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Archive for the ‘Broadway Shows’ Category

Review of Musical : Death Of A Salesman

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Arthur Miller has expressed his social concerns in each of his work from his first play to Death of a Salesman. His life experience in Depression are also present in many of his works.

It is the Depression which influenced Miller’s sense a person’s self and towards society. This in turn influenced his words. These ideas are expressed best in Death of A Salesman. The play was initially named “Inside His Head”, and it captures in whole the idea of society which Miller had in mind. The expression of his idea then gave him Pulitzer prize in 1949. It is also known as his masterpiece.

The main character in this play is Willy Loman, who wants to become successful and respected in society, not knowing that society in itself is unstable just as Willy is. He choose popularity and material as his choice of things to purse, which eventually brought him to his downfall. At his age of 63, he then faces destruction and retirement.

Throughout the play, Willy argues that he is a reputable businessman, honorable husband and good father, however, he still cannot face the facts that his own life is falling apart. He can no longer control his own thoughts, and evident from the car which he always allows to slip from the road. He also cannot pay off his bills, his sales keep dropping, while his sons seem not be successful.

Willy is the idea of today’s “ordinary man” which is a modern day tragic hero. He does not have a dragon to slay, but has to face challenges in society such as failure, instability, and getting used to being rejected. He asks himself why he is always contradicted while not seeing that it is his own life that is full of contradictions.

His car then changes from a fine vehicle to becoming a total junk, while he also face the fact that he talks a lot is overweight and not attractive, still, he argues on his gifted persuasion skills and his ability to please others.

In the final act, Willy was shown to be a tragic hero. He steered his car off the road and finalizes with many avoided suicide attempts. Still, Willy believed that money given by the insurance company from a suicide will make him be a sufficient provider of his family. It is therefore the real picture of how an ordinary man tries to struggle in society and how society views such man.

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Review of Musical : Wicked

Friday, September 25th, 2009

The musical “Wicked”, now playing in New York, London, and Chicago is about finding out the truth by looking into the past and see what happens behind the scene. You must find out things that you knew well and really discover what actually occurred. By doing this you will know what actually happened and how things now actually unraveled.

This musical is one of the creative ones, where we are entertained since start to end by getting in touch with the characters which are supporting cast for the famous story “The Wizard of Oz”. The main characters are Galinda, the Good Witch of the North and the antagonist Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. We can also find Nessarose, the Wicked Witch of the East.

It started with Glinda talking to Oz after the death of the last wicked witch, however when it was asked how Glinda came to know her, we then get back into the past and one thing after another start to be revealed. It is based on the novel authored by Gregory Maguire, with the same title, and based on the L. Frank Baum novel.

The story sends a message that we should not see things just as they are, because there are always things behind these. It also tries to find out the how things that is considered good came to be, and what is considered to be evil, also why people seem to be evil or good. We are then given the view of investigation effects of prejudice, and how fame and politics can corrupt people.

“Wicked” is a very enjoyable show, as it gives us a very spectacular view. The scenery used in the show is very intricate, and is very supportive for all actions on made on stage. The costumes used by the characters are very well made and also are the beautiful makeup. The actors did a splendid job in acting the story, while all the warmth and comedy in the script was given beautifully.

Despite the splendid acting, scenery, costumes and makeup, there was a small drawback which people loving musical will notice right away. We do not leave the building with a song that just sticks in our head after leaving the theatre. I believe, every musical should have at the least 1 song which will make you think in your mind “I definitely must get the soundtrack to the musical”.

Still, I will definitely recommend “Wicked” for all who enjoy good cast and acting coupled with beautifully made costumes and scenery. Thumbs up!

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Review of Musical : Chicago

Friday, September 11th, 2009

Chicago struck me as a whirlwind of dreams, deceit and corruption all wrapped up in a sultry package of feather boas and neon lights. The themes within Chicago rise and fall as tides, reappearing amongst each other to pose before us the raw, ruthless and condescending human nature. For this purpose, Chicago provides two platforms that always bring out the true nature and intention of people, guaranteed to be cut-throat and dramatic: Showbiz and the American legal system. These are interesting dynamics to share the stage, and while it may seem an odd match at first, it becomes quite clear how much they both depend on the smoke and mirrors of those who have put themselves in just the right places to manipulate it.

