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.

It's.....

A show that I had truly wanted to see for months now. I had gone to the theatre about 4 times to rush tickets, with no luck each time. One day, however, I found a $20 bill in a taxicab and it was destiny, I knew exactly where I was gonna spend it. I woke early the following morning and got to the theatre at 8:30am. On a day with both a matinee and night show, I was sure that I'd be successful in my endeavors. Of course, I was, and as expected, the show was... (This is my attempt at a corny segue into my review)

Delightful. The cast especially. Everyone knows Sutton Foster won a Tony for this role, so I had extremely high expectations for her. Yet she still exceeded them. From the very second she walked on stage, she was radiant. She had a beautiful voice, was amazing in her acting and comedic timing and wow, can she dance! The company number 'Anything Goes' was one that I had watched countless times online, I practically know the choreography. Not even mildly being a performer, I must say, seeing the entire cast of that show tap their hearts out in sync was incredible enough, but that wasn't even the finale! They still completed another act flawlessly. Not to mention, Sutton's solos during that number. To put it simply, it is beyond me how someone has the physical capability to do that.

Joel Grey and Sutton Foster
(I found this funny)

Joel Grey was yet another incredible cast member. As I had posted about, I saw the Normal Heart, a breathtaking, touching and devastating play about AIDS, which happened to be directed by this amazing performer. Of course, I had only been convinced of his directing skills at the beginning of this show. He, like the rest of cast, was absolutely hilarious. The overall comedic timing was indeed perfection, however his being 79 made things all the better. Not only was it astounding that he was on stage or the majority of the show, but he had some dance solos of his own in the epic 'Anything Goes' number.
Delicious. The story was extremely sweet and entertaining. Cliche done right. Okay so maybe is was the average love triangle, SPOILER ALERT, everything works out for the best, but I didn't sit there thinking 'Really? This AGAIN?'. I wasn't thinking at all in fact. I was merely enjoying myself. I walked out of that theatre with a smile on my face. I felt happy, and a bit starstruck. I still have a hard time coping with that tap number.

Colin Donnel and Sutton Foster

Deluxe. The music was rich. Of course, I love innovative, different, rock musicals. However, nothing ever amounts to the classics. I sometimes have those 'why wasn't I alive in the 30s?' Moments, but that's what this show was, in a nutshell. It was a classic, stereotype of a musical, with the perfect amount of jazz hands, I might add.

De-Lovely. That's the word I was looking for. Anything Goes was de-lovely.


For those of you who have seen the show, I hope you enjoyed my corny segue for this review.

For those of you who haven't,

One more fun experience at this show to share:

When I was at the stage door, everyone was so nice and so chatty, which I love. Of course, me and my mourning the closing of Catch Me If You Can, saw none other than Jay Armstrong Johnson hanging around the Anything Goes stage door! I didn't have the opportunity to say hi and tell him I was a huge fan, but it was exciting nonetheless. 

When you're an Addams?

So I saw the Addams Family a while back, a show that I must admit, I had little to no interest in seeing, before Brooke Shields joined the cast, that is. The thing is, when someone like Brooke Shields is in a show, when she's not on stage it gets pretty boring very easily. I got amazing seats, so it wasn't my bad view that got in the way of my attention span, and Brooke Shields wasn't even the gripping one in the show.

Brooke Shields, Rachel Potter and Roger Rees

Rachel Potter. Wednesday. She has one solo. ONE. With a voice like that, I'd say the entire show should be structured around her. Before her song, which was early in the show, you could feel people around you fidgeting and sort of restless. When she started to sing everyone fell silent, sat still and just watched. By the final belt of her song, almost everyone was on their feet. The applause was far greater than that at the end of the show. After that, however, it was downhill.

Heidi Blickenstaff was also amazing. Her solo was another jaw-dropping performance not to mention her absolutely ridiculous character, a seemingly clean cut but actually sex crazed mom.

