a MY SO-CALLED LIFE musical!

After spending two decades in Hell, central character Ryan White transfers to Heaven and is shocked to learn his new celestial neighborhood has its own penalties: he's ordered to go back to school. In fact, everyone under the age of 18 is forced to attend Eternal High. In teacher Christa McAuliffe's class, White meets an unusual group of former earth-bound, but well-known students, including Edward VI, JonBenet Ramsey and Anne Frank. (Frank becomes the Angela Chase to Ryan White's Jordan Catalano.)

My So-Called AfterLife @ The Annoyance Theatre & Bar 

Thursdays @ 8 p.m. / runs until 4.18.13 / $8

THIS LOOKS AWESOME. I recently wrote about TV shows being the next generation of musical inspiration. My So-Called Life was one of the shows I listed as a good fit for a potential musical. I'd been envisioning a more serious take rather than a spoofy one, but both ideas could work well. The idea behind this musical is undoubtedly bizarre & seems very removed/loosely inspired by the show itself; but I'm betting it makes sense in the context of the actual show. It reminds of of Gorilla Tango Theatre's Attend The Tale of Danny Tanner, which married Full House & a vengeful, Sweeney Todd-esque storyline. It was also an equally bizarre basis but somehow really worked. I can't see how My So-Called Afterlife would be any less perfect. 

A Broadway Board Game!

Theatre geeks, 30-somethings and competitive kids 

will have a ball playing this board game!
~New York Post~

Lets you imagine being Glee star Rachel Berry 
playing with her Glee club members. 
~Extra TV~

At the end of the day, I am still that 13 year-old obsessed with Broadway & camped out at the stage door. So, I'm not ashamed to say this board game looks great & could provide endless hours of embarrassing, indulgent awesomeness. Be A Broadway Star! was developed by BroadwaySpace.com & producer Ken Davenport [who holds a special place in my heart & theatrical upbringing]. It has been featured in the New York Times & as one of Kathie Lee & Hoda's "Favorite Things" on The Today Show. HERE are the rules of the game. It normally costs $39.99, but is currently on sale for $29.99 [click here to purchase]. 

P.S. My birthday is September 26. Just sayin. 

National Theatre Live: ReView/PreView

The View from The National 

Here’s the deal on NationalTheatreLive: Britain's Royal National Theatre creates some of the world’s most glorious productions & they thought it was only be fair to share the awesomeness. So, they film productions & present them via satellites to various movie theatres.  The plays are presented live in Britain, but the screenings may be delayed up to 4 weeks for airings in the U.S [However, it was recently announced that The National Theatre will open NYC-based office to allow the filming/live phenomena to apply to North American-based productions as well. It is a sensible move forward since shows from The National Theatre have been recently appearing on Broadway: we had War Horse last year (which has also made the leap from Broadway to Broadway in Chicago from Dec. 18-Jan. 5 @ The Cadillac Palace) & One Man Two Guvnors this year. I saw a preview of War Horse at Broadway in Chicago's Summer Concert & can't wait to see it live.]

Book Sale outside The National 

David Sabel, overseer of The National’s digital media, has stated, "The history of filmed theatre does not have a great track record, so we went into the series as something of an experiment." I do not entirely agree with this statement. There have been filmed stage releases that have been huge hits in my book [Sunday in the Park with George, Passion, Legally Blonde: The Musical produced by MTV], as well as films of awesome theatre concerts [Hey, Mr. Producer, The Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary Concert, Les Miserables @ Royal Albert Hall] that also ruled. I do agree that this is an untapped & underappreciated avenue, but the track record thus far has proven successful & enjoyable [though much more for filmed musicals over plays]. I saw The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time on Oct. 17 @ The Music Box Theatre & it was great. It had an innovative & contemporary script, insane & impressive set design, and impeccable & inspiring actors. Pretty much everything I expected & more.

The witches from MacBeth

David Sabel has also stated: "What’s exciting is that there is now an audience who may never set foot inside the National but can still have a meaningful relationship with us." I couldn’t agree with this statement more. During the summer before my senior year of college, I did a theatre study abroad in England & fell in love with the National Theatre. I saw Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (in one very long/awesome afternoon/evening) & The House of Bernarda Alba. They were such stellar & exceptional productions that I will forever trust anything produced by the National Theatre. [It was also on this trip that I first realized I wanted to be a theatre critic.]

Chicago's NationalTheatreLive Fall Schedule:

FRANKENSTEIN: Oct. 30: Northwestern’s Josephine Louis Theatre @ 7 & 10:30 

[I already have my tickets.] 

THE LAST OF THE HAUSSMAN: 

Nov. 7: The Music Box Theatre @ 7 // Nov. 13: Northwestern’s Josephine Louis Theatre @ 7 

TIMON OF ATHENS:

Nov. 27: Northwestern’s Ethel M. Barber Theatre @ 7 // Nov. 28: The Music Box Theatre @ 7 

Ticket Prices: Northwestern: $20/$10 student // Music Box Theatre: $18/$15 in advance.

My Girl Wrote a Song.

Mrs. Dearing is a skilled actress, my good friend & old roomie from the Massachuesttes years, an accomplished pianist, a pretty stunning lady, & one of the funniest people I've ever met. You're probably thinking, am I crazy or does she look a little familiar? Why, yes, she probably does, especially if you are one of those people who watch the Super Bowl. Leeann appeared in a GoDaddy commercial with Danica Patrick that premiered during the 2009 Super Bowl. Fast-forward to now: Leeann is now an Official GoDaddy Girl. She has also been seen in Everything Must Go with Will Ferrell & has appeared in commercials for Tilted Kilt, Beauty Foods, The Arizona Lottery & PetSmart. Well done, Lee! You are a great actress & awesome friend, but I'm betting you are going to be an even better mother. Oh yeah, she (with a little assistance from her hubby Matt) recently brought a little man named Jack into this world.

And then she wrote this song for him: