NYC and the Jimmys

In June I had the great privilege of chaperoning the winners of the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards as they went on to compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards, or the Jimmys in New York City.  This was such an amazing experience.  The winners in Utah were Peter Lambert from Alta High School and Malia Morley from Hillcrest High School.  Utah couldn't have picked two better kids to represent them in New York.  At the end of the week, the kids got to perform on the stage of the Minskoff Theatre, which currently houses The Lion King.

When we arrived in NYC it was super hot!  102 degrees plus 100% humidity.  I am not used to weather like that.  I could barely breathe when I was outside.  It was like that for three days.  Then it rained on the fourth day, and it seemed to break the heat up.

Christian Borle sharing his NYC experiences

We stayed in the dorm rooms at NYU, so naturally I felt like I was living in New York and going to school there!  All the rehearsals took place at the Tisch School of the Arts.  It was really amazing to be in the same building where so many great artists studied.  Those poor kids were constantly on the go.  They rehearsed from 10:00 in the morning to 10:00 at night with just an hour for lunch, and usually lunch was occupied with a guest speaker.  It was a really great opportunity for a theatre geek like me.  The first day we were introduced to all the coaches, 3 of the 5 I knew from stage and screen.  Telly Leung, who plays one of the Dalton Academy Warblers on Glee, Leslie Odom Jr. who plays Tom's boyfriend on Smash, and Liz Callaway who is the singing voice for Anastasia.  Another day at lunch we had Christian Borle, who played Emmett in Legally Blonde, Tom on Smash and had just one the Tony Award for Peter and the Starcatcher speak with us.  That was pretty cool.

Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kaye and Estelle Parsons

We were all taken to dinner at Sardi's and a Broadway show.  We saw Nice Work if You Can Get It, starring Kelli O'Hara and Matthew Broderick.  I wasn't too over the moon about seeing this show except for the fact it had Kelli O'Hara.  I adore her, and think she is one of Broadway's new rising stars.  Matthew Broderick was just plain awful.  He looked like he was only there for the paycheck.  There was no chemistry between him and Kelli, and he had no energy.  Another highlight of the show was seeing the two winners of Best Featured Actor and Actress in a musical perform.  Judy Kaye and Michael McGrath.  They were wonderful.  And in addition to them, Jennifer Laura Thompson was in it as well as Roseanne's mom, Estelle Parsons.  JLT was the original Hope in Urinetown  and was also Kristin Chenoweth's replacement in Wicked.  She was a hoot!  All in all, I liked the show.  It was a fun story, but a little long.  They didn't have to use that many Gershwin songs!  After the show we were able to have a talkback with the actors, sans Mr. Broderick.  They talked about their experiences coming to the city and getting to work on Broadway.

I got to see a couple of other shows.  I went to Ghost the Musical  and the Judy Garland show, End of the Rainbow.  I was so excited to see End of the Rainbow.  I had been reading about it for months and never thought I'd get the opportunity to see it.  Ghost  was a free ticket, and so I thought, what the hell.  It was so much better than I ever thought it would be.  The music was great and the special effects were spectacular.  It was very sad though, because the theatre was only about half full.  I guess others weren't that enthusiastic about seeing it.

Me and Judy!

End of the Rainbow was simply incredible.  It tells a fictional account of Judy Garland's last months of life, coming to London for a "comeback" and getting together with husband number 5, Mickey Deans.  The reason to see this show is its star, Tracie Bennett.  She does a really great job of capturing Judy without doing an impression.  Much like Judy Davis in Me and My Shadows.  The show was an emotional roller coaster, and there were moments when I thought I was actually watching Judy Garland in concert.  I don't think I've ever seen a performance quite like that on the stage.  The show is going on tour, and I would like to see it again.

My stalker photo

Gay Pride color guard practicing before the parade.  Too funny!

While I was waiting for the show to start, I looked down the row and saw two gentlemen taking their seats at the end of the row where I was sitting.  I thought, man those two guys look familiar.  So, without being too creepy, I stared for a minute and realized it was Jonathan Groff and Zachary Quinto.  Jesse St. James and Mr. Spock!  I think they were on a date, because it was also the same day as gay pride in NYC.  I hated being a stalker, but after the show was over I snapped their picture as proof that I saw them.  They just happened to have been walking in the same direction as me for a few blocks, I swear!