Of course, I had to pity the acts to follow hers, for none were nearly as good. Jackie Hoffman, however, did come very close. She was simply hilarious. I mainly new her from 30 Rock and the Billy Green web series (If you don't watch these, check them out!), so when I realized that I was watching her, I immediately became more interested. Hilarious (I know, I said that already, but I really can't describe it in any other way). She said one thing about John Lennon and I was gone. Talk about comedy in the theatre....
Still, it wasn't her celebrity that kept me interested, as I can prove through my lack of interest with Brooke Shields. It's not that Shields was bad, but more like Jackie Hoffman, Heidi Blickenstaff and Rachel Potter are exceedingly tough acts to follow. I still did very much enjoy seeing her in this production.

If curious about seeing this one, don't have too high expectations. The cast is alright, excluding Potter, Blickenstaff and Hoffman. It's definitely worth seeing just for them.

Pictures from Broadway.com

How to Succeed: Endeavors at the stage door, and MORE. Part III

How to Succeed. Again.

So I know I had only seen the show once, but I have been outside of the stage door many times- and not for the same reason as many. I may have once been a Daniel Radcliffe freak, but seriously, who hasn't? We have all found ourselves crazy about the once-boy-wizard/nude-horse-lover. Still, something about the phenomenon behind this extremely talented young man confuses me. The constant screaming and crying? Really preteen girls? Always on and on about Harry Potter, not about the more intellectual and important things Daniel had done. Please keep to Justin Bieber, he at least sounds like you and doesn't make any drastic career moves anyway.

Anyway, no tangents about less than Broadway talent on this blog. As I was saying, I do love Daniel and all, but the solidity behind a triple threat Broadway actor a bit more incredible to me. Said Broadway actor is Christopher J. Hanke. As Bud Frump he is absolutely amazing. I could very well be the biggest Harry Potter fan on earth and I still find Hanke's character by far the most appealing and fun to watch. Every time he's on stage he has his timeless expression of resentment to the growing success of J. Pierrepont Finch (Radcliffe's character) and though every time Finch succeeds and looks adorably at the audience with that sly smirk etched across his face, nothing amounts to the expression on Frumps face at the end of the amazing number Brotherhood of Man. Hanke is so extremely talented, I wish it was displayed more in his role as Bud Frump.

Another thing about Hanke. I have gone to the stage door of the Al Hirschfeld theatre a bunch of times in hopes of meeting this talented guy, every single time he doesn't come out. Only once had I actually had the pleasure of meeting him and taking a picture, unfortunately the camera I was using was all out of film! This time, I had actually gone to see the show a second time and Hanke hadn't come out so I decided I'd leave him a note telling him how much of a fan I was and how sad I was to not have had the chance to see him this evening. I also referred him to this blog due to my avid theatre blogging. I knocked on the stage door and asked the new stage doorman to give it to him. I really don't know if he'll ever get it, it'd be really cool if he did though! It'd be even cooler if he checks out this blog so shout-out just in case he ever reads this post.

Just to note: Daniel is leaving the show January 1st and then being replaced by Darren Criss for two weeks. I must say, it's as if in auditions they were looking strictly for harry-potter-ness. Daniel Radcliffe was the face of the whole franchise and Darren Criss played Harry in a Very Potter Musical.

Go see this show. Really a great one!

I hate goodbyes.

I just want to apologize for yet another Catch Me If You Can post. Then again, I shouldn't be apologizing- it is a great show. Still, I'll even admit I have gone a bit overboard. (When Tom Wopat, Frank Abagnale Sr., tells you you need to get a life, you know you're a bit crazy).

Cut me some slack! It was closing day today!

Now the most incredible performance one will ever see is a closing performance of a great show whose run was cut short. I'm not saying this was the greatest show I've ever scene, because it's not (Next to Normal still holds that place in my heart) but I must admit, during this performance I could feel the energy, the "going-all-out" of the performers in the same way I felt it at N2N's closing performance, but this had this lack of satisfaction for it's run- which in a way added to it's energy. I do understand why it was cut short. The past three times I have gone to see it, it wasn't even close to being sold out. What I don't understand is why that is. It's such an uplifting show with performances by some of the most incredible Broadway performers I've ever seen. At this stage door, I would tell everyone I was so sad to see it go and they would all say "Me too," not "It was time" like the cast said at N2N.

