The Patti LuPoser...

http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Photo_Op.aspx?ci=538221

So. I know she's a fan. I know she loves The Patti. I know this was Lonny Price's idea.
I KNOW.

But I don't know what I think about this whole thing. I am very on the fence. And it happened to be troubling me all day, so I thought I'd talk about it. And basically talking about it involves... yeah. I don't know.

There ya go. Talk amongst yourselves. I've got a DIVA to beautify for.

Mental Health Half Day (or, I love a parade part 2)

Can a fresh, zenlike state of mind really be achieved in a half day off work?? I left the office at 12, and grabbed a quick lunch. It's a little chilly today, but the sun is shining.... It's one of those days I used to enjoy back before I had my car accident... gorgeous day, windows open, music blasting.... just wanted to enjoy the day and drive around. (With gas under 3 bucks again, this is a less expensive endeavor than it was over the summer.)

Stopped at Niles West to say hello to my favorite IRC staff members, and lo, it was homecoming! So I went and watched the homecoming parade. When I was a senior, I was actually in the parade, on the choir float. We actually MADE a float, with chicken wire and everything. The theme of the dance was.... well, hell if I remember what it was, but our float had the emerald city and we all dressed up like the wizard of oz. We didn't even WIN the stupid float contest (and we were the only REAL float! the others were pickup trucks with signs on them. seriously!) We weren't on the float for the judging and I think they didn't understand what the thing was suppsed to be. Hello?? Emerald city!!

Where did that come from?? Sorry. We were talking about achieving zen in a few short hours. Went for a manicure - which is a great way to relax while someone else makes you look pretty. My manicurist is really nice, and she likes to chat - she tells me all sorts of stuff. Last time she told me all about how her mother died because she'd gotten pregnant again and had to get a quickie abortion in a back alley somewhere. And keep in mind, this was only the second time we'd met!! Today, she told me about her boyfriend (who really sounds like the cable guy from Seinfeld... the one who puts cable in different rooms? On the down-low? The opposite of legal?). Oh fun times indeed. I should have gotten my hair done too, in preparation for the Divine Diva outing tonight, but I didn't think of it. Drat. So my hands look fantastic, but my hair, as usual, looks like crap.

So it's been a great afternoon. Every so often I want to jump up and down, singing "I'm not at Wooo-rkkkk right now!! I'm not at woo--rrrkkk right now!" But don't worry. I'm at home and not singing and dancing in public. And the best is yet to come - Renee!!! Am killing time before getting ready...........

More tomorrow......

What's that smell?

No, it's not the office fridge... Ohh, I know what it is. It's my pants. I think they're on fire.
Okay, okay, I didn't LIE about the film festival. We had tickets. We were gonna go. But at around 4, my friend calls me, from work. She's not feeling well, there's the beginning of a migrane starting, she didn't want me to trek down there (ticketless) and not have her end up going. She was feeling badly enough that we didn't end up going at all. Truth told, I wasn't feeling that great either, and I didn't mind sitting at home, watching Grey's Anatomy. (That Meredith. Does anyone else just want to slap her silly? Why can't it be called "O'Malley's Anatomy?" Ohh, that sounds kinda dirty.... Ah.... That's another post. I digress.) If there's something coming on, I'd rather rest and not risk anything coming between me and seeing The Diva.

That's right. Ms. Renee Fleming, live and in person TONIGHT (in about 3 hours) at Lyric Opera of Chicago (www.lyricopera.org) So, even though I was excited about seeing the movie, it's really all good.

I think...A Film...

Going here tonight to see "Stranger Than Fiction" with Emma Thompson, Will Farrell and Dustin Hoffman. I've never been to the film festival before, despite the fact that it is fairly conveniently located, so that will be fun. AND, I love all of these actors, and the movie sounds cute (got 3 stars in the Chicago Tribune today... www.chicagotribune.com)

She Was Swell...

Continuing my coursework in Divas 101 (for my major of Broadway Studies, naturally), I attended a Bernadette Peters concert last night. Even though I had glimpsed Ms. Peters at Broadway Barks a few years ago, I had not had the pleasure of seeing her live... until last night.

I had been aware of Bernadette before, but it was not until recently that I began paying more attention to what she's done, listening to her cds and watching her dvds (again, thanks to the tutelage of my most excellent teachers.) I really found myself liking her voice and admiring her acting skills (like in Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George) and of course, the hair. (I wonder what shampoo she uses?? hahahahhaha.)

We had an eventful drive to Naperville (inadvertantly blew through an IPass Lane - but the IPass is in the other car.... oops. Now we are toll-way scofflaws!) but managed to find the North Central campus and parking and the building and Kari without any trouble. Even claimed the tickets without any trouble.

Can I just sidebar here for a minute and say what a total mess the ticket buying experience was? A waiting list and everything... Then, I got the tickets while pretending to be Sarah but gave MY credit card number - and they didn't even ask about the name on the credit card or anything. Nice to know it was just that easy. And then, I picked up the tickets and they just handed them over... I'd been worried they'd ask to see the credit card. But no. Here you go and enjoy the show! Well, thanks, guys... What's with these colleges? We had similar difficulties buying tickets at Dominican. And they had NO excuse, as they put on these shows every year.....

We now return to the regularly scheduled post.

Bernadette was fantastic. She looks completely amazing anyway, but last night she was stunning in a (what I am sure was) Bob Macke dress. She sang everything from "Let Me Entertain You" to tunes from South Pacific, Mack and Mabel, Song and dance, and OF COURSE music by the master and "our national treasure" Stephen Sondheim. She lounged on top of the piano for a smokin' hot "Fever" and sang "O Shenendoah" with just the piano. There was no intermission (good thing too. I'd been planning my escape route to the teeny tiny restroom and saw a long wait in my future.)

The whole second part of the show was dedicated to SJS, and she sang "Children Will Listen"
"No one is Alone" "Not a Day Goes By" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy." One of my favorites was "Being Alive" - I just love love love love that song, and she just belts it out. She is, in fact, very versatile - she surprises you when you're not looking for it, with her range. All of a sudden she goes high, and it's like WOW. There's a lot of power there, and she just went for it. Brava.

THEN, just when I thought it couldn't get any better, it did. She made like she was leaving the stage, then came back and said, "Let's talk about Gypsy." We can talk about whatever you want, Bern. I was hoping she'd do "Some People" but she gave us one even better.

She did Rose's Turn - Oh. My. God. When I was prepping for going to see Gypsy at Ravinia this summer, I listened to Bernadette's recording non-stop. Sarah showed me the Tony awards clip where Bernadette performed Rose's Turn and brought the house down, and I was thinking, Damn, I wish I could have seen her. She gave a little taste of what her Mama Rose was like, and it was phenomenal. Like, Phuh-Nomenal. WOW.

She didn't want to leave it on that note, so she sang "Count your blessings." We were on our feet. It got the Mama Caruso stamp of approval. She sez to me as we are putting on our coats, "She was wonderful." And I'm glad. I mean, I was pretty sure she'd enjoy herself, but I didn't want to have dragged her out to Naperville only to have her not enjoy it.

We weren't going to wait by the stage door - we had a long drive back, but suddenly, I really just wanted to. So we stood out there with a handful of other people (including the Karens). There were three really amusing high school age fans out there - very loud and chatty and bursting with excitement (I am sure everyone knows the type I'm talking about here.) They took pictures of Bernadette's limo, pictures with her limo driver, and then, he opened the door to the car and was letting them look inside. So they took pictures with the three of them hovering around the open limo door AND pictures of the limo interior. The driver offered to let them sit in it for ten bucks, but none of them took him up on it .It cracked me up. Aw, just too cute. We even had "spies" from inside coming out to give us Bernadette movement updates ("Okay, so she just went upstairs to the meet and greet....") Finally she came out - the driver had said she wasn't feeling well, and that he was surprised she'd stayed as long as she had. She signed things and took pictures, then piled into her limo and was off. I was happy to have basked in the warm glow of her presence for a few extra minutes and my mom and I headed off for our long drive back home.

I am happy to report that we paid all of our tolls on the way home and did not get lost at all (which believe me is a crowning achievement).

A big huge shout out and thanks to Sarah for being so quick on the uptake and getting on the ticket waiting list and THEN allowing me to use her name to procure tickets even though she was not able to come. We missed you! Also, it is because of Sarah that I even wanted to go in the first place, and now I seem to have acquired another diva. Thanks for that, too. My ticket vault manager and my banker (not at B of A, in case anyone was wondering... I go to Chase) would like to have a word with you, by the way....

my life has suddenly become more complicated

and i am not talking about the tuesday night tv schedule here, either (but i mean, really. what's a TiVo-less girl to do? sorry, sorry, i digress). It was a long, long day at work. i completed a totally hellish proposal that i've been working on in fits and starts all week. if we don't get this one after all this, i'll.... well, i'll be relieved actually, since i have no time to deal with the clients i've already got, never mind suddenly acquiring new ones.

funny moment this morning though. we're all sitting around doing our work (or something), and suddenly: WHOOSH and crackle crackle crackle crackle, like someone's turned on a tv to the static channel. It's coming from the vents. I stood up and kind of hovered by my desk. i noticed my colleagues hanging around, all of us like what the hell?? then, as one person, we all move towards the sound of the noise. Not very bright, since we didn't know what it was or where it was coming from. Toxic gas, maybe, or perhaps an imminent explosion of the copier? We all decided it probably wasn't a good idea to get any closer, so we all hung out in the corridor wondering what to do. Naturally, "coffee break" was the idea that won out and a bunch of us left the office for a little bit. It was so gosh darned noisy in there (and COLD) who could work in those conditions? That was the story, anyway. In the end, someone from the building came to see what was going on and the noise stopped and we all got back to business. Coffee break is over, guys. . Never a dull moment, anyway.

This week's been nuts, but i was able to be at my desk without being on the phone or running around by the copier (which might be ready to explode) and that meant i finally had the chance to listen to some music at my desk and i was listening to Audra's new cd, which i like a lot. I DETEST John Mayer and his little whiny whispy voice that sounds like he's restraining his throat - it's got this weird, almost masked sound, and I keep waiting for him to bust out and SING already, but he never does. Anyway, he's got a lot of good songs, and I've tried really hard to like him, but I just can't do it. But I hope he and Jessica are very happy together. Whatever. I only bring him up because Audra does a great version of 'My Stupid Mouth' on her new cd and I think it's my favorite track on the disc.

On to the afternoon. Out for lunch, more work, etc etc etc. And then - I had to get in my car and go down to school. It was the first time this particular car traveled that particular route. (Kind of weird, and I still get behind the wheel and say a little mantra of 'please don't let me get hit today, please don't let me get hit today.') But hello, I hear you asking, didn't you graduate? Well, I'm still writing my thesis. For a long time, I've been like, "Oh, I've gotta do my thesis." In a kind of distant way, like, oh yes, I'm writing my thesis. I've got it all planned. I've got a proposal. I've got a committee. The committee's got the proposal, you know. It's in committee. And now comes the realization: I've actually got to write the thing. Sounds obvious, I know, but I just wasn't prepared for that. As my favorite author Marian Keyes (more on her later someday) said in one of her books, "I don't live in fantasy land, but I am a frequent visitor." I was just going around, lalalala, off in the happy Land of the Divas (like the Valley of the Dolls, but with better music) and suddenly - reality check. Gawd, I hate when that happens.

Met with my advisor today, and he actually did some advising. Uncharacteristically helpful, he was, but this is more important stuff than the other stuff I'd talked to him about in the past. Maybe this is the beginning of a whole new relationship. One where he actually does some advising. Sometimes I wonder how colleges even function with the amount of crap that really goes on. Seriously. We mapped it out, and now I've gotta do research. It's supposed to be finished in June (insert hollow laughter here.) we'll just see about that. It's going to be about audience development in symphony orchestras, and I'm going to talk to people at actual orchestras and see what they're up to. I'm gonna rope some people I work with into helping me out with their connections. Oh, I've got plans for some of you (begins with The and ends with 'eg'.) Naturally, I will come over here and bitch my head off about it so there will be lots of writing to look forward to.

