A thorough analysis of what it takes to be in Bronx Science's Thoroughly Modern Millie.

First off: The Audition. A huge group of teenagers wandering the halls of my massive school singing show tunes to themselves (basically how I think an ideal hallway should be), awaiting their turn to sing solo in front of a seemingly intimidating panel of judges. To be completely honest, I was terrified. The last time I had sung and taken myself seriously while doing so, my own mother came into my room, asked me what I thought I was doing and told me to be quiet. Since then, I decided I ought to lay low in terms of my performing. Still, I got up there, my lovely Next to Normal sheet music in hand, saw my friends smiling at me, and just thought, "Fuck yeah... I can do this." I sang my little song (for the record, I sang "I Dreamed a Dance" from Next to Normal), tried to hide my shaking hands, imagined Aaron Tveit actually singing right beside me, and by the time it was over I realized it wasn't that bad. Then again, I had been practicing ever since I saw last year's musical, West Side Story (<-- Read my post on it if you haven't already!).

Now, after that nerve-wracking singing audition, I thought the worst was over. Hehe, I was quite wrong... Dance auditions. Maybe it was the already established fact of my poor singing skills, or maybe that I couldn't seriously maim someone with my voice (or so I thought), but the singing auditions seemed a breeze in comparison to the dancing ones. The arm-flailing, foot-contorting (or Charlestoning as I would later learn) style that is 1920s dance was quite hard to master, especially for someone who has a tough time not looking awkward when just standing. Still, I managed to get through the dance auditions without hitting too many people when finally our wonderful but initially intimidating choreographer, Colleen, asked me if I could do any acrobatics. "Well, if being able to bend myself in any and every way counts..." I said. And since, I was designated "gumby".

Now enough about me, and on to the real stars of the show.

Olivia Munk, who played none other than Millie Dilmount, I simply idolize. I remember watching her sing "Gimme Gimme" from backstage in tears. She has an overwhelmingly beautiful voice and as Millie she was spot on. You could hardly tear me from watching her in the wings to get me to change into my next costume.

Shanti Kumar, who played the wonderful, the majestic and, of course, the beautiful, Muzzy Van Hossmere. I raved about her last year as Maria (check out that post!), and this year I am simply speechless. If anyone has that jaw-dropping star quality, it's her. I doubt a single person in the audience so much as breathed while she performed (To be honest, all I did was cry).

Emily Joyce, a little freshman off to a great start in the Bronx Science theatre world by nailing the role of Flannery. She embodied the strong, independent woman perfectly, had an unbelievably powerful voice and, most importantly, her wig actually looked good on her!

Kenneth Ling, Melonie Collado and Manfred Joa
Melonie Collado, I can't even say she "played" Mrs Meers, because she truly became a different person altogether. To so much as attempt to describe her understanding and portraying of the character would not suffice. Every time she swaggered on stage, I got chills. Beyond that, she flawlessly improvised a pivotal scene in the show because of props issues. Perfect.
Kenneth Ling and Manfred Joa as Ching Ho and Bun Foo. I guess if singing, dancing and acting isn't a big deal to you, doing so in Chinese should be.

Chloe Hyman, who perfectly portrayed Miss Dorothy, always took my breath away. Watching her perform actually transported me from the sweaty, hectic backstage to the audience. I couldn't bear not getting to watch her perform, and I honestly hope that that will never be a problem again.

Now, because of all the incredibly talented people who go to my school, there was not only one, but two Jimmys and Graydons. It was fascinating to see the contrasting portrayals by the very different performers. More importantly, the unbelievable students who played these roles were also ensemble members. Yep, they not only learned their actual parts but all the ensemble songs and dances too. I may have mentioned this before, but I am and forever will be in awe of those who perform.

Eric Blum, who played one Jimmy, was always just wonderful. I don't remember a moment when he wasn't spot on in every way. He's an amazing dancer, singer and actor and the way he portrayed Jimmy Smith was exactly as I imagined. He's one of those actors that you see and just sorta think, "Well, that's how it's done."

Diego Velazquez, who played the other Jimmy, also did a fantastic job. Of all the things that were done so well by him, I must comment on his exceedingly powerful, full on tenor voice. I have to admit, that last note from "What Do I Need With Love?" easily brought me to hyperventilating level (though not quite to the extent of Aaron Tveit, but still very well done).

