If ever I would leave you

Broadway dimmed its lights tonight at 8 pm for one minute in memory of Robert Goulet. He had been waiting for a lung transplant after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. He passed away at 73.
"Don't let it be forgot
That once there was a spot,
For one brief, shining moment
That was known as Camelot."

A Halloween Boo!

From Her Majesty The Queen.......of Avenue Q!




Photos from Broadwayworld.com

My list of Scariest movies

I am not a big fan of the horror genre, so most of these films I've only seen once. One viewing was enough.
1 The Exorcist---No words necessary
2 The Shining---"Heeere's Johnny!", the creepy twins
3 The Omen---Damien, Damien.
4 Children of the Corn---Malachi and Isaac: uber creepy kids
5 The Blair Witch Project---You never see the witch...brilliant! That last scene remains etched in my mind.
6 The Silence of the Lambs---"I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti...fpt,fpt, fpt"
7 The Amityville Horror
8 Poltergeist---"They're here!"
9 Ringu/The Ring but Japanese version scarier
10 The Hitcher---Terrifying Rutger Hauer what else can I say?
11 Carrie
12 Salem's Lot---that vampire kid in the window *shivers*
13 28 Days Later
14 Nightmare on Elm Street---"One, two, Freddy's coming for you" and Johnny Depp being eaten alive by a bed
15 Jaws
16 The Sixth Sense---still a brilliant twist
17 An American Werewolf in London---that transformation scene
18 Seven
19 Candyman---scary mirrors
20 Halloween
21 Friday the 13th
22 Twilight Zone---the gremlin on the airplane
23 The Evil Dead
24 Dracula---Bela Lugosi...classic!
25 American Psycho---first movie I saw of Christian Bale as an adult. What happened to little Jamie from Empire of the Sun?

Honorable Mentions: 1 Nosferatu---I haven't seen the whole film but the iconic images are nightmarish.
2 The Wizard of Oz---for the flying monkeys
3 Open Water---my worst nightmare
4 Signs
5 The Grudge---another creepy kid
6 The Guardian---just for that scene where evil nanny is flying/chasing the family
7 The Fog
8 The Deep---more underwater frights
9 Child's Play---evil doll comes alive. not cool!
10 Jurassic Park---for that scene with the raptors
11 Heavenly Creatures---when teenage girls attack

I have yet to see such horror classics like Rosemary's Baby, Night of the Living Dead, The Howling,Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Hellraiser, Dawn of the Dead, Frankenstein, Village of the Damned. I will probably never watch these. Happy Halloween to all!

Do You Hear the People Sing

Well......only until Jan 6. 2008. By that I mean the revival of Les Miserables on Broadway. Producer Cameron Mackintosh announced that the revival will play its final performance on Jan. 6, 2008. And here I was hoping J Murn would get to play Fantine and I would get to see it. Oh well.

Update 10.31.07 Here's a snippet of Julia's I Dreamed A Dream (thanks T!)

When someone needs a makeover, they simply have to take over

"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"'s final two episodes will air this Tuesday, 30 October on Bravo. Thanks Fab Five and good luck!

Music is in the genes

I clicked on an ad for Pandora from my sister's blog. It is an internet radio station created by the Music Genome Project. Users can enter the name of a favorite song or artist and the service plays selections that are similar. According to Wikipedia:

A given song is represented by a vector containing approximately 150 genes. Each gene corresponds to a characteristic of the music, for example, gender of lead vocalist, level of distortion on the electric guitar, type of background vocals, etc. Rock and pop songs have 150 genes, rap songs have 350, and jazz songs have approximately 400. Other genres of music, such as world and classical, have 300-500 genes. The system depends on a sufficient number of genes to render useful results. Each gene is a number between 1 and 5. Fractional values are allowed but are limited to half integers. (The term genome is borrowed from genetics.)
Given the vector of one or more songs, a list of other similar songs is constructed using some distance function.
To create a song's genome, it is analyzed by a musician in a process that takes 20 to 30 minutes per song. Each gene is rated on a scale of 1 to 5. Ten percent of songs are analyzed by more than one technician to ensure conformity with the standards, i.e., reliability.

