Playing Abu in 'Aladdin'

Last weekend 'Aladdin' opened at The Promenade Playhouse for two encore performances by our Creating Arts Company members.  I joined the cast that week as Abu, Aladdin's best friend and monkey.  I was excited for another different role in just three weeks and to challenge myself in a more active way with a lot of non-verbal action.

Our 'Aladdin' Cast and one of our biggest fans!

I went to my first rehearsal on Thursday and we did a sing-through of all the songs.  On Friday we ran through the show and got our costumes in order.  Then, on Saturday morning we had our tech rehearsal with full run-through, and then quickly ran over the music and a few scenes one last time before our 3 pm show!  As Abu I didn't have that many lines but I am with Aladdin in most of his scenes and do a lot of physical activity as well.  Most of my communication is non-verbal so I figured out a voice that would fit a monkey for my monkey chatter and got my hop on.

The show was an absolute blast!  We were so over-sold on Saturday that we couldn't even use the audience to stage entrances and exits because people were seated in them.  In fact, the kids were so far onto the stage at one point when I was exiting a little boy grabbed a hold of me and wouldn't let go.  On Sunday I felt even more into the character, bouncing around the stage even though my legs were so sore from doing that all day on Saturday.  It was really physical and the kids as well as the parents seemed to be enjoying my humor and fun with the character.  I would definitely play that role all over again!

We get the kids involved throughout the show but at the end of the show after we did curtain call we got the kids back on-stage to dance with us to 'Jai Ho' a traditional Indian song.  I was dancing with this little girl and she was just laughing the entire time so after the show she came and gave me the biggest hug.  Then her Dad thanked me because he got a beautiful picture of us dancing and wanted me to know how special it was to his family that I had danced with his daughter to such an important song in their culture.  It made my day.

Iago & Abu...we just get each other ;)

I honestly felt like I was playing the entire time.  It was just fun and easy.  This was totally different than anything I've played in the last few weeks with this theater company.  I don't think I've formulated that type of character in a long time and I felt like I brought it to life and made magic.  What we get to do is so important as we impact so many children's lives.  It's never work; it's just what I love to do :)

The Princess Extravaganza :)

Right after we finished up Wizard of Oz for Creating Arts we were already prepping for The Princess Extravaganza the following weekend at The Promenade Playhouse.  I had no idea how inspiring it would be seeing all the Princesses in one place at one time and I can't even imagine how the children felt when all the ladies were on-stage together!

Pocahontas Make-Up & Costume :)

I was playing Pocahontas that weekend and we had a total of four shows, two per day, and each show was packed with parents and children, friends and family.  I was greeting and ushering guests into the theater.  It was so much fun to have kids run up to me, excited to talk about their favorite princesses, and of course, the best part were the hugs!  I don't think there is anything better than a hug from a little girl or boy.  I loved that they recognized me right away and would just chatter away about the princesses or that they come to all the Creating Arts shows.  One little girl even recognized me from when I played the Wicked Witch.  I was amazed because I even changed my voice for this too!  I can't believe how smart these kids are :)

After the show started I was able to watch and to see all the Princesses on the stage together.  It blew me away.  Even when you're in Disneyland you may run into a Princess or two but it's very rare to have a few you see throughout the day, let alone 14 all in one place at one time.  If I was excited, I can't imagine the kids not being in total complete awe.  I did get to sing the last number with them and then I gave an announcement at the end for the raffle winners who would win a Princess Party.  Once we were outside we were swarmed by children and people on the Promenade asking for pictures, hugs, autographs, and stories.  Thankfully, I remembered enough about Pocahontas that I was able to talk about Flit and Meeko, and who could forget, John Smith.  It was a total blast!

Our Princess Extravaganza Cast!

We do these Princess Shows every few months and right now the favorites are Elsa and Anna from Frozen.  I'm looking forward to playing another Princess and getting to entertain these incredible kids again soon!

Wednesday Karaoke Nights!

For the first time in weeks I finally noticed my voice was getting back to normal this week at Karaoke.  I was able to sing some songs that I couldn't before and feel more comfortable singing in general.  The past two weeks have been great Karaoke nights and I'm excited to get back to my old self!

