The Country Girl

A week or so ago I got an email from Starbucks about "Something Big" happening in Bryant Park and apparently at all Starbucks. What could it be?!

Yesterday I found a posting on slickdeals that said it was to reveal their new coffee blend and give out samples. Oh. Not as exciting as I had thought it would be, but was still curious about the event in Bryant Park.

Tried to take a break to coincide w/ the start of the "event" but that didn't happen. So I wandered over during my lunch to see if there were any remnants left and discovered several carts set up serving the coffee sample as well as a makeshift Starbucks store (Later I saw that CNBC actually did an interview w/ one of the Starbucks bigwigs in there.)

Even though I'm not a straight up coffee person I still decided to sample the free beverage w/ heavy aid from sugar and milk. Eh. I'm still not a coffee person. ;)

A co-worker from the branch in San Fran was in town for training so we went over to Vynl for dinner & drinks after work. I have to say, Vynl has a very good selection of food (even their breakfast menu) - and tasty! Considering it is kind of a novelty restaurant, that is saying a lot!

Then we split ways as I had a ticket to see a preview show of "The Country Girl" w/ Peter Gallagher, Morgan Freeman and Frances McDormand and directed by Mike Nichols. The first Broadway show I saw was another play by Clifford Odets (Awake and Sing!) so beyond seeing the "name" actors I was eager to see another play of his performed.

2 downers right off the bat. One set piece slanted towards the corner that was out of sight from my view so I was unable to see the entrances and exits for those scenes and see that part of the seemingly simple, yet impressive set. The 2nd downer is that I was behind a person who's head (more specifically his fluffy follicles) always seemed to be directly in my eyeline. Sigh.

The scene changes were helped by a seemingly endless curtain that would move from left to right (and right to left) instead of up and down. I wondered if this was a new(er) idea? I liked it!

Moving beyond that to the acting - Peter Gallagher is fantastic! I really think he'd be a good actor to work w/ - someone that would be willing to help you be a better actor and you could learn a lot from. Morgan Freeman seemed miscast and fumbled w/ lines at times but in some ways I guess that worked for the character. Frances McDormand's portrayal of the country girl - reminded me of mix between the mother she played in Almost Famous and Miss Pettigrew in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. I'm not sure that was totally right for the part as it lent to zero chemistry w/ Freeman and Gallagher. She tripped over some lines, too and had trouble w/ a set door that wouldn't close. I guess that's why they have previews!

It was humbling to see these big stars having the same trouble I do on stage sometimes - it just goes to show that in someways live theater puts everyone on a more level playing field so to speak - everyone has to get it right the first time. There are no edits or multiple takes.

The final moment of the show is either inspired by the Playbill cover or the cover was inspired by it - not sure. Cool how it tied together!

Overall, it was disappointing though. I'd suggest "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" over this show but if you can get a deal on tickets it IS worth it to see Gallagher's performance and to just follow the Odet's storyline and listen to his use of words.

Screwed! - kinda

My work day was April Fool's free and then I went to rehearsal...

On my way there I was walking along at a steady pace when all of sudden my pant leg was stepped on! I tried to proceed w/ forward motion not wanting to give the stepper attention - if they were seeking it - but whoever was stepping on my pant leg was not moving. Okay, wiseguy...I whip around to give whoever it is a piece of my mind and NO ONE IS THERE! But my pant leg is still not moving. Another tug and I realize it is caught on something in the cement - Oh great!, I think, It's probably gum! But no...it is a random screw sticking up in the sidewalk. No rhyme or reason as to why it is there and it is firmly planted in the cement. I briefly wonder if this isn't some elaborate April Fool's joke as I unhook my pant leg and look around, but then chalk it up to another strange NYC story and sigh w/ a thanks that I didn't rip a hole in my pants or actually begin to yell at the non-existent person before I saw they weren't there. ;)

A former roommate and her co-worker came to the show and we got a bite to eat @ Cosmic Diner afterwards. The guy seating told us they weren't seating groups of 3. What?! That's weird. We started to look @ each other in confusion when the guy announced it was an April Fools! Good one.

When I got home I saw that the review was posted. Very favorable and hopefully it will put more butts in the seats! :)

Cat On a Hot Tin Roof

I saw "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" in previews tonight and what a treat it was to see the cast work their magic on stage.

I had never seen the show before (beyond once scene I remember watching Harley Jane Kozak act out for NE Rep when I was @ Theatre Camp @ UNL - random? Yes.) so really didn't have any preconceived notions about the show.

I was blown away by the amount of lines Anika Noni Rose (Maggie) had to memorize for that first Act. It's basically a long monologue with small breaks in between. And she was undressing and redressing and futzing the whole time. Terrence Howard (Brick) didn't really have a lot of lines at first so I felt his character really didn't "click" until his scene w/ James Earl Jones (Big Daddy). JEJ - Amazing!!!! That is HIS role. And Phylicia Rashad (Big Mama) must be having fun w/ her role - no trace of Claire Huxtable here. I was seated in the Orchestra section and saw the director, Debbie Allen, sitting in the side seats above (wonder if she was taking and giving notes still?). As well as the actor that will replace Terrance when he goes on vacation.

The audience I sat w/ was probably the most vocal audience I've been around and it was kind of fun. Howard comes out in a robe for the first scene so when he would shift on the bed to get himself comfy he would occasionally flash some skin to the audience in which hollers went up for those that saw. ;) They also rumbled at some of the back-biting words used.

Howard's daughter is in the show and she is definitely a child on stage w/ her daddy as opposed to an up and coming child actor. It was refreshing but since the other 2 kids on stage w/ her were child actors it didn't quite work.

Another thing that didn't work was the gal that played the maid. She didn't have many lines or stage time but when she did, she tried to work it as best she could which to me, was distracting and took the production quality down a notch. Another friend that went to the show pointed out that she was the understudy to Rose so I guess that explained her behavior a little but still...lame.

The set is fairly simple for the show as it all takes place in in Brick & Maggie's bedroom but the one thing that fascinated me most about the set was the invisible ceiling fan. You can see the shadow of a ceiling fan spinning on the bed but there is not one above. Quite the lighting trick!

The final touch for the show was the music - live saxophone music played during transitions.

Overall it was a show I'm glad I spent my money on.

A Chorus Line

Just got back to Queens after work when I got a message from a former roomy. He had an extra FREE ticket to "A Chorus Line" and wondered if I was available to go.

As luck would have it - I was! :) So I headed back into the city to finally see this well known Broadway standard.

Although I knew some of the songs and had heard about the gold outfits at the end I really wasn't sure what to expect of the show.

The first surprise was its length - compared to most Broadway shows it is bite-size with no intermission. The production value was relatively simple and at times I thought that the Omaha Playhouse could put on a production just as good if not better than the one I was seeing.

The 2nd surprise was to discover that the famous song "What I did for Love" isn't a song about love lost per say. It is about their love for dance. I wondered aloud why I had thought differently and my friend told me that the movie version (which I think I might have seen parts of on TV a LONG time ago...) actually did portray it as more of a "true" love song.

Having been a dresser I was curious to know what steps they must take to make the quick change into their gold outfit @ the end. No changes occur until that moment and then I'm sure it is just utter (organized) chaos back stage!

Am I glad I saw it? Yes! Am I glad it was free? Yes! Would I recommend it? Well...according to my friend if you are choosing between the show and the movie. You should watch the show. If you strive to be a well-rounded Broadway show viewer this is a standard that you should see @ some point. It does provide an enjoyable night of theatre - But try to get a cheap ticket. ;)

PS - I now see that Mario Lopez is going to join the cast. And I'm not totally sure he's right for the role he's been cast in, so if you're going to see it....see it before or after his run. Unless, you don't mind and just want to see AC Slater dance around for a bit. ;)

A MUST See!

After sitting at the Irish Rogue, watching the end of Callahan's career unfold during the Colorado game and watching even ABC give up on the Huskers by cutting away with two minutes left to show the Texas v Texas A&M game, I decided it was time for a movie.

There are a handful I've been wanting to see but the timing left me with 1 option - No Country for Old Men.

I have not read the book this movie is based on so not sure how true the movie is to it but the movie by itself is amazing. Now, I don't want to give it too much hype by saying that, but it is truly worth watching.

Josh Brolin - After surviving a post-teendom slump, he is definitely on the rise again with this performance that actually shows hints of his days as Hickok on The Young Riders (and yes, I totally had a crush on him then...so it was nice to see that smirky smile appear again - insert giddy girl laugh). The character is also a nice contrast to the one he played in Planet Terror.

Javier Bardem - I've heard a lot about him, but hadn't actually seen him in a movie yet. The dialogue he has is fantastic and he presents it perfectly.

Tommy Lee Jones - Well, he's Tommy Lee. That's just the way it is. But he is still good, cause he's Tommy Lee. ;)

The only hiccup I had concerning the movie was the casting of the mother in law. The actress just didn't seem to fit - and quite frankly whenever I see her I always think of her reaching out from the bus on Speed and getting blown up. She'll forever be a whiner who dies to me.

The wife however is great. Understated, but just right. Her last scene is once again filled with great dialogue. Not sure how Oscar will look upon this movie but it deserves at least a nomination for best adapted screenplay.

There is a lot of blood in this movie but at the same time they don't show as much as they could have. Many times the Coen Brothers choose to cut away and leave it to the imagination - a decision that makes the movie even better. Haunting? Creepy? Not sure those are the words I'm looking for, but the movie certainly stays with you after you see it.

I'm definitely buying it when it comes out on DVD - which is saying a lot since I'm trying to be more conservative with such purchases. And speaking of...for those that have yet to watch The Waitress, it is now on video. So go rent it!

Proof

A friend had a spare ticket to see the Astoria Performing Arts presentation of "Proof" and asked if I wanted to go.

I had submitted to audition for the show and never got called in so was interested in seeing who was chosen and admittedly expecting to be blown away. I had seen Baby D's production of "Proof" a few years ago so I was also curious to compare/contrast the two.

My friend told me on the way there that the stage is actually in the corner of a gym. The space is curtained off so you don't immediately catch on to this fact but the thought did spark memories of high school productions that were performed in a gym. ;)

A quick glance at the program showed that all of the actors (except 1) had gone to the same college as the director - it pays to know people. The play began and I was disappointingly underwhelmed. My friend wrote a review for the show which I think perfectly captures the show.

When the show was over, it made me all the more frustrated that just because a production is in New York means it is automatically "better" on a resume than one in say...Omaha no matter what the actual quality is. Sigh. That being said, I know there is good, bad and ugly in every city when it comes to theatre productions but after seeing "Proof" here, it just impresses me all the more about the shows that were produced in Omaha as a whole. If only there was a way to teleport some of the nose-turner-uppers here to those shows and "wow" them.

Football and The Fab Four

The Huskers were on pay per view this week and the Irish Rogue had it available for the fans to watch.

After battling a delayed subway line we finally get above ground where it is raining! We scurried to the Rogue - passing set load-in for "Young Frankenstein" and got there just in time to settle in for kickoff.

Once again we scored seats in front of the big screen and we watched as Nebraska struggled to keep and gain a lead on Ball St. A struggle that shouldn't have been...

As the game clock ticked, the nails of Husker fans were getting shorter. A lone Ball St. fan was very vocal and kinda seemed to have a chip on his shoulder even though no Husker fan trashed talked him. And then non-Huskers/Ball Staters started to invade. There was a drunken group that started to crowd our space with one sitting on the arm of a couch where a couple of my friends were sitting and putting his drink down on the table with ours. Uh? At first we thought he was a fan - but no, he was just drunk and falling into my friend. My other friend asked him to move. He did, but not without having to explain himself and although he was asked nicely him and his drunk friends decided that they needed to flex their man muscle and start beating on the couch my friends were sitting on, spilling their drinks on it and make loud comments about how they were true New Yorkers and that we needed to go back and watch the game with our season tickets, blah, blah. So brave considering our group consisted of 4 girls and 1 guy. Jackasses.

More than just Husker Pride was riding on a win - we knew that a win was the only thing that would make them shut up!

Thankfully, the Huskers did win. Whewy!

Afterward, I was ready to decompress in front of a movie so back to Times Square I went. This time I saw Across the Universe. I knew that visually it would be a good movie to see on the big screen but wasn't sure about content. I had already heard a review by Roeper comparing it to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. And although it does have celeb cameos and Beatles songs like the former - Sgt. Pepper's still holds the cheese title.

Lots of inside winks to Beatles songs from character names to visuals and one liners. A handful of celeb cameos with the best being from Bob Seger - except his painted on pimp hair was a bit much.

When I got home I looked up more info and saw that most of the songs were sung live when filming and that Rachel Evan Woods took only one take for "If I fell". An impressive feat in the age of lip synching Britney.

The storyline itself was a bit forced at times to fit with certain songs but going in with somewhat low expectations I was pleasantly surprised. Am curious to see where Jim Stugess's career goes after this... And Wow! Dana Fuchs! Modern day Janis and I enjoyed the what if? look at a pseudo Janis/Jimi relationship in the movie.

Beatles songs are still running thru my head...

Wake UP!

Decided to see Eastern Promises Friday after work. Knew the basic plotline of it but wasn't fully studied so most of it would be a surprise to me.

The opening scene showed a guy getting his throat slit and blood gushing out - I mean GUSHING. The audience responded in horror. I flashed on how Dennis Hopper stabbed the guy in the ear with a screwdriver in the opening scene of Speed (the first R rated movie I saw by myself and before I was truly "legal" to do so - I saw that and thought...maybe this wasn't the best idea afterall...but then the movie rocked so I got over it. ;)) This movie was not Speed-like however.

It wasn't bad and it wasn't great. (I actually preferred the Viggo/Cronenberg collaboration - A History of Violence)It is worth watching on video. Viggo Mortensen is a great actor. He just disappears in his characters. Naomi Watts...I'm noticing she seems to give the same pained expressions for a lot of the acting she does. Wasn't overly impressed. The guy that played her Uncle was great and so were other character actors that fleshed out the cast.

This is a film filled with silences and not even a third of the way into the movie there was a soft snoring that began in the audience. Some looked around and I thought it was below me and center of where I was sitting but no one seemed to be waking the person as it got louder and more obnoxious. Then it was pinpointed to a large lady sitting or rather LAYING in the back row! People kept looking, but no one was doing anything. One lady shouted to "Wake Up" but of course that didn't rouse her. Two big, sturdy guys were sitting near me but didn't move. I was tempted to approach her but was a bit worried about what her reaction might be when she woke. Then finally an older gentleman stepped up and stepped over people in the same aisle as the snoring lady and shook her, telling her to wake up because her snoring was keeping people from hearing the movie. She left about 10 minutes later.

Back to the movie - I was left with some logistic questions, like...a baby born to a mother that had been shot up with heroin, would said baby be bouncing and healthy when born? I know...it is a movie. I should roll with it...

Also, I was surprised by a fight scene that had NAKED Viggo defending himself against 2 knife wielding thugs! Now one might think this would be great to see Viggo in his birthday suit but it was actually a bit unnerving as with every swipe of the knife you worried for certain parts getting whacked off! Yikes! I'm sure that was an interesting day of filming!

And I was a tad disappointed that they let the leads kiss. The way the story ran, I felt like a tease was fine - but it didn't seem right for them to actually kiss. If you've seen it, let me know how you felt about it.

As I'm leaving the theatre in Times Square a guy is standing outside hollering at ticket buyers - "Hey, I got these movies on disc for cheaper than a ticket!" Gotta love New York! ;)

Movie Watcher

Seem to be in movie-watching mode lately.

Caught a before noon showing of "Hairspray" on Saturday. Of course my goal now is to win a lottery ticket to see the show on Broadway so I can compare.

Since my roommate was in the traveling production of the show he already shared some differences - like the addition of the seduction scene. He also told me that those sitting on either side of Ricki Lake as agents in the audience at the end were writers/creators of the musical. I also read that one of the songs that they play over the end credits is sung by Ricki Lake, Nicky Blonsky and Marissa Jaret Winokur (who was the original Tracy on Broadway).

It is a fun movie, but I was disappointed that the relationship between Tracy's parents never advanced to a kiss. They do on stage - according to my roommate. Wonder if it was a studio choice or the actors... I was pleasantly surprised with James Marsden's skillz in the movie. Admittedly, when he first started showing up in movies I thought of him as just a "pretty boy" but more and more that pretty boy is showing he has talent to boot! ;) Amanda Bynes just seemed a bit out of place with her character - not quite like Penny in the original movie, nor (from what I hear) like Penny on stage so once again don't know whether it was a choice by "the powers that be" to tone her down or was it just her?

Speaking of Hairspray actors...My parents heard that Christopher Walken grew up in Astoria. His dad even ran a bakery there - trying to figure out where that used to be and if it was even close to where I live.

Sunday after I volunteered I battled the pouring rain to see "Once". Have been wanting to see this movie ever since I saw the trailer before "The Waitress" (if you still haven't seen this movie - GO! Run! NOW!) in May.

As a whole I'm glad I went and saw it. The music is well used - but some kind of have the same emotional arc. They start out soft and build to this yelling and then taper off again. The lyrics are always different though! :) I think the aspect of the storyline that really impressed me was the strength of the female lead. She stuck to what was right - no matter. And made the male lead better for it.

Tuesday I spotted an ad on craigslist asking for people to come see a movie (for free) that hadn't been screened anywhere yet. They wanted people (specifically over 25 - the movie took place in the 70s so I suppose they wanted people to somewhat get all the movie references and what not) to come in and give their opinion on the rough version they had so far. Saying that the director and producers would also be present.

The screening was in the same building on the NYU campus that I saw the short film I was in screened. No directors or producers were introduced but we were told that we were going to be viewing an avid of the movie. Which means no sound editing has been done, nor color correction, among other things. Basically we were looking at a movie sans spit and polish.

The movie was "Multiple Sarcasms" starring Timothy Hutton, Dana Delany, (they played husband and wife, just like in Kidnapped - wonder which was filmed first?) Mira Sorvino, Stockard Channing (who looks like she may have had a bit of work done) and Mario Van Peebles. I was expecting good things....

They gave us sheets to fill out at the end of the show asking who our favorite or not so favorite characters, parts of the movie, etc were. What could be done to fix it or did anything need improved?

On the surface the original plot line presented seemed promising and then somewhere along the middle it kind of couldn't decide what kind of movie it should be. A man grappling with his choices in sort of a midlife crisis starts to write a play and all of a sudden it switches to an independent movie version of a romantic comedy. Much like Tim Hutton's character - the plot line was lost and wanting... The movie has so much potential though so I'm hoping they got useful feedback and can rework accordingly. Will be interesting to see the finished product - or read reviews on it. According to IMDB, it is set to release in 2008.

And tonight I saw "Broken English". Where the lead character played by Parker Posey happens to be named, Nora. Although most of her character traits were nothing like me...