It is only available in the U.S. due to licensing issues.

Happy Halloween on Boo-dway!

Lookee! An internet radio station that plays selections from weird musicals like Sweeney Todd, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, among others. Looking for Broadway musicals that would be appropriate for Halloween viewing? How about The Phantom of the Opera, Young Frankenstein, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the off-Broadway production Frankenstein the Musical , and of course, what would Halloween be without a witch or two from Wicked? Where's Dance of the Vampires when you need it?(NOT!) For costume ideas, why not dress up as Cyrano de Bergerac, the Little Mermaid, Legally Blonde's Elle Woods, the knights from Spamalot, the rollerskating duo from Xanadu, wildlife from The Lion King, Les Miz folk or go retro with blast- from-the-past outfits from Grease and Hairspray?

Thursday Thirteen (well....plus 9 more)

Thursday Thirteen is a meme where you list 13 of anything on a Thursday.......There was a comment on my previous post entitled "I Couldn't Be Happier". I began to answer and post on the comment section BUT my response didn't fit the comment form.......oops! Lani said I should just make a new posting. SO here's my Thursday Thirteen....plus 9 more!

The question by anonymous was "In your post you said Julia Murney had nuances, hand gestures etc. in Wicked. Can you give examples?"

Ok....so you asked for it.......Julia makes the character of Elphaba very believable by that I mean that the mannerisms she chose for her are very natural......like a regular person in real life would possess. She embodies the character even in the small moments when she's not the focus of the action on stage.

Here's a list of JM's exquisite acting moments:

1. > the look of excitement and at the same time nervousness when she first gets to Shiz univ. (doesn't everyone feel that the first time in college?) --> she even re-adjusts her uniform several times
2. > the scratching of her nose and constant re-adjustment of her glasses during the Shiz scenes (what a nerd)
3. > she always talks under her breath every time Glinda disses her
4. > the way she melts when she sings the lyrics: I'd be so happy I could Melt!
5. > after singing Wizard and I she takes a deep breath and puts her hands on the top head with overwhelming joy and happiness at what just happened
6. > in "What is this Feeling", when Glinda comes out with the Shiz students as her "entourage", Julia looks around too and even looks towards the wings to see if she too has an entourage (nice comedic touch!)
7. > her "nerdy-unsure-everybody's watching me" Elphie dance during Dancing Through Life
8. > the way she imitates Glinda's (well actually Kendra's) voice in toss toss
9. > after I'm Not That Girl....she stands and soaks in the rain, closes her eyes and tilts her head up to the sky......enjoying the rain on her face
10. > the shaking of the umbrella when Mrs. Morrible changes the weather just before the train station scene
11. > the staring into space as if she just realized something when Glinda tells her that Fiyero has been thinking and it started when Dr. Dillamond was fired
12. > the staring at the flowers Fiyero just gave her as if in disbelief that he gave that to her combined with subtle glimpses she gives him during the time Glinda says she was going to change her name
13. > the head bob in DG when she sings "as someone told me lately" --> like mocking the "sayer"
14. > the look of pain as if someone punched her in the gut when she hears Glinda and Fiyero are getting married
15. > the way she showed her green hands to Dr. Dillamond in the freeing of the monkeys scene to remind him who she was
16. > the look of pain and feeling trapped and betrayed when Fiyero said "silence witch" during her capture
17. > her "WHAT" when Fiyero tells Glinda he's going with Elphaba
18. > the grabbing of Fiyero's butt when he kisses her in As Long As You're Mine (it shows the urgency of the moment)
19. > her "We can't all come and go by bubble" line
20. > her cackle --> well, very Margaret Hamilton
21. > her whole NO GOOD DEED.........It' s a portrait of someone at her wits end; someone in desparation
22. > the sexy strut/walk into downstage position before she sings the final verses in the finale

At the Town Hall All Singin All Dancing Concert she did last July 07 Julia said this quote (thanks Ashley!):

"Here is a truth: every show closes. Sometimes it’s after a long, healthy run. And sometimes, after untold hours of trying to get it right, a show opens and closes very soon thereafter. Sometimes you know exactly why it’s closing. And sometimes you really don’t. But you have to mend your heart, pack up the dressing room space you just decorated, say goodbye to your extended family, and give up the chance to tell a story eight times a week to a bunch of strangers in the dark. Of course if you’ve been telling the story to seventy-five strangers in the dark in a house that seats twelve hundred, that’s why you’re closing. But I digress. The point is, a show is a living, breathing, moody, transcendent thing. But no matter how much you love it, or how hard you work at it, as soon as it closes, it’s gone."

>>> I'm glad I got to see those exquisite acting moments and writing them down somehow relives the magic.

E-flowers for Glorietta Mall bombing victims

Thanks Cecile and her friend Ding! Here's a link to the Philippine National Red Cross if you wish to make donations.

Snippets

• Rogert Bart of "Young Frankenstein"will host the 30 minute special "Broadway Backstage Fall Preview" on ABC this Saturday 27 October at 730 pm.
• The Stagehands' Union has voted unanimously to strike, probably around the holiday season. The 121 year old union has never gone on strike. The city could lose $5 million a day in revenues if they go through with it.
• You can go to the theatre and help a good cause. Be a Givenik. For every Broadway and off-Broadway ticket you buy, your charity of choice will receive 5%.

No Day But Today II

Two fabulous Broadway albums are available today. The first, Carols for a Cure vol.9. It's part of Broadway tradition that current running shows on Broadway lend their voices to charity for the holiday season. The songs are a mix of old Christmas standards some with new arrangement and some new inventive carols. The cd includes the casts of Curtains, Xanadu, Wicked, Spring Awakening, Legally Blonde and Little Mermaid to name a few and benefits Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids. I got it today....I've only listened to it once and so far my favs are:

• Ave Q's North Pole Global Warmin' Surfin' Party
• Les Mis' The 12 Days of Christ-Miz (no Lea Salonga though)
• Julia Murney and Max Von Essen's O Holy Night (funny that THEY are the only individual singers in the album because every other song were from the casts of Broadway shows. I've always loved their rendition of O Holy Night so BRAVA to whoever decided to include them in this recording! It's brilliant!)

UPDATE (10.26): Oh after listening again to Carols for a Cure....I also love the following:

• Little Mermaid's Joy to the World (very "Kiss The Girl" vibe)
• Curtain's The Monotone Angel (with David Hyde Pierce as the monotone angel)
• Robbin' Hood's Deck the Halls (In the Jessica Cranshaw's off-tune style - loved that they did that!)
• Wicked's Jingle Bells (in different styles: traditional, techno, reggae etc. --very inventive and funny)
• Xanadu's Away in a Manger (common, it's Kerry Butler's voice and just a guitar!)

The second one is Jonathan Sings Larson. It's a compilation of songs sung by the composer himself from shows such as RENT and Tick, Tick Boom. Though it is widely known that he died prematurely before Rent opened in 1996......they have preserved and mastered his demos which PS Classics is bringing to us now. It also contains a dvd of 4 songs which were filmed when the composer performed them in 1991. Now, while I have yet to order my copy......how can you resist though....It's Jonathan singing his SONGS!!!!! It's truly a Broadway collector's collectible! Jonathan Larson cd pic from PS Classics

Carols for a Cure pic from BC/EFA.org

Them fierce Santa Ana winds

In one of the biggest evacuations in California history, even the famous La Jolla Playhouse has been emptied as a result of the raging California wildfires. Although the fires do not currently pose a threat to the building, workers are being evacuated from their homes. According to their website, administrative offices are expected to open this Thursday. A new musical, "Cry-baby", is scheduled to premiere on 06 November. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Californians.

