Uhm ... So ... Yeah

On Hiatus

2011-05-29T08:01:00.002-04:00

As I'm currently traveling through Europe with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (see my website for more details), and since internet access is limited for me, this blog will be on hiatus until December 2011.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you.

(Bahahahaha!!!!)

Hanna

2011-04-20T22:49:00.005-04:00

Just saw the movie Hanna with Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana.

Somewhat disappointing. Your basic suspenseful chase movie with an artistic bent. The cinematography was beautiful, but the plot was rather lacking. Could have been much stronger.

I wanted more back-story and character development and less run-run-run.

The exceptional Cate Blanchett was amazing, as always. I would watch her brush her teeth (and she does, in fact, brush her teeth in this movie). Her speaking voice was a little strange. I couldn't tell if it was a character choice or the dialect she affected, but I thought it was rather distracting. But not enough to ruin her performance for me, which is a study in acting even in this thin piece.

And the ending was ... just an ending. Nothing revelatory. No character growth. Just a stop point.

Sigh.

Guess I had too high of expectations from the previews on this one.

Here and Gone

2011-04-18T23:05:00.000-04:00

I've been lax in my blogging.

Finished a contract with Royal Caribbean. Then almost immediately went and did a replacement contract.

I've been traveling around on my off-time trying to visit people and catch my breath.

And now I'm ready to begin again. Another contract. Rehearsals begin on April 21st.

This time I'll be in Europe for the entire contract. This blog will most likely be silent.

But you never know ...

Happy New Year!

2010-12-30T17:24:00.002-05:00

May 2011 be even better than 2010! Start making those resolutions! :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T17:09:00.020-05:00

Christmas is my favorite holiday for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, I usually work during the holidays. I'm not complaining, however, because I'm very thankful to have a job.

But I fondly remember my childhood when school was out, the family would gather, and the festivities were wonderful: lots of fun, fellowship, and food. The music is so glorious and beautiful. There's just something in the air.

And since I was often lucky enough to have had a white Christmas ... that was the star on my Christmas tree.

I love Christmas!

However you celebrate ... whether alone or with friends and/or family, I hope you have an outstandingly fabulous Christmas Holiday. Merry Christmas!

Happy Turkey Day!

2010-11-24T16:58:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends out there! I hope you have a wonderful day remembering everything you have to be grateful for. My picks:

My family.
My health.
My freedom.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Out at Sea

2010-11-12T15:26:00.001-05:00

Hi friends and neighbors! Unfortunately, my blogs will become less frequent again.

I'm back on the Jewel of the Seas for Royal Caribbean International.

Check out the news portion of my website for more information: www.taitmoline.com

Do You Like To Read?

2010-11-03T15:25:00.000-04:00

One of my all-time favorite websites is PaperbackSwap.com. If you're a book lover, like I am, it's an unbeatable way to obtain new books to read.

The free site works like this:

Sign up for an account.
Post at least 10 books that you are willing to give away. By doing so, you are automatically awarded 1 credit to "buy" a book.
Search the database for a book you'd like to receive. When you find one, you "trade" your credit for the book. The system interacts with both parties to confirm the transaction.
The "seller/giver" mails you their book.
As other people request your books, you'll earn 1 credit for each book you mail that can then, in turn, be used to request other books for yourself. The more books you post, the more credits you'll earn, and the more books you'll be able to request yourself.

And that's all there is to it.

As the title suggests, you swap books with other members. The only cost to you is the postage to mail your books. But, postage is considerably cheaper than buying the book new.

What I really love about the site is all the nifty features they have.

You can set up a Wishlist of all the books you want. You then get put into a queue and when the book becomes available to you, you're notified if you want to accept the request or not.

You can even set it up so that the system will just automatically request the title. I appreciate this feature because you only have a 48 hour window to confirm if you want a book. Since I'm often without internet, this ensures I don't lose my place in line and can still receive the books I want.

I've been able to get sooo many books this way. I love it! It's a great supplement to the library system (if you use it) and a wonderful way to save on books if you happen to be a voracious reader.

Try it out. You won't be disappointed!

Am I Obsessed?

2010-08-27T15:37:00.007-04:00

I love Roald Dahl. Love him. Did I say I love him?

I just re-read The BFG for something like the 100th time. So fun to read, everytime!

Surely you've heard of him? Mr. Dahl wrote countless classics. Of course, everyone knows Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But, did you ever read the sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator? Just as enjoyable as the first.

And then there's James and the Giant Peach. And The Witches. And Matilda.

And many, many more. He also wrote the screenplay for one of my favorite movies of all-time: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang starring the incomparable Dick Van Dyke.

Dahl's language is to die for:

Snozzcumber.
Frobscottle.
Scrumdiddlyumptious.

Come on! Does it get any better than that?!

Who cares if his most well-known works are "written for children". Sometimes adults need a good "children's book" too!

So if you've never read a Roald Dahl book, you should. Pick one up TODAY.

And might I suggest starting with ... The BFG.

Then you'll know exactly what a Whizzpopper is. (Although, trust me. You already know!)

This Too Shall Pass

2010-08-24T15:30:00.000-04:00

Okay Go's video This Too Shall Pass from their Of the Blue Colour of the Sky album is insane.

Alright, I know there's some movie magic involved here. But still. The amount of time and effort to put this whole thing together is K-RAZY!

Ciao

2010-08-22T15:30:00.000-04:00

Why does the theme of loss and the process of grieving seem to resonate so much with me lately? I have no idea ...

But if you've read some of my past blogs, you know that Next to Normal — the Broadway-musical-masquerading-as-a-somewhat-controversial-electroshock-therapy-show that's really a poignant look at one family's grief and how they deal with it -- is one of my all-time favorite musicals!

And then recently I watched the film, Ciao.

You probably haven't heard of it. It's an independent movie revolving around the death of a gay man and the two strangers closest to him.

I was expecting a love story, but instead found a rather moving portrait of death and the awkwardly strange roller coaster ride of emotions those left-behind experience.

I recommend it:

Simple. Slow. Touching.

And ultimately... meaningful.

It's only $4

2010-08-20T17:24:00.005-04:00

Denny's has a new sandwich:

The Fried Cheese Melt

It looks delicious and horrendous. I love fried cheese, but this is going a little over-the-top, don'tcha think? Except that if I do find myself at a Denny's restaurant ... I might just have to try it because it looks sooooooo good. And bad.

