OMG OPI sold!

You may have got some great black Friday deals at Walmart, Target, or  even Best Buy, But you missed out on one small deal.  You could have picked up a little polish line for just under a billion dollars.  OPI has sold to Coty Inc.  Coty is a holder of many cosmetic and fragrance brands such as Vera Wang and Jennifer Lopez. What does this mean for the professional beauty and nail industry?  Well,

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There Once Was A Story About A Boy

While every song tells a story, I believe that the quality of the story being told has really sunk within music being produced in today's society. There seems to be a cookie-cutter template within popular music in general as to what stories musical artists tell in their songs nowadays. This blog will focus less on popular music and shift towards older music and independent artists. The stories within the songs I will be discussing will be focusing on masculinity on different levels.

The first song I would love to discuss first is the song "Carolina Drama" performed by The Raconteurs (which is ironic because a raconteur is defined as being a travelling storyteller). This is a fascinating, literal story about a young man who lives with his little brother, his mother, and his mother's alcoholic boyfriend. The young man wakes up to see that his mother's boyfriend is beating up a preacher while is mother is huddled over, crying and distraught. The young man then realizes that this preacher is the father he never met, and decides to end the life of the boyfriend who has beat the man's father within an inch of his life. It turns out that even though this man's father was never physically in his life, he supported the young man and his family by helping to pay all of the bills for their household.






This songs tells the story of a young man who sticks up for the father he never knew. At the end of the song it is never revealed on whether or not the young man's father lived through the attack inflicted by the drunk boyfriend. That is left up to the listener to decide on what happens to the young man and his family. I would like to believe that the preacher decided to have a physical appearance within the young man's life after the incident of this song. Society would prefer an outcome such as this.

Jimmy Bufett's song "Pencil Thin Mustache" illustrates Jimmy Buffett's perception of what the image of being a man was for him while growing up. Throughout the song Jimmy Buffett talks about how wished that he had a pencil-thin mustache, dressed like Ricky Ricardo, and solved mysteries. Instead he was an awkward-looking boy who was forced to go to school, but only cared about being with women. His ideas of masculinity seem to be greatly influenced by the media he grew up around. A pencil-thin mustache showed an image that demanded respect and held power. If he dressed and looked sharply and lived dangerously, in the young Jimmy Buffett's mind, he would present the image of being a man in society. What bothers me about this song though is his perpetuation that boys only care about being cool and wanting nothing but sex. I'd like to believe though that Jimmy Buffett painted this picture to show what society has done to the boys and men of the United States and the world over.

While these two songs displayed stories about manhood and its struggles, my next blog entry will carry on with storytelling dealing with masculinity and sexulality.

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POLL RESULTS: Giving November Thanks

As fall comes to a close, and the hits and misses start to accumulate this season on Broadway, two events marked November: Election Day and Thanksgiving.  This month's polls took on both of those days, and here are the results:

Question #1: Which Broadway "issue" needs to be addressed in the theatre community?

Not unlike this year's mid-term elections, voter turn out for this poll was substantially lower than for other polls...

5.  No uniform rush ticket policy - 0%

Considering how much griping goes on in the theatre chat rooms and message boards about this topic - is there one?  what is it?  is it student only or can anyone do it? - I am surprised no one voted for this issue.  On the other hand, most of us grown ups probably agree: let the producers of each show decide.  In other words, keep it the way it is!

4.  Injuries sustained by actors - 14.3%

Ahhh the spectre of Spider-Man rears its ugly head again.  But at least we can take a bit of comfort in knowing that each and every stunt and special effect in all Broadway shows is tested, retested, secured and approved by a workplace safety commission.  Does that guarantee 100% safety? Of course not.  But it goes a long way in giving the actors who take those risks daily some security.  I hope.  If it were me, I'd trip and fall on a flat stage...

4.  Limited runs of shows - 14.3%

If only the theatre were run by the people who see it regularly, right?  But an interesting thing has happened over the last month.  Last season there were high profile limited runs that no one could see without being a millionaire.  This season there are even more, but there is a huge difference: they are dropping like flies!  Whether the reviews are good (La Bete) or bad (Elling), the limited run is being cut short all over the place.  Turns out the public does have a say... don't show and away they go!

4.  Movie stars "stealing" plumb roles from "stage" stars - 14.3%

Closely related to the "issue" above, last year the movie star came and went, taking a Tony with them.  This year, so far, it seems their chances are slim - Sorry Brendan, TR, Joanna and Jennifer.  Your Hollywood cred isn't getting anyone too excited this year (OK Al is doing well enough).  But stage stars aren't faring any better, despite Vanessa and James Earl's success.  Just ask Patrick, Denis, Mark and David...

1.  Ticket Prices - 57.1%

We want cheaper tickets!  We want the best seats!  Sure ticket prices have gone up faster than the inflation rate.  But never before have there been more price points and substantial discounts.  Except for the really hard to get blockbusters, you can get great orchestra seats most nights for half price or less, really.  Look at the average ticket price for any given show... almost all are well below the top ticket price, and many are substantially lower than half price.  And isn't it fun to sit in center orchestra for $80.00 when the snooty guy next to you paid $250?  Ticket prices will inevitably go up, but you can still see a Broadway show for comparatively less than you could a few years ago.


And lest we forget this time of Thanksgiving, the other poll this month addressed the annual theatre rite of passage" performing at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

Question #2: Which show are you most looking forward to seeing at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade?

I found most to be a boring disappointment.  See my thoughts HERE.  Otherwise, your votes say it all:

4.  Million Dollar Quartet - 9%

They performed a medley that included "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On."

