Equus. The experience of a lifetime.

As promised, here is my recollection of my experience at Equus. It was a mere three years ago that my mother had taken me to see this show. She of course had the knowledge that Daniel Radcliffe was fully nude for parts of the play but really had little idea of what the context of said nude scene was and how it would scar a seventh grader.

The play was incredible, even to someone who lacked the intellectual capacity to truly understand what was going on. At first it was a sort of an "OMG It's Harry Potter!" feeling, but after a few scenes, I was brought into the despair and disturbance of Allan Strang's mind. For those of you who don't really know what it's about, just to clarify, it is not Dan Radcliffe just screwing a horse. It's the story of a boy who blinded six horses and his series of sessions with his psychologist to try to understand what brought about his rash actions.

Side Note: the psychologist was played by Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon anyone?)

Sadly, in the performance I saw, the psychologist was played by Bill Buell. Don't get me wrong, Bill Buell was phenomenal (to the best of my memory, I was really young back then) but I was really looking forward to seeing the chemistry between Richard Griffiths and Dan Radcliffe, whom he knows well, not to mention that plays the role of the evil Uncle who despises Harry in the Harry Potter series. Obviously in this performance he takes on a much more supportive role in respect to Daniel's character.

And now, the nude scene. I obviously was anticipating this from the beginning. I, however, was not anticipating it being in the context of an extremely intimate and intense sex scene. Still, that was not the part that scarred me. It was the endless yelling of "I put it in!" by Daniel Radcliffe while sitting completely naked on top of a completely naked girl for what seemed like an hour. It was his running around on stage for another endless amount of time, still full-frontal, "stabbing" horses (aka a bunch of guys in strangely tight suits with horse heads on their heads.

My mom and I then left the theatre for a car ride that was destined to be long and awkward, and my mom simply said "Well that was intense."

And enough of all that unnecessary drama. Thinking back to that night now, it really wasn't a big deal. Those few moments really enhanced the performance and the show was incredible. I can't help but gain so much respect for Daniel Radcliffe who did this role for his Broadway debut and risked his entire reputation if the role hadn't been played so well. Incredible.

And for anyone out there who has never read this play, you really should. And so what if you don't get the whole "Dan naked" experience, the play is a good enough read on its own.

Jersey Boys

Saturday, May 28th, let's just say getting to Times Square at 1:30pm for an 8pm show and waiting in the hot sun for hours on end was worth it. I did, however, manage to pull off two first and second row seats, student rush price ($27), which made it all the better. And I must say, It was a really great show.

After seeing Catch Me 3 times I've really grown fond of the whole interacting with the audience/telling a story thing, and that was exactly what Jersey Boys was. It began with a really nice segue from Ces Soirées-là into Tommy DeVito (Dominic Nolfi) talking about how it all started. I was sort of expecting it to be sort of "concert-y" but the balance between the break out into song and the storyline worked perfectly, then again, that's what a good musical is. It also had a wonderful balance between the drama, the romance and the comedy.

There were also moments when people in the audience just had to sing along, I mean these songs are way before my generation and I still knew them.

And of course, the cast was incredible. I actually had the pleasure of seeing the show with two phenomenal understudies, Dominic Scaglione Jr. (Frankie Valli) and Nathan Scherich (Bob Gaudio). Of course I have heard all the hype about Ryan Jesse and Jarrod Spector, but these two guys were amazing. Scaglione turned the switch from the young, new to the group "younger brother" of DeVito to the powerful, decision making lead singer so smoothly and Scherich had one of the the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. Matt Bogart (Nick Massi) had this funny, tension relieving presence on stage, so much so, that even in some of the most dramatic moments, something would just slip out of his mouth and the audience would just break out into laughter. But as I said, perfect balance. And of course, Dominic Nolfi. What can I say? He was amazing. His voice, his dancing, his accent, his sharp movements that sort of looked like choreographed dance moves even when he was merely strolling across stage.

