Fiestas and Dress Rehearsals!

The past few days have been crazy! On Sunday, Alyssa and Katie hosted a fiesta on our day off in their room! It was so much fun. Everyone made stuff for the party including guacamole, salsa, enchiladas, rice etc. We played some fun games like a cookie race! You put a cookie on your forehead and see who can eat the cookie the fastest without using your hands. it was so funny to watch everyone try to move the cookie just using their faces. We also did LIMBO! I haven't done that since I was like 12 and it was a hit! It was down to me and Shannon but Shannon was the ultimate champion! Such a fun night with the cast.
Today we had our first dress rehearsal and it surprisingly went smoothly! the past few days have been hard because we've had to stop a lot, but miraculously today, everything went accordingly! I have a million costume changes in the second half (some of which are just during a blackout) but once I get used to them the show is going to be so much fun. After rehearsal, some of the cast went to eat at a diner. We were the only ones there and had a great time laughing together.
Tomorrow is our last dress rehearsal then onto previews! so excited to get this show on the road cuz we are dominating!!!!

A little less new and a lot more YORK!

It's been a LONG week of tech rehearsals but never a dull moment! A couple nights ago, we celebrated Tami's birthday (our hair and make up girl)! It was really fun to wish her a happy birthday at rehearsal!
Yesterday, we all got to try on our wigs, make up and costumes! It was so exciting to see everyone's character come to life! it was definitely one of the highlights of the week. For me, it feels weird to have long hair again because it's been two years, but it is great to be able to whip my hair around!
Today, we did another run thru of the show and cleaned it a lot. We also got to celebrate Chris' birthday today with pie! Although the day feels long when we have to stop and start the show so much, it's the best time to bond with the cast, which is my favorite part!
Day off tomorrow, and were having a fiesta with the cast!!! Can't wait!

Heaven Isn't Too Far Away...

Yesterday was our first day of tech rehearsals in York, Pennsylvania! We drove to York from NYC and got our rooms at the hotel in the afternoon. I have the coolest roommate ever, miss Lisa! We get along really well and have great talks! We're definitely going to have a great year together. Then, me and the girls went to the grocery store to stock up on stuff for the next two weeks. We had rehearsal at night working on the poles and staging some of the show. It was so much fun teaching people pole tricks. the poles themselves are nothing like real pole dancing poles, but I was surprised at how much I could still do on them. I taught a lot of the boys how to do handsprings, and the girls how to spin. I probably played on the poles for two hours and got a nice juicy blister to show for it on my hand. Although it was a little painful getting back up on the pole, it felt great to use my arms again!
Besides being on the stage, getting to see the stage for the first time was INCREDIBLE! As soon as we all walked out on stage to see the set, we all just stood in amazement and excitement. It was a truly memorable moment to see our show come to life and become our new home.. It still doesn't feel real to me and probably won't until our first preview.
Today was day two of tech. We continued staging the show and the musical numbers. It was pretty similar to day 1 just longer. After rehearsal, Lisa and I hung out with some of the cast in one of their rooms and played Phase 10. I thought I was going to be really good at it because I am a gin rummy master, but I sucked! I only got to phase 5 while everyone else is on phase 7! I'll get my revenge! nevertheless, it was a really fun time with the cast just hangin out! PS sorry your blog got deleted Katie and glad you wrote a new one!
Tomorrow morning gym with the boys! lLets do this!

When in Doubt, TIP!

I haven't posted in a few days because life has been a little busy, but today was my birthday so it's essential I post something. We''ve been doing full run thrus of the show the past few days, and it is the best! The show is hilarious, fast paced, and so entertaining. I can't wait for my friends and family to come see it! Yesterday, Kelly Devine, the original choreographer of the show came to watch some of our rehearsal, which was AMAZING! I'm such a fan of her work, and it was an honor to get to dance for her!
After 14 days of rehearsal, today was our very last one before we start tech rehearsals in York, Pennsylvania! Rehearsal today was awesome because it was my birthday! Kate brought me little gluten free cakes, and everyone sang to me! It was bittersweet to wrap up our journey in NY, but I'm ready for the next step!
When I got home, I opened my presents from my parents, Erik, Misha, and Ben! I got lots of really great things! Misha even made me a gluten free ginger cake from scratch that was decorated in zebra print. Even though I couldn't spend my day with my boo, I still had an amazing day!
The ensemble girls and I joke that whenever were in doubt of how were supposed to walk onstage, we just tip! Thus the reason for my title today! I knew LA would come in handy for something! Yes girls....TIP! YORK here we COME!

