BEST BACKSTAGE MOVIES.

Everyone loves movies & everyone [should] love theatre.

What better union could exist than the marriage of cinema & stage?

Movies based on musicals tend to be hits & rarely disappoint; 

but more intriguing than the direct translation from stage to screen
are the movies that serve to provide insight into the theatrical process, which got me thinking about...

THE TOP 10 BACKSTAGE MOVIES:

1. CRADLE WILL ROCK 

2. Waiting for Guffman 3. A Midwinter’s Tale

4. Rushmore 5. Center Stage

6. Mangus!  7. Stage Beauty 8. Black Swan

9. Phoebe in Wonderland 10. Shakespeare in Love

THE TOP 10 BACKSTAGE MOVIES [categorically]: 

#1: historic & federal theatre  #2/3/4/6: indie-movies meet the stage  

#5/8: indulgent ballerina movies

#7/10: perfect period-pieces  #9: charming kiddie-theatre

TEN THOUSAND.

ART & Theatre has reached 10,000 views! 
I'd like to thank my mom, sister, & whoever else is out there reading. Now, let's celebrate by reminiscing with:
The 10-Top Most-Viewed Posts:

1. PHANTOM 25th Anniversary Concert  

I am happy this post came in 1st [by a landslide!]

for the following reasons: the pictures took forever to make & 

I really loved this DVD [as was displayed by my justified RedBox charge]

Phantom was also the first show I saw on Broadway & my dad's favorite, 

so it holds a special place in my musical heart.

2. DreamCast: SideShow

This one was a shocker! I love Side Show, but I thought I was alone [w/ my sister] in my opinion. 

The Amy/Isla casting choice was pretty genius, though [not that I can take credit~that was all my sister].

3. Goodbye GlassHouse Part 3: Peter Pan

It was fun to write about my internship, so I'm glad this one was well-received. 

I started this blog after my internship @ Lookingglass ended, 

so it's only appropriate for Part 3 of the GlassHouse series to claim the bronze. 

4. Sex With Strangers @ Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf rules. We all know it.

5. Attend the Tale of Danny Tanner @ Gorilla Tango  

This is a fun show that holds a wide appeal, so I'm not surprised this one made the cut. 

I'm also glad that the smart kids who read my blog have such excellent taste in the 80's sitcoms. 

6. DreamCast: Sunset Blvd

Another surprising DreamCast winner. 

I would have thought other DreamCasts would have been more well-received due to popularity,

but you never know what the smart kids will gravitate towards.

7. Metamorphoses @ Lookingglass

This one totally deserves its' spot in the Top Ten. 

Mary Zimmerman's legendary piece of post-modern genius 

returned to it's original stage with Ms. Zimmerman herself serving as director. 

Obviously, the show ruled, so it made for some fun writing on my part. 

8. The Bodyguard: A New Musical

This musical which was based off a mediocre & strangely iconic movie 
just happened to premiere in strange & sad timing. 

9. Les Mis: Move Trailer

everyone loves les mis & everyone loves movies. 

I thought the review of the movie would hold more appeal than the trailer post, but whatevs.

10. Time Stands Still @ Steppenwolf

As I said in #4, Steppenwolf rules. We all know it.


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thank you for reading!!!

Zooey's Broadway Debut!

On May 10, 2012, country music legend Loretta Lynn 

announced from the stage of the historic Ryman Auditorium during Opry Country Classics

that she had chosen Zooey Deschanel to portray her 

in the upcoming Broadway-bound stage adaptation of Coal Miner's Daughter. 

ZOOEY RULES. 

This casting choice rules. 

