Nathan
November 24, 2004
Greetings from Tampa

Well hello all,
I am in Tampa Florida; oh boy is it humid. I don't even want to know what it's like in the summer. I spent the day exploring downtown and looking for alligators. Not much downtown, Tampa is full of strip malls and chain restaurants. Everyone I have talked to has told me they don't like it here.
That leads me to wonder why they are here in the first place. All I want is to see an alligator before I leave. Right now I am in a Hilton waiting for the Ringling train to arrive; it should have gotten here today. Tomorrow I will have Thanksgiving dinner with the cast and crew, provided they actually get here that is. So far I have met another clown and his wife. His name is Brian and he's the closest thing to a midget we will have on the tour (he a little less than five feet tall). He has been a mascot for a basketball team and a wrestler (the WWF type) as well as working in television on commercials and such. His wife Jessica is sweet and will be working on the show selling programs or something. Apparently when you travel with your spouse Ringling puts them to work. She just may make more money that we will. It seems she will be working on consignment or something. There is also a Russian couple here but I don't know what they are doing in the show. By looking at them I am guessing they are acrobats or hand balancers, they are both VERY built. They have not talked to me as of yet. I have also seen a troupe of Mongolians who are hoop divers and do Chinese pole. All I have seen them do is hang out and smoke cigarettes, I don't think they speak much English. I will be moving onto the train on Friday. Friday is also orientation where we receive all the legal info and stuff. Rehearsals begin on Saturday, I am really anxious to get to work. It will feel good to have a show to sink my teeth into. I already miss San Francisco, part of me wishes I didn't leave, part of me is relieved to be gone and onto an actual job in this field. I knew it was a long shot in beginning and I am a bit amazed I pulled it off. So far Ringling ve been here for a day and a half) they are putting me up in the hotel and buying me two meals a day, not bad. I know the rehearsals are going to be intense. We work from 9am to about 10pm six days a week according to what I have been told. The process goes on for the next six weeks. We open on January 5th in Tampa. I talked to the manager of the red unit clowns and he told me that Ringling will build me a slack rope rig and any other equipment I may need, even if I am not using it in the show. I hope to walk away from this with an act and plenty of connections to sell it to.
So that's the news from here. I wish you all a great and happy Thanksgiving.
The show is about to begin, stay tuned for my continuing adventures!
Love to you all,
~n8.

back to the stories