#27: Ya' gotta give me somethin', honey!

[Claygasm]

Ok - I just talked with a friend who was at the stage door. She was not at the show. She is going tonight, but they went to the stage door this afternoon. She was right up front as they were setting up the barricades before the show let out. She saw Jerome and asked if Clay would coming out today. He said yes, he was feeling better and would be out. Awhile later Jerome came out and made the announcement that Clay would not be out, that there were people taking flash pictures and people in the front row who were singing loudly and mimicking the dancers and that was throwing everyone off and it was distracting to all on stage. He was very embarrassed as it was upsetting to the other cast members. Jerome said he wouldn't be out because he was so upset and embarrassed and then said that kind of behavior had to stop.

I have no trouble believing that one of the fans identified did it. I have seen obnoxious behavior from her before - many times. With all due respect to anyone who may know and like her, this person I am referring to has always struck me as one of the "entitled" fans - fans who see themselves as somehow more entitled to all things Clay than anyone else so they don't care if what they do interferes with the pleasure of others.

If everything is true, I hope they get banned from the theater permanently.

[Couch Tomato]

I'll delete since Kim deleted. But her's my thing..if Clay knows these people and he would know these people then I think it would be far better to sick Jerome on them and ban them from the theater. Jerome used to climb over people to get to someone taking a picture..maybe he forgot how to I guess I don't know what we are supposed to do but be upset that he isn't coming out..certainly can't control other people's behavior.

KAndre, you crack me up. I loved RIckey, LOVED! And I still listen to some of his songs and I think they hold up very well. Well, ok let me rephrase - I came to appreciate Ricky after teh show was over and still enjoy his songs today. Some of them were a bit obscure though. Couldn't stand the hercules schtick as I hated that movie.

[cindilu2]

Whoa! I went to the CB first and saw there were six pages in about 5 minutes on the Spam thread. I swear it nearly gave me a heart attack to open it. I thought something horrible had happened. And yeah it did, but oh boy. I swear I saw pitchforks and torches. A little perspective is a good thing.

Pretty shitty (tmSirRobin), foolish and selfish thing to do - regardless of who did it. I don't think I agree with Jerome telling people to pass the word though. It's up to the theatre people to deal with this. The couple times I was near the front, when the finale started there was security (not an usher, the stone-faced security guy you see in so many photos) in each aisle, standing with their backs to the stage. I saw an older gentleman trying to take a pic with his cellphone and they were ALL over him! So if these people were that disruptive - then what happened to the Shubert people? It's not up to the audience to police anything.

[muskifest]

I wish there wouldn't be finger pointing and name calling until the actual guilty party was confirmed. Squicks me out. I also don't think it's shitty of Clay not to come out. I know some think it's not "fair" to punish everybody for the actions of a couple. But IMO the man has a right to be pissed or upset or disappointed or whatever and has the right to deal with those feelings the way he wants to.

Maybe he'll post a blog to clear things up...maybe not. Already we're hearing different versions of what Jerome said. Hell, maybe it wasn't even a Clay fan, just a stupid theater goer.

Too bad about the stage door for those looking forward to it. But quite honestly, I think Clay's being incredibly generous and giving to even do this after every show. When I go to NYC, I'll probably go to the door once at least, but I'm pretty sure I won't be devastated if that's a time he doesn't come outside. Different strokes for different folks and all that.

[cindilu2]

Lordy, the pitchforks and torches are coming out in Clay land. Everybody from BM to PH is responsible. I'm sure Clive can't be far behind.

Oy.

[skybar22]

I wish there wouldn't be finger pointing and name calling until the actual guilty party was confirmed. Squicks me out. I also don't think it's shitty of Clay not to come out. I know some think it's not "fair" to punish everybody for the actions of a couple. But IMO the man has a right to be pissed or upset or disappointed or whatever and has the right to deal with those feelings the way he wants to.

Maybe he'll post a blog to clear things up...maybe not. Already we're hearing different versions of what Jerome said. Hell, maybe it wasn't even a Clay fan, just a stupid theater goer.

Too bad about the stage door for those looking forward to it. But quite honestly, I think Clay's being incredibly generous and giving to even do this after every show. When I go to NYC, I'll probably go to the door once at least, but I'm pretty sure I won't be devastated if that's a time he doesn't come outside. Different strokes for different folks and all that.

Just gonna WORD you here since you worded me at CH, hee! If Clay was pissed and the cast was also upset, good for him for hanging with his cast. It really doesn't matter who it was. They were so out of line to do that in a theater, IMO.

