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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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Broadway Updates!

Any Cuba Gooding Jr. fans out there?

Check him out in the hit musical, Chicago, from October 6, 2018-November 8, 2018.

Ticket Sales range from $59-$109.

Check out broadwaybox.com for codes and other hit shows!

Also on the list of updates, School of Rock will host its final class on January 20, 2019 at the Winter Garden Theatre. Don’t be too sad, though, because it’s making way for Beetlejuice to be summoned starring original SoR star, Alex Brightman!

Dan and I are particularly excited for this because he was such a pleasure to meet! Hopefully we have that same luck a second time!

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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You Can Sit with Me, Grool?

Hey! It feels like it’s been a hot minute since I’ve last reviewed anything. One day, at work, I receive this random text message from my fiancé with a little surprised attached. He had purchased tickets to Mean Girls for the performance on Thursday, 09/20/2018 for 7PM! I was so excited because my younger sister had turned me on to Barrett Wilbert Weed (Heathers), whose voice I fell in love with. I learned that Ms. Weed stars in Mean Girls as Janis Ian.

I’m sure by now that many (if not all) of you are familiar with Tina Fey’s 2004 hit comedy of the same title about home-schooled Cady Heron who moves to Illinois from Africa and learns about socialism, cliques, and finding where she belongs in the realm of the Plastics. (Apparently there’s also a direct-to-DVD sequel that came out in 2011.)

Did you also know that the concept was partially inspired by the 2002 novel, Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman? Check it out if you have the chance!

Do you know what the musical was, in all honesty? It was so fetch!

See what I did there? I made fetch happen. Fight me.

Mean Girls took over for Jersey Boys at the August Wilson Theatre. I was familiar with this intimate theatre, and was overly excited to learn that Dan had surprised me with Front Row Center Mezzanine seats in Row A (109 & 110). Dead center. I was in awe with how close we were. I would absolutely recommend these seats if you can obtain them (they tend to be snatched pretty quickly).

Ticket Prices: Average Ticket Prices: $81 (rear mezzanine)- $200+(Orchestra) What Dan Paid: $139.00 x 2 + Taxes and Fees (Front Mezzanine) Discount Code Applied: N/A Total: $295.70

Erika Henningsen stole the show with her superior vocal range as Cady Heron, super smart in Calculus and super awkward in social settings. She meets Damian Hubbard (Grey Henson) and Janis Ian (Barrett Wlbert Weed), who show her around the school and warn her of the Plastics, Karen Smith (Kate Rockwell), Gretchen Wieners (Ashley Park), and Queen Bee, Regina George (Taylor Louderman) in the song, “Meet the Plastics.” The trio take an interest in Cady and guide her under their pink feathery wings where Cady deems she is under the protection of the “Apex Predator.” Cady meets Aaron Samuels (Kyle Selig) and falls head over heels for him in the song, “Stupid with Love.”

As we all know, Aaron Samuels is the boy toy of Regina George. And once Regina realizes that Cady shares an interest in him, well, “Someone Gets Hurt.” And Cady, Janis, and Damian have themselves a “Revenge Party” and plot Regina’s demise. And well, we all know what happens from there.

The audience went wild when Taylor Louderman, standing on the top of the lunch table and utters one single line, “My name is Regina George.” Louderman is the perfect Regina George. She’s fierce, intimidating, and possesses an amazing voice that will leave a chill down your spine. She made her a, “massive deal.”

My favorite song happens to be in Act II of the show where Janis apologizes to herself in, “I’d Rather Be Me.” Ladies and gentlemen, my anthem:

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You’ll recognize familiar lines from the movie that I couldn’t imagine not being in the show.

“She doesn’t even go here!” and “You go, Glen Coco!” Both of these quotes provided by the character Damian, with which Henson amazingly delivered.

One interesting plot twist that I’ll share, is how Cady manages to get to Spring Fling. Cady is suspended after admitting to her crime against teacher, Ms. Norbury (Jennifer Simard—who also plays Mrs. George and Mrs. Heron). However, this also helps connect the romance between Cady and Aaron, which was left hanging by an awkward thread in the film.

I won’t spoil the rest.

Just go. Go see this show. You’ll fall in love with Cady’s constant connections from Animal World to Girl World. So many relative references. Serious kudos to the creative team.

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot twists, the imagery on the stage to depict the tone and mood. I felt everything tied in where the film left things open ended. I would highly recommend this musical. Gretchen has her own song, “What’s Wrong With Me?” to showcase her insecurity and anxiety, which I thought was brilliant.

Touching, hilarious, everything you would expect Mean Girls to be and so much more. I loved the message of women able to be both beautiful and smart, something I believe every woman should be aware of. Never dumb yourself down to obtain. Take pride in your mind.

Repeat that three times in the mirror. Take pride in your mind.

Unfortunately, I was not able to meet Ms. Weed, Ms. Louderman, or Mr. Henson at the Stage Door, post production. But perhaps one day I’ll get my chance. Ms. Henningson was so humbled when I met her and complimented her vocal range. I always try to give the credit where it’s due, and it was most certainly due here.

So you better get your tickets, biotches.

Check out Mean Girls at their home website: https://meangirlsonbroadway.com/ Located at the August Wilson Theatre: 245 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019 You can find tickets on: ticketmaster.com

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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Broadway 2 for 1 Week

Get them now! From September 3rd to September 16th, purchase two seats for the price of one! Each show has their own pricing, but they’re relatively inexpensive.

