In the world of musical theatre, it's imperative to keep ones voice in shape, which I have not. I haven't sung out loud in front of people in over three years. And it definitely shows. So I called up a local vocal coach who was recommended by a friend who works in the industry, and had my first lesson about an hour ago. It went all right... not the best lesson I've had... but that's understandable with the shape that my voice is in.
I basically need to go to a vocal boot camp between now and June 8th (the date of my audition) if I think that I'm going to be in any shape to do this right and get cast. We picked out possibly two songs, not the two songs I originally planned on singing. But Not For Me by George Gershwin from various shows he's done, and from The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd, Nothing Can Stop Me Now! The Gershwin song I'm very familiar with, I've worked on it before, so it's comfortable. The other song I've never heard before in my LIFE but it is a great song.
The strangest thing about this lesson? I heard the six words that I dread hearing: I really think you're a soprano. I've categorized myself as a BELTER forever. My first two voice teachers were convinced that I was a soprano... and I fought it with everything I have. The teacher that I had the longest agreed with me that I was an alto, a belter, possibly a mezzo. Even the musical director from college (weasel that he was) was convinced that I was a soprano. He even told my best friend, who is a coloratura soprano (so ridiculously high it could break glass) that SHE is an alto and I am a soprano. We laughed at him for years over that comment.
But now I'm questioning. What if I am really a soprano, and I've been fighting it for so long, and now I've screwed my voice? I think that if I work hard over the next two weeks (and see if I can find instrumentals of these songs somewhere) I can improve my voice enough so that it's back in good shape again. But we'll see. I'm still terrified of this audition. Why do I do these things to myself?
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monday, November 17, 2008
Of A Revolution
The concert was GREAT. Although, remind me to not go to concerts at U of D in the future. I forgot how much I don't like drunk underage college kids. And saying that makes me feel so old... I mean, I'm only out of college going on 3 years... but I just really don't like those stereotypical people. And University of Delaware people are just terrible with that! U D girls? are a little slutty. And by a little, I mean really. These girls were wearing clothing that barely qualifies as a dress. It just looked like a really really tight super long T-shirt to me. With high heels. And far too much makeup. My favorite drunken idiot parts? When they decided to go crowd surfing... and one girl pretty much did a backflip in the air because people tossed her... when they started passing the chairs around on the floor (where I was sitting...yay work for awesome seats!), and when they started standing on the chairs to see better.
Meeting the band was awesome. They're a really great, chill bunch of guys. They were very relaxed and a bit nervous for the show, which I thought was adorable. I officially have a giant crush on Jerry... who plays EVERY INSTRUMENT EVER. He played the guitar, drums, and saxophone... and man does he make playing the sax really sexy. The rest of the guys were great too, especially Richard (the Asian one who plays lead guitar). He was actually walking around the stadium before the show started...and nobody knew who he was, except for the group of us who met him. So I went up and asked him if he knew where their merch was, because my cousin who went with me wanted to buy a T-shirt. It would have been nice if they had let us buy merch before the show started... because then she could have had the band sign her shirt. Oh well.
I think one of the coolest parts of the show was when they had a three-way dueling drum solo. Three guys playing the drums at the same time. Incredibly hard, and incredibly amazing. If you ever have a chance to see these guys in concert, I highly recommend it. They were really great live. Also, they were trying this new thing where they taped the concert and put it on a USB drive that was actually a bracelet. They also had their new album on it also. I seriously considered getting one, but I thought it would just be spending money for the sake of spending money, so I didn't get it. Although I'm pretty sure my brother would have loved that for Christmas.
Hopefully I'll be able to add pictures later. My camera died before I could take some myself, so I'm relying on other people to email me pictures. I want to see if I can get the picture of me and my cousin with the band, maybe a promo shot of the band, and get like a shadow box for myself and one for my cousin, because we both had our tickets signed by the guys. I think that would be nice to keep it like that... that way it won't get torn or anything.
Meeting the band was awesome. They're a really great, chill bunch of guys. They were very relaxed and a bit nervous for the show, which I thought was adorable. I officially have a giant crush on Jerry... who plays EVERY INSTRUMENT EVER. He played the guitar, drums, and saxophone... and man does he make playing the sax really sexy. The rest of the guys were great too, especially Richard (the Asian one who plays lead guitar). He was actually walking around the stadium before the show started...and nobody knew who he was, except for the group of us who met him. So I went up and asked him if he knew where their merch was, because my cousin who went with me wanted to buy a T-shirt. It would have been nice if they had let us buy merch before the show started... because then she could have had the band sign her shirt. Oh well.
I think one of the coolest parts of the show was when they had a three-way dueling drum solo. Three guys playing the drums at the same time. Incredibly hard, and incredibly amazing. If you ever have a chance to see these guys in concert, I highly recommend it. They were really great live. Also, they were trying this new thing where they taped the concert and put it on a USB drive that was actually a bracelet. They also had their new album on it also. I seriously considered getting one, but I thought it would just be spending money for the sake of spending money, so I didn't get it. Although I'm pretty sure my brother would have loved that for Christmas.
Hopefully I'll be able to add pictures later. My camera died before I could take some myself, so I'm relying on other people to email me pictures. I want to see if I can get the picture of me and my cousin with the band, maybe a promo shot of the band, and get like a shadow box for myself and one for my cousin, because we both had our tickets signed by the guys. I think that would be nice to keep it like that... that way it won't get torn or anything.
Friday, November 14, 2008
The Perks
When people from home and college found out that I now work in radio, I got a lot of "Hey, can you get my concert tickets?" Sadly, no. I usually can't even get them for me. Not free anyway. I did get to see Jenny Lewis for free, though..but it was a local show and it was a show that was not in high demand. Coldplay? Ain't happening. Not that I'd want to see them anyway, because I'm not at all a fan.
Yesterday, the programming director asked me what I was doing tomorrow (well, today now) to which I responded Um. Hanging out with my mom? Because I am. Saturday morning I'm getting a massage from my mom's friend Tina, and I'm not driving to Pottstown at 8am on a Saturday. So I'm going to Pottstown tonight instead. The conversation went as follows:
PD: So you don't want to see a concert tomorrow?
Me: Which one?
PD: OAR. You don't want tickets to that for tomorrow?
Me: Okay.
PD: And backstage passes?
Me: Okay!
So I asked my friend Sara (who, right now, is lame) to go with me...but she told me this morning that she couldn't. I thought of asking Deb to go, but since one of OAR's biggest songs is "Crazy Game of Poker" I thought it may be too much for her, so I didn't ask her. Then I had to put the word out to like a bajillion people because everyone I asked couldn't make it to Newark by 6:30. Finally my cousin Gabby got back to me after I changed my facebook status to "the first person to call/email me gets to see OAR and meet the band" so she's coming with me. I have so many people who are OAR fans that couldn't go. I have the cousin who is 9 months pregnant and due in about a week... I have the cousin who lives in Baltimore but has to work at 6am tomorrow... i have the best friend who lives in PA but didn't get back to me fast enough. It's crazytown. So now I am getting the "Ooh do you still have the ticket" emails and text messages. Sorry kids, you snooze... you lose.
And becklette...I know I didn't say anything about it to you, but I figured with all the car-ness that getting to Newark DE by 6:30 without me driving to get you would be near impossible, so I didn't mention it.
ETA: My cousin? The 9-month pregnant one? Had her baby Friday night. So she was a bit busy to go with me. They had a little girl, Juliet Catherine, and she's beautiful. She has two hot parents, so that kid is going to be a knockout.
Yesterday, the programming director asked me what I was doing tomorrow (well, today now) to which I responded Um. Hanging out with my mom? Because I am. Saturday morning I'm getting a massage from my mom's friend Tina, and I'm not driving to Pottstown at 8am on a Saturday. So I'm going to Pottstown tonight instead. The conversation went as follows:
PD: So you don't want to see a concert tomorrow?
Me: Which one?
PD: OAR. You don't want tickets to that for tomorrow?
Me: Okay.
PD: And backstage passes?
Me: Okay!
So I asked my friend Sara (who, right now, is lame) to go with me...but she told me this morning that she couldn't. I thought of asking Deb to go, but since one of OAR's biggest songs is "Crazy Game of Poker" I thought it may be too much for her, so I didn't ask her. Then I had to put the word out to like a bajillion people because everyone I asked couldn't make it to Newark by 6:30. Finally my cousin Gabby got back to me after I changed my facebook status to "the first person to call/email me gets to see OAR and meet the band" so she's coming with me. I have so many people who are OAR fans that couldn't go. I have the cousin who is 9 months pregnant and due in about a week... I have the cousin who lives in Baltimore but has to work at 6am tomorrow... i have the best friend who lives in PA but didn't get back to me fast enough. It's crazytown. So now I am getting the "Ooh do you still have the ticket" emails and text messages. Sorry kids, you snooze... you lose.
And becklette...I know I didn't say anything about it to you, but I figured with all the car-ness that getting to Newark DE by 6:30 without me driving to get you would be near impossible, so I didn't mention it.
ETA: My cousin? The 9-month pregnant one? Had her baby Friday night. So she was a bit busy to go with me. They had a little girl, Juliet Catherine, and she's beautiful. She has two hot parents, so that kid is going to be a knockout.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Acid Tongues and Rabbit Fur Coats
I heart Jenny Lewis. A lot. There were maybe 150 people there. Most of them were drunk and slightly obnoxious (like the ones screaming "I LOVE YOU JENNY...DELAWARE LOVES YOU JENNY" every time there was a lull). I hadn't heard any of her solo stuff, only Rilo Kiley. I need her new album. It's awesome. I almost bought a cute Jenny Lewis 2008 T-shirt. It was super cute, but since I just got two Phillies T-shirts, I figured I didn't need a new one.
I have a new guilty pleasure band out of this experience as well... Deer Tick. They're this mix of country, blues, and rock, and the lead singer is really interesting. He's one of those guys who laughs at his own jokes, but they're actually funny. He introduced me to my new favorite political song (it's a song-poem... titled "Jimmy Carter Says Yes")
Want to sing along? YOUTUBE LINK!
My favorite part of the show was probably how both Deer Tick and Jenny Lewis and her band ddrank Yuengling the entire time...then switched to Corona because I guess Yuengling ran out. Jenny was drinking beer as if it were water when she needed to clear her throat. Why I found this hysterical, I'm not quite sure, but whatevs. I was raelly hoping that she was going to sneak in a Rilo Kiley song, but alas no. I was also hoping for a Pinksy sighting as well, but again no. (Rilo Kiley's lead guitarist Blake Sennett aka Blake Swendson aka Blake Soper was Ronnie Pinsky from Salute Your Shorts. Sure did have a HUGE crush on him when I was like 11.)
The first band... Royal Family... man. They were painful. Really painful. The lead singer was awkward, had zero stage presence, and often sang with his back to the audience. He was constantly looking at his feet...and he was tone deaf. Every song was flat. His band on the other hand was amazing. The girl who played keyboard and did back up vocals was awesome...she had a great voice and an awesome presence. She did one duet with him...and it was the best song in the set because he did the least amount of singing in that one. Everything was just so flat for him. This will make sense to singers.. but he was going at every note from the bottom instead of coming up over the top if it so it fell really REALLY flat. He also kept constantly sliding into all of his notes, which is fine if you're on-key, but he wasn't.
The night was an overall success though. Strangers thought I was dating my friend Spencer... but whatever. Spence and I went to a local bar that you can walk to from my house and went people watching. It's a New Orleans Cajun bar... and they have this funk bank that plays badly every Friday apparently. Dockta D and the Infirmary. They were worse than Royal Family. But even worse than the band were the women (dressed in late 80s and early 90s clothes... and not in a fashion-forward way...I'm talking cut-out shoulders, giant gold belts, gold alligator heels, and south-west pattern vests) cutting up the dance floor. These ladies were having a grand ol' time, and I was having a ball watching them. If one of these women were your mom, you'd pretend you didn't know them.
I'm still bummed that I didn't get to see Tegan & Sara, but I'm happy that I didn't have to travel far from home to see Jenny Lewis (3 miles. Seriously.) and that I had quite the amusing evening. It really made me miss singing, actually. I spent all of yesterday and this morning while in my car listening to The Last Five Years on my iPod...probably scaring people driving next to and in front of me because I'm singing (and I mean singing as in acting while singing also.. which for The Last Five Years can get a bit emotional) every song. I love that music. It's music like that that makes me miss musical theatre. I keep going back and forth to whether or not I'm going to audition for Seussical in a few months. While I think it would be a lot of fun, I'd have to quit ULTA and I kind of need that job. I don't know what I'm going to do.
I have a new guilty pleasure band out of this experience as well... Deer Tick. They're this mix of country, blues, and rock, and the lead singer is really interesting. He's one of those guys who laughs at his own jokes, but they're actually funny. He introduced me to my new favorite political song (it's a song-poem... titled "Jimmy Carter Says Yes")
Can our government...be competent?
Jimmy Carter says yes! Jimmy Carter says yes!
Can our government...be honest?
Jimmy Carter says yes! Jimmy Carter says yes!
Can our government...be decent an open?
As the 39th president...he has spoken yes! Jimmy Carter says yes!
Want to sing along? YOUTUBE LINK!
My favorite part of the show was probably how both Deer Tick and Jenny Lewis and her band ddrank Yuengling the entire time...then switched to Corona because I guess Yuengling ran out. Jenny was drinking beer as if it were water when she needed to clear her throat. Why I found this hysterical, I'm not quite sure, but whatevs. I was raelly hoping that she was going to sneak in a Rilo Kiley song, but alas no. I was also hoping for a Pinksy sighting as well, but again no. (Rilo Kiley's lead guitarist Blake Sennett aka Blake Swendson aka Blake Soper was Ronnie Pinsky from Salute Your Shorts. Sure did have a HUGE crush on him when I was like 11.)
The first band... Royal Family... man. They were painful. Really painful. The lead singer was awkward, had zero stage presence, and often sang with his back to the audience. He was constantly looking at his feet...and he was tone deaf. Every song was flat. His band on the other hand was amazing. The girl who played keyboard and did back up vocals was awesome...she had a great voice and an awesome presence. She did one duet with him...and it was the best song in the set because he did the least amount of singing in that one. Everything was just so flat for him. This will make sense to singers.. but he was going at every note from the bottom instead of coming up over the top if it so it fell really REALLY flat. He also kept constantly sliding into all of his notes, which is fine if you're on-key, but he wasn't.
The night was an overall success though. Strangers thought I was dating my friend Spencer... but whatever. Spence and I went to a local bar that you can walk to from my house and went people watching. It's a New Orleans Cajun bar... and they have this funk bank that plays badly every Friday apparently. Dockta D and the Infirmary. They were worse than Royal Family. But even worse than the band were the women (dressed in late 80s and early 90s clothes... and not in a fashion-forward way...I'm talking cut-out shoulders, giant gold belts, gold alligator heels, and south-west pattern vests) cutting up the dance floor. These ladies were having a grand ol' time, and I was having a ball watching them. If one of these women were your mom, you'd pretend you didn't know them.
I'm still bummed that I didn't get to see Tegan & Sara, but I'm happy that I didn't have to travel far from home to see Jenny Lewis (3 miles. Seriously.) and that I had quite the amusing evening. It really made me miss singing, actually. I spent all of yesterday and this morning while in my car listening to The Last Five Years on my iPod...probably scaring people driving next to and in front of me because I'm singing (and I mean singing as in acting while singing also.. which for The Last Five Years can get a bit emotional) every song. I love that music. It's music like that that makes me miss musical theatre. I keep going back and forth to whether or not I'm going to audition for Seussical in a few months. While I think it would be a lot of fun, I'd have to quit ULTA and I kind of need that job. I don't know what I'm going to do.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
No tickets for me..
Every so often I'm blessed with comp tickets to a local show whether it be theatre or a concert. This Friday, I've scored two tickets (and I'm taking my friend Sara) for Jenny Lewis, the front woman for Rilo Kiley. I heart Rilo Kiley. It's Grey's Anatomy's fault. I heard Portions for Foxes on the soundtrack, and now I have all four of Rilo Kiley's albums and I'm working on getting Jenny Lewis's solo albums.
Earlier today... one of the girls in the marketing department asked me if I wanted ticekts to go see Tegan & Sara, another favorite of mine. She remembered that I'm a huge Tegan & Sara fan because I tried to get them to play their single from the latest cd on our internet rock station. The tickets? Are for this Friday. When I'm already seeing Jenny Lewis. Boo.
The station that I work for has multiple stations. One of them carries Phillies games, and because of that we have some Phillies perks. Like playoff tickets. Except we give those playoff tickets to clients. Any that are left over may be purchased by the staff. Today's game they had like 5 pairs of tickets, and magically five people expressed an interest. For tomorrow's game (which they are giving away for purchase today) there are I'm not sure how many pairs. I think 3. This morning there were only two people on the list for the PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GIVE ME PHILLIES TICKETS. Now...there are at LEAST 6. Which means...I'm probably not going to see the playoffs this year, and I may cry. I was so excited this morning when I knew that it was only me and the internet manager on the list. And now there are 6 bastard people. I never win anything in raffle situations. Damnit. I really wanted to go...
Earlier today... one of the girls in the marketing department asked me if I wanted ticekts to go see Tegan & Sara, another favorite of mine. She remembered that I'm a huge Tegan & Sara fan because I tried to get them to play their single from the latest cd on our internet rock station. The tickets? Are for this Friday. When I'm already seeing Jenny Lewis. Boo.
The station that I work for has multiple stations. One of them carries Phillies games, and because of that we have some Phillies perks. Like playoff tickets. Except we give those playoff tickets to clients. Any that are left over may be purchased by the staff. Today's game they had like 5 pairs of tickets, and magically five people expressed an interest. For tomorrow's game (which they are giving away for purchase today) there are I'm not sure how many pairs. I think 3. This morning there were only two people on the list for the PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GIVE ME PHILLIES TICKETS. Now...there are at LEAST 6. Which means...I'm probably not going to see the playoffs this year, and I may cry. I was so excited this morning when I knew that it was only me and the internet manager on the list. And now there are 6 bastard people. I never win anything in raffle situations. Damnit. I really wanted to go...
...ok. Maybe I was wrong.
I admit that I haven't seen anything from 9 to 5. Because it's only in LA. And has been for the past year since it's been workshopped. Since I live in lowly Delaware, I'll have to wait until it hits Broadway in March 2009 to see it... and that's if I feel like paying the exorbitant amount that box offices are charging nowadays. I may look into preview tickets.
I have been scolded for knocking 9 to 5 since I hadn't seen it. I have seen the movie, and I've been noticing the downward spiral in the quality of theatre. I just could't see how that movie can translate into a musical that's going to catch on the way that Wicked, Rent, and Hairspray did. It's a cute movie. It's one of those movies that I categorize as bad movies you love. It's not that the acting is bad, because it isn't or else it would be unwatchable. It's just a lot of fluff. Legally Blonde is one of those movies, and so is Bed of Roses (which happens to be one of my favorite movies ever). Even Mel Brooks' latest musical didn't do so hot... and Young Frankenstein has musical juggernauts in it (Megan Mullally, Sutton Foster, Roger Bart... and Susan Stroman choreography). There's no reason that that show shouldn't have a sold out house every night.
With that said... I looked up the cast of 9 to 5. And I have to tell you... it has my three favorite musical theatre women in it. Allison Janey... one of the funniest ladies in entertainment today. If you want to see good comedy, watch Drop Dead Gorgeous. She's flipping hysterical. Stephanie J. Block...the woman who was supposed to be Elphaba in the first place... she's incredible and very underrated. And finaly, Megan Hilty...who is comedy gold. She's playing Dolly Parton's role, and she's this perfect mixture of Dolly and Loni Anderson's character from WKRP in Cincinatti (and if you have no idea what that is, RENT IT...IT'S AWESOME. I wish they would release it with the original music in it though. WKRP was a great TV show that I only discovered last year...and it isn't just funny for radio people.) I also looked up some stuff on Youtube, which is scarce since 9 to 5 is only on the West Coast, and us poor lowly East Coast folk have to wait and search on Youtube, and I now have the song 9 to 5 stuck in my head. So thanks for that. The only stage clip they have is a montage to the chorus singing 9 to 5. Which sounds pretty good. And they have a clip of Megan Hilty (which is where I got the Loni Anderson vibe... because the way she stands and a scene where she rips the boss a new asshole really reminded me of something that Jennifer did in WKRP). but that's it. Any other songs are just audio with the logo on 9 to 5 on it.
I said before that when I listen to musicals or see them... I'm looking for that song where I go "Wow... I need to sing that." 9 to 5 has that song. Get Out and Stay Out. Stephanie Block sings it... and man can that girl sing. It's really visceral. My gauge for good theatre (and this may sound really dumb, but whatever) is if I cry or not. And I cry at happy theatre. I cry HARD at happy theatre. I saw Beauty and the Beast on Broadway when I was 14 (STARRING ANDREA MCARDLE WHO I FREAKING LOVE) and during Be Our Guest...I burst into tears. Because it was pretty. The next year, I saw Annie Get Your Gun...and as soon as Bernadette Peters walked onstage I was a sobbing mess. And that entrance is funny. Sometimes I'm crying because I'm laughing so hard, like in Hairspray. When I saw Wicked... I knew I was going to cry as soon as Elphaba started flying in Defying Gravity, and I did. I know that if I do get to see 9 to 5... when that song happens... I'm going to burst into tears.
When I'm wrong, I admit it. and I was wrong about 9 to 5. I hope it does well. I don't wish ill on any piece of theatre...I hope they all go well. I'm just a realist, and when I don't think something is going to work I have no problem saying it. But when I'm wrong... I say I'm wrong.
I have been scolded for knocking 9 to 5 since I hadn't seen it. I have seen the movie, and I've been noticing the downward spiral in the quality of theatre. I just could't see how that movie can translate into a musical that's going to catch on the way that Wicked, Rent, and Hairspray did. It's a cute movie. It's one of those movies that I categorize as bad movies you love. It's not that the acting is bad, because it isn't or else it would be unwatchable. It's just a lot of fluff. Legally Blonde is one of those movies, and so is Bed of Roses (which happens to be one of my favorite movies ever). Even Mel Brooks' latest musical didn't do so hot... and Young Frankenstein has musical juggernauts in it (Megan Mullally, Sutton Foster, Roger Bart... and Susan Stroman choreography). There's no reason that that show shouldn't have a sold out house every night.
With that said... I looked up the cast of 9 to 5. And I have to tell you... it has my three favorite musical theatre women in it. Allison Janey... one of the funniest ladies in entertainment today. If you want to see good comedy, watch Drop Dead Gorgeous. She's flipping hysterical. Stephanie J. Block...the woman who was supposed to be Elphaba in the first place... she's incredible and very underrated. And finaly, Megan Hilty...who is comedy gold. She's playing Dolly Parton's role, and she's this perfect mixture of Dolly and Loni Anderson's character from WKRP in Cincinatti (and if you have no idea what that is, RENT IT...IT'S AWESOME. I wish they would release it with the original music in it though. WKRP was a great TV show that I only discovered last year...and it isn't just funny for radio people.) I also looked up some stuff on Youtube, which is scarce since 9 to 5 is only on the West Coast, and us poor lowly East Coast folk have to wait and search on Youtube, and I now have the song 9 to 5 stuck in my head. So thanks for that. The only stage clip they have is a montage to the chorus singing 9 to 5. Which sounds pretty good. And they have a clip of Megan Hilty (which is where I got the Loni Anderson vibe... because the way she stands and a scene where she rips the boss a new asshole really reminded me of something that Jennifer did in WKRP). but that's it. Any other songs are just audio with the logo on 9 to 5 on it.
I said before that when I listen to musicals or see them... I'm looking for that song where I go "Wow... I need to sing that." 9 to 5 has that song. Get Out and Stay Out. Stephanie Block sings it... and man can that girl sing. It's really visceral. My gauge for good theatre (and this may sound really dumb, but whatever) is if I cry or not. And I cry at happy theatre. I cry HARD at happy theatre. I saw Beauty and the Beast on Broadway when I was 14 (STARRING ANDREA MCARDLE WHO I FREAKING LOVE) and during Be Our Guest...I burst into tears. Because it was pretty. The next year, I saw Annie Get Your Gun...and as soon as Bernadette Peters walked onstage I was a sobbing mess. And that entrance is funny. Sometimes I'm crying because I'm laughing so hard, like in Hairspray. When I saw Wicked... I knew I was going to cry as soon as Elphaba started flying in Defying Gravity, and I did. I know that if I do get to see 9 to 5... when that song happens... I'm going to burst into tears.
When I'm wrong, I admit it. and I was wrong about 9 to 5. I hope it does well. I don't wish ill on any piece of theatre...I hope they all go well. I'm just a realist, and when I don't think something is going to work I have no problem saying it. But when I'm wrong... I say I'm wrong.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Wallstreet meets Mass Murder meets....Kicklines?
Recently I had a post venting about the absurdity of 9 to 5 becoming a musical. We have yet another atrocity to add to the list of bad musicals. The evil musical gods are taking one really good movie and making one of Christian Bale's creepiest and best known characters sing songs on stage in the limelight.
AMERICAN PSYCHO: THE MUSICAL?! Are you KIDDING me!!??? I found this gem piece of news from filmDrunk. The bad theatre that America has been exposed to lately is not only heart breaking to those of us who love good theatre, but it's really sad for everyone else. The people I feel the worst for are high school musical nerds who are just finding their niche in musical theatre, and they have to get exposed to this crap. American Psycho, 9 to 5, Cry Baby, Legally Blonde, and Movin' Up are just bad. When I was in high school and discovering that musicals were cool (because they are. They're super cool. Except West Side Story. No gang members I know pirouette.) I had things like Rent, Wicked, Urinetown, The Producers (you know, when Mel Brooks redid it), Aida, The Last Five Years, and the revival version of You're A Good Man Charlie Brown. When I was in high school, no one knew Sutton Foster's name but a select few, Kristin Chenoweth was still sort of up-and-coming, Idina Menzel was that chick from Rent... and now we have the Rent clone, Spring Awakening that everyone is gaga over.
Very rarely do I listen to new shows and think "I have to sing that song." The last musical I did that with was Avenue Q. Even Spamalot I LOVED but know damn well that no normal person can hit the kind of notes that Sara Ramirez does as the Lady of the Lake. All of my favorite shows were from the 90s, or old Kander & Ebb. Very rarely do I buy soundtracks of musicals anymore...except for Bklyn but it was Eden Espinosa, and she's amazing. I really wish that producers and writers and composers would stop trying to bring the "people" to Broadway by writing all this trendy crap. In twenty years, the revival of Movin' Out isn't winning any Tonys. But the revival of Oklahoma (which I do think is craptastic for the record) probably will. In ten, twenty years... the shows that will be revived are the ones that are always revived. The well-written ones by Rodgers and Hammerstein (gag), Kander & Ebb, Sondheim, Schwartz. These are going to keep coming back, because, uh, they were GOOD. God this upsets me. Just wait until we get Twilight the Musical. It's coming, I'm sure.
AMERICAN PSYCHO: THE MUSICAL?! Are you KIDDING me!!??? I found this gem piece of news from filmDrunk. The bad theatre that America has been exposed to lately is not only heart breaking to those of us who love good theatre, but it's really sad for everyone else. The people I feel the worst for are high school musical nerds who are just finding their niche in musical theatre, and they have to get exposed to this crap. American Psycho, 9 to 5, Cry Baby, Legally Blonde, and Movin' Up are just bad. When I was in high school and discovering that musicals were cool (because they are. They're super cool. Except West Side Story. No gang members I know pirouette.) I had things like Rent, Wicked, Urinetown, The Producers (you know, when Mel Brooks redid it), Aida, The Last Five Years, and the revival version of You're A Good Man Charlie Brown. When I was in high school, no one knew Sutton Foster's name but a select few, Kristin Chenoweth was still sort of up-and-coming, Idina Menzel was that chick from Rent... and now we have the Rent clone, Spring Awakening that everyone is gaga over.
Very rarely do I listen to new shows and think "I have to sing that song." The last musical I did that with was Avenue Q. Even Spamalot I LOVED but know damn well that no normal person can hit the kind of notes that Sara Ramirez does as the Lady of the Lake. All of my favorite shows were from the 90s, or old Kander & Ebb. Very rarely do I buy soundtracks of musicals anymore...except for Bklyn but it was Eden Espinosa, and she's amazing. I really wish that producers and writers and composers would stop trying to bring the "people" to Broadway by writing all this trendy crap. In twenty years, the revival of Movin' Out isn't winning any Tonys. But the revival of Oklahoma (which I do think is craptastic for the record) probably will. In ten, twenty years... the shows that will be revived are the ones that are always revived. The well-written ones by Rodgers and Hammerstein (gag), Kander & Ebb, Sondheim, Schwartz. These are going to keep coming back, because, uh, they were GOOD. God this upsets me. Just wait until we get Twilight the Musical. It's coming, I'm sure.
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