All in all, everyone in the show was incredible, and of course, so nice at the stage door.

Me, Matt Bogart, Dominic Nolfi and my friend Alice

Me, Alice and Dominic Scaglione, Jr.

I did feel sort of bad that there was this huge crowd outside of Catch Me If You Can and only a few stragglers outside Jersey Boys, not to mention my surprise. I mean, who doesn't want to get a playbill signed by amazingly talented performers from an incredible show? When Scherich came out he sort of dashed out really quickly, barely giving anyone enough time to tell him, "Great job!"as he rushed by, which was sort of a letdown because he was wonderful and I really would've loved a picture with him. However, when Nolfi, Scaglione and Bogart came out they were all so nice. And due to the not-so-huge crowd I actually got a picture with all of them! They all seemed genuinely happy that we had stayed to tell them how great they were which is always something nice to see.

Great story. Great cast. Great songs. What else does a great musical need?

Just to let you know...

Just letting you all know I added some pictures of me and Broadway people ^
Okay, so maybe it's just two (slightly awkward) pictures of me and Aaron Tveit (who looks just fine), but I assure you more are to come. I'm planning on a theater filled memorial day weekend so get ready for an extreme amount of posts!

...Anyway thought I'd point it out. Check out the pictures!

Tribute to talented Mr. Tveit...

So Aaron Tveit, lets see...

In BroadwaySpace.com's 30 Under 30 and named the "hottest guy on Broadway" as well as Link Larkin in Hairspray, Fiyero in Wicked, Gabe in Next to Normal, Peter Orlovsky in HOWL, Tripp Van Der Bilt on Gossip Girl, and of course, Frank Abagnale, Jr.  in Catch Me if You Can.

But, I am not here to tell you about all the wonderful things Aaron Tveit has done, that's what IMDB/IBDB are for, and no, I am not here to tell you all about how incredibly good looking he is either. I am going to tell you all how talented he is and be outraged at the fact that he was robbed of a Tony nomination, not once, but twice!

Aaron Tveit's "head" from the Booth Theater, Next to Normal

About two years ago Aaron Tveit was in this phenomenal show called Next to Normal, maybe I've mentioned it in a previous post... He played the role of the dead son. The dead son that has to get you to like him within the first few scenes, that has to get you be on his side for most of the show, the dead son that you don't want to go away no matter how much hell he causes in his family or the amount of pain he puts his mother through, almost driving her to suicide. While he's doing all of this he has to reel the audience in and make them feel like he's still a "good guy". In that roll he had to climb up and down the stairs and react in the background of almost every scene and was legitimately on stage for the entire show. He has these tremendously tiring (or so they seemed) and powerful numbers that really moved the story forward. I truly find it incredible that Aaron Tveit didn't even get a nomination for that extremely pivotal role.

Aaron Tveit, Alice Ripley and J. Robert Spencer
Next to Normal, "I am the One"

Now, two years later, Aaron Tveit is starring in Catch Me if You Can as the lead, Frank Abagnale, Jr. A lot of people say that his performance "doesn't require enough" or isn't "emotionally draining" but honestly, he's on stage 90% of the show. And maybe in the beginning it seems like a feel-good TV special, but just as I said before, it's all about the escape of a kid who doesn't want to deal with his unfair reality. I think the whole flashy feeling of the first act all plays into the performance: Frank Abagnale wishes that his life was just a fun filled TV special, but during "Man Inside the Clues" we see how lonely Frank really is and when he falls in love with Brenda we see how much he longed for real company. Throughout this entire performance, Tveit has to evoke pity in the audience while being a con-man/antihero and putting on this flashy performance while going through so much pain, being merely a kid in search of family. 

Aaron Tveit and Kerry Butler
"Seven Wonders"

Aaron Tveit
"Live in Living Color"

Also, his last number "Goodbye" is incredible, it's basically Tveit's "Don't Break the Rules" (Norbert Leo Butz's show-stopping number). 

