Seriously, I meant to get out today. But last night, I started to feel sick. Again! Ach. But, you know me, any excuse to stay home. I think I'm ready to give it up. If I feel like staying home, I'm staying home. It's so cozy and nice here. The cat is friendly, the electric heater keeps it warm (gas is so expensive!), and the knitting goes well.
I do worry, though, that I'm becoming overly introverted, isolated, anti-social. On the other hand, I went to the movies with C-money yesterday and it was good fun. We talked for a while after and it was just like old times. On Friday, I went out with Pele and we had a good time.
Maybe it's ok to hibernate for a while. Maybe it's better to do what I feel like and not worry about it. It's not like I'm turning down invitations. Au contraire.
Tomorrow, well, I'll go out if I feel like it. I think I will. It may be a drive out to the Eden Center and a movie or just a walk over to Union Station. I'll play that by ear.
The movie was saw on Sunday was Sweeney Todd. It was C-money's suggestion. I was happy to go, though, since I'm a big musical fan.
When I was in the sixth grade and we lived in DC, my parents bought the record. As I did with most of their other records of musicals, I played it over and over. (Among the ones I memorized: West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, Candide, Kiss Me Kate, The Pajama Game, My Fair Lady, Cabaret and A Chorus Line. Among the ones that perplexed me: Company, Finnian's Rainbow, Fiorello, The Fantasticks and The Most Happy Fella.)
The music is what drew me to these shows. Since I'd never seen any of them, I couldn't always put the plots together and the actual meaning of the songs often escaped me. As a grade-schooler, I could warble every word of "Adelaide's Lament" from Guys and Dolls without the slightest clue that the song was about a woman's (comic) despair about her boyfriend's unwillingness to marry her.
Even though I was a little older (11 or 12) when I first listened to Sweeney Todd, the grim center of the show didn't make a strong impression on me. What I noticed were the hilarious lyrics and beautiful melodies. When a traveling production came to DC, my parents got tickets. I begged my mother to let me go. I'd been listening to the record non-stop for weeks. I knew the whole score by heart. My mother said no, that I was too young. I pouted but I didn't get to go.
After Mom got back from seeing it, she said, "I should have let you go." She didn't enjoy it--it was too grim for her and she didn't know the songs as well as I did.
As it turns out, I've never seen a stage production of Sweeney Todd. Of all those shows listed, I've only seen three on the stage (I've also seen a few not listed). When a film version exists, I've seen it and usually not liked it. The lyrics are inevitably changed for films and I can't bear it. I want to sing along (silently). Or, sometimes, the casting is unbearable. Marlon Brando in Guys and Dolls is awful and I love Brando. Frank Sinatra is almost as bad. Natalie Wood almost ruined West Side Story--the dubbing was painful. However the second leads save that film. Hello Rita Moreno!
Anyway, back to Sweeney Todd. I'd seen some of it on tv. They filmed one of the performances and it aired on PBS way back when. But filmed stage plays always fall flat. Only a film adaptation gets the three dimensions needed to make a show live.
In this movie, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter did a decent job. Their singing wasn't great but their acting was and that was sufficient. I had a couple of moments of nostalgia for Angela Landsbury. Her cloying, pragmatic Mrs. Lovett is un-toppable, but Bonham-Carter was rather un-waif-ish and convincing and I liked her. She and Depp have matching looks, which worked.
The music was great. I haven't listened to the album in years, but I could have sung along to most of the show. I still love the music.
As to the story, boy oh boy, was it grim. The body count was high and every murder was shown in full bloody detail. I had to shield my eyes. Yes, I am that squeamish.
The show was trimmed to make for a movie-appropriate running time, leaving gaping holes in the subplot. That was unfortunate.
It's not exactly family-friendly holiday fare. And there are some head scratching moments. But mostly it made me remember the joy I got listening all those years ago, memorizing the words, singing along and living in the music. So what if it wasn't a perfect interpretation, it was close enough.
Not a bad present, actually.
Happy merry everyone! I hope you're spending X-mas in exactly the way you desire.
Grateful for: musicals.