Andrew Leto, who played one Graydon, was always simply hilarious. He found the seemingly manly but mostly awkward and ridiculous side of Graydon and played it off perfectly. It was always an absolute pleasure to watch him perform, especially in this role. And... I even had the honor of Charlestoning with him closing night!

Daniel Yearwood, who played the other Graydon, was great in a very different way. No matter what he was doing, he always had an almost overpowering star quality. He took to the more powerful and strong side of Graydon, and did so perfectly. Also, he dances like a dream.

In all honesty, the amount of talent and hard work the went into this production does not cease to amaze me. It wasn't until my actual involvement in theatre, beyond that of an audience member, that I really began to understand how incredible this art form is. To be part of not a bunch of individuals, but one being, fully committed to a final goal that turned out to be amazing not once, not twice but three times was something I never thought I'd ever experience. I can say so easily that being a part of this has completely changed my perspective on theatre and that having the opportunity to be a part of this has made me happier than anyone could ever know.

Thanks to all of you wonderful theatre people. I hope I have said enough.

The beyond incredible, absolutely perfect cast of this amazing show.

My deepest apologies

4 months. It has been for months since I've shared any theatre experiences, and for that I apologize. However, I think my excuse may be somewhat reasonable.

Instead of having the chance to see many shows over the past few months, I actually had the privilege of performing in one! Yep, little old, lacking-rhythm, tone-deaf, stage-frightened me as a modern in none other than Thoroughly Modern Millie, the 2012 Bronx Science spring musical! Aside from all the singing, dancing and looking like a flapper, I had the chance to get a back stage look of what really goes into a musical... but more to come on that.

Once again, I deepest and most heartfelt apologies for the past few months. I swear to the Broadway gods (basically Aaron Tveit) that over the next few days you will see posts on Venus in Fur, Harvey, Triassic Parq, Shakespeare in the Park, Nice Work If You Can Get It and hopefully (once again, pray to the Broadway gods) Peter and the Starcatcher.

Until then, Goodbye! (<-- Just a good ol' video of happiness and wonderful things, including my hyperventilating)

Godspell

There dawns a time in all our lives when we win. "Win what?" you may ask. WIN THE GODSPELL LOTTERY.

Okay, so I've had my fair share of lucky experiences (incredible seats to shows for incredible prices, meeting Daniel Radcliffe multiple times, meeting Aaron Tveit multiple times, etc.), but never have I ever won a Broadway lottery. Nonetheless, one in which I get to set on a pillow next to the stage and get to hang out with the cast during the intermission. Oh, and I may mention that having Hunter Parrish sing to you while wearing little more than underwear is a plus.

This was a lottery that I had entered no less than 5 times, all of which were for Saturday evening performances. This time, I entered for a Wednesday matinee... And I emerged victorious!

The incredible cast of the 2011 Godspell revival

Godspell. Entertainment at the pinnacle of perfection. It was a thoughtful, hilarious look at what it takes to be a good person. It wasn't about religion, or faith, or any ideology really, but just simple notes of being good to one another in our day to day lives. That may sound corny, but in actuality the subject matter of this wonderful musical is extremely relevant.

What particularly stood out to me in this musical was its "feel". I feel like I can't even describe it as a musical because it was the farthest thing I'd ever experienced from a conventional one, not only in its subject matter, but in its execution as well. The first fascinating thing about how this show was executed was its utilization of the audience. As I mentioned before, us lottery winners sat on pillows on the floor. These pillows were actually props that were used in the show that all of us were asked to hold up. Secondly, members of the audience were actually called to the stage to perform. Okay, so I may have heard that Hunter sometimes sit on your lap, but I really didn't realize how involved in the show I would actually be.

I couldn't tell when the show started and finished. The lines were so incredibly blurry. It began with a song about turning off your cell phones and segued into the opening number. During the intermission, the cast called everyone up onto the stage to have a glass of "wine" (child-friendly grape juice) and just continued to hang out there playing music, going around singing, maybe even getting a bit of candy from little kids. I had the opportunity to talk to two incredible cast members about their performances while they just laid on the stage right next to my seat!

