Back from the Spirit

I got home last night from my install of shows on the Spirit. I was SO glad to be home and see my family! It was a long and gruelling two weeks, but the cast did a fantastic job! We opened both shows to great crowds who gave them standing ovations at the end. I was so thrilled for them!

The ratings came back yesterday and the shows were through the roof...the top rated shows in the entire NCL fleet and a record for that particular ship. YAY TEAM!!

Here are some pictures of life aboard the NCL Spirit...


This was the pool in the back of the ship--the perfect dream pool for kids only!

The cast worked so hard in rehearsals. Many nights we were in the theater until 2am.

Have you seen the commercial where the little girl secretly put a small stuffed monkey in her father's briefcase as he went on a trip and he takes pictures of the monkey everywhere to send back? Love that! Ella and Maddie sent Peter Rabbit with me. There were many Peter Rabbit pictures! In fact, Ella emailed me one day and said, "Daddy, I miss you so much...but I sure do miss that bunny!!"

Sheryl came out for a few days. It was SO AWESOME having her there!! Even though I was mostly tied up in rehearsals, we did get to have some nice time together. It made the two weeks much more palatable!

Our first week on board, the old cast was still there doing shows while we rehearsed day and night. To my surprise, one of their principal singers was a girl I had worked with YEARS ago also for Norwegian. Her name is Ketsia. We had such a great visit. She was very active in the Christian community on board the Spirit.

This is a shot of the vacant theater

Claire, Mindy, Gary and I went to see the old cast perform their last shows. Mindy and Gary left a week ago and Claire and I opened the shows with our cast.

I must say, it is a pure pleasure to work with these people. They are some of the brightest, most genuine, truly talented people I've ever known. They have amazing hearts and are a light to everyone who meets them. I am a better person for getting to be associated and working with them.

Right now things are crazy back in Nashville. We have the Norwegian GEM cast here as well as the Celebrity Constellation. And tomorrow, the Celebrity Infinity cast comes in (I am teaching them). Though it's busy here, it's fun to be back and see everyone.

Below are some more pics....since I didn't get to post pictures out there I had to catch up!! I miss all the cast folks from the Spirit and pray that God will bless each of them.

"On Broadway"

Here are some pictures of the Broadway show we opened a week ago tonight. It's a great show and was well received--

The cast (minus Candice) on opening night backstage

"On Broadway"

"Mama Mia" section




"Wicked"




"Swing"


"Hairspray"

"On the Radio"

These are from "On the Radio"...a very fast paced, high energy show. We opened this last Friday.

The cast (minus Candice)
Yana (one of our brilliant Russian dancers) stretching before the show

"AM Radio"
"Motown" section
"Weird Science"

Country section--"Here for the Party"

Latin section and finale

Honduras

The ship ported in Honduras today. We had a little time to get off the ship so I went to the beach with the cast. It was a nice break from being in the theater all day and night. The weather was perfect!

Gary was able to post some pictures when he got home. Click here to see them!

I got to talk to my family tonight...it was so good to hear their voices! I am really looking forward to seeing them this weekend!

Back to work tonight...rehearsal from 11-2am! Whew!

Biance

I am sitting in the library/internet cafe on board the Spirit. The disco is next door where a couple is attempting a Biance song. It's everything you imagine it to be. WHY???

Sheryl left this morning and was blessed to get on an earlier flight. She surprised the kids by arriving home at noon. They were SO excited! I miss her...and them.

The rehearsals continue. Claire finished re-blocking Broadway today. We have a dress/tech rehearsal again tonight. For some reason Blogger won't allow me to upload pictures out here. I put some on Facebook though.

This week I am wearing two hats--musical director and production manager. It will be a great week to see the cast getting to open both shows and see the results of all their very hard work.

Is Easter really 2 weeks away? How is that possible?

When the Oceans Rise...

It's been a great few days with Sheryl on. I know many of you are reading this and seeing snow out your window. That is so crazy! We are both enjoying the Caribbean sun (what little time we've had in it).

One of our dancers was injured this week. We found out yesterday that she has to go home for a while. So, we're trying to figure out re-blocking and stuff before we open the Broadway show on Monday night. Please pray for Candice and her speedy recovery.

Sheryl and I had a nice few hours in Cozumel yesterday. We got the kids some surprises and had a nice relaxing afternoon before returning to rehearsals. The cast did a tech run of "On the Radio" last night and did a GREAT job. They are right where they should be. That show opens one week from last night.