HERE ARE 10 REASONS WHY:

1. A lot of actresses can sing (or appear to sing), but she has a genuinely high-quality voice that has such a soothing, old-school sound. 2. She has good taste in men. Even though her marriage to Death Cab lead singer Ben Gibbard fizzled, he was an excellent choice for her first husband & had an uplifting impact on his already-awesome music (hello, Open Door). 3. Obviously, the girl knows how to dress. 4. She is pretty much the spokeswoman for Women With Bangs. 5. Speaking of her hair, she is a hot brunette & pulled off blonde in Elf...is this musical going to be her opportunity to pull off playing a ginger & prove that she truly is a triple-threat? 6. New Girl is a super show. 7. She & Him is a super band. 8. She has a cool, older sister in Emily D. I like girls with cool older sisters. They remind me of myself. 9. Her cotton underwear commercial was better than all the other celebrity spokespeople.  10. She was named after the character in Franny & Zooey. That's just cool. 

According to Playbill [as of 1/8/13]

THE THEATRE, FIRST PREVIEW, & DIRECTOR are TBD. 

Let's get this ball rolling, y'all.

Top DreamCast Divas

There was recently an article on Playbill entitled PLAYBILL PICKS: Fantasy Casting, 11 Diva Performances We'd Love to Have Seen. They placed their favorite females in female roles across the ages [highlights: Bernadette Peters & Patti LuPone in Wicked, Liza Minnelli in Sunset Boulevard, Nathan Lane in Hairspray, & Betty Buckley in Evita]. While my DreamCasts tend to cast actors from different mediums as opposed to era, I loved this idea & decided to copycat. 

So, here is my list of Top-10 Female DreamCast Divas from the archives. 

10. Stacey Dash as Aida in AIDA 

AIDA is Disney’s watered-down interpretation of an opera, just as Clueless was a flighty interpretation of Jane Austen’s Emma. Aida needs to convey a very real, but untapped strength. Stacey Dash is distractingly beautiful,but could pull off being more than just the prettiest face. 

AIDA DreamCast: 7.5.11

9. Gwyneth Paltrow as Mother in Ragtime 

Ms. Paltrow is the perfect picture of the classy, contemporary, Whole Foods, goop-livin', list-makin' Mother of the House.

Ragtime DreamCast: 4.20.11

8. Jennifer Garner as Ellen in Miss Saigon 

Her performance in Juno reminded me of Ellen's journey. Ellen can be played a million different ways, but I envision hers as: A steel magnolia who doesn't mind getting dirty, a wholly-devoted wife, who is strong despite herself, & a woman with the fiercest of maternal instincts.

Miss Saigon DreamCast: 5.21.11

7. Charlotte Gainsborough as Fosca in PASSION 

She played my favorite movie-version of Jane Eyre,which is a role that shares some of

the reactionary traits that Fosca must display: dealing with being pigeonholed due to gender, the result of being openly judged due to appearance, and the effect of isolation on one's person. Fosca is a similar character to Jane Eyre, except that she is physically ill, slightly crazy, & more emotionally aggressive.

Passion DreamCast: 12.4.11

6. Amy Adams/Isla Fisher as Daisy/Violet Hilton Side Show 

I always mix these two actresses up in my head, but have always appreciated their work. Isla Fisher seems to have the urgent & flamboyant undertone that Daisy demands, while Amy Adams has the sweet, hopeful, & passive demeanor Violet requires.

Side Show DreamCast: 6.3.11

5. Austin Scarlett as Angel in RENT

Angel needs to spin the loveliest web of an impression before his untimely exit, which is exactly what Austin Scarlett during Season 1 of Project Runway. He has an innocence & refreshing perspective, but knowingly faces his trials head-on.

RENT DreamCast: 5.15.11

4. Felicity Huffman as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd

She is a tough, cool, complicated actress that displays the roughened edges that dark humor demands. She displayed in Transamerica that she can unfold a character as the text presents new information, which is a necessity for Mrs. Lovett. Most importantly, she exhibits the strength & skill to play a woman who has spent years withholding her love towards a man.

Sweeney Todd DreamCast: 12.10.11

3. KIM CATRALL as Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd.

Norma Desmond was always cast too old. She should be a very present 50-something lady with a strong sexual presence. And the knowledge of age, but not antiquity. In Sex & The City, she exhibited that urgent effort against aging & becoming obsolete.She also commanded & demanded center-stage attention, which is a defining characteristic of Ms. Desmond.

