My review of the Oscars and a bit about the Grammys as well

Awards shows like The Oscars, The Tonys and The Grammys typically do not hold my attention for very long but last night the thing that made the Oscars the most entertaining was the fact that Hugh Jackman was the host. There was a special on him before the ceremony and I had no idea that he was on Broadwway nor had I heard of the show he was in The Boy From OZ .. anyone else heard of it? Anyway I think he was the best person to ever host the Oscars.

I was incredibly happy that Slumdog Millionaire won so many awards. I saw that movie a few a weeks ago with my boyfriend and I thought it was the most phenominal piece of cienmatic work I have seen to date. Very poweful. I am also happy that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button did so well too, I haven't gotten around to seeing that yet but I must make an effort to see that before it is out of theatre... I do not think I can wait til it comes out on DVD to see it. Oh and also two thumbs up for Heath Ledger getting the pothosmous Oscar for playing the Joker in The Dark Knight. Alas, that was the only thing I truly liked about that movie. My friend Tom told me they're thinking of taking the Joker out of the Batman movies and that news makes me disgusted. They shouldn't totally erase the character from the movies just because Heath Ledger is dead. That's totally retarded.

The Grammys were on a couple of weeks ago and I totallly spaced on writing an entry about it.. whoops.
For a complete list of winners go here: http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/51st_show/list.aspx#08

Notable wins (at least to me)

1. Coldplay
2. Carrie Underwood
3. Sugarland
4. In The Heights for best Broadway soundtrack (others nominated were Gypsy,South Pacific Little Mermaid and Young Frankenstien)

Performances on the show however were less than impressive. Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus did a duet together and I thought it royally sucked. Taylor Swift is better on cd then she is live and Miley Cyrus just sucks. The Jonas Brothers and Stevie Wonder performed together and I didn't think that performance was to that performance either. Maybe because I'm primarily turned off by any of the recent Disney bred bands and singers.

I look incredibly foward to the Tonys in June. Does anyone know when the nominations are stating for that.

Bed time!

Janine

Of Jazz and Jesus Christ

Happy Valentines Day!

Last night I went to Jazz night at my alma mater Souhegan High School. We got there a little bit late but it was a pretty good show over all. We caught the end of the Weymouth High School Jazz Band's act and they were pretty good. I had not seen a Souhegan Jazz Band performance since I graduated in 2004 so it was a welcome additon to my theatre viewing schedule. I was very impressed with what I heard. The set started off with the familiar tune Groovin Hard and also played a Jazzy version of the church hymm Amazing Grace which I thought was pretty neat. They also played The Rooster and a latin tune which title is slipping my mind right now. Then a quartet from Massachusetts called Witchhunt played and I thought they were pretty awesome. We only stayed for one song of the Mike Valeres Band but they were really good too. I hope to go another Jazz night soon. Must keep my eyes peeled to the Amherst Citizen to see when the next one is going to be.

Tonight my boyfriend and I were delighted by the Peacock Players performance of Godspell. Godspell is one of my all-time favorite musicals and they did a truly wonderful job with it. Once again I was blown away by the talent of the cast as I was blown away by the talent of those who were in the Christmas Spectacular in December. Notable performances were by Day by Day (Chelsea Delacy and company) All For The Best (Jesus,Andrew and Company, Bless The Lord My Soul ( Caitlin Donohue and Company) and Turn Back O Man ( Stephanie Hogan and company) Congrats to cast crew and production staff Tim L'Ecruyer (Director) Judy Hayward (Musical Director) and Martha Daniels Holland (Chreographer)




Upcoming Performances
March

• March 9th Dirty Dancing in Boston with the Nashua Tech College Theatre Club
• March 14-16 Honk JR @ Amherst Middle School
• March 20-29th Jungle Book Kids @ Peacock Players
• March 27-29th SHS Musical Pirates of Penzance ; Student Directed Once Act Plays @ my college

I plan on going to see Thoroughly Modern Millie at Kearsarge Regional High School in North Sutton because some of the kids I directed in Bravery Soup are in it. I do not know the dates yet.

People should come to see Peter Pan April 16th-19th @ Souhegan High School in Amherst.

My boyfriend and I postponed our trip to New York til later in the spring due to money issues. With the change of plans also came a change of what show we are going to see. Instead of going to see Billy Elliot we're going to see HAIR. I am super excited because I've always loved the music from that play especially Good Morning Starshine. Plus my friend Jay is in the cast and he's giving us a backstage tour! <3

Current Work in Progress for the Cabinet

PTA Play, A Family Tradition
By Janine Leffler


For many years members of the same family have been coming together to share the stage in the Amherst PTA Play Productions. This year’s production of Peter Pan is no different.

Some local families who are performing in Peter Pan together include Hannah Whitney who plays Nibs in the Lost Boy Ensemble and her brother, Drew who was cast as Michael Darling. Their mother Jenn Whitney is on the production staff. Natalie Petersen who is in the Lost Boy Ensemble joins her mother director Meg Petersen. Michelle Emmond, an Indian Dancer is in the show with her son Jason who is in the Lost Boy Ensemble, as well her husband Jim who is the music director.


For 11 year old Hannah Whitney of Amherst the biggest challenge of being in this production so far was auditioning for the same part as her younger brother Drew. “You would think that would never happen because he's a boy and I'm a girl, but I really wanted to be Michael and fly! But, Drew got the part and I was really proud of him!” Last year The Whitneys were also in the Children’s Choir of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Hannah Whitney stated in a recent interview that “PTA plays are fun because most of the people in them are people from town that you know. A lot of my friends are in Peter Pan!”

