Ya want fries with that?

I was in McDonald's for lunch today (shut up. some times you need the fries, you know?). Since it is in the "theater district" (across from the Goodman Theatre and next to the Oriental Theatre) this particular McDonald's is decorated with window cards from different shows. There's Bernadette Peters in Annie Get Your Gun downstairs by the counter where you order your bag o'junk, and upstairs there's Guys and Dolls, Les Miz, and....

is it friday yet?

This was on the news this morning - go there and see how many people in the US are running around with your name. There are 9 of me, apparently, and all of them except me show up when you google them (for some reason my dad was googling my name yesterday and he wanted to know how come he could't find me...I guess all the other Kristens are more googleworthy) And the name Kristen is the 361st most popular.

well, as long as i won't be bored...

Today's Yahoo! horoscope tells me:
Changes are coming. They may be overwhelming, but at least you will not be bored.

Barack Around the Clock...

Don't worry - I had a dream that told me I needed to vote for Obama. (Really. I did. He was in it for a while, too, and later, I also kind of beat up this ex-coworker of mine who was ragging on me about being a democrat & an Italian American. It was some dream!)

This revelation, however, did not stop me from thinking of the video clip below when I heard that Mr. Obama visited Berlin...

sick day!

I seem to have acquired a "summer cold" from somewhere... decided to stay home today rather than inflict my germs on my cube-mates. It was actually a wonderful thing, staying in bed until 10, drinking tea in my jammies (heck, I am still in my jammies!) and being able to go take a nap whenever I want.

In other news, it appears I was at a totally different concert on Saturday night... both the Sun Times and theTrib were dazzled by the Dame (less so VonRhein, I think, who did say in his article that in these farewell concerts, audiences see what they want to see rather than what is there. Maybe my problem was that I didn't have any former glory days performances to compare the concert to... Who knows? It was a beautiful little concert anyway...)

UPDATE: I talked to someone else who was there, who agreed with me that it seemed like Dame KTK had somewhere else she'd rather be. He said that he'd seen her live before and that she had loads of personality and charm... none of which seemed to be in evidence Saturday night. At least it was not just me being crabby.

Also, there was an article in the Sun Times that reported on the Gala and said that Ms. Kiri spent all of 5 minutes mingling with the gala guests at the big party afterwards. Really, Kiri? 5 whole minutes? With the people who paid thousands of dollars to bask in the warm glow of your presence? That means she was probably back at her hotel by the time I found my car in the parking lot. She's made me kind of bitter, I guess...

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa...Chicago's Grand Finale

So last night was Ravinia's gala celebration, with a concert featuring Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in what was billed as her final performance in Chicago. Last year, I attended the gala because of a generous benefactor who did not want to use his tickets. This year, I was my own generous benefector, and since I am poor, I just bought tickets to the performance (pavilion of course) that did not include the super swish and molto expensive gala celebration dinner. There are only two people I shell out that kind of cash for...

The rain held off and the humidity lifted briefly to give us a gorgeous evening for a concert. I would have really hated to be on the lawn though, as it was wet and muddy from the rains. Still, it did not stop people in any way from setting out some incredibly elaborate picnic spreads.

The program began promptly at 7:00 with James Conlon leading the CSO in the overture to La forza del destino. Then out came the Diva, in a gorgeous vibrant red and black gown (that made me hot just looking at her. I mean, yes, the humidity had lifted, and it was comfortable in the pavilion, but I was still wearing a sleveless dress). The program notes list her as being 64, and I hope I look that good when I am 64! She was absolutely gorgeous, gracious, elegant and cool (more on that later). She performed three Strauss songs Morgen, Standchen and Cacilie, then left the stage. The orchestra perfomed Schreker's Intermezzo Op. 8 and KTK came back to the stage for three Canteloube songs - Bailero, La delaissado and Lo fiolaire, two selections from La boheme - Mi chiamano Mimi and Donde lieta usci, and Io son l'umile ancella from Adriana Lecouvreur and then three encores including the popular O mio babbino caro.