I do have to say, this performance was definitely satisfying. Even from all the way in the nosebleeds. Row T, Seat 7, Mezz. I felt the energy. From the very beginning you could feel that no one, not a single performer or anyone (including the audience) was holding back. Nine times seeing the show, and this made me feel like I was seeing it for the first time all over again. Act I went by far too quickly and during intermission I was dreading what was yet to come. This show made me so happy and it was seemingly unfathomable that it had one more act and then would be over. Still, all good things must end.

Act II began and of course, none other than Marc Shaiman was on stage! After that the show went on as usual. The normal hyperventilating during Seven Wonders because of Aaron Tveit's lack of clothing- and he can sing too! Then the tears at the end of Kerry Butler's chillingly beautiful Fly Fly Away. And not even to bring up how much of a wreck I was at Goodbye. That song makes me sad already because it leads to the end of the show, but for this entirely phenomenal number, I was only thinking about how this was actually goodbye. And boy! Aaron Tveit really did not hold back! I thought he was phenomenal normally but it was nothing compared to this. And it's safe to say that he finally got some recognition that he deserved from the very beginning: a full house standing ovation at the end of that song. His face as he was tearing up staring at Norbert Leo Butz, who was just smiling at him is his natural fatherly fashion as Carl Hanratty. You had this sense of Norbert saying "I told you that you were incredible, and no damn Tony committee can say otherwise". (Okay, I really don't know if that's interpreted correctly, all I know is that that is what I was thinking).

Marc and Scott at the curtain call

Thanking Aaron for being incredible

Once the show was over, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman came on stage and made a little speech. Marc told this beautiful story of how he was helping a kid who come out and spoke a bit about Catch Me. I always love those sentimental speeches. Finally, the show had finished and it sure had a happy ending. I got out to the stage door, chaos almost reaching the point of How to Succeed (Damn teenage girls are CRAZY. Hehe). I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of cast members (also Marc and Scott and Jerry Mitchell! and Jack O'Brian walked by me.) about how amazing the are, Brandon Wardell actually stuck around to have a conversation with me witch was pretty cool. Then, after basically everyone left, I broke out into song and sang that one line of Goodbye, "The show is done now!" then my friend Anna slapped me. Just a quick shout-out to her: Thanks, I needed that. I stuck around for quite a while afterwards talking to people coming in and out of the stage door. Though I couldn't go backstage because they were cleaning up the set, I did manage to pull off a lot of souvenirs. I got various props, Tom Wopat's door sign, a music book from the orchestra and the Catch Me book that people can buy. Oh, and a lot Rachel de Benedet's old stuff.

It was yet another very successful day at the theatre. I promise this is my last Catch Me post for at least a few months now!

I'd say catch it, but you can't.

Catch it before it closes

Catch Me If You Can. I may not have mentioned it yet, but I absolutely love this show. As of recently, I have scene it six times. SIX. And I must admit, it should be seven. Because I had gotten selected for Catch Me's blogger night on the 18th- a small contest for two free tickets to the show. I, however, was going to be on a plane at the time, so I couldn't go.

Still, the last times I saw the phenomenal show, I had the pleasure of seeing it with the understudy for Brenda, Alex Ellis, and Carl Hanratty, Joe Cassidy. Both amazing.

