Memphis Orpheum Wall Tags

Memphis has some great wall tags. I narrowed down my choices to a select few to keep from boring everyone.

I have fond memories of the Aspects of Love tour. This is the only production of the show that I ever seen (and may ever see), and it is the only show I have seen at the Civic Theatre in Chicago (and probably will ever see there). Interestingly it is the only wall art in the stairwell leading down to the pit. Everything else is backstage.

It seems like The Lion King art is always really beautiful. It would be just like them to travel an artist to paint their wall tags!

This is the most random lineup of shows that I have ever seen.

I like discovering signatures of people that I know. I always look for Brian's signature if there is a Miss Saigon tag.

Sadly The Wedding Singer played Memphis about a month before I joined the tour!

I somehow feel like Memphis has been saturated with Beauty and the Beast. Chances are we won't play Memphis anytime soon!

And the best for last!

The Peabody Ducks

Strange as it sounds, one of the big attractions in Memphis is to see the Peabody ducks. Every day at the Peabody Hotel, there is a group of ducks who live somewhere in the upper levels of the hotel, and the ducks ride the elevator down to a fountain in the lobby. Then later in the day they ride the elevator back up to their home. I of course would not miss such a cheesy event for the world. I hope the video works.

Graceland

Isn't it interesting how free transportation and free admission to something will help to make up a person mind to see something he might otherwise pass up. I have actually heard that visiting Graceland is really interesting, but I do not think that I would ever take a road trip to Memphis for the sole purpose of visiting Elvis's former home.

I have heard before that one of the most interesting aspects of Graceland is the fact that the house is really not a huge mansion. Admittedly it is a very large house, but it is more the amount of land and the others buildings on the property that make it seem expansive. It doesn't help that visitors are only allowed on the ground and basement levels of the house. Elvis's bedroom upstairs is off limits, and frankly given some of the crazies out there it is probably a good thing!

Since we were visiting in December, the house was decked out for Christmas.

Given the fact that Elvis had staff to cook for him round the clock, one would expect the kitchen to be more impressive!

I suspect that the camera is not original.

Yes Elvis did watch three TVs at once. Note the turntable on the left.

Hmm, decorating with fabric is tricky!

According to the audio tour, Elvis had a gathering in this room on the night that he died. It was also the only piano that I saw on the tour.

There are gold records and awards everywhere!

When you buy your ticket for Graceland you have the option to see other Elvis attractions. Since we got all of them for free, I went to a couple others.

Elvis's tractor (restored).

Elvis's plane, The Lisa Marie.

Oh my god, it's Elvis's bed!!

I really enjoyed the Graceland experience. I'm not sure I would go back again if I return to Memphis, but it was worth the price of admission.

Gag Me With A Grilled Peanut Butter And Banana Sandwich

When the phrase, "When in Rome do as the Romans do." was created, I don't think that the author had ever tried a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich. Individually I don't mind either peanut butter or bananas though the thought of them in a grilled sandwich form seemed repellant. But since it was Elvis's favorite and I was at Graceland, I decided to give it a try. Well after one bite, I really thought that I might vomit! Never again!

Photographic essay

Another curious thing about Graceland, is that one never sees a representation of the fat Elvis. I mean come on. Everyone knows that in his later years he was no longer the slim hip swiveling heartthrob that he once was. It was especially noticeable in this display of his leisure suits. They are obviously majorly gathered in the back to present a very trim waistline. I did like the belts though!

Christmas Party and Cabaret

On these tours, it is inevitable that the actors are going to want to find other ways to perform. Usually that means presenting a cabaret style performance somewhere and sometimes as a charity fund raiser. Last year they had a cabaret in Dallas and raised money for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS. This year the assistant musical director is all about having cabarets. In fact he had long ago decided where we would be having cabarets before doing any kind of research into possible performing spaces and other such details. Memphis was the first city chosen for a cabaret.

Our assistant company manager managed to find a place called Mollie Fontaine Lounge which seems to be a small restaurant/gay bar to hold the cabaret. Since it was right before Christmas management decided to also make it a Christmas party for the entire company. It would be the culmination of the Secret Santa gift exchange, and an excuse for free drinks!

It turned out the Mollie Fontaine was a cute converted house. It was beautifully decorated, and was a great place for a party.


Another entry in the "that picture" album.

Me and Monica (minus the dogs)

I am with Sarah in this picture. Sarah was the one cast member who moved over to Beauty and the Beast. Since she is one of the covers for Belle she decided to sing "Home" from Beauty for the cabaret. I played the flute part with her.

The Wizard of Oz Year 2 Reed Section!

In a moment of photographic inspiration, I told Dawn to stand in front of the lighted orange drapes. The picture turned out so well that several people wanted the picture in from of the orange drapes.

They wanted to me to be in a picture. Since it is just not a party until the legs go behind the head, that was my pose.

Oh and the cabaret? Well this was my view for it. The room with the piano was pretty small and we overwhelmed it. The decision was also made to make the cabaret a charity event for St. Jude's Hospital. Sadly we did not have many non-Wizard people come to the cabaret so the amount of money raised was not going to cure any diseases. In fact the people who just happened to be at Mollie Fontaine's did not know what was happening. Especially given the stream of people who left when the singing started! Oh well it was our party after all!