Portland - April 12 & 13, 1998
On Saturday, we went to Portland for the last two shows of the American tour. Kate stayed in Boston Saturday to see the Red Sox but I'll let her tell you about that! The Cumberland County Civic Center is an awesome place to watch skating and I think I will have to go there again. It's a very small arena - there is no second tier and the corners only have 7 or 8 rows of seats. The rest of the arena only has 24 rows total so I don't imagine any seats can be too bad.
While we were at the box office in the lobby we could watch the practice going on in the ice rink - this was just so cool! They had gates going across the entrance to the rink but the management didn't bother anyone who wanted to watch through the gates and on Sunday they didn't even bother to close the gates.
Paul Wylie was so on in Portland and just hugely received as everyone knew it would be his last performances. On both days he stopped after the Distance to hug several people in the first row but I couldn't tell if it was his parents or the Scotvolds - I wouldn't know his parents anyway. Sunday's performance in particular was SO emotional. I know I've complained in the past that Paul's choices and his choreography tend to be a bit same but in this case I was glad he stuck with what he obviously does so well. The crowd rose even before he finished and wouldn't sit down until after he left the ice - he was pretty choked up about it.
In general it was a really great crowd in Portland but the second night was nowhere near sold out. There was a huge block of open seats on the side that I'm guessing was saved for group sales. We were told on Saturday that we could still buy on-ice seats for that day! One thing that I noticed was different about the Portland shows as compared to the shows I've been to in Providence, Worcester, Hartford, and NY was that they seem to absolutely love Kristi here! At the other places I would say that Scott, Kurt, Katia, and sometimes T&D and Paul Wylie all got bigger responses than her but to the Portland audience she was the headliner -well, except for Scott of course, who got his usual standing O's the minute he took the ice.
No Still Crazy at either show. Jayne said that Chris's back was really hurting but Chris said he would be able to rest it for a few days now and he hoped Still Crazy would be back in the show soon. They did practice it a bit Sunday but it was clear that he wouldn't be able to do it. It was quite a thrill to meet the two of them and they were just so gracious and kind. To my horror, Chris says that he checks in on this list from time to time! I told him that was cheating! <G>
The Sunday show was a real treat otherwise. Brian Orser's Story of My Life was great, he has been very on every time I've seen him. And Kurt's Antares - whew, I think I like this piece even better than Torvill and Dean's tango! And he did the split axel with the two footed landing in the Elvis number.
Since it was the last show, there were a lot of extra little surprises and shenanigans in store for us! During the Fun and Games segment, the song suddenly changed to "I have a dream about ME, baby" as sung by Lady Rosalynn herself! Hmm, think Jayne and Chris started this trend of singing skaters?
When the judges made their entrance, it quickly became clear that the male judges were not wearing trousers under their robes - Chris had cute blue undies, BTW. In one surprise that (I think) was unplanned, Roz leaned so far over the barrier while lamenting poor baby Katia's fall that she actually fell over it. She was pointing out the boo-boo on her knee to Judge Jayne as she skated back. And when she returned to the ice after taking Nancy Ne'eragain out of the competition, she had removed her skirt, perhaps a show of support for the pants-less gents? When Scott ended his muse number before Roz, she whipped out a can of shaving cream or whipped cream and really gave it to him. She also had something written on her arms in red but I couldn't read this - if anyone hears what this was, clue me in!
This time when Scott says that the ice dancers "changed their name to Pasha" Renee Roca came out in a platinum blonde wig. It was a riot and she became more Pasha like instantly - as if the peroxide had leaked into her brain! Scott was introduced for the Wizard of Oz segment as His Excellency Scott Hamilton and when he finished, the crew was waiting on the sidelines, dressed as the cast of the Wizard of Oz. He castigated them for being late and said they better be union members!
I know there has to be more that I'm forgetting right now. Jayne and Chris weren't too involved in all the silliness except for the underwear - their Tango didn't change at all. The show ended with fireworks and the skaters (except Kurt) stayed on the ice while Scott talked to us about how much the cast has been through the last few years. He also commented on what a weird but wonderful audience we were - that we would choose to go to this show, even though we know it gets a bit loopy instead of a "normal" one. He addressed the other skaters saying that he hoped they would always be together but things change and you can't predict the future so he wanted to tell them how much they meant to him now. Then he gave the mike over to Paul Wylie "the only one of us who knows his destiny". Paul was near tears at times but thanked the cast and the audience and said that he was so glad to have this time in Stars on Ice to fulfill his skating ambitions and regain his equilibrium so that he could happily return to school.
There was a lot of hugging and picture taking amongst the skaters and Jayne slipped out to catch her plane while Scott took the mike back and did his interpretation of Paul landing his triple lutz tonight. At one point Kristi took the mike to sing "Roz has a dream..." in reference to her song earlier but no one else took Scott up on his offer to speak. Scott did mention that the show would look a lot different next year - as it always does. Now that I think of it, I wonder why he didn't mention Denis' and Elena's retirement? Perhaps that is not as set in stone as everyone believes? It would seem odd to neglect them and single out Paul.
Sandy
On to the show. Pat and I had great seats just right of center down where all the action is in Fun and Games. Also, Paul's group (his parents, his girlfriend, his agent, and miscellaneous friends were several rows right below us in on ice seats. His parents both looked good, which I was happy bout considering the health problems both had experienced in recent years. His girlfriend Kate is a beautiful blond, slim and looks to be probably about 5' 7" or 5' 8" tall. She and Paul's mom look to have the same taste in clothes, you know, very well put together from head to toe and kind of preppy. If you saw what Mrs. Wylie wore on the Leeza show, you know what I mean. In fact, she was wearing that same outfit at yesterday's show. Anyway, Paul's parents seemed to dote on her, so they're obviously very happy with his choice.
