Live Musical Theatre Makes a Comeback on Television: I Hope There's No Way to Stop It

I know it's been almost a month since the live broadcast of The Sound of Music, but I wanted to post a few of my thoughts about it.

The best thing to come from the show is that it had enough viewers to make network execs open to the idea of producing more live musical theatre on television. And to me, my friends, that made every negative thing said and written worth it.

So, here are a few words of what I liked and what I didn't like about the production.

What I Liked:

Audra McDonald, Laura Benanti, and Christian Borle. When you have Broadway actors of their calibre, it can't do anything but lift the production (not to mention Christiane Noll and Jessica Molaskey as two of the nuns).

Laura Benanti and Christian Borle singing "No Way to Stop It." I've loved that song ever since I was a small child when I listened to the Broadway cast recording of The Sound of Music on our family record player. I didn't understand what the song was about when I listened to it as a child, but I loved the music and lyrics anyway.

I know it will probably seem strange, but because I love live musical theatre, and I'm very familiar with performing onstage, I was a bit thrilled with the minor flubs in the production that proved we were watching a live performance. Carrie's foot slipped a little when she sang the title song on the little fake mountainside, her voice slipped a bit too, and I thought, yes, it really is live! One of the Captain's guests stepped on Elsa's dress, and Laura acknowledged it briefly and then moved on, just like you would have to do in a live stage production. Also, I went back later to rewatched the moment when lines were either missed, dropped or forgotten during the conversation between the Captain and the Nazi officer, to notice Christian Borle's (Max) reaction, and he didn't react to it at all. That is a professional stage actor.

I loved the theatricality when the wall opened and Maria walked from the Von Trapp home right into the Abbey, and when the family walked from the home into the concert hall. I wanted more theatricality like that.

It was a musical - live - on television!!!

What I Didn't Like:

I don't think that The Sound of Music was the greatest choice to try to bring back the "live television musical." Yes, the musical is well-known, because most everyone has seen the 1965 film. However, it's just not a very exciting musical. It's not very entertaining to me. I think the movie is much better than the stage play, however, it's still not one of my favorite musicals - or movies (sorry, Rogers and Hammerstein). Although, I am glad they didn't try to "remake" the movie.

Why, oh why did they put Rolf in those shorts? Who thought that was a good idea? If they thought it would make him look younger, then their choice failed miserably.

In general, because I don't really like the musical, I was pretty bored. Yes, the fact that it was live was exciting, and again, I loved McDonald, Benanti and Borle. However, the production just wasn't very entertaining to me. Stage musicals are best seen live - in person - so to make them interesting and entertaining on television, you really have to have a show that catches your attention, whether it's from the plot, the set, the production numbers, or the performances. It had its bright spots, but all-in-all, this production just didn't do it for me.

Other Observations:

I can't end this review without talking about Carrie Underwood's performance. I think she sang the part well, and I don't want to bash her, because that was a brave thing she did. But there is no denying that her acting ability is nowhere near that of her costars. Casting her brought one of the results the producers wanted - brought in viewers. But casting her didn't do the production much good.

The Time of the Doctor: Behind the Scenes

If you haven't seen "The Time of the Doctor," you probably won't want to watch this video until you do, because it does contain spoilers.

As I said in my last post, I am sad to see Matt go, and I got a little teary-eyed when they showed him at the table-read for this episode. And, it made me like Matt (the person) even more.

I really liked David Tennant's simple "I don't want to go," but I do have to say that Matt's little speech before his regeneration was some of Moffat's best writing. And as much as I have complained about Moffat's writing during Matt's time as the Doctor, I did like the regeneration scene.

Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor - Mini Review

We said goodbye to Matt Smith's 11th (?) Doctor on Christmas Day. (The parenthetical question mark is due to the fact that Stephen Moffat has messed up the numbering of the Doctors regenerations.) My main question after seeing the episode is "why can't we get a new showrunner with the new Doctor?"

I wanted to like this episode - so much. I want to like Doctor Who still - so much. But Stephen Moffat is slowly ruining the show for me - so much.

*sigh*

Stephen wrote some of my favorite Doctor Who episodes during Russell T. Davies time as the head writer. ("Blink," "The Girl in the Fireplace," "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead"). He writes Sherlock, which I love. So I don't understand how he's missed the mark so many times during Matt's time as the Doctor.

