this week at the Yorktowne Hotel...

Our day off...

...Fiesta Time!

Last Sunday, my roomie (Aylssa) and I had everyone over for a Fiesta!
We cooked.
We cleaned.
We decorated.

It was a success.

There was TONS of 

FOOD!

That's Joey!...with the food and signs.

..we ate a LOT.

The highlight of the night was definitely the games!

...SO Fun!

Here is a lil video of a game THE Joey Elrose suggested called..

COOKIE WARS!
(I guess the game is actually called The Great Cookie Race. Joey corrected me.)

Hilarious.

Eventually it was my turn to race and I was against my Franz, Stephen Kane.

I was nervous, but I did a lot better than I expected. 

(I won.)

I must say. It's a lot more difficult than it looks!

Also, cookie gets all over your face. 

I mean all over.

How did I win you ask?

Well, I started like everyone else with the nose and forehead twitch move. I got the cook down about halfway on my face using this technique. 

Then, BAM!
I flipped that cookie right into my mouth!

OOOh YEAaaaH!

(The Flip Move)

The one mistake I made was agreeing to race Dominique later.

It turns out my "flip move" was hard to re-create.

AND- Dominique popped his cookie straight up off his face and landed it in his mouth.

Magic.

We also played celebrity and Joey's "foot game."

I later found out that "the foot game" was re-named "The Finegold Foot Job" after Lisa FINEGOLD. (get it?)
She won a LOT.

And then... 

Limbo.

All of a sudden Chris Sams busts out with a long tripod/easel device to use as a limbo pole.

Perfect.

Here are some action shots...

Chris!

Shannon!

Wesley!

Those three kicked major ass at limbo.

Wesley and Shannon tied.

It was amazing.

What a Fiesta!

Back at the theater on Monday... 

We continued tech rehearsal. This week we added costumes! They look incredible!

I have quite a few quick changes in Act II.

Regina costume malfunction #1...

We start the first costume run of act II. 

I am ready.

I know I have my first quick change into my Candi outfit in the beginning of the act. I run offstage after 'The Final Countdown." I see all the other girls getting into their stripper gear. 

Shoot! I better get changing! I hustle it back to the stage left booth!

We quick change into Candi and then Adam say "HOLD!" on the mic.

phew. 

I might have been late.

We go back to the end of the number because the wonderful Wesley Faucher had trouble with her quick change. The rest of the girls just stayed in their stripper outfits. 

...me included.

We go on. 

I'm totally ready for "Beaver Hunt" on stage left.

I mean ready.

I watch them do "Anyway You Want It."

Looks great.

We don't stop and go on.

Black out.

.

.

.

All of a sudden I hear the slow version of the "We're Not Gonna Take It" happening.

oh no!
I am supposed to be Regina! ..NOT Candi.

I step onstage and say...

"I'm sorry. I fucked up."
:(

I was NOT Regina.
I was in my bra and panties.

fail.

Regina malfunction #2...this was yesterday...

The first day we didn't take off my bandages on time. Yes, my bandages.

Yesterday, I totally made all my changes on time! No problem. 

I made it into my bandages perfectly. 

I came offstage right after Hertz gives Franz his confectionary store. 

I was NOT going to NOT make it getting out of the bandages today.

My hair dresser is there helping me get out of my head bandages. She goes back to the booth stage left. 

Stephen Kane is changing too.

We got this.

All of a sudden I hear music for "The Search Is Over."

I turn to Stephen

 "WHAT AM I DOING!? I am still hurt!"

I start looking for my dresser.

"I messed up! I'm sorry! Help. I changed too soon! Shoot!"

We can't find her until the last few seconds. They get the bandages back on my arms, but not my head.

fail again.

I hustle it onstage with Stephen. 

We are slow dancing. 

My back is to the audience and I'm trying NOT to laugh.

I say to Stephen...

(I can't remember my exact words, but I think it was something like this:)

"I guess ..I'm half better today.."
 ;)

hot mess! 

I always have fun slow dancing with Stephen...The day before when we were dancing.

He dipped me down 1! up 2! 

I made a loud.. (I'm in pain noise)

"Ughhhhhhh!!"

Then, Stephen made this face at me like he thought he had actually injured me.

Don't worry...I reassured him...

"that was acting."
(I'm in bandages..)

Laughter...!

Tonight we have an invited dress rehearsal! 

Our first real audience.

I couldn't be more excited!!! Get ready York, PA!!!

It's time to ROCK.

the art of... working the pole.

