The good, the bad and the star: The dressing rooms. Blog Installment 11/16/10

Hi again. Hope this finds everyone well. The last time we talked the cast was on the West Coast of Florida. We are now in Melbourne, Florida on the Atlantic Side and back in the Eastern Time Zone, for a few days anyway! We all needed a day off as the travel schedule has been rather grueling to say the least, but yesterday the crew, cast and production team all had a day off after traveling for 8 hours! Today most of the company had massages and played in the ocean. A wonderful way to relax and unwind. Last night we sat on this beautiful deck of the hotel eating from the restaurant and listening to the waves hit the shore. Pure heaven!! Tonight’s show was to a full house and we really gave them a good one, I think.

Anyway, back to dressing rooms….When we were in Detroit, I had my own dressing room, which was spectacular. My own refrigerator and bathroom. It was so lovely to be able to just gather my thoughts and get ready for opening night. Since then, I have either been in a dressing room with one other person, two other persons or the entire female cast. Now sometimes the dressing rooms have been on stage level and other times they have been in the basement and one time it was on the third floor!!! Needless to say it is always an adventure to see what the dressing room configuration will be like….a few times we were so squeezed in that one could not move the chair or have enough room to move elbows!! Once there was only one toilet for 12 women, a little ridiculous!! We had to take numbers to go to the toilet!!

Tonight however, I walked into the theater only to see that I had my own dressing room. Not only that, there was a TV, a refrigerator, a black leather couch and a corner shower stall in a huge bathroom attached. I am telling you, I really felt like hot shit!! It was such a wonderful feeling to have my own space to prepare for the show. People walked around outside and I was in my own oasis. The laundry lady had also laid out my clothing to change into. It is amazing how little things like that mean so very much. It really makes the moment special and I really appreciated it. The good news is I have it again tomorrow night!!

Well this is short as I have to go to a party. John, our Tevye has a gorgeous suite at the hotel overlooking the ocean. He has graciously invited the cast and crew for a party. I have to take the chips and guacamole!! More later…..