Regardless of my many frustrations with Matt's farewell episode, I am sad to see Matt go. I have really enjoyed him as the Doctor. However, I am looking forward to Peter Capaldi's Doctor, and I hope that we get some classic traveling to new places, seeing the Doctor's joy at introducing his companion to new worlds and new adventures. That is Doctor Who to me - adventures in time and space!

Sherlock is Coming Back!

The mini-episodes Stephen Moffat has written for Doctor Who have been so successful that he decided to make one for Sherlock.

I'm so excited for Sherlock's return!

Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor Trailer

I am so excited to see this, and so sad to see Matt Smith go...

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor: The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot

The Doctor Who 50^th Anniversary weekend is over, and I have a lot of things to say about An Adventure in Time and Space and “The Day of the Doctor.” However, until I get all of my thoughts together into one (or more) posts, please enjoy “The Day of the Doctor: The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.”

What a treat for all Doctor Who fans!

(Thanks to Ruth from Booktalk & More for posting this video.)

These Guys Give a Lot of Thought to Their Facial Hair

Just because...

2013 National Beard and Mustache Championships

Best Google Home Page Ever

Here's a little bit of Doctor Who fun as we get closer to "The Day of the Doctor."

That is all.

I'll Never See Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway

Okay, I'm not saying I'll never see the musical on Broadway because I don't want to, because I would see pretty much anything on Broadway if I could. I'm saying I'll never see it because, after three years, the most expensive Broadway musical ever is closing.

Even though Spider-Man has grossed around $203 million dollars, the $75 million dollar musical is closing at a loss of $60 million. Ouch, that hurts!

However, this is not the end of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Producers are moving the show to Las Vegas, where this aerial-heavy type of show does very well. They're hoping to see any kind of return on their investment in Sin City.

Side note: Another big musical may be taking Spidey's place in the Foxwood Theater. Producers of the Australian musical, King Kong, may be moving their 20-foot tall title character into the theatre. Let's hope the producers don't lose $60 million dollars on this $30 million dollar musical.

The Landfill Harmonic: Recycled Music

This is one of the coolest stories I've heard in a long time.

An Adventure in Time and Space: Trailer

More Doctor Who celebration goodness!

I haven't seen many classic Doctor Who episodes, but I'm excited to see how it all began.

Doctor Who: The Night of the Doctor

Can I just say how great it is to see this Doctor again!

Now I'm even more ready for "The Day of the Doctor."

Maleficent: The Poster

Even if the movie is a bomb, at least they have a cool poster.

I Just Decided that I Really Like Jennifer Lawrence

I'm sure that when they attend movie premieres most movie stars just want to get down the red carpet, get their pictures taken and get into the movie theater to see their film. Yes, they'll give their autographs to fans and maybe let the fan take a picture with them, but that's about it.

It's nice to hear about a movie star who takes the time to notice the fans and see that one might need a little extra attention.

I smiled (and maybe teared up a bit) when I saw this video.

Way to go, Jennifer!

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor Trailer 2

Another trailer for "The Day of the Doctor."

All I can say is, "Wow!"

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor Trailer

Can. Not. Wait!

November 23rd can't get here soon enough.

The Sound of Music: More News and a Trailer

So, I think that one of the main thing that viewers of NBC's live stage version of The Sound of Music will complain about is that it isn’t like the movie. I just read the list of songs for the soundtrack, which will be released around December 3rd, and it looks like they will be using the script for the original Broadway version, and not the movie. I’m excited that they’re actually doing the stage version.

Some of the differences from the stage version and the movie are:

• “My Favorite Things” will be sung by the Mother Abbess (Audra McDonald) to Maria before she goes to the Von Trapp’s, instead of Maria singing it to the children during the thunder storm
• That means Maria will sing “The Lonely Goatherd” to the children when they are afraid of the thunder storm, not while presenting a puppet show to their father and Baroness Schraeder
• Maria won’t sing “I Have Confidence,” which was written for the movie
• They will be doing two songs that were not in the movie: "How Can Love Survive," and my favorite song from the musical, “No Way to Stop It.” I'm excited to hear Laura Benanti and Christian Borle sing both of these songs.

The Von Trapp children have been cast. The majority of the kids have theatre backgrounds, and since they didn't cast any "big names," I'm sure they can act and sing or they wouldn't have been cast. Actually, I'm pretty happy with their casting so far, I just hope Carrie can act and Stephen Moyer can sing. *wink* The young actors are: Ariane Rinehart (Liesl), Michael Nigro (Fredrich), Ella Watts-Gorman (Louisa), Joe West (Kurt), Sophia Caruso (Brigitta), Grace Rundhaug (Marta), and Peyton Ella (Gretl).

I am getting more and more excited about the production, and I hope that it gets good reviews and ratings and that NBC and other networks will produce more musical productions like this one.

EW has just posted a trailer for the musical. Since the show will be broadcast live, the trailer shows rehearsal footage. Fun!

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: FZZT

Okay, I’m finally going to post a review of an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., because even though the show has started out slow, it’s finally starting to build up momentum. I’ve been hoping that it would get better, and it has.

I liked episodes 5 & 6, but I loved this week’s episode, “FZZT.” I have been waiting for an episode that had more of Fitz and Simmons, and this episode gave it to me – and now I love the pair. I was happy that the focus wasn't on Skye and Ward again. I like their characters, but when you have an ensemble show, you need to give the other members of the ensemble a chance to shine, so the audience cares about them.

I loved that the episode started with a scene that is so normal and then brought in the “paranormal.” A bunch of boy scouts are out camping, it’s night time, and the leader is telling them scary stories around the campfire. And then scary actually start to happen, including metal objects levitating. And then their leader ends up dead, suspended in the air. This is a death that Rick Castle would go absolutely bonkers for. *wink*

I loved the scene with Skye, Fitz, and Simmons imitating Ward. These are the kinds of scenes among characters where we learn who they are and if we like them or not. I like them.

Another great (and emotional) scene was when Coulson realizes that Diaz is going to die and he talks to him about “the other side” to try to help him deal with the fact. I just can’t imagine what it would be like to know you only had minutes to live. Scary.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show where a character has to find a vaccine (or “anti-serum”) for an virus that they've been infected with (in this case, an alien virus) in a certain amount of time or they’ll die. Just watching Simmons trying to figure out how to save herself and the rest of the crew who will die also if she doesn’t find a cure, and Fitz watching helplessly made me emotional. And then when Fitz goes into the room where she has been quarantined to help her I just like him even more. It was so well written and acted. I love these two!

This episode was just chock-full of emotional scenes. When Simmons tells Coulson to tell her father first about her death because her mother would probably be able to take the news better if it came from him, I thought, how much more can I take?

Simmons’ rescue was great. I wish that Fitz would have been the one to rescue her, but it really wouldn’t have been true to his character to be able to jump out of a plane and know what to do, so it made sense that Ward did it, but it was a great save. And I loved Coulson reprimanding Simmons after they picked her and Ward out of the water. It was like a father scolding his child because he loved her.

I really hope that the series continues with great episodes and that we get to know the characters better, and it isn’t just about the “missions.” I love character-driven stories.

The Drowsy Chaperone: The Movie

Another Broadway musical has been greenlighted (greenlit?) for the big screen. I didn't even know that The Drowsy Chaperone was even being thought about to adapt for the screen, but I am so excited about it. I was in the musical three years ago (I played Mrs. Tottendale), and I love the show.

Me as Mrs. Tottendale 

(I actually found this picture on Google - cool, eh?)

I read that Geoffrey Rush will be playing Man in Chair, and that Hugh Jackman is reading the script and may play Aldolfo. I would love to see him in a real comedic role. The musical is so theatrical, so I'm interested in seeing how they adapt it for film.

Who's Better, Thor or Loki? Well, Tom Hiddleston, Of Course

Thanks, Ruth at Booktalk and More, for posting this...

Drop Dead Diva: Renewed for a 6th Season

Yes, Drop Dead Diva is coming back for season 6!

I am so glad, especially after seeing how the season 5 ended on Sunday. If that had been the series finale I would have been more than miffed.

Mickey's Halloween Party

I just got back from Disneyland. I've been to The Happiest Place on Earth during the Halloween season, but I've never attended Mickey's Halloween Party before. When you attend the party, you have run of the park after it closes, trick-or-treating all over the park, getting your picture taken with a score of Disney characters, enjoying a special Halloween parade, riding the rides (of course), and seeing the park in a whole new light.

Usually only children can dress up in costume at Disneyland, but adults can dress up too for Mickey's Halloween Party. I've never seen so many Disney princesses in my life - especially Snow Whites. I even ran into the witches from Hocus Pocus. Their costumes were great, as were their props.

I haven't been trick-or-treating since I was a kid. Let me tell you that you haven't gone trick-or-treating until you've done it at Disneyland. There are candy stations all over the park, you just have to get in line and collect all the candy you can imagine.