Working the pole is a difficult task. 

Props to all my strippers out there.


Sometimes in life things look really easy and then you try them. 
You have to be really strong. Also, apparently wearing not a lot of clothes helps you stick to the pole. It also hurts...and gives you bruises. 


In the past two days I FINALLY was able to do the spin move Wesley taught me. 
YAY.
She has bruises. 
I have aches.
I did get my first blister from the pole!
It broke open today and it really hurt to hold onto that thing. 


I feel hardcore.


Working WITH the pole is key..not against it. 
Today we were running one of those...you know, scene things in Act II...let me re-enact it for you..


Here's how it goes:


Franz leaves me...I'm very upset. 
I say, "Alright Comrades!" 
I drop the chains that are around me dramatically on the stage towards the sexy protestor girls behind me. 
Then I say, "I'm off. See you on the other side!!!!" (I am very serious about this.)
I RUN to center stage and yell, 
"LETTT'S DO THISSS!!!" 
Then, I run full speed stage right into Dominique. (Drew)
..I turn over my left shoulder look at him and make a "WHAT THE HELL MAN!" kind of face with arms at him..and run off.


Well, that is what I'm supposed to do.
Today. I said 
"LETTT'S DO THISSS!!" 
I ran stage right. 
I ran into Dominique.
I turned around.
I made the "What the hell man" arm gesture.
I turned over my right shoulder to run offstage and ...


I ran straight into the pole.


Cue: the laughter.






i


am


clumsy.
(i guess you had to be there.)


Here is another story.
This time there is no pole involved...


This was Thursday.
I'm sitting backstage with my Franz (Stephen) and we're having a lil convo..
Katie: "Oh I'm really glad we're running 'Hit Me with Your Best Shot' today..it's been like 6 days since we did it.
Stephen: Yea, me too.
Katie: Wanna practice the lift?
Stephen: Yea!
Katie: Ok!
(...I go in for the lift)
Stephen: WAIT! How do we DO the lift?
Katie: What? Idk? We just do it?
Stephen: But where do I grab you?
Katie: I don't know I just go for it?
Stephen: OMG OMG. I can't remember. You know those nightmares when you forget your lines. THIS is one of those times, but I forgot the lift! 


CUE: 
Stephen: the panic 
Katie: laughter


We try the lift. 
I'm upside down.
We try it again.
I'm kind of in a flat position on his shoulder.


brillant.
Cue: Katie: laughing..!




We asked Marcos for help and eventually were just fine! 
My cutie Stephen was a lil upset, but it was honestly the cutest thing ever the way it went down.
No worries! We are going to rock that lift!

So basically Day 3,4,5 = GREAT.

Let me catch you up on everything else..

Tech Rehearsal: 

We worked through the entire show without costumes.

Today, we had a costume parade. Everyone looks amazing. 

Serious.

I guess I was a lil sleepy from tech?

This week has been a blast. It's so great to finally be on the set.

These are the creators of that cool pulley system. 
AKA: The director, assistant directors, and choreographer. 
Just great.




Matt DiCarlo (on the left) went back to NYC for a few days to check on the Broadway cast. Boo that. 

Stay tuned for more! 

...is this the real life...

Day 2 (yesterday)

...Started off with a BANG! 

The band was rehearsing onstage. 

Magical. 

The cast sat in the house and rocked out to them for about 15 minutes. 

I was screaming...Shannon was crying. Everyone had their cameras out.

I wish you were there!

They are for real.

Rehearsal was great. We spaced some musical numbers onstage and called it a day.

There was scaffolding ...

..and the stripper curtain!

...yes! the screen behind the curtain looks AMAZING.

 Our creative team=THE BEST. 

They are hilarious and make rehearsal SO much fun! 

Adam, Marcos, and Matt's table was stacked with a HUGE tub of cheese balls, chips, and an Arby's bag...genius. Oh.. and Adam's neon mini soccer ball was there like usual.

They also created a pulley system with pink rope and a clip for notes...to pass notes from their table to Suzanne (The stage manager). 

Even More Genius. 

Watching it in action=hilarious. 

I was a few rows in front of the action, but I'm pretty sure they created different pulls so Suzanne knew who was sending the note. haha!

I'm not sure if she loved it quite as much as they did!

After rehearsal my wonderful roomie Alyssa and I ended up having some of the cast over for a lil game of Phase 10! 

...more fun times to come!

KPo

Day 1...let the cameras begin!

Day 1...CONTINUED....

