David and I fly to Las Vegas this Friday morning to cast for the Toronto production. We will spend just one day casting in Sin City (Saturday); then, on Sunday we fly to L.A. for three more days of casting starting Monday. These auditions are specifically for the principal roles of Baby, Johnny, and Penny (and their understudies). It should be an interesting casting trip, if maybe on the intense-side as we will try to see as many people as possible in a relatively short period of time.
I have never been to Las Vegas or L.A., neither has David. In fact, since moving to the US, David has seen more of Canada, perhaps, than of the US. In Canada, he's been to Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal for at least a few days in each city; in the US, outside of NYC where we live, he's been to a tiny Vermont town, to a wedding on Long Island, and has accompanied me to my Fifth Reunion at Princeton (New Jersey)... not exactly an in depth exploration of the US or even the East Coast (although he absolutely loves Vermont).
David is excited about his first adventure to the West Coast.
Being a total non-gambler, I've never had a real desire to go to Vegas -- I don't even like to gamble on a new sandwich at a familiar lunch source if I already have my well-established favorite there. My impressions of Vegas derive from movies such as The Cooler (love it) and Showgirls (...) -- impressions toward the desperate and depressing. (David, by the way, explains that he bases his impressions on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which I don't know is a good or a bad thing.) As most young people, I have entertained the fun-possibility of going to Vegas for a weekend party with friends, but have never done so. In the end, it always ultimately seemed better to stay in New York if I were home and party in this city of bright lights -- where I know where to go and what I like -- as opposed to the one out in Nevada.
But then, I was never a gambler.
I would like to think that being a non-gambler doesn't mean I am not curious to try new things -- I do, and am willing, I might just take a bit more time to reflect and contemplate on the new endeavor than most. I like to be informed in an instance where I am opting to do A when I might have done B -- weighing the scenario. Being this sort of a person, traveling for work gives me a great opportunity to be my "non-gambler"-self and yet comfortably go to places I might have hesitated to go to or may not have gone at all. It will be great to see Las Vegas without having to ask myself, "Is this the best way to spend my weekend?" -- I will be there for work, and it will be great to have a glimpse of it. And should I go out to a fun club while there, the experience becomes only a plus -- much better than feeling any kind of pressure that being in Vegas means I must have at least one crazy story to tell when I return home.
Perhaps I am slightly neurotic about travel. But I think I get better as I do so.
It will, in any case, be an intriguing trip to Las Vegas -- I, a non-gambler, had not anticipated my first trip to Las Vegas would be (1) for work and (2) with my husband (I mean... as one of my colleagues... most people our age go there single-and-to-debauch or to get hitched, don't they?). What kind of performers will we see? Will they be noticeably different from those in NYC or elsewhere we've cast?
I hope we find a fun restaurant and club to go to...
TM
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