Baltimore, MD, April 16, 1997

Most of the skaters (including Todd) arrived in Baltimore yesterday to begin rehearsals. There was apparently a lot of chaos and confusion as everyone rushed to get the show together by this evening and in fact the final "dress rehearsal" run-through was only completed a little over an hour before the show was scheduled to start. All of which would explain why the show appeared a big ragged at times, especially the group numbers (i.e., in the opening, Gary Beacom narrowly avoided colliding with Surya Bonaly).

In the opening, Todd, attired in bright red shirt and black pants, skates his bit to some country music. For the closing segment, he skates to Summertime Blues wearing the Walk on the Wild Side costume.

His main performance occurs in the second half of the show and his is the third act after the intermission (he is skating after Usova/Zhulin and before Michelle Kwan). He is performing a new program, to the music Close Every Door from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and wears the new Gethsemane costume (last worn at this year's Nationals exhibitions).

His performance last evening was absolutely wonderful and was greeted with noisy approbation from the audience (like, a lot of screams). In addition to the usual phenomenal spins and edgework, there was a lovely spiral and at least three triple jumps, including the only triple axel of the night. [The other two jumps may have been a flip and a salchow, but as they occurred at the opposite end of the rink from where I was sitting, I couldn't be sure]. All and all, a real class act!