2/15/13-2/17/13: Scranton, PA

And here we are arriving at the end of our first split week in Scranton, PA - home of the Dunder Miflin and The Office.

The city itself actually turned out to be very nice - and the hotel we stayed in was TO DIE FOR. It was a converted train station from back-in-the-day.  I mean along the lines of Grand Central in NYC - huge and open.  When you walked into the lobby, it just took your breath away.  Radisson Lackawanna - if you're in Scranton...

At first, I had some reservations about the theatre we were performing in - which was actually a converted Masonic Temple.  No stage door - you walked in with the patrons into the lobby... the 'backstage/crossover/storage space/company managers office was actually one large grand ball room - which made the stage itself seem like something ala 'The Best Christmas Pageant Ever'.  BUT once I was assured that there were actually stairs leading to the dressing rooms that were backstage and not in the lobby as we were originally told (I about died), I relaxed into the venue and really had a good time there.  The artwork in the Temple was beautiful and though the stage was a little smaller than we were used to, it actually put us closer to the audience than we've been in most theatres - I really felt the audience could read our facial expressions better here - and so some of our jokes landed better.  The moral being - don't judge a book by its cover.

Another first happened here in Scranton as well - we had our first actor call out of a show (colds been making its way around the cast) - so our last two shows in the city were our first two understudy put ins. Its always fun and exciting when one of the understudies gets to go on - of course everyone is routing for them to do well.  But in general, they don't get much, if any, rehearsal as the character they are going in for - so it always adds new energy to the scenes as everyone is hoping that nothing tragic happens.  Our James Michael was a superstar all the way and played a fine Lucas.

As I write this, the windchill outside brings the temperature down to a chilly -2...which is why I am so stoked to be flying to Florida tomorrow.  Sure it means I have to repack my bags and do the 50lbs shuffle...but a week in Fort Myers sounds nice right about now...