Today: Deanna Dunagan chats with Hedy!

Sun Times sez:

Can't get enough of the arts? Visit suntimes.com at 12:30 p.m. Thursdays to chat live with Sun-Times theater critic Hedy Weiss. Hedy will answer your questions about anything you ever wanted to know relating to the Chicago theater scene and about upcoming shows in the area.

Joining Hedy in today's chat is Tony-winning actress Deanna Dunagan, discussing her role in the hit play "August: Osage County" — and how she thinks the play will translate in its upcoming London production.

speaking of life lessons...

In these troubling times, I have to tell myself to take it day by day. And also, I have decided that when faced with serious issues, I will just think to myself "What would a maverick do?" and then I will do that.

(Hee hee, thanks, SNL!)

just when i thought i was out... they pull me back in!

Oh, Starbucks, you cunning little vixens. Just when I had sort of left you for Argo Tea, you give me your new Signature Hazelnut hot chocolate. I swear, it is like drinking nutella it is so decadently delicious (and not as sticky).

And, of course, there is a life lesson with every cup:

"The world bursts at the seams with people ready to tell you you're not good enough. On occasion, some may be correct. But do not do their work for them. Seek any job; ask anyone out; pursue any goal. Don't take it personally when they say "no" - they may not be smart enough to say "yes." -- Keith Olbermann

See? A lovely way to start the morning.

north side heartbreak...

So the Cubbies are out of the playoffs... already. I guess we are used to it, huh? Maybe next year? Uh huh, whatever.

Anyway, Ozzie, we're looking at you & the Sox now. The city is counting on you, this afternoon, so don't screw it up. No pressure though, hahahaha.

In other news, I spent yesterday (and part of today, as it happens) doing my part to Support the Economy... so, yeah, I went shopping. I got some lovely lovely pants (40% off each pair, yo) and a new pair of boots. Also, in the continued interest of not getting an ulcer, I invested in Photoshop Elements so I can amuse myself on my Mac. Tee hee. I see many happy hours ahead of me... if I can only figure out how to use it.

Just so you don't think I spend all my time lying around and then going shopping, I also baked some muffins... mmmmm, muffins...

Why is the weekend always so short?

N-H-S! Go West! *

Happy 50th Birthday Niles West!

Peggy (name changed to protect the innocent - she is a teacher in the district now and we don't want her young 'uns knowing what she may or may not get up to in her spare time...) and I went to the homecoming game last night. This being Skokie and not Texas, and not an episode of Friday Night Lights (even though it was, in fact, Friday) it was a good crowd but not overwhelming. It was cold and the team, to be honest, was getting trounced. We had dinner first and arrived in the middle of the second quarter. We left at the top of the 4th quarter as the Wolves were losing 57 to 7 (I wish I was exaggerating that score, but that is what it really was). It was only the second game I've attended and I like football. Still, it was kind of fun. We hung around, said hi to people we knew, and stopped in the Alumni Tent (after the first time, it kind of loses its thrill).

We did the usual reminiscing, and complaining about the name change in 2001 from Indians to Wolves. As class of '97, we graduated as Indians. There was a whole tizz and to do about the name and the mascot (even though we did not have any kind of Chief Illiniwek or anything like that. We had a goofily made up guy called "Big Red") and I remember there was a vote on what the new name should be. Wolves won, although I prefered the Fireants or, the one I made up, the Oakton Raiders.

Yeah. Now we're old. Oy.

* Words from an actual cheer I heard my freshman year. No joke. I am not sure how the letters "N-H-S" connect at all, maybe "Niles High School"? What about the "West" part? But I was also told by a cheerleader classmate that they were not allowed to say "Indians" during cheers, not because they wanted to be PC but because they were kind of incoherent with the shouting and it sounded like they were saying "Idiots." These are also the people who think "R-O-W-D-I-E" is the way to spell "Rowdy" and so I rest my case.

i think i've got the cure...

to the "economy sucks-my job is giving me an ulcer-we have idiots running the government-and i might have to move to canada if john mccain becomes president" blues.

of course, i am talking about a little suuu-pah-pah troou-pah-pah to brighten this gloomy friday morning... woo!

here i go again...

Saw Mamma Mia! today at the Cave, whoops I mean the Auditorium Theatre. And I luuurrved it very much. By the end of the show, the audience was on its feet singing along to "Mamma Mia!" "Dancing Queen" and "Waterloo." It was everything the movie singalong should have been but wasn't. Somewhere I think Benny & Bjorn are smiling. Or laughing all the way to the biggest bank in Stockholm. Maybe both.

So. Much. Fun.

It's Friday!

We all know what that means... another Patti YouTube. This one is a blast from the past, Evita style.

Time Out New York: The Saga Continues

Remember a while ago I posted wondering about the mysterious issues of Time Out New York that kept arriving on my doorstep? Well, they stopped coming for a while, so I figured... well, I don't know what I figured, but basically they stopped coming so I stopped worrying about it. Then they started up again, this time with an explanation - I joined hiptix so I could get a discount to Sunday in the Park with George at Roundabout and they decided to give all their participants a free 2 year subscription. Which is awesome, yes? Most definitely yes.

So, mystery solved. Kind of. But here's the thing - they come sort of sporadically (I blame the mailman)and I am worried that this week, when I really really want it to turn up, I won't get it... In the meantime, I have been stalking Borders across the street.

It appears that TONY has a karmic vendetta with me, but we always hurt the ones we love...

Dear 2016 Olympic Committee,

It's been awhile since we've talked. I hope you've been busy on the opening ceremonies ideas, you know everyone I have talked to really likes my dancing cow lighting the torch idea - I will give it to you cheap.

I was reading in the Sun Times that there is a little hiccup in the Olympic Village site planning arena. May I be so bold as to offer a suggestion? I think to really show the warmth and hospitality of the city, we should put the athletes with host families. Sort of like that Seinfeld episode where the runner stays with Elaine, except we'd all get better alarm clocks. I will personally offer my own space to the Australian men's swimming team. It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it, for the glory of da city of Chicago and all that.

A Smile for Monday Monday Morning...

Brought to you by Flight of the Conchords...

when did THAT happen?

I appear to have gotten myself a life... my weekends are starting to fill up with lots of fun, non-ulcer-inducing relaxing type activities. This weekend, of course, there was San Francisco Ballet, but lookie, lookie! I've got more stuff planned too!
I know it would probably be smarter, in these times of economic uncertainty, to stash my cash in the mattress rather than buying copious amounts of theater tickets. But then I say, f**k it! Might as well dance as the ship's going down, eh??

Coming up:

9/28 Mamma Mia! Live and in person at the Auditorium Theater. I love the ABBAs... and I've not seen the stage version before...

10/13 Pearl Fishers at Lyric Opera. Two words, people: Nathan Gunn. 'Nuff said.

10/15 Joffrey's fall program which will be very very very very exciting and fun

10/27 Manon at Lyric. Ooo-la-la, Natalie Dessay!

11/10 Lulu at Lyric. I don't know anything about it, but it looks sexy.

11/22 Grey Gardens at Northlight Theater in Skokie. This will be my third visit with the Edies who clearly know which side my corn is buttered on...

On the wish list for sometime in October:
Amadeus at Chicago Shakes
Turn of the Century at Goodman (can you believe I work like a block and a half from this place and have never been there??) These two will happen, I just need to get my act together vis-a-vis obtaining the tickets! And I am in the planning stages of a 30th birthday blowout bash extravaganza that involves a visit to NYC and as many divas as I can pack into a long weekend. The hotel is booked and ticket for Thais has been secured.

sfb (those cats can dance!)

Back from the Harris Theater. Whoever told me the place was like a bunker was not wrong. They were right. You enter the lobby via the parking garage - I thought I was still in the garage and it took me a few minutes to realize I'd actually entered the lobby space. I was there really early, and jotted the following notes:

"lobby space is deeply ugly and uninspiring. Like an airport terminal with garish neon lights, metal benches and stark white block lettering on the walls directing you towards the restrooms, elevators, etc."

And apparently they've redone the lobby and this is still what they ended up with. Aarrgh. Some of the walls by the bathroom had some kind of padded fabric wall hangings, giving the place more of an institutional insane asylum sort of feel that is totally the vibe you want to give off in a hall that celebrates music and dance.

And when you walk into the house, you walk down to get to the seating, so the entire theater is basically underground. Once I got over the weirdness, though, the inside of the house is really nice, and I had a really nice seat. The sightlines where I was sitting were great for dance, so I was pleased. I had a very nice friendly chatty neighbor. He had seen program A and the gala performance and so I chatted with him a little bit about the ballet. It's nice to be able to interact with your neighbors and all, especially when they are enthusiastic about the art form, but can someone PLEASE tell me why the young, hot, available ones never plop next to me and start yakking? Just once?

Anyway. I'd been expecting great things and SFB did not disappoint. I'd chosen program B to attend over program A because of the first piece, On a Theme of Paganini. Choreographed by renowned SFB Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson, it was set to the music of Rachmaninov. The well-known bit of it, variation 18 is one of my favorite pieces of music and the beautiful pas de deux made me cry. Bravo. I rushed out at intermission no. 1 to get some nourishment (cookie) and some SFB logo apparel (SHH! Don't tell my boss!)

The second piece, Joyride was choreographed by Mark Morris and performed to music by John Adams. The company wore skin tight metallic lame costumes with blinking number screens on their fronts. It was kind of futuristic, I sort of thought Dr. Atomic (the opera by Adams that I saw at Lyric last season) with dancing - sort of modern dance elements with pointe work thrown in. I know some people around me didn't care for it, but I liked it a lot.

Another intermission - dash to the restroom this time. I will say this for you, Harris Theater - your lobby is horrifically ugly, but you done good on the ladies room situation. The facilities were large, clean and plentiful, and when you have 15 or 20 minutes to work with, that is really all that can be asked.

Third and final piece - Fusion by Yuri Possokhov, SFB's choreographer in residence. Fusion was inspired, according to the program, by a performance of the Whirling Dervishes, whose spinning dances are a form of devotion. A quote in that program deeply touched the choreographer - "Any thoughts can be expressed by dance."
Fusion pairs "spirituality with contemporary jazz movement."

I don't know enough about ballet yet to watch with a critical eye. To me, it's basically a hit if nobody falls down. Okay, so that's kind of an exageration, but I can't tell you much about technique or what the steps are called or anything like that. I watch it and just marvel at how these dancers are able to do what they're doing. It is truly beautiful. SFB is one of the best ballet companies in the country, if not THE best company, and from what I saw today, they are deserving of that accolade.

And, as you may have noticed, I found my way back to the car and made it home in about half an hour. Woo!

Something to look forward to...

Hey! It's late September in Chicago (the Stressed-Out Capital of the World, according to Forbes, anyway) does anyone really blame me for looking ahead to the summer and next season at Ravinia? It will not be hard to figure out where I will be in July & August what with the return of Ms. Patti to our Pavilion space, the delicious Mr. Dmitri in Rigoletto, and the "barn burning" Brahams extravaganza.

And... we're back!

Anyway, let's just talk a moment about House, shall we? I don't watch a lot of tv any more, but I usually sit still for Hugh Laurie. I've loved him for a very long time, in films like Peter's Friends, Sense & Sensibility, on tv in Jeeves & Wooster, A Little Fry & Laurie... So I would personally like to thank whoever it was at Fox who psychically read my thoughts and one day at a meeting declared, "I've got it! Let's give Hugh Laurie his own show!" Not only did they give the man his own show, but they built a complex, fully drawn character juicy enough for this talented actor to play. House is a cantankerous, crotchetty diagnostic genius, he's miserable, nasty and obnoxious. But through all that, he's also somehow likeable. Unlike the rather disastrous Private Practice, House blends good storytelling involving all its characters and intriguing medical mysteries.

there is a cup of sauerkraut in our fridge...

I arrived at the office this morning and put my lunch in our fridge, only to detect a funky odor. We've only been here since July, and we've so far been very polite in the use of our new fridge. Upon closer inspection, I found the source: a styrofoam cup of sauerkraut covered with plastic wrap. Why? Why would you bring sauerkraut to work? And then stick it, uneaten, in the fridge? Plastic wrap? Is not going to keep the stench under wraps, folks.

Is this a sign of what the rest of my day is going to be like?

Beam me up... Fiercely

So, I had planned to blog something personal, about some of my more anal-retentive tendencies like being early (for everything) and a few others, which would have been interesting, to be sure, (if I do say so myself!) if a little lengthy.

Or, I suppose I could write about how terrified I am of Sarah Palin and how she and John McCain haunt my nightmares on a regular basis (and? can I just say that no self-respecting Hillary Clinton supporter would EVER, EVER change sides and vote for THAT. Ever. That is all I am going to say. Until I have more to say though, obviously.

But I'm not gonna do either of those things. Instead, I'm going to talk about the new cycle of America's Next Top Model ("heeeyyyy!") that started last night. That's a lot more fun to think about, n'est c'e pas? I love that show. I can't even tell you why, so much. I'm not much of a reality tv fan otherwise, but get 14 girls on a catwalk, doing crazy photo shoots or getting Tyra mail and I am totally there, in front of the tube, unable to look away. I missed the first maybe 15 minutes though, so I have no idea what they were doing with the whole space-age futuristic theme, although I did enjoy the line "Beam us up. Fiercely." I also like the interview phases with the girls and I feel bad when they aren't able to do things like name 5 fashion designers or 5 working models. I can, and I'm not even in the industry. It's just silly to go in and say you want to be a model and not know even the most basic things about the business. The one question that would have stumped me would have been when Nigel asked Marjorie who her favorite photographer was. She eventually said what I would have answered, "Uhh, you?"