We got to the hotel..and my WONDERFUL roomie Alyssa and I reached room 324...home. 

Guess WHAT people?!?

We got lucky! 

We have one of two rooms with a fridge, microwave, 2 burners, and kitchen supplies!

Don't worry...we will cook for people soon!

A little later...it was time to see the SET!

BOO YAH!

Welcome to the Bourbon Room!

Franz (Stephen Kane) and Regina (you know...ME!)

....we got right to work...

on the poles! 

The wonderful and sexy Marcos taught us how to work the pole!

Wesley, our dance captain...is an AMAZING. She knows all these crazy tricks on the pole! 

Everyone caught on really quickly...

...I'm still working on it.

Fun times!

The boys....they wanted to try too...

I was impressed.

...more to come! I'm a picture-aholic!

a morning to remember....this was yesterday...

Day 1  (Morning) 


*Take 2....(yes. 2. I deleted the first one. Blogger FAIL!...are you surprised? ...I'm not... neither is my family.)

The morning started off with smiles and laughter...and a lot of luggage! (1 large, 1 medium, and 1 small suitcase...Oh! and a loaded backpack.....to be exact!)

(that's me and my backpack)

These smiles lasted about 15 minutes...Dominique and I loaded up the cab...and the adventure began.

Traffic in Astoria on Sept 19th, 2011...was JUST Terrible!

We left our lovely apartment at 8:35...by 9:20 we had just about reached Queensboro Plaza!! 

We were supposed to be on the ROCK OF AGES tour bus at 41st Street between 8th Ave and 9th Ave at 9:15.

We were LATE. I was DYING. ...dying!

(no really I texted Stephen Kane (Franz) "I'm dying"..about 5 times!)

The cab...was NOT moving. 

AT ALL!

literally. 

I got a text from Dominique ..."we could walk there faster."

It was the truth.

Then, I saw a sign for the R train at Queensboro Plaza...

We had to get out of the cab and take the subway.

HAD TO.

I was stressed and upset. Dom was still not awake and texting Kate Egan about our lateness.

Our only option.... take our 3 suitcases EACH..through the subway.

Cue: the crying..

I don't know if YOU'VE ever tried to carry 3 suitcases and a backpack onto a subway train, but I never had and let me tell YOU....I don't want to do it ever again!

I was determined.

I went for it. 

FULL OUT.

I grabbed my bags and left Dom to pay for the cab. I knew he didn't have the full amount to give him, but he didn't get us to the destination so I didn't want to give that cabby the full $32!

I grabbed my bags and rolled them bags first down flight 1 of stairs! SUCCESS!

I am buff.

I turned them around for some reason on the second landing...now I was pulling them down! Great Idea Katie!!

NOT.

I was wearing cowboy boots. They were slippery and I almost busted my shit like 3 times on the way down!! 

...to my surprise a lovely black lady...we will call her Sally.. basically caught the falling bag and me a few steps from the bottom.

 I must have looked a wreck. Sally helped me with my bag and held open the Emergency door so I could get them in easier. Miss Sally then hollered for this foreign man to carry my bag down the next flight of stairs. SO NICE.

right? 

Sally saved the DAY! 

Dom was...somewhere behind me? who knows! I wasn't worried.

 He eventually made in down right as a train was arriving! I was hollering at him "HURRY DOM! It's HERE already!!!"

...like that helps Katie. 

smart.

We got on...it was dramatic. 

I definitely embarrassed Dominique. I couldn't stop laughing. Loudly...and talking Loudly. 

I couldn't believe I just did that. 

I apologized to everyone on the train..and started explaining our story to some random people. Why? Nobody knows.

...but finally...

We arrived at 42nd Street. 

I got off that train and was determined to get up those stairs as FAST as POSSIBLE and in one trip.

(this lasted about 5 seconds)

I rushed ahead of Dominique and made one attempt to pull my 3 suitcases up.

Fail.

I barely lifted them off the ground.

Behind me...was Dominique.

Laughing.

..telling me... there is an elevator.

JESUS.

There is a God.

So...at 9:50 we finally reached the tour bus ...with lots of apologies and tears streaming.

-in true Mary Postotnik fashion- (that's my Mother..for those of you who don't know that character...she cries a lot..)

AND...you know what?

It turns out WE weren't even the last ones there...Lisa Finegold WAS!!

At 10:08 we boarded the bus and left NYC.

We were on our way.

York, PA...Yorktowne Hotel!

Couldn't wait.

I'll miss you city.

k bye.

love.

KPo