Guest Blogger: Christian Whelan

To Broadwayorld.com-ers: hello from sunny Tampa, FL, home to the Devil Rays, the Falcons, Busch Gardens and the 2700 + seat Straz Center for the Performing Arts. During our sound-check yesterday, I was struck again by how big the Straz looks from the stage. It's far from the biggest house we'll play on this tour-Atlanta's Fox has almost twice as many seats-but it does have a mezzanine, lower, and upper balconies, which puts the cheap seats three stories above the stage. Think about watching a show from the top of a three-story building 100 feet away from the stage. Forget opera glasses; you'd need a high-powered telescope.

I bought a toyota Prius in 2005. It was a sleek looking black hybrid with some nice perks on the inside. The onboard computer is pretty cool. When I offer a ride to people, at least the ones that have never been in a Prius, they're fascinated by the LED display that shows the transfer of power from the electric motor to the gas engine. It also shows how many Kilowatts are generated as the car drives. The most remarkable aspect of the Prius, however, is the AMAZING gas mileage. I still kick myself for not getting the onboard GPS function. Especially since I've made the educated decision to drive, yet another tour.

From FaceBook to FLASHDANCE, reunions of the tour kind can often be more of a surprise than seeing that 'friend request' pop up from someone you haven't seen or heard from in 35 years. A professional acting career can often take twists and turns that eventually rocket actor's away from their home town and the people that helped to shape who we are and what we become while pursuing our dreams. I've certainly reconnected with my fair share of old colleagues & friends through social media. But, it's nothing like seeing an old friend when they just appear at the stage door following a performance in a random tour city.

Question: What the hell are 'EQUITY Pancakes'? Answer: 'EP's' are any buttermilk, wholegrain or fruit & spice enhanced pancake products eaten by any proud member of AEA. Preferably consumed at night, after a show, and garnished with a salty sweet pork product on the side. (Bacon Forever!)

The polls are in and FLASHDANCE the Musical is taking America by storm, literally and figuratively!