The Final Countdown....

We finished the show today!!! I'm so proud of our entire cast for learning so much material in so little time! I'm even more thankful for the amazing creative team that we have and their positive energy. Today we finished 'Don't Stop Believin' and ran through the entire second act. For learning the 2nd half out of order, I think we did a really great job! It was also Kate's (our company manager) birthday, so we got to celebrate at lunch!
After lunch, we headed to the recording studio again to record vocals. It was much less stressful than yesterday, which was nice. All of us girls were in one room together singing, and it was a blast! Lots of good times and giggles in there...haha! We also had some fun telling silly jokes during our breaks today. Overall, a tip top day!
Now, it is the Final Countdown until tech rehearsals! Gettin ready for an awesome run through tomorrow of the whole show!

Hit Me With Your Best Shot....

Looooooooong day today, but I loved every second of it! We started the day learning 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot'. Then we did a fun prom, couples type number where we slow dance the whole time. Shout out to Chris for being an AMAZING lifter! We had some good laughs during that one ;) Last, we learned a good chunk of 'Don't Stop Believin'. We put the rest of what we didn't finish on hold for tomorrow...so excited to finish the show! I can't believe we're in the last week of rehearsals...it's already going by so fast!
After the first half of rehearsal, the ensemble went to lunch together before going to the recording studio to record the back up vocals for the show! It totally felt like right out of a movie. The girls had their own mics while the boys shared theirs, which means were going to flip flop tomorrow and the girls will all be on the same mic. It was fun to start piecing the music together and even more exciting to record something in a studio for my first time ever! it was also really good bonding time with the ensemble, which I loved! I LOVE this cast so very much it's crazy. Everyone is incredibly nice, and it is so great to come to rehearsal never wanting to leave.
Overall today was a great day! Another shout out to Mark for reading my blog, and thanks for coming to the recording studio with us!

It Goes On and On and On and OoOon....

Today was one of the best rehearsals I've had thus far. We staged the lap dance scene and 'Every Rose'. Then we learned 'Oh Sherrie' which is hilarious! We're literally just running around the stage singing. At lunch, we celebrated Matt Ban's birthday with cake and ice cream! Dom serenaded Matt a creative and original birthday song...lots of good laughs there.
After lunch we reviewed and sang the entire show in four hours, and we killed it! we all did our homework, and it definitely showed. I was dreading that part of the day the most, and it was probably the funniest part of rehearsal I've had. We were all just delirious at that point, so it mad out to be a really good time! Now, I have a day off for tomorrow, so I'm gonna catch up with friends in the city, and chill with my sister! One more week left in New York!

Any Way You Want It...

Wow....what a day! It started off jam packed with vocals, and we officially finished learning music for the entire show! It took a little over a week, which is nuts! Apparently this is the fastest any cast has learned the music for this show, and I'm very proud of all of us! Then, we started blocking Act II with 'The Final Countdown'. Learning that dance, being connected to three girls by a chain, while worrying about vocals and spacing was a little crazy...but fun! After that, we learned 'Any Way You Want It,' which is the stripper pole scene....woohoo! I can't wait until we get the poles, so I can practice! Then we ended the rehearsal learning choreo for a lap dance number with the boys....that was very interesting but actually super fun! Thanks, Danny, for making it comfortable for me! Definitely a fun one for my parents to see....NOT!
All in all it was a really fun and exciting day. I think the highlight was being on a packed subway with Patrick, and our only means of balance was by just touching the ceiling! ha...thanks for the laughs! Oh how I love NY!

Here I Go Again On My Own....

Here I go again on my own....What an appropriate title for today! I said goodbye to Erik this morning, which was hard because I won't see him for another month and a half. The good thing was I had a really fun rehearsal today! Started with vocals then finished being a stripper. My LA background came in handy today because we did a lot of tipping...haha! After that number, we learned the finale for Act 1. That number is SO fun because the whole cast is on stage, and it adds a lot of energy to the song! Throughout the show, the ensemble girls have been teasing that eAch of us have our trashy moments with Stacee, and mine was definitely in this last number....can't wait for my family to see it hahaha. Lastly, we did a full run through of act 1 and it was incredible! There's still some work to be done, but we're really making headway. At the end of rehearsal, it was announced that I'm going to be dance captain, which is such an amazing honor! it's going to be a lot of hard work, but I'm ready for the challenge! The rest of the night from the moment I got home to now was devoted to rehearsing.
I also found out today that a lot of people are reading my blog! Shout Out to STEPHEN! Muah! Act 2 starts tomorrow! Woohoo!