Oh, and in other news, I've decided to take up tap dancing. No, really. Stop laughing (Sarah). I can't do the voice class this time because of a time conflict, but I really really wanna dance. And you know what Audrey Hepburn says in that Gap ad "If a girl wants to dahnce, a girl wants to dahnce!" So I'm signing up. I'm sure lots of writing will come out of that, too (since I've never danced before in my entire life. even as a little girl.)

Stay tuned. It's gonna be an interesting couple of months coming up...

The Talented Ms. Peters...

It's only Wednesday, and I am looking forward to the weekend... I am seeing Bernadette for the first time!!


Then, I PROMISE I will talk about it a whole bunch.

It's All About The Voice

This evening, as my mom and I were sitting around the kitchen, watching Dancing with the Stars (as a former Cowboys fan, I just LOVE watching Emmit Smith dance! Yeah!) when a preview came on for some movie with (the lovely) Hugh Jackman.

Sez I: "I love Hugh Jackman."
Michael Caine is also in the movie, and we watched the preview for a bit (see how I don't even know what the name of the movie is? Too busy swooning over Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale.

Sez my mom: "I love Michael Caine." Pause. "I love his voice."
Then I say, "You know whose voice I really love? Alan Alda." (strange but true.) We both considered this statement, were like, "Huh." and went back to watching the show.

I guess I really get drawn by a voice - there are so many examples where I like listening to a singer or an actor just because of their voice, the emotion there, the tone, just the sound. I am sure that says something, somehow, some important message about something, if I could only be bothered to figure out just what it means... I've always been stirred by a powerful voice. Usually, I also find I am interested in unusual voices.

Since then, I've been thinking of other actors whose voices I really love.... I know several people who will kick me out of Diva School for admitting this, but I not only own the Phantom of the Opera movie and the soundtrack, I've got "Music of the Night" on my iPod so I can have the yummy Gerry Butler sing to me whenever I want.... (It's a horrible movie. I admit it. ALW is completely on the Dead list. But it is very very nice to look at. ) So Gerry's on the list... Hmmmm. I know there are others. I am a big sucker for the English family of accents - too.

I am sure there are more that I am not thinking of right now and I am kind of on a rambling spree, so I will shut up and go to sleep now. Tomorrow is another day to ponder those great voices....

Time for a Mental Health Day?

Today's Horoscope: "Today is a -2. Your cat will wake you up at an ungodly hour by throwing up all over the place. At work, everyone will throw stuff at you, without giving you sufficient time to complete the tasks, assuming that you have the power to do 20 things at once, AND the office kitchen will have acquired a funky smell, the source of which is unkknown. And nobody's gonna clean it out.... Really, just don't get out of bed today."

Okay, so it didn't really say that. My plan is to take a 'Mental Health Day' next Friday and spend the day in preparation for The Diva. Behold, the healing power of Renee.

Reasons Why I *Heart* Fall

This is why I am looking forward to fall this year:
1. The fall wardrobe: cute jackets (and we all know how I have a 'thing' for jackets!) and boots!
2. Sleeping with my comforter
3. Being able to dismantle my fan trifecta until next summer!
4. Weather - not too hot, not too cold, and NO SNOW
5. Starbucks Seasonal Coffee - Hellooo, toffee nut latte!
6. The Return of The Honey Crisp Apple.
7. New fall tv lineups....

I am sure there are more... but for now, I am enjoying my FIRST Honey Crisp apple of the season...

Ewwww....

Eat a roach, be first in line at Six Flags in Gurnee
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GURNEE — Why wait in line when you can just eat a cockroach?That's the question Six Flags Great America is asking its thrill seekers during its Halloween-themed FrightFest. The amusement park is daring customers to eat a live Madagascar hissing cockroach in exchange for unlimited line-jumping privileges.

The promotion, which has Lake County Health Department officials shaking their heads, starts Oct. 7.Anyone who chows down the entire 2- to 3-inch horned cockroach gets a pass for four people to cut to the front of ride lines through Oct. 29.Park officials insist it's safe to eat the crunchy critters, but health officials are cautioning participants.Consuming live roaches might increase risks of gastrointestinal illness and allergies, according to Bill Mays, Lake County Health Department's community health director.Cockroach eaters will have to sign waivers and still pay admission fees, said Six Flags spokesman James Taylor.The bug buffet continues with a cooked roach eating contest Oct. 13 — Friday, Oct. 13.Taylor says he's hoping someone can beat the 2001 Guinness Book of World Records feat in which a British man downed 36 cockroaches.``I've heard people say, 'Wow,' 'Ew,' a lot of one-worders,'' Taylor said. ``A lot have said that they wouldn't eat a cockroach, but they sure would like to see someone else do it.''