The thrill was being able to see this great operatic legend in her final concert performance in Chicago - although she reported "I'm not retiring!" Her voice was lovely, if a little quiet (and she was standing in front of a microphone) and she was still able to reach some strong soaring high notes. Her presence was, unfortunately, a little underwhelming - she acknowledged the audience gracefully, but didn't seem too excited to be there on stage. I didn't feel any connection at all or anything much coming from her. Maybe she was hot? Or jet-lagged? She did thank her hosts, a family in Lake Forest, for "putting up with me for five days" so maybe she was body-snatched and replaced by a North Shore pod person? (by the way, how do you sign up to be an official diva sitter for Ravinia? Can I volunteer??) Or maybe that's just how she is? I have never seen her live before, so I have no idea what she's usually like in concert. Does anybody know?? I wanted so much to be dazzled, but sadly, I was not.

It was still a lovely evening that seemed to go by too quickly. The concert itself was an hour and a half, maybe less than that, since we were in the car by 8:30.

Ravinia!

Saturday night: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's Grand Finale: Women's Board Gala showcases legendary soprano in her farewell to Chicago!

The program will include:

Schreker: Intermezzo

R. Strauss: Morgen, Op. 27, No. 4

Ständchen from Sechs Lieder Op. 17

Cäcilie

Canteloube: Three selections from Chants d’Auvergne

Bailero

La Delaissado

Lo Fiolaire

Puccini: Two selections from La bohème

Si, mi chiamano Mimì

Donde lieta usci

Cilea: “Io son l’umile ancella” from Adriana Lecouvreur

how could i resist you?

I've never seen the stage show Mamma Mia, but I love me some Abba, and I would not miss the chance to see Colin Firth, Meryl Streep and Christine Baranski singing all those classic songs. I've already got "Dancing Queen" stuck in my head...

So, yeah, Mamma Mia! It is a movie adaptation of a stage show based on Abba songs, and I think there, in a nutshell, is all you need to know. The direction is kind of sloppy and some of the singing is cringe worthy (Pierce Brosnan singing SOS, anyone? I swear, there was a collective shudder in the theater everytime the man opened his mouth. Vair vair funny though. Oy, and Meryl Streep?) but you know what? I didn't care. It was fun and funny and just the most perfect summer movie. So go and do not be ashamed. Sit and sing along to "Dancing Queen" (you totally know you want to).

Oh and stay for the credits, I guarantee it is the best part of the entire film, and I would completely go again, just for those closing sequences. I will say no more.

Mmmm, donuts

Today, it's off to Steppenwolf to see Superior Donuts, the latest from Tony and Pulitzer prize winning ensemble member Tracy Letts. When I told a friend of mine that I was going, she said "I like donuts" and I had to explain that no actual donuts would be involved in the production. "Well," she said, "there SHOULD be!" And she may have a point. It would be very cute for the concessions at intermission to be selling some nice hot donuts.

(Note: I took the photo above on one of my first trips to New York City - I was with Maggie and Wanda and gosh, were those donuts HUGE. And delicious.)

UPDATE: Hahahahaha - they WERE selling donuts at intermission! They probably figured all the blabbing about crullers and bismarcks ("is that the plural of bismarck?") would make people hungry for donuts! I know I was...

Anyway, Time Out Chicago reviewed the show, and the first sentence of the review clarifies what everyone is most likely wondering - no, Superior Donuts is not another August: Osage County. That being said, it was a really enjoyable comedy about the last independently owned donut shop in Uptown, its ponytailed hippie proprietor Arthur Przbyszewski (played by Michael McKean) and all the people in and out of his life - a pair of cops (what? Chicago cops in a donut shop??) one of whom is a little flirty with Arthur and, according to his new employee (Jon Michael Hill) "wants a big drink of your bathwater"* and her partner who is a Star Trek fan, the alcoholic homeless lady who comes in for a free donut, the Russian proprietor of a DVD store next door to the donut shop, and his thug like nephew Cyril, and the bookie who is after the new employee. Between bits of action, Arthur speaks directly to the audience in soliloquies, letting us see inside his head, and giving us a little bit of insight into him.

