1866 – 1930: Los principios del Musical

El musical se desarrolla de formas más antiguas del teatro musical, como la Opera buffa y la Operetta. Los principios del musical se encuentan en Londres y por supuesto en Nueva York en el siglo 19.

1866: Primer Musical en Broadway (New York, EE.UU.),  “The Black Crook”.

El 12 de Septiembre de 1866 es el día en el cual en los EE.UU. por primera vez se presenta una obra, que unió dos compañias europeas, una de baile y canto con una de recitación. Esta colaboración deriva del hecho que la primera compañia se había quadado sin un teatro, en que actuar, mientras la segunda estaba ocupada con una producción, que se reveló mucho más cara de lo previsto. Fue así que nació el Musical.

El barrio de Broadway tiene una gran importancia, por que representaba el crisol entre diferentes nacionalidades, culturas, religiones y estratos sociales. Fue así que en los primeros musicales encontramos influencias de todos tipos: el swing y el jazz de los “Minstrel shows”, las Revues y los Music Hall- conciertos de Francia, y las Operette de Paris y Viena.

Al principio del siglo 19. los espectaculos de Broadway consistieron por la mayoria de “Revueshows” como los de “Ziegfeld Follies”.

Importantes autores de los años ‘20 son Geroge Gershwins y Jerome Kerns.

1920: El Musical “Sally” de Jerome Kern contiene todos los elementos de un musical moderno.

El estreno del musical se hizo el 21 de diciembre de 1920 en el  “New Amsterdam Theatre” en Nueva York. El éxito del musical fue extraordinario: la pieza logró 585 espectaculos, hasta este año el más largo show en Broadway. Un año más tarde, el 10 de septiembre de 1921 el musical estrenó también en el “West End Theatre” en Londres.

1924: “Lady, Be Good” de George Gershwins.

1927: “Showboat”, que se considera como el primer Musical Play, o sea una pieza en la cual las canciones resultaron de la trama sin parar al continúo de la história.

1930 – 1960 La epoca “clásica”

También en esta fase el teatro de Broadway en Nueva York y el teatro de West End en Londres representan el centro del mundo de los musicales. Con la creciente competencia con las peliculas, el musical empezó a soltarse de las meras representaciones teatrales y vivió entre los años ‘30 y ‘50 un periodo de plena floración. También después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial el musical trataba con temas sensibles de la sociedad, como por ejemple en South Pacific. Pero además de estos musicales serios, en los años ‘30 también encontramos los “Musical Comedy”, que tratan temas más comicos y sirven para distraer el público.

1949:  “South Pacific“, un musical de Oscar Hammerstein II y Joshua Logan.

Poco después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial el tema del racismo viene todavía representado en una manera muy comprensiva. South Pacific es conocido como uno de los más exitosos musicales de todos los tiempos, aunque sea casi desconocido en Europa. ¡ Este musical fue nominado en 1950 para 9 “Tony Awards” y los ganó todos!

1957: “West Side Story” de Leonard Bernstein.

Este musical tuvo su enlace el 26 de Septiembre de 1957 en el “Winter Garden Theatre” en el Broadway de Nueva York y representa el creciente alejamiento de la comicidad patetica. El Musical recibió 2 “Tony Awards” y se difundió algunos años más tarde también en Europa.

1960 – 2000 La epoca “moderna”

Con el pleno desarrollo de las peliculas y del cine, se abren nuevas posibilidades. Muchos musicales fueron transformados en peliculo, así como muchas peliculas sirvieron como el modelo de muchos musicales. Con el abandono del escenario, nos encontramos en paisajes más realistas.

En los finales de los años ‘60 los sonidos de las nuevas tendecias musicales influencian notablemente el desarrollo de los musicales. Un claro ejemplo de la influencia de la musica rock, que reemplaza la musica clásica y sinfónica, es el musical Hair.

1967: “Hair” de Gerome Ragni y James Rado.

Este musical trata con los problemas de los jovenes y su situación actual (Guerra en Vietnam).  La musica es rock, en efecto la orquesta ha sido complementada por instrumentos electroacústicos como por ejemple la guitarra electrica. Además, através de escenas de coprotagonización, se rompe la barrera entre los actores y el público.

Es curioso comprobar que en las películas más premiadas del cine, la banda sonora siempre esta presente entre los diferentes galardones. Y es que la música caracteriza a cada uno de los elementos de la película y sin ella no significaría lo mismo.

1939
LO QUE EL VIENTO SE LLEVO
No se si sería el viento o la lluvia, pero el caso que esta película lo que se llevo fue diez Oscars de la Academia de catorce nominaciones a las que optava. La composición de Max Steiner para “Lo que el viento se llevo” fue nominada a la mejor música original, pero desgraciadamente ese año “El mago de Oz” se llevo la palma en esta categoría.

1959
BEN – HUR
Esta película conquisto once Oscars de doce nominaciones, superando el record de “Los mejores años de nuestra vida” con ocho estatuillas de nueve. Entre los Oscars obtenidos, Miklos Rozsa, fue premiado por la mejor música original de Ben Hur. Pero también le concedieron en el mismo año un premio BAFTA y un Globo de Oro por mejor película dramática y de aventuras. ¡Desde luego supero todas las espectativas!

1961
WEST SIDE STORY
La adaptación cinematográfica de la historia de “Romeo y Julieta” de William Shakespeare consiguió nada mas y nada menos que diez Oscars de once nominaciones. Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Sid Ramin, Irwin Kostal fueron los responsables de la estatuilla por la mejor banda sonora en una película musical. Los Globos de Oro también quisieron premiar a West Side Story con un globo a la mejor película: musical. Esta película alcanzó tal éxito que aun sus melodías se recuerdan hoy en día en teatros de todo el mundo.

1972
CABARET
Se conoce que West Side Story abrió las puertas del éxito para películas de género musical como “Cabaret”. Basada en la novela “Adiós a Berlín” de Christopher Isherwood, fue ganadora de ocho de diez nominaciones por parte de la Academia, un Globo de Oro y un BAFTA por mejor película de género musical.

1987
EL ÚLTIMO EMPERADOR
Basada en la autobiografía de Aisin-Gioro Pu Yi, siguió los pasos de “Gigi” (1958) e hizo pleno en todas las quinielas de los Oscars, ya que ganó en las nueve categorías en las que estaba nominada. Además consiguió 4 Globos de Oro y un BAFTA.

1997
TITANIC
La verdad que la gran producción de James Cameron, basada en el desastre del transatlántico RMS Titanic, no se fue a pique como el barco, sino que se convirtió en una de las películas más taquilleras y más premiadas de la historia del cine. Once estatuillas de catorce, cuatro Globos de Oro, diez nominaciones en los premios BAFTA y un premio SAG.

2003
EL SEÑOR DE LOS ANILLOS: EL RETORNO DEL REY
Se dice que a la tercera va la vencida, y justo haciendo honor al título, han retornado como reyes para conquistar once estatuillas de once nominaciones. Además le concedieron cuatro Globos de Oro y dos Grammy, entre otros. De este modo la tercera saga de la triología de “El señor de los anillos”, sigue siendo junto a “Titanic” y a “Ben-Hur” las más premiadas de la historia de los Oscars.

I am the last in a line of visionaries.

My grandfather, Rabbi Moses Steinberg, immigrated to the United States from Odessa, Russia, and felt the need to create a new religion: Americanism. His dream combined Judaism and the Constitution.

In addition to translating the Sermon on the Mount for the Smithsonian Institution Bible, he published a book himself, “The Greatest Story Never Told.” I found long letters to politicians in the many papers left to me when my family died, as lung cancer took them one by one. His letters seemed to transmogrify a miscellaneous political detail into an erupting volcano. They didn’t make much sense to me. I suspect schizophrenia caressed him.

However, the shtetl he fled when the Cossacks burned it down had a tradition. The men studied Torah; the women worked. My grandmother Annie arrived in America on Sept. 19, 1906 on the SS Carmania and saw the Statue of Liberty.