[jamar1700]

I wish there wouldn't be finger pointing and name calling until the actual guilty party was confirmed. Squicks me out. I also don't think it's shitty of Clay not to come out. I know some think it's not "fair" to punish everybody for the actions of a couple. But IMO the man has a right to be pissed or upset or disappointed or whatever and has the right to deal with those feelings the way he wants to.

I agree.

As an adult I deal everyday with rules and regulations that are in place only because some people have no sense and/or can't be trusted to behave. It's just life.

---

cindulu

[playbiller]

Well, we just don't know who it is and that gives some people the entitlement to set up people they don't like - heck it could have been some drunk students who just decided to see the play because Clay Aiken is advertised every 10 minutes on TV, So, I am in the wait and see camp.

[cindilu2]

I love Rick...

posted on the Clayboard:

I saw on another board that when The Knights of Ni came back out after the audience member called out Ni, and it came time for the Knight to give the name...he looked out at the audience and said "Anyone?". When nobody said anything they went on with the show. Wow, are these guys quick.

[bottlecap]

I'm sorry this kind of crap happens. However, I don't think it's always a bad thing for the boards to have some discussion about how inappropriate behaviour in the theater can negatively impact the actors and other ticketholders. Maybe the it won't reach today's perpetrators, but it may make future showgoers think a bit.

Is it selfish to hope all the screamers and fakers and flashers and whatnot will be all burned out and out of money before I get to NYC on April?

[Claygasm]

Lordy, the pitchforks and torches are coming out in Clay land. Everybody from BM to PH is responsible. I'm sure Clive can't be far behind.

Oy.

You mean it wasn't Clive???

The reason in my post above referring to one of the accused I didn't name names was because nothing was proven. Now the person who named these people may have honestly thought that is who the culprits were. The fact that at least one of those people has a reputation as being obnoxious and entitled just made it easy for people to believe.

That said, I HOPE that IF there is definitive proof of who it was, that NO ONE will post their names on the boards. This fandom can be judge, jury and executioner at times, even though it isn't our job.

[playbiller]

Well, let us not forget that the wrong person can frequently be identified as the purpetrator - ask Scarlett. This is a brutal fandom when the majority rules, I laugh when I poeple saying they can take it when accusations are posted - yeah, but can they take it if they are the ones identified. It is easy if someone else is being pilloried, but when it is you......

On another topic - did I miss this blog? Got this from IDF

http://www.jdmanagement.com/lawrencemanchester/

Whether recording a Hollywood film score with a 90-piece orchestra, tracking a pop song for an A-list artist or mixing a live music broadcast to an audience of millions, Lawrence Manchester's versatility and sheer professionalism serve his clients well on a daily basis.

To date, Lawrence has engineered the scores for three Academy Award-winning films: Martin Scorsese's 4-time Oscar-winning Best Picture, The Departed (original music by Academy Award-winner Howard Shore), Frida (winner, best original score, Elliot Goldenthal), The Red Violin (winner, best original score, John Corigliano). He also has a Gold Record to his credit, John Fogerty's The Long Road Home: The Ultimate John Fogerty/Credence Collection (Fantasy) and has worked on Grammy-winning albums and Emmy-winning TV programs.

Currently Lawrence is in preproduction with Clay Aiken and music producer, Kipper, and has just finished producing Jonathan Sheffer's score for the fantasy film, The Hollow Tree.

2007 was a busy year for Lawrence: recording and mixing the songs and performances of Sondre Lerche for the Touchstone Pictures' release, Dan In Real Life, and serving as Supervising Recording Engineer for the Julie Taymor/Revolution Studios musical Across The Universe, with music producers T Bone Burnett, Elliot Goldenthal and Teese Gohl. Lawrence also recorded tracks for Jean-Michel Bernard's score to the upcoming Michel Gondry film Be Kind Rewind (Focus Features) and he completed Bernard and Doris (HBO Films) for composer Alex Wurman. His album work for the year included mixing records for New Zealand's Batucada Sound Machine and Australia's Henry Hall, as well as Melissa Errico w/ Michel Legrand, James Marsters, and American Idol's Constantine Maroulis. Lawrence had the pleasure of recording saxophone great David Sanborn for his new album and mastering Howard Shore's soundtrack CD for the critically acclaimed Eastern Promises.

In 2006, Lawrence recorded and mixed the score to the Robert De Niro directed film, The Good Shepherd and completed the Marcelo Zarvos score for the Focus Features film Hollywoodland. He also recorded A Great Night In Harlem (Concord Music Group) at the world famous Apollo Theater in New York City with guest performers Bill Cosby, Elvis Costello, Danny Glover and James Blood Ulmer.