Some cheap Disney shows, Spongebob (catch it before it closes on the 16th of this month!), Waitress, Wicked, and many others!

https://www.nycgo.com/broadway-week Great offer while you can get it!

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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An Act of True Love will Thaw a Frozen Heart

As I sit at my work desk with a cup of coffee, I think about a rather spontaneous trip I decided to take with Dan to see the new Disney sensation, Frozen. Of course, advertisers will proclaim every musical is a “megahit” to get people to go. I needed to see this for myself.

After a rough week last week, I had the thought to do something impulsive, after I had gotten tickets for Spongebob again when Dan’s brother comes up for his birthday and my sister had been telling me how she wanted to see it. Yup, I’m a real thrill seeker here as my wallet is drained for every musical note, haha. In all seriousness, I looked into Ticketmaster just to see what 05/31/18 had available.

A few standard ticket prices and many “Verified Resale Tickets” which I had never treaded the waters of before. In the balcony section (Row G) in its center were two resale tickets for $60/ticket. Usually, those tickets actually were $20 more, so I thought that was actually a decent deal. A few rows down on the right side of the theater (Row D) were $62/ticket so, I opted for those. Something I didn’t know, for those who (like me) never purchased from the resale ticket section before, if you have a block of tickets that are four or more, you don’t get to choose which seats you want. As opposed to getting the seats closest to the aisle, I paid for the innermost seats. Just a little forewarning.

Tickets: Regular Prices: $99.00-$200+(Orchestra), $79.50-$168.00(Mezzanine), $79.50(Balcony) Verified Resale Tickets: $62.00x2+fees= $148.00 Discount Applied: None; sadly, for most Disney productions, you won’t find a discount code, but sometimes (depending on the time of year) you’ll get lucky with less expensive prices. Total: $148.00

I also wanted to experience the balcony view to provide pictures for my readers. I think it’s a huge aid in seat selection. If you have poor vision (like me) the view will be a tad rougher as much of the production had darkened and dimmed lighting throughout. Not that that’s bad, but again, another dose of forewarning. Get closer seats (if you can).

Also, also, also--get ready to climb. If you missed leg day at the gym, have no fear, your calves and glutes will get one hell of a workout and make you wonder if you’re climbing Rapunzel’s tower, instead.

Did you know that Frozen is an adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s 1844 story, The Snow Queen? Now that’s a little thing you know!

I don’t know anyone who hasn’t seen the 2013 Disney movie starring Idina Menzel (Elsa), Kristen Bell (Anna), Jonathan Groff (Kristoff), and Josh Gad (Olaf), so I don’t feel the need to go into terrible detail about what you’re getting into with this. The stage production differs, but only slightly.

Many of the same songs that we remember from the film are intact. The placement is askew, “Let it Go” comes after “In Summer” which is opposite in the film. The costume changes were thrilling at the end when she sheds her Arendelle Coronation dress for her Ice Queen dress. Honestly, I think Cassie Levi shone in her performances when she sang, “Monster” and Elsa’s other new character song, “Dangerous to Dream.”

Here’s a sample of “Monster”!

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“Love is an Open Door” was insanely done, but in the best way! Anna (Patti Murin) and Hans’ (John Riddle) chemistry shone on stage (and we all know how that turned out in the end, I still want to believe it was troll magic!), we see some new thrown in dance moves which were quite impressive. Both of the Anna’s (Mattea Conforti who plays Young Anna and Patti Murin) stole the show, honestly. They bursted and filled that huge theater with their personalities. Well done, ladies!

Also, remember when I said I had a thing for voices? John Riddle is so incredibly worth listening to, plus he’s even more handsome up close!

The other great song in the show was “Fixer Upper” which is sung by the trolls, Bulda (Olvia Phillip), and Pabbie (Timothy Hughes), Kristoff’s (Jelani Alladin) adoptive parents. I loved the trolls then and I love them now.

I could carry on for pages with what I thought of Frozen. I’ll say one more thing before I wrap this up: Wandering Oakens. He was the second best part of the show. And Disney loves to throw in a little somethin’ for the whoooole family, right? Well, they managed to do that in this production. There is a sequence, like in the film, where Anna and Kristoff travel together and find Wandering Oakens for supplies, complete with sauna. The individuals in the sauna sing the little number, “Hygge” and parade around in skin suits that make them appear naked and do a tribal leaf dance. Let that sink in.

Also, and I won’t throw any more spoilers in for those who do take interest in going, Elsa undergoes another costume change on top of her iconic transformation.

For a spur of the moment decision to go, I’d overall say it was a success. Frozen was like the film, but unlike the film. Obviously, each adaptation will be different. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I could see from my seat, because there was a huge struggle for everyone in my section to see, including the children. The effects were pleasant (everyone got so excited when Elsa released her magic), and the acting was phenomenal.

After the show, Dan and I, after purchasing our mugs for our collection, attempted to get our Playbills signed. The actors who played Anna, Sven, Olaf, and Hans came out to greet their fans. Now, understanding that there’s some kind of art in the mechanics of handling such puppeteering, there’s a great entertainment demand. I couldn’t help but ask Olaf’s puppeteer what he thought about Olaf. He replied, “It’s not easy,” almost exasperated. “It’s like a journey...like having a dance partner.”

And, if you happen to go during the month of June, you’ll receive a pretty Playbill complete with Pride colors! I love it!