Following the story of the demure, hopeful Roxie, we stumble through her pitfalls and accomplishments along her road to Vaudeville. Seeing things as they appear through her eyes, we are leant to give her pause and sympathy, even as she is dripping with lies and finally a full-blown ego. We see her first as the hopeful fan, gazing longingly at Velma Kelly, envious of her freedom to flaunt her sexuality and talent openly and receive such adoration for it. Roxie reaps justice as her own, discarding those she believes to be lying to her or useless in her plight for fame. At one climactic point she is so taken with herself that she nearly denies the help of Billy Flynn, basking in her fifteen minutes of fame and nearly blinded to the fact that she is close to looking death in the face.

The injustice in this work is both frequent and fully accepted by the characters, even as the consequences made blatant and the innocent prosecuted. This is an every-man-for-himself atmosphere and there seems to be only a candy-coated ending for only the most deceitful, those who came out ahead of the game for all their viciousness. Both entertainment and judicial standings are unmasked, stripped of their honorable, positive exterior. We are looking inside these two institutions, and the gears are indeed dirty, greasy and grinding against each other to make it all work. For those on the outside, unaware, it all appears to be polish and order.

Chicago certainly makes the most of it’s musical endeavors. Not only did the music emphasize points of importance and character development in the story, but it also moved the story along, becoming an integral part of the play. This added another dimension of potential to the music, leaving the audience to anticipate musical numbers to provide exciting twists and fast-paced action sequences. The music also becomes the main vehicle to Chicago’s sexual appeal. Throughout the play, in sequences where Roxie is fantasizing or making sense of someone she is meant to idolize, characters (including herself) are always depicted as unleashed sexual mistresses, obviously a repression she longs to break free of. She even puts Billy Flynn in her musings as surrounded by beautiful, scantily-clad women at his beck and call. It is hard to imagine Roxie’s experience unfolding without the aid of the musical performances, our source of knowing how she perceives what is going on inside and around her.

An exception to the dazzling numbers full of writhing body parts and illicit costumes is that of Amos and his burst of crooning. Here is the one guy who has remained faithful, honest and dependable for the duration. Even as the cruel intentions of others are dumped upon him, he carries on, nursing a broken heart and his own humble aspirations. In his song, we see that Amos recognizes his position in the world and that he isn’t happy about it. Though he feels it’s unavoidable, he mopes without ambition to inspire change. We see also a pitiful, submissive German inmate, who, without ability to communicate or scheme her way out as the others, met her demise as the only woman professing innocence and remorse. These two complete the picture, offering a view of the other side of the spectrum. Certainly not given enough exposure to warrant them character status of Roxie or even Mama, they are placed in the background where it seems the honest belong in this world where survival of the fittest seems to be the style everyone’s wearing.

The characters solidly depict the intertwining of preying upon the predator, of success and failure among those who would step on anyone that is naive enough to show an inkling of ability to aid or hinder them in their greed and self-absorption. Here we see not only the plotting and relationships of the antagonists, but also a brilliantly mocking statement about the media and frenzy that it can instill in the public. Our celebrity-centered culture chews so readily on what appears in the papers, spoon-fed to us until people of no credibility or talent can rise to a celebrity position in the hearts and minds of the majority. Ultimately it doesn’t seem to matter anymore why someone is in the news. Just as long as they are put within our daily sights, we can all be comfortable with knowing their face and affording them respect for it. We see Roxie practice her act to become the latest America’s sweetheart, poster child for the evils of gin and jazz. Velma meanwhile obsesses over attempts to top her rival at every turn, all unknown to the blinded public eye, which accepts their every notion.

Chicago thrusts forward a story that displays individuals working an aggressive charm and deceptive allure to achieve what they most desire. This is a rich flow of injustice and scandal, opening us up to see that things might not always be what they seem. Here is a playful romp through the cynical world where the innocent woman dies, the good guy is left alone and the murderers and swindlers are all smiling in the end, misted in glitter and class. Chicago is delivered with all the pizzazz and style that a scandalous story as this depends and flourishes upon. We can definitely draw sense from this pool of sequins and song to apply in our own experiences of celebrity acceptance, if only we had a chorus of nearly-naked dancers to aid in our ponderings.

