Thunder Down Under! A.K.A. My life is weird but I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Several months ago my roomie Matt mentioned that I had just missed out on seeing an all Australian male review. I joked that I would have really liked to know that they had been in town. Matt came back to me a month ago with contact info for a company I needed to register with in order to be and overhire to run follow spot for their show. I was overly excited about this show and the chance to watch the show and get paid to do so! The week before I found out that I was going to do curtain work instead, I was torn on how I felt on this because I actually wanted to be able to see the show but then I would be back stage and well... that sounded like fun too! Then Matt told me that it was no ordinary curtain gig, no hauling line, the curtain motor was broken and I would be dragging the back curtain back and forth to reveal the white projection sheet. My anxiety was insane! i had no clue how this was going to happen, we had no rehearsal, and I wasn't completely sure how this was going to work.
At the same time I was winding up with this I was cut back to part time the friday before the show. I was being treated like shit there and came to the conclusion that I was officially done working in the Vet field.
As the week progressed Thunder became more and more of the carrot dangling at the end of the week.
Thursday finally arrived and I gleefully left the vet to head to the casino so I could change and redo my hair and caffeinate up! Matt handed me a free buffet coupon so i could grab lunch I was so full of excitement I couldn't sit still! I found a corner to camp out in back stage and passed the several hours until showtime.
The first show we could barely hear the director and he kept changing up what he wanted to do in the middle of stuff, it was frustrating and I felt so dumb. The highlight was that I never knew what I was going to pop around the curtain to, there was a pirate scene and I came around to suddenly being at sword point. The same person constantly waggled is eyebrows and ass at me. had no clue what his name was and I was more focused on not getting slammed into, tripping, and hearing my cues. The stage manager asked me to help with extra things and asked me to have the stage cleaned because it was so sticky that the guys couldn't complete their spins. Unlike the other over hires heading out right as their job finished i stayed until the very end of my shift helping anywhere I can.
Friday morning I was laid off. I think i shocked everyone at work with how ok I was about it. Considering how thursday morning I had been chewed out because I didn't know what I didn't know. I only stayed because I needed the money.
I killed time next to the mall then finally went into the Casino. Chatted with Mike one of the casino's stage techs and vented on how my day went. Ended up just relaxing and listening to "pump you up" type music. I walked up on stage and checked the surface, there was still a little stickiness so i asked housekeeping to hit it one more time with a wet mop. Grabbed dinner with Mike and Jeremy(stage techs) and Lena (another friend of matt, overhire) and talked about kink and the guys in the show and how they apparently slept with all of the waitresses last time.
The house opens and we didn't have the video to put up the screen as the pre show entertainment. We fretted that the guys may be late too. Finally they all showed up and I was sketching in the dim back stage to try and keep me focused. Several of the cast wanted to peek at what I was doodling. We jumped into the first show of the night, several video pieces had been scrapped so I had much less to do. I managed to sweep out my part of the curtain so I could grab several of the helmets from the "Sydney Fire Department" part of the show and got complimented on that choice over the head sets. I was still pretty much ignored by most of the guys except for one who just OOZED charisma. I couldn't help but giggle and watch him, what can i say I enjoyed my private show.
Ugh I missed a cue in the second show so only half the curtain got pulled and I had to dart out and grab my half. I honestly had not heard my cue. I kicked myself for the rest of the night.
The thursday night girls were far less drunk and a breeze to herd out off the stage after they got pictures with the boys. The Friday night girls were horrible, dumb, drunk bitches. Had to grab security to help me because it was awful. One asked me how I didn't just grope the guys all the time... "Because they are human beings" "Well I have some australian friends..." I cut her off looked her dead in the eyes "Because THEY are HUMAN beings. Now move along"
Lena the other overhire mentions to me that she is surprised by me because I actually seem to care, most over hire people come, do nothing but their assigned job, don't try to help anywhere else, then go home as soon as their assigned job is done. I not only come early but I found extra things to do like tape down the cords that tripped the guys but when we only had masking tape that didn't stick for shit i talked to housekeeping and got black duct tape to tape what I can to safe surfaces. I stuck around and directed foot traffic after the shows. I damn near baked brownies for the last day of shows because I'm such a den mom! I also honestly want to get positive reviews so I can do this more!
