Lounge life - update

Ok, so it'll probably be 13 hours in the lounge...unless my flight gets delayed again.
Fun distraction though, Bernadette Peters is also here. I probably won't tell her how exited I was to see her in Hello, Dolly! and although she was great, I found the show itself pretty disappointing. I probably won't also say that I was also disappointed that I didn't get to see Bette Midler in the role.

New York (April 12-17, 2018)

A perk of my current profession is that I can travel. In addition to having the flexibility of traveling for personal reasons, I can also travel professionally, but am not worked to the bone in these cases.
Recently, I was able to go to NYC for professional reasons. Prior to the trip, I knew that I would take some time out to indulge personally, but the ratio of personal to professional ended up being more skewed than I wanted - end of the semester burnout is real, friends!
This conference has a reputation of being so massive that it's often off-putting. But it's one of the conferences to attend, so I still wanted to go. The fact that it was in NYC this year made it extra enticing. But, I'm in the camp that typically doesn't enjoy the conference. It's just too large. It's a zoo, it's overwhelming, it just has a certain vibe that freaks me out. That being said, I did enjoy the (limited) parts of the conference that I attended. I got some ideas for things to work on in the future and some feedback about some things I working on now, so I guess that's good. So, the conference was palatable (which isn't always the case) and I also had a chance to take some time for myself.
I didn't realize until I got to NYC that I was running on fumes. I think there was one night that I slept 14 hours - and it was pretty great.What was also great was that for most of the trip, there was lovely spring weather (that we hadn't had north of the border - in fact, I missed a pretty nasty ice storm while in NYC). I took advantage of the great weather by walking. Walking a lot. I try to get to The High Line every visit I can. It's such a lovely space. But it had been a long time since I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm not sure why I'd forgotten about it. It's a lovely stroll and gives great views of the skyline. I get impressed at the cyclists. To zoom across the bridge when the pedestrian traffic is intense. And most of those pedestrians are folks who aren't staying out of the cyclist lane and/or randomly stop to take pictures without first looking behind them to see who/what they will be blocking. Anyway, I'll have to make sure that I take that stroll more often.
I had looked into different museums and the exhibitions that were on display while I would be in town. Nothing really stuck out to me, so that gave me more time to do other things. Yet, I felt like I visited my own museum exhibit of sorts. Bergdorf Goodman was displaying their new collections for evening gowns. If they are not works of art, I don't know what is. In addition to appreciating the craftsmanship of the pieces, I can appreciate them for the stereotypical girly-girl factor. Dreaming of an opportunity to wear such a gown, which gown would I wear...that's pretty fun too. But really, going into Bergdorf's, Barneys and other boutiques is inspirational. How things are displayed, the combinations of pieces, the pieces themselves, it's incredible. Even just walking around the city and people watching is great. There's a different sensibility and aesthetic there.
I also decided to get one of those ridiculous instagramable treats, because, why not? I ended up going to Taiyaki NYC to get one of ice cream in a fish pastry things. I got black sesame ice cream, in a red bean filled fish, with condensed milk drizzle, and mochi and wafer topping. It was ridiculous and yummy, but ultimately not worth the hype. Ha.

And then of course, I saw shows. A bunch of shows.
The last time I was in NYC, I missed out on seeing Bette Midler (and David Hyde Pierce) in Hello, Dolly! Now, Bernadette Peters was in the starring role (with Victor Garber), and I was happy to be able to get a ticket. I enjoyed the show, but didn't love it. The singing was great, the acting was also great, but the show itself left me wanting more. I felt the plotline of the show was weak. There was just too big of a jump to the final scenes. It seemed like a show whose whole purpose was to showcase the leading performer and the story was just shoved in to try to tie things together. So, I don't know if there was anything that could have been done about it. I mean, it's not like this is a new show or anything. That being said, it was neat to have seen a legend perform. And I'd never seen that who before, so now I know.

The next show that I watched was The Band's Visit. I'm not SO into the Broadway scene that I know what the hot shows are. I typically either see shows that I know have done well in the past when they first came out so I feel that I should seen them, or check the recent Tony Award nominees and make my picks based on their lists. In this case, I was itching to see a show, and just on someone recommendation decided to give it a got. Literally, it was 5 minutes before showtime and I wanted to see a show and someone said, go to this one. And this someone wasn't even anyone that I knew. Now really a typical move that I'd make, but I'm trying to push outside of my comfort zone a bit. Apparently, this show is based off of an 2007 Israeli film by the same name (or, Bikur Ha-Tizmoret). The show was...I'm not even sure how to describe it.
The plotline is simple. An Egyptian band takes the wrong bus enroute to an Israeli town where they have been invited to play and end up in the smallest Israeli town where they have to spend the night. What happens that evening is the bulk of the show. Members of the band get split up to stay in local homes, and the stories of the locals play out and intertwine. The band members do contribute to the story, but moreso to the score. Songs start, and rather than an ensemble show band accompanying the singers, it's those band members who are onstage and those staying in other dwellings that are somehow effortlessly interwoven into the scene that join the singers. It's absolutely incredible. So, most of the band members play the role of musicians in the show, with only a couple as actors/singers.
I'm so glad that I took that leap of faith an watched the show. It was great. And, I enjoyed reading the bios of the cast. Lots of thanks of accolades, but many comments about being proud of their roots, and being part of this unique show.
I just went on the Tony Awards website and it's been nominated for 11 awards including Best Musical. Although I haven't seen the other nominees, I think this show is deserving of such accolades.

The third and final show that I saw was Hamilton. After many failed attempts to get a ticket, I somehow lucked out this time around. For the most part, still sold out, this show has been getting rave reviews since it started Off-Broadway. For all of the hype and media, I didn't know very much about the show going into it. I knew that there would be PoC and rapping. I have very little knowledge of American history. So, I learned a lot, and finally understood why it was a groundbreaking show. It was exciting, funny, tragic, impressive, thoughtful, creative, clever...I'm so glad I saw it.
While it would have been cool to see Lin-Manuel Miranda performing, the current cast was fantastic. The performance I attended had Alexander Hamilton played by an understudy and it didn't really bother me. I 'kind of' didn't like that some of the lead performers had two roles, but I guess given the scope of the show it would have required additional cast members and each only having half the stage time. I though Euan Morton, who played King George, was a highlight.

So, another successful trip to NYC. A well-timed trip to the end of the semester, allowing me to change my pace and recuperate from the year. It wasn't enough of a break though. Soon after, I totally shut down for a couple days and really vegged. I'm only starting to get back into the swing of things and am thinking about what kind of routine I want to maintain.
I've already thought about only working 4 days a week (yes, I know that I'm privileged to even entertain that idea), but I do want to be quite productive. The next year and a half will be important.

NYC

I really like NYC. My arrival coincided with a bout of warm weather. It was nice to go from winter coat and toque to mini skirt, tee, and sunglasses.
None of the current exhibitions at museums stuck out to me, so I visited my own version of an exhibition - Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys. Bergdorf's had showing of their evening gowns and if that isn't an exhibition, I don't know what is. The pieces are art. Wearable art. So incredible. I would love to own one, but I would first like a place to wear it. Not only are the items that are for sale incredible, but the people (customers and salespeople) are intriguing too.
Anyway, I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time since...the first time I came to NYC. Walked on the High Line. People watching everywhere.
I'm just taking a wee break before heading out again. Tonight, I'm seeing Hello, Dolly (Bernadette Peters and Victor Garber). I somehow got lucky and nabbed a ticket to Hamilton for Sunday. Wheeee!

New York (Dec 11-15, 2016)

Leave it to a trip back to one of the cities that gives me life to bring this blog back to life. After a moment this summer where I was feeling particularly burnt out and feeling the benefits of "getting away", I vowed that I would take breaks more often for my mental and physical health. So, in typical form, went through the semester not really taking many breaks (although maintaining a lower level of engagement throughout) and slowly coming to a point when I realized that all signs were pointing to "you need a get-away"!

So, I booked a trip to NYC and now that I've pulled off the get-away band-aid, I hope that it will be easier for me to plan get-aways in the future!
Just walking amongst the crowds was rejuvenating. Window shopping. Visiting landmarks. Snacking. It was all pretty great.
I like to snack my way through the city. With so much awesomeness in one place (including lots of things to do in the evening), I'm often reluctant to take a couple hours out of my evening to have a full sit-down meal. And, why not have multiple smaller meals/snacks throughout the day rather than limiting yourself to just three? So mini-meals consisting of macarons (Laduree), cupcakes (Baked by Melissa), smoothies and falafels (Taim), pizza and pasta (Eataly), burgers and frozen custards (Shake Shack), and add a random sprinkling of other snacks from food trucks and such.

There wasn't anything at Lincoln Center that caught my interest for this trip, but that didn't prevent me from going for a visit. It's neat that there's a hub for the arts. Makes a lot of sense. Place des Arts in Montreal is a similar idea and the city really put a lot of resources into developing the area. Well done, Montreal!
Back to Lincoln Center. One of the reasons I enjoy visiting the building is to marvel at the massive Chagall paintings that they have hanging in the foyer of the opera house. But on this day, they were covered up. I guess you've got to take care of a protect those works of art from their natural predators.

Recently opened in March 2016, the Oculus is a new building in the World Trade Center area attached to the PATH train station to New Jersey. It's is an incredible piece of architecture. Part of the building has lots of shops and connects to office towers, the train and subway system and such. One end where the main entrance to the PATH station looks like something out of a sci-fi movie with the light concrete and the white backbone structure looming above. Robotic masses of people beeping their way through the automated gates and descending to the underground train level. It was cool to watch the "spectacle".

Only steps away is the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. It is a moving and informative space. The memorial is particularly moving. Seeing the two spaces previously occupied by the Twin Towers has a large impact.
There are moments in history that people tend to distinctly remember where they were and what they were doing at the time. I "think" the first of such events in my lifetime was the OJ Simpson verdict. I remember being in the cafeteria of my high school seated at that circular table in the corner that was typically occupied by cohort.

For September 11th, 2001, I remember being in my bed at my hole in the wall, rented apartment in Kingston while an undergraduate student at Queen's. I was waking up to my alarm clock (the radio) and hearing reports of the events. Still groggy from sleep, I remember hearing the news but not really processing it (although, how does one process such news?). I got up and started my day and received a phone call saying that my education class was cancelled that evening. I was confused why a class would be canceled for an event in the US and especially disappointed because this was to be my first education class of my degree. I had been waiting a long time for this class. I got ready for school and walked into a deserted campus. I remember walking through the student building and seeing news being shown on the TV screens. I was pretty confused about what was going on, but, like many people ended up spending a better part of the day in front of the TV watching updates on the event.

Being so close to the holiday season, the city was well decorated and festive. The big tree in Rockerfeller Center was much more impressive than the one in Place des Arts (sigh), and just facing, Saks had a nice music and light show. Fun times.
Holiday window displays are always incredible as well. Saks had a Nutcracker theme. Bergdorf Goodman always had something decadent. Barney's was humourous this year. And Bloomingdale's and Macy's displayed typical holiday scenes.

I was interested to walk by Trump Tower. Apparently, there are news outlets on site at all times as are the NYPD and the Secret Service. I walked by twice during my visit. Once, I think he was "home", and the other, he was not. This was evidenced by the number of black cars and ambulances parked outside the side door. Both times there were people standing on the sidewalk who wanted to make their presence known. Some were selling buttons. Some wanted to chat with passerbyers to discuss various issues. Others were speaking to whomever would listen about their perspectives.
It will be interesting to see how things continue to unfold. This is another case of an event that I'm not quite sure how to process and what its impact will be on the world.

One thing that has resulted is that citizens have posted messages on the walls of the Union Square subway station.
Some speak to the election specifically. Others to the state of the world. Still others, general messages or ones of a more personal nature/agenda.
I wonder how long the initiative will last.

I always try to see a show while I am in town. I try to see shows that I haven't seen before, and the two that were on my list for this time around were Hamilton and The Color Purple. I really wanted to see Hamilton and made it my priority. But, when tickets are sold out until August 2017 and wanting to pay face value for tickets, I resorted to waiting hours in the cancellations line. While I'm not always willing to give up hours of precious NYC time in a restaurant, I am willing to do so for the prospect of show tickets. Yet, I was unsuccessful, and instead of loosing more time in the city, for my last opportunity to catch a show, I decided to watch The Color Purple and call it a day. The show was fantastic. I'll have to go back and watch the movie again at some point. Or maybe I should read the book. Cynthia Erivo was awesome, but I think the whole cast was fantastic. There were very powerful moments in the show as there were moments for whooping and hollering and smiling and laughing. I'm glad that I was able to catch it before it closes in the New Year.

So, there you have it. A great trip, as usual. I made it to a couple sample sales (including an opportunity to wear a $7000 Marchesa gown - if only I had a place to wear the beautiful frock, I may have actually bought it!) and did a lot of window shopping. There were some beautiful bags and coats, but I returned back home empty handed. Oh, well.

How to make a deaf musical

Deaf West is putting on a production of Spring Awakening. This video gives some insight into how the production was created.
Spring Awakening is a great musical. I saw it in New York a bunch of years ago. I happened to see the original cast which included actors/actresses who most people probably know from the TV show Glee.

Un sejour a Toronto

Just hanging out in the Billy Bishop Airport lounge (P.S. the pedestrian tunnel is quite lovely) and reflecting on the past two (and a bit) weeks here in Toronto.
I worry that each time I’m in Toronto, I only get the “best of” series because I am here for limited amounts of time and actively create my schedule for my visits. Anyway, suffice it to say, I had a lovely time in the city. There was a lot of smiles and laughter and I was mostly in very positive spirits, but I do admit that I did have some moments which ensured that I wasn’t on cloud nine the entire time. I’m learning that it’s okay to have a cry every so often and am trying not to be embarrassed about it. It’s better to let it out (and hopefully move on). But yes, for the first time in awhile, I felt very well-rested, content, and optimistic.
Toronto is fantastic. Here are some reasons why:

• International cuisine. I only scraped the surface by eating American, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Malaysian...and if it counts as a type of cuisine, brunch. Ha. I had intentions of having Caribbean and Vietnamese, but actually ran out of stomach space. In fact, the last three days I was in the city, I only ate one meal a day. After eating a lot, I tend to get into camel-mode and just stop being hungry. Standout food experiences from this trip include: Dandylion and Yasu Omakase Sushi Bar. I'll also mention Greg’s Ice Cream, because it's a classic and their Roasted Marshmallow ice cream is my favorite ice cream that I've ever had, and I can also say that I (waited in line and) ate Uncle Tetsu's Cheesecake (tasted more like a cheescake-flavoured steamed egg thingy and was kind of meh). For some interesting flavours, I would recommend going to Kekou Gelato House. Finally, afternoon tea is always a wonderful experience too, and MoRoCo's isn't too bad. 

• Street festivals. I stumbled across Toronto International Buskerfest while wandering the city. While I'm not sure that Toronto can compete with Montreal in terms of its festival scene, I do think that the festivals in the city are becoming larger and they are trying to place them in locations that will become known as spaces for events. I know many people who scoff at Yonge-Dundas Square, but I quite like it and appreciate what it's trying to do/be. 

• (free) Outdoor movie screenings. I was happy to be able to take in part of TIFF in the Park 2015: TIFF 40 and watch one film while in the city. I have always been interested in seeing The Triplets of Belleville, because the soundtrack is so fantastic. The film itself is quite quirky and doesn't make my favourite movies list, but as I said, the music is phenomenal.

• Theatre. I'm a little surprised that when living in the city, I didn't attend shows. When traveling to New York and London, I would frequently attend shows, but never made it a priority in Toronto. On a whim (literally - I walked by the theatre, saw ticketholders entering, and decided to join them...it was just 10 minutes before curtains), I decided to see Newsies. Why not? The singing was great (I'm a sucker for good harmonies, and I was in an emotional space such that the right harmony or lyrics caused my to get teary-eyed) and the dancing was decent (I had very high expectations). It was a nice 2.5 hours and I feel fortunate to be able to have been able to take advantage of the situation that presented itself.

• People. Toronto peeps - you're the best of the best. 

It was great to walk around the city. I did lots of window shopping (disappointed that I wasn't able to find some things that I was hoping to find - but that always happens with me) and enjoyed being able to drive. I miss driving. And swimming is a wonderfully relaxing thing and is calming, refreshing, and therapeutic. I was lucky that part of my time in the city was so wonderfully warm and was fortunate to be able to spent time outside in the pool. 
Prior to booking this trip, I was worried that two weeks would be too long. I didn't think I would be comfortable being away from Montreal for that long. Now that it's over, it went by too quickly. While I was able to do a lot, there is still a lot that...well, there's always more. 
But, here I am, at the airport, waiting to head back to Montreal. Year 2. C'est parti!

New York (August 4 - 9, 2013)

I'm having a little bit of New York withdrawl. Since moving back to Canada, New York has become my Paris of Europe. When I lived in Europe, I would go to Paris a couple times each year...just because it's awesome. I'm having serious Paris-withdrawl, but maybe it's just Europe-withdrawl in general. Hopefully I'll have a chance to go back for a visit soon...we'll see. Until then, New York usually works in a pinch but it's been over a year since I've been. Wow - that's even longer than I had originally thought! (Also, gosh, I live such a fortunate and awesome life.)

Anyway, here are some memories from my last trip there...
 

There's something about New York that just re-energizes me. It's not like I take a trip there and do nothing and it's relaxing by any means, but I happily fill my days. I had actually planned this trip because I there was a conference that I wanted to attend and I met with a colleague in the city to discuss a possible collaboration/project. I was feeling guilty about my trips to New York and not really being able to justify these frivolous trips (even if they were an actual much needed repose from a busy schedule), so combining 'work' and a vacation made it a lot easier to book.
Anyway, a trip to the Shake Shack to sit until the lights and enjoy a burger, fries, and frozen custard was definitely on the agenda.

I thought it might be nice to catch a movie under the stars, and of course New York had a couple options. the one that worked with my schedule and interests was Norma Rae, screened in Bryant Park. I didn't stay for the entire film, but enjoyed sitting out on the lovely evening, being among the masses and watching Sally Field do her thing. Naturally, many folks brought bevvies and snacks or packed a picnic dinner and I thought that it was nice that there was a the option of sitting on the grass or on the chairs. There were so many people there! And there were also people hanging out in the surrounding area just enjoying the evening. New York is such a lovely place. I'd be interested to know the ratio of tourists to locals in the area that night. How many tourists would be as zany as me and look up events like this to take in on their vacations? I mean, I'm sure there were people who just stumbled upon the event, but those who planned it into their evening, I wonder.
The next day, I walked by Bryant Park again and noticed that the field was cordoned off. Good on the NY parks folks to know that the grass would need a little bit of TLC and time to breathe after an eventful night.

Another event that was on my schedule was to attend a taping of America's Got Talent. I have to admit, I don't watch the show (and never have), but in my pre-trip research I was looking into tapings of TV shows that I could attend and given the time of year of my trip, the options were limited.
I figured it didn't really matter if I didn't follow the show regularly, because I was essentially attending a talent show and I would probably enjoy a talent show of any kind. I thought there would be some interesting banter from the judges and I'd be interested to know how my judgement of the acts compared to them. Also, the taping was at Radio City Music Hall, which is such a beautiful venue. And of course, it was fun to see the 'production' part of it all. To see how they tried to get the crowd going, taped bonus 'audience cheering and clapping' scenes, did strategic placement of specific audience members and handed out signs for audience members to hold so that they would be caught on camera.

Of course, I also attended a couple broadway shows. Taking a look at the most recent Tony winners, I decided that I would attend Kinky Boots and Pippin. Since it was pretty soon after the Tonys were handed out, I had the pleasure of watching those winners and nominees perform. Both shows were fantastic. Billy Porter and Andrea Martin, I have no idea how they compared to their fellow nominees and if there's some sort of criteria assessed to be given the award, but based on my own criteria, they definitely deserved the Tony. They were sooooooo awesome.

Top Chef Masters 2

Su-sur! Su-sur! Su-sur!
I'm really enjoying watching this show.
I also feel like the most recent episode had a kind of rigged result, but since it's for charity, I'm okay with that.

P.S. Newest Toronto concept in June 2010...wa-hoo!

West Side Story

While in New York, we went to see West Side Story. We were deciding between Billy Elliot and this one, but after many failed attempts and waiting and long line ups to get tickets to Billy Elliot, we decided to enjoy at least something and quickly got tickets for West Side Story before it was too late. As the show was quite popular, we didn't have the best seats in the house, but it worked out in the end.
Sitting the last row of the balcony, we realized that the section was only 1/2 full and so we tried to fanagle with the ushers to sit in the lower sections if no one was going to show up. They weren't biting.
Partway through Dance at the Gym, there was some strange technical glitch and all of the performers left the stage in varying amounts of character. Before the ushers knew what we up, I bolted to a lower section. The disruption was so long that everyone else got the hint and moved forward much to the ushers dismay. I don't blame them for trying to do their job, but we theatre goers want a good view!
Anyway, the show was great, of course. West Side Story is one of my favorite musicals, so just watching them go through the motions was enough for me. We weren't the biggest fans of the performer who played Tony, but the rest of the leads were well done. Anita was great.
I was intrigued by the choice to sing I Feel Pretty in Spanish. I wonder what the rationale behind it was.
Anyway, a good show, and I'm looking forward to my next trip out!

- header picture courtesy of www.broadwaywestsidestory.com

More shows to numb my brain

I've added two shows to the background noise-list...and both happen to be linked to education.
1. Community. This show takes place at a community college and focuses on the interactions between a group of diverse classmates who's connection is Spanish class. The characters are hilarious.
2. Glee. This show takes place at a high school and focuses on a group of students who belong to the glee club and various teachers at the school. There is singing and dancing and some stars who I noticed way back when there hadn't hit it bit yet. Two of the characters were in the original production of Spring Awakening and Lea Michele, who played Wendla stood out in my mind as being such a strong presence. There's an episode of Glee where Kristin Chenoweth guest stars. I've been a big fan of hers ever since she appeared (as an unknown) on the Rosie O'Donnell show as Sally with the cast of the revival of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown for which she later went on to win a Tony. Of course, she is now fabulously successful (I would have loved to see her in Wicked, well any show, I guess would suffice). so anyway, seeing the two of them on the show was cool. The show doesn't have much substance to it and I imagine that it's catering to a small demographic. Every so often they'll be a nugget of insight to the life of being a teacher, but other than that - it's very much a in-the-background kind of show.

Spring Awakening is in the city!

Remember I said that Spring Awakening was coming to the city? Well, it's here.
Read up about it before you decide to see it as it's a little bit controversial, but I would highly recommend it.
The touring cast is mostly different from the cast that I saw on Broadway, but the guy who plays Moritz is still the same and has already gotten a mention at blogto. I remember liking him as well. I think I liked most, if not all of the performers, come to think of it.
It was a great show.