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Review of Show : Hairspray

Friday, September 4th, 2009

Hairspray Book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. Music by Marc Shaiman. Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. This funny and entertaining musical will leave all who attend the theater production feeling invigorated by the energy that exudes from the stage.

This 1960’s era musical is based on the 1988 John Water’s movie and it is not a usual journey to take a movie and springboard a full-blown Broadway musical from it. The expressionistic journey usually takes a stage production and tries to transform it to fit the lens of the movie camera. Yet, this creative translation works and works well in both venues. I should say, I am bias seeing both the movie (actually both movies the new 2007 version and the 1988 version) and the stage production-the stage show is better than what fits through the lens of the movie camera.

The original Broadway cast of Hairspray, including its Tony-winning stars Marissa Jaret Winokur (Tracy) and Harvey Fierstein (Edna), has long been replaced by other actors and traveling road productions change cast members continually, but the show never loses its vitality. This is a show with a big infectious heart that takes on one of America’s biggest problems, racism.

The story tackles issues that were pervasive in the 1960’s and are still with us today even though in more subtle ways: prejudice about weight, race, the clothes you wear, the part of town you are from and big hair are still with us daily. This warm melodious musical makes the viewer think, while enjoying the highly entertaining dance numbers and odd giddy innocence of Tracy and her mother Edna’s approach to life.

Everyone will enjoy this stage production be it a road show or Broadway theater extravaganza. I like what one reviewer in Ottawa said of the touring production that appeared there:

“..Hairspray earns our applause with a smart script, a ton of talent and a perverse desire to bring an audience to its knees before it brings them to their feet.” Denis Armstrong -Sun Times

The present Broadway production is a high energy delight, but not quite as exciting as the original cast. Who can really ever replace Harvey Fierstein in any role he signatures? No, one. So you take what you get and enjoy the overall spirit of the show that manifests through each player and each song in the show. After all this musical won 8 Tony Awards in 2003, has been running on Broadway for 5 years straight and is now playing around the world! They must be doing something right and entertaining or people would not continue to buy out the shows.

If you are going to New York anytime soon, get your tickets to this show playing at the Neil Simon Theater. It is well worth the $60 -$200 tickets.

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Review of Musical : Jersey Boys

Friday, August 14th, 2009

Jersey Boys is a documentary-style musical about The Four Seasons, one of the most popular rock and roll bands of the 1960s. The musical’s focal point is The Four Seasons’ lead singer, Frankie Valli. However, it’s his interaction with Tommy DeVito, the group’s original driving force, and song composer, Bobby Gaudio, that makes the group’s story so compelling.

Jersey Boys is one of the most entertaining shows I have ever seen, which is indeed high praise when you consider that I normally find musicals boring and tedious and usually see them as a collection of corny songs strung together by contrived stories. I went to see Jersey Boys because I already knew I liked the music, which is terrific, and figured I’d bide my time between songs. I had no idea that the original group members had been such interesting characters. Their personal similarities are probably more obvious to most than their differences, but how they came together against tremendous odds to become a music sensation is really rather amazing.

You’ll be entertained by the telling of the story, which is done through an effective mix of both dialogue and song. You’ll pick up some interesting factoids about the group, such as which current Hollywood star actually introduced two key members of the group, how “Sherry,” the group’s first big hit came into being, and which movie star inspired the song “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Did you know that the group struggled with the music world to record a song that was to become one of Frankie Valli’s biggest solo hits from the late 1960s? Dozens of their hits and other popular songs of the period are performed during this two-act show.

Jersey Boys also provides a view of how city teenagers grew up in the 1950s and 1960s and what it was like to break into the rock and roll business in those days. At the risk of saying too much, I must say that if those four guys hadn’t ended up stars, they might have ended up in the mob, in jail or worse. Whether you grew up in New York or New Jersey in those days or wonder what it must have been like, you’ll want to see this show. It’s absolutely terrific.

Jersey Boys is based on a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and premiered at the LaJolla Playhouse in LaJolla, California. I was fortunate to see the show in South Florida at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Jersey Boys won the Tony Award in 2006 for best musical.

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Best Musical Shows of All Times

Friday, August 7th, 2009

Musical theater is an incredibly unique art form and appeals to different people in many different ways. Because of this variability, rating individual musicals can hardly be objective by any means, even if selection criteria are consistent. Furthermore, selection criteria of musicals can be very different than typical selection criteria for other forms of media. Movies can be rated by earnings, music can be rated by requests, but musicals are distinctively difficult to rate. Having said that, I would propose the following criteria for selecting the best musicals of all time: general popularity, real life applicability, enjoyment of performing, recognition of references, and character of the show. As alluded to previously, these are unique measures to fit an exceptional art form.

General popularity is probably the most obvious, a musical has to have general appeal to a wide variety of audiences and must have made a significant amount of tours to be considered. Real life applicability relates to the ability of a musical to expose and explore real human emotions, teach life lessons, and be transposed (if just in interpretations) to real situations. For musical enthusiasts, the shows they are most sentimental about may be shows they had some part in performing in, even in small-scale, local productions; so the enjoyment artists get out of performing musicals comes in to play. Like popular movies, popular musicals often get referenced in pop culture and in conversation, and recognizing those references indicates a significant impact the musical had on its viewers. Finally, many musicals have traditions or stories behind the performance or plot, and I think these background stories add character to the show, enough that it may change the value of the show in this respect.

Jonathan Larson’s “Rent” tops my list, with a tear-jerking story behind the story and plenty of real life applicability. “Rent” depicts the lives of several young, starving artists in the streets of New York, struggling with their values, love lives, sexuality, figures of authority, and HIV. The phenomenal soundtrack includes the flagship song “Seasons of Love”, emotion-drenched love songs and fun, spirited dance tunes. The movie “Rent” is a good reproduction of the fantastic Broadway show, but nothing beats live theater. The movie “Team America” references the musical in an ironic parody sketch called “Lease” featuring a song stating “Everyone has AIDS. AIDS, AIDS, AIDS!”

I can’t say enough about the musical “Wicked”, which is based on the story of the “Wizard of Oz” but with a comical, clever twist. Wicked soared in popularity, probably because of its relation to real life issues and the attention it commands with its very presence; before even entering the theater, witty “Wicked” paraphernalia makes show-goers and passers-by chuckle at the ironic humor. While it takes place in a completely fictitious world, it deals with realistic issues such as discrimination, heartbreak, gossip, social standards, and moral values. The lyrics of “Defying Gravity” and “Dancing Through Life” are taken literally in the show, but taken figuratively, the show inspires the lives of its fans.

One of the best aspects of live theater is that the performance is not limited to the stage. Even at a conceptual level, I love “Phantom of the Opera” for its adaptation of the entire theater as the setting of the show. Rather than being in a theater watching a show on stage, audience is in a theater in which we are led to believe the story is actually unfolding. The special effects in this musical are breath-taking, and frightening at times, and definitely make it a joy to watch and presumably to perform. Well-known showtunes and life applicability also play into the appeal of “Phantom”. It’s no wonder this musical is incredibly popular. Don’t be content with just watching the movie, the live performance will absolutely blow your mind!

I would include “Pippin” in my list, which may be a significantly more sentimental choice than an objective one, but it is based on the deeply-rooted character of the show. This specific musical may not win Academy Awards, but it is loaded with performing traditions and nuances that an unknowledgeable audience may never pick up. For example, the main character, Pippin, never wears shoes during the performance. Also, the musical has multiple alternative endings, and the director’s choice of ending almost completely defines the mood throughout the entire musical. I’ve seen multiple performances of “Pippin”; one was very bright, bouncy and fun; another was more traditional, emphasizing drugs, sex and power as driving forces of the character’s motives; and the one I performed in was dark, gloomy, and on the verge of being evil. For these reasons, I would say “Pippin” is one of the most diverse musicals, and therefore is more intriguing and interesting to see and perform. While it may not be as wildly popular as the other shows on this list, “Pippin” is very deep, and it definitely can have real life applicability.

“Go, go Joe!” rings out in my head as I think about “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. Based on a Bible story, this energetic, charming and heartfelt show is packed with catchy tunes, funny references, and amazing special effects. While it has been a very popular musical, I wouldn’t rate it high in real life applicability; it may seem ironic (and blasphemous) to say a Bible story doesn’t have a good life lesson, but I think the issue is in the presentation of the story, not the story itself. The musical doesn’t relate to common, realistic emotions as much as some of the others on this list. That issue aside, “Joseph” is a thrill to perform in, and the show has a huge presence and character.