I can only imagine what this meant to her after feeling the heat and fear of the fires that burned her world to the ground. She sewed to support the family.

My mother told me that Annie could make a dress out of less fabric than anyone else she’d ever met because she knew where to cut. There was genius in Annie, and madness in Moses. Their daughter Dorothy was older sister to Benjamin, my father.

All great artists live on the fine line separating genius and madness. My father grew up in a world where immigrant Jews worshiped Heifitz’s mother, who locked him in a room daily for 8 hours to make him practice. Only then could he eat.

Misha Elmann was another star in that world. I have an autographed picture of him calling my father one of his best friends. Everyone wanted their child to be the next Misha Elmann.

My father made his Town Hall debut on the violin when he was 9. On the program was a Hebrew Dance by Achron, and he ended with the Polonaise Brilliante in A Major by Wieniawsky, one of the most technically difficult pieces in the violin repertoire. They marketed him as Little Ben.

But he went on to be in the first violin section of the NBC Symphony, study conducting with Fritz Reiner, conduct the original Music Man, Peter Pan, and West Side Story on Broadway, hire the first African-American musician in a Broadway pit orchestra against the segregation laws in the 1940s, conduct the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo, American Ballet Theatre, the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, and started the first integrated orchestra in America, The Symphony of the New World. Leonard Bernstein wrote the letter recommending the project for the Ford Foundation grant.

Like Moses, my father was also a visionary. He was just not “touched by the angels.” He dreamed of social equality coming to life on the symphony orchestra’s stage.

The first African-American woman timpanist ever hired by the San Francisco Symphony came out of The Symphony of the New World, so did the first woman accepted into the violin section of the New York Philharmonic, so did the first African-American cellist in the New York City Ballet Orchestra.

The Symphony of the New World died because there was a power struggle, and those who won didn’t know how to pay the bills of a non-profit organization. My mother saved all the papers.

It took him a year an a half to die of pancreatic and lung cancer in our one-bedroom Manhattan apartment. On January 4, 1974, my mother held his hand. I went to school. When I came home, he was gone. I will never forget his yellow skin, but I think he died of a broken heart.

Someone he knew back then wrote

Where is your grave –
Or maybe even just a mound –
Benjamin Steinberg?
Where can we put a monument?
There is no grave.
You cannot be frozen into a statue,
Like some docile teacher’s pet.
You blaze
From the pedastals of the world stage,
Benjamin Steinberg.

Thirty-five years later, because I still cannot come to terms with losing the only soul’s reflection I have ever known, I wrote this:

In the name of the father
In the name of the daughter
In the name of justice
Over unnecessary death
Of a broken heart
Of a broken spirit
From a broken dream
By a man who dared

In the name of his symphony
Whose light might shine
On another day
For this generation
To stand for peace
In a world that screams war
In the name of the father
In the name of ideals
In the name of her grief
That has never died

After 35 years
In the name of the daughter
who inherited the spirit
who inherited the faith
In the name of courage
To believe again
That art could stop war

In the name of the father
In the name of the daughter
In the name of justice
In the name of peace
The dream still lives
The grief still kills
In the name of the father
In the name of love.

I wasn’t a good enough violinist to do what my father dreamed for me: make my Carnegie Hall Debut before I was 18, or be in the NY Philharmonic. I never could concentrate to practice enough.

I discovered my art form in 1994. It was online community vision, creation, management, moderation, writing, and multimedia. In that field, no one had to tell me to practice.

There is a Hebrew prayer for Yom Kippur, “In Memory of a Father.” It says in part, “In loving testimony to his life I pledge charity to help perpetuate ideals important to him… May I prove myself worthy of the gift of life and the many other gifts he gave me. May these moments of meditation link me more strongly with his memory.”

I have tried to fulfill this all of my life, even though I never knew this prayer existed until I was 50. DNA might be strong in pureblood Russian Ashkenzay Jews, but what can you do when you come from a man like this?

Whether I succeeded or failed, I am the last in line. I don’t have much time. Writing this blog is something. Anything, to pay homage to his name and finally come to terms with who I am, and realize that my whole life has been a love poem to him.

In 1994, I turned on the computer. In 1997, I went to the Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU and learned that the purpose of online community was to stop war. Then, I based my life on my own words:

The product that an online community gives away is power. Members invest their emotions in one, and the community gives them back a stake in its future, its philosophy and its governance. …to create a stage where you can be understood when society ignores you. …to feel the warmth of someone’s soul imprint through their words, even when they live thousands of miles away. …to find validity when the real world is blind to you. …to find a soul mate when your body is wasting away from disease. These are some of the reasons why people who are involved in online communities are so passionate about them. They can give you the power to control your dignity.

I’ve devoted 15 years to being a member of online communities, helping to create its collective storytelling art, and working in the field. This book is a collection of the essays I wrote as I share the journey of my real and virtual lives, which became intertwined as one inseparable reality.

Non può essere definito altrimenti: un capolavoro.

Nel 1957 debuttò in teatro a  Broadway e nel 1961 comparve la versione cinematografica sotto la regia di Robert Wise e musiche di Leonard Bernstein.

Una colonna sonora assolutamente splendida , che consegna alla storia del cinema e della musica brani bellissimi  ed unici, avvolge delicatamente una storia che potrebbe essere tranquillamente dei nostri giorni.

In una periferia degradata di New York, eletta simbolo delle periferie degradate di tutto il mondo, due bande di teppistelli adolescenti , una locale l’altra portoricana, si contendono il territorio con scaramucce e scazzottate.

La morte accidentale ma preannunciata del leader degli indigeni Riff, la vendetta impulsiva consumata da Tony con l’uccisione di Bernardo leader dei latini e l’amore contrastato e poi spezzato con la portoricana Maria, accelerano la maturazione, la consapevolezza di questi ragazzini e fanno intuire che la violenza e le morti siano state di insegnamento per una convivenza finalmente paritetica e pacifica.

In realtà la finzione filmica non può non seminare  una speranza. Che la realtà, soprattutto ai nostri giorni, massacra quotidianamente con la ferocia , l’ incomunicabilità e l’indifferenza.

Nel musical spaziano diversi piani di lettura: dalla rivisitazione di Romeo e Giulietta, in chiave rock, alla intolleranza verso il diverso, lo straniero (che oggi tanto ci tocca da vicino), alla violenza figlia del degrado, della povertà e  del fallimento della famiglia e della società.

Tutti siamo colpevoli se periferie e situazioni descritte nel film  continuano non solo a perpetuarsi  ma a manifestarsi con ferocia , brutalità e indifferenza crescenti.

E’ recentissima, vivida l’immagine di quella donna che scavalca tranquillamente , fumando come se nulla fosse il corpo di un uomo appena ammazzato da un killer  tra la folla ormai “abituata” a queste scene. Killer che a sua volta si allontana con molta seraficità sicuro che nessuno oserà intralciarlo e certo dell’ammirazione suscitata.

A parte la musica, assolutamente indimenticabile, ottima anche la sceneggiatura, le coreografie e gli attori che si mostrano a loro agio anche in performance particolari quali canto e ballo.

A mio avviso uno dei più bei film visti e Il Musical per eccellenza.

]]> http://broadwaycritic.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/bay-area-theatre-weekend-picks-nov-20-22nd/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:00:46 +0000 broadwaycritic http://broadwaycritic.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/bay-area-theatre-weekend-picks-nov-20-22nd/

Here are The Broadway Critic’s picks for Bay Area Theatre this weekend:

1. The Seafarer at San Jose Stage Company – San Jose Stage Company has a reputation on putting up edgy new works that grab your attention in a way that no other theatre company does in the South Bay. With their intimate setting, fantastic direction (usually by Rick Singleton) and stellar actors (often returning), they have come up with the perfect recipe that you don’t want to miss. This time, it’s Conor McPherson’s The Seafarer. It opens on November 21st and runs through December 20th. Unfortunately I will miss the opening night gala (because I’ll be in London) but we are checking this show out the week I get back.