3.  Memphis -16%

They performed "Steal Your Rock 'n' Roll."

2.  Elf: The Musical - 33%

They performed "Sparklejollytwinklejingley."

1.  American Idiot - 42%

They performed "Good Riddance."

I hope you and yours had the time of your life!

There will be only one poll in December, so please take a minute to vote!

Comments?  Leave one here, Tweet me or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com.
Jeff
2.91

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LOGOS/MEDIA: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

I knew a Broadway show had become a national phenomenon when my dad called me after the 60 Minutes segment about Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark aired last night.  "That may be the coolest thing I've ever seen!" he yelled into the phone (part excitement, part still not realizing that just because he's in Florida and I'm in Vermont, he doesn't need to shout into the phone).  "It sure does, Dad.  I can't wait to see it next Sunday!"  "I think I might want to see that.  Let me know how it is."  Of course, he doesn't follow the Internet or theatre websites, so I didn't have to tell him to stay away from that stuff until AFTER the show has been worked on and reviewed.  Imagine my surprise when he called me again this morning, having read The New York Times front page story about the "bumpy" opening.  "Uh-oh," he said, "sounds like there is trouble..."  "Yep, Dad, sure does.  But remember how much you loved The Lion King?  The same woman is in charge of this."  "OK!  Sign me up!"  There you have it.  And that is all I am going to say about the big batch of ugly surrounding the first preview of a not-ready show, until I see it Sunday.

In case you missed it, here's the 60 Minutes segment:



What I will talk about is the all-out media blitz surrounding the show - not including the above.  And it is really about time, right?  Of course, considering how much press the show has gotten for NOT happening, why waste good money promoting the show when you can get it for free?  Now that they have something to show, they are really putting it out there!  And they really have gone first class:  Annie Liebovitz photos in Vogue!  A 60 Minutes segment!  And TWO TV commercials!!

First, let's take a look at the logo:

I think the entire logo gives you a hint at what you will see and what you won't.  Interesting that the names above the title are the "show" selling points - a score by Bono and The Edge, directed by Julie Taymor.  For show folk, it lets us know to expect creative, stunning imagery.  For non-show folk, the draw might just be music legends from U2.  But even they are dwarfed by the real draw, Spider-Man himself hurling towards us, next web spinning as he moves.  A very motion oriented image, it signals that this guy won't be on the ground or clinging to rock walls made to look like skyscrapers.

Dominated from behind by a giant moon which illuminates the NYC skyline, the contrast of colors also is very telling - darkness can be dangerous, scary and very lonely, all of which certainly plays into the mythos of Spider-Man and the cryptic subtitle, "Turn Off the Dark."  But what I find most interesting is the type style of the title - a blurred, and partially incomplete lettering, which might suggest an incompleteness (and I don't mean the current state of the show) of Spider-Man's being.  We are at the beginning of Peter Parker's story, and as such the story is yet to be fulfilled.  Note, too, and especially, that the image of Spider-Man is not a crisp, clear black-edged icon/comic, but also has the look of a sketch - complete and colored in, but the lines are without definition.  Perhaps after the "dark" is turned off, Spider-Man himself is a clearer image to all.  The ambiguity and mystery only serve to add to the eye-catching appeal.  A+

Knowing that every Taymor production, both on stage and on film is a visual feast, it is nice to get some idea of what we'll be looking at in the Foxwoods Theatre.  It is a terrific bonus that Annie Liebovitz, the world-famous photog was commissioned to do Vogue's spread!  The pictures, minus the "glam staging" certainly reveal much about the detail, the other-worldliness and the colorful comic book world brought to life.  And has Jennifer Damiano ever looked more beautiful?

Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson

The Amazing Spider-Man on 42nd Street

Spider-Man battles his nemesis the Green Goblin

in order to save Mary Jane Watson as the soar over

the Foxwoods Theatre.

See the entire Vogue spread and article HERE.

And just today, the New York area will be treated to two commercials for the show, both very similar to the other.  Interestingly, both show in images the same thing as the logo:  You see Julie Taymor, Bono and the Edge rehearsing.  You see, too, that live actors, not animated or computerized images will be dancing, singing and swinging.  And you have to love the final image.  Spider-Man flying toward you, stopping at the edge of your TV screen (I think I'd hate that front row seat... it would scare me to death!).  Speaking of flying, we see rehearsal footage - untouched and revealing again that real people are doing this - of the spectacular, over the seats-in-midair stunts.  They have made the balconies prized seats without saying a word.  Very smart.  My only quibble is that there is SO MUCH to take in in just 30 seconds!  Smart, though, because now I want to see the ad again.  How many commercials can you say that about!!?

Here is one of those TV spots:

Comments?  Leave one here, Tweet me, or email me!
Jeff
2.90

Boys Don't Cry

Boys and men are generally told that they should not show soft emotions such as fear, sadness, or love. Male musicians have been the exception to this rule for decades. There is no way that you can make music without emotions behind the songs. In this segment of "The Man Boombox" I will be exploring the range of emotions that men use when writing songs and performing.

As I'm sitting here listening to music for this particular blog post a song came up that should be worth noting. This song has to be one of the greatest songs I have heard regarding a man going through heartbreak. What Made Milwaukee Famous's song, entitled "Jeopardy of Contentment" is a song about a man who decides to let go of a relationship that is already beginning to fall apart. In the song he admits that this break-up will hurt them both, but it's what's best for both of them. It's easy to hear the heartache that the singer expresses during this song:




"So, there you left me standing
to fend for myself however.
but I'm holding up,
I'm pulling through.
I'm not sure what else you expect me to do.
But I won't deny that I'm taking it hard...
I'm taking whatever's available to me.
You see, that's just the way I deal with grief."

-What Made Milwaukee Famous: "Jeopardy of Contentment"

The man singing sounds absolutely distraught over the ending of this relationship, but the lyrics show a man who's forcing himself to put on a strong mask to hide to his ex how hurt he truly is. It's the same mask that men are forced to wear every day of their lives.

Another way men wear their masks of emotions is to replace sadness with anger. Cee-lo Green's latest hit "F**k You" is a great example of this emotional mask. This song is about a boy who fell in love with a girl who would rather have the rich man over the poor man. The boy is upset with this realization of his choice of woman and decides to swear the woman off all-together. There is a verse within the song where the boy is crying to his parents and his parents don't want to hear any of the boy's crying. By the end of the song it is revealed that even though this girl in question is not a good choice for a girlfriend, the boy is still head-over-heels for her.

The boy in Cee-lo Green's song wasn't very good at keeping the strong, angry mask on in the face of heartache. The man mentioned in Travis Tritt's song "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" puts on a stronger front though. Country music has a reputation of enforcing gender norms for both men and women. Travis Tritt's song is no exception to this trend. This particular song is about a man who has been cheated on. He breaks up with his girlfriend even though she is begging for forgiveness and wanting to come back to him. Travis Tritt then goes on to sing about how he could care less about this woman's problems and how she is a dirty cheating woman. The music video depicts him sitting at a garage sale selling all of her belongings.

I know some people deal with heartache differently, but I also know from personal accounts from my male friends what someone cheating on them does to their heartstrings. Men feel heartache, they just don't show it because society tells them that it's wrong to.

While my last two blog posts have dealt with men and their lack of emotions, my next post will focus more on the stories that male musicians decide to tell within their music. Everybody has a story to tell...

No & Me

Nowadays I generally try and stay away from fiction that features teenagers as main characters. Most 'Young Adult' fiction nowadays seems divided into fiction that works off the success of the Twilight saga or the television programme Skins.

However, No & Me is a novel that, in the worlds of Le Figaro, cannot be ignored. Delphine de Vigan's novel (translated into English by George Miller) follows the story of Lou, a 13-year-old girl living in Paris. She's incredibly smart and enjoys doing experiments on everything from how watertight different forms of Tupperware are, to the ingredients in certain types of food. She frequently visits the Gare d'Austerlitz, and it is there she meets the homeless teenager Nolween (or No for short).

Lou is instantly fascinated by her, and thus chooses to do a presentation on homeless young women in Paris as a presentation in class. The novel follows her developing friendship with No as she meets her to interview her for this lesson. The exploration of homelessness is dealt with frankly, there is no glossing over the subject; we see drunkenness, the desperate life at the shelters, the strange pride of the homeless and the dog-eat-dog world in action. Lou becomes increasingly aware of this social problem, previously she had never noticed the amount of people on the streets, and now it is as though she has another sense for it. There are frequent musings on how life can continue, on people's attitudes towards other people in need; how one can simply ignore someone on the street and carry on with little guilt.

Running alongside the story of Lou and No, is the fractured family that Lou is from. Her mother is in a state of serious depression, following the death of Chloe, Lou's sister, when she was a baby. She seems unable to communicate with Lou or her father; who tries to continue life as much as possible. Lou is unflinching in her criticism of her mother, perhaps surprising, considering her concern for the likes of No, who is equally hurting and equally vulnerable.

These stories collide when Lou reaches out to a desperate No, and invites her to live in her house. No's integration into the family has quite considerable effects; she gets a job and a social worker and becomes Lou's experiment buddy, Lou and the class rebel Lucas bond and No becomes integrated into their friendship as well and most notably, Lou's mother becomes suddenly communicative, and it is her who persuades No to tell of her past, of how she ended up on the streets.

Yet the novel becomes almost a metaphor for what happens when people reach out to those in need. The idea that whilst their problems can be solved in the short term, maybe in the long term it will only increase their problems. No is exposed to the apparent perfection of Lou's family, a world that she feels she will never fit into. She becomes almost overly reliant on having Lou always around, and it is when the family head out to visit Lou's fathers sister that No begins to have problems. The impact of alcoholism and drugs sneaks into Lou's home; No becomes incompatible with the way of life that Lou's parents, now experiencing a second lease of life, want in the future; and she thus ends up living with the almost orphaned Lucas-whose mother lives away and whose father left for Brazil. Seeing this degeneration of No, having watched her build up a start of a life for herself, is heartbreaking. She is a character that the reader comes to love, despite her moods, and a character that you only want the best for.

The ending of the novel is so, so poignant. Seen through Lou's eyes it is an act of betrayal, an act that disappoints her. Yet it is also an act of honesty, and an act that shows the hopelessness of the situation, the vicious cycle that people in No's position face.

The novel was wonderful. With numerous phrases and ideas that are quotable, and had me smiling or gasping at their profoundness, it is a huge shame that no more of de Vigan's books are available in English, because I would be dying to read them. A great read.

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A Girl's Bromance

Like most children, I listened to whatever my parents listened to. Like most children too, my musical tastes began to evolve around the time I began to hit puberty. I started to show interest in boys, which quickly followed by my love of boy bands. I wish I could say that I skipped over that trend of loving pop music and following what everyone else was doing, but I can't. I was one of the generals of the Backstreet Boys army in the major boy-band fued between Backstreet Boy fans and N'SYNC fans. The walls of my bedroom were wallpapered with the faces of Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson, Nick Carter, AJ McLean, and Howie Dorough (I'm actually not too surprised that I still remember their full names).

I was not alone amongst this craze of boy-band-crazy pre-teen and teenage girls. Boybands such as Backstreet Boys, N'SYNC, 98 Degrees, and LFO had swept the world during the 90s and the early 2000s. Boybands gave girls a perfect image as to what their boyfriends should be like and gave boys unrealistic expectations to live up to according to the girls they wished to date.

Every boyband follows a similar pattern. There's 3 to 5 good-looking "boys" of varying personalities. They sing songs about love lost and love gained, all while dancing to choreographed steps planned out for them and while wearing matching outfits. These bands are put together by record companies looking to make an easy dollar off of the impressionable female youth. MTV made a movie that later spawned the television series with the same name of "2gether". "2gether" (the television show and the movie) was made to satirize the boyband concept and make up. 2gether's band make-up consisted of the "Shy One", the "Older Brother", the "Rebel", the "Cutie", and the "Heart Throb".



What really strikes me as being odd is that while these bands are called "boybands" a great majority of their members are over the age of 18, and should therefore be considered men, not boys. Many parents would find it more disturbing, though that their children were listening to "manbands" rather than "boybands".

The social make-up of boyband fans is something that is very noticeable. The great majority of boyband fans are heterosexual white females between the ages of 9 and 15. While male fans exist, they knowingly exist sparingly. Any boy who dares to declare themselves a fan of boybands is immediately dismissed as being gay. Society has taught boys that it isn't "manly" to enjoy pop music in general. Even though these bands are comprised (mostly) of heterosexual men who sing their hearts out to girls with the hopes of winning their hearts, boys are taught that this is not acceptable behavior for a man.

When Lance Bass of the band N'SYNC came out as a gay man a couple years ago the media and society took the news with a mix of responses. While the gay community was accepting, the rest of society met this news with responses such as: "That doesn't surprise me"; "I always thought he was gay"; "He was the ugly one anyways"; and "He had to have been gay to be in a band like that." In my eyes I don't believe it was so much as Lance's sexuality that was being attacked as much as it was the sexuality of all boy band members of the past and present.

Nowadays boybands aren't as prevalent as they were during the times of Backstreet Boys and N'SYNC. Girls and boys these days now have the Jonas Brothers to to fill their boyband needs. The major differences are that the Jonas Brothers all play their own instruments, write their own songs, are actually biological brothers, and put out a clean-cut image that promotes Christian values such as their major value of abstaining from sex until marriage. Nickelodeon has also recently spawned a 2gether-esque show entitled "Big Time Rush". "Big Time Rush" is about a boyband with the same name working to make it in the music industry. While I have yet to see any of this show it appears to follow the boyband pattern that is more common.

There is definately a gap within the bridge between what society says girls should look for in a guy and how guys should portray themselves to girls. Girls are taught to look for the good-looking, sensitive guy who can dance and easily put their emotions into song. Guys are taught that being sensitive and showing emotions are both signs of weakness and dancing is something that only girls do. This blog will go on to explore which kinds of emotional music is "acceptable" for men within society today.

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TheatreScene: November 22 - 28

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN THIS MONTH'S POLL BEFORE IT CLOSES!

LINKS TO WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS WEEK:

REVIEW: Brief Encounter
REVIEW: Elf: The Musical
Ever Since Phantom Opened on Broadway: The Last Years
Theatrical Thanksgiving 2010
Black Friday: My Broadway Gift List
Broadway on 34th Street: 2010 Edition

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?  BECOME A "FOLLOWER"!

November 22

HISTORY:

• 1965:  The world was introduced to "The Quest," better known as "The Impossible Dream," when Man of La Mancha opened on this date at the ANTA Washington Square Theatre.  2,328 performances, 5 Tony Awards (including Best Musical 1966), and 4 theatre transfers later, the show closed.  It has since been revived several times.

NEWS:

• Roundabout Theater Company's production of Mrs. Warren's Profession announces that it will close on November 28.  It is still a week longer than originally scheduled.  See you back here soon, Cherry!

TOPS AND BOTTOMS (November 15 - 21):

• Top Gross: Wicked ($1.5M)
• Top Attendance: The Merchant of Venice (102.4%)
• Bottom Gross: Colin Quinn: Long Story Short  ($143K)
• Bottom Attendance: A Life in the Theatre (45.1%)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Scarlett Johansson, Actor (A View from the Bridge)

November 23
HISTORY:

• 1959: Fiorello! notable for being a musical that won the Pulitzer Prize and for TYING for the Tony for Best Musical (the other was a little show called The Sound of Music), opened at the Broadhurst Theatre and played 795 performances.
• 1993: The second part of the epic play Angels in America: Perestroika opened at the Walter Kerr Theatre, winning Best Play and playing in rep with part one, Millennium Approaches, for 217 performances.
• 2009: Fela! said, "Yeah Yeah" for the first time on Broadway, one year ago at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.  As of today, it has played 423 performances.

NEWS:

• The National Tour of next to normal with original star Alice Ripley begins tonight in L.A.

• Cathy Rigby announces that she will once again take to the skies as Peter Pan in a National Tour starting in 2011.  In 1999, she announced that she would be retiring from the role.  Today, at age 60, she must have realized you can't grow old as Peter Pan.
• Here's something you don't hear very often: Sean Hayes, who missed the November 21 and 23 performances of Promises, Promises issued a statement that he was sorry he had to miss.  Considering he did 271 in a row, I think we can forgive him.  His understudy, Peter Benson, who was terrific in Cabaret, went on in Hayes' place.
• Jennifer Grey, movie star and daughter to theatre legend Joel Grey won season 11 of TV's Dancing with the Stars.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Maxwell Caulfield, Actor (Chicago, An Inspector Calls)

November 24
HISTORY:

• 1950: The Broadway classic Guys and Dolls opened on this date at the 46th Street Theatre. It won all 5 Tonys it was nominated for, including Best Musical, and ran 1,200 performances.  Isn't it hard to imagine a time when Nathan Detroit and Miss Adelaide weren't a part of theatre?
• 1986: The Marvin Hamlisch-Howard Ashman-Alan Menken musical Smile debuted at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.  It ran only 48 performances, but remains a cult favorite.  A recent reading for a possible future production was held.

NEWS:

• Tony winner Tyne Daly is in talks to return to Broadway in a revival of Master Class.  The play by Terrence MacNally originally starred Zoe Caldwell, who was replaced later in the run by Patti LuPone!
• Broadway Bares XXI has set a date.  Performances will be Sunday, June 19, 2011 at the Roseland Ballroom.

BEGINNINGS:

• One of my "On the Radar" shows, Bonnie and Clyde confirmed that it is aiming for Broadway in August 2011!  A new production is coming to Florida starring Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan.  Osnes and American Idiot star Stark Sands starred in the World Premiere earlier this year.  Read about that HERE.  I am already looking forward to next season!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Martin Charnin, Lyricist/Director (Annie)

November 25
HISTORY:

• 1975: The Longest Time Since a Show Opened on This Date: 35 years ago, Habeas Corpus, a comedy, opened at the Martin Beck Theatre.  You may not know anything about the play (I sure don't), but the cast sure is memorable: Celeste Holm, June Havoc (aka the real Dainty June), and Richard Gere co-starred.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Kevin Chamberlin, Actor (The Addams Family, Seussical the Musical)

November 26
HISTORY:

• 1761:  The Oldest Opening of the Week: Years before this was even a country, Hamlet opened on Broadway at the Chapel Street Theatre for an unknown number of performances. Lewis Hallam, one of the most renowned actors of the late 18th century played the melancholy Dane.  The theatre belonged to his step-father, theatre impresario David Douglass, who owned two New York theatres.  The Chapel Street Theatre was destroyed during the Stamp Act Riots, and would have been where Beekman Place is today.
• The date is also notable for having 4 different productions of Hamlet open on this date throughout Broadway history.

NEWS:

• The producers of the new play Elling announce that it will close on November 28th.  Are movie stars on the marquee less of a draw this season?  It looks that way... of course, in this case, quality probably also comes into play.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Marian Mercer, Actor (the original Marge MacDougal in the original Promises, Promises)

November 27 - HAPPY THANKSGIVING
HISTORY:

• 2006: The Coast of Utopia, Part I: Voyage opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.  The play, first of three parts, by Tom Stoppard went on to win the Tony Award for Best Play.  All three parts (Part II: Shipwreck and Part III: Salvage) were counted as one, nearly 8-hour production.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Alison Pill, Actor (The Miracle Worker, The Lieutenant of Inishmore)

November 28
HISTORY:

• 1951: Musical theatre lovers know this story better as Cabaret, but the original play is known as I Am a Camera and it opened on this date at the Empire Theatre.  It played 214 performances and starred Julie Harris as Sally Bowles.
• 1957: The Pulitzer Prize winning play, Look Homeward, Angel opened, playing 564 performances at the Barrymore Theatre.

NEWS:

• 60 Minutes runs an exclusive segment on the creation of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

BEGINNINGS:

• AT LAST!!! Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark begins previews at the Foxwoods Theatre!

ENDINGS:

• A Life in the Theatre closes today at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre after 24 previews and 56 performances.
• Elling closes today at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre after 22 previews and 9 performances.
• Mrs. Warren's Profession closes today at the American Airlines Theatre after 35 previews and 65 performances.
• The First National Tour of Billy Elliot: The Musical closes today at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago after 288 performances.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: S. Epatha Merkerson, Actor (Come Back, Little Sheba, The Piano Lesson)

Comments?  Leave one here, email me at Yahoo, or Tweet me!

Jeff

2.89

An Introduction to a Blogger and Her Love of Music

When I first decided on writing a blog about music, I immediately began exploring which bands and musicians I would discuss. I perused the internet for pictures. I even had a set of blog titles in place. The one aspect that I failed to address though was how I would begin my blog. After much consideration, I have chosen to give my readers (you guys and gals) a bit of a taste of where I am coming from with my music tastes and opinions.

I grew up in a home that centered around music. My father was a drummer for a rock band for some time before I was born, and therefore, shared his love for rock. My mother's taste in music is a bit more broad, ranging from jazz, classical, and musicals, to rock music. Instead of the TV being on during dinner, we listened to music. My mom would clean the house while while my siblings and I danced to the music that my mom was listening to. Our parties were filled with music, starting with jazz at the beginning of the party, and then shifting into rock music as the party carried on into the night. Our favorite movie within our home was the movie "Wayne's World". My parents owned the soundtrack to that movie. My brother did the memorable "Foxy Lady" dance that Garth did in that movie while I dreamed of being Cassandra when I grew up. My brother and I were in band throughout middle and high school. I had dreams of making a career out of my love of music as either a band teacher or a music producer or band manager for an up-and-coming band. As I grew up my music tastes changed and shifted over time. While I brought new musical tastes into my life, I never forgot about the originals that helped define my childhood.