This cycle is shaping up to be quite interesting already - there's a pre-op transsexual chick, Isis, who kind of rocks, a crazy red-headed boxer chick from Lake Forest (of all places!) whose name is Brittany, but because there were 3 girls with that name, 2 of them had to change, so she changed hers to "McKey", a zen Asian chick from Harlem, a girl from "the sticks" (her words, not mine) of Alaska, the token bitchy southern chick who wants to win and will let no one stand in her way (including Isis. I wonder who would win that fight, huh?) - Clark is her name and she looks sort of like Blake Lively from Gossip Girl, only not as cute (rrraaaooow!), there's a vegan girl who's also bi, and oh, I don't even remember all the rest of them. It is too early for favorites. The judges remain the sexy noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker, Runway coach extraordinaire Miss J, Paulina I'm going-to-spell-her-name-wrong Poriskova, and Tyra.

The first to go was ShaRaun (another Brittany who had to change her name) from Chicago.

Until next week (and I promise I will not use this space to deconstruct each and every episode... unless the mood strikes me, of course...)

too fast to live, too old for facebook

So, I just got on to Facebook and honestly? I think I am too old for it. There's stuff on there like "Buy your friends" and I'm like huh? I've gotten some friend requests, and most people I know from high school and I'm happy to hear from - like, oh, I wonder what so-and-so's been up to. But today, I got one total surprise from someone in grade school. I haven't done anything with this friend request because I was like, really? It was junior high torture. Friend? I think not. And some I'm like who ARE you? I only created a profile because my friend Beth told me she'd done one and the only way I could see hers was to create one myself.

As any of you who visit me here know, I'm not the best with updating this blog, and I haven't done anything with my facebook page at all. Like I really need two places on these interwebs where I don't update stuff?

++ Update: Well, I went over to Facebook and updated my stuff. I still don't really get it, but it is kind of addictive...

Oh hell to the yes...

It's coming, people. The Mamma Mia! sing-along!

Brush up your ABBA and let's go!!

advancing art is easy, financing it is not

My life lately has turned into a Sondheim musical number. Naturally, I would be played by Bernadette Peters. Haa. My new job position requires a lot of writing and a lot of shmoozing - after all, what's a little cocktail conversation if it's gonna get us our foundation?

Here she is, boys...

The Gypsy cast recording came out yesterday! But since I pre-ordered mine at the theater on post-Tony Tuesday, it came straight to my door on Monday afternoon, so for a while at least, I was the first kid on my block to own it. I can't stop listening to it. Makes me want to go again, like right now. I did the same thing in the car when the overture started that I did when I was sitting in that darkened theater, waiting for the show to start, I bounced in my chair, clapped my hands and went "wheee!" (Yes, I know. Easily entertained. But give me a break here. I got kind of a promotion last week, although this basically means a new title and more work. I am taking my entertainment where I can find it, these days...)

I was intrigued especially by the added tracks that have not been recorded before - songs that got cut along the way. My favorites of these are "Small World/Momma's Talkin' Soft" "Nice She Ain't" "Smile, Girls" and "Who Needs Him." I would really like to see a few of these put back into the show, but when you listen to them, it is kind of understandable why they got taken out in the first place. But they do kind of add a whole new dimension to Rose's character.

Back to school!

It seems that summer is well and truly over - it is the first day of school in my home town district 219, our short Friday summer hours end this week, and it's time for me to start thinking about new boots...

I am obsessed, for some reason, with back-to-school supplies. It was always my favorite part of going back to school - new clean spiral bound notebooks, reams of filler paper, pens(!) #2 pencils, trapper keepers, chandler's assignment notebooks, backpacks (and can I just ask WTF is with the kids now lugging around backpacks on wheels?? I carried all my crap for 12 years on my back, and I'm totally fine. Toughen up, already) all of that good stuff. Even now, I can happily spend a good solid hour in Staples or Office Max, just looking at all the great stuff. This doesn't mean I want to actually go back to school or like, have kids or anything. It probably just means I am very easily entertained.

I was also thinking about my first day as a high school freshman. I don't remember a lot about it - I had a good locker location B275, which is of course critical. There was a lot of ice-breaking going on that first day. I remember specifically having Spanish class mods 2-4 (oh, yes. We were on a mod system. Something else to throw the freshmen completely off track.) and our teacher, a young enthusiastic guy with a ponytail, got up on his desk and did a trust fall, backwards, onto us. Stop and think about this for a minute. Asking a bunch of freshmen, first thing in the morning, to catch you as you tumble backwards off your desk? That takes a LOT of trust (or foolishness?) Good thing he didn't try this move at the end of the year, as I think we all would have let him just fall. Seriously. He this kind of crunchy granola touchy feely, 'I'm THERE for you' kind of teachers. Really really earnest. I remember looking around at my classmates thinking nobody told me THIS was going to happen in high school. Are they ALL going to do this?? Fortunately, the other teachers just stuck to regular kinds of ice breakers and nobody else threw themselves bodily off of any furniture.

Thank you, Peter Gelb!

Since I can't actually go to New York City to see the dazzling Ms. Renée Fleming in the Metropolitan Opera's Opening Night gala on September 22nd, it looks like I will have to settle for the next best thing... the Met in HD, coming soon to a theater near you (& me!). Seriously, I think this is one of the best ideas anyone has ever had, ever. I get to see the Met's gorgeous productions, have some popcorn and milk duds if I want, and not have to leave the state.

In other news, since I can't let an entire year go by without actually physically going to the Met, I've bought a ticket for Thais in December. It is all part of my 30th birthday blowout extravaganza. This will also hopefully involve another trip to see Patti in Gypsy (stay open, please!) and maybe a few other shows...

You can't make this shit up...

1. I'd like to formally apologize to my colleague, as I thought she was lying about trampolining being an Olympic Sport. But it really is! I didn't believe it until I saw it last night with my own eyes. It's oddly fascinating, and I like it MUCH more than beach volleyball. You know how most people like jumping on the bed as kids? This kind of reminded me of that - jumping on the bed with no danger of hitting your head on the ceiling, no chance of getting yelled at by mom, and being able to do triple double sommersaults and cool stuff like that. There is also apparently synchronized trampoline and I am super curious to see that. Strangely though, this seems to be a sport where the US is not smashing the competition. I wonder why not?

2. Was at Ravinia this past weekend. Can someone please explain to me why on earth anyone would buy lawn tickets to a dance event?? The music wasn't really that great, and if you go spread a blanket or whatever way the hell back by the special event tents, you aren't going to see anything, either. So what's the point??