Here’s a little more about the play, “These men who make their way home for the holidays aren’t exactly looking forward to sharing a cup of holiday cheer. But a stranger in their midst, in town to collect a major poker debt, forces them to take a look at their lives — and where they’ll end if they’re not more careful. The Tony Award winner is a darkly funny examination of Ireland’s culture of drinking and the arguable states of grace achieved by those who embrace it.”

The Seafarer features Randall King*, Julian López-Morillas*, Kevin Blackton*, Colin Thomson*, and Donald G. Emmerich, many of whom are familiar from recent performances at The Stage. (*Actor’s Equity Association)

Buy tickets, here.

2. Another Night Before Christmas at City Lights Theatre Company: Just to preference: my wife, Shenelle Williams, is playing piano on this show, so I might be a little biased! Another Night Before Christmas is a “a delight for the whole family, this witty and tuneful holiday romp is sure to win laughs from anyone who has ever lost – or found – the holiday spirit.” With only a two-person cast (Lisa-Marie Newton and Michael Johnson), this show will definitely add Chistmas cheer to your holiday season. (Shenelle keeps coming home from rehearsal and wanting to put up decorations!) It runs from November 19th to December 20th. Plus, it’s the West Coast premiere!

More info, here.

3. A Christmas Story at San Jose Rep: This Christmas classic is back! “Christmas is a time of great expectations and for nine-year-old Ralphie Parker that great expectation is a genuine Red Ryder 200 Shot Carbine Action Air Rifle. Unfortunately, his mother, teacher and even the Goldblatt’s Department Store Santa Claus have the same reaction to his Christmas wish, “You’ll shoot your eye out!”‘ I love this movie and it’s perfect for the whole family! It opens November 21st and runs through December 20th.

Get more info, here.

Other shows of interest:

• The Fantasticks at Sunnyvale Community Theatre: Read The Broadway Critic’s review here.
• A Taffeta Wedding at Tabard Theatre Company: A Taffeta Wedding closes this weekend, so make sure you get over to the Tabard. We featured this show last week – get info here.
• West Side Story at WVLO: This production of West Side Story runs till December 5th. It features Issac Benelli as Tony, Anne-Claire Baconnais as Maria, and Brian Palac as Bernado. Get info here.

I’m checking out all of these shows I mentioned after the Thanksgiving holiday because I’ll be in London watching shows in the West End! (Of course, you’ll get reviews of those as well!) Enjoy the weekend; there is some great theatre happening!

Until next week… (really two weeks)

Well, I would be remiss if I didn’t make a blog post while on TDY (For folks not familiar with military acronyms, TDY stands for temporary duty).  I have spent the last week in beautiful Leesville, LA doing some testing for a project I work on.  I’ve spent most of the time (including all of last weekend!) at Ft. Polk, which has been pretty cool, though a bit tiring.  Can’t post any videos on here, but it was cool nonetheless.    Here is a picture of me from our last trip down to Ft. Polk.

TDY and My Career

Travel is a core part of my career (I spent approximately 25% of my time on travel).  It has its advantages:

• Able to travel to various places in the U.S. (and potentially overseas if I happen to be on a project that requires OCONUS travel in the future) and see things I would not see otherwise.
• Arguably the best reason why I like going on TDY is going with my IPT members.  As always, you learn more about who you work with outside the work environment, and this provides an opportunity for that.
• Nice change of pace from the office grind, helps to put things into perspective.
• Learn about different manufacturing processes and get a better appreciation for how things are produced.
• Talk to Warfighters who have gone to Iraq/Afghanistan, listen to their stories, and most importantly, identify what problems they are currently facing.

Of course, it does have its disadvantages:

• Going out to eat everyday at a fast food/restaurant for lunch & dinner is not exactly healthy.
• It seems like TDY’s tend to come in spurts.  Multiple TDY’s really set you back on office work when you return, and result in playing catch-up.
• Days are usually longer than the normal workday, and it is very tough to motivate myself sometimes to do homework.
• For long TDY’s, you start to miss being home.
• Since as Government employees we need to take the contract air carrier, this usually results in us having to take connecting flights, which as anyone who travels knows, leaves many ample opportunities for flight delays.

Overall, the positives most definitely outweigh the negatives, and I wouldn’t change anything about it.

School

Classes are going well, and are most definitely keeping me busy.  I got back my midterm for Project Management, got a 26/30 on it.  Overall he said I did a really good job, but didn’t agree with some of my conclusions.  I am not too worried about it, I am doing well in the class overall, will just have to work hard on the final project when it is assigned.

My accounting class so far is relatively easy (roughly a 98% grade in the class so far).  He currently has us looking through two annual reports, one from Tyson Foods, and the other from Smithfield.  It has been tough to focus on it while on TDY, but I am hoping to knock out a lot of the work tonight after finishing this blog post. 

Work

Work is going really well, just hit my 2 year mark and received my promotion.  Now, it is a matter of just continuing to do my work, taking on additional tasks as time allows, and networking until I am ready to compete for a team lead position.  We’ll just have to see what the future holds.

Other

I bought a PlayStation 3 the other week, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.  First game I bought was Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.  Graphics were awesome, and the story was actually pretty good for an action game.  Sort of felt like I was in a movie while playing.  I also bought Modern Warfare 2 but haven’t played it yet due to not being home.  From what I heard so far, the game is well done, looking forward to playing when I get back.

Lastly (but most definitely not least ), for my b-day Jessica got us tickets to go see the musical West Side Story.  I have loved this musical since I was a kid, and I can’t wait to see it.  We are going to see it this Saturday; I’ll be sure to review it for you guys.

I am traveling back to NJ Friday morning (6AM flight!), but at least that means I’ll be back at EWR aroud noontime and will have time to relax before choir at night.  Miss you all in NJ, see you soon!

Who knew that it would come to this?

“Louie, you look like you just caught the car you were chasing,” Mea said.  She was trotting beside me as we went down the high school hallway.  The lockers that lined the wall were a dull gray, reflecting my mood.  “Are you going to be okay?”

“I have something on my mind, that’s all,” I had to stop to itch my ear with my back paw.  It was true.  There have been some developments as of late and I didn’t know how to react.  “Remember when I said I was a member of the Beefy Snack Club?  It was just a ruse but now it’s become much more. Dogs, even puppies, are asking me to join.”

“How is that bad?,” Abby interjected, jealously eyeing Mea.  She still holds Mea at paw’s length, even after all this time. “Louie, you’re an inspiration, a leader, a pack leader!  It’s what we’ve always dreamed!  You can’t give this up now that it’s here!”

“But isn’t this how divisions are created?,” I groaned.  “Wouldn’t the Beefy Snack Club be seen as a clique, a bit of a secret society.  Kind of like the Skull and Bones?”

“Where’s the bone?,” Gregio yelped as he galloped up the hallway. “Who said bone? I want a bone.  I want it, want it, want it!”

By this time, a small crowd had formed and I was in the middle of it.  All my friends were looking at me and I kind of felt dizzy, like when I get excited and run in circles.  But it was more like the migraine when I pick up a scent and can’t find its origin.

“Alright, doggone it!,” I said reluctantly. “I’ll do it but we’re going to do this the right way or not at all!”

My friends all howled their approval.  By this time, the bell had rung and everyone scurried to class.  You could see which dogs hadn’t been maintaining their nails because they slipped across the marble as they ran to class.

After our Agility 101 class with Mrs. Schnoot, word had begun to spread quickly. Everyone was crowding around me to jockey for inclusion in the Club.  As I moved towards my next class, I noticed a large pack of dogs walking down the hall.  It was headed by none other than my nemesis, Max, the large Italian Greyhound.

“You’re barking up the wrong tree, Louie,” growled Max as he neared. The other pack dogs chuckled in unison. “Who gave you the right to form the Beefy Snack Club without my permission?”

