Words To Describe

Monday morning was the Theatre’s “Meet & Greet”/First Rehearsal (together) for our next production- a world premiere of a musical by Kathie Lee Gifford called “Saving Aimee,” about evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson.

Since it was in the morning, I snuck out of work for a bit to see some old faces and meet some new ones. After all that, we were allowed to watch the read/sing through of the piece as it stood that day. I was only able to stay for the opening number, but oh what a number it is…

If I were to calculate how much I spent to see this:

An hour of the McJob: $23.50
Gas: $.95
Mileage: 10 ($2.50)
Having
Carolee Carmello belt out 10 feet in front of me: Priceless

Huzzah?

Last night, I went to the final dress rehearsal of the new musical, Meet John Doe, at Ford’s Theatre. While I’m not at liberty to critique a rehearsal, there’s plenty of talented people on that stage and am looking forward to seeing it again.

But that’s not the topic of this post. At the top of the show, the Producing Director of Ford’s spoke and at the end of his speech, he made the request that all beepers, cellphones, Chinese watches and other noisemakers should be shut off.

As the overture started, I turned to my friend, VaWe, and whispered, “what’s a Chinese watch?” (Thinking I had missed out on a new electronic toy).

She looked at me, cracked up and replied, “he said Chiming watches.”

I need my ears cleaned...

Going, Going, Going- Part 2

After the “Vigils” matinee, we stopped at The Theatre so Patrick could see the new space and then a quick dinner before hitting the Kennedy Center for its acclaimed revival of "Carnival!"

Now, this show is based on Lili, an old MGM musical that is one of my mother’s favorite films, ergo, I remember it a lot from my childhood. I was not familiar with the musical at all, save for the fact that it was Jerry Orbach’s Broadway debut in 1961, so I was excited to see it. Not only that, but Natascia Diaz, a favorite of mine (& Patrick’s) from “Jacques Brel,” was in the cast.

The production at the Kennedy Center is exquisite, lavish, and beautifully acted. It’s just that I didn’t find the show itself as touching as the movie did (when I was a kid- it might be too treacly these days). The book is a little creaky, but at least it came to life when Natascia & Sebastian LaCause (her onstage lover) appeared.

Now, after we got ourselves situated in our second row seats, there was this woman right behind me who kept saying how much she loves this show and telling the people around her that they’d better not mind her singing along or they should find other seats. I groaned to Patrick, thinking she was just excited, as no normal adult would behave that way in a theatre. Well, during the “Cirque De Paris” number- sure enough- she started singing. I leaned over my shoulder and whispered (loud enough so she could hear), “Do you mind?”

She shut up after that. But then I felt a little guilt that the person sitting next to me was wondering if I meant that for her (and she was quiet).

But seriously, why on earth would someone think that they’re justified to act like they do in their own living room when there are plenty of people around them that had spent $80+ as well to listen to the show. It’s simple etiquette, people! Oy vey.

Afterwards, we met up with Ms. Diaz and had drinks with her before I took Patrick back to the bus so he could get home. Another full weekend complete.

Going, Going, Going

This past weekend was a whirlwind of activity. Saturday morning, I gathered my brother, a friend of his and my friend and co-worker, MiMo, to assist in getting a 50" widescreen TV from my friend WEW. A few weeks ago, he purchased a new 60" plasma HDTV and I asked what he was going to do with his other TV. I (jokingly) said I'd take it for free and he said, "If you can get it out of my house, you can have it."

You don't really need to twist my arm with that kind of answer. I took measurements and made sure it would fit and then we figured out the right date and resources to do it and so, at 11:30 we ventured into Mt. Pleasant . It amazingly took 90 minutes total to get the TV out of the row house and into mine. After that, I heard from my ex-girlfriend (and mother to one of my godsons) that she was in town and would like to see me. I was strapped for time, as I still had errands to run and my friend Patrick was coming into town to catch some theatre with me, so the only thing I could do with the ExG was pick them up at a metro stop and then take them to their car at another metro stop. Since it's been years since I'd seen them, it was good to do (and, man, 11 year olds grow like weeds). Thankfully, Patrick's train was delayed, so I was able to finish my errands before picking him up. The poor thing was starving, so we had a bite to eat before going to Arena Stage and seeing "Frankie and Johnnie In The Claire De Lune."