I currently listen to just about every type of music out there, except for country. Within the past year my recent identification as a feminist has led me to think about my music tastes. My Women's Studies class I'm taking right now, "Theories of Masculinity", has led me to begin this blog. I was especially interested in the discussion that we had in class about masculinity in music. Men in society today are forced to live within this invisible box that dictates how a man should act, how they should dress, and how they should present themselves to the public. Music, and musicians themselves, do a great to help define this box. This blog will explore masculinity in music and how there are male musicians out there who help define the walls of this box, and the musicians who help break the barriers of this "man box". I am going to do my best to explore every genre (even those that I don't listen to).

Hype please!

Thanks!

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Broadway on 34th Street: 2010 Edition

I think that the Broadway show contribution to this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade can best be summed up by a comment my brother-in-law made as they were announcing the Elf: The Musical segment: "You know, I'd probably go to a Broadway show if there was ever anything original showing." There you have it.

The first Broadway show represented on the telecast was Memphis with the song "Steal Your Rock and Roll," a show-stopper in the theatre, and a song that played well in the parade. Chad Kimball and Montego Glover have wonderful chemistry that says at much with a glance that less compatible actors sometimes never get. And the dancing was terrific, too. All that energy! A great way to start the show. Still, as appropriate as the costumes are to the show, the overall look of the number was kind of lackluster. High energy, medium impact. B+

Elf: The Musical was last up, and, again, they picked a great number to do for the parade, "Sparklejollytwinklejingley" - high energy, fun choreography, and an energetic lead performance by Sebastian Arcelus. But that was in the theatre. On screen, the dancing still looked great and the fun props usage played well, too. But Arcelus' performance got pretty much lost in the widescreen filming of the segment, thus half the magic was missing, too. B+

In between, we got one cop out and one"signature moment," both of which were flat as a pancake, and out of context not really a help in selling the shows they represented. At least both of the above numbers were representative of what the shows are really about.

The cop out came in the form of "Good Riddance" from Green Day's American Idiot. I say cop out because it is still, arguably, the most well-known song of the band's nationwide. But does it represent the show? Not in the least. Just like in the theatre, it is just a song - one that has NOTHING to do with the show itself - that isn't done in a particularly memorable arrangement, even. Instead of a showy, hard-rocking number, like, say "Holiday" done with ever so slightly tweaked lyrics and creatively staged would have really sold this struggling-at-the-box-office show. It didn't even showcase the talents of its two greatest assets, John Gallagher, Jr. and Rebecca Naomi Jones. Instead we were treated to camera/stage hog Gerard Canonico who was buried amongst the crowd like E.T. in a room of stuffed animals doing nearly one entire verse of the song. And let's face it... 20 people playing guitars in unison while standing in a straight line is hardly exciting compared to 200 high school kids playing instruments and doing complicated formations in the same space. Zzzzz D

Finally, the "signature moment" (if a relative flop show can have one) this is on their ads and photos outside the theatre is when the Million Dollar Quartet jams together while one is standing on a string base, another wails on the piano, and still another is literally bent over backwards playing the guitar. A medley of marginal hits, capped by "A Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" works in the context of the show, but since none of the actors does an impression but rather "an approximation" who in middle America recognizes anyone in the show? Interestingly, my sister (a semi-regular theatre goer) did notice Elizabeth Stanley and the guys on the bass and drums. "The pretty woman sure can move!" said she. And it is true. The problem with MDQ on a telecast like this one is that it never moves. And is, therefore, not all that fun to watch. C-

This year, I asked straight out, after apologizing for forcing them to watch this year, "which of these shows do you want to see?" My brother-in-law answered with his own question, "Is there anything original coming to Broadway this year?" I had to think about it, going down the list in my head mentally. "Spider-Man, with songs by U2 is an original story, based on the comic books, and Wonderland is an original story based on Alice in Wonderland... wait! The Book of Mormon is completely original, and it is by the guys who write South Park."

"That is the show I want to see this year."

Again, that really says it all, doesn't it?


Comments? Leave one here, email me or Tweet me!
Jeff
2.88

Chess (UK Tour)

Florence Vassy-Shona White
Anatoly Sergievsky-Daniel Koek
Freddie Trumper-James Fox
Alexander Molokov-Steve Varnom
Walter deCourcey-James Graeme
Svetlana Sergievsky-Poppy Tierney
The Arbiter-David Erik

I've written about my love for the Tim Rice/Bjorn Ulvaeus/Benny Andersson piece Chess before. It's had a troubled history, and following the Royal Albert Hall concert in 2008 starring Idina Menzel, Josh Groban and Adam Pascal, Craig Revel-Horwood has taken on the piece on a UK tour.

Chess is the story of a chess match played between a Russian and an American during the Cold War. The political unease between the two countries is exacerbated when a love triangle springs up when Florence Vassy, the English but Hungarian born second of the American Freddie Trumper, falls for the married Russian Anatoly Sergievsky. Politics and love entwin as the piece continues.

The most obvious difference between this production and any others is the fact that this is an actor-musician piece, with almost all the cast playing an instrument in addition to acting. The entire ensemble were wonderfully talented; dancing, singing and playing instruments amazingly well, in intricate costumes designed by Christopher Woods.

