Four Fab Shows Heading to Macy's This Year!

Okay, so I don't know about any of you but the main reason I watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is for the four numbers from new musicals on Broadway. They get more people to go see these shows, and this year I am pleased to announce that the four musicals being shown are Million Dollar Quartet, American Idiot, Memphis, and Elf. Alright so maybe the last one isn't a show I'm really thrilled about, but the other three are definitely going to be entertaining. I especially cannot wait for the number from Memphis because ever since the Tony awards from last year, this show has appealed to me. I mean, I really hope that this fabulous musical goes on national tour VERY soon, because when it does, I will be there for sure. I greatly encourage all my readers to tune in this Thursday to NBC at 9 AM.

Spider-Man on Broadway?

Yes, it's official. Spider-Man is heading to Broadway on January 11 of 2011. Now usually I get really excited about new musicals debuting on Broadway. But for this one, I'm still not sure what to make out of it. I mean, I think the last thing Broadway needs is a comic strip brought to life in musical form. Um, no thank you. Though, my opinion might actually change if it goes on national tour. Good news for 80's fanatics: Bono and The Edge from the band U2 wrote music and lyrics (I know that my mom is VERY thrilled)! I'm very curious to find out what the choreography is going to be like because it doesn't seem like it would be very complex, if there is any at all. And, no. I am NOT joking about this show being on Broadway!

Shrek-taculous

This past Thursday I went to Buell Theatre in Denver to see Shrek the Musical. Alright so it was definitely not better than Wicked (well, duh, nothing is) but I have to add it to my top twenty list of faves. The lyrics were clever, the choreography was basic but good, and I loved all the characters! There has never been a show where I was surrounded by 10 year olds (and it will probably never happen again). If you see this, prepare yourself for multiple Broadway musical references (trust me, it happens a LOT). I highly recommend that all my readers living in Colorado see this show, or if it's coming to your town, get your tickets NOW!!!!!!!!

Dancing Queen...hey I just might join 'em!

I know it has been a while since I have posted, but I'm back! Anywho, just this past Tuesday I had the chance (FINALLY!!!!) to see Mamma Mia! at Buell Theatre. Okay, so it was no Wicked, but I have to say that I really enjoyed it overall. The music was very entertaining and familiar (despite the fact that I did not live through the 70's), the choreography was unexpected, and the talent...well, let's just say that there are better voices out there. Each and every one of the guys playing Sophie's three potential fathers made me laugh at some point in the show, they were awesome. Overall, I enjoyed this production. BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW IF YOU LIVE IN COLORADO because the show will be gone in a few days!

Quite Possibly the Funniest Play...

Last Thursday I had the amazing opportunity to see The 39 Steps, performed by the Denver Center Theatre Company. I can literally describe this play in one word: hilarious. I guess I liked this play a lot because it's a play that uses everything possible stagewise. Every scene is completely different from the next, but you would have to see it to understand. All four cast members were incredibly comical, and after the show, I didn't see a single audience member leaving the theatre without a smile. Okay, so maybe some of you who know me really well are reading this and thinking, Gee, I thought the Broadway Queen was totally against all straight plays. Well, my friends, you are wrong on this one, hence the title of this post. If any of my readers live in Colorado, no matter where you live, it will be totally worth it to see this production of The 39 Steps.

With One Look

On Friday night, I finally had the chance to see Sunset Boulevard at the Arvada Center in Denver, and let me tell you that it was not at all what I expected it to be. Of course, my dad did warn me that the plot was dark and it was not a "makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside" kind of musical. But in my opinion, this musical was very creepy! The performances were overall great, and again, I LOVED the music, as it was done by Andrew Lloyd Webber (one of my faves). There was something beyond all the creepiness, though, that really had me wanting to go back to the scenes in Norma Desmond's home. I must say that I don't care if everyone absolutely raves about Patti LuPone, who was the original Norma Desmond on Broadway; I hate she sings and presents herself onstage. What is there to like about Patti? That remains to be a mystery. Nevertheless, I do highly recommend that everyone reading this post (living in Colorado) go see this show!

