theater traditions

[thoreau]

okay - I know - superstitions are just that - but today - I started my opening night regimen. (official opening night is not till Saturday the 23rd but, tonight is our first audience - and that (for me) is opening night) For about 10 years now I've had a pretty solid regimen - with some SF tweaks here and there.

Step I: Listen to Jon Anderson and YES

I started off at 5am - with the alarm going off - and Miss Kate snuggling in for an extra 30 minutes. I slogged downstairs to the gym in the building with Yes loaded on my iPod.

Year	Lead vocals	Guitar	Keyboards	Bass	Drums
1968–1970	Jon Anderson	Peter Banks	Tony Kaye	Chris Squire	Bill Bruford
1970–1971		Steve Howe
1971–1972			Rick Wakeman
1972–1974					Alan White
1974–1976			Patrick Moraz
1976–1980			Rick Wakeman
1980–1981	Trevor Horn		Geoff Downes
1981–1983	Group disbanded
1983–1989	Jon Anderson	Trevor Rabin	Tony Kaye	Chris Squire	Alan White
1990–1992		Trevor Rabin Steve Howe	Tony Kaye Rick Wakeman		Alan White Bill Bruford
1993–1994		Trevor Rabin	Tony Kaye		Alan White
1994–1995		Trevor Rabin Billy Sherwood
1996–1997		Steve Howe	Rick Wakeman
1997		Steve Howe Billy Sherwood	Billy Sherwood
1998–2000			Igor Khoroshev
2000		Steve Howe
2001–2002
2002–2004			Rick Wakeman
2004–Present	Group "on hiatus"

I am not sure how it came to be that I listen to YES on the opening day of a show. It's been so long - I just know to do so. It has never failed me. In high school with their HUGOMONGOUS return with 90125 - I am now blaring OWNER OF A LONELY HEART" in my office. (much to the pained ears of my born in the 90s interns outside my office). They are the band that defined my adolescence to a great deal - all the way back to their Starship Trooper days. :)

STEP II. Mexican Food

I always have Mexican food for lunch - and I took my assistant Kentaro to Tres Agaves for pork carnitas and margaritas. If you live in SF (or are visiting) it's hands down the best healthy Mexican in town. The carnitas in particular are always PERFECT - and their taco plates are without the cheese and refried frightening-ness of TacoBellish stuff. It's a fave.

STEP III. A long walk with Miss Kate then a long shower and a protein shake

I'm leaving work a few minutes early - and then I'm off to the organic fruit stand GOLDEN PRODUCE to pick up Mango and whatever other fruit strikes my fancy to go home and mix in the blender for a protein shake (I can never eat a full meal before going on stage - but protein - well - you know) Then I'll put the shake in a travel mug - and take Miss Kate for an hour or so stroll around the neighborhood - then come home and sit under the shower for a while (breaking all sorts of 'saving water' goals of most Californians). Then I'll start "becoming" Roger - and head to the theater to iron my clothes and the clothes of my "boyfriend Mike". Roger is the kind of boyfriend that will say "Let me contribute to the household by doing EVERYTHING... you sit and watch TV. let me get you that cake...." LOL! So its a fun pre-show ritual to iron his and my clothes. (Besides - anyone that has seen Leo with an iron knows that's simply NOT a safe environment!)

Then at 8pm Pacific - I'll make my professional stage debut in San Francisco..... and that - my friends - feels SUPER AWESOME³.

Comments

[hereticsoul.livejournal.com]

Break a leg :)

[sjwarrior.livejournal.com]

Ditto...break a leg hot stuff!

[bibliocub.livejournal.com]

Break a leg sweetie! See you and the cast of thousands for dinner on Sunday!

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

the cast of thousands of which you are the golden Michael -

so now we have The Golden Michael - Just Michael and the Berrylicious Michael :) LOL!

[brunorepublic.livejournal.com]

They got me with Close To The Edge. They lost me with Tales From Topographic Oceans... the liner notes alone are too much!

I still think Jon Anderson's finest moment was with Vangelis on "So Long Ago, So Clear".

[inbhirnis.livejournal.com]

Fracture a tibia.... :-)

[pklexton.livejournal.com]

Break a leg dude.

[beg1n.livejournal.com]

I saw Yes on their 9012LIVE tour and was impressed with how amazing they were live. Even though Trevor Horn was not part of the band during that time, he wrote Owner of a Lonely Heart and Leave It for 90125. He became my obsession during that time, and I searched for anything with his name or the ZTT label.

[bootglove.livejournal.com]

Break a Leg!!!!! & I LOVE THAT SONG FROM YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Especially the instrumental part near the end of the song....

POW!!!
POW!!!
POW!!!

POW, POW POW POW POW POW POW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Owner of a lonely heart......


I get goose pimples when I hear that part!!!!

:-)

[twobraids.livejournal.com]

Close to the Edge - best Yes album ever

Break a leg...

[transmodal.livejournal.com]

Loved hearing about your preshow ritual.

Break a leg!!!

[bootglove.livejournal.com]

Here is a video on Youtube I found!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpmmeT69cE

[designerotter.livejournal.com]

I've occasionally wondered how actors spend the day before facing first audience. Sounds like you have an excellent regimen established. Love the bit about ironing BOTH yours and your stage boyfriend's clothes.
OMG ... the curtain just went up a few minutes ago ...
BREAK A LEG !!!