Come On Feel the Noize...

And so another day of vocals, staging and choreography! My brain is starting to get a little fried, so I'm reviewing like CRAZY! Erik dropped me off at rehearsal while he took some classes at BDC. We had a full morning of vocals then went right into staging. Did lots of 'loving' and 'touching' in 'I Wanna Know What Love Is'. Got to rock out in slow mo for half of a number, which was tons of fun! Then ended the day being a STRIPPER! Hahaha oh how I love this show!
After rehearsal, Erik and I had a nice date then tried to make it to Ben's football game. All in all, it was a really great day! Sad that Erik is leaving tomorrow but needing to buckle down and get this show on lock!!

I Wanna Know What Love Is....

Jumped right back into the swing of things today with vocals this morning. I got to spend my lunch break with Erik today, which was a nice change to my normal days. We learned the "Dead or Alive" number after lunch as well as "I Wanna Know What Love Is". "Dead or Alive" is such a fun and crazy number. It's just over the top with grinding on the floor and rubbing up on Stacee Jaxx. Definitely going to be an entertaining one to do onstage, and I'm sure my parents will LOVE watching me dance so provocatively.
After rehearsal, Erik and I walked FOREVER in the pouring rain to have dinner with some of the cast. We had a great time laughing about funny stories from rehearsal while eating some amazing food where Joey's dad works at as a pit master! It was nice for Erik to get to meet some of the people I've been raving about for the past week, and they made him feel very welcome :)

I Wanna Rock!!

Today I had a day off of rehearsals for Labor Day! Rehearsal yesterday was so much fun! We did a lot of head banging for "I Wanna Rock.". I get to be a music video ho, which is always fun. We also did "We're Not Gonna Take It.". I get to be a 'broken doll' and do a lot of bouncing. At the end of rehearsal we did an entire run thru of everything we've learned so far, and the show is such a rush! I'm definitely going to LOVE doing this show every night, and I can't wait to learn more! We officially have learned all of the music for the 1st half of the show, and this week we'll be learning the second half.
Erik got in last night too! We had dinner last night then walked around the city a bit. This morning we went to breakfast and did some grocery shopping. Then we got tickets and saw "Priscella Queen of the Desert.". I was really excited to see it because Misha's friend (one of my idols) Nick Adams was in it. He was absolutely incredible. He is the epitome of a triple threat and one of the best dancers I know. I hope to be as good as him one day. Overall, it's been a great two days! Back to the grind tomorrow!

Motorin....

Makin headway with the show today! More singing and LOTS more choreography. Definitely hard singing AND dancing my face off at the same time. Had some good bonding time with cast at lunch in the afternoon playing akinator and getting to know one another. It's kind of weird how comfortable around each other we already are....probably because we're groping, touching, and kissing each other on stage all the time. Nevertheless, it was a hard working, good, sweaty day, and I can't wait for tomorrow!!! Still get goosebumps during the day by everyone's amazing talent. Definitely a grateful girl :)

This Must Be Just Like Livin in Paradise...

Today was more music and blocking/choreography for the opening number! Music is always fun....we're learning ROA lingo like "stank face," Big Effin Neil Diamonds, and speaking 80's tongue. Then we moved on to blocking. The opening number is so much fun! I also had my costume fitting which was AMAZING! I have some pretty crazy costumes including a Britney spears school girl outfit, pink bathing suit, fringe, and plenty of lingerie. Then we learned some dances, which were SEXY! danced with rags, chairs, boys...like the song says, it "ain't nothin but a good time!" Besides all of that, I am LOVING this cast and production team! Everyone is so great. it's only been two days, and I already feel like were a family. And after all of the stuff we learned today, this show is going to be SICK! The first time the cast sang together gave me goosebumps. This is going to be one awesome ride this year and I'm so proud to be a part of it.

1st Rehearsal

I had an amazing 1st day today with the cast! I got to meet and mingle with everyone for a bit in the morning and then got crackin on rehearsal. let me just say how absolutely TALENTED this group is. I am so blessed to be surrounded by so many gifted people. every single person can sing their face off, and I was blown away within the first hour of listening to everyone's vocals. All I can say is wow!!! the professionalism and passion in the room was palpable. It was A LOT of information, but it's going to be a blast practicing because this music never gets old. even though we just skimmed the surface of vocals today, I am already feelin the pressure, but I'm ready to work hard. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings :)