Its been such a wonderful ride over the last few months as I have had the chance to work with 3 fabulous companies from the West end, to Broadway, to my ” Tour Family”.  My job keeps me on my toes and I love it. I returned to the NY company in February after an amazing two months in London. I was greeted in NY once again by a stellar and vibrant group of people and I got the chance to work with Michelle Williams who always brings so much energy to the stage each and every night. And now I find myself in LA having rejoined the tour for a few weeks. Our Opening night in LA  was a hit with the cast as we found ourselves at the “W” hotel for our opening night party. Over the last few months I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the casts.  Each and everyone of them brought something new and exciting to the show on, and off stage.  So here are some of my highlight moments…enjoy:)

The Cambridge theatre

About four weeks ago I was on my way to Cincinnati, and I received a phone call that would lead me in another wonderful and exciting direction with Chicago.  I was asked to join the West End company for the next two months. I was thrilled, excited, nervous and sad at the same time to leave the tour. A wonderful company whom I have been working and traveling with for the last year and a half.  On tour one develops a kinship with your fellow cast mates and there is an instant unification that occurs as everyone is away from their own families and friends. I was hesitant naturally, but I knew it was an opportunity to embrace and I am glad I took the plunge as it has been a fantastic ride so far.

I arrived a couple of weeks before Christmas and if there is one thing I can say about London at Christmas time…IT’S MAGICAL. I felt like I was in a Hans Christian Andersen storybook walking along the bustling lit up streets. With all it’s variety and history I had a hard time knowing where to begin with my arrival in London. The city is a collection of communities or villages very similar to that of New York. From the assortment of restaurants, to diverse cultures, to the lastest fashion trends to discovering the footsteps of Shakespeare, Dickens or Churchill.  One can journey along the Thames as Henry VIII did, and walk the grounds of the London tower or simply take a stroll in awe at the architecture of the Parliament buildings with the London eye in full view.

The list goes on, and here I am reveling in all that is around me and discovering the allure of the West End as well.

Christmas lights along Oxford Street

The London company have swept me off my feet. I am working with some very fine and inspiring talent from Ruthie Henshall( Roxy)  to Jasna Ivir (momma) Ian Kelse (Billy) to David Ganly,  A.Ellis and another striking group of Fosse dancers. They remind me of the “family” and “comaraderie” dynamic that I experienced with the National touring company.  I was welcomed with open arms. As a whole they are a delightful, dedicated and driven cast.  One thing I am getting such a kick out of are the various accents I hear backstage every night each.  I love how I can walk on stage and the ” american accent” is in play and the minute I am backstage I find myself conversing with a Scottsman, Irishman, Australian, Croatian, and various Englishmen and women.  From an outsider’s point of view I am in a “Thespian’s” haven.  I am on a mission to leave with at least having mastered a Scottish accent. As a MacLeod it is my duty. Hummmm, wish me luck:)

I have included some pictures of the festivities that have taken place over the holidays, and to introduce you all to some of my new players who keep me on my toes dancing, and singing every night.

Oh I almost forgot to mention that the pub at the corner of my street is called  ”The Spread Eagle”.  A little bit of Velma’ story wherever I go. How about that?

The Spread Eagle Pub

Christmas time with Jasna and Ruthie

Lovely Ladies Vivien, Ruthie and Lisa

Christmas Party with Wayne, Ashley, Lucy, Alexis and Pepe

Sunset with the London eye and Parliament in full view

Christmas time in Trafalgar square

Ill say it again.  I LOVE JAPAN!

I continued to explore all that I could while I was in Tokyo and I moved beyond the city’s borders as well.

On our two days off I traveled to Kyoto where I found myself immersed into the old world of Japan so excellently preserved.  Wether it was walking through Kyoto or exploring the region outside of Tokyo known as Hakone (on another one of my days off) to see the grandeur of Mount Fuji I made sure I took in as much as I could.

I love how everyone took advantage of their time and took the opportunity to travel and explore. I thought for the next entry I would include “highlight moments” from some cast members.  So stay tuned. In the meantime here are some of my highlights from a day in Hakone and a trip to Kyoto. Enjoy and Ill be back with more.

Tokyo Billboard for Chicago

I speak for many when I say we are having a fantastic time here in Tokyo.

Press conference

Last week was challenging for everyone which we had all anticipated due to jet lag, lack of sleep or trying to adjust to the time change. However we all came through, and the audiences here have been so kind and welcoming. they carried us through. Kevin Richardson has joined our company and fits in perfectly with our dynamic as a cast.  Along with Kevin we have welcomed Kenya Osumi ( He was Fred Casely last year in the Japanese production of Chicago and has now joined our production for the Tokyo engagement) for the next three weeks .

