Miss Richfield 1981!!

On Mon night Steven & Thad and Joe P and I went to see Miss Richfield 1981!

If you've never seen her show, shame on you!  But surely you know her from her Orbitz commercials, her Philadelphia Tourism commercial or possibly her TV appearance on Cake Boss.  One thing is for sure:  Miss Richfield 1981 is hilarious!!!!

Something I truly respect and admire about Miss Richfield 1981 is that much of her shows' content is improvised.  Oh sure, anybody can be funny if they memorize a script they spent months and months perfecting.  And Miss Richfield 1981 does have a theme to each of her shows, but its obvious that much of it is unscripted.  She interacts heavily with the audience and really can't predict how they will respond, yet she's always quick with a hilarious comeback.  This show was largely about the upcoming presidential election and the need to vote.  The audience was absolutely in stitches!!

I've been fortunate to see Miss Richfield 1981 several times at the Blue Moon.  Here are a few pics taken after a couple of the shows.

2014

2015

2014 with Joe P

I've also had the pleasure of meeting the man behind Miss Richfield 1981 and can say he is very nice, very smart, and just as funny as his female alter ego.

Check out Miss Richfield 1981's blog for hilarity, photos, upcoming shows, and more!

Miss Richfield 1981

Mon night I went to see Miss Richfield 1981 perform her new show "Cone of Silence" at the Blue Moon with Joe P.  It was fantastic!!

I've been a big fan of Miss Richfield 1981 since the 1st time I saw her, and always make a point of seeing her shows when she's in town.  Check out my previous posts and photos HERE, HERE, and HERE.  Her new show "Cone of Silence" is about taboo topics and feelings that people don't talk about.  In a hilarious way Miss Richfield 1981 encourages all to remove their cone of silence and go ahead and talk about those touchy subjects.

A selfie with Miss Richfield 1981 after her show!

Any drag comedienne can spend 6 months writing and memorizing a script for a 'funny' show.  But likely half or more of Miss Richfield's material is spontaneous due to her numerous interactions with the audience.  There's literally no way to prepare for that!  Yet she is constantly quick, clever, and side-splittingly funny.

Want to go see Miss Richfield 1981 yourself?  Check out her calendar HERE!

Poodle time

From my previous posts, you all know I love Miss Richfield 1981.  I see her every summer when she comes to town.

Last night Joe P, Steven, 1 of the Bobs, Tim and I went to see her new show "Play with my Poodle" at the Blue Moon.  In typical Miss Richfield style, she had us screaming with laughter!  I love the way she interacts with the audience and is so quick with hilarious observations of the audience.

After the show Miss Richfield 1981 posed with us for photos:

Miss Richfield 1981 and me

Miss Richfield and Joe P

If you're ever feeling down or suicidal, all you need to do to feel better is to go see Miss Richfield 1981.  Seriously, if you have the opportunity (here's her performance schedule), go see Miss Richfield 1981.  You'll be very glad you did.

Sweet-n-Sour Richfield

Last night I went to see Miss Richfield 1981 in her latest show "Made in China" at the Blue Moon.

I met Steven & Thad and Joe P for dinner 1st at the Purple Parrot.  (Spouse opted to stay home and peruse the home shopping channels instead.)  It was burger night so of course we had to get the huge 1 lb burgers, which were a tasty splurge.  Then we headed over to the Blue Moon for the show.

I've seen Miss Richfield 1981 several times and feel she is 1 of the funniest entertainers I've ever seen.  This new show "Made in China" was no exception.  The concept of the show was that, since winning her title as Miss Richfield in 1981, she's been traveling the country sharing the joys of Richfield, MN.  The people of Richfield support her efforts to such a degree that each time she returns home, there is another (1-way) bus ticket on her trailer door, courtesy of the townsfolk.  Since everything is made in China these days (iPhones, clothing, etc.) Miss Richfield has decided to take her show on the road... to China.

In her usual politically incorrect and stereotype-exaggerating way, she had us doubled over with laughter until tear streamed down our faces.  Only don't laugh for too long or you'll miss the next funny thing she'll say.