I had photo-ops with Disney characters I've never seen in the park before: Cruella Deville, Dr. Facilier (from The Princess and the Frog), The Evil Queen (from Snow White), Maleficent, Hades (from Hercules), the Stepmother and Stepsisters, and Pocahontas. It was so much fun.

Now, tell me if you've ever seen the train station covered in spiderwebs...

...a green Sleeping Beauty's castle...

...or it's a small world covered with pumpkins...

...if you haven't, book a trip to spend next year at Mickey's Halloween Party.

2013 Fall Season: My Thoughts So Far

Every summer I look forward to the return of my favorite TV series and to discovering new favorites. This year is no different. Most of the shows I'll be watching through this new season have already started. Grimm is the only one that hasn't had its season premiere. Below are my thoughts on the shows I'm watching (and some I may not continue to watch) this season.

***Possible Spoilers Ahead***

Returning Series I'm Watching

Once Upon a Time: Oh, where do I start? This show is not so much a favorite of mine anymore. I became disillusioned with the direction of the show last season (particularly when Greg and Tamara showed up), and I'm not sold on this Neverland setting yet or on the depiction of the Neverland characters. For me, the show has jumped the shark. Or should I say "jumped the mermaid"?

I feel like the writers are just creating their own characters and giving them names of fairy tale characters or names of well-known characters in books in the public domain, just to fit into the story they want to tell. The characters in the show don't resemble the characters they are based on at all. I'm all for deconstructing fairy tales. These stories have already been changed throughout the centuries, they've been told and retold, and many stories have been based on them. But I don't like it as much when they take characters created by authors we have heard of, and are loved by millions. James Barrie created a well-loved character named Peter Pan, and he has specific qualities that make him well-loved. Once Upon a Time has twisted that character into someone who isn't Peter Pan to me. He just has that name. Sure, the writers can do what they want and write him they way they want. I just don't have to like it. And I don't.

And don't get me started about the cliche's they keep repeating over and over. "Magic comes with a price." "I will always find you." "Believe in magic." "Believe in who you are." Please, come up with some new themes. 

I'm also bored with the fact that these first episodes of the new season are just everyone looking for someone. The journey in this case is not what matters. It's just annoying watching the main characters searching through the woods of Neverland trying to find Henry, they come close to finding him, and then they're thwarted. If that's all we get this season, I'm definitely done with it.

I may continue to watch this show, but mostly out of curiosity, not because I love it.

Drop Dead Diva: I really like this show, and I like the characters. However, I'm more interested in the new cases they get every week than in what is happening to the characters in their personal lives. I'm not sure I like the Owen/Stacy relationship, and I just want Jane and Grayson to get together, and I don't want it to happen in the last episode. I want to see them happy together for a few episodes before the series finale. However, they may surprise us all and not have them get together. I will be disappointed if they don't, but we'll have to see.

Beauty and the Beast: This series started with a twist, and I like it. As long as it doesn't make Vincent's "amnesia" like Juliette's amnesia in Grimm and drag it out through most of the season, I'll be happy (it's good to learn from the mistakes others have made). When this series first aired last fall, I didn't like it very much. I was comparing too much with the Beauty and the Beast series from the 80's that I loved, and it was nothing like that series. So I was a bit disappointed. But then I stopped comparing it to that show, and began to enjoy it for what it was - not a remake, but a reworking of its original premise. I even like Kristen Kreuk as Catherine now.

Castle: I was talking to a friend about the first few episodes of this series, and we both agreed that the plot line of having Beckett get a job in Washington D.C. and then losing it after only a few episodes was just superfluous. Other than that though, I am really enjoying this season so far. Nathan Fillion's Rick Castle is such a great character, and he never ceases to entertain. The episodes so far have been entertaining as usual.

Arrow: I've really been looking forward to the new season of Arrow. It ended with a bang (literally) last Spring, but I think it's started back with a bit of a whimper. I'm ready for it to pick up again and get really exciting.

Nashville: This is one of those shows that has things I love about it (the music, Deacon, Juliette, the Stella sisters), and things I dislike (the Teddy and Peggy plot line). It's a typical soap opera, with some really good country music. I'm excited to look forward to Tuesdays again to see if there are songs from the next episode I want to buy. 

Big Bang Theory: I still love this show. Last week's episode was actually one of my favorite episodes ever of this show. I loved the scavenger hunt and how they broke out into teams, and didn't have the couples together. The dynamics with each team were so funny. I love this show when it isn't vulgar (which it can often be, unfortunately).  

Grimm: Still waiting for the season premiere. I'm so excited for this one!

New Series I'm Watching

Sleepy Hollow: I already posted about this show when it premiered. I still really like it. It's darker than I thought it would be, the demons are freakier than Buffy ever had (unless you consider the episode Hush, and no demon could be freakier than that),  and the mythology is not only doing a National Treasure-type look into American history, it's also doing a bit of its own interpretation of the bible.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: I really want to like this show because I love three of Joss Whedon's former series (Buffy, Angel and Firefly). I also like The Avengers film. I enjoyed last week's episode (episode 3), but the rest have been underwhelming for me. I like Agent Coulsen, but I haven't grown attached to any of the other characters. There are some good "Whedonesque" lines, but sometimes the humorous dialogue seems forced. I will continue to watch and hope that it grows on me, but this may be one I drop from my list.

The Tomorrow People: So far I like this show. I like the premise, and I think it can lend itself to some good episodes. I like Stephen (Robbie Amell), the main character. 

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: My biggest issue with this show is that we know what Alice is looking for, and she probably won't find him until the end of the season. I hate that. I can't stand shows where there is no resolution for 24 episodes. There's such a unsatisfactory feeling at the end of every episode. Other than that, I kind of liked the first episode, mainly because of the Knave of Hearts. He kind of reminds me of Christopher Eccleston as the ninth Doctor (on Doctor Who). He's a Northern Englander, he wears a cool leather jacket, and he has a similar demeanor as Eccleston's Doctor. I just don't know if it's worth watching for him only.

It's strange to have Jafar from Agrabah in Wonderland (but this is Once Upon Time after all, and ABC belongs to Disney), and the acting of the Red Queen drives me up the wall. Her overacting (or "schmacting") reminds me of Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Huntsman. The CGI is not good, and that is annoying also.

I'll give the show a chance, but if it keeps on with no resolution to anything, and if it's like Lost or Once Upon a Time where it brings up questions that are never answered, I don't know if I'll continue to watch it - no matter how much I like the Knave of Hearts.

Reign: Mary Queen of Scots is a historical figure that I've always held a fascination for. Basing a series on the early life of the Scottish Queen, it looks like the CW wanted to create its own "network" version of the The Tudors. The show is fully of pretty girls and handsome men - typical for the CW (and really most TV series as well), and the time period gives it the opportunity for a lush look. The costumes are pretty, but definitely not accurate to the period. In fact pretty much everything, other than the subject matter, the setting, and modes of transportation, is modern. We'll see how historically accurate the show will be. Since we don't know details of each day in the life of Mary and those around her between 1558 and 1560, I think it will be more a matter of filling in the blanks with fictional plot points than being blatantly historically inaccurate.

Being that this series is on the CW, it's not surprising that there's a bit of the supernatural in the show. I don't mind it too much since there was a lot of superstition in the 16th century. However, if anyone turns out to be a vampire, I'll be dropping the show faster than you can say, "Nostradamus."

It's funny that everyone speaks with an English accent (even the actors who aren't English), even though everyone is French except for Mary, who is Scottish. Although, since Mary had been in France since she was nine, she wouldn't have had a Scottish accent anyway.

It's exciting to see Megan Fellows as the Queen of France. Many are familiar with her from the Canadian miniseries, Anne of Green Gables. It looks like she will be one of the "villains" of the show, since she is against Mary. I love her line, "We're overrun, by Scots."

The pilot set up a bunch of romantics plots, the question about how Mary will cause the death of Francis (he actually died two years after he and Mary married), and politically intrigue. We'll see if any of these plots get interesting. 

So, what shows are you glad to have back, and what new shows do you like? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Smash's Musical will Come to Life on the Stage

No, it's not Bombshell. As you can tell from the picture above, it's Hit List. And it's not getting a real stage production, it will only be a concert performance in December at 54 Below in New York. However, maybe if Hit List is a "hit," producers will look at Bombshell and think about trying to stage it. I would be interested in seeing either show and seeing if they would really work as stage productions. Most of the songs are good for both shows, and the most of the production numbers they created for Smash episodes were good, but who knows if they'd work as an entire show with actual dialogue. Or in the case of Hit List, which was supposed to be sung-through, if the songs really can tell the whole story.

Three actors from Smash, Jeremy Jordan (Jimmy), Krysta Rodriguez (Ana), and Andy Mientus (Kyle), will be included in the cast. We'll see if Katherine McPhee (Karen) will show up too, or if she really is distancing herself from anything to do with Smash.

The performances will include additional songs that never made it on the canceled show. I hope the new songs will be made available for purchase, because I'd like to hear them.

I was sad when Smash was canceled, because I think it had so much potential, but I'm glad that the TV series might have a legacy in live theatre.

If you're interested in reading a summary of plot for Hit List, click here.

Doctor Who: Day of the Doctor Photos

These photos just makes me happy!

I can't wait for November 23rd!

TV Review: The Crazy Ones

As much as I love Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, I don't like her new series, The Crazy Ones. It's one of the series of the 2013 fall season that I can cross off of my list of new shows to watch. I didn't like Robin Williams, and I thought the plot was boring. I really don't see where the show is going to go, and I don't have any interest to find out.

That's really all I have to say about the pilot and about the show.

The Hollow Crown: Four of Shakespeare's Histories

This starts tonight on PBS!

TV Review: Sleepy Hollow

First I have to just say, as morbid as it was, watching the headless horseman chop off someone's head from the POV of the victim was one of the most unique camera shots I've seen in a very long time.

And now, regarding the series pilot. I loved it! I am really looking forward to seeing where this show goes. I hope the rest of the season is as good as the series opener. Tim Mison is not what I imagine when I hear the name Ichabod Crane (I guess I've seen the Disney cartoon version too many times), but I love him in the role.

The headless horseman is an impressive sight.

The mythology of the story is interesting, and after having recently watched marathons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel lately, I'm interested in seeing where the mythology takes this show. Just like Buffy and Angel, the goal here is to save the world. That's not going to be easy, right? I'm not much into police procedural shows, unless they have an premise that makes it not just a police procedural (i.e., Castle, Grimm), but I'm willing to take a chance on this one.

Please, don't let me down, Ichabod!

Side note: The police captain's name is Frank Irving. Nice shout out to the writer of The Legend of Sleep Hollow, Washington Irving. I'm going to have to read the short story to see if there are any other hidden "Easter eggs" in the show.

And just so you know, there were five decapitations in this first episode, and I'm sure many more people are going to lose their heads in this series.

Into the Woods Casting: Good News

Lilla Crawford

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about how inappropriate I thought the casting was for Little Red for the movie version of Into the Woods, because of her young age. 

I am happy to say that 10 year-old Sophia Grace Brownlee will not be playing Little Red. Instead, 12 year-old Lilla Crawford (she recently played the title role in Annie on Broadway) has been cast. I still think that 12 is a bit too young for the part of Little Red, however, it's much better than ten. We'll see how it works out when the movie comes out in December 2014.

Casting News for NBC's The Sound of Music

Stephen Moyer (True Blood) will join Carrie Underwood in NBC's new version of The Sound of Music as Captain Von Trapp. It's an interesting choice, and I hope he can sing. I have no doubt about the singing of three other actors who have joined the cast. Five-time Tony award winner, Audra McDonald (Private Practice), will play the Mother Abbess, Laura Benanti (Tony award winner for Gypsy) will play Baroness Elsa Schrader, and Christian Borle (Smash, Tony award winner for Peter and the Starcatcher) will play Max Dettweiler. I love it when the casting directors for movie (and television) musicals  look to Broadway for the roles. They have made smart choices so far, since this show is going to be broadcast live.

Side note: I had the pleasure of seeing Audra McDonald in concert a few weeks ago. I knew she had an incredible voice, but she is amazing live. I can understand why she won all of those Tony awards. She will make an amazing Mother Abbess, and when she sings "Climb Every Mountain," she is going to blow everyone away.

Disneyland - Through My Lens

I love Disneyland, and I visit as often as I can. I have taken a multitude of pictures on my many jaunts to the happiest place on earth, and I've started a new blog, Disneyland - Through my Lens, to feature some of my favorite photos. 

I hope you visit my new blog, and I hope you enjoy seeing Disneyland (and California Adventure) through my eyes.

Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary Special Poster

Oh, yea!

'Nuff said.

Into the Woods: More Casting News

I haven't been too critical about any of the casting for the movie musical version of Into the Woods - until now.

