Top Five Overrated Musicals of This Decade

Whew!! I've done a TON of blogging today! After this one, I'm done. Okay, so the last list is a list (in case you didn't read the title) of the most overrated musicals of the decade:

1. Billy Elliot the Musical- Anything that has to do with England is soooooooooo annoying!!!!!! Why do they get all the hype????? I mean, PLEASE!!!!

2. Mary Poppins- Yet another British musical. Who cares if Mary Poppins is supposedly perfect! I'll tell you one thing though, she is NOT in any way, PERFECT!!!!!

3. Mamma Mia!- Okay, I'm not saying that this is a bad show, because it's not AWFUL! People just talk about way too much is all. In fact, most kids at my school only know about this musical because of the movie!

4. Hairspray- This is another musical that kids at school only know about because of the movie. It's actually a good show, it's just overdone, I think!

5. Avenue Q- I'm seeing this one in March or so at the Pikes Peak Center in Colorado Springs, and to tell you the truth, I can see why it's so overrated. But that decision can be made final once I actually see it.

Wow, are my fingers tired! Well, I hope everyone enjoyed 2009 (and this decade) as much as I did. And I hope you all have a great 2010!

Top Ten Underrated Musicals of This Decade

I decided in order to have enough lists, I would write half of them on the same day. So here is another one for your enjoyment; this one is a list of the most underrated musicals of the decade:

1. Legally Blonde- HELLO?!?! Where is all the hype about this show??? I mean, you'd think after the success of the movie, people would LOVE the musical, especially because it has a TON of upbeat, flashy dance numbers!

2. Spamalot- Okay, so maybe people like Monty Python, but probably not on Broadway. But seriously, this musical is in my top five ever, but other people just don't seem to like it or know about it.

3. White Christmas- I still have yet to see this one, but I don't even know if it will return to Broadway next season because even though it's the holiday season, tourists would rather see shows like Wicked.

4. The Drowsy Chaperone- This is another musical I really don't know why people wouldn't like it or even see it. Sure, the composers and lyricists are unknown, but the music is really great!

5. Little Women- See????? Most people don't even know that half of these musicals actually exist! Well, this one starred Sutton Foster and everyone loves her, so why not see it?

Okay, you gotta agree with me on some of my choices because they really are quite underrated!

Top Five Worst Musical of This Decade

So those of you who have been seeing all of my lists for the decade, you are probably tired of seeing them. I mean, hey, it's already the 31st, so why should I be writing???? For many reasons, but let's not discuss that! Here's a list of the musicals that I think are the worst musicals of the decade.

1. Mary Poppins- Okay, PLEASE don't hate me, all you Disney fanatics! I just don't see where anyone could like this show. I've haven't seen the musical or movie...and I don't plan to!

2. The Little Mermaid- So I did see this movie, but again, not the musical!!!!! And who would want to when there's a bunch of fish on skates????

3. Shrek the Musical- I actually am seeing this one next November at the Denver Center; however, according to many, it didn't do as well as the movies. In fact, I don't know a single person who knew this show existed!

4. Billy Elliot the Musical- I really don't car what anyone says about this show! IT SUCKS!!!! Just because it's British, it doesn't make it perfect!

5. Memphis- As many Broadway geeks would know, this show is currently on Broadway, but is not doing well at all! I have to agree with audiences; no one wants to see this show!

I know that lately, I've only been doing top five lists, but hey! You try being the blogger and see how it feels!!!!

Top Five Best Broadway Songs of This Decade

Yes, the decade is finally coming to its final "curtain call", as we Thespians may put it. But that doesn't mean that we can't look back to these past years and think of all the wonderful musicals that originated and became hits in those years. Here is yet another list of the best of the decade, this time, the best songs:

1. "Defying Gravity" from Wicked- This song deeply affected me when I saw it because there is just so much depth and power to Idina Menzel's voice that it's quite hard to remember that Glinda sings with her!

2. "Superboy and the Invisible Girl" from Next to Normal- This show definitely deserved that Tony! This song has so much meaning and purpose to it!

3. "Omigod You Guys" from Legally Blonde- You know what?!? I really could care less if people make fun of me for actually LOVING this song! I love when all of Elle's friends surround her and are singing, "Omigod, omigod you guys!" It makes me crack up!

4. "You Won't Succeed on Broadway" from Spamalot- I bet all my readers are rolling on the floor, laughing, at this point! But seriously, this song is SO funny...and some of it even very factual!
5. "I Can Hear the Bells" from Hairspray- This song is sooooo sweet! I LOVE how Tracy really thinks she can beat out Amber Von Tussle! It's a fantastic song that fantasizes (how wonderful!)

I think that's it for now! Hopefully, I can get a couple more lists out before the 31st! AAAAAUUUGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!

Top Five Best Broadway Actors of This Decade

One of the most important aspects of a great show is how well an actor performs. If they suck, then who even wants to see the show?!? Especially if it's on Broadway, because who in their right mind would want to go all the way to New York City to see a horrible show? Well, here's a list (for those of you who aren't aware, for the next few weeks, I'm going to blog about the top ten of every Broadway category) of who were, in my opinion, the best of the decade:

1. Kristin Chenoweth- Crazy, crazy me for putting her as number 1, right? WRONG-O! Seriously, her work in Wicked was incredible and she has been very successful since. So, why not rate her as the very top?

2. Nathan Lane- Okay, I don't know a single Broadway geek who hates this guy. I mean, he has to be in the top, duh! After his performance in The Producers back in 2001, I would consider him one of the greats on Broadway.

3. Sutton Foster- Even if she hasn't been in any successful shows, I have heard her mentioned as "one of the best in the business". She has this charm that totally lights up her face. I don't even care if Shrek the Musical bombed on Broadway; she can rock a stage!

4. Norbert Leo Butz- This guy has power! I mean, his voice just says to the audience, "Look out world: here I come!" Doesn't that tell you something about his personality? And yes, he is from Wicked.

5. Alice Ripley- So maybe I don't really like anything that's not hilarious (or even a wee bit funny), but hey, you gotta give this woman some credit! Her voice is so full of emotion, but she the power to back it up too. I still desperately want to see her perform in Next to Normal!

So there you have it, the best of the best! I would've done top ten, but it's more fun to do top five and see what my readers think.

Top Ten Best Broadway Musicals of This Decade

Can you BELIEVE it?!?!? This decade is coming to an end!!!!! That means all new fashions, all new electronics and all new...MUSICALS!!!!!!!!! So I thought that I should dwell on the past for once and figure the best of this decade, and instead of actual postings, for the next few weeks, I'm going to list the best for this decade in every Broadway category!

1. Wicked- STOP!!!!!!!!! Just because I'm a teenage girl does NOT mean that everything is about Wicked (well, ALMOST everything is!) But seriously, everyone was underestimating this show back in 2003, and look where it is now!

2. Hairspray- I really think that this musical is going to be a timeless classic. The flashy numbers, the touching music and the fun is all what makes musicals great!

3. Billy Elliot: The Musical- Even if I REALLY hate this show (never seen it, but whatever!), you gotta admit; everyone in NYC LOVES it! So yes, I will agree that it is a classic.

4. Legally Blonde: The Musical- I love pink and I've always wanted to be blonde. How could this not be a great show? After all, the movie starring the lovable Reese Witherspoon was definitely a hit and I think Laura Bell Bundy is just fantastic for Elle Woods.

5. Spamalot- My dad brought me up on two things: Broadway and Monty Python. So Naturally, I have grown to appreciate the humor of it all, and the combination of Broadway and Monty Python make this show fantabulous!

6. Avenue Q- Okay, I still have yet to see to this one, but from what I've heard, it's VERY fun and funny! Although, I do need to figure out HOW in the world this musical won the Tony over Wicked!

7. [title of show]- Yes, I know that this is not a household name, but if you listen to the music and you know what it is about, you will grow to love it! Plus, not all household titles are the best.

8. Next to Normal- Don't laugh! Even if it IS a serious musical, I do believe that this is a story that a lot of people can relate to, and that can make a fabulous musical if you know how to do it. The guys who created this show pulled it off, and, I think, are pure geniuses.

9. The Drowsy Chaperone- I will admit that I have no clue what this one is about. However, I do know that critics really liked it and anytime critics like it, the show totally deserves appraisal! Plus, anytime Sutton Foster, one of my idols, is in a show, even if it doesn't do well, everyone in the audience goes away after the show, loving her.

10. Curtains- I LOVE how this musical is called "curtains" for so many different reasons. The whole plot and the songs that I have heard from this musical make it sound very much enjoyable.

I bet pretty much NONE of you agree with the top few but hey, if you don't agree, GO WRITE YOUR OWN BLOG!!!!!

Our City: The Musical

OK, so call me crazy, but tonight, I'm seeing another musical. AAA!!!! I swear, all my friends think I'm INSANE!!!! But hey, the experience is all great! Anywho, the musical is called, This Beautiful City and it was actually on Broadway, and this is at the end of the tour. It's about our small town of...insert drum roll...COLORADO SPRINGS!!!!!! And yes, it was on Broadway! In this show, you will find an array of famous Springs figures, including none other than Ted Haggard. The only thing I can say is, "Why would someone from New York actually care about our city?!?" I mean, really? Still, I'm extremely psyched for this. Here's the info on it for those of you live there:

This Beautiful City
At the Cornerstone Arts Center 825 N. Cascade Ave.
7 PM today, Saturday and Sunday 2 PM
Free, but tickets are required and limited
Tickets available at Worner Campus Center Information Desk, 902 N. Cascade Ave., 389-6607

I will fill you all in on the show after I see it!

Joseph and the Almost Amazing Performance I Saw

Last night, for the first time, I saw Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Arvada Center. I will tell you, on a scale of 1 to 10, I think I would give it an 8. Although not as great as Phantom of the Opera or Jesus Christ Superstar, it's for sure much better than Cats. It was definitely very flashy and energetic, and that's why I loved it. Also, the set was INCREDIBLE!!!!! (good job, Arvada!) But I found the fact that the very genuine and innocent Joseph, who was played by charmingly funny David B. Johnson, was very full of himself, was quite annoying. He was very arrogant even from the first note he sang to the very last. You would think he would've learned his lesson by the end, but NO!!!! Truthfully, the show was very well done, but I hate how Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals never have any dialogue. I mean, it gets somewhat old to hear song after song after song. But if you have seen Lloyd Webber's work before, you are already aware of this. And for those of you who have seen Jesus Christ Superstar before, you may catch a little something in the overture that may remind you of that musical. I encourage all of my readers to see this show!

Fantasticks Returning?

No, no, NO!!!!!!!!!! This can't be happening! The world's longest running musical (I wish the opposite!), The Fantasticks, will be showing at the Arena Stage starting now and playing through January of 2010. Could these people be going insane?!? I mean, this, of all musicals, should never be brought to the Arena Stage! I personally think this show should go down in flames and never be heard from again. The cast, however, may be able to make the show okay. Sebastian La Cause returns to the Arena as El Gallo, joined by Helen Hayes, Addi McDaniel and several others. Although I've never heard of any of these guys, I'm sure they can pull this show off. Still, I won't rest my case on the fact that this musical is one of the worst. But if some of my readers REALLY love this show, don't let me rain on your parade!

Momma, Bring Ragtime Today!

As all Broadway geeks should know, the revival of Ragtime opened this past Saturday at the Neil Simon Theatre. I know what you're going to say, "Why would you, all people, be blogging about an old musical. Well, my friends, I'm blogging about this because personally, I'm excited for this show! I mean, I've heard some of the music on Sirius XM On Broadway (love ya, Dueling Divas!), so I do know the music and I really do like it. But I'm mostly excited for this one because if it lasts awhile on Broadway, it might go on national tour, which means I would get to see it at the Buell. And knowing me, I absolutely LOVE seeing any and all musicals! Plus, I missed the Arvada Center's production of it, so I need this chance!

Top Ten Best Broadway Songs Ever

Let's face it: I'm a Broadway geek. And I'm probably the only teenage one in Colorado Springs. I mean, I listen to Sirius XM On Broadway like, every day, so I've heard songs from the greatest musicals of all time (or what people say are the best!) So here's my personal opinion on the best Broadway songs:

1. "Defying Gravity"- Okay, so what if I mentioned a song from Wicked? This song was the most powerful by far and most definitely affected me deeply!

2. "The Music of the Night"- Yes, I know! I'm very much into the popular musicals! But if you just listen to the tone of the Phantom, doesn't it just send tingles all down your back?

3. " 'Til There Was You"- I suppose I mostly love this song because I had to hear it almost every day for 3 months! But this is another song that gets me every time.

4. "I'm Not That Girl"- I'm sorry, I'm sorry! But really! This song is just so incredible and Idina's version is no exception.

5. "I Could've Danced All Night"- I guess I can really apply myself to this one, as I have been dancing ever since I was 3 years old. Plus, this song has a counterpart between Eliza and the maids, which is really cool!

6. "A Castle on a Cloud"- I have actually sung this one before, so that's probably part of it. But also, I just think it's so sad how young Cosette is imagining this fantasy world where everything is perfectly fine.

7. "I Still Believe"- I have to admit, when I saw Miss Saigon, this was the one song that gave me major goosebumps (always a good thing). And the duet between Kim and Ellen is just so powerful!

8. "Memory"- Even though I absolutely HATE Cats, I LOVED this song. I always used to think this was a very sappy song, but the more you listen to it, the more it grows on you.

9. "At the Ballet"- I love how this song describes the girl's childhood and what is was really like for her. the background story is just so touching!

10. "Luck Be a Lady"- Oh my gosh! When I saw the movie, I was super impressed by the amazing choreography. Not only that, but the words to this song are just so creative!

I really don't care if you don't agree with me. If you truly don't, then try writing your OWN blog!

Wedding Plummets?

Yes, that's right! The Wedding Singer, showing at the Pikes Peak Center, (I saw it on Tuesday night) was, on a scale of 1 to 10, a 6. And it seems like the kind of show that I would be all gaga about, but there were several areas of the show that needed improvement. The choreography looked like it was created by a 10 year old at points, the talent wasn't amazing (but then again it wasn't the official national tour) and the set was lame. The two leads were, in real life, husband and wife, so that made a perfect leading section. I have never seen the movie, but I wasn't too crazy about the plot. I mean, finding exactly where your enemy and lover are to be wedded...PUH-LEASE! Although if you lived through the 80's, you might like this show for the 80's star impersonators!

Some Biggies Are a-Comin'!

Every year at the annual Macy's parade there's at least one Broadway musical dance number showing. This year, we got ourselves quite a few great musical numbers from musicals like Hair, Shrek the Musical, Billy Elliot the Musical and Bye Bye Birdie! And in addition to these fabulous(um...with the exception of Billy Elliot) musicals, there will be performances by Alan Cummings (of Cabaret fame) and Jane Krakowski (of "30 Rock"), both Tony-winners. Okay, so maybe I'm not too crazy about Billy Elliot or Cummings' appearance (I didn't particularly like his performance in the TV movie, "Annie"), the rest of the line-up for the 83rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (God, PLEASE no Miley Cyrus or Jonas Brothers!) sounds awesome...though I want KC back at the Macy's!

