Saturday, March 27, 2010

Next to Normal

So I just wanted to explain my general feelings about Next to Normal.

First things first, AWESOME! Damn, it was really good.

So my first reaction was I found out that J. Robert Spencer would not be playing Dan in this showing, and that his understudy would. This was kind of disappointing, and I had trouble not thinking about it. There was just something off about the vibe of the guy who played Dan in this showing, I just felt like he didn't embody who I had imagined the part was. I almost got some gayish vibes from him at times which seemed really weird considering a lot of the show is about how he is in love with his wife. Meh, I don't know. He wasn't bad, I was just a tiny bit disappointed.

Alice Ripley was expectedly amazing, which almost leaves me with nothing to say about her. I like her voice a lot especially during the more intense passionate songs, and her acting was great.

The rest of the cast were all originals or just great with nothing for me to say about them.

One thing I will say, is that Gabe is a terrifying character. It really doesn't come through in the music, but he is legitimately scary because he is essentially the embodiment of mental illness and suicide.

I think the two songs that I liked more than I expected to were "Didn't I See This Movie?" and "Wish I Were Here". They were both songs I didn't absolutely love on the soundtrack, but after seeing them on stage I really like. They're both really intense rockish songs sung by Alice Ripley that were awesome with the energy live.

I've also come to a decision on something about broadway shows in general. I think it's better to have not heard the soundtrack, or have heard it only once or so when you see a show. The problem is once you've listened to a song a lot, it loses its meaning (for me at least). So during some of the more well known songs like "I'm Alive" or "I Am the One" (and it's reprise) the emotional intensity and context were sort of lost to me just because I knew them so well.

Overall it was a really great show, and I've been thinking about it and listening to it and watching clips of it since I saw it.

It also really made me miss theater. I WANNA BE IN A PLAY OR MUSICAL AGAINN!!!!

Anywho, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UHmaseeujM (It was even better at the show I saw, because she get's pushed towards the Doctor on a Gurney instead of a stairwell)

Monday, March 22, 2010

Amazon


Sometimes I'm astounded by how well amazon knows me and what I like to buy

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

GOAL COMPLETING RAMPAGE

I accomplished another goal! I got a B- on an AP Comp essay. There are also a lot of goals I am in the process of continuing, so here is where we are now:

1. HALF CHECK Finish my short film and film it (Before the end of the school year) - I finished writing it and I will be auditioning people next weekend
2. CHECK Work out more often and more consistently (and eat healthier) - I have started lifting a lot and I'm already improving a lot. I'm eating a shat-ton of protein because at this point I'm bulking up, but not exactly healthier
3. HALF CHECK Begin/Continue learning to play guitar and piano - I've been playing guitar a lot and improving a bunch, and my piano book is FINALLY going to arrive at MSSM so I can start learning
4. CHECK Get a B or higher on an essay in AP Comp - I GOT A B- WOOT!!!! I shall slightly change this goal to an actual B so I still have something to shoot for
8. HALF CHECK Do something big in acapella, whether it be arrange a song or get a singing solo (I have a solo, but it's rapping and to me that's not as much of an achievement). I got a singing solo, and I haven't decided if that meets this goal.

I've still got a lot more to achieve, but so far I've done a lot! Yay.


Monday, March 1, 2010

The Marriage Ref

This is sort of just saying what was already said by John Green, but the Marriage Ref is really disappointingly bad. It's soo unfunny! And it had Seinfeld and Alec Baldwin in it who are both awesome! it's just a bad show at it's core.

It's one of those shows where the audience and guests all laugh way to hard at mediocre jokes and there are random unnecessary segments and it all just covers up the fact that there's not that much humor there.

Take a hint from Chelsea Lately, that is like the best round table show in the world.