Audience up on the stage during intermission

Another interesting thing was the structure of the show. It felt more like I was watching a comedy show because, to an extent, it was set up like one. It felt much more like a series of short vignettes than a long story line, though it was still thematic. Another reason I describe it as "comedy show-esque" is that there were so many jokes relating to current events. There were references to anything from Occupy Wall Street to Lindsey Lohan, and of course Charlie Sheen's "winning!" In that respect, this show broadened the audience by miles. It's not a young person show or an old person show or a new yorker show or a foreigner show. It's an everyone show, but beyond that, it's an opportunity for across-the-board enjoyment.

And yes, this is the one show where it's sometimes acceptable to sing and clap along!

Stick Fly (In honor of its closing)

What's family without dysfunction, affairs, aggravation, sibling rivalry, separation and, of course, a whole lot of secrets?

Stick Fly was a representation of all of these. It dealt with self preservation and remembering who you are as an individual no matter what your family says or does. It was a reminder that our family isn't necessarily what defines us, contrary to what many believe.

Stick Fly is filled with people struggling to find out their true identities.

Rosie Benton, Mekhi Phifer, Tracie Thoms, Ruben Santiago Hudson,
Dulé Hill and Condola Rashad

Beginning with the father, always struggling with the fact that he will forever live beneath his wife's father. He felt so powerless and inferior that he needed to sleep with the maid to feel like a "man". Then there was his perfect, rich, plastic surgeon son, so unconcerned with who he was as long as he had money and his waspy girlfriend. There was the younger son who was constantly struggling to figure out what he wanted to do, and of course, once he did, he was thought of as a joke by his father. There was the waspy girlfriend who was so unvalued by her boyfriend and was using him because he was black to make her parents mad. There was the younger son's girlfriend who grew up poor and unrecognized by her famous and successful father who completely denied her existence.

And then there was Cheryl (Played by Condola Rashad. INCREDIBLE). Cheryl was the maid's daughter. She grew up without a father. She was always out of place, going to predominantly white and rich prep schools and always being one of the few African Americans, as well as the only poor one. She was the only character that could cope with family, that understood that we are independent of our families, that they don't necessarily define us. When her mother calls to tell her that the man Cheryl works for is her father, she confronts him. He does nothing. In response to this, she merely utters, "Well that sucked."

She didn't dwell on her misfortune, she accepted that shit happens and she always just let life go on.

Heads Up

I just wanted to tell you all to check out my "Broadway Pictures" I finally updated it and added some long overdo photos with me and some various broadway stars. And yes, the majority are with Mr. Aaron Tveit. More to come soon...

...Along with posts about Godspell and Stick Fly!

Porgy and Bess

So I'm aware it seems I have been wiped from the face of this planet, but I assure you, I'm still alive. The end of 2011/beginning of 2012 was super hectic for me, and unfortunately I did not get to see all the shows I would have liked. But, as Christopher J. Hanke puts it beautifully as Bud Frump in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, "I HAVE RETURNED!!!!"

In fact, I have news! I have recently become involved in none other than TDF's Play by Play "plog" and magazine! It's a for teens by teens website and magazine, with more than just reviews, but including interviews with stars and a lot of other awesome info about theatre that you really can't get anywhere else. Become a fan on facebook here!

And now, without any further ado, the touching, the heart wrenching, the redeeming, Porgy and Bess.

Polyphony is the combination of multiple individual melodies to create a harmonious whole. In Porgy and Bess, Gershwin’s polyphonic music can be interpreted as a microcosm of the structure of the 2012 revival production of this beautiful love story. Like the rest of the show, his music weaved together multiple independent “trains of thought” that overall created a captivating harmony. Though this constant overlapping of each melody sung by many different performers made some of the lyrics difficult to understand, it reminded me that it’s not so much the words, but the music itself that is conveying the characters’ ideas and emotions, something that is so easily grasped when it comes to George Gershwin. Still, beyond the music, this entire show was constructed in a very similar way.

First, the first thing that caught my eye was the set. It seemed to be a combination of random, not exactly beautiful, pieces that constructed the complex setting for the complex story. Second, each character had his and her own independent thoughts, ideas and feelings that were critical to the plot development. Finally, because there were so many well developed characters, there were also many engaging story lines. There was Robbins’ death, Porgy’s disability, Bess’ addiction, Clara and Jake’s relationship, Sporting Life’s lust, and the entire Catfish Row’s dealing with racism, poverty, faith and much, much more.  Still, in all of these bloomed an inspiring love story. When these separate “melodies” were woven together, they did much more than just create a wonderful harmony.  They came together to convey the idea that it is most important to have the audacity to chase after whatever it is that you love.

