BWW Blog: Patti Murin of The Muny's HOLIDAY INN - Making It Work At Work

Greetings from St. Louis, MO, home of the incredible theatrical and cultural institution, the MUNY, and my in-laws, the Donnells!

Some of you may remember my blogs from this past fall, written from the wonderland that is East Haddam, Connecticut, where the world premiere of "Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn" ran for almost four months at the Goodspeed Opera House. Mike Isaacson of The MUNY picked it right up, and we are fortunate enough to be doing it again here in St. Louis. While we had four weeks of rehearsal and three days of tech in Connecticut, now we have eleven days of rehearsal and about four hours of tech before we present it to 11,000 people per night. No pressure! Lucky for a lot of us, we know the show very well after doing it for so long, but we also have some amazing new cast members who have to work even harder. One of them being my very recently betrothed, Colin Donnell. And when I say very, I mean VERY. As in like, 10 days ago.

Colin is from St. Louis, and grew up working at the MUNY, but he hasn't been able to come back to perform since 2007 (where I hear he was a brilliant Troy Bolton in that old chestnut, "High School Musical"). I have been fortunate enough to do two shows here, and was so thrilled to hear that one of my favorite places on earth would be doing one of my favorite shows on earth. So when they offered Colin the role of Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby in the movie) opposite my Linda Mason, we jumped at the chance, even though rehearsals began a mere 6 days after our wedding in New York City. Because why have a honeymoon when you can have a HoneyMUNY? (Thanks to Darien Crago for coining that phrase!)

So what do you do while madly rehearsing a show for eleven days to make work seem like a romantic vacation for two? Well, here is my handy guide.

Making It Work At Work: Keeping Love Alive While Learning Your Lines Real Fast

1. Bring the dogs along! Can't leave your babies at home; it's family bonding time!
2. Leave said dogs at the in-laws' house with fenced in yard. Proceed to hotel and sleep for 10 hours straight every night.
3. Tell everyone you just got married. I mean everyone. Most of the time you get a heartfelt, "Congratulations!" But sometimes you get a free drink.
4. Don't be embarrassed to make out at rehearsal. You're newlyweds; everyone will absolutely understand. Or at least awkwardly look elsewhere until you're done.
5. Whoever has the easier rehearsal day cooks breakfast. Note: it's usually me.
6. Learn to recognize the crazed look in your beloved's eyes when he's hitting saturation point after a hard day at work, and either hug him or hide from him.
7. Tequila helps. Every time.
8. Use your evenings after rehearsal to do truly awesome things, like throwing out the first pitch at a Cardinals game! Dream come true for Colin.
9. Always decompress after a long rehearsal day, either by napping or drinking. Whichever feels right.
10. It's very important to not feel stuck in your hotel when you're on a HoneyMUNY, so rent a car while you're here! Preferably a bright yellow Mustang convertible. "It's all they have left," said Colin, secretly giggling in glee. Meanwhile, I've never driven more like a grandma, constantly in fear of being pulled over and booked for Sheer Ugliness of Vehicle.
11. Have a night out at the theatre and let other people entertain you! We took in a glorious performance of "Hairspray," which is running right now at the MUNY. What's better than watching your friends sprint across a stage the size of a football field while you drink a beer and relax in the audience? It will be your turn soon enough, so rest those legs while you can.
12. Make sure to get in as much pool time as possible! Especially when staying at a hotel with a gorgeous one. Like the one I'm sitting at right now, while Colin is at rehearsal! Hmmm...wait....
13. How about this: Make sure to stay relaxed, so when your honey comes home from a hard day at rehearsal, you have enough energy to cater to his every need. This can be achieved by going to the pool whenever possible and laying in the sun. And reading books. And napping. Yeah, that sounds better.
14. Ice cream! St. Louis is famous for its frozen custard, so visit Ted Drewes and get a cup of happiness. If you're not more in love after eating that, I just can't help you.
15. Italian food on The Hill. Eat it, love it, feel fat and happy. Nothing says "commitment" like a heaping pile of toasted ravioli.
16. Visit with the family in town. One of the highlights of doing a show in your hometown is that you're close to people you don't normally see very often. So be sure to spend lots of quality time with them, doing things like going to baseball games, having takeout from Imo's Pizza at home, and making them be really quiet while you watch "The Bachelorette."
17. Know that you're in excellent company. Right after Betty White married Allen Ludden in 1963, she starred as Miss Anna in "The King and I" at the MUNY, therefore having her own HoneyMUNY. And if Betty White does it, it just can't be wrong.

But truly, the best thing about being at the MUNY with my new husband is enjoying every single moment. The nineteen days here absolutely fly by, and it is so important to take advantage of every laugh, every person, every hug, every note, every vodka shot from SubZero. We could have taken a trip to Greece or Spain or Belize for three weeks right after we got married to bask in the afterglow of the wedding festivities, but instead we get to keep celebrating. We are with people we love, in a place we love, doing what we love. And isn't love what it's all about? So, Happy HoneyMUNY to us, and a huge thanks to everyone here for making it so special.