Grantblings

Puppet Up Toronto Tour Diary – Day 6 – Stuck In An Elevator

For me, one of the perils of being away from home and in a different time zone is that my sleep patterns get really messed up. Last night was probably the worst since being here in Toronto. I was up well past four. Just couldn’t shut off my brain and go to sleep. Of course 4AM here is only 1AM west coast and I’m usually up that late as it is. Still it’s rough to lie there, wide awake, hoping for sleep.

I did get up a little after noon, so I did sleep somewhat. I have come to accept the fact that I’ve come down with some sort of travel bug. Scratchy throat. Cough. Sniffly nose. My voice is a fe octaves lower than normal, but at least I still have it. I seem to hit low notes in the show’s songs much better now though. For the past few days I’ve been drinking tea like crazy and that will continue. Didn’t to much during the day other than hang out in the hotel room, write a little, listen to music and just relax.

About an hour before call I met Dan and Brian for another dining adventure. Last night it was pan fried dumplings (which I worked into last night’s show). Tonight we tried and indian restaurant right next door to the theatre. Having never had indian food before I have to say…I LOVED it. It was so good and I will, for sure, be going back before we leave.

Tonight’s show was a really great show and really defined the word improv. To get to the stage we’d been taking an elevator. Moments before showtime, a stagehand was coming down to pick us up and the elevator got stuck! There was to be no using it at all. Our options became, go through the audience or out the back alley of the building to the stage. Needless to say, there’s a lovely alley behind the building.

The crowd was fantastic tonight and there were some really great scenes. There was a Shakespearean scene that Michael, Peggy and Brian were in that just killed. It was one of those scenes where you’re watching going, “I want to be in this scene! It’s so good!” Just really fun.

The Alien Barbershop suggestion was Proctology. The rhyme I came up with was:

My doctor’s finger
Is inside me
But I don’t mind
He’s doing it for free

Got a good laugh from the crowd. During the puppet variety show, of which the barbershop is part, Colleen does these amazing intros and just when you think she’s lost her mind, she wraps it up beautifully and introduces the act. They are truly things of beauty.

Before the finale, there were some tech issues and Michael and I began imrovising as these two new giant Monk puppets that are part of the finale. It was something we did as a goof during rehearsal and suddenly we were doing it for a packed house. They were very generous with Theo and Lonius (the Monks) and their really bad jokes. Soon the tech gremlins were smashed and we were on our way with the finale.

Now, it’s off to bed! Two shows tomorrow! I can’t wait. I love doing this show and tomorrow I get to do it TWICE! Huzzah!