What am I to do?

Luckily, it's only 895 calories with 34 grams of fat.

iTunes Duplicates

2010-08-18T15:10:00.004-04:00

Love me my iTunes.

And I love the duplicate function where I can go through and delete all the songs I have multiples of, for whatever reason.

(BTW ... how does that happen???)

But my wish for Apple is to create a function where I can sort through the duplicates by genre. Do you know how many Overtures, Bows, and Finales I have in my Broadway genre? They're all specific and unique to each individual show, but the songs show up in my duplicates because of the titles. And it takes FOREVER to weed through everything to find the actual duplicates.

Are you listening Apple? I expect this request to be honored in the next iTunes update.

** UPDATE ... At some point, Apple actually listened to me! Thank you, Apple. I can now sort duplicates by genre. Whew!

More Spider-Man, The Musical

2010-08-15T15:10:00.000-04:00

This is just more of the same. Confirmation that Spider-Man, The Musical: Turn Off the Dark looks to open this fall/winter.

Julie Taymor, the director, acknowledges the show needs to be on par with the success of The Lion King.

But will it?

Life.

2010-08-02T15:33:00.000-04:00

It's a journey, isn't it?

Opportunities come and go.
New people weave in and out.
Jobs begin and end.

Cyclical and linear.

Strange how we move forward. Some people constantly look back. I, myself, do not tend to fall into that category. Regret can often be debilitating, so I try and limit negative hindsight, chalking up my experience to lessons learned.

Right now I'm in a period of transition in my life. A time to ponder and think about the past, the present, and the future.

But what I keep taking comfort in is the fact that when something doesn't quite pan out, the lost experience usually leads to something infinitely better than I originally imagined.

In a sense, a loss can often be a gain. It all comes down to perspective.

So, today begins a new day. Let's raise a glass to a bright future!

Spider-Man Still on Track

2010-08-01T15:46:00.000-04:00

Rehearsals are set to begin August 16th for Spider-Man The Musical: Turn Off the Dark. Everything appears to be proceeding towards a Broadway premiere.

Now if we could just get some movement on Phantom 2: Love Never Dies. Or is the Phantom's second incarnation doomed to remain across the pond forever?

Double Rainbow - What Does It Mean?

2010-07-31T15:33:00.000-04:00

This is all the rage. Love it!

If you haven't seen them yet, watch the first video and then the second. It'll brighten your day!

No Broadway Magic for the Phantom?

2010-07-20T17:50:00.001-04:00

There's trouble in Coney Island.

Looks like Phantom 2: Love Never Dies is losing their creative team, and Hal Prince, Broadway's golden boy, turned down the offer to helm the mega-musical.

Without some direction, will the show ever arrive on Broadway? I've heard the productions' transatlantic crossing has been postponed indefinitely.

Darn. I wanted to see it.

Even if it is crap.

RE: Mel Gibson

2010-07-18T17:59:00.000-04:00

I loved you and your movies, Mel, but I don't know if you can ever recover from this latest public debacle.

R.I.P.

I'm A Glow-Worm

2010-07-17T14:19:00.000-04:00

It's true.

I'm White.
Caucasion.
Casper-looking.

I do not tan. I burn.

I've tried to tan, but it doesn't happen. I fry, the skin peels (even with nonstop moisturizing), and then I'm back to white again. I've even blistered on a cloudy day when I forgot my sunscreen.

So, please stop telling me I'd look better with a tan. Stop telling me I need color. Stop telling me to get out more. It doesn't work, and I'm fine with it. I don't need any more wrinkles than I already have, and I don't need to answer the siren call of skin cancer.

What I should do is move to the Eastern Hemisphere where pale skin is desired. Think how popular I'd be.

But until then ... please don't call me pasty.

I prefer being referred to as transluscent.

Embrace Life

2010-07-15T13:12:00.000-04:00

New commercial out of England. Well-done and poignant, I thought, without being overdone.

So buckle up y'all, and EMBRACE LIFE!

Pass the Can, Please

2010-07-13T13:46:00.000-04:00

Have you heard about the Candwich, the new "sandwich in a can"? Sounds gross to me. Requires no refrigeration. Long shelf-life. Ugh.

I don't really get how it works. Is it like Pillsbury Crescents? You flip the top and the can pops open?

Comes in three flavors, too: PB & Strawberry, PB & Grape, and Barbecued Chicken. Ewwwwwww ...

Maybe I'll eat it in the post-apocolyptic world that's coming. But for now, I think I'll take my fruits and vegetables for lunch, thank you very much.

With a real peanut-butter and jelly sandwich from time-to-time.

It's still on!!!

2010-07-11T13:44:00.000-04:00

The latest report (from Ireland's Herald, no less) says that Spider-Man the Musical is still on schedule to open on Broadway this November.

What? It's still coming to Broadway? In 2010?

I'm holding my breath.

But now the question to ask is:

Which will be worse ... Spider-Man or Phantom 2?

Missed? Opportunities

2010-07-06T13:05:00.001-04:00

You know the cliche "Everything happens for a reason"?

Well, I believe that, even if it's hard to swallow sometimes.

I was just offered an opportunity that would have been so perfect for me, but I couldn't make it happen within the confines of my schedule. So I had to let it pass me by.

I'm bummed but, at the same time, realize something better will come along.

The reality is that this opportunity could still come back around again and work within my schedule. But if it doesn't, then I shall move forward knowing that it wasn't the right thing for me.

It's just frustrating to be offered a tantalizing treat only to have it ripped away from you.

Oh, well.

Maybe I'll just go eat some dark chocolate.

And The Rockets Red Glare

2010-07-04T13:38:00.001-04:00

To all those in the armed services serving their countries throughout the world, thank you for your sacrifice in helping to make this world a safer place to live!

And to all my fellow American patriots:

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!

Calorie Counting

2010-07-02T13:04:00.002-04:00

When I finish my current Royal Caribbean contract, I'm going to start counting my calories.

Why, you ask? Good question, gentle blog reader.

I've always been against calorie counting. I thought it was too much hassle. Too much stress. Too much everything.