Tokyo has such a unique vitality. The city is always buzzing, and at every corner or alley there is something to discover.  Which also leads to getting lost which I have managed to do on several occasions. It’s inevitable, but as my” Tokyo Frommer’s” guide has assured me even the Japanese get lost. So I embrace the adventure as I am one who is eager to explore the sights and sounds of Tokyo.  One of the fun things we did as a group in our first week was celebrate three birthdays. Mine, Kevin Richardson’s and Jesse Wildman’s at an ISAKAYA (  A Japanese style bar that also serves food and can be compared to what we know as a Tapas restaurant) and afterwards a few of us headed out to Roppongi ( A district best known for its nightlife with foreigners) for a night of dancing.

On our first day off I decided to go to a traditional Japanese bath( onsen) with some of my fellow cast members who had never experienced this amazing, relaxing and soothing ritual. This is how it works. You enter the changing room where you disrobe( men and woman are separated).  Hold a mini towel which has been provided for you in front of your vital parts and enter the bath area.  Along the walls there are little plastic stools and faucets where you wash and scrub yourself down with soap and shampoo that has been provided for you before submerging yourself into the various pools of saltwater to spring water to sulfur baths. The Onsen experience is so unique to Japan, and although it takes a few minutes to adjust to the idea that you will be bathing with other women naked, it is still by far one of my favorite things to do while I am here. Next time I’ll write about my experience with Shamika ( she is our “Kitty”) attempting to submerge herself in the “cold water” bath. That is a blog entry in itself. Laughed like crazy.

Lovely Bianca Marroquin with the Giant Buddha in Kamakura

Some of the other cast members spent a day at ” Tokyo Disney” as others ventured off to Kamakura a town outside of Tokyo with over 65 Buddhist temples and 19 shinto Shrines. Most of them were built centuries ago. A trip there is a sure way to step back in time to ancient Japan.  After one of our early shows a few cast members and crew caught a baseball game. The “Swallows versus the Tigers”. Fun times all around as our cast and crew are exploring all that Tokyo has to offer. I will continue to add more photos as I have requested people to send me some of their favorite ones thus far. A great way to document our journey here.  More to come.

Man in chair old Japan

A day at the Onsen in Odaiba

Birthday Trio. Terra, Kevin and Jesse

Carol woods and Jerry

Each one of them brought another dimension to the show and their roles. As actors this continues to teach us to listen and be open to new possibilities within our show. I love it!

Samantha Harris was a joy to work with as her infectious positive energy lit up the stage.   Jerry springer was a great team player. A gracious and kind man who brought a real edge to the role and continued to crack us up with his many witty jokes.  And last but not least Tom Hewitt whom I had an absolute ball working with.  I have such great respect for his work and commitment to the role.  I could on and on about each one these individuals as each one of them brought their gifts to every performance.  Our time with them is always too short and hopefully our paths will cross again somewhere down the road.

Quick highlight about the cities we recently played.
Greenville…great wine bar called “stellar “on the main street.  Our cast was treated to a wonderful evening of wine and cheese.
Atlanta…the Georgia aquarium is a must see!!!!  I missed it the last time we played Atlanta.  The massive tanks hold an amazing array of fish and sea ” creatures”.  I walked away feeling like I entered and witnessed life in another world.

Jelly fish and Dan at the Georgia aquarium

Ashley taking in the tropical fish tank

Philadelphia is a vibrant and intimate city . For history fans this is a “must see” city. Especially those seeking information on the foundations of this country. I strolled everywhere. Some us decided to walk in Rocky Balboa’s footsteps  and found our way to the national museum. Remember in the movie when he runs up the stairs at the end of his workout? Yup…did it too!  We Love you Rocky!

Victory! Shawn and the "Rocky" statue . Philadelphia.

When in Buffalo on must indulge in the savory and hot pepper wings  at the “Anchor Bar” and  Badda Bings on Chippewa street.   DELICIOUS , SINFUL and TASTY to say the least.

When in Buffalo...indulge on wings! Kevin and I.

There is Niagara falls close by , and some of my fellow cast members found their way there on a day excursion.
Stay tuned as we are heading to the land of the rising sun.

Destination: TOKYO
We are buzzing with excitement and I am THRILLED to be going back.  I was there with the tour in 2007, but this time I get to share the experience on line and share our journey with you all.

We started off the tour this week in Kansas city, MO at the beautiful and majestic outdoor “Starlight theatre”.  What a lovely group of people at the Starlight. Very welcoming and kind to all of us.

