The Fifth Cast Member

We began our day feeling like rockstars as we were picked up at the house in a van to drive us over to BK Studios. This will be the LAST time we'll be picked up for free, tragically. And with the winter setting in (it MASSIVELY hailed this afternoon), I think I'm going to have to withdraw a bit of cash to pay for cabs. A 3-mile walk in the snow does not a happy singer make.

We arrived at the studios and were warmly greeted by the entire staff, and we even got a bit of a peek in at the Rotterdam and a Cunard cast. Lovely folks, every one of them. The studios are lovely, very modern-looking, and stocked to the brim with tea and toast. It's completely adorable.

After our tour, we got an overview of the rehearsal schedule and a breakdown of each of our shows. There is some wonderful music with some killer arrangements--I'm really excited to begin (tomorrow! ack!)! There is a lot of belting in my future, make no mistake about that! ;-) I also learned a new phrase from our choreographer: "to go tits up". I rather like this country...

Then we were whisked off to London to get our medicals. We stopped at a small highway turn-off for a bit to eat, where I learned all about the odd difference between English and Ameican Diet Cokes, as well as a new word: "bap". Apparently, it's a bun.

pictured: a bap.

pictured: most of an English breakfast, piled into a bap.

It was glorious.

We were a bit early in arriving to London, so Mark (our lovely driver) gave us a bit of a tour of the NW corner of London, cruising down Park Lane and near Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace. 

Also, Baker Street!

The medicals were short, efficient, and painless. We were all approved and cleared and hurried on our merry way in less than an hour for all four of us. Definitely the easiest pre-employment medical to which I have ever been subjected!

We stopped off for a bit of lunch and coffee, then all the Americans fell promptly to sleep in the end-of-day traffic. We have gotten quite good at napping! We ended up at a Morrison's grocery store, where I mystified two separate employees by asking for hydrogen peroxide (the initial follow-up question from BOTH women was, "what...like hair dye?") as well as held up the line for a good 10 minutes because the English machines couldn't read my credit card. Seriously, America, we have to step it up! So many countries use the microchip in the cards! Swiping is SO 2003. I eventually was able to pay with my debit card, but Friday and my cash paycheck cannot come soon enough.
In addition to the essentials, I definitely indulged in one of my most favorite of culinary sins: ENGLISH CHOCOLATE. I don't know what it is, but English (and by way of England, Canadian) candy bar chocolate  is just a concoction worthy of endless praise. No wonder Roald Dahl was inspired to write Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This is where dreams are made. I bought three bars I had never tried before, and I have to say--the Double Decker is pretty phenomenal. The jelly candies are pretty good too, and there is a lot to be said for English candies of that nature, but man.....THE CHOCOLATE.

pictured: excellence.

So once we had some proper groceries, we headed home, where we were joined shortly thereafter by our fifth and final singer, Chris Cook! Chris just got off the Seabourn Sojourn literally four days ago, and I am so impressed that he is going to just jump right into rehearsals with us tomorrow. We all chatted over some tea, and now we're all about to turn in and get some rest before our first big vocal rehearsal tomorrow. It's going to get real messy real soon, kids! Stay tuned!