A shift in consciousness

I thoroughly enjoyed Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love". It has been criticized as self-indulgent, but it is a memoir after all. It is also an engaging and humorous travelogue. She chronicles her depression, her religious beliefs, the gustatory delights of Italy (a foodie's dream), digestive and other health problems, but the most riveting to me was her search for herself. I was fascinated by the accounts of her stay at the Indian ashram, and her time in Bali. I've been on yoga and Zen Buddhist retreats and they were intense experiences. During a chanting session, I started crying without even realizing it. That was the closest I ever felt to God. I would love to spend time at an ashram in India. I laughed and cried with Liz (or Liss as the Balinese medicine man called her) throughout her journey. What I got from the book was, even though we all can't afford to take a whole year off just to see the world, we can find moments of grace and stillness in our busy lives. Find God in these pockets of silence. Change YOUR mind without having to leave your home. Oh and it seems like Liz did find what she was looking for.

Headmaster/Headmistress

Update by Pinky (11.1.07):

I guess this is Mrs. Norris' reaction:

Above photo fr Irnbruise

Well I for one was shocked and surprised by JK Rowling's outing of Albus Dumbledore. Being the great wizard that he was, I just assumed he had renounced the ways of the world. (Although I thought he could have had a thing with Madame Rosmerta.) Now I REALLY have to re-read the books. Perhaps the fabulous outfits, twinkly blue eyes, tall and thin figure, his love for knitting patterns and music should have clued me in. I do wonder why JK waited until now to make this revelation about the headmaster. Of course now, she's given Christian conservatives more reason to burn the books.

(Thanks to Lynn for the photo.)

Primetime's Valjean and Javert

Wait for it......wait for it.....Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Segel of How I Met Your Mother sing the Confrontation song from LesMis!!!! Maybe they should do a musical episode!

May God have mercy on their souls...

The ones who died at the Glorietta Mall bombing, and the perpetrators. Yet another suspicious act of terrorism under Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's watch, this time after a Malacañang bribery scandal was uncovered. I was home last year when she declared a state of emergency, after a bombing and an alleged failed coup attempt. At the time, thousands of people were marching in the streets and calling for her resignation, questioning the legitimacy of her 2004 re-election. What led to Marcos-esque Diversionary Tactic 2007? Claims that lawmakers were given more than $2.5 million to block her impeachment in 2005. And we go through the same dance---supposed breakdown of law and order--> coup plot and/or street protests--> suspension of writ of habeas corpus and resulting suspension of rally permits-->state of emergency, or worse, martial law. Come now, Mrs. President. This is SO 1970s.

Gone when autumn came

Les Miz updates:The brilliant Jenny Galloway will be back as Madame Thenardier on 01 November, replacing Ann Harada. I guess the more you ruv someone, the sooner you have to let them go. *sheds a solitary tear for Christmas Eve*
Lea Salonga's last day is 21 October. Fellow Filipina cast member Ali Ewoldt (Cosette) also exits that day.

Blake Ginther left on 03 October.

Which Hero are you?

Find out what heroes character are you at LiquidGeneration.com!


Darn! I wanted to be a real badass...

(This post was nicked, once removed, from Lynn.)

The end of an era

Joe Torre is no longer the New York Yankees manager. He turned down the Yankees' contract offer. Good luck and goodbye Joe! Thanks for an unforgettable twelve years.

Mistress Anna

Deborah Kerr, the Scottish born actress who played Mistress Anna in the King and I passed away today at 86. Remember her? She was also in the film "From Here to Eternity" with Burt Lancaster.......hopefully you also remember that film with that iconic movie moment of them embracing on the beach as waves crashed to shore.

Cartoon Mania

I'm copying Lynn's post about cartoons that should be on DVDs. Here's my list of favorite 70s/80s cartoons and tv shows(Some are already on DVDs): Dungeons and Dragons, Gummi bears (theme song rocks!), Fraggle Rock (cute little Doozers!), The Real Ghostbusters, Voltes V, Roman Holidays, Jana of the Jungle, Garfield and Friends,The Smurfs, Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels,Funky Phantom, Shmoo,Sealab 2020 and Super 6. I also used to watch live action shows like Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Land of the Lost (Cha-Ka!), Electra Woman and Dyna Girl and The Bugaloos. They don't make them like they used to :)

Andrew Cunanan the musical?

From Philippine Inquirer: "Most Wanted," a musical loosely based on Filipino-American serial killer Andrew Cunanan, just ended its two-week workshop run at the La Jolla Playhouse in California. He gained notoriety when he murdered fashion designer Gianni Versace. The book was written by Jessica Hagedorn of "Dogeaters" fame,music by Mark Bennett and lyrics by both. It was directed by Michael Greif (original director of "Rent"), who also helmed "Dogeaters" when we saw it at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre here in New York. There are no reviews since it was a workshop production but you can read Gary Warth’s piece on the play in Time magazine. Here's another article from the Los Angeles Times.

ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway

I just wanted to call your attention to this dvd that came out today. ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway is a documentary by Dori Berinstein which follow 4 shows during the 2003-2004 Broadway season, Avenue Q, Caroline or Change, Taboo and Wicked. I was fortunate enough to see it in the theatre here in Chicago last June and thought that it was a well made movie. It follows these 4 shows from the inception (when the composers meet to write the score), rehearsal process, opening night and all the way to the awards season climaxing on the Tony Awards 2004. There are a ton of backstage access given to Ms. Berinstein's crew that a regular person would not be privy to. If you are curious about the cast.....well......it has the most notable names on Broadway today: Euan Morton, Raul Esparza, Tonya Pinkins, Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, John Tartaglia, Stephanie D'Abrusso.....just to name a few.

Oh, I almost forgot......it also features discussions of theatre critics......the men/women with the pen.....who can make or break a show. It's interesting how they discuss predictions of which shows will make it on Broadway and then find out later the actual results.

So check it out and put it in your Netflix queue.........you'll really appreciate how hard it is to put up a live show on Broadway and how many people are involved into making a show! It gives you a different perspective when you see live theatre.

Cross-overs

News nicked from Playbill:

• The American Idol invasion continues. Clay Aiken is joining the cast of "Spamalot" on 18 January 2008. I'm not sure he has the comic timing or sense of humor to portray Sir Robin, but hey, he might surprise us all. Claymates, don't bother writing to protest.


• The 01 November episode of the ABC comedy "Ugly Betty" entitled "Something Wicked this way comes" will feature the Los Angeles production of Wicked. Eden Espinosa is the green girl and the lovely and talented Megan Hilty is the good witch Glinda.


• Tony Award nominee Raul Esparza has a recurring role on the new ABC series Pushing Daisies. His first episode airs tomorrow 17 October. He will portray Alfredo Aldarisio, a traveling homeopathic-antidepressant salesman. Paul Reuben was originally cast for this role.


• Fanadus have reason to rejoice! The cast of "Xanadu" will start recording the album on 29 October. The CD will be available the first week of December on PS Classics , the musical's website or the Helen Hayes Theatre. It will arrive in stores 08 January 2008.

Inked

Using up your computer's ink printing stagedoor photographs, creating fan art and fan fic or writing letters to your favorite actor? Here's a tip from Ideal Bite: Recycle your old ink cartridges and buy refilled ones next time. An average ink cartridge takes about 450 years to decompose. You can find a refilling location near you or ask for a recycling collection bin on Cartridge World. Recycling just one ink cartridge can save 3 qt. of oil. If 10,000 people recycle their old laser cartridge, we can save enough refined oil to fill 1,500 water-cooler jugs. You also save money because recycled cartridges cost up to 75% less than new ones. You can help schools and non-profit organizations collect ink cartridges and earn free cash or electronics by logging on to Funding Factory. You may order refills online and mail in your used ones. HP users can send for free postage paid mailers. Carrot Ink lets you purchase remanufactured ink cartridges for every printer. Happy green computing!

