Broadway Secret of The Week

So the revival of Hair is closing tomorrow. As I have previously said I am very blessed that I got to see this show early in its run. It was amazing and life changing. I definitely hope to see the tour when I comes to Boston next spring. The only thing I am sad about is not getting the chnace to see Jay perform as Claude. I have heard from other people on Broadwayspace who have seen the show that he is amazing... which is a very true fact videos on you tube from when he was NYU prove that point. What I was curious about is if the understudies go on the tour? Since I missed Jay's performances in NY it would be super great if I could see him when the tour comes to Boston. Can anyone help me out with this?

NYC what is it about you?

Plans for my trip to New York in August are slowly starting to come together. The more I think about it the more excited I am becoming. The show we're going to see has been very much up for debate since January. Here is the final list. Budget willl only allow us to see one show.
Main Choice: Jersey Boys Very excited about this!!
Back up choice #1: West Side Story
Back Up Choice #2 Billy Elliot
Back Up Choice #3 In The Heights
Back Up Choice #4: Million Dollar Quartet

I am hoping to get really good discounts on tickets. We won't worry about that until closer to when we are going to leave for New York. We are also hoping to get another discount by using our college IDS hopefully that will still be able to work. I don't think college IDS expiire. We also plan to do tons of sight seeing while we're there which will tenatively include Top of The Rock, Madame Toussards Waz Meusuem, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Any other reccommondations for places I should see? I am also gettng together with some old friends I haven't seen in awhile who live in the city. The plan is to do karoake! I found an awesome place in Manhatten to go to.

Ho Hum

Sonething about So You Think You Can Dance really turns me off this season. I think it has something to do with the idea of having All Stars thrown into the mix. None of the routines in the past two eposodes have really caught my attention. I feel this may be my last season watching the show.



Top 10

Adechecke

Alex

Ashley

Billy

Christina

Jose

Kent

Lauren

Melinda

Robert



Who I voted for: Alex and Laruen

Still rather disappointed Alexie went home last week. I think she really would have done well this week. I missed Adeccheke's and Chritinsa's performances but based on the snipit I saw when they showed the phone #s at the end of the show they looked pretty good. They won't get rated unfortunatley since I didn't see the whole performance. We'll stat with #3

3 Alex

Genre Broadway

Rating out of 10: 7

Comments: Fosse=LOVE! As I said last week he and Billy are forces to be reckoned with this season. Everything about this routine was amazng.

4. Ashley

Genre Jazz

Rating out of 10: 8

Comments: It was really hard to choose when it came down to voting between her perforamne and Lauren's. Both girls have their own set of unique talents and both routines were very emotional.

5. Billy

Genre Krump

Rating Out of 10:4

Comments: This took him out of his contempory comfort zone and I don't think he fared too well. Not one of my favorite routines at all. I hope it doesn't put him in dange or going home.

6. Robert

Genre: Argentinan Tango

Rating out of 10:9

Comments: Argentinian Tango is not one of my favorite genres but I feel he excuted it very well.

7/ Melinda

Genre: Contempory

Rating Out of 10: 8

Comments: Definitley came a full 180* degree turn from last week's performances. Very emotiomal and powerful. Ade complimented her well as a dance partner.

8. Jose

Genre Bollywood

Rating out 0f 10:9

Comments One of the best dances of the the night by far,... very enjoyable to watch.

9, Lauren

Genre: Lyrical Hip Hop

Rating out of 10" 10

Comments No other words can describe this dance except Beautiful!

10 Kent

Genre Jazz 7.5

Comments: His sexy side came out with a fierceness.





Predicted Bottom 3: Kent, Melinda Billy



Reults

Bottom 3: Cristina Melinda Robert

Who went home Cristina

My predictions were 1 for 2. Melinda had the weakest solo out of the three and should haw gone home. If she doesn't deliver an outstamding performance next week she will most likely go ho,e/ Robert was one of the stronger guys last night. I would have picked Billy or Kent to be in the bottom, over him. Billy's performance was the weakest one last night but he will continue to sdo well and I think it will come down to him and either Alex or Lauren in the finale. If Billy had not gotten sick last year it would have been FIERCE to see him and Jakob Karr square off in the finale.

