Megan, 22/F. Ohio, USA.
University student. Christian. Zoologist. Animal Lover. Pre-Vet. Reader. Aspiring author.
Enjoys a myriad of obsessions, including random anime, Harry Potter, and
Broadway musicals. More?
Before the insanity of Christmas sets it, I think it's wise to update now. We now have a full house, as Kelley and Ryan arrived yesterday afternoon and are also staying at mom and dad's house (through Christmas). Last evening we (Kel, Ryan, Mom, Dad, Aunt Debbie, and myself) had tickets to go see the stage version of "White Christmas" at the Carousel Dinner Theater. The show started at 5pm, and after exchanging hostilities with my parents over our departure time we headed out at around 4:15pm. (Note: If you tell me to be ready at 4:15, I will be ready to leave at 4:15. Don't yell at me for not being ready to go at 4:10. If you want to leave at 4:10, tell me to be ready at 4:10...it's really not that complicated!)
Anyway, upon arriving we found our seats up in the balcony. We had opted to buy show-only tickets, because we aren't big fans of Carousel's food. Unfortunately this meant that our seats were absolutely TERRIBLE! It was SO hot up in the balcony, and you had to lean forward to the edge of your seat to see the stage because there was a row of seats in front of us on our level. My dad spotted some unsold tables down below us, and after speaking with some of the workers somehow managed to get us moved down below. And so that is how we found ourselves seated in nice, plushy chairs at tables right next to the bar with a clear view of the stage. Fantastic! You know what they say: "The squeaky wheel..."
The show itself was...er, disappointing. Certainly it was entertaining, but I'm a huge fan of the movie and this production disappointed me. The actor playing Phil...well, I'm sorry, but Phil isn't supposed to be gay. I have nothing at all against gay musical theater actors as long as they can play their characters straight (unless of course the part calls for otherwise). The romance just didn't work between Judy and Phil because of Phil's obvious fruitiness! His voice and dancing were phenominal, but...I'm sorry, I was just distracted. He wasn't the only one to blame for my disappointment in the show, but he contributed to it.
After the show, we left and headed directly to Olive Garden. It appropriately started to snow after left the theater ("I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...just like the ones I used to know..."), and while we were eating it was literally a white-out outside! Thankfully the roads were fine by the time we left.
I almost forgot to mention "Sweeney Todd"! As I previously mentioned, I met up with some old friends from high school Saturday night and after dinner at "Bravo" we went to see "Sweeney Todd". It was fantastic! I wasn't very impressed with Helena Bonham Carter's singing, but her acting was spot-on. She made a tragically sexy Mrs. Lovett! Johnny Depp, on the other hand, has some pipes on him. He'll never be a broadway star, but his voice FIT Sweeney somehow. Loved him!
The film was very gory, as expected, but Burton's style is rather fantastic and cartoonish so it wasn't inappropriate (in my opinion). They *do* show Sweeney actually slicing men's throats, complete with dying gurgles and spurts of blood. Sondheim and Burton come together beautifully here, as Sweeney sings a wistful, darkly comic song about missing his daughter Joanna as he slices his victims' throats. Ah, I love you Burtheim.
Alan Rickman gave a wonderful turn as Judge Turpin. He seemed to relish playing an obviously evil man, whereas he has to restrain Snape's evilness in the Harry Potter films. And he can sing, too. :) Did I mention Sasha Baron Cohen as Pirelle? He was PERFECT! Perfectly flamboyant and sinister.
So here it is. It kills me to say this, but I think I actually enjoyed the film more than the stage version. The singing was far better on stage, but the film was visually stunning and a lot more engaging. I feel dirty somehow for preferring the film to the broadway show... er, oh well. :)
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and yours. As you open your gifts this holiday season, remember to take a moment to thank God for THE gift.
"Mild He lays His glory by Born that man no more may die Born to raise the sons of earth Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing "Glory to the newborn king!"
You are truly an independent voter, and you don't fit well with either party. Maybe you should choose one issue to vote on - or look into third parties!
