Today we set our personal tour record for the most states traveled through in one day! Today we drove through Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee! We spanned around 560 miles, and it was a LONG, FUN day! Today was also our last day/night off of the tour, so our time off today was greatly treasured! This morning we were up by 6:30am to all be loaded onto the tour bus by 7am. It was a brutal one, bright and early folks. We were all pretty chipper though, because we were all so eager to get to Nashville, and even more eager to get to warmer weather. It was 7* when we woke up in Iowa! We drove for a few hours and stopped right outside St. Louis, Missouri for lunch. We just stopped at a Chick Fil A, but I am a loyal fan of Chick Fil A, so I was pretty pumped. And after 3 weeks in the north, I was SO pumped to get myself some sweet tea! We were all super excited that we got to see the St. Louis Gateway Arch as we drove through, and that was really cool to experience. After a quick pit stop at Chick Fil A, we were loaded back on the bus and kept chugging along. Sara and I loved catching up on some rest and watched a few episodes of our new favorite TV show, Jane the Virgin, in the bunks. Afterward, we joined our castmates for some card games at the tables on the bus. We had SO much fun, and loved bonding with our castmates. I also did some studying for a final that I had to take today - so while that was not as fun, you gotta do what you gotta do! We arrived at our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express, right outside Nashville (in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee) around 5:45 pm. We had about an hour and a half before we were all meeting up to go over to Nashville, and that was my dreaded time to take my final. I had one final left, online, that I had to take today for one of my TCU classes. However, it didn't take too long, and I was done before I knew it. I am officially done with my Junior Fall semester - woo hooooo! We got all dolled up and met with the entire cast downstairs, where we all took ubers to downtown Nashville. We were about 25 - 30 minutes outside of the city, so it was quite the drive to get there, but nothing compared to what we had already done today. When we arrived, it was so exciting to step out onto Broadway Street, and see all of the lights and excitement that was bustling all around. It was pretty chilly, 32*, but nothing compared to what we had braved two days ago in Fargo, so we were all excited for the warmer weather, haha. I feel so funny saying that 32* is warm now! We wandered into a Candy Shoppe that was precious, and it was so much fun trying all of their free samples of fudge, taffy and things - we had a ball in there! We all went to a Bar and Grille, Rock Bottom, for dinner. It was great - we all got some great BBQ sandwiches, because it would just be sin to come to Nashville and not get any BBQ! Dinner was a ball, and we enjoyed spending time together on our last night off of this tour. After dinner, we all wandered down Broadway Street to find some fun places to go pop into, maybe find a fun place to dance or karaoke bar! Unfortunately, for all of the places on Broadway Street here in Nashville, you had to be at least 21 to get in. Sara and I are the only two members on tour that aren't 21. This is definitely a hardship of being on tour - not being 21. However, I shouldn't say hardship, it is just more of an inconvenience, just because we can’t get into places to hang out with our castmates. But all was well - two of the guys on tour with us were super sweet and roamed Broadway street with us, and we popped in and out of fun shops. We eventually found the only place on Broadway that didn't card at the door - they only carded at the bar. We could finally go in somewhere! (Which was also a great thing, because we were starting to freeze just roaming outside.) It was a Karaoke bar called “Wanna B’s”, which was super fun! Eventually the entire cast came to join us, and we all had the BEST time singing and dancing all night with the karaoke. It was SO fun - I cannot tell you how fun it is to do karaoke with a bunch of musical theatre people. This place was LIT! (Lit = fun and hip, for those who don't know.) It was a grand time had by all, and we laughed and danced for a few hours, loving everyone’s song choices and epic karaoke talents. The rest of the cast wanted to continue bar hopping and go to a fun country dance bar a block away, but since Sara and I couldn't get in, we decided to take an uber back to the hotel, rather than wander around in the cold any longer. It actually worked out great, because we won’t be nearly as tired tomorrow, so I am quite thankful for my 20 years instead of being 21. There’s always a bright side! We just got back to our hotel, and I am about to hit the hay on this cozy bed before we get back on that tour bus tomorrow morning! We drive to North Carolina tomorrow - how exciting! More updates to come! - Diaries of a Curly Toed Elf Nashville, Tennessee!
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Today was a lazy, hazy day but also a show day and quite productive! Sara and I were up at 10am and on the tour bus by 10:30am, oatmeal in hand and ready to go! We rode for 4 hours until we stopped for lunch, and I studied for my final tomorrow while Sara napped. I also got to talk to my sister, and my best friend from this summer, Julia. It was such a wonderful morning! We stopped at a strip mall that had many restaurant options, and I went for the classic Chipolte. While they didn't have my favorite sweet tea, I still was super happy with my delicious (and HUGE) burrito! It was 10* outside in Iowa as we were walking to lunch from the bus, and the cast is already counting down the days to Florida, haha. We actually start heading south tomorrow, so everyone is super pumped. Once we were back on the bus, we were all just having lazy days again. Some people were sleeping, some were playing games, and I was enjoying working on my hand lettering and calligraphy, a hobby that I have picked up. I am practicing, and not too good yet, but I really enjoy it. We arrived in Fairfield, Iowa around 5, and the tour bus dropped us off at the venue - The Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts. It was our smallest venue so far - but filled with lots of charm. We then set out to explore Downtown Fairfield, and find some place to get