Saturday arrives I have dogs to sit, horses to feed, cats to water... I arrive at the casino exactly on time. the elevators are packed by the time they hit my floor, I'm on the 4th, I end up just saying fuck it and taking the stairs... my steampunk bag strap tears on the way down. I LOVE this bag... I'm bummed but I have to rev myself up for the last two shows. I grab lunch with Lena at the buffet and I keep hearing from almost every department at the casino that i need to work there.
I chill out in my little backstage corner, after delivering comms to the sound booth and turning on the back mike and wrap my wrist with ace bandage, the night before it had started hurting so I just wanted to make sure I didn't make it worse. Apparently everyone now wanted to high five me and they would see the brace at the last second and make it a gentle girly high five. hehe.
Now saturday morning I actually looked at their FB page and saw the video of them at Fox5 from Thursday. This was helpful times two, first I now knew some names other than the director, and i got to see the beginning of the "act" where Daniel, the one guy who had been flirting with me, leads into his solo strip. He does some impressive kick spins, I don't generally put together flexible with body builder.
Before the first show starts Alex wanders over and introduces himself, first off that man has a smile that just lights his face up. I had seen it a little the night before when he asked me to collect a phone number for him... *eye roll* But I did and now I started to take my role as an enabler. Within mins of the first show starting Daniel starts chatting me up, flirting hard, he wants a bartender sent back, I page to see what i can do but the show just started so we were all a bit busy. Then the mikes start going all sort of fucked up. I'm freaking out because I can only do so much from my position and yet the MC looks at me like it all my fault. Mike comes back to switch out mikes for the THIRD time in 10 mins. There is something interfering with the wireless signal and it's bad enough we set up a hard wire mike just incase. I feel like I need a hug at this point because I'm a bit rattled and my head is starting to hurt. I don't miss any cues, thankfully, I just feel really dumb about something that was completely out of my hands. Jeremy called down for Mike to apologize to the MC, but he goes into the dressing room so Mike pushes it off on me. Shortly after doing this and feeling more like an ass, the waitress comes and the boys order taquila.
Once the booze arrives Daniel comes over and jokes that I can't drink any of it and I pout, bat my eyelashes and tell him i actually love tequila... It isn't long before the four shots start stinking up my corner of the stage. He decided that next time I get one too. The show ends and the drinks still haven't been consumed so i hide them off to the side because we have to funnel the girls out my end of the back stage after they get their pictures done.
Seconds before the show starts again I'm asked for more booze and since I had down time between curtain cues I would dart out and do it myself. I get them drinks and the stage manager now decided she is going to partake and I was too. "Your not going to get in trouble are you?"She asks "just so long as you don't tell anyone..."I respond, we both grin big and shoot our tequila. I know I still have more time before the next cue and the stage manager requests fireball... I head back around the stage to the bar, mind you this involves running along on the outside wall of the stage where there is only like a foot and a half of clearance from the slots to the wall and ALL the slow people love to toddle through. I shimmy through and over order shots for everyone, more tequila and many fireball, I get back and giggle with the stage manager, nicole. Drinks arrives, we are about to shoot but I got called to standby... like 4 mins early... During the fake orgasam contest. *eye roll* I come back and two of the fireballs are already gone... but I shoot one with Nichole and mins later I shoot tequila with Daniel. Mind you EVERYONE of them coughed and wheezed after the Patron, I'm feeling like a bit of a bad ass because I didn't even need the lime... Because I am now the bringer of booze and the maker of things happening, most of the guys are now flirting with me. From laser pointers on my tits to waving a mike around like a penis at me, to not giving me any personal space, and so on... It was an interesting change from being completely ignored at the beginning. Ryan was jumping around after his solo in just his g-string and had Nichole and I dieing we were laughing so hard. The back stage show was now a 3 ring circus and I was having the time of my life! Everyone had loosened up and I suddenly felt like I was apart of the group vs a dumb stagehand. Alex came flying back and grabbed a patron, and started coughing so bad he grabbed my giant bottle of water and started chugging it, looked at me and apologized for doing so, I just looked at him bemused and ushered him back on stage.