Sunset Blvd. DreamCast: 5.3.11

2. SURI CRUISE as Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden 

She is finally old enough to star in something besides tabloids. Mary is a girl who is thrust into the world of the English moors after an isolated life in the foreign, unrelatable India. I think Suri could channel that feeling.

The Secret Garden DreamCast: 9.2.11

1. LADY GAGA as The Witch in Into the Woods

For only the most obvious reasons. Who else would have the creative competancy, respect for the work, & visionary chops to reign as one of Captain Sondheim's most beloved lady-part creations? I think Ms. Peters would approve. 

Into the Woods DreamCast 4.10.11

The Thrifty Theatre-Goer: Part II *updated*

I love theatre, but it is an expensive obsession. I've written before on being a Thrifty Theatre-Goer by using HotTix & Goldstar, but there are so many other ways to save money. Here are a few tricks I've picked up along the way.... 

• Groupon usually has some theatre options. They are mostly for comedy shows (or shows in the suburbs), but you can find some gems. Instead of searching the Groupon-esque sites, I signed up for Yipit. Yipit is awesome because it consolidates all the deals from the Groupon-esque sites & emails you when you one of your deals pop up (personally, I get theatre & no-chip manicure notifications.) 
• SEE PREVIEWS. Seeing a show before opening night is a great way to save a few dollars & I have never seen a preview that seemed like it wasn't quite ready or a glorified dress rehearsal. Plus, sometimes a show just looks so good that waiting for Opening Night is not an option (hello, Metamorphoses). 
• Sometimes organizations sponsor a discount code for a particular production. These deals are usually not advertised very aggressively, but you can usually find them in newspaper ads. I recently stumbled across one in The Onion: they are sponsoring a discount code for Navy Pier's Four Star Comedy Fest [details: $11 off preferred area (code Imprv1); $11 off main floor (code Imprv2); $6 off balcony (code Imprv3)]. 
• When an organization links with a production, they also might offer perks that are not necessarily monetary. For example when you buy a ticket to The Blue Man Group, you can get an equal number of tickets to the John Hancock Observatory [code: ELVT] or The Willis Tower Skydeck [code: SKYDECK]. The offer isn't valid with any other offers/promotions, but it's definitely a cool perk. 
• If you love a certain theatre & have no problem with commitment buying season tickets will definitely save you money. I've only bought season tickets one time (for the 2001/2002 season at The Wilma Theatre in Philadelphia); it was fun to know a show was always coming up, but make sure you actually want to see every show coming up or it's not really a wallet-padder. Some theatres also offer the option to buy season tickets mid-way through the season, so skim some websites in January if the second half of a season holds more appeal than the first half. 
• Student Discounts. Most theatres offer student discounts, but they only work if you actually are a student or if you have an ID with no date & don't age. I'm lucky enough to be in the latter group. 
• I hate having my in-box blown up as much as the next person, but selectively choosing a few mailing lists can be profitable (especially if you have a taste for certain theatres). My favorite mailing list is the Chicago TheatreGoers Meet-Up Group. Scott Cowan runs the group & is a Broadway in Chicago member. So, when there are pre-sale opportunites or discount codes, he shares them with the group. Broadway in Chicago is great & usually worth the cost of splurging; the luxury to buy tickets before they go on sale to the public is great because BIC shows don't necessarily have long runs, so they frequently sell out. If they don't sell out, BIC shows usually do offer Rush Tickets during the day of the performance, but the offers vary, so you need to call the specific theatre's box office to find out the details. 
• Speaking of The Chicago TheatreGoers Meet-Up Group, their mailing list's appeal to The Thrifty Theatre-Goer is two-fold: the point of the group is for like-minded people to see a play on the same night, eat, drink, & be merry. There are usually refreshments & sometimes a discount code if you are part of the group. The MeetUps aren't necessarily a huge money-saver, but it is a way to make your money go further. 
• Theatre Thursday has a similar mission as the Chicago TheatreGoers Meet-Up Group. There's always food before or after the show & it's almost always free. The last Theatre Thursday I attended was The Great American Trailer Park Musical @ Theatre Wit. After the show there was an open bar & unlimited White Castle. IT RULED.
• THE ORACLE THEATRE: Their tagline is FREE ART FOR ALL. Obviously, this is awesomely mind-boggling, so here is the explanation from their website of how this miracle exists: Everyone at Oracle believes that art is necessary to live a full life. So, we work with great artists to create great art to share with as many citizens as possible. And we give it to them for free. To fund this endeavor, we depend on The Forty 4 – a sponsorship program supported by members who contribute as little as $5 per month, to as much as $10,000 or more per year. 
• The Reader & TimeOut Chicago offer online discounts [both daily & on-going] for theatre as well as restaurants, services, etc.  