After seeing a scattered plotline in Multiple Sarcasms it was nice to see a movie with a plot line that although maybe a little too neat in the end - was solid. Parker was steps away from portraying a character that you just wanted to shake and say - SNAP OUT OF IT! But she managed to just hover near that territory so you still wanted her to find what she was looking for instead of being indifferent towards the character. I don't know that I'd recommend seeing it in the theater - but put it on your future rental list. (Even if it is just to watch the all to brief appearance of Justin Theroux's character - well acted, but made me wonder what kind of personality Justin has in real life.)

Now to watch my rental (To Have and Have Not - Bogey & Bacall's first movie together) that's been sitting for over a week!

Oh. And memorize lines...

Laura Smiles @ Tribeca Cinemas

I signed up for the Tribeca Film Festival newsletter emails thinking they were just sent out during the festival and then discovered they have events going on all year round!

Their newsletter is how I learned about the "drive-in" movies they had at Rockefeller Center. And it is also how I found out about a free preview screening of a new independent film called "Laura Smiles".

A friend was able to join me on this outing - which was good because this was a good movie to have someone to discuss it with! And unlike my failed outing to a Hairspray preview (they way over invited with passes), this one wasn't nearly as packed. In fact, the theater worker was surprised at how early everyone was there to see the movie - he wasn't even officially opened yet and finally decided to unlock the doors a half hour early as he kept having to go over to the door and let people in.

The Tribeca Cinemas has a marvelous view of the Empire State Building and is just down the street from the Moondance Diner.

The preview audience was mostly female - but I'm not sure you'd call "Laura Smiles" a 'chick flick'.

The story revolves around Laura who lost her true love just a day after they were engaged to be married. The movie picks up again 9 years later where she is married to another and has a son. When the audience sees her again, it appears that perhaps she's operated on autopilot since her fiance's death and now all those feelings that weren't dealt with are wreaking havoc on her seemingly perfect life.

The story takes some surprising turns - even when you know Laura isn't in a perfect state of mental health. Some parts of her history are explored more thoroughly than others, thus leaving the audience with many questions - many leading with, "why?" Perhaps this was done intentionally to the viewers as even Laura doesn't quite know why she's functioning the way she is - what is real and what isn't?

The actress that plays Laura (Petra Wright) is probably not a name familiar to most but I would not be surprised to see her rise in the ranks soon as this film is an impressive showcase of her talent. More familiar faces in the movie include Jonathan Silverman (also impressive in his small amount of time on screen), Kip Pardue and Mark Derwin (best known from One Life to Live).

Will be interesting to see what kind of buzz this movie gets as it opens today in NYC and next week in L.A.

If you see it - make sure to take someone with you! You'll definitely want someone to discuss the events that transpire or give sideways glances to as you witness what Laura's life is and was. (I would add that this is probably a better movie to watch with a friend rather than a date though.)

Grey Gardens

Ever since I moved here I wanted to see Grey Gardens - but kept putting it off due to finances. Well, now that I have a job I thought I'd finally go and see it, but the timing is bad because it is the last week and EVERYONE wants to see it now. So the show that was available on TKTS is now being sold out daily, it seemed my only hope would be Stand Room Only tickets. But yesterday, that plan was even thwarted as a lot more people than tickets were already standing in line before I got there after work.

I knew my chances were better before the weekend but also knew that if the crowd was that way on a Tuesday night, my chances weren't good. Do I trudge back over there again Wednesday or just head home? I decided to trudge. Forgetting until I arrived that timing was actually in my favor as the show started at 8pm, not 7pm like Tuesday night. No one was in line yet for Standing Room Only. Since Balcony and SRO seats were the same price I decided to check on Balcony seats first (they aren't available for purchase online, only at the Box Office). They were sold out. I asked about the SRO tix and the lady said to come back around 6:30pm and they'd sell them at 7pm - IF they sold out (that meant that even the premium seat $200+ tix would have to be bought). It was 5:45pm. Remembering the line from yesterday I decided to just stick around. Another person asked about SRO tickets and the ticket lady pointed at me for the line. I was first and I was keeping my fingers crossed.

As I stood there I quickly became the unofficial guide to lines as people weren't sure which was the SRO line and which was the general line. A guy behind me said, "They'd better be paying you to do that." Har - if only. Another gal stepped in front of me, starting the cancellation line. There's not a lot of room in the lobby of the Kerr Theater so it was easy to get confused about lines and the more people that piled in the steamier (as in humid) it got in there.

I over heard one lady trying to get tickets for her and a friend that wasn't there yet. She was just shy of having enough money. I asked how much she was short, thinking I could help her out so she could get her tickets now and then (hopefully) get money from her friend later. She said not to worry about it (as another person standing in line was offering to help too) and that she was embarrassed. Of course, making her feel embarrassed was not my intent - I just knew I'd appreciate it if someone did that for me!

About 10 til 7pm, a man appeared and said there would be SRO tix available. Woo-Hoo!

My view of the stage was partially cut off at the top due to the balcony overhang but the distance from the stage wasn't bad at all.

Christine Ebersole certainly earned her Tony! The vocal ranges in the songs were all over the place - not to mention the dual roles she had to play.

I had heard from those that had seen it that the connection between the acts wasn't totally cohesive. As the first is put together more like a traditional musical and the second is inspired by the documentary so there's lots of talking to the audience. But yet the story does tie the two acts together - using characters from the past as "ghost-like" figures in the "present" of the second act (it takes place in the 70s.) A touch that I thought was well executed.

I REALLY wanted to see the documentary the musical is inspired by before the show but that didn't happen. Now I MUST see it!

It is truly a sad story, but a wonderfully performed show. Of course, the song that Ebersole performed at the Tony's is the highlight. But her performance of "Around the World" is what truly captures the sadness of what became of Grey Gardens and those that lived there.

Although I didn't stick around to meet Ebersole and get her autograph, during her curtain call she struck me as a truly genuine person and I was impressed with how she seemed to keep her character fresh after all those performances. Although I know that Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson are the featured actors I think that Erin Davie - who played Young Little Edie should have been up there with them on the final bow as she was just as much a contributor to the show/plotline as Wilson (Wilson only appeared in the 2nd Act, Davie was in the 1st and played "ghost" in the 2nd) was. But who am I? ;)

Sunshine at the Sunshine w/ Danny Boyle (pt 1)

Sometimes it pays to stay up late. Sometimes it pays to stay up late checking your email. At about midnight (11 pm to you Central Standard timers) Thursday night, I got an email from the Sunshine Theater announcing that Danny Boyle would be holding a Q&A Friday night after the 8:10pm showing of his new film Sunshine (you'll notice the connection to movie and theater name...)