One of Terrence McNally's first popular plays, I've always found it moving - even the Broadway revival with Stanley Tucci & Edie Falco, while both being almost too attractive for the roles, touched me immensely- yet Arena's production was slightly uneven. Vinnie D'ambrosio has all the makings of an excellent Johnnie while Kate Buddeke's Frankie leaves a lot to be desired. I think that, with a few more performances, she'll be up to the task of a fully-formed character.

Sunday, we saw the final performance of "Vigils," a new play at Wooly Mammoth Theatre by 28-year-old Noah Haidle. A fun concept of a grieving widow, while hanging onto her dead husband's soul, trying to move on had a slow start but became engaging after the first half hour. The twist here is that it's the soul that didn't want to linger on earth and the living partner who wants to hang on, which is the opposite of all those other romantic ghost stories. I think with a little judicious trimming of the quickly monotonous memories; it'll be a captivating piece of theatre.

What else did we do? Check back soon...

I Can See Why Hetero Men Get Into Fights Now

Almost two weeks ago, during the final weeks of "Into The Woods," I was almost assaulted by a rather aggressive patron. What happened was that the volunteer in charge of the listening devices had mixed up and given out the wrong ID, so the person who's ID was given out was, understandably, upset. Welp, her male companion, started getting very angry at me and his voice began to rise, accusing me of grand theft, asking how his friend was going to get home, etc. As his volume increased, he started getting in my face and physically closer to me, climaxing by pushing me and trying to provoke be by calling me all sorts of names.

By the time he grabbed me and started pushing me, I could feel my face flush, my right arm pull back and my fist begin to close up. K. Kitty, a friend who was there that night, said the my face completely transformed at that point. I honestly didn't know what I would have done if this lady hadn't gotten between us and yelled at her companion saying how he wasn't helping the situation and told him to walk away. As I walked towards the bar, trying to figure out the best way to resolve this, the bartender asked if she should call 911. The Stage Manager and all those near the bar asked me if I was okay and, although v. heated, I was.

After finagling with the Box Office, we got a hold of the other lady, who had already gotten home and the one left at the theatre came up to me to apologise for her companion and that wasn't enough to calm me down. She left and those remaining in the lobby were asking if I was allirght. I realised that I wasn't that allright- my blood pressure was still through the roof (I could tell by the heat emanating from my cheeks)- so I stopped at The Office for a beer and a smoke. I eventually got home, drank half a dose of Nyquil and, after about 45 minutes of tossing and breathing deeply, finally fell asleep.

That's why we have snow at Christmas

This past Sunday, I had tickets to go see Matthew Bourne's production of "Edward Scissorhands" at the Kennedy Center. I was plenty excited to see this, not only because Tim Burton's film is one of my all-time favorites but also because Mr. Bourne is one of the most talented choreographers of the past few decades.

The first 30 minutes were slightly confusing and the choreography wasn't great, but there was also a lot of story setup and the initial jolt of seeing a story told through movement and no dialogue. Once Edward is adopted by the Boggs family, the story becomes involving and my interest picked up. There are two breathtaking dances (one with moving topiary) and then some nicely done group numbers. I had forgotten how moving Danny Elfman's original score was and Mr. Bourne brings the tale to a somewhat more somber end, but IMO it makes more sense this way.

And I was moved to tears by the end of the performance. I don't think I've seen such a coup de theatre since Mary Poppins flew over the audience in the UK.

Photo by Bill Cooper

Frozen in Carbonite or 20 Things in 6 Weeks

Allright, I totally and completely suck since it's been so long that I've updated this here blog, but I do hope to make it up over the next few days.

In the time since I last posted, I have:

1. Gotten food poisoning


2. Become obsessed with this frakking show


3. Worked with the Theatre's open house, which welcomed over 10,000 people (!)


4. Had a nasty cold (thankfully not anything worse)


5. Went to see this with LeFo


6. LeFo & I felt like octogenarians at said screening


7. Hosted my best friend from High School, The Rock (who will be stationed here this summer)


8. Went looking for houses with him (all day- oy)


9. Got sleeted on


10. Averaged working more than 25 hours at the Theatre per week


11. Opened (and now getting ready to close) "Into The Woods"


12. Was grossed out and yet fascinated by Pan's Labyrinth


13. Ate Ethiopian food


14. Saw Dreamgirls (again)


15. Was incensed at the Academy Award snub of Dreamgirls


16. Had a part fall off of my car


17. Plowed some snow and ice


18. Saw a pretty horrible production of "Footloose- The Musical"


19. Went to a black tie affair at the Theatre


20. Purchased my first Tuxedo (for said affair)

What are you doing this weekend?