We had a terrific time, and after the show Miss Richfield came out into the audience to pose for pictures!  Here are Joe P, Miss Richfield 1981, and me:

Here's Miss Richfield and Steven:

Be sure to check out her show when she comes to your town.  If she doesn't come to your town, then MOVE, or at least make a point to see her where ever you can.  Check her appearance dates here.

Miss Richfield 1981 returns

Last night we had the pleasure of attending Miss Richfield 1981's show at the Blue Moon.


Originally Spouse & I planned to go with Steven & Thad and Joe P, but Spouse came down with a 24-hour bug and wasn't able to go.

This was 'dinner and show', so we started with cocktails and appetizers. I chose a Cosmo and the fried green tomato appetizer which were both delicious. Then I had the seared prime beef Belvedere with sauteed mushrooms and fried fingerling potatoes - yummy! For dessert I had the chocolate pie.

After dinner Miss Richfield 1981 began her hilarious show! Here she is with one of the guests.Here is Miss Richfield 1981 playing the hand saw, a talent that helped her win the Miss Richfield contest in 1981!
Here's Miss Richfield with Joe P.

We had a fantastic meal, a fantastic show, and fantastic evening!

Rehoboth Idol finale

This is it: the finale of the Rehoboth Idol singing contest. The night's mission for me was to pull out all the stops and really show that I am a performer, not just a singer.

The hostess, Miss Richfield 1981, explained that the order of performance for this week was determined by our rankings from last week, starting with the 2 who tied for 3rd place, followed by the 2nd place contestant, followed by me. Here's the songs we performed in the disco-themed portion:

• Tom - "Hot Stuff" (originally performed by Donna Summer)
• Amber - "Hot Stuff" (originally performed by Donna Summer)
• Terry - "I Will Survive" (originally performed by Gloria Gaynor)
• Me - "Night Fever" (originally performed by the Bee Gees)

I've been battling sinus congestion since Sun so I felt tired and drained at the coaching session that afternoon. I was told by the coach that I needed to move around the stage and add some choreography to my song. So that afternoon I watched the "Night Fever" video on YouTube with clips from the song's appearance in the film "Saturday Night Fever" to get inspiration. At home I practiced moving around the stage and added several recognizable disco moves to my routine, including the bus stop dance and John Travolta's signature 'point-up, point-across-the-body'. It felt like just enough choreography to enhance the song but not be distracting to me or the audience.

I sang "Night Fever" in falsetto as the Bee Gees did, except for the bridge. Like the original, I sang "...and that sweet city woman, she moves through the lights, controlling my mind and my soul" in my regular voice, then went back to falsetto for the rest. Although fatigued from sinus medication, my adrenaline kicked in and I gave it everything I had.
The audience and judges loved it!

Then we were onto the 2nd part of the competition which was a song from any genre. The order of performance was by age, from oldest to youngest, so here's what we sang:

• Tom - "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" (originally performed by Toby Keith)
• Me - "Its Too Late" (originally performed by Carole King)
• Amber - "Angel" (originally performed by Aretha Franklin)
• Terry - a song originally performed by Beyonce that I can't identify

Since there was just 1 song before I sang again, I quickly changed out of my disco outfit into an all black outfit for my 2nd number.



After each of us sang our 2nd song we received feedback from the judges on both songs. Most of it was very complimentary and affirming.

Then the judges went to deliberate and tally their scores while the audience was treated to a performance by Carla Jones, Rehoboth Idol 2010. She did an amazing job singing Chaka Kahn's "Ain't Nobody". Although I didn't attend any of the Rehoboth Idol 2010 performances, it was easy to see why she won last year. She's got a great voice, lots of vocal control, and is beautiful.

Then judges returned to their seats and Miss Richfield 1981 called all 4 contestants onto the stage and explained that 1 of the owners of the Blue Moon, Tim Ragan, would deliver the results. Tim came onto the stage with a huge check, like they show in those Publishers Clearing House commercials, with the name covered up. He explained that the judging was very hard since the contestants were all so good. They decided not to give rankings, but to just select the winner.