Well, of course I immediately leaped into action to get a movie ticket - for just the cost of a movie ticket I could hear the director talk about the movie! And it was bonus for timing as I had already toyed with the idea of checking out the theater's midnight movie - Back to the Future. Double Feature!

My first thought was that I'd just head there after work but spoiled that plan when I spaced and bought fresh corn on the cob at the Farmer's Market over lunch. Now I had to go home and get them put in a fridge - no way they'd last in my bag til past midnight.

Because of the quick trip home and concern for what the lines may be like once I got there - I failed to check with my bladder before heading out again. By the time I reached the theater, there was quite a line already (it was a little over an hour before the movie started) and felt I had no choice but to get in it right away if I wanted a decent seat in the theater - my bladder would have to be patient. (Admittedly, this is the downside to going to events by yourself - no one to hold your spot in line if your bladder calls! ;))

Once we were let into the theatre I saw that it wasn't packed solid but it was probably about 80% full.

I was still aware of my bladder but once again didn't feel like I could get up for fear I'd lose my seat - yes, there was space elsewhere but I liked where I was sitting! ;) So I told myself - hold on for a few more hours...ugh.

Got to see some trailers new to me before Sunshine (Including Wes Anderson's new flick, The Darjeeling Limited, The Ten and a film directed by Ethan Hawke - The Hottest State. )

Admittedly, I would not have chosen to see "Sunshine" had Danny Boyle not been attached as a perk. It wasn't something that interested me - much like 28 Days Later.

BUT, much like 28 Days Later, once I saw it - I was glad I did.

If you have any inclination to see this movie, I HIGHLY suggest seeing it in the theater. The effects and colors just pop on the big screen and I can't imagine the massive scope of dealing with the sun would come across as well on a laptop or tv once it comes out on video. Plus, the cast is excellent as a whole - although I was a bit embarrassed for Troy Garity, not sure if it was the character or his acting... I really liked Michelle Yeoh in a somewhat understated role.

Sunshine does leave you with a lot of questions - fortunately Boyle was there to answer some of them!:)

Before the credits were even over, Danny Boyle stepped out with mic in hand to get started - another crowd was waiting outside to hear him give an "opening statement" before they watched their movie.

Here's a summary of what Boyle had to say -

Sunshine took 3 years to make.

He said after making this movie, he understood why no director makes a realistic space film more than once. Explaining the "high standard" that the audience expects from space films and trying to find a way to make your mark in a genre that has been so well established - i.e. using blue/gray shading that started in "Alien". He said that they tried to step out of the standards by coming up with their own spacesuit but that was about the extent of it.

That being said - Boyle likes using genre films (like space and zombie flicks) as a base to build and experiment from with a built in audience already established.

Even though he has begun to experiment more with genre films, he still says his films are hard to market. Just like 28 Days Later, the film was opened in Great Britain first so they could gauge reaction and see how to market it to the U.S. Boyle said (tongue in cheek) - The U.S. likes to use the rest of the world to experiment with.

In keeping with the blue/gray coloring, they consciously kept orange,red and yellow out of any scenes that didn't involve the sun, so when it did appear it grabbed you visual even more so. The audience not realizing they'd be deprived of those colors until they saw them again.

The screenwriter - Alex Garland - is (according to Boyle) an adamant, confident atheist as were most of the scientists they spoke to when making the film. But even though that was the case, part of the storyline suggest a "greater power". Boyle also mentioned how all these atheist scientists were studying particle acceleration to find the smallest particle created - the nickname for this, so far elusive particle? God's Particle. Boyle said - It's funny how it always comes back to that, isn't it?

The "greater power" in the movie ties in with the villain. When asked to explain the villain - Boyle said it was up for interpretation.

Someone asked about the villain being named "Pinbacker". Alex is a "Dark Star" fan so he snuck in the nod. But the connection goes further as the actor that played Pinbacker in Dark Star wrote Alien.

There are hints of a budding relationship in the movie but it remains platonic. Someone asked if Fox Searchlight fought Boyle on this point, asking for sex in the film. Danny said that actually it was he and Alex that tried to find a way to put sex in the film but it just didn't work. They even filmed a scene. "So serious, space."

Boyle's favorite space movies are the 1st Alien movie and the original Solyaris. He also recommended reading the book Solaris.

Boyle said getting back CG prints takes longer than having babies. Great patience is needed. He said at one point they sat in the editing room and wondered...does this movie really have to take place in space?!

In using CG, he wanted to make sure it looked real. That often he watches movies and the actors look bored - because when they filmed it, they were looking at a green screen. So he tried to simulate moments as best he could. Dumping an actual pile of dust on one character and coming at Cillian Murphy with a large rack of lights to simulate the sun - Boyle said it was like a U2 concert was about to fall on him.

Once the q&a was over I attempted to make my way to the bathroom, but my plans were thwarted as most everyone had that idea. Well, if I'm going to wait, I may as well get something at concessions. And the wait continued...

Old Acquaintance

As I was getting off the subway and headed for home, I saw one of my roommates had texted me. He asked what I was doing tonight and if I'd be interested in a free ticket to see "Old Acquaintance". Heck Yeah!

Apparently my roomie scored the free tickets due to answering a response in a broadway chat room he belongs to and he was kind enough to share one with me! :)

I had been curious about the show - the premise sounded fun and I knew the actresses should be good - but hesitant to spend the moola on it as the reviews hadn't been all that great.

But for free...who cares if it doesn't live up to reviewers standards? I've sat thru enough free movie previews of not so great quality - I'm sure I could manage to get thru this! ;)

So after a brief stop at home, we headed back to Times Square and the American Airlines Theatre. Although the name is corporate, the theatre certainly isn't. It is absolutely gorgeous inside having been restored to it's original look. (This pic was taken of the ceiling in the 3rd floor lobby.)

Finally the show started. The curtain went up and Wow! The set was wonderful! A spontaneous thought flickered thru my brain - I'm going to be up there enjoying sets like that one of these days. How spectacular that would be!

Later, I realized why this show had struck me with the possibility of things to come...it was the first PLAY I'd seen on Broadway since I moved here. The others had been musicals. Many steps to take til I get there but that flicker re-confirmed the notion that it IS possible...

Back to the show...the play took a bit to get into full swing. The chemistry wasn't quite there between the two lovers in the beginning and I was admittedly distracted by seeing the netting from wigs popping up on the actresses foreheads and around their ears. And the young woman in the show - wasn't entirely as endearing as I think she was supposed to be.