I wanted to let you all know that the new Signature Theatre Building in Shirlington will be having an Open House this weekend.

There will be all sorts of things for kids (Mask-making, face-painting, etc.) and lots of free performances (a few are ticketed- namely Into The Woods on Sunday, The Euan Morton and the Emily Skinner concerts) but all else is free to the public. I’ll also be there all weekend and if I look a little frazzled, come say "hello" and try to calm me down...

Here's what the Theatre has to say about it:

EXPERIENCE THE NEW SIGNATURE THEATRE!

Open House Weekend January 13 & 14, 2007

Enjoy performances, family activities, master classes, and theater tours all weekend long. All events are free and open to the community. Tickets are not required unless otherwise noted. Free ticket distribution for select events begins the day of the event at 11:30am from Signature's new box office.

Visit www.signature-theatre.org for more information and a complete schedule of events.

Tony Awards + Dreamgirls = Awesome

This clip is proof enough that Ms. Holliday gave a powerhouse performance as Effie White.

That is, until the movie opens up and the world will see a performance that is just as enthralling in Jennifer Hudson's performance of Effie.

Post-Turkey update

Welp, a lot has happened since I last updated this here blog. Last week, Munsen got me into a Town Hall Q&A with Jimmy Carter at her place of secondary employment. Jonathan Demme was also there filming the event for a documentary he was making about the former president.

Now, I’ll admit to not remembering much about his term. Mostly, I remember the gas crisis and Iran Hostage situation, neither of which were his fault or doing, but post-term he’s been one of the most influential and humanitarian figures in history (you don’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for doing nuthin’). I found the 82-year man to be well-spoken and very eloquent about his views on Palestine and the current war in Iraq and also quite gracious. I spoke with an acquaintance while getting into the signing line, and asked her why there were no political figures who could phrase a sentence, galvanize a country or speak authoritatively like Carter, Clinton or (I begrudgingly admit) Reagan. We get mister nucular up there addressing the nation and it’s no wonder his approval ratings are so low.

But I digress, the line moved relatively fast and I was able to thank President Carter as he signed my books and he blew a kiss to another friend of mine behind me in line (after she told him that he was her hero- very sweet).

After that, I turned on my cell phone (no mobile phones allowed when meeting the former president) and found out that I had a couple tickets to catch the opening night performance of “She Loves Me” at Arena Stage and I only had an hour to find a date and get there. I was able to get my cohort in crime at the Theatre to meet me there and we saw SGS, his BF and Jenny also in the audience.

To be honest, I wasn’t really looking forward to it at all. In the past, the musical productions I’ve seen at Arena were less-than-pleasing- granted all of the ones I didn’t enjoy were directed by Artistic Director, Molly Smith, and since this was helmed by Kyle Donnelly I had no expectations.

My low expectations were, thankfully, dashed as the night progressed and it’s become the best musical I’ve seen at Arena Stage. This show was such a light-hearted romantic affair, I had a grin on my face halfway through act one. The second act was a bit predictable, but still enjoyable and I heartily recommend it to anyone on the DC area. After the review in the Washington Post, I’d assume that ticket sales are currently brisk through the holidays, when it closes December 31. Grade: A-

Boho Days...

Last night I had the opportunity to go to the Library of Congress for a concert featuring the works of the late Jonathan Larson (creator of “Rent”), performed by (original “Mark” from “Rent”) Anthony Rapp, the lovely Natascia Diaz (from my obsession, “Jacques Brel”), Randy Graff, Michael McElroy, Jeremy Kushnier, and (another original “Rent”-er) Gwen Stewart. The first act consisted of non-“Rent” songs that Jonathan had written. A few were from his workshopped musical “Superbia,” which tell of a dystopian future not unlike Orwell’s “1984,” and others were simple pop & political songs. Natascia brought the house down with an excellent version of “Superbia’s” “Come To Your Senses” as did Randy Graff’s song about getting drunk because the world’s in such a depressing state so we might as well get drunk.

