Great stories, DR Jose. That sounds like a fun day.
It really was a great day!
First of all, I got down there early so that I could walk around and take pictures of the new building - which was essentially built over the existing buildings. Beautiful! I did take some pictures, but I believe this
PHOTO TOUR from Arena's site will give you a better idea.
After the brunch - which was quite good - and the speeches, the rest of the day was filled with various performances in each of the theatre spaces, as well as an outdoor stage. I ended up attending Brad Oscar's mini-concert, as well as the "preview" of their upcoming production of
Oklahoma!. Brad did a great set of songs including a show-stopping
"When Yuba Plays The Rhumba On His Tuba*, and he finished off with a nod to his Tony-nominated performance in
The Producers by performing "Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsche Band?".
Alas, I wasn't able to attend some of the other mini-concerts, but I did see the wonderful Kate Baldwin and her wonderful husband, Graham Rowat. -Kate was my Nellie Forbush when I did
South Pacific at Arena. I also got to spend some time talking with the talented-and-handsome-as-ever Matt Bogart. -DR elmore, be sure to keep an eye out for him and Jess and their son in your 'hood. They finally moved in a few weeks ago. -Oh, and he also shared some quite wonderful news of his own: there will be another little Bogart come next March!
*That's a clip of Rudy Vallee, not Brad.
