Book of Billy the War Horse Mormon

Besides my last rant of a post let me catch you up on the awesome.

1.)  Billy Elliot.  Not the lovely family movie that drops the F'bomb like it is "the" but the wonderfully adapted stage musical...obviously.  My wonderful Aunt-wonderful doesn't even begin to describe her wonderfulness-bought me and one other friend a ticket.  A super close ticket that cost too much, but hey I am not complaining.  ;)  On the night of the performance me and my term mate wandered to the Imperial Theatre (crowded!) and meandered to our seat.  The show followed the story line of the movie pretty closely, though it had its liberties with rearranging a few events which in the end completely helped the show and made it its own.  The Billy we saw, Alex Ko, was the senior billy (been their the longest) and to our surprise was an Iowan as well!  Represent! Not the greatest singer, but then again Billy Elliot isn't known for his singing, but his dancing was faboosh.  Literally every time there was an intense dance sequence I teared up.  Call me a pansy, cause I do.  Having listen to the soundtrack before and not loving it, Elton John's tunes came to life onstage and worked wonders with the choreography that mixed the teenie tiny ballet dancers with the big square police/miner ones.  To say I was in love with the movement on stage would have been an understatement.  Though the highlight of the night was definitely the uber small but extremely loud stage presence, Cameron Clifford, as Michael.  Billy's cross dressing friend.  He owned the staged, and his interaction with Billy in the end left everyone going "Ahhh" or if you were the girls in the balcony "AAAAAAAAAAH."  Definitely one of the strongest shows I had seen, and probably the show I had the hardest time not weeping at.  

2.  War Horse.  A 3 hour long epic about the relationship between a boy and his horse during WWI took place at the Vivian Beaumont.  With epic, EPIC puppet work I have never ever been so attached to an inanimate object, but those three person controlled horses really got me.  Actual tears were shed, but I didn't feel like a baby because almost everyone in my group cried...and the one's that didn't don't have souls.  You know who you are *glare*  The story was so engaging and the bond between human and animal was taken to the extreme when the Albert loses his horse Joey to the army and goes off to find his old friend.  It is a story that spans over 4 or 5 years and we get in deep in No Mans Land.  Heart wrenching the script was very strong and really upped the stakes to the greatest degree and one always expected the worst...and usually got it.  Though the ending to me was a surprise it still managed to make me sob.  The teamwork involved in the show was amazing, each unit working on the massive puppets breathed together making the animal come to life.  I literally forgot they were even there.  Now I hear Steven Spielberg is whipping this up into a movie.  Hope he does it justice.  Then again this did come from a book so interpretations may be different...I just hope it doesn't go beyond and ruin the relationship at the center of the story.

3.  Book of Mormon.  Now this show....this show...I don't even know where to begin.  I am still on a high from the whole experience.  Almost impossible to get into, my friend and I decided to use our time wisely and go out on the day we knew we had open to attempt to get lottery tickets.  We didn't.  Arriving  early we placed our names in the bucket and waited...and waited...but alas they only had 20 tickets and those went to other lucky winners.  Damn them.  But my friend stayed behind in the "standing room only" line which we heard about randomly from a boy who stood behind us when we tried (and failed...twice) to get rush tickets to Sister Act.  We ended up waiting over 2 hours...and waiting for a chance to obtain two of 16 tickets.  We were 11 & 12 in line!  Tickets were only 27 dollars a piece!  & the view was great!  Sure we had to stand for 2 and a half hours but talk about worth it.  For a show that has been kept under wraps, and that hasn't even opened yet, this buy far is going to win a Tony or two.  With a script that is blatantly offensive while at the same time incredibly intellectual, Trey Parker and Matt Stone have themselves a winner.  By making fun of, while validating Mormonism, the show poked fun at everything by being as raunchy and nasty as possible.  My jaw was on the ground and my stomach-which was digesting some spicy Chipotle-got a full workout because I was laughing so hard.  The music was perfect reminding me a lot of the fabulous Avenue Q (this makes sense since this also came from one of the creators of that show) every song was memorable and got stuck in your head.  From opening to close the audience was in stitches and by the end everyone was completely on board with the message.  By playing both sides and never shoving any specific viewpoint down anyones throat the show was an all out winner.  Now if they would just open and release the soundtrack...