a hot chocolate or a coffee or something to warm us up. Downtown Fairfield was PRECIOUS, all of the buildings were just too cute. However, EVERYTHING was closed. Almost every shop and restaurant in town had closed by 5pm, or was closed even earlier. It was crazy! So we walked around town trying to find someplace that was open, and finally after asking some locals, we found out that the only place left open was a Grille and Bar called Cider House. It was very cute, and we loved the warm, inviting decor and home-y feel. We all got hot apple ciders, which hit the spot and was exactly what we needed. We then hiked back through the snow to the theatre, and quickly got ready for the show! Let me tell y’all - this audience was INCREDIBLE! They might've been the smallest house we’ve had so far, but they were LOVING it! They were cheering SO loud after each and every part, and were so vivacious. It was spectacular! They also were getting up and dancing with us throughout each dance number - that was cracking us up! It was too much fun. So many excited kids, we were loving it. We also got to sign a ceiling tile, so that was exciting to leave our mark on another theatre around the country! There were also two girls who were volunteering backstage, and they had driven in from a nearby town around 45 minutes away, because they thought they would meet famous people. We were so honored, it was too sweet! It was so crazy. After the show, we all loaded back on the bus, and we were starved. Word got around that there was a deal going on at the neighborhood Pizza Hut, where you could get a medium pizza, 10 cinnastix, and 10 cheese sticks ALL for $10, and we all couldn't dial fast enough. It was fantastic, we were all so thrilled. Once we arrived at our cozy AmericInn Hotel and Suites here in Fairfield, we awaited our delicious pizza, and then we feasted. It was the BEST. Now, I am cozy in my PJ’s and ready to climb in my bed, so I will post more updates tomorrow! It’s a travel day, and we are officially on our way down south now! We spend tomorrow night in Nashville, and the cast could not be more excited. More updates to come! - Diaries of a Curly Toed Elf Fairfield, Iowa!Welcome to the NORTH POLE!!!! Or, North Dakota! (We might as well be at the north pole today, folks!) We have reached an all time record low on this tour! Tonight it was -6* and with the wind chill, -24*!!!!!!!!!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!!!!!!!!! HONESTLY!!!!!!! I’m gonna be real with you, though - I didn't feel as miserable as I thought I would in such cold weather. It really wasn’t that bad! Granted, I wasn’t in it for very long, we were only outside when we walked to dinner and back to the theatre, and the coldest part of my body was my knees down. I was wearing thick tights underneath my jeans, and extra thick socks, but I could have gone for one more layer of pants and socks. It honestly wasn’t too bad though, I was loving it! This morning we woke up around 10:45am in that beautiful Stony Creek Hotel, Sara and I made some oatmeal in our microwave, and were out the door in record time. It has been the best thing traveling with our awesome bag of snacks - those have saved us! Especially for these late check out breakfasts, where we slept through the hours for hotel breakfast. However, with our oatmeal and snack sack, we don't have to spend any money on breakfast! It’s also nice and cozy sometime to just enjoy some oatmeal in your PJ’s while you’re getting ready for the day! :) The entire cast was loaded onto the bus by 11:30am, and we were off! We drove all afternoon - only stopping at rest stops to stretch, use the restroom, and hop back on the bus. It was a great time to get things done, such as I had a final to study for. (One of my classes had an online final that I could take from anywhere, so I will be logged on at the same time as my class on Wednesday and take my final from on the road! The lovely life of being a college student while going on tour!) It was a very productive afternoon. It was quite fun stopping at the snowy rest stops, and getting to frolic around in the fluffy, fresh, sparkling snow. It had been falling all morning, and we were SO excited to enjoy it. Seeing snow will never get old! We arrived in Fargo, North Dakota (where it was a warm 1* outside) and scoped out tonight’s venue - the Fargodome. It was another arena performance tonight, and our biggest arena performance yet! Get this - the buses and 18-wheelers that hold everything that our tour travels with drove right up INTO THE DOME. It was so funny - the bus literally drove through the HUGE door and parked right in the dome! It was the funniest thing! So we didn't even have to go outside to leave the bus and be in the arena! We were all getting such a kick. After dropping off our show bags in our dressing rooms, we had an hour and a half to grab dinner. We walked next door (we weren't wanting to walk any farther in -6* weather) to a little grill and pub next door that had been recommended by some of the natives. We hiked through the snow, and everyone was going wild with how cold it was! Honestly it was the wind that made it most brutal, and the sheer fact that we were hiking through snow. It was so funny - it was snowing faster than they could clear it off the sidewalks, so there was just tons of snow everywhere. We all loved getting some delicious burgers and hot chocolate - it was too cold for anything else! It was so fun to spend some quality time with castmates (not that we haven't had an abundance of that on tour - we only have each other on these travels - but it was fun to bond some more and hear more about who they are and their lives.) We then made the trek through that -6* weather back to the giant Fargodome, and defrosted before getting ready for the show. I thought that I would never have feeling in my toes or fingers ever again, and no amount of socks or gloves could ever help that, haha. It was so wild - once I walked back into the arena and was defrosting in the dressing room, my mascara started melting!!! It had frozen onto my eyeleashes, it was that cold, and had started melting in the heat! How funny! We did our usual pre-show flight call, and we were set to get ready for the show! The show went great - the audience was a tad bit quieter than usual, but we concluded that it was probably because they were all frozen solid in their seats. The audience was HUGE, and there were thousands of people in the giant arena stadium. It was so special to see how many people we were touching, and how many people were receiving so much joy and cheer from our show. My job is truly a dream come true, and I was feeling very humbled, thankful, grateful, and blessed tonight. After the show, we had 30 minutes to get out of costumes, wigs, and curly toed shoes and hop on the bus! It was so nice that the bus was right back in the fargodome, we didn't even have to set a foot outside to get back on! These people in Fargo really know how to deal with the cold. And this dome is just massive, I honestly couldn't get over how HUGE this place is! Once we were on the bus, we were in for a long haul - we drove for around 4 hours to Bloomington, Minnesota, where we are spending the night at a La Quinta Inn & Suites tonight, I would also like the record to show IT IS SO HARD TO ROLL A SUITCASE THROUGH THE SNOW. Also, another funny update: the crew just notified us that they have to hold all of the props on the bus with them, instead of putting them in the back of the 18-wheeler that usually holds them, because otherwise they will freeze and crack in half. HAHA! Well, we just got in and it is 1:30 am, so I’d better get some sleep before we drive another 7 hours to Fairfield, Iowa tomorrow! More updates to come! - Diaries of a Curly Toed Elf FARGO!Bloomington, Minnesota!Today, I thought I might freeze to death. HAHA. This morning we woke up in Omaha at Sara’s house, and her mom had made us cinnamon rolls, quiche, and fruit salad for breakfast - that was SO great and so nice to have a homemade breakfast that wasn’t restaurant food or hotel food. It was so nice! We also got to visit with her aunt & uncle, Grandma, Ross & Rachael, and parents as well. Her parents brought us back to the hotel in downtown Omaha that our cast had stayed at, and we were off! We had the shortest travel day yet - only 1 1/2 hours!!!! It was FANTASTIC! Sara and I slept the entire way - we were just exhausted from the two day show and all of the excitement from yesterday. We have just been so tired today - I think all of the excitement of constant traveling and performing has been catching up with all of us - and the entire cast was pretty pooped today! We arrived in Sioux City, Iowa around noon, and had two hours before we had to be at the theatre. We arrived at our hotel, another Stony Creek Lodge! This time our lodge is not in Missouri, and is a little different, but still has the same feel as the past Lodge we stayed at, so that was very cool. We LOVED the Stony Creek Lodge in Missouri, so we were so happy to be back at one of our favorites spots. Our rooms weren’t ready yet, so we couldn't set our bags in our rooms right when we arrived. Sara, Kyle, Rashaun and I wandered around downtown Sioux City until we found a diner, and we grabbed some lunch before we had to head back to get ready for the matinee! We walked to the theatre - and let me tell you - Iowa is COLD, folks. It was definitely in the teens but fell below zero as the night went on - it was wild! The stage door was in an alley way, which was pretty cool, and the theatre was GIANT! This theatre was also called an Orpheum theatre, just like the theatre we were at yesterday! It was STUNNING, and I was equally as obsessed with the chandeliers as I was last night. This theatre quickly rose to being another one of my favorite theatres. It’s ornamentation is stunning, and the seats are a beautiful red velvet, going all the way up to the roof of the house! This theatre was huge! It also looked so beautiful decorated for Christmas, having christmas trees, garland, and wreaths all over the lobby. The lobby was just as beautiful as the house! After the show, we were just exhausted, and stopped by a BBQ place on the way back to the hotel that was right next to the hotel. We picked up some dinner to go, and ran through the falling show back to our cozy hotel room, where we watched Hallmark Christmas movies and just rested all night. It was so nice to have a chill night with nothing to do and nothing going on, and just have a night in. I was in Christmastime heaven! Now The Polar Express just came on, and I am on cloud nine - The Polar Express is one of my favorites! Well, I’d better get some sleep while I can, we have a looooooong day tomorrow with traveling to Fargo, North Dakota! More updates to come! - Diaries of a Curly Toed Elf The Orpheum!Sioux City - Stony Creek Lodge!December 10th, 2016 Today was OMAHA DAY! WOOO! It was SO much fun and so special! This theatre, YALL. The Orpheum was STUNNING! We woke up at our little room at the Holiday Inn Express in Lawrence, Kansas, and had to be loaded on the bus by 7:30 am. We drove for around 2 1/2 hours, and slept the entire way. It was so nice to have such a short drive, in contrast to our usual 10 hour trips! When we arrived, we pulled up to the hotel that the cast would be staying at - the Residence Inn in Downtown Omaha. Sara’s mom, dad, and sister Rachael were waiting and came to pick us up! Since Sara is from Omaha, and with her parents still living in Omaha, we opted to stay at her house rather than the hotel tonight! I am SO excited that we will be able to stay in a real house tonight, it will be nice to take a break from our usual hotel stays. Our castmates though have expressed how much they love this hotel - because the rooms only have one bed per room, every cast member gets their own room tonight in the hotel! They are all so excited! The five of us went to grab Schlotzky’s sandwiches for lunch, and then brought it back to her house to eat and relax before the matinee. I was so excited to see her home, it was so special to see where my best friend grew up! They also drove us all around Omaha to give me a tour, and I loved getting to see this cute town. I wish that we could have been in Omaha longer - it was such a cute city with SO much to offer! So many shops, boutiques, and historic buildings - it is such a beautiful city with so much charm! I really loved seeing all of it. I also got to see Warren Buffet’s house - how cool! We went to the Orpheum theatre after lunch at her house, which was SO AMAZING. I am in LOVE with this theatre, and it quickly rose to be my favorite theatre so far of this tour. It was GIANT, and had the most beautiful chandeliers and ornamentation I had seen in a theater. Every detail was so beautiful and it was so elegant - I am obsessed! I LOVED playing to this beautiful theatre and performing in such a grand space. My job is really too cool, yall. Sometimes I am just overwhelmed with how blessed I am to be traveling the country, spreading Christmas Cheer, doing what I love. After the matinee, Sara’s sister Rachael picked us up, and we came back to Sara’s house. More of her extended family was there, and we enjoyed spending time with them and hanging out in the dining room, chatting with all of her family members about the show and our experiences on tour. It was so special to visit with all of them, and share these experiences. We had some delicious Italian food, and we were ready to go back for Show #2 of the day! Everyone was pretty pumped for our first two show day! (or two do-shay, as we like to call it in the theatre) We had a ball, and all of Sara’s family and friends were in the audience, so that was very special. We were soaking in every last moment we could in that stunning theatre! After the show, the entire cast went back to Sara’s parents’ house to have a little cast party! It was SO fun, and so sweet of her parents to host us all. They had soups and sandwiches and appetizers. We all sat around the table chatting for awhile, and then went down to the basement to play ping pong and pool. It was such a blast - albeit my VERY poor ping pong skills, haha! We had a ball laughing about how bad I was at ping pong, and how funny that was. Everyone went home around 12:30, and we sat around chatting with family for a little bit longer before we came upstairs to Sara’s room! Now we are just wiped, and so ready to get some good sleep before traveling and more shows tomorrow! Woo HOO! Goodnight, Omaha! - Diaries of a Curly Toed Elf The Orpheum!Omaha!Today was a GREAT day in Lawrence, Kansas! We woke up this morning in our cozy little apartment at Waterwalk, in Wichita, Kansas. I had to go back for my laundry, since it was still not dry the night before. Last night I had just left in going in the dryer, because it was 2:30am and still sopping wet, and I could barely keep my eyes open! This morning, I went back and it was STILL WET. I was so upset, haha. But all is well, I couldn't do anything more. I just threw it all back in my pillowcase and packed it back in my suitcase, and I’d have to hang it out to dry at our next hotel. (Ya do what ya gotta do on tour, am I right?) Sara and I made some oatmeal in our fun kitchen, and then we were packed up and loaded on the tour bus by 10:30. We drove for 2 1/2 hours and arrived at our hotel in Lawrence by 1pm. We hadn't had that short of a travel distance yet, so this cast was PUMPED! We got to our lovely Holiday Inn Express, which is under some heavy construction. That made things a little difficult to maneuver with all of us trying to come in and check in with all of our bags at once, but we now have an efficient system down, so it was no problem. Our system usually consists of once person from each room (the assigned contact person. This stays the same throughout the entirety of our tour. I am the contact person for Sara and I’s room) getting the room keys and the rest starting on the line to the elevator. Once Sara and I got all settled in our room, we walked down the street to grab lunch with with a big gaggle of the Rudolph cast. We had an hour for lunch, so Kyle, Sara, and I decided to branch off and go to Culver’s. I had never been to Culver’s, but Sara convinced us that it was some of the best burgers and custard that the Midwest had to offer. We of course couldn't pass up that opportunity, so we had to go, because when in Kansas, do as the Midwesterners! I must say, the burger was top notch, but I think I prefer other fries and onion rings than the ones I got at Culver’s. However, the company was top notch, and Sara, Kyle, and I had the best time! On the way out, we got a cup of “cement custard”, which was their specialty for custard, and it was SO GOOD! Some of the best I’ve ever had! (I had never really had custard but one other time - with Shelby at the start of this tour in Missouri - so I don't have much to compare this to except ice cream or frozen yogurt! But it is DELICIOUS!) I got my favorite flavor - vanilla with cookie dough! However, as delectable as it was, I was an idiot because then I had to walk back to the hotel with it - and it was 15* outside!!! I was FREEZING and eating ICE CREAM. Rookie move, Samantha… We then hopped into a van that shuttled us to the theatre. Today’s theatre in Lawrence, Kansas is located just off the University of Kansas, which was so cool to see all around KU. Today we had a put in flight call rehearsal, because we have a new ZFX company member coming to join our cast and crew. He is replacing our previous flight director, and a great addition to our tour. We had flight rehearsal from 3 - 4, and I was not complaining - extra flying time for me! It was SO exciting and so much fun! I loved getting some extra flying time! After flight call, Sara and I decided to Uber walk around KU and some of the fun university shops and such that they had to offer. KU is MASSIVE and has such beautiful buildings and is such a beautiful school! We loved getting to explore this awesome campus. Everyone was so friendly! KU is our Head of the TCU Department of Theatre, Harry Parker's, alma mater! He recieved his masters from here. It was fun to see where he graduated from, and although we were in Jayhawk country, represent our TCU Horned Frog Pride! “Massachusetts Street” was their main drag in town, and where TONS of restaurants and cute shops were located. We were not all that hungry, because we had just eaten a feast at Culver’s, so we decided to go around to some of the cute boutiques and shops instead. They were precious, and had so many different things to offer. It was great to get some Christmas shopping out of the way. Our favorite was a little letterpress shop, which had the CUTEST stationary, journals, and cards - which was right up our alley. We found some great Christmas presents in there! It was hard walking around then since the sun had gone down - it was VERY cold! We then stopped by a little coffee shop cafe to grab a quick snack/warm drink before we grabbed an uber back to the theatre. I got a hot chocolate, so I was a happy camper! Our uber brought us back to the Lied Theatre and we did one last flight call, to make sure our new flight guy was all set for the show. We also had all signed