What an Enchanted Evening

This past Tuesday night, I was treated to the national tour of South Pacific at Buell Theatre in Denver. And boy, did I see a lot of leis and floral dresses! Yes, it seemed that almost everyone in the house (except for my dad an I) were decked out as if they were in the show themselves. But aside from the costumed audience, I actually enjoyed the show. I was though somewhat annoyed by the way that Carmen Cusack (Ensign Nellie Forbush) talked and sang because it reminded me too much of Reba McEntire (which is NOT a good thing!) I have, however, always been a huge fan of Rodger's and Hammerstein's beautiful songs from every show they have created. My absolute favorite from this particular musical has to be "I'm Gonna Wash That man Right Outta My Hair;" it's just such a fun song to perform and watch. I would have to say that I really liked Keala Settle (Bloody Mary). She was hilarious and I couldn't help loving her! Overall, this production of South Pacific was great!

The Official 2011 Season At DCPA

Okay, I'm really excited because despite their previous announcements, Denver Center of Performing Arts has added new shows to their 2011 season lineup. They already added Grease to the 2010 season, which will be playing from October 12-17, and also Mamma Mia, playing November 2-7. Already, I'm really thrilled about seeing these two incredible musicals! But for 2011, DCPA fans can look forward to seeing shows such as Next to Normal (January 4-16 2011), Avenue Q (March 11-13), Billy Elliot (May 10-June 5), Les Miserables (August 31-September 4) and so many more classic Broadway hits! For more information and for a full listing of DCPA's 2011 season, log onto:
http://www.denvercenter.org/shows-and-events/ShowsEvents.aspx

Overall, I'm very excited about seeing each and every one of the shows that the Denver Center has to offer next season!

Independency

Happy Fourth (now fifth) of July! I'm sure everyone enjoyed attending or holding annual barbecues and parties and watching fireworks. In Colorado, we couldn't really do much because it was raining like crazy, so we instead stayed home. But, as a yearly tradition, my dad, sister and I watched the movie, 1776, which has always been one of my very favorite musicals. I know, it's not quite the same as seeing a live musical, but in our situation, you would have done the same. Really, though, when I was younger, I never really appreciated 1776, but now that I'm more mature and a Broadway geek, I've grown to love it! I mean, the cast is amazing (I'm even shocked by how well the character Benjamin Franklin could sing!) Overall, I really do love all the music and for those of you who don't know, the musical staging was originally done on Broadway and in the movie by the very famous choreographer Onna White. I must say, White is a very creative choreographer. I really encourage readers to see this movie, even if it's July 5!

A Monster Musical

Okay, I feel soooo bad because I keep forgetting to post about this but last Wednesday, I saw Young Frankenstein at Buell Theatre in Denver and it was REALLY AMAZING!!!!!!! Roger Bart played the role he originated and I absolutely LOVED HIM!!!!!!! The whole cast was stellar overall, and I now dub this show one of my top 5 favorites of all time. I still don't understand why it stunk on Broadway (just one of those random Broadway mysteries, I guess), because personally, I really loved this show. The choreography, which was by Susan Stroman, also known for her work in Crazy for You, was fantastic. I also really loved the lyrics to every song. In fact, my very favorite song from Young Frankenstein would have to be "Puttin' on the Ritz". I mean, the tap dancing in this song was phenomenal, and the energy really stood out. Although, I'm really jealous of a couple of my theatre buddies who actually met Roger Bart and even got a hug from him! I don't think I can forgive them for meeting him without me!

Result of the Tony's

Okay so the Tony Awards just ended about 20 minutes ago and I have to say that I'm actually very happy with the outcome of this year. I mean, I knew for sure that Memphis was going to win for Best Musical and especially after seeing a number from this show, I was positive of the outcome for this great musical. Montego Glover is an AMAZING singer and the ensemble are all very energetic. Of course, I was secretly happy too when American Idiot didn't win for Best Musical because, well, it's just not Broadway. However, I was disappointed when Christopher Fitzgerald didn't win for Finian's Rainbow because he was Boq in Wicked, so naturally, he's amazing! But I was pretty shocked when two ladies from Hollywood picked up Tony awards, though they both greatly deserved those awards. Overall, I really cannot wait for next year's Tony Awards!

And the Nominees Are...