Joe Cassidy.
Let's just say Joe Cassidy really has some big shoes to fill. Norbert Leo Butz is a bit of a legend (to put it lightly) and won a Tony for this role, I'd be a nervous wreck if I were Joe- not to mention I saw him his first night on as Agent Hanratty. He was an absolutely wonderful performer, one of the things that was a bit off from the average "Norbert-esque" just because when Butz was talking about the role in an interview, he said it to be not one for singing and dancing. I don't imagine Agent Hanratty to be a good singer or dancer, I think of him to be this shlumpy, short, quirky, uncoordinated, lonely guy. Joe Cassidy was a bit too good on his feet, a bit too coordinated, not to mention tall. Then again, I must mention the "Don't Break The Rules" number with this guy. Truly great. Still, the dynamic was thrown off because they were missing one male ensemble member so, especially in the beginning, there was a gaping hole in the choreography. Still, another thing worth mentioning, the chemistry between Aaron Tveit and Norbert Leo Butz is like nothing I have seen before. The energy that they give off from each other, the authenticity that you feel when you see them perform together is incredible. In all the shows that I have seen in the past months (14 to be exact), I haven't experienced something like this. And this is the final reason that Norbert's shoes are so hard to fill, and unsurprisingly- Joe didn't quite fill them.

Alex Ellis.

Aaron Tveit as Frank Abagnale, Jr. and Alex Ellis as Brenda Strong

Well, since I first heard she was the understudy for Brenda, I had been dying to see her perform. I really always liked Alex from all the Catch Me vlogs, and I had also seen a video of her performing Fly Fly Away, in which I thought she was brilliant. Needless to say, she definitely lived up to that in her performance as Brenda. Though Kerry Butler is absolutely amazing, I found that Alex Ellis has a very similar atmosphere to her. The only thing that I really missed about Kerry was the joke about the other nurses being so very tall. Unfortunately, Alex couldn't make that joke because she was just as tall as the rest of them.
Also, thought I'd not that when she and Aaron were singing Seven Wonders, Alex nearly fell off of the bed. Ah- I live for those moments in live theatre.

Finally, in all the Catch Me performances I've seen I've never had the pleasure of seeing Jay Armstrong Johnson, who I've heard such great things about. Hopefully one day in the near future, I'll have the pleasure of having that experience.

Another thing worth noting, in the most recent performance I saw, Norbert completely smacked Aaron in the face with his tie during Strange But True, and the reaction of everyone on stage (especially Aaron) once again reminded me why Broadway is brilliant.

"I GOT MEMPHIS!"

A very long four weeks that felt like a period of withdrawal from my addiction to Broadway shows has recently ended. Last week I saw Catch Me if You Can for the fifth time. Yes, it was amazing as usual. Anyway, that is clearly not what this post is about. So to begin,

Memphis. A show that I had been trying to get tickets to for ages and finally managed to pull off in the eleventh hour. Okay, so maybe I wasn't the one to pull them off. Props to my friend Alice, who, while I was sulking and non-optomistic about getting tickets to show after many failed attempts at student rush tickets, called me up and yelled, "I GOT MEMPHIS. MEMPHIS!"

Now what to discuss first... the story, the talent, the music, the stage door? All of these were simply amazing. The story was basically the birth of Rock n'Roll. Huey, played by Chad Kimball, is a sort of misfit in his white society because of his adoration for the "colored music". When he tries to become involved in an African American underground club he isn't the least bit welcome because of the terror that the average white folk cause. He wasn't trusted, and falling for the club owner's sister, Felicia, didn't really help things. Huey makes the "colored music" big and makes Felicia, played by Montego Clover, a star because of her incredible voice. The story goes on to have both Felicia and Huey become successful, but are then faced with an awful dilemma: to go to New York, a place where Felicia would definitely thrive, or to stay in their home town, Memphis.

Onto the talent. Chad Kimball. What can I say? He did get a Tony nomination for his performance, and it was definitely well deserved. He played this seeking-to-be controversial, sometimes perverse character, but there was something about his perverseness that was extremely gripping. Whenever he was on stage it was impossible to look away, and it wasn't just because of his completely insane outfits.
Montego Glover. Now it goes without saying that in a Broadway musical, all the performers will be absolutely brilliant. Yet when going to a show, we still get blown away. Still, nothing compares to the voice of Montego Glover.
Nancy Opel- another cast member that deserves noting. She had the ability to make you absolutely despise her one second but make you genuinely forgive her the next, not to mention how hilarious and nice she was at the stage door, telling us all about ridiculous things people sitting in the front row were doing.
Finally, huge kudos to Rhett George, the understudy for the role of Delray. Really amazing job.