But about two years ago, I was privileged to have a personal trainer for a short time, and I loved it. If I could afford it, I'd use a personal trainer all the time.

During that time, my trainer had me doing a food log and, essentially, counting calories. And you know what? I liked it.

Yes it was a hassle. Yes it took time. But I learned a whole heck of a lot.

Besides discovering that some foods were more calorically-dense than I'd previously thought, I learned a very important lesson:

I can eat A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT of food if the food is healthy. Healthy foods tend to be low in calories while unhealthy foods are usually higher in calories (DUH!)

But I'm a hungry guy, and I like to eat a lot. So having three pieces of Pizza Hut pizza, while delicious, means I can't eat anything else the rest of the day.

Uhm, no.

I need to eat. Often.

So when I have more control of what I can eat (i.e. when I leave the ship), I'm going to count my calories. That way I know just what I'm putting into my body.

It's not something I'll do forever. It'll be more of an educational exercise to remind myself of what I should and shouldn't be eating.

Because after all, food is good! And I want more, please.

Sookie Stackhouse

2010-06-29T13:28:00.001-04:00

I am OBSESSED with Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels, aka the TrueBlood books.

So far she's written ten books, but I'm almost done with the last one, Dead in the Family. What am I going to do when I finish? I've flown through them so fast.

Vampires! Shape-shifters! Witches! Fairies!

It's all so exciting!

Season 3 of TrueBlood started this month, and since I'm currently sailing with Royal Caribbean, I'm missing it. But, I've heard it good.

I'll have to catch up when I return to the Continental US.

But until then I had my books. Now what?

Charlaine ... please, please, PLEASE ... release a new one soon! I'm dying to find out what happens to Sookie next!

(Although, I guess I can't complain. Dead in the Family was just released in May. It'll probably be another year before a new one comes out. Boo-hoo!)

Narnia

2010-06-27T13:22:00.001-04:00

I super-duper love CS Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. I always have. Read them over and over and over throughout my life-time.

I thought both movie adaptions (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian) were extremely well executed, faithful to the books and entertaining.

However, I was under the impression that the second movie had underperformed and that neither movies became the behemoth phenomenon the studio was ~~expecting~~ hoping. Thus, no more Narnia movies.

So it was with great excitement that I have just discovered the third movie adaptation: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It looks just as good as the previous movies!

Release date is December 10, 2010. Can't wait!

NOTE TO THE STUDIO HEADS: Please film the final movie now so the Pevensie kids don't grow up before you get there.

(For those of you who haven't read the series ... the intervening books don't include the same children.)

I Heart Seth Rudetsky

2010-06-20T16:56:00.000-04:00

I'm absolutely obSESSed with Seth Rudetsky. He wrote Broadway Nights and The Q Guide to Broadway which (I'm ashamed to admit) I haven't yet gotten around to reading ... but I WILL! I promise, Seth!!!

He does these funny deconstructions of singers where he breaks down certain things about how a singer forms vowels or riffs or changes their vibrato. Check them out on YouTube if you're interested in music. And more specifically ... musical theater.

His Playbill.com blogs are HI-larious. He discusses his New York experiences with auditions, benefits, interviews, and such and is very self-deprecating. I love him ... cubed.

His website is here.

But ... what ... is ... this ... ?

My bestie Patrick met Seth at an Only Make Believe benefit and asked him to say hi to me. So I had to post it for you. Enjoy:

Book Review: Jeffrey Overstreet

2010-06-16T16:12:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since I last discussed my reading thoughts ... so today, I thought I would recommend the excellent Jeffrey Overstreet's Auralia Thread series.

The series begins with Auralia's Colors where the Four Houses of the Expanse are gifted with the presence of a unique and mysterious girl who brings color and light wherever she goes and threatens the kingdom with an unimaginable revolution.

Auralia's Colors, in my opinion, struggles somewhat with focus. The land is inhabited by many, many people and Overstreet has too many chapters jumping from one character to the next, never to return. As a reader, it's difficult to keep track and sympathize with anyone. However, the story definitely kept me turning the pages.

But, it is Overstreet's second novel Cyndere's Midnight that truly captivated this reader. Taking the themes and characters from the first novel and greatly expanding them, I was drawn into a delightfully imaginative and wondrous world on par with Tolkien's Fellowship series or C.S. Lewis's Narnia series.

Thankfully, someone decided to include a character breakdown at the back of the second and third books, so it was much easier for me to figure out who-was-who.

Then there's Raven's Ladder, the third book. This one felt like a bridge to me; both a continuation and an explanation of things to come, it nevertheless captivated me and made me hungry for the conclusion.

By now the Four Houses are in various states of disarray, the Seers are more maniacal than I would have originally dreamed, and the people are ready to fight.

What will happen to the Expanse? What of House Jenta? What will the Seers do? And I'm dying to learn more of The Keeper.

I've been told that Overstreet is hard at work writing the fourth (and final?) book in the series. I don't know, but I'm anxiously awaiting to see how he brings all the different plot threads together and concludes the story.

If you enjoy fantasy with a side of ethical and moral themes, try Overstreet's Auralia Series. The prose is quite beautiful; the characters intriguing; and the plot unusual.

Perfect for some not-so-light summer reading.

Sad

2010-06-15T16:35:00.000-04:00

The iPhone is not coming to Verizon this year, it seems.

Guess that means I'll be getting and Android when my contract runs out.

*sigh*

We Need the FairTax!

2010-06-13T16:11:00.000-04:00

This video is a concise explanation of what the FairTax is about. With the US still struggling economically, I think this could be an excellent solution to our money woes:

More Next to Normal fun!

2010-06-08T16:41:00.000-04:00

Love love love these videos:

How did we let this happen?

2010-06-07T16:49:00.000-04:00

The BP Oil Catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico is absolutely heart-breaking on so many levels. We must work to develop cleaner energy sources.

Here is a pictorial story on the horrific results of this disaster. Please take a moment to look at the pictures and remember ... this was in May. It will only get worse until the oil flow is stopped.

Spider-Man The Musical. Oh, how I love you.

2010-06-06T16:41:00.000-04:00

I didn't realize the Julie-Taymor/Bono saga is currently estimated to cost $22 million more to produce than The Lord of the Rings musical flop.

Reports now say rehearsals for Spidey will begin this summer with previews in October and an opening in November.

