The 1st Annual Bombers Boomers Broadway Celebrity Softball Games

Wow. That was a mouthful. Today was a day I had been anticipating for quite a while now. It was the day I would attend the 1st Annual Bombers..... I must say, when I decided I was to be in attendance I really had no idea what it was, aside from the fact that the money went to charity and it had Broadway people playing softball at Yankee Stadium. Yes, that is enough to make me want to go.

Aaron Tveit singing the Star Spangled Banner

I got there at 10am this morning to be surprised with a wonderful continental breakfast and great coffee, the only thing I really need in the morning. Of course it did help that when I got outside and sat anywhere I felt like in Yankee Stadium, the weather was beautiful and Aaron Tveit sang the Star Spangled Banner. Not to mention Rachelle Rak, Alex Ellis, Dominic Scaglione, Jr., Matt Bogart, Mitch Jarvis, Tom Wopat and many other Broadway people that I admire were there, nonetheless playing softball! I happened to be rooting for the Broadway Bombers, mainly because Catch Me if You Can is my favorite current Broadway show and that was team with the Catch Me people. Still, the Bombers suffered a sad defeat. Congrats to the Times Square Slammers though! And yes, it was still fun to watch.

Aaron Tveit

Dominic Scaglione, Jr. at bat

After the Broadway game ended, the Boomers-Bombers game was set to begin. These teams consisted of various famous people from various places, most of whom I had never heard of (excluding Edie Falco), so I found that game much less interesting. It was during this point in the day that I decided to relax in the air-conditioned Legends Suite, where the event took place. I am so lucky to have been in the Legends Suite once before due to my friend and her extra ticket and once you see a Yankee game there, you can't really go back. Still, I just hung out there for most of the time, lots of the Broadway players were filtering in and out so it was nice to see them, and the food was delicious.

Edie Falco at bat

After the second game ended, there was a reception with more food and drink. Honestly, I am astounded that I did not explode at some point throughout the day. I sat down, got some food (yet again, I might add), listened to nice Jazz, and drank water in a wonderfully air-conditioned room filled with incredibly nice and talented people following two celebrity softball games. Yeah, it was a good day.

Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo

For some reason, I always think of Robin Williams as that guy from RV, that incredibly stupid movie that I saw on a plane once. I think that was the first time I saw him in a movie, something I am slightly ashamed of. Still, since then I have watched a lot of his other work to learn that he is not "that guy from that stupid movie that time" but an amazing actor. Mostly I learned this from his phenomenal performance in Good Will Hunting, one of my favorite films. And then I saw him on Broadway.

One of my favorite things to do is see screen actors come to Broadway, to see an actor that you know from somewhere in a completely different setting. And honestly, Robin Williams was great as the Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo.

Bengal Tiger was a play about the current war in Iraq and how it has affected everyone there, the soldiers, the civilians and of course, the Bengal Tiger. It was told, for the most part anyway, from the perspective of this tiger who died and is now on his path of redemption so he can escape the terror of the world around him. Throughout his path of redemption he encounters various people and situations only to have his final epiphany and the end of the show.

Robin Williams as the Bengal tiger

Honestly, I think the show was incredibly clever. First, the overall premise, the chaos of the war interpreted through various people's stories, and mainly based around the death of this tiger. Everything, down to the last word was just smart. Even at those moments when you started laughing because of the show's comedic outlet, right afterwards you were left thinking. I left the theatre lacking my usual stage door excitement/"let's meet the actors" mood, but more of just wandering around thinking about what it was I just saw.

And I find it fascinating when a relevant and controversial topic is used to create some art form. It really shows our ability to understand and cope with various problems in any way we know how.

The View from a Broadway Stage

Yes, indeed. I managed to get myself up on a Broadway stage. Something I never thought would be possible because my lack of performing skills (I may have mentioned them before). It was glorious. I attend these shows on a weekly basis seeing all the magic occur, the sets changing before our eyes, emotions flying in all directions.

It all began many weeks ago. An average night at the theatre, heading off to see How to Succeed. My friend Alice and I just stood behind a barricade, watching longingly as the lucky people, friends of the theatre we call them, were aloud inside the stage door. Oh, what we would give to be a member of that somewhat exclusive group. It was that night that we swore to return and one day be aloud back stage.

Alice and I waited about a week. We went back to see Daniel, but also to drop hints about our admiration towards the show to anyone who would listen. One of those few listeners was the stage doorman, and we knew that he was our key. To befriend him was to befriend the guardian of the door behind which the magic of Broadway lies. It was all we wanted.

