First Look at Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean

Filming has begun for Les Miserables, the movie musical, and we have a picture of Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean.


They must be filming Jean Valjean, the convict, not Jean Valjean, the Major.

I have to say that this makes me more excited to see the movie in December. It also makes me excited to see what he looks like after he shaves and cleans up. Well, I know what he looks like, but what he'll look like as Jean Valjean, the changed man.

Pic of the Week: Flowers of Remembrance

Stage Review: Beauty and the Beast

I have seen many productions of Beauty and the Beast, the first being a touring production of it many years ago. I've seen so many, that I have become a little disenchanted (no pun intended) with it. So, when the touring production came through Salt Lake City again, I wasn't expecting anything new.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

Changes have been made to the touring show, and I liked many of the changes. Here are a few:

1. Maurice's song, "No Matter What," has been cut, and I have to say that I didn't miss it. It has never been my favorite song. Instead of the song, Maurice talks to Belle about her mother, and how she changed him. That dialogue connects with the song that Belle sings in Act II, "Change in Me."
2. Monsieur D'Arque's song was also cut. Didn't miss it either.
3. The sets and costumes are new. They are not an exact imitation of the movie anymore, which I liked. They aren't quite as grand as they were before, but I like the simplicity.

There have always been moments in many productions in B&B that have bugged me, and this production fixed a couple of those moments. It's like the director somehow heard my complaints (I've never posted the complaints on the web).

1. At the beginning, when Belle discovers her father is lost in the woods, she runs right into the woods without stopping anywhere, and the next time we see her in the woods, she is wearing a cloak. When did she put it on? In this production, right before she has the scene with Lefou, she goes into the house and comes out wearing her cloak. Problem solved.
2. When we see Belle in the woods after she has run away from the Beast, again she has a cloak on. Did she take time to run to her room to get it? In this production, we see her run past the Beast as he sings "If I Can't Love Her." Now at least we know that somehow she got the cloak, so it's not bizarre when we see her the next time with a cloak.

There were many moments I liked in this production.

1. At the beginning of "Be Our Guest" someone put a lobster bib on Belle. Hi. Larry. Us.
2. Madame de la Grande Bouche's costume is a shaped like a Marie Antoinette dress. She takes the clothes out of the sides of the the dress, instead of out of a drawer in the front of her costume.
3. The song, "Gaston," starts outside of the tavern, and moves into the tavern toward the end of the song. The choreography in that song was the best I've seen for that number.
4. The Silly girls were a stand-out.
4. When Belle and the Beast are eating together, and they're both nervous, Belle twists her hair, and then the Beast twists his hair the same way. Great moment.

Didn't Like:

1. When the old woman in the prologue turns into the beautiful woman, it's a large puppet. That didn't work for me. I like her being a real woman.
2. Gaston pronounces the French words incorrectly, and though it's a little funny, it's really silly because he is French.
3. Although I liked the Beast, he didn't sing the right notes in the verse of "If I Can't Love Her," and it was really hard to listen to. And I love that song.

Smash: How I Would Fix It

As I said in a previous post, despite disliking many episodes of Smash, I'm excited that it was renewed for a second season. Not because of what it is right now, but what it could be.

If I were one of the writers, this is how I would fix it:

1. Less soap opera, more character development
2. Less soap opera, more real story
3. Less soap opera, more musical theatre
4. Fewer pop song covers, more musical theatre songs (classics and originals)
5. Less bedroom, more backstage
6. Less Ellis lurking behind doors, more kicking him out the door
7. Fewer characters we hate, more characters we want to root for
8. More cameos from musical theatre legends
9. More Brian D'Arcy James singing - musical theatre classics

This could be a great show, let's hope it will live up to its potential.

Doctor Who: Series 7 Trailer

All I can say is, aren't you just totally excited for Autumn?

My Favorite Movies: The Spanish Prisoner

I decided to revisit a great movie that I haven't seen for years. The Spanish Prisoner is a 1997 suspense film by David Mamet. 

Because there are so many great surprises in The Spanish Prisoner, I won't recount the plot. You have to see this movie for yourself and enjoy not knowing what is going to happen.

Campbell Scott is perfectly cast as Joe Ross, an engineer who invents a process that can make millions for his company. While on a company retreat in the Caribbean, Joe meets Jimmy Dell (Steve Martin), and they become fast friends. Steve Martin does a great job in a non-comedic role. Rebecca Pidgeon (Mamet's wife in real life) plays a secretary who is stuck on Joe, and she has some of the best lines in my movie. Felicity Huffman plays an FBI agent in one of her pre-Desperate Housewives roles.

The script is wonderful and smart. So many filmmakers today think that a suspense movie has to be action-packed and fast-paced, and don't really seem to care if the dialogue is good. I think that because Mamet comes from writing for the theatre, he knows the importance of good dialogue as well as a good story.

This is one of the most low-keyed suspense films I have ever seen. But it doesn't make it any less compelling. The film doesn't use the score to heighten the scenes, but it just accompanies the action to let you feel what you would naturally feel about the situations.

Check out The Spanish Prisoner, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Smash: Marilyn The Musical Gets Another Chance

Smash has been renewed for a second season.

I'm happy about that, because even though I have been disappointed in the show lately, I still think it can be good, especially if the producers take viewers critiques to heart and concentrate more on the creation of the musical, and not try to cram every character into every episode.

I actually liked the last episode, The Workshop, and I will have a post about it eventually (when I catch up on posts on this show and Once Upon a Time, and Grimm).

Depp and Burton Are At It Again

I saw a preview for the new Dark Shadows film last Sunday.



What a bit of camp.

I'm so excited to see it!

Although Jonathan Frid may be rolling over in his grave, or his coffin.

Pic of the Week: Golf Carts on Catalina Island

A New Companion for Doctor Who

Doctor Who’s new companion has finally been revealed. She is 25 year old Jenna-Louise Coleman. She was previously on the British soap Emmerdale and the school drama Waterloo Road. She also appeared in the film, Captain America: The First Avenger. And she will be seen in Jullian Fellowes miniseries, Titanic.

Stephen Moffat describes her as being more talkative than the current doctor.

According to Moffat, "It's not often the Doctor meets someone who can talk even faster than he does, but it's about to happen. Jenna is going to lead him his merriest dance yet. Who she's playing, how the Doctor meets her, and even where he finds her, are all part of one of the biggest mysteries the Time Lord ever encounters. Even by the Doctor's standards, this isn't your usual boy meets girl."

Jenna will make her Doctor Who debut in the Christmas special at the end of the year. There will be six episodes before that, beginning at the end of the fall, and who knows how many of those episodes will feature Amy and Rory. Well, Who knows (I had to say it, sorry folks). There will be eight episodes after the Christmas special, and it seems strange to have the Christmas special in the middle of a season instead of before it.

It’s exciting to finally know who the Doctor’s new companion will be. It’s too bad we have to wait so long to find out who her character is and how she meets the Doctor, but it's nice to have something to look forward to. I hope I like her. It took me a while to warm up to Amy Gillan’s Amy Pond. Jenna looks very likable.

Good News for Grimm Lovers

Grimm has been renewed for a second season.

I have just one thing to say about that: Wahoo!

Doctor Who and Dancing With the Stars Connection

I never thought I would ever say that.

However, there is a "star" on the new Dancing With the Stars who was in an episode of Doctor Who.

Katherine Jenkins, a Welsh singer, played Abigail in A Christmas Carol, Matt Smith's first Christmas special as the Doctor.


She isn't well known here in the states, but I hope she does well.

I like ballroom dancing, but I don't particularly like watching it when one partner is good and the other is... not so good, so I seldom watch Dancing With the Stars. However, I watched it last night to see Katherine Jenkins.

Katherine did a nice job, and she looked so pretty and bright in that nice yellow dress.


Most of the other stars did a pretty good job too, but does that mean I'll keep watching? Who knows? But I don't think so.

Stage Review: Merrily We Roll Along

How did you get there from here?
What was the moment?

There are quite a few musicals I love that aren't done often, or at all. Merrily We Roll Along is one of these musicals. This is one of Stephen Sondheim's least known musicals, and I believe it is one of his best scores.

I saw it many years ago at the University of Utah. It was a student production, and they did a good job. Then, a few months ago I discovered that BYU was doing a student production of the show, and I knew I had to go.

In Merrily We Roll Along we follow three friends over the space of 20 years as they follow their dreams of succeeding in the musical theatre, movie, and publishing worlds, and how they try to keep their friendships intact, and how they are not always successful. The story is told backward, and this conceit makes the end (which is really the beginning) more poignant as we hear what they want in their lives and we already know who they will be and what they will have 20 years later.

This production was excellent. It was performed in a black box theatre, which lent itself well to the intimacy of the musical itself. There was just a single piano to accompany the cast, and it was placed very prominently on the stage. The pianist was excellent, and I'm sure it's a difficult score to play.

The set consisted only of blocks and a few stools. There are signs that are changed to indicate when and where the scenes are set, so there is no need of a complicated set. The minimalistic set worked very well.

The cast was all dressed in black, with a few characters wearing a touch of purple. There were no costume changes, and there was really no need. The costumes were very generic, nothing period. Although there were a few references (other than the signs) to let us know that the story is set between 1957 to 1976, other than those references, it could have been set any time.

The five main leads were wonderful. They embraced their characters' personalities, and they were very distinct.

A few stand-out musical numbers were "Franklin Shepard, Inc," which is a very difficult song, and Peter Layland, who played Charley Kringas, did an excellent job.

The first time we hear "Not a Day Goes By" is when Beth is divorcing Frank, and she is telling him she will always love him. Becca Ingram's performance was so moving, I felt the emotion in her voice. The second time we hear it is when Beth and Frank are getting married (remember, the story is told backward), and it has such a different meaning, especially when Mary joins in as we know that she loves Frank also.

"Opening doors" was also a stand-out. The three best friends, Frank, Charley, and Mary are singing of how they are trying to make it in New York, and we hear about their successes and failures.

The last song, "Our Time" is one of my favorite musical theatre songs of all time. It encompasses the feelings we all have after High School when we are just starting out in the world and we have so many dreams and we think they will all come true. It's so emotional for me every time I hear that song, as I remember a High School friend with whom I wrote a few songs, and we hoped to be successful with our music. Life had different ideas and we lost touch with each other, and we found our individual successes in different areas. But I still feel sad when I think how we lost touch with each other. Those dreams we had in High School can still feel so real, even years later.

Something is stirring
Shifting ground
It's just begun
Edges are blurring
All around
And yesterday is done

Feel the flow
Hear what's happening
We're what's happening
Don't you know
We're the movers
And we're the shapers
We're the names in tomorrow's papers
Up to us man to show 'em

It's our time breath it in
Worlds to change and worlds to win
Our time coming through
Me and you, pal
Me and you

Merrily We Roll Along was an excellent production, and was well received by the audience. I wish that it were done more often.