Will it happen? Oh, yes, my friends. Spider Man will open, and I have no doubt it'll be stunning.

But will it be a good musical? That remains to be seen.

Will people go to see it? Definitely.

Will it break even or make money? Doubtful.

Do you like Celine?

2010-06-02T12:42:00.002-04:00

I do, and I think this is funny.

Ouch.

2010-05-08T16:47:00.000-04:00

So, I was galavanting around Trafalger Falls in Dominca, an island in the Caribbean last week. Beautiful, beautiful place BTW.

But I slipped on a rock and gouged my shin. Deep.

I rushed back to the ship and had to get seven stiches. I've never had stitches before and now I have seven.

It was also a show night so some of the dance numbers had to be reblocked to prevent the wound from reopening. The cast was great and took it all in stride.

Luckily, I can still dance some so the changes to the shows haven't been too major. The doctor just didn't want me going down to my knees or doing too much jumping.

But, the doctor also said I'll have a nice scar to show for the ordeal.

Great. No more swimsuit modeling for me!

Tony Nominations 2010

2010-05-07T17:14:00.003-04:00

The Tony Nominations have been announced. Sucks to be The Addams Family. Have you seen the show?

Nominations for the 2010 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards® Presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing

Best Play

In the Next Room or the vibrator play
Author: Sarah Ruhl  Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten

Next Fall
Author: Geoffrey Nauffts  Producers: Elton John and David Furnish, Barbara Manocherian, Richard Willis, Tom Smedes, Carole L. Haber/Chase Mishkin, Ostar, Anthony Barrile, Michael Palitz, Bob Boyett, James Spry/Catherine Schreiber, Probo Productions, Roy Furman, Naked Angels

Red
Author: John Logan  Producers: Arielle Tepper Madover, Stephanie P. McClelland, Matthew Byam Shaw, Neal Street, Fox Theatricals, Ruth Hendel/Barbara Whitman, Philip Hagemann/Murray Rosenthal, The Donmar Warehouse

Time Stands Still
Author: Donald Margulies  Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Nelle Nugent/Wendy Federman
Best Musical

American Idiot
Producers: Tom Hulce & Ira Pittelman, Ruth and Steven Hendel, Vivek J. Tiwary and Gary Kaplan, Aged in Wood and Burnt Umber, Scott Delman, Latitude Link, HOP Theatricals and Jeffrey Finn, Larry Welk, Bensinger Filerman and Moellenberg Taylor, Allan S. Gordon/Elan V. McAllister, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Awaken Entertainment, John Pinckard and John Domo

Fela!
Producers: Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, Roy Gabay, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Edward Tyler Nahem, Slava Smolokowski, Chip Meyrelles/Ken Greiner, Douglas G. Smith, Steve Semlitz/Cathy Glaser, Daryl Roth/True Love Productions, Susan Dietz/Mort Swinsky, Knitting Factory Entertainment

Memphis
Producers: Junkyard Dog Productions, Barbara and Buddy Freitag, Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff, Latitude Link, Jim and Susan Blair, Demos Bizar Entertainment, Land Line Productions, Apples and Oranges Productions, Dave Copley, Dancap Productions, Inc., Alex and Katya Lukianov, Tony Ponturo, 2 Guys Productions, Richard Winkler, Lauren Doll, Eric and Marsi Gardiner, Linda and Bill Potter, Broadway Across America, Jocko Productions, Patty Baker, Dan Frishwasser, Bob Bartner/Scott and Kaylin Union, Loraine Boyle/Chase Mishkin, Remmel T. Dickinson/Memphis Orpheum Group, ShadowCatcher Entertainment/Vijay and Sita Vashee

Million Dollar Quartet
Producers: Relevant Theatricals, John Cossette Productions, American Pop Anthology, Broadway Across America, James L. Nederlander
Best Book of a Musical

Everyday Rapture
Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott

Fela!
Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones

Memphis
Joe DiPietro

Million Dollar Quartet
Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

The Addams Family
Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa

Enron
Music: Adam Cork  Lyrics: Lucy Prebble

Fences
Music: Branford Marsalis

Memphis
Music: David Bryan  Lyrics: Joe DiPietro, David Bryan
Best Revival of a Play

Fences
Producers: Carole Shorenstein Hays and Scott Rudin

Lend Me a Tenor
Producers: The Araca Group, Stuart Thompson, Carl Moellenberg, Rodney Rigby, Olympus Theatricals, Broadway Across America, The Shubert Organization, Wendy Federman/Jamie deRoy/Richard Winkler, Lisa Cartwright, Spring Sirkin, Scott and Brian Zeilinger

The Royal Family
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove

A View from the Bridge
Producers: Stuart Thompson, The Araca Group, Jeffrey Finn, Broadway Across America, Olympus Theatricals, Marisa Sechrest, The Weinstein Company, Jon B. Platt, Sonia Friedman Productions/Robert G. Bartner, Mort Swinsky/Joseph Deitch, Adam Zotovich/Ruth Hendel/Orin Wolf, Shelter Island Enterprises, The Shubert Organization

Best Revival of a Musical

Finian's Rainbow
Producers: David Richenthal, Jack Viertel, Alan D. Marks, Michael Speyer, Bernard Abrams, David M. Milch, Stephen Moore, Debbie Bisno/Myla Lerner, Jujamcyn Theaters, Melly Garcia, Jamie deRoy, Jon Bierman, Richard Driehaus, Kevin Spirtas, Jay Binder, StageVentures 2009 Limited Partnership

La Cage aux Folles
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, David Babani, Barry and Fran Weissler and Edwin W. Schloss, Bob Bartner/Norman Tulchin, Broadway Across America, Matthew Mitchell, Raise The Roof 4 Richard Winkler/Bensinger Taylor/Laudenslager Bergrère, Arelene Scanlan/John O'Boyle, Independent Presenters Network, Olympus Theatricals, Allen Spivak, Jerry Frankel/Bat-Barry Productions, Nederlander Presentations, Inc/Harvey Weinstein, Menier Chocolate Factory