Well that is my show update.  I need to go because the coffee shop is closing soon.  I know I know, I also cut it close.  Time for homework and sleepytime. Work in the morning and then...House of Blue Leaves in the evening.  Seeing my lovely roommates mom work some magic on the stage alongside my beloved Nurse Jackie...Edie Falco.  If I can contain my excitement I will let you know how it is.  But if all you read looks like this---> AS@#&(%Yno84932w0JFOS02048058DNOSuslsofu2jfamg10SS!  Or something along those lines...you know I liked it.  :)  

Later you hooligans.  

One Week. *Cries*

    One week.  That is all that is left.  ONE WEEK!  How I hate those two words.  I mean going home to see my family will be wonderful and there shall be fireworks of happy reunion proportion, but when you get presented with the opportunity to stay and get EXTRA AWESOME experience, the deadline to figure out your life becomes way too stressful.
   Having gotten a taste of the film world, and having bitten off various nibblets of different aspects of the bizz, I may have the option to stay for the summer to expand my experience in the world I adore.  The only trouble is A.)  Many summer internships start like...NOW! 2.) Money...which should be my number one, but I care more about the experience. Is that bad?  3.) Housing...I have none.  These are the problems I face.

Now, the options I have may not happen, two have been axed because of scheduling stuff and the others are still up in the air.  The pay is low to nonexistent.  But the experience is of godlike proportion!  Like major insight into the world I want to be a part of with people who know their stuff.  Completely intimidating!  But so worth it!  I am currently waiting to see what may present itself, emails have been exchanged, calls have been made, messages left and resumes sent out.  But I have one week.  One week to figure this out.  On top of packing, finishing up major homework and ending my current internships.  This is like grade A cliffhanger stuff kiddos!  The things season finales are made of!  Can you handle the pressure?  I don't know if I can.

A Continuation of Man Spider Blog

Picture by a Ms. Ellen Burns

2.  Walked the Brooklyn Bridge...Pretty self explanatory...Though I will say this.  Brrrr!  And.  Crowded! Oh and of coures.  Pretty!

Yeah, that happened. 

3.  Greg Mottola's Paul with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.  I just so happen to be in the second scene (Comic-Con) and right in front of Simon and Nick.  You gotta look for me but I am huge and pasty and definitely there.  Then there is a shot of the back of my head.  Super quick, but I was still nervous getting ready to see myself.  The movie was cute overall, choke full of sci-fi tidbits for all the fanboys out there.  Overall though not my favorite Pegg and Frost movie, but the cast was great and the animation was crazy good.  Plus Kristen Wiig and her cursing...you can't go wrong.  I recommend it fo shizzle.

4.  In a nutshell I got a glimpse at how casting goes down and it was definitely something that piqued my interest.  Possible area of interest in the future?  With my imdb brain?! Possibly ;P

Greenberg. Yeah.

5.  The sunny has slowly been showing its bright face and so have the actors that inhabit NYC.  Thanks to my memory of all things movie related (wish my brain was like this with math or something really useful) in one day I saw not one, not two, but five actors!  And even today I got to see more!  Can i just state for the record that I am one hell of a fan because I do not squeal, gawk or stalk any of these folks.  Just a smile and if they need something I am there to point them in the right direction.  Oh, right...actors...in order of appearance....John Turturro, Kristen Wiig, Amber Tamblyn, Sasha Baren Cohen, Charlie Cox, Dylan Walsh, Bryan Greenberg and Bill Hader.  That was only from last friday till now...woah.  Oh and I totally got to tell Bryan Greenberg I would wash his cup for him because the dishwasher was clean.  Baby steps, baby steps.

Please, oh, please, oh, please! 

