Happy New Year (Jan.1)
my oh my...what a crazy 16 days it has been.
first off, can someone tell me why the hell people bring their 5 year old children to Jersey Boys? and then sit them in the first three rows where 1) in NY, they are paying broker prices of at least $300/ticket and 2) every time we say the words "fuck", "shit" or "asshole" - which is a LOT in this show - we can all see them turn to their parents because they are uncomfortable that they heard what we said and they're not sure if they are allowed to enjoy it. listen up parents - Little Mermaid is only 6 blocks away and the scariest thing about that show is that their Heely's are supposed to pass for swimming.
thanks for letting me vent.
the Broadway debut came and went and every show since has been a lot of fun. it still is completely surreal, in a way i still can't comprehend that i am performing on Broadway. i mean, i am still walking down 52nd street to the August Wilson theatre, there's still a ton of tourists in the way of the stage door, and i'm still paying 30% more than i'm used to for groceries, but am i really here...?
one thing is for sure...Sarah and Toby are!
after securing our long term apartment in Hell's Kitchen about 4 days earlier than i anticipated, and after being on hold or talking to every stupid asshole that works for Northwest, i changed Sarah's ticket from the 24 to the 20th on a JetBlue redeye, and before i knew it, she was here.
Toby's flight was a little more complicated: you see, we couldn't put him on sarah's flight on JetBlue because the only airliner that has temperature controlled cargo area (a MUST when flying cross country in the winter) so Toby had to keep his flight on the 21st all by himself. Chris and Jenna were amazing by taking him to the airport in Seattle for us and making sure he was calm (and drugged up) for his flight...if only they would have done the same thing for Sarah!
here was the problem; we gave ourselves PLENTY of time to get to Newark from the city. well over an hour before we was scheduled to land - let alone the extra 15 minutes it would have taken for him to get to the pickup area. but as soon as we got to the NJ Turnpike, it was a parking lot. it was seriously some of the worst construction traffic i have ever seen and we were at a dead stop for almost over an hour. and of course, because by now we knew Toby's flight had landed and he was probably just sitting there...stranded and alone...Sarah had a full on breakdown in the car. please keep in mind she had just gotten in from a red eye that same morning and was probably on three hours of sleep for close to two days, but she was a mess and there was nothing i could do but call everyone who has ever worked for Continental to finally get through to the Continental baggage department at Newark and plead with them to please watch over our poor dog.
once we got through the construction zone, i floored the accelerator and the minute we got to the airport, i threw the emergency lights on and ran like a bat out of hell around the airport to finally find Toby...asleep in his crate. my dog is fantastic - what a good boy making a cross Country trip like that by himself just to chill out near baggage without a care in the world.
now, with my full family in tow, NYC felt a little better. we enjoyed the next few mornings together, waking up to each other and it felt great.
the day before Christmas was a rough morning. i got a call from my family back home and there was a death in the family, so Sarah and I scrambled to find a proper boarding place for Toby (every place was booked up months prior for the holidays, but "D is for Doggy" in Chelsea were happy to help us with Toby for two nights under the circumstances). so Sarah and i jumped on a plane Monday morning and headed back to Michigan, where i have not been in over 14 months, for the funeral.
i will say this: i will miss this family member dearly. she was an amazing woman and the only memories i have of her are good ones (best homemade applesauce in the world). she was a constant support of my life and career and when i have children one day, they will all hear wonderful stories about her as she will always have a place in my heart.
and though it was for sad circumstances, it was still amazing to see all my family. and i mean ALL my family. every one of my cousins flew in and all my aunts and uncles were there and it made me realize just how lucky i am with my family; my cousins, there are about 9 of us, are all within about ten years of each other and pretty much all grew up together and it's so nice to see them and share some stories and laughter...even amongst the sadness.
let's move on...
i have been working my ass off on Nick Massi. i have done nothing but eat, breathe and sleep Nick Massi's staging, vocal parts and bass charts. i am DYING to get a full run this Thursday and/or Friday as we continue to put in our new Bob Gaudio, Sebastian Arcelus (who is freaking fantastic i might add). for those of you that know him and his work, they cut his hair on Sunday and he looks ten years younger. and though Daniel is absolutely magnificent and has built an amazing life into this role, Sebastian is going to be a fantastic Gaudio.