A Little Night Music
Producers: Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, The Menier Chocolate Factory, Roger Berlind, David Babani, Sonia Friedman Productions, Andrew Fell, Daryl Roth/Jane Bergere, Harvey Weinstein/Raise the Roof 3, Beverly Bartner/Dancap Productions, Inc., Nica Burns/Max Weitzenhoffer, Eric Falkenstein/Anna Czekaj, Jerry Frankel/Ronald Frankel, James D. Stern/Douglas L. Meyer

Ragtime
Producers: Kevin McCollum, Roy Furman, Scott Delman, Roger Berlind, Max Cooper, Tom Kirdahy/Devlin Elliott, Jeffrey A. Sine, Stephanie P. McClelland, Roy Miller, Lams Productions, Jana Robbins, Sharon Karmazin, Eric Falkenstein/Morris Berchard, RialtoGals Productions, Independent Presenters Network, Held-Haffner Productions, HRH Foundation, Emanuel Azenberg, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Michael Kaiser, Max Woodward
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

Jude Law, Hamlet Alfred Molina, Red Liev Schreiber, A View from the Bridge Christopher Walken, A Behanding in Spokane Denzel Washington, Fences
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play

Viola Davis, Fences Valerie Harper, Looped Linda Lavin, Collected Stories Laura Linney, Time Stands Still Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

Kelsey Grammer, La Cage aux Folles Sean Hayes, Promises, Promises Douglas Hodge, La Cage aux Folles Chad Kimball, Memphis Sahr Ngaujah, Fela!
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical

Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow Montego Glover, Memphis Christiane Noll, Ragtime Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play

David Alan Grier, Race Stephen McKinley Henderson, Fences Jon Michael Hill, Superior Donuts Stephen Kunken, Enron Eddie Redmayne, Red
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play

Maria Dizzia, In the Next Room or the vibrator play Rosemary Harris, The Royal Family Jessica Hecht, A View from the Bridge Scarlett Johansson, A View from the Bridge Jan Maxwell, Lend Me a Tenor
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical

Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family Robin De Jesús, La Cage aux Folles Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian's Rainbow Levi Kreis, Million Dollar Quartet Bobby Steggert, Ragtime
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical

Barbara Cook, Sondheim on Sondheim Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music Karine Plantadit, Come Fly Away Lillias White, Fela!
Best Scenic Design of a Play

John Lee Beatty, The Royal Family Alexander Dodge, Present Laughter Santo Loquasto, Fences Christopher Oram, Red
Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Marina Draghici, Fela! Christine Jones, American Idiot Derek McLane, Ragtime Tim Shortall, La Cage aux Folles
Best Costume Design of a Play

Martin Pakledinaz, Lend Me a Tenor Constanza Romero, Fences David Zinn, In the Next Room or the vibrator play Catherine Zuber, The Royal Family
Best Costume Design of a Musical

Marina Draghici, Fela! Santo Loquasto, Ragtime Paul Tazewell, Memphis Matthew Wright, La Cage aux Folles
Best Lighting Design of a Play

Neil Austin, Hamlet Neil Austin, Red Mark Henderson, Enron Brian MacDevitt, Fences
Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, American Idiot Donald Holder, Ragtime Nick Richings, La Cage aux Folles Robert Wierzel, Fela!
Best Sound Design of a Play

Acme Sound Partners, Fences Adam Cork, Enron Adam Cork, Red Scott Lehrer, A View from the Bridge
Best Sound Design of a Musical

Jonathan Deans, La Cage aux Folles Robert Kaplowitz, Fela! Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen, A Little Night Music Dan Moses Schreier, Sondheim on Sondheim
Best Direction of a Play

Michael Grandage, Red Sheryl Kaller, Next Fall Kenny Leon, Fences Gregory Mosher, A View from the Bridge
Best Direction of a Musical

Christopher Ashley, Memphis Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime Terry Johnson, La Cage aux Folles Bill T. Jones, Fela!
Best Choreography

Rob Ashford, Promises, Promises Bill T. Jones, Fela! Lynne Page, La Cage aux Folles Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away
Best Orchestrations

Jason Carr, La Cage aux Folles Aaron Johnson, Fela! Jonathan Tunick, Promises, Promises
Daryl Waters & David Bryan, Memphis

* * *

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Alan Ayckbourn
Marian Seldes

Regional Theatre Tony Award
The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford, Connecticut

Isabelle Stevenson Award
David Hyde Pierce

Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre
Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York
B.H. Barry
Tom Viola

Tony Nominations by Production

Fela! - 11
La Cage aux Folles - 11
Fences - 10
Memphis - 8
Ragtime - 7
Red - 7
A View from the Bridge - 6
The Royal Family - 5
Enron – 4
A Little Night Music - 4
Promises, Promises - 4
American Idiot - 3
Finian's Rainbow - 3
In the Next Room or the vibrator play - 3
Lend Me a Tenor - 3
Million Dollar Quartet - 3
The Addams Family - 2
Come Fly Away - 2
Everyday Rapture - 2
Hamlet - 2
Next Fall - 2
Sondheim on Sondheim - 2
Time Stands Still - 2
A Behanding in Spokane - 1
Collected Stories - 1
Looped - 1
Present Laughter - 1
Race - 1
Superior Donuts - 1
www.TonyAwards.com
r. 5/7/2010

Verizon vs. Apple

2010-04-30T15:41:00.000-04:00

Is Verizon getting an iPhone?

Rumors persist with the optimists believing the announcement comes this summer proclaiming a fall release.

Well, you know what that means for me? If true, I'll be getting an iPhone this fall when my contract with Verizon runs out. Whoo-hoo!

BUT ... if the rumors turn out to be false (and there are a lot of people who think the hype is just hype), then I'll be getting an Android. Both my sisters have one.

One raves about it; the other hates it.

I don't want to leave Verizon, so I have a few more months to see.

Unfortunately, I think if Apple doesn't produce an iPhone for Verizon this year, the'll have missed the boat. Already, their market share is sliding as the Android grows in the US.

There's still a lot of unknown variables in the whole Verizon/Apple quagmire, but I'm crossing my fingers for that iPhone. We shall see.

Phantom 2

2010-04-29T14:43:00.000-04:00

I finally got to listen to the soundtrack for Phantom 2: Love Never Dies, and the verdict is ...

Not as bad as I expected.

I actually like some of the music. There are hints of Sunset and another show ... Aspects, perhaps? I forget right now. And of course, the title song was originally heard in The Beautiful Game (though with different lyrics).

However, the whole thing sounds much more entertaining than I had thought possible. I also forgive my initial reaction to the Coney Island setting. I think it works.

Obviously, this is no critique of the show (which I haven't seen, and whose Broadway arrival has recently been postponed.)

I still think the show is probably going to be disappointing, if not completely awful. Why?

Raoul's character is a full 180 degree turn from the original. While that may happen in a real-life span of ten years (the time elapsed since we last saw him), audiences don't like to see such vastly different characters.

The Phantom, too, has lost most of his mystery ... his anger ... his devilishness ... that makes for such an intriguing character. Originally we pitied the Phantom for his situation, and yet were scared of him at the same time. But in the new production, he seems (on the soundtrack) to be just ... meh.

Overall the production appears to be lacking the pathos and horror that made the original such an entertaining phenomenon. The Phantom story is more than just a love story, it's a Gothic horror story surrounded by romanticism. I love the original set design for just such a reason: beautiful drapery could quickly create claustrophobia while the ornate Opera House was really just a facade for the dungeon below.

But perhaps the most egregious error is the plot point the entire show hinges on: Beneath a Moonless Sky is completely laughable in its total disregard for the original story. Listen to the song and then return to the cast recording of Phantom 1. No where can I find a plausible explanation for the events that transpired between Phantom 1 and 2.

And perhaps, ultimately for me, that will be the downfall of the show.

Rumor has it, the show will be undergoing major revisions before the Broadway transfer. Many have especially criticized the musical's lyrics.

Yes, okay. But I'd rather see some major retooling of the characters and their story.

We shall see what happens.

Until then ... I'll continue to enjoy the cast recording, for I actually rather enjoy the music.

More Spider-Man News

2010-04-27T14:28:00.004-04:00

I think Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark just has to come to Broadway now. There's too much invested: emotionally, financially, publicly.

But with the loss of Rachel Evan Woods, Alan Cumming and the increase in budget ... I don't know ... is it headed for colossal failure or ultimate triumph?

I think a lot of people in the Broadway community are secretly hoping for a flop, but personally, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I want it to succeed and be a boon to the NY community.

But, the other side of me worries this show could put another nail in the coffin of traditional musical theater, instead paving the way for more Cirque-like spectacles.

Of course, who knows what the show will look like until it premieres, but by all accounts, it sounds to be a Vegas-style show: heavy on style and lean on substance.

Regardless, one has to admire the chutzpah of the investors and creative minds putting this thing together.

Now if it would just get here!

N2N Fan Video

2010-04-24T17:13:00.002-04:00

I love the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical Next to Normal, and I love this video. If you've seen the show, you might get a kick out of it, too:

Traveling to St. Marten

2010-04-10T17:04:00.005-04:00

Some of the cast and I went to Airplane Beach in St. Martin, officially known as Maho Beach.

The airplanes literally fly over the beach and land on the other side of the road. One of a kind experience and very fun!

** SIDE NOTE ** Don't worry. I wore 85 SPF to protect my virgin skin.

Love Never Dies. Or does it?

2010-03-23T15:16:00.001-04:00

I'm dying to see the Phantom sequel: Love Never Dies.

I thought it was a hideous idea at first:

*A sequel to one of the most famous and successful musicals of all time?

*A continuation of the haunting, gothic, mysterious Phantom's life?

*Coney Island? Really?

And the reviews are all over the place.

However, one thing is for sure. There's lots of buzz.

Will it be as successful as the original? Doubtful. But if it flops I want to be there! And if it does succeed, I want to cheer it on!

Why? The idea of a successful sequel intrigues me. It's practically uncharted territory. Not that I want the musical sequel genre to gain traction. I'd rather see some new shows being developed.

But I give Sir Webber credit. He's willing to take one heck of a calculated risk!

What do you think? Want to see Phantom 2: Love Never Dies?

UPDATE: here are a few articles that kind summarize the Phantom sequel experience. The Daily Mail review and The Telegraph review.

Tell me a secret

2010-03-22T15:07:00.001-04:00

I'm IN LOVE with Post Secret.

I discovered the Post Secret blog about a year ago, and I'm addicted. Every Sunday new secrets are published. Some are sad and heartbreaking and some are funny and whimsical. There's usually always a wide variety.

Some are probably fake, but maybe not. If you lie about a secret and it's true for someone else, is it a lie in this kind of forum? Besides, the creativity itself is always entertaining.

I have yet to send a secret in, but I want to. Now it's time to think about what kind of secret I should tell ...

Back on a ship

2010-03-21T15:02:00.002-04:00

Just a quick note to say:

Yes, I'm out on another ship. This time it's Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas.

Blogging is difficult when I don't have internet access. But never fear, I'm still around.

And my website has been updated so if you haven't checked out www.taitmoline.com recently, you should!

Whew!

2010-02-06T12:02:00.003-05:00

So much time passes so quickly ... Christmas ... New Year's ...

Before you know it, we're already into the second month of 2010!!!

I've been hard at work rehearsing for a new contract with Royal Caribbean: the Serenade of the Seas. We still have another month to go before we join the ship, but that day will come sooner than later, I'm sure.

But last weekend, I finally decided to see what all the hoop and holler was about Avatar.

What the heck?? Did James Cameron actually strike gold twice??

Indeed, he did.

I have to say, I give the movie an enthusiastic 2 thumbs up! I was not expecting to like it as much as I did. A wonderful blend of science fiction, CGI, and emotional impact. Excellent movie.

Definitely go see it if you haven't. And make sure to see it in 3-D.

In other news ... anyone think Spiderman the Musical will ever open??? I'm dying to find out.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

2009-12-31T13:35:00.001-05:00

No matter where you are or what you're doing, I hope you had a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Let's raise a glass to 2010, a wonderful new DECADE!

Where oh where is Spider Man?

2009-11-28T15:15:00.002-05:00

Spider Man, Turn Off the Dark … Broadway’s latest WaterWorld/Carrie fiasco or Titanic triumph?

Reports seem to hint that the production will still premiere in 2009 as the most expensive Broadway show of all time with a price tag set at a whopping $52 million!

No doubt, with Julie Taymor at the helm and infused with the music of Bono and The Edge, the show promises to be a non-stop feast for the eyes and ears. The problem is … is this kind of production sustainable?

