Denver turned out to be a very, very busy gig. In addition to it being a six-week run -- the longest I had done with the tour so far -- we were also raising money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. I happily volunteered to be a part of an amazing fundraising event 
called WICKED ROCKS!, which had a successful night at the Bluebird Theatre. I am proud to say that the cast was able to raise $235,000 in Denver and Cleveland combined. We thank you, Denver, for the generous support!
With this being our third visit to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts theatre, and with a longer run and a few snow storms, I was not sure we would have full houses every night. But never doubt the power of the WICKED! Even under winter weather advisories, the show must -- and did -- go on, to packed houses nightly.
A wonderful thing about working on the road is getting reacquainted with people you haven’t seen for some time. I have had the great pleasure of spending time with friends and family that I would not have been able to see if I were staying put in one city. It’s so amazing, and Denver was no different. While we were there, I was able to see an old high school buddy, Angela Bui, and I got to celebrate my uncle’s birthday with him and my cousin.
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts was wonderfully accommodating and the theatre was easy to navigate. I was, however, absolutely NOT prepared for the elevation- and altitude-sickness. The company managers had warned us to take precautions: to stay hydrated and to not be afraid to use the off-stage oxygen tanks whenever we needed. That still did not prepare me for opening night, when I was actually unable to perform due to altitude sickness. I returned to work the next night, but had what I can only describe as the hardest performance I have ever experienced. At one point the lack of oxygen proved too much for me. It was impossible for me to breathe, let alone catch my breath to sing. I would like to take this time to thank my cast for being patient with me and basically carrying me on their shoulders.
On a happier note, the beginning of the holidays arrived while we were in Denver, and I was "booed"! For most of our run in Denver, the cast took turns secretly decorating each other’s stations with Halloween treats and ghosts and goblins. We also attended a lovely Halloween costume party hosted for us at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. I went as 
Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes. Thanks for the great idea, Ryan!
Although Denver was an awesome city to play, six weeks was a good while and we were all ready for a change. See you in Cleveland!
Courtney Jones worked at NYCPAS as Assistant to the Director for two years before embarking on the national tour of “WICKED” as an ensemble cast member. She is a graduate of SUNY Purchase College and has danced professionally in New York City with Jennifer Muller/The Works, among others. This is her ninth blog from the road (click "blogging from the road" in our tag cloud [right column] to see all her blogs!).
Believe it or not, five straight weeks of sunshine in San Diego left me yearning for a gloomy day, so heading to Seattle was actually quite exciting. The moment I stepped into downtown Seattle, I immediately felt rejuvenated. I remember thinking if my alma mater, SUNY Purchase, were its own city, it would be downtown Seattle. Youth groups rallying on the street, local musicians playing their music on every corner and lots of energy. 
r time constraints between shows -- they showed us great respect, and got us in and out with lovely service. I would also like to thank the Taphouse Grill for letting me celebrate my 28th birthday there with the entire cast -- we had an awesome time. 