TGIF!

Well, I don't know about all y'all, but I am SO ready for the weekend! Some happiness that added to my Friday:

1. The purchase of tickets to see Ms. Patti at North Central College in Naperville (yes, it's in April. I am all about planning ahead)- front row seats, too, holla!

2. A new beverage at Argo tea - the Carmelotto Macchiato - it's coffee! It's chocolate! It's caramel! It's full of caffeinated deliciousness! Can you tell I'm still kind of on the caffeine buzz??

3. A lunchtime visit to my happy place - AKA the Art Institute where I spent most of my time in front of the Seurat. I am considering membership over there, should this become a serious habit.

4. Tomorrow night I get to see a certain bunch of talented dancers at Ravinia and the weather is supposed to be beautiful.

5. Tonight I am planning to get scrappy with my friends - I have not done anything remotely crafty in a very long time.

6.

Authorized Patti at Les Mouches recording... I have a not-s0-authorized one... which I love... but the real thing?? Woo!

Happy happy Friday! I am outta here!

the 'twilight' zone (thanks a lot, Heidi)

I spent most of this past weekend lost in a little town called Forks, Washington, where vampires and shape shifting wolf men roam free. Yes, I finally got with the program and read Stephenie Meyer's four book Twilight saga. I started on Friday with the first book, Twilight, and I finished the fourth book Breaking Dawn last night. That averages out to about a book a day, and they are not small books. I would have been done with them all sooner, I think, but I kept getting distracted by the Olympics... first the opening ceremonies and then non-stop swimming, diving and gymnastics (but set your DVRs, people, trampolining is set to be aired this coming Saturday!)

See? I'm distracting myself even now. The books are lots and lots of fun, and I enjoyed reading them, so here's my public shout out to Heidi my home girl and fellow member of Team Jacob, for telling me about her obsession and helping me to feed it by loaning me a few of the tomes so that I didn't even have to leave the house in order to finish the series. You were right, once again. And thanks.

So my book pile is sadly depleted again... any ideas??

thinking ahead...

Well, ohmigosh, were you all watching the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Games on Friday night?? Despite some initial misgivings I had about Chicago's hosting the Games in 2016, I admit that I got extremely beligerant watching the ceremony and hearing about some of the other candidate cities for 2016. I mean, what does Rio have that we don't?? And keep dreamin' Madrid, it is all about Chicago! Does it really matter that we don't have the space, the transportation system OR the infrastructure to host a major international event? Not so much. Daniel Burnham once urged the city to "make no small plans" in the creation of the World's Fair and now, generations later, we are carrying the torch of his legacy.

And speaking of carrying the torch, the clock is ticking. We've got 8 little years to start planning a completely awesome opening ceremony, and I'm thinking we've gotta start like, yesterday. Chicago has a rich history that can be used to create some very strong imagery. I don't have details worked out just yet, but for instance, the White City would be kind of cool to bring back to life, opening-ceremonies style, glistening and glittering and lit up by lightsticks.... past, present and future, all in one....

And of course, maybe the most famous Chicago story, the Great Chicago Fire, would have to be incorporated somehow, and I think I've got a Plan. As the Olympic flame is relayed into the stadium, passed from hand to hand of various famous Chicagoans, the last runner runs up many many stairs to a gleaming white platform and there's a cow standing there. Not a real cow, a sort of dancing cow, Mrs. O'Leary's cow, to be exact. And she's smiling and dancing and she's so happy to see the runner she sort of knocks the torch out of his hand.... and into the Olympic cauldron below them, which lifts high into the air above the stadium. Welcome, children of the world!

Come on, it would be fantabulous.

because sometimes, it's about dancing...

To find out more about this dancing fool, check out http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/

guts 'n glory

So, I am not really athletic. Argh, I hated gym class. Like, when we played baseball, I always went and stood as far back in the field as I possibly could. Too many people shouting at me, it always freaked me out. Volleyball is my idea of pure hell. I was always like, what? You want me to hit the ball with my bare forearms? Um, ow. And I think not. The two years when we had swimming was also not my idea of a good time. Fortunately, the last two years of high school, we could pick what we wanted to do in gym class, and I always chose things like cross country skiing where we went out maybe twice if we were lucky - the rest of the time we played silly team games like pillow polo or scooter ball, things like that, and archery (no changing into manky gym clothes!) and step arobics etc. In junior high, my gym teacher hated me. I wasn't one of her star players and so was nobody. When I was made volleyball captain in class and got to pick a team, she yelled at me for picking my friends. Uh, right, because I am sure I was the only one to do that?? In high school, the gym teachers felt sorry for me, I think, since I am so hugely uncoordinated. They always thought I was "trying" and so I got pity A's for effort. Ha.


All this is really building up to say that despite all that, I really really really love the Olympics. It makes me wish I was athletic just so I could go there and compete and win (naturally). During the Olympics, I watch stuff on tv that I would never ever watch otherwise. During the Torino winter games, I found myself watching a cross country skiing race, and curling, and strangely, the gold medal hockey match (but that was mainly because the Swedish goalie was totally hot). I love the opening ceremony and the torch lighting and all of that rah rah, USA! USA! stuff. I will be glued to the swimming and diving and gymnastics in the coming weeks, and then not think about it again for another 4 years. And I love all the crazy stuff that qualifies as "Olympic Sports" - in particular, my coworker swore up and down this week that trampolining was an Olympic sport. I totally did not believe her, but I just looked it up and it's true. It was introduced as a discipline in 2000 in Sydney. They will probably televise it late at night...

I am conflicted about Chicago's Olympic bid, but if the games were to come here, you know I would totally go, just to get my Olympic junkie fix.

Opening Ceremonies are tonight! Well, actually, they are probably happening even as I type this, but whatever. Let the games begin!!

Another Friday, Another Patti YouTube....

The voice! The drama! The hair! Love it! Happy Friday!

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??

Betty Buckley sang "Memory"! and more from Ravinia

It was the perfect night for a concert - lovely, crisp, cool enough for a light jacket but warm enough for a picnic (including an order of parmesan garlic fries) near Ravinia's lush lawn. As opposed to Alpine Valley where we had to practically hose ourselves down with bug spray, there was not an insect to be found at Ravinia (the SuperSecret Mosquito Shield (TM) at work again!).

I had bought these tickets fairly late (as soon as I'd found out that I could buy them on their own and not as part of the trio series) and yet... we were in the 4th row, center section. Pretty much ideal seats. I felt bad though, because there were some people who had front row tickets and were, for some reason, surprised? by this? "Oh, no," they said, backing away. "This is too close." (WTF? How do you buy front row tickets and THEN realize they were too close? It gives you a seating chart online, even...) and so those gorgeous front row seats went unoccupied. I hope Betty didn't mind.