So things at home have been...eh. I've come to the conclusion that there is no way I could possibly move back home permanently. My mom, the super choleric, is seriously driving me crazy. She has always had a volatile temper, and while it has gotten better over the years it is still explosive at times. I'd like to challenge her to try to go one day without yelling, scolding, nagging, or degrading someone, but I know it would just upset her (surprise surprise) and would be impossible besides. Staying at home and relearning how to tip-toe around her temper has brought back unpleasant memories of my childhood, and for that reason I know that I couldn't go back to living like this. I'm more of a phlegmatic like my dad, so she REALLY grates on my nerves at times!
Other than that, things are good. :) My christmas shopping is mostly done, but I still have to find a $5 present for the present game my family always plays on christmas. It involves dice, presents, a timer, and general insanity. Yesterday I did most of my shopping, and I completely forgot about it! So now of course I have to venture back into the masses of fellow procrastinators and find something cheap yet useful for the game. Bah. :P
In other news, I am super excited for tonight! I am going out to dinner and then to see "Sweeney Todd" with Andrea, Ali, and Katie, three of my closest friends from high school. I miss them all so much, so tonight should be great fun. "Sweeney Todd" promises to to be excellent as well, especially since I've been looking forward to it for the past several months. Yay broadway musicals!
Speaking of "Sweeney", last Wednesday (December 12) Michele and I went to the Palace Theater in Columbus to see the tour of the broadway show. I was only vaguely familiar with the music and story so I really wasn't sure what to expect. I knew they had redone the show since the days of George Hearn and Angela Lansbury, the most striking change of which was the absence of a pit orchestra. The entire play was performed by 10 actors who stayed on the stage at all times and played their own instruments. I guess you could describe this new interpretation as minimalist, as there were few props and only one stage set. My thoughts? Well, my unfamiliarity with the music definitely worked against me, as at times it was difficult to understand what was going on with the absence of props and sets to help tell the story. The actors themselves were phenominal, and Judy Kaye was an incredible Mrs. Lovett. The minimalist approach emphasized the drama and story, and created a sense of intimacy in the theater that I think would have been lacking otherwise. Because I wasn't familiar with the music, I became bored at times during the first act because I couldn't understand all the words and hence became frustrated. What's more, a heavy-set woman sat in front of me and effectively blocked my view of much of the stage. I ended up moving to the empty seat on the other side of Michele during intermission, and my theater experience was MUCH more enjoyable and pleasant thereafter!
As for the musc, well Sondheim's score is haunting and beautiful at times, while strident and dissonant at others. It really is a remarkable piece of work, and the music has been stuck in my head ever since. I'm looking forward to hearing how Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are able to perform the songs, as they are technically challenging due to prevalence of counterpoint and angular harmonies. Hm.
All in all, I really enjoyed the show but would have preferred the original (non-minimalist approach). Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I was more familiar with the music, but because I was not I had to really pay close attention to catch what exactly was going on. Even so, I could appreciate the complexity of Sondheim's score, the brilliant acting and musical talent, and the chilling, tragic story. I can't wait to see Tim Burton's interpretation! I am sad to hear that he decided to cut "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" and "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd finale", as these were two of my favorite songs, but it made sense to cut them for the film version. I am withholding final judgement until I've seen the whole thing...
And again with the lengthiness. "Good on you, mate" if you've read this far! I should probably go find that $5 present now. Except there is nothing in me that wants to face the christmas crowds.
I am once again in need of an attitude adjustment. Lists usually help in times like these, so here goes nothing!
Fun things:
1) The beach is coming! I will be spending the first week of September in (hopefully) sunny Holden Beach with some of my favorite people in the whole world.
In preparation for the trip, Marianne and I went swimsuit shopping on Sunday. I hate swimsuit shopping even more than I hate jeans shopping, and that's saying something! We were both successful, however, and I found the most adorable one-piece retro polka-dot swimsuit! I needed to find a one-piece, because I already had 2 two-pieces and needed something I could splash around in the ocean in without having to worry about any accidents. Even though the polka-dot swimsuit wasn't on sale, I decided to splurge. It's so very rare that I find a swimsuit I'm satisfied with! Thank you Macy's. :)
2) The Lion King Michele and I are heading up to Cleveland on Wednesday to see the Lion King Broadway Musical...for the second time this year. Once again: I need a cheaper hobby. Still can't wait!
