Wicked

Okay, so I've never seen this musical on stage. My exposure to this musical has been through a DVD that I borrowed from someone. It was recorded from the balcony of the broadway performance with the original cast. Anyway, my coworker got me the CD for Christmas one year, so I like to listen to the music sometimes. Lately I've been listening to it, and a couple of things have really struck me.

1. It sounds like Stephen Schwartz wrote this musical in the 70s. The choral parts especially remind me of a variety show or something. I can practically visualize bell bottoms, butterfly collars, strangely choreographed numbers, and glitter when I listen to it. And then I want to go build you a rainbow.

2. I really do like some of the songs, though. And the story is intriguing and fun if you've never seen it. The following songs I like to listen to: What Is This Feeling?, Dancing Through Life, Popular, Defying Gravity, As Long As You're Mine, and No Good Deed.

3. Lately, I've been feeling like I can relate to the "No Good Deed" song. I totally feel like a failure in so many areas lately. And it's not that I'm not trying to be good. I try, but I fail so miserably. And it's frustrating when I let people down.

4. Maybe I want to go see it. Anyone want to go?

STT 2007 #6: The Matchmaker

"The Matchmaker" was another play that I saw in early July. It is the non-musical version of "Hello, Dolly!"

How did I like it? I liked it a lot. I actually typically enjoy Leslie Brott in any role that she fills, so it was a pleasure to see that she was playing the part of Mrs. Dolly Levi. And, I can probably say that the entire production was filled with just the right cast. There was nobody that struck me as out of place in the production. Everyone filled their roles very well. Other notable characters/actors that I especially enjoyed were those of Cornelius Hackl/Eric Van Tielen and Miss Flora Van Huysen/Carole Healey.

Having just seen "Mama Mia!" a couple of days before I saw "The Matchmaker," this play had to follow some awesome standards that were set in the scenery department. "Mama Mia!" employed the technique of colorful stage-changing props, some that were used for multiple situations. I enjoyed that, but I also quite enjoyed the scenery in "The Matchmaker." At the hat shop, I was first surprised that they used a drop-down for the store front windows with black hat silhouettes. I ended up really enjoying that. It reminds me of those black and white silhouette pictures that used to pop up now and again when I was younger. It was simple, artistic, and very enjoyable.

Really, I could have actually seen this play again. It was that enjoyable. The plot, the characters, the actors who portrayed the characters, the dialogue, the scenery... it was all good. And one thing that I liked about the play was that it gave me something to think about. The monologues of the various characters presented perspectives that gave me a chance to decide if I agreed or disagreed with their perspectives. I like that. It wasn't the kind of preachy message where I felt like the play write was trying to push his politics onto me, but it was more of a social commentary.

Ultimately, I think if I have the opportunity to see a production of "The Matchmaker" again, I'll most likely take it. Now that's a compliment to the production.

PS Real posts coming soon.

STT 2007 #5: Mama Mia!

Okay, so I'm totally going to crank these posts out. I have a lot of them to make. Don't feel pressure to read them all because, really, these are for me, and I'm not quite sure if you actually care what I thought about all of this theatre stuff, anyway. Hopefully I'll make some real posts soon.

Early in July, actually, I went with my friend Felicity and her friend Grace to Mama Mia! I have to first say something about the other audience members. First, we had a couple there who had just gotten married. They looked to be in their 50's or so, and I'm guessing that it was neither of their first marriages. They ended up in some box seats after much of the audience applauded them when they entered the theatre. In addition, there was a bachelorette party in front of us. There were about 15 girls there, and if I had to guess their ages, I would say that they were probably around 18 or 20-years old. They were young. And then behind us, we had some folks from the U.K. These people were excited to be there. Before the musical began, they were already partying out to the ABBA songs (sorry I don't know how to type a backwards 'B'). Their partying continued throughout the first act, and after intermission, they had moved to the back of the theatre so that they were more free to stand up and dance in addition to their singing-along with the songs (much to the relief of Felicity).

