2017-2018 Broadway in Columbus - Part 2

If you missed part 1, check it out here.

After we got settled into the new year, we had our next show on the docket - Chicago. Ironically, Chicago was one of the first Broadway shows I saw after moving to NYC. On Broadway, I didn't like the way it was set, but the music never disappoints. The same applied to the Columbus performance. In fact, this particular performance was extra special because Ohio State's own Eddie George played Mr. Razzle Dazzle himself. The crowd was really loving that!

An American in Paris was next for us. I went into this one with no expectations at all because I'd never seen it. I didn't know too much about the story either. We really liked this show. The story was a bit predictable, but I loved how ballet was incorporated throughout. It was truly beautiful to watch. I enjoyed the bits of comedic relief throughout as well. Definitely an enjoyable show!

Our last show for the season was The King & I. We really enjoyed it. The bits of humor in a mostly serious performance were golden. I loved the performance of Uncle Thomas' Cabin in the second act. The cast was quite talented and the story was fantastic. A love story, but also a story of strength and oppression. A hopeful story about overcoming odds and being brave with overtones of sexism and domination that create a perfect dichotomy.

Have you seen any of these Broadway shows?

Andrea :)

2017-2018 Broadway in Columbus Season - Part 1

When we moved to Columbus, the absolute first thing on my to do list was to lock in season tickets for the Broadway shows. We arrived just in time to get all signed up and set for five great shows! I was pumped since my favorite part about living in NYC had been the access to Broadway.

Our first show of the season was School of Rock. I hadn't seen the live performance previously though I did see the Jack Black movie version way back when. To say we were underwhelmed is putting it nicely. I'm not sure if we just caught the lead on an off night or what, but he wasn't impressive at all. The kids in the show were incredibly talented and most of the other characters were fine, but we left wondering if the rest of the season was going to be a bust, too.

Fortunately, we didn't have to wait long to see our next show - Waitress. I had seen this one twice on Broadway earlier in the year - including once with Sara Bareilles playing lead! I could not have been happier about the performance we saw in Columbus. Phenomenal talent - and some roles were even funnier (how is that even possible?!?) than they had been on Broadway. I was SO very glad to follow up our first experience with such a fantastic one.

Andrea :)

Seat a Show, See a Show

A few months ago, I signed up to be a volunteer usher with one of our favorite theaters - Second Stage. Each time the email was sent out requesting volunteers, I was too slow to respond and all the spots were already filled. Over Thanksgiving weekend, an email was sent to fill a newly open slot and I immediately responded indicating my availability. I got the spot. I was told to dress in all black and be at the theater an hour before showtime. Upon arrival for Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education - a one-woman show featuring Anna Deavere Smith at Second Stage Theatre, I found myself stuffing playbills alongside three other volunteers. Since I was new to the volunteer usher business, I was given the least frequented post. It was a great way to get my feet wet. And the show was simply phenomenal. Her multiple monologues covered several aspects of the justice and education system mostly focusing on the prejudices that lie just below the surface. It was quite a moving production.

One of the ushers at Notes from the Field, told me about the opportunity to usher Holiday Inn (The New Irving Berlin Musical) at the Roundabout Theatre Company. I walked to the Roundabout Theatre right after clean-up at Second Stage to secure my spot. My experience for Holiday Inn was significantly different. I was ushering in the orchestra section this time. There were lots of interesting personalities and requests from the folks in this section. Before the audience arrived, instead of stuffing playbills we were able to watch a few last minute rehearsal numbers. I was really rooting for the actors when those numbers happened during the performance. I'm happy to say they appeared flawless. Even though my usher experience at Holiday Inn was a bit more stressful, it was entirely worth it to see such a fun and exciting show for free. I really loved the dance numbers and that it hit all the major holidays. Definitely a cute story and show!

Have you ever volunteered at a live event or production?

Andrea :)

Broadway Week - The Color Purple

It is rare that I see a Broadway show twice. Especially twice in one year, but The Color Purple is a show for which exception are made. I saw this one with some friends around the holidays last year, but couldn't pass up the chance to see it again with my parents, Chris, and his mom recently.

