Rock the Red!

Caps games are so much more fun when the tickets are completely free!  Yay for working for a company that gives you stuff!  However, I have 2 complaints.  Why in the world are ice rinks so darn cold?! : ) And seriously Caps, OT?!  Do you not know I have to go to work tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn?!

Trivia Tuesday

~ First things first, We're in first place!  Woohoo!  That means another trip to the semi-finals - and if history repeats itself, a fairly terrible showing there.

~ Turns out that following Jeffrey Dean Morgan's career because he's fairly adorable comes in handy.  That's definitely the only reason why I knew he was currently playing Negan on The Walking Dead.

~ Trying to decipher the word Myrmecology by using the word myriad as a reference is fairly useless.  However, when the team decides to go with ants for know reason whatsoever, and it's right you will instantly regret not waging all the points.  Boo!

~ Our team does not contain a single movie buff - not even a partial movie buff.  In 5 questions about movie quotes, we managed to pull one out of thin air.  That's pretty terrible.

~ In the realm of of things we know nothing about - geography, world capitals, and basketball.

~ Using Stargate as a reference for all things Egyptian Mythology, is probably not the best way to answer a question.  However, if we could have remembered the name of the really bad dude on Stargate, we would have gotten the question correct.  Turns out Apophis wasn't just a bad guy in Stargate.  He was a real god that's the un-creator in Egyptian Mythology.  Also, he's an asteroid that's going to hit us soon, so I suppose you could say he's a REALLY bad dude.

~ Cartomaniacs are map lovers.  Also, doesn't that term make map lovers sound just a bit menacing? 

~ A Daffodil is also known as a Lent Lily.  So what have I been calling Easter Lillies all these years? 

~ Turns out that there was much more to see in Brussels than just waffles and chocolate.  Apparently the NATO headquarters is there.  I'm fairly certain that didn't appear once in all my reading on what to do there...

Bedtime...

Christmas stress and a throbbing head are demanding an 8:30 bedtime this evening.  Back tomorrow with Trivia fun.  For now, my lovely warm bed is calling my name...

Break a Leg, Dear Evan Hansen!

           
"Dear Evan Hansen" is opening on Broadway tonight and I'm super jealous of all the people that are seeing it tonight.  Let me say, I know next to nothing about this show, other than it did so well Off-Broadway that it's getting the chance to open on Broadway and this beautiful, heartbreaking, uplifting song - "Waving Through a Window."  I just love it and identify with it so much.  I can only assume that lots of people feel the same way, which is why this show is doing so well.  

Everyone feels completely on the outside sometimes - or just alone in living their lives.  And that's the beauty of live theatre.  Everyone that sees it gets something different out of it, and maybe, just maybe it changes the way you think or heals some hurt you may have.  Based on the little I know about this show, I'm confident it will do this and more for thousands of people.  I'm just crossing my fingers, that I'll get my tickets before it gets to Hamilton proportions, and I'll get to have my own experience.

Break a leg, Evan Hansen!

Not so Behind Afterall

Each year, I try very very hard to be organized.  I start shopping early.  I make lists.  I craft things ahead of time And what does it get me?  A whole lotta stress and trips to the mall 2 days before Christmas.  This year was pretty much the same.  I started in the beginning of November and thought for sure I had things under control.  Until earlier this week, when I sat down and made a list and had a minor panic attack at all that still needed to happen.

However, it turns out my list making capabilities have improved.  Well, my ability to stick to the list has improved, I suppose.  Because thanks to my trusty list and a whole day of errands, I'm not as behind as my freak out led me to believe.  I'm actually pretty ahead of where I usually am.  I'm sticking to a new philosophy - buy stuff when you see it instead of thinking about it.  Chances are if you think about it, you'll still decide to buy it but then you'll need to go back to the store at a later date to purchase whatever it is.  Then they might not have it and you're back to square one.  Just buy it when you see it.  It's a great philosophy - one I highly recommend.

Yay for super productive Saturdays because, thanks to them, I can enjoy the best part of the Christmas season - everything else, outside of shopping!

Friday Five: 2016 in Review

For the next 3 Fridays, I figured I'd write about my favorites in the year 2016. Today's post is on the top 5 shows I saw this year.  2016 is what I call, the year of theatre.  I was lucky enough to see 24 shows - not all on Broadway, but all were fabulous in their own ways.  It's definitely my record for a year, and one that I loved breaking!  Here's to beating that in 2017!

5. (Most Surprising) "School Of Rock": I totally didn't expect to love this show as much as I did.  It was the cheapest show that played on a Sunday night.  We needed to see something, since we had decided to not stand in line for Shakespeare in the Park.  I had seen the movie and thought it was cutesy and didn't really deserve a whole musical - scored by Andrew Lloyd Webber no less.  What I discovered was this show was awesome! I was blown away by the kids in the cast.  All of which played their own instruments, danced and sang perfectly.  The kids and the adults all sang the heck out of the super-fun rock and roll score.  It had a great message and some fabulous music - what's there not to like? I judge a musical by whether or not the music makes it onto my iPod and "Stick it to the Man" was most definitely downloaded when I got home, so it was definitely a hit in my book!

4. (Most Bizarre) "The Robber Bridegroom": I knew absolutely nothing about this show, other than I like Steven Pasquale and I wanted to see him sing.  Also, it was Off-Broadway which was new for me too.  I came away from this show being totally perplexed by the story in general, and never having laughed so hard in a theater in my life. It was uproariously funny!  This "southern fried fairy tale" was so, so, so weird.  (Just read the IMDB on the plot - I dare you not to think "huh?")  But what made the show completely awesome, was the cast that was having so much fun, that they broke on stage 2 separate times.  The show itself is very funny, but seeing the cast unable to make it through the funny parts - even funnier!  Based on my earlier scale - 3 songs made it to the iPod so it's definitely up there on my all-time faves list!