Do they really think this is going to work??? Seems a little desperate to me. I've never been to Great America. I have no opposition to it, or anything, but I AM a wimp, and so it just seemed like kind of a waste of money to go and play skee-ball or ride the merry-go-round or what have you. Anyway. I wouldn't eat roaches for anyone - lest of all to jump a line at Great America. You'd have to give me free admission for life, or something...

All McBreakfast, All the Time

At her concert at Ravinia a few Sundays ago, Audra McDonald shared a story with the audience. It was a total non-sequitor, and she admitted she didn't know why she was sharing it with us. All she knew was that it had been bouncing around in her head for a while and, following the logic that the best way to get something out of one's own head is to put it into as many other heads as possible, told us the following:

A friend of hers was at a McDonald's in New York. "I'd like McGriddles, please," he said to the girl behind the counter. Wordlessly, she shook her head. Maybe she hadn't heard him? "I'd like McGriddles, please," he said again and again, she just shook her head. "Excuse me," he said, starting to get angry, "I'd like to order a McGriddles!"

The counter girl sighed and looked at the clock "You wan' McGriddles, I wan' McGriddles, all these peoples wan' McGriddles," she told him. "But not after 10:00!"

Apparently this happened a lot - that it could be two minutes after 10, and not a single McGriddle or Egg McMuffin could be sold. McDonald's is now thinking about serving McBreakfasts all day. This story was in the Sun Times today www.suntimes.com (go and read some news, it's good for you) and it made me think of Audra's story.

But I don't WANNA be a pirate...

Ahoy! (who you callin' a hoy??) It's National Talk Like a Pirate Day! Arrrrrrghhhh!
Don't believe me? Well, it's true: www.talklikeapirate.com


Yohoho and a bottle of rum!
Savvy??

That's all I've got... now we need National Dress Like a Pirate Day!

Awww, yeeaahhhh!

Ah, the fall tv season! How do I love thee, let me count the ways...

Last night was the premiere of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), but I didn't watch the full 2 hours. Needed to watch House. After I got past the name of the small boy who was the focus of this week's episode (Clancy!?!?! Didja ever?? Why would you name a child - even a fictional one - Clancy!?!? Of all things! It's no "Pilot Inspektor" (what is??) but it's up there as One of The Worst Names Ever. Now I've lost the flow of my original sentence!) it was a very very good episode. I have loved Hugh Laurie since I saw him in Sense and Sensibility. Watched him in "Peter's Friends" and the comedy show he did with Steven Fry (or Stephen Fry? Don't remember now) and I even read his book. Whoever decided to give him a series is a complete genius. It's a great show - zippy writing, appropriate levels of medical stuff (really creepy and bizarre interesting medical stuff, too) but some character stuff happening too. Sometimes I think the House doctors should meet the Grey's Anatomy interns... House would have lots of fun with them, I am sure...

And then.... Dancing with the Stars. They use "stars" in the loosest sense of the term. This season we've got Jerry Springer, a former Miss America, Vivica A. Fox, Joey Lawrence... I love it all. I love the ridiculous costumes and the cheesy music and the HOUR LONG results shows. I really love the judges. Bruno always says the funniest things, and sometimes even Len gets a little dig in. I am not sure why all these shows decided they all needed a narky British guy as a judge, but he's just perfect. A dapper and more polite Simon Cowell. And I don't think Simon dances! I didn't see the performance of the two that got booted this week, so I wasn't terribly upset that they got cut. I already have a few favorites though. That's just the way it goes...

Next week is the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy and it looks like lots of fun....

Get Your Dance On...

Since American Idol has become officially Dead to Me, I have turned my reality tv attention to America's Next Top Model, and Dancing with the Stars. Totally mindless entertainment, complete guilty pleasures and so much fun.

So get your dance on!
http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancing/

Awesome Audra

Went to Ravinia last night for one of the final performances of the summer season - Ms. Audra McDonald. It was my first time seeing Audra, and she was tremendous... but before I get to that...

The rest of the evening is a story in itself. Mom and I turned up at the Park WAY WAY too early. It was a gray, cold, rainy evening, and although it was almost 5:30, the parking lot was nearly deserted. Not even an attendant on hand to collect the money. So we parked free. As I said later, we could have set up shop ourselves and collected parking money and no one would have known the difference. Just a thought... So, we thought we'd grab a bite and sit in the cafe until showtime.

Well, it would have worked out fine, had the cafes been open. All of them were closed except for one kiosk at the front. We got some "hot chocolate" (really just hot flavored water) and panini and went back into the car. It felt like a stakeout - the two of us hunkered in the car, watching people and making up amusing little stories about them to pass the time.

Took a brief turn around the (mostly empty) lawn. There were a few (foolish) souls out there. Honestly. If I'd just had lawn tickets I would not have gone. Too cold, and wet to sit on the ground. If it had been in the pavillion, you could at least go and crowd around the edge to see the show. But Audra was in the Martin Theater, and so the lawn people couldn't even peer in to see her. I would not have been on the lawn last night for anybody. Not even Patti or Renee. Apparently the love knows bounds - however, the love also leads me to buy early and often for those two, so I would not have been stuck on the lawn in the first place!

Anyway. Audra came on - I didn't know what to expect, I just knew I liked her voice - and she did not disappoint. She sang an ecclectic program - Laura Nyro, Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, John Mayer, and in between songs was chatty, and funny and charming. I really liked her and so did mom (a relief because I dragged her there and made her sit in the car and have a subpar dinner... some night out!).

Will definitely be checking out her new album....

Always Remember...

September 11, 2006

Ticket Vault Review...

A look ahead at what we've got to look forward to:

Tonight - Audra McDonald at Ravinia (my first time seeing Audra!)
September 30 - Bernadette Peters at North Central College (well, hopefully, anyway)
October 6 - Renee Fleming Subscriber Appreciation Concert at Lyric Opera
October 14 - Operathon - everybody tune in to WFMT!!
October 23 - Iphigenie with Susan Graham at Lyric Opera of Chicago (happy belated Susan Graham day!)
November 6 - Salome with Debbie Voigt at Lyric
November 13 - Il Trovatore at Lyric (Most likely will be changed due to:)
November 14 - Patti LuPone "Coulda Shoulda Woulda" at Symphony Center - JCC benefit
November 27th - Romeo et Juliette at Lyric
December 18 - Fledermaus at Lyric

Lusting after these tickets for this year: Into the Woods at the Marriott Lincolnshire and The Pirate Queen...

January 29 - Turandot at Lyric
February 17th - Renee and Dmitri in Eugene Onegin at the Met
(will hopefully also score tickets to some other shows while in NYC, desperately wanting to see Company and A Chorus Line...)

February 19 - Cosi Fan Tutte (possibly subject to change, depending on NYC itinerary.) at Lyric
March 5 - Carmelites at Lyric

Hmmm. We will need to get working on the spring.... Mental note to self: need to sweet talk the banker!

A Red Letter Day

Yesterday's horoscope was an 8 and make no mistake about it:

- It was good foodwise: french vanilla coffee in the AM and a chipotle burrito bowl for lunch
- I (finally) got a thesis committee (ALLELUJAH!)
- I (finally) overcame my writer's block and shot off some emails I'd been meaning to send

AND

- I got tickets to see Patti in November!!! It is for a JCC benefit, and this now means I will be getting solicitation materials from them until the day I die (or move house) but whatever!

God That's Good!

So, here it is. The long awaited Sweeney post. I had JUST gotten into the writing flow and I got kicked offline (thus the valuable lesson of the previous post). Now I have to reconstruct what I said before, after spending too much time ruminating over just the right words to express my thoughts about the last Sweeney. I finally realized that there is never going to be a good time to sit down and write, the words are never going to be perfect. So, sez I, what the hell? (it really IS the answer to many of life's most difficult questions...) It may not be perfect, but here goes.

