A Way Back To Then

THE [Title of Show] show Christmas Show! Starring Hunter, Susan, Heidi and Jeff. Amazing thanks to Allyson for sending it to me.

"A Way Back to Then"-song from Title of Show

Well -- this is quite an operation

I attended Friday night performance of Musicals Theatre West production of RENT at the Carpenter Performing Arts center in Long Beach. The show was good. I was very surprised at how close they got to the real thing. The set was good, they did all the songs, and they even had Jai Rodriguez who started as Angel on Broadway.

The main two things I would have changed was 1st the costumes and 2nd the guy who played Roger. The costumes tried to match the original production but I felt that if they could not get costumes spot on then they should have changed them all. The characters of RENT are very connected to their costumed and are iconic. Mark needs his sweater, scarf and camera. Mimi needs here blue pants, Cheetah jacket, and glitter. Angel needs her wigs, Santa jacket, and flower dress. Secondly P.J. Griffith who played ROGER SUCKED! Roger is my favorite character in the show and maybe I am too much attached to Adam Pascal who originated the role Off-Broadway, starred on Broadway, starred in the movie, and is currently rapping up the tour. This guy tried to make Roger an emo asshole. Sorry if that is harsh but this guy could not sit still, he looked like he had to go to the restroom during most songs. AND his pants were way too tight.

On the plus side the rest of the cast was great! BEAU HIRSHFIELD played Mark Cohen and brought new dept to the character and added a lot to him. SABRINA SLOAN played Mimi Marquez who was so good. She has an amazing voice and needs to get herself on Broadway ASAP. The best couple/pair was NICOLE TILLMAN as Joanne Jefferson and CALLIE CARSON as Maureen Johnson. They just worked together and were better then the two actress on the Broadway Tour right now.

So get out to see this show they only got onew week left. Click Here for more INFO.

"Well -- this is quite an operation"-lyrics from Life Support from RENT

There's a Fine, Fine Line

This past week I was lucky to get a private tour of the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts with my work.
The CCPA host performances in music, dance and theater and unique facilities for special events. It has hosted performances by Frank Sinatra, Whitney Houston, Clint Black, The Chieftains, Kathleen Battle, Dance Theater of Harlem, Royal Shakespeare Company, and many others.The really cool thing about the CCPA is that it is a flexible theater capable of six different seating and stage configurations, ranging from a 1,800-seat arena theater to a 900-seat recital hall setting.

Below is a video that talks about this amazing center:


Here are the Broadway shows headed to the center this winter:

Avenue Q January 29 - January 31

The Drowsy Chaperone March 05 - March 07

"There's a Fine, Fine Line"-song from Avenue Q

RENT

MUSICAL THEATRE WEST PRODUCTION OF RENT AT CARPENTER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN LONG BEACH NOW PLAYING!!!
If you missed the RENT tour no worries another production just opened in the Los Angeles Area and TICKETS START AT JUST $10! RENT is a must see for any theatre lover!!!

Here is the Performance Dates/Times:

Saturday, December 12 - 2:00 PM

Saturday, December 12- 8:00 PM

Sunday, December 13- 2:00 PM

Sunday, December 13- 7:00 PM

Thursday, December 17- 8:00 PM

Friday, December 18- 8:00 PM

Saturday, December 19- 2:00 PM

Saturday, December 19- 8:00 PM

Sunday, December 20- 2:00 PM

Featuring Emmy Award Winner

JAI RODRIGUEZ as Angel

("Queer Eye for the Straight Guy")

I have seen Jai perform before and he is sooo good!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO!

"RENT"-from show by same title

Guido's Song

Here is the new trailer for NINE opening December 18th. Also here are some newly released photos from the film! I can not wait!!!!

"Guido's Song"-song from NINE

Breaking Free

HAVE YOU HEARD YET???
Corbin Bleu of High School Musical fame will will be the first star of the franchise to hit Broadway as Usnavi in IN THE HEIGHTS. Bleu's run will be from January 25 - April 25, 2010. Many fans hit the facebook, forums and blogs to give their opion of the casting news. In response Lin-Manuel Miranda who orginated the role, was a Tony award winner of the show wrote this note to fans via Broadway World.com:

Miranda writes: "First of all, thank you for taking the time
to write a message in full sentences, much less make it rhyme.
You'd be amazed at all the horrid punctuation I see
e.g. "I-L-Y, ROTFL, OK G2G."
Now as for Corbin Bleu, chalk it up to ambition.
The dude came in and straight SMASHED his audition.
But can he "hold the flow?" Well, I know the part, I did it.
We'd NEVER cast someone unless they proved that they could spit it.
When he came in the room, I ain't think that he would get it.
He won us over, pa. You can tell the haters I said it. Now THIS is sensitive, and I'm hesitant to begin again
But I'm a Puerto Rican-Mexican; I PLAYED Dominican.
And everyone's from everywhere, we are reppin' so many things
Andrea's Venezuelan and Jewish, Karen's like twenty things
So yes, I see your point, but ethnicity's just a factor They've gotta play the part: in the end, dude is an ACTOR. Javi is amazing. Jon Rua is too.
Michael Balderrama makes the drama ring true.
They're big footsteps; I wrote a really big shoe.
This one is Lin-approved: Mr. Corbin Bleu. "

I personally think Corbin will make a great Usnavi. I actually met Corbin about a year ago at a work function and he was sooo nice, very grounded, and very close to his father. He can sing and has a great following which will do great for ticket sales. I support the casting!

