Midwest City, OKLAHOMA!

"OKLAHOMA, WHERE THE WINDS COME SWEEPING DOWN THE PLAINS.......AND THE CORN IS AS HIGH AS AN ELEPHANTS EYE.............." I have been dying to write this because I love the musical "Oklahoma!" As my poor neice and nephew know. Kevin and Jess the "Cowboys and the Indians Should Be Friends!" I really loved when the cast started singing it and having fun with it on the way to the theater. There was a lot of energy on the bus tonight so the show should be very good. Mikey is getting ready for the 730 show at the Rose State College Theater and then we return in the morning for a special 10 am performance for the students. Today the bus ride was not too bad, the scenery was filled with cows, cows, cows. We stopped for lunch at "Fridays" in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the way to Midwest City, Oklahoma where we are staying the night. We had a little time to relax at the hotel before the show and now are just hanging out in the dressing room. Tomorrow after the show we will travel to Dallas where Mike and Maria will meet us for a mini vacation. That all I got!

Hello from Lebanon, Missouri

We loaded up the bus today at 730 and hit the road at 8. The travel felt really long today despite the stops. (The joints just ain't what they use to be.) The kids were happy to eat lunch at KFC and then we stopped once again to get gas. I don't think the convience store at the gas station knew what hit them. The cast raided the store, playing with the stuff animals and puppets and having a good old time. The kids just enjoy the playful cast members so much. There were different puppet show going on! We arrived in Missouri passing the St. Louis Arch again about 12 hours later. Mikey really loves that Arch and I am glad John and Missy got good photos (which I fully intend to steal ) since I did not have an oil can for my joints and could not move fast enough to take a picture. I did discover on this long bus ride that I have no control and cannot be trusted with Sweet Tarts. I ate a whole big thing of them all by myself within a half hour. After eating them my tongue felt like it got a facial with rough scrub. After school the kids and cast (that were awake) watched the movie "Wallie," courtesy of Q and John. When we arrived we quickly scouted out a place to eat and enjoyed dinner at "Gary's Catfish Restaurant" right near "Route 66." Now we are in the hotel room. Mikey is working on his homework and I finally have my legs stretched out laying on the bed writing this blog. Since I am fading fast I will say "Good Night." Kisses to Maria, Mike and Nana.

Hello Again from Toledo, Ohio

We are at the theater waiting for the final show to begin. This is the last of six shows here. We just came back from a nice dinner at Jeds. The Moms gave John the afternoon off so he could do manly things like watching football. This worked out well because he went to the restaurant early and placed our orders so we would all have time to eat between shows. The timing was great as the food arrived as soon as we sat. I asked John how the football games were and rubbed it in that the NY Giants were 9 and 1. Go Giants! We all really loved the "Bucko Mucho" Steak at Jeds. Mikey's insisted on getting his own steak seemed to disappear in seconds. The matinee was crowded as all the shows here were. We are truly amazed when we watch and the professionalism of the kids and other actors when things don't go exactly right. Today Fagin's chest of jewels spilled on the stage and it was something to see how he worked it into the act and later the kids picked the stuff up as if it was part of the show. Nobody would know but us because we watched it XXXXX times! Mikey enjoying sketching some of the cast between acts during the matinee. He sketeched Ashley in costume during Oom Paah Pa and Rhiannon as a mermaid. I think he hopes she gets cast as Ariel once Oliver is over. It has been nice sleeping in the same bed for a few nights but sad to say we will be back on the bus again tomorrow headed for a long trip to Midwest City, Oklahoma. We can't wait until Wednesday when Mike and Maria join us in Dallas. We miss them so much. Well got to go to the show........................

