Our first show will be Next To Normal which just won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Jackie and I saw it in 2009 and LOVED it. Here's a preview:
After that, on Wednesday night we are seeing the great Nathan Lane in The Addams Family:
On Thursday we see the musical Memphis which is nominated for Best Musical:
and on Friday we see Kristen Chenoweth and Sean Hayes in Promises Promises:
Saturday we see Lend me a Tenor (which I've loved ever since I directed it at my high school):
and finally, Billy Elliot which won Best Musical last year.
Come with us in 2012! We'll have a great time (or we may be going to London...)
Saturday, June 5, 2010
2004 New York Trip
Since we had so much fun in 2002 (and we didn't lose anyone), we decided to go again in 2004. Our group doubled in size since everyone heard how much fun we had in 2002- so we had about 40 people. We also had entire families come (including one family of 4- the father not only had never been to NYC, but he also couldn't remember if he had ever seen a PLAY before in his life- he thought that he had...) we also had the fun additions of Bradley and Shawnda Moss + my cousin Austin Cope (who had the pleasure of going to Pomme Frites with us and Jared Stromberg and eating amazing french fries).
Our first show was the high energy Hairspray which was hilarious. Michael McKean (from Laverne and Shirley + Christopher Guest films) was Edna. The group loved it.
The next show was Assassins at Studio 54- this is the first and last show I ever paid full price for. It was nominated for Best Revival (and won) and it had Neil Patrick Harris, Denis O'Hare, Michael Cerveris and lots of fantastic actors. It was amazing (but I still don't know if it was worth $210 for both Jackie and myself...)
Our group split up that night and Jackie went to see Thoroughly Modern Millie and I went to The Lion King. The Lion King was in Disney's amazing theatre that used to be Ziegfeld's back in the 20's. It was visually impressive.
After that was our play Sly Fox with Richard Dreyfus, but the most memorable part was going to take students to the Empire State Building--- only to have the Olympic Torch arrive in Times Square from Greece. The crowds were a big as New Years Eve and we were literally holding students shoulders to keep them from getting separated. Bradley and Shawnda reached the Empire State Building only to be turned away because it had reached capacity.
After that it was Billy Joel's Movin' Out- most memorable was afterwards waiting for dancers to get their autographs only to have Hugh Jackman come out from the theatre next door and sign some students programs (he was starring in The Boy From Oz).
We then went to Forbidden Broadway- which I was worried about because it was in a small Off-Broadway theatre- and everyone had a great time (I still remember Austin Cope's face when the cast of Rocky Horror Picture Show came out...)
Last, but not least, we got to see Wicked with the original Broadway cast 2 days after Idina won Best Actress for the show. Unfortunately, she was out filming a movie- BUT we still had everyone else (and Eden Espinoza was fantastic). The best part was Norbert Leo Butz (playing Fyero) slipped and fell on his butt causing Kristen Chenoweth to break character, laugh and leave the stage. Very funny. She was really nice to students afterwards and took pictures with everyone. It was a fantastic trip!
Our first show was the high energy Hairspray which was hilarious. Michael McKean (from Laverne and Shirley + Christopher Guest films) was Edna. The group loved it.
The next show was Assassins at Studio 54- this is the first and last show I ever paid full price for. It was nominated for Best Revival (and won) and it had Neil Patrick Harris, Denis O'Hare, Michael Cerveris and lots of fantastic actors. It was amazing (but I still don't know if it was worth $210 for both Jackie and myself...)
Our group split up that night and Jackie went to see Thoroughly Modern Millie and I went to The Lion King. The Lion King was in Disney's amazing theatre that used to be Ziegfeld's back in the 20's. It was visually impressive.
After that was our play Sly Fox with Richard Dreyfus, but the most memorable part was going to take students to the Empire State Building--- only to have the Olympic Torch arrive in Times Square from Greece. The crowds were a big as New Years Eve and we were literally holding students shoulders to keep them from getting separated. Bradley and Shawnda reached the Empire State Building only to be turned away because it had reached capacity.
After that it was Billy Joel's Movin' Out- most memorable was afterwards waiting for dancers to get their autographs only to have Hugh Jackman come out from the theatre next door and sign some students programs (he was starring in The Boy From Oz).
We then went to Forbidden Broadway- which I was worried about because it was in a small Off-Broadway theatre- and everyone had a great time (I still remember Austin Cope's face when the cast of Rocky Horror Picture Show came out...)
Last, but not least, we got to see Wicked with the original Broadway cast 2 days after Idina won Best Actress for the show. Unfortunately, she was out filming a movie- BUT we still had everyone else (and Eden Espinoza was fantastic). The best part was Norbert Leo Butz (playing Fyero) slipped and fell on his butt causing Kristen Chenoweth to break character, laugh and leave the stage. Very funny. She was really nice to students afterwards and took pictures with everyone. It was a fantastic trip!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
2002 New York
We leave for NYC with our group of 72 (don't you wish you were going with?) in 4 days. I also should be currently cleaning my drama room for end of year check-out, but I don't want to. However, I was dusting some posters up in our room from past NYC trips and it provoked memories.
