The Dallas Morning News review.
Climbing
Volume 3 Book 5 Part 11 of
Living in the Bonus Round
(The Big Voice Chronicles)
[ Book 3-4 ] -- [ Pt 1 ] [ Pt 2 ] [ Pt 3 ] [ Pt 4 ] [ Pt 5 ]
[ Pt 6 ] [ Pt 7 ] [ Pt 8 ] [ Pt 9 ] [ Pt 10 ] [ Pt 11 ]
[ 12 ] [ 13 ]
July 1-2, 2003.
Opening Night in Dallas!I could NOT get to sleep after opening night in Dallas. My mind was buzzing and buzzing and buzzing. First of all, the night was a magnificent success -- or seemed to be. The audience was made to order. They got every joke, they responded to every song, the enthusiasm and the excitement was MORE than thrilling for us. Afterwards in the lobby, I was so hyped up from the excitement I forgot to take pictures.The other reason I couldn't sleep was because we were told the Dallas Morning News review would be posted online sometime in the early hours. It was after 1am before I finally gave up and went to bed but I laid there STILL buzzing. FINALLY, from the other room I heard Jimmy whisper, "You still awake?" I said, "YES!"
And he read it. It was a GREAT review. My favorite line was the reviewer Tom Sime's description of the two of us: "Picture Zero Mostel and Anthony Perkins in love." I howled out loud. And of course, the great review only got me buzzing more! Now I really could NOT go to sleep.
Too much excitement. On opening night, aside from doing the show, we brought the TLS-Dallas cast back out and sang four songs from TLS. The audience all stayed and they all went wild.
Sara sings "Somebody's Friend".
Me telling the story of the baby crying in the middle of Going It Alone
when we were off-off-Broadway.
Jeff Kinman singing Going It Alone.
Denise Lee & Sara Shelby Martin.We had a thrilling time together singing. After the show, it seemed like half the audience stayed in the lobby and laughed with us. That's why, by the time we got home, I could sleep. I couldn't do anything. All I wanted was for the review to come out. Sure enough, it appeared online about 1:30 and Jimmy read it to me out loud.
I have no idea when I drifted off to sleep but I really enjoyed just lying there filled with the excitement of a new city, a new rave review and a new chance to let others experience our show. The next morning when we opened the paper, there was this ENORMOUS photo taken by the Dallas Morning News photographer Mark. M. Hancock -- and the review appeared with the HUGE headline, "Divine Inspiration" and was stretched across five columns above the fold.
I think I must have bought 10 copies. One of which I took over to the Anatole where the MCC Worldwide Jubilee is being held. They're probably sick of seeing me there but hey, I got a show to promote!
On our second night, the crowd was even bigger, but best of all, many of my old college friends were in the crowd. We all went out afterwards for Mexican food and by the time I stumbled home, I was so tired I barely said good night to Jimmy. God, I'm having a good time.
[ Book 3-4 ] -- [ Pt 1 ] [ Pt 2 ] [ Pt 3 ] [ Pt 4 ] [ Pt 5 ]
[ Pt 6 ] [ Pt 7 ] [ Pt 8 ] [ Pt 9 ] [ Pt 10 ] [ Pt 11 ]© 1996-2003 by Steve Schalchlin. You have permission to print from this diary and distribute for use in support groups, schools, or to just give to a friend. You do not have permission to sell it.