Wake

Wake is a play written by Rachel Blair that played at the FRINGE festival this year. It's gotten amazing reviews, won awards and has subsequently been chosen to extend it run.
If you read my pseudo-reviews, you'll know I'm usually pretty indifferent about stuff. Actually, looking back at my TIFF reviews, I was very positive, so I guess that's what happens. I'll either love something or be completely indifferent (which often means that I didn't like it, but don't want to be rude). Okay, maybe that's not true either. I suppose I see the positive aspects of each of the pieces of which I'm indifferent towards so can understand why they were be good, but I just wasn't blown out of my seat.
Anyway, back on track and true to form, after watching this play, well, I LOVED it.

As written on the play's website and on the FRINGE website:
Wake is a touching and beautifully written drama which delves into the lives of three brothers who reunite for their father's funeral after a terrible crime tore them apart. Who is responsible for the event that changed their lives forever? How far do the bonds of family extend? Playwright Rachel Blair explores complexities of family and forgiveness.

Everything about the play was fantastic. The writing, the directing, the acting, the costuming and set design. Everything was seamless. I think I noticed a couple stumbles in lines, but it did not take away from the production. I really enjoyed the way that the story unfolded and how easily vignettes from different times and moments in the character's lives came together. The acting was superb, even the most subtle change in voice, posture and facial expression to highlight a time frame were not lost on the audience. Sets were changed flawlessly, like it was a well choreographed dance. So simple, yet so effective.
Congratulations to the whole team for this outstanding performance.
Too bad for those who didn't see it, because tonight was the last performance.


***********************
An anecdote to prove that I'm actually really shy. So after the play, I stood up, ready to walk out of the theatre. I turn around and Rachel Blair's sitting behind me. I know it's her because she went to my high school around the same time I did. I have no idea if she's remember who I am, but again, my shyness overcomes me and instead of congratulating her as I really want to, I just smile (I think I managed that, but I can't be sure) and walk out. I can tell you though that I do have an amazing speech in my head of what I would say to her if I had actually started a conversation. It's strange. I do so many things which contradict my shyness, but other times, I just can't get over it.

Adam Growe's The Mom and Pop Shop

Another night out during the FRINGE took me to see Adam Growe's The Mom and Pop Shop.
This one-man comedy show takes place assuming that the members of the audience are attending their first pre-natal class. A frazzled Adam enters the room, letting us know that his wife (the real teacher) is running late. A father of three, he tries to stall...
It was exactly what I imagined it to be, nothing more, nothing less.
I didn't laugh out loud, but there were a lot of people around me who did, so I'm sure it was legitimately funny. I got the humour, it just wasn't funny enough to get me to, well, laugh out loud.
There was one joke that I found mildly entertaining but no one else seemed to get it (I assume, because no one laughed out loud). Adam was discussing that our parent generation (and prior, I suppose) had pregnant mothers not being too concerned about smoking and drinking (insert laughter here). He proceeds to warn us not to give our babies drugs (ha ha ha) and cough syrup (silence). I told someone I work with about this moment and as I was trying to explain to him why I thought this was supposed to be funny, he kept interrupting me and saying something about cough syrup having alcohol in it or something. I, personally, think it has something to do with the recent health report.
The show did have a nice arc to it. The ending was such that I didn't feel like I was just at a stand-up comedy act.
Would I recommend? Yikes, hard to say. I'm happy I went, but I'm wondering if there are better shows out there. I guess I enjoyed it though, so in that sense, I'd recommend it. I wasn't bored and that's a pretty big deal coming from me.

Nursery School Musical

Went to see Nursery School Musical tonight, part of the Fringe Festival.
It was a last minute decision even though I'd been wanting to go to the Fringe Festival since it started. I must admit that I was a little intimidated by all the different shows that were playing during the festival and no knowing how to sort through them and pick what to see. Luckily (?!?) I've been so busy this past little while and am going to continue to be throughout the weekend I could narrow down my options rather quickly. With the smaller list of shows to go through, I ended up with Nursery School Musical. For a couple obvious reasons. School. Musical. Done deal. I read a couple good reviews too, so that helped. I needed a light hearted show to go to anyway.
What did I think of the show. Uh oh, I find it difficult to give bad reviews. I mean - it was okay, but...meh. It was okay. I was hoping to laugh out loud, but I didn't really. I guess I don't laugh out loud very often though, so it's not that surprising, but I had high hopes. The fact that one of the numbers was called: "I sh*t my pants" made me think that I would be dying of laughter. Unfortunately not. It was a little high school show-esque. Punch lines were predictable especially when they were rhyming words in a song. While the issues that were being examined were true and had so much potential...the follow-through wasn't satisfying. If they had taken those issues to the extent of where Avenue Q went, I think it would have produced much better results. It just wasn't enough. A little amateur in my mind. Sorry. One highlight of the show - the two boys in their strollers. A little reminiscent of the Tim Hortons sketches from Air Farce. That was the closest I got to laughing out loud, so kudos for that.
As for the Fringe, I like the fact that 50% of the tickets are available to be purchased on-site just before the show - gets rid of the frustration felt at the Toronto International Film Festival (although I guess it's just not feasible at this level). I was at a venue which held 100 people. It was really sweet. I don't know if all of the venues are similar in size, but it really created a different type of vibe. A nice, homegrown festival kind of feel. Everyone working the event was wonderful, especially those who were asking for donations for the festival itself.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

