I liked it but I didn't LOVE it: September 2010

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

To Life

Sorry girls Lin-Manuel Miranda is off the market! He married his long time girlfriend Vanessa. Check out his surprise for his bride at their lovely wedding. :)

"To Life"-song from Fiddler on the Roof

Sunday, September 19, 2010

LEAP OF FAITH (Liked and Loved)
Last night I attended a preview performance of Leap of Faith at the Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre. I am a fan of Rob Ashford, Alan Menken, and Raul Esparaza so I went in with all the Faith in the world. BUT it did not deliver the way I had hopped.

Let me start by saying Raul Esparza is 100% amazing: that man can sing and make me weak in the knees. He truly is a Grade A Broadway peformer that should not be missed. His charm, wit and passion comes out in every move he makes. He is complelling to watch and you get lost in his world.

But the story itself is horrible! Leap of Faith is basically the Music Man but with religion. There was one serious part that I swear made me want to laugh out loud soo hard, that is always a bad sign. Rob Ashford is the director of Leap of Faith, and I have seen a couple of his productions over the years. My main problem with Ashfords work is that he always puts in these dance numbers that make no sense and are so repetitive which what i had a problem with at the last show. The last production I saw of his was Promises Promises on Broadway and I swear I wanted to yell cut it out with the dance numbers.

At the end of the day did I enjoy myself yes, did I love Raul yes, and would I see it again yes but only for Raul :) Only see it if you are a Raul Esparza fan. I want you to make your own decision but I don't want you to tell me I didn't warn you. So let me know:) We will have to wait and see if it makes it to Broadway or not.

"Rise Up"-song from Leap of Faith

Empire State of Mind

GLEE WEEKLY UPDATE!!! The GLEE Weekly Update is back. To get ready for this season check out the videos below!!!

"Empire State of Mind"-song peformed on GLEE

Suddenly

HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm next season will be coming to NYC. Cheyenne Jackson will be guest starring as well Rosie O'Donnell, Michael J. Fox and Wanda Sykes. Check out this 1st look!

Behind The Scenes of Season 8

"Suddenly"-song from Xanadu

Friday, September 17, 2010

Therapy

RAUL ESPARZA is in Town performing in Leap of Faith! He is an amazing singer/actor. Here are five reasons why you need to see this Broadway King while he is in Town!

"Therapy"-song from Tick Tick Boom

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Lean On Me

The Cast of GLEE has partner with American Express Members Project. They teaming up to encourage people to give back to there communities for a chance to meet the cast. Click here to get more info!! Check out the video's below that cast made for the campaign:

"Lean On Me"-song peformed on GLEE

Blue Roses

So rave reviews are coming in about the Mark Taper Form's The Glass Menagerie. Click Here to read the LA Times Review.
Below you will find photos of the cast members Judith Ivey, Keira Keeley, Ben McKenzie and Patch Darragh as they celebrate Ben's birthday during the party for the opening night performance (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

"Blue Roses"-lines from the Glass Menagerie

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

She plays her vinyl records singing songs on the eve of destruction

YOUR AMERICAN IDIOT VIDEO UPDATE!!!
Green Day Performs "Last of the American Girls" on Jimmy Kimmel Live

The Cast of American Idiot performing the song "St. Jimmy" for Broadway on Broadway 2010, September 12, Times Square, New York City

The Broadway cast of the TONY AWARD® nominated hit musical 'American Idiot' perform a medley of the songs "Letterbomb" and "American Idiot" live at America's Got Talent

"She plays her vinyl records singing songs on the eve of destruction"-lyrics from Last of the American Girls from American Idiot

Monday, September 6, 2010

You are the only young man that I know of who ignores the fact that the future becomes the present, the present becomes the past, and the past turns i

WANT TO SEE A FREE PLAY???

Thats right it's time for another one of Center Theatre Groups's famous Opening Night Standby Lines. The Glass Menagerie is set to open this Sunday September 12th at 7pm. All you need to do is arrive at the box office an hour and 1/2 or two hour before show time and join the line to the left of the box office. The Mark Taper Forum is located at the Music Center in downtown LA at 135 N Grand Avenue. Tickets become available due to cancellations and no-shows (FOR FREE). Seating is not guaranteed, but chances are very good. (I have done the line a few times and had great seats each time). Do not forget to dress up it is opening night after all!!!

Can not make it to opening night but still want to save a buck? click here to get details on hot tickets!

"You are the only young man that I know of who ignores the fact that the future becomes the present, the present becomes the past, and the past turns into everlasting regret if you don't plan for it!"-Part 3, Scene 5, pg. 45

Die, Vampire, Die!

[title of show] LOVED IT!!!

This past Friday night I attended Celebration Theatre's production of [title of show] and kicked myself so not going to see this gem in LA Theatre sooner!!! From the minds of Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen the show tells the real life account of their writing of the show, an original musical about two guys writing an original musical, and the friends the bring along the way. Jeff (Jeffrey Landman) and Hunter (Micah McCain) are trying to write this original musical in just three weeks for the New York Musical Theatre Festival. The boys decide to enlisting Susan (Jennifer R. Blake) who is an actor by night and corporate employee by day, struggling Broadway starlight Heidi (Carey Peters), and often left out keyboardist (Gregory Nabours).

I have the soundtrack I have grown to love the original cast members and I was a bit worried to see other people play these characters I have grown to love, but I had nothing to worry about. This cast rocked it! Their comic timing was spot on and they flowed together so well. Each actor did an amazing job at making their character their own yet still keeping mannerisms that were true to the real life people; for instance Hunter's rambling, and Jeff's annoyance facial expressions towards Hunter' crazy ideas. As many of you who read my blog a lot you know my love of Susan Blackwell's work and I want to give BIG props to Jennifer R. Blake so bringing her to life. Blake rocked it during Die, Vampire, Die! There were many moments in the musicals that blew me away but Carey Peters performance of A Way Back To Then was flawless! Jeffery Landman's and Micah McCain performance of An Original Musical was exactly how I pictured it to be, AMAZING. What I loved about the theatre at Celebration is that it is a black box theatre that is really small. It meant you where close up and personal through out the whole show. For this show it worked soo well because you wanted to feel like you were in their apartment writing the show with them. Also because I happen own the cast soundtrack so I know all the lyrics to the show and found it extremely hard to not singalong, but I must admit I totally let out loud PARTY LINE!.

If the production itself was not enough, before the show even started I got the biggest surprise, THE REAL HUNTER AND JEFF were in the audience. Yes, that's right Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen just happened to be in Los Angeles and decided to see the show. It was an honor to be able to watch their reaction to there own material being performed by others. Hunter appeared to be emotional during certain scene and it was great to see his love of the show. After the show my friend Allyson and I meet them and got their autographs. They could not be any nicer.

SO RUN AND GET YOU TICKETS TODAY TO SEE [title of show]!!! There are only a few performances left and trust me you do not want to miss it. click here for more info!