As I opened the playbill, I started to recognize people, which I thought was weird. The first person, Carol Linnea Johnson looked mighty familiar to me, and I decided that she was previously a part of the USF. And I was right. It said so in her bio. I am sure that I recognized her because she acted for the USF when I worked there, so I probably saw her walk by a lot. And, I suppose that I also saw her in the shows, as well. Anyway. She was Donna.

And then, THEN, upon deeper inspection, I found some other people I recognized. Don Burroughs and Mark Dancewicz. I have no proof because I don't purchase the USF Souvenir Programs, but I'm pretty sure that they were in some of the plays for USF, as well. Actually, I only think that Mark was Joseph in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." But still. USF people. There may have been more, but I'm too lazy to look over it and really figure it out.

What I liked about "Mama Mia!": the stage. The stage was sooooo cooooool. I admired it practically the whole time. If I wasn't interested in the dialogue that was going on, I would just look at the pretty colors and the extreme awesomeness of the scenery and the stage. Two thumbs up to the scenery people. I also enjoyed the fun-ness of the play. It was obviously supposed to be fun, and it was. It kind of reminded me of a sugar-high, where all you really want to do at the end of the musical is jump around or dance. I was able to contain it all, but the U.K. people did all of the jumping and dancing for me.

The costumes were okay. The person introducing the play warned that if you are offended by tight spandex or have heart problems that you should leave. I didn't leave, and I was neither offended nor having heart problems. Of course, I am a girl, and there were (thankfully) no males in spandex. At least, nothing I can remember; I may have blocked it if there were. The groovy spandex that I think they were referring to was groovy, indeed.

The storyline wasn't too compelling to me. The entire musical seemed like it was written just so they could throw in the ABBA music. It actually may have been. It's not that it's not entertaining (because it is), but I'm merely saying that any message that the writer may have tried to have was completely lost on me. SPOILER ALERT! At the end the daughter who has been planning on getting married decides that she doesn't want to get married even though she wants to be with her fiance' for ever after, but then the mom decides to suddenly elope and get married to the guy that she had loved years ago. It just doesn't really make that much sense to me. I wasn't sure where the decision was made on whether to get married or not. Is it only if you're old? Maybe I'm just thinking too much about this one. Maybe it was just a story with the music of ABBA. No message; just a story. With ABBA music.

Also, have you ever been around people who are clearly flirting with each other and are trying to hook up? And, have you ever felt like you were invading upon a moment that they were having that perhaps would have been better if they were having this moment behind closed doors (or at least without you)? Well, that's kind of how part of this show was to me. I felt like I was kind of a third wheel watching people have their moment. It's the sort of moment where you think that yelling "Get a room!" might be appropriate. I am not interested in and don't fully appreciate that sort of entertainment. But maybe that's just me.

The songs were, of course, quite great. I'm sure ABBA sales are way, way up from this musical. They really have some great songs. I remember a period in my life when it was all about ABBA Gold. Anyway, the participants did a great job singing them. It was like I was at an ABBA concert, without ABBA and with a storyline. There was one time, however, when Carol hit a really loud, really long note, and I almost died from eardrum breakage. Looking around, I quickly noted that I seemed to be the only one who was bothered at all by the occurrence. So, for whatever reason, that note was really, really bad for me, but not for anyone else. Maybe I'm a teen wolf... who isn't a teen... or a wolf... just someone with hearing issues.

The only other thing I have to mention about this experience is that I got a beverage at some deli place in Mandalay Bay. It tasted like how I imagine urine tastes, but I can't be sure, having never tasted urine before. I was unable to have more than two sips of it. Also, I can't remember what beverage I ordered. It was either water or lemonade, and the weird thing is that they left to go get my drink, and it took five minutes or something. So, it was already shifty. Either way, it was vomitous.

Result: Mama Mia! is fun. Beverage: really, really bad. (And I was really, really thirsty.)

STT 2007 #4: Donny Osmond

A couple of Saturdays ago I was in my sister's apartment playing Phase 10 with Dub, Cash, and Cash's husband, Tino. Tino and Cash had been to the recording of a public radio show, "Don't Tell Me!" Apparently one of the guests had been Donny Osmond. Tino and Cash recounted a part of the show to us as we played. Apparently Mr. Osmond had been recording his 55th album, which ended up being ...um... I think love songs of the 1970's. Exciting, isn't it?

