It's the End of an Era!

I'm going on tour, y'all!

In the Heights, for which I worked as a rehearsal pianist when it was on Broadway, is embarking on the 2011-2012 national tour in about a month.  I'm going as the 2nd keyboard/associate conductor.  Very excited to be playing this music again, and to play with the band.

Fans of the show will know I stole the title of this post from the character Sonny.  Why do I talk about endings when I'm about to start on a new adventure?  Because beginnings and endings go together, duh...

I went next door to Nat's the other night for a glass of wine.  I used our "secret" passageway across the rooftop from my building to hers.  When I say, "be there in a minute", I mean it literally.  We catsit for each other; I once picked up Nat's bike from the repair shop.  Well, Nat is probably going to be moving out of the neighborhood sometime in the next few months.  I relish our little impromptu visits all the more because they may not be feasible when I get back.  

And of course the gig-goodbyes: letting my fall gigs know I won't be back this year, playing my last lobby lunchtime, trying not to lose it when my awesome 12-year-old piano student got tearful at the news that I'm abandoning her for the troubadour lifestyle.  I don't know what is on the other side of the next few months.  In the meantime, I get to play an awesome show, meet a lot of new people, and see a lot of new places.  Which all sounds pretty badass to me.

(P.S. I'm gonna take a little hiatus the next few weeks - but stay tuned for info on the tour - come see it when we come to a theater near you!)