Brian's NYC

What I've been doing with my life...

2009-10-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

taxi!

2009-09-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

Looking Back at 'Looking Up'

2009-09-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

On October 5, 2007, I wrote a blog entry about looking up and not losing sight of the fact that I live in one of the biggest and best cities in the world. After living in the city for over two years, it has never been more important to remember to look up. I was reminded of this significance this year on the 8 year anniversary of 9/11 (btw, it always bugs me when people say '9-11' and not 'September 11th.' I don't know why). I always forget about the impending anniversary until I see the two pillars of light piercing the sky like they do every year to commemorate the day. It always takes me by surprise, and puts me into a contemplative place. It reminds me that the city is just as fragile as the people who are in it.

When giving directions to a couple of tourists on my way to work today, I thought about perspectives. I feel like I am constantly fighting against the city and always struggling so hard to stay afloat. But in that moment, to those sweet people, I probably was a life saver who must really know what I'm doing and where I am going. It also made me feel empowered to know that if I am able to keep as many perspectives in mind as possible, I can really manage to stay sane and get ahead. It is so easy to find oneself on a one track mindset in this city that always has so much going on. We have to try to remember that everyone has their own unique outlook on things.

Anyway, back to looking up. It is really refreshing to see the city from a different point of view. Seeing the monstrous sky scrapers and the break of clear blue sky is a really beautiful thing to witness, and the city looks so peaceful. I need to make a conscious effort to do this more often. It could really give me some much needed relaxation, sanity, and perspective that I feel I am forever searching for.

Inside the Head of a New Yorker

2009-08-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

Navigating this city can be taxing, both physically and emotionally. After living here for two years, I feel more independent and secure as a person, but also more prone to stress related ailments (apparently I snore now, and seeing as how I only do it in the city, I am thinking it's related to my lack of ability to relax). I seem to fluctuate each day from being content in my life and loving the city to hating everything about it (the noise, the air, the people) and wondering why I put myself through so much anxiety.

I was discussing this topic with my friend Emily recently, and we realized that we seem to be going through life just waiting for the nervous breakdowns and doing everything we can to avoid them and just stay afloat. And when we do have these mental collapses, it is a challenge to get our head out of the mud. Everything seems to be going against you, everyone seems to be out to get you, and the city shows no mercy. We move through our days in a funk (or sometimes don't get out of bed at all), and are constantly questioning our lives, our aspirations, and our abilities. Then, miraculously, something clicks. Someone says something at the right moment, you notice something on your block you hadn't noticed before, an opportunity comes along, and you realize that you're going to be ok. And once you rise up out of the funk, you feel stronger than ever, and have learned from the slip. But inevitably, we know it will happen again, and the process starts all over.

So what is it about the city that keeps us going through the same rigorous process? Can everyone in New York really be so self-deprecating to constantly put ourselves through this, or is only concentrated to actors or people struggling to do what they really love to do? I don't know what it is, but it certainly makes things easier to know that I won't be here forever. I feel good about myself knowing that there is more to the world than this city (some people who grew up in NYC truly believe there is nothing else worthwhile to experience on the planet), and I know that I won't be able to to deal with life the way it is now forever. So I just go through each day knowing that in a few years I will move on and be stronger than ever thanks to my experiences in the Big Apple. And pray for those breakdowns to stay away.

Anniversary in Paradise

2009-07-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to be a professional vacationer? I'm curious to look into this...

Day 1: Once again, I am traveling while ill. Apparently, I physically and mentally phsych myself out and pump up the stress before traveling. Why do I always push myself so hard right before traveling? I came down with a viscous fever two days before we flew, which turned into congestion. 3 out of 4 trips in the last year started this way. Let's not make this more of a habit, ok?

Our flight was originally booked to go from JFK to St. Thomas direct, departing at 8am, landing at 12pm. Nic got an email about a month prior saying our flights had been rebooked due to restructuring within the airline. More specifically we had to leave two hours early (yes, at 6am!!) and arrive 2 hours later (at 2pm...tacking on 4 hours to our trip). We booked a car to pick us up at 4am because I hate being stressed out when I travel and like to allow ample time (note to self: flying on a sunday at 6am = not necessary to leave this early when not checking luggage and have already checked in online. just sayin'). It was very interesting to see how many people were ending their night as we were beginning our day. While we didn't have any traffic making it to the airport, our driver did have to swerve around several pedestrians in *ahem* altered states of mind.

After a layover in Atlanta at 8am, we finally made it to the island of St. Thomas at 2pm, and we were so excited to be in paradise. There was only one problem: I was flying while a bit congested, and on the second flight my ears plugged up in the descent and never un-plugged. This having happened to me before, I decided to ignore it to the best of my ability, enjoy the free samples of Cruzan Rum they were handing out at the airport, take in the beautiful scenery as we were escorted by ferry to St. John, and savor the delicious drinks and food perfected by the resort staff.

Day 2: My ears=not so good. I could hardly sleep at all, and if I did it had to be sitting up, which made for a sore back and neck. I called the islands emergency clinic, and wouldn't you know it they didn't have any room for me until noon the next day. The pain and pressure at times were unbearable, but we still plugged away (ha) with our vacation and enjoyed time spent lying on the beach, lounging at the pool, and enjoying those frozen rum drinks.

Day 3: FINALLY got to the clinic! It was accessible to us by taxi, and is located at the top of the island. The view from up there is breathtaking, and I would have much rather been enjoying the sights all day than sitting in the examination room. It was discovered that I had double ear infections in both ears, which I took to calling a quadruple ear infection just to make it sound more dramatic than it actually was. Fluid from my head congestion got caught in my ear drum, and the cabin pressure on the plane also caused wax to build up in my ear, not allowing the fluid to drain. So, I got an inner ear canal and middle ear drum infection. In both ears. The greatest/worst part of it all was having the wax flushed out of my ears (see photo. you're welcome for that, by the way). I say worst because of the pain and mess it created, but the greatest because I got to watch Nic's face as it was happening. After exploring the inner part of the island to find a clinic to fill my pennecilin perscription, Nic and I strolled through downtown St. John and lounged by the pool, all the while enjoying that Cruzan rum! :)

Day 4: St. John has tons of mini islands and bays around the island which can be accessed by boat. The resort had dinghys for rent, where we could explore all of these islands for the day. Unfortunately for us, today the water was too choppy, and the dinghys being, well, dingy, wouldn't hold up. So instead we traveled to famous Cinnamon Bay by taxi to enjoy what many say is the most beautiful beach in the world. We cannot argue with them. The pristine water was so clear we were able to watch a stingray as it swam right by us (good thing, too. we woulda stepped on it). And the sand feels like cinnamon under your feet (duh. and DON'T even try to tell me you don't know what that feels like, sicko). The only negative thing about the beach are the mosquitos. Well, ok, not the beach itself, but the surrounding woods. 70% of the island is protected as a national forest, which means vegetation and wildlife is very abundant, including mosquitos. Sitting for 15 minutes in a taxi waiting for it to depart, I must have gotten a dozen bug bites. Thankfully a fellow taxi rider shared her bug spray. We would have been dinner.

The beach excursion was capped off with an amazing sunset cruise around the island. It was so relaxing and fun to get out on the water, enjoy even more rum, and watch the beautiful sunset while chatting with friendly island natives. The weather was fantastic, the scenery too gorgeous to be given justice on film, and I was with Nic, so the company wasn't that bad either!

Day 5: Our last day. :( And we found out that the dinghy rentals needed to be reserved 24 hours in advance. This means that even though the guide couldn't let us check one out because the water was too choppy the day before, he could have signed us up for one for the next day. Lame. With that idea scrapped, we still wanted to see the island. So we signed up for a guided island tour. The tour was in an open air taxi like the ones we had been using all week, and took us around to see all of the bays and beaches, downtown, and the inland parts of the island. We quickly realized this would have been the perfect thing to do on our FIRST day at the resort, but we couldn't be bothered with all of the amazing scenery we were able to enjoy. A quick trip to an abandoned sugar mill on the other side of the island left everyone running from the mosquitos (and Nic running from lizards). Thankfully we thought ahead and came prepared with a giant bottle of bug spray. We passed the can around and shared it with our tour mates who were extremely appreciative, including the new mother who asked me (not so much asked as told me) to hold her baby while she applied bug spray (guess I would make a neglectful father, judging from the photo). We later enjoyed a beautiful and delicious anniversary dinner downtown on our last night on the island.

Day 6: The trip back was just as long as the trip out, and was prolonged even more by storms in NYC (glad we missed those!). Contrary to popular belief, there's not much to do in the Atlanta airport. Except eat at Chili's, which we did, and we enjoyed. Chili's, I love you.

Top 10 Restaurant Pet Peeves

2009-07-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

Everything about working in a restaurant bugs me these days (except for the convenience factor), but here are ten of my top pet peeves:

10) Excessively Drunk People: While I appreciate the boost in my check average, nine times out of ten you are going to stiff me on my tip. Plus, I’m a moral person and overserving drunk people stresses me out. Keep your alcoholism at home!

9) Check Splitting: Our computer system makes it especially complicated, but split a check ten ways with credit cards? I can think of something I’d like to do you ten ways, but it doesn’t involve credit cards. And there’s right and wrong way to go about it. Don’t tell me at the end of the meal after everything is already rung in. Don’t tell me to just put your stuff on a credit card. I am not your mother. I do not want to keep track of what you eat and drink. Tell me how much you want me to put on your credit card, then add the tip later.

8) Health Food Snobs: Do you know the definition of “comfort food?” I’m all for healthy eating and comment you for doing it, but in the land of mac + cheese and chicken fried steak, you’re S.O.L.

7) Returning Drink Orders: Sending something back because it is bad is one thing,b ut just because you don’t like it? Uh-uh! Here’s some advice fi you don’t like bourbon, don’t order a manhattan, and if you can’t handle the heat, stay away from the cajun pepper martini!

6) Seating yourself: As long as we live in America and you have a waiter, there will always be someone to assign you a table. And we assign it for a reason; so don’t be a dick and argue your way to sit where you want.

5) Poor Tippng: There are so many reasons why this happens, and in my book unless your waiter straight up tells you how awful you are, there are no excuses for poor tips. I get $4.60 an hour. I can’t even pay for lunch on that. You are robbing me of my salary. I can’t do anything about the food being bad, so don’t dock because of that. Think there is no need to tip more than a few bucks, try 20%. With the level of service I give you, that is what I deserve. I care about giving you a nice dining experience (although sometimes I don’t know why). Don’t make me regret it. Get a discount because you know me, are friends with the owner, or complained until you got something taken off your bill? Don’t count that in the tip. Tip me on what the total bill WOULD be, full price.

4) Foreign Tourists: Most of the time, I think you are cute and want to help. But if you are smart enough to fly overseas and find your way to my restaurant, you’re smart enough to know the dining customs.

3) Weird Food Requests: You eat out to enjoy a dining experience. If you are not along for the ride and want to customize your order and completely change it, maybe you should have stayed home.

2) Extra People: Dining with a big party? Bring it on. But first of all, make a reservation. If you can’t make a reservation, at least call ahead and let us know you are coming. And once you arrive, keep the dining total where it is. If you show up for a reservation for two and it’s now three, you need a bigger table. If I just put your order in the computer and two more people show up expecting to be fed, it throws a wrench in the preparation of your food.

1) “Gimme:” I understand that I am working to serve you and make you have a relaxing dining experience. But don’t treat me like I am “the help.” Use your table manners, and say “please” and “thank you.” When I approach you and ask you how you are doing, don’t respond with “I want a margarita,” or a “We’re not ready to order yet.” I’m more than happy to leave you alone, but it wouldn’t kill you to use some common courtesy when you’re interacting with another human being.

P.S. For some awesome waiter rants, check out bitter waiter.

Playbill Cue & A: Donell James Foreman

2009-07-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

Donell James Foreman is currently on tour with Mamma Mia!

Full given name: Donell James Foreman

Hometown: Albany, NY

Zodiac sign: Pisces

Special skills: Whistle tones, disgusting faces, and having a freakish memory.

First Broadway show ever saw: RENT

If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be?: DREAMGIRLS

Current show you have been recommending to friends: MARY STUART

Actor whose career you admire the most: André De Shields (but on a side note, can we discuss how Krysta Rodriguez is WORKING! I need her agent).

Favorite show tune: "Rainbow High" from Evita.

I love to hate: Songs with horrible lyrics.

I hate to love: Zac Efron.

MAC or PC?: Mac ALL the way!

Most played song on your iPod: "Smash Into You" by Beyonce.

Last book you read: "Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami.

Must-see TV show: Ugly Betty.

Last good movie you saw: Slumdog Millionaire.

Favorite board game: Monopoly (just takes too long to play).

Performer you would drop everything to go see: I would Janet Jackson or Beyonce, but I have done other things instead of seeing them live. Oops.

Pop culture guilty pleasure: Just look at my iTunes. Any 80s or 90s pop music.

Cats or dogs: Actually neither, but I did just get a really cute puppy named Duke!
Favorite cereal: Trix.

First stage kiss: CAROUSEL; ugh, it was high school, so that's the ONLY reason I was Billy Bigelow.

Favorite pre-show meal: Chicken and waffles - thank you LA!

Favorite post-show meal: Sour Patch Watermelons.

How you got your Equity card: From MAMMA MIA!

Worst onstage mishap: Forgetting to wear my mic for "Without Love" in HAIRSPRAY.

Worst costume ever: I have no idea - I usually don't mind what i wear. It's only for 2 1/2 hours, right?

Who would play you in the movie (aka celeb look-alike)?: Blair Underwood.

Gig you’ve enjoyed the most: The quiet solitude of the Weston Playhouse in Vermont.

Your favorite thing about New York: Escaping to areas like Battery Park City and not feeling like you're in an over-crowded city anymore.

Leading role you've been dying to play: (In a good 10 years) Jimmy Early in DREAMGIRLS.

Brian's 'Best Man' Speech

2009-07-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

Here is my speech I wrote for Sean & Tina's wedding...

It takes a great man to put another's life before his own. It takes dedication to follow through on one's career goals, and endure whatever hardships may come along the way. It takes humility, kindness, compassion, patience, and love to always be there for your brother...

But enough about me. This occasion is supposed to be about Sean & Tina. I started thinking about this speech and how I was going to tug on everyone's heartstrings, not leave a dry eye in the house. But then I thought that i should take the opportunity while I had it to roast the sucker.

So while I have everyone's attention, I'd like to say that Sean used to bully me around a lot as a kid. Well, not so much bully as BOSS. I'm surprised he didn't have a time clock for me to punch in and out of when I got home from school. From "Get me a snack," to "Brian, wake up, get up out of bed, and see what is making all that noise outside," it was always something, but he was my big brother, and for some reason I looked up to him. The orders would usually not be followed up with a "Thank you," but rather a, "No, you may not have any of the girl scout cookies you just brought me, " or an, "I'm just going to stay here while you run out of the room screaming from the giant raccoon staring right in your face when you open the curtains. At eleven o'clock. And you're nine. And pretty sure that raccoon is looking for some dinner. And he just found it." Then I remember a distinct moment when I realized that he wasn't giving me a 401K and the only benefit I was getting from him was not being farted on.

After Sean learned how to pour his own glass of juice, the taunting still continued, and included but was not limited to tickling wars (Sean is not ticklish. I lost.), and him jumping out of my closet wearing a Bill Clinton mask right as I'm getting in bed. I wasn't always the victim, however. I still have a very incriminating tape of Sean singing "A Whole New World" in the shower, and I also mastered the art of nailing him from a tree with water balloons. It wasn't until Sean went off to college that we really stopped feuding, and it wasn't until I went to college that we started to really get along. And the fun memories we've made and the amount I've learned form him has made up for all of the brother "love" I endured growing up by tenfolds.

After Sean and Tina began dating, you all probably know how quickly their relationship escalated. They said "I love you," after 1 1/2 months, were living together after 2, had Nola, Rebel, Huckleberry, and Danny the frog by 8 months, and despite the fact that it took 2 years to get engaged, it was clear early on that they were a perfect match.

The first time I met Tina was in Arizona while visiting her family over the holidays in 2005. They picked me up from the airport, and the first thing I saw was the license plate on T's car, which read "LEPRDSS." I'll admit, I was a bit concerned. But Tina won me over with a day of the best shopping, bars, and attractions Scottsdale had to offer. And the chemistry between the two was unmistakable. I said to myself, "Finally! Someone else to take the brunt of the abuse from Sean!" (Don't worry, I gave her some pointers on the self defense I've picked up over the years).

The dynamic of their relationship is quite remarkable. Two of the most focused and driven people I know, it is fascinating to see them naturally go through this 'give and take' sort of process. Tina moved in with Sean after Hurricane Katrina, then he moved down to New Orleans with her when Tulane reopened. Both focused on their own directions in law, they took the Bar exams in cities on the opposite sides of the country. Sean lived in New York working as a temp for a year while Tina began her career as a patent lawyer. Now Tina is hoping to move out of the city and they will both commute to DC and Aberdeen for work while Sean begins his career as a JAG. The amount of 'give and take' and compromise their relationship has seems difficult and sometimes excessive, but it is a true testament to how much they love each other. I'm sure no one looks forward to the time when they can settle down and enjoy their life together more than they do. But until then, I have admired and learned a lot from their relationship together. And Tina? What's not to love? I told my mom when I was six that I wanted a baby sister. She thought it was pretty funny (even thought I wasn't joking). I know she's thrilled now, and I'm happy to have a big sister to bond with and stick up for me. And it's pretty fun to see Sean following the orders for a change. To Sean & Tina!

Tony Results

2009-06-08T16:43:00.000-07:00

BEST MUSICAL

* Billy Elliot

Next to Normal

Rock of Ages

Shrek the Musical

BEST PLAY

33 Variations

Dividing the Estate

* God of Carnage

reasons to be pretty

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL

Guys and Dolls

* Hair

Pal Joey

West Side Story

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Mary Stuart

* The Norman Conquests

Waiting for Godot

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL

* Lee Hall, Billy Elliot

Brian Yorkey, Next to Normal

David Lindsay-Abaire, Shrek the Musical

Hunter Bell, [title of show]

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATER

Billy Elliot - Music: Elton John, Lyrics: Lee Hall

* Next to Normal - Music: Tom Kitt, Lyrics: Brian Yorkey

9 to 5 - Music and lyrics: Dolly Parton

Shrek the Musical - Music: Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Jeff Daniels, God of Carnage

Raúl Esparza, Speed-the-Plow

James Gandolfini, God of Carnage

* Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King

Thomas Sadoski, reasons to be pretty

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Hope Davis, God of Carnage

Jane Fonda, 33 Variations

* Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage

Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart

Harriet Walter, Mary Stuart

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

* David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot

Gavin Creel, Hair

Brian d’Arcy James, Shrek the Musical

Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages

J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Stockard Channing, Pal Joey

Sutton Foster, Shrek the Musical

Allison Janney, 9 to 5

* Alice Ripley, Next to Normal

Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY

John Glover, Waiting for Godot

Zach Grenier, 33 Variations

Stephen Mangan, The Norman Conquests

Paul Ritter, The Norman Conquests

* Roger Robinson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Hallie Foote, Dividing the Estate

Jessica Hynes, The Norman Conquests

Marin Ireland, reasons to be pretty

* Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit

Amanda Root, The Norman Conquests

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

David Bologna, Billy Elliot

* Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot

Marc Kudisch, 9 to 5

Christopher Sieber, Shrek the Musical

Will Swenson, Hair

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal

Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot

* Karen Olivo, West Side Story

Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey

Carole Shelley, Billy Elliot

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Phyllida Lloyd, Mary Stuart

Bartlett Sher, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

* Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage

Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

* Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot

Michael Greif, Next to Normal

Kristin Hanggi, Rock of Ages

Diane Paulus, Hair

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Karole Armitage, Hair

Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5

* Peter Darling, Billy Elliot

Randy Skinner, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS

(Tie)Larry Blank, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

* Martin Koch, Billy Elliot

* Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal

Danny Troob and John Clancy, Shrek the Musical

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

Dale Ferguson, Exit the King

Rob Howell, The Norman Conquests

* Derek McLane, 33 Variations

Michael Yeargan, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Robert Brill, Guys and Dolls

* Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot

Scott Pask, Pal Joey

Mark Wendland, Next to Normal

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY

Dale Ferguson, Exit the King

Jane Greenwood, Waiting for Godot

Martin Pakledinaz, Blithe Spirit

* Anthony Ward, Mary Stuart

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Gregory Gale, Rock of Ages

Nicky Gillibrand, Billy Elliot

* Tim Hatley, Shrek the Musical

Michael McDonald, Hair

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY

David Hersey, Equus

David Lander, 33 Variations

* Brian MacDevitt, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Hugh Vanstone, Mary Stuart

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Kevin Adams, Hair

Kevin Adams, Next to Normal

Howell Binkley, West Side Story

* Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY

Paul Arditti, Mary Stuart

* Gregory Clarke, Equus

Russell Goldsmith, Exit the King

Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Acme Sound Partners, Hair

* Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot

Peter Hylenski, Rock of Ages

Brian Ronan, Next to Normal

SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT

* Liza’s at the Palace . . .