But once the friends got on stage together that's when the show seemed to pick up. You could tell that Margaret Colin and Harriet Harris had fun working with each other and Harris knows how to work every moment she has on stage with her character.

Although the play had 3 acts, they were only around a half hour each so they zipped along. Another fabulous set appeared for Act II and then back to the first set for the final Act. Although the show may not have been perfect, it was still enjoyable and I'm glad I got to see it. Now would I have paid $56 (what the free tix were worth) to see it? Probably not - but maybe $25.

Spring Awakening - The Musical

A cancelled flight caused our visiting friend from NE to be "stuck" here an extra night so we decided to venture into the city to try our luck at getting Spring Awakening tickets.

There was no luck at TKTS, but persistence paid by going to the Spring Awakening Box Office. We were able to score 3 standing room tickets. Although some may wrinkle their nose at standing for a whole show, this is the PERFECT show to have to stand for many of the numbers make you want to move anyway - so when you are standing in the back you are free to move...freely. ;) (There are seats on stage too - which would be great as the actors would move around you. However, depending on the side you were seated on, you'd have a "full moon" shot of one of the actors, twice.) The only drawback to our "seats" was that they were in front of the bathroom, so background noise loomed...

One of my friends was lucky enough to see this production before it hit Broadway and had blogged about it. So I had heard about this show a while ago, then once it won a Tony this year - I really wanted to see it, hoping it would live up to the hype...and it did. (The songs are STILL running thru my head!- check out some clips on youtube and on the official website.)

Now that I've seen the musical, I would like to read the original play script it was inspired by. As my friend pointed out, so many of the things that were written about in 1891 - still resonate today, because they are still taboo. Forward thinking on the playwright's part or sadness that society hasn't progressed that much since then...?!

The show is full of an incredibly talented cast that look like they are having fun (well, in the "fun" parts...) - and some are just starting their careers! What a way to start!

Am curious to know if fams with pre-teens have gone and if they've used it to open discussion and possibly make it a little more comfortable for the subject(s) to be brought up between parents and their kids. Oh yeah, I forgot...that's what the internet is for... ;)

Sicko and Drowsy

Decided to see "Sicko" on Friday. As usual Michael Moore raises a lot of questions concerning policy. Whether you believe he presents the facts fairly/accurately or not - there's still no denying that our healthcare system sucks...er...isn't that great...

He showed only a handful of stories but you know there are so many more out there. People who have to choose between which finger they think they can better afford to reattach, people who lose loved ones to cancer and other illness due to denials and limits on where a person can go to for service and volunteers from 9/11 who were shut out of healthcare help from the government since they didn't work for the government. They volunteered unselfishly and now they will suffer for a lifetime.

Examples of how healthcare ran in other countries were given (made me seriously consider moving to London if I ever get married and want to have a family - costs involving hospitalization are "free" - covered by taxes) and a common theme that was brought up was that unlike the U.S. the government in these countries are afraid of the people. They know they could revolt and overturn them if they don't try to keep them happy. In the U.S. the people are afraid of the government. Many so buried by debt from school, credit, medical bills uncovered by insurance, etc that they are afraid to buck any system because they might lose their mediocre job that pays the bills. Sad.

I was talking to some people about the movie and one person was from France - a country that Moore showed as an example of universal healthcare. He said that the system was starting to collapse. The grass is always greener I suppose - good and bad for both ways, but when 9/11 volunteers can't even get help that's pretty bad.

With all that said, I do recommend seeing it. You can probably wait til video, but it is certainly worth watching and discussing.

Later in the day I again met up with my friends to try for the Wicked lottery and then Drowsy Chaperone. Two friends decided to just buy discounted tickets for Drowsy before the lottery just to make sure they got them - and then one of them won the lottery!

Because of a cheaper ticket being available, I was finally able to see my first Broadway show since moving here. And what a show! It is a funny, tight and clever show. Most of the original cast is still there with "newbies" Jo Anne Worley and John Glover. The show closes in August and will be going on tour - so if you haven't seen it, perhaps it will be coming to a city near you! Not sure if fan favoritie - Danny Burstein will be touring with the show or not, his Aldolpho is priceless. But the original Mrs. Tottendale (Georgia Engel) will be.

I need some sleep....

The McClane Experience

A friend from NE came to visit and her list of things to do included seeing shows, shopping and going to Coney Island.

In an effort to try and get her cheap tickets a group of us stood in line and put our names in for the Wicked lottery. Sadly, none of our names were called out so we headed over to The Drowsy Chaperone lottery - again, we struck out.

So what to do on a visitor's first night in NYC? Why go to a movie theatre in Times Square and watch Live Free or Die Hard!

Although I know about the other Die Hard movies, I have not seen any of them in their entirety. After seeing this one though - I at least want to watch the first one.

Live Free... lives up to what is expected of an action movie and of Die Hard w/ some humor tossed in. (Yes, you read the credits right - Kevin Smith IS in this movie...rumor has it that Bruce Willis asked him to rewrite some of the scenes to add more humor to them...)

Timothy Olyphant manages to humanize his stock villian character as the movie goes on and Justin Long is okay as a computer geek but his dialogue was a bit contrived when his complaints about lack of food and low blood sugar were obviously just being said so the audience "got" that he was nerd - highlighted by the fact that he opened a glove compartment with a product placement Snickers inside and didn't bother to eat it in his supposed weakened state.

Of course, those that were with me found the fighter jet pilot sequence a little more bothersome and unreal - but it's an action movie so I accepted that one.

Another thing that I found surprising though was some bad audio syncing - for a big budget/high profile movie like that you'd think they would have done a better job.

The final showdown between Willis (McClane) and Olyphant (Thomas Gabriel) I didn't see coming though and that was great! The cleverness of the scene reminded me of the "shooting thru the milk" scene towards the end of Kiss the Girls.

As a whole though, I'd recommend it to watch in the theatre rather than wait for video. But maybe try and catch it at a cheap theatre (if you are lucky to have one in your area) or for a cheaper rate at an AMC before noon on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Rescue Dawn with Steve Zahn - and some other things

The 'rents left Sunday and just missed the nasty heat/humidity. Blech. I had been warned before I moved here...so far we've only had a few days of this kind of heat and then it cools again but I'm worried about when it becomes WEEKS of this heat...our apartment does not have air-conditioning. I have a couple fans but there comes a point when even those don't seem to aid the temp. much. Been drinking lots of Vitamin Water and White Tea Snapple!