You can find Frozen at the St. James Theatre located at 246 W. 44th St., New York, NY. Visit them at https://frozenthemusical.com/ Next Show: TBA!

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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Welcome to the Diner

So, this is long overdue because I attended the class trip to see Waitress with Farmingdale State College’s Backstage Theater Company On May 5, 2018. The following photo are Playbills with different variations of the main lead: Jenna. Actually, Waitress was originally a 2007 film starring Kerri Russel as Jenna and Nathan Fillion as Dr. Pomatter.

Left: The original Jenna, Jessie Mueller (who can also be found on the OBC soundtrack of the show with Drew Gheling) I sadly did not see any performances with Jessie Mueller, a former coworker of mine gave me a copy of his Playbill and I wanted to share it with you guys! Middle: Betsy Wolfe with Jason Mraz. Dan took me to this performance on 12/10/2017. Right: Katharine McPhee with Drew Gheling, this performance was 05/05/2018.

So, Waitress is about a woman by the name of Jenna (McPhee) who lives in a small southern town with her controlling and abusive husband, Earl (Ben Thompson), and works in Joe’s Pie Diner with her coworkers Becky (NaTasha Yvette Williams) and Dawn (Caitlin Houlihan) with their boss Cal (Benny Elledge). She bakes all of the pies in the diner, fresh, and Jenna also happens to find herself pregnant with her husband’s baby after a sloppy, drunken, unplanned and unprotected evening.

Jenna takes us through the motions of a woman unhappy with her situation. She shows us that not all women are excited to be expecting mothers. And Earl doesn’t make the situation any better by demanding his wife love him more than their baby. It isn’t until Jenna meets her gynecologist Dr. Pomatter (Drew Gheling) that she begins baking more than pies in her kitchen. Suddenly, she gains a new perspective on everything. And I’ll leave the rest up to you to discover. It brings her “A Little Wild Berry Pie” to a whole other level.

Check out my favorite song, “Bad Idea” and you’ll get a slice of what I mean!

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Tickets: As a Farmingdale Student: I attended this event for free. The cost of Dan’s ticket: $132.00 Discount Code?: Broadwaybox.com (apply box2 to Ticketmaster).

Seats: Rear Mezzanine, Row L

Dan didn’t sit with me in Row L, which is located in the Rear Mezzanine (second to last row, to be exact). Dan’s seat was Row A in the Front Mezzanine. From where I sat, you could still see everything just fine! This theater in general is an intimate theater. When I went back in December with Dan, he bought us Orchestra seats. I can attest to the statement that there is no bad seat in this theater.

I was so excited to see Katharine McPhee, and I was not disappointed in her performance. And I feel my dream came true of seeing Drew Gheling performing as Dr. Pomatter. They had great stage chemistry, and McPhee was a perfect Jenna.

Jenna is a complex character, who goes through several transitions throughout. I mean, going from an unconfident, entrapped woman who is abused to a strong woman who has become a mother and puts her child first? That takes skill to pull off. McPhee captured this so, so well. When I saw the show with Betsy Wolfe, she was confident throughout and it took away from the experience, sadly.

Furthermore, I love transitional stories where a woman finds herself. I find it incredibly empowering and each woman in the Diner had a story to tell. “I Didn’t Plan It” and “When He Sees Me” will explain more of what I’m talking about.

Check out Waitress at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre located at 256 W. 47th Street, New York, NY Check out their site: https://waitressthemusical.com/

Hope everyone visits the Diner!

Coming up: To be determined, stay tuned! Don’t worry guys, I’m still working on trying to get tickets for Hamilton!

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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So proud of him :’)

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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Drapes vs. Squares--Whose Side Are You On?

It’s one of those rare instances where the musical came after the movie. In most cases, it’s vice versa. Cry-Baby was a film released in the ‘90s, starring Johnny Depp as the titular character, Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker.

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Dan was absent for this one. Upon request, my friend Ashley asked me to take her for her birthday. I hope she enjoyed this sock-hop of a blast!

I don’t think I’ve ever quite laughed so hard during a production before the way I did Cry-Baby. The entire audience, from what I observed, were rolling in their seats. Many, like my friend, dressed in 1950s apparel, much to my surprise. I wish now I had the pictures to prove it! Everyone looked fantastic.

Coming from The Noel S. Ruiz Theatre, I’m not surprised with the production quality. They know how to put on a good performance, and they know how to do it tastefully.

Tickets: General: $29.00 Discount Applied: $22.00 (student discount) $22.00 x 2 + $2.00 (optional donation to theater) = $50.00

Cry-Baby is about a Drape (Steven Cottonaro) who really isn’t a drape, falling in love with a Square (Gabrielle Farah) who really isn’t a square. There is a cast of colorful characters and an overly preppy villain (Matthew Paredi) , who only wants to be engaged to his lady square so he can be the only man to kiss her.

Just a tad possessive, maybe?

We had kissing with tongue in “Girl...Can I Kiss You?” we had bras flying on the stage, half dressed men, sexual innuendos as far as the eye could see, and I loved every minute of it. Marielle Greguski (Queen Amneris in Aida) blessed us with her beautiful voice once more, but the rest of the cast of characters were brand-spankin’ new.

I won’t lie, I was irritated as all hell by Allison’s character. Cry-Baby was no better for me. Perhaps I have an issue with main characters in general, but I was really taken aback by the performance of Cry-Baby’s reliable backup women, The Tear Drops, one of which Greguski plays. Or, perhaps I’ve been bitten by the Drape Bug, because all of Cry-Baby’s cronies were my favorites.