Slava’s Snowshow

Soul of Shaolin

You’re Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush

SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATER

Jerry Herman

REGIONAL THEATER TONY AWARD

Signature Theater (Arlington, Va.)

ISABELLE STEVENSON AWARD

Phyllis Newman

SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE THEATER

Shirley Herz

Here’s the tally of the 2009 Tony Award winners:
Billy Elliot, The Musical - 10

God of Carnage - 3

Next to Normal - 3

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone - 2

33 Variations - 1

Blithe Spirit - 1

Equus - 1

Exit the King - 1

Hair - 1

Liza’s at the Palace - 1

Mary Stuart - 1

Norman Conquests - 1

Shrek The Musical - 1

West Side Story - 1

Despite the sound being f-ed up for most of the telecast, it was overall an enjoyable evening. The opening number was stellar, and NPH's jokes were spot on (I only wish we saw more of him). I was shocked at the 3 Billy's won best actor, but everything else I was ok with. And that Bret Michaels moment (ya know, the one where he got clothespinned by a flying set piece?)...it pretty much summed up how I feel about Rock of Ages in general.

NPH's Top 10

2009-06-05T15:07:00.001-07:00

Neil Patrick Harris delivered the "Top 10 Signs You've Hired a Bad Tony Awards Host" on Late Night with David Letterman on June 4:

10: Spends first twenty minutes tangled in the curtain
9: Only got the gig because Nathan Lane has swine flu
8: Looks like Shrek, but isn't Shrek
7: Lights go up, pants come down
6: Instead of airfare and a modest fee, he demands a fake passport, enriched uranium and a plane ticket to North Korea
5: Thinks the two gangs in West Side Story are the Jets and the 49ers
4: His only qualification is that he's a distant cousin of Tony Danza
3: Quits after ten minutes, citing "mercury poisoning from sushi"
2: Plans to have a bare-assed Angela Lansbury lowered onto Eminem
1: He's straight

I think #2 is my favorite.
Is #1 supposed to be a hit on Hugh Jackman?

San Diego: Sean & Tina's Wedding Extravaganza!

2009-06-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

Tuesday: Will We Ever Make It?

I'd been waiting for this vacation for a long time. I worked seven days in a row to make up for beinggone for a week, so I'm pretty much over the restaurant, over the city, over sailors (thank you, Fleet Week!), and just ready to escape for a bit. Sean and Tina picked me up and we got to JFK, checked in, and it only took 3 minutes in the security line for someone to notice Tina's poofy garment bag containing THE DRESS, and her shirt with "Bride" bedazzled across the chest. Sean was being a little too sarcastic so early in the morning (well, it was 10:30, but still...). Tina was understandably overprotective of her dress, which got caught up in the front flaps of the X-Ray machine, causing the security guard to lay the pristine white bag directly on the conveyor belt (clearly, she had never gotten married before). It was the only thing I could do to push Tina through the metal detector so she wouldn't dive in after the dress. Sean insisted that Tina pre-board with the screaming children and old people in wheelchairs so as to find the proper spot to store her dress (JetBlue doesn't have coat closets on board). After much bickering and arguing over the subject (you'd think they were already married), Tina was preactically carried on board by the ticket agent. And since he had already been wrong about multiple discussions already in the day (including the size of Dunkin Donuts coffee cups...don't ask) I wisely advised my dear brother to "Wipe that smug look off your face before Tina turns around and sees it. She may call off the wedding." After we got on board and in our seats, I sent a text to my father: "The dress and Tina made it on the plane. Unfortunately, so did Sean."

After an uneventful flight, we arrived in beautiful...cloudy?...San Diego. The weather was 60 degrees, overcast, and remained that way the ENTIRE week, much to our dismay and frequent bickering. I think I came back paler than I left. I met up with Nic, whom I hadn't seen at all the week before because of a leadership conference in Arizona. We didn't care that there wasn't any sun, and i drove with the top down in our convertible rental to the hotel. We stayed at the beautiful, if a little too stuffy US Grant in the middle of downtown. Our suite was spacious, had classical furnishings with a contemporary twist, and the staff frequently used the phrase, "It would be my pleasure." (Q: "Can we have our car brought up?" A: "It would be my pleasure." Q: "Can we have 3 buckets of ice brought up? We're having a party." A: "It would be my pleasure." Q: "Can you quack like a duck while playing hopscotch?" A: "It would be my pleasure"). The day was capped off with a BBQ at my parent's rental condo in Pacific Beach, along with Aunt Margaret, Uncle Bill, and cousins Max and Sophie.

Wednesday: Perhaps A Bit Too Glutonous

We began our day with Tina and Nic needing to shop for rehearsal dinner attire (we met up with Sean and Tina in Forever 21...why T was looking here for rehearsal dinner dresses is beyond me). Then Nic and I resumed the heavy drinking from the night before with HUGE margaritas in Old Town with Mom and Dad. I mean, these things were no fishbowls, but they were pretty substantial. Again, no sun. After gawking at some Mexican wrestling masks (a la Nacho Libre), Nic and I went in search of a grocery store to stock up on some grub (and let's face it, more booze).

I'd like to take a minute to give my opinion on grocery stores. I didn't know how good I had it on the west coast when it came to grocery stores and supermarkets until I got to New York. I miss the days when I could fill up a cart with stuff, completely stock my home with groceries and whatever else I might need (one stop shopping!), and not have to return for another two weeks until it was time to restock. Those days are no more. In New York, one has to practically go to the store every day to purchase food. Sure, there are home delivery opportunities, but they cost, and fresh direct usually isn't so fresh, or direct. The best bet is to only buy what you can carry and return the next day for more. You only buy what you need right then and there. AND, grocery stores never sell liquor, and only sometimes sell wine and beer. When I walked into that Ralph's in San Diego I felt like I was walking into heaven. The largest produce section I had seen in a long time. All of the liquor and beer and wine I could want. An ENTIRE AISLE of cereal. Good lord.

Anyway, we had a little cocktail gathering at our room later that day for some of Nic's friends and co-workers who were in town for a leadership conference, then met up with Alex Moffitt from Naked Voices for a lovely seafood dinner (actually I had a burger. They had seafood). I loved being so close to all of the downtown action in our hotel! The only issue is that it was a little too fratty...like State St. in Santa Barbara on college night. Ah, well.

Thursday: Tux Nightmare

This was the day all of the wedding festivities began. We all met at the Men's Warehouse to pick up our tuxes. We went with MW because we were all coming from across the country, and all we had to do was go to our local MW location, get fitted, and give them the account number that Sean and I set up for the wedding. Then we all got together to pick them up at once. I was a bit nervous going into it because I felt like MW was waiting until the last minute to get us our monkey suits. What happens if something goes wrong? Well, we were about to find out.

Sean, Lynz, and I decided to show up 20 minutes early for the appointment so they could have ample time to pull all of the tuxes for us. It was then that we found out this week was the busiest week of the year for wedding and prom tux rentals. There were probably 20 pubescent high school boys there with their parents, dates, whomever, milling around to pick up their orders. But that was only the first of our worries. All of the tuxes were there except for two: Sean's, and mine. My tux was sent to a different location across town (the store numbers were one digit off, wouldn't ya know it), and Sean's was "still on the truck." He called ahead earlier in the week to confirm everythign would be in order, and they all were "still on the truck." And whose tux would be the most important of all to have, and to have correct? THE GROOMS! They assured us that his tux would be delievered (to the correct store) the next day at 11. So on we went with the day, which concluded with Nic and I attending...

THE BACHELORETTE PARTY. All I will say about the bachelorette party is this: It was a hell of a lot better than the bachelor party. That I organized. I'm not sure what that says...

Friday: Practice Makes Perfect

Friday I met Sean at Men's Warehouse at 11, and low and behold, they didn't have his tux! This is when the snowflake begins to turn into a snowball as the final details and events of the weekend begin and we start to lose control over everything. I still feel bad about the guys who showed up with incomplete tuxes because they had to piece Sean's tux together from other existing orders. But let me tell you, that tux looked pretty sharp on Sean. They did what they could with my tux, reimbursed us for our troubles, and sent us on our way. From there, Nic and I got ready to get to the rehearsal by 4!!

We showed up EARLY to the rehearsal at The Prado in Balboa Park, and as everyone started trickling in the excitement began for the events that were going to ensue. The venue was beautiful, and it was great to see everyone finally together!! Come 4:15, we were all there except for....Sean and Tina. Ugh. I noticed two women walking around with a binder looking at the venue, and could tell that this is a popular spot for weddings and that they too were checking out the venue for a Big Day in the future. Then the younger woman approached my mother and had this conversation:

Woman: Do you have a rehearsal here at 4:30?

Mom: No, it's at 4.

W: Oh. We have one at 4:30...

M: Oh dear. We're just waiting on the bride & groom.

W: Is your reception tomorrow? What time? Is it at 4 or 6? I'm told sometimes they have two ceremonies here on a busy Saturday.

M: Ours is at 6 I believe.

W: Oh, so is ours. Are you in the large or small banquet hall?
M: The large.

W: Shoot, so is ours! It appears as though everything has been double booked! I'm going to go find the venue coordinator and see what is going on. What is the bride's name, so I can tell her?
M: Tina Hanson.

W: OH MY GOD (flips binder around, showing sign saying "Mahoney-Hanson"), I'm Kiley, the wedding planner.

After we all cleaned up the messes we made from soiling our pants over the whole ordeal, Sean and Tina arrived, saying the rehearsal was at 4:30 but they were instructed to tell everyone 4 so we could actually start on time. That's a great idea, except it should also apply to the bride and groom, we were getting a little worried. Needless to say, the rehearsal went well, didn't take too long and wasn't very painful. Then it was time to partaaaay!

The rehearsal dinner was my parent's domain, and took place at the Woman's Rowing Club in San Diego, right on the water. It was a gorgeous, intimate cabin setting, open bar (with Abita Amber and Purple Haze, thankyouverymuch), lots of fun people and fun times! I was getting a bit down on myself because I didn't feel like I was doing much for Sean as his Best Man. I was discussing this with our friend Barbara, who recently got married herself, and she advised me to just let him know that I am there for him if he needs anything. She also recommended that I take his cell phone the day of, to make sure he can focus on the event and not the subsequent stresses, and make sure he remembers to eat and drink before the ceremony, etc. I thought that was very poignant and practical advice, and it really made me feel better about the situation. It was at that moment that I felt a shift and really took charge of my role in their big day. The dinner was capped off by a sweet little toast by Dad and Sean, and we all headed out to continue the celebration! Tina and the bridesmaids went off to Sean & Tina's suite to prepare for the next day, while Sean and a few PACT folks (and our significant others) headed to an awesome rooftop bar to catch up and enjoy the evening.

Saturday - I Do!

The wedding day started off for the guys with a 'groomsmen brunch' at The Tractor House. It was certainly a Man's Brunch with bloody mary's and margaritas, and dishes served in skillets featuring elk, wild boar, and the largest servings of corn bread I have ever seen! We headed back to Shar's apartment and got ready for the ceremony and headed over to the venue! Sean and Tina had a 3PM photo call. Of course everyone was running behind, but thankfully wedding coordinators always take this into account! Sean has some precious moments of adrenaline rushing and anxiety over the day going smoothly...and it did, with the exception of a minor freakout over thinking we lost the rings. :) Everyone had a fantastic time, we ate amazing food, enjoyed the open bar, we danced the night away...I sang for them and read my Best Man speech, both of which were amazingly received. The day couldn't have been more perfect!!

Sunday - Recovery and Wrap-Up

The next morning, we headed over for 'brunch' (Sean and Tina, in my opinion, if it's held before 10AM, it's still breakfast) with the family, and to see S & T off on their honeymoon. We enjoyed a quick meal with them (best way to battle a hangover? Mimosas!), and saw them off. Nic and I tried to convince them that we were going to meet them there, and I think they almost bought it, up until I blew it with a comment like, "I hope you guys don't mind sleeping on the cot we ordered for the room."

After the breakfast, Nora joined Nic and I for an exploration of Coronado Island, one of my favorite areas of San Diego. Sure, it's super touristy, but can you imagine actually living there! It'd probably get a little old having to drive over the bridge every day to get into the city, but it was so beautiful and laid back there. I could get used to it :) We had a fun time invading the souvenier shops and taking photos with the repulsive merchandise and attire they had for sale. After we outstayed our welcome at a few shops, it was back over to the family condo for one last gathering, where my mother spent most of the time trying to stuff beer, snacks, burgers, and leftover wedding cake down our throats. That woman just never wants to end up with anything to take home with her! It was a great evening, everyone really loved Nic (how could you not?), and it was fun coming full circle and ending the trip right where it began.

To Sean & Tina!!

Cue & A: Elie Berkowitz

2009-05-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

Elie Berkowitz is currently the merchandise manager for the national tour of Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story Live On Stage, now at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles.

Full given name: Elisha Daniel Berkowitz

Hometown: San Jose, CA

Zodiac sign: Taurus

Special skills: being awesome

First Broadway show ever saw: The Producers

If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be?: the original West Side Story or Sweeney Todd

Current show you have been recommending to friends: August: Osage County for the .001 percent of people that have yet to see it

Actor whose career you admire the most: Victor Garber- equally adept at drama, comedy, straight and musical acting

Favorite show tune: changes regularly, currently She Cries- Songs for a New World

I love to hate: Why can't we all love each other?

I hate to love: I don't get it.

MAC or PC?: Mac through and through

Most played song on your iPod: Marc Broussard- Hope for Me Yet

Last book you read: A Year of Living Biblically- AJ Jacobs

Must-see TV show: currently The West Wing, I'm deep into season three and haven't come up for air yet

Last good movie you saw: State of Play

Favorite board game: Mousetrap

Performer you would drop everything to go see: Jason Mraz

Pop culture guilty pleasure: E True Hollywood Story (lame, I know)

First stage kiss: The Music Man, age 7

Favorite pre-show meal: an apple and coffee

Favorite post-show meal: egg salad on whole wheat, chocolate milk

Worst onstage mishap: fire alarm went off mid-scene, left onstage alone and "asleep" for 2+ minutes because of someone's missed cue, missed a show entirely while out with friends... so many!

Worst costume ever: any time (of the many times) I've had to wear tights

Cats or dogs?: Dogs, no question

Favorite cereal: Life

Who would play you in the movie?: TR Knight

Gig you’ve enjoyed the most: 365 Days/365 Plays

Your favorite thing about New York: anything you want, any time

Leading role you've been dying to play: George, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

2009 Tony Award Predictions

2009-05-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

Best Play:
Dividing the Estate
God of Carnage
Reasons to be pretty
33 Variations

Who I think will win: God of Carnage
Who I think should win: God of Carnage

While the only show I've seen from this category is Labute's Reasons to be Pretty, the buzz around God of Carnage is such that I think it will take the prize. The only thing standing in its way is the contemporary subject matter...I believe 33 Variations to be less controversial subject matter.

Best Musical:
Billy Elliot, The Musical
Next to Normal
Rock of Ages
Shrek The Musical

Who I think will win: Billy Elliott
Who I think should win: Next to Normal

I think it's terrible that 9 to 5 was not nominated (apparently there are political reasons why it wasn't). While I think Shrek was nominated because of its spectacle, 9 to 5 ranks as high in my book with the quality of the show. Billy Elliott is definitely the favorite to win, but I had some issues with it (I have yet to write a review on it, but plan to! really!). Haven't seen Rock of Ages, but I'm going to agree with the musical theatre purists in terms of nominating such a different theatrical experience (i.e. mixing theatre with a casual drinking atmosphere) for Best Musical. Next to Normal is my favorite show out of the bunch, but everyone I've talked to has said they weren't sure what to make of it the first time they saw it. The subject matter stands in the way, as well as its scale. Billy Elliott should take the prize politically and because of its favoritism in the Broadway world.

Best Book of a Musical:
Billy Elliot, The Musical
Next to Normal
Shrek The Musical

Who I think will win: Billy Elliott
Who I think should win: Next to Normal

Next to Normal is the only original book in the category, but I would rather see it win a music award. While Shrek did a clever job of working in theatrical references, a lot of the lines from the movie stuck (same with 9 to 5 which, oops, wasn't nominated again). Billy Elliott did a seemingly good job adapting the book from the movie as well as the original London production, and is succeeded in conveying the political unrest of the period, as well as the social and familial issues surrounding a boy studying ballet.

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre:
Billy Elliot, The Musical
Next to Normal
9 to 5: The Musical
Shrek The Musical

Who I think will win: Next to Normal
Who I think should win: Next to Normal

Elton John's score for Billy Elliott was not met with rave reviews, and I only liked about half of it myself. It's not the type of score that you really leave the theater humming every tune. 9 to 5's music was fantastic, but Dolly Parton adapted a number of her original songs to fit into the show. And Shrek also did some adapting, but while some of it was a lot of fun, the complexities of the score don't match up to NTN's.

Best Revival of a Play:
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Mary Stuart
The Norman Conquests
Waiting for Godot

Who I think will win: Mary Stuart
Who I think should win: Mary Stuart

This is a complete shot in the dark, as I will not have had the opportunity to see any of these shows before the awards on June 7. All of these shows got positive reviews, but I'd say Mary Stuart has gotten the best, as has the most buzz. The Norman Conquests could also take the prize though, seeing how it is 3 separate plays billed under one name. Very impressive accomplishment.

Best Revival of a Musical:
Guys and Dolls
Hair
Pal Joey
West Side Story

Who I think will win: Hair
Who I think should win: Hair

I have come to care so passionately about the musical revival category for some reason. I feel like a successful musical revival (and the DEFINITION of it) comes along when a show is remounted and reconceived/restructured to appeal to the current generation of theatregoers, rather than simply mimicing the previous production. Therefore, I think that Hair should win over West Side Story. Although the actual material still remains dated, the experience trancends the period in which it was written. The performers and audience are simultaneously aware of its relevance, and it succeeds to convey its message in the current societal setting as well as provide a glimpse at the original production. Is this making any sense?

Best Special Theatrical Event:
Liza’s at The Palace
Slava’s Snowshow
Soul of Shaolin
You’re Welcome America. A Final Night With George W. Bush

Who I think will win: Liza's at The Palace
Who I think should win: You're Welcome America

Sure, she already has a few Tony's of her own, but the return of such a revered Broadway darling should get her another prize. You're Welcome America, on the other hand, mocks our previous Commander In Chief, and while the theater community is comprised of mostly liberal individuals, to award such a production might prove to be too political of a statement.

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play:
Jeff Daniels - God of Carnage
Raul Esparza - Speed-the-Plow
James Gandolfini - God of Carnage
Geoffrey Rush - Exit the King
Thomas Sadoski - Reasons to Be Pretty

Who I think will win: Geoffrey Rush
Who I think should win: Geoffrey Rush

Didn't see Raul Esparza (what? Jeremy Piven wasn't nominated?! ha), but the two male actors in Speed-The-Plow have too much of an equal playing field to pin-point one. Thomas Sadoski was great in Reasons to Be Pretty, but his performance seemed so stylistic that I feel its the only way he knows how to act. I haven't seen God of Carnage, so one actor might stand out above the other, but unless it's an impressively and emotionally charged performance, Geoffrey Rush should take the award for bringing his take on the classic character to life.

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play:
Hope Davis- God of Carnage
Jane Fonda - 33 Variations
Marcia Gay Harden - God of Carnage
Janet McTeer - Mary Stuart
Harriet Walter - Mary Stuart

Who will win: Janet McTeer of Harriet Walter
Who should win: ???

Jane Fonda has a difficult category to stand out in. But perhaps she will because the other women are competing against their fellow castmates...on the other hand, Mary Stuart has had nothing but amazing reviews, and the material seems much more daunting than the contemporary text Davis and Harden deal with in their everyday work.

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical:
David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Gavin Creel - Hair
Brian d’Arcy James - Shrek The Musical
Constantine Maroulis - Rock of Ages
J. Robert Spencer - Next to Normal

Who will win: Brian d'Arcy James
Who should win: Brian d'Arcy James

I've heard mixed things about all of the Billy's, and it's a big deal to give the award to three actors. Plus, the dancing is what is really impressive about their performances, not necessarily the acting or singing. Gavin Creel definitely stands out in Hair, but the show is also such an ensemble effort, he has a lot of support. Bobby Spencer's is not the strongest male performance in his show (in my opinion), and I have not seen Rock of Ages. But I think James deserves the Tony because he really carries the show on his shoulders, and it's a monster (ogre?) of a task. He completely personifies Shrek, so much so that he transforms himself and I frequently forgot who was working so hard under all that padding and makeup. (is it interesting that James also originated Spencer's role in Next to Normal off-Broadway at Second Stage?)