It's rumored that an actress named Sophie Grace Brownlee will play the role of Little Red. I don't know who the little girl is, but she's really a little girl. According to her website she's eight years old. Eight years old! I think that's too young to be playing Little Red. To me, the Little Red's character represents the things we learn as we start going out into the world, and you don't usually start venturing out into the world on your own until you're a little older than eight. 

I think that the part should be played by an actress around 15-16 at the youngest. Also, if the actress is younger than 15 or 16, the scene with Little Red and the wolf would seem extremely creepy, because there are more themes there than just a wolf that wants to make Little Red his next meal. With an eight year old that's just disturbing. I also don't think her solo, "I Know Things Now," would sound convincing from the mouth of a girl that age.

I'm nervous that eight year-old actress won't be able to pull off the humor in the character as well. No offense to any eight year-old actors, but I just can't see it happening.

****Spoiler****

Also, it seems strange that an eight year-old would tell Jack, "I'll be your mother" at the end. Or maybe it would be funnier, I don't know.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong about the wisdom in this casting choice, but I think it's very unlikely.

Correction: Sophie is 10 years old. Two years doesn't make a difference in this case. She's still too young.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I don't usually watch The Chew, mainly because it's on during the day when I'm at work, and also because it's a talk show that doesn't interest me. However, I happened upon it on Monday when I was home for the Labor Day holiday. Instead of a doing what I assume is a cooking/talk show, they had sneak-peeks at the upcoming fall season on ABC.

I was excited to see the sneak-peek for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I am really looking forward to this show, and not just because Joss Whedon is the showrunner. Okay, actually, it's mainly because Joss Whedon is the showrunner. However, I loved The Avengers, and I enjoyed Iron Man, Captain America and Thor, and I'm looking forward to seeing a show about the inner workings of the agency that brought all of the superheroes together. And Joss Whedon is the showrunner.

Strictly Ballroom, the Musical

A Life Lived in Fear is a Life Half Lived

Before The Great Gatsby, before Australia, before Moulin Rouge, before William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, Baz Luhrmann made a little film called Strictly Ballroom. I immediately fell in love with this quirky movie when I saw it 20 years ago.

For many years since I saw it I have heard rumors that the film was being adapted into a musical. Now, the rumor is no longer a rumor. Strictly Ballroom, the musical, will be opening in Sydney in March 2014.

Now, I'm not much for adapting every movie into a musical. I don't think just any movie can be adapted to the stage - let alone add music to it. However, Strictly Ballroom is the perfect movie to adapt into a musical - if it's done right.  And the original creative team from the film will be the ones to bring it to life on the stage. Baz Luhrmann (director, co-writer), Craig Pearce (co-writer), John O'Connell (choreographer), and Catherine Martin (set and costume designer). With that group at the helm, it's sure to keep its original charm and "quirkiness."

I hope it's good, I hope it's successful, and I hope it comes to Broadway someday. And I hope that eventually I'll get to see it.

Pic of the Week: Let's Make a Movie!

Bunheads: A Farewell

I am sad that Bunheads was canceled. However, I was excited to see that a few of the young dancers created a farewell dance routine for fans.

I love it! The only thing missing is Sutton Foster dancing too. Well, and Boo (the actress was injured and couldn't dance).

The song is "Blues for My Baby and Me" by Elton John.

Surprise!

Kristin Chenoweth got a big surprise when she asked Sarah Horn, a perfect stranger from the audience, to sing "For Good" with her at her Hollywood Bowl concert.

So You Think You Can Dance: What I've Been Waiting For

Last week I commented on how happy I was that the all-stars had finally arrived on So You Think You Can Dance. Many of my favorite all-stars danced last week. And this week... my all-time favorite all-star danced. 

Mark Kanemura is the all-star of all-stars.

I know I've posted this routine from season 4 before, but it's one of my favorite routines of all time, mainly because of Mark (Chelsea is really good too). I just wanted to remind you of what a great dancer Mark is.



The only thing better than having Mark on this week, is that this is the first time the all-stars choreographed their own routines. 

Mark is a quirky dancer, and he is a quirky choreographer. It was so great to see the ideas in his quirky head come out in a quirky routine with Jenna, who was just as quirky as he was. (How many more times can I say "quirky"? Well, many more times. But I won't.)

So, you know what a great dancer he is. Just take a look at what a great choreographer he is.



Okay, I'm going to say it again. Quirky. And I love it!

News about Wicked (the Movie Adaptation)

Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) has landed the huge job of bringing the broadway hit musical, Wicked, to the big screen.