3. (Most Able to Turn me into a Blubbering Mess) "Falsettos":  Just as I've never laughed as hard as I did at "The Robber Bridegroom," I've never cried as hard as I did at "Falsettos."  Oh my goodness did I cry.  From about right after the curtain came up for Act 2 straight on through to the bitter end, I was crying while attempting to not disturb those around me.  It was bad.  But it was also so very good!  That cast - Christian Borle, Andrew Rannells, Stephanie J. Block, Brandon Uranowitz, Anthony Rosenthal, Tracie Thoms and Betsey Wolfe - every single one of them was perfectly cast for their part.  I once again went in knowing not much - other than the inevitable was going to happen and make me cry - but I walked out just blown away by a cast that can get that emotional every night, and then smile and laugh at curtain call.  The songs were beautiful.  The relationships were beautiful. And most of all the message - family is what you make it - was beautiful and so needed!  The soundtrack isn't out yet, so I can't tell you how many songs are on my iPod, however I already have the iTunes cash earmarked for the whole kit and caboodle.

2. (Most Obvious and Groundbreaking) "Hamilton": What can I say about it that hasn't already been said?  It is as good - maybe better - than everyone says.  What I loved most about it is that it's entirely new.  From the set design, to the musical styles, to the cast and the choreography.  All of it could have been a mess, but all of it works together to create something that's just gorgeous.  Seeing it with an audience that loved it as much as I did, was so energizing.  I knew exactly what would happen at the end, and it's never made me cry before. But I think just feeling that energy from the cast and the audience, I admit to tearing up a bit and getting major goosebumps!  Number of songs on the iPod - the whole darn album!

*Bet you thought Hamilton would be number one, didn't you? : )

1. (Most Able to Make me Smile Uncontrollably) "Come From Away": Not since "Jesus Christ Superstar" opened my eyes to how amazing musical theatre is, have I been more in love with a single show.  I've been talking, googling, watching, singing, and stalking this gorgeous show since I saw it in September.  I honestly can't get enough of it and the all together lovely cast. When I first heard about the 9/11 musical - I was completely against it.  Too soon, I thought.  Then I heard the storyline - 5 days in Gander when the US airspace was closed that day - and I thought, ok that's a bit better.  Then I saw it at Ford's (another theatre first for me!) and I fell in love.  I laughed.  I smiled from ear to ear.  I got goosebumps.  I teared up.  As the kids say, I felt all the feels! It is by far, the happiest show I had ever seen.  The message of acceptance, and love and kindness needs to be repeated over and over in today's world.  And a show devoted to singing that message 8 days a week - Perfection!  

The music is sort of Celtic-rock which works perfectly for the setting of New Foundland.  It's played by an on stage band instead of an orchestra which also makes it feel more intimate and more like a bunch of people hanging out in a bar on a Friday night.  And the cast!  Each cast member plays about a dozen characters each - going in and out of different nationalities or accents constantly - and they do it perfectly.  They're all perfectly suited to their particular parts and they honestly look like they're having the best time.  I'm sure some shows like Falsettos are rough each night, but these actors get to spread the word of kindness every night and smile and laugh the entire show, and I can only imagine - based on what I've seen - they're loving it!  Almost as much as I love them!

Number of songs on the iPod - Nothing, as it hasn't even opened on Broadway yet, but just like Falsettos - the iTunes money is already earmarked.  Now if you're basing it on my YouTube browsing history - that's chock full of every single video I can find!

She Loves Me - Again...

Three times in one year is enough, I think, for a show that I'm not even all that crazy about. Though, a not amazing show is much better than a lot of things, so I suppose there's that.  What am I yammering on about?  "She Loves Me", that's what.  One of the best things about living in the 21st century is that some very smart people have realized that if you film a Broadway show, you can charge people that may not have the chance to get to NYC, to see that show in a movie theatre and make tons more money.  The smart people haven't decided yet to film ALL the shows - which is entirely depressing.  However, a select few get the special treatment.  That's where "She Loves Me" comes in.

I saw it in March actually on stage because it's the bestie's favorite actor - Zac Levi.  Then they filmed it and broadcast it on Broadway HD so that people could rent it.  Then that went over so well, they showed it in movie theaters which is where I saw it again this evening.

Don't get me wrong, it's a super cute show with a fabulous cast.  Though, my favorite part is the gorgeous set design.  It's so sparkly and shiny.  It's just that the show is sort of drawn out.  It's a simple concept - Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail were both based on this show, so you get the general idea.  But then at some point it goes dark for a hot second, then it's back to light and airy.  Then in the middle, there's some random samba number that contributes nothing to the story at all.  Fun, but so confusing!

I wasn't really there to see the show however.  I wanted to be there to see how the broadcast of the show went.  I've seen many plays broadcast like this from England, but this is the first Broadway musical they've tried it out on, and I wanted to see how it went.  There were some technical difficulties caused by the particular movie theater I went to  - 30 minutes of words on the screen about trash and concessions before the action started, and the tops of peoples heads being chopped off.  But other than that, I thought it was awesome!  The camera man tried to get a little too creative with the closeups, I think.  But that was a minor quibble that apparently only bothered me.

So there you have it, an ok show shown in a brand new way.  Not a bad way to spend an evening.  Now if we could just get them to broadcast Hamilton - they'd make a FORTUNE!