As for the principal cast, Shona White has a wonderful voice, singing big numbers like 'Nobody's Side' with ease. Some of her actions did verge into being slightly over-the-top; there were a lot of hand gestures and her despair at the end of the piece did seem a bit forced. Daniel Koek faced a similar problem; fine singing, with a lovely 'Anthem' at the end of Act One, but a little too much arm-waving and running around-especially in 'Where I Want to Be'-although this could be direction as opposed to his choice. However, I think that Revel-Horwood's interpretation made Florence and Anatoly's relationship difficult to sell. With the ending removing the key plot twist and having Anatoly seemingly return to his wife pretty easily, and with Florence and Freddie's relationship played up during 'The Deal' and 'Endgame', the importance of this central relationship seemed wholly diminished, and it made it seem as though Anatoly was acting on instruction, and Florence in order to just annoy Freddie.

Speaking of Freddie, the show is totally stolen by James Fox. His 'Pity the Child' is jaw-dropping. Generally, I don't emphasise much with this character, but his almost breakdown by the end of the show had me feeling for him far more than for Florence or Anatoly. David Erik as the Arbiter is also very good, his character is a bit weird, but his stage presence was brilliant, as was his ability to do the splits was quite fantastic.

Other fine support is given by Steve Varnom and James Graeme as the KGB/CIA agents. Poppy Tierney as Svetlana has a pretty voice, but is (again) victim to being a little over the top in her acting.

However overall I had a really good night. Hearing my favourite score live was really great, and having the somewhat rare chance of seeing this show in a professional surronding was a chance that I simply could not pass up.

(Chess will next be seen in Norwich, Plymouth and Milton Keynes. More information avaliable here)

Autumn part 2

by http://teeswijns.blogspot.com/Some more autumn looks. It is getting very cold here in Belgium, It even already snowed a bit and the degrees go below zero.So it's time to look for some elegant, special and warm winterlooks!Greetz and love, X.

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Black Friday: My Broadway Gift List

Today is the heaviest shopping day of the year.  And if you can wait, Cyber Monday is full of great deals for online shoppers.  I think everything I list below is available online at Amazon, Playbill.com (The Store) and, broadwayposters.com, broadwaynewyork.com or tdf.org.  (Most of my recommendations have reviews to read... click on the list to your right or the "Reviews" tab above.

I've been a good boy this year, Santa.  Really I have... and so here are a few things I'd like to see under my tree.  And I also made a list of suggestions for your elves to makes for other theatre loving fans!

Cast Recordings/DVDs:  I am WAY behind on my collection...

Jeff's Wish List
CD:

• The New Broadway Cast Recording of La Cage aux Folles
• Sondheim on Sondheim
• Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
• The Scottsboro Boys

DVD:

• Sondheim!  The Birthday Celebration

For Others' Enjoyment
CD:

• The New Broadway Cast Recording of Promises, Promises: Great orchestrations and awesome vocals from Kristin and Sean!
• The New Broadway Cast Recording of A Little Night Music:  Complete as can be for Sondheim fans, and nearly every word Angela Lansbury said or sang is included.
• Memphis: This year's Tony winner has a fun score that you can learn quickly and sing your heart out to...
• The Broadway Cast Recording of American Idiot: Not to be confused with the Green Day album (also good)...one of the best sounding OBCR's in years!

DVD:

• Were the World Mine: An AWESOME movie
• The Complete First Season of Glee: Do I really need to say why I recommend this?  OK...the extras are really great...almost as as great as the show!

Theatre Books:

Jeff's Wish List

• Finishing the Hat by Stephen Sondheim
• The 6th Annual Playbill Broadway Yearbook
• Broadway Musicals: The Biggest Hit and the Biggest Flop of the Season 1959 - 2009 by Peter Filichia
• A Memoir by Patti LuPone (I also wouldn't mind the book on cd version, read by Ms. LuPone hereself!)

For Others' Enjoyment

• The 1st - 5th Annual Playbill Broadway Yearbook: An absolute must for Broadway fans... great organization, details, pictures and fun behind the scenes stuff!  And they are all on clearance at the Playbill Store...all 5 together cost LESS than 1 full priced book!
• Spring Awakening: In the Flesh: a great read, plus the complete script!  Fans of the show NEED this book!

Show Merchandise:

Jeff's Wish List

• An archival quality Playbill binder for modern Playbills
• Window Cards: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Scottsboro Boys (Broadway versions), Broadway Bares XX: Strip-opoply
• An Addams Family deck of cards and/or a Lurch water bottle
• A program from Million Dollar Quartet

For Others' Enjoyment

• An archival quality Playbill binder for modern Playbills
• Window Cards: Finian's Rainbow (Broadway revival) - so pretty!, A Playbill Poster for the 2009-2010 season (4th in the Series) (Shown: 3rd in the Series)
• The Pop-up Wicked book
• A program from American Idiot and/or La Cage aux Folles

And always good to give or get: TKTS gift certificates!  A great cause, and a great way to make shows even more affordable!

Have any gift ideas?  Books, cds or dvds to recommend?  PLEASE share!  Email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com, leave a comment here or Tweet me!

Jeff

2.87

Autumn days

Add captionAdd captionAdd captionSome more serene pictures in the typical belgium autumn weather. This is my special scarf, he's my best friend in cold days.And of course my camel coat. Greetz and love, X.

Theatrical Thanksgiving 2010

Today, as we reflect on all that we have to be thankful for - and all of us have plenty despite the current economy and world events - I'd like to give my second annual "Things about theatre to be thankful for" list.