Lena and i had asked if we could get pics with the boys after the second show and I knew Nichole would make it happen.Nichole was now blaming me for being drunk "Miss I can make things happen!" I was buzzed but far from drunk, I was finally relaxed and giggled a lot! The was all now out of the stage, we closed up the doors and Nichole ran into the dressing room so Lena and I could get pics. The boys crowded around and suddenly I am being groped, poked, and humped, Lena and I are vaguely holding on for dear life! We walk out and Lena and I are giggling and looking at the pictures on our phones and giggling some more. I asked Daniel if he wanted the last shot, the one set aside for me since now I was just lit enough I didn't need anymore. I popped back into the dressing room and hand the drink over. Someone says, "But we didn't get to see you with your shirt off!!" I flash my bra and Brad suddenly jumps on my Leg and starts humping me like a dog. I'm suddenly cornered in front of the door and a couple of the guys are surrounding me. One jokes about the underwear so I flash a corner of the pattern(its a weird purple and white giraffe pattern). "you know what lepard print says right?!" Nope no I didn't. Daniel is next to me playing like he wanted my bra off. I don't think I could honestly get much redder. Nichole shooshes them away and I hop out the door and look at Lena like I just got a peek through the pearly gates... I was a bit beside myself. We are about to head out when Pat the director grabs us and asks to help with load out. It's now midnight and Lena and I will be making another hour of work. The stage manager comes out hugs me and hands me a twenty, "we'll see you next time right?" "God I hope so!"
We waited around for the guys to pack up, their clothing stank of 5 shows of sweat, axe, and mildew. Alex had his hair straightner which he shyly put behind his back, pretty much the moment I started crushing on the young fabio look a like. Lena had shown a bit of envy,"God they really love you!" So i flagged over Alex, who I knew she was digging. I pulled him in close and whispered that she really thought he was cute and that he should give her a kiss on the cheek. He pulled back and grinned at me, went over and snuggled into her kissed her on the cheek, while looked akin to the cheshire cat. He went back into the green room and she walked over,"What did you say to him?!?!" "Oh..Nothing..." *grin*
Now at this point of the evening I now had a full blown Aussie accent. thank you booze... finally they were all packed up and we took the luggage out to the van for the hotel. We were all done and I went to go find Daniel so I could get my sharpie back. I located the boys around the big bar and slid through to Daniel. The girl he was most likely going to hook up with actually stepped away so we could chat and he signed my calendar the stage manager had given me. Now in a moment of sheer derp he tipped his drink off the ledge he had put it on and down my leg into my shoe... * facepalm* He. looked. mortified. Now first I was wearing my faux crocks called doggers, they are shaped like bike shoes and SUPER comfy! So now my black sock was soaked. Second i have no clue what girly drink he was drinking but it STANK like beer and grapefruit. "Are you ok? are you sure you're ok? how wet are you?" *snerk* I gracefully exited, squishy shoe and all. Got one last hug from Alex as he stood at an ATM and scuttled off to the car. All of them asked if I would be back for next time. This made me feel really loved. Daniel demanded that I got one show off so I could watch. This made me feel super loved.