Showing posts with label theater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theater. Show all posts
Monday, December 24, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Mini-stories
Dancing
I missed the first class in my series of eight lessons but I took the second class and was just fine. I've taken quite a few swing dance classes with the same instructors and I know a lot of the material. I was hoping that I'd be familiar with the material from first class and I was. I was relaxed and easy. I practiced my "smile at everyone" technique and everyone was very friendly. It's easy and it works.
The male-to-female ratio was perfect but the nerd quotient was high. Very high. I had a good time but left early. I was still tired from staying home sick most of the previous week. I'm looking forward to the next lesson.
No-show
Sue me, I skipped ushering. There's only so much a body can do.
Mega-fan
On Thursday, I went to my volunteer gig (reading to kids) after the second day of my conference. I had to plan the evening's activities, which I found a bit overwhelming in conception. However, the execution went rather well. We had fewer kids than last time, so fewer disruptions. We knew all the kids from last time, which meant everyone was more comfortable. The kids liked the books and the activity. I learned: I can plan an arts and crafts activity. My main principle: keep it simple, stupid. It worked.
After the volunteering, I hightailed it to Arlington to watch football with Pele and her boyfriend. No offense, Pele, but I know why the BF doesn't have people over more often—that place is a mess! However, I didn't care because the tv was HUGE and the couch was comfortable. Pele even ordered dinner for me! And the BF picked it up! He can keep that place as messy as he likes and it won't bother me one bit.
Finally, finally, the Redskins won. It was a relief. Pele told the BF that I'm a mega fan. He is a long time fan himself. I demurred and saying that following a team faithfully for one season does not make a mega fan. (Though I actually watched quite a few games last year.) He was amused. Me too.
No sale
On Friday, I was too lazy to go to the blogger happy hour—or was I too drunk? Probably both. I was also invited to a cocktail party at a neighbor's house. This was, in fact, a "sales" party at TR's house, organized by his wife. For the first part of the evening, TR was out with the kids and we ladies ate and drank and then listened to a sales pitch for high-end skin care products. I'm sure the products were all excellent but I just couldn't deal with it (i.e., buy anything). When TR eventually joined us, then retired to the kitchen to wash dishes, I followed him. We talked about work and football. A lot about football. TR asked my opinion about football. Bizarre.
Aside: I've been thinking a lot about the meaning of sport and why so many of us are attached to watching. First, I think it signals an ability to identify with something outside of oneself and the desire to be part of something larger than oneself. It's foolish, sure, but deeply meaningful. Second, it is about the best source of small talk ever! Yay sports!
Humorous epilogue: guess who spent $100 on high end skin care products at L'Occitane en Provence on Monday? (Shampoo, conditioner, toner, body wash and a present for Mom.) My usual source for such products (with the exception of the present) is the drug store and very occasionally the hair salon. I am a paradox.
Par-tay
On Saturday, I ended up with two party invites. One to the "party of mystery" and another from a work acquaintance. I spent most of the day hanging around the house slowly cleaning, knitting and watching dvds. I picked up my Seattle friend, Amanda, and her fiancé up from the airport around 7pm and took them home. We hung out for a while, but, as planned, I left for my parties around 9pm. (My exchange with Amanda about this went something like this:
Me: I feel bad taking you home and then just leaving you there.
Amanda: What, you don't trust us alone at your place?
Me: No! I feel like a bad host.
Amanda: Don't be silly.)
I drove to Arlington, to the work-acquaintance party. I was flying solo, but that was fine since I knew people where I was going. Upon arrival, I was greeted with a party of five (including me). Work friends, Nina, Danielle and Deirdre and the host, Bill, were the only other guests. I can't explain why, but I stayed there for the rest of the evening. I get along great with Bill, well with Danielle and so-so with Nina and Deirdre. Yet, Nina is my actual friend from this group. I can explain, but it's tiresome. I had a sufficiently entertaining time. Then I went home.
Brunchy
On Sunday morning, I took Amanda and her fiancé to Arlington (popular place!) to meet Amanda's brother for brunch. I joined them and it was fun. It's been years since I've seen Amanda's brother and I got to meet his kids too. After brunch and a little shopping, we parted ways. I let Amanda borrow the car for a couple days since she is also visiting friends in Baltimore and Annapolis. She'll come back to my place tonight—we're going to dinner. Hope she's enjoying driving the camper. Heh.