There is something to be said about performing outside under the stars on a warm summer evening.  Being able to see the audience for the first half of the show allows us to take them in even more.  But with being outside there are the elements of mother nature that one will encounter at some point such as bugs, thunder and lighting ( experienced that one night) and flying bats( truth be told no one can really see them as they nosedive backstage and sometimes I am convinced they come onstage to get a peek at the show ) .

It takes being open, having a good sense of humor and having a positive outlook to enjoy the experience.  We all did great.

getting back to the one show of rain,

The stage was completely covered so we were safe.  Luckily we didn’t experience blowing wind as I am convince the stage wold have become and ice rink, and for safety reasons we would have had to cancel.

The audience was AMAZING! real troupers. They stayed in their seats , soaked , but still cheering us on.

Its hard to describe the visual and I wish I had taken a picture, but as I looked out to a sea of colorful plastic hoodies I couldn’t help but giggle to myself and have a moment of gratitude.  Because the reality is we had a show that night because of the love people have for theatre.

Now I don’t have a particular love of bugs especially a HUGE one perched on my mirror.  You know the kind that you only see in hot humid environments? There is some part of me that wants to believe it purposely stayed there to watch me put my make up on because day after day it was always in the same place.  Perched and observing.

So on the 4th day I decided “ Okay enough is enough”. As I gently tried to push my “new found friend”  into a cup so that I could bring it outside it decided to counterattack. IT FLEW STRAIGHT INTO MY FACE!

Here’s the visual: A screaming Velma Kelly running out of her dressing room being chased by a HUGE BUG! arms flailing head shaking and no one in sight to help me or witness this event. HEEEELLLPPPPP,AAAAAHHHHH,EEEEEEKKKKK

You would have thought from my scream that I was being chase by a gorilla.

I literally hid behind the wardrobe gondola till I felt safe.

I dont know where it went, but once I calmed down I found my way back to my dressing room and I burst into laughter.  I may be able to act calm and collected on stage as miss Kelly, backstage that night was a whole other story.  Makes for good story telling that’s for sure.

So with all that said…did I have a good time in Kansas city? ABSOLUTELY!  a little bit of adventure never hurt anyone and made the experience all the more worthwhile.

A tuscan lunch Montreal style with the cast

We’re wrapping up our last show here tonight ,and I have no doubt that Montreal has left its mark on the cast.  With a Joie De Vivre ( translation: Joy of Living) and a European flare one can not walk away without a smile on their face and a feeling of wanting to come back.   I know for myseld I alway find my way back.
Its been a fantastic week.
Merci Montreal!!!

Hello everyone,
“May” has been a quiet month as the tour has had a few weeks off.  So I decided to enjoy my time off and go home to Montreal.  It also allowed me to do some press for the upcoming shows in June both in Montreal and Ottawa.
I have been keeping busy getting the word out that Chicago is coming to town!  My hometown at that, and this is one proud Montreal.
About 10 various interviews were scheduled last week to promote the show. From Television, to radio, to newspapers. There I was “Starbucks” in hand from 7 :00 am till 5pm two days in a row back to back getting the word out.  What was fun , but at the same time challenging was that some of the interviews were in French as Montreal is a bilingual city.  Unfortunately I don’t get the chance to practice my French as often as I would like.  Although I was smiling from ear to ear and more than willing I was pretty nervous.  Let’s face it  It can be pretty intimidating trying to express yourself in another language.  But at least I have a better grasp on the French language unlike my broken English/sign language attempt at the Thai language. Remember my Bangkok blog?

Montreal is not only my hometown but also where  “Chicago” began for me. In the summer of 2003 the French version opened at “Place Des Arts” . I am very excited to bring the show with the national tour only this time in English.  With that said wether it be in French, English, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Japanese you name it Chicago works . People from all over the world from different backgrounds love the show.  I can honestly say that.
I’m happy to do as much as I can because I am so proud of this work.  I know it may sound silly but I want to show everyone off.

I’ve included a link below of an article that came out over the week -end for those who may want brush up on their French or even for those who want to practice the the language of “ love”.

On a final note one thing I know to be true is that you can’t always believe what you read in the newspapers or hear on the radio. Its all perspective right?  but you can believe that Chicago is coming and it’s a show not to be missed.  I sound like I’m doing press don’t I?  But its true and I’m proud to say so on this sunny day with a smile on my face, a café, and a croissant in hand from my patio in beautiful Montreal.

In Chicago The cast welcomed John O’hurley , Charlotte D’amboise and Kevin Chamberlin.  It was a successful two weeks in the namesake city of our show .  My only complaint is I wish I had more time.