I wish I had posted this when they came out but I would like to announce the Tony Award nominees that actually matter to me. Nominated for best musical are American Idiot, Fela!, Memphis and Million Dollar Quartet. Now personally I'm rooting for Memphis, just because of what I've heard about the storyline, which sounds great. To me, American Idiot sounds more like a rock concert than a Broadway musical but that's just me. Now this award is more interesting, which is Best revival of a play. The nominees are Finian's Rainbow, La Cage Aux Folles, A Little Night Music and Ragtime. This award is going to be tough one to decide on, especially because they are all great shows. For Best performance by a leadibg actor in a musical, the nominees are Kelsey Grammar (La Cage Aux Folles), Sean Hayes (Promises, Promises), Douglas Hodge (La cage Aux Folles), Chad Kimball (Memphis) and Sahr Ngaujah (Fela!). I'm not sure about this one either. Best performance by a leading actress has the following nominees: Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow), Montego Glover (Memphis), Christiane Noll (Ragtime), Sherie Renee Scott (Everyday Rapture) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Little Night Music). Of course, more nominees are online at www.tonyawards.com Check it out for this year's Tony nominees!

Arvada Adds Up

Again, I'm very sorry that I haven't written in a long time (I've been tied up with rehearsals and shows!) Anyways, this past Tuesday, I saw Nine at the Arvada Center in Denver, which was really AWESOME! I was so excited to see this production after being impressed by Arvada's productions of Miss Saigon and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. And also, of course, after seeing the recent movie release of Nine (starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Marion Cotillard), which was BRILLIANT! This stage production, though, had only one set, which was spa-themed decor. I was actually very disappointed with this and also that the dance numbers weren't as high as my expectations. The performers, though, were great; however, the woman playing Luisa Contini should have played Claudia, the actress, and vice versa. The guy playing Guido was perfect for the role though and I was excited to see him playing this great role. Overall, this production was worth seeing and I highly recommend that anyone who lives in Colorado should go see it! (just look up Arvada Center of Performing Arts)

I Promise It'll Be Good...

Last night, for those that are SO disconnected from the wonderful world of Broadway, the revival of Promises, Promises started its previews at the Broadway Theatre. Now, normally, a show like this wouldn't interest me in the least bit, but Kristin Chenoweth, my idol, is starring in it along with Sean Hayes and so many other "Broadway peeps", as I like to call them. I am sooooooo jealous of anyone who actually lives in New York and is able to see this show, let alone the previews. I mean, this is KRISTIN CHENOWETH we are talking about here!!!!!!! Okay, so sure, it's not a household-name production, but hey! Kristin Chenoweth can make ANY show a household-name production, right? So, if any of you who are reading this right now live in New York and get the chance to see Promises, Promises, PLEASE post a comment on this blog post to let me know how good it was. although, I'm sure it's going to be AMAZING (with Kristin Chenoweth in it!)

Avenue of Puppets

On Tuesday of this week, I went to see Avenue Q in Colorado Springs at the Pikes Peak Center, and I have to say I REALLY liked it!!!!!! I know, a lot of you readers right now are probably wondering, Hmm...now that's strange. I wonder why the parents of a teenager would ever let him/her go see such an inappropriate show? Well, let me tell you, even I don't know why my parents allowed me to go see this show. Actually, though, it wasn't really THAT bad. I mean, they're just puppets, right? Still, I can see why they highly recommend that kids 13 and younger should not see Avenue Q. Anywho, this musical was definitely a great show (but not better than Wicked!!!!!)

Phantom of the Opera May Die...

As some of you may know, Andrew Lloyd Webber's sequel of the classic Phantom of the Opera, titled Phantom of the Opera: Love Never Dies, made its London debut this past Tuesday at the Adelphi Theatre. That's crazy, because I was sure that the sequel wasn't coming out until sometime in 2011, but now? You know, I also feel fairly impartial to the plot. I mean, really? A carnival? I REALLY liked the Phantom when he was in the catacombs, when he seemed more mysterious. Not out in the real world, at a carnival freak show, of all places? Anyways, if you were listening to Sirius XM On Broadway on Tuesday night, you probably heard the cast album, which I unfortunately didn't get the chance to listen to that night. But my dad heard it, and told me that it was too Vaudeville-like for this classic love story. Really Andrew? I'm actually shocked at what he did, based on what my dad told me. Another that makes me mad about this show is that as soon as others heard the news about the sequel coming out, people stopped going to see the first Phantom on Broadway. Why? Just because it may be better, it doesn't mean that people should totally ditch the original. So, please readers, tell every Broadway geek you know (um, which probably isn't very many but...) to keep Phantom of the Opera alive!

