Here it be!
Hello bloggies. It is lovely to see you once again. Mama's been busy. In fact, mama's amazed she's still upright and knows her own name.
With all the projects I'm working on and all the job interviews I've been juggling, I feel like my head is full of cotton and I can't seem to pin one simple thought down from moment to moment. But I'm still waking up and getting it done! As my idol Teresa Dowell-Vest always says "You Gotta Work That Hustllllllle."
Seriously guys, there is a lot happening. I'm incredibly excited about it all, and hope you're ready to hang on and enjoy the ride! Like you're a Na'vi and you're riding one of those massive dinosaur birds.
Anyway, I promised a "Good" in my last post so here it is - "In The Heights." If you have not seen this show, there is something seriously wrong with you. I'm just being honest. I'm pretty disgusted with myself that I waited as long as I did. A friend of mine gave me the opportunity to go see the national tour last week and...
This show has given me back my faith in Broadway.
Come on people, let's get real. In the past decade, Broadway has turned into a weird, inflated version of watching re-runs on cable television. I mean "The Wedding Singer"? "Legally Blonde"? To find something new and original on Broadway, I feel like you would have to make a deal with the devil. Actually, when I sit and think about it, I think a deal with the devil is what is causing this whole mess. What else could explain "Elf: The Musical"? No, I am not kidding and yes, it is slated to open soon.
I'm not against all movies-turned-musicals. "Hairspray," "The Full Monty," "Hocus Pocus," (which is due out next year,) are all well done shows that deserve the praise. Except maybe "Hocus Pocus," who knows about that one. I'm just excited as all hell for it. But why on god's green earth was "Xanadu" ever created period? And while shows like these are mortally wounding Times Square with the help of the Disney Corporate Machine, shows like "Next To Normal" play in smaller theaters, in danger of closing every day. Fresh, brillliant, new work unlike anything else seen on Broadway today, or ever.
"In The Heights" is everything that made me fall in love with the Broadway Musical - gorgeous score, a sharp, witty book, a brilliant set with equally genius staging and choreography to go with it. Spoken word blends perfectly into the dialogue and the music is both reminiscent of the flavor of the show and grand enough to satisfy any theatre patron. It is a love letter not only to the true backbone and meaning of New York City, but to Broadway. I left speechless, giddy, and sated in such a way that I hesitate to say when the last time I felt it was. I have not left a Broadway show feeling that way in such a long, long time.
Yeah, "Avenue Q" is epic and "Next To Normal" is so stirring and emotional that it can change your life. But it has been so long since a show moved me so and connected with me. I missed my musicals that made a stand and was large enough to dazzle your senses. I missed a show where people not only made you fall in love with them, but sang their faces off while doing it.
It has been so long since I saw well-crafted, well-executed Broadway on such a scale.
This show took me back to when I first saw "RENT," which will now and forever be a turning point in my life. It took me back even farther, to when I saw "Phantom of the Opera" for the first time and was felt like I was shown the path to heaven. It is in theatre that I find my passion, my strength, and the steady deterioration of the quality and artistic integrity of my beloved medium has caused me nothing but frustration and pain. "In The Heights" set my heart at ease. It said one thing to me, and one thing only.
Hang in there Steph, I'm still out there. And I won't let you down.
All My Best, Bloggies,
Steph
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
You Take The Good With The Bad
Sorry for the long absence, bloggies. Momma's been busy. But now I am here, squishing you to my bosom, happy to see you all again.
And she's got some beef.
First off - The Tonys. I did not even watch the Tonys this year because I had a feeling, a premonition if you will, that the show was going to make me gnash my teeth. And from what I understand and was forced to watch on youtube, I was right.
Can someone please explain to me why it was some sort of solo-performance workshop? This isn't American Idol, and I didn't want to tune in to see 32-bar cuts, especially of Christiane Noll singing "Back To Before." That woman should have been allowed to stand there and sing the whole song twice. She's freakin' Christiane Noll and she was playing MOTHER in RAGTIME.