Two weeks ago I opened the night with 'You Give Love A Bad Name' by Bon Jovi and then I sang 'Bitch' by Meredith Brooks since it had been a while since I sang both of those songs.  Next up was 'Special' by Garbage and my new song of the night was 'Right Here Waiting' by Staind.  I love that song so much and it was actually a lot of fun to sing plus we heard two other Staind songs that night!  I did one of my go-to's singing Fleetwood Mac's 'Gold Dust Woman' and closed out the night with 'November Rain' since everyone did a guilty pleasure on their last round of songs :)

This past week was a night with just a few singers but a lot of songs.  I really love when everyone can sing a lot but the rotation goes quick and people filter in and out after a few songs.  I started the night off with 'Here Without You' and we ended up doing a 3 Doors Down super-set.  The vibe went country after that so I did Gretchen Wilson's 'Redneck Woman' and the crowd loved it; it's such a fun song.  I got a request for Pat Benatar and 'Treat Me Right' so that was next followed by a duet with Marcus 'Almost Paradise' by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson.  I did another duet singing Lady Antebellum's 'Need You Now' and my new song was 'Hot & Cold' by Katy Perry.  There are some songs that are just difficult to Karaoke and that is definitely one of them because the phrasing gives you no time to breathe but I did a good job with it.  It got sentimenal so I did Jewel's 'Foolish Games' and then closed out the night with 'You Got Lucky,' my favorite Tom Petty song.

Overall, two really awesome weeks of Karaoke with some different choices for new songs and some interesting ideas for more new songs.  And we're definitely going to do a theme night again soon!

'Wizard of Oz' Final Weekend

I can't believe how quickly those five weeks of performances as the Wicked Witch in Wizard of Oz went.  I got to perform as the Witch in six shows and a Munchkin/Citizen of Oz in four shows.  Being in this show was brand new territory for me and such an awesome learning and performing experience.

With my Mom after the Show :)

Normally, I am cast as the girl next door, fun spunky girlfriend, or sassy female character.  I've never gotten to play a villain, especially to the degree of the Wicked Witch.  There was this sense of anger and frustration I had because my sister was killed when Dorothy's house landed on her.  I had to be terrifying and mean, pushing the monkeys around and frightening Dorothy, her friends, and the kids in the audience.  To top it all off, I wanted to change my voice, so I found this raspy evil sounding voice that did a number on my throat but was so worth it!  Although, I'm very happy I won't have to do it again anytime soon.  When I played a Munchkin and Citizen of Oz, I completely changed characters, doing a nerdy/dork with bewilderment and then excitement as a Munchkin and when I came on for the scene in Oz I played a stuck-up Debutante that enjoyed the finer things in life.

Twinning with Rachel as Citizens of Oz!

The impact the show had on the kids was incredible.  I loved hearing them during the show talking to their parents or us, answering our questions, and getting involved.  For the most part, the kids weren't really afraid of me and aside from scaring a few children AND adults (which I was very excited when I scared the parents on my entrance) they all were very excited to meet and talk to me.  The fact that they could conquer their fears and hug me was pure joy.  Of course, I picked up little bits of conversations like one little boy who kept asking where I was because he knew I couldn't scare him, or the little girl that comforted her Mom after I made my initial entrance saying, 'It's ok Mom, it's not real.'  Better yet was another little boy sitting in the front who got glitter on him saying, 'I'm very disturbed by this, there is glitter in my hair, there is glitter in my eyes, I am NOT ok with this.'  Kids really do say the darndest things!

My costume was absolutely stunning and I felt wicked in it, with the addition of some amazing make-up that really made my character pop.  I got so many wonderful compliments from friends and family and truly appreciate everyone that came to the show including: Neil, my Mom, Sam, Ashley, McCracken, Danny and his girlfriend, Bobby and his girlfriend and her daughter, Jeff, Aimee & Andy, Chris & John, Carolyn and her sister's family, Tyler & Monica, and Cathy.  Thank you so much for coming and supporting me on this fun adventure, and also thanks to those that sent wishes, luck, and tried to come but weren't able to attend.

The children were so brave to meet and hug me; I was ecstatic to talk to them!

As an Artistic Member of Creating Arts I look forward to working with our company and challenging myself in more ways.  My passion lies in acting and doing theater has brought me back to my roots and it's so fulfilling to do exactly what I love to do :)

Mom's May Visit to LA! Part 3.

We did so much during the week that Mom was out here in LA!  She got to come to work with me, see me play the Wicked Witch in Wizard Of Oz, we took a road trip to Solvang, and capped off the week with her seeing me Host at Afterbuzz TV!

