That's how you know

Here's the mother of all Disney production numbers from "Enchanted".

With your kind indulgence..

I am off-topic again. Former soldier and now Philippine senator Antonio Trillanes IV (who I went to elementary school with. His two brothers were in my batch.) again challenged Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's presidency. He led some of the Magdalo soldiers in a walkout from the courthouse where they were on trial for their 2003 Oakwood coup attempt. They marched to the Manila Peninsula Hotel and demanded that GMA resign. The government responded with teargas and 3 armored personnel carriers. Journalists were arrested (the Philippines is the 2nd most dangerous place for journalists after all) and a martial law-like curfew is now in place. The standoff ended 6 hours later after the soldiers surrendered. Since the 1986 military revolt that unseated Marcos, some factions of the military are of the mindset that only they can provide good governance. While I admire their conviction and share the outrage that Mrs. President doesn't have the integrity to resign amid allegations of fraud and corruption, I am all for the Philippines remaining a democracy. It is unfortunate that our brand of democracy remains a fledgling enterprise. The opposition has been unable to impeach her nor provide an alternative candidate. We can't keep having people power revolutions to topple unpopular leaders. We have an indifferent or perhaps merely jaded populace. But then again, if you don't know where your next meal is coming from, how could you care who's the sitting president and what the discontented military or middle class is up to?

Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch...Again!

Woot! The 19-day stagehands strike is over! A tentative agreement was reached tonight. Talks had begun at 10 AM this morning. Here's a statement from Charlotte St. Martin, the Executive Director of the League of American Theatres and Producers:

We are pleased to announce that we have a tentative agreement with Local One of IATSE ending the Broadway strike, and we're happy about that. Performances for all shows will begin tomorrow night — once again, that's Thursday, Nov. 29 — and schedules for all production will be posted on [the League's official website]. The agreement is a good compromise that serves our industry. What is most important is that Broadway's lights will once again be shining brightly with a diversity of productions that will delight all theatregoers during this holiday time. We look forward to celebrating the season and welcoming our talented stagehands and the theatregoing public back to Broadway."

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd was the very first musical I ever saw...I was 10. (not sure what my aunt was thinking at the time) I was hooked on Broadway but remained slightly traumatized by Sondheim's musical itself. I almost didn't see the brilliant 2005 revival. (I just had to see Michael Cerveris and Patti Lupone of course.) Though I'm slightly disappointed that no stars of the Great White Way were cast, I have high hopes for the film version because Tim Burton always rocks. It will be out in select theatres 21 December 2007.

A Glimmer of Hope!

11 pm News Flash!!!! Some glimmer of hope for the strike! Broadwayworld.com reports:

New York local TV news stations are all reporting that there's "hope on the horizon"...and that horizon could come as early as tomorrow morning. Bruce Cohen (Local One Spokesperson) went live before cameras tonight, saying that both sides are working very hard and very honestly with no outside mediation. Happily, after two weeks, it seems that there may be a glimmer of hope and both sides are absolutely agreed on and share one common goal - and that is to END THE STRIKE. There are reports that both sides have open spreadsheets in front of them and that the union showed up 25 strong. Let's hope that the "number crunching" can put everybody back to work ASAP.

Full story here

Now, lets all cross our fingers and pray to the Theatre Gods that the 2 sides can come to an agreement and bring the lights back to Broadway!!!!!! Come on people, the show must go on!!!!!

Complaints Choir

I saw this on the CBS Sunday Morning show. Chicago also has a complaints choir and they had a good turnout at their performance. The audience seemed to enjoy it. Who says all complaining is bad?

And then Idina comes along

From Broadway.com: Idina Menzel sang the "Beowulf" end credits song "A Hero Comes Home". Click here to listen.

Himala (Miracle)

Tanghalang Pilipino's "Himala the Musicale" (sic) was the Philippines' entry to the third annual Asian Contemporary Theater Festival in Shanghai, China. Ricky Lee wrote the script with lyrics and music by Vince De Jesus. May Bayot plays Elsa, who claims to have seen the Virgin Mary and starts healing people in her village. The faith healer was played by Nora Aunor in the original movie. Isay Alvarez of "Miss Saigon" fame plays Nimia, her childhood friend who's turned to prostitution. Cynthia Culig-Guico is Chayong who devotes herself to Elsa while Lionel Guico is the filmmaker who documents Elsa's miracles. According to the Philippine Entertainment Portal, the production received a standing ovation on their 22 November debut performance at the festival. The cast is due back in Manila 25 November.

Happy Thanksgiving!