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical:
Stockard Channing - Pal Joey
Sutton Foster - Shrek The Musical
Allison Janney - 9 to 5: The Musical
Alice Ripley - Next to Normal
Josefina Scaglione - West Side Story

Who will win: Alice Ripley
Who should win: Alice Ripley

It's about time. She didn't win the last award she was nominated for, a dual Best Actress nomination with Emily Skinner for Side Show. She is the heart and soul of her show, the standout, and you can see every physical and emotional choice she makes so clearly. This woman is WORKING when she's performing, and the role is such a tour de force for her. While Channing and Janney have the star power on their side, Channing's role didn't stand out as much as Martha Plimptons, Janney has the support of her two co-stars (who also deserve to be nominated and SHOULD have been, btw). Unfortunately, I can't say anything about Scaglione because I haven't seen her perform, but I've heard wonderful things. She is such a newcomer to the scene, however, that I don't think it's going to happen for her this year.

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play:
John Glover - Waiting for Godot
Zach Grenier - 33 Variations
Stephen Mangan - The Norman Conquests
Paul Ritter - The Norman Conquests
Roger Robinson - Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Who will win: Stephen Mangan or Paul Ritter
Who should win: ???

I haven't seen any of these shows yet, but I think one of the two nominees from The Norman Conquests could take it, seeing as how it's a crazy trilogy.

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play:
Hallie Foote - Dividing the Estate
Jessica Hynes - The Norman Conquests
Marin Ireland - Reasons to be pretty
Angela Lansbury - Blithe Spirit
Amanda Root - The Norman Conquests

Who I think will win: Angela Lansbury
Who I think should win: Angela Lansbury

She's ancient by now, but still as spry as she was in her prime, and steals the show! Smells like Tony to me!

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical:
David Bologna - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Gregory Jbara - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Marc Kudisch - 9 to 5: The Musical
Christopher Sieber - Shrek The Musical
Will Swenson - Hair

Who I think will win: Christopher Sieber
Who I think should win: Christopher Sieber

He's been nominated for multiple awards and has been overlooked every time. He spends the entire show on his knees, and deserves some credit for his dedication and creativity with his character. David Bologna is great in Billy, and at some points steals the show, but the main acting tour de force in the cast is Gregory Jbara. He is the other contender for the award, in my opinion. Will Swenson, as I said about Gavin Creel, is nominated for a show that is vastly ensemble related, and Marc Kudisch's performance is muffled by the stellar trio of females he performes with.

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical:
Jennifer Damiano - Next to Normal
Haydn Gwynne - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Karen Olivo - West Side Story
Martha Plimpton - Pal Joey
Carole Shelley - Billy Elliot, The Musical

Who I think will win: Haydn Gwynne
Who I think should win: Haydn Gwynne

Jennifer Damiano is decently solid in Next to Normal, but she is simply too young and inexperienced to win the award. Martha Plimpton was the shining star of Pal Joey, but the entire show was just a lackluster completely. Carole Shelley does not stand out as much as Haydn Gwynne, and I am actually confused and surprised by her nomination. Karen Olivo is also a front runner, but I feel like Gwynne's more extensive resume and role in a higher profile show will get her the award.

Best Scenic Design of a Play:
Dale Ferguson - Exit the King
Rob Howell - The Norman Conquests
Derek McLane - 33 Variations
Michael Yeargan - Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Who will win: 33 Variations
Who should win: ???

Eh, it's just a shot in the dark.

Best Scenic Design of a Musical:
Robert Brill - Guys and Dolls
Ian MacNeil - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Scott Pask - Pal Joey
Mark Wendland - Next to Normal

Who will win: Billy Elliott
Who should win: Guys and Dolls

While I haven't seen Guys and Dolls, I've heard that it is rather glam and glitsy, and it sounds as though it could win. Pal Joey's set was also beautiful and very impressive, but it's lack of color and dated materials may keep it from winning. Next to Normal is a clever and fun set, but its small scale cannot measure up to the other nominees. Billy Elliot's set is technically extremely impressive, but something about its chopiness and contemporary elements made it seem odd to me.

Best Costume Design of a Play:
Dale Ferguson - Exit the King
Jane Greenwood - Waiting for Godot
Martin Pakledinaz - Blithe Spirit
Anthony Ward - Mary Stuart

Who will win: Anthony Ward
Who should win: Anthony Ward

Period pieces and modern designs are almost a given to win costume awards. Mary Stuart should take it.

Best Costume Design of a Musical:
Gregory Gale - Rock of Ages
Nicky Gillibrand - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Tim Hatley - Shrek The Musical
Michael McDonald - Hair

Who will win: Tim Hatley
Who should win: Tim Hatley

The fantastical costumes of Shrek are extremely ornate and elaborate. You can see every dollar of its $24 million budget, which includes its impressive costume designs. Especially compared to the realist designs of punk rock, 80's Ireland, and 70's hippie-chic.

Best Lighting Design of a Play:
David Hersey - Equus
David Lander - 33 Variations
Brian MacDevitt - Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Hugh Vanstone - Mary Stuart

Who will win: ???
Who should win: ???

Ok, the only show I've seen from this category is Equus, and even though the lights were incredibly effective, the sound design of the show was more impressive. If only one technical award is given to the show, it should not be for lighting.

Best Lighting Design of a Musical:
Kevin Adams - Hair
Kevin Adams - Next to Normal
Howell Binkley - West Side Story
Rick Fisher - Billy Elliot, The Musical

Who will win: Hair
Who should win: Next to Normal

Next to Normals lighting design is innovative and effective, but again, the small scale of the show might affect its winning. Hair's design features the most current trents and technology, and perfectly fits the show. West Side Story could also take the prize, but I think Billy Elliots lavish set blocks the lights from shining through.

Best Sound Design of a Play:
Paul Arditti - Mary Stuart
Gregory Clarke - Equus
Russell Goldsmith - Exit the King
Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg - Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Who will win: Gregory Clarke
Who should win: Gregory Clarke

I'm not sure if live and recorded sound count as sound design, but costume, set and sound design blended so well together in Equus. Horses scraping their metal hooves on metal doors of their stables while Alan Strange is having night terrors and mental breakdowns, paired with haunting and hollow whinnies made the eeriness of the show that much more effective. A complete experience.

Best Sound Design of a Musical:
Acme Sound Partners - Hair
Paul Arditti - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Peter Hylenski - Rock of Ages
Brian Ronan - Next to Normal

Who will win: Rock of Ages
Who should win: Next to Normal

Does this category encompass mixing? Rock of Ages is the Broadway equivalent of a rock concert. But the band in Next to Normal is placed all over the stage, and the mixing is incredibly blended mixed so well that they appear to be all playing together in one platform on the stage. There are also multiple mic effects done on the performers to resemble hallucinations and dreams. I don't recall any actual sound cues in any of these shows, so I'm not sure what else to judge the award on.

Best Direction of a Play:
Phyllida Lloyd - Mary Stuart
Bartlett Sher - Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Matthew Warchus - God of Carnage
Matthew Warchus - The Norman Conquests

Who will win: Matthew Warchus
Who should win: Matthew Warchus

God of Carnage and The Norman Conquests are two of the most well-reviewed plays of the year. They are also both London transplants, but so is Mary Stuart. It is interesting that Bartlett Sher is the only American director in the category (and it's a testament to the quality of art that is coming from the West End. So which show will win the award? I think it will most likely go to The Norman Conquests because, you guessed it, it is a trilogy, and a magnificent feat.

Best Direction of a Musical:
Stephen Daldry - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Michael Greif - Next to Normal
Kristin Hanggi - Rock of Ages
Diane Paulus - Hair

Who will win: Diane Paulus
Who should win: Michael Greif

I'm not sure if I'm just really biased toward wanting Next to Normal to win anything possible, or what my deal is, but I think that Michael Greif has done such an amazing job with the evolution of the show, and it is so effective and moving, his vision and direction definitely deserves recognition. Diane Paulus's Hair is also an extremely moving piece and effectively brings the calls for peace from the 70's to today. She could also take the prize.

Best Choreography:
Karole Armitage - Hair
Andy Blankenbuehler - 9 to 5: The Musical
Peter Darling - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Randy Skinner - Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

Who will win: Peter Darling
Who should win: Peter Darling

The most moving moments of Billy is the choreography, and Darling deserves the award. The musical staging is in my opinion the most beautiful part of the show, and Darling masterfully commands the wide array of cast members.

2009 Tony Award Nominations

2009-05-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

Here are the nominees for the 2009 Tony's! Predictions to come soon--

Best Play:
Dividing the Estate
God of Carnage
Reasons to be pretty
33 Variations

Best Musical:
Billy Elliot, The Musical
Next to Normal
Rock of Ages
Shrek The Musical

Best Book of a Musical:
Billy Elliot, The Musical
Next to Normal
Shrek The Musical

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre:
Billy Elliot, The Musical
Next to Normal
9 to 5: The Musical
Shrek The Musical

Best Revival of a Play:
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Mary Stuart
The Norman Conquests
Waiting for Godot

Best Revival of a Musical:
Guys and Dolls
Hair
Pal Joey
West Side Story

Best Special Theatrical Event:
Liza’s at The Palace
Slava’s Snowshow
Soul of Shaolin
You’re Welcome America. A Final Night With George W. Bush

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play:
Jeff Daniels - God of Carnage
Raul Esparza - Speed-the-Plow
James Gandolfini - God of Carnage
Geoffrey Rush - Exit the King
Thomas Sadoski - Reasons to Be Pretty

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play:
Hope Davis- God of Carnage
Jane Fonda - 33 Variations
Marcia Gay Harden - God of Carnage
Janet McTeer - Mary Stuart
Harriet Walter - Mary Stuart

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical:
David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Gavin Creel - Hair
Brian d’Arcy James - Shrek The Musical
Constantine Maroulis - Rock of Ages
J. Robert Spencer - Next to Normal

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical:
Stockard Channing - Pal Joey
Sutton Foster - Shrek The Musical
Allison Janney - 9 to 5: The Musical
Alice Ripley - Next to Normal
Josefina Scaglione - West Side Story

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play:
John Glover - Waiting for Godot
Zach Grenier - 33 Variations
Stephen Mangan - The Norman Conquests
Paul Ritter - The Norman Conquests”
Roger Robinson - Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play:
Hallie Foote - Dividing the Estate
Jessica Hynes - The Norman Conquests
Marin Ireland - Reasons to be pretty
Angela Lansbury - Blithe Spirit
Amanda Root - The Norman Conquests

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical:
Jennifer Damiano - Next to Normal
Haydn Gwynne - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Karen Olivo - West Side Story
Martha Plimpton - Pal Joey
Carole Shelley - Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Scenic Design of a Play:
Dale Ferguson - Exit the King
Rob Howell - The Norman Conquests
Derek McLane - 33 Variations
Michael Yeargan - Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Best Scenic Design of a Musical:
Robert Brill - Guys and Dolls
Ian MacNeil - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Scott Pask - Pal Joey
Mark Wendland - Next to Normal

Best Costume Design of a Play:
Dale Ferguson - Exit the King
Jane Greenwood - Waiting for Godot
Martin Pakledinaz - Blithe Spirit
Anthony Ward - Mary Stuart

Best Costume Design of a Musical:
Gregory Gale - Rock of Ages
Nicky Gillibrand - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Tim Hatley - Shrek The Musical
Michael McDonald - Hair

Best Lighting Design of a Play:
David Hersey - Equus
David Lander - 33 Variations
Brian MacDevitt - Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Hugh Vanstone - Mary Stuart

Best Lighting Design of a Musical:
Kevin Adams - Hair
Kevin Adams - Next to Normal
Howell Binkley - West Side Story
Rick Fisher - Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Sound Design of a Play:
Paul Arditti - Mary Stuart
Gregory Clarke - Equus
Russell Goldsmith - Exit the King
Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg - Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

Best Sound Design of a Musical:
Acme Sound Partners - Hair
Paul Arditti - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Peter Hylenski - Rock of Ages
Brian Ronan - Next to Normal

Best Direction of a Play:
Phyllida Lloyd - Mary Stuart
Bartlett Sher - Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Matthew Warchus - God of Carnage
Matthew Warchus - The Norman Conquests

Best Direction of a Musical:
Stephen Daldry - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Michael Greif - Next to Normal
Kristin Hanggi - Rock of Ages
Diane Paulus - Hair

Best Choreography:
Karole Armitage - Hair
Andy Blankenbuehler - 9 to 5: The Musical
Peter Darling - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Randy Skinner - Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

Best Orchestrations:
Larry Blank - Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
Martin Koch - Billy Elliot, The Musical
Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt - Next to Normal
Danny Troob and John Clancy - Shrek The Musical

Playbill Cue & A: Brian Mahoney

2009-05-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

Playbill.com's Cue & A column comes to "Brian's NYC!"

-Full given name: Brian Timothy Mahoney
-Hometown: Palo Alto, CA
-Zodiac sign: Taurus
-Special skills: Tumbling, Clarinet, being lactose intolerant
-First Broadway show ever saw: Rent, 1998
-If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be?: Aye, so many! Dreamgirls would be one, and on a more sentimental note, Aida with Idina Menzel (had tickets to her first performance, on Sept. 12, 2001.
-Current show you have been recommending to friends: Next to Normal, August: Osage County
-Favorite show tune: I think it changes every day. Right now, "With You" from Pippin

-I love to hate: crocs
-I hate to love: Gossip Girl
-MAC or PC?: I want to be a Mac, but I can't. I just can't!
-Most played song on your iPod: "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles
-Last book you read: "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards
-Must-see TV show: Brothers & Sisters
-Last good movie you saw: The Reader?
-Favorite board game: CRANIUM!
-Performer you would drop everything to go see: Gabriel Mann, Phylicia Rashad, Michael Arden
-Pop culture guilty pleasure: People magazine, Perez Hilton, facebook

-Cats or dogs?: both!

-Favorite cereal: Quaker Oh's, and Honey Nut Cheerios

-First stage kiss: Nora Martin in Tin Pan Ali in 1997, an interpretation of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves set in Chicago in the 20's.
-Favorite pre-show meal: something light involving greens, some throat coat, and NO DAIRY
-Favorite post-show meal: the greasier the better
-Worst onstage mishap: During The Secret Garden, I had to exit stage right (in a bed), run around to stage left while doing a quick change, and enter right away (in a wheelchair). One day, my mic wasn't turned off, and the audience found out exactly how many expletives a "10 year old" could scream in a 25 second period.

-Worst costume ever: A baby onesie for my 7th grade production of "Free to Be, You and Me"
-Who would play you in the movie?: Topher Grace
-Gig you’ve enjoyed the most: west coast premiere of High School Musical as Ryan Evans...
-Your favorite thing about New York: the amazing resources and opportunities at my fingertips
-Leading role you've been dying to play: Seymour in Little Shop, Gordon in A New Brain

Top 7 (couldn't pick just 5!) Subway Pet Peeves

2009-04-14T18:57:00.001-07:00

There is so much going on in the city that I feel compelled to begin a new series of lists compiling my favorite (and not so favorite) things about the city. So let's start with the thing I am most dependent on in the city: the MTA!

7) Inclement Weather ~ I know every subway line runs above ground at some point, but aren't most of the tracks BELOW ground? Why is it that whenever there is a rain or a snowstorm, the subway system goes berzerk?! Maybe it's just the city in general--it's stressful enough traveling in the city when it's raining, snowing, windy, too hot, pretty much anything besides perfect weather. Don't make me late to boot!

6) Loudspeakers ~ We know that things deteriorate over time. But with the amount of maintenance and construction that they are allegedly doing continuously on the MTA (see #1 below), you'd think that we could at least be able to understand the MTA employees when they let us know where the nearest train is to the station, ask them a question at the kiosk, or let us know to 'stand clear of the closing doors.' But often times we need to hear things twice, even three times before we can understand the words that are coming from the crackling, busted loudspeakers. Then again, it could very well just be the employees themselves.

5) Out of Date Advertisements ~ When I first moved to the city, I saw a public service advertisement on the train discussing the need for eyeball donors, and how everyone should do it because Broadway legend Jerry Orbach did it. I was disturbed at the thought of someone walking around with Jerry Orbach's eyeballs (or anyone else's than their own, for that matter). Almost exactly a year later, I saw the same advertisement. And almost a year later, I was equally as disturbed. I also don't care what the dates of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular were. It's April.

4) Panhandlers/Performers ~ Is it weird that I don't mind homeless people begging for money as much as I am perturbed when someone interrupts my music, magazine, or book with a performance? I've witnessed some amazingly awful as well as some awfully amazing entertainment on the subway. But let tell all of you entertainers something: I don't want to hear your mariachi rendition of "Feliz Navidad" or "La Bamba," your best take on "The Impossible Dream" or "No One" by Alicia Keys, and I ESPECIALLY don't want you to tell me to get out of the way because you don't want to knock in to me when you break dance in the middle of the subway car. Save it for the platforms!

3) Gross Bad Habits ~ Subways are not the place to urinate, vomit, pick your nose, clip and/or file your nails, or launch snot rockets. I'm grossed out that I even need to say that.

2) Poor Boarding Etiquette ~ How am I supposed to get out of the subway car if you don't wait for me to disembark before you come plowing on? Trust me, it will be much easier to board the train if you wait for me to get off first.

And my NUMBER 1 NYC Subway pet peeve is...

1) Construction ~ It was one of the main reasons Ashley and I moved out of the Upper East Side (thanks, 2nd Ave. subway line!), and it's also the reason I'm usually late to work brunch on the weekend. You'd think when they take an entire subway line off the track to work on it, they would put more cars on other tracks. Nope. It just means you'd better start naming the rats you meet on the platforms, because you're going to be there for a long time.

Defying Inequality

2009-03-09T12:49:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to work as a PA (Production Assistant for those not inclined in the entertainment lingo) at Defying Inequality, a celebrity benefit for marriage equality at the Gershwin Theater. The event was jam packed with celebrity appearances and performances from many Broadway and Off-Broadway casts. Brian and I assisted our friend Jason, a Stage Manager on Wicked, all day, and I do mean ALL DAY (we arrived at 9:30am, I peaced out at 11:30pm, before the show even ended!). But it was such an amazing opportunity to get to work on an event that I felt so passionately about. (click the link above to see the list of amazing performers I spent the day with!)

We started the day with sound checks, which lasted most of the morning and afternoon. Brian, another friend Sean, and I rangled performers and speakers throughout the day, and at night we stuck by Jason and fellow Stage Manager Christy, mostly watching the event from backstage but also retrieving microphones, providing light for performers entering and exiting the stage, and making sure thigns were going smoothly from behind the scenes.

While the day was ridiculously draining and exhausting, I am so appreciative I was able to participate in this important event, and I was blown away by the amount of support and appreciation from all sides about the cause. I think we succeeded in heightening the sense of awareness and support of the importance of marriage equality on the other coast!

Check out some videos from the event:
The Dream:

Purple Haze (The Color Purple nat'l tour):

Stephanie J. Block:

Shoshana Bean:

Snow, Snow, Go Away follow-up: Escaping the Gloom

2009-02-24T18:55:00.000-08:00

I find myself wanting to escape the city, like, every weekend.

Thankfully, I'm not alone and whenever we can, we make plans to leave. In a few weeks, we'll escape for a few days to Boston to visit Elie, and while it won't be much warmer (or any warmer) than NYC, who cares?! At least we're escaping the humdrum and the gloom of our everyday routines.

Last week, Nic and I escaped to Disney World for, um, President's Day. Oh, and Valentine's Day. While it was an extremely un-relaxing and whirlwind vaca, it is exactly what I needed to be able to survive the last leg of this unhappy winter.

Saturday night after both of us had to work a full day, we trecked out to JFK via the A train (btw, don't forget to give yourself an extra hour to get out to the airport so you don't almost miss your plane. think you factored that hour in? add another one.) and arrived in Orlando at 11PM. By the time we got to our hotel it was midnight and we didn't get to sleep until about 2AM (because seriously, we're at DISNEY!).

After only about 4 hours of sleep we awoke and bussed it out to the Animal Kingdom. We stayed at the Dolphin resort, located right off the Disney Boardwalk, Hollywood Studios and Epcot. But to get anywhere else, we had to be bussed around. So after arriving at the Animal Kingdom at 9AM when the park opened, we enjoyed exploring all of the attractions, including Expedition: Everest, Disney Worlds answer to the Matterhorn. It was here that we were taken aback by the number of amazing fashion mistakes, prompting us to document as many as we possibly could on film. Among our favorites were crocs with mickey cutouts in them (you can also bedazzle crocs with different jewels, did you know that?), mullets, and a poor little girl who didn't realize her skirt was tucked into her underwear.

