Monday, December 26, 2011

BRrrrrrrrrrr!


"Bloomers!" says Mrs Cratchit. Twas cold out there my dears, cold indeed. And Mrs. C forgot her over bloomers on the last tour. I had two pairs of woolies, one pair o' jeans, two shirts, two sweaters, one dress, two sweaters on top of that and one cape. And I am positive that I forgot to get a cast photo at the end. If anyone shot a nice pic of the cast on 12/24, do send it to me and if we use it, ye shall get a giftie from the Cratchits!
Each actor had many, many layers on this year. Our poor Desi and Nicolette each wore about 12 to 14 pounds of costumes during the shows. I was determined to keep these ladies toasty warm and they bore the burden with grace. But now a mountain of laundry awaits Mrs. C. Oh, ode to Joy. 'Tis the glamourous side of theatre! The wooly scarves are on the line as I type, the coats are joining them. And soon the slightly holey silk shirts shall make it a festive party out there. I scour thrifts throughout the tour season for silk shirts as they layer nicely. And if they have tiny holes, who can see it through the gleam of a beautifully nuanced performance?

We had lovely people on all the tours but my favorites have to be the wee ones who brave the chill (and Marley's ghost- brrrr!) to come and cheer on those Cratchits.

Now it's time to sip a tea, write a check to So Others Might Eat, thaw my fingers out (perhaps before I write that check?), and get ready for "The Expedition" which opens on January 7th. Walk off those Holiday calories as we ascend Capital Hill using the world's tiniest climbing rope. See the marvel of the City's oldest elevator, the secret connection to the Empire State Building, where the Star Spangled Banner was first sung in Washington City and much,much more.

And donate to charities my dear. Even a little can help a lot and you'll feel so good inside you may not need chocolate. Well, let's not get carried away, you may still need chocolate. Mrs. C does. But you will feel grand.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Tiny Fred? Tiny Tim?




Fun Facts for December: Dickens had a brother he called "Tiny Fred". In 1939, President Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up a week to stimulate the economy. Some continued to celebrate the holiday on the original date and dubbed the new holiday "Franksgiving".

Not so fun fact: It is going to be chilly out there this weekend. About 45 degrees I should think, so dress warmly for the Dickens tour my dears. Mrs. C will be wearing about 4 to 5 layers and will resemble a Thanksgiving Turkey herself. One year, I came the tour in curlers thinking I would have time to pull them out before the tour began. But of course, I forgot and this is the result in the photo at the top. I'm wearing curlers, a snood and two hats. My head was warm indeed!

Here's another year where I am not seen but am wearing two layers as it just wasn't that chilly. We cannot predict the weather so we scan www.noaa.gov for radar (oh, Rudolph with your nose so bright, are you just a sattelite?)

Brrr!

See you at Cosi, I'll be there at 11:45 before each tour to sell tickets and you can purchase them online also at www.historicstrolls.com up until 9:00 am the morning of the tour you wish to attend.

Mrs. C.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Pudding Anyone?

Well my, my, my,is it Fall already? The actors tell me it is and are requesting layers for Dickens. And layers they shall have! It's off to the fabric store this weekend to find a nice wool flannel for the littlest Cratchit and perhaps something for Mrs.C.? No? Well she can wait until Father Christmas comes. We had some lovely guests for the Ghost Story Tour last month and even on wickedly cold nights too! And then WUSA came on all Hallows Eve and filmed us for the nightly news. My, those ghosts looked chilly! Rehearsals are in progress for " A Christmas Carol" and we've got a new addition to the cast this year as we welcome Desiree Gibson to the Dickens tour. Tickets are on sale now for Dickens online at www.historicstrolls.com and the merriment awaits. And somewhere, pudding recipes are hiding! Mrs. "C"

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Brrr! Those Ghosts are Chilly!


Good Heavens, it's early for snow isn't it? Ah well, we've got to ghost tonight in our wellies and warmest capes. If you have tickets for Saturday, October 29th, and you don't want to come out in this lovely "weather", you can use the tickets on the 30th or 31st. We haunt tonight and Sunday at 8pm and on Monday, Halloween, at 7:30pm.

We'll be dressed in layers at Vermont and I (eye) St NW. This is the White House exit of the McPherson square Metro Station.

We'll be there at 7:45 tonight, if you don't have tickets, you can buy them from the ghost (exact change welcomed with a curtsey :)

Hauntedly,

Natalie

Thursday, March 31, 2011

April 14th, 1865

Can it already be Spring?? Yes it can and we're getting ready for our April event:
"Courage! The Civil War in Washington: April 14th, 1865".

What an unwieldy title that is. But it shall remain until some enterprising person comes up with a better one. On April 16th, 2011, we shall relive the fateful day, 146 years ago, that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. How did it unfold? Who were the players? What is Mrs. Surratt doing with that package? And why is the actor, Wilkes Booth in town? He's not on any playbill, isn't that odd?......

Meet Demetria Parrish, your costumed guide, at 10th and E STreets NW (Cosi) at 11:00am on April 16th, 2011. No reservations needed.

Sponsored by Natalie Zanin, aka www.historicstrolls.com. Since 2001, Washington DC's original costumed, character led tours.