Topic: REVIEWING THE SITUATION (Read 73780 times)

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #300 on:** October 13, 2007, 08:56:01 PM »

Well, I believe I played my last Mary Poppins rehearsal today - at least for the two new Janes going into the show. Since Lilah had her put-in rehearsal yesterday, only Alexandra had rehearsal today. It was basically another review and reinforcement session since she won't have another rehearsal until Thursday when she gets to run her scenes with Ashley (Mary Poppins) and her Michael. So, we ran the show from the Prologue to the "Supercal Bows". Whew!

Now it's onto the Keyboard 2 book...

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #301 on:** October 13, 2007, 09:07:17 PM »

After rehearsal, I walked up to the Theatre District and came upon one of the weekly street fairs, which happened to be right on 8th Avenue from 42nd up to 57th(!). So... For dinner, I just ended up sampling things from the various food vendors: Thai Chicken Satay, Dominican Empanadas, Japanese Bubble Tea, and a Brazilan Churro.

And since it today was Saturday, there were lots of actors walking around too between their matinee and evening shows.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #302 on:** October 13, 2007, 09:23:10 PM »

Then came A Feminine Ending at Playwrights Horizons. The play doesn't open officially until next week, but it was obviously a press night tonight - lots of people with press packets in the audience, along with some recognizable faces. In any case...

I liked the play, or at least parts of it. There were some truly brilliant moments of writing and acting. Alas, what came between those moments was sometimes awkward and frustrating. The story centers around a young woman (who happens to be a composer and and oboist) trying to find out what to do with her life. -I guess that's the simplest way to put it. During the play's 90 minutes, we meet her new musician boyfriend, her hold high school boyfriend, her mother (played by Marsha Norman), and her father (played by Richard Masur).

After the show, I happened to run into Blair Brown, the actress and director of the evening's entertainment. It was nice seeing her again, and she actually remembered me from when we did A Little Night Music at the Kennedy Center.

td · « **Reply #303 on:** October 13, 2007, 09:25:11 PM »

Quote from: bk on October 13, 2007, 04:58:12 PM

Has anyone actually seen the new DVD of Cruising? Worth watching?

Yes. and yes, as DR MattH points out in a previous post.
I have seen the dvd AND I recommend it highly.
Here are a few things I had to say over on the Scarlet Street boards:

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The first thing of interest on the dvd of CRUISING, released yesterday, is the absence of the studio-enforced disclaimer at the start.

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Just before CRUISING, Richard Cox was co-starring with Alexis Smith in the Broadway-bound musical, PLATINUM.

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It's funny that I have gone from one extreme to the other regarding CRUISING.
When I saw it on opening day, I was disgruntled and livid to see the disclaimer at the start, which naturally didn't allow me to enjoy the film for just what it is: a nightmarish journey through the underbelly of the s & m scene of New York city in the days before AIDS, NOT a murder mystery.
As its title also suggests, the film is a voyage (the tugboat opening and closing shots reinforce this) in to the dark reaches of Al Pacino's character -whom I'm certain does commit the final murder. It is a bleak look at a not altogether likable character, one who is not the "hero," but an edgy, nervy character wiling to go to any extremes to achieve his goal. Forbes wants to be a detective, and he's willing to be hog-tied in a seedy hotel room, engage in gay sex with a total stranger (who could be a murderer) if that is what it takes to get his detective's badge. That he, more than likely acts in a Wildean ("Each man kills the thing he loves) manner certainly doesn't earn him audience empathy - nor should it.
As the years have passed, and having had access to a softly focused panned and scanned videotape, my appreciation for CRUISING grew with each successive viewing; the jigsaw puzzle-like flowing of one scene to the next (is there really a true time scale going on here?), the deft, though bloody, handling of each successive(?) killing, the mystery which is truly an enigma - or a MacGuffin, the monochromatic cinematography which truly brings out the verdant greens as well as the sanguine, copious blood and Al Pacino's brave, believable performance have all grown richer through the years
Though flawed, I find that CRUISING holds up well and would make a fascinating double bill with Ken Russell's CRIMES OF PASSION.