It was this past Tuesday that it happened. After seeing Baby It's You! I realized it was not very late and maybe we ought to run over to How to Succeed and catch a glimpse of Daniel, and maybe even get a picture with Christopher J. Hanke (something I must say, I'd very much like). We got there telling all we could about our endeavors by this stage door, especially how we got Daniel Radcliffe's pen, currently in my friend's possession. Then the average chaos happened, but Hanke never came out. Alice and I thought we'd wait. We and a bunch of other fans stood outside conversing with Neil, the stage doorman. It was just by chance that his companion's name was Sophia, very similar to my name, and we spoke about that for a while. Finally, Neil said "Sophia, how 'bout you take them backstage." Of course, Alice and I thought he was joking, but she opened the door and led us back there. We saw everything.

The view from a Broadway stage:

Daniel Radcliffe's dressing room door:

We even got to go inside the elevator in the show and take a picture!

I really need to start bringing a camera to these shows, my
cell phone is terrible!

After hanging out, just standing on the stage talking for a while, we decided we'd leave. And so we emerged from the stage door, victorious!

Okay, yes. That was a bit dramatic, I admit. I sort of just needed to tell the story like that from keeping myself from banging my head into a wall out of sheer excitement leftover from that night.

Following that night, Alice and I went back to the stage door to bring Neil and Sophia chocolates as a gift. Though we know that chocolate hardly measures up to that amazing experience, it was the least we could do.

GUEST POST: The Importance of Being Earnest

A play that jokes about a now defunct system of social class, yet still manages to resonate a hilarious chord with its audience, is truly one worth seeing. The production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest by the Roundabout Theater Company is not only sidesplittingly funny, but still manages to remain poignant and relevant over a century after it was penned. 

A Tony winning Brian Bedford (and aptly so might I add) reigns supreme as Lady Augusta Bracknell, a rank obsessed mother whose approval is necessary to facilitate the marriage of several key couples. Meanwhile, the exploration of the utility, as well as function, of truth in modern society ranges from absurd rhapsodizing to hard-hitting mantras that leave the viewer pondering what exactly is the importance of being earnest. 

Accompanied by breathtaking sets and a sublime cast, The Importance of Being Earnest is aggressive in its perfection: it grabs you from the very beginning and never relinquishes your attention, despite two intermissions. This flawless production will leave you speechless, tears coursing down your cheeks as a result of intense laughter. If you are going to see one play this summer, make it The Importance of Being Earnest.


This incredibly written review is by Penina Kessler. When she becomes a published and renowned theatre critic, the best in all New York, all of you can say you read her very first here!


... I don't think I'll have the audacity to ever write again because I know that I will never be able to measure up to her amazing skills.

Baby It's You!

I must admit, I have been getting a bit spoiled with my incredible student rush seats, so when I got rear mezzanine for Baby It's You! I must say I was a bit disappointed. Then again, you get what you pay for- most of the time anyway.

Synopsis: This is the story of Florence Greenberg, a Jewish women from New Jersey yearning to work in the music business. She finally gets out of her house after discovering and managing the Shirelles and founding two record labels. The show is interestingly not so much about her managing this incredibly girl group but more about Florence herself and her development as a character along the way.

Obviously, there is a lot to this woman's life and it is hard to cover all of it efficiently and tastefully, and I must say that this show did that sufficiently well. Still, I personally found the changing relationship with her kids the most interesting, so once I left the theatre when the show was over, I sort of had this feeling of "What ever happened with that?"

Now the two extremely tall people sitting in front of me making out for the majority of the show (until an usher told them to stop) may have had something to do with the fact that I wasn't entirely engrossed, I sort of felt like there was a bit too much going on at once. There seemed to be so many little tangents occurring around the central premise of Florence and her love interest. Then again, maybe that's how the life of Florence Greenberg really played out. Who am I to say?

Still, it may have just been that exceedingly aggravating couple sitting in front of me that ruined my attention span.

On top of that, this show is described as a "Boomer's delight", unfortunately, that does not include me. I could definitely see how a person from the baby boomer's generation would have enjoyed the show more.

And now the cast:

Beth Leavel. Amazing. She portrayed the whole "Oy-Vey", Jewish housewife thing perfectly - trust me, I would know. She had a wonderful voice and an extremely gripping stage presence. No wonder she was nominated for a Tony this year!

Everyone on Broadway is incredibly talented and these performers were no exception. The whole cast was full of amazing singers, wonderful actors and incredible dancers.

