New York Day 1 - photos

Here are some photos from our first day.

Arrived at Riverside Towers Hotel

The Grand Caravan!

Max, Ken & Pierre

Simon, Jerome, Danica, Stephanie & Andreanne arrive.



Leaving hotel for the New Worlds Stages



Rent and Avenue Q are playing here at the moment!

Set of Avenue Q where I was just about to perform "Panique"

At New Worlds Stages - Max (musical director Ma Femme...)

At New Worlds Stages

Max on the set of Avenue Q

Me on the set of Avenue Q

After performance at New World Stages - with Pierre, Jerome, Danica, Andreane, Stephanie
and Simon (who took picture)

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Where we had dinner

Where else in the world is a Police Dept lit up in pink and blue lights but in Times Square??

Shawn, I thought you might this - Times Square

Simon and Andreanne

Stephanie, Jerome & Danica

Stephen





Pierre



NEW YORK - Day 1

Good morning everyone!

After some technical difficulties, I'm finally here to start documenting Ma Femme, Ma Blonde et Ma Roulotte's journey to the city that never sleeps. I was reminded of the fact when the hub-bub outside my hotel window did not cease in the wee hours of the night!

Okay - started our journey at 6am yesterday in two spanking new Caravans that were quite comfortable.
After a lunch break we headed back on the road and arrived in New York City at 2pm

We checked in and proceeded to freshen up as we had to be at the New World Stages for 3:30 for an Educational Conference on Musicals in Translation. Stephen and Hillary spoke very well and respresented Ma Femme in the brightest light! Max and I presented my song "Panique" on the set of "Avenue Q"!! What a thrill. My first appearance "off-Broadway"!!

Afterwards, we dined at Kashkaval as Hillary's guests and a group of us went out to check out the nighttime sights.

I'm trying to upload pictures and I realize my technical difficulties are not over as nothing is uploading....ARGH

Seeing as we are getting ready to start the day - with rehearsal scheduled and props and costumes to organize, I'll try this again a little later to add some colour to this page!!

Until then, enjoy your day!!

Maison de la Culture Frontenac

What an exciting day!

A large and enthusiastic audience was in attendance at the Maison de la Culture Frontenac today.

The show went without a hitch. Well, okay a couple of adjustments regarding the logistics of Lavelier microphones getting caught up in costumes and sliding down knickers - but nothing life threatening! haha!

The tweaking we did to accomodate our upcoming presentation at the TBG Theatre in NYC worked very well in the modified space. Lighting cues were "spot on", newly created costumes looked great and the audience laughed in all the right places!

Personally, I found some new and interesting things about Ginny Garstecki and felt an even stronger connection with her this time round - which is always a wonderful and gratifying feeling when reprising a role.

I can hardly wait for Thursday. Only 4 more sleeps....

Blogging the New York Experience....

Hello my blog-hopping peeps!

Although we have met at different times over the summer, Saturday was an official full day of rehearsal with the cast and creative team of Ma Femme, Ma Blonde et Ma Roulotte. What a blast!

Our day started with an intense hour with costume designer Andreane. She's wonderful and understanding of our needs. The experience proved to be painless and fun - well, except for the sight of her measuring tape and my urge to run from it!

(Seriously regretting the delicious backyard bbqs I enjoyed with abandon this summer...yikes! LOL!)

After we rechecked our props list, we all entered the rehearsal hall and stepped into our familiar CETM performance space.

We rallied at the edge of the stage and mapped out our plans as the dimensions of the Barrow Group Theatre in NY are different from L'espace Libre, where our show was presented in Montreal last summer. Once we got ourselves settled, Maxime - our musical director - began the opening musical number and "voila"...7 hours of rehearsal fun began!

As I mentioned in an earlier post this summer, the old gang is back - with a new exotic dancer to work into the show. Danica - a fiery and talented performer joins us for this leg of our Trailer Park journey. We're thrilled to have her!

Sunday we got together for a "run-through" of the show. It went very well with everyone falling right into the Stark, Florida groove.

As we excitedly prepare for the big adventure, we must keep in mind this coming Sunday October 2nd, we'll be presenting this version of the show at Maison de la Culture Frontenac (2550, rue Ontario Est, Montreal - for my Montreal blogging buddies) as part of the free events scheduled for Journées de la Culture. At this educational presentation, Stephen Pietrantoni - our director - will be answering questions from the audience before the show with cast members joining him after the closing number to do the same.

The challenge about this space is that the stage is TWICE the size of the one we'll be cutting-a-rug on in NY...hmm. This is a technicality I'm sure will be dealt with easily - but I'm glad its the director's job to figure it out! LOL! Looking forward to donning my lavender bathrobe again to perform the show for our wonderful Montreal audience before we take it to the city that never sleeps.

Now, because I've been asked to share pictures and tales of our adventure, I decided I go a step further by documenting as much of this experience as possible on my blog. So, every day from October 6th to October 10, I'll post pictures and let you know what the residents of Armadillo Acres are doing in The Big Apple.