Wrap-up
This week is busy too. Last night, I went to a staged-reading of my playwright friend's newest play. Great, just as expected. Tonight, Amanda is staying with me. Tomorrow, I bake brownies. Thursday, I will probably skip a happy hour. Friday is our office party, at TR's place, which means a short day. Saturday, I drive to PA for a memorial service. Sunday, I drive home. Blah. I'm tired already.
Last week, as I mentioned, I sat in a conference for two days. I found it interesting and useful. About halfway through the second day, though, I started to fade. I started doodling and writing. I put my mind to an idea for a novel. Somehow, the background of a power point presentation is conducive to creativity. Perhaps it's because it doesn't insistently demand my attention like television.
What's great is that I came up with what might be a reasonable structure for a novel I would enjoy writing. It will be heavily (mostly) autobiographical, but it will be presented as fiction. That way I can fill in where I can't remember the actual events and dialog and I can drop/combine/create characters as needed. Plus, I have a gimmick. I've already written some unknown proportion of the novel via the blog, though the blog will not be part of the novel.
The real question is: when am I going to write this novel? And, I suppose, do I really want to write this novel? It used to be that when I got home, I set myself up with the computer and typed away while I watched tv. Now, I combine knitting with my tv watching and do very little writing at home or on the weekends. The knitting is deeply satisfying. The process is pleasurable and having something to show for it is awesome.
Have I traded the blog hobby for a knitting hobby? Perhaps. But, well, I'd like to think that I now have two awesome hobbies. Before, I could count reading and movies as hobbies, but they don't require the same amount of input, and don't result in the same level of satisfaction. (I guess you could classify my recreational sports activities as hobbies too, but they have a vastly different purpose.)
It's all a question of priorities. If the novel is the highest priority, then less time should be devoted to tv and knitting. I still have some thinking to do about this.
Of course, work is still phenomenally slow, which means if I were a tiny bit more efficient, a great deal of writing could be done at the office. It's possible that this is exactly how I wrote my dissertation. Don't quote me. (Dissertating also included many weekends and late nights at the office. It included very little time working from home.)
Off to the next event!
Grateful for: opportunities and inspiration.
I missed the first class in my series of eight lessons but I took the second class and was just fine. I've taken quite a few swing dance classes with the same instructors and I know a lot of the material. I was hoping that I'd be familiar with the material from first class and I was. I was relaxed and easy. I practiced my "smile at everyone" technique and everyone was very friendly. It's easy and it works.
The male-to-female ratio was perfect but the nerd quotient was high. Very high. I had a good time but left early. I was still tired from staying home sick most of the previous week. I'm looking forward to the next lesson.
No-show
Sue me, I skipped ushering. There's only so much a body can do.
Mega-fan
On Thursday, I went to my volunteer gig (reading to kids) after the second day of my conference. I had to plan the evening's activities, which I found a bit overwhelming in conception. However, the execution went rather well. We had fewer kids than last time, so fewer disruptions. We knew all the kids from last time, which meant everyone was more comfortable. The kids liked the books and the activity. I learned: I can plan an arts and crafts activity. My main principle: keep it simple, stupid. It worked.
After the volunteering, I hightailed it to Arlington to watch football with Pele and her boyfriend. No offense, Pele, but I know why the BF doesn't have people over more often—that place is a mess! However, I didn't care because the tv was HUGE and the couch was comfortable. Pele even ordered dinner for me! And the BF picked it up! He can keep that place as messy as he likes and it won't bother me one bit.
Finally, finally, the Redskins won. It was a relief. Pele told the BF that I'm a mega fan. He is a long time fan himself. I demurred and saying that following a team faithfully for one season does not make a mega fan. (Though I actually watched quite a few games last year.) He was amused. Me too.
No sale
On Friday, I was too lazy to go to the blogger happy hour—or was I too drunk? Probably both. I was also invited to a cocktail party at a neighbor's house. This was, in fact, a "sales" party at TR's house, organized by his wife. For the first part of the evening, TR was out with the kids and we ladies ate and drank and then listened to a sales pitch for high-end skin care products. I'm sure the products were all excellent but I just couldn't deal with it (i.e., buy anything). When TR eventually joined us, then retired to the kitchen to wash dishes, I followed him. We talked about work and football. A lot about football. TR asked my opinion about football. Bizarre.