"Breaking Free"-song from High School Musical

Have You Never Been Mellow?

CONTEST FROM OCPAC!!!Rules and what you need to do:

"The Orange County Performing Arts Center is looking for our own gods and goddesses of music and dance. Sing or dance -- just cover your favorite Xanadu song on YouTube and post up your entries on the OCPAC Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ocpac) for a chance to win a walk-on role on the December 23rd performance of Xanadu the Broadway musical.
Fans will pick the top five entries to be submitted to the cast of Xanadu to select the grand prize winner. The top five entries will get a pair of tickets to the December 23rd performance of Xanadu, so get your friends to become our fans on Facebook and vote for your video. Entries must be submitted by 3pm December 18, 2009. Voting period for top five entries will end 11:59pm Dec. 20, 2009. One grand prize winner will be selected and notified shortly thereafter. Grand prize winner must be able to rehearse with the cast on Dec. 23, 2009. "Click Here to go to the site!

"Have You Never Been Mellow?"-song from Xanadu

To be or Not to BE

TIME Magazine released their List of the Top Ten Plays/ Musicals of the Year:

1. Ruined
2. A Steady Rain
3. The Norman Conquests
4. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
5. Ragtime
6. Mary Stuart
7. Finian's Rainbow
8. Hamlet
9. Fela!
10. After Miss Julie

Do you Agree with TIME? What do you think? I will post my top five list next week and let me just say It is much different!

"To Be or Not to BE"-line from Hamlet

And I'm Telling You

GLEE WEEKLY UPDATE!!!
Wow what a GREAT fall finale!
Episode: 13 Sectionals

1st of all I just have to say I am so happy that there is a TV show out there that gives me everything I've waiting for as far as a storyline goes but yet still leaves me sooo excited for it to return. The writers of GLEE do such a great job of giving the fans the story they want to happen (Will and Emma romance, Finn finding out who is the father) but yet twist the story to keep you wanting more (Sue getting fired, not really winning Sectionals but being the least annoying).

Lets recap: Mercedes killed it with her rendition of And I am Telling You from Dreamgirls. Finn knows he is not the father of Quinn's baby. Quinn knows she messed up and is dealing with it. Rachel told Finn that he was not the father in hopes that he would run to her (didn't work YET...). Puck and Quinn are over because Quinn wants nothing to do with him right now. Emma pushed back her wedding in order to become faculty advisor for GLEE after Will have to leave the team last week. Emma's decision ends her relationship with Ken because he could not take that she chose Will over him. Finn decides he can not go to Sectionals because he can not stop crying when he sees Quinn and wanting to Puck in the face every time he saw him. Meanwhile Sue leaked the Set list to the other teams and they do all the teams numbers. Will tells Finn that the team needs him and he goes to save the day. Finn and Rachel come up a plan for new numbers and the team kills it! The judges pick the team as winners because they were the least annoying team. Will leaves Teri finally because he does not feel the same way towards her anymore. He runs to Emma's wedding which is not taking place because Ken called it off. Emma tells Will that even though he left Teri she can not be near him because she will get hurt. Sue gets fired from the school for leaking the set list and she declares WAR against Will. Will is invited back to the GLEE club and everyone celebrates. During the team singing My Life Would Suck With Out You Will realizes he loves Emma no matter what crazyness is going on and goes to find her. The show ends with Will and Emma sharing their 1st KISS!
AMAZING!

So I have deiced to not do weekly updates on Wednesdays/ Thursdays anymore but rather do them once a week, whenever I have the most stuff to post. So check back often!!
I will fill you in with all the rumors and sneak peaks into the rest of the season!
"And I'm Telling You"-song from DreamGirls

Two Nobody's In New York

BOOK YOUR SPOT ON THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE: becuase Broadway's Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen, of [title of show], are creating a new musical stage show called Villains Tonight for the Cruise Line!The show will premiere on the March 27, 2010, voyage of the Disney Magic. The show will tap into the world of the Disney villains with a comic spin. This show will be the 1st musical production dedicated to the Disney villains and will be a family-friendly for all ages. Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen are the writers, the director is Allison Narver, choreographer Karma Camp and musical director Ben Cohn.
"Two Nobody's In New York"-song from Title of Show