I used to be Shirley Valentine...I used to be Shirley Valentine...I used to be......

OK - has everyone gotten tired of looking at the last post yet?

This was the last weekend of Shirley Valentine. A one person show I had been doing at the Barksdale Hanover Tavern for the past 6 weeks. It has been a crazy and rewarding ride. I think it will hit me throughout the week in spurts - when I don't have to go get that spray tan this week - as I have gotten for the past 7 weeks, when I realize at the end of the week I still have gas left in my car, when Steve O. and I get a night off together and I can remember how cute he is, etc, etc - what might take longer is getting the lines out of my head. I was running them constantly in my mind. I guess I can and should stop doing that now. I will not miss the noise I would sometimes hear during the show (ie, noise from the Tavern) But I certainly will miss the laughter and applause, who wouldn't? I will miss the friends I made who tirelessly worked on the show and made sure I had everything I needed at any given time - For a one person show I felt very supported by many folks at the Theatre. I will miss getting to be Shirley as she talks to an eager audience about living. I will miss the moments when people are howling with laughter one minute and the next so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

I got a few beautiful letters from patrons who enjoyed the show and ran into countless friends and colleagues who were lovely and supportive. It was a real feel good experience. It was truly both extremely difficult and extremely rewarding. Funny how that works out.

I started this process promising myself that this would be the last one person show I ever do and I ended it wondering what the next one could be. Typical.

Enjoy some party pics as well as some backstage secrets of Shirley Valentine....

My Stage Manager, Andrew, faithfully cleaning the grease off the fryer. He did this nightly by the end so the fryer wouldn't be too loud.

This is a magnet from Shirley's fridge with a picture of her two children "Millandra" and "Brian" but they are actually the two children of Set Designer Terrie Powers and Artistic Director Bruce Miller. The picture has been blurred for their protection (just kidding - it is just a bad picture).

Apparently this dish soap is all the rage in England. I enjoyed having a little Fairy on stage with me.

My messy dressing room.

The final "places" call from Andrew and Chris. (You can even see the clock behind them reads 1:45 PM.)

An awesome assortment of friends and family that saw the show Saturday night.

Amy, Dexter, Chris, and Andrew.

Christine, Laine, Tony, Irene (who has also played Shirley!), Erin, Phil and Bruce all enjoy a closing night cocktail.

Joe Inscoe poses with the awesome crew from the Tavern.

Muffin and her peeps.

Ma and her long time Friends- Kind of like the Ya-Ya's.

This was a picture I took of my Ma with her friends right before I met them.

The group in front of the Monument. They still look like kids!!!

I was trying to get an Abby Road like shot here but I am a bit too far from them.

We saw this in a boutique on Libby - I wanted to ship it to my Sissy - who LOVES artichokes but the woman said it would probably melt on the way to Miami. So she gets a picture of it instead!


As promised, my Mother came to visit and see the play last weekend. She visited with her three girlfriends from High School. That's right - high school. How lucky to have friends that you have known since you were a pre-teen! Since we moved around so much I do not have any friends that I have known for that long. My mom turned 69 in July so she had known these ladies a long time. They came in Friday night but it was too late for me to see them. They all stayed at the Jefferson and Saturday early afternoon I went to meet them. These ladies were walking along Monument Ave until they got to the Arthur Ash Statue. I met them there and we all went to lunch. I enjoyed meeting these ladies.
It was half way through our lunch, as they were talking about things they did in High school and college, that it suddenly dawned on me that they knew my Grandparents pretty well. I thought about the fact that when they were young kids my grandparents where the parents that they were around. I told them how much I miss my grandmother and they said the nicest things about her. It was so nice hearing their stories and so nice of them to make the trip from Ft Wayne, IN ( I think they came from a couple places but I am pretty sure at least one of them still lives in Indiana) . Also - they all happen to be beautiful. I bet they were quite a hit at their 50th High School Reunion last year.

They all seemed to enjoy the play too. They saw it Saturday night and sat with Burgess and his clan. His Mother and BFF and Sister were all there too. Thanks to them for driving from P'Town.

Sunday the Brunks came in from P'Town. Regular Blog readers will remember them as the couple who have the big crab feast every year, with the cool yard. And last but not least I was finally re-united with the Organs!!!

Sandy, Craig, Craig Jr, and Aunt Alice all came to the show Sunday. Now I had not seen them in about 7 years. It was amazing to see them again and to get to spend time with them. We sat at the Tavern and talked and talked until they needed to start their long drive back to Cross Junction. I think I was in a happy daze for the rest of the day. I went to the grocery store to pick a bottle of wine and I went home without it. Why the cashier didn't stop me I have no idea. I can remember a whole play y'all but I can't remember to bring my groceries home. Whatev...............

This just in............

