Weekend in Kentucky

Sorry that I have been so lax in updating my time here in Kentucky! Things have been busy, both with work and rehearsal and with a lot of socializing. Who knew there was this much to do in Owensboro Kentucky!!
(Sean, Amy and Bing - cast members playing the villian, his sister and Charlie Chaplin)

Since my last post, I have met my cast and it is a FANTASTIC group of people, very talented AND friendly. As we are all from out of town, we do a lot together. Up until this past weekend it has been mostly eating dinner and maybe a movie etc. But this weekend suddenly there wasn't enough time to do all Owensboro had to offer!! (listening to Bluegrass - Sean, Mark - our director, and Amy)


Rehearsal was shortened Friday because there was a big event in the theater so we had to rehearse off-site in a small recital hall where we aren't allowed even to tape the floor or properly set up what we need. So we just staged the fights and some dance moments, things that we could later drop into our space.
(The View from the balcony of Riverpark Center - looking back up the street to our hotel)






(for you Family Guy fans - it's a "Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Man!!"

Later Friday night was the kick-off of Owensboro's 'Friday after 5' series, 17 weeks of bands and street-fairs every Friday night. Several of us met for a drink in the hotel bar and then made our way the two blocks down the river to the theater which is ground zero for the Friday after 5 events.




pictured above; us dealing with Gonzon's Toybox -
There was a band outside on the patio, the Velvet Bombers, not great. Inside (the reason we were kicked out of the theater for the day was a 'gospel' program (think Mighty Wind, not so much gospel) but out on the back patio, a bluegrass combo, actually the best music we heard all night.

As the Friday after 5 festivities wind down, the action moves up the street to our hotel, The Executive Inn where there is a lovely amphitheater with a not-so-lovely band called Gonzo's Toybox. I have to admit that we had high hopes for Gonzo, but they were dashed. Luckily, there was plenty of beer and drinks of choice to temper the noise!

Finally we moved back to where we started in the Time-out lounge (my nighmare bar, karaoke five nights a week! AAARRGGH) BUT, they do get Fox Sports Midwest so I can watch the Cardinals games there. It was not a karaoke night, but a night with a band, De ja Vu, which was also not great, but at least they were loud!! and it was a west coast game, so by the time we got back to the bar the Cards were just starting against the Dodgers. So we had another couple of drinks and watched the game. As almost everyone in the cast is from Chicago, there are a lot of Cub fans, but I have one baseball buddy who grew up in St. Louis, so we have been watching the games.

Saturday... We went to Goldies, the best little Operihouse in Kentucky. Holy Cats!! I have never been to a show like this, it's hard to describe if you live in the North. I guess it's what Branson used to be, an old fashioned variety/country music show. The headliner wasn't great, but the rest of the talent (including Riverpark's Marketing Director and his wife) was amazing. I think we're going back in a couple of weeks to see a Dolly Parton tribute show that our marketing director's wife is doing. It was a lot of fun.