My favorite scene was “Jailyard Jubilee” where Cry-Baby and ensemble were singing and dancing, using the license plates as tap shoes and I thought that was so well done and incredibly creative. I mean, wearing license plates, conducting jumping jacks, all the while singing? That takes skill.

You can catch Cry-Baby at the Noel S. Ruiz Theatre from now until May 12th.

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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Everyone Needs Their Own “Elle” Moment!

Initially published in June of 2001 by Amanda Brown, later made into a film in July of the same year starring Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blonde made a case of itself and into the hearts of everyone. Years later, in 2007, Legally Blonde took to the Broadway Stage at the Palace Theater until 2008 starring Laura Bell Bundy as Elle Woods.

The Backstage Theater Company of Farmingdale State College introduced the production from 03/15-03/17, starring [BSTC] Treasurer, Amber Masullo as Elle Woods.

Between the novel, movie, and Broadway production, each tells the story in a slighty different light. As a matter of fact, the novel received high criticism and the movie received high praise.

Tickets:

As a Farmingdale Student: $0.00

To Bring Dan as a Guest: $10.00

Total Cost: $10.00

Legally Blonde is about fashion merchandising major of UCLA College and president of sorority Delta Nu, Elle Woods who believes she is going to be proposed to by her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III (Dante Dellaporta). Warner, however, has different plans when he breaks their relationship off in favor of pursuing a more “serious” woman to make his bride. Elle is driven to win Warner back and show him how serious she can be by taking the LSAT’s and getting into the college where he will be attending, Harvard Law.

A musical about a woman finding herself and coming into her own, all the while learning her potential and who she could become if she applied herself, which was executed beautifully by Ms. Masullo. Along for the ride, she meets nail tech Paulette (Meaghan Kruse), with who Elle comes to the aid of with her applied knowledge of law, and Emmett Forrest (Bryan Johnson), who assists Elle in reaching her potential.

I love a good romance when it’s done right. Elle was initially a cringe worthy character for chasing after a man who didn’t take her seriously. But later, I applauded her to having what it took to love herself more than him. Furthermore, I loved how the musical took a different turn than the movie regarding the buildup of Emmet and Elle’s romance. It was so, so refreshing.

I loved Masullo and Johnson’s chemistry on stage. They were so convincing, and Johnson captured Emmett’s whit and charm perfectly. Sincerely, kudos to Johnson.

But, who really stole the show was Meaghan Kruse in her performance of Paulette. She was hysterically pleasing, and she had stage presence, she owned it. We were completely swept away with, “Ireland.”

Dan agreed with me about Kruse as Paulette. He stated, “So far? She’s the best part of this whole show.” And that was after he heard Professor Callahan’s (Ryan Madden) song, “Blood in the Water” with who he was so impressed with. We loved to hate him, and that’s when you know a villain is played right. Seriously, when Callahan forced himself onto Elle, we clung to one another.

It was light, bubbly, and liberating for women everywhere. A bubbly young woman told she wasn’t good enough. She does what a lot of women in her position would do; transfix to prove them wrong. However, she learned a valuable lesson. Perhaps everyone should have a Legally Blonde moment in their lifetime. It may serve some good.

Next Show: Cry Baby back at the Noel S. Ruiz Theatre (04/21/18 8pm)

Farmingdale State College is located at 250 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale NY.

The Backstage Theater Company does a Broadway production each semester, so look out for the next one.

Visit farmingdale.edu for more information. You can also find them on Facebook under “The Backstage Theater Company”.

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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The $10 Founding Father Would be Rolling in His Grave

Alexander Hamilton was responsible for our banking system, that much is true. However, I doubt he would have wanted to see such a rising cost in ticket sales in a musical in his honor. He wanted to find a solution to the national debt, not put people further into it.

Hamilton has become a rising sensation since its inception by Lin Manuel Miranda in 2015 while it was Off-Broadway. After scanning through Playbill.com and a few articles in the New York Times out of interest, I came across the following details.

Now, in 2018, ticket sales have risen to astounding prices. Upon scanning a random date via ticketmaster.com (05/08/18), seats go for as high as $1,900.00 and that was for the center orchestra. The lowest you’ll find is $400.00+ and that’s scattered along the front and rear mezzanines. For the majority of the performances until the next block of tickets are released, that’s much of what you’ll see. All pink dots with resale values.

Why is this?

Bots. That’s right. Scalpers posing as bots using different credit cards and different e-mail address purchasing tons of tickets in a shot to resell them at astronomically high prices that most cannot afford.

Supply and demand? I hate to say it, that’s exactly it. If you make it appealing, people will buy because Hamilton, despite a twice turnover of the casting, is still a hot commodity. We would think that the loss of Miranda would have deterred the cost. Nuh uh. We’re not that lucky, tickets only continued to sky rocket.

In most theaters, tickets start off between $49-$99 for rearmost seats and climb to as high as $300+ for premium seats. But, average ticket prices round off at $139-$170.

But, is the experience worth the cost? Most theatergoers say it is.

Actually, many people are spiting these ticket sales. They’ll pirate the Broadway show and post it on YouTube, breaking it down in two parts and renaming it something else entirely, but noticeable enough to recognize that it’s Hamilton. This actually seems to be a new trend, as multiple other shows can also be found on YouTube.

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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In the Heights

So, while Dan prepares for Legally Blonde tonight at Farmingdale State College in its Roosevelt Theater, I’ll write up this review.