On Tuesday morning we had a yummy breakfast in the Dining Room at Hadsten House and then decided to spend some time in downtown Solvang.  We walked into the shops and candy stores.  I hadn't seen Rock Candy on a stick since going to Wisconsin Dells when I was 12!  The candy stores had all the old candy I remembered as a kid; it was crazy.  We ended up buying some fudge that was fantastic and had to take a picture in front of the windmill.

Bridlewood Winery & Vineyards

We decided before making our way back to LA to stop at one more winery in Santa Ynez, so we went to Bridlewood, as I had researched and the pictures were just gorgeous.  As you make your way into the winery, the driveway is tree-lined, and there are different types of flowers everywhere.  The Tasting Room was actually on the vineyard so after doing our tasting we were able to take a tour of the grounds.  Once again, this winery had a Red-heavy menu and were more earthy than fruity so they weren't our favorites but I would go back to this winery purely for the view.  The great thing about this winery was how beautiful it was and how immaculate the grounds were kept.  We got to go down to the horse corral, and then walked to the pond area, where you could picnic and oversee a good part of the vineyard.  This was so different than anything we had seen so I was glad we were able to stop here on our way home.  As we made our trip back to LA, we also stopped in Santa Barbara and walked along the pier.  We went into some of the shops and both of us picked out some earrings in remembrance of our little road trip!

Mom by the Pond & Vineyards at Bridlewood

I was Hosting both of my shows at the Afterbuzz TV studios that night so Mom was my guest and got to see how I spend my Tuesday evenings.  We started off watching Real Housewives of New York which is a show she's never seen, and the reality show I do with my Co-Hosts.  There are four Hosts, Ashley, Courtney, Stephanie, and myself for that show so we tend to have a longer discussion with lots of opinions and ideas and normally have a guest calling in to the show which is great!  This week's episode was true to form with lots of drama and plenty to talk about.  Next up, it was Supernatural my CW show that's on it's 9th season and I Host with Tom and Travis.  We have a lot of fun talking about the show and usually have some good laughs when we're chatting or giving predictions.  Mom really enjoyed watching us do the show together and seeing the studios.  She said she didn't realize how big the studios were when she was watching our recaps but that it was really awesome to see me doing my Hosting job in-person and live.

With my Co-Host, Courtney, at Afterbuzz TV, for our Real Housewives of New York After-Show!

No trip to LA would be complete for Mom without some Yogurtland, so we did that on her first and last day here in LA, except it was Menchies on Tuesday night.  On Wednesday morning, Mom and I made a stop at Panera for an early Lunch and then I dropped her off at the airport.  Even though she was here for a week, it felt so much shorter with how much we had going on this whole time.  Hopefully she'll come and visit me again soon because I miss her already :)

Thanks for everything while you were out here visiting Mom...love you lots <3

Mom's May Visit to LA! Part 2...The Wine Adventure.

After a fun-filled week in LA it was time for Mom and I to take a little road trip to Solvang to spend a couple days relaxing, eating good food, and drinking great wine!  I had looked up some Wineries on Sunday night to prep us for the following couple of days and get some good ideas before we got there.  Yes, I'm a planner; I try to be spontaneous but it's nice to have good options over nothing!

We left on Monday morning and checked in at Hadsten House in Solvang and made our way to Los Olivos to start our Wine Tasting Adventure!  In addition to our stay at Hadsten we had our choice of over 20 wineries with complimentary tastings and most people find they save as much money as the cost of the room just by using that discount.  Awesome!  Our first stop was Daniel Gehr's Winery which I'd read on Yelp had an incredible port that everyone must try.  We liked most of the wines we tasted there, but really enjoyed the Riesling and of course, the Fireside Port.  I loved this winery and how friendly everyone was; I felt happiness as soon as I walked in the door, and as soon as we mentioned we were from Wisconsin, we chatted with a fellow Packer fan who works at the Tasting Room and has season tickets to the games!  We bought the Port and were on our way to the next Winery.

