What a great night!! It was so fun. Got see Tony for a second before the show when they were doing press and got a kiss. :) The show was fabulous!!. They sound so great. Brought tears to my eyes several times. Didn't like the setup. The grass area was back behind a pond and a bridge, could hardly see, but it was still a blast! Hung with my friend Robin from the old days..oops, did I say old? LOL! Make sure to watch ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT tomorrow night, Thurs. They interviewed Robin and I and they will have some of the show on. It was just so great!!!! Got to speak with T and Joyce for a minute after, so great to see them again. Well, that's about it, it was just super

On the Road With TOAD Part 2!

What a special event! 

Despite the challenges of delayed flights and those Murphy’s Law types of travel days, here we were—Julie, John, David, and I, waiting for the exciting events of August 31^st. 

Shortly after arrival at The Grove, we checked out the layout, which wasn’t the greatest in the world for a concert, especially one that relies a great deal upon audience participation.  I felt sorry for the non-VIPs there.  They would only be able to view the show across the water from quite some distance.

We checked in and received our lovely VIP badges.  I’m getting use to these things.  They used a different TOAD photo this time (which coordinated well with my outfit).  I was pleased. J  We walked over to the red carpet area and watched them install the backdrop and made helpful backseat driver kinds of comments, helping the installer get it right.  A pull here, a tug there, and another zip strip tied.

First, it was the Red Carpet event, with arrivals of Tony, Telma and Joyce, followed by Telma’s castmates from Half & Half.  There were others too; although I am sorry to say I didn’t have a clue who some of these people were until I met them later.  In between arrivals, I met other fans—some part of the “oldtimers club”—Robin and Terri—and some new, forgive me for not remembering all the names, but it was a very busy night of meeting lots of new friends and honestly I could run down a long list of names of people I met and talked to that night, which would serve no purpose but to bore you, so I’ll skip the litany.

I’ve been to Red Carpet events before, but not often on the Red Carpet side.  This time we were standing behind the press photographers milling about with the other VIPs in a holding area, waiting to be let into the theater for the premiere of the DVD.  Just as the stream of celebs started to cross in front of the cameras and were directed into the holding area I felt a tap-tap-tap on my shoulder and was told it was time to head into the theater—talk about being torn!  I would have loved to watch the rest of the arrivals, not because I knew who most of these people were, but because of the energy and excitement in the air.  Of course I didn’t give it but a moment’s thought until I headed in. 

After a long afternoon in the heat, I was in serious need of water and I was not the only one.  The concession line was long and slow, but we had the opportunity to chat with other VIPs while we patiently waited our turn.  Then it was off to Theater #4! 

Oh my gosh!  Where did all these people come from?  John and David who went directly into the theater were halfway up in the middle with no seats around them.  The only remaining seats were in the front three rows.  Well, what the heck, we used to enjoy watching movies like that when we were kids, and it is center front after all!  After an intro by Tony, we were all waiting with anticipation to hear the spoken intro again.  Ladies and Gentlemen…

The opening music combined with sitting so close was a bit of déjà vu.  Here I was stepping back in time again.  It was like sitting center front at the Riviera or the Sahara-Tahoe or one of the other places I saw them perform regularly—albeit with larger-than-life figures in front of me.  Clips from the show that I remembered vividly were flashing before my eyes; songs, skits, outfits, and oh those outfits!  Music and laughter brought on more laughter and memories of a time long since past.  Was it really 30 years ago?  The editing on this 40 minute show was spectacular with skits interspersed throughout a song, drifting from the Summer Replacement Series through the Rainbow Hour.  The only thing that changed was the length of Tony’s hair, which made it easy to figure out which year the shows were from.  It’s All Right, Abraham, Martin & John, Solitaire along with live versions of their hits—the great clip with Phyllis Diller.  Tony’s Shaft and Sinatra impressions—Lou Effy and Moreen; it was all there and more in a dizzying array of color.  The theater crowd sang and clapped along; there were occasions of hysterical laughter and thunderous applause.  We were having a terrific time on this trip down memory lane.

Before the premiere Robin handed me a yellow knitted scarf to use during the live show like a giant yellow ribbon.  Back in the day we wouldn’t dream of going to a show without a yellow ribbon to toss up in the air when they were singing their signature song.  Robin, you’ll be pleased to know I also used it inside the theater that night and flung it up in the air at the appropriate moment.

When the premiere was over we were escorted over to the VIP area which was just to the left of the stage.  Hosting duties fell to Telma’s castmate Chico Benymon and Kimberly Caldwell of American Idol fame.  Again, we each found a spot in the roped off area.  The concert was terrific and it was interesting to hear all the conversations around me.  Most of these people had never been to a TOAD show before and everyone was loving it.  My section was mostly male and they were absolutely in awe of the ladies.  You go girls!  They were looking HOT that night and the boys in the crowd noticed and commented.  The show was the same order as Vegas, yet we all felt a little disconnected because of the weird set up.  Tony made the comment to the audience that he felt separated by the water and he likened it to the tragedy of Hurricane Kristina. 