But beyond this, the cast is a force to reckon with.

Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis

I know I've said this before, but a lot of us go to Broadway to see something astounding, something unfathomable to the extent that it becomes this fantastical experience beyond anything we can really understand. I have seen roughly 45 shows in the past year, and still it is beyond me how people can perform for that extensive amount of time in an extremely vulnerable position: on stage. I still yearn for that moment when I hear someone's voice as they sing the first note of their solo and my heart skips a beat because of the beauty that can only be achieved by so few. Those moments when I feel the heat of the moment from the characters and when tears a brought to my eyes are constantly sought after by me. And this happened to me at this show.

There is only one word to describe Audra McDonald's voice when she began to sing "Summertime" towards the end of the show. This song had already been one of my favorites when sung by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, but when experienced live, it was..... breathtaking. That's the only word I can think of to describe anything executed by Audra McDonald in this performance.

Norm Lewis was unbelievable!..... or actually the opposite, exceedingly believable. Okay, so I know that goes without saying when someone is a professional actor, but he went through 2 and a half hours of limping and hobbling across the stage with his leg twisted in ways I didn't even know was possible! Let alone his vocal and emotional performance, when he came out to take his bow, I half expected him to be using that cane.

Must see, all I can say. (Well all I can add to the above rant about how incredible this musical is)

The Submission

Have you ever been to a show that really tugs at your heart strings? One that makes you reevaluate yourself and your environment? One that sticks in your head, lines ringing in your ears, inescapable concepts that continually haunt you? What about a show about ignorance, racism and homophobia all at the same time? Have you ever left a theatre afraid to speak? afraid of what it is you were gonna say? with a sense of self-awareness that you had never felt before? trying to mull over what it was you just saw while your head was still spinning?

One of most incredible, astounding, indescribable shows I've ever scene. The Submission was a theatre experience that I had never had before. It's beyond anything that I can describe, but I'll try to do so anyway.

Unfortunately, this show closed a while back so none of you will have the chance to see it for a while, so hopefully none of you will be upset at my complete spoilers.


Before I tell you all what this was about, I sorta just wanted to state the obvious. The whole cast was absolutely phenomenal. Jonathan Groff was in this show. The sweetest Broadway actor I've ever met. Honestly. He was swarmed by fans after this draining performance and still posed for a picture and the end of it all. :)

My friend Vera, Jonathan Groff and Me

Fan girl moment over. Time to get serious.

This play was about a "very white" and "very gay" playwright who submits a play to a festival and gets chosen. The problem is, he submitted it as a black woman because of the sensitive subject matter of the play and didn't want to be accused of being racist. To avoid any issues of this kind, the playwright hires an actress to play the "playwright". With his ultimate intention of getting his play produced, the playwright completely disregards the feelings of the woman he hired, his boyfriend and his best friend. His play is found out to be about a black family in the projects filled with racial stereotypes, and when asked by the woman to take the N word out of one scene in which it is said 37 times, he blatantly refuses. His argument is that his being gay and discriminated against is the same as racism and that he can say what he wants in his play because he knows how it feels. The two decide that at opening night of the play at which the playwright is asked to say a few words, the woman he hired will reveal to the audience that he was the true playwright. When things don't go according to plan and she does not reveal to the audience that he was the true playwright, he loses it and fights with her. After yelling about all the unresolved issues that the two had between them over the course of the show, she screams, "F****t!" and he retaliates, "N****r!"

The play ends with the playwright sitting in Starbucks a few weeks later. He gets a phone call, assumed to be someone asking him out on a date. He's asked about what type food he wants for that night. The call ends with him saying, "Ew, no. Isn't that Pakistani? Let's go somewhere normal."

Until that last line you side with him. You pity him, until you realize that he's just another ignoramus.

I'm still trying to gather my thoughts on this play, thinking about it too much keeps my head spinning.
It was an incredible reminder of what each and every one of us is capable of as well was how powerfully something can be expressed through art.