A bit of randomness for you - 50th!

My last post was supposed to be a bit longer. It was supposed to be a sarcastic letter to someone who (I felt) kind of needed a slap in the face, but because I kept putting it off day after day for almost a week, I think my anger diminished enough to where I didn't need to post it. Personally, I think it was a great letter, but I don't want to dwell on it because I have a feeling I might end up rewriting it, which I don't want to do and would defeat the purpose of not posting it.

Random fact: I have listened to Bare: A Pop Opera about 3 times just TODAY. I've been listening to it for a couple days beforehand, too. Yes, the show the music, and the singing (Matt Doyle, omg) are all amazing, but damn, that's a lot of times to listen to a show! 

So, this weekend was very quiet and on the border of boring. It wasn't entirely boring. I saw a couple of great movies and a couple weird movies with Blythe, had dinner with Blythe (most of the weekend was Blythe and Jody dinner and movie nights), went to a high school choir concert, and went to see my float for Thoth. Speaking of Thoth. I am riding in the Mardi Gras parade Thoth uptown on Sunday February 22. I will be on float D. It has a big fleur-de-lis on it. You won't miss it. I will be on the driver's side, on top, second to last person.  I'll be wearing a mask, so you won't really know it's me, so you really have to get my attention. I missed a few people last year (but they somehow did get my brother's and dad's attention). Call my name or get my attention somehow, and you will be showered with beads and other Mardi Gras paraphernalia by me, my dad, my brother (who are standing on either side of me), and maybe even friends of my family.

Btw, This is post 50! Happy 50th, blog!!

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This is Michael Arden (as Peter) and John Hill (as Jason) singing "Bare" from Bare: A Pop Opera on Seth Rudetsky's Broadway Chatterbox. This was back when Bare was off-Broadway. It's not the greatest performance, but hott damn are they still good.

This is "Tunnel of Love" from Side Show the Musical with Emily Skinner as Daisy Hilton (on left), Alice Ripley as Violet Hilton (on right),  Hugh Panaro as Buddy Foster and Jeff McCarthy as Terry Connor. The belting in this song (and in the show in general) is f-ing amazing! Alice Ripley is fierce! ([TOS], anyone?) Listen. Obsess. Love.

BAM!!

Thanks...

Thanks to all who made my birthday a great one: my family, my true friends (I've heard that word thrown around a lot lately, and I think I really know how to define it now) who went out of their way to do something special, and those who simply wished me a happy birthday. [That sounds like the start of an acceptance speech.] Thanks. It honestly made my birthday one of the best birthdays ever!

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Highlights from Act 1 of the first Broadway preview of Shrek the Musical. This includes: "Big, Bright Beautiful World," "I Know It's Today" (Sutton's first appearance and song in the show - So good!) "Donkey Pot Pie," and a cool trio called "Who I'd Be" that closes the act.

Highlights from Act 2 of the first Broadway preview of Shrek the Musical. This inlcudes "A Morning person," "I Think I Got You Beat" (Haha. So funny!), "Freak Flag" (Amazing runs & riffing by Gingy), and Fiona's transformation.

BAM!!

A little different

One of the best weekends of my life.

Friday (yes, I include Friday), I hung out with Courtney to celebrate our birthdays, which are actually this Monday (today). We also hung out because we had not seen each other but for a couple minutes during Christmas break and because she was leaving for school on Sunday (yesterday). So to celebrate, we went to Semolina's and had some amazing Italian food. Then went candy shopping after driving back and forth to find the good candy ("chewy" SweeTarts).  Then we were off to swing! Somehow, we ended up sitting at a table in the park and not swinging because of some little kid who wanted to swing more than us. After, we went to the mall. In a little over an hour, I think we went to each store at least twice. Friday was also movie night. My friends wanted to have a mini movie night, so we watched "The Wedding Planner" and "Anchorman." While we were watching these movies, my roommate and his friends came in drunk and had lots of loud fun. Their called their night of drunkenness "Drunk or Die." Creative. Pictures of their drunkenness can be seen on Facebook. This shows only a little bit of how entertaining they were to watch and hang out with. Oh so many stories that I wish I could tell everyone. I'll just say that a couple include some stolen animal crackers, a slap fight, and group of people with no pants singing only the refrain of "Purple Rain." Haha. Such a good day.

Saturday was "Drunk Ass Bourbon Night." Katie and I set the date for drunk ass bourbon night towards the end of last semester. Honestly, I am surprised our plans worked out because whenever anyone of my friends and I try to plan something, it doesn't usually work out (especially Bourbon). But to give you a short play-by-play of the night: pre-game at Tucks, a free show at some club (I forgot the name of it) on Frenchmen St at midnight (we got there at 1AM and missed the show). Katie and I then persuaded the others to come with us to Bourbon. We didn't stay too long, but we got back to Loyola around 3:30AM.

Sunday, Amy and I went to Loyola's performance of the opera, The Elixir of Love (the English version of L'elisir d'amore). It was amazing. It made me so excited to be a music major, especially at Loyola. The performance made me feel like I could do this and succeed. I cannot wait to see what's in store for my future at Loyola and afterwards! [Note to self: On the next blog, talk about the fact that I finally realize that Loyola is a great place for me.]

Ok. On to the good stuff.

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This is Placido Domingo, who came to New York to perform on the newly rebuilt & renamed Placido Domingo Theater (some of my friends sang with him!!), singing "Vesti la giubba" from Leoncavallo's Paglicci. It's pretty famous so you should recognize it, probably towards the middle. It's about a sad clown. Ring any bells? I realize this is a little different from the other videos I post, but I've decided this is the one classical I have to perform before I die (or for school). It's musically and emotionally (I love music with emotion) beautiful! 

This is Part 1 of clips of the amazing Broadway musical, Ragtime, from the PBS Documentary "Creating Ragtime". I just want to focus on 1 part of the video. Go to 6:10 and listen/wacth Audra McDonald sing "Your Daddy's Son." This song made me fall in love with her. It is so sad and emotional and amazing!

Here is part 2 of clips of the astounding Broadway musical, Ragtime, from the PBS Documentary "Creating Ragtime."

Happy Birthday Amy and Courtney!!!

BAM!!