And if you are going to give her a 32-Bar of "Back To Before," then have some other pieces from the show to pair it with. It was the whole cast that got nominated for the show, not just Noll and her personal nomination. Do a bit of the opening number and then finish it off with BtB. I'm not a brain surgeon, nor am I related to Hal Prince, but I figured that one out all on my own.
Speaking of whole casts, "Everyday Rapture?" They did a minute of one song too! That had no depth, gave you no real concept of what the show was about, I wanted to scream! That is SHERIE RENE SCOTT, people. Do you have ANY idea how brilliant she is? And one of the chicks singing with her was curvy! The more strong, sexy, curvy women on the television the better.
But no, no we had to cut Christiane and Sherie short. They aren't names, don't you understand? We know why people even turn their televisions on these days. It's to see celebrities. It's to see movie stars. So no, we aren't going to do "A Weekend In The Country," from "A Little Night Music." We aren't going to even do "Perpetual Anticipation," which is short as hell but at least is a group number. No, we're going to let Catherine Zeta-Jones sing a song that when not done properly sinks to a dirge, and slowly sends everyone watching into a coma or out to find some Draino to drink.
I refuse to judge Catherine for the performance. Who knows why her head was whipping from left to right, who knows who chose to do a complete version of a very simple and stark ballad when her other contenders only got cuts. But it was a simply appalling truth that most of the people who gave their blood, sweat and tears to get these shows up and running and nominated on Broadway were refused the chance to present and celebrate their wares. "A Little Night Music" is my favorite Sondheim and it kills me how many people now won't even get it a fighting chance because of what they saw at the Tonys.
Urgh, I knew that was bugging me but I didn't know how much until I looked at all I typed here. I guess I will save the "Good" from the title above for next time. Until then, my sweet bloggies.
~ Steph, The Vengeance Demon Of Broadway
And she's got some beef.
First off - The Tonys. I did not even watch the Tonys this year because I had a feeling, a premonition if you will, that the show was going to make me gnash my teeth. And from what I understand and was forced to watch on youtube, I was right.
Can someone please explain to me why it was some sort of solo-performance workshop? This isn't American Idol, and I didn't want to tune in to see 32-bar cuts, especially of Christiane Noll singing "Back To Before." That woman should have been allowed to stand there and sing the whole song twice. She's freakin' Christiane Noll and she was playing MOTHER in RAGTIME.
And if you are going to give her a 32-Bar of "Back To Before," then have some other pieces from the show to pair it with. It was the whole cast that got nominated for the show, not just Noll and her personal nomination. Do a bit of the opening number and then finish it off with BtB. I'm not a brain surgeon, nor am I related to Hal Prince, but I figured that one out all on my own.
Speaking of whole casts, "Everyday Rapture?" They did a minute of one song too! That had no depth, gave you no real concept of what the show was about, I wanted to scream! That is SHERIE RENE SCOTT, people. Do you have ANY idea how brilliant she is? And one of the chicks singing with her was curvy! The more strong, sexy, curvy women on the television the better.
But no, no we had to cut Christiane and Sherie short. They aren't names, don't you understand? We know why people even turn their televisions on these days. It's to see celebrities. It's to see movie stars. So no, we aren't going to do "A Weekend In The Country," from "A Little Night Music." We aren't going to even do "Perpetual Anticipation," which is short as hell but at least is a group number. No, we're going to let Catherine Zeta-Jones sing a song that when not done properly sinks to a dirge, and slowly sends everyone watching into a coma or out to find some Draino to drink.
I refuse to judge Catherine for the performance. Who knows why her head was whipping from left to right, who knows who chose to do a complete version of a very simple and stark ballad when her other contenders only got cuts. But it was a simply appalling truth that most of the people who gave their blood, sweat and tears to get these shows up and running and nominated on Broadway were refused the chance to present and celebrate their wares. "A Little Night Music" is my favorite Sondheim and it kills me how many people now won't even get it a fighting chance because of what they saw at the Tonys.
Urgh, I knew that was bugging me but I didn't know how much until I looked at all I typed here. I guess I will save the "Good" from the title above for next time. Until then, my sweet bloggies.
~ Steph, The Vengeance Demon Of Broadway
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