Aside: I've been thinking a lot about the meaning of sport and why so many of us are attached to watching. First, I think it signals an ability to identify with something outside of oneself and the desire to be part of something larger than oneself. It's foolish, sure, but deeply meaningful. Second, it is about the best source of small talk ever! Yay sports!
Humorous epilogue: guess who spent $100 on high end skin care products at L'Occitane en Provence on Monday? (Shampoo, conditioner, toner, body wash and a present for Mom.) My usual source for such products (with the exception of the present) is the drug store and very occasionally the hair salon. I am a paradox.
Par-tay
On Saturday, I ended up with two party invites. One to the "party of mystery" and another from a work acquaintance. I spent most of the day hanging around the house slowly cleaning, knitting and watching dvds. I picked up my Seattle friend, Amanda, and her fiancé up from the airport around 7pm and took them home. We hung out for a while, but, as planned, I left for my parties around 9pm. (My exchange with Amanda about this went something like this:
Me: I feel bad taking you home and then just leaving you there.
Amanda: What, you don't trust us alone at your place?
Me: No! I feel like a bad host.
Amanda: Don't be silly.)
I drove to Arlington, to the work-acquaintance party. I was flying solo, but that was fine since I knew people where I was going. Upon arrival, I was greeted with a party of five (including me). Work friends, Nina, Danielle and Deirdre and the host, Bill, were the only other guests. I can't explain why, but I stayed there for the rest of the evening. I get along great with Bill, well with Danielle and so-so with Nina and Deirdre. Yet, Nina is my actual friend from this group. I can explain, but it's tiresome. I had a sufficiently entertaining time. Then I went home.
Brunchy
On Sunday morning, I took Amanda and her fiancé to Arlington (popular place!) to meet Amanda's brother for brunch. I joined them and it was fun. It's been years since I've seen Amanda's brother and I got to meet his kids too. After brunch and a little shopping, we parted ways. I let Amanda borrow the car for a couple days since she is also visiting friends in Baltimore and Annapolis. She'll come back to my place tonight—we're going to dinner. Hope she's enjoying driving the camper. Heh.
Wrap-up
This week is busy too. Last night, I went to a staged-reading of my playwright friend's newest play. Great, just as expected. Tonight, Amanda is staying with me. Tomorrow, I bake brownies. Thursday, I will probably skip a happy hour. Friday is our office party, at TR's place, which means a short day. Saturday, I drive to PA for a memorial service. Sunday, I drive home. Blah. I'm tired already.
Last week, as I mentioned, I sat in a conference for two days. I found it interesting and useful. About halfway through the second day, though, I started to fade. I started doodling and writing. I put my mind to an idea for a novel. Somehow, the background of a power point presentation is conducive to creativity. Perhaps it's because it doesn't insistently demand my attention like television.
What's great is that I came up with what might be a reasonable structure for a novel I would enjoy writing. It will be heavily (mostly) autobiographical, but it will be presented as fiction. That way I can fill in where I can't remember the actual events and dialog and I can drop/combine/create characters as needed. Plus, I have a gimmick. I've already written some unknown proportion of the novel via the blog, though the blog will not be part of the novel.
The real question is: when am I going to write this novel? And, I suppose, do I really want to write this novel? It used to be that when I got home, I set myself up with the computer and typed away while I watched tv. Now, I combine knitting with my tv watching and do very little writing at home or on the weekends. The knitting is deeply satisfying. The process is pleasurable and having something to show for it is awesome.
Have I traded the blog hobby for a knitting hobby? Perhaps. But, well, I'd like to think that I now have two awesome hobbies. Before, I could count reading and movies as hobbies, but they don't require the same amount of input, and don't result in the same level of satisfaction. (I guess you could classify my recreational sports activities as hobbies too, but they have a vastly different purpose.)
It's all a question of priorities. If the novel is the highest priority, then less time should be devoted to tv and knitting. I still have some thinking to do about this.
Of course, work is still phenomenally slow, which means if I were a tiny bit more efficient, a great deal of writing could be done at the office. It's possible that this is exactly how I wrote my dissertation. Don't quote me. (Dissertating also included many weekends and late nights at the office. It included very little time working from home.)