The second act focused on songs that were considered and (often wisely) changed or cut from the “Rent” before opening at the New York Theatre Workshop. There was a great duet between Natascia and Anthony called “Over It” that was replaced by “Tango: Maureen” and to close out three people who have received grants from the Jonathan Larson Foundation. The first person, Joe Iconis, didn’t really wow with a song about a 10-year old having a friend move away but the true standout was Cynthia Hopkins, who not only sang but kazooed and danced while singing and charmed the audience, and Steven Lutvak sang a sweet song about father/son relationships. The event closed with the performance of Jonathan’s signature song from “Rent”- “Seasons of Love”- by local Patrick Lundy and The Ministers of Music gospel choir and they capped an already-emotional evening with a wallop and some singing to the rafters.

Afterwards, I was able to join the after-party and talked with Ms. Diaz (who’s been corresponding with my good friend, Patrick) as well as joked with Mr. McElroy and I got to meet Victoria Leacock Hoffman, a lifelong friend of Jonathon Larson’s and producer of (my favorite) “tick, tick…BOOM!”

Man, I have been having some pretty amazing concert experiences recently!

Great News Today!

The new production of Brel has its CD available soon at the Zipper Theatre on October 17, with additional tracks available on iTunes at the same time! There is a God...

The Joys Of Live Theatre

Last night started off as a not-very-eventful night at the Theatre: My volunteers arrived on time, we started allright, I ordered some Chinese food to pick-up, and I went ahead and seated my latecomers.

And then, at 8:35 P.M., it happened.

One of the Assistant Stage Managers (ASM from this point) hurried out and asked me where Eliza’s understudy was seated. I told him (not in an easily accessible seat) and we needed to get her immediately because our Eliza wasn’t feeling well and the Stage Manager wasn’t sure if we were going to cancel or continue if she didn’t feel well enough to go on. So, the understudy came up to me and asked what was going on and I took her into the green room and I said, “you might be going on” and she was in shock. The SM then went on the mike and called for a hold up and got all actors off the stage while she talked with the director to figure out what we should do next. Then I offered to go and get the understudy’s bag and purse from her chair and, as I walked through the theatre, I felt all 160+ eyes on me as I grabbed her big old bag and just hurried out. At that point, I knew we had to make some sort of announcement, so I grabbed my Box Office manager and we talked to the SM and we figured that we were going to hold for a little while due to the leading lady’s not feeling well and we offered up complimentary drinks to our patrons.

In the midst of patrons exiting into the lobby, I got the call from our SM that we were to cancel the performance and exchange all tickets, so I made my next onstage speech. The audience was v. calm and sympathetic towards our leading lady and wishing that she was feeling better as they left and, for the next twenty minutes, I was keeping people calm in the lobby and answering questions and taking names for the BO manager if they didn’t want to wait in line, while the understudy was getting prepared for possibly performing tomorrow.

The lobby cleared relatively quickly after that, and I closed up shop while the BO manager finished up in the office. As I turned off the concessions area lights, I had a call on my cellphone- it was the Chinese place asking about my order and picking it up. It was 9:25 P.M.

After I picked up my (v. late) dinner, the BO manager & I headed over to Munsen’s other job and she was surprised to see us as we told her what happened. After Munsen got off work, we met up at The Office and had a few beers to restore order to the chaos.

Maybe It's My Old Age

But it seems that Washington Post Theatre critic, Peter Marks, has many nice things to say about the Theatre's "My Fair Lady," which officially opened last night. When I saw the final dress rehearsal over a week ago, I had a sneaky suspicion that Mr. Marks would find the joy and splendour in our pared-down production and he has!



That, and I completely agree with his points about Another Theatre's production of "Cabaret."

Or maybe I'm just getting grumpy in my old age...

Lookin' For Love In All The...

So, I'm doing a little surfing today, checking out all the news/media update/blog sites I read and suddenly remember that composer Jason Robert Brown launched his new site recently. So, I went there and, sure enough, came to discover the he will be posting monthly MP3s of rare material (like a song from the short-lived "Urban Cowboy"). It's a nice little find!