No list is complete without “Les Miserables”, likely one of the most complex and drastically serious musicals of all time. Taking place in France in the early 19th century, the musical portrays the hardships of a multitude of characters struggling with poverty, crime and revolution. There are tons of characters to keep track of, and so many motives and plots; it is very different than watching Dorothy try to get back home to Kansas. For first-timers, I would suggest you read a full synopsis of the plot before going to see it. Nevertheless, the artistic value and life applicability of this musical, plus its huge following and ease of referencing, make “Les Miserables” and must-see. If you are a reader, the musical is based on a very thick book of the same name (written by Victor Hugo), and the musical is just as complex as the book. From the more popular song “Castle on a Cloud”, to references to prisoner 24601, “Les Miserables” is referenced in pop culture more often than many people realize. I was watching “South Park” the other day, and there were obvious references scattered through the episode “Helen Keller the Musical”. I can’t even imagine how awesome it would be to perform in “Les Miz”, as it’s called for short; I would guess the acting would be emphasized more than in the upbeat musicals.

My honorable mentions would be “Miss Saigon” for its artistry and drama, “Cats” for its clever choreography and popular showtunes, “Oklahoma” for its traditions and story, “West Side Story” for its reference recognition and popularity, “The Music Man” also for its reference recognition and popularity, “Pirates of Penzance” for its character and performing enjoyment and “A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum” also for its character and performing enjoyment.

Looking back on this list of the best theater musicals, I am struck by the variety of seriousness, appealing features, and contexts on which the musicals are based. “Wicked” is a twist on a commonly-known story made movie, “Les Miz” is based on a Victor Hugo book, and “Joseph” is based on a Bible story. On the contrary, there are musicals based on similar themes that I would argue were catastrophic failures; “Jesus Christ Superstar” was ridiculous (I know there is a huge fan base, and I apologize deeply but I just didn’t get it), and “Legally Blonde” was a complete joke. It is apparent that a musical’s success is very difficult to determine; there are no consistent factors that separate hits from misses. However, the few characteristics that I’ve used here in selecting the best musicals, general popularity, real life applicability, enjoyment of performing, recognition of references, and character of the show, may also be used to indicate a show’s potential.

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Review of Musical : Legally Blonde

Friday, July 31st, 2009

I will admit; I was a bit skeptical when I first heard of Legally Blonde-The Musical. I was never one of those girls who watched the movie; I didn’t really understand what the big fuss was about. But when one of my friends made me listen to the soundtrack, I was hooked; from the opening number, Ohmigod, You Guys to the very end, I was laughing and singing along.

The story is the same from the Movie to the Musical: A very typical sorority belle, Elle Woods of Delta Nu is in love with her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III. As she is getting ready to say yes to his proposal, Warner is intent on breaking up with her, insisting that as he is going to Harvard to become a lawyer, he needs someone Serious. After a small crying jag, Elle rallies and is back on her feet, determined to get in to Harvard and show Warner that she is What You Want. With quite a bit of effort and sacrifice, and a great dance number instead of a personal essay, Elle Woods makes it into Harvard.

The Harvard Variations introduce the audience to several of her classmates, mostly self-absorbed and self-important individuals, with the exception of Emmett Forest. Elle and Warner have a class together, Criminal Law 101, taught by Professor Callahan, who tells them that only the good lawyers are sharks, and to watch for the Blood in the Water. He then reminds them that he will select four sharks from their class to intern with him. Vivian, Warner’s new girlfriend, soon kicks Elle out of class. Elle and her Greek Chorus (the girls of Delta Nu) are Positive that Elle can win back Warner, but he walks away. Desperate, Elle wants to try something she has never done before: she’s going to dye her hair brunette. Talked out of it by her salon dresser Paulette, they commiserate about their lost loves, while Paulette sings of Ireland.

While at the salon, Elle is invited to a ‘costume’ party hosted by Vivian. However, when Elle arrives, dressed as a playboy bunny, the party is not in costume. Elle perseveres and tries to make Warner believe she is Serious, to no avail. Later, crying on a park bench, Elle is found and comforted by Emmett, who tells her that she needs to get a Chip on her Shoulder to succeed. Elle tries it, and tutored by Emmett, Elle begins to succeed in class. When the new interns are announced, Warner and Vivian are both selected, and Warner takes the opportunity to propose to Vivian. Elle is ready to give up, until Emmett tells her that she was also selected as an intern. Elle realizes that she feels So Much Better.

Act Two starts with Brooke Windham, formerly of Delta Nu, now a workout star of Whipped into Shape, being accused of murdering her sixty-year-old husband. She claims to have an alibi, but will not tell it to Callahan or any of the interns, until she finds out that Elle is a Delta Nu. Brooke soon reveals her alibi, that she was having liposuction, but that if it were made public she would lose her fitness enterprise. Callahan, disgusted with Elle’s secrecy and Emmett’s attempts to defend her, criticizes them both and tells them to take the rest of the day. Elle takes Emmett shopping, guiding him to look good and Take it Like a Man, as the audience realizes that Emmett is falling in love with Elle.

Later, at the salon, Paulette tells Elle that she is falling in love with the new delivery guy, Kyle B. O’Doyle, but that she doesn’t know how to get him to notice her. Elle, and several other salon patrons, teach Paulette the Bend and Snap 99.99 percent effective on strait men. Paulette is reluctant, but tries it on Kyle, only to ’snap’ his nose. At the trial, Brooke’s pool boy testifies against her, but Elle, accidentally doing the bend and snap in front of him, realizes by his non-reaction that he is gay. Callahan doesn’t believe her, resulting in a discussion There, Right There! of how to tell if someone is gay or European. Emmett manages to crack him, and all realize that he is gay and European.

Over drinks later, they toast Emmett and Elle, and Warner is sent away. Callahan speaks highly of Elle, and asks her to stay as everyone else leaves. He hits on her, kisses her, and when she refuses his offer, he fires her, saying the only reason he hired her is for her body, not her mind. Elle is devastated, and decides to leave, go home and be Legally Blonde. When Emmett tries to stop her, she tells him what happened, and locks him out. When Elle goes to tell Paulette goodbye, Vivian stops her, and tells Elle that she needs to go back to the case. Elle agrees, and leads her parents, the girls of Delta Nu, and everyone else in a parade back to the courtroom, where Brooke fires Callahan and makes Elle her new legal council, helped by Emmett. Elle questions Miss Windham, the stepdaughter of Brooke. Elle breaks her defense and wins the case. Elle becomes Valedictorian and Paulette tells what happens to everyone as Elle sings to Find My Way. Finally Elle proposes to Emmett.

This musical is fun, and very positive. Elle Woods undergoes a dramatic change from blond bimbo to a cool and professional lawyer with a great fashion sense. The music is fun and upbeat, keeping the story going and making audiences smile at the same time. Many of the characters start out as stereotypes, but most change into individual personalities by the end of the show. There are lots of laughs, and there is a wonderful message about being yourself, no matter the obstacles. It’s a great musical for girls of all ages, and guys will like it too. I highly recommend this musical as a break from the ordinary. After all – it’s fun to be blonde!

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Review of Musical : Rent

Friday, July 24th, 2009

Get out the Kleenex boys and girls! If you are looking for a musical about sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll, this isn’t for you. While RENT includes these components, the story line focuses on what’s outside of the box: Who are these people? What is happening to them? Where can they go in time of need? Why is society treating them as being disposable? While this musical will have you dancing around and getting that adrenaline pumping it will also have you cuddling with your tissues and wishing you could jump in and help.

A story of young artists, Rent employs eight main characters. Mark is a starving artist who embellishes on his film making. Roger is a starving musician that made choices along the way that resulted in him contracting HIV. Benny is a fellow Bohemian, once friend, and is now the landlord. Angel is a cross dresser who enjoys playing the drums; he also has contracted Aids. Tom Collins, or Collins, is a traveling university professor of philosophy who falls in love with Angel, and also suffers from Aids. Mimi is a night time exotic dancer and drug addict, who also has contracted HIV. Joanne is a lesbian lawyer who falls for Maureen. Maureen is a bisexual starving artist, who once dated Mark and is now pledging her future to Joanne.

And who can even mention the musical Rent without mentioning Jonathan Larson? Larson exemplified his unique writing style when he wrote Rent; a musical about alternate lifestyles, drug addiction, Aids, and death. In fact, Larson was so adamant towards this musical that he waited tables at a diner while composing songs for the musical. It is a rock musical written with a Bohemian twist, and depicting the lives of individuals affected by HIV and Aids. It is a story about love, life, and friendship. It is a story of hidden hope and the contributions that all individuals give back to society.