And of course on one of the first hottest days of the year I was called in for a couple job interviews in which it is expected that I wear a suit. Ugh.

Made it thru both okay. Was told to "google" the boss man of one of the companies I interviewed with - Dan Loeb. So now you can google him too! ;) So interesting to even step into these companies and hear about a common day there - lunches being ordered in daily, branches in London, San Fransisco or elsewhere. Even if I don't get a job at these places or don't feel like I'm a good fit - it is still kind of cool to experience it all and take a look around.

After the interviews I needed a meal and to re-hydrate myself. I thought I'd check out Burger Heaven. I ordered the turkey burger and was disappointed. Maybe other meals are better there but I still vote for BRGR! ;)

Then I headed home to change into something more survivable in the weather and got ready to head back into the city for a screening of Rescue Dawn followed by a talkback with Steven Zahn! Woot!

Even though the event was sponsored by the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, the screening was at a theatre in Times Square. While I waited for the movie to start I read the flyer they handed out about the movie & Steven Zahn - I discovered that Rescue Dawn was inspired by a documentary, Little Dieter Needs to Fly, that Werner Herzog had also directed. After seeing the movie, I REALLY want to find the doc to watch.

Once I read the flyer, there was still time to kill so I pulled out my book (I finished Devil in the White City - I HIGHLY recommend it and am now reading The Professor and the Madman - another strange but true non-fiction book.) An empty seat remained next to me right up until showtime and then a man with his book in tow sat next to me. Immediately he said something to me about coming prepared with reading material, attempting to joke that he forgot his bitelite. I told him I'd put my book away once the movie started. He asked what group I was associated with (the event was co-sponsored by Variety). I told him I just had a membership @ the Museum. I asked him the same question and he said he was on the SAG voting committee.

The movie started.

The movie is excellent and shot in more of a "real" sense (no cgi) partly because I think (and as Steven Zahn later said) that's the only way Herzog knows how to shoot - like a documentary. I think it is worth pointing out that that the flyer said that Herzog intentionally made the movie without excessive blood and gore saying, "Neither I as the director nor the audience wants to see defenseless people suffering." Adding - "I don't like that kind of violence. And Dieter himself was always gracious about his captors. In fact, he became fascinated by Asia and Asian culture throughout his life."

Once the movie was over, Steven Zahn came out. You could tell which people DIDN'T pay for their tickets as some actually left during the talkback. Zahn is so much like the comedic characters he's played- the gestures and cadence in which he talks - he did not disappoint! And even when he didn't follow questions from the audience he still tried to be nice, telling one guy that he didn't quite know what he was asking but it was okay because they'd get beers later and talk it out. ;)

Zahn said that he is a BIG history buff, likes movies like Jeremiah Johnson and owned the Dieter doc. Herzog had made, lending it to people when they said they hadn't seen it. When he heard it was going to be made into a movie he told his agent he HAD to get a meeting with Werner, adding - typically if you love something that's the kiss of death because usually you don't get it. But Werner met with him and then called Zahn's agent wanting to know what Zahn liked to eat. Zahn pondered this question not sure if this was a test or what and then found out that Werner simply wanted to invite him over for supper (they had steak). Werner offered him the part of Duane. Zahn added that he didn't even have to give a speech about how even though he's done mostly comedy he can do other things...

Zahn and the rest of the cast lost weight for their roles. Zahn felt pretty good about the 40 lbs he lost but once he got on set he discovered that Jeremy Davies had outdone him and he actually looked like a champ wrestler compared to him. So Davies had his shirt open or off during filming and Zahn left his clothes on - but his gaunt face still proved to be haunting.

The movie was filmed in 2002 over about 2 months. They shot the film backward so that gave Christian Bale time to gain back weight (Zahn said that Bale seemed to gain 10lbs in 3 days). Most of the stunts they did themselves with Werner demostrating to them what they needed to do each time.

There were minimal extras on location in Laos (no trailers/craft service, etc) so that made the filming go quicker, caused the cast to bond since they couldn't retreat to their trailers and also caused a bit of friction at times. Werner didn't do a lot of takes for things and didn't believe in rehearsal time. Scenes that Bale and Zahn thought were important to go over, Herzog would take 2 takes of, but scenes that didn't seem quite as important (like a scene where they are floating on a raft down the river) had several takes because Werner wanted it an exact way - testing the patience of his freezing/wet stars in the river. Zahn said that in the end though - you had to trust him, what else were you going to do?

Zahn said he didn't have a lot of background to work with when portraying Duane - just a pic he had hanging in his truck. Apparently the real Duane was much worse off than the fictional version. Zahn said that when Dieter met him he had disentary so bad that he was holding his intestines in his hands.

***Spoiler Alert***
Zahn said that when Dieter got back home he went to visit Duane's wife and I guess it was horrible because Duane's wife thought Dieter was Duane and he had to explain.
***End Spoiler***

Werner made a point of saying that this was a movie inspired by the doc. but he didn't want Bale to imitate Dieter so because of that philosophy of borderline fictionalized non-fiction, Zahn said that there are great moments in the doc that unfortunately don't make it into the movie. Another reason to watch the doc!

Zahn said that he got along well with Bale and said that Bale is one of the top 3 actors he's worked with that is truly funny. Adding that Bale is really professional during the shoot but once they yelled "cut" Zahn and Bale would immediately be goofing off and cracking each other up.

On stardom - Zahn said he is content where he is at in the movie world. Adding that he doesn't have the liberty to seek out certain roles (I'll do THIS next...) but hopes that as he gets older the more dramatic roles (like Duane) will be offered to him. He said (referring to his role in Out of Sight) that a 20 something escape con stoner is funny, a 40 somthing escape con stoner is sad.

He says he likes the fact that he lives in Kentucky and can shop at the Super Target without getting recognized but he has been mistaken for a Target worker and asked where stuff is. The audience laughed and he said - you laugh, but it has happened!

Somebody asked him if he thought there'd be a sequel to Sahara. Er...he said he didn't know, but probably not because in movie years that was like 20 years ago!

The talkback ended and as we shuffled out the SAG Nom Comm guy got in my ear. He said that he was really honored that he got to be on the committee and got to see lots of great movies - mentioning that he had seen A Might Heart with a talk back that had Angelina Jolie and Dan Futterman. As he kept talking I saw I was getting closer to Steve Zahn and without even having an inkling of what to say I just reached out my hand to shake his. I think I managed to say something like "You had a wonderful performance" or something like that - had the guy not been in my ear I might have been more on my game, or not. Pretty much as soon as I made hand to hand connection all I could think of was I'M SHAKING STEVEN ZAHN'S HAND!!!!