Finally, Aaron Tveit is an extremely solid triple threat actor, who can do both screen and stage acting flawlessly. Anyone interested in seeing some of his other work I advise "A Girl Walks Into A Bar" the first feature film made for the internet, so you can watch it on youtube for free. Really good movie.

Retraction on Daniel Radcliffe/Part 2 at the "How to Succeed" Stage door

So, because it was not ideal to switch off with the How to Succeed playbill for the rest of our lives, my friend and I had to return to the stage door and see if we could get one more signed. Tonight, about an hour before the show was scheduled to end, we got to the stage door and stood with all the other die-hards. The anticipation for Daniel's arrival was incredible. Everyone there had How to Succeed playbills for him to sign, and a few even brought Harry Potter stuff, that is, until I warned them that he really didn't like the shoving of Harry Potter stuff in his face. I, however, was the only one with a genuine Equus playbill (post to come on that experience).

But before Daniel came out, Chris J. Hanke came out, and was as sweet as ever, he smiled, signed everyone's stuff and was absolutely adorable.

Christopher J. Hanke at the stage door

In fact, tonight Rose Hemingway even came out to sign playbills! If only I had brought mine...

Rose Hemingway at the stage door (Sorry, bad cell phone pics!)

And finally, Daniel came out. Of course there was the usual rush and bustle, a few people screaming and crying. Still, I didn't have such great expectations because of my experience from last time. I decided I wasn't going to have him sign my Equus playbill, thinking it would be weird. But, just as he was passing by, I went out on a limb and put it out for him to sign. He looked very surprised, but then smiled and said, "Wow Equus!" I then went on to tell him that he was incredible in it and how much I loved that performance. He then looked straight at me with those piercing blue eyes (teenage-girl moment of adoration) and said he really appreciates it and "Cheers".

Now, I am left with a healed memory of Daniel Radcliffe, a few seconds of dialogue with him and an Equus playbill with his signature dead center.

My wonderful Playbill

And of course, a few more pictures...

Daniel Radcliffe chaos

Close up of Daniel Radcliffe while he's signing playbills

For any of you out there who haven't seen How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying yet, you really should, it's really a wonderful show, not to mention how fun it is to see Harry Potter/Alan Strang singing and dancing... and of course the rest of the phenomenal cast and crew, truly great job!

I'll be back.

Something next to normal

This was the show that really got me into theatre. I absolutely loved it. In mid November this year a few people told me to see it so finally I reluctantly agreed, not knowing what it was about or anything. There wasn't a single thing wrong with it. Every single component of the show, every song, every lyric, enhanced the story. Since that night, I have legitimately listened to the soundtrack every single day.

Outside the Booth Theatre
"It is more than a feel-good musical: it is a feel everything musical"

Honestly, who would've ever thought someone could right a musical about a manic depressive, delusional mother and the toll it takes on her family. Within the first few scenes you are reeled into the chaos of the family and learn that though they may seem "average" or "normal" (whatever that means) on the outside, their life is really far from it.

Basically a visual depiction of the story

The show is nearly entirely sung through, which makes it all the more interesting to watch, and the cast was phenomenal. I saw it with Marin Mazzie as Diana (the bipolar mom), Jason Danieley as Dan (the struggling dad), Kyle Dean Massey as Gabe (the dead son), Meghann Fahy as Natalie (the resentful daughter), Adam Chanler-Berat as Henry (Natalie's pothead boyfriend) and Louis Hobson as Mr. Fine/Madden (Diana's doctor). Marin Mazzie's gut-renching cry during multiple songs was a tear-jerker even to someone who can't relate at all. Kyle Dean Massey's energy every time he began singing was riveting, not to mention all the steps he had to climb. Adam Chanler-Berat and Meghann Fahy had such wonderful chemistry. Louis Hobson had this really soothing and calming stage presence, just as a doctor probably should. Jason Danieley and Marin Mazzie were obviously wonderful together (they're married). All of them were so wonderful, amazing actors and singers, and it makes me so sad that the shows off Broadway.