Finian's Opening

After 6 month's wait, Finian's Rainbow, which originated at 46th Street Theatre way back in 1948, it's back to Broadway for its 3rd revival. In fact, it's opening tonight. But from what I've heard about this musical, the music and lyrics suck, and the storyline is just overall weirdness! I mean, really, who wants to see a musical about a leprechaun? However, looking a t the cast list courtesy of IBDB, I see that two of the cast members (William Youmans and Christopher Fitzgerald) were in the original production of Wicked when it first appeared on Broadway in 2003 (Fitzgerald as Boq and Youmans as Doctor Dillamond). Maybe with two Wicked guys, Finian's Rainbow won't be too awful. But for those of you who plan on seeing it, be prepared for the odd looks audience members make after at least the first act!

Couldn't Be Happier

After appearing only once on the musical TV show, Glee, she apparently is returning for the last nine episodes as April Rhodes, the former classmate of Will's (Matthew Morrison of Hairspray). Personally, I totally can't wait (yes, I'm a Cheno-freak!), even though I've barely seen one episode of this TV show...and it wasn't even the one with Kristin! But people are also saying that Adam Lambert, last season's American Idol runner-up, will possibly be making a future appearance on Glee. I'm excited about this appearance too, as I am a religious American Idol viewer. The one thing, though, that I would love to happen on Glee is to have Idina Menzel appear and sing "Defying Gravity"!

6 Years...PARTY!

We all know Wicked; whether we've seen it or not, it's a HUGE hit! This year happens to be the 6th anniversary of the opening of this spectacular musical, and to celebrate, they will be hosting several special Wicked festivities throughout New York. But what people from all around the world are buzzing about is the first ever online global Wicked party on WICKED DAY. Global fans can register to have their own Wicked-themed parties on www.wickedday.com and are encouraged to tweet, post pictures and videos, and share links from their Wicked celebrations that will be shared with other Wicked fans globally on the official online WICKED DAY map. So defy gravity with your Wicked party and celebrate the success of this incredible show!

Love Should Never Die on Broadway

The well-loved quasi-operatic Broadway musical is finally going to have a long-awaited sequel. Yes, you guessed it; the story of The Phantom of the Opera, which has played at the Majestic Theatre for over 20 years, will continue its classic storyline in the sequel, The Phantom of the Opera: Love Never Dies. Says Andrew Lloyd Webber, "The Phantom has been so extraordinary in my life-the biggest musical I've been involved in so far." Being a Phantom fan myself, this is very exciting for me and certainly for many others. I wonder, though, how Lloyd Webber is going to be able to pull of yet another amazing, if not better, musical. I mean, when I saw Phantom, it was just SO incredible! All the music is very beautiful and memorable, unlike his other hit musical, Cats. Anyway, I can't wait to see Lloyd Webber's latest creation.

Defying Musical Gravity

Finally, after waiting SO long (since I'm a teen, I can get pretty impatient), I saw Wicked last night at Buell Theatre in Denver! I'll tell you what, I was BLOWN OUT OF THE WATER after I saw it. Every time I have heard "Defying Gravity", I got goosebumps right at the end of it, but last night, I got them at the very beginning of the song. Come intermission, I turned to my dad and we were both in total shock by everything we had just seen. All I could really say was, 'Wow!'; that's exactly how blown away I was. Although, I'm wondering even more now why Stephen Schwartz isn't as big as Stephen Sondheim (hopefully that will change!) Still, I can't believe I ever missed out on this amazing musical. One question, though, that keeps going through my mind is, 'Why did it have to end?'

Let the Birthday Shine In

This musical is well-loved by many baby boomers and now more popular with teens. Hair, the American tribal love rock musical, is celebrating its 32nd anniversary of its very first opening night in 1977. On its fourth revival, Hair is still a huge musical today. Personally, I can't wait to see this incredible musical! Whoever despises this show shouldn't even be a Broadway geek because seriously, I LOVE the music. Anyways, I hope Hair continues on Broadway for quite some time and audience members LOVE it!

Priscilla Queen...Heading to Broadway?

Okay, so I thought the play Superior Donuts, which opened at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway yesterday, was bad enough. But what's coming on Broadway in March 2011 is even worse. Yes, it's a musical (I give them kudos for that!); but with a title like Priscilla Queen of the Desert, I doubt this musical is going to be any good. Although it may sound quite enjoyable, (ahem, I beg your pardon?) the music and lyrics are written by total no-names, which for me is a bad sign! Based on the (supposedly) Oscar-winning film, the Broadway cast will include Jason Donovan, Tony Sheldon, Oliver Thornton and many others (ones I haven't heard of.) I'm sorry to say, but because it's a bad musical overall, it will be thrown into the "Broadway trash can" for a very long time.

Dumpin' Donuts

I LOVE checking out the IBDB website every now and then to see if they have any new musicals debuting or returning to Broadway. Recently, I was looking at IBDB's homepage to look for new Broadway shows (September is the best time of year for Broadway!) and found a brand new play called Superior Donuts, (which is again NOT a musical) opening October 1. As soon as I saw it, my mouth dropped open. Supposedly, this play is about a small donut shop in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. I mean, who would even want to see such a ridiculous play about a breakfast treat? (The kids at my church would especially enjoy this play) I doubt it's going to succeed on Broadway!