a card and our company manager had gotten a cake - it was Mrs. Claus’ birthday! Jenny, who plays Mrs. Claus in our tour, had a birthday today, and it was so special to celebrate her. Jenny is all of our Momma on tour, and she is always looking out for us and caring for us so well. It was so wonderful to get to love on her today and show her how much she means to us, and how truly special she is to be such a light on this tour and in this world. We loved getting to sing to her and have cake! After the little birthday party, we rushed to prepare for the show and we were called to “Places!” before we knew it! We went through the show, and had a great audience - they were roaring with excitement, and all of the kids were really getting a kick out of all of our songs - it was great! We were also so excited because they had provided us with a plethora of fruit backstage - and told us to make sure we took it home with us! Sara and I went back after the show and loaded up, it had been so long since we had good fruit! We were pumped. After the show, I had the most pleasant surprise - an old friend from my hometown, Friendswood, goes to KU and came to see the show! I was blown away by the kindness of her taking time to come during her finals week, and loved getting to see her and catch up for a few minutes after the show! Kylie and her family are such dear family friends, and I was so thankful that she came! Sara also had some of her best friends from high school come to see the show, which was also super special! I loved getting to meet them, especially after I had heard so much about them. We all, meaning Sara, Sara’s friends, and I, ended up going to get ice-cream at a cute ice cream parlor on Massachusetts Street, and I loved getting to know them further. After ice cream, we said our goodbyes and headed back to the hotel, and joined up with the rest of the cast who had gone to the Mexican Restaurant next door to celebrate Jenny’s Birthday! It was SO special to get to celebrate Jenny some more, as well as hang out some more with the rest of our cast. We all had a great time getting some tasty Mexican food after the busy-ness of the show! After the fun party, Sara and I came back to our hotel room, and I called my family to catch up with them and tell them that I am still alive and on the Rudolph tour, and we go some emails and things checked off the to-do list in our hotel room. For now, it is getting late here in the North Pole, and this little elf needs to get some rest! Tomorrow is our first two-show-day, how exciting! Here we gooooo! More updates to come! - Diaries of a Curly Toed Elf Lawerence, KansasToday was exhausting, but SO much fun! We traveled a lot of ground today, as well as had a great show in a beautiful theatre! Today we woke up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and were on the bus by 7am. (WHEW it was a brutal wake up call, but we did what we needed to do!) Sara and I were exhausted, and tried so hard to sleep, but just couldn't seem to sleep this trip on that tour bus! I don't know why we suddenly both could not seem to get some rest on this bus, but today our bodies and minds were just not having it. I also forgot to take some Dramamine (I have been LIVING off of my dramamine so that I don't get car sick!!!) and let me just tell you - it was a rough morning without that dramamine. I was pretty motion sick all morning. We finally stopped in Topeka, Kansas, at Qudoba for lunch around 1 pm. I was SO ready to hop off the bus for a bit and get to feeling better. And let me tell you - Qudoba did the trick! I had never been to this fun place before, but I had the best first experience. I made friends with the manager, telling him I was from South Texas and we were all there with the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer National Tour, and that I loved chocolate chip cookies. After we had bought our food and were sitting down, eating, he came up and brought me a fresh, soft, warm chocolate chip cookie and milk!! He said every elf needs their cookies and milk! I was so excited, it completely made my day!!!! (They also had sweet tea here - and let me tell you, this little Texas girl was so happy she could cry! Being up north near North Dakota - there was NO sweet tea up there!!) After lunch we were back on the bus and headed the rest of the way to Wichita. Along the way we drove through Manhattan, Kansas, which I found pretty dang funny. Who knew we had a Manhattan in the Midwest?! haha! It was also SO stinking cold in Manhattan, and we were freezing our butts off at the rest stop where we took a bathroom break. (Update: the bathroom on our bus is supposed to be officially fixed by tomorrow, it was still not in working condition today and that was a sad, sad time.) We finally pulled up to our hotel around 4pm and I was SO EXCITED about this hotel room. We are staying at the Hotel Waterwalk, and it is SO COOL. Essentially, we all are in mini apartments, complete with kitchens, bathrooms, beds, desks, and other necessities that usual hotels offer. We were most excited, however, about the kitchens! It was pretty stinking cool. This hotel was also amazing because it offered FREE LAUNDRY! Sara and I were so excited because we hadn't had the coins to do it up until now, so we were gong to take full advantage of this opportunity. We had an hour and a half to kill in our hotel room before we needed to be at the theatre, and Sara and I were konked out within 10 minutes of walking into our hotel room - we were SO tired. We slept for an hour, and let me just tell you - I didn't realize how tired I was! My body had definitely caught up with me, and needed that nap. Tour life and constant traveling is a lot harder than one would imagine! The constant changing of surroundings and never steady surroundings and routine can definitely take a toll on the body. After we were harshly awoken by my alarm, we had some leftover pizza and leftover Qudoba for a late lunch/early dinner before the show. Then we hopped back on the tour bus to shuttle to the theatre. This theatre was STUNNING, y’all! Tonight we performed at the Orpheum Theatre in Wichita, Kansas. It was an old vaudeville theatre, and was home to the original dressing room of Gypsy Rose Lee! The beautiful ornamentation on the walls of the theatre was BEAUTIFUL, and the detail on every aspect of this old, historic theatre was stunning. Quick history for you on this theatre: Opening on September 4, 1922, it was the first atmospheric theatre in the United States. How cool is that!? It was so neat to be performing in a place where so much history had passed through, and so much had happened within those walls, that dressing room, and that stage - that I was having the opportunity to perform in! It was beyond special. Sara was also so excited, because she had some extended family come to see the show at this venue, which made this show extra special as well. After the show, we said hello to the extended family, and walked back to the hotel, since we stayed after and missed the tour bus. (We knew we wouldn't make the tour bus, so that was purposeful - don’t think we are irresponsible!) It was so nice to get a good walk in, however, the wind was biting cold - so that made the experience a little chillier than I would have chosen! However, it was so much warmer than North Dakota, so it wasn’t too bad at all! Haha! Once we got home, we started the laundry saga. On tour, we had heard that a great idea was to fill your pillowcase up with your laundry - that way, once you get to the laundry room/laundromat, you can just throw everything in, including the pillowcase, and not have to carry around extra bags! We loaded our pillowcases with all of our laundry from the past two weeks of traveling and let me tell you - we had quite the fun time! We had a ton of company members taking advantage of the free laundry situation, so everyone was having a ball downstairs getting it all done together. We had brought Tide pods from our house in Fort Worth, so that made the entire process quick and easy! Our first laundry experience on tour was a SUCCESS! While we were downstairs doing laundry, we started watching Hairspray Live! since we hadn't been able to stream it yesterday. It was so exciting to see a show that was so near and dear to my heart! I won’t go into details, as this is a Rudolph blog and not a Hairspray blog, but it was very fun to reminisce on all of the fun times I had being Penny while I watched the performance. After watching the show, Sara and I came back to our room, and I got to FaceTime my Seaweed, Aramie, from when I performed Hairspray and played Penny, as I had promised him that I would FaceTime him as soon as I watched the live broadcast. I had missed him so much, and it was great to catch up - it was also fun talking about the tour with him, as he recently toured with the Flashdance National Tour. We discovered that he had stayed at this very hotel, Hotel Waterwalk, in Wichita when they came through town, as well as other venues and hotels that we have stayed at/will stay at! It is so cool to hear about how small our theatre world is when we really think about it :) I later realized that my laundry still isn't dry (dang it!) and that I am going to have to just get it in the morning, since it is 2am and I need to get some sleep! That’s the beauty of hotel laundry and tour life, folks! Isn’t it glamorous and exciting?! (I’m just kidding - tour life really is glamorous and exciting, I am having the time of my life!) More updates to come tomorrow as we travel to Lawrence, Kansas! Goodnight! - Diaries of a Curly Toed Elf Wichita, Kansas!Today was one of the best days on tour so far! My oh my did we enjoy getting to have a day all in one place - with no traveling. We haven't had a day without traveling so far on this tour, so this was very well needed. This morning Sara and I slept in until around noon, and BOY OH BOY was it SO NICE! We loved getting to have a lazy hazy morning. We then watched some Property Brothers on HDTV, which was so relaxing. Then at 1 we bundled up in our thickest clothes and hiked from our hotel to Sioux Falls - it was 0* outside, and let me just start to tell you - it was FREEZING. But we were determined to see these historic Sioux Falls, which is what the city of Sioux Falls South Dakota is named after, so we powered through the cold. There was a big group of bundled Rudolphians, and we were not so happy during the walk, but thrilled once we arrived. The river and the falls were all frozen solid, which was SO cool to see - I have never seen a frozen river or frozen waterfalls before! It was SO wild! I had only seen frozen lakes and such in movies! We all had a ball exploring around this beautiful area. We then hiked back to the hotel and then onto downtown, where we found the cutest diner to have lunch - and let me just tell you, folks: this was the best breakfast food we’ve had on tour. We all ordered the grand diner breakfast, complete with eggs, toast, bacon, and hash-browns, and it was DELICIOUS! We were all in heaven, and that home-cooked meal was so well needed. It was also so nice to have some warm food that nourished our chilled bodies! We then came back to the hotel for a nap and restful afternoon before we were back on the tour bus to head to the theatre. During our rest time, Sara and I watched some Friends (our favorite TV show together) and had some hot chocolate. It was SO wonderful to have a little rest in a real bed, rather than a tour bus bunk or tour bus seat. (Don’t get me wrong - I am SO thankful for that comfy tour bus - but there is nothing like a large, warm, soft hotel bed instead!) We got on the bus at 4:40 and were at the theatre by 5. We had to be at the theatre way early today because flight call had been moved up to 5pm, that way some of the characters could go to a “meet and greet” with select ticket holders before the show. We enjoyed being there early, because we had a chance to go explore the beautiful theatre, take lots of photos, and sign the wall backstage! It was SO cool getting to leave our mark in such a large, prominent theatre that many, many National Tours come through. I felt so special signing walls next to so many other National Tour actors that had been in my very spot, not too long before me. That was really special. The theatre was HUGE, and STUNNING. I loved the beautiful ornamentation of brick and paneling on the sides of the theatre, and the chairs were PURPLE! How cool! Go Frogs, am I right?! It was a BEAUTIFUL theatre, and defiantly one of my favorites so far. The show was great, and afterwards we were back on the tour bus and taken back to our cozy Country Inn and Suites, which is the same hotel we had stayed at last night. It was GREAT to be in this hotel for two nights in a row! This is the first time we have had that opportunity on