The Magic of Theatre

Good afternoon

HOLY HELL!
What? Never seen a zombie before? C'mon, I'm eating brains and taking names. Let's go.

Yes, it has been an eternity since our last post. And yes, we have had about as many viewers here as North Dakota has tourists. But I'm back to pump life into this decrepit blog. Like...the revival of Pippin! And would you look at that, I've transitioned flawlessly into the body of the post.

Recently, our theatre elite groups took an enlightening trip to NEW YORK! WOOOOHOOOO.

I had to pick the best picture of Robin

No big deal.

I mean, the buildings climbed so high that you could stare down the street and still not see the tops. The streets were so dirty, full of trash, and real. The bricks in the buildings seemed like they would crumble under the weight of history. The people were so naturally fashionable, fast-paced, and talented. The theaters were so unbelievably small, and our drama teacher was so famous, and we got to do incredible, mind-blowing workshops with professionals and live as though we were a part of the theatre scene.

Like I said, no big deal.

While we were living the good life, we had the opportunity to see three big-ticket Broadway shows.

And they were "big-ticket" for a reason.

Pippin has since premiered on Broadway (yeah, we saw it in previews) and received 10 Tony award nominations.
The revival features astounding circus elements tied with new concepts for choreography and design, as well as incorporating the timeless Fosse as seen in the original. The biggest change, however is seen in the sex of the musical's "Leading Player". Originated by Ben Vereen, the leading player role has been gender swapped and revived by the fabulous Patina Miller. A powerhouse of vocals and wit, Miller really reinvents the role, and keeps the entire musical moving forward with her cheshire grin. The entire show, with combined talent from the vocal and visual departments is an emotional journey that I had the pleasure of sharing with our instructor.
Yeah, "emotional journey" means I cried. I'm a real man, you're not.

Manly tears

The Big Knife was another "revival", you could say. It last premiered on Broadway 60 years ago.
2013's rendition included an incredible set, some great acting, and was chock full of big names, such as: Bobby Cannavale, Richard Kind, Marin Ireland, and Chip Zien. Yet set a good example for what a too-slow story line feels like.
But yeah. It was like seeing a movie in real life,

That sounds familiar...

If you haven't heard of Matilda: The Musical, you must be living under a rock. Matilda came over from London with high expectations after winning almost every Olivier Award possible (the London equivalent of a Tony). Now it's here on Broadway and taking over. With an astonishing 12 Tony nominations, Matilda is a pleasureable punch in the metaphorical face featuring adorable child-actors (reminding one of Billy Elliot), mesmerizing set design and lighting, laugh out-loud comedy, and an all around memorable score.
An unforgettable experience. Period. Every scene and song carried the impact of a pre-intermission song. You know, that one in every musical where the whole cast comes together to belt every melody in harmony. The one that never fails to give you goosebumps.

Dammit.... Mother! It happened again...

IN CONCLUSION,

Well...there is no conclusion, really. I began writing this post to revive the lifeless blog that is Bitching Backstage, and I ended up reviewing musicals and bragging endlessly about my first trip to the Big Apple.

But there is one lesson to be taken from this experience.

The magic of theatre is that it can take you places you've never gone before. It can turn you into people you never thought you can be. And maybe, change your entire perspective on life and send you reeling in another direction, pursuing your dreams and ultimately achieving happiness. Yep. All it takes is an audition. A life-altering line of dialogue said aloud, or a song sung with passion. That's all. Now go on out to your local theatre club, or group, or troupe or whatever it's called and put yourself out there. You are magic waiting to be heard. Join us!

and embrace our spandex