1st Broadway show EVER in New York City:
Oklahoma! Some people may poo-poo this show, but our entire group (we had 20 including me and Jackie) fell in love with this version that came in from London. It was beautiful- and it was great that the dream ballet was danced by the actual leads. We had front and center seats in Gershwin theatre (which is where Wicked is currently playing) and we all loved it. This same version was released on DVD with Hugh Jackman playing the lead. It's not as good as it was live, but it's pretty much the same show we saw. It also makes me laugh whenever parents come up and say, "why don't you do something high school appropriate like Oklahoma!?- because Oklahoma has an attempted rape, murder, and drug induced dancing.
On our trip we also saw The Producers- which, while being very funny, was most memorable for the steep stairs in the balcony causing a gentleman to fall into my lap before the show began and for our opera student tour guide- while being very nice (and trying to figure out what Mormons from Utah were doing in NYC), had the LOUDEST laugh I ever heard in my life. He was getting more laughs than the actors were on stage.
We then saw what turned out to be everyone's favorite show of the trip Metamorphoses. This play has a huge pool of water as the set, and I had heard there was some brief, partial nudity. Well that brief partial nudity turned into full frontal male nudity (although, since he a Cupid, he was wearing wings...) and he walked very slowly right to our section of the theatre. As I had visions of my teaching career going down the toilet, one of the parental chaperones on the trip turned to me and said, "that's one naked gentleman"- and I knew I was safe. The show was FANTASTIC and everyone's favorite (right Arianne?)
We then saw Chicago for 1/2 price (I liked it, but my favorite was a junior male student of mine was in the front row- right in front of all of the ladies doing their Fosse splits right in front of his face...), and we saw Urinetown with the original Broadway cast- and it was hilarious!
Our last show was Noises Off with Patti LuPone- which had our entire group laughing until we were weeping- except for Jackie. It's becoming a running joke that every NYC trip I take everyone to a comedy that everyone loves... except Jackie.
We also got to see Vanessa Williams as the Witch in Into the Woods- however, the guy that stole the show was the actor that played Milky White the cow- he was out there dancing away on his little cow legs- and that same actor is nominated for a Tony this year as the lead in Memphis.
Since this was our first trip there, it was memorable for:
The viewing platform of the World Trade Towers- which were still smoking and you had to stand in line to pay tribute.
The backstage Times Square tour- we got to go into a few theatres and get some history on them. This tour is no longer offered so it was pretty cool.
Eating way to much food at Carmine's Italian restaurant (and Jerry Hunt getting sick).
Our group tour of the Met Museum- with focus on the phallic fertility canoes on special display.
Did I forget anything Jackie?
1st Broadway show EVER in New York City:
Oklahoma! Some people may poo-poo this show, but our entire group (we had 20 including me and Jackie) fell in love with this version that came in from London. It was beautiful- and it was great that the dream ballet was danced by the actual leads. We had front and center seats in Gershwin theatre (which is where Wicked is currently playing) and we all loved it. This same version was released on DVD with Hugh Jackman playing the lead. It's not as good as it was live, but it's pretty much the same show we saw. It also makes me laugh whenever parents come up and say, "why don't you do something high school appropriate like Oklahoma!?- because Oklahoma has an attempted rape, murder, and drug induced dancing.
On our trip we also saw The Producers- which, while being very funny, was most memorable for the steep stairs in the balcony causing a gentleman to fall into my lap before the show began and for our opera student tour guide- while being very nice (and trying to figure out what Mormons from Utah were doing in NYC), had the LOUDEST laugh I ever heard in my life. He was getting more laughs than the actors were on stage.
We then saw what turned out to be everyone's favorite show of the trip Metamorphoses. This play has a huge pool of water as the set, and I had heard there was some brief, partial nudity. Well that brief partial nudity turned into full frontal male nudity (although, since he a Cupid, he was wearing wings...) and he walked very slowly right to our section of the theatre. As I had visions of my teaching career going down the toilet, one of the parental chaperones on the trip turned to me and said, "that's one naked gentleman"- and I knew I was safe. The show was FANTASTIC and everyone's favorite (right Arianne?)
We then saw Chicago for 1/2 price (I liked it, but my favorite was a junior male student of mine was in the front row- right in front of all of the ladies doing their Fosse splits right in front of his face...), and we saw Urinetown with the original Broadway cast- and it was hilarious!
Our last show was Noises Off with Patti LuPone- which had our entire group laughing until we were weeping- except for Jackie. It's becoming a running joke that every NYC trip I take everyone to a comedy that everyone loves... except Jackie.
We also got to see Vanessa Williams as the Witch in Into the Woods- however, the guy that stole the show was the actor that played Milky White the cow- he was out there dancing away on his little cow legs- and that same actor is nominated for a Tony this year as the lead in Memphis.
Since this was our first trip there, it was memorable for:
The viewing platform of the World Trade Towers- which were still smoking and you had to stand in line to pay tribute.
The backstage Times Square tour- we got to go into a few theatres and get some history on them. This tour is no longer offered so it was pretty cool.
Eating way to much food at Carmine's Italian restaurant (and Jerry Hunt getting sick).
Our group tour of the Met Museum- with focus on the phallic fertility canoes on special display.
Did I forget anything Jackie?
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