Signing Off for Now

I decided to blog off line on another private blog of mine for now.  I am still blogging...more than normal actually, but I need to keep some things private...like my thoughts and personal pictures I want to post. 

Thoroughly Modern Millie ~ Scottsdale Musical Theatre Company

I visited 1922 New York City twice this weekend.  First when I saw The Great Gatsby Friday afternoon, then again Saturday afternoon seeing Thoroughly Modern Millie with the Scottsdale Musical Theatre Company.  Even though both stories are completely different, they both are still about the American dream during the Jazz Age of the Roaring Twenties.  Besides Jazz and the Flapper Culture, this era was known for unprecedented economic prosperity and was a time of criminal activity...be it bootlegging or white slavery.

Thoroughly Modern Millie is a 2002 Tony Award winning musical based on the 1967 movie starring Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore, and Carol Channing.  I first saw the movie in 1971 when I was a young kid, and my sister attended Northern Illinois University and invited me to spend a little sister weekend with her, and the university was showing the film that weekend.  Then in 2005 a client of ours invited us to see the travelling Broadway Musical version at ASU Gammage. The only part of the movie I remembered was the two leads having to tap dance to get the elevator to go up, otherwise I didn't recall the story at all. 

This time around before seeing SMTC production I got the DVD of the movie at the library and read up on how the musical is a little different from the movie.  I believe if you are going to spend the time and money to go see something, and you want to get the most enjoyment out of it too...then you should go in as prepared as the actors on stage.  Be it a movie or live theatre, actors will study their characters in depth, the time period and anything else to help them enhance their performances, and give it greater value and authenticity.  So I have learned over the years that if I go see something well prepared I will enjoy it even more, and will have a higher assessment of the production.

I can honestly say that I loved SMTC production so much more than the Broadway one I saw in 2005 because I came prepared.  Also, the actresses and actors were top notch once again.  All of them gave stellar performances, and they all are deserving to be on a Broadway stage.  Plus having a live 21 member orchestra also added in the enjoyment and high production value.

I will definitely go to their next production in November which is The Music Man.  I have not seen this musical before, nor have I seen the 1962 film, so I have a little preparing and studying to do before November.  lol

Marmalade Skies @ Scottsdale Promenade

 

 

I spy hubby and me in this picture.

 

 My favorite Beatle tribute band, Marmalade Skies rocked the house at the Scottsdale Promenade on Friday night.  The winds starting kicking up a bit during the second set, and it seemed like it could start raining at any minute, but then they played George Harrison's song, Here Comes the Sun, and everyone sang along...the winds died down and it didn't rain, and a GREAT time was had by all. 

The Great Gatsby

Leonardo DiCaprio as The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is gorgeous and visually stunning...I'm talking about Leo here. The film is also beautiful and stunning too.  lol

 

I saw this film in 2D, but will return to see it in 3D very soon.

Thanks Leo for throwing your fans a bone with this stunner of a movie.  Now if you could just do a film where you actually get the girl, and you LIVE happily ever after, us LeoFans will be very appreciative.  :-)

Legally Blonde the Musical @ Desert Stages Theatre

If you love the movie, then you cannot not love this musical...it's like OMIGOD...You Guys...
Way Cuter!

Gunmetal Blues @ Fountain Hills Theater

Created by Valley composer, Craig Bohmler
along with Marion Adler and Scott Wentworth.

On Sunday I saw the three person musical mystery spoof Gunmetal Blues at Fountain Hills Theater.  I didn't know anything about this musical other than what I read on their website, but I always TRUST Fountain Hills Theater for ALWAYS putting on the BEST shows.  And this musical turned out to be another gem.

One of the three characters is played by another of my favorite local actors, Michael Stewart, who I first saw in the Fountain Hills production of The Producers playing Leo Bloom...Matthew Broderick has nothing on this guy.   I've also enjoyed seeing him in other Fountain Hills productions over the years, but most recently in The 39 Steps where he played Clown 2, and had to masterfully change into eleven different characters throughout the entire show.   This time around he plays only one character, Sam Galahad, a singing detective, and he does it brilliantly. His other two cast members play a multitude of roles. 

Ashlee Poynter who I just recently saw at Desert Stages Theatre playing Cinderella in Into the Woods, and Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard, plays four different "Blondes" in Gunmetal Blues. She has one of the most incredibly beautiful voices, and this musical really showcased her extraordinary talent.

The third cast member, Bill Moore plays the main character of Buddy Toupee, but he also plays several different characters with different accents, but most astonishing is that he plays the piano throughout this entire musical.  He acts, sings, and plays the piano too...very talented guy!

Gunmetal Blues plays on Fountain Hills Main Stage Two, which is much smaller and even more intimate than there Main Stage, and was a perfect venue for this musical.  So with a small venue, and a small cast, I can say in this case, "Smaller is Better."  But it was BIG on Entertainment Value, and I'm happy I got a chance to see this gem of a musical. 