Last night I flew solo, a spur of the moment after class decision when the realization hit me that 03/15/2018 was the opening night for John W. Engeman Theater’s rendition of In the Heights.

The theater itself is on Main Street in Northport, NY. Be careful, there is limited municipal parking. With the assistance of the women behind the box office, I was guided to a small hidden lot. The theater does offer free valet parking, though.

These ladies were incredibly helpful. If you don’t happen to purchase your ticket prior to showtime, you can visit the box office and they’ll let you choose your own seat. Initially, my goal was to find front row seating. The ladies advised differently as the first few rows are stage level, I’d be craning my neck the entire show. They recommended row G, which was raised to a somewhat upper level.

The auditorium was different and, really pleasant for shorter theater goers. The further up you go, the more of an incline there is, and the less chance of your view being blocked by another’s head.

For me, that has got to be the most frustrating experience as I am a shorter woman. Literally everyone is taller than I am. I got screwed.

Tickets: 1 Ticket- $73.00 Discount applied: None.

The adage, ‘you get what you pay for’ is sound. The John W. Engeman theater is worth every penny spent. You have a gorgeous theater, a solid stage and a beautifully designed set. There is a snack bar, a wet bar, and plenty of places to sit in their lobby. The atmosphere is also so incredibly warm and welcoming by the staff.

So, In the Heights automatically screamed community to me. Surrounding a neighborhood in Washington Heights, we are introduced to Usnavi de la Vega (Spiro Marcos), who introduces the rest of us to the fellow residents in the area, including Abuela Claudia (Tami Dahbura), his comical cousin Sonny (Nick Martinez), love interest Vanessa (Chiara Trentalange), and the other notable, colorful members of this community.

College students can relate to the character Nina (Cherry Torres), who returns home after a struggle at Stanford college. Money is tough, the hours spent poring over her studies and having to work several jobs to make ends meet. Of course, school suffered because of this, and therefore, she returns a failure. Although, she rekindles with Benny (Josh Marin) and we go in this journey with them for their budding relationship to be accepted.

Remember when I said that there are some actresses that make these characters their own? That’s what Ms. Torres did. She lit up the stage with that delightful voice of hers.

Spiro Marcos astounded me with his performance as Usnavi. He sounded so much like Lin Manuel Miranda, it was unreal. I was sitting in my seat the entire performance wondering ‘where did this guy come from?’ I think I forever will be in awe at such talent to grace a stage.

I walked into this musical not knowing what to expect. I was only familiar with Lin Manuel Miranda’s work involving Alexander Hamilton. Admittedly, I didn’t know much of what this was about. If you’re looking for a musical that will make you feel feelings you didn’t think a musical would drive out of you, go see this one. Vanessa’s escapism from her alcoholic mother, Usnavi’s desire for better, especially when the businesses around him are closing little by little due to heightened rent that no one can pay. I’ll let you find out his ultimate decision, especially after coming into Abuela Claudia’s winning lottery money.

I won’t tell you anymore. It’s fun, and it’s as the man behind me said, “it’s exciting.”

You can catch In the Heights from now until 04/29/18. The theater itself can be found at 250 Main Street, Northport, NY 11768. Also, visit their website at: https://engemantheater.com/ for more upcoming shows, I’m particularly excited for Newsies in July and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder in 2019.

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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Ragtime

Did you know that Ragtime was not only a music style (1895-1918), but a 1979 novel written by E. L. Doctrow, and a 1981 movie starring James Cagney? To add one more to the mix, Ragtime is also a 1998 Broadway musical (Ford Center for the Performing Arts, later named The Lyric Theater), revived for a 2018 stage.

On our way home from Lobby Hero I kept seeing advertisements for Ragtime on Facebook, through the Noel S. Ruiz Theatre’s page. I was reading the premise and the historical names (Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, J.P. Morgan, Henry Ford, Evelyn Nesbit (“Whee!”), Emma Goldman, etc.) and Dan’s face lit up. We’re both huge history buffs. I snagged tickets through my phone on the train.

Tickets:

General: $29.00

Discount Applied: $22.00 (student discount)

$22.00 x 2 + $2.00 (optional donation to theater) = $50.00

He was excited to go back to the Noel S. Ruiz Theatre, where it’s intimate and warm. Our seats were the same as Aida’s, front row, right side of the theater, where we could see everything. Nothing beats front row live stage when it’s done right.

Ragtime revolves around three groups during the turn of the twentieth century, where everyone wanted a taste of America’s freedom. The first the audience is introduced to as a well-off upper-class family, consisting of Mother, Father, their son, Edgar, and Mother’s Younger Brother. Mother and her family see Father off, leaving Mother in charge and allots her first taste of independence. Then Jewish Immigrant, Tateh and his nameless daughter, Little Girl. And then finally the black community is introduced with Sarah, her newborn child, and the child’s father, Coalhouse Walker Jr.

This musical touches upon poverty, racism, discrimination, and was emotionally compelling. Each of these characters, while introduced separately, interlinked with one another. I love how historical figures such as Emma Goldman and Booker T. Washington are portrayed. This theater never seems to fail in delivering a high-quality set, cast, and overall masterful production.

Dan feels this one was the worst of the four we’ve seen. I’d have to disagree.

