Could this REALLY be our job?

These aren't postcards, people!  This is my life currently in Orlando.  Okay- we are working really hard for a few hours a day and then we have our evenings free and one day off each week.  I know it's really not the most exciting schedule right now and I don't have lots of crazy stories, but really... it's been a blast already.  The real story so far is that we are all just so happy.  We can't believe we are here getting to do what we love and also getting to travel, get some sun at the beach, etc.  I wish I had more to tell, but it's been pretty routine around here with great seafood and fruity drinks.  Ha!  

So far we have finished two of our three big shows and will complete the other shows by the end of the week most likely, giving us all of next week to get things really tight and ready to go before embarking for the ship.  Once we fly to the ship we begin what is called "install".  Basically we will be fitted for costumes and will tech our shows during the day and one by one they will open.  It will be a really intense two weeks of rehearsing and tying everything up to make it all work cohesively, but after that we will begin regular schedules and cruises.  I'm so excited to just get to the ship and make it "home" for the next 6 months.  I have never been on a ship like this at all, so I have feeling it's going to be a very interesting process finding my way around everywhere and getting to know the cruise director and all of the crew.  I am thrilled to meet so many people from every corner of the world and to create my family at the sea!!!

PGT Voyager Cast 2009

Francesca and Janine watching Jamie's brilliant interpretation of "A Chorus Line"
All the boys: me, Jamie, Ramon, Brett
All the Brits having a blast.
It's not just the dancers that are flexible.  We have Ramon, Lindsay, and Rose.
Having fun: Janine, Ramon, Lindsay, Rose, Karen, Jamie, and Elena.
The whole gang!!!

With any theatre job what can really make or break any show or experience of performing is the group of people with whom you are sharing the stage.  A cast can make your time brilliant or kind of a drag.  Well, I'm happy to introduce you to my great friends and castmates on the Voyager this year.  Starting from the bottom right and going around clockwise we have:

Elena- dancer from New York and has a great voice, too and is so nice.  

Lindsay- alto from New York.  She is a sassy 5-feet tall and full of personality.  We have great moments in the show where we have some fun belt-offs. Ha ha!

Karen- soprano from Ohio (now living in New York) who has been working for Disney the past few years.  I have the privilege of playing opposite of her in "Romance, Romance."

Brett- tenor from from New Jersey (now New York).  His voice is amazing and we are roommates.  Already we have a special bond from our times here at the Dixie.

Me- I think you know.

Francesca- dancer from Britain.  She is super sweet and we have been drilling her with questions because she has actually done 4 or 5 PGT contracts before.

Janine- dancer from Britain.  She is so much fun and very talented she also just got finished with a contract on the Mariner, another ship where she worked fro PGT.

Ramon- dancer from Nicaragua who just finished working with the Dayton Ballet in Ohio.  Ramon is a riot and such a sick dancer.  And by sick I mean perfect.  

Jamie- dancer from Scotland.  He is so hilarious (even though we don't always understand him) and has talent pouring out of him.  (Also an incredible singer.)

Rose- dancer from Atlanta, GA. She is amazingly talented and I'm glad to have another Southerner around!  Ha!  She is so much fun.

That rounds out our group.  It's amazing how much we have already bonded.  Our directors seem to be really pleased with how quickly we are learning and how far we have come in just a couple days.  So far all of us have been getting along extremely well and we haven't had anyone not wanting to be with the group.  Can't wait to keep getting to know these people more and more.  Above are a couple more pics you can see to get an idea of some of these wild personalities! Ha!

