Yesterday, I started reading "Finishing the Hat" by Stephen Sondheim. This is the first of two volumes of his lyrics and backstory writing and creating each. I started just paging through it, reading through Gypsy, Company, A Little Night Music, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd...
The man is so intelligent, his use of language is amazing(God! The man is God!) and the stories he has in this book are just amazing little pieces of musical theater history. How he surprised Cole Porter with a lyric in "Together Wherever We Go" and how Jerome Robbins wondered "Everything's Coming Up Rose's WHAT?" how "Rose's Turn" grew out of a "dream ballet" concept by Robbins, which he didn't have time to create - absolutely incredible. He also wrote a sidebar, which I found fascinating, about the way that he writes - stretched out on his bed, with a ruled legal pad (with 32 lines, no more, no less) and a very particular kind of pencil.
This morning, I listened to some of these, just to hear the words and the music. I can't wait to dive into the rest of the book.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
illinois state dress...
Found this online: Robin Barcus Slonina is an installation and performance artist working on an ongoing project called "States of Dress." She has been touring the country constructing and modeling her unique dress sculpture in hopes to do one for all 50 states. Take a look at some of her recent creations, and see how they're made on her blog, StateofDress.blogspot.com.
This is the Illinois dress, which was apparently made from 28 dresses purchased from thrift stores in Chicago.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
we've got "a situation"
So. Despite evidence to the contrary, given how I like to prattle away about tv etc on this blog, I am actually not very into "reality" tv. America's Next Top Model and American Idol (although not this season. JLO? Hell NO!)are about it. I don't watch Survivor, the Amazing Race, The Apprentice, The Biggest Loser, or any of those network shows. Needless to say, I don't watch any of the trashy cable ones either (I don't have cable. So it is possible I COULD be sitting around watching "Rock of Love" or whatever if I had the means, motive and opportunity.)
If this is the case, there should be absolutely no reason why I should know about Mike "the Situation" Sorrentino, and "Snooki" and Sammi "Sweetheart" and any of those other guidos/guidettes who hang around on Jersey Shore. Mind you, I don't know what they actually DO on Jersey Shore, but whatever.
Yet here we are. (I don't live under a rock after all!)
Anyway - the Situation is on Dancing with the Stars. When I heard the cast line up I was like "WHAT?" I mean, half of the cast on that show are NOT STARS (Bristol Palin! Arrrghhh!)
But - you want to know a secret?? I kind of LIKE the Situation. No, he can't really dance. But he seems to be trying and he's kind of cute and hilarious, so.... my mom and I cast our first votes of the season... and we voted for him and Karina. Yes, it is true. Don't judge me.
Also? I thought I would hate Bristol, too, but I don't. She, too, seems to be trying and doing really well, for someone who's never danced before. All of last year's flash mob business taught me how hard it is to learn a routine.
Before you all go calling emergency services to check my sanity levels (laughable, by the way), don't worry. I didn't suddenly turn into a republican. We didn't cast any votes for Bristol.
One more thing - Florence Henderson, you are not fooling anybody! I saw you on Seth's video of the Brady Bunch Variety show or whatever the heck it was called! You can dance, girl!
If this is the case, there should be absolutely no reason why I should know about Mike "the Situation" Sorrentino, and "Snooki" and Sammi "Sweetheart" and any of those other guidos/guidettes who hang around on Jersey Shore. Mind you, I don't know what they actually DO on Jersey Shore, but whatever.
Yet here we are. (I don't live under a rock after all!)
Anyway - the Situation is on Dancing with the Stars. When I heard the cast line up I was like "WHAT?" I mean, half of the cast on that show are NOT STARS (Bristol Palin! Arrrghhh!)
But - you want to know a secret?? I kind of LIKE the Situation. No, he can't really dance. But he seems to be trying and he's kind of cute and hilarious, so.... my mom and I cast our first votes of the season... and we voted for him and Karina. Yes, it is true. Don't judge me.
Also? I thought I would hate Bristol, too, but I don't. She, too, seems to be trying and doing really well, for someone who's never danced before. All of last year's flash mob business taught me how hard it is to learn a routine.
Before you all go calling emergency services to check my sanity levels (laughable, by the way), don't worry. I didn't suddenly turn into a republican. We didn't cast any votes for Bristol.
One more thing - Florence Henderson, you are not fooling anybody! I saw you on Seth's video of the Brady Bunch Variety show or whatever the heck it was called! You can dance, girl!
Monday, October 11, 2010
a new argentina...
Seth's deconstruction of this moment put this danged song in my head for the rest of the weekend! Thanks a lot!
A-mah-zing? A-mah-zing!
Saturday night, I brought mom to see Seth Rudetsky's Deconstructing Broadway at a very small and obscure theater space in Highland Park. Let me say right here that my mom is usually up for pretty much anything, and is typically willing to come along when I say things like "I'm getting tickets for (fill in the blank)! Mark your calendar!" The exception to this, when mom puts her foot down with a firm hand (tip of the hat to YOOOOUUU, Louise Rennison!) is German Opera (unless of course Renee or Bryn are involved) after the massive suckfest that was Lyric's Die Frau withoutzen einen shadow. I've dragged her along to see Patti (on many occasion), Audra McDonald, Kelli O'Hara, Betty Buckley, most recently Sutton Foster, etc etc etc and she's loved all of them. So thanks, mom!
Back to Seth. This teeny tiny theater space was so ill-lit and unmarked that we drove right by it. Damn, downtown Highland Park is DARK in the evenings! We drove right by it and went on for a while, trying to find an address on one of the buildings. We turned around, and I saw a (small) sign with Seth's face on it. Sometimes it is a good thing to be reallyreallyreally early, as I tend to be. It was a totally random crowd - mainly (older) North Shore Types who all seemed to know each other? The people who sat in front of us were greeted, no joke, by practically every person who came in. The space was small - it sat (maybe?) 100 people. They advertised their next show - some You Tube "sensation" that I'd never heard of before, and had no idea why anyone would pay good money to see her? She looked awful. Is there something I am not getting? The rest of the audience was in stitches over the preview of her "show".
Anyway, I had seen Seth do his deconstructions on You Tube, and I also read his Playbill columns almost religiously. On a whim during a trip to NYC a few years ago, I picked up his novel "Broadway Nights" - so I was looking forward to seeing him do his thing live. I didn't quite know how to explain the show to my mom or really to anyone else before seeing it. Now that we've seen it, I will do my best to elaborate. Deconstruct the deconstructions, as it were.
Seth is a musician and an actor and a lover of all things broadway. He's interviewed all the broadway stars on his sirius xm radio show, and has worked with a bunch of them too, so he's got amazing stories. He explained to us what "belting" is, and how singers use their head and chest voices. He demonstrates, with the use of recordings and videos, with hilarious results. In the show, he compared Patti singing a phrase of "Rainbow High" (A-mah-zing!) from Evita with Madonna from the movie (also A-mah-zing in a total trainwreck can't look away kind of way), singing the same phrase (specifically: "I'm their SAVIOR, that's what they call me..."), some of the Brady Bunch variety hour (HA!), Cher singing West Side Story (OMG, that was on TV??), Aretha Franklin giving some funk to "I dreamed a dream" from Les Mis (for real!), lessons on riffing, psychic deconstructing, and the final lesson, AP Deconstructing. The biggest laugh of the night went to an audience member for mispronouncing the word chutzpah. Seth looked shocked and and said something like "You're in Highland Park and you don't know how to pronounce this word?!" Good thing the audience was friendly, or else poor Gary the Audience Member would have been left to the same fate as the poor von trapp kid who hit a clam on the "La" syllable (Seth's guess was that the rest of the cast was so mad at his awful singing that they all converged on him and ate him).
I (rather geekishly) brought my copy of Broadway Nights with me and had the chance to ask Seth to sign it after the show. Hooray!
Back to Seth. This teeny tiny theater space was so ill-lit and unmarked that we drove right by it. Damn, downtown Highland Park is DARK in the evenings! We drove right by it and went on for a while, trying to find an address on one of the buildings. We turned around, and I saw a (small) sign with Seth's face on it. Sometimes it is a good thing to be reallyreallyreally early, as I tend to be. It was a totally random crowd - mainly (older) North Shore Types who all seemed to know each other? The people who sat in front of us were greeted, no joke, by practically every person who came in. The space was small - it sat (maybe?) 100 people. They advertised their next show - some You Tube "sensation" that I'd never heard of before, and had no idea why anyone would pay good money to see her? She looked awful. Is there something I am not getting? The rest of the audience was in stitches over the preview of her "show".
Anyway, I had seen Seth do his deconstructions on You Tube, and I also read his Playbill columns almost religiously. On a whim during a trip to NYC a few years ago, I picked up his novel "Broadway Nights" - so I was looking forward to seeing him do his thing live. I didn't quite know how to explain the show to my mom or really to anyone else before seeing it. Now that we've seen it, I will do my best to elaborate. Deconstruct the deconstructions, as it were.
Seth is a musician and an actor and a lover of all things broadway. He's interviewed all the broadway stars on his sirius xm radio show, and has worked with a bunch of them too, so he's got amazing stories. He explained to us what "belting" is, and how singers use their head and chest voices. He demonstrates, with the use of recordings and videos, with hilarious results. In the show, he compared Patti singing a phrase of "Rainbow High" (A-mah-zing!) from Evita with Madonna from the movie (also A-mah-zing in a total trainwreck can't look away kind of way), singing the same phrase (specifically: "I'm their SAVIOR, that's what they call me..."), some of the Brady Bunch variety hour (HA!), Cher singing West Side Story (OMG, that was on TV??), Aretha Franklin giving some funk to "I dreamed a dream" from Les Mis (for real!), lessons on riffing, psychic deconstructing, and the final lesson, AP Deconstructing. The biggest laugh of the night went to an audience member for mispronouncing the word chutzpah. Seth looked shocked and and said something like "You're in Highland Park and you don't know how to pronounce this word?!" Good thing the audience was friendly, or else poor Gary the Audience Member would have been left to the same fate as the poor von trapp kid who hit a clam on the "La" syllable (Seth's guess was that the rest of the cast was so mad at his awful singing that they all converged on him and ate him).