We were able to take a break in the middle of the day to nap and relax, since we had extended hours in the Magic Kingdom for staying on property. We had a romantic dinner and headed into the Magic Kingdom at 10PM, in time to catch the tail end of the Electrical Light Parade (or ELP, as Brian Curl exclaimed). It was there that we waited in line for the longest that we did the entire trip: 30 minutes for Space Mountain, right before the park closed at midnight. We had been joking about people who get fast passes thinking they are really smart and beating the system, while we had fast passes ourselves for another ride, causing us to have to wait in the stand-by line. So this guy comes traipsing down the fast pass line screaming "Fast Pass is the greatest thing in the world!" Yeah, fast forward to him eating it a few feet later. Karma, bitch, karma. We stayed in the Magic Kingdom until 2AM (it was open until 3), and we literally walked onto every ride in the park. We almost had our own train on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, our own boat on Pirates of the Caribbean, and our own log on Splash Mountain. Overall, I really enjoyed the rides in the Magic Kingdom more than Disneyland, but they'll always have a special place in my heart no matter what.

The next day we slept in (and I needed it, as I came down with a nast-nast cold), and headed over the Hollywood Studios. Not much going on in that park, except for the Tower of Terror and Aerosmith's Rockin' Roller Coaster. Those rides ROCKED! There's a lot of shows and street performances going on, as well as a whole Pixar area, which would have been great, if I were 9.

Then it was on to Epcot for some world travels and drinking. Around the world. My new favorite Disney pasttime. Here's how it worked: Start in Mexico, grab a margarita. Then sake in Japan. Wine in France. Prosecco in Italy. Coladas in Morocco. Bass Ale in England, Another margarita in Mexico. Liquor tea in China. Lager in Germany. More beer in Canada. Skip Norway, 'cause there's nuthin' there. Have another margarita to make up for it. I guess Epcot had some other fun things to offer, but let's be honest, it was all about the World Pavilion. We finished the night with a fireworks and laser light show, which was not as exciting as the Twirl Mania show we caught at Epcot the day before (picture a 10 year old boy drop a baton during a showcase and run off-stage. Enter host of the show with "Can't you just see him on the field at Ohio State?" Yeah, being hate-crimed lady. At what point do you steer your child in a different direction?).

The next day was nice and relaxing with us taking a monorail tour of the various resorts located near the Magic Kingdom. It was amazing to see more of what the resort has to offer, and I can't wait for my next visit, but hopefully next time it will be longer than just two days!

Obsession of the Week

2009-02-06T21:44:00.000-08:00

THIS VIDEO:

Sara Bareilles, Gravity

If you haven't heard this song before, you're welcome.

I'm a sucker for this song. And I'm a sucker for music videos done in one shot! I'M OBSESSED!

Recession Obsession

2009-02-03T07:13:00.000-08:00

I recently heard a statistic that there are fifteen cities in the world whose cost of living is more expensive than New York. Can this be accurate (can it, Cash Cab? Can it?!)?

Regardless of its ranking it's no doubt that NYC is an incredibly pricey city, and the economy is starting to hit the city rather hard. What appears to be taking out more Wall St. players every day is trickling down to even the lowly food industry employees and actors such as myself.

When the financial situation first started going south, no one at my restaurant was extremely worried, as we seem to have a loyal customer base, and our restaurant is surprisingly affordable given its close proximity to Times Square. But it has been proven that because we are an individually owned restaurant (as opposed to the vast corporate monster of my previous place of employment), the slightest change in business affects our numbers. Add to the economic crisis the usual slow winter business, and the results can be quite crippling, like last week when our sales were down a full 50%. Luckily we have Mardi Gras coming in the next few weeks which can be the single best selling day of the year for us, being a New Orleans themed establishment. Business supposedly picks up steadily through the summer after Fat Tuesday, so hopefully the trend will continue, despite everyone wanting to pinch their pocket books.

Then there's the theater scene. January 13 was referred to as 'Black Tuesday,' as it was the first playing date after nine Broadway/Off-Broadway shows closed on Sunday, January 11. And while I have read that despite the crunch, nearly every Broadway venue is booked for the spring, making this one of the busiest theater seasons in recent Broadway history, the general outlook remains grim. In addition, there is a rise in the number of regional theaters shutting down due to lack of funds (AMTSJ, Magic Theater) and an ever increasing number of regional houses facing dire financial crises (Paper Mill, North Shore), thereby forcing them to reduce their seasons, or cancel productions altogether. Paired with the tightening of shows on Broadway, there are now more out of work actors vying for fewer roles in fewer shows. Auditions are fewer and far between, and they are always packed. Even some Equity members wait hours and may not even be seen, let alone non-union folks. The one good thing we have going for us is the increasing desire to use non-union talent in an effort to save money (lower salaries!). I think it is safe to say we will be seeing more and more small-scale show like The Story of My Life and Hair, and fewer grandiose blockbusters like Shrek and 9 to 5, whose financial success still remains to be proven (and again, small shows, fewer roles, less work).

But as someone who plans to start his own theater company in the not-too-distant future, I have to hold my head up high and be confident that I am being given a valuable opportunity to partake in the reinvention and resurgence of the theater community. Having the industry evolve like this could mean more fruitful opportunities for me and my career aspirations. It may be a tough road to hoe now to continue in my endeavors as an artist in the NY theater community, but sticking it through and continuing to give it my all will only make me stronger and more confident that i have to knowledge, sill, and experience from my time in NY to create and maintain a successful theater company, no matter what obstacles I am faced with.

Snow, Snow, Go Away

2009-01-28T17:53:00.000-08:00

I never used to even see snow, except on the mountain tops far, far away. I went skiing twice, and after falling and hurting my knee (which still hurts from time to time, btw), I gave that up too. I think I might have treaded on some snow one spring break in college while visiting the New Hampshire Mahoney's, but until I moved to NYC, my exposure to the snow was limited. And I didn't mind it!

I didn't write about the snow last year, mostly because there wasn't a lot of it. Ashley and I explored Central Park after a snow storm in late winter last year, but I never even posted the pics on my blog! I'm not the best on comparing present seasons to seasons past, but people seem pretty annoyed at the winter weather so far this year!

The thing about snow is it's pretty until about an hour in, when it starts piling up and mixing with the dirt and mud and grime of the city. Then comes the sludge and nastiness that I have come to think about when I picture urban snowstorms. And on streetcorners, the snow and water pile up so you can't tell how deep or murky the puddles are on the curbs. Fast forward to yours truly almost losing a foot to hypothermia. Last year Ash and I witnessed a baby be sacrificed to the sludgy curb puddles, which was actually quite funny, but also tragic! So what do people do? Salt the sidewalks with chemical salt, which for the poor pups of the city does a number on their paws (take Nola, for instance, who has to wear rubber booties every time she leaves the house. She loves them. Not!). And unless the snow is shoveled off the sidewalks quickly, the snow has a tendency to
freeze over and the sidewalk becomes a literal ice rink, which is even MORE fun to walk on.

I remember being ready for the cold in the height of the summer when I couldn't walk a block without sweating. Now, I can't wait for it! The moral of the story: I love spring and fall!

I'm Baaaaaaack!

2009-01-28T17:47:00.000-08:00

New look, new ambition. I'm back!

You're Welcome...

2008-10-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

Heidi Blickenstaff singing "A Way Back to Then" from [title of show]

Title/Artist/Album/Duration/Genre

2008-10-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

Have you ever left something on an airplane? Like in the little pocket in the back of the seat in front of you? I’m not talking like a water bottle that scrunches up from the pressure change, a balled up napkin with some gum spit into it, or a copy of Cosmo you didn’t get the chance to read because you were too busy pretending not to watch “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” Twice.

I’m talking something more valuable, like, oh, say an IPOD. ‘Cause that’s definitely what I did after flying on Air Berlin to Paris from Munich. Woops. And I didn’t notice that I left it on the plane until the next morning when we boarded a plane to head back to New York and I couldn’t find the gadget in my bag.

I was sad. And angry. At myself.

Nic was amazing and while I just sort of gave up because, let’s face it, an iPod is one thing you don’t expect to get back after leaving it, well, anywhere, he emailed the airline and got some contact info for the Lost & Found department at the Paris Orly airport. Apparently anything found left behind on planes are turned in and held for one week at the office, and who knows what happens to them after that. So I called. I failed. I couldn’t figure out how to make an international phone call (even though I had just traveled internationally for a week!). Thanks to Dad, I finally was able to get a hold of someone at Lost & Found, and guess what…

…they had my iPod. WHAT?! This sort of thing doesn’t happen. To anyone. Let alone to me. I’m the guy who is always sitting behind someone who reclines their seat for the entire flight, and who sits behind someone with a cold who is coughing and sneezing on me constantly. I’m the guy who is always randomly selected to have a full cavity inspection while going through security, and whose bag is always the last to come off the plane (if it’s not lost entirely). So you can bet when the lady said, “Monsieur, you are very lucky, we have your iPod,” I believed her.

She said she would hold it for me, to which I said, “Yeeeeah, can you send it to the U.S. for me?” She said she could only send it to New York on a flight with L’Avion airlines (“Perfect! That’s where I live!”), and that I could pick it up at the baggage claim in Terminal B at the Newark Airport at 8:40 that night (I didn’t tell her that Newark was actually in New Jersey, not New York, and yes that makes a HUGE difference in my patience level, I was just happy to be getting my iPod back!). I hung up, elated, and then immediately realized I had absolutely no idea what to do or where to go once I got to the baggage claim that evening. Not knowing if my iPod would just be waiting on the turnstile for me when I arrived, or if I had to say the magic word at an office (although I narrowed those passwords down to “please, now, Sarah Palin, and poop.”), I decided to call the airport to get some more info. I found out after calling the main operator that L’Avion doesn’t have a baggage claim office in the airport, and she had no idea what I should do and how I would get my iPod back. Grrrreeat.

I’d like to interrupt here to say that ‘L’Avion’ means ‘the plane’ in French. So L’Avion Airlines means ‘The Plane Airlines.’ A little redundant, no?

So then, slightly started to freak out, I called the main 1-800 number for L’Avion Airlines. Well, not only did I thoroughly not enjoy their muzak (which was more like static mixed with a baby screaming mixed with the reggae I listen to at 8AM outside my window every Sunday morning), but the jem of an operator who absolutely LOVED her job told me that L’Avion airlines absolutely does not send parcels on their flights for non-passengers. So now I feel severely lead-on and even less convinced that I am going to get my iPod back than I was when I first discovered it was missing. Having tried getting back in touch with the Mademoiselle from the Lost & Found, to no avail, I decided to bite the bullet and head out to Newark airport in search of my music.

Did I mention it was a limited edition U2 iPod?

After taking the subway to Penn Station, where I took a train to the AirTrain, which took me to Terminal B (it’s not very cute), I wandered around looking for my iPod. It didn’t help that I was 30 minutes early for the arrival of the alleged flight that my alleged iPod was allegedly on. Allegedly. So I bounced around from employee to employee, to information kiosk to employee. I even asked the people at the Starbucks. They didn’t know anything about my missing iPod. I ended up in the L’Avion lounge, where a sweet, 19-something French girl told me she was only responsible for checking people’s tickets who come into the lounge. She also told me that I may have better luck at the check-in counter two floors up. And that because I didn’t have a ticket, I had to leave. Back up the ugly escalators I went to the Level 4, where I patiently waited my turn amongst passengers on the next L’Avion flight. When I finally got up to the counter, here was the convo I had:Me: “Hi, um, I have a really weird question. I am expecting something from the Lost & Found at the Paris Orly airport on one of your flights, and…”

L’Avion Dude: “Oh, is it a box?”

Me: “Um, I think so. I mean, yes.”

L’Avion Dude: “Yeah, the flight’s not here yet, and they have to check the box through customs, so it’ll be a while.

Having felt like I found the fountain of youth, the cure for cancer, Britney’s sanity, or Lindsay’s heterosexuality, I was clearly elated and didn’t mind waiting. An hour and a half later I returned to the ticketing counter, and was handed a surprisingly large shipping box. I shuffled over to the nearest trashcan, removed the contents of the box (a large manila envelope, packed securely into the box with, you guessed it, toilet paper) and attempted for 5 minutes to stuff the box through the tiny hole in the top of the trashcan (probably the most painstaking part of this whole story). Inside the manila envelope was a smaller envelope, and inside that smaller envelope was, yep, MY IPOD, totally unscathed, and practically fully charged, right in the middle of “A Way Back To Then” from [title of show], the last song I was listening to!

I feel like I have been hit with some ridiculous piece of good karma. I always let people go through the door before I do, pick things up for people they drop, give excess change back to cashiers when they give me too much back, and things like that which are supposed to bring you good karma somewhere down the road. I think I cashed it in at the Newark Airport. I also feel like I need to send thank you cards and emails to Air Berlin, L’Avion, and the Mademoiselle at the Paris Orly Airport every day until I die.

And you should know, I listened to music on my iPod the entire time I was typing this.

Nic & Brian's European Adventure!

2008-10-06T13:20:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a week long trip to Berlin, Munich, and Paris with Nic, where we celebrated our friends completing the Berlin marathon, took in Oktoberfest, and got lost in the streets of Paris! It was fantastic!

Our trip began in Berlin, where we met up with Anna, Buffy, Kat, Colin, and John, Nic's friends (and mine!) from work. We took in the fun of the Biergartens and caught up and heard all about the marathon! Anna, Colin, and John had competed earlier that day, and I could not believe they were still alive, let alone drinking and socializing! The next day, although the three runners were a bit sore and slow-moving, we caught in the sites of the city, visiting the Brandenburger Tor (gate between East/West Berlin), the Reichstag (main government building), walking along the river, visting a memorial to the jewish community, and the Fernsehturm (a giant satelite tower with a pretty park surrounding it). The second day in Berlin was more sight seeing, consisting of the Berlinerdome (beautiful church and dome), the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedachtniskirche (a church demolished in WWII), and finally the Gendarmenmarkt (a beautiful square in the heart of the city).

Early the next morning it was off to Munich for Nic and I, while the rest of the group went off to visit Anna's hometown, Augsburg. Nic and I visited Marienplatz, the city center complete with a giant clocktower, fountain, and shopping area. We enjoyed some fresh-brewed litres at a local restaurant, just enjoying our time together. The next day we were joined by Anna, Buffy, John, Colin, and Kat in Munich, and after hosting a European cocktail party (Nic and I can't get enough of our cocktail parties), we were off to take in the Oktoberfest festivities! We traveled to the Theresienwiese, the fairgrounds which houses all of the beer houses, games, rides, and biergartens. We walked around, found a fun biergarten and had possibly a few too many litres of beer (don't worry, we spread them out over the course of the evening!). John and I rode the Looping Munchen, a roller coaster with 5 loops, each painted up to look like an olympic ring. It was not the safest thing we've ever done, but was a ton of fun! Later in the evening John, Kat, Nic, and I rode the Star Flyer, a giant swing ride which lifts the riders up high in the air for an amazing view of the fairgrounds, and the city! After stumbling back to our hotel, we had a late morning the next day, followed by more exploring around Marienplatz, and a second night at Oktoberfest. Oy!

The next day Nic and I bid adieu to our friends and stole away to Paris for the last day of our trip. We wandered through the streets of the city up to Sacre Coeur, my family's seemingly favorite site of the city, and I enjoyed sharing it with Nic. We had a great picnic up on the hill, complete with baguette sandwiches, Bordeaux, and an amazing view of the city! Then it was wandering (aka getting lost) back to the hotel, and then later dinner and an evening stroll to check out the Eiffel Tower lit up at night. We had a fantastic day, and it was a great end to an amazing trip!

So, thanks for reading, and now it's back to life and back to the grind!

[title of show] is the Brilliant Theater I Live For

2008-10-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while a show comes along whose brilliance boggles my mind and forces me to not stop thinking about it, well, for weeks, even when you go on European vacations and weeks and illnesses and stresses and work passes. [title of show] is one of those shows.

It's sad that the show posting its closing notice is what caused me to finally get my ticket to see the show. Nic and I checked it out a few days before we left for Europe, and even though I had a terrible flu, the show was still my favorite theatrical experience since I moved to the city.

The simplicity of the show is partly what makes it so smart and brilliant...seemingly taking natural conversations about creating a show, and creating a show with them. Yes, that's right. This show is a musical about the process of writing the musical the actors are performing. The heart and honesty encompassing this show is so moving and sweet, with the four performers and accompanist having been attached to the show through a workshop production, off-broadway run, and then Broadway run.

The fact that this show is not marketable enough for a long-term, lucrative open-ended Broadway run does not mean that it is not a success. This show partly succeeds in re-inventing the face of Broadway theater while at the same time honoring the history of musical thater and showcasing what musical theater is all about. Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell, the stars and creators of the piece, along with fellow performers Heidi Blickenstaff and Susan Blackwell have managed to provide their audiences night after night that we will all remember for a long time to come, no matter how long their run is.

13: JRB's New Musical!

2008-10-06T12:25:00.000-07:00

I love me some Jason Robert Brown! He is my favorite contemporary composer, and I checked out his new Broadway show, 13, while it was still in previews! I am not sure my review of the show is accurate to the current state of the show, as we saw the show at the beginning of previews, but there were definitely some interesting things going on there!

The cast of the show consists of thirteen teenagers (thirteen year olds, if you will), with the band consisting of teenagers as well! The amount of young talent on the stage is astonishing. I only wish that the show was able to showcase more of it!

First there's the plot, which seemed a bit trivial, trite, and shallow. But should we expect more from a story about thirteen year olds? It was fluffy enough to be entertaining, but they were also clearly trying to reach a level of depth that they just weren't achieving.

Then there's the music. Shows of JRB's like The Last 5 Years and Songs For A New World are completely filled with memorable songs and passages, while shows like Parade have some showstoppers and memorable songs, but others serve as plot enhancing numbers. 13 is much like that kind of show. Not that there's anything wrong with that. The music that JRB has written was my favorite part of the show!

The cast, as I said before is ridiculously talented, yet underutilized. So underutilized, in fact, that they added an encore after the curtain call where ensemble members who did very little in the show were showcased vocally and with choreography. It was all very impressive and entertaining, but I felt like it was also excessive and unnecessary. I'm sad that the show was not turned into more of an ensemble piece with the amount of talent on the stage. I found myself thinking "Where was this girl for the last two hours?!" a lot, and also thinking "I'm really glad these kids are awesome tappers, but this little dance break is just out of place."

Reflecting back on the show, I appreciate JRB for being able to showcase these ridiculously talented young performers, but the show lacks the durability, longevity, and the depth to take it very far. We'll see how popular and long lasting it is! Hopefully it will at least reach its teenage stages!

Let's get this out of the way

2008-07-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, when you get too busy with life to find time to write about it, you end up putting it off even longer because you just have too much to write about. So let's just get it out of the way. Here's my whole life update since the last time:

Sort of forgot this thing existed. Actually, I never forgot it existed, I just keep putting off updating it because thinking about my lack of updating has become a thorn in my side. The last update I did on something going on in my life was on May 20, when the crane around the corner from my apartment collapsed on the street. While foot and street traffic has resumed near the intersection of 91st and 1st, construction has not resumed, and the Duane Reade at the foot of the accident remains closed. Perhaps the easiest thing to do is to sum up my life in a series of bullet points, and see where that takes us?

I made my New York theatrical debut in June with a reading of a new play based on the children’s book Gossamer. It was produced through New Plays For Young Audiences, an annual reading series put on my NYU’s Educational Theatre Graduate program. The process lasted only one week, with rehearsals Sunday through Friday, and performances Saturday and Sunday. It was an incredibly enriching and rewarding experience to get to work with the writer of the novel, who adapted the story for the stage. It was nourishing as an actor to have any answers or challenges to my questions at any time, she knew the characters and situations so well. Aside from that, though, the show lacked something. Something big, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. True commitment to the project, dedication and heart, perhaps? The reading ended up staged, a compilation of ideas for a full staged production which our director would be putting on at his children’s theater company in the fall. He seemed more concerned with the actual script than anything that we were doing, which was frustrating at best. The other actors were cool, I guess, but I really only feel like I got along well with one, and of course we didn’t share any of the same scenes! Needless to say, only Ashley, Sean, and Tina were invited to the reading. Not the best experience for my NYC debut, but it was work. I have to keep telling myself that.

I have moved on from my situation at Vento, and am now serving at a New Orleans/Cajun joint called the Delta Grill in Hell’s Kitchen, on 9th Ave. at 48th St. It’s a bit more divey than my last restaurant, but the money is comparable, and consistent, which is the most important thing! I work half the amount of hours in a restaurant that is a quarter of the size. It’s pretty amazing. Brian got me the job, and so far it is so much more relaxing, I’m having a lot of fun, and I’m able to focus my concentration on many other more important things. Vento became more than the survival job it was intended to be, and it was time for a change.