Wicked Freak

If you haven't seen my top ten best Broadway musicals list (which appeared about a month ago), then you probably have no idea what my favorite Broadway musical of all time is: Wicked. I know, I know; it's not too much of a surprise, considering I'm a teenage girl who hates Twilight. My philosophy on teen girls is you're either a fan of Twilight or a fan of Wicked. But anyways, I'm of course a Wicked freak, and along with that, my idol is Kristin Chenoweth, so naturally, I would love this musical. However, as crazy as this sounds, I have never seen Wicked; but no worries, because in 2 weeks, I'm seeing it in Denver on the national tour, which I am so stoked about. Of course, though, Kristin won't be in this national tour, which I think is totally outrageous!

Ten Worst Musicals of All Time (well, in my opinion anyways!)

So maybe you saw my top ten best musicals list (posted about a month ago) and were thinking when you saw it, Man, she only likes popular musicals! Not so, my friends! Here's what I think are the ten worst musicals EVER (number one being the very worst)!

1. Cats- One word: AWFUL!!!! I mean, normally, I LOVE Andrew Lloyd Webber, but this show has absolutely no storyline, no powerful songs (well, besides the classic, "Memory") and no dialogue, which bugs me the most about this musical!
2. Carousel- I know, I know, it's Rodgers and Hammerstein; who can hate them? That's partially correct, but honestly, Carousel is a horrible show. Billy, the main character, never learns his lesson and Mr. Snow can get on one's nerves after a while!
3. The Fantasticks- I know this musical is supposedly a hit; but just like any critic, I HATE this musical! I still can't believe it stayed off-Broadway for over 40 years. The idea of a wall being a character is so stupid too!
4. Mary Poppins- I've always hated this movie, partly because of the British people. But mainly because every character in the show is constantly pointing out how perfect Mary Poppins is (refer to "Practically Perfect" and you get the picture), which is very unrealistic.
5. The Lion King- Okay, you can pretty much guess that I hate anytime a Disney movie becomes a Broadway musical. Everything possible is wrong with this show: lame songs, stupid storyline and so much more!
6. Pippin- So I'm a Stephen Schwartz fan (go Wicked!) But this musical has the weirdest plot and very forgettable music!
7. Billy Elliot: The Musical- Yeah, I know, call me crazy! But because of all the hype about this musical, I seriously am starting to think this show is quite overrated and no good
8. Barnum- Anyone ever heard of Christine Pedi from XM Radio's On Broadway? Well, this is a musical she tends to play once in a while. I just don't understand why anyone would make a musical about a circus!
9. Evita- Pretty much any musical Patti LuPone is in, I instantly hate it! Everything that I've heard from Evita is always either depressing or just plain obnoxious. And again, LuPone makes every musical horrendous!
10. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat- Okay, so one less Andrew Llyod Webber musical I love. The main problem with this show is that the plot in the musical is totally different from what is true in the Bible. My other issue is how catchy the songs are (why did lyricists and music writers have to do that to us?)

I told you that a lot of my least favorite musicals would be popular shows. But this is my opinion.

Nothing For Me

I'm so disappointed. I have been for quite some time. The theatre company that put on The Music Man, the Fine Arts Center, is about to start their 2009-2010 season, and there aren't any shows for 13 year old girls! I know...very disappointing! And the worst part is that the one show I could've been at least teen chorus in, Sweeney Todd, already had auditions but they were for 16 years and up. The bright side is that I will have more time to focus on my Alleycat Theatrics shows and of course, the spring school musical, which I'm totally stoked about! Hopefully, I can get into YouthRep at the Fine Arts Center next summer as well. That would be equivalent to being in another Fine Arts Center show. So I cross my fingers, (and yes, my toes too) that I can still be successful without Sweeney Todd.

Patti, Patti, Patti!

OK, so you have heard me put down Patti LuPone. Well, is there reason not to? I'm just glad she's 60 now and soon will be done with Broadway...unless she's the next Liza Minnelli, which would anger me deeply. The number one reason I hate LuPone is that every Broadway geek I talk to goes on and on about how wonderful she is. WHAT IS SO WONDERFUL ABOUT PATTI?!?! She has bad phrasing, she can't take on Ethel Merman's roles; sure she can sing loud, but honestly, she needs some phrasing lessons! I'm still wondering how she keeps getting cast, let alone get one part in a Broadway show. I seriously think Patti needs to retire from Broadway and sing for nursery homes.

Dishin' On the Robot

The Music Man has always been a timeless and classic musical...until Matthew Broderick was Harold Hill in the 2003 movie with (OMG!!!!!!!!) Kristin Chenoweth. I've heard that he was incredible in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, but guess what; that was over 20 years ago! His acting ability has certainly changed (and yes, based on the title, I think his acting is very robotic and stiff.) Now I can't really say that I'm an expert on this robot, but I have seen, (okay ONE of his works) him before and I know his acting capability. The very first minute of 2003' s The Music Man with Broderick, I instantly said, "UGH!!!!" and have hated him since. Why does he keep getting casted when directors should know how stiff he is?! I can understand where people may think that Matthew Broderick is charming, but personally, I think he sounds like he is reading his lines for the very first time. I can't even imagine why anyone would be a fan of his, let alone bear his performance for more than 5 minutes!

The Top Ten Best (according to me!)