I (rather geekishly) brought my copy of Broadway Nights with me and had the chance to ask Seth to sign it after the show. Hooray!
Friday, October 08, 2010
the diva dishes
From Entertainment Weekly... Oh, Patti, I am still eating this dish up with a SPOON! (And no, I am not on her payroll!*)
Some highlights from the article:
Don’t cry for Patti LuPone. Broadway’s original Evita is back on stage this fall and belting out stories about her long, tumultuous career in a juicy new memior. Note to Andrew Lloyd Weber: Take cover.
LuPone on when Andrew Lloyd Webber—the composer producer who made her a star in Evita—publicly fired her in favor of Glenn Close: “Do I think Glenn Close was complicit in what happened to me? But what I do know is that from the time she was announced, I never heard from her.”
Even 15 years later, she’s still sour on Sir Andrew: “I’m never going to work with him again. It was a cruel experience.”
On her reputation as a diva preceding her: “It’s been since Evita, so it’s been—what?—30 odd years? But they want you to be a bitch.”
On her famously demanding backstage behavior: “I never asked them to change the color of my wig or to kiss and wash my feet. I was always just asking for the things we needed to help us get on stage. It’s always been about the show.”
On David Mamet: “There’s a danger to his work. I love that moment where I can say, ‘I’m here—not in a play.’”
Looking back: “It’s been a hard career, it’s been a phenomenal career. It’s been incredibly interesting, it’s been incredibly difficult. As David Mamet once said, the universe is unfolding as it should.”
* Patti! I will totally be on your payroll!! Call me! ;)
broadway deconstructed
Tomorrow night:
DECONSTRUCTING BROADWAY
COMES TO CHICAGO
Seth Rudetsky's bringing his own private video and audio collection to show you how to differentiate between what’s vocally amazing (Patti LuPone in EVITA) and what’s a vocal travesty (Madonna singing the same material). Gavin Creel, Betty Buckley, The Mamas and the Papas, Carly Simon, The Pajama Game, Melba Moore…ALL will be deconstructed. Video highlights (lowlights?) include the mercifully short-lived BRADY BUNCH VARIETY HOUR and Cher singing all the roles in WEST SIDE STORY. Believe or not, you’ll see it!
Friday Oct 8th and Saturday Oct 9th (sold out!) at 8PM
The Music Theatre Company Space
1850 Green Bay Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
I am a big fan of Seth and all his works (Playbill, Sirius XM radio, the really awesome Tony's opening number he wrote that included Rosie O'Donnell, Betty Buckley, Patti LuPone and Jennifer Holliday, etc etc) and so I am looking forward to seeing this, even though I have NO IDEA where "The Music Theatre Company Space" happens to be.
DECONSTRUCTING BROADWAY
COMES TO CHICAGO
Seth Rudetsky's bringing his own private video and audio collection to show you how to differentiate between what’s vocally amazing (Patti LuPone in EVITA) and what’s a vocal travesty (Madonna singing the same material). Gavin Creel, Betty Buckley, The Mamas and the Papas, Carly Simon, The Pajama Game, Melba Moore…ALL will be deconstructed. Video highlights (lowlights?) include the mercifully short-lived BRADY BUNCH VARIETY HOUR and Cher singing all the roles in WEST SIDE STORY. Believe or not, you’ll see it!
Friday Oct 8th and Saturday Oct 9th (sold out!) at 8PM
The Music Theatre Company Space
1850 Green Bay Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
I am a big fan of Seth and all his works (Playbill, Sirius XM radio, the really awesome Tony's opening number he wrote that included Rosie O'Donnell, Betty Buckley, Patti LuPone and Jennifer Holliday, etc etc) and so I am looking forward to seeing this, even though I have NO IDEA where "The Music Theatre Company Space" happens to be.
does she live in a pineapple under the sea?
No silly! She's in a Top Model photo shoot! This incredibly fierce shot of Ann (best picture. Four.Weeks.In.A.Row. Can we say unstoppable? Modelicious? FIERCE? "Sooooo Italian Vogue"?) was taken by Matthew Rolston in an inspired Mermaid-themed shoot. Stunning!
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Patti LuPone on the Verge of Another Opening
Patti LuPone on the Verge of Another Opening
The Diva Tells it Like It Is in the pages of Time Magazine (and also this week's Entertainment Weekly with the Social Network cover).
Love it!
The Diva Tells it Like It Is in the pages of Time Magazine (and also this week's Entertainment Weekly with the Social Network cover).
Love it!
Monday, October 04, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
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)...
Sunday, September 26, 2010
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...
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...
Friday, September 24, 2010
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...
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!)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
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
Thoroughly talented Sutton :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Hedy Weiss
Monday, September 20, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
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.
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