Team Sweeney (myself, Kari and Sarah, AKA The Most Fabulous Women on the Planet) reported to the O'Neill twice last week - a rainy Friday night (with our umbrellas, but sadly not with our sexy farmgirl hats...) and then Sunday for the main event. We had front row seats. I was over the moon (thank you, Sarah!) to be so close. Best behavior required, of course. No eating, sleeping, slouching, fidgeting, or passing around our bottle of JD (haha, just kidding) or else you risk Incurring the Wrath of The Patti (and no one want to do that). The atmosphere in the theater was supercharged. It seemed as though most of the audience had been there before and wanted to be part of the last night, and everyone was full of anxious anticipation. Our hearts were aflutter. We got The Front Row Talking To - I couldn't reach the stage with my feet if I tried - legs are too short. Turned around and saw, standing casually at the back of the theater, Stephen Sondheim himself, looking out over the audience, taking in the scene. Breathing the same air as the Master. We all looked over at him, not too subtlely, either... Made ourselves turn around and face front. Showtime.

Darkness.

The cheering started the second the lights went out, and continued as the curtain opened and a small light came up, revealing the cast, in their places, for the final time. Door slams. Straightjacket removed. Violin in place. Music starts, and we were attending the tale once again.
The cast gave us 110% and the first act saw many of us up front crying (and a few people having some kind of weird fits behind us, but whatever). I will remember so many little moments from the show, from that night.... here are just a few...

- Michael's first entrance, rising up out of the coffin... the first time I saw the show, it was that moment he started siniging that first grabbed my attention. It got a HUGE round of applause, too right!

- Patti with her tuba. Kills me. Just kills me. Worth the price of admission alone. Seriously.

- Lauren Molina, as Johanna, sitting on top of the coffin, cello-ing away, while Antony is on the ladder behind her singing, "I feel you, Johanna..." Her head thrown back, a serene smile on her face, the picture of innocence and joy. One of my favorite moments.

-Another perfectly staged scene - "Kiss Me" Beadle, Judge flanking Sweeney (Michael with Pirelli's hat on at a rakish angle) and Antony and Johanna at the front of the stage. Michael's expression made me lose it completely. So sad... sigh....

- Patti at the bells, also looking so sad. Good thing I brought my kleenex. Didn't start hyperventilating like the girls behind us though... I mean, really.

-Sitting close enough to reach out and touch them (but didn't obviously) and craning my neck to see up at them, occasionally catching Patti's eye and holding eye contact. BRILLIANT.

- A Little Priest: such a great example of how well these actors worked together and played off each other. Funny funny funny.

- By the Sea one of my faves, especially as Patti plays with all of the weaponry. It is the perfect foil to such a sweet little song. She's so cute....

I could go on and on and on about how much I LOVE Patti and Michael (couldja tell?) but it is now time to give the other cast members a shout out:

- Mark Jacoby was always so perfect and creepy as Judge Turpin. It takes some skill to be that creepy. Each time I would sit there and think, EW, you dirty old man! Great voice, too.

- Alex Gemignani always had perfect delivery. I would see Les Mis again (!) just so I could go and cheer him on.

-John Arbo only had a handful of lines, but had one of my favorites in the show "Shoot and I WILL stop!"

- Diana di Marzo, had a way of fading into the background, but she was always so SOLID and held her own in those final scenes with Patti and Michael.

- Donna Lynne, so so funny as Pirelli (To shave-a de face!!) too bad she's the first to go...

And Mano... oh, Mano... funny and appropriately twitchy as Toby (Lawks, look at it now!)

Curtain call came and most of the cast was crying - that's okay, because so was most of the audience. Roses came showering onto the stage for Patti... Sarah captured a perfect little video (because she is TRULY a !@#$*& Rock Star!) that I must have watched several hundred times since the actual night.

I saw the show 6 times total. And okay, maybe it's not 40 (but gimme a break. I just "discovered" it in April and I live in Chicago. I had a lot of catching up to do!) Each time I saw it, it was like a new experience. Each time I saw it, it managed to capture my mind, my heart and my imagination. Michael said it best when he said it would be "An evening I'll never forget."

Me either.