this tour so far. Tonight Hairspray Live aired, and although we were in our show when it aired, we were all dying to see it. (For those of you who know me - I played Penny Pingleton at a repertory theatre in Michigan this summer, and had the time of my LIFE. Hairspray will forever be one of my favorite shows, only second to Rudolph, and I could hardly contain my excitement for this day. I must say - it made me weepy and nostalgic to miss my HSRT friends and cast, and that fun fun show!) However, after an hour of searching, the live broadcast had not been uploaded to online yet, so we couldn't find it, and are going to have to watch it tomorrow once it has been uploaded to NBC.com or something. How sad! So instead, Sara and I ordered some Papa John’s pizza and watched Friends in our hotel room, which was just as fun! We also treated ourselves to some of the Papa John’s cinnamon rolls, because why not! Treat yoself! We then went across the hall to have a game night with some of the other cast members, and we all played one of our favorite games: Salad Bowl. Salad bowl is where you are on teams, and you have pieces of paper with nouns written on them, and your team has to guess the words: first round is just by giving descriptions of the word, second round is through acting it out, and third round is by giving a one word clue. It is SO much fun and one of our favorite things to do as a group on this tour. After a rousing few rounds of Salad Bowl, Sara and I came back to our hotel room and packed up our suitcases (we didn’t want to have to do it in the morning!) and climbed in bed, so I’d better hit the hay! We have a 7am call to depart on the bus tomorrow morning, so I’d better get some sleep! - Diaries of A Curly Toed Elf Visiting the historic "Sioux Falls" in Sioux Falls!The Washington Pavillion - Sioux Falls, South DakotaToday was one for the books, folks! We had a ball today exploring Mason City, Iowa, as well as performing here this evening! What made today special was the quality time spent with cast mates. This morning we had a later bus call than usual, which was SO nice to get to sleep in! We were all loaded on the bus by 11:30, and the tour bus dropped us off for the day at the Mason City mall. (We had another mall day because since we have to check out of our hotel and arent needed at the theatre yet, it is a nice place where, usually, there are many options for things for us to do, or places to eat, etc.) Y’all - this was no ordinary mall. There were only about 30 stores total, if that, and half of them were closed - it was hilarious. This mall was also completely deserted except for an occasional few Iowans who were walking around the mall for exercise, and our big group. There was one restaurant, and it was called “Mr. Taco”, which was hysterical. We didn't know what to do - and we had 6 hours to kill - so we made our own fun. We started by just walking around and checking everything out, which didn't take long. Then we walked a few blocks away to downtown Mason City where we had lunch at a historic deli, which had been there for years. Their sandwiches and soups were DELICIOUS, which was so fantastic because we were chilled to the bone - it was 13 degrees outside with the wind chill! It was SO windy outside, it was crazy! I couldn't believe it! After lunch, we went to check out the historic “Music Man Square” which was where the musical film of The Music Man was filmed, as well as Meredith Wilson’s house! It was SO cool and so special to me, as the Music Man was the first musical I had ever been in, and was what started my spark for loving musical theatre and pursuing it in my life. It was at Friendswood High School, and I played Gracie Shinn. The Music Man will always hold a special place in my heart, and forever be one of my most favorite shows, so I LOVED seeing all of the Music Man Square today. I took far too many photos - they had all of the set and locations that they filmed different songs and scenes, and that was too cool to see. We unfortunately didn't get to go see Meredith Wilson’s house, we couldn't find it and were getting too frozen, but the set for the film was TOO COOL. The authentic River City billiard parlor, ice cream parlor, wells fargo wagon, and more were all in pristine condition, and even decorated for Christmas right now! How fun! After exploring the Music Man Square, we walked back to the mall, because it was entirely too cold to keep walking around outside. If the wind hadn't been so bad, we would have loved to have walked around Mason City some more and see their historic downtown, but it was way too cold. (Quick side note: I know I keep saying “ITS FREEZING” - just brace yourselves - because it’s only getting colder and we’re only going more north, and this little Texas girl is just gonna keep telling you about how freezing it is. But I am LOVING IT. End of quick note.) We ended up back at the mall, and were stumped as to what to do. The other malls that we had been dropped off at in the past on this tour were equipped with more stores, movie theatres, and other activities that we could explore to pass the time. Mason City did not seem to have those options. Since we can’t just shop all day (we don't have the space in the suitcases, and want to save these paychecks) we decided to kill some more time by playing a mall-wide game of sardines. (Sardines is kind of like hide and seek, but one person hides and everyone has to find them, and when they find them, they hide with them, until everyone is in the hiding place.) It was SO much fun! We all searched high and low throughout the mall and made friends with the employees - as we were the only customers in the entire mall - so they all got a big kick out of us. It was also fun to explore every shop in the entire mall while we were looking for the “sardine”, so I could probably tell you everything in the “Yonkers” catalog by now. Haha! After we got tired of that game, we tried to play a card game in the food court (chairs in front of Mr. Taco) but after we realized we didn't have any cards, that got shut down quickly. Rashaun and I got lemonade and pretzels, and that was pretty fun, but then we needed something else to do. We then found (by google mapping: FUN) a local roller skating rink that was a 5 minute walk away. We called to make sure they were open, and they were, and they said skating was $8. We bundled up and started the trek through the brutal wind to