It was comforting to see returning talent to the stage: Steven Jackson, Ryan Cavanagh, and Van Leon-Whitaker—all from Aida performances. Strong stage presence, and very strong singing. It’s touching to see Long Island talent being appreciated. Perhaps I’m channeling my sense of community, but as wonderful as it is to see Broadway talent, it’s a whole other and refreshing animal to see local talent be acknowledged.

As nice as it was to see returning talent, I won’t ignore the new. I’d like to take this paragraph to acknowledge the powerhouse performances of Brianne Boyd (Mother) and Amanda-Camille (Sarah). Both mother figure characters whose voices were dominating and in the best way. I don’t think I’m getting Boyd’s “Back to Before” out of my head for some time.

We will be back next month to see Cry Baby. I’m curious to see which faces will return!

Ragtime has its run at the Noel S. Ruiz Theatre from now until 03/24/18!

Next show: Legally Blonde at Farmingdale State College. Stay Tuned!

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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Lobby Hero with Chris Evans and Michael Cera

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A dramatic play written by Kenneth Lonergan, starring actors, Chris Evans, Michael Cera, Bel Powley, and Brian Tyree Henry.

An interesting take on security officers and the New York Police Department coming to solve a case. The Second Stage production is based in the former Helen Hayes Theater, now reformed to the Hayes Theater and is set on single set on a revolving stage. The setting, according to Lonergan’s play is “a spacious lobby of a middle-income high-rise apartment building in Manhattan, and the street outside.”

In a way, this hits home for me, due to the fact that I am a security officer in real life. I do not play one on television, nor do I wear the uniform for my health.

Of course, Dan and I were attracted to the prospect of seeing our favored actors, Chris Evans (better known as Captain America), and Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim). Actually, Evans and Cera were in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World together. This has been the first time the two actors have been reunited on a set, since.

Tickets Discount Applied: None Ticket Price: $99.00/ticket Total: $223.00 Seat Location: Front Mezzanine, Row AA seats 12 & 14. Visibility: Yes!

The production opens with Jeff and William on their overnight tour. William is seemingly distracted, and moreover, anxious. He begins to admonish Jeff when he finds out the police were on scene and there was no entry in the logbook (In Security World, this is crucial. The logbook is a legal document where everything occurring on site needs to be recorded.) William calms down after a time to confide in Jeff about a case his brother is part of and has used William as an alibi, thus making him something of an accomplice.

The audience is then introduced to NYPD officers Bill and his rookie partner, Dawn. Dawn seems to be infatuated and attracted to Bill, also making her appear less formal in her address. Powley does an incredible job portraying this mix. Dawn and Bill are coming from another incident altogether where Dawn severely hurts an individual that was charging at her and Bill attempts to comfort her.

The further into the plot you go, you see Bill as a two-faced individual who is out for himself. You see corruption against Dawn, a female officer, who shows her lack of experience in her outbursts throughout. William has a serious choice to make in terms of the side he chooses and Jeff’s position as an informant. He knows things that shouldn’t be withheld. Information that could make or break a case.

Michael Cera brings his quirkiness to the play. He captives that nervous, nerdy individual. Many of us know Chris Evans to be the good natured, watch your language, do gooder, Captain America. His take on Bill was refreshing. A true blue almost villain wearing a uniform.

“Oh, my, God--he’s amazing! He really extends himself,” Dan said breathlessly during the intermission, pertaining to Chris Evans.

if I could have taken a photo of Dan’s face towards the end of the play, I would have in a heartbeat. This was the first production I had taken him to that wasn’t a musical. The comedic properties and intense moments really had us on the edges of our seats. Listening and watching the audience during the play, the actors made you feel as though you were there.

I highly recommend this play, with or without the mentioned celebrities. The messages conveyed were presented and consumed.

The Hayes Theater is located on 240 W. 44th Street, New York, NY 10036. Also, on this block, you’ll find: Anastasia (across the street), and Frozen (right next door).

Next show: Ragtime, back at the Noel Ruiz Theater (03/09/18; 8pm). Stay tuned!

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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I Promised You Tips & Tricks!

Let’s discuss savings for Broadway shows!

-Audiencerewards I’ve seen this site around before. When you purchase tickets, you can earn points towards specials offered on the site, which includes meet and greets. Visit--audiencerewards.com for more information. -Broadwaybox My top go-to when I look to purchase tickets for any offered show. With the exception of most Disney Broadway productions and others, such as Hamilton, you can find a decent discount which is applied to either Ticketmaster.com or Telecharge.com. Broadwaybox caters to Broadway and Off-Broadway (which is only just a difference in theater size, believe it or not. Doesn’t mean any more or less towards the production.) Broadwaybox also has an application you can download onto your phone. Visit--broadwaybox.com for more information

-Theatermania Another site which shows the ticket range in which you would be paying. Visit--theatermania.com for more information.

-schooltix.com The first discount site I was introduced to by my father. They are very limited in their selection. They offer at least less than ten productions on their site. www.schooltix.com

-Today Tix So, this one is new for me. Introduced on Facebook, I saw this advertised around, then an article on Newsday. They’re all considering this site, “the millennial's choice.” This site will show you how much you can save on tickets and on what days. Pretty simple, nifty, and perhaps what you may need. There is also an app to this site that you can download on your phone for easier access. Visit--www.todaytix.com to learn more!

-Ticket Lottery These are fun, but tricky. The only ticket lottery that I have entered is Hamilton, and I have not been successful, yet. But, other productions have lotteries with severely discounted tickets. Each theater caters to different prices, so look into the show you’re interested in, most websites for shows will list Rush and Standing Room Tickets.