On a side note: There was a nice write-up in Sunday's Arizona Republic about local composer Craig Bohmler.

The Sound of Music @ Don Bluth Front Row Theatre

I saw The Sound of Music for the third time on Saturday at Don Bluth Front Row Theatre.  Since there were two casts, I wanted to see them both, and then I saw a third performance which combined performers from both casts.  I admit I'm a community theatre addict and can't get enough.  :-) All three performances I saw over this run were absolutely sensational, and all the cast members were extremely talented and terrific in their parts. 

My only disappointment is this is the last show that will be performed in Don Bluth's Scottsdale home.   He is turning his house back into a home, but hopefully he will be doing more productions at a new venue in Scottsdale very soon in the future.  Needless to say, it was such a unique experience seeing live theatre being performed in the intimate setting of his family room.  I am just happy that I found out about this theatre, and was able to see four shows there over the past year.

 

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night

  I hate to go and leave this pretty sight

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye

Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye



Boeing Boeing @ Fountain Hills Theater

 

I admit I am a community theatre junkie, also I am a groupie for many of the local actors here in the valley. So when two of my absolutely FAVORITE actors are in one play...Boeing Boeing...needless to say I am ecstatic. 

I first saw Scott Hyder and Terry Gadaire both together in the Fountain Hills production of The Producers, and I became a huge fan of them both.  Since then I have seen them each give extraordinary performances in other productions around the valley, but never together until this past Sunday.  Boeing Boeing was the perfect play for these two actors to star and showcase their enormous comedic talent.  They both were incredibly funny and gave the best ariZoni Award winning performances.  I only hope they will appear together many more times in the future.

Scott Hyder as Robert

Terry Gadaire as Bernard

 

 

The other four cast members were all women who also gave stellar performances, and added so much hilarity to the play.  These six cast members were a perfect combination and really made this play outrageously funny and entertaining. 

 



Urban Electra @ The Promenade

 

 

 

 

Friday, April 19th started the new season of concerts at the Promenade with Urban Electra performing.  Hubby likes to play Name That Tune when listening to this group.  Last year he was pretty good, but this year he sucked.  Hardly got any of them...but he always gets White Wedding in just a few notes.

Desert Botanical Garden



 

 

The lovely weather continued on Sunday, April 14th, and I went to one of my Meet-Up Group meetings that afternoon.  But in the morning I went over to the Desert Botanical Gardens to check out the Spring Butterfly Exhibit. 

 

 

 

I also checked out American artist and filmmaker Philip Haas’

monumental sculpture installation, The Four Seasons.

 

 

 

Also, scattered all around the garden are sculptures by Carolina Escobar. 

Oh look!...there is a nice chemtrail in this photo.

 

 

 

 

The best part of visiting the garden in the Spring is

The Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Loop Trail. 

This year it was exceptionally brilliant with all the

vibrant colors of the wildflowers.

The Great Arizona Picnic

I have not been to the Great Arizona Picnic in about 10 years. In the past we would always go with a bunch of friends, but stopped going because honestly it grew tiresome.  On Saturday, April 13th hubby and I had no plans at all, and made a very last minute decision to go over to the Great Picnic by ourselves.  We got there a little after 3:00 pm and stayed till after 8:00.  The weather was absolutely perfect, we had some good eats, drinks and heard some great music.  Now I know the key to enjoying the Great Picnic without it becoming tiresome...don't go with a bunch of people.  We had a fabulous time...just the two of us. 

The Foreigner @ Desert Stages Theatre

March Madness is over...no I don't mean the NCAA basketball tournament...there is one more day of that left...I mean no more out of town folks visiting us.  When you live in the Valley of the Sun and your friends and family live in Chicago...they come, and especially in March during Spring training.  So today I had a completely FREE day to myself...even hubby was busy doing his mother's taxes.  So what to do...what to do.  I had a few choices...I could have gone to 1) the Tempe Festival of Arts, 2) Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Origination: A Festival of Native Cultures, 3) the el Pedregal and heard the country band Desert Dixie, 4) Scottsdale Desert Stages to see the comedy The Foreigner, or 5) stay home and clean my house and do laundry.  Okay, #5 was never really a choice...that can wait. 

So this morning I made a last minute decision to go see The Foreigner at Desert Stages.  If I did not see this play today, I would have definitely seen it sometime during its nine week run...but today was the day. I was not familiar with this play, but just looking at the above photo of those seven wacky people...you know you are in for a very off the wall and zany good time.  The whole cast was sidesplittingly hilarious and gave stellar performances...I had a great time.