Our first stop on our Wine Tasting Adventure was Daniel Gehr's Winery :)

It was just a block and a half away to Coquelicot, and our server, was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable.  Their menu also gave descriptions of wine and key words, using comedy to explain which definitely comes in helpful after a couple stops.  My favorite wines at this Winery were the Back Seat Blonde and Back Seat Brunette.  I loved the lime and mango flavors in the Blonde but really enjoyed the Blackberry in the Brunette.  Mom liked the description of the Brunette which made our decision easy, especially since we're not Blonde.  We bought the Red and then took a little walk around Los Olivos.  There were probably 15 wineries in this four block radius so you really had plenty of options but I was so happy with both of those I was ready to get closer to our Hotel.  We did stop at one more and shared the tasting but since they were heavy on the Red Wines and Mom prefers White we didn't buy anything because nothing stuck out to us.

Daniel Gehr's had given us complimentary tastings to Lucas & Lewellen in downtown Solvang so that was our last stop of the day.  I loved this winery because you had a choice of a Red Tasting, White Tasting, Sweet White Tasting, or Mixed.  I chose the White and Mom got the Sweet White.  We enjoyed both of our tastings but after a long day of drinking wine, I wish we would have saved this for the following morning.  I do remember how good the Viogner was, and we actually bought two bottles, so Mom could take one with her!  This will only ensure I'll be back again to try the wines and buy more on my next visit.  Once again, they were very helpful here and happy to answer any questions we had so I look forward to stopping by again soon!

After hearing so many rave reviews about the chef at Hadsten House we decided to have Dinner there.  I started with the Lobster Bisque which had a puff pastry shell on top and was absolutely amazing.  Mom got the Warm Spinach Salad which was just as good as my soup.  They were out of the Braised Short Ribs which is what Mom wanted to order so she chose the Chicken Marsala and I got the Sea Scallops which had a Parmesan risotto and white truffle oil.  They were the best Scallops I have ever had, perfectly cooked, and paired so well with the risotto.  I was really impressed with my meal!  We still had dessert left so Mom got the Apple Pie with a house-made caramel sauce and I got the Creme Brulee that was really good too.  Overall, I was really happy and glad that we decided on that for Dinner!

Entrees & Dessert at Hadsten House in Solvang...thanks Mom!!

Since we had spent most of the day drinking we took a little nap and then went over to the Chumash Casino to do some gambling.  I knew Mom was looking forward to this for days!  We spent a few hours there and for the time we were there I didn't lose all that much, so it was kind of fun to do something I don't get to do very often.  And just spend time with Mom too :)  We had gotten upgraded to a spa suite when we checked in and there was no way I wasn't going to use that giant jacuzzi tub with fireplace and flat-screen TV before we left, so we took a little dip in the tub and watched some 'Sex In The City' before bed.  Talk about an awesome day!

The Wine Adventure and Road Trip continues in Part 3!

Mom's May Visit to LA! Part 1.

My Mom came to visit me almost two weeks ago and stayed with me for a week.  Our time together went too fast as it always does and we were busy nearly every day with something to do.  Lucky for us, that was making dinner together, laying by the pool, having a four-course dinner in Hollywood, and taking walks around the neighborhood!

Mom got in on Wednesday morning so we decided on En Sushi for Happy Hour since Mom and I haven't had Sushi together in a long time.  I had picked out two different kinds of sashimi, two rolls, spicy tuna on crispy rice, and edamame.  We also had a couple of drinks and En Sushi is one of my favorite Sushi Happy Hours to go to because it's such a good price for so much food.  I always leave full!  I was happy to hear Mom say that everything was really delicious and she'd like to do this again sometime!  That night I hosted Karaoke at Gabe's with Mom's help and we had a fun night there with friends and Gummi Bear Shots :)

While Mom was visiting it was in the high 80's and low 90's so we were able to get in pool time on Thursday morning before I had to work at Irish Times that afternoon.  Mom always likes to help me get the bar set-up and I repay her with a little beer tasting of new beers since her last visit.  She came back later so we could have dinner at the bar together too; we had the Guinness Shrimp and Bangers & Mash and also got to try the French Onion Soup, Fried Ravioli, and Grilled Cheese with caramelized onions and bacon.  We've changed our menu at Irish Times and updated it with some new items and elevated some of the older ones and everything I've tried has been really great!  We also stopped at Freddy Smalls to have dessert since they had a Yogurt Panna Cotta with Pinot Noir soaked blueberries and my favorite, Rocky Road dessert that's meringue, a pudding/mousse, with almond cookies, and sea salt.  I wouldn't normally go for Panna Cotta but this is by the best one I've ever had and the Rocky Road always delivers!

Took Mom to Dinner at Amalfi in Hollywood to celebrate Mother's Day early!