We weren't fortunate enough to catch Cynthia Erivo as Celie this time, but Heather Headley as Shug Avery was a welcome change. I saw a disappointing Jennifer Hudson in that role previously. Heather had all the sass and seduction that Shug Avery needs. She was fantastic! The understudy for Celie had quite a voice on her as well. Nothing beats Cynthia, but she sure did give it a shot. The story is amazing and seeing it come to life on stage is truly beautiful. If you are headed to NYC and need a friend to accompany you to this one, let me know. I'd happily see it over and over again!

Andrea :)

Broadway Week - Waitress

I've had my eye on the show Waitress since the early part of the summer. Sara Bareilles wrote the music and lyrics - I have always liked her! And I really enjoy the Keri Russell movie that comes on TV from time to time. I knew it would be a fun production to see on the stage.

Over the summer, I also started Erin's Book Challenge and chose Sara Bareilles' book Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song as my music category selection. I loved the book. She began each chapter with the lyrics from one of her songs and tied that song into her journey at that point her life. It was really interesting and well written. And the last chapter focused on her work with Broadway, specifically on the show Waitress. I knew I had to see the show after finishing her book.

I grabbed a matinee ticket for the following week and was thrilled from start to finish. The show was full of one-liners and comedic scenes, but also carried the full weight of an abusive relationship and all the unfulfilled feelings that brings to life. I thought it was neat how the band was incorporated as part of the set in the diner scenes with the piano top serving as a counter - very creative! And the cast is extremely talented. You will laugh without a doubt many times. The performance really surprised me, but in the best way possible. I enjoyed every moment!

Have you ever seen the movie version of Waitress? 

What were your thoughts?

Andrea :)

Broadway Week - Cats

When Mom and Dad visited recently, we all took a trip to the Jellicle Ball one night. Cats was intended to be the highlight of their visit. The set was beyond amazing - so unique and interesting! The show itself wasn't our favorite though. We enjoyed seeing some of our favorite cats, but the story seemed to drag a bit. Those cats needed a little more pep in their step...or something!

We didn't take advantage of it, but at intermission the audience members were allowed to go on stage and take photos with Old Deuteronomy. As we discovered, they only let a certain number of people on stage so we decided to just watch the fun from our seats. Speaking of our seats, we were in a section that ran along the entrance/exit route for a handful of the cats so we really had some up close encounters throughout the performance.

Leona Lewis is currently playing Grizabella, but we didn't think she performed all that well the evening we saw the show. My all-time favorite cat is Mr. Mistoffelees, but I also liked Gus (the theatre cat), Jennyanydots, and Rum Tum Tugger in this performance. Although, in the end, we weren't blown away with the performance as a whole. However, if you want to see an extraordinary set and some fantastic dance numbers then Cats is the show for you!

Have you ever been to the Jellicle Ball?

Andrea :)

Broadway Week - Fiddler on the Roof

I was excited to see Fiddler on the Roof because I knew a handful of the songs, but wasn't entirely familiar with the full story. I find it is always a bit more fun when you don't have pre-determined expectations since experiencing a show for the first time is impossible to replicate. The emotions on stage in this one span the spectrum from laugh out loud humor to tear jerking heartbreak. I enjoyed it from start to finish. Learning more about the cultural roles of mamas and papas and sons and daughters in the community proved fascinating. I enjoyed the Biblical references complete with side conversations to God and SO many of the songs - particularly If I Were a Rich Man and Sunrise, Sunset. My dad often plays Sunrise, Sunset at weddings (ours included!) so it was really exciting to hear that one performed live. Fiddler on the Roof closes in December so find a way to get your tickets soon. I highly recommend it.

Are you familiar with the Fiddler on the Roof story?

Andrea :)

Broadway Week - Les Miserables

I caught Les Miserables the week it closed so the theater was packed! I was in nearly the back row at the Wednesday afternoon matinee. I was lucky they even had a seat for me. I had previously seen the movie, but the Broadway show proved much more exciting. I was curious how a number of scenes would be portrayed live. The production did not disappoint. The music, as I'm sure you all know, is fantastic! The set was also pretty neat especially during the battle scene. I debated on whether I wanted to see this one before it left Broadway, but I am so glad I did.

Have you seen the show live, watched the movie, or read the novel?

Andrea :)

Five on Friday!

{ONE}

I was ecstatic when Sarah Rodriguez selected me to be part of her book launch team! I have followed her journey for years and am completed mesmerized by her strength and courage as she has overcome so much in such a short time.  When I received my advance copy of From Depth We Rise, I absolutely couldn't stop reading! It is a beautifully written love story. A love story filled with happiness and joy as well as sacrifice, pain, and loss. Sarah's journey from a single 20-something headed off to the adventure of New York City to a single mother of two back home in Oklahoma is a true page turner. The book is divided into two sections - The Depths and The Rise. Both are written in a way that allowed me to become completely engrossed. This story of faith and God's blessings amidst tragedy is certain to speak to your heart. And be sure to keep some tissue at hand because there will be tears with each twist and turn.  Go HERE to grab your copy - it is worth EVERY penny of the $8.52 paperback price!

{TWO}

About a month ago now, Chris and I decided to cap off our summer of running with the Sunnyside One Mile Run. It was a tad unorganized, but we survived it. I prefer the NYRR 5th Ave Mile, but it was nice to support some local Queens charity groups.  Not so much fun to include a hill in a one mile fun run...

{THREE}

Another book I'd set my sights on long ago was The Light Between Oceans. When I began to see the movie previews for it, I decided I better get busy reading.  As it turns out, I ended up going the audible route. The book was good, but definitely a bit slow in places. I saw the movie with my friend Rachel the afternoon after I finished the book...and it was a bit slow in places, too. The movie was fine, but (as usual) I much prefer the detail of the book. The movie left out a handful of info that helped round out the light keeper himself, but overall it closely mimicked the book.

{FOUR}

As we move into fall, I've been doing a bit of reflecting on summer. Chris turned me into a bit of a running spectator this year. It might have been on accident, but it happened nonetheless. Chris discovered that he was best able to train and prepare as a runner when he had a race scheduled.  Besides the one mile run I mentioned earlier and the 10k race we ran together in June, he completed four additional races over the summer months. I am incredibly proud of him. It was a lot more stressful than I realized to be the spectator part of a couple. I'm not great at spotting people in large crowds so I was consistently concerned I would miss him at the various checkpoints we'd set.  I didn't, but the worry never ceased. I was so happy to be cheering him on to his goals race after race.

{FIVE}

We saw our final show as 2nd Stage Theater season ticket holders a couple of weeks ago. The Layover proved quite interesting though we both agreed we weren't too keen on the ending. We couldn't put our finger on exactly how we had hoped it would end, but what we saw on stage wasn't it.  Otherwise, we really enjoyed the play. As season ticket holders, we have loved our experience each time we attend a 2nd Stage production. It has truly become our go to spot!

How are things in your world?

Read any great books?

Run any fun races?

Andrea :)

Fun Home

One of my birthday presents from my wonderful husband was tickets to see Fun Home.  Since it won Best Musical in 2015, I had been interested in seeing it.  I knew the content might be a bit dark, but I wanted to give it a shot.

It definitely proved to be quite the dramedy, but I really enjoyed the perspective from child to young adult to grown woman that the story followed.  There were a couple of really fun songs along the way as well.  Overall, I enjoyed the performance.  I wish it had gone just a few ticks deeper into the father's story though I know the focus was intended to be on Alison.  While it didn't blow me away in the musical category, I thought it would have made a really intriguing play.

Do you enjoy the dramedy genre?

Andrea :)

It's (Birthday) Showtime!!

Years ago, my lovely friend (Mary) and I decided it would be fun to celebrate our July birthdays by attending a Broadway show.  We started the tradition with Disney themed shows - Lion King and The Little Mermaid.  And a couple years ago, we found our way back to Disney with Aladdin.  While we keep our fingers crossed awaiting the return of Beauty and the Beast to the Great White Way, we decided upon She Loves Me.

 

When we bought the tickets, I knew we'd be in for a real treat because our show was set to be the final performance! Neither of us had ever experienced closing night. What fun! There was certainly much more applause and cheering throughout the performance than normal.  It was a great experience, especially for such a fun and whimsical show.  We loved the show from beginning to end - so many intriguing characters and fantastic voices!  Several familiar faces and lots of great lessons. Truly a wonderful birthday show selection!