I thought about it for a minute before replying.

“The Constitution of the United States of America?”

“A wise dog, huh?” Max huffed, stepping closer to me so our noses were almost touching.  “I run things around here and I say if you can form a club or not. I tell you what you can do!”

I have to admit, my enthusiasm for forming a club was waning a bit under the burden of its responsibilities. However, after being subjected to Max’s breath, this confrontation had spiked my interest.  The thinking and trappings of an idealist, I thought.

“What’s the matter, Max?,” I taunted. “Are you afraid of a little competition?”

“I ain’t afraid of nuthin’!,” he growled.  Max backed up on his back haunches, as if he was getting to lunge.  Before he leapt, Mr. Bluehorn, the Pomeranian Vice Principal, jumped in between us.

“That’ll be enough!,” he shouted. “Why am I not surprised to see you here, Louie? And Max, what have I told you about fighting in school?”

“Ah Mr. Bluehorn, I was just showing my pal Louie here some new wrestling moves,” Max sheepishly replied. “Why you got to be so serious all the time?”

“I don’t want to see this again, you understand?,” Mr. Bluehorn said as he shook a paw at us in warning.

Max and I mumbled our acquiescence.  Before we parted, Max snarled at me.

“We already got enough clubs here and we don’t need anymore,” he snorted. “Mark my words, keep your nose out of this!”

As I watched him trot away, I began to think that if forming a club could at least get under Max’s fur, who else would get rubbed the wrong way? Is this the beginning of unraveling the mysteries at Milk Bone Pickens High or am I just scratching the surface?

That reminds me.  I need to cut my nails.

Every year, as the winter weather descends and the nights get longer and colder, I give into a particular urge: the urge to hibernate. I’ll be honest, once it drops below 50 degrees, I lose the motivation to go to the theater to get my musical fix. While others are out enjoying the icy chill and having snowball fights, I like to settle down with my Snuggie, a hot cup of cocoa and a great movie. And I wouldn’t be The Broadway Bostonian if I didn’t partake in a good movie musical occasionally. Movie musicals, like their theatrical counterparts, can be very hit or miss. So I’ve compiled a list of my Top Ten Favorite Movie Musicals. They might not be flawless, but they are perfect for a snowy night in on the couch with some takeout and a nice warm blanket.

#10 – Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog

With a running time of around 45 minutes, Dr. Horrible is really more of a study break musical than feature film. Like most of its fans, I found out about Dr. Horrible when it was released, in three parts via the web, during the summer of 2006. I watched the first segment, a 15-minute clip, the night it came out and eagerly awaited the release of the second and third parts. Despite its short length, creator Joss Whedon accomplishes in 45 minutes what directors of movie musicals fail to do in two hours: he develops characters that you root for and care about. For all of its witty one-liners, Dr. Horrible is just as heart-warming as it is hilarious.

For fans of: Neil Patrick Harris, Freeze Rays and Frozen Yogurt.

#9 – Reefer Madness

No, that title is not a typo. Reefer Madness is a cautionary satire, based on the 1938 propaganda film of the same name. It’s every bit as bizarre and outlandish as its name implies, which just makes me love it more. The movie boasts an infectiously fun score and some of the best casting I’ve ever seen in a movie musical, including Alan Cumming as the Narrator, B-movie star Christian Campbell as Jimmy, SNL star and former Wicked cast member Ana Gastayer as Mae and the utterly adorable Kristen Bell as Mary Sunshine.

For fans of: TV Show, “Weeds”, Mass Hysteria and “Special Brownies”

#8 – Grease

You know you’ve seen it a zillion times, you probably even own it on DVD but you still watch it every time it comes on TV (I do.) Grease is one of those classic movie musicals that defines an era. Danny and Sandy are cultural icons in the vein of Mickey and Minnie, Lucy and Desi, and Carrie and Mr. Big. Grease is the epitome of a good movie musical – it’s fun and frivolous and certainly worth watching if you happen to come across it on ABC Family (not that I have…cough…)

For fans of: the hand jive, pink hair, leather jackets, and good old-fashioned nostalgia

#7 – Rocky Horror Picture Show

Rocky Horror is perhaps one of the strangest movie musicals ever made, but I love it. Having seen the stage show and the insane amount of audience participation that occurs during it, I’m always tempted to yell at the tv whenever I watch it at home, which usually makes me feel like a crazy person. Insanity aside, without Rocky Horror the world would never know the joy of the Time Warp.

For fans of: gold lamé undies and sweet transvestites.

#6 – Dreamgirls

Dreamgirls is the story of a African American girl group trying and their rise to fame in the 1960s. It’s the perfect example of all of the essential elements of a film coming together – the sets, the casting, the directing, the costuming, among other things – to make the book and score (aka the music part of a musical) so much more vivacious. Dreamgirls was a breakthrough moment for star Jennifer Hudson and she won a much deserved Academy Award for the role. Her voice is smooth, warm and undeniably gorgeous and her performance is equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring.

For fans of: Motown, fierce belting and youtube covers of beyonce’s single ladies dance.

#5 – Chicago

I rarely see movies in theaters. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the smell of popcorn or joy of jujubes stuck to the bottom of my shoe, I do love going to movies, but for a broke student it’s just too expensive. I mean a show comes along once in a lifetime, for a few weeks, whereas I can wait for movies to come out on tv or come to cable. Chicago is one of the rare movies I ran out to see opening weekend, back in 2002. And it was so worth the $10 movie ticket. I’ve seen Chicago live, and I have to say, I think the movie is better than the live musical. Unlike the stage musical, which I sometimes thinks exacerbates the limitations of working on a stage, the movie turns Chicago into more of a character study than just a movie. The movie musical is nearly flawless and unveiled the amazing vocal talent of Catherine Zeta-Jones.

For fans of: Jazz, fishnet tights and the cell block tango.

#4 – Cabaret

I have two words for you: LIZA. MINNELLI. Cabaret is an amazing music itself, but Liza’s effortless performance elevates what could be a typical movie musical to a cinematic event. Cabaret, which tells the story, albeit subtly, of Hitler’s rise to power, is definitely not a happy-go-lucky musical. In fact it’s kind of a downer, but it’s thought provoking and truly touching and if I had my way it would be obligatory in every WWII era history class.

For Fans of: LIZA! (enough said.)

#3 – Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Another career defining film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes skyrocketed Marilyn Monroe’s career to superstardom. Many people don’t know that Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was a stage musical before it was a movie, and a book before that. Regardless of its origins, it’s definitely a must-see classic moment in film history. As a musical, it is perhaps less effective – it’s not really the standard book-musical, bit nonetheless, the music is catchy, the dialogue is witty and no one can deny that Marilyn was a true star.

For Fans: Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds.

#2 – Wizard of Oz

Another diva-heavy movie, the Wizard of Oz launched Judy Garland’s career (and somewhat by extension, Liza Minelli, her daughter’s). Like a slew of others on this list, Wizard of Oz is a true classic. My favorite memory of the Wizard of Oz comes from my brief stint at summer camp, when I was eight. I played a flying monkey in a production of the show. After our record breaking (for Camp Lohikan) two-day run, the entire cast and crew piled into the gym, and watched the Wizard of Oz three consecutive times. Now, I know I was eight, but I still think that’s a testament to its greatness – it’s just one of those movies you can watch repeatedly and it’s still as awe-inspiring and entertaining as it was the first time.

For fans of: yellow-brick road, flying monkeys, plaid.

#1 – West Side Story

My first exposure to West Side Story was just last year, when I saw the Broadway revival. Before that, I had listened to the music, but I held out on watching the movie. I figured that the experience of seeing it onstage with the original choreography would be worth the wait. Ultimately, I found the current revival a little lackluster. After seeing it, I went home and immediately watched the movie and I was riveted from start to finish. It’s an absolute gem and the performances by its leads, particularly the effervescent Natalie Wood as Maria, are incredible.

For fans of: America, the Jets, the Sharks, Peace.

