Saturday, February 24, 2007

Spring Awakening - A Video Lesson

OK - so I tried posting a YouTube video to my blog and it screwed up all the sidebar stuff, so I'm going to with a more traditional approach to giving you some insight into what I predict to be Broadway's next juggernaut. I implore you to get your tickets while you still can. I bought my ticket the day before they did their Letterman/The View junket. It's been years since I've anticipated seeing a show this much... I can't wait!

You gotta love a theatre season that sees Vanessa Redgrave and Angela Lansbury playing down the road from an angst-ridden rock musical about first-time plunges into sensual waters. Ya just gotta!

Here is a video journey for those that have not yet heard of or seen anything about this show.


- CBS Feature on Spring Awakening
- A&E Feature with a performance of the first half of "My Junk"
- Interviews with cast members and creators
- "Bitch of Living" video
- Cast performs "Bitch of Living" on Letterman
- Cast performs "Touch Me" on The View

And a rave review from Zach Braff on his blog never hurts... he seems like a cool dude.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

A Life So Theatrical

Let's talk progress on my writing. No - wait. Let's not. What you are reading now is basically the most that I have written in months. The Harvest Home revision sits in my brain collecting dust. If I get hit by a bus tomorrow, only one person knows the story and I doubt that he could recollect it. I could be wrong... But I'd rather not wait and see. I will rewrite eventually - hopefully before that bus happens by.

So, what has been occupying my time? Well, I mentioned back in June that I had started doing theatre again. Of course, for me the theatre is like a warm blanket. Familiar, pleasant and soothing... despite its typical tragedies. The theatre invigorates me. So much that after stage managing Damn Yankees, I auditioned for, and was cast in, Stephen Sondheim's Assassins at TBTA. I played Emma Goldman and was in the Ensemble. I had so much fun! It was the first time that I had been onstage in 10 years! Marriage, children, jobs and the occasional bump in the road really never afforded the opportunity. It seemed that any time a role I wanted became available, the timing never worked out. However, the timing worked out that past September and I look forward to the next time the Moon is in the 7th House and Jupiter aligns with Mars.

The autumn brought a new position at work as a Database Marketing Manager. I really enjoy the job and the people that I am working with. It is also more analytical and strategic than my old job, so I get to use my brain (which my new boss once said was "as big as the planet" but I think he is prone to hyperbole).

I have also been elected to the Board at Musicals at Richter, which has been an interesting, challenging and rewarding experience all at once. I have been able to channel some of my marketing and database experience into my role on the Board, which has been a fun way to use my "day-job skills". For the 2007 Summer Season, I am also directing/choreographing a new group called Richter Rising Stars. It is going to a lot of fun because the repetoire will consist entirely of selections from contemporary musical theatre that premiered in 1985 or afterward. Why 1985? That was the year that Richter was founded! And these Rising Stars? They are the next generation of Richter! It will be, as Randy Jackson says, "The bomb, dawg!"


Currently, I am directing The Diviners at TBTA and sometimes things truly are better the second time around. Certainly my first experience will always be special and doing it again leads me down Memory Lane once or twice a night but the years have made a difference. And, of course, it is great to cast actors that are the actual ages. I am fortunate to have some very talented actors in the cast and look forward to how this rarely done play is received.

In other theatre news, I purchased my ticket to Spring Awakening and am so psyched to see it! I've watched all the You Tube postings, saw The View and have been listening to the soundtrack non-stop! I love it when a show breaks the mold, attracts young and old alike and becomes a sensation. I predict great things for this show - it is the Rent of this decade. I saw Rent a few times and will likely see this one more than once! It's a thing with me... a theatre geek thing.

Santa brought my husband and I subscriptions to the Roundabout, so we saw The Apple Tree with Kristen Chenoweth and are going to see Prelude to a Kiss tomorrow night! If I were diligent, I would review those. But when it comes to blogging, diligence has not been my strong point.

For those that have returned, thanks for keeping the faith!

For those that have stopped by for the first time, come on back, I might be here.

Peace.