TV tater

My sister Lynn made this sketch of me years ago, sitting catatonic in front of the television and snacking (snack of choice? Chippy for you Filipinos out there). My Sunday turned out to be a day like this; nice to know nothing's changed :) A shame because it was such a beautiful autumn day, too. I caught "The Bridges of Madison County" on television. I saw Debra Monk in a cameo. Anyway, I am still amazed by Meryl Streep's virtuosity. I saw her "Mother Courage" last year and was surprised when she actually started cracking up at one particular scene. It did not diminish her performance one bit and I thought it was actually a rare treat to see her lose it for once. I also finally finished Hong Kong's "Infernal Affairs" film trilogy, 4 years after the last one was released. It is the story of two moles, one in the local mafia and one in the police force, as they race against time to expose each other. Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" was based on the first installment and his version, although an excellent one, does not surpass the original. The second is a prequel and was as engaging as the first, although the actor playing the young undercover cop didn't do much except knit his eyebrows together and brood. The last one turned out to be very confusing as far as timelines. There were lots of fade-outs and endings, and the payback wasn't as satisfactory. This was probably the weakest of the three. It was great to see Tony Leung and Andy Lau together again though.
In my spare time I have compiled a list of movies I want to see next (more as a reminder to myself): The Darjeeling Limited, The Kite Runner, Atonement with the fabulous James McAvoy (although Keira Knightley's in it---ugh!), Ang Lee's Lust, Caution, Michael Clayton, The Golden Compass, Persepolis, okay Beowulf, Enchanted, Juno, Wristcutters, Sweeney Todd, Darfur Now, Bee Movie, The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, December Boys, Love in the Time of Cholera. I'm sure the list is even longer if I can remember all of them. See you at the movies!

OMG You Guys!

Sorry I didn't get to blog this on time........BUT for the first time ever in history, Legally Blonde was broadcast on MTV today. It is the first time a Broadway show that is currently running has been filmed and aired on national TV. I just watched it this afternoon and I must say it was filmed well. The cameras were all over giving you multiple camera angles which I think captured the action really well. There were even shots from upstage showing the dance numbers from behind with the audience in the background. The cast was amazing and you could feel that they were excited to be performing. The energy of the cast combined with camera movement made it seem like the show was energetic and electrifying. Now, I haven't seen the show live yet and I know that nothing really compares to the experience of live theatre but this one I think was a good representation of the show. Let's hope it gets people into live theatre!

Oh.....I wasn't too keen on the Hills girls doing intro for the show. Well, ok I admit it, I didn't like them at all. I know it had to be done because it's MTV but the girls COULD have at least memorized their intros! OR at least make it less obvious that they were reading from cue cards! OMG you guys!!!!!!!! How hard is that???!!!!

If you didn't get to catch it.....there's another showing tomorrow night 7pm ET/PT.

Photo: from Broadwayworld.com

Cate the Golden Girl

I watched Cate Blanchett as "Hedda Gabler" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last year; she was a whirlwind onstage. She is definitely one of the best actresses we have today and will most likely get nominated again for her fiery performance as England's Virgin Queen. Too bad "Elizabeth the Golden Age" isn't quite up to par with its predecessor. The production design is impeccable of course. But the pacing is slow. I actually dozed off for a few minutes I'm ashamed to say. The overhead shots, silly dialogue, slow motion scenes, ever-swelling musical score and climactic battle scenes looked as if Shekhar Kapur is taking a page from Jerry Bruckheimer. Like a true geek, there were scenes that reminded me of Aragorn's pre-battle speech, Gandalf at the Bridge of Khazad-dum, Lady Galadriel's walk through the garden, even a Les Miz Fantine-like moment. And it doesn't actually focus on England's golden age. We had already witnessed Mary Stuart's execution in HBO's "Elizabeth I". Just as Elizabeth I saved England, Cate saved this movie. I love Ms. Blanchett and she's one of my favorite actresses. I can't wait to see her as Bob Dylan in "I'm not there".

Blog Action Day 2007

15 October is Blog Action Day and this year the focus is on the environment. Go to blogactionday.org to register your blog. You can participate by posting anything about the environment or donate your earnings to charities like Greenpeace, Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, National Wildlife Federation and the Conservation Fund.

Mugsy Duets with Andrea Bocelli

The mascot of Stage Notes and All that Jazz....MUGSY (Mike's dog)!!!! Here he is singing with Andrea Bocelli

Broadway to go dark?

