So... Umm... 2010 was in there somewhere...

Life has certainly changed since last I wrote. After working with Curious George Live for fifteen months I have managed to take the next big step in my life/career... I now live in New York City! I moved in in the midst of the blizzard the day after Christmas (or as some say, "NYC Snowpocalypse 2010"), which was quite the adventure in itself. These past few weeks have been much like living on tour since I was only able to bring what I could carry with me in one suitcase and two backpacks... including my bed!*

In addition to the big move, life has also taken a few turns...

There was a very short-lived bout of unemployment after a contract fell through which would have taken me to Spain with Sesame Street Live, but I am proud to say that the reason I had to move in during the blizzard is because I am enjoying the life of being an employed actor once again!

This new job is another tour called Virtually Me - a show that addresses the epidemic of cyber-bullying and its effects on kids and teens. Our tour takes us up and down the east coast from Vermont to Florida as we drive (yes, WE drive) our oversized van to schools and theatres everywhere inbetween.

Another major life change came in the form of distance taking it's toll on my relationship with Star. She and I both had very specific dreams about what and where our lives were headed and things suddenly became very clear... and that sucked. Things did not end well and there was much left unsaid... and that sucked even more. I miss her. There I said it.

On a lighter note, check this out!

(I promise I'll write more in the next few days)

*Sadly, I must admit that I did not inherit Mary Poppins' magical bag, nor did Mr. Weasley lend me an enchanted bag to lug copious amounts of furniture and the like... I have been sleeping "comfortably" on an air mattress for the past few weeks. Thank goodness my roommate finally moved in last week - now it looks like a real apartment instead of the dwellings of a squatter!

Check out our commercial!

Long-Winded Late Night

Settling into what will soon become routine life again - I have missed touring!  I have certainly been able to keep busy between rehearsals, eating, sleeping, studying my script, building puppets, and trying to remember how to relax...

I am more than proud to say that I am surrounded by some truly amazingly talented people.  In addition to a wonderful camaraderie onstage, everybody seems to have their own little niche in how we will all function and work together as a family for the next ten months.  I have always loved the sense of community in being part of the theatre world, and recently I was reminded of how wonderful it can be.  Heading home from rehearsal, our van was discussing what expectations we had for the next ten months (maybe more?), and although it has always been understood, the simplest words reminded me of how unique this type of lifestyle is.

"When you join a show, they kind of just hand you a family."  Those people will get you through the duration of your lives together and you will help mold each other (for better or for worse!).  I can't wait to see what happens...  There are so many ambitious and creative minds collected here, all so full of spirit, energy, and a sincere passion to create something wonderful.  I fully intend on exploiting every single one of my new friends in hopes that we can all collectively effect the world around us.  This type of company does not present itself very often and we are blessed to have been brought together to share our lives... all while trailing an overly inquisitive monkey.  Have I mentioned how funny I think life is?

Tomorrow we officially start the "touring" aspect of life - heading off to the glorious Cedar Rapids (the city of five seasons... look it up, its even more ridiculous when you find out what it means).  So far everyone seems generally pleased, which is a bit more frightening than knowing that people don't like what they see.  There have been whispers that notes and changes are being withheld (for the time being) in an effort to smooth out the process, and that only makes me more anxious to get things finalized into working order.  Several execs from VEE, Universal, and Houghton-Mifflin have been in attendance at this point and I feel as if we are in the calm before the storm.  I thrive on this aspect of the process - I love working toward a goal.  Once I achieve that goal, I always work to improve further, and love working toward my next ambition.

I wish I could think of a more clever segue, but seeing as how I've been exhausted and sitting on my "bed" for hours with no achievement of sleep, my mind is sufficiently fried... but lately I have allowed my mind to wander to many of the numerous ideas that have plagued my mind in recent history.  LANded has especially come back to haunt my creative mind.  I'm excited to work with Aaron more on developing new facets to the story and incorporating a lot of what we discussed throughout the past several months.  One of the reasons this project has been such a joy is because of the way that Aaron and I have been able to work thus far.  In all honesty, the entire creative process (from the earliest of beginnings) has been one big game of "Yes, and..."  This improv-based foundation only supports what we are trying to achieve and enables us to live freely with these characters.  We are also tall children surrounded by adult responsibilities, so we tap into all these facets to make ourselves wish we had a lot more money to realize our dreams...  That got a little deep a little too fast...

I may not be able to post again for a while as we are diving right back into rehearsals before our official opening next week, then I will be blessed to have Star back in my arms for a few days!!!  I can't wait.  Until then keep your eyes peeled and feel free to google or check on facebook for updates on the World Premiere of Curious George Live!

(Coming soon to a city near you... hopefully!)

First Day Off!

Its been pretty intense here on N Avenue... The monkey is keeping us on our toes constantly.  Come to think of it, there isn't much of a difference betwixt Curious George and Elmo - including the actor!