This news means that we're getting closer to seeing the musical in theaters (movie theaters (with a 'ers' - not real theatres (with an 'res')). I'm excited to hear more about the project as the roles are cast. I hope that they cast actors with really good voices, because this show cannot have "meh" singers. It needs solid singers.

Here is an article from Hypable.com with a list of their picks for the leading roles in the film adaptation of Wicked.

My dream cast:

Elphaba: Eden Espinosa
Glinda: Megan Hilty
Fiyero: Jeremy Jordan
The Wizard: Joel Grey

The rest of the roles I don't really have much of an opinion about.

Who do you want to see cast in the movie?

So You Think You Can Dance: The All-stars Have Arrived!

This season of So You Think You Can Dance has been a little lackluster. There have been a few standout performances, but last night the show (and the dancers) really started to shine. It's no coincidence that the upswing happened when the all-stars came on board.

Many of my favorite dancers were back: Katherine, Melanie, Neil, and Robert.

My favorite routine was, not surprisingly, choreographed by Travis Wall, and featured Tucker and all-star Robert Roldan. A few years ago Tucker was in an automobile accident and was temporarily paralyzed. He didn't know if he would be able to walk again, let alone dance. Last year Robert was also in an automobile accident, and he also didn't know if he would ever dance again. Travis created a beautiful routine about two brothers, one who has hit rock bottom, and the other supporting him as he tries to get back on his feet. It was truly inspiring.

Enjoy.



Welcome back all-stars!

More Casting News for Into the Woods

I called it. When Jake Gyllenhaal dropped out of Into the Woods, the movie musical, I wondered if the producers would move Chris Pine to the role of Cinderella's prince from Rapunzel's prince.

They did.

Chris Pine will play Cinderella's prince, and Billy Magnussen will play Rapunzel's prince. The roles of the stepsisters and Rapunzel have also been cast. Lucinda Punch and Tammy Blanchard will play Lucinda and Florinda, respectively. Mackenzie Mauzy will play Rapunzel.

Of the four new announced actors, I've only heard of Lucinda Punch. I think she's a great choice for one of the stepsisters.

Still waiting to see who will play Little Red.

Who Will be Who?

I'm sure Doctor Who fans heard that today the BBC announced the actor who will play the Doctor when Matt Smith leaves after the 2013 Christmas special.

The announcement was made live from England, and broadcast all over the world simultaneously. It's so cool that everyone around the world was finding out at the same time. The announcement wasn't announced until the end of the half hour broadcast, and I was on the edge of my seat in anticipation.

If you don't want to know who the next Doctor is, then don't read past the break.

When asked, Stephen Moffat described the new Doctor with three words, "Different from Matt."











And the next Doctor is...

Peter Capaldi

He was in "The Fires of Pompeii" in season 4 of Doctor Who.

Another Scot. I hope he gets to keep his accent as the Doctor.

I will post more later.

Doctor Who: New Doctor will be Announced on Sunday!

Yes, we'll know on Sunday who the next Doctor will be!!!

From BBC America:

DOCTOR WHO LIVE: THE NEXT DOCTOR SPECIAL TO AIR LIVE THIS SUNDAY ON BBC AMERICA

What: 
The next Doctor of BBC AMERICA’s hit series Doctor Who will be announced during a live special this Sunday afternoon.

When: 
Sunday, August 4, 2 pm ET LIVE on BBC AMERICA and BBC One in the U.K.

Who: 
Widely regarded as one of the most hotly contested roles in British television, the special’s host Zoe Ball will unveil the Twelfth Doctor in their first-ever interview in front of a live studio audience. The half-hour show will include live special guests, Doctors old and new, as well as companions and celebrity fans. Current Doctor Matt Smith and lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat will both give interviews in the special.

Steven Moffat says: “The decision is made and the time has come to reveal who’s taking over the TARDIS. For the last of the Time Lords, the clock is striking twelve.”

Matt Smith will make his penultimate appearance in the 50th Anniversary special on Saturday, November 23, and his Eleventh Doctor will regenerate in the Christmas Special. Doctor Who is produced by BBC Cymru Wales.

Buffy Lovers: Have I Got a Blog For You

For all of you Buffy fans, I've found a great blog with very in-depth reviews of each episode. Here is the post for season one. I'm sure you'll enjoy them as much as I have.

And if you love Doctor Who too, you'll find reviews for many episodes, and not just the new Doctor Who. There are plenty of class Who reviews.