Magical Moment 413, "Opening Night"

For a performer, there is no greater feeling of anticipation and excitement than in those moments before "show time." I am fortunate to be part of the debut show by Nathan Lucrezio, "Unheard." A short 2 weeks ago, I received a phone call out of the blue from someone I worked with a year and a half ago on my very first New York City gig. They needed a last minute replacement pianist for a new musical and there was no written sheet music - and only 2 weeks until opening night.

I spent the next several days transcribing music and chords from recordings and watching the hands of the musical's composer, Lucrezio, play the songs for me. In typical show business fashion, everything came together at the last minute, with our first and only complete run through finishing 2 hours before curtain. Opening night was a success. The audience was pleased. Eddie my dedicated fan and honest critic, had nothing negative to say and found himself tapping his foot along with the energetic, original songs.

The best moment for me however, was earlier in the day when Lucrezio checked his voice mail in the dressing room. He made a face of surprise at me as he listened to one message. When he hung up, he explained, "That was one of the pianist we called before you. Boy, I'm glad he never called me back!"

The show runs tomorrow and Saturday night at the HERE Theatre in Soho. Come check it out!

Comments

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said…

I think Nathan Lucrezio made a very wise choice when he called you. With your drive and commitment to excellence, no one could have worked harder to learn the material and perform it well. It sounds as if you've made another valuable professional contact.

March 25, 2011 at 12:45 AM

Rick said…

Wow - nice work, Elizabeth - and congrats on getting the job done, under such pressure ! I hope the show's a hit !

March 25, 2011 at 12:51 AM

Elizabeth Grimes said…

Linda, how sweet of you to say that. It means a great deal to me. :)

Rick, thank you. I'm looking forward to the next two nights!

March 25, 2011 at 8:10 AM

MaggieGem said…

Oh how exciting... I'm so happy for you! You'll get the job done with flying colors, congratulations!

March 25, 2011 at 1:20 PM

Unknown said…

Break a leg!!!

March 25, 2011 at 5:30 PM

Magical Moment 625, "Thailand - the Elephants"

Needless to say, my favorite part of our Thailand vacation, was our week long volunteering at Elephant Nature Park ! The logging industry was banned in Thailand in 1989, leaving thousands of elephants unemployed. These elephants are now used for tourism. You may have heard of elephant shows featuring the animals playing soccer or painting pictures with their trunks. They are no doubt amazing to watch, but the sad truth is that these elephants have gone through a series of torture and abuse to "break their spirit" by their trainers. This short clip is very hard to watch, but it will give you an idea of what the elephants in captivity in the country of Thailand go through. The only elephants in Thailand who do not endure this, are the very few baby elephants who are first generation born in "safe captivity" at places like Elephant Nature Park. Every other elephant at this park has been brutally abused. Some have been blinded by their owners, le...

Magical Moment 620, "Lilac Garden"

Eddie and I visited the Lilac Gardens at Ringwood Manor in New Jersey, a pristine and beautiful state park with 8 species of lilacs and several varieties within. We went on a rainy afternoon, which turned out perfect because the rain stopped for us when we got there, and began again as soon as we left. It also decorated the plants with gorgeous rain drops, adding to their beauty. And now for a quick game of "Where's Elizabeth?" And "Where's Eddie?" ~~Have a great weekend! ~~

Magical Moment 280, "The Eleventh Hour"

The Veterans Day Parade, NYC On July 29, 2001 , five exceptional men were honored by the President of the United States for their remarkable military service. They were involved in a top secret mission that required unfathomable intelligence and as a result, literally won a battle which was instrumental in winning the war. Not the war that was happening in 2001, not even the Gulf War. It was World War II, and they were the Navajo Code Talkers who were largely responsible for winning the bloody battle of Okinawa. The only problem with the ceremony was that just 5 remained of the original 29. Our country was too late in thanking the other 24, and nearly too late in thanking those 5 men. On March 10, 2010, three hundred women won the Congressional Gold medal for their outstanding war service. Unfortunately, 800 received the award posthumously. These were the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II, who devoted themselves to flying military aircraft like the B-26 and B-...

Search This Blog