Productive and Fun

Hi Friends,
Loretta and I had a very uplifting week in Lisbon where we took some challenges and made the best of it. Challenges such as having a really small cast and other little things that you get used to while on the road like no cellphone service. I'd say it was a successful week. We were both looking forward to our next week in Fargo, Nd where we were going to be staying in a hotel. During the summer we got really used to staying in hotels esp when they had pools for us to relax and work on our tans at. However, since the fall tour we've had a lot of homestays which are always fun and I have A LOT of funny stories about them but we were looking forward to our own space. Plus Fargo is a big city which means CELLPHONE SERVICE.

Once we were all checked in and relaxed in our hotel rooms, we got ready for dinner. We had a TAD date with two of our friends that were on the road too and we were going to our favorite place: Olive Garden. It was so nice to catch up and share tour stories with another team who goes through a lot of the things we go through with life on tour. Loretta actually made "friends" with our waitor which between you and me Adam (one of the tour actors we were eating with) didn't like very much. Ha!

I loved our week in Fargo. Our Contact was on top of the game and took on a lot of responsibilites that most Contacts wouldn't do. He did a lot of little things that add up to big things for us like making lists of the kids names, making sure that there was a parent around just incase a kid was forgot to get picked up or didn't have a snack. He had been a contact for Missoula for awhile and he took it seriously which we liked. :) We also had 3 Creative Dramatic workshops and I love this workshop!

No date for this Gill.

We teach the kids that they can put on a play anywhere using their bodies and imagination and then we tell stories with them using mime as well as warming up their bodies. At the very end of the workshop we all act out The Troublesome Dragon; I play the Dragon and various other characters and the kids play the funny townspeople.  The teachers always like us doing workshops because for 45 minutes they just get to watch and not have to worry about the kids. What made it better was that the kids in Fargo were really wellbehaved. Truthfully a lot of the places we went on tour the kids were really well behaved but this week was pretty awesome. Our performance space that week was so great. We were so used to having small spaces and we just had to make the set work somehow which usually meant only using two walls instead of the four. When we put up the four walls and still had loads of space for backstage and wings we were pretty happy.

When we weren't in rehearsals or doing a show Loretta and I spent our time very differently. Loretta went on several dates with the waitor from Olive Garden and I always loved breakfast with her the next morning to hear all about it. :) I however spent my time a little differently. I went to the gym just about everyday and worked on gymnastics and dance. I loved it. I feel like I haven't danced in so long and this week really showed me how much I miss it. I even went and saw The Vow by myself and then afterwards I danced in the parking lot in the rain. Why? Because I could! Haha! Later on that week Loretta and I went out to see what Drew (the waitor) did for his second job.  It wasn't really my scene but I had fun.

For our next week on tour we were supposed to be in Hunter, Nd which was only 30 minutes away from Fargo so since Loretta and I didn't have far to go we used our spare time wisely and went shopping. haha! Loretta even got to go on another date with Drew while I caught up with our Contact and my Dad on the phone. I felt really productive. Recap: Fargo was a fun, relaxing and a productive week. Now off to Hunter!
-Jen