Lawrence has engineered records for Grammy-winning producers Phil Ramone, Neil Dorfsman, T Bone Burnett, Jack Douglas, James Guthrie and Tommy LiPuma. He's recorded Diana Krall, Regina Spektor, Art Garfunkel, Eddie Izzard, Leslie Mendelson, Savion Glover, Nellie McKay, Salma Hayek, Ron Carter, Rich Robinson (The Black Crowes) and Page Hamilton (Helmet). Lawrence engineered Robert A. Wilson's installation piece, An Evening At Koi Pond, with music produced by Hal Willner and he's a regular guest engineer for Jazz At Lincoln Center.

On such television shows as Saturday Night Live, Late Night With Conan O'Brien and Last Call With Carson Daly, Lawrence has mixed performances by John Mayer, Norah Jones, Billy Joel, Gloria Estefan, Neil Young, Alicia Keys, Lenny Kravitz, Moby, Gov't Mule, The Hives, Duran Duran, John Mellencamp, Nelly, Sean Paul, N.E.R.D., Trisha Yearwood, Shawn Colvin and Tony Bennett.

Internationally, Lawrence's work has taken him around the world from New York to Los Angeles, Paris to Bangkok, and Amsterdam to Quito. Lawrence recorded the Melbourne Symphony and London Symphony Orchestras in their respective cities and records regularly in Prague. As a Composer, Lawrence collaborated with legendary record producer Jack Douglas in scoring the film This Thing of Ours (2003), a mob thriller staring James Caan, Vincent Pastore, and Frank Vincent. He has also written music for the New York premiere of Michael Gow's Australian play, Furious, and for American playwright Doric Wilson's Now She Dances!

Heh, that bit about Constantine should up-set some people.

[cindilu2]

A nickel for anybody who can name the engineer on any CD they own without looking. No cheating!!!

[merrieeee]

There's an engineer on a CD? Who'd of thunk it? I thought they were the guys who ran trains!!!

[Couch Tomato]

A nickel for anybody who can name the engineer on any CD they own without looking. No cheating!!!

bwah... and amazingly enough I don't even care enough to read antying but the hightlighted parts... maybe I'm not as obsessed as I thought hee. So will Clay Nation rush out to test his work by buying up Constantine's album?

[Gibby]

Whew, there's a lot going on in the last several FCA pages!

Kareneh, best of luck in your travels and in getting settled in at your new home and country. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Couchie, thanks for posting your thoughts about your Clay fandom and starting such an interesting conversation! My continuing interest in all things Clay have to do with both the fascinating, talented, intelligent, compassionate, complex, sexy and sometimes surprising man as well as the friends I've made in the fandom.

Regarding laptop batteries - they do tend to hold less power over time. Hubby got me a new laptop battery for my Gateway laptop for Christmas, and it lasts five hours! I'm quite happy with my Gateway laptop at the moment because I was able to rebuild my laptop with relatively little difficulty. It's like having a new laptop - everything is shiny and clean again!

Yikes, the pitchforks ARE out right now. I glanced at another (unnamed) board, where names were being bandied about. Never a dull moment, is there?

[bottlecap]

James Beaman is the actor who is playing Sir Robin in the touring company, and you may remember that he has written some complimentary things about Clay on his blog. Anyway, I was catching up on some of his recent entries last night (white type on a black background, so I can't read a lot at once without having my eyes cross ), and I thought this one might be of general interest as it would have some similarities to what Clay does in his part. Keep in mind, James' company would be playing in different cities for a week or so at a time.

A very nice fan from Hershey wrote me and asked if I would give a description of the actual day to day workings of the production of "Spamalot" and to explain some of the terms and things that I refer to in this blog. I thought it was a lovely invitation to share with you a little about the day to day of being in this tour.

On Monday, we travel to our next city. This week a large portion of the company took a flight from Nashville to Jacksonville, some company members drove themselves down. When we arrive in the city, we get our transportation together (here in Florida there are shared rental cars) and we go check into our housing. Our company managers provide us with two options for hotels or efficiencies in each city--these are laid out for us on an offering sheet called a "greenie," because it's printed on green paper. Some company members choose to find their own housing, perhaps sharing an apartment or house with several others; some stay with friends or family in a given city. This week I have a very nice studio efficiency and am carpooling into Jacksonville for the gym and work with another actor. Our assistant company manager Jeff is a whiz at getting us free access to gyms in the towns where we work, and believe me when I say, it's a necessity that we stay in shape. It's a great benefit to working on this tour.