Belated St. Patrick's Day Tribute

May those that love us, love us.
And those that don't love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if He doesn't turn their hearts,
May He turn their ankles
So we will know them by their limping.
~Irish Blessing

Sketch: The Doctor and Donna Noble (In a Way)

This is one of my favorite sketches from Comic Relief 2007. Comic Relief is a charity based in Britain that raises money to rid the world of poverty. Their sketches are stellar, and this is one of the best.

One great thing, we get to hear David Tennant's real Scottish Accent.

Another great thing, oh, just all of it.



Enjoy!

Pic of the Week: Stairs in Rothenburg, Germany

Once Upon a Time: Dreamy

There is a fairy on a cloud. ( Sorry, I couldn't help but have a reference to Les Miserables).

This was not my favorite episode. Even though I liked Leroy/Dreamy/Grumpy and Astrid/Nova, I just wasn't that excited by their story. Although, I thought the ending was very sweet.

In Fairy Tale Land, a clumsy wannabe fairy godmother (Nova) spills some fairy dust. Fairy dust powers the world. How? Who knows. But we know where fairy dust is made, in the mines. So, guess who makes it. That's right. Dwarfs. And dwarfs aren't born, they are hatched. Well, this is fantasy.

Some of that fairy dust falls on a giant egg where a dwarf suddenly hatches. Our new dwarf's name is - surprise - Dreamy. Newly hatched dwarfs are are given pick axes, which they'll use for the rest of their lives to work in the mines, changing diamonds to fairy dust. When given their pick axes, the dwarfs' names, based on their individual characteristic, are magically etched into their axes.

In Storybrooke, Mary Margaret is trying to find volunteers to sell candles for the nuns at the Miner's Day fair. The money raised by selling the candles pays their rent to Mr. Gold. They mine coal in Maine? No. Okay, that's never really explained. Anyway, no one wants to help sell candles with the "town harlot."

Leroy/Dreamy/Grumpy meets Astrid/Nova, a nun, and helps her hang lights for the fair. He is her hero, and suddenly they are on their way to falling in love. Now Leroy wants to help Astrid sell candles, but who wants to buy candles from the town drunk, no one. Because no one will buy any candles from the town harlot and town drunk at the fair, they decide to go door-to-door selling the candles. They just get doors slammed in their faces.

Emma investigates Kathryn's abandoned car, and Sydney comes to get a story. He is freelance reporting now that he doesn't have a job at the newspaper. David comes and he is given the bad news. He tells Emma that he hasn't spoken to Kathryn since the afternoon of the day before. Emma tells him he's not a suspect because she can tell when someone is telling the truth. Why does she always say that. She clearly can't. Sydney is one case in point.

Sydney gets Kathryn's telephone records from Regina. Like those are going to be the real records.

In Fairy Tale Land, Dreamy meets Nova when he saves her bag of fairy dust from being incinerated. He is her hero, and suddenly they are on their way to falling in love.

Storybrooke: Leroy can't bear to see the disappointment on Astrid's face when he tells her they couldn't sell any candles, so he tells her they sold them all. She is so happy, and once again, Leroy is her hero. Until she finds out that he was lying to her. She doesnt want to see him again. So Leroy goes up on the roof, and Mary Margaret thinks he's going to jump. But no. He uses an axe to blow out the power for the entire city, and now everybody has to buy - wait for it - candles. It's so sweet.

Emma reads the phony telephone records, which indicate that David called Kathryn the day before, although he said he had no contact with Kathryn. Regina forces Emma's hand, and she has no choice but to arrest David as a suspect in Kathryn's disappearance. Oh my, how is this going to turn out?

Questions:

Who calls Emma to tell her about the abandoned car? Does she have a deputy?

How far out into the ocean can you go from Storybrooke before your boat sinks?

How large was Fairy Tale Land? How large is Storybrooke? Can everyone from Fairy Tale Land fit in a small town in Maine?

Who else has broken Belle's heart. Who has she loved other than Rumple?

Quotes:

Dwarf: We work. We love it. We even whistle while we do it.

Dwarf: Today is the first day of the rest of your lives. Welcome to the mines.

Astrid: You can do anything as long as you can dream it.

Nova: You're one?
Dreamy: I know. I look young for my age.

Dreamy: I'm Dreamy.

Dwarf: You're going to trust a doctor who got his degree from a pick axe?

Smash: Let's be Bad

The title of this episode could describe the way I feel this show is going. It's just getting bad. It's starting to go the way of Glee for me, which I watch mainly for the musical numbers not for the story, and most of the musical numbers in Smash aren't that great. I liked the Marilyn musical number, but that's because it was a musical theatre number, not a cover.

I had such high hopes for Smash because it was about something I care about: the theatre. I really wanted to see the process of creating a Broadway musical, but it's just turning into a soap opera set in the New York theatre community. It's about who's sleeping with whom and who's eventually going to sleep with whom. If I want to watch a soap opera I'll just start recording Days of our Lives again (and I haven't done that for over 20 years).

I was disappointed how Michael, who seems to have a happy marriage and a child, is so quick to want to resume his affair with Julia, who is also married. Yes, Julia resisted at first, but now that she let him kiss her (on the street in front of her Brownstone), we can see where it's leading. And so can her son, who saw them from his bedroom window. I haven't mentioned it before, but it makes me even more annoyed because the actors, Debra Messing and Will Chase did have an affair during the filming of the show and ended up leaving their spouses for each other.

There aren't many characters that I like much anymore. Well, maybe Eileen. But who knows, maybe next week we'll learn something about her that makes us not like her. Of course we're still supposed to like Karen, but I don't want to like her because Ivy's treating her like crap, or because her boyfriend is ignoring her as he tries to get to the top in his career. I don't want to feel sorry for her every week.

Maybe if the episodes were more episodic than serial it could be better. Give us a plot line that has some kind of ending by the end of the episode. Every episode doesn't have to include every character.

Derek is always asking Julia for a script. I agree with him. She just needs to finish it already, even a draft. Even if it's not good yet, she can rewrite. How do you write a good musical with songs that aren't held together with a script? Yes, it's a workshop, but you have to workshop the whole show, not just a bunch of musical numbers.

Thank you for reading my rant about Smash.

The sad thing is, I'll probably still watch it - for the musical numbers; those have drawn me in.

Stage Review: The Woman in Black

This is the third time I have seen the stage version of The Woman in Black. This was a small production in a small theatre produced by a small theatre company, and it was just as good as the productions I saw at the Utah Shakespeare Festival and in London. 

Christopher Sherwood Davis was excellent as Kipps, and his performance was riveting. I am not saying that just because he is my nephew. His acting skills are stellar, and during the production I forgot he was my nephew. I was lost in the story, and in his performance.That's good acting.

Patrick Kintz's performance was also wonderful. He had the difficult job of playing many characters and had to use a different British accents for each character. He was able to perform the difficult task with ease.

The set was sparse and very effective. The sound effects rounded out the experience and assisted in the suspense. It's wonderful what our own imaginations can do.

The productions had plenty of chills and thrills. The specter of the woman in black appeared from different areas on the stage, and the play built the suspense well of when and where she would appear. There was one moment in the production when the chills were heightened to the point where you felt the horror that the character was feeling. It was so well staged and performed.

The Woman in Black is playing at The Echo Theatre in Provo, and I would encourage everyone who is within driving distance to see it. It is a night well spent.

Stage Review: Xanadu

Is there a decade easier to make fun of than the 1980s? I think not.

Xanadu, the musical, is based on the 80's film of the same name. The movie was a flop, for a good reason - it was a bad movie. So, the question is, why would you create a musical based on a bad movie? Because it's perfect to make fun of. And because the movie had great music.

Hale Center Theater Orem's production of Xanadu is hilarious, and I don't think I've ever laughed so much at any show - play, musical, or movie.

Plot:

Sonny is an artist in Venice Beach, who thinks he in a failure, so he decides to kill himself. The seven muses, Greek demigods who give humans inspiration, come out of a chalk drawing that Sonny drew on a wall. Clio, the head muse, decides to help him. She comes to earth and disguises herself as a leg-warmer-wearing roller skater, named Kira. Oh, and she also sports an Australian accent. She helps him reach his dream of opening a roller disco (remember those?).

Review:

The choreography by Jennifer Hill-Barlow is a great throwback to the 80s. it takes the best and worst of the decade and weaves them together perfectly.

Delaney Westfall is perfect as Clio/Kira. Her acting and singing voice are spot-on for the role, and she had a little of that Olivia Newton-John look going for her, which doesn't hurt either. She also has to spend most of the show on roller skates, for which she deserves major props.

David Guy Holmes plays Sonny with an innocence that is needed for his character. His voice is perfect for the style of music, and he brings an enthusiasm that is infectious.

Another standout performance was Ali Bennett as Calliope, muse of epic poetry. Her comic timing was incredible. She made every scene she was in a joy to watch.

Not very many musicals based on Greek mythology have been hits, or even good, but this is the exception to the rule. I highly recommend Xanadu, especially if you remember the 1980s, fondly or not.

Grammar Gaffe of the Week: A Whole Other Problem

In last week's episode of Awake, a character used a word that many people use that really isn't a word.

The coroner said, "tonight I do a whole nother workup."

"Nother" not a word!

"Another" is a word. The two words that make up "another" are "an" and "other," not "a" and "nother." So if you put "whole" between those words, "an" changes to "a," and "other" stays "other." A whole OTHER workup.

Okay, that's a lot of explanation just to make my point again that "nother" is not a word!

What Winning an Academy Award Can Do

There is an article in this week's Entertainment Weekly about the Broadway revival of Evita. Ricky Martin is playing Che, and the article says, "At 40, Martin is still boyish and cartoon-hero handsome, with thick Jean Dujardin eyebrows."

Now, a year ago no one in America had even heard of Jean Dujardin, but since winning the Oscar for best actor in The Artist, Jean Dujardin is now the poster boy for bushy eyebrows.


We'll know that Jean Dujardin has really made it when someone describes George Clooney as having "thick Jean Dujardin eyebrows."

On a side note: Break a leg, Ricky.

Grimm: Three Coins in a Fuchsbau

Another great episode. Grimm is on a roll. There was so much in this episode that was so good. Instead of recapping, I'm just going to mention observations and things that stood out to me.

The show has gotten away from each episode being base on a fairy tale, and just introducing us to a new Wesen each week. But this week wasn't even centered on the Wesen, it was about three rare coins that have a long history in the Wesen world. These coins have an effect on the possessor that makes them very charismatic, and makes them feel very powerful.

We haven't seen many International Wesen, and in this episode we meet an Irishman, an Austrian, a Spaniard, and a Frenchman. So, not all Wesen are in Portland, and not all are from German ancestry.

When Wesen show their true "Wesenness" it looks like the have a crick in their neck.

Nick found out that the automobile accident that killed his parents wasn't an accident. His mother, who was a Grimm, had the coins, and the killer caused the accident so he could get the coins.

Last week we found out that Renard understands Latin. Now we know he also  speaks French.

Has it really only been four months since Nick found out he was a Grimm? Time certainly flies when you're fighting Wesen.

Nick's Aunt Marie was engaged to a Wesen! A Grimm and a Wesen - interesting combination.

Nick finds an old film of Hitler from 1930's Germany. Hitler is wearing the coins on the collar of his uniform. And he was a Wesen!

This episode had too little Monroe.
 
Question:

Don't the coins affect Grimms like they affect everyone else?

Doctor Who: Series 7

Filming has begun for Series 7 ("Season 7" in America) of Doctor Who. This is the 50th anniversary of the series, which started in 1963. I have only seen a few of the "classic" Doctor Who, and I liked the ones I saw, but I am huge fan of the new Doctor Who.

We already know that Amy and Rory aren't going to be the Doctor's companions this season, but they have already been on set to film, so we know for certain they will be in at least one episode.

One of the guest stars they have announced that I'm really excited about is Rupert Graves. He is Lestrade in the BBC's wonderful series, Sherlock, and I loved him in The Forsythe Saga.

As more information comes in I'll blog more about it, because it's just so exciting!

Shakespeare: Joss Whedon Style

Joss Whedon has adapted and directed a modern version of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Shakespeare and Whedon, this could be a good combination.

I'm only familiar with a few members of the cast. Nathan Fillion plays Dogberry. I would have loved to see him as Benedick, but we can't have everything we want. I'm sure he'll be great as Dogberry.

The other actors I've heard of are Amy Acker, who plays Beatrice, and Sean Maher, who plays Don John. Amy played Nova/Astrid in the last episode of Once Upon a Time, and Sean played Simon on Firefly.

It hasn't been announced when this will be released, or even if it will be a general release. 

I'm so excited to see it.

Video Clip: I'm John Barrowman

Those of you who are familiar with Doctor Who or Torchwood are familiar with John Barrowman. I love that he is willing to make fun of his personae, and boy, can he sing.

Thanks to Blogtor Who for this hilarious video.

Awake: Pilot

I like smart television, and Awake is definitely smart.

After a horrible car accident, Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs) is living a double life. He goes to sleep in a world where his wife, Hannah, is alive and his son Rex, is dead, and wakes up to a world where Hannah is dead and Rex is alive.

Michael is a detective, and he's working on the same case in both worlds. However, he has different partners. He gets clues in one reality that he uses in the next to help him solve the case.

He is seeing a therapist in each reality, and they are different therapists. Both therapists say that the other reality is a dream.

Jason Isaacs is wonderful as Michael. His acting is stellar. In one scene he's no sure which world he is in. He thinks Hannah should be alive and he calls for her, looking through the house. She doesn't answer, so he calls for and looks for Rex. He doesn't answer either. He panics, and he starts to cut himself to prove he isn't dreaming as Hannah walks in the room. It was such an emotional scene, and so well acted by Jason.

The cinematography gives the audience a clue to which reality he is in. The colors of the world in one reality (the one where his son is alive) are a bit muted, and the world with his wide is crisp and clear.

I really like this show, and I hope it is successful because I'd like to see where the writers take it.

Smash: The Cost of Art

Ivy is turning into a diva now that she has the part of Marilyn.

In the first rehearsals for the workshop Ivy is upset that no one told her Karen would be in the ensemble. She complains that Karen is singing too loud and dancing too big, so she gets Karen kicked out of a bunch of numbers. Her goal, I'm sure is to get her kicked out of the entire workshop. I'm surprised she has so much power over Derek and Tom. It's not like she's a big name star they could lose if she doesn't get what she wants. I mean, who's in charge here? Seems like it's Ivy.

So, anyone who's done any Broadway shows help me out here. How many actors audition for a leading role (trying to get out of the chorus), and they are cast in the chorus because they'll take any role? I've only done community and semi-professional theatre, and it happens all the time. I'm just surprised that Ivy would be shocked that Karen was cast in the ensemble. A job is a job.

This show is getting so heavy handed in telling us who we should like and who we shouldn't. It's so blatant how horribly Ivy is treating Karen. And then she gets Tom into her "hate Karen-fest." There is no subtlety. I don't want to dislike Tom. I like Tom.

Julia is trying to avoid Michael, and he is not trying to avoid her. We know where this is going to lead. I don't want her to hurt her husband, Frank. I like him. Look how we get so involved in the fictional characters on shows we like.

Karen is so upset about being kicked out of the numbers that she sounds off to one of the ensemble, Jessica, who is a good friend of Ivy's. Karen tells her she should be helping her. So Jessica does help her, along with two other members of the ensemble, Bobby and Sue. They give her a "chorus makeover." It's nice that Karen is finally making friends after everyone treated her like crap at the first rehearsal.

Derek is throwing a birthday party for Lyle West (Nick Jonas), a famous young TV star who was in a show Derek directed many years before. Tom is upset that Derek is telling people he discovered Lyle, because Tom says he discovered him. I'm not really familiar with Nick Jonas, but I think he actually has a nice voice.

Eileen is still trying to get the two hundred thousand dollars together she needs for the workshop, and tries to sell a Degas Jerry gave her. But she finds out that because the bill of sale is in Jerry's name, she can't sell it to an art dealer or auction it off. Julia tells Eileen that she should go to Derek's party for Lyle, and she mentions that he is a millionaire. Light bulb! Eileen goes to the party and brings the Degas along with her. You never know when someone would want to buy a Degas.