To tell you the truth, I wasn't really interested in seeing this show, but I figured it's a classic musical and as I thought seeing the Phantom of the Opera would be good, I guess the same could be said for Joseph.
Ugh. Wrong. I'm not sure if I would recommend this show.
If you know lots about it and know what you're getting into and still want to see it, then go see it.
I had no idea what the storyline was (sorry - no Bible studies for me) and I just have memories of TV commercials with Donny Osmond and something with a pharaoh that looked like Elvis Presley. No idea what Elvis has to do with the Bible.
The beginning was a good start. I say that because there were songs that I recognized and the children's chorus was incredibly good. Both Lee Mead (Joseph) and Jenna Lee-James (Narrator) were phenomenal in their parts. Fantastic voices.
Once the real show started, I became confused. Very confused. I followed the storyline quite easily, but I wasn't sure why characters all of a sudden became Spanish or French. Or the little American desert thing. I still don't understand why Elvis made an appearance. Or why we were back to the 60s and 70s.
Honestly, I don't understand. It was so weird.
The songs were good, but the backdrop and costuming was bizarro. I was not expecting it, nor am I really sure that I enjoyed it.
I'm sure that was Andrew Lloyd Webber's point - to do something different, but sorry Sir Webber, I'm not a fan.
Proceed with caution, that's what I say.

Hairspray

Oh oh oh, woke up today...feeling the way I always do...
Went to see Hairspray in London. I knew that the show had gotten rave reviews when it opened on Broadway and then I watched the movie. It was cute.
The beginning of the show was exactly how I imagined it to be and I was ready for the fun night.
Too bad, I was really jet-lagged. About half an hour before the intermission my eyes started to droop. And I think (exhaustion clouds my memory) the storyline veered away from the movie and something weird happened which I didn't really understand. I don't know for sure, but it
was really difficult to keep my eyes open. I'm convinced that if the show was really captivating I would have been able to stay awake. Something about it was a little dull.
After the intermission (and giving my eyes a little rest) the show resumed its good times and I was hooked for the rest of the show. Everything became more upbeat and exciting. The ending was FAN-tastic.
I would recommend this show for sure. It's a toe tapping good time. Makes you want to sing along. Makes you want to dance. Makes you laugh.
Michael Ball did a hilarious job as Edna Turnblad, as did Rachael Wooding (Amber Von Tussle), Tracie Bennett (Velma Von Tussle) and Elinor Collett (Penny Pingleton). Superstar singers were Leanne Jones (Tracy Turnblad) and of course Johnnie Fiori (Motormouth Maybelle).
Oh yes, I was disappointed that playbills weren't being given out anymore. A simple cast list and musical number is all I need. I only think it's fair for the audience to know who/what they're watching without having to pay for it. I think it's only fair for the cast to have the audience read their little blurbs.
Anyway, as I said before, a great night out. My recommendation, don't be jet-lagged.

-picture courtesy of www.hairspraythemusical.co.uk

A Chorus Line

Might as well see a classic...so I went to see the revival of A Chorus Line.
I wanted to sing along to all the songs, but restrained myself.
The theatre was not completely sold out (as opposed to the other two shows which were PACKED!) but I still had high hopes.
Unfortunately, the show didn't completely meet my expectations.
The singing was great and the character portrayals were dead on, however I found that the ensemble was lacking in the dance department. I couldn't figure out if they were all actually well-trained dancers that were just pretending to have horrible dancing skills or if they weren't true triple-threats. Little things like flat footed turns, sickled feet or unpointed toes - there was no refinement. In the first "audition" number
I thought they were just playing their part in being wannabe stars, but I just got a weird vibe from it and don't think that was the case. Potentially the fact that there were a handful of understudies performing had something to do with the lackluster performance. Or maybe it was just a stylistic difference. A dancing style true to the original staging of the show. I was mainly disappointed with Kimberly Dawn Neumann's portrayal of Cassie. My favorite was Jessica Lee Goldyn's performance as Val. Natalie Cortez and Katherine Tokarz did commendable jobs as Diana and Kristine respectively. Understudy, Emily Fletcher stayed true to the statuesque character of Sheila. That sounds like a lot of praise - and I guess the production as a whole wasn't too bad. Lots of great moments, I was mainly disappointed in the dancing.
I would still recommend the show - another fun, feel good show. Great songs and lots to laugh at - just don't expect high calibre dancing. Boo hoo.