What movie musicals make your top ten list?

The Broadway production of West Side Story, now playing at the Palace Theatre, is electric; the story of Tony and Maria, torn by their opposing ethnic groups, is timeless, and Bernstein’s score has an enduring freshness and vitality. The production has sparked controversy because some of the Puerto Rican characters’ lines are delivered in Spanish; this technique does add authenticity, but my literal mind was sometimes frustrated by not being able to comprehend the exact meaning of passages. Josefina Scaglione shone as the radiant, charming, sweet Maria; her singing was clear and crisp and subtle in dynamics, and her duets with Tony—“Tonight”,  “One Hand, One Heart”, and “Somewhere”—were captivating. The sets are simple and effective—an imposing steel bridge backdrop nicely sets the scene under the highway. The highlights of the production, for me, were the “Dance at the Gym” mambo (fantastically energetic and well-choreographed) and “America”, with its brilliant, infectious lyrics by Sondheim. I never tire of hearing the Shark girls praise the virtues of America (“I like to be in America, Okay by me in America, Everything free in America”) while the boys offer a more cautious outlook (“Everywhere grime in America, Organized crime in America, Terrible time in America”).

Palace Theatre
1564 Broadway
New York NY 10036

West Side Story

october 13th: texas state history museum

my department has in our budget two outings per year.  usually the department opts to go to lunch, this time we went to the bob bullock texas history museum and to the imax movie under the sea.

october 15th: hanson

october 15th began my weekend in new york with my sister!  thursday was spent traveling and catching up on some sleep.  it just so happened that after she asked if i wanted to go, hanson released their fall tour dates and were in new york that day.  so we went and had a great time.  no pictures from the actual concert because the nokia theatre is one of those dumb venues that won’t allow you to have a detachable lens.

time square!

the moving t-rex at the toys r us in times square

october 16th: day o’ adventure

what a day.  what a never ending day.  it started with seeing maurice sendak’s original drafts and drawings for where the wild things are at the morgan library.  it was a small exhibit, but super amazing to see.  especially to when you realize how much work he put into this book with so few actual lines of text.  there were also drafts of drawings that didn’t make it into the book.  the library itself was insane.  it’s was beautiful and old and awesome.  i also saw a small collection of puccini including drafts of la boheme.

and then onto the natural history museum where i spent the rest of the day.  i saw a movie about space and a space machine that looked alot like wall-e and a meteorite and  lots and lots of bones of crazy looking creatures and stuffed versions of animals from all over the world.  and then i had an overpriced salad and soda at one of the cafes.  because that’s what you do.  it was amazing.  i could spend days there.

things that will haunt your dreams.

and then it was off to the show!

mama mia was wonderful!  i didn’t see the movie and while the plot line was obviously a little weak, it was definitely a fun filled show.  plus i was at a broadway show with my sister, so it really just doesn’t get much better.

we skipped dinner to hang out with these guys for awhile, you know, chatting on the phone and catching bad guys.  then it was off to starbucks for a quick hug to the employees.  a black and white cookie for a snack and off to bed!

october 17th: wild thing.

do you get the feeling i was excited about this movie coming out?

i spent a little while at the new york public library’s children’s library getting my picture taken with a wild thing.  i look ridiculous in the photo though, so the world may never see it.  i took the subway to the upper east side to have lunch with my sister at luke’s

think i looked silly riding the subway like this?  that’s one very cold wild thing.

and then it was off to the met!  i really didn’t realize just how huge this place is.  it would take me weeks to make it through the whole thing.  especially in the unbroken in boots that i decided to wear.  so i got my ticket, checked my coat, sat down with the map of the exhibits and made a plan.  i feel like i saw everything that i wanted to see most.

first stop was egypt and a tomb inside of the museum.

after egypt i decided to invest in a headset tour guide.  my sister suggested it.  she was so right.  death of socrates.

degas the little fourteen year old dancer that i am in love with.  she bronze with pink tinted shoes, a cotton skirt and a silk bow in her hair.  i never knew degas did anything but paint.  i was very impressed.

for peter, some of degas horse sculptures.

more dancers.

picasso’s the blind man’s meal

van gogh’s wheat field with cypresses.  van gogh was nuts.

and andy warhol!

i also saw a real shark in a glass case of formaldehyde/emotion (also called the physical impossiblity of death in the mind of someone living.  pictures weren’t allowed so this is not my picture.)  and some an amazing exhibit of robert frank’s the americans (if you don’t click on any other link, click on that one, trust me.)

after that i decided that my feet hurt too badly to funtion any longer so i decided to head back to the subway.

upper east side is so fancy.

after that was west side story.  which was pretty amazing.  i think it may have been one of the first musicals i saw that i really loved.  and then my sister was in it and so i had an even bigger reason to love it.

yay sisters!

and my favorite picture.  overall, what an amazing, awesome trip.  i have the world’s best sister.

Desde a estréia do revival de WWS em 19/03/2009, o musical tem sido bem aceito pela crítica e pelo público.

Arthur Laurents, diretor do revival e autor do libretto foi responsável pela remontagem do espetáculo que está em cartaz no Palace Theatre na Broadway. Ele diz que o espetáculo ganhou uma nova roupagem em relação as apresentações anteriores e disse até que a letra de algumas músicas foram alteradas (I Feel Preety e A Boy Like That).

Inspirado na peça “Romeo e Julieta” de Shakespeare, West Side Story conta a história de Tony e Maria que vivem em Upper West Side em Nova Iorque em meados da década de 50. O conflito do espetáculo está no fato de que ambos fazem parte de gangues que convivem no mesmo espaço mas não pertencem ao mesmo mundo (Jets e Sharks).

A produção original estreou em 26 de Setembro de 1957 no Winter Garden Theatre. Na equipe criativa se destacam Jerome Robbins (concepção), Arthur Laurents (roteiro), Leonard Bernstein (composições), and Stephen Sondheim (letras).

Na Broadway, Josefina Scaglione assume o papel de Maria e Matt Cavenaugh o de Tony. No Brasil Bianca Tadini e Fred Silveira contracenavam nos respectivos papéis sob a direção de Jorge Takla. Sara Sarres assumiu o papel de Anita.

O musical ficou em cartaz no Teatro Alfa em São Paulo com uma temporada de 3 meses em 2008.

Clique aqui para assistir a apresentação do Revival no Tony Awards 2009.

Just as I wrote out my “Five Shows You Should See on Broadway” there happens to be five shows you shouldn’t see as well. Let me qualify that by saying that most shows that get produced on Broadway are worth seeing for one reason or another — they wouldn’t have landed on Broadway if there wasn’t something unique/special about them. But there’s some shows that you should probably just stay away from, especially if you are in NYC for only a limited time. I always think, “Will I regret it if I miss this show?” If the answer is yes, than I make sure that I go. Unfortunately, there are a few shows that you might just regret actually going to and spending all that money on.

Here’s a list of shows that I’ve regretted going to:

1. Bye Bye Birdie at Henry Miller’s Theatre – Oh, what can I say? It’s a mess. After sitting through this, my friend and I coined the phrase, “The best high school production of Bye Bye Birdie I’ve ever seen.” But then I digress, I’ve actually never seen Bye Bye Birdie performed at a high school. From the color-coordinated costumes to the lack of choreography, this show is just wrong. Oh, and did we mention that the teenagers are actually teenagers? So, if you are willing to shell out between $86.50 – $136.50 to see high schoolers perform, than more power to you. But I left, severely disappointed. The moment when you really want to walk out is during Gina Gershon’s mess of a dance, “Spanish Rose” — if you actually can call a “half-fan kick” dancing. It’s not scheduled to close till April 25, 2010. April can’t come any sooner.