3) Kick ball game/Ice cream social on Thursday! I don't know if I'll be back in Columbus in time, but if I am then I'm totally going to open a can of whoop-ass.
Not-So-Fun Things:
1) Vet school...errr grrrr arrrrgh aaaack.
2) I'm taking the GRE on August 23rd.
3) Work is killing me. Every day is positively mind-numbing, and I think this may be contributing to my apathetic mood lately.
In a sad attempt to cheer myself up, I have given myself permission to have a dance party by myself whenever I damn well please. Christina Aguilera and Cascada are current choice favorites, although Linda Eder's "Man of La Mancha" and "Big Time" are also euphoric (I'm sure drag queen Edina Starlight would agree with me. Oh the things you find on YouTube!)
I think I'll head to bed now to read a bit. I'm currently reading the newest Kitty Norville book by Carrie Vaughn, and I must say...there's nothing like a good paranormal mystery/romance!
Maybe I really am an obsessive fangirl? I never simply *like* something. Oh no - if I fancy something then I must go head-over-heals-crazy-fangirl-obsessive over it.
For example, I happen to enjoy musicals. So much so, in fact, that I'm willing to spend large quantities of money to see shows I've already seen, even though I really can't afford to. I've seen Les Miserables three times, Aida two times, and (as of last night) Wicked two times.
Wicked. Oh, Wicked...you whore. You steal my heart, take my money, and leave me begging for more. It was just as wonderful as I remembered it, if not more so because the lovely Coleen Sexton played the green girl. Whitney and I went together, but our seats were in completely different places because, like the flake I am, I misread the date the tickets went on sale. By the time I realized my error tickets were essentially sold out, except for random lone seats scattered throughout the theater. So I was up in the mezzanine, row J, and Whitney was in orchestra seating. I am still sore from that bloody seat; I'm only 5'4, and not particularly large, but I had trouble fitting into my tiny wooden seat. It didn't help that the girl sitting in front of me leaned forward during the performance, effectively blocking my view off the whole damn stage. My neck still hurts from having to peer around her. I am fairly certain that I invaded the personal space of the gentleman sitting next to me, but what else could I do? You'll have the when you're sitting next to an obsessive fangirl...
Anyway, I knew I recognized the name Coleen Sexton from *somewhere*, and it hit me as soon as she started singing "The Wizard and I". She played Lucy on the Jekyll & Hyde musical DVD with David Hasslehoff! I loved her performance as Lucy, and I was BLOWN AWAY by her performance as Elphie. Here my friends is a video of the marvelous Coleen Sexton as Elphaba, singing "Defying Gravity":
This jumpy video really doesn't do her justice, but her last note is incredible!! "And nobody in all of Oz, no wizard that there is or was, is ever gonna bring ME DOWN!!! AAAAAAAHHHH!!" I almost burst into tears in the theater, because she was that good and I'm that much of a theater geek. Her "No Good Deed" kicked ass too.
And here she is as Lucy (with David Hasselfhoff...insert your own joke). This is "In His Eyes", which happens to be my favorite song from Jekyll and Hyde. She's the burnette in the gray, NOT the redhead in white. Hasselhoff makes funny pig faces throughout:
Next on my list of obsessive fangirl activities: "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" opens Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, and I of course have a ticket to the midnight showing. :) Then of course I'm going to the midnight book release of the last book in the series the following weekend...
And then? Well I'm seeing the musical "The Lion King" on August 15th in Cleveland. Yes, I just saw it in March in Cincinnati, but we obsessive fangirls really aren't bothered by such things.
Oh dear. I'm running out of money. :P I suppose I should set some aside for things like rent and food. Heh.
I think I'll end this post with a video of Heather Headley performing as Nala from "The Lion King" on the David Letterman show. This is my favorite song from the show, and Heather knocks it out of the ballpark:
