Where are we? When are we??

For over a week, I have been battling the cold from H-E-🏒-🏒. The home COVID test I took was negative and the doctor I saw a few days in didn’t seem to think I needed another but just needed to let the mystery virus run its course. Food has been of the comforty and not particularly exciting variety so we’ll catch back up on weekly rundowns after Baby opens and take this time talk about all the upcoming shows in one place.

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One can never pass up the opportunity to use the Parker Posey Waiting for Guffman gif. I think it’s a law.

As our ticket site states:

Originally a Broadway hit in 1983, Baby garnered multiple Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. For decades, its intimate depiction of three couples facing the journey to parenthood has captivated audiences and theater companies alike. The 2021 Version breathes new life into the classic, updating the book and orchestrations to reflect today’s sensibilities while keeping the heartfelt score and relatable characters that made the original a favorite.

Baby (2021 Version) offers a timely and honest examination of parenthood in a new era—exploring everything from morning sickness and hormone injections to the deeper existential questions that come with starting a family. This vulnerable, funny, and tender musical, from the acclaimed duo Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire, follows three diverse couples on a university campus as they navigate the impending arrival of a baby at different stages of their lives:

• Danny and Lizzie, college students just beginning their adult lives, grapple with unexpected news.
• Nicki and Pam, in their thirties, are determined to conceive and will do whatever it takes.
• Alan and Arlene, empty-nesters looking forward to their last child graduating, find themselves back at the beginning after a night of unexpected passion.

Triad Pride Acting Company is dedicated to bringing diverse and engaging theatrical experiences to the community. Baby (2021 Version) perfectly aligns with our mission to entertain, enlighten, and enrich, all while fostering understanding and acceptance.

This cast features some of the busiest and most reliable actors in the area and rehearsals have been a delight. It’s always wonderful to have a director and music director who are also performers and know how to schedule properly.

From hurting my knee a few weeks ago to this terrible virus, rehearsals have been physically challenging on top of the mental challenge of playing a woman desperate for a baby. Pam is a tricky character; we only hear from Nicki how strong she is as a basketball coach, because she never gets the chance to be anything but neurotic in the script. She’s so focused on herself, she is not very likable — which is reflected in her difficult solos. As one of my castmates said early on, “does Pam ever get a melody?”

All that to say: very excited to get this show in front of an audience! I’ve been a big fan of Triad Pride Performing Arts for years and am so glad to finally get to join them onstage while having such a splendid time off it. When I’m not coughing.

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The day after Baby closes, Mystery Men Productions has a rare public show for the new owners of Radar Brewing. It’s a sequel to their biggest hit, a speakeasy show, but you don’t at all need to have seen the first to enjoy this one.

But if you want to book us to do the original, lemme know.

If you’re too impatient to book your own private showing of Murder at the Buffalo Speakeasy — you’re in luck, because it will be performed at another rare publicly-ticketed event at the end of September!

We’ll be in a new-to-us venue in Greensboro, Grapes & Grains Tavern.

Tickets for both events can be found here.

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Three days after Return to the Buffalo Speakeasy, I am going to be singing in a concert of original musical theatre works by composer Chris Rayis.

Chris is on the faculty of Elon University with a favorite former costar (and last summer’s Rent MD), and when he had Gretchen listen to one of the trios and was trying to figure out who else he knew to sing other two parts, she said she knew just the belters to call. I don’t know the other singer, but I’m sure she’s stellar, because I do know Gretchen has great taste — and not just because she called me.

I’ll also be in the closing full group number and am excited to listen to everything in person because the music all looks pretty great.

No tickets necessary; free general admisison.

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And, to be a good wife: Hampton is making his local directing debut as part of Camel City Playhouse’s annual one-act festival.

He was very excited to get the actors he wanted from auditions and rehearsals are mainly taking place in our living room which means we finally get to have rehearsal dogs. OK, they get shut in the bedroom, but still. (And please ignore the clutter and dirty floors in the pics Hampton took last night that made it to the CCP Facebook today. Tech week and all that.)

In addition, this is the script in which he was most interested, and he’s gotten to connect with the playwright via social media, so he’s overall quite chuffed.

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Ok, that’s it. Puppy tax time.