Sept. 2006

Storytelling, in itself, is an ancient art, as is Dance.

     In many cultures... incidences, lives, accounts were handed down thru the generations, either verbally or non-verbally thru music, dance and movement.  This has always been an intriguing concept to me, especially nowadays, with so much being thrown in words via music, tv, internet, etc....  The simple act of telling a story has seemed lost to me, but i personally know that there are others that feel the same way as I do, and so I know I take comfort in knowing I am not alone.
     I was 15 years old when I first walked into Pacino's restaurant.  I had seen Sal Pacino's face almost every Sunday in the San Gabriel Tribune's Calendar section.  It was a 1/4 page ad, with a pic of Sal just smiling into the camera, inviting folks to come eat at his restaurant.  2 for 1 Specials, Valentine's Day Dinners, Holiday Specials... you name it.
     So, my dad decides to finally take the family to Pacino's for dinner.  He wasn't as excited as I was, but thats ok.  I guess I should mention that I've always been a sort of an Observer, someone who just sits there unnoticed, almost studying people that come in and out of view.  More than a hobbie, a Full Time occupation.  So, we're greeted at the door by none other than Sal himself.  I personally thought it was an honor that he would actually shake my hand and muss up my hair.  This was not an 'awe-inspiring' experience, as when I met Eric Clapton back in '92 (ok, we made eye contact backstage and he could read the 'Holy S**t' look on my face), but it was a moment worth keeping memorable.
     Waiters, waitress', bartenders, dishwashers, Maitre D's, busboys will all tell you something different about where they werk and what it's like to werk there.  They will say "It's just a job" or something of the ilk.  What I saw that evening, while sitting there in one of those red vinyl booths, was an absolute unchoreographed (and unplanned) ballet, with the precision of any of the Bolshoi's performances I have ever seen.  Within the span of almost 90 minutes, there was so much that went on inside that restaurant that it could've been an actual film, at least in my mind. There was interaction with customers, drama amongst emplyee's, Sal hurriedly walking from room to room (always in a nice fitting suit), customers with their events of the day, week, year, breakups, make ups, new romances, seniors still in love... blah blah blah.
     Now, I'm sure most everyone has a different experience or pointe of view when it comes to restaurants, cafe's, diners, bars, etc... but I tend to find the hustle & bustle of a busy shift just as wonderfully interesting as any sporting event on television, only, there are no winners or losers, just lives intersecting temporarily, almost randomly. So, that is the basis for Chelsea's On Main.
    In 2005, old friend Mark Bramlett approached me with something he'd been mulling over for a few years, and it was a Blues-based musical entitled A Night at Pacino's.  I had just nixed a dance gothic dance performance I was creating earlier in the year and he asked me "What do you think of a dance performance to some of this stuff?".  Well, my motto/mantra/slogan has always been "Anything IS Possible" so I picked up the project from there... and here we are.
     Coincidence has it that when I was older, I actually got to jam with the weekend band a few times.  Mark had hung out and played there also, though we didn't know each other back then. Busted my chops keeping up with them union guys, but it was a lesson worth learning.  At one of the Chelsea's performances, a friend of Mark's (who was also a musician and actually played at Pacino's as well) asked me "You played at Pacino's, right?" and I said yeah.  He the asked, "Did you get paid?" and I laughed and said "No....", then he whipped back laughing, because he didn't get paid either...  lol