2014 Greater Colorado Tour – Day 2
A great many things are experienced while on tour. Things like how
amazing the scenery is. How lucky we are to share this art form with people in
Colorado. How strange your hair looks when you put lotion in it instead of
conditioner. Yep – read those labels on hotel toiletries people. After an
unplanned 2nd shower my morning has begun. Everyone is on their own
for breakfast this morning and then we meet up to load the cars and head to the
Vilar Performing Arts Center where we have a double bill of Barber of Seville today for
students. This show is always a
challenge, but at this altitude it’s going to be especially tough.
After playing luggage Tetris (how is it possible that we have acquired
more stuff in one day?!) we make the drive up the mountain to the arts center.
Since we put the set up yesterday, we’ve got a bit of a head start. Everyone
gets into costume and makeup while I look at lights and Taylor warms up on the
piano. We un-tape the things we broke yesterday and make sure the glue has set.
We’re good to go. The facility is wonderful and the staff couldn’t be more
accommodating. We not only have dressing rooms, we have a fully stocked green
room and I even get to be on headset during the show. Most of the time, we’re
grateful to have a piano with all 88 keys – this is fantastic! The students
have arrived – we have a packed house. I start things off with a quick pre-show
talk and Taylor strikes the first notes. Performance #1 is underway.
The kids are very quiet but they’re really attentive. The show goes
well. Altitude is definitely taking its toll but they’re plowing through it.
It’s a good show – we need to clean up a few things, but after being away from
it for about 3 weeks, I’m just happy we did Barber
and not some new interpretation of Carmen
for the kiddies. After bows I go out to start the Q&A. Louise gets a
big reaction when she says that she’s from Manchester England. Ooh, exotic. Our
favorite question comes from a dapper lad dressed in suit and tie. He says “How
did you learn to do that; to train your voices to do that? It’s fabulous;
amazing!” And voilà, a new opera lover has been created.
As everyone is getting out of costume for our break, an unexpected treat
is unveiled in the green room. Lunch is being provided for us by the Vilar
Center. We now have time to actually sit for a bit and relax; a true luxury
while on tour. On the walls of the green room are photos of some of the past
performers that have graced the stage of the Vilar Center; including B.B. King,
Natalie Cole, Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming.
We’re all waxing a bit nostalgic.
Taylor gets especially emotional thinking about all of the people that have
played the very same piano that he is now playing for our shows. (I’ll pause
while you find a tissue) After eating a yummy and very appreciated lunch, I
give out a few notes for the second show and people begin their personal preparation
rituals. This basically consists of getting into costume, makeup and making
various hoot, hollers and calls that would sound strange to the layman’s ears.
To mine, it’s just business as usual. Brett and Taylor hang back and engage
meaningful conversation. I overhear Brett tell Taylor that he is not a fish
taco. It is just the first of many times throughout the day that listening
proves to be an essential skill and not a hobby.
In the middle of me figuring this out, one of the Vilar staff comes in
and asks if he can help us reset the show. Yikes! It seems in the rush to have
lunch, we forgot something. We quickly get back in gear and reset for the top
of show. Pre-show talk completed, Barber
performance #2 is off! This audience is much more responsive. They are
laughing. A lot; and in all the right places. This is one of my favorite things
to watch as a director. The singers feed off of the energy coming from the
audience and the performance goes from good to something really special.
They’re playing off of each other too. Their timing is great; the jokes are
hitting the mark. By the time we get to bows, the kids are yelling “Bravo” and
cheering like mad.
After another Q&A, we begin the task of loading out. In the process,
I am asked about what we’re touring next year and we’re invited back. Hooray!
Load out complete, we say our sincere thanks to the folks at the Vilar
Center – if you’re reading this – thank
you Kim, Aja, Eric and everyone else for making us feel incredibly welcome and
taking such good care of us. Now the task begins of loading everything back
into the rental Yukon. It’s hard to describe what this is like. Imagine a game
of twister, except you’re holding heavy objects and no one is having fun.
That’s pretty much it. With precision and teamwork, everything is in and the
doors even close. Good job everybody.
We make a quick pit stop for essentials (which means snacks) and gas
(which means fuel; petrol) and we head out towards our next stop – Salida.
We’re taking US 24 towards Leadville. The tunes selected for our trip – Disney.
