And Also With You...

Well-e Well-e Well, my Bloogies(guess what film this is a reference to and you get a cookie). It's Monday night and I'm watching BBC World News, one of my faithful ports in a stormy sea of crappy TV. I had a nice day off yesterday, punctuated by a bizarre "religious experience", so to speak. So, the Philippines is +85% Catholic country and I figured there would be churches all over the place. What I did not expect, though, was the places they would spring up on a given Sunday.

Asia is the land of malls and, of course, we are staying next to a series of malls which, in reality, has me turned around still due to its' sheer magnitude. Sunday morning, I was up early and went to said mall(s) for a stroll and breakfast, as I just missed the complimentary smorgasbord at the hotel. So, I remembered one of the many coffee shops selling what looked like, and turned out to be, tasty cinnamon buns and excellent coffee. On the way there, I stumbled upon one of the free concerts these grandiose malls host daily. The funny thing was that during one of the numbers, there was a guy with a basket on a stick collecting cash for the performers singing 2 stories below- or so I thought. That was until I heard the ever familiar "The Lord be with you.", to which the crowd- myself included- instinctively responded "And also with you." Before the celebrant got to "Lift up your hearts.", I realized I had stumbled onto Our Lady of Abercrombie and Fitch Church, which was going on amidst the regular hub-bub of a Sunday morning out at the mall. It was bizarre- I realized I was wearing my hat and as I sauntered by, I quickly took it off, befuddled, and proceeded to get my "Coffee And", though I was a bit guilty it was during and not after mass.

If this wasn't telling enough, a few hours later, I stumbled upon another service, this time outside in a rain protected circus-sized tent between yet another series of malls(I told ya, they love their malls here). Am I a bad Catholic because I didn't see past the kitch value of saying mass in these strange places without more than a quick moment of reverence? What would you have done? (Yeah, right...)

Now that I know, I'll just have to attend one of these strange celebrations, get a smoothie(afterwards, of course) and call it a holy day. Or maybe, instead of nodding off during the homily, I'll just get up and browse around at the Gap. Hey, a sale is a sale.

I still think they should make people toss their donations into a fountain and make a wish- albeit for world peace and an end to hunger- and that the cute chick at TGIFridays will notice me.... Anyhoo,...

Ta for now- see you in h-e-double-hockey-sticks, as that's where I'm going after this blog...

Steve

One Down, Seventeen To Go...

Bloggers, Bloggers, Week 1 has come to an end and the show is really getting into shape. One of my worries now is that we'll be ready to open long before Tech(Technical rehearsals for those of you not in the theatre game). This is a welcome change of pace from the last show I did, which was mounted in about 9 days- Kee-razee!

Most of the rest of the cast is out partying away tonight, but I didn't feel much like drinking my face off this evening, so I am sitting in my hotel room in Manila watching a National Geographic Channel special about Cyclones. In the U.S., we call them Hurricanes and, as awful as they can be, should consider ourselves lucky they aren't as erratic as Cyclones can be. That's probably due to the unique geography of Southeast Asia. Why am I watching, you ask? because there's not much else on TV and I'd rather know than not know about a potential danger facing me.

Not to scare you, but natural disasters are a part of life in this part of the world. However, the people most effected are the ones in low lying areas with inadequate housing and warning systems. In other words, the destitute and ill-informed. I'm not too worried, though, and neither should you be.

OK, enough about that. I am having a better time than I was at the beginning of the week- probably because I jumped into rehearsal with both feet without a day to adjust. That's another reason I'm staying in. Unlike everyone else who landed, had a day off, and whose first rehearsal was a low stress read-through, I hit the deck running- or dancing as the case may be. I can't complain, though, as I was allowed to come late so I could finish "Fiddler on the Roof" at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Their first easy day also meant I didn't miss much and caught up in a few hours, so I can't really complain, as I was worried I'd be behind the Eight Ball for a while.

Alright, this blog is boring even me, so I'll leave you for now to think happy thoughts of me relaxing on my first real day off in a few weeks... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....

Later for now,
Gags

On The Road Again...

Well, Hi-dilly ho there, Bloggerinos! It's that time again! By that I mean time for me to begin another Asian Adventure, which means a new chapter in our blogging relationship. Now, I know what you're thinking- "He's just going to tease me again, as I dutifully wait in anticipation for his next posting."

OK, so I sort of left you hanging about a year ago when my last blog just sort of evaporated without so much as a final sign-off post. As most of you already know, the Spongebob tour ended with a bit of a whimper, so my apologies for the fact the second installment of my blog did the same. If you email me, I'll fill you in on the details, as it would be unwise for me to share them in this forum.

Needless to say, I have the good fortune to find myself employed on yet another Asian tour, this time it's Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" starring Lea Salonga. As was the case last year, my postings may be a bit lacking in the details department, but that is at the behest of the powers that be. Understandably so, as issues such as intellectual properties rights, confidentiality, and security far exceed the importance of my little blog. That being said, I will sally forth(not to be confused with my friend Sally Struthers - Luv Ya Sally!!) and attempt to bring you all the excitement- and some of the mystery- of my previous Blog.

So, I am in the Philippines, which is convenient given my Blog's title is "Gags' Asian Adventure". I will be on the road for a few months at least and, during this time, will strive to keep you informed of the goings on... uh... going on.

Well, blog-dogs, it feels good to be addressing you again. As always, thanks for reading my little tome and, as I've said in the past, please do leave a comment after reading, even if it's just a "Hey Gags!"- or "Read your Blog!"(the exclamation points are optional, but they're always a nice gesture of false enthusiasm). Besides, it's the only way I can tell if anyone is reading.

'Til next time keep reading and be good to your fellow creatures, be they human, beast, or somewhere in-between (you know who you are, you cheeky monkeys..)

Paalam na Ho!
(Goodbye in Filipino)
Gags