Yesterday was our first day off since arriving here in Minneapolis, which means that I've been working every day for nearly a month straight!  To celebrate having a day to myself, I decided NOT to sleep in and woke up early to attend a Health Care Reform rally at the Target Center - with President Obama as the headliner!  Of course, I couldn't resist the urge to take Yancy along with me - thank goodness they let him in!  It was actually more of an issue for me to pass security with metal snaps on my cargo pants and a hitchhiking paper clip in my pocket!

Nevertheless we eventually found our way to what turned out to be decent seats.  We were on the opposite side of the arena, but we sat in the first row of the second level... Perfect for stretching out my legs after standing in line since 7:30am, and also perfect for observing the entire experience!

I've been far too removed from the real world in the past several years (and especially lately) to be able to form my own opinion on the current state of affairs... and in the end I felt like I still wanted more information.  The event was not held to be informative, though - it was much more of a pep rally to reestablish a public interest in government affairs, and in that respect it was successful, even a bit overwhelming for me since I had never attended a political rally before.

Recently I had a discussion about how underinformed I have felt and I feel the general public is, and I blamed it on a general sense of apathy nationwide.  My generation has been given too much without having to earn it - our ancestors fought for us, giving us an overprotective and oppressive world to live in.  I appreciate everything that I've been given, but its hard to feel compelled to stand up when I don't know what it is that I'm supporting.

After the event I eventually found my way outside to be greeted by the inevitable group of protestors.  As I walked by a certain group a man exclaimed that it was time to "Expose the puppets!" - which of course was all too easy for me.  I eagerly listened to his rambling opinions about everyone else being wrong, and as soon as he used those magical key words again, I briskly pulled Yancy from his bag, holding him high (and in front of his shoddy sign) and exclaimed "No - THIS is a puppet!"

Surprised, the man responded quickly with the appropriate "You sonuvabitch!" and then continued with a hearty laugh!  At this point a TV cameraman rushed over to cover the exchange, but as I mentioned earlier my lack of knowledge is uncomforting, so I had to back out of an on-the-spot interview.  I know I could have gotten exposure, but at the price of looking like an idiot?!  I think not!  After asking the kind protestor for directions, I helped a handicapped man fix his wheelchair, then continued onward with my journey.

I concluded my fantastically eventful day by finally attending Mary Poppins.  The show made me feel seven years old again.  There were moments of absolute magic where every eye sparkled with wonder!  The old biddies behind me were just as smitten as the adorable little girl beside me, and my smile never left my face.

It wasn't the best show I've ever seen, but it had moments of pure joy and transported me right back to being a kid... I loved it!

Well, I'm editing some video footage I captured while at the rally and I need to get to sleep soon.  I know I promised whale footage weeks ago - believe me, its progressing slowly - but this should be up by the end of tomorrow night.

If you're reading this, thank you.

Social life?!

I've been pretty c'azy hectic this past week (more so than usual) with rehearsals exhausting my every effort.  When not in rehearsals my time has been consumed in preparation for the next rehearsal.  I love my life.

While I while away in Minneapolis, Star has moved on to the second city of her tour: Pensacola, FL.  Being that I miss her pretty terribly and won't be able to see her until mid-October, I was more than thrilled when I received this picture message this morning.

Don't fret, Yancy will return soon with more new videos and finally edited old videos... these things take FAR more time than I have readily available.

Give someone a hug for me.

A Look Back...

Today was opening night for Starlene (my beautiful and VERY talented girlfriend) on the tour of "When Elmo Grows Up!"

We've been extremely fortunate in being able to live and work together for the past several months, but recently we were forced into another bout of long distance love.  Its something we've dealt with before, but this time it is infinitely harder.  At the end of the day I want nothing more than to wind down and share my experiences with her.  Last night we were able to video chat courtesy of her newly purchased MacBook Pro, which proved to be a very bittersweet event.  It was more than amazing to be able to see her smile instead of having to imagine it... but I couldn't hold that smiling face in my hands.  Watching her exhaustion catch up with her only made me want to cuddle even more.  I won't exhaust you by waxing faux poetic about romance, but feel free to embrace someone close to you on my behalf...

Its weird to think about how she must feel working on that show.  On one hand, it is an experience she has wanted to have for several years now, but at the same time it was something that was part of "us" for a good portion of our relationship.  Now that I have "moved on" I can't imagine how empty it must feel.  I know she is doing and will continue to do an amazing job performing as Grover, Count Von Count, Oscar, and Mr. Noodle, but I just wish I could share it with her.  I could go on for hours talking about the irony and cruelty of living in the theatre world... but I'm sure it will all come out over the course of keeping this blog.

Suffice it to say - I miss my girlfriend something awful.

Go, Monkey, Go-Go-GO!

So, today was the first day of the new tour.  For those of you who don't know, I am now touring with Curious George Live! - the brand new show based on everyone's favorite inquisitive primate!

