Little Women Show Blog

Collecting

Twice a year, an organization called Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids leads a fundraising drive to collect for people living with AIDS/HIV.  The fundraising culminates in The Easter Bonnet in the spring and Gypsy of the Year in the fall, where each show puts together a small production number (usually funny or moving) and the totals of each shows fundraising is announced.  Since 1987, over $100million has been raised.

In Little Women, James Darrah (assistant stage manager/Bhaer-Laurence standby) has been the pointman for the fundraising.  For those 6 weeks, after the company bow, Maureen announces that she's moving out to the lobby and introduces Luisa Flaningham as having a favor to ask.  Luisa explains to the audience what we're doing and that Maureen has recorded a new cd songcard called "Help is on the Way" (a very moving song, btw) which she will personalize for a minimum donation in the lobby.

Our show has collected, in the past 6 weeks,over $30,000.  A dollar at a time.  Every little bit helps.

Poker nite

Most Thursday nights our crew has a poker game in the company hotel.  For a $10 buy-in, we enjoy a friendly game of Texas hold-em, replete with tense moments and heaps of trash-talk.  Usually 12-15 people show up and the game begins at 11:30 pm and you play until one person wins all the chips on the table, usually about 3 am.  The winner receives the lion's share of the collective buy-in as well as a proud trophy, fashioned by our propman Will and edited by flyman Squatch.

Well, last Thursday, yours truly, for the first time, WON.

Oh, the glory. Oh, the majesty.  I really didn't expect it.  The guys on the crew are playing online poker constantly, I had no reason at all to expect I wouldn't be going home before midnite.  The cards kept coming and, lo and behold, I am in possession (sp?) of the Little Women Weekly Poker trophy.

Winning the game is a hoot but spending the time with the cast and crew is the real reason for staying up way too late.  We laugh so much and yell so loud that its a wonder the hotels even allow it.  The men and women on our crew are so diverse a bunch, who have been together over several tours, that sitting there and listening to them interact is really my reason for showing up.  Billy, Squeege, Fluff, Eyan, Squatch, Platt, John Mark, JT, McP: each provides a different character to this Star-Wars-cantina that we travel with.

By the way, Susan surprised us by sending a boat-load of Domino's pizza to the game room.
Who's luckier than me?

Katie-koo

Anyone who has seen the show knows how hard the actor playing Jo is working.  She carries the show on her back basically all the way through.  Having played Jean Valjean (finally got it on the page, Miniarik) I know how tiring a huge role can be. (ok I was the understudy, Patty) (we call Stephen Patterson "Patty")

Katie is on a medical leave.  She last played in St. Louis and was scheduled to rejoin the tour here in Baltimore, but she told us this week that she is going to be out longer.  She is now coming back in June, and Susan Spencer will continue as Jo with Julie Foldesi performing the role "at certain performances".

Layoff

This is the week we were to have spent performing in New Orleans, but with Katrina having hit, the week was cancelled and we were all free to roam.  Over the last weeks at the theater, everyone's been planning and sharing their plans for the layoff week.  Hawaii, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Ohio are some of the places people went.
When we get to Baltimore, I'll fill in the blanks.