Do you have any birthday traditions?

Andrea :)

Five on Friday

-ONE-

This past week has been full of highs and lows.  To start the week, we celebrated our nation's independence (see #4).  There were cookouts, fireworks, and just a general good time all around.  It is beyond comprehension that such a special time for Americans so quickly turned into a horrifying and despicable display of citizenship as two innocent black men were murdered outright in cold blood by white police officers on consecutive days in Louisiana and Minnesota.  It could have been my husband or any number of my black friends or family members.  These acts were followed by another unnecessary assassination of five innocent police officers patrolling a protest.  Seven lives lost.  Forever.  Senseless murder.  These are all regular people just going about their normal day.  It is an absolute disgrace for this type of behavior to occur in our land of the free and home of the brave. Do we - all Americans...every color, every race, every creed - TRULY understand what it means to be free and what it means to be brave?  Something must change.  Black Lives Matter.  And violent retaliation is not the answer.  We - all Americans - have to work together to find a way to right this ship regardless of how long it takes or how uncomfortable it feels because the consequences of inaction aren't acceptable.

-TWO-

One of my childhood friends recently ventured to NYC for an elopement to his longtime partner. Chris and I had a blast catching up with Nick and Eddie during their time in the city.  So much laughter!  As you read yesterday, lifetime friendship picks right up where it leaves off - so many fun memories of growing up with Nick as one of my best friends!

-THREE-

Since a number of the original Hamilton cast will be coming off the show on Saturday, I took it upon myself to venture over to the insanity known as the stage door this week.  It was all I expected in terms of craziness.  I managed to snag a quick photo with Christopher Jackson who plays the role of President Washington.  He sings my favorite song of the whole show - One Last Time.  Quite appropriate given the upcoming departure of many from the core cast.  I'm still hoping to meet my favorite of the bunch - Daveed Diggs - at some point.  It might take me a few weeks to work up the courage to return though!

-FOUR-

As I mentioned, we celebrated my favorite holiday this week.  I made an unplanned trip back to Kentucky.  As a result, I was able to enjoy the 4th of July fun and fireworks with my favorite niece and nephew!  They really loved the sparklers and pop its!

-FIVE-

My parents and I were in charge of entertaining those two little firecrackers on my last day in town.  They can be completely wild one moment and then sweet as can be the next.  Definitely kept us all on our toes, but we had a lot of fun feeding ducks, working puzzles, hanging out at the library, and saying goodbye at the airport.  My parents and I needed a day of rest afterward, but it was SO great to spend time with them.

I'm ready for a weekend full of time well spent with Christopher!  

Andrea :)

Bright Star

Upon its initial release to Broadway, I wasn't interested.  It wasn't one of the many that caught my eye.  And then, the Tony's happened.  The Bright Star performance was fantastic.  I really wanted to hear the story she had to tell. Unfortunately, there isn't much time left for anyone else to hear this heartbreaking yet redemptive story.  It leaves Broadway this weekend.  I hope it travels to some other parts of the country though.  The bluegrass style music would fare much better around the part of the world that I call home.

The lead, Carmen Cusack, has an absolutely stunning voice.  I loved listening to her on stage.  The humor throughout and whimsical nature of certain scenes made the overall production feel less sorrowful which I appreciated since we'd seen such dark plays recently.  It was a perfect mix of both serious subject matter and lighthearted song and dance numbers.  The music was my favorite part.  It even helped me overlook a bit of a broad jump in the story line toward the end.  I'm sad that more people weren't interested in keeping it alive for a bit of a longer run.  Definitely an interesting story to tell... 

Do you enjoy the bluegrass style of music with banjos, cellos, and violins?  

Andrea :)

My Tony Award Predictions

As far as award shows go, the Tonys win hands down!  Chris and I have really enjoyed the show the past few years so when the opportunity arose to host a night of Broadway celebration with our new Bible Study Small Group we jumped at it.  It is sure to be lots of fun because each of them is closely tied to the world of theater and auditions. We are super excited to watch it all unfold tonight!  As promised, I have listed out my predictions for you!  Starting with the categories involving plays...

