Why we Love the Count Basie...

...
Some places don't even give us water. It's a movie, Mom, click the arrow!

Janet and the ceiling of the Count Basie Theatre

Red Bank, NJ You have to wonder what sort of hideous trauma or phobia led to the draconian regulations governing left turns statewide.

Backstage, Ruritan Community College Theatre

Howard sets up harmonies onstage while Andy sets up wigs backstage during sound check.

...where finally, I can go back to sleep.

Zzzzzzzzzzloveyouguyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Then we check into the basically charming Hotel Sierra, in Branchburg

A brief 45-minute jaunt across the wilds of New Jersey, under the watchful and threatening eyes of thousands of evil, silent birds....

Next, a brief train ride to Hertz...

That's Nancy Dolliver, who just found out there's a suspicious lump in her lung. I was just offering to try and massage it away, but apparently she's using 'doctors' for that kind of thing.

Then we land in Newark...

...next, we board a smallish jet

My seat is a window AND an aisle!

We start the day in a cab to National Airport...

Camera went off in the plane, unbeknownst to me....

Curious effect. I don't think that's me at all...

Me as Mark Sanford

I'm about to go on in Los Angeles to sing "Don't Cry, I'm in Argentina" as your beloved(?) Governor. It was a hit...it usually is. Clearly, I have yet to properly seat the wig on my head. I hope.  Photo courtesy Jon Bell. Love y'all!

When I got home...

...Katie and Alex had left a spooky trio out on the balcony. I have to figure out how to 'present' them on the balcony so they can be seen for miles!

LAX Redux

It seems like they've been refurbishing this space-age 'The Future of Tomorrow as Seen Through the Eyes of Yesteryear!' style restaurant forever. Who has time to go to an off-site eatery at LAX?

The Hotel Angeleno

Formerly, a Holiday Inn. Its twin dwells in Long Beach or Torrance, I can't remember which, thank God...

University of Judaism, Bel Air, CA

Star treatment, baby!

The Hotel Angeleno...and Rt. 405...

It's hard to make LAX look mystical...

...but I think I succeeded.

Scenes from New Orleans

Rich and I had lunch in the French Quarter before we hit the airport

Sound check, Columbia Theatre, Hammond, LA

Behind the Hampton Inn in Hammond

This looms large: gaily flapping flaggery and a water tower emblazoned, I suspect, with some local school mascot: the Fighting SleepyLion Trees, perhaps.

Rainy, rainy Hammond, Louisiana

This picture does not adequately convey (if at all) how freaking wet I got running at top speed across the parking lot.

Leaving Jackson

On a longish trip, Rich does his turtle imitation.

Scenes from a Mississippi Political Barbecue

Somewhere in a tent in Jackson...

...is as cliche a collection of wealthy jowly Foghorn Leghorn-style Mississippi politicians as you can find anywhere.

Huntington's Grill, Jackson, MS

The cast enjoying the night off before a morning show. A rare show of cast solidarity, usually we scatter like roaches when the light comes on... Left to right: Rich Patterson, Ann Schmitt, Howard Breitbart, Janet Gordon, Jon Bell, Andy Clemence, me.

Janet and Ann

Enjoying a nearly empty flight for the first time in recent memory. I guess the advantage of going to Jackson, Mississippi is that no one does.

This guy kills me!

Literally. This is Jamie Foreman, Pat Foreman's son.  You might remember Pat - one of Carol's real good friends.  I've known him since before his eyes were open. He seemed to take a great deal of glee in slitting my throat. He is insanely talented. Beautiful tenor, tap-dancing wonder (like his dad - who played George M. Cohan at Toby's about a thousand years ago) apparently. I was glad to be offed by an old acquaintance. XO

Attend the Tale!

Me and Lynne, my extraordinarily wonderful and helpful Mrs. Lovett.  My voice is shot, I got no sleep. I'm going back to freaking bed! XOXO

Got through it, basically unscathed....Woo Hoo!

And yes, it was fun, as soon as it quit being scary. I may be able to get you giuys a video. Jamie was kind enough to record it.  Tired...must crash.So I'll put up this picture of a beautiful Katie with a crazed-looking Toby. Night guys. Love you.

Made it to Detroit!

...where our flight is also delayed. Damn!

What's missing?

A plane. Stuck in Kalamazoo. Great.

Off to Kalamazoo!

Sheldon Concert Hall, downtown St. Louis, MO

Voew from Rm. 535, Chase Park Plaza Hotel

A lovely day in St. Louis.

The lovely deserted Capitol of Wisconsin on a Sunday morning

Old Fashioned's Restaurant, Capitol Square, Madison, WI

In Wisconsin, everything includes a touch of dairy: dessert with a shot...

On the shores of Lake Monona

We're in Madison, Wisconsin, playing tennis on windswept lakefront courts. It's 41 degrees, just stopped snowing, and this is one of the least flattering photos in which I've been featured...EVER. Played three sets. Brrrrrr...

Toby's

Still using the set from 25 years ago. I'm going on Sunday, October 18. Yikes. This is where we find out if the brain still works, eh?

How is it....

...Kate remains fetchingly slender when she loves junk food so much?

This scene: "The Death of the Pringles"

Andy Fahs

We just played tennis. Windy. Like me. And Andy.

1301 Constitution Ave, NW

The imposing facade of the Mellon Auditorium, last night's show location. Very imposing. Our audience also seemed imposed upon. Giant Gov't buildings = awful shows, almost all of the time. :(

Boo hoo...

Stupid Redskins

Buccaneers play the Redskins in DC today

In an attempt to irk the locals, the Giant Buc has wandered out onto the balcony.

Pentagon City

Recently, these circus-y, quasi-medieval tent spires materialized near the Pentagon City mall. My first thought was drunken jousters, and I was not far wrong.

Apparently, there is some touring show going about called 'Cavalia' which has been described alternately as a 'human-equine ballet' an 'equestrian Cirque du Soleil' or my favorite, 'Fabios on Horses.'

Sounds like a must-not see.