So awesome tosser Peej thrilled us after tonight's show at the stage door with these:
Yes.
Thank you so much Peej! These rock!

That looks like I'm saying "putting", as in what Tiger Woods does at the end of the hole (that just sounds gross) but I actually mean "putting", as in putting on a top hat, putting on fancy airs or putting on a CD of your favourite Kylie Minogue track. I've done all three of those things at the same time, and look where it's got me - Broadway!

Well, almost. I mean, I work on a Broadway show, but I think technically I've yet to make my Broadway debut. We had a little scare the other week with Jeff muddling up his fancy footwork while he was attempting a back somersault triple pike tuck - oh no, wait a minute, he was walking. But luckily, while walking can be hazardous, at least to Jeff, it turned out to be not so bad. Painful and scary, but not preventative. So, although I did have to scramble into my Jeffy costume while he was lying on the floor backstage and Heidi was riffing for Jesus onstage, that's as far as it's gone - until now.

Tommorrow afternoon's understudy rehearsal is going to be super special for me and Courtney because it's a put-in rehearsal! What that means is that we get to play with all of the big kids' stuff. We'll be wearing our costumes and using real props and set pieces instead of the mockups that we use down in the basement. The lights will be doing what they really do during the show - which is the scariest part for me. I know where I'm supposed to move those chairs in the dark but tommorrow will be the first chance I get to actually try out my moving-chairs-to-the-right-place-in-the-dark acting. Plus, we get to play with some of the big kids themselves! Court's going to be rocking a Susan and I'm going to be giving my Hunter a twirl and Jeff and Heidi have to cancel their salon appointments and come in to play themselves. I'm excited and a little nervous. You know when you practice and practice your piano piece at home all week and you know it's perfect but then you have to play it for your teacher? It's like that.

But it's all good because it means that when we do get thrown on for reals and people are paying good Broadway money to see it we'll be all the more ready. Plus it's going to be fun. For us. So as you digest your lunch tommorrow afternoon spare a carrotty thought for me and Court so that our night vision super powers will kick in and we'll have those chairs looking good like they should.

Our fancy food pal Adam Roberts asked us to guest blog! Thanks Adam! Now when do we get to judge one of them cake contests! Make that happen. Come on! Wouldn't that rock? Just a creative challenge to those fun food artists to rock the most creative inventive vampire killin' cake!

We also will accept guest spots on Ace of Cakes and my fav lady Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade! I love that damn Food network!

Enjoy!

I thought you guys needed to see this.

I think that hedgehog is using a new product in his hair...it's piecy and supercute.

We at [tos] love a good smash 'em up. Julyceum...cramazing...Augceum...you know how we roll. So when we go this in our mailbag, I wanted to share. Me likey!

I combined TOS and Project Runway.
Presenting: [Project Monkey]
Hunter and Jeff are wearing clothes from Season 4, episode 3. Heidi has a dress made by Rami in season 4, episode 1 and Susan's dress is from episode 8 in the same season.Yes, I am aware of the fact that the proportions aren't right and that it looks like an Elphaba dress made of flamingos ate Susan.

All the best,
Anne-Wil

Nice work Anne-Wil!
.

Hey tossers! Hunter and Jeff and Larry rocked the lovely Joan Hamburg's radio show which will air today. So if you are up and at 'em give a listen to the men of [tos]! Show is from 9-11am on WOR NewsTalk Radio! We're talking the talk and singing some samples of tunes. We taped in front of a live studio audience out in Asbury Park, NJ. It was a beautiful day by the sea. Fun times and we bought the rest of our [tos] family salt water taffy!

Thanks again to Joan. it was a blast and a pleasure to meet you and the whole gang over at your show.

To listen, click here.

Please join Susan and Heidi when they visit Seth's Broadway Chatterbox this Thursday, August 21st at 6pm.

Here's the info!

word to our posse down under. this makes me laugh out loud. well done sean and all!

There was a little understudy/stand-by drama at the Lyceum this week with Jeffy hurting his ankle, so I thought it might be a good time to shed light on what it is to be a stand-by for [title of show]. The first question we get asked is whether Benjamin and I play Hunter/Jeff/Heidi/Susan, or whether we play Benjamin and Courtney. Good question. We step into the roles as if they are characters and we do not imitate the actors who currently inhabit the roles. I play either Heidi or Susan and I interpret that role my own way. Also, there are no added references to there being an understudy on save for a single exchange between Hunter and Jeff (which I will not disclose...you'll have to come and find it....like Where's Waldo). When I performed Heidi at the Vineyard, many people thought her storyline of being a frequent understudy was created for me in the role. For those of you who know the show, you know that is not the case, but it does make for some unexpected laughs from the audience and that is interesting.

Another question we get is whether we are there at the theatre, or can we be 15 minutes away and call in (which is the case for some stand-by set-ups on Broadway). Answer: we are there, bitches. During previews, Benjamin and I sat in the audience with a notepad and pencil every night like little eggberts because things were changing rapidly and we needed to keep up. Since opening we check in with the show and watch sections or the whole thing once in awhile. Since we've started understudy rehearsals, I have made the decision to not watch as often, giving myself the distance to make my own choices.

When I am not watching the show, I do one of a few things. There is a basement area directly under the stage. It is marked up exactly like the stage upstairs, with numbers and spike marks. There are days when Benjamin and I are doing ghetto [title of show] directly underneath regular [title of show]. We use folding chairs and there are only 2 of us, so often we are talking to air, but it is helpful to get the movements in our bodies. I think it is funny when I run in as Heidi and can hear real Heidi running directly above my head.

Another thing we do is run lines. This would be interesting to watch because we play all 4 roles. So Benjamin can have stretches of talking with himself while I sit there and vice versa. Weirdness.

Sometimes we stand backstage and watch from the wings. This gives me an idea of what it is like in real time and how the ladies prep to go out there. When they get set, what props they grab and when, and all the little secrets that you don't think of, but need to know. It is also fun to be there to goof with them while the show is going on. The other day, we took a break from doing ghetto [title of show] in the basement to run up and poke at Hunter and Jeff during "Secondary Characters" (the only time they are offstage in the whole show).

The last and most common thing I do is watch Alias on my mini DVD player and eat snacks. Don't tell.

So that's it, folks. A deep look at the inner workings of being a stand-by in [title of show]. It is an amazing job and I am so thrilled to be there. I know Benjamin and I are super excited about getting to play with the gang on stage at some point. We will keep you posted because that will be fun to see!! Meanwhile, tell 9 people.