Of course, it goes without saying (but I will anyway) that I am thankful for the opportunity and ability to see many shows a year.  And I am thankful for this blog, which has given me hours of personal pleasure and the distinct honor of having "met" so many people with the same passion and interests that I have.  And extra special thanks to my (as of today) 13 followers!  On a more personal note, I'd like to express my thanks for my best friend, frequent theatre companion, and my tireless editor and thought-provoker, Mike.  This blog wouldn't be what it is without him.

But in the grander scheme of things, here are the 10 Theatrical Things I Am Thankful For:

10.  The Broadway Gift Shops:  As frequently as I get to NYC, I never tire of making the rounds to the "Big Three": The Broadway New York Gift Shop at the Marriott Marquis, One Shubert Alley and Theatre Circle.  Sure they all carry the same stuff, and it changes so rarely, but I never miss hitting all three.  I mean how can anyone who loves Broadway NOT take the chance to see the cashier (he's a tall guy with a goatee and small glasses) who sings along with every CD they play and offers unsolicited comments constantly, sometimes to the air in front of him!  Or the poor guy on the weekend crammed behind a little counter in the closet space known as One Shubert Alley.  Or the claustrophobic tunnel between the gift shop and the "library" section of Theatre Circle; not to mention they have the best and classiest windows in the theatre district!

9.  The Playbill Binder:  They have something in every price range, for the passing Broadway fan to the serious collector.  I love these books that hold my prized Playbills.  When I started out, they only had the vinyl covered kind with the metal rods.  Now they have archival quality books, and while they are a bit pricey, they are invaluable.  As my collection ages and browns, it is nice to replace the old with the new and save my priceless memories.

8.  Telecharge:  OK, I am NOT thankful for their still outrageous fees, and I resent all of those companies for charging me to print my own tickets, with my own ink, on my own paper - which is why I always demand an ACTUAL ticket.  But I am thankful to this company for its ease of use, convenience, and the ability with EVERY show they sell, to fish around for the seats I want.  Their competition is even pricier and difficult to navigate - PLUS if you don't like the seats they offer, you have to wait til someone buys them to get different ones offered to you for the same performance! But the best thing about Telecharge is that if you want to talk to a human being, you can do so with only a few buttons pressed on the phone!

7.  Broadway Box/Seasons of Savings/All Theatre Discount Programs:  How great that you don't have to live in the city anymore to get a discount!  Broadway Box and Seasons of Savings offer a clearing house style to their discount offers, which are very easy to navigate and have very clearly stated exceptions and rules.  Playbill Online and Theatermania also offer great discounts all in one place.  This has really made paying full price for all but the most popular shows a thing of the past.  And it allows people with varying amounts of cash flow to still attend the theatre.

6.  The News:  For years, Broadway was the forgotten stepchild of the entertainment business as far as being in the news and on TV in general.  But as Broadway once again becomes more mainstream, the networks are again covering openings, the entertainment news shows are doing all out stories, and Broadway continues to proliferate talk shows morning, noon and night.  Not too long ago, the Tonys were te only time you ever heard about a show.  Now, shows like Spider-Man, The Lion King and Women on the Verge make actual headlines,. not just the gossip columns.

5.  Television:  Since I, like most theatre lovers, can't get to a show every day or even every week, it is nice to see the Broadway stars on TV, and see that musicals in particular are no longer the taboo they once were.  It seems like every long-running show eventually gets around to a musical episode (this week, Grey's Anatomy through its hat into the ring!).  And shows like The Good Wife and Law and Order (any version) not only feature Broadway actors in their main casts, but their guest lists read like a who's who of the Great White Way.  And then there is the crown jewel of musical television, Glee, which has made the production number hip, being a geek chic, and being different the new normal.

4.  Peter Filichia:  This amazing columnist/critic offers me three rays of sunshine a week, via his blog on Theatermania.com.  If you are unfamiliar with his stuff, I'd suggest becoming a regular reader of his.  He's been in the biz for decades and literally travels the world to see anything and everything theatre!  His Monday column gets me jazzed for the new work week, Wednesday gets me over the hump, and each Friday he starts my day off with a smile and gets me even closer to the weekend.  He is smart, funny and not even a little snarky.  You leave each column better off than when you got there.

3.  Stars of Tomorrow:  I am so thankful to see a new and great crop of talent really coming into their own.  People like Jennifer Damiano, Lea Michele, John Gallagher, Jr., Jonathan Groff, Cody Green, Elizabeth Stanley, Aaron Tveit, Kyle Dean Massey, Wesley Taylor, Benjamin Walker, Joshua Henry, Montego Glover and Chad Kimball are just a few relative new comers who are really starting to make a name for themselves in this business.  They represent a vibrant and exciting future.

2.  So many new shows despite the recession:  Did you ever think that so many new shows would be opening this year, given how bad money is these days?  The number of new musicals alone is newsworthy, don't you think?

1.  Broadway making a difference:  Every year there seems to be a new cause to get behind, and every single time, the Broadway community ponies up.  Be it the annual fundraising events like the Broadway Flea Market, The Easter Bonnet Competition, the Gypsy of the Year or Broadway Bares, or the of the moment causes like Broadway Responds to Katrina or most recently, the "It Gets Better" Campaign, if there is a need people from the ushers to the fly guys to the stars of the show give up their time and often offer their personal lives in the name of whatever cause needs them at any moment.  Their generosity is inspiring and offers me so much hope for humanity.  And that is worth giving thanks for!



Here's hope the holiday brings you good times with family and friends, and that, in between turkey and football, you take a moment to look around you and be thankful for all of the blessings you have.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Jeff
2.86