Anyway - it was nicely done and very well performed. There was a fight scene that lasted a bit too long and that looked a little awkwardly staged in such a small space. It was funny. It was engaging. It was a snapshot in time of a city and a neighborhood and some of its people. Tracy Letts, who has lived in the city for 20 years and considers himself a Chicagoan said in an interview with Martha Lavey "I think Chicagoans are going to get a kick out of this play." I don't know about everyone else, but I really enjoyed it. It was a snapshot in time, in a Chicago neighborhood being taken over by Starbucks and Whole Foods. I can imagine this store, these people actually existing, that is how real the characters were. The play was full of local color - Bears jokes, cracks about the weather (of course!) and timely comments about the earthquake and the cougar on the loose. It was fun. If you live here, go see it. Tracy's right. You'll get a kick out of it.

* Lady cop in question was played by one Kate Buddeke, whose bio listed her as also being in the last Broadway revival of Gypsy - I recognized the name but did not recall who she had played. My guess was Mazeppa, and lo and behold - when I got home to check the cast album - I was right!

Try the patch, Frankie

Have you all heard this story?

Someone apparently complained about the Jersey Boys lighting up on stage, the cops were called in, citations written up, and because Chicago has an indoor smoking ban, the boys have had to kick the habit.

WTF is up with that??? Who complains about characters smoking on stage? What, do you think you're getting fake secondhand smoke up there in the balcony?? I just don't get it. First the thing in Wilmette (or Winnetka? one of those North Shore W suburbs) and their cancelation of Ragtime because someone complained about language -that story made Entertainment Weekly - and now this?? I am more offended by these people who think they need to be the Morality Police and tell me what should and should not be presented on stage than I am by actors on a stage smoking cigarettes (in context of the work) or a "bad word" sung (in context of the work) in a musical.

Sometimes, I really, really hate people.

bang!

I think the 4th of July is my favorite holiday. Maybe because my birthday is in November, and it's too cold to have a big party outside, and the 4th has all the things I think a good party should have: nice weather, a good BBQ, frosty drinks and cold desserts, and fireworks! It's summer, it's sunny & warm, people are outside having fun, the flowers are growing, if you have a garden (we do) fresh veggies are growing, all that crap!!!

The 4th for me is full of tradition, more so I think than any other holiday. Every year, we go to the Morton Grove parade. We used to always sit in the same spot, because it was in the shade and it was convenient. In recent years, we have chosen spots further along the parade route so that we could hear the bands actually play something. It's always the same. I am sure there are better parades, bigger parades, but ours is tradition. We have every kind of Medinah Shriner group that exists - clowns, unicycles, the oriental band, the motorcyclists, geez, all of them, big kids in stupid red fez hats. We have out-of-town marching bands, a few local politicians, boy scouts and girl scouts throwing candy, one float memorably was handing out hot dogs as it went by, the Jesse White tumblers, a squad of girls who still twirl batons, etc. I ate candy and drank some water and got sunburned.

After the parade, lit the BBQ and drank champagne and grilled corn on the cob and pork chops. For dessert, the insanely easy and traditional vanilla ice cream pudding cake.

Last night, I walked a few blocks to the house of a friend I have known since kindergarten. Together, we walked in a group with our friends and families and neighbors to the big field that hosts our fireworks display. After spreading blankets and towels, we headed off to the carnival. While I have not ridden any rides at the carnival in many years (since I was old enough to get leered at by creepy carnies and started wondering about their abilities to put together these rides... I mean think about it. They put em up and take em down - all in a day. Safe? Makes you wonder.) but it was exactly the same. Sno cones, funnel cakes, cotton candy... Jane and Amy went on this crazy ride while Heidi and I watched (like moms!) on the ground below. And damn! It was expensive - 5 bucks for ONE ride. Yikes.
Back to the blankets to wait for dark.