- picture courtesy of www.achorusline.com

Spring Awakening

Another day, another musical!
I picked this one only because it won the 2007 Tony Award for Best Musical. I wanted to see what the big fuss was about and get a feel for what the Tony's reward.
Spring Awakening is a musical based on the play by Frank Wedekind. A play so controversial at the time that it was banned from being performed. Set in a provincial German town in the 1890s, the musical shows the lives of a group of adolescents who, as the time dictates, live a sheltered life. As one individual takes it upon himself to learn more about life and the world around them issues that youth face no matter the time and place. I don't want to tell you too much more about the struggles that they have or else I'd be giving it all away.
Even though it wasn't your typical feel-good musical, I really enjoyed it. It dealt with serious issues, but the musical numbers were fantastic. The cast was incredible. Whoever did the casting did a great job. It was so fun to see the characters really come alive - the musical numbers really helped in that regard. The staging, the lighting, the set - everything was so appropriate to the type of show that it was. You wouldn't think that tube fluorescent lights would be effective, but it really was amazing. I was sitting at the front of the balcony - really really good seats, but due to the intimate nature of the show, I would recommend that you get orchestra seats to this show - unless they're at the very back or something, than maybe balcony would be better. There are also seats onstage as well, which put you right in the middle of the action. Speaking of action (bad segway), if you're uncomfortable with nudity and PDA, then maybe this isn't the best show for you. Again, really serious issues, so don't expect to go home feeling good about life. Maybe you will, because the show was so well done, but it makes you think.
I think I read somewhere that they're putting on a production in Toronto, although I forget where I read that so I could be completely making this fact up. I don't know if it'll be as good as the Broadway version, so if you can, get out to NY to see the show. The Tony Awards did a good job.

- picture courtesy of www.springawakening.com

Curtains

I love musicals. LOVE them. So, of course while I was in New York, I wanted to take in all that Broadway had to offer. I ended up seeing three different shows, the first being Curtains.
I hardly knew anything about this show other than it was staring David Hyde Pierce and that it had gotten rave reviews. Rave reviews and fun times...I'm there!
Curtains is about a new musical which unfortunately has a horrible leading lady. Luckily the leading lady is mysteriously murdered and the cast reels from shock and relief. David Hyde Pierce plays a detective investigating the murder with a not-so-secret obsession with all thing musical. As the investigation continues the cast of the new musical rework their numbers to create an even bigger and better production for their next showing. More murders and hilarity ensues...
The theatre was packed and I have to admit that I sort of wished there were little tubs of ice cream at intermission like in London, but I had a great time. I laughed a lot that night, and you know what, I needed it. I've had so much going on and all good things and stuff that I love, but I have been running myself ragged.
Anyway, back to the musical - if you want a funny, feel good show Curtains may be the one for you. Only thing you'll have to go before the end of June because Curtains is closing!

- picture courtesy of www.curtainsthemusical.com

Cabaret

Making the most out of being in London, I watched the super famous show, Cabaret. I vaguely knew the overall vibe of the show and of course knew of many of the songs, but I didn't realise how, ummm, well, I don't know how to say it nicely.
I did like the songs, the singing was good, but the dancing wasn't too impressive. I thought that this show would focus more on it, but I guess I was wrong.
The story line really didn't leave you walking out of the theatre feeling good about, well, things. Maybe I should have looked into the show a little bit more before going to see it.
I was glad that I went though. I mean, I can say that I've seen the production. The guy at the Tkts booth was right. It really just depends what you're into. Some people will either really like the show or not. I would say that I'm leaning more towards the not side. Sorry.
I did enjoy the "host" though. He did a great job. I think it was even the understudy that night. He did a great job. I wished he'd done more because some other parts of the show were pretty boring.
I think part of the problem was that the audience wasn't into it. I don't know if it was because the theatre was so large and there were quite a few empty seats (disappointing for a Saturday night) and I wonder if some of them were tourists who didn't have English as their first language or were thrown off by the German that was spoken from time to time. The audience just didn't seem really into it. Perhaps they were exactly like me, but it really started off badly. At the beginning, I was ready for a great show, but it just seemed like the other audience members were stone faced right from the get go. No one was willing to play along with the host. I felt badly for him, but I was way too shy to yell out because I could tell that no one else would join me.
Anyway, I'm just hoping that it was this specific production of the show that wasn't good and that other ones would be so much better. I would rule out going to see Cabaret, but I think maybe that you should just really look into what it's about and stuff beforehand.

- picture courtesy of www.cabaret-the-musical.co.uk