Just saw my old friend Lois Sage return to NYC last night to do a cabaret at The Laurie Beechman Theatre. She was wonderful. Has one of the best voices in the business and has taken twenty years off, give or take, to raise a family.

It was so wonderful to see her back in action again as she has so much to give.
Nice to know that things can turn around at any age, for anybody.

Other great news is that I will be returning to Flat Rock Playhouse to play Roger deBris in The Producers... Could NOT be more happy about THAT, as it is one of those parts that you'd sell a sister or brother for!!!
Flat Rock is a place I love dearly and their shows are always an absolute blast to be a part of. A level of professionalism that just makes you never want to leave once that final curtain rings down.
Things seem to be slooooooooowly turning around career-wise. It's been a tough few years back in the city from being oversesas. Getting my Equity card back, getting signed with an agent and getting WORK. So, seeing Lois start over is pretty inspirational.

Rock on, sistah.


Thank God...

Easter and The Yankees

I went to Mass at St. Francis' Church on 31rst Street yesterday. Lovely place. I like The Franciscans. Very appreciative of Life and loving of nature, living things, etc... and there is a real zeal and encouragement to question things. My inner Half-Jew loves that and I have truly enjoyed my time in this place. Lovely environment and I just feel good when I'm there. I could launch a million explanations as to the whys and the wherefores, but the bottom line is how it makes me feel. And the sum total of all of the pros and cons is that "it makes me feel good!"

So... anyway, Easter Sunday. Kind of a big day in the Christian world...
I get there at five to 11--forgetting that people who aren't in weekly attendance sort of come out of the woodwork for the "Big Days". There is no place--I mean NO PLACE, to sit. Totally SRO. I am getting nervous as the thing is about to start and I don't want to get caught wandering around--nor do I want to stand with my gamy leg. FINALLY, someone official comes up to me and asks me if I want a seat. I smile and say "Yes, please!!!". Thinking I'll end up in the back because as a non-Catholic I don't get up for Communion and I really don't need all and sundry seeing me sitting down in an empty pew wondering what I've done to keep me from going up to the priest (Small Town-itis even in Manhattan), but I blithely follow the lady with the badge.

She then heads up the aisle, onto the altar and then puts me square in the middle of the twelve seats in plain view of the 2,000 plus congregation. Oy... so... the beautiful Mass begins (trumpets, clarions, choir, piano, GORGEOUS voices, stand up, sit down, fight, fight, fight) and all I can think of is how to avoid looking like a refugee from The Scarlet Letter, sitting up there on the main altar with everyone seeing lonesome little me NOT going to Communion...

So... The priest begins to wander through the church, with the vat of holy water and the very large, very golden censer to spray it all over us. Total silence in the church as he comes to the twelve of us first in the "Royal Family" seats.

"In the name of the Father, the Son and--BAM!!!!!!!!" The very gold, very heavy end of the censer flies off, arcs through the air and hits me square in the chest. I go tottering backward and the whole church gasps. I look at the priest and his eyes are open VERY wide and I think I remember saying, "I CAUGHT IT!!!!!!" (a feat in itself for anyone who knows my lack of hand/eye coordination... My people don't catch.) At which point, everyone starts laughing and my friend Joe (a wonderful associate in the church) comes running up to me to get it back saying, "THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!!"
Um... I'm not Catholic, but I gathered that.

So ... Communion was the least of my worries with The Holy Water Follies being played out in front.

I wonder if St. Francis' has a baseball team...