2. Billy Eillot at Imperial Theatre – I’ll probably get some flack for this one, considering it won the Tony Award for Best Musical this year. The first time I saw this, I actually almost walked out during intermission. I hated it that much. I wanted it to be so much more than it actually was considering that I loved the movie SO much. My biggest beef with this show, is that somewhere along the way, it lost its “heart”. The show changes so much with what Billy you see. The first time, I saw the “angry” Billy. Th second time was the “confused” Billy. These kids have to be a triple threats and both of the ones I saw were incredible dancers, but lacked in the acting department. Maybe the two new Billys will be better? Also, I have to talk about the set: it neither gives a clue of where we are or what time period we’re in. And for a show that specifically needs to identify both, I was sorely disappointed. (And that damn circular bed just drove me crazy.) The show is incredible in regards to the dancing, so if you are a dance enthusiast than you should check this one out. I say: pass. Wait for it to come on tour (or don’t). More info, here.

3. West Side Story at Palace Theatre - This is another show that I should have loved, but instead really felt nothing for. I saw a matinee, which might have influenced my overall feelings, but I really thought I would like it and I didn’t. It has the makings for something incredible. Obviously, the show is incredible, yet I felt that this revival didn’t have anything new to offer, except for the genius performance by Karen Olivo playing Anita (who won the Tony Award). Olivo was the only one to give a fresh perspective to her character. Finally, they are replacing Matt Cavenaugh, who plays Tony, on December 13th. Frankly, they never should have cast him in the role in the first place. Riedel, of the NY Post gives some advice to the next Tony, “Don’t miss any performances, don’t get old, and don’t get married.” Apparently, Ms. Olivo has been missing performances as well, so your best bet is just to miss this one altogether. More info, here.

4. The Phantom of the Opera at Majestic Theatre - I solely write Phantom of the Opera on this list because you are better off seeing it in Las Vegas than in NYC. I’ve actually never seen the Broadway production because there is always something else that is more important. Always. The Vegas version is quite thrilling, especially since they cut all the nonsense to 90 minutes. Besides, the sound design is the best I’ve ever heard from any show, anywhere. See something else on Broadway and take a trip to Vegas to see Phantom. You won’t regret it. Besides, it’s been running on Broadway since 1988. Maybe with the sequel, Love Never Dies, coming out next November on Broadway it will finally die away…. maybe. More info, here.

5. Mamma Mia at Winter Garden Theatre – Really, I mean really. This show should close so something else worth seeing can take its spot. Immediately. The show opened back in 2001. We are at eight years now. Playbill.com says, “The infectious music of ABBA provides the framework for a romp through the preparations of an unusual wedding.” Romp. Now I’m for sure not going.

Seriously, people. Stop. Going. To. This. Show.

More info, here.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Memphis at Sam S. Shubert Theatre – I actually hate putting Memphis on the “shows you should skip” list. I really don’t want to because the performers are kind of amazing — it’s the show that just doesn’t work. All of the sudden the show ended and I didn’t know why? That’s how convoluted the story gets to be at the end. You can’t deny the comparisons between Hairspray and Dreamgirls; it feels awfully similar to both of those shows and not in a good way. My friend and I decided that all of the performers in Memphis should be in Bye Bye Birdie and than, we would have something to write home about. Though Chad Kimball gives a unique and note-worthy performance, we unknowingly ended up hating him and his ridiculous Memphis accent. Montego Glover’s vocal range is impressive throughout, she’s just not given the songs to truly shine and show off her magnificent instrument. Bay Area local, James Monroe Iglehart, stole the show with his Act II performance. The audience couldn’t get enough of him. All in all, it’s a talented cast, just not a great show. More info here.

Actually. I do, and hopefully yours too. That’s my thought, health. Being a diabetic I realized I am super exposed to a lot of other health complications than all these other adults running around the planet eating fast food and smoking cigarettes. I don’t do these things, or at least make a habit or routine of it, but I feel like diabetics are supposed to be above certain things. So to rise above I started a blog (logical right?) instead of testing more or not eating candy and running every morning, but so far it is working. I guess my “health” is improving, or at least I feel like it is. Maybe I should develop a rubric. Done. I will. I will develop a rubric to gauge and rate my health. Next thought…

This seems to be developing into a diary, who cares, no one else really reads this anyway according to my stats graph (kinda depressing, come on people, I am cool!). I have been struggling with two things lately that I imagine most diabetics do: ready…

1 – consistency. I think consistency is the most valuable and powerful trait a diabetic can embody. Test, dose, and eat consistently. Even posting on this blog, consistency, everyday, every two days…shoot, kinda failing there too. If I can manage to test, dose, and eat consistently then my endocrinologist would probably nominate me for diabetic of the year…right? Cast your votes, I promise to lower taxes and provide universal health care…

2 – direction. This is related more so to my life as opposed to my diabetes…however, my diabetes is pretty affected and closely involved in this facet of my life. I need to choose a direction for my career, which is also a direction and choice for my diabetes. I would love to wash dishes and work in a bike shop, surf shop, or climbing store for the rest of my life but that option tanks on insurance and would leave me shelling out the equivalent of another rent check every month. So what do I do? I feel trapped? I mean I’m not really trapped there so many options out there for me to be happy. With degrees in Engineering, Biology, and Math you think I could work something out, but all my options seem so far away. So here I am. What do I do. For the last few months I have been wandering all over the country living out of my car and off my savings I hoarded from my last engineering job I worked almost two years ago! Still I’m floundering in a sea of questions and options, and on top of it I have to factor into the decision matrix paying of my student loans, getting insurance after my COBRA runs out, and stretching my supplies as far as they can go to afford gas and food. Dang. I feel like diabetics just get dumped on sometimes. I realize everyone their own battles but I feel lost and alone in this one sometimes, and don’t really see a light at the end of the tunnel. Wouldn’t it be nice if Obama could just swoop in and take a little monkey of my back not having to worry about “lapses in coverage” and “pre-existing condition clauses” and “durable medical supply coverage” I need to learn more about this new reform getting past congress, or check out my options in Canada.

Conclusion: 1 – Focus on consistency as opposed to “fixing” all my diabetic problems at once with a blog. 2 – research this new health care program. 3 – health rubric. I’ll get back to you on that one. 4 – be bold and mighty forces will come to your aide.

awesome diabetic google search lead me to this:

why should you care about diabetes? duh – haven’t you seen West Side Story… ?

I guess this West Side Story and diabetics go hand in hand, who knew?

I am all for educating people about diabetes prevention, management, and all that jazz; but did the nurse just forget to go over a few pages in the “what you need to know – you and diabetes” booklet before I left the hospital. Maybe there is a chapter in there about the deep connection between defeating diabetes and loving West Side Story…I guess it’s beyond me.

ahhh… ” busting posting makes me feel good! “

‘Maria, the most beautiful sound’.

Maria – West Side Story

What’s buzzin, cuzzins? This is a list of 5 of my favourite musicals of the 1950s, with slang courtesy of Fifties Web.

1. Gypsy

Gypsy is one of the greatest musicals of all time. Word from the bird, my friends, it is. A great book complemented by a great score. Take any song out and it leaves a big gaping theatrical gap in the show. Even a seemingly silly list number like “Mr Goldstone” shifts the show dramatically. Without it, we’d never know how genuinely thrilled Rose and her cohorts are, nor would we gain the insight that we do into Rose’s personality and capabilities that the song reveals. “Together Wherever We Go” shows us how the relationship between Rose, Louise and Herbie has shifted since the end of the first act. “Little Lamb” tells us almost everything we need to know about Louise. The vaudeville numbers provide period, yes, but their design also tells us about Rose and their performance reveals insight into June and Louise that a conventional scene couldn’t convey. And then we get Rose’s trio of numbers: the seductive “Some People”, the chillingly ironic “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” and the masterful “Rose’s Turn”. Every number has its purpose; there’s a perfect balance between the elements of musical theatre in this show. We could also get into the great “best Rose” debate, but that’s a no-brainer really: it’s Angela Lansbury, of course!