Contract negotiations between the Broadway stagehands' union and the League of American Theaters and Producers are at a standstill. The stagehands have been working without a contract since July. The impasse involves the load-in period — when equipment is brought into the Broadway theaters. Producers say the rules require them to be pay the union members even when there is no work to do. If the union rejects the LATP's final offer, the producers could lock out the stagehands and shut down most theaters. It would take the union longer to arrange a strike. The last time Broadway went dark was in 2003 when the musicians' union went on a 4-day strike. Perhaps they will keep negotiating and reach an agreement before Broadway is shut down.

Oh yes it's ladies' night

In association with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), 24 October is Ladies Night Out on Broadway. Mary Testa and Jackie Hoffman from "Xanadu" are the spokespersons. There will be a raffle to benefit the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative of the Actors' Fund of America. You can get discounted tickets to shows like "Legally Blonde", "A Chorus Line", "Stomp", "Spamalot", "Mamma Mia", "The 25h Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee", as well as restaurant and parking discounts. With the purchase of a "Ladies Night" theatre ticket to any of the participating Broadway or Off Broadway shows, you can get into a free theatre themed party at Spotlight Live from 5-7:30 PM. There will be gift bags, Broadway Karaoke, Women-in-Theatre discussion panels, etc.

I am paying closer attention to NBCAM events this year. I found a lump on my right breast 2 months ago. After a mammogram and sonogram, the doctor recommended a biopsy. The biopsy was probably the most unpleasant experience of my life (soo faaar...said Homer Simpson). After the long preparations, the fire alarm went off as I was laying there like a pin cushion. Someone knocked on our door and told us it was a mechanical problem and we didn't need to leave. Of course, they had all been evacuated at that point. As the procedure went on, I started feeling very warm and nauseous. Thanks to some pranayama, I got through the whole thing. In the week that it took to get the results back, I went through the five stages of dying. By the 7th day, I had already picked out hats to wear in case I needed chemotherapy (yes I know, drama queen.) Thankfully, it's only a benign fibroadenoma and no surgery is required.

8 out of 10 women do not do breast self exams (BSE) for fear that they will find something or because it is frustrating not knowing what they are feeling. So the more you do them, the more you'll know what is normal for you. Be breast aware ladies. *steps down from my pink soapbox* And enjoy your night out on Broadway!

Without you

It was also Anthony Rapp's and Adam Pascal's last day in "Rent" yesterday 07 October. I feel privileged to have watched them reprise their roles in the ground-breaking musical.

One LAST Short Day In the Emerald City

WICKED added a special benefit performance tonight at 8pm for the NY Restoration Project's Friendship Garden which was designed by Edward Peirce (WICKED's associate set designer). True to form as the "Benefit Queen", this would be the last performance of our fav green girl, Julia Murney and her Glinda, Kendra Kassenbaum.

As we say farewell, here's her performance on Broadway on Broadway 2007 (courtesy of JuliaMurneyOnline.com) and a recent interview she gave to Andrew Gans of PLAYBILL.com about leaving the show:

"I have never done a show for as long as this one," Murney said, "and it's been so wonderful to get to visit with her again — there's always something new to learn. Frankly, it's hard to walk away from being a rock star (albeit a green one). I will hate not seeing everyone at the Gershwin — cast, crew, orchestra, ushers, merch[andising] people, my green team — they are all brilliant and do their jobs wonderfully well, and I have felt very safe with them (and they make me laugh). I will not miss screaming my head off eight times a week (and putting myself through agony everytime I have to miss a show). I will not miss having a green hairline. I'm looking forward to a long nap. If i may, I would like to thank the people that wrote letters and bought my CD and said hi at the stagedoor — it is truly an inspiration to me to be thought of as an inspiration to others. We'll see what's next."