Anyway, whatever. Betty was fabulous! It was my first time seeing her and I loved it! She mixed it up with a lot of song styles - some of her signatures (1776, Sunset Boulevard, Meadowlark) and some other standards, jazz, stuff from her new album, stuff from her 1967 album... all delivered with some background to the song, some funny stories, and that voice. Wow.

Highlights - her greeting to us after "As if we never said goodbye" - she gave a big shout out to the people on the lawn (since we were in the Martin, they could not actually see her) and then refered to the Ravinia crowd as being "hip" but I think she was just being nice. "Hip replacement" more like.

"Meadowlark" - she said she auditioned for The Baker's Wife 9 times and didn't get cast. Then she said she sang it for a while and then "retired" the song. Mmmmhmmm, no more details there, wise move there as she was aware that she was worshipping in the house of Kauffman and there would be no jokes at the expense of certain other divas... She also imparted words of wisdom granted to her by her therapist after the loss of this role. "It cost me thousands of dollars," she said, but she was giving it to us as an added bonus: "GET OVER IT." (makes me wonder about The Baker's Wife, as I believe it landed Patti in some significant therapy sessions as well... If they could stand to be in the same room with each other, I bet they would have many interesting stories to share that would be better than any kind of therapy...

Moving on... "The Dysfunctional Family Medley" - "Children and Art" the witch's song from "Into the Woods" and the song from "Carrie"

Betty shared with us that she was in the new film "The Happening" and she said that M. Night Shyamalan "intended" it to be "a B movie" a tribute to movies in the style of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." Really? Well, in that case, it did its job well. Nice way to CYA there, M. She urged everyone to see it and said something or other that it was the number one movie internationally. Bless her heart.

"Old friends" by Paul Simon that moved into "Unchained Melody" which she started a capella and totally blew me away. She could have sung the whole song that way, and it would have been awesome.

And, finally.... her encore was "Memory" from Cats. Let me just give some background here - Cats was the first show I ever saw. I loved it. It was my first cast album and I listened to it every day for a very very long time (yes, you may mock me now, it's fine, but in my own defense, I was like in junior high. My teachers though thought I was a total genius because I could 'recite' Eliot. Came in handy whenever we were studying poetry, let me tell you.). So to hear her sing it, live and in person, was unbelieveable.

Betty graciously thanked people from the stage, not only her band, but the production crew at Ravinia, her own sound and light people and her assistant. So I must take a cue from her and send thank you shout outs to my personal Diva Advisors, who have taught me everything I know: Sarah and Kari. You have not yet steered me wrong.

Ravinia tonight!

Betty Buckley at the Martin Theater... tonight 8:00.

It's my first time seeing Ms. Betty. I am excited.

More tomorrow...

Pop! Goes My Heart

From the movie "Music & Lyrics" - So bad it is good. Trust me.

Is it a place, or a... state of mind?

Yesterday was Jane's birthday, and she is now a very old lady. Not, however, as old as me, but still. We started out the evening by blindfolding her, as is our traditional birthday surprise custom (and believe me, watching people's reactions in their cars as they clocked her in the passenger seat wearing a blindfold was lots and lots of fun.)



We began the evening by crossing the border into Wisconsin where we had dinner at the Brat Stop in Kenosha. (I know, right? We are such great friends! Cheese curds and brats? What more could a girl ask for on her 29th birthday!) But no, the real surprise is where we went after dinner. Despite our promises to leave her in a field or drop her off at the University of Lawsonomy, we actually went to Alpine Valleyin Bumbleville, Wisconsin (or East Troy, even) to see some dude named Jack Johnson

Alpine Valley is a big huge outdoor venue - like Ravinia on steroids and lots of beer. It was really kind of overwhelming, with (drunk) people everywhere. Like, everywhere. I'm okay with being in crowds, but this was insane. Someone actually fell on us. Amy caught him. And rather than apologizing for like, you know, falling in the middle of our blanket, he just said, somewhat stupidly "I fell down." Really? Get our friend here some more beer! I didn't really know Jack Johnson going into the concert, and I can't really say that I know him any better even after sitting there - the acoustics where we were sitting were kind of bad. We ended up leaving a little early, but that was okay. We headed back to Kenosha for some more cheese and a potty break. It also gave us a chance to listen to the cd that Amy found while we were sitting at a stoplight. It was a personally made mix labeled "To My Bride" that featured (wait for it... maybe you should sit down?) jewish reggae music. And some Missy Elliot with some UB40 thrown in. We were kind of wondering if maybe this cd was responsible for ending this relationship seeing as we had found it thrown in the street in the middle of nowhere.

(me and Jane)

(Heidi, up to no good?)

(Jane, Amy & Heidi)

(the birthday girl - probably also up to no good)

Happy Birthday, Jane!

The Morning After

Notes that I took on Monday, June 16


Today I...

• Ate waffles at Nice Matin (just as good as I remembered!)
• Completely by accident, found the New York Public Library (had planned to just get subway to 42nd Street and walk to 5th, but stop actually let me off right there. Yess! Sometimes, am brilliant!)
• Walked from library down 5th to 57th - just cuz. Stopped by Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall (ahhh!), Carnegie Hall
• Ate at a deli down the street from City Center (not Carnegie Deli - too crowded and was hungry) and had massive piece of cheesecake. I had trouble deciding which to order and waitress said, helpfully "Do you want to look at them?"
• Took N train back to 42nd and wandered around. Shopping.
• Found myself in front of the St. James theater (again, completely by accident) and picked up my ticket for tuesday performance
• Saw "The Happening" - for god's sake, don't see that movie. Was terrible. Should have waited 35 minutes to see the Zohan.
• Went on nighttime bus tour. Still daylight. Got rained on while we came back from Brooklyn. Had to wear unattractive plastic bag style poncho with hood. Tour cut short.
• Bought umbrella, went back to hotel.
• Changed clothes, went to dinner at Ristorante LaGrolla on Amsterdam Avenue.
• Ate (delicious) risotto with salmon, safforn, peas and scallions.
• Lost umbrella (damn)

Notes that I took on Tuesday, June 17th

Today I...

• Ate another waffle (helloooo, lovah...)
• Took the wrong train while attempting to go downtown and ended up in Brooklyn (grrr. Not brilliant.)
• Shopping for birthday present at South Street Seaport, rapidly got tired of touristy kitsch and went (somewhat inexplicably, yes?) back to 42nd Street. More shopping. This is what I do when left to my own devices??
• From there went to Lincoln Center to buy "This Charming Man" by Marian Keyes (had to get something to read on the flight home!)
• Went to the Historical Society. Replica of guillotine worth $6 (student) admission
• Went also to American Museum of Natural History.
• Realized am totally uninterested in Natural History-style exhibits. An hour and a half (and $11 student admission) that I am not getting back.
• Because I am SO.INCREDIBLY.PARANOID about missing curtain, I arrive in midtown ridiculously early. Eat at Junior's (but no cheesecake) and wander around for the hour and a half or so before it is time to head back to the theater.

Time for the show. Ohmygod. I could again go on & on & on & on & on, but then this would be a really long post & you all probably would not like me very much. I think I have said that I could listen to Gypsy every minute of every day of the rest of my life and be happy. I am not kidding here. If I lived in NYC, I would go and see the show a whole lot. I would be happy. Broke, but happy. This marked the 10th time I have seen Patti do Gypsy, and every time, I marvel. I know what's going to happen, I even know some of the inflections they will use, the movements they will make, and yet, I am entranced, enthralled, enchanted, every single time. It was even more special this time around because so many people were there to support the cast after the big Tony wins. It - oh, I can't even describe the thrill I felt. The anticipation beforehand, anxiously bouncing around in my seat when the lights went down, cheering wildly for Patti's first entrance, and then for Boyd's, and then for Laura's.... until the audience was nearly told off for being so vocal... then we all settled down... I have tried to explain the experiences I've had in the theater to people who don't know, who don't go to live theater and have no clue what I am talking about. It was like a spiritual experience. Is that too much to say? It's how I feel.

Afterwards, booked to stage door, and got a fairly decent spot. Got shoved to the front when Patti turned up, which was good, but I always get so overwhelmed, I couldn't rub two brain cells together to form an intelligent sentence. It always seems to me that saying something like "you were great" or similar doesn't really capture everything I'd mean to say to her, doesn't convey the impact, the specialness of the occasion, so I can't even say anything, which is annoying, but ah, maybe next time!). The lady next to me said something to her about knowing a teacher of Patti's - "Which teacher?" Patti asked, while scribbling her name on extended programs and stagebills. The lady said something rather incoherent and Patti clearly had no idea what she was talking about because all she said was, "Huhhh..." and moved on. You either got it, or you ain't.

As for me, it was in a cab and back to the hotel for frantic last minute packing.... The next morning I left for LaGuardia by 8:00. United had canceled my return flight since I had not flown with them on Sunday, and so I spent a little bit of time getting that straightened out. No other problems and back home...

Let me just say this, kids, it's gonna take me a long time to get over this one...

I love New York in June...

I know it's been almost a whole week since my (all too brief) vacation, but you know how it is... I got home after another problem with United Airlines (never again!) and crashed immediately. Thursday and Friday at work were nuts. Thankfully, we are NOT moving next week so I don't have to worry about packing up my office while also trying to coordinate our annual meeting.

Pictures to come, but here is a little recap of my most excellent vacation...

Sunday, June 15
Have all the demons in hell come to torment me??? In the midst of a torrential rainstorm, United decides to cancel a flight to LaGuardia. Yes, mine. Interestingly, my bag proceeds on to its original destination. In a panic, I call the "customer service" line - they cannot get me out of O'Hare until later that afternoon, by way of Detroit and DC, landing me in New York at 11:00 pm. He claims he cannot check any other airline. Ha. I call the United reservations line. This time, they tell me that they can't get me out Sunday at all, but Monday morning. He claims to have tried other airlines but comes up with nothing. I am freaking out. Do I just go home? But what is the point of flying out Monday morning just to leave Wednesday? What about my Tuesday night fourth row Gypsy ticket???

Desperate, I call American Airlines. While I am talking to a representative, we get cut off - in the middle of booking me a flight that will get to LaGuardia by way of Boston (or is it Cleveland?) leaving within hours and landing me there at 4:00 pm. I call back, and lo and behold, this new representative finds me a DIRECT FLIGHT to LaGuardia leaving that morning and getting me in at 2:00 pm. Clearly, God loves me and wants me to get to Sarah's Tony party. I catch the flight - and we sit on the ground for close to 2 hours, while they hold the plane for people making connecting flights. We waited there for about 7 people. I had brought a book that completely sucked, which didn't help the endless wait.

Finally, FINALLY, I arrive at LaGuardia. My bag was chillin' at the United baggage claim.

AT LAST, time for Sarah's lovely party. She rolled out her red carpet and greeted us all in style. Oh my gosh, it was so much fun. I loved being with people who could talk about theater, who made jokes and funny comments, and who understood the need to rewind the DVR so that we could watch Patti's winning speech a few more times (and in slow motion!)... Speaking of.... Oh! I was SO excited for her to win! And August: Osage County! Steppenwolf love! :) I could go on and on (and on and on) about Patti, but I won't. Overall, it was a great night, wonderful company and who could ask for more than that??

Sloshed back to the hotel having had many cosmos and champagne (to toast the diva!). SO glad I got there!

"Shut UP! It's been 29 years!"

I know I'm a little late with this post, but, well, whatever... Congrats, Patti!

summer in the city!

Sticky weather? Check! Three fans blowing on me while I sleep? Check! Some kind of street festival every other week? Check, check, money order! Oooh, it looks like it's Summer in Chicago! Yesterday the head honcho asked me, in his gorgeous, gorgeous British accent, if I "would get to take some time off, ever" - and I am happy to report the answer to that is YES. Woohoo! As I've been looking at my plans for the summer, I am busier than I thought I would be. Take a look:

Sunday June 15 - thru June 18 Off to NYC for a brief vacation (brought about by the need to burn off several PTO days that I am unable to carry over. Twist my arm!)
On the agenda - a Tony party with a gracious hostess and people who are as excited about it (if not more so) as I am!
Also am planning to see some shows (okay, "show" at the moment. Care to guess? I am working on finding something else to see in the brief time I am there. Heaven forbid I just see one show while I'm out there ),see some sights and eat some waffles. Looking forward to all of this very much.

June 21 - Jane's birthday surprise! This may or may not include skipping town, a monster truck rally and a hayride ho-down (I can't really say it's a surprise and she may be reading...) but it will be lots and lots of fun. Woo!

June 23 - Betty Buckley at Ravinia! I'd almost given up on this, since I was very unwilling to shell out beaucoup bucks for the trio concert series. Apparently other people felt the same way, because when I saw single tickets had gone on sale, there were lots of good seats still available.

Late June - the last of our big meetings, and our BIG move to our snazzy new digs. So I realize that I will no longer physically be located on the 13th floor, the blog name will remain "Life on 13" since "Life on 3M" does not have the same ring and makes it sounds like I have an unfortunate adhesive addiction. Maybe if I still worked at Archiver's (HA!) Life on 13 is a state of mind, baby.

Then in July, it's back to Ravinia for Dame Kiri te Kanawa's farewell gala concert. Who knows what else I will get up to???

That's MISS BIG, to you!