On Friday it was another day by the pool after a long walk around the neighborhood and I made my famous Bloody Mary's to sip on during the 90 degree day.  We did a little shopping that afternoon before we went to Dinner at Amalfi in Hollywood.  We had our four-course meal that started with Jumbo Shrimp in a White Wine Sauce (that was awesome) and then Mom chose the Brussel Sprouts Salad which was really good and a nice portion.  Potato Leek Soup is usually my favorite but I wasn't a huge fan of theirs; Irish Times is still number one on their version.  Mom and I planned on splitting our entrees so I chose the Filet with Gratin Potatoes in a Mushroom Demi-Sauce and Mom got the Lobster Ravioli with Shrimp and Asparagus in a Saffron Cream Sauce.  My steak was cooked perfectly and the potatoes were really yummy.  The Ravioli surprised me because I really enjoyed the lobster in it and cream sauce.  For Dessert, we decided on Tiramisu, and it wasn't the best I've ever had but we were both so full it took all I had to finish it!

Sunday Dinner for Mom!

Mom had helped me run lines for the play on Saturday morning since this was her first time being able to see Wizard Of Oz since we had opened three weeks prior.  I felt like it was my best show and performance as I almost lost my voice and was emotionally exhausted from performing that day, my muscles were actually sore.  A bunch of friends came to see the show on Saturday and on Sunday, Mom came to see me play a Munchkin and Citizen of Oz.  Mom even commented that she had no idea I was going to change my voice for the Wicked Witch role since when we had practiced, I did it in my normal voice.  Of course, I couldn't give my great idea away when I wanted to surprise her with it during the show!  That night I made a Quinoa salad, and Salmon Dinner with rice, lemon asparagus, a cheese plate and we had a mini-wine tasting too.

That was just the first few days...we had a trip to Solvang that started on Monday, but I saved that for Part 2 of Mom's week-long visit to LA :)

To see pictures from Dinner at Amalfi or any other photo's from Mom's trip and Wizard of Oz check out my Instagram at: http://instagram.com/lyndseywegner#

Public School Happy Hour & 'The Other Woman'

I was able to try a few new restaurants in April including Cafe Laurent and Gladstone's in Malibu to continue with my New Year's Resolution of trying out new places.  I wrote blogs for both of them but this one is dedicated to a Buddy Date with Ashley at Public School 310 in Culver City for Happy Hour before going to see the movie, 'The Other Woman.'

Ashley and I decided on Public School because they had some vegetarian choices and plenty of options.  I was excited when I saw the menu because there were so many different things that looked really good.  We decided on the Red Quinoa & Argula Salad, the Pearled Farro & Brussel Salad, as well as the Speck & Eggs, and last but not least, Mac & Cheese.  They made their own tonic in house so we both ordered gin & tonics and I loved the sweetness to the tonic even more than I like my usual gin & Sprite.  

I loved the Quinoa Salad because of the lemon vinaigrette and feta cheese; the portions for the salads were huge, almost enough as an entree for one person.  I wasn't a huge fan of the Farro Salad even though I love farro and curry, but with the squash it just didn't have any kick.  The Speck & Eggs were basically deviled eggs with a little kick to them but we left out the proscuitto, and they were just fine on their own!  My favorite was probably the Mac & Cheese (as if I wouldn't love something with cheese).  It was topped with sea salt and a vinegar crunch and had a really great flavor.  Plus, after all this food, we were totally full.

Eggs without the Speck, Mac & Cheese, and our Gin with house-made Tonic!

Next up, it was movie time so we walked over to the theater, ordered popcorn (because who sees a movie without popcorn) and I added so much butter, that it leaked through three different cardboard holders that I double-lined with napkins.  I might have a butter addiction when I see movies.  But it tasted awesome!  The movie was actually much more different than I expected.  It was super funny, where I laughed out loud multiple times, repeating the joke in my head, and laughing again.  But it wasn't a total revenge movie and you really started to understand the characters and each role they played.  I'm not a big fan of Cameron Diaz but I really fell in love with her in this movie, not to mention, she looked phenomenal and I wanted every outfit she wore!  It was fairly predictable but a fun movie to see with Ash and I haven't been to the movies in a while so it was something different to do.

It was a really good movie and great Buddy Date for Ashley and I.  I'm actually really excited to go back to Public House to try more of their Happy Hour menu as well as their regular menu.  They've got a bunch of beers on draft, as well as wine, and some yummy looking desserts.  I'll be back soon :)

Bestie's Birthday!