If anyone would like to see October 2nd's presentation, tickets are free. They must be picked up at Maison de la Culture Frontenac 2550, rue Ontario Est. Call 514 872-7882 for box office hours and more information.

If anyone would like to see us present the show at the New York Musical Theatre festival just check out this link for times and ticket info. There are two musical clips available, the opening number and one of my songs, "Panique".

Have a fabulous week!
Lisa

Blog Awards....who me??

I have awesome friends. I am blessed! That said I'd like to share with you the news that I've been awarded some mighty fine blogger awards by one of them! WooHoo!!

The following two blog awards were given to me by one of the funniest, most talented writer friends I've made at the OWG (online writing group) at Kelley Armstrong's site - her name is Tammy Crosby - and she puts a smile on my face everyday with her wit! God bless her!

The first award is

Apparently this award entitles me to be a member of a friendly little group. Like all groups, there are rules:

1st RULE: You do not talk about Puppy Club.

2nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about Puppy Club.

3rd RULE: You talk about 5 books/films/TV shows you’ve read or watched in the last 12 months.

1) Crazy, Stupid Love: Yes, it was crazy, stupid and I loved it! Steve Carell - just looking at his face make me smile.

2) Deathly Hallows part 2: Like Tammy who nominated me (and almost everyone else in the Puppy club...oops just broke the first rule! darn!) I absolutely loved this film. The moment Voldemort lifted the Elder wand from Dumbledore's grasp, tears started running down my face because I knew it was the beginning of the end of an incredible cinematic journey!

3) ShadowFever: The fifth and final book in Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. Long-awaited and much appreciated. Word came out two weeks ago that Dreamworks obtained the rights to turn the books into films! Oh yes Jericho Barrons in the flesh...thank you very much!

4) Sin and Syntax: My line editor Ellee Braun recommended this book to me. It was the first purchase I made on my brand new KOBO. The tagline tells me I will now be crafting wickedly effective prose. I can't wait!

5) The only show I watch, religiously, is TRUE BLOOD. I prefer the storyline in the book series, but man to see your characters come to life on screen is like..."eye-candy"...Yummy!

And now onto ONE LOVELY BLOG AWARD

There are two simple rules that accompany this award:

1. Share “7″ facts about yourself
2. Pass this award on to other deserving blog owners. (official rules say 15 others, Tammy whittled it down to 4. I need to gather more blogger friends before I can nominate any because all mine have already been given these awards! LOL!)

1: I married my high-school sweetheart* when I was 21. On November 1st, we're celebrating 25 years of marriage. (* I say high-school sweetheart but I actually fell for him in the 5th grade. We started dating a month before high-school graduation)


2. As much as I'm out-and-about in the world, nothing makes me happier than to stay home with my family, have a good dinner, read a good book , watch a movie (or catch the lastest episode of True Blood, alone, with the phone turned off...)

3.Although, I'm hired to entertain for all kinds of wonderful celebrations and produce some fun musical events, when it comes to important celebrations in my own life, I like things simple. Minimal frills, a tiny bit of pomp, not too much circumstance - but lots of family and friends!

4. Cathy Napper has been my best friend since we were 5. She knows everything about me - EVERYTHING - and no, I'm not giving out her contact details! HAHA!

5. Age has never been an issue for me but the truth is I'm beginning to worry about getting older. I know it's silly but I wish I could I'd be 25 forever.

6. I love the internet and being on the computer. I'm addicted - I think. I might have to buy a special chair to enhance the experience or to save my butt from going completely flat! LOL!

7. This fact is exciting for me. I'll be performing on Broadway in October. (Well, okay, technically it's not Broadway, more like off-Broadway at the TBG theater. Apparently, Anne Hathaway got her start there.) The way I see it, it's New York City my blog-hopping friends!! Can you hear me Woot-Wooting?!

Tammy, this was fun. Thank you for bestowing upon me the two honours.

If I could I'd nominate you, too! Cause you're cute, lovely and mighty funny!

While I'm at it, I'll shout out the names of a few other people I'd nominate:

Patricia Hollett
My OWG friend from day one. She was the first to read Deathly Quiet - the second after I typed the last period - and who urged me to "go for it!" She is the best cheerleader and a wonderful writer!!!

J.D. Waye
A new OWG friend whose writing leaves me breathless.

Anne Michaud
Another new friend from the OWG who's witty, loaded with dark talent, and filled with a warm heart.

Oh yes, I'd like to mention...especially after reading her acceptance of the Minions of Misery Award, and answering a question at Tammy's blog, Angela Addams, in my opinion, is a mystery that would be very interesting to unravel! LOL!

Bye y'all!

Deathly Quiet Book Cover Art and Trailer

I just had to share this with you !

"Deathly Quiet"
by Lisa Forget

Available at MuseItUp Publishing November 18th 2011.

Book cover art by Mike Zambrano
Content Editor Christine I. Speakman
Line Editor Ellee Braun

 

Book Trailer