With more time on my hands, Thursdays have been Tier 1’s (my merchandiser friends from Wicked) weekly outing to central park to lay out in the sun, catch up, and enjoy each other’s company. We even got a visit from our very own Ranger Jack, a fellow Tier 1-er. Check out the picture, and see the fun you are missing.

I've been seeing someone special recently, but it's still young and it's exciting, so that's all I'm going to say about it.

In the middle of August, Ashley and I will be moving out of our apartment on 93rd St. We're definitely ready for the change, because the construction around our neighborhood is just so unbearable. They moved the construction back to the other side of the street again, which is nice because we can now only hear the drilling, and not feel it as much in the apartment. But it also means we have to listen to more traffic, honking, etc. Unfortnately, we will not be moving into an apartment together. Ashley works from home, and I feel I have become increasingly distracting to her being productive, so we are moving into situations that will hopefully better suit us, so she will have a more peaceful work environment during the day (and be in a totally cooler neighborhood!), and I will be moving in with a dear old friend, Ryan Murray, who is much further along in his development as a Broadway performer than I am. My new place is in Harlem, which is much more accessible to the rest of the city than the UES. I am confident that this is a right decision for us both, and while we will miss seeing each other on a daily basis, we are ending our relationship as roommates on extremely amicable terms.

Last weekend I traveled to California to attend Heather Vaughan's wedding! It was a beautiful and poignant ceremony, simple yet elegant, followed by a casual reception at a nearby reception hall. A few of us former Nakeds got together and sang "Artichoke" (with Heather singing Alana's solo, dedicating the lyrics such as "my my you're just like egg" and "dip you in the butter" to her new husband!), which was a ton of fun, and I enjoyed seeing everyone and celebrating Mike and Heather's special day!

Let's hope I can be better about coming up with funny, clever, and interesting things to write about!

In the Heights doesn't go as high as it could

2008-07-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Ash's 24th Birthday, we took in the 2008 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, In The Heights. The show's creator, Lin Manuel Miranda (who also stars), began writing it in college at Wesleyan University, and it was picked up for Broadway after a successful run off-Broadway.

The first Broadway show Miranda saw was Rent, and the parallels between the two are plenty and obnoxious. The book is by no means perfect. That said, the show has so much heart, originality, talent, and unique messages, the overall experience is one of moving proportions.

We saw Miranda's understudy, which was unfortunate only for the name. The role's understudy, Javier Munoz, was competitent and quirky as Usnavi, a bodega owner off the 181st st. A train stop in Washington Heights. He caters to a cast of regulars, including Benny (Christopher Jackson, a talented and believable leading man), Kevin and Camilla (Carlos Gomez and Priscilla Lopez), parents to Nina, a student returning from her first year at Stanford, Vanessa (Karen Olivo) and her coworkers at a neighboring salon (the hilarious diva Andrea Burns and a squeaky Janet Dacal). Usnavi yearns for Vanessa, while Benny and Nina have a budding romance, much to the chagrin of Nina's parents. Nina selfishly declines her parents generosity to allow her to stay at Stanford for most of the show, while Abuela Claudia (played passionately and flawlessly by Olga Merediz) wins the lottery, but experiences a predictable plot twist which may inhibit her from reaping the benefits of the winnings. The best part of the show for me was Sonny, Usnavi's younger cousin who helps run the bodega (Robin de Jesus). His character hilariously satirizes the stereotypes of a Washington Heights teen. Add about 10 stellar pop and hip hop performers in the ensemble, and you have yourself an amazingly poignant, modern, moving piece of theater?

So what was there to dislike? Well, its predictability, for one. I felt like I was 20 minutes ahead of the show at all times. Beyond the poor writing, a few of the casting choices threw me off, mostly because of the ages of the performers. An actress who looks 30 is playing 19, and gets together with a guy who also looks 30 but his age is never revealed? An actress who looks 19 is playing 19, and gets together with an actor who looks 30 but we're not sure how old he is supposed to be? Inconsistent and confusing, it seems as though there were some sort of obligations that needed to be upheld in the transfer from Off-Broadway.

The book is the weakest part of the show. Inconsistencies with subject matter such as references to the elevated trains that don't exist in Washington Heights and the sea at Stanford (at least 45 minutes away! And nobody uses 'weekend' as a verb and talks about their cabins, aka mansions, in tahoe!). It was painfully apparent that this was a first time attempt at playwrighting.

A few direction choices left me unsatisfied as well. During numbers that served as character development, actors are blocked to cross down center and sing in a tight spot. This is a great idea to further the appreciation of the script and story (and we already know what I think of the book), but the actors seemed to have been directed to be so subdued that they lessened the theatrical power of the moment. It is a prime example of something that should have been addressed as the show made its leap from 37 Arts, a tiny Off-Broadway developmental venue, to a huge theater such as the Richard Rogers, and wasn't. And the heightened emotional moments of Act II were blown over and passed through, preventing the show from having the same emotional impact as the one whose structure it was seemingly designed after (Rent). It had so much potential to be much more moving and poignant than it actually was. It has so much going for it, but unfortunate shortcomings such as its book and direction keeps it from reaching its full potential. And now, because it has won the Tony Award and achieved its stride on Broadway, it is set in stone and never will.

Um, but I liked it overall.

2008 Tony's Reaction

2008-06-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

Well, another season on Broadway is over, and nothing really surprised me about last night's awards.

Whoopi was fantastic as host. Her interspersed skits and routines were brilliant, and kept the show fresh and funny. She is quickly joining the ranks of memorable and capable awards show hosts of our generation.

The opening with The Lion King performing "Circle of Life" has been seen time and time again all over the place, and was just as unthrilling as it has become recently. But kudos to them for being open 10 years....it's still a theatrical spectacle, in terms of visual arts.

Other performances were interesting, but mostly unthrilling. Is that because I've seen most of them? The RENT performance proved how tired the show has become, with the awkward "La Vie Boheme" performance totally trumped by the OBC's "Seasons of Love" reprise. The commentary in the middle was quite moving, though. I don't like the combination of the full and reprise of "Part of Your World" that they've been having Sierra Boggess perform everywhere. She has such a great belt, and they do away with it and have her change keys and go into her head voice at the end of the reprise. Good exposure for her, and the show I suppose, though. In The Heights had a strange song selection, but was fun to watch (seeing the show next week, I can't wait!!). Passing Strange and Sunday in the Park with George was weird and unthrilling, too. I liked the South Pacific performace, though. And Cheyenne Jackson rocked it out in the Xanadu performance. Everything else was kind of as I expected it to be.

As far as the awards go, nothing surprised me! I'm happy for Laura Benanti, Deanna Dunagan, Rondi Reed, and Lin Manuel Miranda for winning awards for their work. I think it's great. I didn't particularly like how they combined so many awards, like they weren't important enough (CHOREOGRAPHY?! BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL?! BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY?!). But I suppose having a 4 hour awards ceremony is too much for television...

I'm sad that Curtis Holbrook didn't get to perform with Xanadu, and found it interesting that Tamyra Gray performed with RENT, even though she did her last performance earlier in the day. I'm also bummed Christopher Fitzgerald got snubbed for Frankenstein, and would have loved to see Raul Esparza go home with an award. But there are always politics and upsets that play into awards shows like this, so what can you do!!

Next season it will be all Shrek and Billy Elliott and Godspell and crazy stuff like that! Here's to another year of Broadway!

2008 Tony Award Predictions

2008-06-16T11:14:00.001-07:00

*I edited this post and included the winners with an asterisk, just for your reference!! :)

Best Play:
*August: Osage County
Rock N’ Roll
The Seafarer
The 39 Steps

Who Will Win: August
Who Should Win: August

It won the Pullitzer, for chrissakes (and it’s one of the two that are still open)!

Best Musical:
*In The Heights
Passing Strange
Cry Baby
Xanadu

Who Will Win: In The Heights
Who Should Win: In The Heights

In The Heights is re-inventing the Broadway musical with their hip-hop, latin score. Never before seen on Broadway. Passing Strange is new and different as well, and is possibly the dark horse of the competition, but does not necessarily showcase the qualities necessary to win Best Musical. Cry Baby is a weak show, and Xanadu is great, but isn’t done on an explosive scale like Heights or Passing.

Best Book of a Musical:
Cry Baby
Xanadu
*Passing Strange
In The Heights

Who Will Win: In The Heights
Who Should Win: Xanadu

Xanadu’s book is the best part of the show, so I feel like it SHOULD get some recognition, but I’m not sure it will. In The Heights is the strongest contender, especially considering the story of the creation and development of the show!

Best Original Score:
Cry Baby
*In The Heights
Little Mermaid
Passing Strange

Who Will Win: In The Heights
Who Should Win: In The Heights

Cry Baby’s lyrics are clever, but their music doesn’t compare. Passing Strange could take this prize if the voters want to give them some recognition, but Heights will be on fire.

Best Revival of a Play:
*Boeing-Boeing
The Homecoming
Les Liaisons Dangereux
Macbeth

Who Will Win: Boeing-Boeing
Who Should Win: Macbeth

I’m not sure Boeing reinvented the play or if it just brought it a new fresh perspective. Macbeth reinvented the play, which I think is great and truly notable, and should be where revival votes go.

Best Revival of a Musical:
*South Pacific
Grease
Sunday in the Park with George
Gypsy

Who Will Win: South Pacific
Who Should Win: Sunday

The original guidelines of rewarding a revival was a production that reinvents the show and brings it to the modern day. That is what Sunday does, although it is a little gimmicky. South Pacific is a great homage to the original production of the show, as well as classical musical theater itself, so it will take the prize.

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play:
Ben Daniels (Liaisons)
Laurence Fishburne (Thurgood)
*Mark Rylance (Boeing)
Patrick Stewart (Macbeth)
Rufus Sewell (Rock N’ Roll)

Who Will Win: Mark Rylance
Who Should Win: Patrick Stewart
Give the guy a Tony, already! Mark Rylance will probably take the prize because apparently he carries the show and is the best thing about it!

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play:
Eve Best (Homecoming)
*Deanna Dunnagan (August)
Amy Morton (August)
Kate Fleetwood (Macbeth)
S. Epatha Merkerson (Little Sheba)

Who Will Win: Deanna Dunnagan
Who Should Win: Amy Morton

Dunnagan’s character is the center of the play, and she has some of the best lines and delivers them well. But I think Morton deserves the prize for the emotion and power she displays onstage.

Best Leading Actor in a Musical:
Daniel Evans (Sunday)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (Heights)
Stew (Passing Strange)
*Paul Szot (South Pacific)
Tom Wopat (Catered Affair)

Who Will Win: Paul Szot
Who Should Win: ??

Don’t really care with this category, honestly. The performances are all really strong. Evans probably won’t take it because his costar stands out more than he does in the show. Wopat won’t take it because the show isn’t that great, and Stew probably won’t take it because he does limited ‘acting.’ I’d put it between Szot or Miranda.

Best Leading Actress in a Musical:
Kerry Butler (Xanadu)
Kelli O’Hara (South Pacific)
Jenna Russel (Sunday)
Faith Prince (Catered Affair)
*Patti LuPone (Gypsy)

Who Will Win: Patti LuPone
Who Should Win: Patti or Jenna Russel

So obviously there isn’t so much a race in this category. But I think Jenna Russell was so fantastic in Sunday, just wanted to give her a little bit of a shout out. Kerry Butler is great in Xanadu, and Faith Prince was sweet in Catered Affair, but the shows they represent are just not on the same level as Gypsy, which is so huge. And Kelli O’Hara is great and has a pretty voice, but cannot match up to LuPone’s power, even if her show is equally as grand.

Best Featured Actor in a Play
Bobby Canavale (Mauritius)
Raul Esparza (Homecoming)
*Conleth Hill (Seafarer)
Jim Norton (Seafarer)
David Pittu (Is He Dead?)

Who Will Win: Conleth Hill
Who Should Win: Raul Esparza

Didn’t see any of these shows, sadly, but I think Conleth Hill’s performance was probably the most hyped and celebrated out of the lot.

Best Featured Actress in a Play
Sinead Cussack (Rock n’ Roll)
Mary McCormack (Boeing)
Martha Plimpton (Top Girls)
*Rondi Reed (August)
Laurie Metcalf (November)

Who Will Win: Rondi Reed
Who Should Win: Rondi Reed

She is hilarious in the show. While she is not one of the central characters, she stands out so much and steals the stage with her commanding performance whenever she is onstage.

Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Daniel Breaker (Passing)
Danny Burstein (South Pacific)
Robin de Jesus (Heights)
Christopher Fitzgerald (Young Frankenstein)
*Boyd Gaines (Gypsy)

Who Will Win: Boyd Gaines
Who Should Win: Christopher Fitzgerald

Boyd has the Gypsy card with him, but Christopher Fitzgerald completely transformed himself and was the only thing I loved about Young Frankenstein.

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
De’Andre Aziza (Passing)
*Laura Benanti (Gyspy)
Andrea Martin (Young Frankenstein)
Olga Merediz (In The Heights)
Loretta Ables Sayre (South Pacific)

Who Will Win: Laura Benanti
Who Should Win: Laura Benanti

The woman has arrived!

Best Direction of a Play
39 Steps
*August: Osage County
Seafarer
Boeing-Boeing

Who Will Win: August
Who Should Win: August

Best Direction of a Musical:
Sam Buntrock (Sunday)
*Bartlett Sher (South Pacific)
Thomas Kail (In The Heights)
Arthur Laurents (Gypsy)

Who Will Win: Arthur Laurents
Who Should Win: Sam Buntrock

It takes a lot to direct a show based around projection art and multimedia, as well as having the vision to successfully reinvent a musical. But the Gypsy card will go a long way with the awards.

Best Choreography:
Rob Ashford (Cry-Baby)
*Andy Blankenbueher (In The Heights)
Christopher Gatelli (South Pacific)
Dan Knechtges (Xanadu)

Who Will Win: Andy Blankenbuehler
Who Should Win: Rob Ashford

The choreography in Cry-Baby was decently brilliant, and the only thing I liked about the show. But the inventive hip-hop choreography of In The Heights will take the prize based on originality.

The Sky is Falling!

2008-05-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

I was awoken today by phone calls making sure I wasn't involved in the crane collapse two blocks away from me. I live on 93rd st. between 1 & 2 Ave's, and the collapse was on 91st st. and 1 Ave. I was just in the Duane Reade at the foot of the accident two days ago, and the scaffolding was still up across the street. It has been there for months, causing pedestrians to walk through a walkway in the middle of the contstruction site. The street was closed due to the extent of the construction when I walked by.

Ashley heard the crash, but I was sleeping, which of course means I did not wake up, just like I have slept through so many earthquakes, etc.

So, just wanted to let you know I'm alive. The pictures below are ones I took from my roof this morning when we went up to check it out.

Walkin' for a Cure...

2008-05-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

First of all, yes, I'm alive.

I took a week long retreat to Los Angeles last week, and the morning after, I met up with some friends to take part in the AIDS Walk 2008. 25 person minimum per team to participate, no minimum amount to fundraise, for a walk through Central Park and the Upper West Side.

We had a lot of fun, despite the fact that it took 4 hours to walk six miles (there were so many people it took us 45 minutes to squeeze past the starting line). Luckily the weather held out for most of the walk, only cooling us off in the last mile.

It is an amazing cause, and I feel lucky to have participated! It was really inspiring and refreshing to see so much support for the fight against HIV/AIDS, and it felt really good to be surrounded by people who were just as passionate about the cause as I am. Just as good as crossing the finish line (see right)!

Grease Ain't the Word

2008-05-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

Today I saw the current revival of Grease. It was certainly not the first choice of the day, but seeing as the show is not a main contender to win the Tony Award for Best Musical (like our first choice was), it was easier to get tickets to Grease. If you’ll remember, the leads in the show were cast from the not-so-popular reality show “Grease: You’re the One That I Want.” The production is directed by Kathleen Marshall, and blends the film and theater versions of the music (and the story).

I was not so excited to see this production, partly because of the poor-ish reviews that the show received. And I mostly agree with the reviews. The show seemed to rely on so many cheap thrills, I couldn’t tell if there was a genuine artistic effort that went into the show. When walking into the theater, I was immediately overwhelmed by the doo-wop playing over the speakers, the teenagers taking flash photos of the cheaply sketched main drop. The house seemed like utter chaos. And the chaos didn’t stop until after we left the theater. There is a certain demographic the show appeared to cater to: the first timers, who don’t necessarily have the exposure to the theater culture that is appropriate on Broadway. Singing, dancing, talking, cell phones going off, you name it. I can’t help but wonder that this was planned.

In terms of the actual production, it all seemed so two-dimensional. The arrangements (both instrumental and vocal) were flat, the performances largely weak, and the emotion—non-existant.

Max Crumm won the role of Danny Zucko on a reality TV show. That is the only way he could have possibly won this role, and it shows. His acting was robotic, his voice weak unless he was obviously pushing too hard, and his stage presence not strong enough to embody the spirit of a T-Bird. Laura Osnes, while also shy of coming through and standing out as the best one onstage, still lacks the star quality necessary to be separated out as a Broadway diva. Her acting, while borderline cheesy (and that’s not to say the book itself is not ridiculously cheesy), was perfect for her role. Additionally, her voice, as pipsqueaky and pretty as it is, was wonderfully suited to Sandy.

Matthew Saldivar slipped by unnoticed and unthrillingly as Kenicke. The moments when he showed his toughness blended in with the rest of the production, but it was his lack of ability to act genuinely compassionate that made his performance unbelievable. Ryan Patrick Binder and Brian Sears demonstrated impressive vocals throughout the show as Doody and Roger, and had as much fun as their characters allowed them to have, but Jose Restrepo's cheap humor as Sonny annoyed me. The Pink Ladies as a whole demonstrated much more talent and sparkle, most impressively by Robyn Hurder as Marty. Both Lindsay Mendez and Kirsten Wyatt had fun as Jan and Frenchy. If I were in the show, I'd want to hang out with them.

The true standout of this performance is Jenny Powers, who portrays Rizzo. Her attitude (or lack thereof) and individual character arch was so pristine and thought out. She remained just subdued enough throughout the show, and then came “There Are Worst Things I Could Do.” This 2 minute song stands out as the single most brilliant moment in the show, and judging from the rest of the direction, I’m sure it is all Powers’ doing.

Unfortunately for this production, the flaws stand out more than the accomplishments. While it may have been an intelligent move in terms of seeking out a commercially successful production, this production reverts to cheap thrills and easy laughs rather than delving into the meat of the project. With a few exceptions, few characters really show a journey or an arc or any sort.of effort into their development. The production made a very smart move in gearing towards an arguably less exposed, less cultured audience looking for a memorable and entertaining theatrical experience. They shoot for the bells and whistles, rather than striving for a moving piece of theater. For most of the show, a great portion of the stage goes unused. The band is located on a platform at the top of the stage, which limits the amount of stage space to be utilized, and it shows. The choreography of the show, with the exception of the gym dance scene at the top of Act 2, sneaks by with virtually no thrills. The ensemble pops up here and there to only fill the stage with more bodies, and rarely contributes to the show. The set was cheap looking, and it appears as though most of the budget went towards multiple bedazzlers.

Can you tell I didn’t love this production? I feel a little tuckered out on Grease as a franchise anyway, and I’ll admit that my opinion may be skewed by this. And judging from the cheers and size of the crowd, this show is successful in its own way and will be around for a while. But I felt myself craving to be moved by something, anything. And there was nothing there to move me. Yes, I think there can be a future in reality television voting on Broadway, but from here on out, it will take a lot to get me to the theater to see its result!

Cry-Baby--and that's exactly what I did

2008-04-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I caught the matinee of the new John Waters musical Cry Baby.

I was pretty excited to see this show. It has a lot of buzz about it, and while it’s still in previews, it’s had a run at the La Jolla Playhouse, so I was expecting a polished show.

Yeah, that’s not what I got. What I got was an adaptation of a John Waters film that attempted to be “Hairspray 2.” Just like Hairspray, John Waters has a demented vision of Baltimore that can manage to be satirical, funny, and revolutionary onstage. I don’t feel as though the writing, characterizations, or performances go far enough to make the tone of the show succeed. The “Squares” are not square enough, and the differences between the Squares and the Rebels are not followed through to the end of the show. The plot seems to switch back and forth from the differences between the two groups and the love story. Its inconsistencies fail to make the show satirical and sarcastic.

The production definitely follows the commercial aspects of Broadway’s development: Impressive choreography, a pop/rock score, physically attractive cast, strong and acrobatic vocals, flashy set and lighting design. This is the type of show that is an acquired taste. Just as one needs to be in a specific mood to sit and watch a Shakespearean production or opera, they also need to be prepared for a flashy presentation such as Cry Baby. While the lighting design was outstanding and definitely contributed to the production, I didn’t feel as though the set design matched the same quality. The costumes looked great and had some great attention to detail, but they were a bit more subdued than one would think for the subject matter.

