at least the week is almost over!

I get a "Dogma" every day from Zelda - that adorable bulldog face always makes me smile (even when she has a wig on)...

if that's what you're into...

I follow Broadway news, so I'd heard of Sutton Foster - I remembered watching her on the Tony's in the Drowsy Chaperone. But I was really familiar with her because of her stint as Coco, Brett's sign carrying girlfriend on Flight of the Conchords:

Sutton Foster at Chicago's Broadway Playhouse

The former Drury Lane Theater at Water Tower Place has been transformed to the new Broadway Playhouse. The lobby was a little bit meh - it used to be all plush and gilded, now it looks kinda like an information center - very stark and cold - like the moderately nicer looking stepchild of the (ugly) Harris Theater lobby. Wide open space, with black and white cheering audience people displayed along the walls. Well, huh.

Inside, it is really cute, a little jewel box of a theater, but with those same eerie black and white cheering audience people along the sides of the walls in there too. We were in row K, smack in the center. I'd been looking forward to seeing Sutton Foster perform there since I had heard about her concert (way back in the spring) - and she did not disappoint. The stage was simply set - panels of fabric along the back, groupings of square light fixtures on either side of the stage. Ms. Foster was introduced with a flourish ("Please welcome to the stage... Suttoooonnnn Foooossstteerrr!!") - she came out and started belting up a storm. She was absolutely charm itself - pausing between songs to chat with the audience - mentioning that most of the songs she would be singing came from her cd - and she then handed a copy to someone in the front row. She brought one of her Tonys to visit Chicago, she took video of us all in the audience waving and yelling "Hi from Chicago!"

She sang a lovely variety of songs - John Denver's "Sunshine" a few from Duke Ellington, and of course, songs from Broadway - cut songs from Thoroughly Modern Millie and Shrek, and also "Anyone Can Whistle" and "Being Alive" (someone in the audience exclaimed how much they loved Anyone Can Whistle - then asked "What show is that from?")

And, to introduce some variety and randomness into the proceedings, Ms. Foster put five songs on slips of paper into a cup (it said "HO" on it. Its mate said "PIMP") and had someone from the audience pull a song out for her to sing. Our choices were Meadowlark, Defying Gravity, some other ones I am not recalling at the moment, and "And I am Telling You" from Dreamgirls - which is the one she sang. She blew the roof off of that little place!

A fabulous inauguration to the new Broadway Playhouse. I am sure I will get used to the new decor...

final thought for friday...

And that thought? Is {SWOON}!!!

I'll see y'all later with a full report on our event AND on my Sutton Foster experience on Sunday. In the meantime, feast your eyes.... True Blood is done until June, but we can admire our fave Viking Vampire year round...

The Girl Who Fixed the Umlaut: newyorker.com

We're in Sweden! I need my umlaut!!

The Girl Who Fixed the Umlaut: newyorker.com

one fierce party!

Sometimes, in the course of my job, I get to do some fun stuff. Tonight, for instance, is Couture & Cocktails, a fashionable fundraiser for the company - it's at the W Hotel, and there will be a runway fashion show featuring designer Carmen Marc Valvo's couture collection, dancing and delicious food!

I had never heard of CMV before, but just this morning, I learned that a certain Sicilian Diva wore one of his dresses to her recent book launching party in NYC! Talk about FIERCE!!

(Do y'all know Terrence McNally's play "The Lisbon Traviata"? One of the main character is trying to track down a rare, pirate recording of Maria Callas's legendary performance of Verdi's La Traviata in - wait for it - Lisbon. This post made me think of it, because this character comments that he can bring just about every conversation around to Maria Callas. I can sometimes do the same thing with Ms. Patti over here.... CMV has outfitted other famous people as well, but I'd not heard of him before. Now suddenly he's everywhere!)

Thoroughly talented Sutton :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Hedy Weiss

Yay, Sutton Foster! Am looking forward to seeing her on Sunday!

Thoroughly talented Sutton :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Hedy Weiss

monday already?

Every week, I find myself asking the same question: where did my weekend go?? Why are they always so short??

This weekend, I was laying (or possibly lying? I never know which one is right) pretty low. Here's why. Friday morning, I'm walking from CUS to the office, thinking of nothing in particular when a bug flies into my mouth. I could feel it whap up against the back of my throat (EW! EW! EW! GROSS!) - I don't know whether it flew back out again or if I in fact swallowed it. There was some ugly coughing and gagging happening and also a whole lot of spittle. TMI? Sorry, I'll stop.