the bowling alley - and let me tell you - I though that we were going to die of frostbite on that walk through the snow and ice and WIND. However, we made it, and survived, and got to the rollerskating rink, only to find out that it was kid’s inflatable jump day, and we were not allowed to skate because there were inflatables set up on the rink. We were SO upset that we made this trek and couldn't even skate. (There was also not a soul at the rink, and we were wondering where the citizens of Mason City could possibly be.) But after the attendant behind the counter heard who we were (with the Rudolph National Tour Cast) and our story of our 6 hour day at the mall, she took pity on us and let us skate on the center rink for free, with the agreement that if any kids showed up we had to leave, since technically it was kids’ day. We were SO happy and excited, and loved skating all over the little rink! It was too much fun, and let me tell you: I was SO surprised by my cast mates, they can SKATE! After an hour we left to get some dinner before the show, and then our tour bus was back and ready to take us to the theatre. We performed at the North Iowa Theatre, which was our smallest venue so far, meaning the smallest backstage space. The wings were super tight, and we all had to be very conscious of sight lines since there was such little space for curtains, props, set, the crew, and us. However, the house was a good size, and that audience was mighty - they were roaring with applause and laughter throughout the entire performance, and seemed to really enjoy the show. After the show we had 30 minutes to hop back on the bus, and then we were off again! Tonight we drove to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. (Y'all - I know I said it was cold earlier - but OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS at our rest stop tonight, it was 13* with a wind chill of -7*!!!!! NEGATIVE SEVEN!!!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!) (I need to tone back my talking about the cold - when we go to Fargo, North Dakota next week, there is a high of 1* all day….. oh my goodness.) Here in Sioux Falls, SD, we are staying in a cozy Comfort Inn and Suites. Tomorrow we have the morning and afternoon off before our performance in the evening - I cannot wait to share more updates! - Dairies of a Curly Toed Elf Show #6 in Mason CityMusic Man SquareMason City, Iowa!Onto Sioux City, South Dakota!Today was a lazy hazy day for the Elves and Reindeer on the Tour Bus! We woke up in our cozy hotel room in North Dakota at 8:30 am to be loaded in the bus by 9. It was another travel day - so no show or performance for us tonight! Just bus riding! We were on the bus from 9am - 7:30pm today. This morning we slept most of the morning on the bus, and then watched some movies on the bus’ TVs. It was a cozy, cold, and snowy morning drive, and we were so happy to be getting some rest. We stopped for lunch at an Arby’s in the middle of Minnesota, which hit the spot. I was so excited when I found out we were in Minnesota - that is where one of my good friends Meredith lives - so while I was too far to see her, I did give her a quick FaceTime, which was fun! We also had time over our lunch hour to also stop into the Walmart behind Arby’s to get some necessities. That was great, because a lot of people are starting to get kind of sick, so this was a much needed stop. With our constant traveling and rapidly changing climates for each location, it is definitely very difficult to keep healthy while on tour. It is also challenging with an ever-changing routine, new cities and hotels every night, and constant eating out. Even when trying to make healthy choices at restaurants, it is still not the same as cooking for yourself in your own kitchen. Everyone is starting to feel the weariness of this crazy tour schedule - and this is only week 2 of being on the road! I think that today’s “day off” travel day, having no show, was very well needed by the entire cast to catch up on rest and getting well. We then drove for another few hours, and I tried out one of the bunks on the bus. I had been skeptical of them up until now, as they are very compact to fit 6 of them on our bus, so I usually felt a little claustrophobic. However, I was reaching a point where we had been on the bus for so long for so many days in a row, and all I wanted was a good nap - so I just had to suck it up and give it a try. I ended up loving it! They were cozy and warm and very private, so you had your own little place on the bus for a quiet nap. I slept for a few hours back on those comfy bunks! We finally arrived at our destination - Mason City, Iowa. (If you are a fan of The Music Man, you can laugh with me as I say I was certainly humming “Iowa stubborn” in my head - hahhaa. Okay, that was cheesy, back to the blog.) While it certainly wasn’t as cold as North Dakota, there was still snow on the ground and it was FRIGID. We were all bundling up just to get from the bus to the front door of our hotel! Tonight we are staying at an awesome Holiday Inn, and this precious place is decked out with the cutest Christmas decor all over the place. After getting settled into our spacious room, we walked next door to Ruby Tuesday for dinner, and had some great conversations with cast members. We then went back to the hotel, and some company members were watching the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show that was on, some went to work out at the gym, and some were having game night. Sara and I chose to have a little fun around the hotel and make a hilarious video of the two of us being goofs around this Christmassy Holiday Inn - because what else do you do at a Holiday Inn in Iowa when it's 16* and a Monday Night?? It was hysterical, and we definitely got a big kick out of it. We then went and played Quiplash with some other cast members, which is quickly rising to one of our favorite hotel games on this tour. It’s a game that hooks up to a computer and each player’s smartphone, and we vote on different questions and answers that we all give. It is hilarious, and we were cackling all evening. Now we are back in our hotel room and about to hit the hay - we have a busy day tomorrow and show in Mason City tomorrow night - stay tuned for details! - Daires of a Curly Toed Elf Travel Day! |
AuthorHi! I'm Samantha, an elf traveling across America to bring Christmas Cheer. ArchivesCategories |