It was truly a fun show but nothing was as amazing as the fact that it is a true story!

My most recent Broadway endeavors.

"The right place at the right time"
Somehow this idea never really seemed to apply to me. Recently, however, I have seemed to be extremely lucky, Broadway-wise, in encountering stars. My most recent Broadway endeavor occurred whilst waiting to meet my family to go to Radio City to see Cirque du Soleil, Zarkana, which was great. It's fun to see a circus that actually has an interesting story with live music, not just a bunch of circus acts. Still, nothing beat the incredible set and the amazing theatre. If you get the chance, definitely go see this.

Slight tangent, back to my endeavors.

Radio city is on 50th and 6th so I decided I might as well hang out in the one place I was bound to run in to the Broadway stars within that area. It also just happened to be 6:15pm, roughly when all the performers go out between their matinees and night shows. I went to the Starbucks on 52nd and 8th, half a block from Jersey Boys and Catch Me If You Can. I was just lucky that it was such a hot day and everyone was trying to get inside where there was air conditioning. While on line at Starbucks getting the most refreshing drink I know of, a passion iced tea, none other than Dominic Scaglione Jr. walked in. He was Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys! (Or at least in the production I saw) At first I wasn't sure, but I finally I decided that it was actually him. Still, I have yet to figure out how to pronounce his last name so I was not sure how to approach him. While deliberating, there were these two little girls by the window waving to the people on the outside. For those of you who are New Yorkers, you know that that is something definitely in the ordinary. Of course, only in the place that I was would these little girls wave to Aaron Tveit as he was passing by and then ask "What if we waved to someone famous without realizing it?"

Anyway back to Dominic, the story about Aaron yet to come. I finally decided to just ask him if he by any chance played Fankie Valli in Jersey Boys, which he of course said yes to and we had a short conversation while I told him how wonderful he is. He then asked my name (something that really makes me happy about Broadway stars, it actually makes you feel like they care) and in anticipation of the awkward moments to follow if I were to continue to hang out in that Starbucks, I left.

The moment I stepped outside, a gust of heat hit me, followed by a long minute of lightheadedness and me having to lean against a street sign to actually be able to start breathing again (what can I say? I'm more of a winter girl). Of course standing 10 feet from me is Aaron Tveit talking on the phone, another thing that didn't quite help with the whole lightheaded and breathing thing. I walked across the street planning on heading over to Radio City, but still unable to. I needed water. I went back to the Starbucks to buy myself a water bottle to help me last the longest four block trip I have ever been on and of course, I see Jay Armstrong Johnson and once again Aaron Tveit. After a few long moments of hesitating I decided I'd walk over and say hello after I had gotten some water. Of course when I got to the register the cashier made a big fuss about how I was just in here and if she needed to check my ID. By the time I had bought my water, they were both gone.

Still it was cool to just see them and have the chance to talk to Dominic! Let's hope I continue to be this lucky when it comes to theatre.

Sidenote: I hate to overshadow my Tony's post with this one seeing as that one is a bit more significant. I just thought I'd share this experience.

The Tonys

Needless to say, the Tonys were on last night. Sadly, I have no television, I have been roaming the internet to find some video of the entire thing (still no luck, if you find one let me know!). Because of this, I cannot really comment on how they were. All I know is that in the opening number Neil Patrick Harris was incredible. From what I saw I think it's safe to say he was nowhere close to the train-wreck James Franco and Anne Hathaway were at the Oscars, then again, this is Broadway.

Because I am so lucky to actually live in New York City, I actually took a trip down to the beautiful Beacon Theatre to check out the most glamorous night in the theatre world. It was surreal. Honestly, New York city is a hell of a crazy place but surely it's not everyday you go walking down 74th Street and Broadway to see people strutting about in ball gowns. I just sort of lurked watching Broadway royalty strolling about. Okay, so maybe I didn't see anyone I recognized but all the same, I'm sure many of the people I saw contribute somehow to the theatre, making them royalty.

Honestly, it's my dream to just get all glammed up in a beautiful gown, a sophisticated pair of pumps, get my hair done and wear an extraordinary amount of make-up, to go into a beautiful theatre and be surrounded by people who work hard to make an idea on a page a reality that we all then get to be a part of.

While creeping outside of the Beacon, I merely stared longingly at all the people who looked not much older than me jumping up and down in excitement walking to the "special" side of the street, closed off to pedestrians. I think this dream of mine is a tad too far fetched due to my utter lack of any performing talent as well as knowledge of the many other components of theatre, but hey, one can wish right?