All day I felt like that little bugger was still in my throat. I drowned it with water, tea, everything I could think of, and I spent the whole day completely grossed out. Since I am a hypochondriac and a drama queen, this was possibly the worst thing that could have happened to me. Like, ever. WebMD told me not to worry, but I was building up extraordinary scenarios in my mind. All of this stressing naturally upset my stomach, oh, and on top of everything - I had a review with my boss at 11:30 in the morning. That went well, though.

Friday night was not pretty, I was so, so freaked out and worried and felt like something was stuck in my throat. Clearly, I was a goner for sure. But I had to stay alive for Saturday, since I had been looking forward to it for so long - it was the day of the LILL Studio 1154 SAMPLE SALE. If you don't know the LILL Studio, go and check them out. You can create your own custom handbags there!!! You can do it online, or visit their shop in Lincoln Park (Halsted and Armitage). Their shop is little but amazing - filled with fabrics in the most stunning colors, and adorable, adorable bags. Since they are custom made, they are not cheap. But at the sample sale? Scads of adorable bags at 50% - 80% off. We've been going to the sale for maybe 3 years and we always come home happy.

Saturday morning my throat was really sore, but I had no fever and I decided that I might as well go to the sale. I could go to the doctor afterwards, if I needed to, right? These cute bags? Would not be on sale forever. So off we went. The warehouse is on Ashland and is in this crazy hard to get to area. We left my house at 7:15 Am and got there before 8, but there was already a HUGE line outside the door of the warehouse.

Inside, there are racks and tables set up with all the pretty bags - they also sell off bolts of fabric, pillows, wallets, all kinds of stuff. What happens is this - people patrol the racks and grab anything they see that they like. You will walk around this room with your arms loaded down with handbags. When you are not able to feel your arms, or when you start knocking people down with all the stuff you're holding, you take your haul off to the side and start sorting through it. It is helpful to have someone with you to do this - only a real friend can tell you that you don't really need four bags of the same style, or that you will never, ever carry a little tiny clutch purse or, you know, whatever. During this process, the buzzards start circling - they sort through your discard pile (and you sort through theirs) and as things are discarded, the racks are replenished, and you circle again and again, to see what's been put back. We were there for about 2 hours, and the decision process continued while we were in line to check out. People kept putting stuff back, you see. I changed my mind several times - and there was a particular heartbreak. I'd been carrying around a gorgeous bag, in a style I love - it was a tapestry fabric, with great fall colors, oranges, greens and blues, the strap was denim, the inside was denim, I was in serious LURVE with this thing. Then I opened it - there was no inside pocket. Does not sound like a big deal, right? But I carry this particular style as a work bag. I keep my train ticket and parking money in the inner pocket so it doesn't all rattle around in there and so I can lay hands on it without any problems. It broke my heart, but I put the lovely back and found one in the same style that did have an inner pocket - I may have been dazzled by the fact that the bag was on sale, but it was still over 70 bucks and it's stupid to buy something that won't do what I need it to do.

I bought several bags and spent way too much. I didn't feel bad though because: A) I am doing my part for the economy! And small businesses! and also B) I SWALLOWED A BUG on Friday, and I deserve something pretty.

For the record? I slept in on Sunday and woke up feeling mostly okay. My throat is better and although I am having some nasal congestion, I am blaming that on my allergies.

sequins & lies **

Let's get something clear right now, and this should come as no surprise to anyone who has ever read my blog, or in fact, actually met me. I am a fan of Ms. Patti LuPone. Everyone knows it, even some of my coworkers who have no reason to know things about me know it. Love, love, love Patti. OK? So, I'm going to talk about her book, and, full disclosure, if you're looking for a review that's "objective" or "insightful" or that which you might find in the New York Times (or wherever you might find a professional book review) you ain't gonna find it here. Right, so you've been warned.

