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| All photos by Sabrina Persico |
And for once in my life, words fail me.
The whole experience?
Wow.
The cast?
Double-wow.
My fears before the show?
I threw up in my purse.
My exhilaration afterwards?
Joe is one happy man. And I am one AWESOME wife.
Here are a few highlights as I remember them through the thick fog of "Did that really just happen?"
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| With NBC cameras rolling, I felt like a Real Housewife of Chicago. Cast member Nadine Warner was fantastic, providing comic relief and tons of laughs (with a little extra help from Bailey's in the old coffee mug. Thanks, Dad) |
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| Show Day Walk-Throughs. The microphone proved troublesome due to the ten inch difference in height between the tallest (guess who?) and smallest of speakers |
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| Backstage as we prepare to go on. Take note of my death grip on that Bailey's....er....coffee cup. Aw sh*t. Who am I fooling? |
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| YOU WANT US TO GO WHERE??? |
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| You can't make me. |
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| Oh, fine. |
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| Producers to rest of cast: "NOBODY gives Marianne liquor or coffee after 10 AM...y'hear? She's practically GIZMO." |
The NBC segment recorded in Chicago is available HERE and highlights national director, Ann Imig, along with various members of the Chicago cast. The Saturday morning Today Show is also slated to show the piece. Ann was interviewed at our production, and we're all secretly hoping to be discovered as the next Katie Couric.
Think of how much Bailey's that would take.
For those interested, videos of the assorted productions will be made available on YouTube this summer. I also hope to post the text from my actual reading next week.
The name of my piece, you ask?
The Gift of the Peni.
Yeah. Now you understand all the Bailey's.
to be continued.....
Congratulations, Marianne! So thrilled for you! And you *totally* are the next Katie Couric (you know, if Katie was 8 feet tall and hid her Bailey's, er, STARBUCKS, addiction for the world).
ReplyDeleteSeriously, you rock.
xxo
MOV
Thank you, MOV! And look out, Katie!
Delete"She's practically GIZMO."
ReplyDeletehaha!! HOWLING over here.
You did so well. Truly. xoxo
Sorry I circumvented the system. Desperate times, you see. And thank you for doing this. All of it.
DeleteTHANK YOU.
katie's got nothing on you. I believe you can do it Marianne. A little bit of your dream is being realized every day so keep believing and visualize the goal. I'm very proud of you. Well done.
ReplyDeleteYou done made me cry, Mis Anthropy! Thank you so much and it's funny - I never really had big dreams because I'm a content sorta person. But NOW? Gimme BROADWAY.
DeleteAnd whiskey shots.
Love you!!
You look adorable in your polka dot dress and cardi, Mar! I hope you didn't throw up in a good purse???
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you were wonderful- looking forward to hearing more.
Thank you, Tina!! I felt so retro and LOVED life in that dress. I may just where it everywhere. The purse survived (whew, it was a good one from Kohl's!).
DeleteDo you know what I learned from this post? MARIANNE DOES NOT LIKE TO SHARE HER BAILEY"S.
ReplyDeleteJust kidding. If I had had any alcohol or coffee, I probably would have peed myself on stage.
You never fail to make me smile, my friend.
I totally failed "sharing with others" in preschool. Next time, I promise!!
DeleteAnd thank you!
What an incredible thrill! So proud of you (with or without your paper cup of goodness)
ReplyDeletePromise me, Andrea. PROMISE ME!
DeleteI love this point of view.
ReplyDeleteAnd you can see my neon yellow sweater in the audience.
You can tell Katie that it was my yellow sweater that kept you together for your performance.
Or that I was your focal point.
YES!
You were amazing, I am amazed that we know each other and you are my friend.
Because I have never had a famous friend.
I think I am gonna like this.
Proud of you and so proud to know you.
You were TOTALLY my focal point and I completely fed off your contagious smile and wonderful personality.
DeleteYou'll be accompanying me to all future public speaking engagements. I'll cover your babysitter. And bar bill.
THANK YOU, Kari, for being the absolute best!
I am 67 years old. I've been around a while and in that time I have met, come to know, or just secretly admired some amazing women. Sometimes I have told them so - how incredible they are or how impressed I am by them. But most of the time, I say nothing - I just watch, observe, and bathe in the privilege of their presence.
ReplyDeleteYou are at the top of that list, now. I feel so privileged to have met you and your family - your husband and your three remarkable sons. I feel so humbled by what I know to be a truly remarkable woman.
You are amazing.
Oh my goodness Lou, I think I love you. Thank you so much for those amazing words, you have no idea how you've touched me.
DeleteAnd let me know when I can drop off the kids. I won't hold it against you if you change your mind.
Thank you thank thank you thank you.
xoxo Walshie
Your comedic timing was impeccable.
ReplyDeleteThank you! My husband always tell me I have the worst timing (I call him in the middle of fires, when he's about to go into the doctor, or when he's dozing off). At least I can finally say my timing doesn't ALWAYS suck! Yay!!
DeleteDear Marianne,
DeleteYour first official title was Buddha. Then you achieved acclaim as a competing pianist and were retitled "Humble Harriet". This past weekend's performance has put me at a lost for the new appropriate title that is so deserving. Although right now the famous quote of the two British comedians Laurel & Hardy are running through my thought processes "another fine mess you gotten us into". Nevertheless, in the words of the National Hockey League playoff fans everywhere, you have scored a "Hockey Hat Trick". It doesn't get any better than that. You were Fabulous.
SF
AW...thank you!! You are the best driver/provider of Bailey's/coffee delivery person EVER!! And you're not half-bad as a dad, either. xoxo Mar
DeleteGive me the skinny. What did you say other than look adoreable in polk-a-dot and pink? I loved your dimples and it sounded like "I was goning to be . . . ." evem with my hearing aids. Did you share one of your Epic Mom or Chicago Parent stories? What did you learn from the other women? I will have to listen to NBC, but may not have time to do so.
ReplyDelete"Dainty!" I was going to be dainty! Full text to come shortly. And I LOVED your promotional "Coming in June" rap video - adorable! I couldn't figure out how to comment on the YouTube because I'm daft, but LOVE IT!
DeleteWe love how you ate up the audience's responses. You did fabulously, Marianne.
ReplyDeleteShucks, thanks, Tracey! The second I got that first laugh, I could actually breathe. What a thrill and thank you again for ALL your hard work! I don't know how you & Melissa do it!
DeleteThe English teacher in me fails again. That's right--"ADORABLE" is how to spell you, Marianne.
ReplyDeleteThanks for mentioning my YouTube videos coming in June. Students I sub for think I am a celeb like ADORABLE YOU now because I have a YouTube channel.
Looking forward to your speech and you didn't mention that you were nervous at all!!
I was a wreck! But so fun!
DeleteI am seriously counting down to your big unveiling - you will be a STAR!!
Oh, sheesh, I could never have gotten up on that stage and spoke! Well done, you! You are a brave, brave woman.
ReplyDeleteAnd completely adorable! You looked so cute and pretty :) I love your hair and your dress.
Thank you, Kianwi!! Brave or crazy? I'll let you decide. ;)
DeleteThat is sooooo awesome Marianne! Proud of you and I can't wait to see the YouTube videos!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kat!!
Deletelooks like a wonderful, though vomit-inducing event! And you look fabulous. Congrats on this super recognition!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous event! And you look beautiful. Congrats on this recognition!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mare!!
Delete