I must say it was really weird. I mean, I watch and anticipate the Oscars religiously, the big movie buff I am, and it just seems like another world. It's strange to think the Tonys are roughly the same thing just another community of the art world and it's happening down my street! (Over exaggeration. I don't live that close.) It's funny in a way. I longed to see all those stars and converse with them about all the good they do and how incredible they are, but I can just hop on the train and tell them whenever I want!

Enough of my desire to be one the lucky people attending the Tonys, and on to the winners themselves.

The Book of Mormon. 9 Tonys, virtually everything it was nominated for. Okay, so I have yet to see this supposedly incredible show, and sorry to say, it will most definitely be a long time until I do so due to it's now new hype- also it has no form of general or student rush no matter how much I wish it did.  Still, money does not grow on trees- and neither do tickets, I hear it's sold out for months! The one thing I have been able to do however, is listen to the songs and watch the videos. I, however, have been doing this sparingly, I really don't want to know too much about the show. I know enough to understand that it is a show that makes fun of religion, and I must say, being the somewhat rebellious teen that I am, there is hardly anything I find funnier. Please god, let me win the lottery to the Book of Mormon.

Norbert Leo Butz. Yes, I am aware that I may have mentioned my outrage that Aaron Tveit was robbed again of a nomination, but Norbert, you were truly amazing and definitely deserved this win. His role is quite complex and not to mention "Don't Break the Rules". I think this video says enough. And yes, I am devastated that Aaron only got 30 seconds of stage time. Really Tony people?! You can't even let him perform?

Anything Goes. This is another show that I have yet to see. Also, yet another one that is almost impossible to get cheap tickets to. I got to the theatre at 11am on a day that had both a matinee and a night show and they were all out of rush seats. This show has a Tony winner as the star as well. Congratulations Sutton Foster!

John Larroquette. I must say he is absolutely delightful and incredibly funny in How to Succeed. Honestly, winning a Tony for your Broadway debut? That's impressive.

John Larroquette (right) as J. B. Biggley in
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

The rest of the shows I still have to see and know far too little about to comment on. All of them are now on my wish list and I hope to see them and post on them as soon as I can!

Rock of Ages

Storyline: So basically, a young man from Detroit who wants to be a rockstar and a girl from a small town who wants to be an actress and are in Hollywood trying to achieve their dreams. Surprisingly, they fall in love and there's conflict. At the same time, an evil German developer and his son, Franz, try to reconstruct the sunset strip and they are trying to demolish the Bourbon Room, where our story for the most part takes place.

What can I say? It's a true example of how important each and every component of a musical is. For instance, the cast was amazing, the set was hilarious, the music was great, but the story was incredibly cliche, and it's the story that is the basis for the rest of the production. Okay so maybe there were a few funny moments, but they were the type of funny moments that you see in those ridiculous movies that are funny for a second and then they just seem absurd. The essence of a great comedy is that of an over-exaggeration of a truly serious subject. In this show, the serious subject, had little impact on what seemed like the main story, or the love story, which consisted of two people trying to achieve their dreams and then, SPOILER ALERT, they find out that what they really want is love and, unexpectedly, everything works out for the best! Alright, so even the narrator recognizes the fact that it was incredibly cliche. He even says, "Betcha didn't see that coming!", one of the few really funny moments of the show. Still there was more about the show that didn't quite appeal to me.

If it wasn't the uninteresting story line that didn't intrigue me, it was the far too many "Huh?!" moments. From the very beginning of the show, I just kept thinking "What the what?" It all began with the very first scene when one of the guitarists came to the very front of the stage and just stood there playing in slow motion while smiling and making eye contact with the audience for what seemed like an endless amount of time. I must say, for a show that seems to be aimed at middle-aged, single women, this show had far too many stripper dances. Then, there was the "coming out" of two characters who had shown such an obvious attraction to women throughout the entire show. That was just plain random.

Still, nothing beats the outrageousness of the final number "Don't Stop Believing". It started out cheesy, but sweet all the same but as the song went on, it just got stranger and stranger. Out of nowhere, the lead girl comes out and she's pregnant! Alright, so even if there was no mention of wanting kids or anything having to do with pregnancy in the entire show, I guess it sort of make sense. I can however, tell you what doesn't. When completely out of the blue, she's holding a plastic baby in the air and a "Lion King" sort of sequence occurs. Keep in mind, "Don't Stop Believing" is not a very long song so all of this sort of happened rapidly, while simultaneously, one of the guys who died in the show is walking around the audience in this unbelievable golden angel suit while another just in underwear! Throughout this entire number, I was legitimately just thinking, "I do not comprehend what is going on."