When in Chicago one becomes a tourist instantly. There is so much to see and do.  I took a trolley tour which focused on the cities highlights. The City skyline,

Magnificent mile,  Sears Tower and the John Hancock building to name a few. I also managed to steal a few hours to visit the ART INSTITUTE Of CHICAGO.
There is nothing like Degas and Van Gogh’s art up close however getting the chance to discover an artist or piece is what makes a visit to any museum so intriguing to me.  I found one by “Archibald John Motley, Jr” and  its called “Nightlife”.  Vibrant and colorful.  This painting stood out to me.  Check it out http://www.globalgallery.com/enlarge/025-34722/

Another highlight for me was getting the chance to be at a live taping of the Oprah Winfrey show.  We woke up at the crack of dawn got all dolled up and headed over to the studio for 7 am.  It was so worth it.  I am a huge fan so this was a special treat for me.  We love Oprah!

A trip to Chicago is not complete without hearing some live Music. So I ventured out and found this great place called ” the Redhead Piano Bar” . The Piano player/singer/I can sing any song you request was AMAZING ! From “Bon Jovi” to “Heart” to “Ella Fitzgerald” This entertainer sang and played everything! We had the best seats in the place as we hovered around the piano and sang along.

I could go on and on about Chicago . It is such a vibrant city with so much history, culture and diversity which makes it all the more appealing to me.  A return trip is a must and this time I will make sure to take in a few of the neighberhoods, the restaurants and the house of blues( still can’t believe I missed their famous Sunday gospel brunch) and that’s only to name a few.

Oh one more thing.  While I was on my trolley tour I just so happened to look up at the name of the street while we stopped at a red light.   It read ” Bob Fosse way” .  I later read that a length of Paulina street in Chicago at roughly 4400 north received the honorary designation of Bob Fosse Way. Unfortunately my camera fell while I was in Bangkok and so the resolution isn’t the best.  But Im glad I at least got a picture.  Made the trolley trip all the more unique and memorable.

Till next time.

Terra

NOTE:For some reason I start to speak in broken english with an accent thinking its easier to understand.

Mr Chang looked at me and smiled,chuckled and grunted.  He pointed to a bed and signaled for me to lie down.  So I proceeded to lay on a bed as he inserted 10 needles in my back.
NOTE: OUCH!!!
Every time a needle went in I flinched. His assistant/secretary would instruct me” lady lady please relax relax relax, you must relax!” as she held my legs down.  For a minute there I was in a horror movie trying to relax.
I layed on that bed for an hour.  Fell asleep and then woke up with a crinked neck. Counterproductive.
After the hour Mr Chang came back and took the ten needles out ,and a tiny voice from behind the curtain which I think was his assistant/secretary said ” okay lady now its time for crack…you crack?? okay??” CRACK? what do you mean crack?

Translastion: a chiropractic adjustment.

So I sat there with my back to the doctor as he pulled and twisted my spine into place.
Now being the curious woman I am , I wanted to know what he felt in my back.  Was I out of alignment? Had I overworked it or maybe pulled a muscle? As a dancer I have to know these things right?
Mr Chang did not understand my question so he looked at his secretary/assistant
to which she replied” sorry our english not so good..maybe you go home and relax. Okay? okay! you feel good?? go now…bye bye”

So I started to head out with doctor Chang behind me and that’s when I saw them. A man and a woman sitting on a  couch in the lobby with needles in their face.  Their cheeks and chin to be exact.
Ever seen the movie Hellraiser??? Get the visual?  It looked like they had whiskers.Needles everywhere!! I was so curious to find out what they were being treated for.  Could this be the secret to eliminating fine lines? Dare I ask? As you can see I am not used to the world of acupuncture. Apparently its common.

I could tell Doctor Chang wanted to find a way to answer my ailing question. So he tried to get the woman with the needles in her cheeks to translate his chinese to my english. Poor woman her eyes almost jumped out of her head. I guess he assumed these patients of his spoke english and Chinese.
Ever see someone trying to speak with 20 needles in their face? and not even know your language? I winced just starring at her trying not to fixate on her needles and her bulging eyes.
There we were a Chinese doctor, a thai secretary, two locals( with temporary whiskers) and me.  All smiling trying to understand one another. I swear we were all probably thinking the same thing..is this real?I dont what was exchanged between them, but I did the polite thing. I smiled and started to head out. I thanked Mr Chang  “Oh feel soooooo good, no worry I go now …thank you..ummm yes.. thank you… bye bye” and I left.  I didnt look back, but Im sure they were smiling .  Probably went home that night and had a good laugh.

And that ladies and gentlemen concludes my visit to Mr chang and his magical needles.
I have to say I dont know what he did exactly to my back, but today I feel like a million bucks. Im dancing with such ease.
It is definately one of my more memorable experiences here.
We may not speak the same language, and we all come from different backgrounds, but one thing is for sure. We all understand a smile, a nod and a wink.
Thank you Mister Chang.

Terra