We see lists of the top ten or maybe hundred best musicals of all time. In fact, a lot of times, I don't even agree with the author's opinion. (But that's probably because I'm a teen who likes the newer stuff!) Well, here's my opinion on what the best musicals of all time are:

1. Wicked- There's proof I'm like other teenage girls. But you've gotta love how Kristin Chenoweth (my idol!) and Idina Menzel portray Elphaba and Glinda! And who could hate Stephen Schwartz's awesome music and lyrics?

2. The Phantom of the Opera- This musical BLOWS me away! Although the voices can get quite operatic, this is definitely an amazing musical (and I'm not surprised it's been on Broadway for over 20 years!) Christine and the Phantom's chemistry is incredible, and I absolutely LOVE the ending when the spotlight is on the mask. It's so shocking but so awesome!

3. Spamalot- My parents have always been huge fans of Monty Python, and, while I'm not as much, I LOVE this musical so much! I saw the national touring company with the amazing John O' Hurley (of Seinfeld fame) and I just adored everything about the musical, especially the flashy dance numbers.

4. The Music Man- A timeless classic, this musical is one I've grown up with and always loved. While Robert Preston isn't the best singer or dancer, he's very charming in this musical and I've always been a fan of his. I also recently was in this show at the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs and I had a blast with it!

5. Hairspray- This is another teenie-bopper musical that I love. I missed the national tour of Hairspray and never saw it on Broadway but I did see the 2007 movie. Despite of this, I love the original Broadway version with Marissa Jaret Winokur and Harvey Fierstein. Plus, I don't think it should've ended on Broadway so soon!

6. Legally Blonde the Musical- I can't wait to see this fun and peppy musical in February! The songs I've heard from it ("Legally Blonde: Remix", "Serious" and "Omigod You Guys") are fantastic, the story sounds hilarious and Laura Bell Bundy (from Hairspray) is just phenomenal. And it's filled with a bunch of pink and a lot of blondes, which I've always wanted to be.

7. In the Heights- After seeing a number from it at the Macy's parade 2 years ago, I'm totally thrilled to see this musical. I also read the synopsis on Wikipedia and it sounded awesome! The whole theme is just great and I LOVE the song "Just Breathe". It's incredible!

8. Annie- This is another musical I've grown up with and it's always been one of my favorites. The touching story of an orphan who still has hope is what I love most about this musical. Andrea McArdles powerful voice at 13 also blows me away!

9. Godspell- I've seen this musical 7 times and every time I've seen it, I was impressed. And Victor Garber (in the movie) was wonderful and every Jesus I've seen in Godspell has always done a fantastic job!

10. Jesus Christ Superstar- You've gotta admit that Andrew Lloyd Weber is an amazing guy. Almost all of his shows are powerful and this show is no exception. I saw the national tour of this musical and Ted Neely, who was in his early sixties at the time, still could scream and do everything he used to do! Plus all the music is so amazing!

I really don't care if you hate all my choices. If you want to make a list of your least favorite blogs and put mine as number 1, be my guest!

I Have No Fear

I am finally over my fear of puppets. Yes, I know, very hard to even think it's possible. But after seeing A Pilgrim's Progress, I was humbled by how beautifully each marionette was created. I never even knew puppets could be so wonderful! I was also very impressed with David Simpich's different voices. I lost count at 5! And this guy does it all: the voices, the puppet's movements, creating the puppets, the lighting, even writing the script. On top of that, he puts on a new show every 2 or 3 months. I guess you could say that yes, I'm over my fear of marionettes and I can't wait to see what Simpich has in store for his next show!

I'm a Real Boy

As Broadway fans know, Avenue Q is closing September 13. Although I've never seen it, people say it's a great show. Well, tonight I'm seeing a (believe it or not) marionette show called, Pilgrim's Progress, which by the way is nothing like Avenue Q, but is, nonetheless, a puppet show. If anyone has ever seen this, I'm sure you enjoyed it. But personally, I think marionettes are quite childish and not very interesting to watch. Being an actress, I hate to criticize my fellow artists, but with puppetry, it's very different. I've just never really liked marionettes. Their very existence makes me cringe. But I might as well see it, just in case my mind miraculously changes.

LuPone Power

It's a true statement: I am a Broadway geek! But there's one particular person that I have no idea why she's so popular: Patti LuPone. I mean, what is so great about her? I think her phrasing is all wrong and I just overall hate her voice! And being an Ethel Merman fan, I don't like the fact that LuPone has taken on some of Ethel's best roles and then gotten all the credit. I actually prefer Ethel over Patti (well, obviously!) Plus after hearing the story about her calling out a person who was distracting in the audience, I'm utterly annoyed with this woman. She's just seems like a person who I would never want to meet (and I hope I never do!) Well, if someone can ever explain Patti LuPone's popularity to me, a lot of things would be cleared up.

Denver's Got It All

If you are a Broadway-musical geek living in Colorado (like myself), you will be excited to know that Denver Center Attractions has announced its 2010 season for national tours. I personally think that Legally Blonde the Musical, which comes to Denver February 2-14 at Buell Theatre, is going to be the best this season. Call me crazy, because I have never seen the movie. But I am a girl who loves pink and wishes she was blonde! However, I do think the rest of the season is going to be great, with awesome shows like Young Frankenstein, Shrek the Musical, In the Heights and South Pacific. I know what you all think of Shrek the Musical: it's childish. And after seeing a dance number from this musical at the Tony's, I do agree that it may seem quite immature at times, but I think it's worth seeing. (I do know for a fact that In the Heights and South Pacific are going to be great musicals!) So if you love seeing a lot of blondes dance across the stage, or even fairy tale creatures, check out the 2010 national touring season at the Denver Center!