During our game of Phase 10 Cash would suddenly burst out into song - something that I think is from Donny's 55th album. It was always the same part of the same song: "And sometimes when we touch..."

I lost the game. Miserably. And I had every intention of winning it. Ah well.

So, the next day, yes, the very next day I went to a meeting. There were some musical performances at the meeting. And guess what? Yep, one of the performers was Donny Osmond! Yesssss! I became the expert on Donny Osmond because I had heard the recounting of "Don't Tell Me!" So, I told the friend sitting next to me the little tidbits I knew about Donny: that he had recently played Gaston from Beauty and the Beast on Broadway and that he was releasing his 55th album of love songs from the 1970's.

He sang enjoyable songs, such as Any Dream Will Do and Puppy Love. I enjoyed the concert. I really like to listen to live music and normally like to watch the performers entertain me (there are exceptions). Donny Osmond was very entertaining; it almost surprised me. I had been having such an enjoyable time, and then to top it off he finished with Sometimes When We Touch! What an appropriate way to end the concert!

STT 2007 #3: Ryan Shupe & the Rubber Band

Okay, so this isn't exactly theatre, but it is entertainment. A few weeks ago I got to hear and see Ryan Shupe & the Rubber Band perform live. As always, I love live music. As always, I didn't really know their music. As always, I shimmied my way to the front row and screamed like a rabid fan directly at the musicians, after asking someone next to me what the names were of the various band members.

My first experience with the music of Ryan Shupe & the Rubber band was probably in 2002. My sister had some of their tunes. I listened to one called "Snow," which I think may have been inspired by the death of Howard W. Hunter? Maybe? I think I also listened to a song called "Go to Hell." Anyway, I thought it was good back then. This concert was my second experience with their music.

Apparently they play what is classified as country music. Strike one. I didn't remember their music as sounding country at all from the first time I listened to them. When they came on the stage, to me it sounded like the person who was speaking was trying to sound like a hick. You know, trying to put the twang in his voice. Strike two. Don't pretend. Be real, dude! I don't care if the record company says that you're country artists and that you're supposed to talk like that: it's LAME! Stop it! Fortunately, he cut out the "accent" a little later on in the show or at least it didn't sound so forced to me later on.

You see, I don't like country music, but what I do like is what I like to call alternative bluegrass. In other words, the musicians are playing the fiddle, the banjo, perhaps the mandolin, but they still have a fresh non-country, non-wife-leaving/dog-losing/truck-breaking, sound to it. It's more like alternative rock with banjos and fiddles. You know? I like that. And, that is what Ryan Shupe & the Rubber Band sounds like to me.

Bottom line: I enjoyed the concert. The music was mostly good, and I could probably listen to their music in my car on a road trip - the whole CD straight through. There are a lot of songs to like in the world, but only a select number of bands that I can stand for an entire CD. I believe that they are one of those. If you check out their songs on their web page, I have to say that I liked "Even Superman" in spite of its country sound.

Dang it. I like a country band.

STT 2007 #2: Laughing Stock

Last weekend I went with Julie, Cassie, Alyson, and “Felicity” to the Off-Broadway Theatre in Salt Lake City. There is a comedy improv group that performs there. They do supposedly hilarious plays. I’ve never seen one, so I can neither confirm nor refute that assertion. However, we did see Laughing Stock, which is a program where they do different improv sketches.

Before I start I must say that I figured out that they gave me the student price. I am not a student. I haven't been a student for a very long time (as my sister recently told someone). So, I feel like I owe the group some more money. If you're reading this, Laughing Stock people, and you want your two dollars, feel free to e-mail me to make the request for that money and put in the subject line "I want my $2." Now, on with the blog.