Original Cast, left to right top: Aaron Tveit, 2nd Level: Alice Ripley and Louis Hobson, Bottom: J. Robert Spencer, Jennifer Damiano and Adam Chanler-Berat
Isn't the set amazing?

I was however extremely lucky. After I had reached the heights of my obsession with this show I found out that it was closing soon to go on tour and I immediately bought tickets to the last performance. But, the place I bought them from went out of business and only notified us a week before so it was all ready sold out. I then bought tickets to the second to last show, a matinee right before the final performance, and it was wonderful. Still, I was not able to bear leaving the theater and not seeing the again. So, in the freezing cold in late January I stood outside for two hours on the cancellation line in hopes of getting in. Fifteen minutes before the show the yelled they had two tickets left, I bought them and ran right in.

OK, so maybe I wasn't able to feel my toes until the following morning but the energy of the final Broadway performance was incredible, 100X that of the previous show. In some of the most emotional song, the cast couldn't even finish because of crying so hard (specifically Adam Chanler-Berat in Hey#3/Perfect For You).

After seeing two shows in one day I though I'd be content, but while looking at all the tour dates and locations I realized that I could go see it in Connecticut, only 2 hours outside of NYC. So my friend and I went on a road trip to see it one last time, cried at the end of the show because we knew it was really over, and now I'm left with the CD, a CD that brings me to tears every morning on the bus.

Honestly, If you haven't seen this show yet and it's coming to a theater by you, I strongly advise you go see it, it was truly an amazing, wonderful and unique show, something you shouldn't miss. It'll be worth the trip!

A Night at the Theater

So my most recent night at the theater was this past Saturday night when I went to see How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. While roaming around Times Square for hours (to get student rush tickets you need to get there fairly early) went to a diner, a candy store, a few tourist shops and... met Rachelle Rak and Neil Patrick Harris!!

I was eating dinner at some diner across the street from Catch Me if You Can in hopes of running into Aaron Tveit and spotted Rachelle Rak walking down the street. (For those of you who don't know who Rachelle Rak is, you're deeply missing out, she's one of the Catch Me dancers as well as Cheryl Ann... something, the playboy call girl in the show, among many other things) Then, she came right into the diner that I was eating in and sat in a booth not far from me. Finally, after freaking out and summoning courage (aka forcing my friends to join me), I went up to her and told her how wonderful she is in Catch Me If You Can. She was so sweet. She was in the middle of eating and listening to her iPod right before her second show for the day, but still stopped what she was doing, stood up, asked our names, and spoke to me and my friends for a bit!

After leaving the diner, I spotted Neil Patrick Harris walking down the street. As he was passing my friends and me, one of the blurted out, "Oh my god. Are you Neil Patrick Harris?!" He responded sweetly, "Uh, yeah." and kept walking. As he was walking away she screamed "I love How I Met Your Mother!" and he looked back, thanked us and smiled.

T'was a crazy day :)

Catch Me If You Can.

Used to be my favorite movie and now it's my favorite current Broadway musical. Honestly, it astounds me that critics have anything other to say than "simply amazing", but all are entitled to their opinion. In all the reviews you'll hear about the leggy dancers and Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's jaw-dropping score and especially the show-stopping number "Don't Break the Rules" performed by Norbert Leo Butz. I'm not just going to rephrase all the reviews about how wonderful all these things are (they really are amazing), but seriously, there should be more raves about Aaron Tveit (plays Frank Abagnale Jr.)

I have seen the show three times in the two months that it's been on Broadway and he is one of the main reasons I keep coming back. He's on stage for nearly the entirety of the show, singing and dancing his way through these phenomenal 60s TV show-esque numbers, while, when called for, really breaks down and conveys that he's truly just a kid that got mixed up in this game. His presence is amazing. Every time he walks on stage it's impossible to take your eyes off him, you continue to root for him, and even pity him, and you truly get lost in the story. The fact that he didn't even get nominated for a Tony this year is complete bullshit (excuse my language, no words can describe my anger).

