Alive Theatre

Okay this week of "live" theatre tops any I've ever experienced. "Jersey Boys" continues to sell out and the crowd roars, but man some crazy things happened in front of sixteen hundred people! Thursday night the opening number began four minutes after 8pm. The gals hold 3 counts of eight before we appear as French rappers from stage right.

This performance marked Jen Evan's (swing) first go as the "Lorraine" track. I like when 'swinging' occurs because everyone has to be on there toes and adapt. Things were off to a great start! The cast was rapidly manuevering through the scenes of the first act. I did a double take of Jen as the church lady in the "Sunday Kind of Love" scene. "I told you it was no vision," got a great laugh. She did a great job this weekend filling in.

And then came "I Cried For You."

You know when the Four Season's sing around the piano for the first time and Jackie, Miles and I are working at the bar grooving to the music? We finished the song and dance and settled on the bar stools listening to "Tommy" and "Frankie" duke it out.

AND THEN- BASH, BANG. I thought one of the curtains or "Brill Building Doors" was falling too early and had crashed on stage. Cast, crew and audience all felt the big shake. The audience heard it too. First, they gasped. Then they laughed. That was followed by talking (sixteen hundred people talking is really loud when you are trying to talk over them!) The audience got so loud during the scene that finally Erich gestured to the audience, someone said "we'll be right back" and pretty soon we were all walking off the stage. All the actors walking off the stage in the middle of a performance...WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Ladies and gentleman, it was an earthquake. A 4.2 level earthquake. Immediately, Patty, the stage manager calling the show, made an announcement telling the audience to remain in there seats while "Jersey Boys" checked props and the building and made sure we were all safe. A minute later the cast was walking back on stage and was greeted with applause, cheers and laughter. It took us two tries to start up the scene again. I think everybody in that theater had the giggles (me included.) And that was that: on with the show!

During the same performance during the "Who Loves You" finale we had an extra "prop" make an appearance in the show. A PINK LEOPARD THONG landed on the stage apron in front of Chris Kale Jone's feet. I didn't even notice the panties until after we cleared the stage and started bows. After the final bow, "Frankie" delicately picked up the panties and placed them in his front breast pocket. The audience roared and clapped and then on with the "Oh, What a Night" reprise. Jackie and I were cracking up during the dance trying desparately to keep our balance in 3 1/2 inch heels.

What a show! Swings, earthquakes, panties: all in a night's work. This currently just might be one of the best jobs in America.

PS: The week began with assistant stage manager Michelle's cupcakes, Eric Gutman's shipment of famous peanut butter squares which he always shares (thanks Gutty) and ended with Brandon's Sunday crispy cream donut suprise. Three dozen. I'm stuffed.