Now, some comments about the show itself. The show was excellent. Only one fall all evening and that was Scotty on an attempted triple lutz in his Just One Look at You number. As in any closing show of a run, be it a theatre show or an ice show, all the performers purpose to be sharp and on for that final time. Also, as is the tradition of this show, its a time to pull those pranks everyone has wanted to do in the ensemble numbers.
Among the ones that were pulled yesterday: several attacks of silly string; Ivana Metal's dog leaving turds on the ice; Lilly Pureheart discovering she has a Katia doll in place of her teddy bear; When Gorky and Park become Pasha, she also dons a short platinum blond wig (I think it would have been doubly funny if he had also put on a blond wig); when coach Evian tries to turn his attention to Annie Nereagain, Lilly holds on to him and won't let him go; When Lilly wins, she latches onto the Big Money Guy and they are together from that point on (when she comes out again, he's with her and their arms around each other indicating an obvious "relationship").
At the beginning of the second act, there were several more Muses than usual, some carried snacks which they gave to the on-ice audience; one Muse only had one skate and several had plastic bugs in their skates. Before her solo, Roz attacked her Muse (Scotty) with silly string and she had something written on her arms in red ( we think it spelled out I love (heart symbol) Scott). Finally, at the end of Scott's Wizard of Oz, they brought out an actual Wizard of Oz cast outside of the skater's entrance (obviously, some hired actors) as if they finally showed up to do the show. This was a surprise for Scott. All of these pranks were great fun.
As I said, the performers were intent on being extra sharp for the last show, especially Paul. Sleepers was wonderfully intense and passionate. Every musical nuance was emphasized. Paul also hit two triples and doubled the lutz. There was a partial standing ovation.
Go the Distance was equally wonderful, and Paul hit all his jumps. Needless to say, he got a sustained standing O, during which time, he skated over to his parents and girlfriend and gave them all hugs. It was a very poignant moment that I was glad to be there to see.
At the end of the show, Scott had some things to say, and then he turned the mic over to Paul who thanked parents, girlfriend, Scott, IMG, his fans - everyone you would expect, for the last 6 years. He was obviously emotional, and like Scott, he was teary eyed. We, his audience, was teary eyed also.
This has not been a review, but rather some observations. As someone who has been a Wylie supporter since 1988, living through the ups and downs of his career, I can truly say, it has been a great and inspirational 10 years. Thank you, Paul.
Barbara Atwood
y son Brian who is 7 1/2 just loves Scott. So a few weeks befor the show he wanted to buy something for Scott, so we went looking around he saw a mini golf club made of wood with a golf ball and he wanted that for Scott so he bought it with his own money and he saw a happiness teddy bear pin with the pin came a card that said something about when you are sad to look at the pin and it will bring a smile to your face knowing that a friend will always be here for you, so he bought that too . Then we went to a card shop and got a card, Brian picked out one that was folded three times and on the front it said We missed you,and when you open it up it says Welcome back!!!!! Brian also put in a school picture of himself of this year and I wrote his name and address on it. Brian also signed the card himself.
Then we saw fortune cookies so we got some of that one box said things about your the greatest and the other box said things about doing a great job . On the wooden golf club my brother wrote Lewiston Maine on the handle and on the bottom part he wrote to Scott from Brian at [email protected] . Then I put everything in a gift bag I put a lot of tissue paper, in the card and on the tissue paper and all over the bag I put star shaped confetti. So now we had everything ready now was time for the show, when we arrived in Portland we were in line to go into the parking garage as we were waiting for our turn my sister said " Oh my God I think that is , yes it is Scott" so she and I opened our windows and yelled out "HI Scott" he turned and looked at us and smiled and gave us a little wave, after that my son Brian was so happy knowing that Scott was there. So then we parked the van and went into the lobby. My dad looked for some one coming out of the Production office and someone did he stopped him and asked where we could bring the gift bag that we had. Then the man said well I shouldn't tell you this but if you go over to that side of the building you may see him coming out of the Dinning area where some of the Stars are eating. So of course we did go and we started talking to a security guard there as we were talking we could here some one saying EXCUSE ME COMING THRU and as they waked by it was Elena Bechke she was going in the dinning area, then the guard was telling us to go and try to give the gift bag to the people back stage and as he was saying that again we heard EXCUSE ME COMING THRU and it was Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Orser !! I yelled out Kristi and Brian and they both looked at me and smiled . They didn't stop but they did look and smile. So then we started to go for the back stage as we got there , there was a women there we asked it we could give the gift bag to Scott, she looked at her watch and said well there is not enough time, Scott is getting ready for the show. She did say she would go and bring it to him if we wanted to. So we gave her the gift bag and she went out back. Then we went to our seats. Oh yes the guard at the dinning room did tell us that if we could not get anyone to deliver the gift bag to go and find him after the show and he would make sure that Scott would get it. Any ways we sat and watched the show needless to say it was a very good show . Scott almost fell during one of his numbers , and Kristi did fall but it was because her laces came undone and she tripped on them. I don't know much about all the tech. terms of skating. Scott got standing O's befor and after each program he was in. So did Paul Wylie after he did GO THE DISTANCE then he went and gave his Mom and Dad a hug that was so sweet. The rest of the show was great . After the show we still had a banner for Scott so we went to look for the guard who told us to look for him after the show . Well we didn't find him but we did see an other guard and him called for him on their hand held radio he found the man we were looking for and he told the one we were with to take the banner and bring it to him back stage and he would give it to Scott. So we gave him the banner and we watched him go back stage and give it to the guard then we saw the guard give it to Scott. Well that made my son Brian very happy. Of course he would of love to have met Scott but he happy knowing that Scott got his gifts. We already sent out our order for next year we mailed it befor we left to go home.
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