2. West Side Story

West Side Story is cool. A musical that fully integrated acting, singing and dance, that was set in contemporary urban society and that dealt with topical issues that are still relevant today – well, it’s groundbreaking in its conception any way you look at it. Then we get to the stunning Jerome Robbins staging, with choreographic contributions by Peter Gennaro. What was going through Arthur Laurents’s head when he cut down the “Somewhere” ballet, I’ll never know. That decision communicates a misunderstanding of the role of dance in live musical theatre that I simply can’t understand. (Yes, it was cut from the film, but it wouldn’t have worked there. It’s too abstract and is designed for the live energy of musical theatre performance in front of a real audience who is experiencing the show in the moment.) The original cast recording is an essential for any musical theatre fan’s collection and for a comparison of different recordings of the show, I’d refer to you a previous blog on this site dealing with that very issue. Sometimes the show is criticized these days for being dated, miscast with models or actors that are too old or both and so on, but it still has an ineffable magic that hits home when you see it. Perhaps a recent review I read sums it up: “it is after all West Side Story.

3. The Boy Friend

Sometimes I forget about The Boyfriend. But when I play the cast recording on Itunes, I always remember how much it razzes my berries. There is a notoriously bad film adaptation of the show, but this was my first exposure to the show and I watched it almost on a permanent loop when I was a child. For those who are not in the know, The Boyfriend is a 1950s show about the 1920s. Polly – Julie Andrews in the original Broadway cast – meets Tony and in true romantic comedy style, we know they will be together by the fall of the final curtain. Along the way, there’s a lot of fun to be had – camp fun, witty lyrics, mixed messages, cross purposes. It’s commedia dell’arte filtered through an English pastiche of the American musical. A true hybrid, then, and a winning one.

4. Guys and Dolls

Guys and Dolls. One of the most popular musicals of all time; people go ape for it. Even I’ve been involved in two productions: in high school I played the drunk and the Hot Box MC and danced in “Havana” and “The Crap Shooter’s Ballet” and a couple of years ago I choreographed a high school production of the show. In the decade in between, I’ve seen countless productions announced and produced. Generally, there’s a perception that it’s flop-proof, but I guess the most recent Broadway revival proved that theory wrong. People are ambivalent about the film and, while it’s not perfect, there’s much to enjoy: Brando as Sky, the stunning scene between Sarah and Sky in the mission, Michael Kidd’s choreography and so on. The show itself has a super book by Abe burrows and the score is – in a word – fantastic. Every number is memorable. For a special treat, get yourself a copy of the African-American 1976 Broadway Revival’s cast recording. It’s super, and the numbers are reborn in their new disco and gospel influences arrangements. Of course this is a supplement to either the original Broadway cast recording or the excellent 1995 studio recording of the complete score – one that perhaps sets the standard for all Guys and Dolls recordings.

5. My Fair Lady

Some people will tell you that My Fair Lady is perfect. I hate to be the party pooper, but it isn’t. It’s almost perfect and is certainly excellent for the most part, but in the opening number Higgins says that people who use English badly should be hung. And with that one lyric, Alan Jay Lerner contradicts every given circumstance of the character. In, say, Paint Your Wagon the mistake might not matter, given the character in whose mouth the words might be put. But here it matters in spades. It’s not the only linguistic error given to Higgins either, but I suppose we should just remember that Lerner was the Tim Rice of his day and be done with it. After all, there is a great deal to appreciate in the show: one of the most joyous overtures ever created, a book that is literary in its quality (thanks to the source material, natch) and many great songs (“I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face”, “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?”, “Show Me”, and the list goes on.) It’s a classic, and it deserves to be. But it’s not perfect.

So for the past 3 of my posts it has been about 2 girls from American Idol season 3. It was coincidence that I posted about them in sequence, but now I’m purposely doing this . Personally, it was the best season because the talent was exceptional. That was the season where Fantasia won the title, with other contestants like, Jennifer Hudson (woo!!), LaToya London, Jasmine Trias, Camile Velasco, Leah LaBelle, George Huff and so on. So this post will be a dedication to my favourite performances from that season (if I can remember all of them). Don’t get me wrong, other seasons have had spectacular moments, but I won’t get into that now otherwise I’ll be stuck here forever. So, let’s proceed!

This is in no particular order.

JHud singing Elton John’s Circle of life. That voice, my gawwwd!

JHud again singing I have Nothing by Whitney Houston.

…and again!! I really like this one..

Jasmine Trias singing Inseparable

Jasmine with I’ll never love this way again – I love Vonzell Solomon’s American Idol performance of this too!

LaToya London with All by myself

LaToya with Somewhere from the musical West Side Story

LaToya singing Don’t rain on my parade, Big band week

Leah LaBelle singing You keep me hanging on, sadly this was the last song she got to sing in the show.

Camile Velasco, One last cry by Brian McKnight. Love this

Camile singing Son of a Preacher man

Fantasia with Summertime. WOW!!!

Diana Degarmo 1st runner-up singing Don’t cry out loud

Diana singing Because you loved me

George Huff singing Against all odds. Loved this! I feel like I can reach out and touch his voice LOL

George Huff singing Dock of the bay.

This is when the Top 2, Fantasia and Diana sang with previous winners Kelly Clarkson and Ruben Studdard – Impossible Dream. I really enjoyed watching this.

The incredibly emotional winning moment for Fantasia. The raw and true emotion is inspiring. Best winning moment throughout the seasons!!! Singing I Believe, Fantasia!! Sadly, by user request I am not allowed to embed this video so to watch this, click here.

Well. I’m sure I’ve missed some out, but I hope you enjoy. Wow this was kinda long hahaa! Given me some inspiration though, hmm what should I do? A cover, anyone??

The New York Philharmonic’s concert at Avery Fisher Hall on Friday night opened with the beauty and brilliance of Beethoven’s Egmont overture. The orchestra moved effortlessly through the ebbs and flows of the music, from the dramatic and deep opening bars to the swelling, melodic themes, which built to a thrilling conclusion and engulfed the audience. Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor was wonderful, but marred by the extended symphony of coughing from the audience between the first and second movements; the soloist Emanuel Ax made a good-humored hushing gesture indicating that it was time to be quiet. (I cannot stand coughing for the sake of coughing between movements; unfortunately, this problem is rife.) Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story performed by the New York Philharmonic could never be anything but spectacular. Masterful music played by a masterful orchestra. ‘Somewhere’ was beautiful and lyrical, and the ‘Mambo’ was explosive; the percussionists sounded amazing, especially the drum kit player, as did the string, brass, and woodwind sections. The complex rhythms were produced with precision, and the power of the whole sound was impressive. Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat, Suite No. 2, concluded the concert. The orchestra already seems to have formed a strong rapport with new music director and conductor Alan Gilbert, who brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the stage.

Alan Gilbert

Stanton’s Sheet Music receives many inquiries from customers who “just got put in charge of the school musical” and want to know where to start. Although MANY choral/band directors and drama teachers are also expected to direct musicals, it seems that most college courses skip right over this topic. One of your first steps will be to decide upon the musical you’d like to stage. While Stanton’s does sell Broadway vocal collections, choral/band arrangements and other musical theater products including most Broadway Junior productions, we CANNOT contract the licensing rights that give you legal permission to perform the work—for that you must contact the appropriate licensing company. Some of the largest licensing companies are:

Musical Theater International
Since its founding in 1952, MTI has been supplying musical materials to theatres worldwide, whether it is the newest hit from the Broadway or London stage, or a timeless classic. MTI has been a driving force in cultivating new work and in extending the production life of the great American musicals such as Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Fiddler On The Roof, Les Misérables, Annie, Damn Yankees, The Music Man, Godspell, Little Shop Of Horrors, and the musical theatre collection of Stephen Sondheim, among others.