Miss Richfield 1981 said "Well, don't keep me in suspense! Who is it? Who's the winner of Rehoboth Idol 2011???"

As he uncovered the name on the giant check for $1000. he said "Mark!!".

Miss Richfield 1981 took my hand and directed me to the front of the stage where Tim gave me the huge check. The audience cheered and I saw camera flashes coming from every direction so I smiled and tried not to look crazy. I often don't look good in candid photos. Miss Richfield 1981 congratulated all the contestants on a job well done and we congratulated each other. The judges joined us on stage and we closed the contest by singing "Dancing Queen".

When the song ended it was group photo time on the stage. Again, camera flashes right and left. Although I'm not very photogenic, it was actually fun/exciting to be photographed like that, as if the paparazzi were vying for the best shot.

When the mayhem subsided I joined my friends Steven & Thad, Joe P, Kim, and The Bobs who had come to support me. They congratulated me and we talked for a few minutes. Then I got a bottle of water and talked to some other friends and several strangers who stopped me to chat.

It was an AMAZING night and I am SO HAPPY that Claritan-D kicked in. I'll add photos once I get them from Joe P, so check this post again tomorrow.

In addition to winning the $1000. cash prize and the title Rehoboth Idol 2011, I will also be given opportunities to be paid to perform in other Blue Moon shows for the next year. I think I'm going to have a good time!

Idol update

Last night's theme for the Rehoboth Idol contest was Broadway. I chose to sing "Seasons of Love" from the musical "Rent".

Since my comfort zone is definitely old standards and torch songs of which there are plenty in most Broadway musicals, I thought "Seasons of Love" would show the audience and judges that I can sing any genre and that I'm not a 1-trick pony.

Miss Richfield 1981 was the hostess and emcee again, and I must admit that I have become infatuated with her! Although it flows out of her in a seemingly effortless way, her humor and witty interaction with the audience, judges, and contestants is quite smart. Go see her if you can! A special thank you to John from Indiana for these terrific photos.
So here's how the night went: after doing her intro song and introducing the judges, Miss Richfield 1981 brought all 5 contestants onto the stage for a general introduction to the audience and to decided what order we'd sing in. We drew straws and here's the order and songs performed:

1. Tamara - "My Favorite Things" from Sound of Music
2. Terry - "Ease on Down the Road" from The Wiz
3. Amber - medley of 4 songs from Rent
4. Tom - "Get Me to the Church on Time" from My Fair Lady
5. me - "Seasons of Love" from Rent

Tamara has a lovely voice and great stage presence, but unfortunately her nerves got the best of her and she kept forgetting the lyrics. It was almost heartbreaking to watch her struggle. Terry really used the stage and incorporated lots of choreography in his number. I was impressed when the audience learned that Amber created her Rent medley herself. I was thoroughly entertained by Tom's bachelor party interpretation of "Get Me to the Church"!

Miss Richfield 1981 asked about my costume choice. When I told her I'd be singing a song from "Rent" she said it made more sense. I think she was a little disappointed that I wasn't wearing polka dots again. Here's my performance in 3 segments:






Like before the judges went off to deliberate and Miss Richfield 1981 explained to the audience that this week they could have input on the contest results. Blue paper ballots were distributed to the audience and Miss Richfield 1981 explained that they should place the ballot in the bucket of the performer they liked best. The ballots were then given to the judges to be combined with the judges' scores. I had no idea this was going to happen, but fortunately 2 of my biggest fans (Steven and Joe P) showed up and were able to cast their ballots for me. At least they better had!
When the judges returned the results were announced:

• Tamara was in last place and will not sing in the finals next week
• Amber and Tom tied for 3rd place and will sing in the finals
• Terry was in 2nd place
• I was in 1st place
  

So next Wed is the final night and the remaining 4 contestants will each sing 2 songs: 1 disco era song and 1 song from any genre. I'm holding off on stating my songs because I've already changed my mind since a few days ago. But I'm planning to pull out all the stops and have friends and Spouse in the audience to cheer me on.