But, be mindful, it does not guarantee you and your friend will be sat together if you choose the option of two, which is most often the case of two tickets being the max. There is no entry fee to enter.

-Luckyseat (For Frozen) You have the ability to enter for multiple performances in one sitting. These tickets are $30/ticket. However, there is no knowing, if you win, where these seats are. Good luck to all who enter, and “may the odds be ever in your favor!” I am testing this lottery myself as of 03/07/18 for 03/10, 03/11, and 03/13 showings. Visit--luckyseat.com best of luck! Broadway Direct- Lottery If anyone is so interested in entering the lotteries and testing their luck, here is a direct link to any/all broadway lotteries: https://lottery.broadwaydirect.com/

-Rush Tickets Personally, I have not experienced rush tickets. But, if you ever see a mad rush at the box office once they open, chances are, it’s people trying to purchase rush tickets. These tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis, and are at a severely discounted rate. playbill.com can actually tell you which theaters and what time.

-TKTS booth in Times Square If you’re looking for same-day 20%-50% off, then visit the TKTS booth in Time Square. Whether you’re a resident, or are in Manhattan for the day and decide you suddenly want to see a show. https://www.tdf.org/nyc/7/TKTS-ticket-booths

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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Face It, We All Grew Up Squidwards!

When SpongeBob made his debut in 1999, admit it, you thought you would be a Spongebob when you grew up. Nope. We grew up Squidwards. Now, you wouldn’t think an animated sponge could be a sensation on Broadway, right?

Judge after watching this clip:

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Ethan Slater as SpongeBob, Gavin Lee as Squidward, Lilli Cooper as Sandy Cheeks, and Danny Skinner as Patrick Star.

So after we saw Aida, I asked my Partner in Musical Crime to select the next show. He suggested SpongeBob. The above clip really caught his attention. Intrigued, since he is a man of music, we began looking into ticket prices.

So, the prices for seating look a little something like this:

Orchestra: $119-$155/ticket (even more for those really center orchestra tickets. Can we say $200.00+?) Mezzanine: $75 (rear mezz.)-$145 (front mezz.) Balcony: $45 (solid for entire section) Keep in mind, these prices do change with the holidays. They normally tend to rise per ticket, by at least $10.

But, since we were combing through Ticketmaster together, I opted to give Dan a cheaper option. I looked through Broadwaybox, a discount ticket website (I’ll cover that in my next post), that makes tickets a smidgen more affordable.

Tickets in their Natural Habitat: $145.00/ticket x 2= $290.00 After taxes & fees? You’re looking at $300.00+ After applied Discount: $99.00/ticket x 2 + taxes & fees=$223.00

Come the day of the musical itself (03/02/2018), we traveled in the storm that day to which Dan had hoped this, “jumping sponge” would be good. His words, I swear.

The auditorium of the Palace Theater itself is colorful, vibrant, and so completely eye catching with neon lights in the familiar shapes of the SpongeBob flowers you’d see in the show. From our seats, which were Row N in the Orchestra, you could see everything:

What a view! I would recommend these seats!

Patchy the Pirate starts us off with a comedic skit involving him and security, who chase him off the stage and remind the audience to turn off their phones (props to security, I play one in real life!)

The musical opens with “Bikini Bottom Day” and from there we are introduced to SpongeBob on his way to work, where his boss Mr. Krabs says that he is not management material when he shows desires to move up in the Krusty Krab, that he will be nothing more than a “simple sponge.”

What the hell, Mr. Krabs?

Following that is a catchy rap between Plankton and SpongeBob that divulges an evil plot Plankton is cooking up, “When the Going Gets Tough,” this solidified Dan’s fandom-ship as a Wesley Taylor fan. Heartbroken, Spongebob goes into what happens to be my favorite song, “(Just a) Simple Sponge.”

Ethan Slater has quite a vocal range. Not going to lie, I swooned a little bit. But, don’t tell Dan.

From there, we are introduced to the real the meat of the show, the challenge in which SpongeBob has to face: an upcoming apocalypse due to an impending volcanic eruption. This musical also touched on some more serious issues: discrimination, for one. Sandy Cheeks (Cooper) is a land mammal, a squirrel, who lives under the sea in her tree dome and the towns people need someone to blame for the oncoming destruction. They decide to scapegoat Sandy and attempt to run her out of Bikini Bottom.

Enough seriousness, back to fun. Cast members run through the orchestra section, interacting with the audience, turning the orchestra into Jellyfish Fields. Also, don’t get me started on Gavin Lee, who is a perfect match for Squidward, just as Ethan Slater was the perfect SpongeBob.

Tap dancing Squidward. Go see it. I feel like this is the thing you never knew you needed, until you see it.

And actually, fun fact? SpongeBob’s Original Broadway Cast (OBC) originated in Chicago. So, when you listen to the soundtrack, you’re listening to the Chicago cast. Plankton and Mr. Krabs were noticeably changed for the New York stage...personally? I think we got the better deal.

After the show ended (complete with beach balls bounced around the audience), Dan and I indulged in what we normally like to is head to the Stage Door and try to get our Playbills signed to later frame.

For those interested, the Stage Door is located directly around the corner from the theater. We had the good fortune of meeting Ethan Slater and Wesley Taylor, along with several of the other cast members. You can tell these people love their fans and are so appreciative to be present in the moment with them.

The Palace Theater can be found on 1564 Broadway, New York, NY 10036.