So I actually got everything out of that show I had actually hoped for. I made a great impression on the group, I got a little play, and I got paid to make some pretty amazing memories. I looked at their calendar and it doesn't look like they will be back until next year *SAD LLAMA* but they are doing a show in PA on my birthday. Looks like a four hour hike up there but may be worth it. We'll see how Finances are doing once we get that far.
when all was said an done, I now have several songs that will permanently make me think of this show, I now think some guys with way too many muscles are yummy(though charisma HELPS), and my quote of the weekend...
BEST SEXUAL HARASSMENT EVAR!!!!!!!1111!!!!!!
At the same time I was winding up with this I was cut back to part time the friday before the show. I was being treated like shit there and came to the conclusion that I was officially done working in the Vet field.
As the week progressed Thunder became more and more of the carrot dangling at the end of the week.
Thursday finally arrived and I gleefully left the vet to head to the casino so I could change and redo my hair and caffeinate up! Matt handed me a free buffet coupon so i could grab lunch I was so full of excitement I couldn't sit still! I found a corner to camp out in back stage and passed the several hours until showtime.
The first show we could barely hear the director and he kept changing up what he wanted to do in the middle of stuff, it was frustrating and I felt so dumb. The highlight was that I never knew what I was going to pop around the curtain to, there was a pirate scene and I came around to suddenly being at sword point. The same person constantly waggled is eyebrows and ass at me. had no clue what his name was and I was more focused on not getting slammed into, tripping, and hearing my cues. The stage manager asked me to help with extra things and asked me to have the stage cleaned because it was so sticky that the guys couldn't complete their spins. Unlike the other over hires heading out right as their job finished i stayed until the very end of my shift helping anywhere I can.
Friday morning I was laid off. I think i shocked everyone at work with how ok I was about it. Considering how thursday morning I had been chewed out because I didn't know what I didn't know. I only stayed because I needed the money.
I killed time next to the mall then finally went into the Casino. Chatted with Mike one of the casino's stage techs and vented on how my day went. Ended up just relaxing and listening to "pump you up" type music. I walked up on stage and checked the surface, there was still a little stickiness so i asked housekeeping to hit it one more time with a wet mop. Grabbed dinner with Mike and Jeremy(stage techs) and Lena (another friend of matt, overhire) and talked about kink and the guys in the show and how they apparently slept with all of the waitresses last time.
The house opens and we didn't have the video to put up the screen as the pre show entertainment. We fretted that the guys may be late too. Finally they all showed up and I was sketching in the dim back stage to try and keep me focused. Several of the cast wanted to peek at what I was doodling. We jumped into the first show of the night, several video pieces had been scrapped so I had much less to do. I managed to sweep out my part of the curtain so I could grab several of the helmets from the "Sydney Fire Department" part of the show and got complimented on that choice over the head sets. I was still pretty much ignored by most of the guys except for one who just OOZED charisma. I couldn't help but giggle and watch him, what can i say I enjoyed my private show.
Ugh I missed a cue in the second show so only half the curtain got pulled and I had to dart out and grab my half. I honestly had not heard my cue. I kicked myself for the rest of the night.
The thursday night girls were far less drunk and a breeze to herd out off the stage after they got pictures with the boys. The Friday night girls were horrible, dumb, drunk bitches. Had to grab security to help me because it was awful. One asked me how I didn't just grope the guys all the time... "Because they are human beings" "Well I have some australian friends..." I cut her off looked her dead in the eyes "Because THEY are HUMAN beings. Now move along"
Lena the other overhire mentions to me that she is surprised by me because I actually seem to care, most over hire people come, do nothing but their assigned job, don't try to help anywhere else, then go home as soon as their assigned job is done. I not only come early but I found extra things to do like tape down the cords that tripped the guys but when we only had masking tape that didn't stick for shit i talked to housekeeping and got black duct tape to tape what I can to safe surfaces. I stuck around and directed foot traffic after the shows. I damn near baked brownies for the last day of shows because I'm such a den mom! I also honestly want to get positive reviews so I can do this more!
Saturday arrives I have dogs to sit, horses to feed, cats to water... I arrive at the casino exactly on time. the elevators are packed by the time they hit my floor, I'm on the 4th, I end up just saying fuck it and taking the stairs... my steampunk bag strap tears on the way down. I LOVE this bag... I'm bummed but I have to rev myself up for the last two shows. I grab lunch with Lena at the buffet and I keep hearing from almost every department at the casino that i need to work there.
I chill out in my little backstage corner, after delivering comms to the sound booth and turning on the back mike and wrap my wrist with ace bandage, the night before it had started hurting so I just wanted to make sure I didn't make it worse. Apparently everyone now wanted to high five me and they would see the brace at the last second and make it a gentle girly high five. hehe.
Now saturday morning I actually looked at their FB page and saw the video of them at Fox5 from Thursday. This was helpful times two, first I now knew some names other than the director, and i got to see the beginning of the "act" where Daniel, the one guy who had been flirting with me, leads into his solo strip. He does some impressive kick spins, I don't generally put together flexible with body builder.
Before the first show starts Alex wanders over and introduces himself, first off that man has a smile that just lights his face up. I had seen it a little the night before when he asked me to collect a phone number for him... *eye roll* But I did and now I started to take my role as an enabler. Within mins of the first show starting Daniel starts chatting me up, flirting hard, he wants a bartender sent back, I page to see what i can do but the show just started so we were all a bit busy. Then the mikes start going all sort of fucked up. I'm freaking out because I can only do so much from my position and yet the MC looks at me like it all my fault. Mike comes back to switch out mikes for the THIRD time in 10 mins. There is something interfering with the wireless signal and it's bad enough we set up a hard wire mike just incase. I feel like I need a hug at this point because I'm a bit rattled and my head is starting to hurt. I don't miss any cues, thankfully, I just feel really dumb about something that was completely out of my hands. Jeremy called down for Mike to apologize to the MC, but he goes into the dressing room so Mike pushes it off on me. Shortly after doing this and feeling more like an ass, the waitress comes and the boys order taquila.
Once the booze arrives Daniel comes over and jokes that I can't drink any of it and I pout, bat my eyelashes and tell him i actually love tequila... It isn't long before the four shots start stinking up my corner of the stage. He decided that next time I get one too. The show ends and the drinks still haven't been consumed so i hide them off to the side because we have to funnel the girls out my end of the back stage after they get their pictures done.
Seconds before the show starts again I'm asked for more booze and since I had down time between curtain cues I would dart out and do it myself. I get them drinks and the stage manager now decided she is going to partake and I was too. "Your not going to get in trouble are you?"She asks "just so long as you don't tell anyone..."I respond, we both grin big and shoot our tequila. I know I still have more time before the next cue and the stage manager requests fireball... I head back around the stage to the bar, mind you this involves running along on the outside wall of the stage where there is only like a foot and a half of clearance from the slots to the wall and ALL the slow people love to toddle through. I shimmy through and over order shots for everyone, more tequila and many fireball, I get back and giggle with the stage manager, nicole. Drinks arrives, we are about to shoot but I got called to standby... like 4 mins early... During the fake orgasam contest. *eye roll* I come back and two of the fireballs are already gone... but I shoot one with Nichole and mins later I shoot tequila with Daniel. Mind you EVERYONE of them coughed and wheezed after the Patron, I'm feeling like a bit of a bad ass because I didn't even need the lime... Because I am now the bringer of booze and the maker of things happening, most of the guys are now flirting with me. From laser pointers on my tits to waving a mike around like a penis at me, to not giving me any personal space, and so on... It was an interesting change from being completely ignored at the beginning. Ryan was jumping around after his solo in just his g-string and had Nichole and I dieing we were laughing so hard. The back stage show was now a 3 ring circus and I was having the time of my life! Everyone had loosened up and I suddenly felt like I was apart of the group vs a dumb stagehand. Alex came flying back and grabbed a patron, and started coughing so bad he grabbed my giant bottle of water and started chugging it, looked at me and apologized for doing so, I just looked at him bemused and ushered him back on stage.
Lena and i had asked if we could get pics with the boys after the second show and I knew Nichole would make it happen.Nichole was now blaming me for being drunk "Miss I can make things happen!" I was buzzed but far from drunk, I was finally relaxed and giggled a lot! The was all now out of the stage, we closed up the doors and Nichole ran into the dressing room so Lena and I could get pics. The boys crowded around and suddenly I am being groped, poked, and humped, Lena and I are vaguely holding on for dear life! We walk out and Lena and I are giggling and looking at the pictures on our phones and giggling some more. I asked Daniel if he wanted the last shot, the one set aside for me since now I was just lit enough I didn't need anymore. I popped back into the dressing room and hand the drink over. Someone says, "But we didn't get to see you with your shirt off!!" I flash my bra and Brad suddenly jumps on my Leg and starts humping me like a dog. I'm suddenly cornered in front of the door and a couple of the guys are surrounding me. One jokes about the underwear so I flash a corner of the pattern(its a weird purple and white giraffe pattern). "you know what lepard print says right?!" Nope no I didn't. Daniel is next to me playing like he wanted my bra off. I don't think I could honestly get much redder. Nichole shooshes them away and I hop out the door and look at Lena like I just got a peek through the pearly gates... I was a bit beside myself. We are about to head out when Pat the director grabs us and asks to help with load out. It's now midnight and Lena and I will be making another hour of work. The stage manager comes out hugs me and hands me a twenty, "we'll see you next time right?" "God I hope so!"
We waited around for the guys to pack up, their clothing stank of 5 shows of sweat, axe, and mildew. Alex had his hair straightner which he shyly put behind his back, pretty much the moment I started crushing on the young fabio look a like. Lena had shown a bit of envy,"God they really love you!" So i flagged over Alex, who I knew she was digging. I pulled him in close and whispered that she really thought he was cute and that he should give her a kiss on the cheek. He pulled back and grinned at me, went over and snuggled into her kissed her on the cheek, while looked akin to the cheshire cat. He went back into the green room and she walked over,"What did you say to him?!?!" "Oh..Nothing..." *grin*
Now at this point of the evening I now had a full blown Aussie accent. thank you booze... finally they were all packed up and we took the luggage out to the van for the hotel. We were all done and I went to go find Daniel so I could get my sharpie back. I located the boys around the big bar and slid through to Daniel. The girl he was most likely going to hook up with actually stepped away so we could chat and he signed my calendar the stage manager had given me. Now in a moment of sheer derp he tipped his drink off the ledge he had put it on and down my leg into my shoe... * facepalm* He. looked. mortified. Now first I was wearing my faux crocks called doggers, they are shaped like bike shoes and SUPER comfy! So now my black sock was soaked. Second i have no clue what girly drink he was drinking but it STANK like beer and grapefruit. "Are you ok? are you sure you're ok? how wet are you?" *snerk* I gracefully exited, squishy shoe and all. Got one last hug from Alex as he stood at an ATM and scuttled off to the car. All of them asked if I would be back for next time. This made me feel really loved. Daniel demanded that I got one show off so I could watch. This made me feel super loved.
So I actually got everything out of that show I had actually hoped for. I made a great impression on the group, I got a little play, and I got paid to make some pretty amazing memories. I looked at their calendar and it doesn't look like they will be back until next year *SAD LLAMA* but they are doing a show in PA on my birthday. Looks like a four hour hike up there but may be worth it. We'll see how Finances are doing once we get that far.
when all was said an done, I now have several songs that will permanently make me think of this show, I now think some guys with way too many muscles are yummy(though charisma HELPS), and my quote of the weekend...
BEST SEXUAL HARASSMENT EVAR!!!!!!!1111!!!!!!