind to do three workshops while everyone else took off to Maine. My brother Jim from moe. came down for the show, and he enjoyed it (although he got there a little late). We had a nice lunch together before I had to get to my workshops. Unfortunately we did not take a group picture at St. Joe's, probably due to the split. Kevin, Olivia, Chris and I left after the workshops and got to Maine about 8:45 PM, making Friday a long day.

But yesterday we had all day off before the show, and today was a full day off, so I feel pretty rested. The venue here was small and had a teeny tiny backstage and no hallway space behind the stage at all, so for this performance we set up chairs on the stage and sat on stage while the show went on. That was different! Usually in the pre-show we mention how the seats on stage are "the best seats in the house," but tonight "we're taking them for ourselves." Once we settled all the issues about entrances and exits we had a pretty good time watching the show in stage. And the audience was very good and with us every step of the way. Jessica and I did bang-up business at the merchandise table, doing about $394 worth of sales. All in all a good night. We really had some trepidation that it was going to suck, but not so. It was a quickie - load-in, do show, load-out.

With my time off I did some necessary shopping (toothpaste, razor, shaving cream, Ricolas) and some unnecessary shopping at an Eddie Bauer outlet store (fleece vest, cotton shirt, case for my GPS). I tell you, I seem to have done more shopping on this tour that I have ever done in the last five years. The Eddie Bauer stop was probably a mistake, but the prices on all the items was really astounding. I guess it's just that you get tired seeing yourself in the same old clothes day after day, so it's good to get a change. We get per diem here, so I got lunch at a place called Panera's, a bread store that does fancy-ass sandwiches. Too pricey, but good. I almost bought a coffee mug that clips onto a backpack with a caribiner clip, but I resisted. I already have too many things hanging off my backpack. I've also been getting a lot of computer work done here as well, compressing and uploading movies and pictures, and with any luck they will be up tomorrow before I leave here.

With today's full day off Jessica (my roommate here) and I did company laundry (my turn as make-up for missing the week I was gone) and my own. Breakfast was taken in a small diner right in the small strip mall. The place looked promising, as it was packed, but the meal turned out to be mediocre. The coffee was served black, no questions asked (very Midwest). We tried like hell to find a decent coffee shop in Augusta, but I'll give everyone a tip - Augusta is NOT a happening town. The best coffee shop in town is the Dunkin Donuts, where Jessica got an espresso and I got a latte. Don't come to Augusta for the coffee. Got back to the Comfort Inn (it's a nice one!), and did a little more computer work, watched a little football, did 25 minutes on the treadmill, and finally went out to dinner. I went out to Waterville ME, which is about 15 miles north and the home of Colby College, a venue I missed. And I GOT MY LOBSTER!!! I went to dinner with Jessica, and it was the first whole lobster she had ever had, as well as the first time for clams (all that stuff in not kosher). We pretty much made a mess of the table, but the lobster was delicious! I had been really disappointed that I had missed the Bar Harbor stop, since I was going to get a lobster there, so it was great to get that second chance. Then after a phone conversation with Red Shuttleworth, I bought SIn City on the TV and watched it - great flick! I like movies like that - something you can't really do in the theatre. That's what movies are about. Just a slick film. And now this blog entry.

And soon enough this first leg will be over! We do a gig tomorrow night in Bangor, then a two-day road trip to Toledo OH for three shows, then a quick stop in Staunton and finish off the fall leg in VA and MD. I'll be passing right through Dunkirk on the 10th, but probably won't get to stop, so anybody who wants to see me go by, stand out by Fort Apache or on the Brigham Road bridge over the Thruway and wave as I pass by! Look for two grey vans. Then after the fall leg is over I get to go home for Thanksgiving and have my MRI on my liver, and then Christmas Carol. Seems I just got back yesterday.

The day itself was not so good - fog, drizzle, and right now a downpour, but the relaxation has been welcome and refreshing. Leaves are still on the trees, and that in and of itself has made this swing through New England worthwhile. Seeing my daughter, brothers John and Jim, getting some rest - I'm in a pretty damn fine state of mind at the moment. Not leaving until 11 AM tomorrow. So now I'll get another good night's sleep and see you all down the road somewhere. -TWL