Tuesday, 5:30PM

We report two hours before the opening performance for sound check. While the orchestra rehearses, we all gather for a company meeting where our production stage manager, Ken, tells us about the facility, what if any understudies will be performing during the week, and other business to aid us all in adjusting to the theatre and the space. After the meeting we go on stage for sound check. Each performer in "Spamalot" wears a microphone. Those of us in principal roles wear two. These mikes are small and flesh colored and usually sit on one side or the other of the forehead, with a cord that is pinned to the hair and runs down the back of the neck to a mike pack which holds the battery and transmitter, and is held in place in an elastic belt. This cord is then covered by our wig caps (a nylon cap that covers the hair) and then the wig goes on over that. At sound check we just pin our mikes on and run through a handful of musical numbers, especially group numbers, both to rehearse with the orchestra and for the sound technician to get the right balance of all our voices through the system and with the acoustics of the particular theatre.

After soundcheck is done the first night, we don't do it again, and simply come in for our 7:30 half hour call. On Tuesday, some go and get a bite to eat or warm up prior to half hour. At half hour we receive the call over the intercom. Usually at half hour people start makeup, do some vocal warmups, and generally get prepared for the show. On opening night in each city we also meet our dressers. A dresser is someone who works with the wardrobe crew and assists the performers in getting in and out of their many costumes. There are dressers assigned to the ensemble men and women and also to the principals. I share a dresser with Brad Bradley, who plays Patsy in the show. Dressers are indispensable! They make it possible for us to do lightning fast changes of costume and character. They also make sure we have water backstage when we need it and other small things that make a big difference to our performances. Not only that, they do our laundry! That's a lot of sweaty tights!

At the 15 minute call, my hairdresser Suzanne comes in with my wigs and puts me into my first one. She pins it into my wig cap, which is pinned into place using little springs that get clipped into my own hair. All the wigs (there are 88 of them in the show) are made of human hair and the hairlines of each are hooked into flesh colored transparent netting or "lace." These hairlines are based on tracings of our own hairlines so that when we put the wig on the hair appears to be growing out of our own heads! We have three amazing hair and makeup people who travel with the show and we always have another hairdresser in each city who assists in the hair department.

We get a five minute call and then a "places" call at which point all of us who will be in the opening portion of the show go and get into our starting positions back stage. The last few moments before the overture, we stretch and chat a little, get our props etc. I get up into my place during the overture. It is a small platform with a cushioned piece for me to kneel on behind the high window of the portal tower stage right (stage directions are always from the actor's perspective). So I climb a ladder and kneel there during the opening number, watching the "Finland" extravaganza. Then when the scene changes, I crouch down and the window is opened by a stagehand. And at the appropriate cue, I pop up in the window: "Hallo? Who goes there?" and my show is off and running.

[Couch Tomato]

I can't believe how fortunate I am to have found this forum, so appropriately named. The generosity of spirit of the members in this forum has blown me away. It is currently 3am Sunday here and I have spent something like 16 hours since Friday night soaking up the DVDs KAndre burned for me just because I happened to mention in this forum that I felt deprived as I never watched AI series 2 because it wasn't screened downunder here in Ausclaylia. Although I had seen all of Clay's solo performances from YouTube or Clack Unlimited, seeing them within the context of the show makes me appreciate them even more. I had also felt 'deprived' reading LTS because I didn't know who he was talking about when he mentioned some of his favourite people who shared the Idol stage with him.

ahhh Clay it forward. And it's still alive and well. That's always been a staple of this fandom and something I love most. We are generous with clack and with charity. But oh you are making me long for a marathon clack session. I haven't had one of those in a long time.

8 days til the clock in my van is right again!!!

Bwah! I finally learned how to fix the time in my car.

ok my wireless connection keeps going off and out so I'm just going to postho after each page as I catch up.

ETA: Ok too much good stuff to comment on.. I really enjoyed reading everyone's comments. And since when do we apologize for getting sappy.

Wonder how this whole thing would have gone without the internet. It's hard to fathom isn't it. Life before the internet...seems so long ago.

Thanks Bottle for bringing that over. It's good to hear from Sir Robin, even if it's no MY Sir Robin!

[merrieeee]

Ok so I ordered my laptop and I'm sorry but I did get a Dell. *g* I know 3 people who have them and love them. It was actually cheaper than anything I priced at Best Buy. Oh and Kandre it has a good video card and stuff! It came with a free Webcam but I doubt I will ever use that! But it is kind of cute, black with white stripes on the side, very fancy....well you know how important looks are! I had a fuschia one in mind but I might not be able to sleep with that, might keep me awake! Hee Hee.