Nest Show: Lobby Hero (03/04/18; 7pm). Stay tuned! In the meantime, Dan wants to watch some SpongeBob now.

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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Aida

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Entry #2: Aida

I remember when Aida first came to Broadway. I was in middle school. This was around the time when Phantom of the Opera was big. Sadly, I was never able to see it, and it was one of those ones I wanted to; also, Adam Pascal–enough said.

So, when I first began to think of this Final Blog Project, I began doing my research on some local theater on the Island. I’ve discovered a small handful of theaters that has a Main Stage with Broadway productions. Aida was just ending at the Noel S. Ruiz Theatre (http://www.cmpac.com/) in Oakdale. We purchased tickets for the 8PM showing on February 9, 2018.

Tickets: General: $29.00 Discount Applied: $22.00 (student discount) $22.00 x 2 + $2.00 (optional donation to theater)= $50.00

Anyone who goes to any type of theatrical production, $50.00 for front row tickets is a steal. You do not Pass Go, you pay $200.00+ for front row per ticket. And then you cry about how much you’ve spent.

Dan was incredibly skeptical because Aida, to him, was the same-old love triangle story that gets stale after a time. I told him to hold his opinions for later. He, like myself, was in awe. The theater from the outside appeared to be undergoing some construction; the inside of the theater appeared quaint with a lobby that served concession items: soda pop, candy, etc.

There was one auditorium, where two individuals served as usher and another handed out their Playbills. Towards the very back with an open space in the center was their VIP section, with some tables, chairs, and tea lights for ambiance. Perhaps some of the best seats in the house considering the size of the auditorium and the location of the table. Those seats, however, are a little more expensive.

Our seats were to the right side of the theater, the first two seats towards the aisle and we could see everything, the setting, the display, and the actors up close. I was able to see the detailing in the costumes. I was completely thrilled with the seats and for the price in which I paid.

I’m swaying into spoiler territory for those who haven’t seen Aida. The musical begins with people in a museum, and we are introduced to Amneris (Marielle Greguski), Queen of Egypt, who begins to tell the story of a Nubian Princess who is captured by the rivaling Egyptians. Their ultimate goal is to capture and kill the Nubian King (Van Leon-Whitaker) and a secondary plot to kill the Pharaoh. Well, they managed to capture his daughter, who has a rather sharp tongue, which actually saves her due to the intrigue of Captain Radames (Bobby Peterson), who happens to be betrothed to Princess Amneris. Radames gives the captured [unknown] Nubian Princess, Aida (Steffy Jolin), to his betrothed as a handmaiden. This saves her from enslavement.

As you can imagine, this bored Dan, as it followed the cookie cutter love story. Overplayed plot lines that needed a twist. I told him to keep waiting, because I was still waiting.

By the second act, things began to take a turn. The love triangle was exposed, heresy was committed, and the lovers were sentenced to death. What made this come full circle was the ending where the lovers find one another again in the modern era.

Such a strong cast. Marielle Greguski had such a strong, sonorous voice that made her Amneris. She didn’t play Amneris. No, she gave that character her own personality and brought life to her. This woman made me believe that “Every Story is a Love Story.” Bobby Peterson had me seeing how “Fortune Favors the Brave.”

Dan’s favorite was Mereb (Steven C. Jackson) singing “How I Know You” to Princess Aida (Jolin).

Since Aida has run its course at the Noel S. Ruiz Theatre, you can catch it at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport for its 2018-2019 season, running from May 9-June 23, 2019. Enjoy!

The Noel S. Ruiz Theater can be found at: 931 Montauk Highway, Oakdale, NY 11769

Next Show: SpongeBob Squarepants at the Palace Theater in Manhattan (03/02/18). Stay tuned!

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thewordyitalian · 6 years

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Buon Giorno!

Hello! My name is Concetta Guido (my name is insanely Italian) and I happen to be wordy, so, hence my name: The Wordy Italian! Welcome to my blog, where this Wordy Italian will go Broadway. Along for the journey will be my Musical Partner in Crime, my significant other, Dan, who will pitch in his thoughts on our journey, as well!

So, I happen to have an affinity for the theater. My dad took me to see RENT years back and well, it was a bad batch of performers for that particular showing. My father and I almost didn’t go back. However, he bought us tickets for Wicked and that rekindled our little Broadway Flame, and from there we saw Young Frankenstein (with Roger Bart. Holy hell, I was five rows away from him!), and Catch Me If You Can (with Aaron Tveit and we met the real Frank Abagnale Jr.) That’s where my journey begins.

I took Dan on our first Broadway trip to see Aladdin when it first came out, as that was our favorite Disney movie growing up and what a treat to see the original Jafar from the film, Jonathan Freeman, reprise his role on Broadway! Since then, we have seen Jersey Boys, School of Rock, Kinky Boots (with Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco) and for my 30th birthday, he indulged in an experience to see Waitress starring pop star, Jason Mraz, who played Dr. Pommatter.

Now, when I think of Waitress, I know my boyfriend isn’t familiar with discount sites. Being the good hearted man that he is, he just spent the money without thinking of how much he could potentially save just to surprise me for my birthday. Broadway is--not--cheap by any means of the imagination, unless you want rear seats where visibility in most theaters is limited.

So, I’m here to go on a journey with you to capture a glimpse of the shows themselves, some discount sites, and some thoughtful suggestions along the way. We’ll journey into some local Long Island theater, as well as Broadway, and you make the call on what works best for you.

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