I kissed a Warbler

So, last night was week #2 of the Rehoboth Idol singing contest. The theme was songs performed on the TV show Glee.

I chose "One Less Bell". I've always liked this song, I already knew the words, and the song has strong emotional content so I felt I could use that to connect with the audience and showcase my vocal abilities. I practiced at home several times and really tried to implement Pamala and Telly's suggestions from the coaching session.

One of last week's contestants (Selina) didn't return this week but 2 additional singers joined, so now there are 5 singers in the contest. Since there are just 5 there will be no eliminations as there are in American Idol. Instead, contestants get points for vocal ability/intonation, appearance/stage presence, and knowing the lyrics.

Again Miss Richfield 1981 brought all 5 of us up onto the stage at the beginning to introduce us to the judges and audience, then we drew numbers to determine the singing order. Here's how it went:

• Tamara was 1st and sang "Rehab"
• Terry was 2nd and sang "Isn't She Lovely?"
• Amber was 3rd and sang "Rollin' in the Deep"
• I was 4th and sang "One Less Bell"
• Tom was 5th and sang "Borderline"

While the judges deliberated in another room, Telly Leung performed the Glee version of "Teenage Dream" which was fantastic! I found him to be super talented and super nice. What a great guy!

When the judges returned Miss Richfield 1981 announced the results for week 2:

• Tamara & Terry tied for 4th place
• Amber came in 3rd place
• Tom came in 2nd place
• I came in 1st place

It was very exciting!!!

After the show I thanked Pamala and Telly for their invaluable assistance. Then I got an opportunity to meet and talk with Telly and his partner Jimmy. They were both so nice! Jimmy works in NYC but tries to accompany Telly when he can at appearances and performances.

I said that I wanted a t-shirt that read 'I met a Warbler', and then I thought what would be funnier would be a t-shirt that read 'I kissed a Warbler'. The 3 of us laughed, then Jimmy asked if I had kissed Telly yet. I said 'no', so Telly said he didn't want the t-shirt to be a lie so he leaned forward so I could kiss his cheek. I felt a little silly afterward, like a star-struck teenager, but it was all in good fun.

So 2 weeks down and 2 weeks to go, and I'm in 1st place. Now I really feel the pressure to practice, know the lyrics, and sing well to keep hold onto my position. After all, $1000. cash and future paid singing opportunities are at stake!

Idol report

So last night was the 1st night of the Rehoboth Idol singing contest.

The host/emcee was the hilariously funny Miss Richfield 1981. I'd heard of her but hadn't seen her before last night. She had me cracking up with her delicate balance of wit and cluelessness.

After explaining the nature of the contest and introducing the judges, all 4 contestants were called up to the stage at the same time to be introduced to the audience. It was decided that we'd sing in alphabetical order so I went 1st since the other contestants' names were Tamara, Tom, and Selina.

Once they left the stage Miss Richfield 1981 asked me a few questions about how long I'd been singing, etc. then commented on my outfit. I had on very light (off-white) pants and a dark blue shirt with off-white polka dots the size of quarters. I've had the shirt for years but its 1 of those things that never goes out of style, AND you'll never see anyone else wearing. Miss Richfield 1981 said she almost wore a polka dot dress herself but every time she does she gets mistaken for Lucy. She introduced me to the audience again and my track began to play.

As I mentioned yesterday, I chose "Laughter in the Rain" because my voice is similar to Neil Sedaka, I like the song a lot, I know the lyrics thoroughly and am very comfortable performing it. It went very well! Although I was a little nervous I don't think it showed.

The judges were singer/entertainer Pamala Stanley, Blue Moon co-owner Meg Gardner, and karaoke/drag mistress Mona Lotts. They said I portrayed a smooth confidence that complimented my smooth vocals. They were a lot nicer than Simon Cowell!

It was a really fun night and I am looking forward to next week's performance of a song used in the TV show "Glee"!