I do have to admit though, there was one part of the show that I truly enjoyed. Franz. A German boy with a dream of having a candy store (trust me, this actually does fit into the storyline). This one number "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" is pure brilliance. Out of nowhere (as usual) Franz rips off all his clothes to reveal a blue sparkling unitard and sings with a German accent. Honestly, it was hilarious. Cody Scott Lancaster, great job. His performance was by far the most entertaining. Don't get me wrong, the rest of the cast was wonderful, the music was obviously fantastic, the only problem was the story.

My friend Vera and me with Cody Scott Lancaster at the stage door

Like I said, the show was aimed toward single, middle-aged women, something that I am proud to say I am not. At the stage door this one lady walked up to the guitarist whilst referring to him as her new "Rockstar boyfriend" and just said, "You are so hot." I'm a teenage girl and I wouldn't even do that. What does that tell you? I guess it's sweet that these women got another chance at their childhood, they probably appreciated the show more than I did. And maybe one day I'll think back to that show and appreciate it way more, but until then all I can say is, "What?!"

Something funny:

Inside the Helen Hayes theatre

I don't know why I found this so hilarious, but inside the theatre they had bras hanging everywhere.

West Side Story: A Bronx Science Production

So recently my high school put on a production of West Side Story for our spring musical. Honesty, I am slightly ashamed to admit I did not know what it was about until one of my friends told me. And though it is not public theater, it was definitely a performance that's worth giving recognition to.

I had never seen West Side Story and some of my friends had pulled off some lead roles in the show so I had been anticipating it for weeks (Mostly because many of them were inconspicuously dropping hints that the show was going to be amazing). My friends were of course aware of my current Broadway frenzy and had to remind me many times not to have too high expectations. Still, the performance exceeded them. The entire show was well done, obviously the story is riveting and the music is wonderful, but I really need to make a huge shout-out to the cast. It's truly amazing how incredibly talented a group of high schoolers can be.

The entire cast

The thing about high school productions is that you have really little control over casting. There are only a handful of amazing singers, dancers and of course actors and an even smaller group who have the courage to audition, let alone perform in front of our school. Still, something tells me it was little more than just luck that made our cast so incredible.

Shanti Kumar and Shawn Geller as Maria and Tony

First, Maria and Tony. The two who played them (in the production I saw) had incredible chemistry, were phenomenal singers, and overall performed so well. In the auditorium filled with fidgeting teenagers, both of them had this strange ability to cause everyone to get quiet and still the moment one of them opened their mouth to sing. When Tony died and Maria made her final speech while holding the gun that was used to kill him, I was legitimately brought to tears.

Finally, apart from the incredible cast, the other thing that stood out to me was the choreography. West Side Story is a very dance dependent musical and in the numbers where virtually everyone was dancing, everyone was really great. Okay, so maybe the whole "synchronized" thing didn't really work out, but it added more the the show. I mean, a show about disputes between gangs and such, how much organization and synchronization actually is realistic?

And lastly, one of the greatest scenes (dancing-wise anyway) is in the ballroom right before Tony and Maria meet, when Anita and Riff's girlfriend, Velma, have a "dance-off" there were these two incredible lifts done by Anita and Velma. Honestly, I am astounded that this show was put together in only three months!

You can CATCH ME at Macy's (pun intended)

Okay, so I don't know if I've mentioned it but I'm sort of a huge Catch Me If You Can fan. So much so in fact, that it has now reached my most played album on iTunes, ahead of Next to Normal and Spring Awakening. Needless to say I follow the Catch Me facebook page and twitter, just to keep myself up to date on the show and such. But of course, I found out that today they had a mini performance at Macy's on 34th street. I obviously went. I took videos of all the songs, it was a really short performance, but Kerry Butler, Tom Wopat and Aaron Tveit were there so it was obviously amazing. Here are the videos:

Tom Wopat singing "Fifty Checks",

the bonus track from the Catch Me original soundtrack

Kerry Butler singing "Fly Fly Away"

Aaron Tveit singing "Goodbye"

Enjoy! And sorry the sound quality isn't great, all the more reason to buy the CD!

And yes, I am aware that almost every one of my posts pertains to Aaron Tveit or Daniel Radcliffe, but I assure you, it won't be that way for long.