Montego Glover as Felicia and
Chad Kimball as Huey

Now, as you all know, the stage door is one of my favorite parts of Broadway, and this stage door experience was one of the nicest I've ever had. First, a huge number of people in the show came out to sign. This is definitely the most full playbill that I have. They didn't just rush off, they actually stuck around to actually have a two-way conversation, which was extremely nice of them considering how exhausted they must have been.

Really great show. I'd say its 100% a must see.

The Normal Heart

As I walked silently out of the Golden Theatre, I thought about what I was going to write for this post. Normally I discuss the incredible cast, the synopsis, the stage door. However, this phenomenal play is far above that.

Once a show ends, many normally start talking and mingling with the rest of the audience. Not this time. After the applause everyone walked slowly in silence, which was broken by the many people still in tears.

This play is about the AIDS epidemic, or I should say, the beginning of it. "Please know that everything that happened in The Normal Heart actually happened" Larry Kramer writes in the letter that was passed out as everyone was leaving the theatre. This play is about the fight for the many gays to gain recognition from the government. It's about people not giving a damn about this disease when it was still believed to reside only in gay communities. It's about family. It's about denial. It's about ignorance. It's about love, finding it, and having it taken away from you.

Most of all, this play is about recognition. Recognition for the terror that our fellow human beings went through in the early 80s and recognition for the fact that AIDs is still a plague today, though many people fail to refer to it as such.


".....Please know that AIDS is a worldwide plague.

       Please know that no country in the world, including this one, especially this one, has ever called it a plague, or acknowledged it as a plague, or dealt with it as a plague. 

       Please know that there is no cure. 

       Please know that after all this time the amount of money being spent to find a cure is still miniscule, still almost invisible, still impossible to locate in any national health budget, and still totally uncoordinated.

       Please know that here in America case numbers continue to rise in every category. In much of the rest of the world—Russia, India, Southeast Asia, Africa—the numbers of the infected and the dying are so grotesquely high they are rarely acknowledged. 

       Please know that all efforts at prevention and education continue their unending record of abject failure.

      Please know that there is no one in charge of this plague. This is a war for which there is no general and for which there has never been a general. How can you win a war with no one in charge? 

      Please know that beginning with Ronald Reagan (who would not say the word 'AIDS' publicly for seven years), every single president has said nothing and done nothing, or in the case of the current president, says the right things and then doesn’t do them. 

      Please know that most medications for HIV/AIDS are inhumanly expensive and that government funding for the poor to obtain them is dwindling and often unavailable. 

      Please know that pharmaceutical companies are among the most evil and greedy nightmares ever loosed on humankind. What 'research' they embark upon is calculated only toward finding newer drugs to keep us, just barely, from dying, but not to make us better or, god forbid, cured. 

      Please know that an awful lot of people have needlessly died and will continue to needlessly die because of any and all of the above. 

      Please know that the world has suffered at the very least some 75 million infections and 35 million deaths. When the action of the play that you have just seen begins, there were 41.

      I have never seen such wrongs as this plague, in all its guises, represents, and continues to say about us all." - Larry Kramer, excerpt from the letter that was handed out.

The words of this play are still ringing in my ears, and so they should. Beyond the fact that play itself was incredibly well done, it is a true story. I did not live through that time period. I really knew little about the terror that so many people went through at that time. And though I'm sure I still understand little about the constant fear, hurt and loss that so many went through, I think this play gave me a little taste. 

This will be my last post for a while. I'm going away for the summer, but when I come back I can promise posts on Memphis, The Motherfucker with the Hat and Hair!

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.