You guys are such enablers

Now I will be a happy camper on my eHP adventures! Hee before I "knew" Clay I couldn't care less what machine I had and now it's so important to get wireless access. high speed and a big one (for muski) hard drive I mean!!!!

[ausdon]

Karen Eh-Safe travels and I look forward to hearing of your experiences in Baku.

Which brings me to Couchies post. Great thought provoking reading!

Other members have mentioned this already but hearing about KarenEh in Baku, or another members travel story (KAndre you crack me up!) or what someones kids/husbands/dogs are up to really keeps me coming back to the board.

I know Claytonic touched on this also- I have found the people here so welcoming and willing to share their knowledge. I have received offers of help (and clack) from strangers who now feel like friends even though most I will never meet. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I am a fan of other artists but I have not seen the internet "thing" for them. Clays voice is lovely and nearly always my choice of chill-out music. I think he's basically a good enough guy, he's human, you know. He makes mistakes and is not always the most PC person around- like all of us. I don't get that Goody-Two-Shoes vibe from him (thank God) even though I think he does good where he can.

I keep up with his career through the boards because I can. Otherwise I may or may not just hear about a new CD and may or may not get my hands on a copy. The reporting of things on the boards just keeps me ( and others like me) in the loop.

Which now brings me to the latest- if anyone spoils my Spamalot experience they will have to deal with me. If anyone stops Clay from coming out to the stage door on the night I am there they will have to deal with me.

What would I do? Well, after my mother-of-a-teenage-boy rant , then I would go all ClayAikenfan on them. There. Problem solved.

[merrieeee]

Otherwise I may or may not just hear about a new CD and may or may not get my hands on a copy

I can guarantee you will get your hands on a copy!!!!!!

[ausdon]

:F_05BL17blowkiss: Merrieeee

[luckiest1]

Regarding laptop batteries - they do tend to hold less power over time. Hubby got me a new laptop battery for my Gateway laptop for Christmas, and it lasts five hours!

When I got my new laptop last month (an HP) the saleperson recommended that I take the battery out if I was not going to be using it. He said it would have a longer life that way.

Ok so I ordered my laptop and I'm sorry but I did get a Dell. *g* I know 3 people who have them and love them. It was actually cheaper than anything I priced at Best Buy. Oh and Kandre it has a good video card and stuff! It came with a free Webcam but I doubt I will ever use that! But it is kind of cute, black with white stripes on the side, very fancy....well you know how important looks are! I had a fuschia one in mind but I might not be able to sleep with that, might keep me awake! Hee Hee.

Hee, I played around on the Dell site before I ended up buying mine at Future Shop. I loved the way Dell lets you customize, and all the cool colours! The techie guys I work with all recommended that I either go with an HP or a Dell, so I think you made a wise choice.

Other fandoms................well, I've always been a bit of a fangirl. I have been to hundreds of concerts in my time. My biggest fandoms have been The Beatles (since I was born in 1963, they were long broken up when I got into them, but I used to call The Beatles A-Z book my bible). At the time there was no internet, being the early 80s, but I joined a few mailing list groups and I frequented used record conventions and sometimes Beatle conventions. I only managed to see Paul & Ringo in concert, though....unfortunately I never got the opportunity to see John or George. But that fandom has lasted over 25 years, and while I don't follow it as closely as I used to, I still consider myself a fan.

More similar to the Clay fandom was my Elvis Stojko (figure skating) fandom. I got involved around 1994, got pretty serious about it for 4 years until he retired from eligible skating in 2002, and then I just moved on. But at it's height, there were online message boards and yahoo groups and travelling to distant cities for performances and competitions.

As for Clay, I can't forsee a day that I would "move on", unless he stopped recording and performing, I guess. I have always been a fan mainly of the VOX (apologies to those who dislike the term) but I would have to say a close second is just the man, the humanitarian, everything he stands for. But I don't know if I could go a day without the VOX, I am completely and totally addicted to it.

[Claygasm]

Just saw this neat site posted by yoyo4321 at CV, It plots out the best subway route in NY. So, if you are staying at hotel that isn't within walking distance, this may help.

Here is another neat site using Google Maps that will tell you how to get from Point A to Point B using the subway.

http://www.brail.org/transit/nyc.html

Problem is.... How do you know what train it is? Are they marked? Don't you have to buy metro cards now? How do you know what to buy?

I can do the tube in London with my eyes closed, but the NY subway system scares me!

[Marilyon98]

From toni7babe at CV:

Spamalot Stage Door report

on the phone with toni2marie about 4-5 rows deep at stage door. Clay is out there. Black puffy coat on. Brown hoodie it looks like under. She will call back