This just in...................

New Pics of Caroline Louise and Chip!!

Kitty and Pop sure get around. They are everywhere!

My brother and Caroline on vacay.

Caroline strolls the beach constantly thinking about and missing her Aunt MuffinFace.

Do they makes those suits in my size?

looking ahead and behind.

As I am still full of great memories from last weekend - another weekend approaches that is shaping up to be just as fabulous. Ma is coming in town with some of her friends and my friend (and old roomie) Burgess is coming in from P'Town too see the play too. Before I post a bunch of new pics I needed to share a few more of the pics from last weekend.

Pop passing some of his wisdom down to Harry.

I think soon they will take this to the streets so watch your wallets!

My favorite Pic of Harry from last weekend.

too cute not to post.

Pop and Harry playing on the mouth harp - just like Mr. Steve does!

Post show follies- or lots of pics of Muffinface.......

I was so happy on Saturday night. So many of my peeps were in attendance and it made the show really fun to perform, if a little nerve racking (but in a good way).

Thanks to everyone who came out - most went to Davis and Main after and I was able to capture some on camera. You know how shy this group is!

Unfortunately Steve O. had a gig and even though we seriously considered all going we knew it would be hard to catch up and talk with each other while listening to the sounds of Dick Butt Kiss.

It was fun to see my Pop and Kitty talk about their travels and hang out with my friends. Seriously, those kids can hang! Sissy and Beth were there and finally got to meet Robert who entertained us with the funniest joke I might have ever heard. I tried to recreate it once but I could not do it - so I make Robert tell it over and over. Just thinking about him telling it is making me laugh out loud while I type. .

This weekend my Ma is coming with some of her friends. I can't wait to see her!

Sparky and post show Muffinface.

Pop hanging with Fern and Scott.

Pop and Kitty.

BFF with Sissy.

Pop and Muffinface.

Sparky and Robert - and part of the Dean's face.

Robert imitating the Muffinface picture pout. He's almost got it.

Sissy and Beth.

The Dean.

Family Fun at Liberty Valance.

One of me and Steve O's favorite places for steak is a restaurant called Liberty Valance. It has been there so long that when they built the new strip mall- (Mexico, Starbucks, Ukrop's, etc) they built everything around this restaurant. We love going because they have an excellent prime rib and the prices are incredibly low. Saturday Pop and Kitty came in to see the play with Beth and Sissy. That day Gretchen drove down with my Niece and Nephew so we could all spend time together. Unfortunatly for her - what should have been an hour and a half trip turned into three hours due to some nasty traffic. At some point during the trip she declaired to her two small children "Somebody better be dead or badly injured up there!"

I suggested this restaurant for lunch. I often wondered what Pop and Kitty would think of the place. It is not fancy and decorated kitchie with western junk everywhere. I thought they might laugh at it but then be impressed with the food itself. Well, from the moment we walked in they loved it. Since we had such a big group we were seated in our own room to the right of the restaurant that was decorated like an old west living room. Complete with fire place and old fashioned TV. (hey - there weren't any TVs in the Wild West) anyway - it was fun and so cute. I told everyone they should order some kind of steak since that is really their specialty. Since it was the only meal I was to eat that day I had the prime rib and a salad. They make their own blue cheese dressing and it is so good I have often gone there just for that. -

I wonder what the other patrons were thinking when we started taking pictures of everything.

Pop, Beth, Kitty and Sissy in the "Family room" at Liberty Valance.

Gretchen and Alli

Alli, Sissy and Harry (with braces!)

Harry enjoyed the fries.

Beth (and many others at the table) ordered the prime rib sandwich. It is so good.

My dinner - the "pilgrim" size prime rib - very tender and full or flavor.

the TV in the dinning room makes you feel like you are eating at the Smithsonian.

Fun in the stage coach area.

It's a sign

My friend (and recent guest blogger) Lee saw this sign on the road back from NC.

As he said - you can't make this stuff up.

Sissy and Beth Visit Muffinface! Part One...........

Friday night my Sissy and Beth came in from Miami. I only had about an hour with them before I headed off to the show. They were going to dinner with Steve O and then off to his gig at the Triple. Beth and Sissy were hoping to see Cheenon but had to settle for Dick Butt Kiss. I got there after my show and they were just about to start. Good timing. Good times.
More weekend fun to come.

Big Weekend Ahead!

The Captain

Pop and Kitty-Mom

Sissy and Beth

Sparky and the Dean

Steve O has 2 gigs - Sissy and Beth are coming to visit - Pop and Kitty are coming to visit- Sparky and the Dean are coming to visit. I will definitely have some interesting new material to share come next week!!! I can't wait to see you all as well as my other friends who are seeing the show this weekend! Thanks for all your support. Woo-Hoo!!