Peter and Malia about to make their Broadway debut

Malia right after she won

We finally made it to the night of the big show!  We got to the Minskoff and the kids were thrown into rehearsal right away.  I took the morning to wander around Manhattan for the last time.  I went to my favorite bookshop.  I could spend days in the Drama Book Shop.  It's so cool.  Then I went back to the theatre and watched the kids rehearse.  I got in trouble for taking a video of the closing number.  Whoops!  Constantine Maroulis and Deborah Cox were the Emcees for the evening.  They were promoting their upcoming show, Jekyll and Hyde.  He's kind of a dud.  He tried so hard to be funny, and just wasn't.  Before the show, the director and choreographer announced four awards.  Luckily, our girl Malia one for the Best Ensemble Member.  That was so awesome.  She was picked by the director and choreographer.  I felt like a proud papa!

The show was so wonderful.  I started crying when they all came out for the opening number.  It was so incredible to see these kids living their dreams.  Peter and Malia were not finalists, but it didn't matter.  They were winners in my book, and their experience was just as great as any award.  Two amazing kids!

I had such a wonderful time doing this.  I am so grateful to Michael and Vanessa Ballam for entrusting me to do it.  It was so fun and I learned so much.  Yay for theatre!

At Mood Fabric Store from Project Runway

All the kids at the Minskoff

Our place in the slide show

Chaperones

Constantine Maroulis before the show

The logo for the show

Peter and Malia after their big debut

Summer of 2012

I started this thing because I felt like I had a lot to say, but I haven't said too much.  I have been kind of busy this summer, working three jobs and all, and trying to have a social life...or something.  So, here's a glimpse of my life.  This post is dedicated to the Summer of '12!

A lot has happened over this particular summer.  Mostly good, but a couple of awful things.  To begin, I started my 6th season with the Old Lyric Repertory Company.  I can't believe I have worked there for 6 summers!  It was a rough season, this one.  First of all, there was no Amanda Pro.  Amanda was my rock while I was going to school at Utah State, and the reason I loved working for the Lyric was because of Amanda.  It was also tough because we had some big shows to put up with a very, very small staff.  But, we made it...barely.  The great thing about the Lyric this summer was I got to design my first show for the company.  I did the costumes for the apprentice show, Charlotte's Web.  It was a lot of fun.  I'd never done a children's show before.  I think it turned out pretty cute, if I don't say so myself!  I will post some pictures when I get them.  Lyric did some pretty good stuff this year on the stage.  The season was Steel Magnolias, Private Lives, Big River, Lend Me a Tenor, Greater Tuna and Charlotte's Web.  Holy crap...6 shows!  They are very well done, and thoroughly enjoyable.

My next project was my second season with Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre.  I absolutely love this company.  They make everyone who works there feel so welcomed and a vital part of the company.  I am working this summer as an assistant to Vanessa Ballam.  It has been such, such fun.

My third project is the movie theatre.  I started out the summer as building manager for the University 6 owned by Westates, and then at the end of June, we switched to being Megaplex.  I am now the concessions manager at the Movies 5.  It's sure different.  It's been kind of a hard transition.  There have already been casualties!  What I thought would be pretty terrific turned out to be pretty miserable.  Rough times.

Because of my involvement with UFOMT I was able to take a trip to New York City.  I chaperoned the Best Actor and Best Actress of the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards as they went on to compete in the National competition.  This was so wonderful!  Peter Lambert and Malia Morley were the winners, and we couldn't have picked better to represent in NY.  Such talent!  I got to see three Broadway shows.  Nice Work if You Can Get It which is a "new" musical by George and Ira Gershwin.  New means that it is a new story set to great Gershwin songs.  It starred Kelli O'Hara and Matthew Broderick.  Kelli was amazing!  Matthew was pretty horrible.  I felt like he was just phoning it in, and didn't really want to be there.  The next show I saw was Ghost: The Musical.  What I thought was going to be just awful was actually pretty good.  The music was great, performers were great and the technology was incredible!  I've never seen anything like it.  My final show was one that I had been really looking forward to seeing.  End of the Rainbow.  It was spectacular.  Tracie Bennett as Judy Garland is not to be missed.  I will go into more detail when I write a post dedicated to NYC.  Great trip.

The downsides of the summer were I had two family members pass away within days of each other.  Aunt LaRue left us in early June.  This was hard because it was my grandma's twin sister and the first of her sisters to pass.  I remember visiting Aunt LaRue at the ranch in the summer times growing up.  She will be missed.