I first saw Patti perform in 2006, when my Divas 101 teachers (you know who you are) took me to see Sweeney Todd. It was a must see, not to be missed performance. I had been aware of Patti much earlier. I used to sing "Don't cry for me, Argentina" to my stuffed animals as a kid (no joke). But this was the first time I'd seen her live and I was hooked. We were all the way up in the balcony and I remember turning to Sarah at intermission, wide-eyed and asking her if we could go to the stage door after the show to meet Patti. She asked me "Do you want to meet Patti?" and all I could do was nod. I was too in awe of her (and her reputation) to say much of anything to her at the stage door (my old mute tomato routine kicking in, as usual) but she was incredibly sweet, and laughed when Sarah told her that she'd brought her "some virgins" to see the show. I saw Sweeney Todd several other times, after that, and was lucky enough to see the closing night performance, which was an experience I have never had before or since in the theater. I've always loved theater, and was taken to shows as a kid. In all that time, I never knew that there could be an experience, a connection between me, the audience member, and the actors on stage. Sweeney Todd blasted down the 4th wall and all of the actors connected, really connected, with the audience, taking us with them deep into the story. I was used to being entertained at, with big productions like Cats, Les Mis, POTO. It was a fun time, and the music was nice, but there was no connection. I never knew that going to the theater could be that way, that you could share an intimate moment with the actors and with 1,000 fellow audience members. That night was incredible and Patti herself had a lot to do with that.

So that's me. Onto the book. For anyone who thinks that life in the arts is exciting and wonderful fun, I can just tell you, think again. Sure, there's the glitz and glamor, opening nights, and big parties, jetting around the world, performing on stage, in movies and on tv if you're lucky, and all of the trappings of fame. But there's also lows to go with all of those highs. Lies, backstabbing, bad reviews, 8 shows a week! to ungrateful, eating and texting audiences! Every actor, dancer, singer, stage manager, even down to the lowly grant writer, huddled in her tiny cubicle (holla!) knows that it might look easy but it's a lot of hard work. Art isn't easy.

Patti's book takes us through the highs and lows of her career as an actor - from her early days at Juilliard to her most recent triumph as Rose in Gypsy, with all stops in between. The tone is light, and it is a quick read. I got the book on Tuesday (I decided not to pre-order it, but rather, to storm Borders early Tuesday morning to get a copy) and I am just about done with it. If you are familiar with Patti's "Ramblings from the Road", the book reads like that, just like you're sitting around a table with her somewhere, knocking back something strong from a square bottle and she's dishing with you. Spoilers are coming, darlings, so if you don't want to know, stop right here!!

And does she ever dish. She cheerfully recounts the time when the entire Acting Company got crabs (ewwwww), and when she got snowed in after her Evita audition and was rescued by Superman (AKA Christopher Reeve, who helped get her on his flight). But everything was not always coming up roses. Through the high points, there were low points. She talks about her involvement with The Baker's Wife and what a trainwreck that was, along with two unsavory leading men (Topol and Paul Sorvino. Yes, she names names). The dish gets even more entertaining when she gets to talking about Life Goes On and her hate/hate relationship with Bill Smitrovich, and it's even more intense/heartbreaking when she starts to talk about Sunset Boulevard. I'm not an actor, and after reading this stuff, I know I couldn't ever be one - my skin is paper thin. I did some theater in high school - I am a decent singer (it's in the name) but after I was rejected for a play I really wanted to do, I could not take any more. Being criticized for my work is horrible to me (mainly because I hate being wrong. And I hate being called out for being wrong even more). And I just write grants! I can't imagine what she went through even though she does her best to tell me, through the pages of the book. That whole thing sounds like a nightmare. If you don't believe me, read it. There's more, there's so much more, to say (not just today, but always...Sorry, I will stop quoting Sir Andrew Lloyd Fuckhead. No, she doesn't call him that. She's trying to be a better person. But I can call him whatever I want and carry the hate for her as long as she wants.). For god's sake, I just wanted to go and give her a hug.

I'm enjoying the book very much though (could you tell?) and I could read pages and pages and pages more. It's funny, it's sad, it's touching, it's Patti.

** This may or may not have been one of the titles I submitted to her for her name my book contest. I think, personally, that it is PURE GOLD and decided since she wasn't going to use it, I might as well use it myself.

Mr. Northman, won't you please come in?

** UPDATE: Well, the finale was really kind of meh, wasn't it?? Totally all over the place, and it was not at all helpful that I actually didn't care about half of the plotlines. As we left things, Sam may or may not have shot Tommy (can't say that it matters to me one way or another. His character doesn't actually exist in the books, so he's a throwaway character anyway.) Tara seems to be skipping town (nice to know ya, Thornton! Love the haircut!), Lafayette may or may not be going crazy and his new boyfriend is (gasp!) a witch ("you're a nurse? and a witch? and... a dude?")! I like Hoyt and Jessica and LOVE that he got her a house, but the fact that Maxine just got a gun in a shop with a life size cardboard cutout of Steve Newlin is not a good sign. Their happiness will not be lasting long, I fear. Arlene and Terry might be having a demon baby, Bill went completely nuts, Russell is not dead, Sookie's in disco fairyland (but she had some awesome zingers like "when am I not in trouble?" you got that right, sister. Now go find Eric! Or Alcide!), Jason is now in charge of inbred kittykat hick town (sure, that's gonna end well), and oh yeah, Eric saw visions of ghostly Godric and, even more disturbingly, paraded around in a velour track suit. Not even the hunkiest of Swedish hunks can pull off a velour track suit. And that guy? Is pretty hunk-tacular. Then Bill challenged the Queen (uh, why? Have you completely lost your marbles, Compton?).