Off to the next event!
Grateful for: opportunities and inspiration.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Caution
Luckily, you have another chance to see one of Shawn's plays. I've seen two now, both excellent—funny, dark, unusual. Here's a synopsis of the upcoming show:
Cautionary Tales for Adults and the Many Adventures of Trixie Tickles
Two mini-musicals with songs ranging from smoky cabaret to frothy pop. First, an unhinged librarian teaches several unsuspecting adults about the injustices of life. Next, a high-strung children's TV star learns valuable lessons of her own like, "being pretty is all that matters". Deliciously inappropriate and filled with guilty pleasures.
Showtimes:
Friday, July 20 @ 10:00pm
Saturday, July 21 @ 4:30pm
Sunday, July 22 @ 9:30pm
Monday, July 23 @ 7:00pm
Saturday, July 28 @ midnight
Go, be happy. (Don't be unhappy like me who still doesn't have her passport. Poor, poor me!) I'm going to the Friday show.
Buy your tickets online or visit the Fringe box office.
Go, you won't regret it.
Grateful for: something to look forward to.
PS Scroll down for a super long post about jury duty dated 7/14. Also, I'll probably have something up later today about my weekend, but it'll be dated 7/15. So, you know, keep scrolling down.
Cautionary Tales for Adults and the Many Adventures of Trixie Tickles
Two mini-musicals with songs ranging from smoky cabaret to frothy pop. First, an unhinged librarian teaches several unsuspecting adults about the injustices of life. Next, a high-strung children's TV star learns valuable lessons of her own like, "being pretty is all that matters". Deliciously inappropriate and filled with guilty pleasures.
Showtimes:
Friday, July 20 @ 10:00pm
Saturday, July 21 @ 4:30pm
Sunday, July 22 @ 9:30pm
Monday, July 23 @ 7:00pm
Saturday, July 28 @ midnight
Go, be happy. (Don't be unhappy like me who still doesn't have her passport. Poor, poor me!) I'm going to the Friday show.
Buy your tickets online or visit the Fringe box office.
Go, you won't regret it.
Grateful for: something to look forward to.
PS Scroll down for a super long post about jury duty dated 7/14. Also, I'll probably have something up later today about my weekend, but it'll be dated 7/15. So, you know, keep scrolling down.
Monday, July 02, 2007
See this play
**UPDATE***
For a much better description of this event, read City Mouse's post.
My friend, Shawn, is a playwright. We met because a friend of his recommended he read my blog as research for a play he was writing. After reading, he contacted me and we met so he could pick my brain about his play. Since then, we’ve stayed in touch and become friends.
Shawn is a great playwright--and he writes musicals to boot! I read the play he talked to me about and it’s funny and sharp (though still unproduced). I saw a production of one his short works and it was amazing—hilarious, outrageous and thoroughly entertaining.
On Monday, July 2, you will get a chance to see one of Shawn’s plays at the Black Cat. It’s called TITUS and you have to go.
Post Script: I saw the show tonight and it was AWESOME. Oh yes, I was right to recommend it.
Grateful for: new friends.
For a much better description of this event, read City Mouse's post.
My friend, Shawn, is a playwright. We met because a friend of his recommended he read my blog as research for a play he was writing. After reading, he contacted me and we met so he could pick my brain about his play. Since then, we’ve stayed in touch and become friends.
Shawn is a great playwright--and he writes musicals to boot! I read the play he talked to me about and it’s funny and sharp (though still unproduced). I saw a production of one his short works and it was amazing—hilarious, outrageous and thoroughly entertaining.
On Monday, July 2, you will get a chance to see one of Shawn’s plays at the Black Cat. It’s called TITUS and you have to go.
I will see you there. And, if I get my act together and announce the contest winners on Monday and if you come to the Black Cat on Monday, I will give you your prize then. Whew.Titus, the musical
Monday, July 2, 2007
9pm at the Black Cat
1811 14th St. NW
blackcatdc.com
Tickets are $8 and available at the door.
Proceeds will benefit
Bouncing Ball Theatrical Productions.
Post Script: I saw the show tonight and it was AWESOME. Oh yes, I was right to recommend it.
Grateful for: new friends.
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