Even after that seemingly exhausting show, Aaron comes right out, puts on a smile and goes from person to person letting them talk to him and take a few pictures.

Aaron Tveit

Kerry Butler singing Fly Fly Away
Pictures from Broadway.com

The second person who deserves more recognition is Kerry Butler. Though she isn't the show for very long, her solo "Fly Fly Away" is chilling. She has such a beautiful voice, she's and amazing actress and the context of that song is truly heartbreaking.

There were a few moments when, even in this, for the most part, up-beat, feel good musical, I was shaded by truly emotional, and even sometimes relatable story. The first is when Frank is asked to choose between his parents, I doubt there's a worse decision a child could possibly have to make. Second is when Frank is lonely at all the motels calling anyone, even room service, just to hear someones voice, and third, when Frank Sr. doesn't live up to his fatherly duty to tell Frank Jr. to stop conning people. The last though, and most emotional, is when Carl Hanratty tell Frank of his father's death. That moment of Tveit's sobbing, just he and Butz, on a black stage with just a spotlight on them.

Beneath all the glam, colorful lights, terrific numbers, it's really just a story of a confused kid who ran away from home in a time of despair, something I think all of us have wanted to do, at some point in our lives, and can truly relate to.

How to Succeed...

Last night I finally saw How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying after going to the theater twice and not being able to get tickets. It was really a wonderful show. Daniel Radcliffe is really an amazing singer and dancer, his last number "Brotherhood of Man" blew me away. John Larroquette is possibly one of the funniest men I've seen on Broadway and Tammy Blanchard and Christopher J. Hanke nearly made the show.

Truly an amazing night, that is until I encountered the stage door chaos.

Outside the stage door there were people waiting for Daniel Radcliffe since before the show ended so by the time I got out there, 5 minutes after curtain call, it was already extremely crowded. Then, only a few people stuck around to sign playbills, and I must say, Christopher J. Hanke was so sweet considering most people made it obvious that they had no interest in seeing anyone but Daniel. Finally, the moment everyone was waiting for happened. Daniel came outside. Everyone was screaming (with good reason, I mean he is Daniel Radcliffe), pushing people, rushing forward. When he finally got close to where I was, I handed him three playbills (I was the only one of my friends who managed to get close enough) and he only signed one. Everyone around was congratulating him and telling him how wonderful he was and no one got any recognition. No "Thanks", smile or even eye contact!

Daniel Radcliffe at the stage door

As I'm sure you can tell form my previous post, one of my favorite parts of the theater is the stage door. When the performers come out and seem resentful or don't even bother, it really gets me down. I mean, we pay good money to see them and all we want to do is tell them how much we enjoyed the show. Okay, so I'm sure they're tired, and he is Daniel Radcliffe, he's probably sick of the screaming fans, but that's what comes with being famous. It's the fans that are the reason he makes all his money, we're the ones that see shows and vote for him for Broadway.com audience awards. The least he could do is give a little something back.

Don't get me wrong, I love Daniel Radcliffe, he's an amazing actor, screen and stage (I saw him in Equus, phenomenal), maybe he just had a hard day.

All in all, it was a lovely show, definitely a must see and Daniel really was amazing.

To Jump Right in...

So I always wanted to be a Broadway (and theater in general) frequenter, and with my recent discovery of student rush I finally can! I love the theater. There's nothing like the immediate gratification of seeing truly talented people perform, go all out, the live action, and especially how much they look like they're enjoying what they're doing, then waiting outside of the stage door. I love their gratitude when you tell them how great they were, those 30 seconds when they look you in the eye, smile, sign your playbill and maybe even snap a picture with you!

So... This is for the average theater-goer, anyone who likes Broadway and theater in general, to discuss the people who make these wonderful shows and, of course, the shows themselves. Enjoy!