Something funny that came out of this weekend (aw, heck, there were lots of funny things, but only so many that I can list on here) was when my friends and I cast ourselves in Sex and the City. Nobody admitted to being a Samantha, but we do have a Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Steve. My friends decided that I should be "Big" - since out of all of us I make the most money and have the most glam career, if I had my own place it would be large and awesome, and that they could see me swooping into somebody's life and being mysterious. Nice.

So, yeah. BIG. That's me.

Inside the "Mecca of Beauty"

What better way to spend a sticky, rainy Saturday than bag shopping with my girls? For her birthday gift, we took Beth to what she referred to as "the Mecca of Beauty" AKA Zola Jones. This little storefront was crammed with one-of-a-kind bags designed by Jason Loper. Oh my god, they're so cute. I dithered in there for a good hour (at least) trying to decide between two styles. I polled all my friends to see which one they liked best otherwise known as "purchase by committee" since I can't make important bag or shoe purchases without at least a few people around to consult with. I bought two (!) and I LURVE them. If you find yourself on Montrose, go and check out some bags.

the things I do for my divas...

I watched an hour of The View just to see you, Patti LuPone. I swear to god, I felt brain cells actually melting away during the first, what? 40 minutes of the show? Oh, but it was all worth it.

I should have just waited for the You Tube clip. Since I'm so concerned about your brain cells, just sit back and watch...

Moral Dilemma

Firstly - the spelling of 'dilemma'
Secondly - This whole election fandango. I cannot - CANNOT vote for a Republican, but I don't really care much for Mr. Obama. I don't like the thought of not voting at all though, so what's a girl to do?

Any Obama fans out there? Can you explain to me why you like him? What am I missing? I am serious about this, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt now that he's the candidate, but I just don't see that he's done anything for me, personally, as a citizen of Illinois.

DENIED

So golly gosh darn it - I had recently discovered an open airwave from which I could poach me some WIFI from my bedroom. But I guess all of my midnight web-mding (oh, I wish I was joking. I've become completely OCD) alerted them to my presence on their network because when I tried to get on today, I was booted off. Gravy train is OVER. Damn.

Sunday, in the park

This lovely little park was dedicated to my cousin David, by the good people of Naperville. It was a really nice example of a group of neighbors pulling together to create something beautiful on a piece of what had been condemned land. They got everything donated - flowers, pavers, benches, and labor from Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and the folks at the Morton Arboretum. Everyone welcomed me and my family for a good old neighborhood picnic with snacks, cake, popsicles and sno cones. It was unusual for me, since we barely know our neighbors' names over here, let alone circulate a neighborhood newsletter. But it was a beautiful day and everyone could not have been nicer.

A very fitting tribute to someone who loved his home, his family and his country and who was taken away from us all too soon.

ahhh, the weekend!

This has been a whirlwind weekend for me.... I will need some time to recover. Think the boss will buy that (no, I didn't either).

Friday night: Sex and the City with the girls, Heidi, Kim and Amy. Some smart soul (Heidi) bought the tickets the day before. Good thing, too, since all the evening shows were SOLD OUT. We got there at 7:00 after having a bit of dinner and there was already a huge line of (mostly) women, waiting to get in. I have to admit something here - I did not see much of the series when it was on tv (no HBO, see?) but I had seen some episodes, I knew who was who, and what was going on, generally. Despite that, I was really excited about the movie. Maybe I didn't have as much invested in it as some longer term fans of the show, but I don't think that really matters much. And it did not disappoint me. I loved every minute of it, and so did the audience in the theater - from the moment the title credits started rolling, we were all hooked. At the end of the movie, there was a round of applause and even some tears. Was it predictable? Yes. Fabulous clothes and unbelieveable shoes? Mais oui! Girl power? By the bucketload. I totally recommend it - grab some girlfriends and go. It is not so much a date movie though, but it is a total chick flick.

Saturday: Beth's birthday surprise (well sort of). We'd planned to take her to see Avenue Q for her birthday. And it was supposed to be a surprise, but she knew about it anyway. C'est la vie, and it's not like it was any less enjoyable. Off to brunch first, where I continued my quest to find a waffle equalling the ones at Nice Matin. (guess where I will be having breakfast when I am in NYC in a few weeks??). The waffles at Walker Brothers came close, but not quite there. We braved the Edens construction (oy) and got to the theater in good time. Stumbled into a very weird parking garage that was valet even though it was not marked as such. And it closed at 6:00. What kind of parking garage, in the theater district no less, closes its doors at 6:00 on a Saturday?? I ask you,

Avenue Q was the first show I ever saw on Broadway, and it rang especially true for me back when I saw it (it was in 2003 or 2004 I think) - being out of college, trying to make it as an "adult", all that stuff. It was just as good this time around - fun songs, laughs and of course, raunchy puppet sex. The show came to a halt after the "George Bush!" line in the song "For Now" - as I had suspected it would. This is Democrat country, son. Where, as Heidi pointed out, the polls close at 7:00 and the Democrats are awarded victory at 7:05.

Post show we had to haul it out of the parking garage, and we journeyed to Lincoln Park for cupcakes. We went to Swirlz on Belden, for I had heard tell of a banana nutella cupcake and I needed to sample it. Overall, the cupcakes were good, but not totally fantastic. After that, it was off for some good old Chicago style pizza at Lou Malnati's and some girl talk. We have all known each other for so long (in fact, we kind of dazzled these shopkeepers in a store we visited. "You all know each other?" they asked. "Since Kindergarten?!?!" Yes. It is true.) that we just can talk about anything and everything. We are all so old now that we frequently talk about our various ailments (sad, no?) jobs, guys, etc etc. But it was lots of fun. Thanks for listening to me whinge on about MY current ailment and my Web MD obsession (I need an intervention here! It is a terrible habit!) and happy birthday, Beth!

Today - in a matter of hours, I will be off to Naperville with my family. The city is dedicating a park to the memory of my cousin, David Caruso, a Marine killed in combat in Iraq a number of years ago.

And then tomorrow, it will be back to work again.

faith restored (at least for now)

A few things to restore my faith in humanity...

Yesterday I had to go and get some bloodwork done. I had to go to the hospital for it, an outpatient thing. Not a big deal at all, but naturally my hypochondriac sensitivities went into overdrive and I was reaching for a paper bag to hyperventilate in when my name was called. The (cute) tech who was drawing my blood noticed my anxiety as he secured me in the chair (it had a little swinging arm thing that snapped into place, kind of like an amusement park ride. Except a really crappy not fun one.). He noticed huge gobs of white fur on my pants (yes sirree, I am one Klassy Ladee!) and asked if I had pets. We chatted away about cats and he loved the names of my two (Start and Finish). I really appreciated his efforts to take my mind off the huge needle that he was plunging into my arm, so Robert in the Lab of Lutheran General, I thank you very very much. That little bit of kindness made my morning.