From Playbill: The 81st annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will feature performances from Camp Broadway kids, Xanadu, Mary Poppins, Legally Blonde and Young Frankenstein. Spring Awakening's Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff will sing "Give My Regards to Broadway" aboard the M&M's Chocolate Candies on Broadway float. I can't wait to see the theatre-themed float featuring M&M characters as the lead roles in Broadway productions: Green as Elphaba in Wicked, Blue as the Phantom of the Opera, Red as Spamalot's King Arthur, and Orange and Yellow in A Chorus Line. Nikki Blonsky from the recent film version of Hairspray will sing "You can't stop the beat" atop the American Classic Malt Shop float; Sarah Brightman, the original Christine in both London and Broadway's Phantom will be dressed as a Pirate Queen and perform "The Journey Home" on the Jolly Polly Pirate Ship; and Michael Feinstein and Tony winner Anika Noni Rose will sing a Feinstein-Schermerhorn song, "Give Me the Key to This Wonderful City," on the History Channel's New York Tin Toy float. The CBS broadcast will also feature the cast of Spamalot singing "Always look on the bright side of life" at the Cloisters. Happy Turkey Day!

Enchanting "Enchanted"

It is nice to see that Disney has a sense of humor, sending up its own fairy tales in the new movie "Enchanted". Much of the credit belongs to a clever script and its stars Amy Adams and James Marsden. They give spot-on performances as the stereotypical Disney Princess and Prince Charming. They have great singing voices and Ms. Adams (who I loved in "Junebug") is a great physical and comic actress. The film of course reteams Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, and we are rewarded with a hummable score. Scenes will remind you of classics like Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Lady and the Tramp, Beauty and the Beast, including a Central Park production number to end all production numbers. Aside from familiar Disney creatures like chipmunks, baby deer, watch out for cameos from Disney heroines Jodi Benson(Ariel), Paige O'Hara(Belle) and Broadway stars Tonya Pinkins and Judy Kuhn. Idina Menzel, formerly of "Rent" and "Wicked" has a supporting role. I read that she sang "Enchanted" with James Marsden but this was unfortunately cut. Hopefully they will put it back in the DVD. Anyway, go see "Enchanted" this holiday season and fall under its spell.

Postcards from the Czech Republic II

Prague Castle guard. Vaclav Havel asked Amadeus costume designer Theodore Pistek to design their spiffy uniforms.

Kavarna (Cafe) Slavia in Prague, favorite haunt of dissidents and the secret police, including playwright and eventual President Vaclav Havel.

la vie boheme! (this is in Cesky Krumlov, 3 hrs from Prague)
Laterna Magika (black light theater), where Havel and other intellectuals planned the non-violent overthrow of the Communist regime. (Messages of protest were also called black theater.) Funny that in the rare instance that the Communists allowed freedom of expression, the artists used the stage for criticizing the government.
National Museum
Vlatava River. The National Theater is on the far right
National Theater

Divadlo (Theater) Hybernia, currently showing the musical "The Legend of Golem". (Rabbi Low, who created the legend of the Golem, is buried in Prague's Jewish Cemetery.) This is a black light performance, combining music, dance, film and light. Prague is the black light theater capital of the world.

Frank Gehry designed the "Dancing Building" (Rasin Embankment building). This is supposed to be Ginger Rogers wearing a ballgown. We can't see Fred Astaire from this angle.
la vie boheme again! Cannabis tea anyone? My brother in law tried some absinthe. Too bad he couldn't bring some home.
largest stadium in Europe that has hosted rock concerts as well as sporting events. Built by the Communists as you can probably tell from the design.

(thanks to Lynn for some of the photos.)

Broadway Loves the 80's Vol. 2

Last Monday 11.12.07 there was a benefit for the Joey DiPaolo AIDS Foundation and Camp TLC, a summer camp for inner-city teens living with HIV/AIDS at Joe's Pub in NYC. Producer Jamie McGonnigal gathered talented Broadway stars to sing 80's music.

Here's Julia Murney rocking out Pat Benatar's Heartbreaker (original video courtesy of JuliaMurneyOnline.com)

Broadway Loves The 80s Vol. 2 part 2

The boys from Spelling Bee singing a medley of 80's songs....

