Haiku #184 - April Fools!

something is diff'rent
a certain je ne sais quoi
maybe it's the hair
"Lac" and "Zach"
Photo by CBT


For yesterday's April 1 matinee, "Lac", with his distinctive hair, conducted, and "Zach", his associate on Broadway, played Key 2.  "Zach" wore 4-inch platform heels for extra height, possibly the first time he's ever been in drag.  A good time and many laughs were had by all.  


By the by... goodness knows what was in that wig.  Kurt found it in Toronto.  He seems fine so far...


Great audiences and nice weather all weekend in Palm Desert.  


Sorry about the haiku silence - the internet at the hotel didn't work, and I didn't have the patience to contend with the mobile app.  In NYC this week for a short break, will try to catch up - lots of fun in SoCal to haiku about!

Haiku #183 - Mutual Admiration Society

guess who came to see
the show and hung out after?
Rico and Raini


Cherie, Rico, me, Raini, Kurt
Kurt, Cherie and I watch Modern Family every week, so we were pretty excited that Rico and Raini Rodriguez (Rico plays Manny on Mod Fam; his big sis Raini is also an actress) came to see In the Heights in their hometown, College Station.  There was a little meet-and-greet after the performance - turns out they're big fans of the show.  It was a mutual admiration society! 

Haiku #178 - Captain Kirk

today Kat 'n' Kurt
of the starship In the Heights
met William Shatner


During tech rehearsal back in October, Kurt and I took turns at the piano, but often we were both there.  Our director would call out, "Off of Kat 'n' Kurt" to have whichever of us was playing start a number. After about a day of this, he said, "I feel like I'm saying 'Captain Kirk'."  And that is how Captain Kirk became the music department's collective nickname.  


A friend from this tour is currently working William Shatner's one-man autobiographical show, Shatner's World which was in Dallas tonight.  We got to meet Mr. Shatner briefly before we had to go do our respective shows.  He was very gracious, and it was cool to watch him work for a few minutes and wish him happy birthday!  Living proof that one does not have to be a diva to have a long, illustrious career.  

Haiku #177 - Dallas

good meals, inside jokes
random youtube videos
that's what friends are for
Cherie photographing her tandoori lamb burger at Chop House
 Nice to be in the same place for a couple weeks.  Kurt & Cherie and I went to Chop House for lunch today and enjoyed some spectacular burgers and (yes) truffle parmesan fries.  I'm a little under the weather, so didn't join other company members for karaoke tonight, and instead made a hot toddy and geeked out on youtube videos with Kurt for a little while.  Four more days in Dallas!

Haiku #173 - St. Paddy's in Dallas

many shades of green:
St. Paddy's Day in Dallas
means jalapenos


Last night we celebrated St. Paddy's Day with a mixer with the cast and crew of the Million Dollar Quartet tour at a bar downtown.  There was dancing and drinks, and there were jalapeno poppers the size of my head (slight faux-Irish exaggeration). Everyone was Irish, even our resident Italian.

Haiku #170 - Dallas, TX

please play on the grass
between all the interstates
don't mind if i do


My parents freak out a little about walking on green grass.  This is because A) they both grew up in the desert Southwest where anyone who cares for their feet steers clear of the "grass" and B) they lived for several years in Cambridge, England where something horrible and British would befall them if they dared to step on the grass.  I thought of them when I saw this sign near the opera house in Dallas.  

Haiku #169 - Mexican Drag Show

where I learned to say
"mátame, tequila, que-el
amor no pudo!"


("kill me, tequila, 'cause love couldn't!") - Carlos, our new swing, taught me this phrase.  

A bunch of us went out tonight to a place called Barcadia to hang out with some people from Young Frankenstein, who are also in town and came to our show.  Giancarlo and Marcus went down the street to find food, and Cherie and I followed suit.  Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into - Oscar Palacios y el Show Extasis.  I've seen plenty of drag shows in New York, but never a Texican drag show. 
I texted this picture to Kurt back at Barcadia, and he and the rest of the gang showed up soon after and stayed to close down the joint.