In terms of performances, the cast is amazingly talented, and it definitely inspired me to work hard as a performer. The ensemble should win a special Tony award for the most talented ensemble on Broadway. They were absolutely my favorite part of the show. They took Rob Marshall’s choreography and pulled it off with such flair (and that is no easy feat). James Snyder was thoroughly unimpressive as Cry-Baby. I couldn’t tell if it was the writing or his interpretation of the character, but I didn’t feel as though he was ‘bad’ enough for the reactions the rest of the cast had to him. Out of all of the rebels in the show, he came off as the tamest. While his vocals were better than I was expecting, his poor acting and subdued character failed to win me over. Harriet Harris was spot on with her comedic timing, but her vocals were just not there. Perhaps they should rethink the length of her 11 o’clock number. As the ‘good girl gone bad,’ Elizabeth Stanley was fantastic. She perfected her naivety in Company, and now she has become a Broadway ingénue. Her vocal and character type is an acquired taste to be sure, but she won us over with her quirky and conflicted character, not to mention her surprisingly powerful vocals. Girlfriend is going to be around for a while. Christopher Hanke appeared like a perfect fit for the lead Square, and he seemed to have the firmest grasp on the sarcasm of the show, his poor acting skills failed to take it to the necessary level. The three rebel girls outshone Chester Gregory and stole the stage whenever they were on it. But the true stage stealer was Alli Mauzey, who played the quirky and schizophrenic Lenora. Obsessed with Cry Baby, her scenes showcased her competence as a character actress, and her songs suited her voice beautifully. Of all the performances in the show, Mauzey’s stands out the most.

I’ve never seen the film that the musical is based on, and mostly wish I had seen it before I watched the show to have a better understanding of the tone of the show, and perhaps I would have been less shocked by the material than I was. I give the production a C-, and hope that they take leaps and bounds to improve the lackluster script and characters.

P.S. How gross is the artwork for this show?? I dislike it almost as much as the artwork for The Little Mermaid! (now that's sayin' something)

Little Memaid Goes off the Deep End

2008-03-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

Last night I checked out The Little Mermaid on Broadway. I always have an issue with seeing Disney musicals, particularly because of the audience. There’s only so much squirming, talking, candy unwrapping, and camera flashing I can deal with.

Little children and annoying parents aside, there is definitely something to be said about Disney and their involvement in resurrecting Broadway and Times Square. And they have had incredible success with The Lion King, and even Beauty & the Beast, which closed last year after an 18-or-something year run. But with their last two ventures—Tarzan and The Little Mermaid—they seem to have really missed the mark.

Perhaps it was the blending of the musical theater, Disney, and opera world (Director Francesca Zambello is renowned for her direction in the opera world), or perhaps The Little Mermaid is just the worst Disney film to make into a musical (where’s Newsies when you need it?), but let’s just say I would have been very disappointed had I paid money to see the show…

It’s a monster of an idea, to blend land and sea on stage. They were successful with adapting the animal world in The Lion King, but their attempt to revolutionize musical theater again, well, failed. A tacky, almost plastic looking sun hanging in the stage throughout the show flips from yellow to blue depending on where the scene is set. A ship flies down and is suspended above the stage while actors with flowy arms glide around on Heely’s (shoes with wheels in the heels). At one point, when Ariel gets her legs and swims to the surface, King Triton holds her while she kicks frantically and blue wave like curtains fly in.

It all just seems so cheesy and hoaky, doesn’t it? The sets and the costumes appeared, well, cheap. I’m sure they’re not, but the props looked like something you would pick up at Toys ‘R Us. The fins bounced along behind the actors as they try to maneuver across the stage without slapping each other with their tails, and their flowy arm movements to demonstrate they are underwater was just about too much to handle. Did I mention all the glitter?

Production aspects aside, sometimes good actors happen to bad productions. Everyone in this production is ridiculously talented, especially the principles. Sierra Boggess embodied Disney princess as Ariel. While playing one of the most beloved Disney princesses, who is actually a mermaid, seems unbelievably daunting, I actually felt like she is too big for the role, like she was being held back by her material. Her big note in “Part of Your World” almost made me want to own the soundtrack just so I can listen to it resonate again and again. The only thing I didn’t like was that she didn’t belt more! Sherie Renee Scott seems a bit miscast as Ursula, but it’s the character that is misinterpreted, not Scott. In the Broadway musical, Ursula is partly there for comedic relief. She is definitely not as evil as in the film. In fact, the poor writing in her scenes keep Scott from soaring into the stratosphere with her interpretation. Instead, she relies on her big notes to wow the audience, which she absolutely does, and gets cheers not boos upon her entrances and exits. Sean Palmer as Prince Eric was, well, Prince Eric, the Disney prince of my dreams (we all have our favorites). His voice was kind of like chocolate. Smooth, gorgeous chocolate. Norm Lewis was commanding as King Triton. His voice sounded great, and let’s be honest, he looks great in a fin (and nothing else). And Titus Burgess was fantastic as Sebastian, as usual. While I prefer him in meatier roles (like the Lion in The Wiz at La Jolla), he stole the show with “Under The Sea” and “Kiss The Girl.” His voice is spectacular, and I’ll jump at any chance to hear it live.

All in all, I give the production a straight C, saved only by the extreme talent coming from the stage.

Get excited!

2008-03-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

Ok everyone, get excited. Yours truly just scored a free ticket to see The Little Mermaid on Broadway tomorrow night. Oh man, this oughtta be good...

Next to Normal: Not a NORMAL Musical

2008-03-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

Second Stage Theater company does some really innovative, revolutionary work. Most recently, they are producing a new musical titled Next to Normal. The show is a reincarnation of a musical called Feeling Electric which was originally produced at the 2005 NYMF (New York Musical Theater Festival. Get used to that acronym, mmk?) starring Annaleigh Ashford and Anthony Rapp. Interesting casting choices, but I didn’t see that production, so who knows how it went.
The show is about, um, hmm. Hard to explain (especially without giving anything away). It’s sort of about a woman who is bipolar and manic depressive. It’s sort of about her treatments. It’s sort of about her family and how they are affected by her disorder. It’s sort of about the parallels between her and her daughter. It’s sort of about the disintigration of her marriage. And sort of about things that go on in her imagination.

Sound strange? Yeah, the plot definitely gives the title multiple meanings. But here’s the catch with the show: it’s pretty brilliant. The music is written by Tom Kitt, the talented composer behind last years Broadway show High Fidelity. The performances are stellar: Alice Ripley (Side Show), Brian d’Arcy James (Titanic, Wild Party, White Christmas, EVERYTHING), Jennifer Damiano (Spring Awakening), Aaron Tveit (Hairspray), and Adam Chanler-Berat (Les Miz). They were so honest and raw and passionate, you can’t help but be moved by them.
Direction is provided by Michael Greif. With such difficult subject matter, it was important to have a clear vision and creative ways to interpret the material. Who better to do that than Michael? Excellent, excellent direction, very inspiring.

So what have we learned today? Excellent creatives, excellent direction, excellent performances, excellent music. Unfortnately for the show, the bizarre subject matter keeps it from really excelling to the next level. The show is closing next weekend, but I sincerely hope it has a life after this run. Someone needs to see the potential in the show, despite the strange feeling they inevitably have leaving the theater at the end of the night.

Young Frankenstein - A Monster of a Musical

2008-03-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

I've been posting reviews of theater I've seen on my Pop Goes The Culture blog on http://blogintherough.com/. I realized I should be posting them on here also, since experiencing musical theater is such a big part of my New York experience. So here we go...

The trend in Broadway musical theater is to make things as big, flashy, and expensive as you can. That’s the ugly, commercial side of theater, but it completely adds to the magic and success of the theater (thank you, Disney).

There’s this little show called Young Frankenstein. Oops, did I say LITTLE show? I meant to say crazy huge musical. First of all, it’s playing at the Hilton Theater, formerly the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, a gandiose theater whose lobby consists of marble columns, domes, and curving staircases. Hugely successful shows have played here, such as Ragtime and the revival of 42nd Street. The lobby of this theater is exsquisite. Now, they have an entire STORE dedicated to merchandise, not just dinky booths at other theaters (like Wicked, ahem). There is a VIP lounge underneath the lobby with drinks and a spacious area to relax before the show and during intermission, for those who are willing to shell out the dough. Then again, the price of the premium seats indicates that there are plenty able and willing to shell out the dough…think about paying $450 PER TICKET! That’s not only the most expensive ticket for the show, but also the most expensive ticket in Broadway history. Not enough? Well, with an estimated $20 million budget, it surpasses Wicked as the most expensive show in Broadway history by close to $6 million!

With all of this hype, expensive materials, and stigma against commericial theater, the show has been the talk of the town. I saw this show recently (don’t worry, I got comps!!!), and was blown away by the process of going to the theater to see this show. It seems like so much more of an experience, which I suppose is a positive thing considering how much it’s costing people to see the show.

I have to say, I didn’t like the show as much as I thought I would. The star power is huge for the show, and they do deliver. Roger Bart carries the show on his back as Dr. Frankenstein, Megan Mullaly steals the show with her musical numbers, Sutton Foster looks great as a blonde (and even though her performance wasn’t full out when I saw it because of an ankle injury, she still has the stage presence to sell it to the back of the house), Andrea Martin has perfect comedic timing, Shuler Hensley steals Act 2 as The Monster, and if Christopher Fitzgerald doesn’t win a Tony Award for his performance as Igor, something’s majorly wrong in the world. The Direction and Choreography is innovative and effective thanks to Susan Stroman, a genius in her own right. The sets were flawless…you could see every cent of the budget, and it paid off. Some numbers were extremely memorable, such as Foster’s “Roll in the Hay” and the second act showstopper “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” The use of strobe light and innovative choreography sticks in my mind as one of the standout numbers of the new season (although I have yet to see some of the new releases this season).

Hmm, that’s a lot of praise for a musical that I just said I didn’t like. Allow me to explain…
While some of the production’s money was well spent, I feel like a lot of it was just too-flashy. Take the Act 1 finale, where they bring the monster to life. The sparks and flashing lights were so overkill my eyes involuntarily shut from all of the brightness being exuded from the stage. There were moments when the entire expereince just seemed too contrived, too over the top, like they were expecting to deliver a huge product that missed the mark by a few dozen feet. On top of it all, we are frequently reminded that this is a remake of a film where most of the jokes are still intact. Mel Brooks hit it big with The Producers, but unless you are a fan of his comedy (of which I am not the biggest), YF misses the mark. I felt like any jokes I laughed out loud at were because of the actor’s ability to deliver the comedy, not because of the writing.
In the end, while YF has some redeeming qualities, it does not have the staying power of Brooks’ predecessor. It is not innovative and revolutionary enough to be as successful and stick around. What it gains in its development of commercial musical theater, it falters when it comes to providing staying power. Its appeal is completely superficial; it relies on its performers and flashy special effects to wow a crowd that, judging from the audience at the performance I saw, were split on being wowed.

The Theater Capital of the World!

2008-02-28T11:25:00.000-08:00

I had a moment yesterday when I was leaving Studio 54 after seeing Sunday in the Park with George (check out my enteratinment blog, Pop Goes The Culture, on Blog In The Rough for my thoughts on the production) with Brian. We were discussing the shows we want to see, and I realized just how lucky I am to be living in New York City, the theater captial of the world. I remember being so excited to come to visit the city because it was my opportunity to see a ton of theater. It would be my priority to see as much theater as I could, and I would always try to see at least one more show than the number of days that I was visiting (i.e. 6 shows in 5 days). Now that I live here, I have already seen so many influential, fantastic productions. While I always wish I could see more, and am always thinking I'm not seeing as much as I want to see, the fact that I am able to see any theater at all makes me feel so priveleged!

Then, I was walking through Times Square during my break at Wicked with Ken, and we were discussing all of the new theater coming up this season, and I got so excited and insipired to see more! Here's a list of all of the great shows I will be seeing in the next few weeks, and shows that are opening soon!

Next To Normal (off-Bway, next week!)
Is He Dead? (next week)
Passing Strange (opens tonight!)
Macbeth (off-Bway starring Patrick Stewart)
Cry-Baby (Marquis Theater)
Gypsy (starring Patti Lupone at St. James)
The Little Mermaid (now open at Lunt-Fontanne!)
A Catered Affair (at Walter Kerr)
In The Heights (now open at Richard Rogers)
South Pacific (Vivienne Beaumont)

Tony season is almost here!

Randoms

2008-02-18T11:52:00.000-08:00

I do not have the energy or creativity to come up with a huge update, so here are some random bullet points summing up what's going on in my life:

Still working a crazy schedule at Vento, although things are supposed to subside a bit after this week. I'm enjoying the people I work with, and so far the money has been pretty good, but I am wondering how much more of the intense schedules I can deal with. They keep telling us they are trying to build up the staff so our schedules won't be as crazy and demanding, but so far I can count the new hires on one hand. Plus, with the outdoor cafe season coming up, I am beginning to lose my stamina and patience with the restaurant. I can't be slaved around for much longer.

Things at Wicked are pretty rough at the moment. Our employers are now paying us on a commision basis, which means we need to work harder for our money. The fact that we have to work hard is not the issue, however. The paycut and the fact that we have not seen the promised improvement in paychecks with the new system has caused quite and uproar amongst the staff, and I feel like things are about to go up in smoke. It seems as though they are preparing to lose some people by hiring a slew of new sellers now, after the new plan has been put in place.

This is the big week for Oscar! It's my first Academy Awards since being in LA, and I have to admit, I'm homesick for all of the festivities and buzz!

I have the flu, and have had the flu for the last two weeks. The weather is cold and gloomy in New York, everyone seems to be coming down with a bug, and my intensely draining serving schedule has not been kind to my immune system. Let's hope I can recover and catch an audition or two so I can get some work over the summer!

I heard about the memorial in Palo Alto for Michael Litfin yesterday, and heard it was a smashing success, very moving and uplifting. I'm so glad that everyone turned out to praise such an amazing man, and I'm sad I couldn't have been there!!

A New York Memorial to Michael Litfin

2008-02-13T07:23:00.000-08:00

Michael Litfin, the Assistant Director at the Palo Alto Children's Theater, where I grew up performing for 13+ years, passed away on Friday, February 1. A few nights ago, those of us who are stuck in New York and not able to make it out for the memorial this weekend got together to toast the life of a man who greatly influenced our life.

When we were young, Michael could come across as a bit grumpy and disciplinary. But you have to admit, he knew what he was doing. It was later, during high school and college, that I really felt a bond with him, and realized how much he and Pat Briggs, the Director of PACT, have shaped both my life as an actor and a person. I greatly owe what I know on stage (and off) to them, and I am so thankful for Michael's dedication to the theater and Palo Alto's youth. He always called me his 'little pixy,' and I always felt so great when I made him laugh or was able to carry on a casual conversation with this man, a role model and mentor.

Michael will be sorely missed, but it was fantastic to have such a great turn out here in New York to celebrate his life. It only goes to show how much he touched all of our lives, and how much of a commraderie he was able to create in all of us. Our connection reaches way beyond the stage. It even reaches across the country.

Home, Sweet Home

2008-01-31T12:10:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered what our apartment looks like? I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to get pictures of our place up, but I'm finally getting around to putting them up. I may have already talked about my neighborhood in a previous post, but allow me to set the scene a bit before you see the pictures...

We live on the Upper East Side, on 93rd St. between 1st and 2nd Ave. This probably means absolutely nothing to you. In other words, we live in a neighborhood filled with young professionals. We are 2 1/2 avenue blocks (longer than normal blocks) away from the East River. Our apartment faces north, so we get nice light in different placese in the apartment all day. It also helps that we live on the top floor (6 flights of stairs, no elevator), so there's not a lot blocking light from our windows. We have a sushi joint and a dry cleaners downstairs from us, laundromat around the corner, supermarket across the street, and a few bars within a block. One of them was even written up in Time Out New York as one of the best bars in the city (it appeared int he 'frat bars' section, but hey we'll take what we can get). We are 5 blocks away from a local subway line, and 10 blocks from an express line. So far it has not been too cold for Ashley or I to walk the extra five blocks to a more convenient and busier subway stop.

All of the pictures except for my bedroom were taken a long time ago, in August after we moved in...take a look, and then come visit and see it in person!

Living Room, view from the front door

Breakfast Nook
Seating Area, Audrey Hepburn portrait by Ashley Harrell
View of the kitchen from couch

Our lovely stainless steel fridge
The view from our kitchen window

Ashley's bedroom
Ashley's bedroom, different view
My bedroom
My bedroom, different view

Yes, we do have a bathroom. It is located behind our front door. Unfortunately, it is not worth showing photos of.

There you have it! Home, sweet home!

Back on the face of the earth

2008-01-31T10:07:00.000-08:00

"Did you drop off the face of the earth?"

That was a text I got from a friend a few days ago. And the answer to that question was, "Yes. Yes I have."

I feel like I have been a walking zombie, in finals during college, something. I got a job at a trendy little restaurant in the meatpacking district called Vento (photo on left). It's owned by B.R. Guest, who run such other restaurants in the city as Ruby Foo's, Blue Fin, Blue Water Grill, etc. The training process is very intense, and I have been eating, sleeping, and pooping policy and procedure for the last week and a half. I took a 6 page written test a few days ago, and am now on the floor, making my own money instead of making money for other people.

I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal schedule where I can go into work, do my thing, make some dough, and be able to focus on other things outside of work besides how I am going to pay the rent. I am also looking forward to having more free time during the day to audition and focus on my acting career.

NYC Subway Laws - A Tunnel of Crap

2008-01-13T15:24:00.000-08:00

Did you know there is a whole list of things you can and cannot do while riding the subway? It's true! They call them 'Rules of Conduct,' and they're pretty fantastic (and by fantastic I mean ridiculous). Some things make sense, while others are just a bit excessive and much too difficult to enforce (not to mention that most people are shocked to learn that there is an actual law prohibiting them from doing the thing they're doing when they get cited and ticketed, or even arrested.

Here are some highlights from the MTA Rules of Conduct:

Thou shalt not jump the turnstile or enter the system improperly, even if your MetroCard is not working properly (I can only imagine the jewels from Harlem trying to explain to the kind Officer that they jumped the turnstile because their card didn't work...tell it to the judge, lady! Also, there are constantly little kids with their parents crawling under the turnstile...I believe they have the turnstiles there for a reason, and anyone riding must enter properly with a valid MetroCard)
Thou shalt not straddle a bicycle, wear in-line or roller skates, stand on a skateboard or ride a scooter
Thou shalt not move between end doors of a subway car whether or not train is in motion, except in an emergency or when directed by police officer or conductor (Um, this definitely happens at least once every time I ride the subway)
Thou shalt not place one's foot on the seat of a subway, bus, or platform bench; occupy more than one seat or place bags on an empty seat when doing so would interfere with transit operations or the comfort of other customers (oh, so I guess that sleeping homeless man who was sprawled out on the bench on my train last night with his life in paper shopping bags piled around him was in the wrong then...)

Thou shalt not panhandle or beg (the people who make these rules realize we live in New York City, right?)

Thou shalt not play a radio audible to others or use amplified devices on platforms

Thou shalt not block free movement (two words: Rush hour)

Thou shalt not lie down (see three rules ago)

Thou shalt not drink alcoholic beverages (whoop! Broke that one on New Year's Eve...)

Thou shalt not carry any liquid in an open container onto a train or bus (Thank you, former crappy Dunkin Donuts lids)

Thou shalt not engage in unauthorizedcommercial activity (I feel like someone is trying to deal me drugs every time someone passes through the cars (traveling from car to car whilst the train is in transit, no less!) selling $5 bootlegged DVD's)

Thou shalt not damage subway or busproperty - that includes graffiti or scratchitti (I don't think scratchitti is actually a word...but I'm totally using it)

Thou shalt not litter or create unsanitary conditions (Oh, so that guy's not supposed to be peeing on the trashcan in the corner?)

(Note: I made up the 'Thou shalt not' part)

I find it only proper to try to enforce some of my own laws. They include:

You may not ride the subway if you have B.O. I don't care if you are homeless, you forgot to shower, or you're making the 'walk of shame.' Don't do it!

If you must play your music so everyone can hear (see law above), it must at leastbe music that I like listening to. This does not include hardcore rap or punk rock. Thanks.

You may not clip or file your finger (or toe) nails, especially if you are sitting next to me. This causes nothing but a mess of clippings and snowy particles to ultimately flake and fly all over me.

I understand that you get hungry, especially walking everywhere in New York City. If you must eat on the train, please no McDonalds. Now you know how quickly B.O. spreads through the cars. McDonalds? Just as bad.