6.  Hunting for house/apartment sitting jobs on craigslist/applying for summer housing at NYU.  Got the opportunity to stay longer, and why not!  Would get to go home for a month and a half and then return to the big apple for two months.  I am finally feeling like I am really getting the hang of things here and i am learning so much (sounds corning but it's true) so I want to try as hard as I can, exhaust all my options before settling for Iowa.  Which, in reality is not that bad of a second choice. ;)

Well kiddos that has been my life up to date as briefly as I could put it.  There has been so much more but I thought you would enjoy the supa' fun parts more.  Three weeks left and then I am home.  I can't believe it.  Time goes by when you intern.  Now that's true life.

Spidey Blog, Spidey Blog, don't break your face Spidey Blog.

I really hope that you guys read the title with the theme song in mind because if you didn't you can just cross yourself off the cool list.  Now, if any of you are left on the cool side of things lets catch up shall we?
   What have I don't since you last heard from me?  More like what haven't I done! BAM!  Here's the DL for yuh.
     1.  Shows that I have seen that you may have heard of and may be jealous-or not-of me for seeing:  David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People featuring Frances McDormand & Tate Donavon.  And the one and only...Spiderman Turn Off the Dark.
    2.  Walked the Brooklyn Bridge.
    3.  Saw myself in a movie.
    4.  Interned for a casting director.
    5.  Been in the presence of five, or more, actors in one day.  
    6.  Am currently attempted to be productive while trying to figure out a way to stay in NYC for the summer.

That folks is the Down Low.  Now for specifics.

1.  Abaire's Good People was one of those shows I knew I had to see when I saw that the playwright had a new show premiering with such a wonderful lead actress.  You may know Abaire from his magnificent play now turned motion picture, Rabbit Hole.  His ability to create realistic worlds dealing with rather devastating concepts and weaving in humor and hope into each scenario is something to behold.  And let me tell you I beheld it well.  Student rush tickets for 27 bucks, sat in row G (which is like 7 rows from the front) and saw not one but two actors in the audience.  Zachary Quinto (Slyer from Heroes/Spock from the new Star Trek) was looking mighty fine in his red hat and hipster skinny jeans, and the linebacker that was Kathleen Turner looked exquisite as usual.  *Fun Fact*  Kathleen and I practically chest bumped after the show because it was so crowded...it was awesome.  The show itself wasn't nearly as good as Abaire's previous drama, but it still held its own and McDormand and the small toothed Donavon did superb jobs carrying the show.  Though my personal favorites were the two friends of McDormand's character, the ever so blunt Estelle Parsons and the whippersnapper Becky Ann Baker. Good affective story telling, with a really strong second act.  The ending was a bit ambiguous but that was preferable.

    Spiderman on the other hand...or eight other hands, should have called it quits when the furies (yes, as in the furies from Greek mythology) come out with high heels on every leg to sing about why Arachne (yes that lady who turned into the world's first spider) yells about how having shoes will help her get Peter Parker.  This, my friends, is no joke.  What STOTD did well, they did well. Visually my eyes were gasming right and left, up and down, pretty much all over the place.  *And they should have cause I spent a pretty penny to see this show!*  But, what they did wrong, they took too far.  The music sounded good, the lyrics were HORRIBLE! Peter Parker is a pecker...or something along those lines were put into the bullying song...While my eyes gasmed my ears bled.  But, the rock songs, like "The Boy Falls From the Sky" rocked my life.  The script was poor and all over the place.  So much for any emotional attachment to Aunt Mae or Uncle Ben...they were in it for maybe two scenes.  And when Ben dies...talk about cliche.  "He never knew he loved me!"...yes, that was screamed by Peter Parker...gag me.  But the high notes of it....T.V. Carpio as Arachne blew me away.  Her unique voice and ability to work those eight legs made me wait for her after the show (I did indeed get to talk to her and touch her hand...it's the little things!) Also Patrick Page as the Green Goblin.  Best part hands down.  Too bad he "died" at the end of the first act.  Oh, and the thing you've all been waiting for...mishaps.  Sorry folks, only one, and that was when Spidey rammed his arms into one of the balcony's when he went to perch on it's edge.  Gasps ensued but he was fine.  I think.

See I told you .  Shoes.  I wasn't kidding. 

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