In February I saw The Elephant Man at Desert Stages and was not 100% sure, but I thought I was sitting next to Michelle Hoffman, Drama Critic for the Arizona Republic.  Today the same woman was sitting behind me at the theatre taking notes.  So at intermission I asked her if she was indeed Michelle Hoffman...and she was.  I'm glad I did because we had a nice chat about local community theatres here in the Valley. I recognized her from her picture in the newspaper...yes I still read the actual newspaper, and not the online edition.  :-)

On a side note:  I was one of the highest bidders for Desert Stages Pink, Black and Blonde Gala silent auction on Saturday.   Okay, I was really the only bidder for this particular item...but I got it!  I'll blog about what I won someday when I get a chance to use it. 

La Cage aux Folles @ Phoenix Theatre

On Saturday afternoon was part two of my Ollie at ASU Phoenix Theatre Series Course where we had another insightful talk with Pasha Yamotahari the Phoenix Theatre's Director of Production, and then we saw the full theatrical production of La Cage aux Folles.   I loved getting a "behind the scenes" course on this production...it made it even more impressive when you know all what goes into getting an elaborate musical like this on stage. 

This was the third time I have seen the musical La Cage.  I saw it for the first time in New York in June of 1985 at the Palace Theatre with the original Albin played by George Hearn, and Van Johnson playing Georges.  This was my first time visiting New York, and I went with three girlfriends for my bachelorette weekend...I was getting married later in the summer.  Since there was no internet back then, it took a little more time planning and researching a vacation, so we divided up the responsibilities. One friend was in charge of booking us the best airfare and hotel to stay.  Another friend researched restaurants and the best clubs for us to visit.  Another friend was in charge of researching sightseeing activities, museums and shopping.  Since it was my bachelorette weekend I picked to research and book what was the most important to me...Broadway shows.  We only had time to see two shows but I knew the one show we were definitely going to see was La Cage aux Folles which recently won the Tony Award for Best Musical.  And back in 1985 La Cage did not disappoint...it was like nothing I had ever seen before...it was big, flashy, very funny, but most of all it was extremely moving and inspiring with its message of LOVE.

Twenty-eight years later seeing it again, La Cage is just as touching to me, and once again brought me to tears with this beautiful love story, and also with the love of family.  The Phoenix Theatre production was absolutely outstanding.  The entire cast really shined thanks to their enormous talent.  Plus, the fabulous costumes, set design and lighting made this production extraordinary.

Check out the lighting, costumes and sets  HERE...there're all fabulous! 

Also, check out those high kicks from those men? women?...see the show for yourself and find out.

 

Disney The Little Mermaid @ Desert Stages Theatre

 

On Saturday afternoon I attended the 1:00 pm show of Desert Stages Production of The Little Mermaid.  Since I don't have children, I have never seen the Disney movie.  Well, I have seen bits and pieces of it numerous times while baby sitting my good friends daughter who is now 26 years old, but never saw the movie all the way through.  So as usual I got the DVD from the library and watched it before seeing the musical. 

 

I brought my very good friend from Chicago with me, who now lives here in Arizona.  She also does not have any kids, but like me...is a BIG kid herself.  This was her first time to Desert Stages Theatre.  When the two kids from the cast came out before the show and sang Happy Birthday to a member of the audience she was already impressed with their zest.  I knew she would be floored by what was to come.  Needless to say she was overwhelmed with all the performances and so was I. 

 

I did not realize it until I came home and read my program, but the actor who played Scuttle, Zachary Denious was the kid who played Oliver in their 2011 production of Oliver!.  I didn't even recognize him...kids grow up so fast.

 

I told my girlfriend to definitely save her program because she will be glad one day when she can prove that she saw the famous actor/actress when they were young and doing a community theatre play.

Fountain Hills Theater ~ The Full Monty ~ Second Viewing

From Left to Right:
Alex Gonzalez, Chad Campbell, William H. Broyles IV,
Andrew Lipman, and Jared Gregg
Not Pictured unfortunately is Jesse Berger as Jerry

ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!
PLEASE!

 

I saw The Full Monty two weeks ago with hubby at the Fountain Hills Theater, and while walking out of the theater I was already thinking of who I could invite with me for a second viewing. This production of this musical was just too good to not see again.  I stated in my last post that there are not enough superlatives to describe this fabulous and talented cast.  This musical is not just fun and entertaining, but the characters will tug at your heart strings, and you become so emotionally invested in them.

 

So for my second viewing this afternoon I invited my friend and neighbor to go along with me.  As we were walking out of the theater she turned around to me and said, "DAMN!  I wish this wasn't their last show.  I know of so many people who would love to see this. "  My sentiments exactly.  So I can only wish and hope that like their hit show The Producers, the Fountain Hills Theater will have  an encore performances of this show over the summer with all the same cast. Come on...do it again... PLEASE.