On our way to the after party held at La Piazza, an adjacent restaurant, we bumped into Chico, who is such a wonderful person.  An absolute dear!  He took time to sign autographs and take photos with us and invited us to a taping of Half & Half on Friday.  We headed into the party with him.  I couldn’t believe the crush of people.  The crowd pulsed like a living organism and I was propelled along with the waves of humanity.  I felt like a was an infant being born again as I traveled the gauntlet and when I was disgorged onto the patio, I threw my arms in the area and shouted “I’m free!”  Of course in Hollywood, no one notices things like that.  LOL!!!  The floor plan didn’t encourage circulation so I stayed outside in the fresh air on the balcony.  As it turns out, that’s were the people I wanted to see were anyway.  I sat down at a table in the cool evening air with Telma and Joyce and some of their other friends.  We chatted for hours and I made sure they all had their World Tour 2005 T-shirts, which turned out to be a far more popular item than I expected.  I ran out of them quickly and have to make some more for others I promised that night.  (Don’t worry you guys I haven’t forgotten).  It was a blessing to sit down.

As the evening went on we met a large cross-section of industry people and ended up with several invitations for tours during our stay in town.  What a hospitable group of people!

The events of the big day hummed by; the red carpet, the premiere, the concert, the after party, new names, new faces; sometimes occurrences fraught with strange outcomes, sometimes disturbing bumps in the fabric of life, all taken in stride and with strength of conviction and concern for others foremost; yet it did not change a thing.  And as the after party came to an end, with the inevitable gate-crashers setting shod feet into our VIP-dom, it was time to move the fun to greener pastures and off to Hollywood we went in our caravan of cars in search of sustenance. 

In the end it was 4:30 when I crawled into bed and attempted to upload some posts and answer a few emails, but by then the brain wasn’t functioning all that well and all that came out of my fingers was gibberish.  After all, not only do some things stay in Vegas, some things stay in LA as well...

Thursday, was a day of recovery.  We drove around town, enjoying the company of friends, seeing some sights and then headed over the hill to meet with Pam and Joyce for dinner.  It was nice to sit back and share a meal with them.  We did get a bit carried away with our conversation as we closed the restaurant down and had to leave.  As Julie mentioned we all piled into their van to listen to the Christmas CD and that CD led to another and then another.  We were there until 12:30 with DJ Pam selecting tunes.  Some were theirs, some they did background on, others belonged to friends they met along the way.  From TOAD to Gospel to commercial jingles, we listened to them all and loved it all! 

But all good things must come to an end.  I had an early flight in the morning to catch some meetings I had moved to attend this event and Julie was due to fly out in the morning as well.

I was thrilled that Julie was able to realize a childhood dream.  I wish you all could have seen the artwork she presented to Telma and Joyce and their reaction to it.  Telma never let it out of her site and in many of the pictures you can see her still clutching it to her chest.  They proudly showed it to their friends and several asked Julie for her business card.  Congrats to you Julie and I hope that you hear from some of them.

John, you are the Energizer Bunny of PR for TOAD.  There wasn't a person left in that town who hadn't heard about that concert from you.  You are a tireless and energetic Friend of TOAD! 

David, what would we ever do without your outstanding photography?  You seem to get all the shots we miss.  I know you had a wonderful and memorable birthday! 

Thank you to everyone from R2 Entertainment!  It was a fantastic release party.  They care so much about the group and it clearly shows.  All VIPs were given gift bags, which contained the DVD set, the first two CDs and a sampler of 5 songs from the Christmas album.  Brandt was apologetic that the entire CD collection wasn’t included, but there was some delay in production.  I saw the mock up for the Christmas CD and it will just blow your mind.  There is potential for a limited edition snow globe as well.  The packaging is exciting and the photos they took at the shoot a few weeks back are outstanding!  Brandt told me about various ideas that they are pitching for the coming months along the lines of personal appearances and talk shows.  And yes, they are talking East Coast.  They are all very exciting ideas and I hope that we have good news on the subject soon!  I would only have one pitch to throw out there to Brandt—how about something in a warmer climate in the winter, say Hawaii?  We have Holiday Parades over here too and they are ones you can attend that don’t involve wool clothing, scarves, mittens, and chattering teeth.  You will need sunscreen and an aloha shirt  though. J

The next day, we planned to go to CBS to get in line for The Price of Right, but we were too tired from festivities of the night before. So maybe next time, Bob. 

David and I met Joyce, Pam, Pat, and Julie for dinner.  We had a great time.  Joyce surprised all of us when She and Pam arrived  at the restaurant singing Happy Birthday to David and presented him with a homemade birthday cake (David’s birthday was just a few days away).   Joyce made the cake earlier that day.  We all shared the cake after we finished our meals.  We ended up closing the restaurant down talking and having fun.  We continued the party outside.  There, we listened to the Christmas CD and an assortment of music inside Joyce and Pam's van.  I wish that the night would have never ended.  But soon, they had to go.  We all hugged each other and said we would see each other soon.  I really hate goodbyes.  We were all quiet when we went into Pat's car.  Then I heard the song “When Will I See You Again” by the Three Degrees on the radio (the song came out in the early 70s).  I told Pat to turn up the volume, and she suggested that we all sing the song together.  So we all did.  When we got to our hotel, we took a couple of pictures in front of the Orlando Hotel sign, then said our goodbyes.  I was very depressed that it ended so quickly, but I was glad that I saw them in LA.  The show was totally different then Las Vegas. 

I must tell you that the Christmas CD is AWESOME!  I can't wait to get my own copy.  I think it will be a huge hit this Christmas.  Please tell everyone to buy the TOAD DVD/CD collections and the new Christmas CD.  We have to support them all the way.  Thanks R2 for doing a great job with the new release of the TOAD DVDs and CDs.

We hope you get a chance to post again soon. We love to hear from you. Take care.

I was wondering if anyone had the track listings for the 6 CDs releasing on Sept. 13/05. or possibly a link to someone who does. This is the best news of the year. I can't wait for the DVDs and the CDs. Tony, Joyce and Telma are simply the best. Having the DVDs will return me to my early teens when my family and I would gather every wednesday night to watch TOAD. We never missed a show. I also hope that they include the Engelbert Humperdinck performance from the show. Sept 13th can't come fast enough for me!

Tuneweaving:  Freedom For The Stallion, Jolie, When We All Sang Along, Medley, Easy Evil, Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree, You're A Lady, Lazy Susan, Watch A Clown Break Down, I Can't Believe How Much I Love You, I Don't Know You Anymore, Don't Act Like A Baby, Vaya Con Dios, Who Did A Number On Me, Dance To The Music, Love The One You're With, The Spark Of Love Is Kindlin'.

New Ragtime Follies:  Overture, Steppin' Out (I'm Gonna Boogie Tonight), Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose, If It Wasn't For You Dear, Sweet Summer Days Of My Life, Who's In The Strawberry Patch With Sally, Daydream, Atlanta, Ukulele Man, You Say The Sweetest Things, Jolie, Personality, Come Back Billie Jo, Steppin' Out (I'm Gonna Boogie Tonight) - (single mix), Reprise: Strawberry Patch.

Primetime:  Look In My Eyes Pretty Woman, Little Heads In Bunkbeds, She Can't Hold A Candle To You, Gimmie A Good Old Mammy Song, Raindrops, Dreamboat, Another Rainy Day In My Life, My Love Has No Pride, Fancy Meeting You Here Baby, Here Comes The Spring, It Only Hurts When I Try To Smile, Did You Ever Think She'd Get Away From You, All In The Game, Kelly Blue, Straight Ahead, Skybird, That's The Way A Wallflower Grows.

He Don't Love You:  Mornin' Beautiful, Dance, Rosie, Dance, Maybe I Should Marry Jaime, House Of Strangers, He Don't Love You (Like I Love You), Tomorrow's Got To Be Sunny, Pick It Up, Missin' That Girl, If Only (He Would Make Love To Me), Grandma's Hands, I Know You Like A Book, Sweet On Candy, Sing.

To Be With You:  Cupid, To Be With You, Caress Me Pretty Music, Selfish One, Happy Man, Midnight Love Affair, Talk To Me, You're All I Need To Get By, (You're) Growin' On Me, When The Party's Over.

Thank you for taking the time to list all the songs from the upcoming CDs. I was especially curious why the 2nd LP (What Are You Doing Sunday) wasn't included in the lineup. Now it makes sense that they combined it with the "Candida" LP which is fine with me as I always considered them "sister" albums. My questions concerning the "Skybird" titles and the non LP singles and B sides were also answered. I am so excited about these releases along with the DVDs. THEY ARE LONG OVERDUE! In my opinion, Tony Orlando and Dawn are true performers and I am certain that with these new releases they will reach a whole new generation of fans and NOBODY deserves it more. Thanx again Pat. Taking the time was very thoughtful of you.
                         Take care, C.J.

I always noticed that about the two "Jolie" songs too. Of course, I always thought the one that wasn't about Al Jolson should've been called, "Julie" ;) ;).

The first thing she asked was for me to post on the board that she is completely blown away by the responses they are getting 30 years later from all the fans.  She is so very excited about all the wonderful things that are and have been happening to them.  We talked about all the supportive posts there have been to the board about the Las Vegas show.

She just walked in her house from the photo shoot for the Christmas CD.  She said that they were there 8 hours between the makeup, wardrobe changes and picture taking.  Wow.  They were all in coats and in a sleigh with snow all around.  They were roasting under the hot lights!  I asked if they were at least playing Christmas Music to get them in the mood and yes, they were.

She is looking forward the the show at The Grove and hopes to see lots of TOAD fans out there in the audience.