The song list and performers of the benefit here: http://www.broadwayworld.com/pulse/viewblog.cfm?blogid=1999

To check out the coverage of the event: http://www.papermag.com/blogs/2007/11/mo_rocca_says_he_doesnt_love_t.php

Broadway Loves the 80's Vol. 2 part 3

OMG I couldn't resist posting this...they are hilarious (hopefully you'll see the facial expressions). It's Julia Murney (recently of Wicked) and Jose Llana (recently of Spelling Bee and yes he's pinoy --> Slang for Filipino)

I particularly loved the...bum bummm bum bum bum bummmm bum bummm part! ha ha ha!

original video courtesy of JuliaMurneyOnline.com

Postcards from the Czech Republic I

Grand Hotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), the famous spa town. One of the best hotels in town, this is also one of Europe's oldest hotels. Parts of "Casino Royale" were filmed here. Yes, I walked in Daniel Craig's footsteps *sighs*
The German writer Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a frequent visitor to Carlsbad. He would take walks in town with Beethoven.

The International Film Festival is held here at the Hotel Thermal in July.
Hotel Thermal. Can you tell the Communists built it?
Karl Marx wrote part of "Das Kapital" in Karlovy Vary.
Goethe, then 72 years old, fell in love with 17 y.o. Ulrika von Levetzow from another popular spa town, Marianske Lazne (Marienbad).
Goethe wrote "Elegy from Marianske" after Ulrika rejected his marriage proposal and never returned to the region. Ulrika never married and kept small relics of the poet.

Albert Einstein lived in this house in Old Town, Prague when he was a professor at Prague University.

Franz Kafka Exhibition on the site of the building where he was born.
Lennon Wall in Mala Strana (Lesser Town), then a symbol of defiance of the Communist regime. (Thanks to Lynn for this picture.)
It is across the French Embassy and it is said that when the democratically elected government came to power , the ambassador asked the mayor not to interfere with the monument.

Mozart and Prague

Statue of Il Commendatore outside the Estates' Theater, where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart premiered his Don Giovanni.

Mozart himself conducted the 1787 premiere. He debuted it in Prague because he said Vienna's conservative audiences didn't appreciate his work but "Praguers understand me". He staged it in Italian, as opposed to German which Vienna patrons preferred.
Built in 1783, the theater re-opened after nearly 9 years of reconstruction in 1991 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Mozart's death.
The theater is named after "The Estates", fiefdoms formed by wealthy land barons.

Czech director Milos Forman filmed scenes for "Amadeus" here at the theater. There is a W. A. Mozart museum in the city but we didn't get to see it for lack of time. It's called Bertramka, the villa where he usually stayed in when he was in town. A fire destroyed much of the house in the 1870s but the rooms where he finished composing the opera were miraculously spared.

(Thanks to Frommer's for the info.)

Don Giovanni

I recently took a trip to Prague in the Czech Republic with my two sisters and brother-in-law. If you don't see Mozart's Don Giovanni, you haven't seen Prague, said one of the flyers in the hotel. However, the opera is presented only twice a month at the Estates' Theater, its original home. My sister Lynn and I settled for the next best thing: marionette version!

We saw a couple of puppet theaters during our walkabouts. The tickets cost 490 Kč each ($27) and the show lasted an hour and a half.
the servant Leporello keeping watch outside while Don Giovanni tries to seduce Donna Anna
The puppets got pretty frisky at times, but not quite up to "Avenue Q" or "Team America" standards.
Donna Anna and her fiance Don Ottavio with her recently deceased father, Don Pedro (Il Commendatore) *Dekuji to Lynn and her kick-ass camera for these last two pictures!
Lots of comic moments during the show and the music is great.

Broadway's still dark tonight

A new round of negotiations between the stagehands union Local One and the League of American Theatres and Producers are scheduled to begin tomorrow morning Nov. 17. The 27 shows affected by the strike have already cancelled this weekend's performances. The New York Post reported that it was Disney Theatricals that pressured the union to return to the negotiating table. Perhaps both sides can agree to let the shows go on while they continue with their talks. Click here to get information on how ticketholders can get refunds.

Welcome The Rain

Musical theatre songs tell a story that’s why I tend to gravitate to them. There are days when you hear a particular song and it totally captures the essence of your mood BUT you find out that someone has already written about it. It’s as if words have been plucked out of your brain and you’re hearing it in the song. That’s how I feel whenever I listen to this song by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich. It’s a beautiful, beautiful song that always gives me a kick of inspiration whenever days are not always so smooth. I’ve written the lyrics below (thanks T for the help!) but have a listen here.