So, there you go: a few ticket tips & tricks laid out on the table by the Ticket Master herself. 

Now, forget about the silly economy & go get yourself some awesome tickets.

an A.R.T. List.

I have never done a blog link-up. But I recently stumbled upon one with a prompt broad enough that I decided to give it a try. The idea was list of your opinions & soap-boxing is a favorite hobby of mine. So, here we have it: MY  RANDOM THEATRE OPINIONS: 

Theatre reality shows like You're the One That I Want & Legally Blonde ruled & I want more. 

Regarding Spiderman: The Musical's lawsuit: I love Bono, but I’m on Team Taymor. 
I will forever love The Office & forever resent how they ruined the great art of second-acting. 

The Lion King won the 2008 Tony Award for Best New Musical. It should have been Ragtime. 

The written words of C.S. Lewis belong onstage. 
Titus Andronicus is Shakespeare’s best work.
There was no Shakespeare. Team DaVere all the way. 

Anything that premiered at The National Theatre is good as gold. 
Anne Hathaway was the worst casting choice for the Les Mis movie. Ever.
Regarding Les Mis: Fantine is blond. Cosette is blond. Eponine is brunette.  DONE. 

Colm Wilkinson IS Jean ValJean & Philip Quast IS Javert. None will ever compare. 

Disney’s influence on Broadway has done more harm than good. 

Lea Salonga is best fit as a Disney songstress. 

I like flying actors trend. 
Carousel is Rodgers & Hammerstein‘s best musical.

GREASE SUCKS.
The thought of Rosie O’Donnell as Rizzo makes me want to cry. 

Ballet is boring. 

Improv is awkward.  

LOST is the best TV show ever. 
August Wilson is overrated. 
Rebecca Luker is an overrated ice queen with a pretty voice. 

Patti LuPone is the most overrated. 
Maybe Sarah Brightman is overrated, but I love her. 
History re-enactors are terrifying. 

Cameron Mackintosh should be President. 

Barnum should be revived. 

Some of the songs in CATS are pretty catchy.

PARADE would have had a longer/more deserving run if it had not premiered at the Lincoln Center.

Thoroughly Modern Millie the Movie was amazing & tainted by the musical by the same name. 

Most of the actresses who have had the leads in Chicago on Broadway seem bunk.

4-person plays (which I have dubbed Quadrangles) are generally awesome. 

Donmar Warehouse rules. 

Abba Mania > Mamma Mia. 

Shows should be 10 years old before being revived. 

Broadway is too catered towards children & the Mousification of Broadway must be stopped. 

National tours will never compare to Broadway shows or their pre-Broadway run.  

SMASH rules. 

InterView Theatre (a la Anna Deavere Smith) rules. 

The use of projections has brought about a new era of set design. 

I wish there were more plays on Broadway. It used to be 50/50. 

BAT BOY Is amazing & should be produced more frequently by regional theatres. 

Today’s Broadway is nothing compared to the Broadway of my youth.

I love Theatre of Cruelty.

I prefer a suspended band (Cabaret) to the traditional orchestra pit. 

Being a theatre critic is the noblest profession ever.