One Step Back, Two Steps Forward

I have a confession to make: I recently cried on the phone to my mom. I read that Next Fall is closing on July 4, and I desperately want to see it. I, however, cannot afford it, and my mom recently had to bail me out of an overdraft fee fiasco. I, acting like myself at 14, told her I couldn’t imagine living my life never seeing this play and that I desperately needed to and didn’t know how I would go on. Dramatic, yes. But hey, the whole point of this blog is that I’m addicted to all things theatrical. So play along with me here. My mom, honest and wise as she is, told me that sometimes you have to make sacrifices in order to pay the bills. My retort? “But this is my passion!” Her reply, “I’m sorry. That’s how it goes sometimes.” I was angry. She was right.
I’m still bummed about not being able to see Next Fall, but I’ll live. I have, however, been making some progress. A few days ago, I noticed that there is a new batch of tote bags for sale made from the Hair billboard. I wanted one, and got almost all the way through the purchasing process, and then I realized I really don’t need it. So I didn’t buy it! That’s right, folks! I resisted the urge to purchase limited Broadway memorabilia from the show that changed my life. I’m very proud of myself. I used that money for groceries instead. I’m very proud of myself. I also sold a bunch of books to Barnes & Noble through their textbook buyback and got like 70 bucks! That’s going right to my Broadway trip fund, and I’m prepared to part with more of my books as well. I’m going to seriously re-evaluate which of my books I need and which I can sell to get money for the trip. Hooray! New York City for Columbus Day weekend! I really hope it works out!

[title of show] Again!

               So, I may or may not have scored a comp ticket to [title of show] at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA because of a college connection.  And by that, I mean I totally scored a comp ticket to [title of show].  That really helps out with my thrifty theater goals, considering I had just dropped 70+ dollars on a front-row ticket to Sycamore Trees. 

Anyway, it rocked, of course.  I love it.  Also, I had a major life realization at this performance.  My whole life (well, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but whatevs, go with it), I’ve been underestimating old people.  As I walk to my seat of the Sunday matinee, I become increasingly worried about the number of elderly folk in attendance at this performance.  How would they handle the gay jokes?  The f-bombs?  The shirtlessness?  The girl-on-girl kissing?  I was panicked about who was going to shelter the old people from the youthful sensibility of the theater!  Silly me.  Throughout the show, they were laughing at all the right parts, and seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves.  In the show, Susan even says that the old matinee ladies have been through a lot, they can certainly handle her dropping a few f-bombs on stage.  Clearly, I haven’t been giving old people enough credit or enough cool points.  I’m now reformed.

                Seeing [title of show] a second time was way cool.  I already knew I loved it, and that it was hilarious, and I was delighted to discover that the jokes don’t lose their humor when you know they’re coming.  I feel like I could see it 80 more times and still love it just as much.  If only…

 Washington Post Review of Signature's [title of show] 

Signature's [title of show] Blog! 

A cool article about twins who are director and cast member

Sycamore Trees, or the Time I Cried All Through Act 2

                I have been such a slacker about my blog!  It’s that whole full time job, full time student, no-one-reads-the-blog-anyway mentality.  Nonetheless, I saw a great show that I need to talk about.  It’s a world premiere musical called Sycamore Trees, and I saw it at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA.  It’s Ricky Ian Gordon’s autobiographical show, starring a slew of Broadway folks, including three-time Tony Award nominee, Marc Kudisch.  At first, I was a little skeptical of such a serious musical, since it’s almost impossible to set a somber tone in a musical.  But, I think they pulled it off.  The acting was great (how could it not be, with such high-caliber actors?!), and I was so moved that I spent nearly all of the second act in tears.  When Andrew’s dad, played by Marc Kudisch said “my son is brave,” that just sent me into a whole new strata of emotion.  It was so cool to be in such a small performance space with such dynamite talent.  Oh, and the guy who played The Man/David was mega-handsome, just sayin’.

                I don’t know what’s next for this show, but I hope it is able to garner a performance venue in New York and that it achieves great success.  I think it has the potential to be great, but I think people might be skeptical at first, like I was.  Around intermission, I was wondering what the point of the show was, what I was supposed to take from it.  By the end of the show, however, I came to the realization that telling the story of your life isn’t (and probably can’t be) about one solitary message, and has to be presented and viewed holistically.  It’s about life and the appreciation of it and the people who are along for the journey.  It’s sad, it’s funny, it’s moving.  If you get a chance, you definitely should check it out!

  Washington Post Review, Including Video

The Color Purple was awesome - but please get to the theater on time!

         Last week, I saw the non-equity national tour of The Color Purple. I loved it, but I have to say it was surprisingly uplifting. I got the book at the library, and I didn’t have time to finish it before seeing the show, but based on what I read, I was expecting a major downer. I was pleasantly surprised by the way the show was able to take such heavy subject matter and create a show which left the audience with a feeling of joy and gratitude.
       Also, I thought the music was super catchy. I love the southern gospel feel of the big company numbers. Maybe it’s because I live in the south or maybe it’s because that gospel feel just seems so genuine, but I’m hooked. The Original Broadway Cast album is now on my wish list. I need that on my ipod, stat!
       Unfortunately for the actors, who did a fantastic job, the thing I remember most about the night is the ridiculous amount of people who showed up late to the show. It makes me so mad! I am always early to everything, but I make a particular effort to get to the theater early for several reasons. I don’t like to miss any of the show, and I don’t want to ruin the show for the other people. It’s not a movie, people! Get there on time! And while I’m at it, I think I also need to remind the world that it is not appropriate to talk full-volume to the person next to you during a live theater performance. I didn’t pay all this money to hear you! Phew! Rant over. Thanks for listening.

Fan Letters: Dorky or Awesome?

I have a confession to make: I mailed a fan letter to Wesley Taylor (of Rock of Ages and The Addams Family and general awesomeness) a few weeks ago. It’s strange because he is my age. The way I see it, if he and I lived in the same town, he would have been in my geometry class. How do I tell a could-have-been geometry classmate that I think he’s super awesome and kinda dreamy without coming across like a 12-year-old girl? My approach: I acknowledged that it was strange for me and let him know that I don’t know how to write a fan letter without sounding like a dork. Other than that, I was honest, wrote in my own style of writing, and handwrote the letter using my best penmanship and a purple pen. I wanted to be me, but I also wanted to stand out.

One thing I wasn’t sure about, but did anyway, was to include a self-addressed stamped envelope and asked (awkwardly) if I might have a signed Playbill or napkin or scrap of paper. I’m not really sure how it works, if you have to send the thing you want signed, but oh well. I acknowledged in the letter that I have no idea what I’m doing. My friend read the letter before I sent it, and she declared it not too dorky and not creeperish, so I hope that’s enough.

Guess what?! He wrote me back! He wrote me a super sweet note, and he got back to me very quickly. He told me that my letter was the classiest fan mail he’d gotten, assuaging my concerns that I was a total dork. I was so appreciative to receive a response, and that event really fueled my drive to make it to NYC this summer to see The Addams Family and thank him in person.

Anyone else out there written a fan letter? I’d be interested to know your experiences and whether or not you got a response. I bet it depends a lot on to whom you write. A Broadway legend may not have time to respond to all of his or her letters, but and up-and-coming star may not have as much fan mail to go through. Thoughts?