It was a day filled with laughter, singing, cartoons, guffaws, but mostly an overwhelming sense of excitement.  Most everyone in the cast is brand new to the concept of tour life.  Not that I'm a seasoned professional (yet), but I have a pretty decent grasp of the lifestyle, methinks.  That being said, it is a very different atmosphere from my previous Sesame Street tours.  Instead of being surrounded by dancers and/or people who feel trapped by their costume, everyone is here to do this job.  Its been a while since I've been surrounded by singers and it felt good to just let loose in rehearsal today.  I could feel myself naturally stepping up my game under pressure.

As with any new production, there was a lot of waiting to see how things progressed throughout the day.  It will prove to be a very interesting

 process as the show develops.  It is a brand new show with two years of production time - so as we (the actors) are inserted into the roles, we are expected to immediately rise to the standards and expectations of these characters that have lived on paper for years in the eyes of VEE, Universal Studios, and Houghton Mifflin.  It is a daunting task, but I revel in the challenge.  As understudy to the Man in the Yellow Hat and also Phinneas T. Lightspeed, the show's antagonist, I can't wait to dive right in.

Tomorrow I have my costume fittings... I wish pictures were allowed!

~K

Oh, Mister Sun!

What a life!  I can't even talk about my current situation for fear of panic and widespread hysteria!  Intrigued?  Read about it in my eventual memoir...

Life on tour with Sesame Street has ended and after a quick visit to Pittsburgh I've moved on to my next adventure... kind of...  I am in New Hampshire, living in yet another hotel for a week.  I thought I was done with that for a little while!

Our last weekend of tour was spent in beautiful Miami, FL, host to my awesome sunburn (which is now a pretty nice suntan!) and of course, South Beach.  Here's a quick recap:

Huzzah, we're on the beach!

Kyle, you're getting pretty red!

Let's get some lunch!

Mmm...

Back to the beach!

Kyle, we're afraid for you!

We found a dead starfish!

Playing in the water is fun!

Time to go!

The starfish isn't dead!

Laughter and much rejoice!

So, as you can tell it was a pretty exciting day!  We returned to the beach early Saturday morning to watch the sunrise and witness one of the final space shuttle launches... but they scrubbed it.  Always the optimist, I enjoyed the sunrise anyway and even did something clever!  Some of our friends also touring with Sesame happened to be in Hawaii that week, so I sent a picture of the sunrise on my phone with the idea that I expected a picture in return.

Janel did not let me down and what resulted is one of my favorite tour memories.  Coast to coast Sesame Street...  Enjoy!

Sunrise in Miami...

...and an even more impressive sunset in Hawaii!

I waited way too long...

I should have started this a long time ago.  At the end of tour seems a dumb time to start chronicling my life... but I have done a lot of thinking lately.  Being faced with the real world really gets your mind revved up!

I made the choice recently NOT to continue with Sesame Street Live.  It has been an amazing experience that has taught me a lot about myself, the business, and life in general - but its also given me quite a kick in the pants both good and bad.

Being shrouded in a fuchsia rug, hidden from the world, I have experienced some amazing moments.  As an avid supporter of childrens' theatre it has been an absolute honor seeing children at a theatre for the first time, smile beaming from ear to ear, witnessing their dreams come true while they meet some of their best friends.  Those few moments we spend interacting directly with the audience mean the world to these kids (and their parents).  I am humbled that they hold these characters in such high regard, knowing that the scrawny man inside is sweating horrendously.  That is the glory of this line of work.  But as an actor it is not nearly as fulfilling.

As I previously mentioned, I am thoroughly honored to have been granted this opportunity to play an icon of childhood and find myself surrounded by television legends - believe me, I understand the importance of their meaning.  I allow myself to get caught up in the magic more often than not, and it is an intensely gratifying experience... but I have lost myself somewhere along the line.  This sounds selfish, and I assure you it is, but I know I can do better.  Not better than Sesame Street (because, let's face it, they are the bomb-diggity), I just know that I am capable of much more.  I have never considered myself a strong dancer... yet that's how I've spent my life for the past year-and-a-half.  Sure I consider it mostly movement and extreme characterization, but the "professional world" humors me enough to call me a dancer (thank you Cedar Rapids).

There was never a question as to what I would do with my life from the moment I first stepped on stage.  In fact, I would be afraid of doing anything "normal".  As I write this I realize that I'm headed toward a very solid brick wall of reality where the hard choices and extreme sacrifice start to manifest themselves as a staple of this business... this is where the fun begins.

I took a leap out of the safety net when I said I would not return to SSL next year, and I hope that risk pays off.  I feel confident that it is the right choice, but the imminent thought of unemployment in this muddled economic situation is quite imposing.

This year I have been torn down, built myself back up, disrespected, praised, and most of all survived another year as a working actor.

Time to figure out what comes next!