the worst part though about learning Nick is i have had no time to do any staging for Gaudio. you would think it's not that big of a deal, but Daniel was out sick for six shows last week and i couldn't do any of the shows because there is no way i could just do the show blind on a new stage with different staging than the tour. so although Dominic (Nolfi) did a great job through the majority of the week, i would be lying if i said i wasn't a little jealous that i wasn't allowed to get up there and make my debut as a Season on Broadway!
but i'm sure, when i least expect it, i will have another opportunity to go on as Bob or Nick and it will be a thrill! i just hope it's with enough time to get some friends or family in town to see it as well!
not much else to report. Sarah and i have been all over the internet and Manhattan desperately trying to find nicknack's and some decent furniture so our home can look more like a home and not a college dorm room and that's for sure the next step to get us more comfortable in the big city. in any event, we spent some major time and money at Bed, Bath and Beyond and all of those random items (ironing board, baking sheets, frying pans, towels, etc) now have a space in our apartment and it's just one less thing we need to worry about.
lastly, i want to wish everyone a fantastic and prosperous 2008! 2007 was one for the record books for me and as always, i want to thank all of my family, friends and blog readers for your constant support, emails and comments that made touring much easier.
Sarah and i had a wonderful New Years as we stayed in, rented some movies, brought in some food and made some fantastic Pomegranate sangria to bring in the new year. oh, and if i can vent about one last thing...
we were watching Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve and this young group, The Jonas Brothers, came on screen to chat about their year and their upcoming 2008 tour. can someone please explain to me why the hell two of the lead singers were dressed like they just came out of Oliver? seriously, one of them was in a freaking top hat and looked like the Artful Dodger while the other one looked like he just crawled out of the Hobbit's squire. please, watch this youtube video of them being interviewed by Ryan Seacrest and tell me you don't want to punch them in the face:
lastly, as far as the Sherry cast is concerned, i want to wish a heartfelt congratulations and bon voyage to my dear friends John Altieri and Erich Bergen. i wish i could have been there for both of your last shows but know that i am thinking of you guys (and the rest of the touring cast) like crazy.
John - i know you already put the cat out of the bag that you are going to Vegas and have a fantastic time - make sure you get a nice place to Sarah and i have a place to stay when you visit. our love to Spider and Goose!
Bergen - i can't wait to see you here in NYC so we can hang out again. but no, i will not go with your to "cast party" on Mondays and no, you cannot hang out backstage with me at the August Wilson. i personally know what is in store for you next and am excited for you - so best of luck with those rehearsals and i want all the exciting gossip!
so that's it everyone. again, Happy New Year and will blog as exciting things happen.
-Eric
first off, can someone tell me why the hell people bring their 5 year old children to Jersey Boys? and then sit them in the first three rows where 1) in NY, they are paying broker prices of at least $300/ticket and 2) every time we say the words "fuck", "shit" or "asshole" - which is a LOT in this show - we can all see them turn to their parents because they are uncomfortable that they heard what we said and they're not sure if they are allowed to enjoy it. listen up parents - Little Mermaid is only 6 blocks away and the scariest thing about that show is that their Heely's are supposed to pass for swimming.
thanks for letting me vent.
the Broadway debut came and went and every show since has been a lot of fun. it still is completely surreal, in a way i still can't comprehend that i am performing on Broadway. i mean, i am still walking down 52nd street to the August Wilson theatre, there's still a ton of tourists in the way of the stage door, and i'm still paying 30% more than i'm used to for groceries, but am i really here...?
one thing is for sure...Sarah and Toby are!
after securing our long term apartment in Hell's Kitchen about 4 days earlier than i anticipated, and after being on hold or talking to every stupid asshole that works for Northwest, i changed Sarah's ticket from the 24 to the 20th on a JetBlue redeye, and before i knew it, she was here.