Green Day Comes to Broadway

So sorry everyone for not writing for a while. I've been both tied up at rehearsals and also sick! Anyways, as many of you may have heard, a new Broadway show called American Idiot, about the popular rock band, Green Day, is coming to Broadway April 20 at St. James Theatre. Okay, I personally, am not too thrilled about this. I mean, I know these people are trying to attract rock fans to Broadway, but I just don't think that's the best crowd to bring to Broadway. Sure, Green Day has come out with some classic songs, but really? A show about them?!? Anyways, the cast HAS been announced , which includes John Gallagher Jr., Stark Stands, Theo Stockman, Leslie McDonel, Van Hughes and so many others that I have never heard of. But for those of you who are really into this band's music, go crazy and buy tickets for this new show!

Legally Amazing!!!!!

Sorry everyone that I haven't been posting lately! I've been caught up with rehearsals for a local production of Fiddler on the Roof and haven't found the time to actually post anything. Okay, on Tuesday of this past week, I saw Legally Blonde The Musical at the Buell Theatre and LOVED it!!!!!! I mean, I knew going in that I would like it a lot, but not be completely in love with it! Becky Gulsivg, who played Elle Woods, was an incredibly comical yet sweet blonde president of Delta Nu. Those of you who haven't seen the movie are INSANE! It's probably one of my very favorite movies of all time. I love Reese Witherspoon a lot, but still prefer Gulsvig. "What You Want", the song about Elle deciding to apply for Harvard Law, was a fantastic ensemble dance number. I'd have to say though, out of ALL the songs, "Omigod You Guys" and "Bend and Snap" have to be my favorites (I just can't choose which one was better!) I didn't find ANY flaws in this musical, but still can't decide whether I like it more than Phantom of the Opera or not (NOTHING can or will ever be better than Wicked!) And you better believe that I'm determined to be Elle Woods on Broadway someday (along with Glinda and Adelaide)!

Stick to Priest...

When most people I know hear the musical, Sweeney Todd, they think, "Oh, what a horrible show! Who wants to see blood and gore in a musical?" Well, my dear friends, this past Friday, i experienced this show at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and, although I am quite the perky girl, I LOVED it!!!!!! And you know what? There is SO not a ton of blood, spurting out into the audience. The cast, many of which who were in the Fine Arts Center's 2009 production of The Music Man with me, was AMAZING! Sweeney Todd, played by one of the directors of the FAC, had a great voice, which was also to be said of the woman who played Mrs. Lovett.
Okay, so I have never seen the movie with Johnny Depp (who is absolutely GENIUS, by the way). However, I still immensely enjoyed this musical. I've always been a fan of Stephen Sondheim, so naturally, I LOVED the music and a lot of the lyrics were pretty creative. One thing that distracted my attention in this specific production, though, was that the orchestra pit was in center stage and they were split up into 3 sections, so the cast had to swerve around the openings, which looked quite awkward.
However, I do recommend this show to all. (WARNING: SHOW MAY BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 17!) For those of you who live in the Springs, check out their website at:
www.csfineartscenter.org/theatre.asp

What I'm Expecting...

I'm so sorry that I haven't been blogging for a few weeks. But hey! When you're still in school , you can really get caught up. Anywho, so it's finally 2010!!!!!!!! I really do think that this year is getting off to a great start and it will continue to be great in the wonderful world of Broadway. Here are my expectations for the Broadway stage this year:

1. We will be hit with a HUGE Titanic-hitting-the-iceberg musical that can push Mary Poppins out for good.

2. Sutton Foster can FINALLY have a lead role in a successful musical.

3. Finian's Rainbow will be loved by all who see it.

and finally...

4. BAN THE DISNEY SHOWS!!!!!!

In addition to this being a new year, this is also an all-new decade! So, here are my expectations for the new decade:

1. Wicked will pass up Phantom of the Opera for number of performances.

2. Phantom of the Opera will NOT leave Broadway!

3. More of the old classics are revived on Broadway.

and finally...

4. Patti LuPone retires.

Okay, so maybe not ALL of my expectations will actually happen, but you never know!