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Femme Fatale in The Big Apple
By SPECIAL TO THE FREE PRESS, Denise shared her New York Trip via this Diary


Snow can't keep Jazzabel down

Toronto Sunday Feb. 12

It's travel day! Look out New York. Here we come. Well maybe not yet.

Upon arrival at London airport, we are informed that flights out of Toronto to New York are being cancelled due to a snowstorm hitting the East coast. Off to Toronto anyway, in hopes of the weather clearing and a later flight. got through immigration easily, everyone in good spirits. It's all happening...but not today.

Determined we all tucked into a motel to go standby early morning and just before falling asleep, we received a call from the N.Y. pianist that he he gone tobogganing with his kids and had fractured his wrist! #@%&.

He promises to hire a replacement. That's all the excitement we can take today.

New York, Monday Feb. 13

It's travel day! Look out New York! Hotel , food, off to the theatre. a very long day and a rehearsal with the band in the evening. the new pianist is great! 11 pm bedtime? Not in your life! Off to the famous Jazz Club Birdland. the evening was fantastic, imagining what it was like in the 30s and 40s when the jazz legends were performing. and I sang there, too! Route 66. It was awesome and they have invited me to sing next week.

I managed to tell the audience about Jazzabel and Jacquie Gauthier handed out our cards. There was alot of interest.

the theatre we are performing in is called Urban Stages. It is a charming intimate space just off Broadway (not far from Macey's for those who like to shop, but I wouldn't know about that).

New York, Tuesday Feb. 14

Quick breakfast (must ask for more per diem). Off to theatre for hair trim and a quick change rehearsal. Next, a full run with tech. Opening night is Wednesday! more later

Femme Fatale ready for N.Y. opening, Fri, February 17, 2006

London theatre group Femme Fatale's one-woman play, Jazzabel, debuted last night in New York City. Star Denise Pelley details the troupe's adventures here.

New York: Wednesday
It's preview day here in New York. We're up for a 7:20 a.m. breakfast, except that we only have a small attendance at our table, due to the fabulous NYC night life. (No names mentioned, but obviously I'm not one of them.)

At 9:30 a.m., we're off to the theatre for full dress rehearsal.

All goes well and a New York photographer took production shots during the run. At the end of the session, she took a group shot of the full cast and crew.

No butterflies yet, but that might change as we get closer to tonight's first audience in New York.

POST SHOW:

It was great.

The audience was wonderful and there was excellent feedback after.

Late dinner with the company, but off to bed early . . . I don't know where the "night crawlers" ended up. I'll keep my stamina for the show.

Yesterday

Today is the opening. It's morning and I can't believe The Day is finally here.

It's opening night in New York City.

The phrase "It takes a village . . ." certainly applies to Jazzabel. There are so many people who are as excited as I am and who have supported and helped me on this awesome journey. That includes the talented support group headed by Louise Fagan and Jacquie Gauthier, musical director Jeff Christmas, the designers and stage crew.

Tonight, the audience is sold out and I'm thrilled that family and friends will be there to share the evening, including Doug Hamilton, Lynn Davis-Campbell, Gail Stoddart, Cynthia O'Neill and Paul Panabaker.

Today's goal is to conserve my energy.

Closing night calls for a party, Tue, February 21, 2006

Sunday: Closing night

Dear Diary: It's my birthday! I can't think of a more exciting way to spend it than in New York City doing Jazzabel.

The week has gone by so quickly.

The opening on Thursday was sold out and there were many friends in attendance. We had a reception afterward at the theatre, then went on to a club called Seven for cocktails with many of the crew and audience. Would have loved to party all night, but the vocal cords needed rest.

I did hear of the escapades of a few of our party, who got in at 5:30 a.m. after spending the night in a club in Greenwich Village. Apparently, there's a pianist and singing wait staff and everyone sings along to Broadway tunes.

During the day, I've been happy to spend time with visitors who came to see me, including my sister, Cathy.

Tonight, Louise Fagan, Jazzabel's director and producer, gave all the women in our company tiaras as closing night gifts, so we're all piling into cabs and heading to Times Square to have our picture taken.

Tonight, I party!

I've decided to stay over in New York for one more week.

Tomorrow night, I'll sing again at the Birdland jazz club, as I did a week ago.

The rest of the week will be spent making connections and checking out the scene. I'm going to have a jam session with a jazz pianist and will go to see The Color Purple on Broadway. That will make my stay even more special.

This has been all I've dreamed of and more.

---

Back to London and reality...for now, Thurs, Feb 22

Dear Diary: I am so glad I stayed this extra week.   So much has happened that I will try to tell it all, but the memories will stay with me a lifetime. On Monday, Jacquie Gautier and I walked through part of Central Park and cabbed it to Harlem to see the setting of our play   "Jazzabel". My mom and aunt suggested we go to Sylvia's  Restaurant for Soul Food. Barbequed ribs, collard greens, mac and cheese and corn bread turned out to be, not only good for the soul, but the hips as well! Worth it!

The two characters I play in "Jazzabel" both enter a contest at The Apollo Theatre in Harlem, so we went to see if we could get inside. It is closed for visitors but coincidentally,   it was open for the Wednesday Amateur Night sign up. We explained to the security guard who we were and what it would  mean to us to see the inside.
He let us in and even let us get up on stage!   That was OVERWHELMING! I was very moved.   On the stage is the Tree of Hope, a tree stump that has been a part of the Apollo since the 1930's.  It is good luck for performers  to rub the tree before going on stage to sing. That day has been a highlight of my trip. Back to Birdland on Monday night.

Tuesday February 21 was my mom's birthday so I called and sang "Happy Birthday"  to her and  then went to a jamming session with Jazz Pianist Marc Purcelli. That was great fun and you just never know what may come out of it.

Wednesday February 22 was another busy day and managed to get tickets   to a matinee of "The Color Purple". The production has outstanding music and choreography and a cast of talented performers. I bought the cast recording to savour every moment again and again. 

While I was busy looking after the things I have talked about, the rest of the company. were busy setting up and getting ready for the second part of our festival. 'The Shimmering Verge'   with Molly Peacock and 'Nona' with Victoria Roberts. These two pieces opened Wednesday night so there was another opening and another party to attend. This is the life! The opening was sold out and at the reception I met lots of interesting new people. Then it was back to the hotel to pack. Somehow my suitcase seems a little smaller.

As I reflect on the time I have spent in New York City , I can't help but smile.  It has all been so wonderful and want now to mention those who were here supporting me in the company as I watched them work hard with dedication, commitment and smiles: 
Louise Fagan, Director/Producer, Jacquie Gauthier, Writer/Producer, Jeff Christmas, Musical Director
Bonnie Deakin, Costume Designer/Wardrobe Mistress, Nicole Tushingham, Stage Manager, Darryl Crichton, Technical Director

So Dear Diary, good bye for now.