This morning, as I waited for the train in the rain, I got good and wet. Soggily, I clamoured on board and looked for a seat. There was not one to be found. Then, a businessman moved some papers off the seat facing him and told me I could sit there, if I wanted to. That little bit of kindness made a wet morning a little happier. So thanks, Metra Man!


** If you are interested, I got a clean bill of health from my test results.

Happy Friday!

I can't stop watching this... For extra points, double click impatiently so that many You Tube windows open at the same time, and she's singing along with herself in stereo.




Thanks Bob! I saw this on your blog and shamelessly bloglifted it for my own...

everybody just say "ah"

Hello, my name is Kristen and I am a hypochondriac ("Hello, Kristen" you chorus). I am also a drama queen. So. When I get sick and I don't improve rapidly to A-game status within oh, about 24 hours, I.FREAK.THE.HELL.OUT. I jump straight onto the computer and attempt symptom analysis on Web MD or MayoClinic.com. Naturally, my mind goes instantly to the bad place. I will scan conditions and try to match their symptoms to mine. (Oh my god! Do I have that? I think I have that! I'm dying! Arrgh!)
I can't be the only person that does this. I think too much about everything and that only makes it worse. I never used to question doctors or the efficacy of antibiotics before. Now I'm all like, "So that's what I've got, huh? How do you KNOW?"

I know this is not healthy for me but I can't help it. I am sick right now and completely freaked out about it because I am kind of uncomfortable and not appearing to improve at the pace I would like. I've also discovered an Immediate Care Center near my office so it is not necessary to schlep out to Niles whenever I get a symptom.

Anyway. I am trying to wean myself away from WebMD, since it's not at all helpful in determining what it is I ACTUALLY have and only makes me feel worse. Let's hope when I see my doctor tomorrow, she will give me more drugs...

elephant = squirrel + toaster

So.... yeeesss. Last night me & the girls braved the elements (not only torrential rains, but also the nutbags and Cubs fans that ride the CTA) to see Eddie Izzard (I would direct you to his website here, but it's apparently disappeared into cyberspace, as I have not been able to access it at all today. Too many jokes at the PC's expense? It is funny, since he even did a bit about updating your computer...and the wonders of Wikipedia.)

I don't know how to explain one of Eddie's shows for people who haven't seen him (and if you haven't seen him - WTF? Go and Netflix his "Dress to Kill" please. I'll wait. You can thank me later.) except he can make things like the title of this post make total sense. Really. It is true. He was on stage for about 2 hours, and it flew by. At the end of the show, I was thinking "Waaah! It can't be over ALREADY!" I could sit there and listen to him for many more hours. I think I laughed the whole time. The act is very stream-of-consciousness but it never seems rambly. It's just completely hillarious. I haven't done him justice in this post, but just trust me, it was a great show. It looked like the theater was pretty well sold (and how he has moved up! The first time we saw him was at the Royal George Theater, very small and intimate. Then he was at the Shubert/LaSalle Bank Theater and now the Chicago Theater!) and the crowd was with him the entire time. He raised the roof just by showing up on stage.

Also, I must give a shout out to the restaurant we went to - La Rosetta on Madison, across from Chase Tower. If you go, order the house rigatoni. The sauce is like crack. I kid you not. Oh, so good...

think inside the box this weekend...

Eddie Izzard at the Chicago Theatre

If you feel like getting some culture, go and check this
out. It's all contemporary choreographers and it's a lot of fun. It features a Blue Man Group-ish, work called Inner Space (guaranteed to have you sitting there scratching your head going "how are they doing that??"). This work features three dancers in a teeny, tiny, plexiglass box (see a picture here

It's Official...

I have seen more Tony-nominated shows this season than I saw Oscar-nominated films. It's only three (Gypsy, Sunday in the Park with George and August:Osage County) but still. I would give you predictions, but I don't feel incredibly qualified and it would all be guessing and general shout outs to people I like.

So we'll just have a giant shout out to people I like instead:

Yay for Gypsy!

Also yay for Chicago Shakespeare Theater who won the Regional Theatre Tony Award. Back in the day, I did several school projects involving them, including a marketing audit and box office review.

I'll have the chicken, please

On Saturday, we're seeing Eddie Izzard!
Watch. Laugh.

Hill no, she won't go!!

So last week the Sun Times printed a headline urging Senator Clinton to drop out of the Presidential race (so much for the impartial writing of the news, huh?). I believe the words emblazoned in the headline were "Give it Up" - I was so tempted to respond to this, but I was not able to put my thoughts down in an eloquent manner, that is, without the liberal use of the word "fuckheads."

Fortunately, a fellow reader put it into words for me:

The best candidate
I'd like to know why you're calling for Sen. Clinton to exit the presidential race. As of today, counting the entire popular vote (that is, the actual people who voted, not some delegate process that few understand and even less approve of), Sen. Obama leads by less than one-half of 1 percent. That's far from a mandate. Sen. Clinton is staying in the race for those of us who believe she's the best candidate -- and there are a lot of us.

Lisa Young, Lincoln Park


I promise I won't veer into political topics very often, but this headline just really pissed me off...

all that and a butterfly vendetta

Vair vair busy weekend. Started off with lovely dinner at Mykonos on Friday with Heidi and Jane. Our quest for cupcakes went unfulfilled, but we found some gelato and planned our farewell to youth trip to Australia (summer of 09, baby! Anyone turning 30 like us or hitting a milestone?? You are welcome to join us...) also planned revenge on a certain incompetent Big A manager (I am Italian, remember. "Io voglio vendetta!" Or, as Heidi put it "Farfalle vendetta!" which means either she has a thing against pasta or a thing against butterflies. As Jen Lancaster said, we are a very vengeful and stabby people. I think she was talking about Sicilians specifically but I think it applies to us all.)

Saturday - hair cut!!! It is back to being dark. And rather than going with the usual, I let Cathy's scissors run wild... She said "You know what I'd love to do on you?" and then she told me and I said "Okay." A hairdresser's dream, really because how many times do customers really give the stylists carte blanche to do whatever? But I felt like a change, so here we are. It's one of those shorter in the back longer in the front things and I am very happy with it. We will see tomorrow if anybody notices. Or if I can get it to look even remotely like it looked when I left the salon.

Also went to drop off the dress for its alterations (finally!) and met up with Heidi and Jane again for yes, cupcakes, and a movie (Baby Mama).

Today I've been alone with my horrible allergies, cleaning my closet and discovering the secret of the universe. Well, fine not really. But I think "discovering the secret of my missing playbills" doesn't sound nearly as exciting. Found one of the Rent ones (no idea where the others are. None.) and also Heidi claims that she went to Cats with me in 2002 with our friend Emily and her (then) boyfrield Mark. Emily? Do you remember this? Did you see Cats? Was I there? This truly does not ring any bells for me. I remember seeing Eddie Izzard together but not Cats.