Best Play - The Humans

Best Revival of a Play - Blackbird

 

Best Leading Actor in a Play - Frank Langella for The Father

Best Leading Actress in a Play -
Jessica Lange for Long Day's Journey Into Night

Best Featured Actor in a Play -
Michael Shannon for Long Day's Journey Into Night

Best Featured Actress in a Play - Jayne Houdyshell for The Humans

Best Scenic Design of a Play - David Zinn for The Humans

Best Costume Design of a Play - Clint Ramos for Eclipsed

Best Lighting for a Play - Justin Townsend for The Humans

Best Director of a Play - Joe Mantello for The Humans

As you heard last week, we've seen The Father, Blackbird, and The Humans recently.  We also saw A View from the Bridge and Misery earlier this year.  Long Day's Journey Into Night is on the top of our must see list, but that beast is four hours long so we have to wait for an open weekend and we haven't had many of those lately.  After attending the Drama Desk Awards, we also decided to add Eclipsed to our list of plays to see.  We've waffled on seeing The Crucible (and heard it was just ok) so we may or may not see it, but it's not super likely to find its way into the rotation soon. Now for the categories involving musicals...

Best Musical - Hamilton

Best Revival of a Musical - The Color Purple

Best Book of a Musical - Lin-Manuel Miranda for Hamilton

Best Original Score - Lin-Manuel Miranda for Hamilton

Best Leading Actor in a Musical - Leslie Odom, Jr. for Hamilton

Best Leading Actress in a Musical -  Cynthia Erivo for The Color Purple

Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Daveed Diggs for Hamilton

Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Renee Elise Goldsberry for Hamilton

Best Scenic Design of a Musical - David Korins for Hamilton

Best Costume Design of a Musical - Ann Roth for Shuffle Along

Best Lighting for a Musical - Justin Townsend for American Psycho

Best Director of a Musical - Thomas Kail for Hamilton

Best Choreography - Andy Blankenbuehler for Hamilton

Best Orchestrations - Alex Lacamoire for Hamilton

We were so fortunate to have seen Hamilton to kick off our year - what a truly fantastic production in every possible way!!  I also managed to see The Color Purple with some friends around Christmastime.  I have a long list of want to see shows including Bright Star, She Loves Me, Fiddler on the Roof, Shuffle Along, and Waitress.  Hopefully, I'll find a way to knock out at least a few of those before the end of summer!

Do you watch the Tony Awards?

Andrea :)

You Know It's Tony Season When...

You know it must be Tony season when you attend two multi-category nominated plays in the same week!  Needless to say, I'm beyond excited for the much anticipated Tony award show this weekend!  I must confess that I am MOST excited to see what song the Hamilton cast performs though.  I have been absolutely obsessed with all things Hamilton since Chris and I saw the show back in early January.  It deserves EVERY single award it wins - BEYOND fabulous!!  I'll post more about my predictions on Sunday, but today I want to share a bit about the plays we've seen recently today!

The first play we saw isn't nominated for any awards, but it caught our attention because it was titled Kentucky. The story finds one sister having escaped country life and her abusive father by making a new life for herself in New York.  When she hears that her sister is planning to get married back home, she attempts to swoop in and save the day by trying to convince her it is a huge mistake.  While the story was predictable, we enjoyed the usual aspects (a cat played by a human) and the familiarity of Kentucky living (lots of Big Blue Nation shout-outs).  The play didn't necessarily reflect the Kentucky I know and love, but I'm glad we took a chance on it.  Definitely gave us some solid laughs if nothing else!

Next, we went to see The Father starring Frank Langella - nominated for both Best Play and Best Actor.  The play follows the steady decline of Langella's character as his mind is slowly stolen by dementia.  We knew we were in for a dramatic 90 minutes, but there seemed to be a number of production flaws that left us scratching our head a bit at the end.  Don't get me wrong, Langella was fantastic!  The story was just a bit difficult to follow at points.  You weren't easily able to determine when a flashback was occurring and when the scene was set in the present time.  Definitely disappointed that aspect wasn't made more clear for the audience.