Toby's flight was a little more complicated: you see, we couldn't put him on sarah's flight on JetBlue because the only airliner that has temperature controlled cargo area (a MUST when flying cross country in the winter) so Toby had to keep his flight on the 21st all by himself. Chris and Jenna were amazing by taking him to the airport in Seattle for us and making sure he was calm (and drugged up) for his flight...if only they would have done the same thing for Sarah!
here was the problem; we gave ourselves PLENTY of time to get to Newark from the city. well over an hour before we was scheduled to land - let alone the extra 15 minutes it would have taken for him to get to the pickup area. but as soon as we got to the NJ Turnpike, it was a parking lot. it was seriously some of the worst construction traffic i have ever seen and we were at a dead stop for almost over an hour. and of course, because by now we knew Toby's flight had landed and he was probably just sitting there...stranded and alone...Sarah had a full on breakdown in the car. please keep in mind she had just gotten in from a red eye that same morning and was probably on three hours of sleep for close to two days, but she was a mess and there was nothing i could do but call everyone who has ever worked for Continental to finally get through to the Continental baggage department at Newark and plead with them to please watch over our poor dog.
once we got through the construction zone, i floored the accelerator and the minute we got to the airport, i threw the emergency lights on and ran like a bat out of hell around the airport to finally find Toby...asleep in his crate. my dog is fantastic - what a good boy making a cross Country trip like that by himself just to chill out near baggage without a care in the world.
now, with my full family in tow, NYC felt a little better. we enjoyed the next few mornings together, waking up to each other and it felt great.
the day before Christmas was a rough morning. i got a call from my family back home and there was a death in the family, so Sarah and I scrambled to find a proper boarding place for Toby (every place was booked up months prior for the holidays, but "D is for Doggy" in Chelsea were happy to help us with Toby for two nights under the circumstances). so Sarah and i jumped on a plane Monday morning and headed back to Michigan, where i have not been in over 14 months, for the funeral.
i will say this: i will miss this family member dearly. she was an amazing woman and the only memories i have of her are good ones (best homemade applesauce in the world). she was a constant support of my life and career and when i have children one day, they will all hear wonderful stories about her as she will always have a place in my heart.
and though it was for sad circumstances, it was still amazing to see all my family. and i mean ALL my family. every one of my cousins flew in and all my aunts and uncles were there and it made me realize just how lucky i am with my family; my cousins, there are about 9 of us, are all within about ten years of each other and pretty much all grew up together and it's so nice to see them and share some stories and laughter...even amongst the sadness.
let's move on...
i have been working my ass off on Nick Massi. i have done nothing but eat, breathe and sleep Nick Massi's staging, vocal parts and bass charts. i am DYING to get a full run this Thursday and/or Friday as we continue to put in our new Bob Gaudio, Sebastian Arcelus (who is freaking fantastic i might add). for those of you that know him and his work, they cut his hair on Sunday and he looks ten years younger. and though Daniel is absolutely magnificent and has built an amazing life into this role, Sebastian is going to be a fantastic Gaudio.
the worst part though about learning Nick is i have had no time to do any staging for Gaudio. you would think it's not that big of a deal, but Daniel was out sick for six shows last week and i couldn't do any of the shows because there is no way i could just do the show blind on a new stage with different staging than the tour. so although Dominic (Nolfi) did a great job through the majority of the week, i would be lying if i said i wasn't a little jealous that i wasn't allowed to get up there and make my debut as a Season on Broadway!
but i'm sure, when i least expect it, i will have another opportunity to go on as Bob or Nick and it will be a thrill! i just hope it's with enough time to get some friends or family in town to see it as well!
not much else to report. Sarah and i have been all over the internet and Manhattan desperately trying to find nicknack's and some decent furniture so our home can look more like a home and not a college dorm room and that's for sure the next step to get us more comfortable in the big city. in any event, we spent some major time and money at Bed, Bath and Beyond and all of those random items (ironing board, baking sheets, frying pans, towels, etc) now have a space in our apartment and it's just one less thing we need to worry about.
lastly, i want to wish everyone a fantastic and prosperous 2008! 2007 was one for the record books for me and as always, i want to thank all of my family, friends and blog readers for your constant support, emails and comments that made touring much easier.
Sarah and i had a wonderful New Years as we stayed in, rented some movies, brought in some food and made some fantastic Pomegranate sangria to bring in the new year. oh, and if i can vent about one last thing...
we were watching Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve and this young group, The Jonas Brothers, came on screen to chat about their year and their upcoming 2008 tour. can someone please explain to me why the hell two of the lead singers were dressed like they just came out of Oliver? seriously, one of them was in a freaking top hat and looked like the Artful Dodger while the other one looked like he just crawled out of the Hobbit's squire. please, watch this youtube video of them being interviewed by Ryan Seacrest and tell me you don't want to punch them in the face:
lastly, as far as the Sherry cast is concerned, i want to wish a heartfelt congratulations and bon voyage to my dear friends John Altieri and Erich Bergen. i wish i could have been there for both of your last shows but know that i am thinking of you guys (and the rest of the touring cast) like crazy.
