A Quite Fitting Day

Remember how I said I look the wrong way when crossing the road? Well it happened again. Found myself running across the street to dodge a car coming in the opposite direction. I was with my new cast mate, Chris, who couldn't help but chuckle at me as he ran with me. We were just finishing picking up some lunch squeezed into our long day of wardrobe fitting. I came up with that..."wardrobe." They called it a costume fitting, but costumes are actually meant to be worn when you are portraying a character and we aren't doing that. We are portraying ourselves. Besides these clothes are nice modern suits and don't resemble anything costume-y and hence the word "wardrobe." Well what ever it is called it was a long day. A lot of standing, a lot of changing but along with laughter and meeting people  in the production company as well in other casts.

The street looked a lot different in the morning than it did last night when I arrived. Maybe it was because I was half asleep. I do love the charm of England, or Europe in general. I can't quite explain it but it feels different walking around here than in NewYork or any another American city. The air was brisk as I waited for the car to pick me up. We won't always have someone to pick us up. I think because it was my first day and I was going there alone, they'd do me the courtesy. But besides today getting to the studio, which looks more like a doctor's office on the outside rather than a production studio, will be our responsibility. Which is perfectly alright because Chris has a car. Lovely!

Besides the costume...eh em...wardrobe fitting....the day was later filled with hanging around as Chris and I met Laura and waited for Rachel and Michelle who had went to London for the day. They are the  female singers and they had off for the day. Don't worry Chris and I, have off tomorrow. Once the girls returned we out for a wonderful Italian dinner for Rachel's 31st Birthday. I guess this would be the time to tell you that I'm the youngest in the cast. The ages range from 25 - 45. WOW! I feel quite young. And for some reason...even though I'm the leadership type by far, in large groups I tend to act or behave like a younger brother. I think it's because I'm the oldest in my family and so I never really go to experience that feeling of being a younger sibling. So now...I'm REALLY feeling it.

The dinner was just great. It was the first time all the singers got to sit down and talk. Rachel is from England but now lives in Germany. Laura is from Australia but has resided in London for 2 years. Chris is from England and lives in the Manchester area and Michelle is from the States...Minnesota I believe. People live such interesting lives. And you never know where yours is going to take you. The fact that we were all sitting around a table together...we would have probably never have guessed. Just like we never were able to guess where our waiter was from. We couldn't pin point his accent. We all had a go at a guess....Czech, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Ukraine....but it was right under our noses. He was from Poland.  I mean I'd have no idea...but when you live in a country close to some many others I'm sure that accents are something you come by often. I mean New York has them all now doesn't she?

In one way or another this is a new experience for all of us. Chris has worked for Belinda King Productions before but not on this ship. Rachel the same. Michelle has worked for this Cruise line before but not for Belinda King. I am completely new to the cruise line and the production company but I have experience on ships. Laura has never done a cruise line, nor anything with this company. So as we head into new territory we have agreed to hold everyones hand. It's exciting. We are all a bit antsy though as we would like to get to rehearsing. Supposedly things move mighty quickly here.

Here goes nothing!

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. I look snazzy in my wardrobe.