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I still find it highly flawed, but definitely under appreciated.
I should mention, anecdotally speaking, that on a trip to New York city with two of my female ROCKY HORROR cronies, they insisted on me giving them a CRUISING tour, taking in all the sights in the West Village which had featured prominently in the film. Only one was disappointed NOT to find Powers Booth selling handkerchiefs in the tiny store.

. . .of course, by this time, you've probably already watched it.

bk · « **Reply #304 on:** October 13, 2007, 09:33:56 PM »

Maybe everything I've been attributing to stress and all that jazz hasn't just been that - about five hours ago I started having chills and aches and, as I said earlier, tummy turmoil. Could it be the flu?

Cillaliz · « **Reply #305 on:** October 13, 2007, 09:36:54 PM »

Quote from: bk on October 13, 2007, 09:33:56 PM

Maybe everything I've been attributing to stress and all that jazz hasn't just been that - about five hours ago I started having chills and aches and, as I said earlier, tummy turmoil. Could it be the flu?

Hope not, but anything is possible... Sounds like either way you could use some rest. Can you take tomorrow off? You really need to take care of yourself

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #306 on:** October 13, 2007, 09:38:11 PM »

Quote from: bk on October 13, 2007, 09:33:56 PM

Maybe everything I've been attributing to stress and all that jazz hasn't just been that - about five hours ago I started having chills and aches and, as I said earlier, tummy turmoil. Could it be the flu?

Or early-onset Black Death?

der Brucer

Cillaliz · « **Reply #307 on:** October 13, 2007, 09:38:49 PM »

Quote from: DERBRUCER on October 13, 2007, 09:38:11 PM

Or early-onset Black Death?

der Brucer

Gee aren't you the chipper one.

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #308 on:** October 13, 2007, 09:49:37 PM »

Quote from: bk on October 13, 2007, 02:51:35 PM

What happened to Cason's avatar? Who took it?

Has anyone cleared the photo cache in the last few days?

Cason's avatar was created by George on Aug 11 and posted as an attachment - so it would have been purged at the next "cleansing of the cache". (They no longer appear in George's post.)

The avatars I posted earlier were orginally ones done by George that I had stolen and saved on my computer. They have now been hosted on my PictureTrail Account where they will remain until I stop paying the bill - or get angry with Miss Karen

der Brucer

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #309 on:** October 13, 2007, 09:54:01 PM »

Quote from: Cillaliz on October 13, 2007, 08:15:22 PM

I have been thinking about it and I have to say I still loved Legally Blonde even on TV. It brings back a lot of things I went through in law school and in the beginning of my career. I wish I had been more of a Elle Woods back then. I think it has a great positive message to girls and women, it's a positive strong message about being true to yourself, working hard, becoming who you are and what you can be on your own etc. I'm glad I have it on my DVR so I can watch it again and skip the commercials. It was much better in person, but it was still very inspiring to me.

Well, hummable tunes or not - it looks like it was lots of fun.

The world needs more "just relax and enjoy" musicals while we wait for the next Sondheim.

(And like Birdie before it, a good intro to Musicals for tweens and teens.)

der Brucer

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #310 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:14:12 PM »

bk - cheer up! Things could be worse:

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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WILD ELEPHANT STAMPEDE DESTROYS INDIAN VILLAGE

GAUHATI, India — About 100 wild elephants have converged on a river island in northeast India, demolishing homes, feasting on sugarcane and panicking residents, officials said Saturday.

Thousands of villagers were using firecrackers and bonfires to scare away the rampaging animals.

"Dozens of houses have been destroyed in the past three days by adult elephants entering human settlements to look for their wandering calves," said the local magistrate, L.S. Changsan.
...

der Brucer

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #311 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:21:58 PM »

After the play, my friend, Mark, and I headed across the street to Ollie's for post-show meal. It was my first time dining at this "new" location, and it was pretty good. It was interesting to see that they added some more "traditional" dishes to the menu, and when I ordered a few of those "traditional" dishes, I could tell that the waiter was giving me that "Are you sure you want that?" vibe. Yes, I did. And they were quite delicious - "Pork Dumplings in Hot Oil" and "Special Fried Tofu".