For a little Village, Morton Grove sure does put on a nice fireworks display. We oohed and aaahhed and ooooohed and pointed out shapes. Afterwards, we got buddies and walked back home.

Traditions. Wonderful traditions. I have done all of these things pretty consistently for my entire life. I think I've missed all of three fireworks shows here.

summer reading list..

I have been reading a ton lately, and after a long patch of wandering around going "I don't have anything to reeeeaaaadddd" I now have a rapidly growing pile. Some of the stuff on the list:

1. Such a Pretty Fat (Jennifer Lancaster) - on my list of highly anticipated summer reads, I ran to Borders on the day this one came out.

2. This Charming Man (Marian Keyes) - another highly anticipated summer read, I have to say that although the storytelling in this book is excellent, it's not quite what I expected from her, and I was a little disappointed, having just read most all of her other books over again, while I was waiting for this one. The only character I liked had a really annoying narrative style, kind of Bridget Jonesey short choppy first person sentences. Bridget was writing in her diary, but there is no explanation about why Marian's character told her part of the story this way. Vair annoying. Not endearing.

3. Where the Heart Is (Billie Letts) - I read an interview with "Tracy's Mom" and happened to read a summary of this book (made into a movie with Natalie Portman)

4. Funny in Farsi (Firoozeh DuMas) - my mom joined in my quest to find stuff to read and brought this one home for me. It's about an Iranian girl growing up in the US - mostly before the Iranian Revolution. I had two Iranian friends in junior high school and so I knew a little about the Persian culture. This book is funny and touching and a nice easy read.

5. Playing for Pizza (John Grisham) - another Mom pick. Down and out US quarterback joins the Italian NFL league which really does exist. Cute.

6. Home (Julie Andrews) - picked this up today and literally cannot put it down.

7. Merde Happens (Stephen Clarke) - an American in Paris

8. August: Osage County (Tracy Letts) - I saw the play and it stayed with me. I wanted to go back and read the text. Am seeing his newest work Superior Donuts next Sunday.

9. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (Dave Eggers) - Haven't started this yet. Will keep you posted.

10. The Wonderful and Surprising History of Sweeney Todd: The Life and Times of an Urban Legend (Robert L. Mack)

11. Luncheon of the Boating Party (Susan Vreeland)- Mom pick. Have not started it yet.

12. Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen) - loaned to me by a co-worker who promised it was good. I started it. Have not been able to get into it. I guess we shall see.

As you can see, it's a varied list. Any suggestions?

What the World Needs Now is Patti LuPone

Alec Baldwin says so!

Usually, I am not a huge fan of Mr. Baldwin. But when he's right, he's right.

Movin' on up!

This was the scene here at work today - moving day! Bright orange crates everywhere!

PatMandy Coming Soon to a Theater Near(ish) you!

Just to clarify here -when I say "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You" I mean, of course, me.

Playbill says Patti and Mandy are re-teaming and taking their show on the road... nothing near Chicago just yet... although I do hear that Cleveland does, in fact, rock...

March 7, 2009 at the Staller Center in Stony Brook, NY
March 10-15, 2009 at the DuPont Theatre in Wilmington, DE
March 29, 2009 at the NJ Performing Arts Center in Newark, NJ
April 22, 2009 at Centennial Hall in Tucson, AZ
May 5-17, 2009 at the Palace Theatre in Cleveland, OH

** Yes, I am joking about Cleveland. I love you, Patti, but not enough to go to Ohio.

Where did you come from, Time Out New York?

So, this is weird. When I got back from my last trip to New York, there was an issue of Time Out New York waiting for me with my mail. But here's the thing. I do not subscribe to Time Out New York because, you know, I live in Chicago. So while I read and enjoy TONY, and have bought individual issues, it does not do me a whole heck of a lot of good when I am not actually there.

Yesterday, another one came in the mail. I don't remember filling anything out, or I don't know, subscribing to this thing in my sleep. So, not that I am complaining, but - where is it COMING from??