Feline Frenzy

Okay, call me crazy: I have never seen a show on Broadway. Sure, I've seen some of the shows on national tour that come to Denver but never Wicked (even though it is my favorite musical!) I haven't even some of the great musicals, like say, Cats. (Now you can let out your gasps of horror.) I always have been a huge fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber (I have seen Jesus Christ Superstar and Phantom of the Opera, so don't worry!) but somehow I have never taken the time to see Cats. And although I'm finally seeing it tonight, I still have this question: why is it so popular?!? While I can't answer this particular question, I'm also trying to figure out why this show was on Broadway for so long (at least Phantom of the Opera deserved it). But based on these two facts, I hope it's worth seeing!

Yet Another

As with any other actor, you have to audition for shows if you want to be in it. It's not like you can always count on getting into a show without an audition first. Well, yet again, I'm auditioning for AlleyCat Theatrics production of Annie Jr! This is a local children's theatre company and I have performed with this group a few times before, so I know I have at least a 97% chance that I will get into this show. However, being 5'4" tall, I know for sure I'm not getting Annie, even though I did a year ago with a different children's theatre company. Anyways, whatever part I get, Ill be very happy with (just no more guy parts!)

Updates From Broadway

It is said that the popular musical, White Christmas, which debuted at the Marriott Marquis Theatre in the winter of 2008, will most likely appear on Broadway again this Christmas. Now personally, I think this classic Irving Berlin piece is a very good musical and from what I've heard, the Broadway show has excellent choreography and some really great songs too. And supposedly, if White Christmas comes back, it will start its second consecutive season on Broadway on November 13. My opinion, however, is that White Christmas should have won at least one Tony this year because this amazing show really deserves it because it only comes around for the Christmas season alone, which isn't very long. And the performers who are in White Christmas probably have to rehearse even when it's not very white outside (so pretty much all year). Well, if it does come back, I sure hope grosses go up from last year.

Updates From Broadway

For the very first time, the musical, Bye Bye Birdie, is reviving on Broadway. The original production, which appeared on Broadway 48 years ago, was popular but didn't succeed (only lasting a little over a year) on Broadway. Now, I wonder if the revival will appear dated and very 60's (Having seen the original movie, I know how dated the musical is...at least in the movie). The cast will include John Stamos starring as Albert Peterson and Allie Trimm as Kim MacAfee and, although I've never heard of them, I really hope they can carry a great show and perform it well. Hopefully the rest of the cast, of which I've also never heard of any one of them, can give a stellar performance. But then again, I'm really not the one to ask about any Broadway actors from the history of it all. Well, you never know; maybe a year from now, we will have found out that Bye Bye Birdie won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical.

Actress with ENERGY!

So as my job as an actress (not quite professional), I audition any chance I get. And, this may seem a little bit odd for readers who know me well, I auditioned for a dramatic play (not a comedy or even a musical. That's already a huge problem!) called "Our Town". Some of you may be familiar with this piece; which is about Emily who grows up with a guy named George and at the end, Emily dies; but when I auditioned for it, I knew almost nothing about the play at all. Well, I get into my audition at the Dusty Loo Bon Vivant and the director tells me to sit down for my audition piece. Now for this audition we did a cold reading and in this particular case, I was reading for Rebecca, George's little sister. So I sat down and did the reading with a lot of energy because I researched this character and it said she's very energetic so that's how I did it. When I got done, the director simply said, "Nice. Good energy." To tell you the truth, I wasn't full expecting that answer. I mean sure, I'm thankful for that compliment but that's it? That's all they could say? We'll just have to wait and see...

A Little Bit Chenoweth

Every Broadway fan, either young or old, had heard of the popular musical, Wicked. This musical, with music and lyrics by the incredible Stephen Schwartz, debuted on Broadway in October 2003. The original Glinda was of course played by the lovable and peppy Kristin Chenoweth, who we all know from Pushing Up Daisies. As her fame became larger, Chenoweth decided to write an autobiography (well, sort of. Author Joni Rodgers wrote it all done while Kristin did the talking.) In this novel, Kristin talks about all the ups and downs of her life on Broadway and even back when she was just a small-town-Oklahoma girl. Well, of course, I am currently reading this book (as I am a HUGE fan of Kristin Chenoweth) and absolutely love it! So if you are a big fan of Wicked or at all part of this magical show, I recommend this fantastic novel to all of you.

What Really Happened at the Tony's

Yes, yes I know; the Tony's were last weekend, but hey! I didn't even see them until this past Saturday and realistically, I did make some pretty good guesses on the musical awards; with the Broadway plays, I have never heard of half of them. But anyway, I'm really not all that shocked that Billy Elliot won almost every award it was nominated for. However, I had never heard much about Next to Normal and I was surprised that it was even nominated. Its story line doesn't sound too interesting and the songs are intense based on Alice Ripley's characterization at the Tony's. Of course, Ripley did win the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical and in the background, Sutton Foster sat in all her grumpiness ad disbelief. But then again, it's pretty rare for anyone to win 2 Tony's, let alone even be nominated for one. So I do congratulate Ripley on her chance to win and overall with the Tony's, I was quite content with the results.