Rogers and Hammerstein Organization
Founded by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II more than 60 years ago, the R&H Organization represents a wide variety of entertainment copyrights and over 200 writers. In addition to Rodger & Hammerstein classics like The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, The King and I, and South Pacific, they also offer a range of popular musicals including Annie Get Your Gun, The Light in the Piazza, Babes in Arms, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc
Tams-Witmark licensed the first high school production of a Broadway musical approximately 75 years ago. Today, thousands of schools and community theatres are presenting Tams-Witmark musicals each year, including A Chorus Line, Anything Goes, Bye Bye Birdie, The Wizard of Oz, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Oliver, Hello Dolly, My Fair Lady, Cabaret, Crazy for You, Forty-Second Street, Camelot, Kiss Me Kate, Gypsy and Brigadoon.

Samuel French
With offices in New York City, London, Hollywood and Studio City, California, Samuel French has been representing playwrights since 1830. They began hosting the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Play Festival in 1975 which has resulted in the publishing of 181 new plays since. Some of their most popular offerings are: Anne of Green Gables, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Chicago, Clue: The Musical,  Grease,  Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Mikado, Nunsense, Peter Pan, The Rocky Horror Show, and The Secret Garden.

All of these reputable companies offer script preview programs (similar to Stanton’s 21-Day Trial) and helpful websites to guide you through musical licensing procedures. Several variables determine how much money the performance rights will cost, and the only way to get a quote is to begin a dialogue with a licensing company. Stanton’s advises you to begin this process as far in advance as possible so that you have plenty of time to research and choose the best show for your particular situation.

Now all you have to do is cast the show, run rehearsals, build sets, sew/rent costumes, book a pit, and print programs. Simple, right?

Não vou colocar em ordem do melhor pro pior, vou colocar os 10 que eu mais gosto.

1. Moulin Rouge

Dica: assista também El tango de roxanne, Elephant love medley, Come what may, The show must go on, Diamonds are the girl’s best friends, Your song e… melhor, assiste o filme inteiro que é perfeito. Paris, música, dança e cabaré. Tudo muito bom.

2. Grease

Dica: assista também There are worse things i can do, Hopeless devoted to you, Summer nights e Grease lightning.

3. Chicago

Dica: Assista também Mister Celophane, All that jazz, They both reached for the gun, Roxie e Can’t do it alone. Além do número final que eu não achei o nome.

4. The Phantom Of The Opera

Dica: assista também The point of no return, Masquerade e Think of me, além da musica tema, The Phantom of the opera.
Versões com Sarah Brightman são altamente recomendáveis, até porque o musical foi inspirado nela. Versões brasileiras são ótimas também, eu assisti e recomendo.

5. Singing In The Rain

Dica: Assista também Good morning, good morning e Make them laugh.

6. The Sound Of The Music

Não achei o video do filme, mas a fotografia é muito bonita. Alpes Austríacos e tal.

Dica:Assista também (se achar) Dó-ré-mi e Sixteen going on seventeen. A How to solve a problem like Maria, é querida minha também.

7. Across the Universe

Beatles e filme, bom, não vou dizer que eu reviro o olho só de pensar. Só não tá no top 5 porque a história em si é bem fraquinha, porém as musicas e as performances são o que salva o filme.

Dica: Assista também Come together, Something, All we need is love, Because, It won’t be long, While my guitar gently weeps, Across the universe, Hapiness is a warm gun, I am the walrus (é com o Bono Vox, eu gostei), Strawberry fields, Hold me tight, All my loving (adoro essa versão, adoro essa música na verdade), With a little help from my friends, Let it be (MUUUITO BOA ESSA VERSÃO, PUTAQUEOPARIU), Revolution (a dos Beatles é melhor, mas eu gosto dessa também) e Hey Jude. De video interessante I want you (she’s so heavy) e Being the benefit of Mr. Kite! valem a pena assistir.

8. Connie & Carla

História fofa, adorei. Essa parte é poderosa. Principalmente a hora do “is she singing? yes, he is”

9. Cats

Dica: Assista também The Rum Tum Tugger, The Jellicle cats, Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, Mr. Mistoffelees, The naming of cats (muito bom, é unissono) e Old Deuternonomy.

10. Mamma Mia!

Dica: Assista também Mamma mia!, Dancing queen, Does your mother know, Gimme Gimme Gimme! (a man after midnight), Honey Honey, S.O.S. e Voulez-vous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFabjc6mFk4&feature=related

Fred Astaire é bom também! (Nunca vi um filme dele )

Assim como West Side Story (tirando o belíssimo sotaque falsificado da Maria – Natalie Wood) e The Wizard Of Oz.

Próximos na fila para assistir são: (clique em cima do nome pra ver uma amostra do filme)

Rent – Dreamgirls – Jesus Cristo Superstar – Sweeney Todd – Nine – Hair – Hairspray – My Fair Lady

Por hora é só garotos, cya

JÁ SABEM, SE DER ERRADO, CLICAR DUAS VEZES EM CIMA DO ITEM DO VIDEO E ASSISTIR PELO YOUTUBE.

The celebration ended with "Gee Officer Krupke" from West Side Story.

Having been in choir for the past 15 years of my life, it would be an understatement to say that the songs of Leonard Bernstein have a special and nostalgic value to them. Growing up, my stepmom forced us to watch West Side Story more times than I can count, and seeing the way the music affected and entertained my family no matter what age or gender has made me realize just how approachable Bernstein’s works are. That being said, watching Michael Tilson Thomas’s “A Celebration of Leonard Bernstein” was  walk down memory lane. But more importantly, it shows the flexibility of Bernstein’s work and just how many different people his music has impacted and inspired, from cellist Yo-Yo Ma to famous soprano Christine Ebersole.

The performances took place on October 29th at Carnegie Hall, and featured famous Bernstein selections as played by the San Fransisco Symphony. The celebration opened with Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Never in my life have I seen a symphony play with so much joy and vibrancy. Michael Tilson Thomas’s precise and passionate directing came together with the expertise of the players to create sounds that were composed and exact while being heartfelt and real enjoyment–there was this quality to the music that made it seem like the sounds themselves were dancing and smiling throughout the hall.

The vocal songs, too, were  very lively and done with great proficiency. Their performance of “I Can Cook Too” from On The Town featured Christine Ebersole and was fun and impossible not to tap your toes to. The Symphony showed its ability to play as a commanding front line or as a support for Ebersole, and Ebersole’s voice was full of personality and character–her growling alto range and powerful belts generated a sense of confidence and cheekiness that fit with the mood of the song excellently.

Another personal favorite of the show was  Yo-Yo Ma’s performance. I’m a huge fan of Yo-Yo Ma’s playing, and I was taken aback by his interpretation of “Meditation No. 1.” I loved the way his face and playing always seemed to match up perfectly–he is a perfect example of the way music can have a visceral effect on a musician or listener. There’s this palpable sense of intensity coming from his masterful playing in combination with the harsh yet meticulous accompaniment that the symphony played. In particular, I thought the way all the string parts contrasted and convened was remarkable and gripping.

My favorite part of the production in general was the overall versatility of the show. As I mentioned before, Bernstein’s works touch a lot of different people, and this is perhaps because of his wide range of compositions. Well I appreciated the video excerpts of Michael Tilson Thomas speaking with various soloists and musicians about their musical history and relationship with Bernstein, I did think they were a little contrived. The conversations felt forced and staged, and I would have rather experienced the musician’s answers through their playing rather through an insincere speech.

-K

we just finished watching West Side Story. LOVE that film. to death. one of my favourite parts is when Doc tells Tony that Maria is dead. he acts that part perfectly. absolutely perfect. you’d have to be heartless not to feel like crying. i always feel like crying when i watch it. i mean, c’mon people, Tony? with his heart broken? really.

you’d have to be heartless.

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i just finished a little present for Miss Kirstie Rae. i HEART it. it’s in shambles, but it’s pretty darn nifty. hope you like it dear.

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the lady on t.v. has a frilly shirt on. i’m jealous.

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love.

-Bella.dear

p.s. i think i’m falling in love with food. i kind of want blueberry scones right now. I ♥ BLUEBERRY SCONES.

wish these were mine. whoever made them, you are lovely.