To quote Pam, "I have ZERO patience for that shit!"

At the end of it all, Alan Ball thanked the audience for watching and being such loyal fans of the show. You're welcome. But listen, buddy, a word of advice here. The fourth book is very Eric-centric, and here's hoping that you know that when it ain't broke? You should NOT fix it.

boxing joyfully... c'mon! Vogue!

In the photo booth at Mark & Nicole's wedding...

it's patti!

Dishing on the book, the tony's and Women on the Verge...

Nicole & Mark's Wedding

The Bride & Groom!

Saturday was a beautiful day for a wedding! I had to make last minute outfit changes though, since the dress I had picked out (to wear with some KILLER pumps) was too light and summery for the day and I would have frozen my butt off. I need to build another outfit around these shoes though, because believe me when I tell you they.are.awesome.

Nicole & Mark got married at Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago:

Gorgeous, right? It was even more spectacular on the inside. I thought it was kind of tacky to take pictures on the inside. I did it anyway, but they didn't really come out well. Random bit of trivia here, it is the highest point on the U of C campus, as stipulated in good old JDR's will. The ceremony was lovely and afterwards, we all congregated outside and took a big group picture (the photogs held up a camera over us all and took the picture that way. I would love to see how it turns out!).

The reception was in Schererville, IN, marking my 3rd official forray into Indiana (the first one was sort of a drive-thru thing, on my first choir tour as a junior in high school, so I don't know if that really counts). And... yeah, it's not really that exciting. We found out that there IS more than corn in Indiana - there are also TIRES. Lots and lots and lots of tire stores in Highland/Schererville. Like, a whole bunch of them grouped in a fairly small stretch of road. What's with all of the tires, Indiana?

The reception was lots of fun. There was even a photo booth where the guests could put on cute and funny hats and things and pose. The machine gave two copies - one for the group to keep and the other one to put in a memory book for the bride & groom. What a fun idea! Heidi, the reason we all know Nicole in the first place, was actually not able to attend (she was at a different wedding in a whole other state!) but she was with us in spirit and we drew her in to our first round of photo booth pictures (I'll try and post all of them - they will supposedly be on the photographer's website sometime this week)

We actually were seated with a guy (and his wife) who grew up in Morton Grove! He used to live down the street from Beth, he went to Park View like us (and had Mrs. Messerschmidt) and went to Niles West like us and he was all happy to be able to talk to people who knew where Morton Grove was (we generally say "You know Skokie? It's right near there." When I am somewhere out of state, I just say I'm from Chicago, because close enough, yes?). He's now a fancy teacher at U of C med school and we asked him what subject and he said gastroenterology... you all probably don't know what that is... and we all just laughed, because all of us actually have our own gastroenterologists (sadly. Damn, we're OLD).

The food was great and there was plenty of it. There was a dance floor and we all danced together AND Beth and I became the creators of the four person slow dance, because we crashed Jane & Brian's romantic slow dance to "I can't help falling in love with you." The photographers spotted us glomming onto them and started snapping away. It was hi-larious - before you all think we are terrible friends, we let Jane and Brian have the next slow dance to themselves. We almost went and danced with Nicole and Mark... I'm not sure why we didn't. That makes it into my all time top 3 dancing experiences. The first was getting down to Crocodile Rock with my mom at my cousin Mike's wedding (so.much.fun!) and my first Gala - it was towards the end of the night and the party was winding down. All of the staff members, myself included, had been working the event, and we finally had a moment to ourselves. The band was still playing, and so we just let loose and started dancing in a big group. It was loads of fun - until we noticed we were being watched by our board treasurer. He's such a cool guy though, he was just laughing at us.

Anyway, we sassed it up in the photo booth some more and decided to head on home. It was a great evening, and I could not be happier for Nicole & Mark! Congratulations (or possibly Best Wishes), guys!

Then (Rock Boat 2003)

(and now - September 4, 2010)

black swan

Who says everything is beautiful at the ballet??