feeling hot hot hot

Today it was in the nineties, and yesterday supposedly reached 100 degrees in L.A., where I went to see a friend and have a coaching. It's a little shocking to have summer in the middle of October, and yesterday I was dressed in a very new york outfit - a long sleeved dress, leggings and tall boots - and the Californians were all staring at me like "what winter are you preparing for?"

This morning we had a photo shoot, and I asked the director to take some behind the scenes photos of us. My costumes are really truly beautiful and as I mentioned previously I am getting in touch with my irish roots with this fiery red wig. The temperature makes me hot, but wearing a costume made just for me - like couture, as one of the costume makers pointed out to me today - makes me feel as hot as the 100 degree weather. The people in the costume shop here are INCREDIBLY nice and accommodating, always asking me how I feel and if I like the costume and whether I feel comfortable. And the wig and make-up people gave me a whole jar of free eye cream because I was complaining about my puffy under-eye situation. And they made me look so Rosina-ey:



Here's a photo of me with the Count, Brian Stucki and the Figaro, Jeremy Kelly. They are both great, nice guys AND they have mad skills: During the Count's serenade in the first act, Brian is accompanying himself on the guitar!!! Then for the second verse he hands the guitar to Jeremy, who then ALSO plays the guitar, accompanying his second verse! I've never been in a Barber where the tenor played the guitar for himself, much less where the baritone did too. I am very impressed. I can't even accompany my voice students on the piano when they sing Caro Mio Ben in C major. Here we are pretending to sing the trio:



Now, I need to go and get my MSNBC fix. Keith (Olberman) and Chris (Matthews) are totally my peeps.