So You Think Can Dance Week 1

So You Think You Can Dance Season 7 is off to a so so start. This year they are doing All Stars. I am not sure I like this idea because I would much rather see this season's dancers paired up with each other. Most of the dances had good chemistry with their all star counterparts. I also don't like how the went directly to top 10 (top 11) I think having top 20 allowa rhe dancers moew time to get used to specifc styles which is what I honestly think was lacking in some of tonight's performances
Top 11
Adecheckie
Alex
Alexie
Ashley
Billy
Christina
Jose
Kent
Lauren
Melinda
Robert

I am wicked happy Billy is back. He made it through to Vegas last year but then got sick and had to leave the show. Out of the guys I think him and Alex will be forces to be reckoned with At this point the only strong girls that I can see are Ashley and Alexie. The others stil have lots of room to grow.

Performances
Ratings 1-10 1 Horrible 10 Amazzing
Adechekie and Melinda had the weakest performances tonight rating a 6 and a 5 respectively. While Travis Wall's chreography is amazing this particualar Jazz performance was not one of the best. While Melinda's Jive was energetic and fun to works there were a few things the judges pointed out techinically that made the performance weak. Both of them could easily be in dancger fo going home. Out of the two hip hop perfoemances I liked Alexie's better. Her and Twitch definitley had a lot of good chemistry. Jose definitley broke out of his comfort zone and has a lot of room to grow through the rest of the season. Billy's performace of Footloose whie not one of my top favorite Broadway pieces is pretty up there. He is FLAWLESS. Alex's contemporay was absolutely breathtaking... i really have no other words to describe it besides that. I wasn't a huge fan of the pop jazz or Cha Cha pieces though Kent is pretty firece. I think that he will have it really tough against Billy and Alex as will Adecheke and Robert. Jose seems to be in a category that I can't classify. African Jazz is starting to become one of my favoire genres on the show and Robert did fabulous with his sxcuetion of the routine.

Ratings
Adechekie 6
Alex 10
Alexie 9
Ashley 9
Billy 8
Christina 7.5
Jose 7
Kent 7.5
Lauren 6
Melinda 5
Robert 7


REsults Bottom 3 Melinda Christina Alexie
Who went home Alexie
Not happy about these results at all. Alexie was much better than Adacheke and should have not gone home. She would have done really well if she had stayed next week, Adecheeke in my opinion was one of the weakest dancers and Kent was not that great either. I hope they don't continue to eliminate the good dancers or else the show will not be worth watching at all.

Broadway Secret of The Week

Sorry if this picture is so small. Out of all the stuff that was in this week's secrets post this one was the most informative. A majority of the stuff on BroadwaySecrets is catty,immature and innacurate but this hits the nail on the head because there was a discussion on Broadway Space that I read a few minutes after I saw this post in BroadwaySecrets about HAIR closing. I am so blessed I got to see such an amazing show early on in its run. I will definitley see it again on tour. Hopefully I don't miss the opportunity to see it in Boston because the one thing I regret is not getting to see Jay as Claude. I have heard he is phenominal.

Tony Awards 2010- Predictions and Winners

Best Revival
Play
Prediction: The Royal Family
Winner Fences

Thoughts: Fences sounds like a good play. I would most likely go see it if I wasn't so dead set on seeing musicals every time I go to New York.
Musical:
Prediction: A Little Night Music
Winner: La Cage Aux Folles
Thoughts: This was slightly disappointing. I was really hoping ALNM would win. Perhaps because I am a huge fan of Sondheim.. have been for awhile but only recently realized it. La Cage looks amazing though.
Best Leading Actress
Play:
Prediction Laura Linney Time Stands Still
Winner Viola Davis Fences
Musical:
Prediction/Winner: Catherine Zeta Jones A Little Night Music
Thoughts: Well deserved. She is one of my idols. Her rendition of Send In The Clowns sounds better on the recording.
Best Supporting Actress
Play Predicition/Winner Scarlett Johnasen A View From The Bridge
LOVE LOVE LOVE Scarlett Johannsen.
Musical:
Prediction Angela Lansbury A Little Night Music
Winner: Katie Finneran Promises Promises
Thoughts: Kristin Chenoweth was robbed for the nomination and Angela Lansbury was robbed for the win. Though I must admit Katie Finneran gave one of the best acceptance speeches.
Best Lead Actor
Play Prediction/Winner: Denzel Washington Fences
Musical:
Prediction : Kelsey Grammer La Cages Aux Folles
Winner: Douglas Hodge La Cages Aux Folles
Thoughts: When I was making the predicition for this it was hard. It was toss up between Kelsey Grammar, Douglas Hodge and Sean Hayes. Happy that La Cage took home the prize. :)
Best Supporting Actor
Play: Prediction: David Alan Grier Red
Winner: Eddie Redmayne Red
Musical
Predicition: Robin DeJesus La Cax Aux Folles
Winner: Levi Kries Million Dollar Quartet
Thoughts: Can't win em all I suppose. Levi Kries is really cute.
Best Direction
Musical Predicition/Winner Tony Johnson La Cage Aux Folles
Play
Prediction: Gregory Moser A View From The Bridge
Winner: Michael Grandage Red
Choreogrphy
Prediction Rob Ashfod Promises Promises
Winner Bill T Jones FELA
Thoughts: Come Fly Away was ROBBED I tell you ROBBED. Though the chreography did look pretty amazing from the Fela piece I saw on the awards show. And I know Paula Abdul is a chreographer and everything but has she ever been on Broadway or does she have any relationship to Broadway? I thought it was odd that she was a presenter. My prediction for this was totally off just for the record.
Costume Design
Play Prediction/Winner Catherine Gruber The Royal Family
Musical
Prediction: Michael Wright La Cage Aux Folles
Winner: Mariana Draghichi FELA
Thoughts: I have not seen La Cage but from the performance I saw on the awards show the costumes look fantastic.
Sound Design
Play Adam Cork Red
Musical Robert Kaplowitz FELA

Lighting Design
Play
Winner: Adam Cork Red
Musical
Prediction Nick Richings A Little Night Music
Winner: Kevin Adams American Idiot
Thoughts: I have not seen either show in order to make a legitmate judgment on who derserved to win but just as a general comment Green Day's music does not appear to me to make a good concept for a musical.. at all whatsoever. I love Green Day's music a lot but I don't see where the concept for a musical lies. Mamma Mia worked because the songs actually fit in with the story line of the musical... I don't see how the musical of Green Day could fit in to make a good story line for a musical. As far of both of the American Idiot performances on the awards show are concerned I liked the opening number but found the second performance to be underwhelming.
Best Play
Prediction/Winner Red
Best Scenic Design
Play
Prediction Alexander Dodge Pleasant Laughter
Winner Christopher Oram Red
Musical
Prediction Tim Shortall La Cage Aux Folles
Winner: Christine Jones American Idiot
Best Orechestrations:
Prediction: Jason Carr La Cage Aux Folles
Winner: Daryl Waters and David Bryan FELA
Best Musical
Prediction: Million Dollar Quartet
Winner: Memphis


The show overall
Sean Hayes trumps NPH as a host by a long shot. He was hillarious. I especially liked it when he kissed Kristen Chenoweth. I dig his piano playing skillls.
Loved Bebe Neuwirth's and Nathan Lane's speech for presenting the awards for best lead actor and actress
All musical performances were great except for Lea Michelle's Don't Rain On My Parade (It was much better on Glee and seemed very forced live) and the second American Idiot performance.

Glee Season Finale

Glee Season Finale Update

Overall the second part of Season One of Glee was very lackluster than the first half of the season. During the first half of the season I found myself pissed off if I misssed an episode but this second half of the season there were very few times when I cared if I missed an episode. I only watched three episodes all the through the finale being one of them.
Last night was the episode of Regionals. There were lots of very emotional moments especially when Quinn had her baby. Rachel gave Shelby the opportunity to co=coach New Directions but she turned it down. That would have been an interesting plot twist. The guest stars were Olivia Newton John and Josh Groban. I alsmost screamed when I saw Josh Groban on the screen. The musical numbers included A Journey Medely (New Directions Performance Very powerful) A Josh Groban Olivia Newton John Medley (which wasn't shown- performance by the Oral Intensity Glee Club) and a riveting Queen medley (Vocal Adrenlaline performance which flashed back and forth between the performance and Quinn giving birth.) Shelby ends up adopting Quinn's baby who is named Beth and Sue ends up showing her softer side by voting for New Directions though her vote is largely outnumberd and dejected after placing third at Regionals Will packs up his room only to find out that Sue has convinced Principal Figgins into keep the Glee Club active another year. I have largely hated Sue's character but this time I liked her. I really the group # of To Sir With Love toward the end of the episode. That song nearly had me in tears.

What I hope for next season

• That the relationship between Shelby and Rachel gets stronger.. it seems that Shelby is trying to shut Rachel out for some reason I could be wrong. GIVE ME MORE INDINA PLEASE!!
• SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN WITH WILL AND EMMA"S RELATIONSHIP
• Artie and Tina will hook up
• Rachel and Finn will get together
• Something with develop with the relationship between Finn's mom and Kurt's dad
• Group number with the Cheerios and New Directions? Hey it could happen!

Thought For The Day

So this entry is about the livejournal community broadway secrets. What broadwaysecrets is as a rumor community about broadway stars and shows. I was introduced to it through a post that Cali (Confessions of A Musical Theatre Geek) posted on Broadwayspace. I was hoping to post a few secrets on there myself but never quite figured how to get the pictures I found to meet their size requirements. I saw a post on there in last week's entry about Gary Coleman and how he recently died. As people know he is mentioned in the beginning song in Avenue Q. I had some questions about weather or not they're going to keep that part in the script or not? Does anyone know if they're going to keep his character in or take it out?


Generally broadwaysecrets is pretty lame and from my general observations fulll of increidlby immature teenagers who find nothing better to do with their then to bash a particular Elphaba./Glinda pairing in Wied. That has mostly stopped and the focus has now moved to a controversial video with Matt Doyle and Wesley Taylor in it that I have yet to see. I can see why the moderaters of the community would get annoyed with people constnatly talking about that. People have gotten to the point where they bitch and complain so much about it that they have stopped accepting comments on the lj entry altogether

Don;t know how much longer i'll follow broadwaysecrets though not much longer i persume

Update

This entry consists of a little bit of this and a little bit of that.



I recently went to two benefit concerts and I am going to another tomorrow. The first benefit concert was on April 23rd and it was a benefit for victims of January earthquake in Haiti. I got there a littl late because of I got of work at 6:00. The concert featured local bands Undertow, The Fitted Shirt,The Yellow Team and The Sea Captains (which has two fellow SHS music department members Chris St Lawrence and Marty Morrissey) The concert was organized by Kelly Dubois a senior at SHS and I must say was enjoyable and very well organized. The second benefit concert was last weekend at Moultoborough Academy in Moultonborugh. This benefit concert was for Summer Theatre in Meredith Village and was comprised of four performers Brittany Bara,Maxim Gijkham, Brooke White and Scott Sowinski This concert had a variety of music in it which varied from Broadway hits to songs from this seasons shows. Lots of a great songs and way too many to pick a favorite. L00king so forward to this season at Summer Theatre in Meredith Village! The third benefit concert is tomorrow night and it was organized by my sister and her Ethics Forum class. I am looking forward to it because I went to it last year and enjoyed myself. The Sea Captains are performing as well as a few other local bands.

My next journalistic ventue was writing an article on summer stock theatre for NH To Do Magazine. The July Issue will be out in a few weeks and I am very excited to have my first magaine piece published. Yay!

After much discussion Rae Matt and I finally came to a mutal decision about what shows to see in New York. We decided to see Jersey Boys and Come Fly With Me. I am very excited about seeing these shows especially Jersey Boys. My parents saw that in Chicago last year and I have heard good things about it from them. Our back ups are Billy Elliot, West Side Story and In The Heights. Hopefully we are able to get good ticket discounts.

American Idol Finale: It was Crystal and Lee down to the wire. Lee ended up winning which was shocking because I was almost positive that Crystal had it in the bag. Oh well they will both have amazing careers post Idol
Glee: The finale is next week. It seems like this part of the season was shorter in comparison to the first half of the season. I missed last week's episode but in that episode it was discovered that Shelby, the coach of Vocal Adreneline is Rachel's mom. I am very happy about this. I think Lea Michele and Idina Menzel make a dynamic pair. Not to mention they look like twins. I felt bad for Rachel in this week's episode because the people from Vocal Adrenaline ganged up on her. Jesse didn't particular look like he wanted to be involved but reluctantly joined in leaving Rachel in the parking lot covered with eggs. The queestion of where Quinn has been living was finally answered. I had been confused about that for several weeks. She is living with Puck but Mercedes invited her to move in with her so I am happy about that.. an unexpected twist in the plot.
So You Think You Can Dance: I didn't think I would be watching So You Think You Can Dance because last season left me really unfullfilled. This season they are doing allstar picking a top 10 intead of a top 20 and bringing back people from previous seasons. I am looking forward to watching and I didn't think I would be saying that. Mia Michaels is back as a judge which makes me elated. Mary Murphy is gone which makes me even happier.