Goodnight from Kalamazoo, Michigan

Today, Mikey performed in a Matinee at West Michigan University. The cast was thrilled to see a huge billboard advertising Oliver on the highway. It has the picture of Colin and Q from "Consider Yourself." Missy has posted it on her facebook. The theater was huge and had a full house. After the show we went to dinner at Brewsters with our tour family (Missy, John, Colin and Q.) We trekked back through the snow singing songs from the 70's and 80's. I was on a brief roll actually knowing who sung some of the songs. Tonight the Da Vinci Code is on TV and Mikey is totally facinated with it. I told him make sure he does not quote the theories back at St. Frances De Sales School (LOL). He spoke to his Dad on the phone so he could understand the plot better. Now I am getting ready to pack again because we leave 830 tomorrow morning for Springfield, Ohio. It is very cold here and I think it is going to be even colder there. Mikey has been working on his sketch of Zac playing Fagin. I think it is his most interesting one yet. He had Zac posing at intermission in the green room so he could study his makeup. He is becoming a very serious artist! I will be very happy when I don't have to pack every night and drag luggage every morning. The tour is starting to wind down. One of the crew today said we have 21 more shows left. It seems so little a number yet March seems so far off. Tomorrow we are in Erin's (Mrs. Sowerberry and Old Sally) hometown and her parents are throwing a reception for the cast after the show. Everyone is looking forward to that. We just spoke to Maria and Mike a few minutes ago to wish them good night. I can't wait to tuck my little girl into bed again. I am looking forward to flying home for a few days the first week of February. I miss the other half of my family sooooooooooooooooo much!

Hello from Kalamazoo, Michigan

Today, we had a more human bus call (11am). This is good because several of the cast members are under the weather. I am happy to report that baby Spencer is feeling better. We all felt so bad for him yesterday afternoon. He bounced back pretty quick last night and was having Mikey chase him down the hotel hallway. Mikey has been giving him all the love an attention that he can't give his baby sister Maria. Mikey has decided to follow in Colin's footsteps and start learning from Chris (Bill Sikes) how to do pushups, pullups, situps and jump rope. He is very funny because he thinks he has already gained muscles and decided to show them off by carrying Clare's big suitcase up the hotel stairs last night. (One of those hotel's we hate: no elevator.) It was only a three hour drive to this hotel in Kalamazoo, so if felt like a piece of cake compared to all the long rides we had. After Mikey finished his homework we went with Colin, Missy, Allaggio(Noah) to grab a bite to eat. This is another state that does not believe in sidewalks. There are snow piles 5-6 feet high so walking in the street was a little scary. We always seem to have to risk our lives to find food on this tour. We went to a nice place called Brewsters which luckily was not to far of a walk. It is suppose to get even colder the next few days so I am not looking forward to that. I think that Brewster's walk will feel longer once the temperture drops. Missy and I stayed back tonight to do laundry. It is a sad thing when the most exciting thing is that the hotel has a washer machine and dryer. It is amazing how quickly laundry piles up and you just don't want to miss an opportunity to do it when you can. We are happy that we are in this hotel for two nights. These one-nighters are wearing. All you do is pack in the morning, upack at night and then pack back up again the next morning. The worst is that I haven't been able to fall asleep lately until 230am. It wouldn't be so bad if I could sleep on the bus but so far it has been a struggle. Mikey is still loving every minute of it and still has the glow on his face when he is performing. I can see he is going to have a tough time when he has to say good-bye to the cast at the end of the tour. He has been presenting each cast member during the tour with a sketch of them in costume. He finished his sketch of Colin's (Dodger) and gave it to him the other day. Colin has it hanging up on his bus window. I am truly amazed at the details he puts into his sketches. I told him he has to pick up the pace with his sketching because the tour is winding down. I am really pleased by all the sketching he is doing. He has been creating characters for plays that so far are only going on in his head and not written down. He has his "DS" with him but he mostly sketches. This kid got talent from somewhere....but it certainly wasn't from me! I was happy to talk to Maria who was excited about a sleep over at Uncle Jim's and JoJo's house. she told me about all the fun she had at cousin Skye's house. She played with Luke, Johnny and Skye on the trampoline. She loves going to Skye's! Mike is preparing for another Polar Bear Party with his work friends on Sunday. You would think New Day was enough for him, but no he is crazy! Mikey should be arriving back from the show any minute now, so I will say good-night.

Muncie, Indiana

We left Iowa and are in Muncie, Indiana. The front desk man in Iowa told us the big news in Iowa was that a cow froze to death when the cold front moved in. That is until the Oliver National Tour arrived! We woke up and there was a great review of the show in the daily newspaper. Not too much happening in Muncie, Indiana either. We are here for a one-nighter. We arrived at the hotel and Mikey jumped right into the shower. While in the shower the light above it popped and started to smoke. (I guess he may have hit one of his high notes,LOL.) We were lucky because at first we did not realize what the noise was and that there was actually glass in the tub with him. The hotel manager was nice and immediately changed our room. After "Mike Check," Mikey was thrilled to participate with other members of the cast in a Q and A with students at Ball University. It was a lot of fun for him. I think we hit another theater with a phantom in it. Either that or it followed us from the hotel room. There were some sound problems with the opening number "Food Glorious Food." You couldn't hear the beginning of the song as the kids marched out. Later the lights went out on stage. Baby Spencer and a few of the cast members got sick. Hopefully, tomorrow everyone will feel better. After the show the kids got to meet their California tutor's (Kevin Moll) parents. They came to see the show and wanted to say hello for Kevin. Kevin was a great tutor for them and would share his "Rumis" game with them. When Kevin left to tour he forgot "Rumis" and the boys have been so worried about getting it back to him because they knew it was special to him. Many of the kids he has tutor have enjoyed the game. Unfortunately, the game box got a little beat up being stored under the bus with the luggage since it has been under there so long. However, it is finally in safe hands. Colin saved the day by running to the bus and working hard to find the game so that Kevin's parents can give it back to him. Kevin's dad called Kevin in Californina and each of the boys got to talk to him. They all looked so cute while they were talking to him on the phone. I had to tell each of them to hurry up because our bus was about to leave us. We also bid a fond farewell to Clare's (tour manager) mom. She traveled with us for a week to spend time with baby Spencer. He really seemed to enjoy her visit. On another front: Shout out to my nephew Sean on getting into St. Francis Prep High School!

Hello from Burlington, Iowa

"Oh, there's nothing half way about the Iowa way to treat you when we treat you which we may not do at all......We can be cold as a falling thermometer in December if you ask about the weather in July and where so by-gone stubborn we stand touching noses for a week and half and never see eye to eye.............." (For you Music Man fans).
I guess you can guess by now where we are. "IOWA." We arrived here for a one-nighter. The hotel is nice and has a hottub and pool. John, Q, Mikey and I had a lovely walk through the snow piles to get something to eat. (apparently IOWA does not believe in side walks) Thank goodness after Waukegan, Il nothing else seems cold. The walk actually felt good after spending so much time on the bus. Not too much going on today. Iowa's landscape looks very flat and varied from a wheat colored barren grass to areas with white snow. Of course where we are staying the ground is covered with snow. The people were getting a little mad at us for walking rather than driving. Since we did not have the luxury of having a car we paid no attention to them. Tomorrow we have a 7am bus call and are heading to Muncie, Indiana. Love to all. Mikey and Sue

Hello from Missouri

Our wonderful tour manager (Clare) gave us time to stop at the St. Louis Arch yesterday. We were so happy because we passed it in our travel several times but never had the opportunity to stop. The kids enjoyed getting in the elevator that looks like a little spaceship with 5 seats and riding to the top. The Arch is 650feet and overlooks the Mississippi River. You could see the city and the river from the top of the arch. You could see the ice floating in the river and you could also see the stadium. Mikey was using his new camera to snap photo after photo. He layed on the ground under the arch and took photos. We are happy again because we will be staying in the same hotel for tonights again. We had a nice dinner in the sports bar and rested the first night because there was no show. Today, Mikey and I enjoyed having the heating swimming pool all to ourselves. After swimming went to the Mall with Missy and Colin. Q and John went to the Mall ahead of us. We enjoyed eating dinner at Panera Bread and then it was time to go to the show. I stayed back because I wasn't feeling so hot and also to get some laundry done. Tomorrow we are off to Iowa. Goodnight!

Hello from Paducah, Kentucky

We feel like we have landed. We are actually in the same place for two nights! What a pleasure. The cast threw a "Middle School Dance," for Colin (Dodger) because they found out he missed his dance while on tour. They all dressed how they did when they were in Middle School themselves and also acted out the part. Colin was so thrilled that he went back to his room to get spiffed up himself. Mikey just loved every single minute of it. I felt like I was on the set of "Saturday Night Live." See the video Missy posted and you will see why. The girls in the cast all danced with the boys while Ashley played Sister Mary Catherine and made sure they kept room for the holy ghost. Will was teaching everyone the electric slide. Fun was had by all. Will post pictures soon. I thank the cast for caring so much about the kids and being so great to them!

Evansville, Indiana

Can you believe Mikey is really in Indiana! "Not Louisana, Paris, France, New York or Rome! But........Indiana, My Home Sweet Home! Okay, I know I am corny but I couldn't resist since his last part before being in Oliver was playing "Winthrop" in Music Man. This has been some week since returning on tour. Basically we travel 300 plus miles during the day and then arrive in time to grab a quick bite and go to the theater. We are looking forward to Paducah, Kentucky because we will actually be in the same place for two nights! Hooray!