It was Mike's 30th Birthday a couple weeks ago and even though we don't get to see each other very often, we always pick up where we left off.  He's such a wonderful and talented guy, so deserving of great things and I was very happy to be spending his 30th with him!  Even though I had Wizard Of Oz that afternoon in full Wicked Witch make-up, and then had to read in Church, I was able to make it to Mike's family's home in Calabasas for an amazing Birthday Dinner with family and friends.  Plus, I always love seeing Mike's parents, as they are two of the most supportive and friendly people I've met in LA and are always so welcoming!

With the Birthday Boy :)

I got to see some old friends I don't get to hang out with very often and some of our original Boom Crew.  J Dub and I were able to hang out and catch up and have some #TinderTalk to #SlowYourSwipe.  It was nice to chat with my fellow friend from Wisconsin, Brittany, and also, Trisha, who is working on an incredible project, that I'm hoping to get involved with.  On top of great conversation, the food was just awesome and it was really special to be around family while Mike celebrated his 30th Birthday.  It definitely made me miss spending Birthdays at home with my family, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.  No party with Mike would be complete without Riley Boy Weiss, chasing his shadow and barking at everything; I love that cute little E-Wok face.  It was a great celebration with many more to come!

Now that we're both 30 we'll have to get together to watch some episodes of our favorite show Friends, especially 'The One Where They All Turn 30.'  "Why God Why?" Oh Joey, you're the best!

Kings, Karaoke, Cackle

I have the night off of Karaoke tonight and after a busy week with my Mom, it'll actually be nice to take a break from the hustle and bustle here in LA.  The past couple weeks we've had really fun nights, and last week we had a full list of Karaoke singers due to the Kings game.  It ended at 10 pm so Karaoke singers were ready to go after the hockey win!

On top of the Kings win, Mom was in town and ready for a great night of Karaoke with some new songs.  The bar was full thanks to the Kings fans so we had a lot of new singers for the night and were busy till after midnight.  My first song of the night was 'Love Song' by Adele and next up was 'Invinceable' by Pat Benatar.  Both were songs Mom had never heard me sing before, in addition to my new song of the night by Patsy Cline.  I sang 'I Fall to Pieces' which is Mom's favorite Patsy Cline song and I was definitely nervous to sing it, but made it my own.  I had some friends in as well and even though we didn't have a theme, we all had a good night.  Neil sang some Bruce Springsteen and we also sang 'Like We Never Loved At All' by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.  Since it had finally died down at the end I decided to sing a traditional Chrsitmas song, 'Mary Did You Know' since that's another favorite song of my Mom's.  Only seven more months till it's Christmas time ;)  Mom made it through the whole night thanks to Aimee and our Gummi Bear shots!

Two weeks ago was a little bit quieter so everyone was able to sing a bunch of songs.  I opened with Adele's 'Rolling In The Deep' since it had been awhile since I sang that.  Next up was 'Time After Time' by Cyndi Lauper and then my new song of the night was 'Iris' by Goo Goo Dolls.  I love the song but there's a really long musical break and if I'm getting bored during the break, I know everyone else is too.  There are certain Karaoke songs that cut the breaks or solos short, and I appreciate that, because if you've got a singer who wants to sing 'Patience' by Gun's & Roses he or she better be really good, or the audience and I are very thankful for that shorter version.  I did a couple more new songs since we discovered playing the songs off of YouTube though I was told should only be reserved for special occasions but luckily had a few friends in that night that took full opportunity of some new music.  I can't remember the last time I heard 'Monster' by Rihanna and Eminem but Neil wanted to sing it, so I'm happy I was able to find that first note and sing that song well...whew!  Next up, Neil and I tried 'Just A Fool' by Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton.  The good thing about Karaoke equipment is the ability to lower or raise the key in the song, and on YouTube, you can't do that, so a song that was high for both of us, was more of a challenge, but we gave it our best shot.  I knew I had to prep some Patsy Cline since my Mom was coming to town the following week so I did 'Crazy' and then McCracken and I closed out with 'Another Day' from Rent.

Next week will be my first night back to Karaoke in two months since I was cast as the Wicked Witch and had to hone my cackle for the show, as well as my scary witches voice.  I'm looking forward to singing some of my favorite higher-note songs and my throat, vocal cords, and voice will certainly thank me for this break for a long time :)