For director Meg Petersen the most fulfilling thing about working on PTA plays is the memories she shares with her family members working on various shows.
Petersen chose to direct this play because “It has always been on my "bucket list" to direct the Amherst PTA Play. I figured I should do this while my daughter, Natalie, is still interested in doing plays.” Petersen has performed in Annie, Oliver and Wizard of OZ with her sons Sam and Ben and Fiddler on the Roof with her daughter Natalie. She has many fond memories with her children working on each production.

Play veteran Michelle Emmond, who is in her thirtieth PTA production this year, shared a favorite memory, “When my daughter, Christy, was the Milkmaid and I was the Rose Seller of Oliver. We got to begin the song Who Will Buy? singing a duet. It was a very cool music moment for us.” Emmond continued by saying, “As a citizen of the Amherst Community, a parent of three children who have attended or are attending the Amherst Schools, and as a teacher for over 30 years in Amherst, I feel a strong commitment to help out with this very special school fundraiser!”

Emmond’s son Jason stated in a recent interview “I think it's a lot of fun to be in a play with my mom and dad. I have been in several other plays with my mom in Manchester, so it has become a part of our regular routine. Most of the shows I have been in, my dad has either been the musical director or the guitar player in the orchestra.”

Some other local families that share the spotlight of the PTA stage include Jennifer Stover and her children, Kate and Grace (Indian Dancers) and Tom (Pirate Ensemble), sisters Monica Ghandi (Tiger Lilly) and Tamarra Ghandi (Indian Ensemble), Father Kevin Brannley (Pirate) and daughter Haley ( Indian Dancer), sisters Katherine Schwope (Jane Darling) and Melissa Schwope (Lost Boy), Mother Jill Darin (Liza the Maid) and her daughter Abby (Crocodile) and Matthew O’Dowd ( Nana (Dog) and his sister Rebecca (Lost Boy).

The fact that families are in this show truly makes the PTA Play an event for families to attend year after year. Bring your families to see the show April 16-19th at Souhegan High School in Amherst.

Thought for the day

I love having friends in Broadway shows... I get a backstage tour of HAIR

I LOVE JAY JOHNSON!! :)

Willy Wonka

So things have been hectic and super stressful with job searching and I haven't gotten the chance to blog about going to see Willy Wonka JR @ the Boys and Girls Club on Jan 20th so now I will take the opportunity to do as such.

I loved the book Charlie and The Chocolate Factory when I was a kid so when I first found out the Riverbend Youth Company was doing Willy Wonka Jr I was really excited. I was very impressed with the depth of the talent with the students who are in the Riverbend Youth Company. This theatre troupe is made up of middle and high school students from Amherst, Mt Vernon, Hollis, Brookline and Nashua. Everything about this show was well done singing,chreography the works. It was a very much enjoyed performance. I think my favorite song from the show was Think Positiive. It was very upbeat and lively and exatcly the way that people should be thinking in these tough economic times.
I look foward to seeing more Riverbend Youth Company productions in the future.

The NH Theatre Awards were on Thursday. I didn't get to go to the ceremony because I didn't have a ride and I also had other stuff to do that night but I was excited to find out that quite a few local shows and actors from Peacock Players and Milford Area Players won awards. Congrats to alll!

Upcoming Shows I will be seeing
February 14th Godspell @ Peacock Players
March 9th Dirty Dancing in Boston with Nashua Tech College Theatre Club
Weekend of March 27th

• Souhegan Spring Musical Pirates of Penzance
• CTE Spring Show- A Night of One Acts

A particular day in theatre that really stood out.

The 2007 New London Barn Playhouse Intern Company Interns Junior Interns and Tech Staff <3

So livejournal has this thing on it called writers block where they ask a question a day and you answer it. Yesterday's question was if you could live any day over and over again what would it be?

(Okay people better not get too mad at me for posting this entry.. there are certain people who I know possibly could but this is my blog so i'll do what I want.. so there.)

It's really hard to narrow the days down and pick a favorite day that stands out.. truly it is! There are so many days.. my senior project, my high school graduation, my 16th birthday. my 21st birthday, my freshmen orientation, my first year at NEC so many good times in my life. I know I need to move on from stuff related to the Barn Playhouse and for the most part I have... it took me long enough I know. But this particular writer's block question can't help but make me feel just a teeny bit nostalgic about summer 07. The one day from that summer which stands out the most was July 3rd... opening night of Annie Get Your Gun. I should mention that before coming to the Barn Playhouse I did not really have a lot of experience acting in plays, only one other play in high school my senior year. When Nancy Barry asked me if I wanted to be in the ensemble I was estactic because musicals are my favorite type of plays ever! Yay musicals! Opening night gave me really mixed emotiions as closing night would a week later do the same. I was excited because we would be finally performing the show for an audience after two weeks of rehearsing but nervous because even though I did not have any speaking lines I was totally nervous because as I just said a little while ago I did not have a lot experience acting in plays pror to coming to the Barn Playhouse. Luckily I had awesome castmates who were super super super super supportive of my not so seasoned talents. Even though summer 2007 is long over I will always look back on being in that show with incredibly fond memories.

2007 Interns= Love FOREVER!