Traveling with singers on a road trip is a special experience. Singing in the
car is not a spectator sport – all must participate. We all strap on our tiaras
and do our very best princess, but alas, Jared wins again with his rendition of
Part of Your World. Taylor is inspirational with his rendition of The Circle of
Life, complete with his own unique native lyrics. As we begin the climb up the
mountain pass, the scenery becomes breathtaking. Today we have blue sky with
snow-capped peaks. Well done Colorado.
Taylor claps in the car, not to show his
appreciation for the beauty around us, but to trigger an avalanche. He’s
invested, I’ll say that. We stop to snap a few pictures and then continue on
our way. We approach a bridge and Taylor chooses this moment to ponder aloud
what would happen if my health took a sudden turn for the worse and we careened
off of said bridge. Colleen responds by threatening to impale Taylor with a
kitchen utensil (she’s a teensy bit scared of bridges). We make it across
safely and soon arrive in Leadville where we all take note of the historical
Tabor Opera House.
Just outside of Leadville, I see a sign that says “Weed Free Hay.” Brett
remarks, “Well, you have to be careful of those high horses. “Get off your high
horse.” Ah, our Brett. He loves a good pun. After passing through Buena Vista
and Nathrop, we finally arrive in Salida. We pile out of the cars and I get us
checked into our rooms. This is done by carefully navigating a conversation
with the hotel owner who, even after explaining our tour many times, believes
we are rock singers who play guitars. He also believes that Jared and I are
married and that the “song about the baby” is the best opera song. O mio
babbino… yes, it touches everyone who hears it. Room keys in hand, we drop off
our belongings and then pack back into the cars to heard into historic downtown
Salida to walk around for a bit and eat dinner.
Small towns don’t have the same hours of operation as Denver does and
most of the stores are closed. We do manage to find a few that are open, but
what really catches our eye is a very… unique art display involving a car
dressed up like a pig that digests rubbish. And when I say “digests” I mean the
entire chain reaction is there on full display – start to finish. Soul sucking,
never get the image out of my memory, display. Jared comforts me and leads me
away from the horror. From this we head over to the local Five and Dime which
turns out to be an absolute treasure trove. From nostalgic candy to knives that
defend you from Zombie attacks, this is a store that has something for
everyone. Hats… they have hats. Taylor channels his inner Harley dude and then
becomes fatherly support for Brett as he embraces his inner Davy Crocket.
Jared
fully realizes his inner pink-cowgirl-princess before terrorizing the innocent
with a pop gun (which Louise says makes the most satisfying sound ever).
Jackalopes do exist as proven by the 9-foot tall stuffed specimen on display
and Colleen proves that she is indeed one of the most gullible people in the
world. Not only does the clerk get her with the old rattlesnake egg gag, but
also the exploring pen. We take an extra minute to get suggestions on a good
breakfast spot and head out to dinner. On the way we take a quick selfie
(although, is it a selfie if everyone is in it?)
Dinner is great and as we converse, many other things are said and
misheard. Ben stays to finish his libation, supervised by Louise and the rest
of us head to the car. As we meander
Taylor sees a dog, which he says is a Chow. Jared says it’s not a Chow,
it’s a Chow-Chow. Taylor says “yum,” to which I remark “eew.” I mean I knew
Taylor was a dog lover, but wow. It’s OK, apparently there is some kind of
condiment called chow-chow that people enjoy. This conversation takes a sudden
turn as Brett moves us back into the world of opera and Madama Butterfly’s Cho-Cho San becomes… you guessed it, Chow-Chow
San. Jared loses it and will now struggle to sing that opera without this
mental reference. We head back to the hotel as the sun sets and, grabbing some
snacks out of the car, we head up to our rooms. As I sit down to write the
blog, I’m treated to the sight of Louise, lounging on her bed, eating handfuls
of mini peanut butter cups even as she remarks “I hope these don’t belong to
someone else.” Well, unless the chocolate on your pillow has now become a
chocolate buffet of sorts, me thinks they do indeed belong to another.
Some of the group retires for the evening while others decide to play a
game. It’s gotten really chilly and I’m ready to turn in. As much fun as we’ve
had, this is still a lot of work. I realized something today. For every person
we’ve met on tour so far, at least one of us has talked to them and told them
who we are and what we’re doing. Sometimes they ask, sometimes they don’t.
We’re an outgoing group. It’s true though - tour really is a way we connect
with communities all across Colorado.
With that thought, it’s time to call it a night readers.
“Till tomorrow,
Cherity
1 comment:
Cherity, I look forward to your tour notes every year! We're excited to see you all at the end of the month!
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