Nick is interested in putting money in the show, but he wants to see a number from the show first. Ivy sings "I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn't Love to Howl." She has her impromptu chorus: Julia, Michael, Ellis, and a couple of servers. In true musical theatre fashion, they all know the words and dance steps. Lyle even joins in. A Degas is sold, and Eileen gets her money.

Karen's new friends teach her how to blend in with the rest of the chorus, and they all go to a bar so she can practice in front of an audience. In the middle of the song Karen has her own diva moment when she breaks away from the chorus. We have to be reminded that Karen is really a star too, and she will probably get her chance to be in the starring role.

Observations:

Eileen has a poster of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with Daniel Radcliffe.

I want to eat where Tom and Ivy had lunch, right in the middle of Time Square.

Derek and Tom used to be best friends. When are we going to learn this story?

Quotes:

Julia: First days, I love first days.

Julia: Drop it, drop it, drop it.

Eileen: I know about his family and their stupid money.

Derek: The road to Broadway is exceedingly long.

Derek: Nobody's anybody until we start rehearsing.

Karen: I'm an actress, I'm not supposed to keep my head down, I'm supposed to play to the balcony.

Lyle: Only $200,000?
Eileen: For those of us not in syndication, it's quite a lot.

Derek: There's nothing safe about being a star.

Movie/Stage Review: Love Never Dies

Love Never Dies, the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, was not a hit in London, and received mostly negative reviews. When it closed, it was rewritten, reworked, and then restaged in Melbourne, Australia to mostly positive reviews. The stage production was filmed and plays for two nights only at movie theaters. The first night was Tuesday, February 28th. The second is March 7th.

When you walk into the movie theater, you hear the sound of an audience in a theatre. Not a movie theater, but a theatre for live performances. There is a different sound of the audience of a theatre for live performances from a movie theater.

The commercials before the main feature were also different from those before a movie. There were commercials for Sister Act, the musical, and Ghost, the musical, both playing on Broadway. And there was a commercial for a touring show, Memphis.

Then they showed what's coming up next with Fathom Events. The Comedy of Errors, She Stoops to Conquer, and Casablanca. I'm excited that you can see these types of shows/movies on the big screen.

Before the main feature began there was a segment on the filming of the production that featured Andrew Lloyd Webber. It was interesting to hear how they decided to film the production, and what went into it. However, it went a bit long and soon I was just ready to see the show.

I am not the biggest fan of The Phantom of the Opera. My closest friends could tell you how I feel about it. But I have to say that I enjoyed Love Never Dies better than The Phantom of the Opera. Shocker! Like Phantom, it is heavy on spectacle and light on plot. As I once heard Sylvia Fine Kaye (Danny Kaye's wife) say, "the plot was so thin, its slip is showing."

So, here's the plot: Madam Giry helped the Phantom escape from the Paris Opera house ten years before, and they, along with Madam Giry's daughter, Meg, went to America. They found a place for themselves among the artists and freaks at Coney Island. In the ten years they have been there, the Phantom has pined for Christine.

Christine has married Raoul and had a son, and she believes that the Phantom is dead. Christine's marriage to Raoul is not a happy one as Raoul is a drinker and a gambler (sounds a bit like Gaylord Ravenal from Show Boat). The Phantom lures Christine to New York on the pretense that Oscar Hammerstein I (that's the grandfather of the Oscar we are familiar with) wants her to sing in his Opera house in New York City. Once she's there, the Phantom tricks Christine into promising to sing his song in his Coney Island show, Phantasma. Raoul knows that if she sings, he has lost her. I won't say what she does. Oh, and Christine's son is 10 years old and loves to write music. I'll let you guess that surprise on your own.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said in the segment before the show that he thinks this is his best score. There are many songs by Lloyd Webber from other musicals (even The Phantom of the Opera) that I like better than those in this show, but I think it has a decent score. The lyrics are not the best, but no lyrics for ALW shows have ever lived up to those by Tim Rice. Fans of The Phantom of the Opera will be happy to hear some familiar melodies from that musical interspersed through Love Never Dies. The score is very operatic, but one song, "The Beauty Underneath," has more of a rock beat, a little like "The Phantom of the Opera" from the original, and it seems very out of place.

The Phantom of the Opera was all about spectacle: the staircase, the giant candles coming up from the stage, and the chandelier. Love Never Dies has some spectacular sets too, but it's not quite as grand as Phantom, and I liked the set for many scenes. The musical is set at Coney Island, and one set looks like a roller coaster, but theatrical. That set also has a giant warped mask on stage right. It was effective. There was another beautiful set that was a circle of giant peacock feathers. It was my favorite.


The costumes were extremely well done. I love the styles of that period (early 1900s). I especially loved Christine's beautiful gowns, and when she sees the Phantom again, of course she's wearing a white gown. And, so as not to disappoint true fans, she does wear the white dressing gown made famous in The Phantom of the Opera later when she's in her dressing room.

I had a problem with the casting of the Phantom himself. He just seemed too young. His voice was beautiful, and he certainly could sing the score, but he wasn't believable to me as the Phantom. It also annoys me that they make him out to be this great romantic hero, just as they did in The Phantom of the Opera. If you've read the book, you know that he is not a good man. He kills people. He kidnaps people. The book is a detective novel, not a romance novel.

There's one thing I have to say about Christine, I don't know if she ever closes her mouth. Her mouth isn't wide open, but her lips are always apart like she's always under some spell (this is something I noticed in the film of The Phantom of the Opera too). I don't know if it's a specific direction given to every girl who plays Christine, but it bugs me.