Greetings from Toledo, Ohio

Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Back Another Day, the Oliver Cast wants to Play! It has been raining here for two days.....I mean really raining to the point where Q and I bought boots from the store and John bought boots and a poncho just to make the trek back to the hotel more bearable. (Poor Mikey, no boots in his size.) We arrived here Thursday, November 13th and after the show Mikey, John, Q and I went to have a bite to eat at "Jeds." Many of the cast members showed up in the same place and we really had to keep the boys at our table to give the cast some grown-up time. The boys really like hanging out with the ladies of the cast. At the recommendation of the waitress we had the best steak we had in a long time and the price was very reasonable. It was so good, Mikey starting stealing pieces off my plate and keeps asking to go back so he can have his own. (As many of you know this is a kid that doesn't like to eat that much.) The boys were really impressed with all the flat screen televisions in the place including in the booths. For a little while they deserted John and I to sit in a booth that had one of there shows on. On Friday John, Missy and I brought the kids to Friendly's for an early dinner before the show. We were all very bad in that we could not resist the desserts. Although Colin and Missy were better in that they shared their dessert. I had an Apple Pie Carmel Sunday and was not about to share with ANYONE! It was as good as it sounds. Today it was raining so hard when we trekked to breakfast at Brandy's Diner. I was very jealous of John's new poncho and wished I had bought one for myself. It is really nice being in one place for five days but we wish it would stop raining. It could be worst I guess, it could be snow.....then again, I think I rather walk in snow then this soaking, windy, rain. There are six shows here so the cast is very busy. We enjoyed having an almost day off yesterday because they did not have to go to the theater until 7pm. John, Q, Mikey and I risked getting wet and took the hike to Miejer's Department Store so the hotel walls did not close in on us. (Boy... will I appreciate my car when I go home.) The store was like a Super-Walmart and we got some good stuff that we needed (and some we didn't) including the boots mentioned above. I found a great buy on the shoes I was looking for and Mikey picked out a nice, cute, pretty gymnastic's outfit for his sister. He also made a deal with me to do an extra page of Math in a practice book I bought for him if I would get him a Star Wars set. Mikey and Q were really having fun playing with them at dinner yesterday and breakfast today. It was nice watching them just being kids and having fun. With there imaginations put together it was quite a production. They had a lot of energy in the show last night and an audience of about 2,000 really enjoyed the show at the Stranahan Theater. It was packed both nights so far. John and Q had guests in the audience and the kids really enjoyed the compliments they recieved after the show. Today, John, being the gentlmen he is, gave Missy and I an afternoon off and took the boys to the theater for us. That is why I have time to update this blog. I am really enjoying alone time in the room as I am sure my buddy Missy is. Mikey just phone me from the theater very excited to tell me that Spencer (the tour manger's 13 month old) is so cute and that he is having crawling contests with him in the hallway. He was very excited that Spencer hugged him for a long time. I think Mikey misses his little sister's hugs. Mikey and I are getting excited because Dad and Maria are flying to Dallas on Wednesday to spend five days off with us. We plan to make it like a little vacation and tour Dallas including going to six flags. I just got off the phone with Maria and she is very excited. She also has big news in that she got a new haircut today and I can't wait to see her. Today is my niece Kasey's birthday and nephew Sean's graduation so Maria is happy to be going to their party. Mikey and I wish we could be there and we called them both yesterday to congratulate them. I still can't get over how proud I am of Kasey making her High School JV Basketball Team. She is awesome! Well since I am starting to babble I will say goodbye for now.....

West Virgina

"Country Roads, Take me Home....To a Place....I Belong....West Virgina......Blue Ridge Mountains, Shannondoah River.......I have been singing this song since I was a kid and finally .......after 12 plus hours......I HAVE ARRIVED! Now..... I can't get the song out of my head. "Mountain Mama....Take Me Home.....Country Roads." Not too much to report because we did not stay here long. The bus trip was pretty long but the New Yorker's can't complain because everyone else travelled from New London, picked us up in New York City and continued on to West, VA. They had 3 hours more on the bus then we did. We have a new bus with a table in the back for the kids to do school. There was a little confusion because the bus had a different number of seats and was configured differently but it is all settling down now. Everyone's seat is beginning to look like there living room again. (Only I don't have my Ocean View,my Plasma TV, Piano, big chair with Maria on lap.......and......why am I on this bus again?) Mikey and Jerimiah(tutor) really seemed to enjoy table when school was not in session. J helped Mikey tie up his Indiana Jones action figures and had them hanging off strings, saving the girl. Mikey had a whole production going on, with a sign and all. He also enjoyed sketching at the table but by the end of the trip he lost his cookies.....because the ride was really long it finally got to him. The next day we had a night show and the theater patrons invited us all to a reception at "Club Luna" next door to the theater. We had some great "Chinese Food." One of the theater goers told Mikey the ancient history of the club which really facinated him. Rhiannon really got Mikey and Q's eyes opening wide with her tales of energy and ghosts. The cast enjoyed talking to their fans and each other. We had some crazy dance moves going on at times. We have some great pictures which I will post later. Although I have advanced my skills since coming on tour thanks to Missy and John, I still have not mastered getting the photos from camera to computer. Hoping John will show me on this part of the trip now that I have bought the wires to my camera with me. The theater itself was very old and beautiful having been built in 1928. You could envision the "Phantom ofr the Opera" being present. Missy, John and I watched the whole show for the XXXXXX time but are still really enjoying it........some of us to much last night.....LOL,LOL,LOL,LOL, LOL, LOL,......and I mean literally......... Missy and John know what I am talking about! All kidding aside, we enjoyed seeing Ashley perform as the "Strawberry Seller" ....she did an amazing job. I forgot to write last time that we have some new members. We have a new Tour Manager (Clare with her beautiful son Spencer and husband Bart) and a new bus driver (Will). Andrew has also left to perform in 42 Street and we welcome Adam to the cast. We wish Tyler, Kim, John and Andrew good luck in there new gigs and will miss you. We are on the bus now on way to Toledo, Ohio for a few days........."Be Back Soon!"