Don't talk to me, because I don't want to talk to you. I understand that you are insane, but that's a poor excuse.

Get out of my way. 'Nuff said.

Do you think there is any chance I can make any of these happen?

Ringing in the New Year right

2008-01-09T08:03:00.001-08:00

Christmas in California was everything I wanted it to be: lazy, quiet, and slow. Despite the untraditional aspects of celebrating on the 26th and seeing the very traditional holiday movie Sweeney Todd on Christmas Day, it was the break I needed from the hustle and bustle of the city. As soon as our plane took off from JFK, I felt my body start to slow down, and by the time I arrived at SFO, I was ready for a long nap (and that's exactly what I did).

Coming back to the city after the vacation proved more difficult that anticipated, and I needed lots of rest and quiet time to be able to keep going. But Ash and I had Matt here to entertain us and keep us company through the new year. On New Year's Eve I headed out to Queens to hang out with some Wicked folks, and had a long, debaucherous, fuzzy night.

And so, I begin my first new year in the city, and I'm going to make sure it's a good one. I've dubbed it 'the year of me,' and I'm giving myself the right to be selfish and do things for me: my career, my personal life, my friends, etc. I'm going to make sure that I can progress my life in every way possible. I'm here in New York to further myself, and it's time for me to start things moving!

So here's to a fantastic New Year!

Sage advice from Time Out New York

2008-01-03T10:29:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: If you're squeamish or easily offended, you probably shouldn't read this entry.

I was thoroughly entertained while reading my most recent issue of Time Out New York by the column "Get Naked," a question and answer column, "Dear Abbey" style, regarding sex and love. Check out this fantastic question and answer. Who knows, maybe you'll learn something new. ;)

Q: I am a 26-year-old versatile gay male who's been happily partnered with another versatile male for the past seven years. I'm not as tight as I used to be. As a bottom, I am very relaxed and can take it all in easily, and he's nicely hung. When we've had a threesome, I've been able to take two at once. When I bottom lately with him, I feel that I'm not tight enough and it doesn't feel the way "normal" anal sex should feel, I guess. I do like a little bit of pain, too. My question is, how do I make myself tight again for the pleasure of both of us? Is this all psychological, or is it at all physiological?

A: Allow me to recite to you one of my favorite passages from Dr. Jack Morin's seminal sex book, Anal Pleasure & Health. "As you saw in the last chapter, your anus has a memory (it shares yours). However, most people find that the anus does not hold a grudge." That has absolutely nothing to do with your situation, but I just love the idea of my anus looking back wistfully on, say, that beach vacation to Mexico we went on, and then forgiving me for making it deal with the repercussions from eating one too many beef tacos. I guess I just wanted to take this opportunity to say: "Thank you, kind, compassionate anus!" Okay, now where were we? Ah yes--that little Cirque du Soleil surprise you've got between your butt cheeks. I mean, come on, two dicks at one time? Nobody likes a show-off. Normally, I would tell you that the idea that you're going to end up with a saggy anus if you indulge in a lot of anal sex is a myth likely propagated by uptight Huckabee types. But since you do seem to like to push the anal envelope a bit, I have to tell you that it is not entirely out of the question (as some veteran fistees would attest to). Although the sphincter muscles (like hamstrings or any other muscles) are designed to expand and contract without losing tone, all bets are off if the tissue becomes damaged beyond self-repair. I'm not saying this is definitely the case here, I'm just saying it is a physiological possibility. My advice? Sstart doing anus-toning Kegel exercises (you know those things where you continuously release and contract your pelvic muscles) and stop the action when you feel pain.

Who knew! :)

Brian & Ash's 2007 Holiday Extravaganza!

2007-12-24T13:04:00.001-08:00

We had a holiday soiree chez nous, and the turn out was fantastic! I always find it impressive when people come to visit us. Let's face it, they've got a lot working against them:

Our place is hard to get to. It's off the local 6 line, which only runs along the east side.

It's practically in the east river.

It's on the 6th floor of a walk-up building. I usually go down to accept packages or meet the delivery boy dropping off my dinner half-way so they don't have to walk all the way up our steps.

So we were pleasantly surprised at the turnout for our party. It worked out so well that people seemed to come in shifts: a bunch of my friends at first while Ash was preparing the food, a bunch of Ash's friends when I was preparing the mulled cider, and a few more of my friends who showed up in time to enjoy the cider. We had a bitchin' playlist comprised of classic holiday jingles, remixed christmas jams, and some of our favorite tunes. Ash prepared some delicious stuffed mushrooms, asian-style latkes, and risotto cakes. All in all, it was a smashing success (with the exception of an incident where we ended up with black and red wax all over our living room. minor snag). We have the best friends in the world, and we were so excited to be able to celebrate the holidays with our favorite people! Stay tuned for the next one!

[title of show] show!

2007-12-23T12:28:00.000-08:00

Unless you've been living under a rock, or anywhere other than New York City, you probably don't know about [title of show]. Allow me to enlighten...

[title of show] is a phenomenal off-broadway show from this last year about two writers writing, you guessed it, a musical. The two writers of the show also appeared as the two writers in the show, and it's nothing short of brilliant.

Confused yet? It gets better. There is a crazy high demand to bring the show to Broadway, although it's kind of a smaller scale show so it's difficult to find funding and a theater that could maximize the profits for the show. That's not stopping the guys from trying! You MUST check out this brilliant video blog, entitled "[title of show] Show." It's all about original cast members Hunter Bell, Jeff Bowen, Heidi Blickenstaff and Susan Blackwell's attempts to bring the show to Broadway. The video blog is reason enough for you to obsess over this show!

The [title of show] Show

Note: You MUST watch Episode 6, especially if you're a huge bway dork like me.

The first snow...

2007-12-06T12:36:00.000-08:00

This was our street last Sunday morning, after the first snow of the season:

A Very Mahotte Thanksgiving

2007-12-06T10:34:00.003-08:00

After enjoying the Macy's parade, Mom, Dad, Ash & I began our trek out to New Hampshire for the turkey feast and a weekend of Mahotte fun.

Mahotte ~ (n.) Mahoney + Otte. In other words, good times.

First things first: We made it out of New York with no problem, but then got trapped on the highway in Connecticut for over two hours because of a fatal accident that shut down the entire freeway. People played catch. People walked their dogs. People peed in the woods. It was very traditional. As you can tell by the pictures, I was not happy. Luckily it was unseasonably warm, which made the two hours that we were just sitting there much more bearable, and there are also uglier parts of the highway to be stuck on, so I suppose it would have been a lot worse.

We made it to Goffstown just in time for dinner, with cooler temperatures and even some snowy flurries. Sean had a cold one from the keg that lived on the back porch all weekend waiting for us, and after I introduced Ash to the family and did the whole greeting thing, we settled down for some delicious grubbing.

Then the fun began. The spirits continued to flow, and we busted out our annual game of Mahotte Cranium. This game is always a bit of a challenge with so many people, and it lasted nearly all night. We eventually lost interest in the game, and never finished it, but it was exactly what the traditional evening needed. Ash and I were Team Blue, along with cousins Max & Mia. I think the spirits got to us a bit too much, because we didn't play that well, but still enjoyed bonding and attempting to draw with our eyes closed and hum obscure tunes. And on a side note, have you ever tried sculpting a toy poodle? Not as easy as you'd think (notice the festive t-shirts that Sean & Tina made for the group (all of team blue is representing...except for Max. He had to be stylish in his Hollister threads).

The next day we headed to Salem for some good, old fashioned witch hunting! Every year, the Mahottes take a field trip to a city and pretty much take it over. Last year we dominated a duck tour in Boston, and this year we took on Salem. We explored the shops and the seaside, took a tour of the witch museum, and of course, ate at an Irish pub in town. Ashley and I visited with Joe Maguire, an Otte family friend. Joe is the younger brother of Gregory Maguire, who wrote Wicked, so we chatted about our experiences with the musical.

The next day we hit up an outlet mall in New Hampshire (tax free! woohoo!) for some serious post Thanksgiving shopping. We learned that some of the stores opened at midnight on Thursday night. Isn't that kee-rayzee?! Stores are opening SOOO early these days! More drinking, eating, and fame playing followed that evening with Pop 5, by the makers of Cranium. It's a two team game about pop culture, and even with me on their team, the men lost to the women (who on earth remembers the Lite Brite theme song? Tina, apprently. That's who).

The next day it was back to life, back to reality. We packed up Sean's car and M&D's rental (that we were driving back to the city) with people, dogs (well, 1 dog), luggage, and christmas trees from the backyard. 6 hours later, we were back in the city, unpacking and visiting with our lovely kitty whom we missed so much over the weekend, and settling back into our lives as New Yorkers, longingg for next year's Mahotte festivities.

My First Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

2007-12-03T19:20:00.000-08:00

While it may not be a truly "New Yorker" thing to do, I enjoyed the perks of living in Manhattan and took in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade--IN PERSON. We stressed out for weeks over where to go, what time to get there, and the strict gameplan for the day (my parents were in town, what do you expect?). On the actual day, Ashley and I were picked up by Mom & Dad at our place at 7AM (they were 1/2 hour late). We parked on the east side of the park and trecked through to the parade route. We staked out at the corner of 68th and Central Park West, where we waited for an 1 1/2 hours for the parade to begin.

The crowd didn't get bad until 1/2 hour before the parade started. Luckily, the parade is such a large scale operation you have a good seat no matter where you are, as long as you are within the first 10 rows or so of people!

The balloons, however, seemed a bit smaller in person than they do on television. Granted, the parade is filmed in more of a business district than a residential district where we saw them, but they were also closer to the ground than they seem to be on the small screen. All that said, it was a lot of fun to watch the parade (even though we only stayed for the first half or so). Here are some fun pics!

Abby Cadabby (not quite sure what she's from, but she sure is cute)!

Mr. Hooper & Big Bird!

Scoob!

Super Cute Hello Kitty (the official name of the balloon)

Ronald or Adolf?

Lea Michele & Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening)!

Shrek was GI-normous!

We also saw Dolly Parton, Bindi Irwin, The Jonas Brothers, Sarah Brightman (gag), Menudo, Good Charlotte, Lifehouse, Ne-Yo, Nikki Blonsky, Miss USA, and more!

Strike! Strike! Strike!

2007-11-19T13:53:00.001-08:00

I've had some time off from work at Wicked because of the stagehand's strike. It started quickly and unexpectedly (I mean, we were expecting it, just not when it happened), and we didn't think much of it. Now, it's day 10, and the theaters will be closed through Thanksgiving.

There's much stipulation and confusion about the strike, why the union is striking, who the good/bad guys are, when it will be over, etc. And, sadly, there aren't answers for some of the questions...

The exact reasons for the strike have not been released, but many speculate it is based around the League of American Theaters and Producers attempting to regulate the number of stagehands required to work on a project. They don't want to be paying workers who won't have anything to do, but Local One (the stagehands union) wants to have minimum regulations, and they also do not want to be overworked (regardless of being overworked or not, stagehands are extremely well paid for the theatre industry, with salaries in the $50,000 to $80,000 range). The union has been working without a contract since July amidst negotiations, but a fall-out has recently darkened 27 of the 35 Broadway theaters in operation.

The strike has been extremely crippling on the city, especially for the time of year that it is. Restaurants are suffering, people are cancelling vacations, and obviously everyone else who works in the theater community is out of work (merchandisers, bartenders, ushers, box office staff, janitorial staff, actors, etc.). Actors in the shows affected by the strike are required to check in with an Equity monitor every day in order to receive their stipend checks (which are only $300-$400 per week, a drastic change from their $1509 minimum required payrate). A lot of the people I sell merchadise with at Wicked are being forced to find other jobs, because selling merchandise is their only source on income.

There are 8 shows still playing: Mary Poppins, ...Spelling Bee, Young Frankenstein, The Ritz, Pygmalion, Mauritius, Xanadu, and Cymbeline. While their stagehands are members of the Local One union, the theaters in which the shows are playing are owned by companies who are under separate contracts with Local One (Lincoln Center, Manhattan Theater Club, and Roundabout, which have the plays, are non-profits; Circle in the Square, which houses Spelling Bee, The Hilton, where Young Frankenstein plays, and The Helen Hayes Theater, with Xanadu, are privately operated. I guess when I say 'privately,' I mean they are not part of one of the three companies that make up the 'League' in League of American Theaters and Producers). The theaters that are dark are owned by the three big Bway producers: Nederlander, Jujamcyn, and Shubert.

Interestingly, Dr. Seuss's The Grinch... is at the St. James Theater, owned by Jujamcyn, but is on a separate contract with Local One (probably because of their heightened performance schedule). However, Local One decided to add them into the strike as well. That makes for a lot of unhappy children in Times Square.

The League wasn't totally oblivious to the possibility of a strike, however. Actually, they have been preparing for it for quite some time. They have been setting aside a few cents from each ticket sold into a separate fund, and they now have something like $20 million saved up to last them through the strike. That won't last long, however, during a strike that is costing the city as a whole $2.2 million per day!

When the strike started, I was scheduled to be working the first show that was cancelled. We were all called in anyhow to get information, and they decided have us stay and hand out fliers recommending people to Spelling Bee. I opted out of working because I didn't want to cross a picket line, and while I wasn't working for Wicked, I would still have been promoting the production company, who also handles Spelling Bee, and I didn't want to support the producers.

Local One and the League returned to negotiations on Saturday for the first time since the strike began. At that point, we all still assumed that everything would be up and running again by Thanksgiving. But talks fell through (allegedly after a reported rift within Local One between the local workers and the national board who was monitoring the negotiations with the League), and no further meetings have been scheduled.

Now, in week 2, and with all performances cancelled through the holiday weekend, we are starting to wonder how this is going to affect Broadway in general. It is turning out to be a huge bump in the industry's history, unlike the musician's strike in 2003 which only lasted 4 days. No matter what, it is certainly shaking things up a lot around here.

It's a Small, Small World

2007-11-16T09:50:00.000-08:00

The world in which you live is small. The theater community is even smaller. For some reason, in New York, I happen to run into people I know all the time. Random run-ins. Hapenstance, if you will. Seeing a friend pass by and wave when you're in Starbucks. Running into a co-worker on the street before you begin your shift at Wicked. Passing your roommate when you are on your way home and they are on their way out. Then there are the random actor sightings, where you see Broadway performers walking to and from work, out for a meal, on their way to the gym, or just walking down the street.

One particular person, my dearest friend Aaron, has been the subject of my random run-ins recently. First, on the subway when Ashley and I were traveling back from a dance class. Then, at the Gap while out shopping with Tina. Then, about 30 minutes later at H&M.

I love it! The random run-ins make this huge city seem a bit smaller for a few minutes and makes it just a little bit more bearable at times.

Winter in New York is...

2007-11-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

Scarves, hats, gloves (finally a reason to wear them!), numb faces, dry skin, holiday drinks at Starbucks (gingerbread, pumpkin spice, peppermint, eggnog), chapped lips, seeing your breath when you breathe (doesn't happen in LA), Nuts4Nuts, cold ears, rosy cheeks, staying curled up in bed all morning with a special someone

Tricky Treats in the city

2007-11-14T10:57:00.000-08:00

Halloween recap: Not-so-spooky New York

Trick or treating is hard work. In order to fully reap the benefits of the free candy, careful planning and consideration must be paid to find the cutest costumes that will get the biggest "Aw" factor, hottest neighborhoods, and best houses (you know, the ones with the full size candy bars). If I thought trick or treating in Palo Alto was difficult, it's nothing compared to New York City.

Firstly, everyone seemed to be out and about, enjoying the cool October evening, donning their costumes and celebreating the holiday. The Saturday night before. Strangely enough, not even many children were out on the actual night. Those that were were reduced to bundling up (something not completely necessary in California), giving strange looks to those of us who actually did dress up, and bouncing from restaurants and bars that set out candy for them. What?! Little kids in bars? Yes.

I was semi-festive and attended the matinee of Wicked, seeing the show for the 1,000,000th time. I then attended a Halloween party for all of thirty minutes before I had to leave to get to bed early (don't listen to what they say--Brooklyn=far). Best costumes of the night included Mary Poppins, her chimney sweep, Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas, and a hilighter. Yes, a hilighter. Brilliant, simple, and effective.

Morals of the story:

You will stand out more wearing a costume than not on Halloween (but the opposite the Saturday before).
Always check your candy bag for unwrapped treats (or bottles of booze).
Next year, go as a hilighter.

Edit:

2007-10-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

Our neighborhood is not one giant pile of dog feces. Ashley wanted to make that clear. :)

The signs are there for a reason...

2007-10-23T07:14:00.001-07:00

You can hardly walk down the street in NYC without seeing signs warning dog owners to be responsible owners and take care of messes that their dogs make (see photo).

Why is it then, that in my neighborhood, you can hardly walk down the street without seeing lovely brown piles all over the sidewalk. And almost just as frequently, crushed piles with footprints stamped in them remind us to watch where we're walking (I'm extremely lucky, given my track record with stepping in that stuff in the past, to have not fallen victim to that trap yet, knock on wood).

I have grown up with cats my whole life, so I am hardly an expert on the rules. But "Curb Your Dog" must mean a few things. Not only should it mean clean up after your pet, it should also mean to take the animal to the curb, right? Apparently this notion has not stuck, because you can frequently see piles of gifts that the dogs leave behind in the middle of the sidewalk, as well as trails of yellow liquid streaming down and across the sidewalk. Now, I have become quite accustomed and immune to urine in this city, thanks to the subway system (late nights on the platform can pretty much guarentee a run-in with a foul smell or puddle). But I would really love to be able to walk down my block without having to dodge streams or piles of anything, let alone messes left by dogs whose owners either forget their plastic bags or purposefully don't think to clean up after them. I have heard of feces being used as mannure, but it can't exactly seep in through concrete, now, can it?

So please, people, curb your dog. Seriously.

Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

2007-10-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

Friday was my last day at my temp job. There's this woman I work with whom I've befriended over the last month and a half...her name is Simone. She's the one who's been lending me the books. Anyhoo, every day she sees me eating my pb&j sandwich and when I had my pb puffins she would always make fun of me. She has a constant supply of Halloween candy sitting on her desk, and I always pick up the Resse's (they have this amazing new candy bar called Reese's Crispy Crunchy bar...flakier Butterfinger topped with pb, coated in chocolate, topped with peanuts. Heaven). I come in today and she walks over to my desk and hands me a bag. Inside it is a jar of peanut butter, a jar of jelly, and a pack of peanut butter cookies. It made me smile.

Welcome to Temping in NYC

2007-10-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

I was told today that they have hired someone to permanently take over my temp position, and my last day is next Friday. I’m not upset or scared or anything, just a bit shocked. When I was assigned this position, they kept talking about it being a ‘6-month gig.’ I suppose what they meant was it could be up to a 6-month gig. It makes perfect sense that they needed someone to temporarily fill the shoes of the position after the previous assistant was re-assigned to a different office. And it makes perfect sense to make sure that the temporary person is available for the full range of the grace period before they find a replacement. And it also makes sense that the two other assistants have been meeting with people, introducing them around the office and passing resumes around.
The Office Manager here asked if I would be interested in applying for the permanent position. I obviously declined. I am not ready to make a commitment like that, and after doing it in Los Angeles, I do not think it is wise to handle a full time day job, as well as trying to audition full time. My opportunity in LA was a rare one, but I ultimately felt torn between my job and my career, and in the end was not able to audition as much as I wanted to. I gave my Thanksgiving and Christmas schedule to my manager, and we did some shuffling around with the others’ schedules to make it all work. Why would they do that if they were so close to finding a replacement? Making sure they’re prepared for anything/anyone, or poor communication?
Regardless of the reason, I am out of an assignment as of next week. Of course it is a bit scary to think that I may not have something lined up right away, but I need to take this as a sign that it is time for me to suck it up and start auditioning. I was afraid to ask for time off to audition here because I didn’t make it clear enough at the forefront. I know now that the clock is ticking and it is time for me to start doing what I came here to do: audition and network and hopefully be able to make a career out of performing. ‘Adjusting to the city’ is an excuse I have been using up until this point, and this is an indication that it’s time to put myself out there and start taking risks again!

Looking Up

2007-10-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

The hustle and bustle of the city usually causes me to keep my head either straight ahead, or down at the ground to make sure I don’t run into anything or get lost, which I am notoriously known to do. I walked from my office on Third Avenue to Hell’s Kitchen yesterday, a beautiful autumn evening, and it was one of the first times I actually noticed what I was walking by. It caused me to consider why people in this city don’t look up more often and see the amazing sites of the city that we live in. On my walk I passed by St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the NY Public Library, Rockefeller Center, The Rainbow Room, Radio City Music Hall, and had spectacular views of the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings and the wonders of Times Square.
Why don’t I notice these things more often? I walk by some incredible attractions every day, and I hardly ever notice them. Is it just a perk of living in one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world, or am I experiencing something very special by living here? I think it’s the latter, and from now on, I plan on looking up a lot more often (let’s just hope I don’t slip!).