My favorite of the cast was Meg Giry. She did an excellent job. I really liked her "Bathing Beauty" number. The costuming in that number was very fun. The little boy who played Gustave, Christine's son also did a very good job.

There are some very melodramatic parts in the musical that made me want to laugh, because the melodrama was so big, but I reminded myself that this is stage acting, not film. In stage acting you have to play to the balcony so they understand the emotion. In film it's close up, and a little goes a long way. In this production sometimes the acting was over the top.

I decided to go into the show with no bias, and judge it solely on its own merits, and I discovered many merits. It's not a perfect musical, but that honor for me only goes to Man of La Mancha. I would love it if they filmed a good stage version of that. The movie version is so bad.

Love Never Dies will be shown again at movie theaters on March 7th in case you want to see it. If you like musicals I recommend that you see it, especially if you like The Phantom of the Opera.

Grimm: Last Grimm Standing

I think this is my favorite episode so far. Nick and Monroe's friendship has been growing more over the last episodes, and this week Nick was willing to fight in Monroe's place to save his life. Go Nick! Monroe's done plenty for you, it's about time you stepped up for him.

The show is still quite gruesome, as it begins with the brutal murder of an older couple. The Wesen who killed them is dragged away by other Wesen on horseback. He has been forced to fight in what is known in the Wesen community as "The Lowen Games," and he escaped from the "fold." Having tasted the blood of fighting, he can't help himself from killing more. Wesen scum are forced to fight in a ring for the entertainment of other Wesen. It's a modern-day  gladiators, or fight club. This wasn't Wesen acting uniquely Wesen, this was Wesen doing what humans might actually do too.

We find out that Renard is involved in the games. He was giving Taymor, the man who ran the games, names of Wesen gang bangers and drug dealers to fight in the games. I want to know what is up with Renard. Is he a good Wesen or a bad Wesen? (Are you a good witch or a bad witch?) If he's good, I would assume he would somehow be able to help more on all these cases that involve Wesen, which is every case.  

Juliette finds a diamond ring in Nick's drawer, and it's their anniversary. Nick assures Julliette that he will be home in time for dinner to celebrate, but with everything that happens on the case, not least of all trying to save Monroe's life, he is late for dinner. This doesn't bode well for their relationship. Poor Julliette. Nick's relationship with Monroe is growing as his relationship with Juliette is starting to fall apart. Until he can tell Juliette that he's a Grimm, Monroe is the only person he can confide in about about it.

In the end, Monroe is caught after trying to help Nick investigate the games, and he is taken to the ring to fight. He's not doing well when Nick finally comes. Nick offers to fight in Monroe's place. Nick and Monroe fight side by side until the police come and break up the fight. It was great watching the two look out for each other, and Nick really stepped up at the end.

Taymor escapes before he can get caught by the police, and Renard, who was angry with him because he used more Wesens than just the names he gave him, sends a priest out to teach him a lesson. This isn't any old priest this was a Wesen who can, and did, get vicious. So, we know Renard will get revenge on those who cross him (no pun intended).

As I said before, I really liked this episode and I hope the show continues with more like this one.

Smash: Enter Mr. DiMaggio

Enter Will Chase. And another broadway actor is added to Smash.

Ivy is finally wondering if she got the part because she slept with the director. Listen Ivy, the best way to not have to wonder that, is not sleep with the director. What a novel idea.

Derek asks Karen to meet him at a restaurant. He tells her that a lot can happen in five years before the show makes it to Broadway. Yes, a totally different girl could come along who is better than Ivy, and yes, even better than Karen. Does Derek really want Karen to have the part of Marilyn, or is she just a young vulnerable wanna-be actress he hasn't been able to seduce yet with his good looks and London accent?

The production team is trying to cast the men in Marilyn's life: Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller, and JFK. Derek and Eileen go to see Michael Swift (Will Chase) at a show, after being told he may work for Joe. The thing about New York, is there are so many places you can go to hear people sing, so there are many excuses for musical numbers. This one is a cover of "Grenade" by Bruno Mars. I'm not much of a fan of that song. I think the lyrics are ridiculous. It's like saying I will give you the moon. Really? Let me know when that happens, and I'll buy it. Julia isn't excited about casting Michael as Joe D because she has a "past" with him that no one knows about. Michael is a little reticent to take the part, because he knows what the "past" is.

Derek and Eileen run into Jerry again, and again he goads her into throwing a drink in his face. Will Jerry learn? Tune into the next scene with Eileen and Jerry to find out. Eileen is trying to get money for the show by hocking her jewelry, and by trying to get backers without Jerry, but no one wants to back a show without Jerry. This proves it people, sexism is alive and well in New York City.

Ellis's friends think that he should be paid for giving Tom and Julia the idea about "Marilyn, the Musical." So, he starts thinking. Ellis and "thinking" are not a good combination. He steals Karen's notebook. Ooh, this war! Don't ever steal a writer's notebook. I want to know what he saw in the notebook that was so interesting he didn't even tell his girlfriend what it was. Now, as much as I don't like Ellis, I agree that he should get some credit for giving them the idea. I may change my mind if he gets a whole lot sleazier, but right now I say, "Give the guy some credit and maybe he'll be a bit nicer."

Julia and Michael run into each other at Eileen's office. They talk and they're both a little uncomfortable. And the most uncomfortable line is Michael's when he says, "You smell good." I like Julia at this point in the show, I like Julia's husband and I like Micheal's wife, so I hope the show doesn't go where it predictably could go. Surprise us Smash and don't go there.

