Broadway, Here I Come

I always have a hard time deciding what to write about next; not because I lack for ideas, but because I can't seem to stem the tide of ideas long enough to choose something. But as luck would have it, I was digging for a piece of paper in my junk tote the other day, and stumbled across a giant pile of playbills. Ding ding ding! Ladies and gents, we have a winner.

My love/flair for the dramatic started early. I went through the typical young girl phase of wanting to become a famous actress (in my defense, I also wanted to be more "normal" things - a writer/illustrator, a professional ping pong player, and a ballet dancer...sadly I think the professional ping pong player was my best bet!). I was lucky enough to have an amazing fine arts venue in my hometown (the Reif Center), and we were exposed to some exceptional concerts, plays, and performances. My parents are also avid fans of the arts, so it didn't take much to get them to take us to Duluth or the cities to see a show.

I was a GIANT ham as a kid, but that changed significantly once I hit my teens. I was in the chorus of one spring musical and I realized I did not belong ON the stage. I did, however, find my niche behind the scenes. I became the student director/backstage manager for all the spring plays, and I even co-directed a one-act my senior year. I was good with details, I was bossy, and I fell in love with every play, cast, and crew.

My top 5  favorite musicals

As I was digging through my playbills, I was flooded by memories of all the shows I have seen. I love the anticipation that comes right before a show - the collective intake of air from the audience as the curtain rises for the first time, the craning of necks for the first look at the set, and the racing heartbeats as the conductor readies the pit for that first downbeat. While musicals are, by and large, my favorite type of show, I also love dance shows, concerts of all shapes, sizes, and instruments, and more traditional theater. I have seen some absolutely incredible performances, some mediocre performances, and some down-right terrible performances. 

One of the best shows I have ever seen was Wicked. My senior year of college, I took the megabus to Chicago (by myself), just to see the show. I went on a Tuesday night and the understudy was performing that night. Right away my lower lip jutted out and I was angry that I was getting "second-best". Boy was I wrong. If that woman was the understudy, I honestly can't imagine how talented the regular Elphaba must have been. From the first moment of the show to the curtain call, I was at the edge of my seat. It was absolute magic (and well worth my arduous journey on the bus!). 

The production of Rent I saw, while not the worst show ever, was the most disappointing. It was performed by a traveling troupe at the Ordway. Rent holds a very special place in my heart and I was BEYOND excited for this show. I won't belabor the point, but if you've seen the show, you know that the Tom Collins character has a big beautiful bass voice. In this production, Collins was a tenor. I cried during "I'll Cover You"...and not because of Angel. It was painful. There were many other disappointing areas to this production, but in my mind, that was by far the most egregious. 

I have oh so much more I could write on this subject. What's that you say? Make this the first in a series? Done and done :)