Never leave a moment too soon

This isn't a song from "Wicked" but her rendition of "Nobody's side" from "Chess" has got to be my favorite Julia Murney performance ever. I was so overwhelmed by seeing her Elphaba up close and personal last Saturday. Like the big geek that I am, I told her at the stage door afterwards that she was the best actress ever. She said thank you and possibly patted me on the arm, I'm not so sure I was kinda out of it at that point. Stagedooring is not for the fainthearted. I myself get so nervous and star-struck that I say the dorkiest things. Anyway, I wish Julia well as she leaves Oz, hopefully for "greener" pastures :)

I Couldn't Be Happier.....

So last weekend I was in NYC again. Lani and I saw the Saturday matinee performance of Xanadu (see her review below) which was fantastic! So after the show we wandered around the theatre district and decided to head to the Gershwin to say hello to our favorite green girl (Julia Murney). She was just coming out of the stagedoor....as friendly and charming as always and wearing a cool hat!
Since we didn't have a show to go to that night we decide to enter the WICKED lotto. Why not?!! There were a ton of people there that night.
We wrote our name on a green piece of paper and hoped for the best......only 20 front row seats were raffled.....at 6 pm they announced the winners..........AND what a great surprise! I was one of the names called! I got front row seats for Lani and I.....seats 109 and 110!!!!!!! They were right smack in the middle just behind the conductor!!!!!
We were right below Ozwald the dragon and very close to the map of Oz. The actors onstage were just 10 ft away! Amazing!

Here's the view of the house from our seats.....with part of my eye in the pic he he he!
The conductor's charts for the show
We were wondering what the WIZARD button was for..... The amazing musicians in the pit. They were very friendly as I was waving at them during intermission and they too waved back! But what a tight space that is......
Our Glinda.....Kendra Kassebaum. In the several times I've seen the show I've never gotten a pic of her since she leaves out of the stagedoor too fast.....until this night!

Some highlights of seeing the show from the front row:

• you hear the actors natural voices when they sing (and not the amplified mic voices) --> amazing!
• you hear specific instruments during the score that I've never heard before
• nice to see the details of the costumes upclose.....specially the Elphaba Act 2 dress
• you hear the little conversations that the ensemble have during scenes
• Julia's head bob during Defying Gravity is priceless up close
• the nuances, hand movements, facial expressions Julia gives to Elphaba even if she's only in the background during scenes
• and lastly........Julia's eyes up close (she acts so much with her eyes).......with tears welling up as she sings Defying Gravity ---> I've never seen that before sitting in the mezz or back orchestra section (even with binoculars)....it gave me goosebumps

Julia throws herself into this charater with reckless abandon and fully inhabits this role that you're overwhelmed when you witness it! What an amazing night! The theatre gods were kind to us.......It was just perfect we got to see our favorite green girl one more time before she left the show next week!

Terry, Terry Baby

I took half a day off to go to the New York City leg of Terry Pratchett's "Making Money" book tour yesterday. Before it started, the Barnes and Noble staff kept announcing that he didn't have much time to spend with us so no photographs at the stage, no personalization of autographs and if possible, just purchase the pre-signed copies. Once he got there of course, he stayed for all of us who waited in line to have our books signed and he DID personalize them. *cheers* It was an unforgettable evening. Mr. Pratchett is as funny, self-deprecating and as gracious as I expected him to be. The store filmed the event so stay tuned to BarnesandNoble.com so you can see for yourself. It's supposed to be up by 04 October. Good news: Discworld movies coming soon! He wouldn't spill the beans on who's portraying Lord Vetinari though. *keeps my fingers crossed for Alan Rickman*

Mr. Terry Pratchett
Barnes and Noble Union Square, 01 October 2007
The queue for the book-signing
Photos were not allowed but I managed to take this one. A guy behind me followed suit but he got reprimanded by a security person. SIDENOTE: While we were waiting in line alongside some bookshelves, some white guy comes in and grabs a book. A Hispanic security guy told him that the area was cordoned off and he wasn't supposed to be there. Mr. White Guy rudely asked him "What?!" several times as if he couldn't understand then left in a huff. GEEZ!
To quote the evening's emcee, "If you haven't read Terry Pratchett, what's wrong with you?"