New London Report

We had a nice time in New London. My friend Lori took the ferry over from Long Island to see the show and is in serious competition with Aunt Eileen for being Mikey's number one fan(if you don't count me.) Mikey really appreciates these two favorite ladies of his for traveling to see him. Mom (me) really appreciated that her wonderful husband gave Lori and I, a "Girl's Night Out" and we had some wonderful steak and frozen drinks at the OutBack. Back home we always go out for a birthday dinner because our birthdays are only a few day apart. This time we also went to a birthday lunch and Lori tried her first Shepard's Pie at the Irish pub across from the theater. It was nice chatting and catching up. I also got to introduce two women I greatly admire and appreciate: Lori (my old travel buddy from FBI days) and Missy my new travel buddy. Lori enjoyed meeting Missy because she has heard all the bad things (LOL) I have been saying about her! I think Missy has the thumbs up from Lori and she feels better about me traveling now. It was nice having Mike (Dad) and Maria (sister) on the road with us even if it was brief. Maria really loved the show again and when I asked her what her favorite part was she did an amazing performance for a 4 year old of belting out "As Long As He Needs Me." I think Rhiannon better watch out.....I have a future "Nancy" on my hands. I caught all the Dad's (Mike, John and Steve) bonding at intermission during the afternoon show. John seemed really happy to be with the men for a change! Mike (DAD) got a little taste of being on the road and how we have to go on food mission. When we tried to eat at the Outback between shows we were told there was a 45 minute wait and obviously we could not do that so we had to find another plan. We could see a Pizza Hut across a few highways which normally Johnn, Missy, the kids and I would have to find a way to hike too. We were lucky to have Mike's car, boy did it make a difference. The Araujo's and the Morley's enjoyed Pizza together and the two Dad's enjoyed coloring the placemats( where is Missy with her camera.) On Saturday the food mission began again when we tried to go to the Diner that we went to the day before only to find out it closed at noon. We then walked to a Pizza Place and sat there being ignored for 10 minutes when nobody else was even in the place. We took the hint and left and were very happy with the Irish Pub. (Mike got a tast of what we go through with the food missions.) On Sunday the New Yorkers left the rest of the cast and were able to go home for two days. This gave Mikey the opportunity to see "Prisoner of Second Avenue" at the Rockaway Theater Company with his Dad. They both really enjoyed the show! Congrats to David, Jodee, Peggy, Michael and cast. He also got to see Reilly again.
Another plus about being home on Monday was we got to see the newest addition to our family. My new nephew was born that same day. He is also my Godson:Jack Alexander weighed in at 10lbs 11 oz and 23 inches long. Maria was a little upset because she was to young to go uedp to the hospital room but we promised Daddy would take her to see him next week. My niece Kasey also received the awesome news that after grueling tryouts she made the JV Basketball Team of St. Francis Prep H.S. We are so exicted and proud for her. She worked hard to get on the team. My sister Mary can stop biting her nails now! It was tough leaving home again and I miss my baby girl and her daddy already!

Back Too Soon!

Hello from New London CT. We are both happy and sad to be back. It was so good seeing all our family and friends back home. The first week was very sad. The morning we arrived home my stepfather passed away and the whole family mourned his loss. The funeral did bring our large family all together in one place. I thank all our friends for their condolences, thoughts and prayers. On the lighter side I was thrilled to be home to spend time with my beautiful daughter Maria and my handsome husband Mike. Mikey had fun trick or treating with his friends Kayla and Caroline and then going to Alex's party. He had fun running into his class mates while trick or treating. He loved being a hippy from the 60's and nobody recognized him! Maria was the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz (green face and all). He also was surrounded a couple of times when he visited the school yard as his class was getting out. It was great to see all his friends. He did complete most of his to do list. Homework being number one! He visited his friends at the Rockaway Theater Company and Setting the Stage. He really enjoyed telling his friends about tour life. He got to watch the dress rehearsal for Prisoner of Second Ave. (Thanks, Kerry, Reilly and Peggy). He also went bike riding with his friends Will and Michael(I had heart failure!) I got to play princessess with Maria, go to lunch with Denise, Caroline and Reilly, clean out closets, shop for new clothes for her, get my eyes examined (should have had my head examined instead!), go on a date with my husband, dine out with girlfriends \(Thanks, Jo, Lisa and Marge), enjoy a homecooked birthday dinner (thanks Mom,) do laundry without paying.....you get the idea. I miss home already! There are three shows this weekend in New London. The drive from Rockaway was really not bad. It took us 2 and one-half hours but it was all I95 and the leaves were all beautiful with the colors at Peak. My friend Lori is taking the ferry from LI to see the matinee tomorrow and we are very excited to have company. Okay time to say goodnight!