The second was so unexpected.  Cousin Greg.  Oh wow!  I couldn't believe it when I got the phone call from my sister Chelsey that Greg was in the ICU because of a heart attack.  It didn't seem real.  The next day, Chelsey called and said the doctors were going to do a test to see if he was getting any blood to his brain.  I couldn't concentrate at work.  I had to go see Greg.  It was a rough drive from Logan to Ogden that day.  When I got to the hospital, his wife, Summer was in pretty good spirits.  I have never met anyone stronger than her.  While all of us were blubbering, she was the one comforting everyone.  What an incredible human being Summer is.  Well, after a couple of hours of sitting around, the news came.  Greg was brain dead.  Slowly the family started coming up to see Greg.  It's still so weird to think that I will never see him again in this lifetime.  Summer brought Greg into our lives 11 years ago and he was such an important part of our family.  I think about him everyday.  I miss him so much.  He passed away the night before I left to New York.  I didn't want to go on the trip.  I just wanted to be with my family.  Before I left, Summer told me not to think about it, but have fun.  Easier said than done.  After a few days, I started to feel a bit better, but all the while, Greggy was in the back of my mind.

I was so glad that I could attend his funeral.  I didn't think I'd be able to because I was in New York for a week and I was sure they'd have it while I was gone.  I was glad they didn't.  I had to say good-bye to Greg.  I was so honored when Summer asked if I'd be a pallbearer.  It was a rough couple of days, with the viewing and the funeral.  I didn't think it would be so hard.  I still don't know how Summer made it through.  She's incredible.  RIP Superman!

So, that's been my summer in a nutshell.  I still don't know what I am going to do when it's over, but that's part of the excitement of life.  I am enjoying life, and I do love living in Logan.  I guess we'll see what the future brings.  

The Price of Fame

I have been thinking a lot about the recent death of Whitney Houston. It is incredibly sad, and say what you want about her personal life, she was an exceptional talent. On Sunday night Oprah Winfrey re-aired an interview she did with Whitney from 2009. Wow. It was amazing. Oprah didn't hold back on any question and Whitney didn't hold back on her answers. While I was watching I started to think how much she was like another incredibly talented singer/actress. The incredible Judy Garland. Whitney died at 48 and Judy was 47. It was so sad to think how drugs can control a person's life. Even though Whitney was on the mend, so many years of drug abuse just destroys you. She told Oprah that for seven years she and Bobby Brown wouldn't even talk to each other. They would just sit at home, watch t.v. and smoke their marijuana laced with cocaine. So sad. I've heard people say that we shouldn't glorify a drug addict. That's not what Whitney Houston was. Yes, she abused drugs, but that's not what her life was. She was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend. She was a brilliant entertainer. Hopefully the next generation will look back at Whitney's life and not focus on the drugs. Hopefully they'll focus on the talent. Same with Judy. Most people don't look at Judy Garland as a drug addict. They look at her as an amazingly gifted performer. She was a victim of circumstances. Whitney was a victim of circumstances. She was unhappy and she looked to drugs. Yes, there are other ways to cheer oneself up, but Whitney chose drugs and, unfortunately, that's what ended her life so prematurely. If I can express anything to the few readers that read this, it's don't focus on the negative aspects of life, and focus on the great things. Think of all the amazing songs thy we have all sung along to at the tips of our lungs. Think of the great movies and the way we felt watching them. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it's something I just felt like saying.

The Return of American Idol to My Life

So, I've recently gotten t.v. again, and there are so many things on which I have missed out.  The first is a show I used to watch religiously, but it's been a long time since I have watched it.  Since then, there is only one recognizable judge...Randy Jackson.  I really miss the banter and cat fights between Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell.  It made the show more interesting.  Now, we have Jenny from the block and Aerosmith front man, walking corpse, Steven Tyler.  They really don't critique anymore.  Every judge just says nice things about the performance, or Randy Jackson will pipe up with, "Ah, Dawg, you know, you know.  It was a'aight.  It wasn't perfect."  Really, Randy Jackson?  Really?  It wasn't perfect?!!!  Of course it wasn't perfect!  No one has a "perfect" performance.  Unless you're Whitney Houston from the 80's and early 90's!  I wish Randy was the one that wasn't still there!  Jennifer Lopez says dumb things most of the time.  And even though he looks like he's been at death's door for the past 28 years, Steven Tyler says helpful things, and I think it would be helpful to be critiqued by him.

As for the contestants...they're just not as good as they used to be.  Let's face it, no one will be as good as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, David Archuleta or David Cook.  For me, they're the best ones who have graced the Idol stage.  But, there are two that are quite good.  Rocker Colton Dixon and Erika Van Pelt who has a very deep, beautiful, soulful voice.  She's great! 

The first competitive show was the boys sing Stevie Wonder and the girls sing Whitney Houston.  Ugh.  These artists are so distinctive and no one should attempt to sing them other than the original artists.  It was a very boring show.  I can't believe the producers of Idol thought this would be a good idea.  Oh well.  It happened.  America got it right by sending Jeremy home.  He was only on because he cried and moved Jennifer Lopez to almost tears.  At least he's gone. 

More to come next week...