John - i know you already put the cat out of the bag that you are going to Vegas and have a fantastic time - make sure you get a nice place to Sarah and i have a place to stay when you visit. our love to Spider and Goose!
Bergen - i can't wait to see you here in NYC so we can hang out again. but no, i will not go with your to "cast party" on Mondays and no, you cannot hang out backstage with me at the August Wilson. i personally know what is in store for you next and am excited for you - so best of luck with those rehearsals and i want all the exciting gossip!
so that's it everyone. again, Happy New Year and will blog as exciting things happen.
-Eric
posted by The Guter at 1/01/2008 05:38:00 PM
13 Comments:
Gutter! Happy New Year to you, the lovely Mrs. Gutter--Hey Sarah!--and to Toby! First of all, my condolences to you and your family. You have wonderful memories of your family member, she is alive in your heart forever! And she now has the best seat in the house watching over you all!
Glad to hear that the family is together at last in NYC, sounds like to me that Toby was a trooper, glad to hear that the Joneses and Continental Airlines made sure he was A-OK coming home to you and Sarah!
Ah, da rugrats. The 'rents should have known better not to bring da rugrats to the August Wilson, should have gone to the Lunt-Fontaine instead. Should have checked with friends and such or investigated further. C'est la vie! As for The Jonas Brothers, they are still young and still a work in progress in growing in this wonderful world of ours. They are still kids, cut 'em some slack or speak to their dad aka manager about what the heck are they doing?!
We were all young once, you know. ;-)
Thank you for keeping us posted on your lives.
Hey Eric,
Glad to hear from you again...it seems like it's been a while.
And some of us have been wondering what the hell is going to happen with Sebastian's hair ;)
Otherwiiiiiise, hope you get to go on as Nick soon, and again, only wish WE had a chance to see it.
Eric! It is so good to hear from you again. Check your email, I'd love to get an answer. Glad you and the family are happy in NY! Where are Erich Bergen and John Altieri going?
-Amanda
Eric, WELCOME TO NYC AND THE WORLD'S LONGEST AIRPORT COMMUTE!When I visit my family in NY (I am a native New Yorker) and I land in Newark airport it takes my family 1hour and 45 minutes to get to the airport to pick me up! How crazy is that.
All The Best...
Always so nice to read your new blogs, Eric! Trust me, I know how annoying it is to see kids in the audience for JB! So happy that you're surrounded by Sarah and Toby now. I'm sorry about your recent loss. Hope you have a marvelous 2008! Blog like crazy because I want to hear it all.
Hi Eric - It was great seeing you & Sarah when you came in for the Funeral - I only met your family member once at Sarah's shower - but from the Eulogy & the remarks made by your Aunts she must have been a great Lady - So glad to hear that you & Sarah are settling down in NY & hope to hear soon that you get to play your other parts
Love you both,
Bubi Goldie
Hey Gutty...guess what? You're acting on BROADWAY!!! How crazy is that?!?
Love, Mama xxooxx
(Your #1 fan)
That's great you, Sarah and Toby are all together now.
Oh my gosh Eric I miss you so much...I get jealous reading about you and another cast. Much love to you and Sarah!
xoxo
Miss Darling
Love your blog. Thanks for making us feel close -- especially now that JB has left San Francisco. Wish another cast would come to SF.
Yes, the front row is not appropriate for kids -- especially during "Oh What a Night!" Even though, the "prostitutes" wear beige-colored tights, but there's still a lot of flesh to see in those see-through nighties. And then when Bob Gaudio says, "I'm not used to taking off my clothes without being romanced," what is a child to think?
I brought my 10 year old and we sat up front, and we were both squirming.
Almost February already and no new blog yet?
Are you still alive and acting ?
I second that, it is February and no new entry? I know you are busy, what is news with you? What is it like working with Seb and Mike aka the new Bob and the new Frankie (respectively)? New entry, new entry, new entry--please!
yea, eric...come out, come out, wherever you are. we're starved and parched for gutman news.
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