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #312 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:24:40 PM »

...And then on the train ride home, I happened to run into another friend who just bought a new place in my 'hood. So we had a nice catch-up session on our way back up to 145th Street.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #313 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:25:32 PM »

And to bring this day to a very nice close, there was leftover ice cream cake in the freezer!

bk · « **Reply #314 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:26:46 PM »

I don't think avatar's are part of the photo cache - I'm certain of it. Very chilled right now and very achy.

bk · « **Reply #315 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:27:04 PM »

Will we never get to page twelve?

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #316 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:27:38 PM »

bk - It sounds like you're just stressed out. As much as I know you'd hate to do it, and probably have to play catch up later, I suggest canceling what you can, and just taking some time for yourself. Sleep, lie on the couch watching DVDs, or enjoying your pool. -And stick to a bland diet for a day or two.

bk · « **Reply #317 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:27:40 PM »

I had some nice hot EmergenC and that was very soothing and nauseating at the same time.

I had two home-cooked burgers.

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #318 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:30:05 PM »

Is Ken Russell staging Papal photo-ops?

der Brucer

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #319 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:31:04 PM »

Quote from: bk on October 13, 2007, 10:27:40 PM

I had some nice hot EmergenC and that was very soothing and nauseating at the same time.

I had two home-cooked burgers.

Sounds like you may need some carbs/starch in your stomach too. Got any noodles you can boil up? You need something to "help" the acid and protein (and fat) you just ate.

DearReaderLaura · « **Reply #320 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:31:19 PM »

Back from a long day at a conference. It was all so exciting. Really. And I have to go back early in the morning.

DearReaderLaura · « **Reply #321 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:32:06 PM »

I hope you feel better soon, BK. It seems too early for flu, but it sounds like a virus of some kind.

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #322 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:33:14 PM »

Quote from: bk on October 13, 2007, 10:26:46 PM

I don't think avatar's are part of the photo cache - I'm certain of it. Very chilled right now and very achy.

But if the photo you select for your avatar is part of the photo cache it IS! (The url for Cason's avatar was the HHW cache.)

der Brucer

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #323 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:33:50 PM »

As for the MTV broadcast of Legally Blonde...

Whoever did the video and audio editing for this broadcast did an amazing job!

-And I guess Laura Bell Bundy no longer holds out the last note of "I Am So Much Better" as she did when the show first opened. -And I guess they went back and pitch-corrected and/or punched-in those notes for the broadcast version.

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #324 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:34:54 PM »

Quote from: JoseSPiano on October 13, 2007, 10:27:38 PM

bk - It sounds like you're just stressed out. As much as I know you'd hate to do it, and probably have to play catch up later, I suggest canceling what you can, and just taking some time for yourself. Sleep, lie on the couch watching DVDs, or enjoying your pool. -And stick to a bland diet for a day or two.

What he needs is a good dial-in Massage (and this is NOT a euphenism).

der Brucer

Angela · « **Reply #325 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:41:52 PM »

Quote from: JoseSPiano on October 13, 2007, 09:07:17 PM

So... For dinner, I just ended up sampling things from the various food vendors: Thai Chicken Satay, Dominican Empanadas, Japanese Bubble Tea, and a Brazilan Churro.

Stop! You're making my mouth water........

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #326 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:42:53 PM »

Now I'm wondering if Legally Blonde will get a new TV commercial. The first one they had was horrible. The new one is still not that great, and it ends with very unflattering logo of Laura Bell Bundy. We shall see...

FJL · « **Reply #327 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:43:20 PM »

Cilla - I would amplify that Legally Blonde (The Musical) has so much to say about the value of education and cracking a book and applying what you know from your day-to-day life to your teacher- and book-learning.

Even after seeing the TV version and also being glad to know it exists, I'm also glad you and Samantha opted to see it live, especiially as Samantha's first big Broadway show.

Angela · « **Reply #328 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:44:14 PM »

BK -- you must get some rest and take care of yourself!

Angela · « **Reply #329 on:** October 13, 2007, 10:45:55 PM »

Never mind -- looks like BK is already outta here.

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Author Topic: REVIEWING THE SITUATION (Read 73780 times)

Cillaliz

Cillaliz

FJL