I thought that Laughing Stock was, for the most part, funny. However, I didn’t like the game where all the players were supposedly the same celebrity (who ended up being Paris Hilton – BLAH). It ended up that the players had to say the same things at the same time. I thought it was a little painful. Okay, it was very painful. They should cut that act from the show. Other than that bit, the show was enjoyable.

One thing that I liked about Laughing Stock was that we could yell out suggestions for topics or whatever they needed for that sketch. Some of the people in the audience were kind of funny, too. I am in favor of crowd participation at comedy shows. I think that it can be a lot more enjoyable for the average person if they are allowed a chance to participate in a non-publicly-humiliating way, like by shouting words from their chairs.

Another cool part of the show was at the end – the players were out in the lobby so we could talk to them! It’s always fun to be able to converse with the performers of whatever show you see. I found the improv people to be mostly nice and liked our conversation. …except for that part where the announcer guy (Eric?) stood in my personal space. That sort of freaked me out because people don’t usually stand so close to me. Actually, it was weird for me to have a male talking to me of his own accord, let alone enter my personal bubble. I don’t even know how or why it happened. We were talking about elevation, and suddenly he was looming in my face and telling me his height. I didn’t really know what to do, so I just stuttered out my height with the voice of a mouse. I need to get out more often. I can't believe I was so shocked. Ah, don't worry; he's married. But, it was still shocking!!!?!?!?!?!

Basically, the show was fun, but I’m not sure I could go week after week, especially if they do that skit with all of them talking at once. It just seemed like it didn’t move quickly enough or something. I think it would be fun to see one of their shows. They sound like they could be really humorous.

STT 2007 #1: Thoroughly Modern Millie

Earlier in the year my friend Felicity e-mailed me about going to see the Hale Centre Theatre’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” in Salt Lake City. We had seen it on Broadway a few years ago and loved it, so I was really excited to go. Julie, Dub and a couple of friends also decided to join us. Dub had also seen the production a few years ago in Memphis when the touring company performed it.

When I opened the playbill I began to think that some of the people seemed really familiar. I had seen a photo of the person who played Millie somewhere. It ended up that I had surfed onto her blog a while back and even commented about Hong Kong. The next person who seemed familiar was the person who played Mr. Grayden. I realized that I had seen him in quite a few productions before. I had seen him as Adam in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and possibly some USF plays? The next person who looked familiar was the person who played Ethel Peas. I finally gathered that she was in my ward in Illinois when I lived there and that she was my friend Jamie’s younger sister. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see any of them perform because they were all Monday/Wednesday/Friday performers, and I was there on Saturday.

I thought that the performance was really enjoyable. In fact, the presentation was very similar to the Broadway presentation of the same musical. Even the costumes were extremely familiar. It made me wonder if they had purchased some of the old props or costumes from the Broadway production, but I doubted that those costumes were still usable. After the play Julie and I mentioned it to one of the actors, and they said that the powers that be had gone to see the musical on Broadway and had taken notes. Those were some good notes.

And now I think of YouTube. I mean, it’s a possibility, no? Pirated Broadway musicals? I confess that I’ve seen one. And, according to my memory, at no point does Millie ever wear the outfit from the front of the playbill in the musical. I just think that it’s weird to have a photo that doesn’t exist in the production on the front cover. Oh well.

Anyway, I will tell you what was impressive: the stage at the Hale Centre Theatre is really small. The audience sits around the stage, so the actors and props have to be done in such a way that no audience member is jilted from viewing or hearing the action. When they brought out the stenographer desks on wheels, I was shocked and impressed. As soon as I saw the theater, I was sure that there would be no desk tapping. And, sure, there was very little and to a degree that was much less-impressive than the Broadway number, but they still squeezed it in somehow.

I was also pleased to see that they had monitors set up so people could view the Chinese translations of Ching Ho and Bun Foo.

Ultimately, I thought that the experience was fun. There were a few minor mishaps during the play, but nothing stood out that was really wrong with it. We also got to view a last-day surprise of two new moderns coming out during the closing number. One was a man dressed up as a new modern. It was a little scary, but… it was the last day, so I overlooked it. I didn’t even get to properly see the female new modern because the he/she was blocking my view from the other one. Geez.