We continued with the tough and heavy topics when we saw Blackbird a week later.  Una (Michelle Williams) and Ray (Jeff Daniels) have a very convoluted past with one another.  And by convoluted I mean that 15 years prior to the scene viewers watch unfold, 40-something-year-old Ray had "consensual" sexual relations with 11-year-old Una.  A confrontation of sorts takes place in a messy office conference room...and in the end you are left with more questions than you started with regarding their situation.  It is wonderfully performed even though the topic is difficult to stomach at more than one point in the production.  Nominations include Best Play, Best Actor, and Best Actress - all quite worthy nods.  And two very friendly folks at the stage door!

Saving the best for last, we saw The Humans last week.  What a truly wonderful picture of the all-encompassing love present within a family!  This play is simply lovely.  It has you laughing one moment and on the verge of tears the next.  The story is simple - it's Thanksgiving and the family has all gathered to spend the day together.  I found myself resonating so closely with many of the ways the family showed love through teasing and comedy.  It was just a really fun play with a bit of a serious overtone to keep it balanced.  And it happens to be nominated for 6 Tony Awards including Best Play.  I would recommend that anyone go see it!

Which play sounds the most interesting to you?  

Don't forget to check back on Sunday for my full Tony predictions!

Andrea :)

Friday Favorites

It's Friday!!! YAY!!!  I am always ready for the weekend.  Who doesn't love more time for all their favorites, right?  Today, I wanted to take a few minutes to share with you some of my favorite things.

-ONE-

We stumbled upon W. Kamau Bell's United Shades of America a couple weeks ago...and have been really intrigued by this series.  Kamau is a black comedian that has volunteered to put himself in some uncomfortable situations to bring insight into a wide range of cultural and political issues.  So far, we've seen him interact with the KKK, spend some time with prisoners and the police, and expand our understanding of the immigrant population.  You can find episodes on CNN.  It is some of the most interesting TV we've watched in some time.

-TWO-

I'm back on the scrapbook train!  I took a big break from Michael's after our wedding, but I was in there recently and the scrapbook bug has bitten me again.  I have A LOT of catching up to do so this is great news!  Looking forward to gearing up those creative juices again...
 

-THREE-

Chris and I are planning to run the NYRR Queens 10k next month so we have been getting in a few training runs.  I had a great time being a race supporter for Chris a few weeks ago.  He ran a 4-miler in Central Park.  I was able to catch him near the beginning on that rainy morning.  And, of course, I was there just before the finish cheering him on to completion!  He did an awesome job.  I am so proud of him!

-FOUR-

I recently reacquainted myself with the vast land of podcasts.  Maybe it has something to do with getting back to running.  Maybe.  Anyway, I just finished Serial - Season Two.  Definitely recommend it for a closer look at the mess we call our military.  I found many parts of it to be completely fascinating.  Journalist Sarah Koenig and her team takes a deep dive into the case of American soldier Bowe Bergdahl who willingly left his post in Afghanistan during the summer of 2009 and was subsequently captured and held in captivity by the Taliban for nearly five years. Certainly worth a listen!
 

-FIVE-

Theater - my true NYC love!  The Tony nominations were released a couple weeks ago so we have been planning and plotting when to see which shows.  Fortunately, we snagged tickets to Hamilton and checked it off our list in early January.  I'm fully expecting a sweep there...and rightfully so!  We have several plays on our to-see list though - The Father, Blackbird, and The Humans.  Definitely excited to see as many as we can before Tony night!!!

What are you loving these days?

Andrea :)

Fully Committed

As huge Modern Family fans, we knew we couldn't miss Jesse Tyler Ferguson's new limited run one-man show on Broadway!  He plays a multitude of characters throughout the show - something like 40 different people!  His main character, Sam, spends his days taking reservations at one of New York's most exclusive restaurants. Sam's a struggling actor and has a bit of a family dilemma as well.  Clearly, Sam is juggling a lot!

We really enjoyed the show!  It was amazing to watch Jesse Tyler Ferguson keep all the characters straight.  Honestly, I can't even imagine how he kept it all together on stage for an hour and a half!  Super talented!  Not to mention the array of accents and voice tones he had to use throughout the performance.  Jesse Tyler Ferguson was simply fantastic!!

After the show, I convinced Chris to wait around with me to meet the star at the stage door!  Jesse Tyler Ferguson was incredibly kind and humble as various people offered their feedback on the show and asked for photos and autographs.  Definitely happy to have stuck around for the opportunity to engage with him.  

Andrea :)