Each character had dreams, some were shattered and some were not. You will see the lives of the characters blossoming and then some plummeting. You will witness the effects of living the lifestyles that these characters lead. You will be overcome with excitement as the cast dances and sings La Vie Boheme; you will fall in love once again; you will be filled with sorrow when death is knocking. You will be taken in and emotionally moved by the intricate details that Larson implemented into this musical web. The musical Rent is a must see for those that wish to make a difference in their individual life and those who wish to change our future!

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Review of Rock of Ages Broadway Musical

Friday, June 12th, 2009

I saw “Rock of Ages” just last week and had first refused lout aloud when asked by my son. It is a jukebox musical which I hate to see ever since Beach Boys debacle back then. I also think that the eighties are my lost decade since I was then just married and was raising my son, I didn’t pay attention to the music.

I was forced to go because my son’s date backed out in the last minute and it would be a waste of the ticket. Although reluctant, I managed to drag myself to the theatre front door, amidst a long subway ride and heavy rain, and anticipating that I would react to the show by sitting and wishing I was elsewhere. I didn’t know that I was in for a total surprise, and that the show would totally blow me away.

“Rock of Ages” is on a totally different level compared to other broadway musicals, it can be seen more as an arena concert, where there are drinks served in the aisles of the theatre, having back up band and little LED flashlights taking place of lighters that are usually waved in the air on encores. It is then, I found out that I am in for something much more than a Broadway musical.

It tells of a story of boy meets girl, which is filled with clichés and characters similar to the rock and roll ages of the 80’s. Drew, the rockstar wannabe played by Constantine Maroulis falls in love for Sherrie, the nave girl who ran away to become a star, played by Amy Spanger. There’s also a former hippie who opens a rock club dive on the Strip, an entrepreneur who specializes in ruining all the fun, his son who’s learning the ropes of the business and a social activist trying to preserve the integrity of the society.

The whole play is about getting great laughs, where Lonny, played by Mitcheel Jarvis gives out a breaking performance. Lonny truly understands that it is a joke and breaks the wall a couple of times in the performance to laugh with the audience.

The whole story is amusing and funny as well as the costumes. It was surprising that I came to love the music. I found that I liked this music as if they came from a long lost memory of my youth. There were songs by classic artist such as Twisted Sister, Whitesnake, Bon Jovi and Jorney.

This show is full of great performances that seem to top out each other and the story itself eventually comes to a happy, yet unexpected ending. After the show, I find myself wanting to watch it a second, and maybe a third time.

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Tips for Getting Cheap Tickets to Broadway Shows

Friday, June 5th, 2009

If you don’t live in New York, then you may not find much opportunity to watch Broadway shows. Some large cities such as San Francisco and Chicago have ongoing shows that come through, while other small cities can only find very few shows per year. Tickets therefore come with steep prices sometimes going over $80 or $100 for decent seats, and therefore can be quite difficult for the rest of use to watch these shows when they come to our town.

Still, if you are on a budget, there is a solution: Get Rush Seats. Some touring productions provide tickets called rush tickets in which they sell at bargains right on the show day to people through various ways, among them through a lottery.

One such event is the show “Wicked” which holds lottery for tickets costing $25 just two hours before their show. To win this lottery, you only need to show up, show your ID and then enter your name into the ballot. Of course winners need to pay cash or forfeit the tickets.

Some shows will sell in the box office some very cheap tickets for the show of the day. These tickets may not be sold normally, or may have been cancelled just during the last minute. Theatres may choose not to lose income and sell at half price. You will need to buy them at a theater box office.

Another way is to wait in line for low cost tickets. An example is “RENT” which sells $20 for tickets to the first two rows of seats just two hours before it begins. You will need to wait in line for quite a while, still, there is just no other option for getting front row seat to this show.

If you want to know what options are available for you, check the websites giving information for theaters in your town and find out which shows will be available. If you can’t find information in the websites, then call the box office to inquire on any low priced tickets.

You may also search in google, with the show name, city name and rush tickets as the keywords. Also use forums and bulletin boards to find out information regarding these shows.

If you follow these tips, you will find yourself getting more opportunity to enjoy broadway shows at a much reduced price.

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