The Odd Couple @ Desert Stages Theater

 

Jeff Carpenter and Wade Moran
 

Over the weekend I went to see Neil Simon's The Odd Couple at Desert Stages Theater.  I saw the movie which the play is based on many, many years ago which starred Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon.  I also  grew up watching the TV show with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, but I never saw the play.  Well now I have thanks to Desert Stages.  The play was funny, entertaining, and the whole cast was perfect, especially the actors playing Oscar and Felix.

Desert Stages also has the female version of The Odd Couple running on alternate weeks.  Now I actually saw the female version in 1984 at the Shubert Theater in Chicago starring Rita Moreno as Olivia, and Sally Struthers as Florence.  Okay, that was actually a very odd pairing, but I remember enjoying the female version of this classic play.

I have always saved my Stagebills and Playbills from every play or musical I have ever gone to see.  So I just pulled out my Stagebill from the Shubert Theater to see who else was in this play.  It's always fun to go back and see if you saw someone who eventually became famous.  Well I discovered that Tony Shalhoub played Jesus Costazeula in the female version I saw.  Interesting!  I am so happy that I have kept all my Stagebills.



Don Bluth's Front Row Theatre

My weekend continued with the upclose and personal theme by attending Don Bluth's Front Row Theatre on Saturday night.  I have been attending community theatre here in the valley for a long time, but I never heard of this theatre until I read about them in the May issue of Phoenix Magazine.  The cover story was called, Secrets of the City, and this gem is definitely one of the BEST kept secrets of them all.

Don Buth is one of Hollywood's most beloved animators, and he is a lover of the stage too.  His theatre company peforms three plays a week in his living room in his Scottsdale home.

There is seating for 45 audience members, and you just cannot get more of a community feel than going to someone's home to see a play performed in their living room.  When we drove up, a man with a baseball hat was standing on the opposite side of the street directing and helping us to park.  Then he preceeded to escort us to the home.  I did not realize it right off, but this man turned out to be Don Bluth himself.  I couldn't believe it...he does it all...even acts as a parking attendant.  lol

The play we saw was Blithe Spirit by noel Coward.   We sat in the front row, and we had to make sure we did not stick out our feet too far, because we would have definitely tripped the cast, since they were pretty much right in front of us most of the play.  The very intimate setting, the outrageously funny play, the stellar cast made for one of the most enjoyable evenings.

My only regret is that I never heard of this theatre sooner.  Don has been performing plays and musicals in his home for seven years, but is moving his theatre out of his home to a new location which I heard will be around Scottsdale Rd. and Shea Blvd.   His next production, Barefoot in the Park, will still be in his home, so I have yet another chance to see it there.  But I know I will go see his productions wherever they go...for when I find something special...I will follow you forever.

Scorpius Dance

On Friday, July 20th, my BIG 50th Birthday, hubby and I attended the Scorpius Dance Theatre Summer Showcase.  The theme of my birthday weekend was very upclose and personal.  This intimate showcase was presented in Scorpius' resident rehearsal space at Metro Arts Institute.  We sat front row and center for an amazing night of featured works by director, Lisa Starry, and the Scorpius dancers. 

I first became familar with this dance company when we attended The Herberger Festival of the Arts last October.  Hubby said he didn't quite remember them, but when they performed once again the dance called Girls Night Out...aka Butt Dance, he quickly said, "Oh yah, I remember this dance company now."  lol

Scorpius resident rehearsal space

When I first received the e-mail about their Summer Showcase I was definitely planning on going to one of the two nights they were performing...it just so happened it was my birthday.  So since I attended an amazing dance performance on July 20, 2012 I had a very special and entertaining day...and hubby had a good time too.

I'm 50...and HAPPY!

On Friday, July 20th I celebrated my 50th Birthday by being happy, and I mean completely HAPPY.  I was always happy to turn the BIG ones...30 and 40, but I have never been more excited or amped up to turn a certain age. When I told a friend of mine this who has studied numerology and astrology, she said it makes sense.  In numerology 2012 is a 5 year globally, I am in a 5 year personally, and I am turning the BIG 50.  This is all about change and transformation. And my astrology progress chart for the year is also about upcoming changes.  I am not one of those people who are scared of change.  I have never been afraid of change of any kind, good or bad.  Even what some people would consider bad, I wouldn't...to me it's always just the new normal.  So bring on the NEW NORMAL...I'm amped and excited.

I have been asked constantly what am I going to do special for my birthday.  People try to make you believe that if you don't make this one day extra special then the whole day will be ruined. Really????  I do feel way too many people put too much importance on just one day a year, be it a birthday, holiday, anniversary or Mother's Day. I know of three women who are still pissed off about this past Mother's Day.  Anyway, that is another topic.  I think instead of trying so hard to make just one day feel special, why not try to make your whole year feel special...with whatever that means to you.  My special will obviously be different than someone else's special.

Since I now blog, and I keep my yearly schedule on my computer, it was easy to go back and see what I did this past year that was special to me. So here is what made my year so special...

I saw 22 Plays, Musicals, or LIVE performances.
Hairspray,  And Then There Were None, The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, Death of a Salesman, The Drowsy Chaperone, Life X 3, Oliver, Sleuth, Mornings at Seven, White Christmas, Love, Loss and What I Wore, Annie Get Your Gun, Chorus Line, Crazy for You, Lend Me A Tenor, Altar Boyz, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Seven Fingers: PSY – Mind Blowing Circus, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Run For Your Wife, and Blithe Spirit.

I attended 22 Art Festivals or Art Exhibits.
David Rogers’ Big Bug Sculptures @ Desert Botanical Gardens, Monet’s Giverny Photographs by Richard Nilsen @ Desert Botanical Gardens, Randall Hedden’s Tribute Art Live Show…The Rat Pack @ Royal Palms Resort, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Old Town Scottsdale Western Artwalk, Artfest of 5th Ave., Cosanti to see their latest collection of wind bells, Cynthia Crawford ET Sculptor exhibit, Fountain Hills Art and Craft Fest, Artfest of Scottsdale, Hidden in the Hills Studio Art Tour, First Saturday Artwalk in Fountain Hills, Carefree Fine Art and Wine Festival, Celebration of Fine Art, Arizona Fine Art Expo, Made in Arizona Artfest, Fountain Hills Great Fair, Scottsdale Art Festival, Mesa Contemporary Arts exhibition, Fine Art in the Garden @ Shermer Fine Art Center, Scottsdale’s 100+ Journal Project @ The Gallery @ The Library, Van Gogh Alive – The Experience @ AZ Science Center

I attended 62 LIVE Musical performances.
Trio con Brio - Fountain Hills Chamber Players, Jersey Rocks @ Talking Stick Resort , Scott Hall - guitar & vocals, Vicki McDermitt - jazz vocalist, Mother’s Favorite Child, Dennis Rowland, Doc Rolland Duo, Mariachi Pasion Oct. 2011, Jazz in the Hills with Armand Boatman and Fred Forney, Silhouette, Delphine Cortez - Jazz singer, Avira Flute Duo, Orquesta Filarmonica de Sonara Concert @ Scottsdale Performing Arts Center, Marmalade Skies, November 2011, Margo Reed - Jazz singer, Four Seasons String Quartet, Mel Bridges and his band, Ronald Jean, Mayo Clinic Choir, Sylvan Street Band @ Musical Instrument Museum, Pete Pancrazi, Phoenix Boys Choir “Spirit of the Holidays” Concert, Trio Three-Eighty Holiday concert, Dolce Vas, Deater O’Neil - Jazz vocalist, Tetra String Quartet, Hans Olson, Walt Richardson & Tim Sadow, Phoenix Opera @ Musical Instrument Museum, Parada del Sol Trails End Country Music Street Party, The Persuaders, Cold Shott and the Hurricane Horns, Lyra – Southwest guitar and violin, Arizona Opera performs selections from Aida @ Kerr Cultural Center, Silhouette, Paula Provo - harpist, Trio Three Eighty, Bill & Kate Isles, Mother’s Favorite Child, Sonaran Jazz, Sugahbeat, ASU String Ensemble, Khani Cole, Affinity, Mariachi Pasion May 2012, Desert Fiesta and Freddie Duran for Cinco de Mayo fest, Scott Hallock, Shining Star, Delphine Cortez,  Urban Strings, Marmalade Skies, Rock Lobster, Apple - Beatle Tribute band, Chuck E. Baby, Paul Provo - harpist, Dwight Killian & Russell Schmidt -Instrumental Jazz, Paul McDermand - Steel Drums, Whistle Stop Bluegrass Band, Musica Dolce - Early Music Ensemble, Laurie Fagen - vocal Jazz, Otis & The Beat, Beth Lederman - Instrumental Jazz

I attended 5 Dance performances.
Ballet Under the Stars with Arizona Ballet Company, Native Trails @ Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, MOMIX Botanica @ Orpheum Theater, Marrugeku: Buru, dance group from Western Australia @ Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scorpius Dance Theatre Summer Spectacular Showcase @ Metro Arts Institute.

I participated in 28 Classes, Workshops, and Conferences
Intro to Wiring Wrapping class @ Bead World, Twelve acrylic painting sessions @ Me the Artist, Five acrylic painting sessions @ Brio Fine Art, One acrylic painting session @ Michael’s, One acrylic painting session @ Arizona Fine Art Expo, Fry’s Fresh Attractions Cooking Class, Phoenix Rising Conference, Five Meet-up Group Sessions, UFO Film Festival Meet-up session

I attended 7 other various Festivals
Fountain Hills Oktoberfest, Herberger Theatre Festival of the Arts – Dance, Theatre, Live Music, Greater Phoenix Greek Festival, Cupcake Love-In @ Hotel Valley Ho, Parade del Sol Parade in Old Town Scottsdale, Mesa Festival of Creativity, OrigiNation – a festival which celebrates cultures from Australia and New Zealand

I saw 7 other miscelleous places or events
Downtown Scottsdale Art & Culture Tour, Mariposa Butterfly Pavilion @ Desert Botanical Gardens, The Phoenix Lights 15th Anniversary Celebration, Phoenix Zoo -Giraffe Encounter - Stingray Bay, Desert Botanical Garden Spring Butterfly Exhibit, Deer Valley Rock Center – archaeological site w/largest concentration of Native American rock art, AZ Science Center

I saw 117 Feature Films and 24 Shorts (13 in a movie theatre, the rest at home)

Since I had a very special year that I truly enjoyed I did not feel any great need to make July 20th any more special than any other day.  Oh, I did do something on Friday and Saturday (blogs about that to come), but I would have done these things regardless of it being my 50th Birthday.

Otis & the Beat @ Kierland Commons

On Saturday we saw Otis & the Beat and felt a little heat.  Oh, I am not one of those who choose to live in the Sonoran Desert then rags and moans about the summer heat.  It's the F'n Sonoran Desert for god's sake...it's suppose to be HOT, and especially in the summer.  Now if you lived in Chicago and it was 106 degrees in July...you should be bothered.  Oh, wait...it was that hot in Chicago this week.

Anyway, I do admit that during the summer months I do stay home a lot, and you can usually find me every evening in my swimming pool starting around 6pm, and I stay there for a couple of hours.  The BEST part of living in the desert is the summer evenings in my pool.  But Otis & the Beat got me out of the pool, and over to Kierland for another fun concert.