Adventures In Little Rock: Vol. 5

We ain't in Kansas, Toto... but you'd think we were with all the crazy weather around here!!

As mentioned in a previous post, they test the tornado sirens every Wednesday at noon. (Which leaves me to wonder... what happens if there is ever an actual tornado at noon on a Wednesday?)
On several occasions now, we've heard those sirens going off at night as we hunker down in whatever building we happen to be in while storms rage outside.

And on at least one occasion, I've wanted to run out there and yell,
"Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!
You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout
Till you have drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks!"
If nothing else, because it's just so perfectly and beautifully dramatic!!

I've decided that I don't mind the weather in Little Rock. I was warned that Mother Nature is bipolar here; and that it can be 90 degrees and sunny one day, frigid and raining the next. That was no lie.

We've had no less than three 'hallway parties' as the residents take refuge during tornado warnings - and have also held an entire audience hostage through a 45-minute intermission. (They've been our best audience to date, in my opinion.) Last night, as I watched three tornado trackers whip through Arkansas, I opted to make crepes. I mean, who ever heard of a cast dying in a tornado while eating crepes? Even if we did perish... I figured the media would have a great story!

I've also decided that the weather suits my fickle nature and makes every day an adventure. Seeing the real-life, close-up damage it can cause still makes me nervous, but I do not miss the hot, stagnant, stifling air of my own hometown when compared to the tranquil breezes of a warm day in Little Rock.
It also reaffirms my belief that I need to relocate somewhere closer to water. I'm a desert rat and don't do well in the snow for long periods of time, but there are plenty of tropical climes that are still accessible. I find myself counting the days 'til the kids are done with High School... ready to set down new roots and travel back to the old ones in between whatever gigs I can land. It's scary... but again, every day is an adventure... and I'm pretty sure I thrive on that kind of existence.

Tomorrow, I will head over to the post office to pick up boxes to ship stuff back home.
I am going to miss this show and this cast, so I don't really want to think about leaving yet... but the reality is that I will only be here for 13 more days... and it is going by very quickly now.

The theatre suffered some damage last night as a result of the storm. Three or four huge glass panels were vacuumed right into the street (blown OUT, not in) and I imagine there was probably water and debris damage, though hopefully only minor. The theatre is being renovated in a couple of months... but it appears that Mama Nature wanted to start early.

And on that note, I need to get my laundry done and prep for tonight's show... in the meantime, I leave you with this poor quality video as a peek into what we do when we're not performing. (We hang in Lillian's room and watch the storms.)