Karen goes home to Iowa for a friend's baby shower. Karen's friends are just so enthusiastic. I can just hear the director's direction to these actresses. ("Girls, you haven't seen Karen in ages, and you are soooo excited to see her and to hear her sing. Give me excitement.") They talk Karen into singing karaoke. It's so funny that she sings "Redneck Woman." Do all New Yorkers think all non-New Yorkers are hicks from the sticks? She's from Iowa, not Arkansas. And, how many of those New Yorkers are originally from the sticks themselves? I'm not that sold on Katharine McPhee being Megan Hilty's "competition" for the part of Marilyn. Maybe for another role, but not Marilyn. Yes, she has a great voice, and I don't mind her acting too much, but she doesn't have a presence like Megan. I'm not bought on the fact that Derek and Julia might pick her over Ivy. Just saying.

Tom is not happy when he finds out that Ivy and Derek are sleeping together, and Julia tells Tom that things like that happen in the theatre. Tom thinks that Derek is taking advantage of Ivy. Julia says maybe Ivy is taking advantage of Derek. It's sad how neither of them think they might be in love, they just suspect one of them having an agenda. Because people just sleep together at the drop of a hat these days, and love doesn't have anything to do with it. (I'll get off my soapbox now.)

Julia finally tells Tom that she had a show crush on Michael many years ago, and one day they bumped into each other when they were both alone in the city. They kissed, and then they had an affair that lasted for quite a while. Now it's been over for a while, and she asks Tom to help her to not go back there and to not tell anyone. Of course Ellis overhears. What's he going to do with this information? Also, Tom says that his history with Derek is "terrible." I wonder what that story is.

Okay, let's get to the only original song this week: "Mr. And Mrs. Smith." It's a pretty little song, but a bit of a yawner for me. I like the upbeat songs better. However, I know that not all songs in a musical should be upbeat. You need to have a good balance of upbeat and ballads. At least it didn't have a lyric that said, "I'll give you the moon."

Pic of the Week: The Happiest Place on Earth

Stage Review: Zorro, a Musical

Hale Centre Theatre was the given the opportunity to stage the American premiere of Zorro, the musical. This musical had a successful run on London's West End, and in other countries in Europe. It is looking to open on Broadway in two years. The production was entertaining, full of fire (literally) and magic (literally), and I enjoyed seeing a different story of Zorro. However, I had problems with some parts of the production.

The music is by the Gipsy Kings, but some of the songs were not written specifically for Zorro, they were from albums by the Gipsy Kings released in the late 80s and early 90s. These songs were enjoyable, but they felt different from the other songs. It was like half of a juke box musical (musicals written around already familiar songs, such as Mamma Mia). Although, I must say that it definitely had more of a plot than most of the jukebox musicals.

The script is okay, and it had a few clever quips, and I like clever quips. At one point, Zorro saves Luisa by creating a diversion with multiple Zorros keeping the guards wondering which is the real one. When Luisa asks him what took him so long, he says, "You try buying seven Zorro outfits."

Most of the actors' "Spanish" or "Mexican" accents were passable. I do not like it when foreign accents are used on stage, unless it's only one or two characters who use them because they need to be distinguished from the rest of the characters. The main reasons I don't think accents should be used is because not everyone can do a decent accent, and also because sometimes it's difficult to understand what they are saying. I had a little difficulty understanding some of the actors, and one character in particular.

The flamenco dancing was commendable and entertaining, but I really didn't see a reason for most of it. Was it needed to further the plot? No. Most of the time it just felt like it was thrown in to showcase the dancing. The plot just stopped, and once the plot got going, I wanted it to keep going and not be interrupted by dancing. Some of the dancers did the flamenco well, but some looked very awkward in that style of dance. I'm sure flamenco is not an easy style to learn and master in the amount of rehearsal time they had.

The acting was good, especially by Luisa (Megan Lynn Heaps) and Inez (Rebecca Joy Raboy). I enjoyed Casey Elliot when he played the fop, Diego more than when he was Zorro. He also had a pleasant singing voice. Luisa also had a beautiful voice, but Casey and Megan's voices were different styles, and sometimes they didn't blend well in their duets. Ramon (Preston Yates) had a beautiful voice, I wish he had more songs. I felt he could have broken into Stars sung by Javert in Les Miserables, and he would have sounded right at home. Garcia was played by Jeffrey Whitlock, and he has such good comedic timing. His character was well developed.

The set by Kasey Udy was quite ambitious, and it was very striking (no theatrical pun intended). I especially liked the gallows. That's not something you can say everyday.

The musical number, "In One Day," was so effective and moving. The women sang it as the gallows appeared and their husbands were led to the gallows to be hanged.

There was a guitarist who played a solo at the beginning, and I wish that, if he were really playing, that it hadn't been amplified. It would have been so effective to have a single, accoustic guitar. When he followed the other gypsies off stage as they were leaving Spain to go to California, it reminded me of the fiddler at the end of Fiddler on the Roof when he follows Tevye and his family as they leave Anatevka.

There were many times when they used smoke, and it can be a good effect, but when the audience is so close to the stage, it can choke them. I remember being in the first row at performance of Camelot at that theatre, and the smoke was so thick that I had problems breathing. It's not a good feeling.

Part of the plot reminded me of The Lion King. Diego (like Simba) runs away from his duty, and settles for a more carefree life. His brother (instead of his uncle) takes over after the "death" of Diego's father, and rules like a tyrant. Diego's childhood girl friend, Luisa (like Nala) finds him and asks him to return and save their people from the wicked Ramon (like Scar).

Zorro offered an entertaining evening, and it's nice to see it on the road to Broadway. I'm interested to see how it does there.