Updates From Broadway

I am told that at the 2009 Tony Awards coming to you this Sunday, Wall-E, a popular animated character (by the way, Wall-E is one of my favorite movies of all time!) will be participating in a telecast tribute to composer Jerry Herman. The rumor is that Wall-E will be introducing the "Hello, Dolly!" part of the tribute. The tribute for Herman will be followed by a special lifetime achievement award. Now if you ask me, I think this is a rather experimental idea as I have never heard of an animated character be a part of the Tony's, let alone a life tribute. But I think that it's worth a shot and like I said, Wall-E is an amazing movie, so I think the fact that this sweet little robot will be part of the Tony's might actually attract viewers other than the usual New Yorkers and Broadway fans.

America, America

Everything that has ever happened to me in the theatre is a story worth telling, and this story has not yet been told. During the run of The Music Man, back behind all the scenery and such was the orchestra pit and every show, the Wa Tan Ye girls would hang out by the orchestra right before our cue for Wa Tan Ye. The song before this Native American number is "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean", a very patriotic song sung by the townspeople on the Fourth of July. Well, in honor of this patriotic song, during one show, the trombone player decided to bring an American flag without any of the Wa Tan Ye girls knowing it. So when we got to that song, our trombone player stood up and raised the flag. This totally surprised us, so we laughed while we sung (of course the audience didn't know about and they never will). As usual, the rest of the orchestra just put their hands over their hearts and laughed with us. On the last weekend of the run, all the members of the orchestra decided to bring American flags. So we got to that song and on the first note, again without us knowing, the whole orchestra raised their flags. This time, we cracked up because we weren't expecting any of this. But this was a true joy for the Wa Tan Ye girls and this will stay in my memory for as long as I am an actress.

Marshmallow Mishap

The funniest thing happened at the afternoon show of The Music Man on Saturday, May 30. Michael Gold, who portrayed Harold Hill, did something I don't believe the audience caught. After he tossed up the marshmallow bag at the end of "Marian", the bag slipped through his fingers and he almost didn't catch it. He glanced my way and snickered (yes, he snickered!) and then just before he plopped the marshmallow into Marian's mouth, he almost dropped the marshmallow too but he again caught it, said "Ooops!" quietly, and put it in her mouth. (Yes, I know this sounds like it all went by very slowly, but really, it passed by so fast!) Meanwhile, my whole table is cracking up, but trying not to break character; and Tommy Djilas has been watching this whole thing (well, he's actually supposed to, but...) and when he least expects it, (even though he knows it's going to happen) Marian slaps him and this time, he isn't just acting; he really is in complete shock! Well this makes everyone at the tables crack up more than before. And we were still laughing in the blackout! (Yes, yes I know that this story doesn't really seem that funny to many readers, but to the actors who were on stage at this time, I hope you are reading this and still laughing about it as much as I am!)

Barbershop is in again!

If you have ever seen The Music Man, you'll probably think of the ever-charming Harold Hill, the amateur boy's band, the snooty Marian...maybe even the members-of-the-school-board quartet. In the Fine Arts Center production of this beloved musical, I got to meet the quartet who performed in this specific production. In fact, I was in the cast with them and I had the pleasure and honor of sharing the stage with this barbershop quartet (the Saturday Evening Post quartet). Now I'm not going to go off and compare these guys to the Buffalo Bills, who originated it on Braodway in 1957, but man, they were amazing! Their voices all blended together perfectly, they could stay in tune and the tone quality to their voices made their listeners grin! Although I won't be another production with them probably ever again (what other musical has a barbershop quartet?), I will always remember the joy they gave the cast and me.

Outcome of Tony's

As blogs are mainly about the blogger's opinion on a certain subject, this is my opinion on who should win at the 2009 Tony Awards:

Best Actress in a Musical: Sutton Foster, Shrek the Musical (OH YEAH!)
Best Musical: Shrek the Musical
Best Orchestrations: White Christmas (although this just started in 2008 and is only on Broadway around Christmas time, I believe it deserves one Tony!)
Best Choreography: Billy Elliot (the best show for choreo because, well...it is a show about ballet)
Best Revival of a Musical: West Side Story
Best Scenic Design in a Musical: Guys and Dolls
Best Costume Design in a Musical: Shrek the Musical (You gotta love the fairy tale outfits!)

Updates From Broadway

At this year's Tony Awards, the musicals "Billy Elliot" and "Shrek the Musical" are set to perform at the 63rd annual Tony Awards. The host of this year's Tony's is Neil Patrick Harris (MC in Cabaret, 2003), and the presenters include Carrie Fisher, Kristin Chenoweth, Angela Lansbury, Anne Hathaway and Will Ferrell. The Tony Awards will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall (CBS) on Sunday June 7th, 8-11 PM (ET/PT time delay). Also, for the very first time, fans lving in the New York area are invited to watch the Tony Awards in Times Square. Tune on Sunday June 7th to see who comes home with a Tony this year!

Broadway

Broadway is amazing and everyone in the world should love it!