The LA Times reported the show would need 4 years of completely sold-out performances just to break even. But, then again, Taymor’s The Lion King is still going strong ten years later with mostly packed houses and productions all over the world.

Now the NY Times is reporting that the new lead producer of the show has reached out to Broadway stalwarts Kevin McCollum and Jeffrey Seller to possibly invest.

Who knows? If all the stars align, it’ll be an interesting spectacle to see, that’s for sure. And with all this financing publicity, I’m sure people will be clamoring for tickets.

It just remains to be seen if the show can live up to the hype.

Anyone remember The Lord of the Rings musical? Anyone?

Are you listening Verizon??

2009-11-03T16:35:00.003-05:00

I want an iPhone.

Period.

But, I'm under contract with Verizon. Which isn't to say I haven't enjoyed my time with Verizon. I have no complaints. I've had no problems. I'm very happy with the coverage.

However ... according to legend, Verizon turned down the iPhone, and Apple turned its sights on AT&T. Bad move Verizon. (Bet they're kicking themselves now.)

I'm not adverse to switching, but it IS a hassle. And AT&T isn't supposed to be as good as Verizon.

HOWEVER, there are rumors rumbling around that Verizon and Apple are in "discussion".

Of course, then Verizon puts out the iDon't ads, showing off their new Android phones. Google=good. Apple=bad.

Sounds open and shut, right?

And yet the rumors keep swirling. Some insist Verizon is still on the hunt for the iPhone. Others say it won't happen.

I don't know what's true, but it would definitely be good business for both companies.

All I know is ... if Verizon doesn't have the iPhone when my contract expires in 2010, I will definitely consider switching to AT&T.

Are you listening Verizon? I'm waiting ...

Unattractive

2009-10-22T14:48:00.003-04:00

One can always find things not to like about people. Some things are deal-breakers for relationships (platonic or romantic) and others have different levels of annoyance that can, ultimately, be looked over.

However, stubbornness tops my list of negative attributes.

I'm not going to go so far as to say that being stubborn is a deal-breaker for me, but it IS a turn-off. There's "being set in your ways", "sticking to your guns", and just plain having a strong opinion.

But, if you can't bend a little bit here-and-there, what's the point? Relationships are about compromise, and if you can't bend every so-often, you might as well move along, because I just don't have the time ... unless I reeeeally like you!!!

My new favorite obsession

2009-10-19T12:11:00.003-04:00

The Broadway show Next to Normal is phenomenal. Not a spectacle, not really even a BROADWAY show as most people would expect, it's nevertheless a show that packs a punch in large part because of the tour-de-force delivered by Alice Ripley, this year's Best Actress Tony Award Winner.

She absolutely acts the heck out of her role as Diana. I saw her twice in New York, and both times she was completely and effortlessly in each and every moment.

In fact, the entire cast is rock-solid with strong performances and even stronger voices complimented by a pop rock score that keeps better with each listen (although there are some lyrics that border on insipid).

Known as being the "mental health musical", Next to Normal is more accurately about a family dealing with loss, grief, depression, and the struggle to connect to each other in some way, any way, even if it's not "normal".

The show sounds hard to swallow, but it makes you ponder life and relationships.

And really ... what better reason to go to the theater than that?

Update

2009-10-15T14:51:00.003-04:00

Yes, I'm still here ... out on the open seas.

We've visited:

Boston
Portland, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine
New Brunswick, Canada
Halifax, Canada

The problem is the day before I signed on to the ship, another boy dancer hurt his shoulder. Eventually he had to sign off to have surgery for a broken bone that had healed improperly. Needless to say, that's been quite a roller-coaster for everyone.

We finally got a new replacement dancer so we've been in rehearsals for him. We're about half-way through getting him installed into the shows. Hopefully there won't be any more drama after that.

We only have a few more cruises before we transition down to the Caribbean and the ever-popular Panama Canal!

Cheers!

Fun with YouTube

2009-09-07T11:57:00.003-04:00

Here are two fun videos I found. Short and sweet. I thought they were funny.

Ship Life

2009-09-07T11:55:00.002-04:00

Okay kiddos ...

I'm going back out on on the open seas. Royal Caribbean asked if I could come and do a replacement contract on the Jewel of the Seas, so off I go. I leave September 14th.

I just moved to New York and already I'm leaving. Lots to do. Lots to do.

Pack, move stuff into storage, see as much theater as I possibly can ... you know, the important stuff!

Wish me luck!

Boo United! Part II

2009-09-07T11:42:00.004-04:00

Here is Dave Carroll's follow-up to his first viral video about how United broke his guitar.

This one features a much larger production and cast size. Supposedly this is the second in a trilogy of songs/videos Carroll is producing as a "screw you" to United.

Ah, the magic of the internet. Go Carroll!

My Return to the Blogosphere

2009-08-29T14:25:00.006-04:00

Hello dear devoted readers! (Are there any of you out there anymore?)

Sorry for my brief hiatus -- I seem to apologize every few months for my blogging absence, haha! Oh well. Such is life.

I've had a lot of personal transition lately and that's taken precedence over my writing, obviously.

Currently, I'm living in New York trying to make it big in the Big Apple. After getting off my Royal Caribbean cruise, I decided to leave Orlando and move up north. It was time for a change.

To pay the bills, I'm working for my good friend, Sarah, showing apartments. It's a tougher job than I expected. Not challenging mentally, but there is a lot of physical stamina involved: running all over the city. It's also commission-based so I'm always at the mercy of the clients.

But hey! It's a survival job.

I have gone to a few auditions here and there, but all the transition in my life: big move, new job, etc. etc. has slowed my grandiose plans for fame and fortune.

On the flip side, I've been able to read quite a few good books on the subway.

So far:

Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet (fantasy)
Blind Fall by Christopher Rice (action/adventure/thriller)
A Bette Midler Bio by ?
The Vesuvius Club by Mark Gatiss (action/adventure Sherlock Holmes meets James Bond)
The Devil in Amber by Mark Gatiss (Book 2 in the series)
The Island of Mending Hearts by Tim Ashley (romance)

All of them have been good. My least favorite was actually the Bette Midler book. Too much information and not enough heart. The author liked to detail each and every song on every one of her albums, which got old. I wanted to hear more about her personality and relationships with people. Not just her accomplishments.

