Recap: Good Morning, From Here, July 20 – 26
Monday
For nearly five years, I have been saying the same thing, “That was her best concert YET!” after every performance in Puerto Vallarta, and the consensus is the same. Nobody argues and says, no, no, last week at The Palm was better because…blah, blah, blah.
However, that may change in a year, and the fan conversation might go something like this…
“Wow! That was the best Effie has ever been!”
“Clearly, you did not attend the Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, or Carnegie Hall last year with Branden and James.”
That’s where our Francesca Bavaro is destined, this October in NYC and the other two venues next year with Postmodern Jukebox. And then she comes home, plays piano, and sings for us for tips in La Catrina Cantina, swearing that’s where she is happiest.
That’s where we are the happiest, at whatever venue can squeeze her into a guaranteed sellout. We have watched her grow, listened to her outrageous stories with calamitous lovers here and around the world and loved the songs that leap out of those heartbreaks from being simply happy to fu**ed in a forest, and the devil is a Mexican.
Thoroughly buoyant, Rob Burton, Jan Dorland, and I left La CC for Act2 to catch a bit of Open Mic. We watched Cherry DeLorenzo reprise a duet with David Maiocco singing and accompanying on piano, and the beautiful Cate Valcic giving us a preview from her upcoming show this Thursday, ‘Guys and Doll,’ starring this duo plus David Sabella.
I again attended the Voice Workshop in Mary Ann’s Ovations Bar on Saturday morning at Act2PV. It kept me spellbound (again!) for three hours. Student participation is limited to ten singers, but anyone can go, listen, and learn an enormous amount of information for only 400 pesos, that will benefit them enormously. David Sabella leads this innovative, fun workshop that has taught me the importance of posture, breathing, and muscle control; it has become my favorite “show” of the week.
This last Saturday, Sabella insisted that each singer pay acute attention to the lyrics and applied the Who, What, Where, When, and Why of journalism, and dove into the atmosphere of Cabaret where each person in the audience connects with the singer onstage. The difference after this particular lesson left a couple of singers unable to continue; the emotions were so overwhelming. All of us in our small audience were impacted by this intimacy. As singer Yoalli Guerrero said to me after the master class, David Sabella should offer Kleenex on every table. Happily, I always carry some and can share! I can’t wait for the weekend!
Bingo followed a few hours later, and Sharon and I won nothing! It was a shock but fun!
Yesterday was Sunday, and I spent it bent over my sewing machine, ironing board, and work table in my studio, chopping up a chiffon ball gown and remaking it into a lightweight jacket. It has been years since I made a jacket and never out of a dress. I screwed up so many times, sewing badly and cutting stuff I should not have, but it was a good workout for my brain, and I might even be able to wear this thing, From Here!
Tuesday
Pizza is an excellent way to kick-start the week, so Georgia Darehshori and I met at the Vallarta Factory to share one of those, along with mango smoothies. Most of our chatter centered around The Arts in town and what will happen at her spectacular villa, Casa Karma, this summer. (Check Vallartacalendar.com daily for more information and/or changes.)
This coming Sunday, vocalist Will Walker will be accompanied by Maestro Bing Young on the piano. If memory serves, I first heard Will in the auditions for last year’s RISE Talent contest at Nacho Daddy. He was impressive then, so I’ll see you this Sunday. Showtime is 7 pm. Parking at Casa Karma is almost impossible, so plan to use Uber or a taxi there and back.
Tomorrow night’s Greatest Show at Act2, is all rock and roll (woo-hoo!), and I know Yoalli Guerrero, costar of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and lead singer of The Lovers, will be onstage, so be there, From Here.
Wednesday
It’s Scrabble day! 12:30 at Qulture if you can join us for this fun-filled, brain-stoking, full-contact sport. Well, two out of three…
I had another first for the year yesterday with my dear Sandra Bradley; you can read her metaphysical writings weekly in Vallarta Mirror. We went to Vallarta Factory for our usual two-hour chit-chat over smoothies. Ugh! No mangos, so we settled on strawberries. Nice, but it’s like drinking a glass of 2% when you have your mouth ready for a double chocolate malted milkshake.
Clearly, we had not reached our overload of carbs, so we walked over to Seasons PV for poutine and to say hi to Edgar Sanchez. We spent another two hours rejoicing in our company with so much laughter and love.
We walked back to my house, Sandra met Bogie, and we decided, after five full lovely hours together, against going to Lix for further carbohydration!!! Do not try that in Scrabble, From Here!
Thursday
Whoa! Christmas is five months today! We will be bundled in sweaters and complaining about the chill in the air. Remember our summer months then with affection if you can!
Anyone watching Sharon Gerber Scherer and I play Scrabble together would think we really didn’t like each other much. Each game is such a fight to the finish, with the board getting so tight from the beginning that it’s almost impossible to move by the end. We love Scrabble!
The Greatest Show at Act2 last night was wildly different, with a rock and roll lean – Heart was celebrated (why do we not have a tribute show to the Wilson sisters?) with Dabit playing Barracuda on his accordion with partner Alejandra knocking the high notes out of the Casa Karma Red Room. Gloria Fiona, accompanied by Maestro David Maiocco on piano, also aced Ann Wilson in Alone.
Alberto Ponce got the audience going with a resounding La Bamba, Yutzil was gorgeous, Montse, cute as can be, Cate rocked sparkly boots, Tonny K, adorable, as always, as were Act2 alumni Gaby Heart and Ximena Peña.
A spontaneous standing ovation followed Yoalli Guerrero’s solo and first appearance onstage in the Red Room. With every song, this young Vallartense brings her heart and soul onto the stage. The audience responded as one at once. The Two Davids will work magic and will present Yoalli in her own show next week. Stay tuned here for details.
Tonight, Guys and Doll at Act2 starring David Sabella, Cate Valcic with David Maiocco on piano. See you there, 7 pm, From Here.
Friday
Another weekend awaits just around the corner. Are we staying at home being quiet? Hell, no! First thing tomorrow, right after a visit to my Herbalist Ricardo Mazcal at his Weekend Artisan market on the Isla Cuale, I will attend #4 Voice Workshop at Act2, led by Maestro David Sabella. Then, I am going to one of the last performances of “La Scuola di Mangiare” on the Isla Cuale. The curtain is at 7:30; I will have a full report Monday morning. Many thanks to Alberto Sosa, who is, incidentally, teaching free acting workshops all summer long on the Isla, for the invitation to this comedy.
Last night was delightful at the Casa Karma Red Room with snippets from a few favorite Broadway musicals, including Chicago and Mack and Mabel, sung by Cate Valcic (the Doll) and Davids Sabella and Maiocco, who also accompanied on piano (The Guys). These three are so busy with the day-to-day business of running a theatre and planning an upcoming season, that they literally threw this show together in a couple of hours. The timing was seamless, the acting terrific (and funny), and the songs sung to a rapt audience. The combination of years of experience onstage and behind the piano and the absolute trust and love these three have for one another is a marvel to witness.
See everyone in class tomorrow at 11 am, sharp, From Here.