Last night we also had the roughest night at sea I've ever experienced...18 foot waves. It was a hard night for all the passengers. Today is much better though.

Sheryl leaves tomorrow and I'm not ready for her to go. It's been so awesome having her out here!

Long Days, Short Nights

We are all exhausted. Rehearsals have been intense...all day and then last night until 2am. We have the same schedule today.

The current cast did their Broadway show last night. It was fantastic! It's been fun catching up with Ketsia. It's been 14 years since we worked together doing this same thing and yet today we were singing the songs and still remembered some of the choreogaphy. Hilarious and frightening!

Sheryl comes Thursday. I am ready for her to be here! More soon!

Rock the Boat

Yesterday was an incredibly long day. I met the cast at 4am to get loaded and head to the airport where we boarded and flew to New Orleans. Once we got to New Orleans we headed to the ship with probably two tons of luggage being pulled in a trailer. The company manager for the cast already on the ship has to be the most organized person I have ever met in my life. He is a dancer in the current cast and his fiance is the dance captain. She is also amazing. I'm pretty sure they could win the ext Presidential election. (wishful thinking)

Our transfers onto the ship all went smoothly thanks to Reuben and Bree. We got settled and then had a production meeting to set the rehearsal schedule this week. It's always the most intense week for the cast. They are trying to adjust to ship life while getting the show ready. Costume fittings, tech run-throughs, sound, stage re-blocking, fatigue!

The theater is amazing! I really love it. It's graduated seating with plush red velvet theater seats. The stage is a proper stage with decent space backstage. I am looking forward to seeing the old cast do their show tonight and see how the space translates with an audience.

While I was waiting for our production meeting I stood out in the lobby looking over the show pictures and bios of the current performers. All of a sudden, my eyes about bugged out of my head. A girl I worked with 14 years ago doing shows for Jean Ann Ryan and Norwegian Cruise Line was right there in living color. She came in as a replacement for another singer after doing several Broadway tours of Lion King. (turns out she also knows my friend, Ty, from Lion King) CRAZY!! We had a very fun reunion last night talking about our spouses, kids, etc. As is often true in the performing world...it is VERY small! What a blessing to see Ketsia and hear about what God has done in her!

Today is a sea day. I am sitting in the guys' dressing room backstage where I can get wireless internet. The clarinet player from the band is in here too--rehearsing. I don't think I can deal with any more chromatic scales this morning. :)

More news later!

Cast Dinner

Last night Sheryl and I joined the cast for their farewell dinner at Darfon's. It was a wonderful time together and fun to have some time away from the very hard work we've been doing for weeks.

Here are some pictures from last night--

The cast of Norwegian Cruise Line Spirit with Mindy, Claire (and me) from Gary Musick

In each cast, the first timers get a Gary Musick jacket. Here they are posing in their new jackets.

Candice and Katie show off their new jackets.

Today we are doing final runs of shows and trying to get ready to leave. Sunday we fly out with the cast. Please pray for our safe travels. Sheryl and Gary Musick are coming out to the ship on Thursday for a few days. They won't get to see the cast in the actual shows yet, but they will get to see their final dress next weekend. Then the week of the 9th, the cast begins their shows.

Norwegian Cruise Line's SPIRIT Cast

As we enter our last 2 days of rehearsal before leaving, the cast is running on overdrive. The rehearsal process for these shows always amazes me. Depending on the ship, there can be up to 4 shows (each one learned in one week here). So, today and tomorrow, their brains will be stretched to remember everything they've soaked in for the last few weeks.

Here are some more pictures of the run-through of the "Radio" show yesterday...



Sheryl is coming out to visit me next week. I am so excited that it's going to work out! The next two weeks will be hectic as we get the cast on board, continue rehearsals and reblocking for the actual space and fit costumes, etc...all of this at odd hours because the original cast will still be on board so we have to work around them. Then, Sunday the 9th, my at will begin their contract on board and have their first shows that week. Exciting times!

We'll have our final run-throughs tomorrow. I will try and post some more pics. Thanks to Gary for the photos!

Spirit

It's been quite a week. Birthdays, life, work, etc. We celebrated my mom's birthday last Saturday. First, I took Sheryl, my mom and the kids to watch a rough run-through of the Broadway show. The cast did a great job! Later we went to eat at a new place in Green Hills. It was one of those eating out experiences that makes you never want to take kids out again. But, the food was good!

The cast of the Spirit has been working extra hard. This is crunch week. Trying to remember everything and polish it before we leave. These shows are particularly challenging...LOTS of dancing.





I hope those of you reading are having a great week.