A Chorus Line

2007-10-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

When I think of Broadway’s longest running shows, I think of flashing lights on a marquee showcasing legendary productions. I also think of signature moments, including a chandelier crashing down on a stage filled with operatic sopranos, nimble dancers prancing in nothing but fur, the remnants of a barricade, and of course, the golden sequined chorus line performed in front of a wall of mirrors.
At first I was disappointed to hear that the current revival of A Chorus Line would not be a revival as much as it would be a recreation of the original production. Usually, with a revival, a show is fancied up a bit. It may be sacrilege, but I felt like A Chorus Line could easily be updated with a few line changes and some new costume designs. The themes and music is so universal that it would work in any setting, with the exception of all of the references from the 1970’s. Don’t get me wrong, A Chorus Line is brilliant in any capacity. Well, perhaps with the exception of the film. But the original stage version, certainly, is as universal and moving and relevant today as it was the day it first opened in July of 1975 at the Shubert Theater (yes, I had that sitting on the top of my head, thank you very much). We all share similar experiences to the characters in the show, and we can see ourselves in all of them. I share Diana’ insecurities about her talents, Val’s self-conscious personality, Richie’s fight against a fall-back career, and Paul’s desire to be loved and validated.
I have seen the show before, but never on Broadway. Or in New York, for that matter. There is a specific appreciation for it when you see it amid such a thriving theatrical community. And as a struggling actor myself, there is an even deeper level of appreciation I get from seeing it in the city where I’ve been transplanted to follow my dreams. The passion and excitement spilling from the performers in the show is palpable, and I shared in the excitement when I saw it a few weeks ago, knowing that I was partaking in something that would once again make a mark in theatrical history.
My Dad used to always talk about living in New York after he graduated from college, and how many times he saw A Chorus Line (I think 8 was his attendance record, which is nothing compared to how many times those crazy kids have seen Rent, or Spring Awakening, but still a lot for any show, especially an influential one like A Chorus Line). And now I feel closer to him in the sense that I too can share in the excitement and passion of such a, well, passionate and exciting show. I guess I felt the same way about Rent when the novelty of the revolutionary show was still fresh to me, but I now see what he was able to relate to in the show, and I feel as though I am filling his shoes 20 years later. It’s amazing how history repeats itself.

Ashley & Brian at A Chorus Line

Subway Etiquette

2007-09-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

Worried about fitting in and not looking like a blatant tourist? Take the advice of a new NYC resident and follow these steps to fitting in while taking public transportation:

1. When entering the tunnel, audibly sigh when you get caught behind someone using caution while walking down the stairs. Upon reaching the turnstiles, have your Metro card ready and break into a spring the second you hear a train approaching, no matter what direction it is coming from.

2. Travel in the cars either at the very front or back of the train to avoid the biggest crowds. Of course, if you’re traveling during rush hour, you’re screwed. In that case, be prepared to elbow and nudge your way in. Screw making friends.

3. Subway doors are not like elevator doors. They do not automatically spring open if something touches it while it’s closing. But if the doors start to close on you, don’t jump back. Instead, curse and sneer while attempting to squeeze into a train while the doors close on you. Not only will it provide your fellow passengers with something to gawk at, it will make you look like a true New Yorker.

4. Once on the train, look annoyed that you are stuck in a tight space with so many people (this is actually a good thing to do in general in New York…it’s more authentic). When someone coughs or sneezes, react as though they have the plague and are quickly spreading it through the train.

5. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, sing (or rap) along to the music playing on your iPod. You did bring your iPod, didn’t you?

6. When possible, leave your gum on the seat next to you. Not only will it ensure your privacy and prevent people from sitting next to you, New Yorkers love being stuck to their seat on the subway. Especially the ancient N-R-W trains.

7. Avoid eye contact at all costs! Especially with your fellow people-watchers.

8. If you feel confident that you know your away around the tunnels, offer to help someone staring blankly at a map. Even if you don’t know how to direct them, tell the people false directions. It’s better than saying you don’t know.

9. When exiting a crowded train, all bets are off. Toes are allowed to be trampled on, bags are allowed to be crushed, hair is allowed to be rustled, old ladies are allowed to be floored. The objective is to get off the train before other passengers have a chance to get on, not win the Nobel Peace Prize for subway humanity.

10. If you are catching a connection at a station, run like hell. It doesn’t matter if your train is approaching or not. It will make you look like you have purpose. And it’s better to be early than late, right?

11. You’d better not be one of those people holding up the rapid flow of traffic coming off the train. You’re supposed to be one scoffing and visibly upset that you are one of 500 people trying to get off the same platform as the old man with the walker.

12. Never get caught allowing someone to enter through the turnstile when you are trying to exit. Have I taught you nothing?!

13. When exiting the subway station, walk with confidence. There is no time to stand and ponder which exit you need to take, or how much longer it will take you to walk to your destination from the NE corner exit, rather than the NW.

Time Zones

2007-09-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it, I’m a California boy through and through (I tell my friends out here that I’m excited to actually experience a REAL winter, with snow and everything, to which they reply, “Talk to me in about three months and then tell me how you feel.”). I also obviously know more people out in California than I do in New York, and it’s very interesting to try to keep in touch with them. The time difference is especially daunting. I’m used to being able to call someone at any time in the morning because they will be three hours ahead. But now, I can’t call too early, but I don’t have to worry about calling too late because they are three hours behind. Needless to say, this is still a confusing concept.

What still amuses me, however, is when my friends and I leave messages for each other, we still state the time in the various time zones: “Hey, it’s me, it’s 4:30 my time, which is 1:30 your time.” Just in case you forgot, we’re living on different coasts now. I will continue to do it forever, because it amuses me. No matter what coast I’m on.

'My Trip to Ikea,' or 'To Hell and Back'

2007-09-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

There is no Ikea in New York. There is one, however, in Elizabethtown, New Jersey. They are kind enough to provide free shuttles back and forth from the NYC Port Authority on the weekends.

Ashley and I thought we were thinking ahead by leaving 45 minutes before the first bus left one Saturday morning. We were going to get to the terminal nice and early, get a spot at the front of the bus.

It seemed like the line to get on the busses (thankfully they had more than one) went on for a quarter of a mile. Luckily we were still able to get onto the first batch of shuttles out that morning, and arrived at the Ikea in Elizabethtown at 10:30AM. Elizabethtown has the biggest Ikea I have ever been in. Don't know what the biggest won is like compared to this one, but man, it was like a walkathon trying to get through that thing. The showroom wasn't that bad, and was kinda fun, actually. They expanded their displays to include ideas for businesses, and the selection of products was out of this world. Then we went downstairs into the marketplace. By this time, the place was starting to get a bit crowded, and everyone had a cart, including us. They might as well have put us all in bumper cars, because we couldn't even go three feet without bumping into someone (or something...woops.).

Well, SIX HOURS and $700 later (we bought a couch, calm down), we left the store with our home furniture delivery scheduled for later that week. We knew we were going to have to shell out a small fortune for the home delivery, but we didn't anticipate still having to carry our non-furniture purchases back with us. We had SO MUCH STUFF. We couldn't even take it carry it far distances, let alone carrying it on the subway through two transfers, then five blocks to our apartment and five flights up in our building. So we sprung for a cab.

This cab driver was our first taxi experience in the city since we moved, and we were both frightened for our lives. I think even the water glasses were scared they were going to die! But I gotta hand it to the guy, our driver got us from 59th to 93rd with only an $8 cab fare, in about 4 minutes flat.

So now I am sitting on my brand new Ikea couch with my feet propped up on my coffee table watching Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveShow from HBO, the candle still burning on my IKEA dining table. Don't worry, pictures will come soon.

What doesn't kill me in this city will make me stronger!

The Pleasures/Pains of a 6th Floor Walkup

2007-09-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

My last post on this blog was a little under a month ago. That's stupid.

You see, going with the mantra, "nothing is ever easy in New York," Ashley and I didn't have internet in our apartment until last week. And I didn't have access to my personal email/blogs at work, so alas, it seemed like I dropped off the face of the earth. But I didn't. I'm alive, and have not succumbed to the evils of the city. But if it continues to be as humid as it is now, I think I might melt away...

Needless to say, I'm not homeless, and am virtually moved into my apartment. Everything in our home is complete except for my bedroom. I still have no furniture, and am sleeping on my brother's air mattress. It's one thing to have to furnish an apartment in NYC, where you have to walk your furniture to your apartment (unless you are buying your furniture new, and you can pretty much assume that judging by the $500 I had in my bank account when I flew out here that I am buying my furniture from Craigslist, thankyouverymuch). It's quite another to get the furniture into your building and realize you have to haul it up five flights of stairs to the sixth floor. And then there are the steps you have to walk up and down to the subway every day. And then there's the giant hill I have to walk up and down to and from the subway station by my place. By December I am anticipating having the nicest legs and ass in the tristate area. Of course, in the meantime, I wake up so sore I can hardly walk.

Everything is Easy in New York

2007-08-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm being fecicious.

I was supposed to get my keys today. I called the Super. Needless to say, the apartment is not ready.

In fact, he did not even know until today that the apartment had been rented. People showed up to work on the cabinets and countertop in the kitchen, and that's how he found out the place was taken. They still have to work on the stove, clear out the clutter, sand and polish the floors, paint the walls, etc. I think I have realized that 'cleaning' and apartment by New York standards is not even close to cleaning a place by Santa Barbara or Los Angeles standards, and I am expecting to still have to give the place a thorough scrubbing before Ashley arrives.

Oh, but Ashley left TODAY on her cross-country journey. She arrives on Sunday. The Super said I would be able to get in by Friday at the earliest. The EARLIEST.

So tomorrow I get the privelege of calling my broker, my landlord, and my Super and yell at them until they understand that they are breaking my lease before it even starts! Grrr. I just want to settle in to my place and feel comfortable in the city. Is that so difficult?!

A Very 'Marilyn' Moment

2007-08-14T20:21:00.000-07:00

Subways cause an amazing phenomenon on the sidewalks that New Yorkers seem to appreciate more than anyone else...

I met up with Candice for dinner in SoHo the other night, and I was a bit early, so I was leaning up against a wall waiting for her, people-watching (actually, my nose was in the last chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, but that's not what this story is about so bear with me!). I came to realize that I was standing right in front of a subway grate that stretched acorss the entire width of the sidewalk, virtually impossible to avoid. Well, it's been hot in NYC, so a lot of women wear skirts and dresses. You see where I'm going with this?

Time after time, innocent women who were just trying to get from point A to point B became victim of the menacing wafts of warm air billowing from the depths of the tunnel below. It never got old. Nevermind the fact that I was actually standing directly next to the vent watching woman after woman walk by and get embarrassed and laugh after their undergarments were flashed to the people walking behind (and in front) of them.

Yet another reason I'm glad I wear pants. And underwear.

I'm A Little Spoiled.

2007-08-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

When it rains in California, you get in your car, turn the windshield wipers on, and complain about the traffic. People seem to think they will melt if they go outside in the rain. Especially in LA (The OC, season 1? Anybody).

Today is the first day since I got here (9 days ago, by the way) that it has rained during the daylight hours. When I want to go out and run errands. Be productive with my day. Not sit around Ryan's place thinking about what I could or SHOULD be doing.

I stepped outside a few moments ago with my dinky little $5 umbrella that I got at Target before I came out here (walking to and from your car when it rains in LA doesn't necessarily warrant itself for a huge umbrella that will just inevitably get in the way). After taking 10 steps, I said to myself, "Yeah, right. I could be inside reading Harry Potter right now." And so, my trips to Borders, CVS, the supermarket, and AT&T store has been put off. I will get to it. Eventually. Once it stops raining. Or at least dies down a bit. Man do I have it coming to me.

Thundering and Lightninging

2007-08-08T06:21:00.000-07:00

When it rains in Los Angeles, it flushes away all of the smog, the exhaust, and the nastiness. The city becomes so beautiful when it rains, and the day after is by far the best day to go on a hike!

Today marks my one-week anniversary in the city, and it has already rained twice. Luckily they have both been overnight, but it's supposed to rain again today and possibly tomorrow. Aside from getting used to the summer rains (I still don't quite understand why it's hot and raining outside, but I'm just going with the flow here), the rain seems to flush away all of the negatives of the city and leaves me with a fresh outlook on what I'm doing out here (let's just wait until it rains during the day and I slip on my way down to the subway. That will be a different story. But again...rolling with the punches).

The first time it rained was after the climax of our frustrations looking for 3 bedrooms. The lightning flashes and loud, dramatic thunderclaps echoed through the streets and between the high rises, and it seemed to reflect my mood of the city and our apartment hunt perfectly. But the next day we had the huge revelation that our priorities weren't in check, and we went off in search of 2 bedrooms.

Last night there was another thunderstorm, albeit not as long and loud as the first. But last night also marked the end of my apartment hunt (which Sean, Tina and I celebrated with happy hour at The Dead Poet's and dinner afterwards), and it felt like the rain was cleansing the city of all my frustrations with pounding the pavement and dealing with caneiving brokers who don't speak english who are only after my checkbook. I can't wait to see what the city has in store for me, but I also hope I don't need another thunderstorm to was away my frustrations!

A New Beginning

2007-08-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

I signed a lease last night! I actually found out that we were approved for an apartment on Monday, but I didn't want to say anything until I knew it was official. Ashley and I will be Upper East Siders, and we are so excited!!

I got so tired of going listing to listing on Craigslist, and we had ruled in working with a broker, so I opted to meet with a company called Manhattan Apartments. I made an appointment at their offices, and two women, Mimi and Julie, went through my requirements and came up with listings. Julie took me all over the city and we looked at 5 apartments. 2 of them were newly remodeled but didn't have a living room (like, really didn't have a living room). One of them was a walk-in, walk-out 'get me out of here now' situation, and another one was a railroad apartment (you have to walk through one bedroom to get to the next). Then we found it. The place Ashley and I would eventually live in for a year.

The place isn't perfect. Actually, as of right now it's FAR from perfect. It is not completey moved out of, and is in pretty rough condition. It definitely needs to be cleaned out and serviced. And there are other drawbacks too. 5 blocks away from a local train (take it downtown one stop to get to the express), it's probably the smallest apartment I have ever lived in, and it is on the 6th floor of the building, so there are 5 stories of stairs to walk up every day.

But the way Ashley and I look at it, we'll have the best legs in town (and the nicest butts), and it's our first apartment in NYC, and it's going to be great. It actually has a living room, a separate kitchen, and two separate bedrooms (no convertible 1 bedrooms here). The apartment has windows all over the place, so it should get good light, and the bedrooms look out on the street. And the biggest draw for the place is its LOCATION! You can't beat the Upper East Side, with its residential quality and central location to tons of great restaurants and shops. It feels completely different from the hustle and bustle of the city, but it's still easy to take a train downtown to walk around the East Village or see a show in Times Square, or take a cross town bus to the Westside and Central Park.

So if you can survive the 5 flights of stairs, you are more than welcome to come visit! The building itself is really nice, and we are excited to get in and make it our own!

I will post pictures once I get the keys on the 15th. Things are starting to fall into place more and more, just like I was hoping they were. I have a job and an apartment. The only thing left is to book the lead in a Broadway show. That's tomorrow's project.

Tomorrows Just As Bad As Todays

2007-08-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

I am definitely feeling the dragging, suffocating, and frustrating rejection of the city right now. I spent the entire day networking and traveling from place to place, only to be stood up by multiple people while trying to view apartments. I didn't look at ONE place today. I feel as though I am becoming more drained and exhausted every day, and I don't know how much more I can deal with it.

Everyone keeps encouraging me that the next day is a new day, but everything is starting to blend together. All of the apartment listings I have seen look the same to me now, especially since we've started looking at listings with brokers. The policies and language barriers I have encountered when dealing with them seems to slow the process down even moreso than the fact that I'm searching for a 2 bedroom alone. So far I have deals with 4 or 5 brokers, and it is never as easy as meeting them at the apartment that I call about. They get me into their offices and make me fill out the same mundane application where they ask my budget, credit, requirements, and the addresses of all the units I have looked at thusfar (by now I don't even bother listing them...I can't even remember them all). Then they shmooze with me for 45 minutes only to tell me they don't have anything in my price range, and try to coerce me into looking at something out of my price range. I haven't even stopped to think about the fact that Ashley and I are each going to have to pay close to $2000 after they manage to find us a place.

I'm going to try it again...Tomorrow Is A New Day. Tomorrow Is A New Day. Tomorrow Is A New Day.

When the going gets tough

2007-08-04T14:52:00.000-07:00

Day 2 and 3 of the apartment hunt has proved just as unsuccessful as Day 1. Despite my best efforts, I could not talk all of the roommates into the Central Park North neighborhood. After 2 more days of hunting (which proved highly wasteful and unsuccessful, not by my efforts to say the least), we decided to part ways, and now Ashley and I are looking for 2 bedrooms. And we are going to be looking in areas that are a bit more populated, which will probably mean less space. But here's our reasoning behind it: We figured 2 bedrooms will be significantly smaller than the 3 bedrooms in the city, so we may as well look in cool neighborhoods. We will also look in Morningside Heights area, but we are both relieved and excited for the possibilities ahead.

In other news, I have a job with Citigroup. The temp agency Ryan got me into found me a $24/hr job as an Executive Assistant for 3-6 attorneys in the legal department. The best part is I can't start for another week so they can set up a new employee account for me, which gives me another week to look for apartments. My goal is to have the keys to a place by the time I start next Monday. That gives me 8 days. I'd better get busy!

Who wants to buy me an apartment???

2007-08-02T15:58:00.000-07:00

And so today, the frustrations of apartment hunting began.

Looked at only 4 places today...things get slower in general in the summer, including my brain and my legs. My sweat seems to speed up though.

The first 2 places we saw were on the upper east side. And by upper east side, I mean UPPER EAST SIDE. I mean Spanish Harlem, one of the most concentrated areas of housing projects in the city. Needless to say, we quickly ruled that area out for the future.

Then we headed across town via 42nd street (aaaaaaaaah! so many tourists! And I can say that now because I'm no longer one), and checked out a place near Ryan's in Harlem at 130th/7th. The place was cute, and the landlord told us it was on the only block in the city where the buildings still had porches. Not really planning on sitting out on the front porch of my apartment building, but it was a nice selling point nonetheless. But it was too far away from the subway and even though Spanish Harlem was way worse, we were still keeping an eye out for the hoodlums.

Then there was our 4th place. 111th/5th, literally around the corner from central park. the most perfect nyc apartment. They completely gutted the apartment, and everything down to the shower head was brand new. Gorgeous. Great girl renting out the place, who would give a $200 deposit if we paid the rent a few days early and would pay ALL the utilities. The place was perfect, but when it came down to it, we both didn't feel comfortable in the neighborhood, so for now we are ruling it out.

Tomorrow I have an interview for an executive admin. position at Citibank, then it's off for more apartment hunting (hopefully).

First Impressions

2007-08-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

I hope that my stress level and anxiety will subside as I become more situated and settled in the city. I couldn't sleep on my red-eye last night, despite being SO tired and reading the most boring book ever (NOT Harry Potter like I wanted it to be), and I think a great part of it was because of how anxious and nervous I was about my arrival.

All in all though, my first day was painless. Arrived at 7AM, and Uncle Tim met me at Baggage Claim and waited with me until all the other passengers had already collected their bags (THEN they decided to throw mine on the conveyor. A usual occurance with me). We got our bags, walked outside for the first time, and was taken aback by how hot it was at 8AM (yes, it took me an hour to get my bags). I mean, I know it's hot in NYC in August, but it was 8AM and I started sweating. Nice.

Got into town after sitting in traffic going over the bridge (aw, rush hour. I miss LA), and Ryan met me downstairs to help me with my bags. It was pretty painless, and by painless I mean the worst three flights of stairs I've ever had to walk up. And I get to do it again getting them down soon. And then back up into my new apartment. I'll pray to the Elevator Gods tonight.

Took a nap in Ryan's air conditioned room, took a shower, ironed some clothes, and went to an interview at my temp agency. I'm not sure if I'll be able to start working with them until I find an apartment though, because I couldn't fill out the necessary NY tax forms without a permanent local address. We'll see how that pans out. So far I've been enjoying the air conditioning in the city: offices, apartments, subways. But the apartment hunt begins tomorrow, so it'll be adios comfort and hola sweat!

Alexa gets into town around 6AM. I failed in my objective to call and make appointments for places to look tomorrow, but I will compile a list tonight and make some calls first thing in the morning. Here's hoping we find a great place at a great value in great time!

2007-08-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

New Blogs are fun. Is this layout even snapshots of NYC? Do I really care? I'm a New Yorker, dammit, I'm not supposed to care about anything!