So I have to admit I feel pretty cool right now – I’m back in NYC and am composing this entry on my phone while on the subway. But alas, that is neither here nor there. So off to the detoxing from the incredible experience that was Treasure Island at Beef & Boards.

You are probably wondering just what happened in the waning weeks of our run… fear not, I’m here to bring you up to speed.

As I mentioned in a previous post, our cast was huge on sports. We almost always had ESPN on in the greenroom and during the days even managed to get several practices in for our highly anticipated arrival in Broadway league. A few Mondays ago, our cast even went the Indianapolis Indians game to take notes… of course we had a blast. Highlights included the dollar menu at the concession stand, Jay Elliott dropping a foul ball, and Jamie Jackson nearly getting his head taken off by another. The last week of our run began with an awesome bar-b-que at the farmhouse on Monday, where my good friends Landen and Natalie came up from St. Louis and joined us. Check out the great pic of me smoking Landen in our football game. That’s right, I’m a hoss. Tuesday and Wednesday’s shows were off the chain, and due to an irregular show week, we had no performance on Wednesday night, so JR Stuart organized an amazing cast dinner at Buca di Beppo- an amazing family style restaurant. We sat in the “pope room,” which featured a lifelike miniature pope that rotated with the lazy susan. Very funny. Afterwards we went bowling, and I’m pleased to say I bowled the best game of my life: 126. Check out the evidence on the right – I’m K I D…  hehe… The rest of the week went pretty smoothly, and I was happy to be joined by 12 family members on Saturday night. Afterwards the cast went out to BWWs and celebrated a bit. Such was life during the final week of TI. I left Monday morning for NYC and am now underground on the good ole’ subway.

When running a show for a little while, you tend to get creative ideas to keep yourself occupied and seeing as I didn’t get around to the video blog I wanted to do, I have a huge treat for you. Remember how at the end of the show the company sings “Miracles…” Well I figured this was the perfect place for an awesome falsetto riff section – so one day backstage I did just that. Riffed the end of the show. It’s far from my best attempt, but it’s not like Simon is critiquing my riffs, so enjoy… Miracles Horridly Riffed

On a final note, I really feel like no blog entry can possibly describe how grateful I am for the incredible opportunity I was afforded to perform Jim Hawkins, so I’m not going to get sappy and try to explain it here. Instead I’d like to say a huge thank you to our producers at Beef & Boards, Doug Stark and Eddie Curry, as well as Shred, our sponsor. Marc Robin and Curt Dale Clark – I am eternally in debt to you for both the personal and professional opportunities that I have been blessed with as a result of our work together. Additionally, thank you to our magnificent cast, as well as our stellar crew, orchestra, and the entire Beef & Boards staff for making this production the success it was. Lastly, thank you to the readers of my blog and the Indianapolis audiences that make live theatre possible. I hope, if nothing else, that you have gotten a greater insight to what I am all about as a person – and that, if for only a fleeting moment in time, you thought about the miracle that is life. With that I am out. Look for me on an Indianapolis stage this fall… LOVE!

Treasure Island Beef & Boards pics are up… check them out here!

Thanks to Julie Curry for the great shots.

So I’m feeling like it has been a while since I updated y’all on life… so here goes!

Did anyone see the “Woo Girl” episode of How I Met Your Mother? You know, the one guest starring the amazing(ly hot) Jamie Lynn Sigler… Well for those of you who live under a rock and haven’t caught the craze yet, it’s about…you guessed it, the girls who love to yell “Wooooo!” in public. Check out the actual definition of a woo girl here. Performing TI, one becomes privy to some pertinent bits of knowledge, one of which is the phenomenon known as the “Woooo Audience.” Every actor knows what I’m talking about – the audience that goes “Woooo” when you get done singing that huge number or take your curtain call. As an actor, I pride myself on determining the success or failure of a show entirely on the number of woos we get after big numbers and during curtain call. The woo is a source of pride for me, and woo girls should not be the only audience members allowed to let loose – in fact, studies have shown the woo audience, much like the woo girl, is quite contagious, so if you hear a woo come from the crowd – be sure to chime in yourself and let us actors onstage know how awesome we are, after all, I am judging my performance based solely on your woos .

In other news, I have created a reviews page, highlighting just how awesome I am. Actually, this flies in the face of everything I stand for as a performer; I firmly believe that (as John Herrera – original LJS – taught me) everybody has their own opinion… but Curt Dale Clark (Dr. Livesey & actor extraordinaire) says this will help get me jobs – and when an actor who has had a combined total of negative three months off of work in the last hundred years gives you career advice, you listen. So read away and let the judging begin.

I’m still working on the long awaited video blog, so keep an eye out – it should be up shortly!

That’s all for now – I think the brilliant Eddie Curry may be guest writing the next entry, so stay tuned for that!!!!

Drink up Me Hearties, YO HO!

Rick