“THE TEXAS TOUR PART II – Dallas, TX”
Everybody piles in the big van at 8:00 AM to drive the three and a half hours to Dallas. It really is a pretty drive, with lots of wildlife and scenery. It looks nothing like my half of the state, where all space is taken up by either oil buildings, oil wells, or dirt that covers oil.
In a bit of odd trivia, one year ago this weekend, my improv comedy group (The Venue) performed in Dallas, and stayed in the exact same hotel we’re staying in. I didn’t even realize that until we pulled in. Strange stuff.
John and Kev went golfing while George watched. Scott hit the gym, while Jeff met friends for lunch. Fred checked out the Apple store, which is about like putting a kid in a room full of sugar, toys, and video games, and saying, “Enjoy!” That left me with plenty of time for a much-needed nap. So I walked around the area instead.
Time for Fred and I to hit the theater, but there’s a major problem. Jeff took the keys one rental car to lunch with his friends. The other rental car was either with Kevin and John at the golf course or with Scott at the gym. I call Jeff, and he says the restaurant is within walking distance. But here’s my family to save the day! My mom and sister had just pulled in to the hotel, so I hijacked their car to go pick up the keys to the rental car from Jeff. A few minutes later, Fred and I are at the Lakewood Theater. A few minutes after that, I’m driving back to the hotel to get some sound equipment that Fred forgot.
Speaking of the Lakewood, it’s an interesting place. The décor is what I would call “Rocky Horror Picture Show” meets “Dawn of the Dead.” Just an eerie 70s feel to the place.
The guys absolutely rocked. It was a smaller crowd, but many times, that can be even better. My mom, sister, friend, and girlfriend were all in the audience, so it was kind of a special night for me as well. The guys did multiple encores, including the most interesting interpretation of “Tempted” I think I’ve ever seen. The night almost ended on a really bad note, though. What the audience couldn’t see was that the back of the stage dropped off about 6-10 feet into this pit where assorted equipment was kept. At the end of the show, George accidentally stepped off the back of the stage, and fell straight to the ground. Somehow, the onstage table was affected by all of this, spilling water all over Jeff’s jacket. However, George wasn’t seriously hurt, just a little shaken.
Post-show, I went with my girlfriend/friend/family to Denny’s, while Jeff went out with friends, and Kevin, John, and George got Denny’s to go.
Tomorrow – fly to Houston.
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