Then as I continued out the theatre the guy asked if I was going to see the preview of Sicko with a talkback with Michael Moore. I told him it was sold out so probably not. Then he contemplated out loud that maybe he could get a free ticket for me. (I should add that at one point before the talkback started this guy asked if I was cold - I said I was fine - and he said he wished he had a sweater to lend me. I should also add that this guy I believe was my father's age or older.) I told him that was okay and he said, well - maybe I'll see you at another one of these events then? Maybe. Then he said his name was Jack, shaking my hand - my Steve Zahn shaking hand. I offered my first name too and then headed the opposite direction of where he was headed.

Now he may have just been trying to be nice, but some moments just seemed less "fatherly" and more - ick.

But the main thing is that I got to shake hands with Steve Zahn! And maybe, just maybe a few years from now I'll mention that moment that I'm sure he will have forgotten when we are working on a show together! ;) Ahhh...one can dream...

The Drive-In (sans car) @ 30 Rock

Headed to the city for another meeting with a business contact - had my resume, references, change of shoes - but realized too late that I had forgotten my camera, a pen and umbrella.

That's okay, I thought - I can always borrow a pen, it isn't supposed to rain until later and I don't have to take a pic of EVERYTHING I encounter...right?!

I went to the meeting and then eventually made my way to 30 Rock for the opening night of the Tribeca Drive-In Film Festival. I looked at the set up and wished I had my camera. I called my roommate to see if she might be coming in to see the movie, maybe she could bring it in - but alas, she had decided to do something else and added that rain wasn't supposed to happen until 11pm. Good to know.

They started letting people into the seating area at 6pm but the movie didn't start until 9pm. Not knowing how the crowds were going to be for this free outdoor event, I was there early. It ended up being a LONG wait until the movie started. And there never was an overwhelming crowd - in fact, they let us sift into VIP seating because not even all the VIPs showed up! Eek! Not good...(maybe it was better for the following nights...)

While waiting I tried to read (couldn't write because I had no pen) and took a few not so great pics on my cell, but eventually ended up overhearing a convo between the women sitting next to me - roommates. One chattered on about how she went to a psychic (sp?) that told her she'd find her man in the next month at the gym but that he worked out at 6am. Of course she lamented that she barely made it to the gym herself, let alone that early. (Later saying that she thinks some Knicks players must work out there though because there are some tall black guys there.) Then they talked about some "self-help" stuff involving getting over the "exes" in their lives. Am finding so many venues in NYC that are good for people watching (and listening!)

FINALLY, it was 9pm and Rachel Dratch (you can see a pic of her and others at the event via this link under "drive-in"- http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/photo-gallery.html) was introduced as the host for the event. She tried to be funny but the crowd really wasn't responsive. It was sad. Then FINALLY the movie started...er, rather they showed a short (click the link to watch it - it ended up being better than the feature!) and THEN the feature movie started...

"Watching the Detectives" sounded promising - Cillian Murphy and Lucy Liu starred. I kept waiting for it to be something more than it was...and it never happened. It just didn't gel - and when a love scene came it seemed totally out of place even though, I think this was supposed to be a romantic comedy. It was almost like the love scene was from a different movie based on its tone. I'm sure Cillian and Lucy had fun playing their characters but the story needed work. I peaked at my watch as it crept closer to 11pm. People started to leave - but I was determined to stick it out, hoping this movie would prove me wrong - hope flickered as one scene featured a song by "Eagles of Death Metal" but even that moment wasn't enough to redeem this not even worthy of straight to video movie.

The wind started to pick up...I glanced at my watch again as more people left.

Then...the guy in the couple sitting in front of me looked at his woman and said, "Did you feel that?" Two drops of rain and then DOWN POUR! It was insane! A wall of rain - everyone scurried for cover. I missed the last 5 minutes of the movie. Ahhhh! Should have just left when the others did...OR, perhaps I should have just remembered my umbrella!

Fortunately the down pour turned into just plain rain after while - made it to the subway stop without getting too soaked. My umbrella has been in my purse ever since - as well as my camera and my pen. From now on, I won't leave home without them!

Subway Convos, BRGR & YCTIWY

In a previous blog I wrote about what I saw on the subway - now let me share with you a couple convos I heard...

The first was one I had first hand with a guy who just randomly started talking to me. He asked me how my day had been going - I asked in return (trying to be nice and not really sure what this guy's angle was...) and found out he was a playwright. He told me I had to know what I brought to the table. "What can you bring to the table?" Will let that one just hang there...talk amongst yourselves...

Then another convo I heard between a business man and cop. Right before they were getting off the subway, the biz man said - "Well, I'd like to thank you for representing the line between chaos and normalcy." The cop (clean shaven and oddly reminding me of Vic Mackey on The Shield) said, "The line gets thinner everyday." Neat. I'm sure that's just what me and everyone else on the subway wanted to hear!

From subway talk to food..

I recently ate at ANOTHER burger joint with some friends called - BRGR. Once again, they had faboo fries and I liked their burgers better but they were a tad pricey. Nice atmosphere though. And it is across the street from The Museum @ FIT. Which is free and has some cool threads by Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel and others on display, as well as various artwork by the students.

After eating @ BRGR we headed to another nearby spot - the T. Schrieber Studio (btw - T. Schrieber is very personable!) where "You Can't Take It With You" is currently on stage. It was weird to see it again so soon after I was a part of it. Of course I was biased towards the show I was just in- but this show worked for the cast involved, the stage, etc.

Anne Kaufman (George S. Kaufman's daughter) liked the show enough to meet the cast when she went (apparently she has been known to NOT meet the cast when she didn't approve of the show, one time being at a London Theatre!) She even plugged the show while speaking @ Kitty Carlisle's funeral!

The rather odd timing of it all was that the next day I got a certificate in the mail from the Omaha Playhouse saying that I'd been nominated for the Barbara Ford (Best Supporting) Award for the role of "Essie" in YCTIWY. Of course I won't be there for awards night, but it was cool that I got nominated! :) (Even if Ann Kaufman didn't see me and give her approval... ;))

On a sidenote I want to give my friend Amy a quick plug (she was nice enough to share a free ticket for the show with me). Check out her reviews on offoffonline.com! :)