Miss and love you all TONS here in Florida, 

Tripp

Beginning the Grind

I know this is kind of a dream job, but the past couple days have reminded me of that second part: JOB. It has already been a lot of hard work and focus even on the third day.  Lots of things to learn and get through before we can go on the ship.  Yesterday we started with medicals where we were poked and prodded and had blood work done.  Thankfully, though, we got to watch the historic shuttle launch after that.  We found a spot a couple blocks away by the river and got some pictures while we watched the shuttle, heard the launch travel a few seconds later, and then headed to rehearsals.  One great thing has been that our musical director, Dan, has been REALLY happy with how quickly we're picking up everything.  Our cast is quick and we all have good ears.  Last night we headed out to Murdock's in the downtown village area of Cocoa.  With tree lined sidewalks covered in Christmas lights, the town is very charming and we can already tell this spot is going to be a regular while we are here.  Great service and great food.  

Today we have been focusing mostly on "Champagne," the first show we will be staging.  This is a really elegant, Broadway-style revue filled with all sorts of classics.  It's set on New Year's Eve and I'm singing things like "Let's Do It" and "Anything Goes" along with some other cools stuff. We're having a lot of fun with it, but after staring at our music for hours at a time, I am really getting anxious to get the piece up on its feet.

One interesting thing thus far as been our housing.  The whole cast is staying in 4 rooms in the Dixie Apartments/Motel.  It's a fine establishment; me and the other male singer, Brett are sharing a room that is basically a hotel room with a kitchen.  We were fine with this until we saw everyone else's rooms.  The dancers are all staying in places with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms plus living room areas! ha ha!  Little did we know how much we were missing out in at the Dixie!  I can't complain, though.  We've had a good time just getting to know each other and gelling together well.  I can't believe all of the fun personalities we have in the group.  Don't worry- you will all hear about them soon!

I'm Here...

Well- I'm here.  It's been an adventure already and it's only the first day.  It seems like only yesterday I was in college... oh- it was.  I walked at my graduation yesterday morning, packed my mess of a room and got on the plane to Orlando to begin rehearsals.  I am not going to lie; I have been super nervous and just anxious about this whole process.  I mean- what was it going to be like?  What would the cast be like?  Would they like me?  (I feel an introspective musical theatre ballad coming on...)

Anyway- I arrived at the Orlando airport and was picked up in a PGT van by Wanda, a wardrobe lady and chauffeur/angel.  She had lost her voice, but between her Hawaiian shirt and talk of wild pigs and alligators, I knew I was in Florida.  She was gracious enough to take me to Wal-Mart to pick up some essentials and food for the week before giving me a brief tour of Cocoa, my home for the next month.  Then I was dropped of at the Dixie Motel, my home for the next few weeks.  I was thankful to find a nice sized room with a full kitchen and a note on the bed from my roommate, Brett, the other male singer on the boat.  After setting down my bags, I headed up and met some more of the cast before hitting the sack and sleeping like a BABY after a long day.

Today was our first of official rehearsals.  It was interesting because the other singers have already been rehearsing two days, learning parts and getting to know each other's voices and the music.  I tried to jump in with both feet, and found the my sight-reading skills were put to MAJOR use.  I ended up doing okay reading four part harmonies of songs I had never heard.  After the producer sat in to listen, my nerves were shot and I felt just about done for the day!  ha ha!  I was SO THANKFUL for a good ear and all that music training.  

I learned three of the shows today and am loving them.  I am getting to sing great solos and duets like "Fire and Rain," a jazzed up version of "Anything Goes," "Bennie and the Jets," and "I think I Love You."  Totally cheezy.  Totally brilliant.  Ha!  After a full day of rehearsal we headed to Norman's Bar and Grill for some cheap grub and just hung out with the rest of the cast, getting to know each other better and better.

I can't wait to tell you guys more about the cast.  They are wonderful people and I'm so excited for this trip.  Tomorrow is another full day.  I'm hoping to get to see a shuttle launch from the space center in the middle of the day, though.  That would be a nice little respite.

Love you all tons from sunny Florida!!!

Tripp

ps- I already feel a little weird writing "I" instead of "we."  This blog just isn't the same without the one and only Laura Cochran writing it by my side.  I also hated signing just my name.  Here's to you, Ms. Cochran!