welcome the rain

when i was child I’d run and hide
at the smallest hint of rain
a sliver of grey in the clouds, i'd be under a chair
the thunder would crash and the lightning would flash
and i'd cry at the sight of it all
curled up in a ball beneath a wall of the curliest hair
and i'd stay there for hours
so afraid of the anger i saw in the sky
'til my mother would come
and dry up all the rain that i'd cry
she'd say, don't be afraid of the power of life
open your eyes at it's wonder
just as your heart should be open to joy
so it must let in the thunder
sun that you long for is hidden from view
and only the shadows remain
but that's when you see
the true beauty of life
when you learn how to welcome the rain

time passes by i'm no longer a child
and i've learned a thing or two
i've learned there are wounds that a mother cannot kiss away
and though i find i still like to hide
i have learned that her lesson is true
if pain comes with love then pain is a small price to pay
we all put up umbrellas
to protect us from torrents of feelings that pour
but shouldn't we remind ourselves what feelings are for
oh don't be afraid of the power of life
marvelous heavens reveal it
untie the ribbon and open the gift
thank stormy stars you can feel it
open your ears to the music of life
while there's time to repeat the refrain
if you yearn to embrace all the passion of life
you must learn how to welcome the rain

bring on the hurricanes
let the winds blow
i'll match the wind roar for roar
life's not about being safe..staying dry
life's about begging for more
so don't be afraid of the power of life
open your eyes at its wonder
just as your heart should be open to joy
so it must let in the thunder
sun that you long for is hidden from view
and only the shadows remain
but that's when you see the true beauty of life
when you learn how to welcome the rain
if you yearn to embrace all the passion in life
you must learn how to welcome the rain

I LOVE This Show!

Introducing the Vicky Mendoza Crazy/Hot Scale......Yes NPH rocks!

The Strike is ON!!!

Just in case you guys didn't know....the League of American Theatres and Producers and The Stagehand Union (Local One) hadn't come into agreement these past few weeks so Local One gave the go signal for a strike which started Saturday 11 am Nov. 10. As a result Broadway was dark this weekend (the first time since the musician's strike in 2003). Lani previously wrote about it here. Local One, the stagehands union is the oldest union on Broadway has not called for a strike in it's 125 year history until now. Thirty five shows have been affected by the strike. However, non-profit houses and some shows covered by a separate contract remain open: Mary Poppins, Xanadu, Young Frankenstein, Spelling Bee, Pygmalion, The Ritz, Mauritius and Cymbeline.

Coverage of the first day of the strike can be found here

On day 2 of the strike, theatre performers such as the cast of Ave Q have joined their colleagues in the picket line. Check out who else joined the strikers here :) --> hopefully you'll get to see the picture :)

Reactions from people on the street are mixed but check out this article from Playbill.com about the stand of Actors' Equity regarding the strike.

Let's hope, for the love of theatre that the 2 sides come back to the table soon and talk things out.....but for now we wait and see......

(photo above fr NY Times)

Thoroughly Modern Sutton

She's definitely one of my fav musical theatre actresses.......with a crystal clear voice and a knack for comedy BUT here in this pic from Broadway.com (Paul Wontorek's Blog) she clearly shows her Ingga! Apparently it's for the November issue of City Magazine. Check out the photo spread here.

To Boot or Not To Boot...That is the Question

Apparently, Actors' Equity is on an anti-bootleg campaign and are sending the Youtube Police to patrol the internet. Very interesting article about it from Playbill.com

I've always wondered though how those people who film shows could have the courage to do it and not be caught!!!???? Won't the audience members beside them get distracted and notice that someone is filming?

Tradition! Tradition!

Broadway is rich in tradition and although as theatregoers we are not privy to it, my favorite would be the Gypsy Robe Ceremony.

A Broadway Gypsy is a person in the chorus or ensemble of a musical. They usually travel from show to show working in the ensemble thus the name "gypsy" and is therefore an integral part of a show. The Gypsy Robe is usually given to the chorus member of a new musical that has the most Broadway credits. The ceremony is usually done an hour before the curtain rises on opening night......before the audience comes in the theatre. The whole cast of the show gathers onstage as the robe is presented to the winner who then circles the stage (counter clockwise) 3x with the cast touching the robe for good luck. The winner/new member then goes to all the dressing rooms and blesses them. What's really special I think is that the robe is passed on by the gypsy winner of 1 show to the next one that opens and each winner would attach to the robe a momento from their show (just check out the pic above.....can you spot momentos from Nine and Moving Out?). But what a great way to celebrate camaraderie in theatre!

The robes themselves have been considered works of art and may be seen in the Smithsonian, Lincoln Center Library of the Performing Arts or the Museum of the City of NY. And the history of the ceremony has been as fascinating as the colorful robes. Some notable theatre names of today such as Manoel Felciano (Brooklyn), Megan Sikora (Dracula), Milena Govich (Good Vibrations)...yes of Law and Order fame...have won the robes in those aformentioned musicals. Hey, even Liza Minelli has won the gypsy robe (check out her interview in the ShowBusiness Dvd). Check out the Gypsy Stories for a list of winners throught the years!

Above photo from Actors' Equity

Steve Almighty

"Dan in Real Life" is a heartwarming romantic comedy starring Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche. Too bad it hasn't found its audience. I was in the theatre with two other people, and we were all laughing and crying during the movie. The supporting cast includes John Mahoney, Dianne Wiest, Norbert Leo Butz (who gets to play the piano and sing oh so briefly) and a bonus scene-stealing-as-usual Emily Blunt. If you liked writer/director Peter Hedges' s "Pieces of April" (which I did), then you'll enjoy this one. Steve is a widower with three daughters (His kids are great...yes, even the whiny middle child in her hormonal,nobody-understands-me rants). He falls in love with his brother's new girlfriend during a vacation at his parents' Rhode Island home. Your heart breaks when he picks up the guitar and sings to her later on in the film. Mr. Carell is tense and awkward yet ultimately charming and endearing. I think he is the next Tom Hanks/Mr. Nice Guy who's adept at both comedic and dramatic roles. (In his interviews he comes off as a really amiable and down-to-earth guy. Read this.)Ms. Binoche's character says at the beginning that she's looking for something that's not laugh out loud funny but human funny. This could well be this character-driven comedy picture's mission statement. And the filmmakers have succeeded.

Rashomon

I finally saw Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon" on television tonight. (Lynn, Pinky and I watched Michael John LaChiusa's"See what I wanna see" in 2005...a musical version.) Set in feudal Japan, it is about a couple who gets attacked by a bandit in the woods. The woman is raped and the husband ends up murdered. A woodsman later also gives testimony. Told from the perspectives of these four people, each one faces the camera and talks to the viewer. (Yes, even the dead samurai speaks through a medium..very creepy scene.) Three people confess to the crime. It was fascinating to watch because of the acting; each character is so different in each version of the incident. For example, the bandit goes from over-the-top wild and maniacal to swashbuckling and passionate. You learn more about each one through their versions of events. Nobody appears to be capable of telling the truth about themselves.(which is probably true for most, if not all of us.) And I love how we never find out what happened either. The camera work, the cinematography, the questions about truth and human nature...very intriguing stuff. I will have to get a hold of Kurosawa's other films now.

I'll see you in September when summer is gone

"Harry Potter" stars Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths will reprise their roles in the controversial but well-received revival of "Equus" for Broadway audiences in September 2008. Woot! From Privet Drive to Broadway. I can't wait.

In other news:

Rosie O'Donnell has been named National Ambassador for the 2008 Kids' Night on Broadway. The annual event allows youngsters aged 6-18 to attend a Broadway show for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult. The 12th Manhattan edition will be held on February 5,6,12 and 13 and nationwide throughout the spring and winter.

The "Young Frankenstein" troupe will record the cast album on 12 November. The CD will drop on 26 December.



The New York Comedy Festival kicks off next week 06 November, ending on the 11th. This year's line-up includes Bill Maher, D.L. Hughley, Rosie O'Donnell, Mario Cantone and Denis Leary.

August: Osage County on Broadway!!!!

Just to nudge you guys again if you're in the NYC area......this is a tremendous play that you shouldn't miss! It's in previews right now and will open on Nov. 20. It already has Pulitzer and Tonys buzz....

Striiike two!

The Writers Guild of America might go on strike as early as this Friday. The east and west coast unions broke off talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and allowed their contract to expire last night. According to the New York Times:

"writers and producers are separated by differences over payments for the use of programs distributed through new media like the Internet and cellphones, and conflicting demands for a change in payments for the reuse of movies and TV shows on DVDs and elsewhere. "

I hope they resolve this soon. The writers are the lifeblood of the entertainment industry. I don't even want to think about what other reality shows or game shows we'll be subjected to if they do go on strike. *shudders* Good luck writers!

02 November 2007 UPDATE: For the first time since 1988, writers will go on strike Monday. Late night talk shows have already announced that they will show reruns. The strike can put thousands of industry workers out of a job.

Beedle the Bard

JK Rowling has completed her first post-Harry Potter book , a collection of fairy tales she illustrated herself. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" was a gift left by headmaster Albus Dumbledore to Hermione to help them defeat the Dark Lord in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". Alas, only 7 copies of the book will be printed, with one being auctioned off in December to raise money for Children's Voice, a charity group that helps children in Europe.