Vienna!

In Vienna we enjoyed the great shopping and Marissa and her brother’s first trip to Washington, DC where I earned the title “Ranger Pat” in my zeal to ensure we visited as many tourist attractions as possible. Tours of the Capitol building, the White House, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Holocaust Memorial Museum were all crammed into a very busy week of shows, rehearsal with Martin, celebration parties and quality time we treasured with our Annie family, especially the lovely and always entertaining “orphans” and their loving and supportive families.

A special thanks to Chris Whyland for creating and hosting annietour.com allowing me to keep an online journal for Marissa and everyone interested in our journey for the first year of the 30th anniversary national tour of Annie!

Boston continued!

The last week of school and Monday was a Golden Day! Marissa, Delaney, Taylor and Brittany chose to spend their day at Canobie Lake Park in nearby Salem, NH where they had a blast on all the rides especially the roller coasters and anything that got them soaked!

The crew for Albert Maysles’ documentary “Lucky Dog” returned to film Marissa, Lola, Bill Berloni, Brian and myself on a typical show night, even riding back to the hotel in the dog van with us to document Marissa and Lola’s sleepover. Filming to midnight caused Marissa to miss the Annie/Rent tours get-together she was eagerly awaiting. Unbeknownst to us Brian asked company management to arrange a private meeting so Marissa could meet the cast. Thank you Brian, Ken and Doug! Marissa was totally surprised and thrilled to meet the talented actors portraying Rodger, Mimi and Angel!

Arrive Boston!

We arrived at our hotel located in the Longwood Hospital district three miles from the venue. For a number of reasons, members of the cast and crew moved out, some to more affordable accommodations, others willing to pay more. In an attempt to escape screeching sirens and cigarette smoke permeating our room and because I could not locate reasonably priced lodging elsewhere we moved into the hotel's last available room, its only window overlooking an interior food court. In the "cave" as I called it, smoke and sirens were no longer an issue but we shared our cramped quarters with the hotel's permanent guests rather that accepting the inhumane glue mousetraps available at the front desk.

Cars were not provided in Boston so we relied on the T to get familiar with the city. The Opera House was one of the most beautiful theaters of the tour and Quincy Market was nearby with plenty of shopping and restaurants. We also enjoyed several meals at Copley Square and the North End’s Little Italy.

Arrive Buffalo!

Our week in Buffalo was great thanks to Elizabeth Morphis (Tutor) and her wonderful family who invited all the girls and their chaperones to their lovely home for a homemade lunch and said we could bring our laundry too! They also organized a sight-seeing trip for the entire cast and crew to Niagara Falls including the Maid of the Mist and a picnic lunch, and a tour and free treats at Antoinette’s, their family owned homemade candy and ice cream store!

Marissa and I will remember this week because it seemed like food was being offered to us from beginning to end starting with the opening night party; then ice cream at Melanie’s, CASA’s dessert party, a pizza and Buffalo wings lunch hosted by the theater and not one, but two visits to Antoinette’s!

Arrive Providence!

It was wonderful to be home and Monday came too soon, particularly for my dear husband John who escorted us to Providence only to turn around and drive back home again! We arrived to an attractive, vital city in the midst of urban development including – no surprise – a major building project an arm’s throw from the hotel. Construction has been in more cities than not on tour so I have learned to request a room as far away as possible from the din of jackhammers, backhoes and dump trucks. Still it’s no guarantee of a good night’s sleep in hotels consisting of what seem to be paper thin walls.

Many thanks to Melissa (Casey’s mom) for driving us to Newport to explore The Breakers, the Vanderbilt’s summer “cottage”, Rosecliff where The Great Gatsby among other movies was filmed and the Cliff Walk, the Ocean State’s magnificent coastline path, and still make it back to the theater in time for afternoon rehearsal!

Layoff (5/22 - 5/29)

Marissa spends some quality time with Cody

Arrive Nashville!

I hear Nashville is a fun town, especially for country music fans, but Marissa and I spent most of our time at our favorite hotel chain close to the theater. The Country Music Hall of Fame, The Parthenon, museums, riverboat rides and the Grand Ole Opry were only a cab ride away but with Marissa’s school, press and performance schedule, a swim with Delaney, Amanda and Taylor between shows was all she could fit in. On one picture perfect day while Marissa was inside tackling standardized exams Nikki (Delaney’s chaperone) and I squeezed in a visit to Andrew Jackson’s home, The Hermitage. Nikki is new to tour life but has quickly come to realize how rare and wonderful it is to escape occasionally from the chaperone's monotonous routine. This trip was even worth the $75 roundtrip cab fare!

Saying goodbye to Stevani after her final performance Sunday night was emotional for the girls, but Stevani looked excited and happy to be moving on and Marissa knows she will see her again. After all, Delaware is not very far from New York!