But the rest of my subway reads were extremely good for different reasons. I especially enjoyed Mark Gatiss's books. He's an English writer who's worked on Dr. Who and Little Britain among others. His novels are very witty and well-constructed.

Anyway ... it's good to be back. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :)

Boo United!

2009-07-12T21:44:00.002-04:00

So ... awhile back I had a run-in with American Airlines, and I vented my frustration here. However, it was all monetary.

Unfortunately, Dave Carroll had a much more personal run-in with a different airline: United Airlines.

And boy ... I bet they regret it now.

Dave took his frustration a step further than I did. Instead of a boring blog post, he created a video. In fact, it's supposed to be the first of three. So take that United Airlines! And American ... next time I'm making my own video, too!

But, I bet it won't be as funny as Dave's ...

All the Single Ladies Do What?

2009-07-12T21:29:00.002-04:00

This made me totally guffaw! Enjoy!

Crazy Bride!

2009-06-19T10:38:00.001-04:00

Fake or not, I love this video!

And, now, the "explanation":

Is Twilight the New Harry Potter???

2009-06-12T11:53:00.001-04:00

I’ve finally jumped on the Twilight bandwagon. I know, I know, it’s a little “after the fact”. So sue me.

I love Harry Potter, and I just couldn’t bring myself to betray that series by reading the Twilight series. Until now.

One of my fellow cast members bought the Twilight DVD, and I’d heard that people who’ve read the book didn’t like the movie. I don’t really know why that matters, but I decided to give in, watch the movie, and then read the books to finally see for myself what all the fuss was about.

And I finally finished reading the fourth book, Breaking Dawn. I love the world that Stephanie Meyer has created, and I love the characters, specifically the Cullen family.

However ... I’m amazed that these books became the phenomenon they are. Mostly because I don’t like Bella, the book’s protagonist. It’s not that she isn’t smart or determined. No. She just whines a lot. And complains a lot. Like how she doesn’t want to go to prom. Or graduation. Or receive any gifts. It’s just soooooo unfair, she says. A LOT!

Why would anyone want to be with her? She just isn’t an attractive character to me. And yet, everyone in the series seems to be drawn to her. Odd paradox.

Of course, in the fourth book, she isn’t nearly as annoying. She's actually likable. Instead it’s Jacob Black who annoyed the heck out of me. I guess there always has to be one irritating character in Meyer’s books.

The other thing I can’t wrap my head around is the cold vampires. Every time I read a passage about how Bella kisses the cold, marble lips of Edward, I’m left ... well, cold. Why anyone would positively yearn to curl up into the hard, frigid arms of a chilly, rigid vampire is beyond me. Just doesn’t sound all that pleasant.

But ... even still, the fourth book wrapped up the series well. It was a satisfying conclusion which is oh-so-important to me. Meyer's climaxes are odd, though, in that they’re never really climaxes. Just resolutions to the conflict. Strange.

Oh, well. You know I’ll be buying a movie ticket when New Moon arrives in theaters.

And speaking of ... have you seen the trailer? It's awesome! Enjoy!

[title of show]

2009-05-18T20:24:00.003-04:00

I only have one thing to say about the Tony Award nominations ...

[title of show] was ROBBED!!!!

ps. I'm missing the Tony broadcast by three days. I'll still be in the Baltic Sea. :(

Les Miz Bloopers

2009-04-30T14:20:00.006-04:00

I grew up on Les Miserables. It was my first musical ...

My first cast album and my first live Broadway show: a touring production I saw at the Ordway in Minnesota. I love love LOVE Les Miz because of the show itself and because of the nostalgia associated with it.

And so ... this compilation of Les Miz bloopers brought tears (of laughter) to my eyes!!!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (Thanks to Patrick for bringing it to my attention!)

Once Bitten, Never Shy

2009-04-20T15:30:00.002-04:00

I have this massive bite wound on my neck.

I had these two scabby, pimple things for the past week or so right about where the neck meets the shoulder. Looked like a vampire had bitten me. Didn't think much of it. Then a couple days ago, they started looking funny and getting slightly inflamed.

I thought it might be a bite, so I went to the nurse here on the ship for some antibiotic ointment. She said to come back in twenty-four hours if they didn't get better. I woke up the next morning ... and they were HUGE!

The redness was spreading across my neck, and the bite areas had developed these white dots in a circular pattern around them. Plus, I now had a third bite that I hadn't noticed before, higher up my neck. They were all swollen. And red. And angry.

I went back to the doctor, and the doctor said a passenger had gotten bitten by the same thing last cruise in Costa Rica.

But, I didn't get off last Costa Rica.

In fact, the last time I had been off the ship was in Jamaica to go to Margaritaville with the cast, and that was over a week ago, and the doctor said that was too long before symptoms began to appear.

So, I guess that means I was bitten on the ship?? I don't know. It's weird.

The doctor gave me an antihistamine for the allergic reaction (basically some Benedryl) and Calamine lotion because, although the bites don't hurt, they ITCH like K-razy!!!

The moral of the story is ... uhm ... don't ... uhm ... watch out ... uhm ... stay away ... uhm ... have a good day! :)

Pet Peeve Time

2009-04-20T15:22:00.004-04:00

Do you know what aggravates me the most? What really irks and annoys me?

People who don’t do what they say they’re going to do.

Please don’t tell me you’re going to call or email me if you’re not going to. Please don’t tell me you’ll take care of something if you’re not going to. And please, please don’t tell me that you'll meet me somewhere and not show up.

I understand the occasional episode of forgetfulness. I understand that life sometimes gets in the way of our good intentions.

But I find that, more often than not, people lack the integrity to follow through and actually do the things they say they’re going to do. It’s extremely annoying.

And disappointing.

And disrespectful.

And selfish.

So next time you tell someone you’ll do something, please be considerate and only say you’ll TRY to do it if there's a possibility you may not be able to. Own up to your faults. Be honest about the situation.

Or, better yet, as Nike says ... just DO it.

I Wanna Live Forever

2009-04-16T13:01:00.001-04:00

Have you seen the trailer for the new Fame movie? I wasn’t interested at all before. Now I am.

Great trailer for what looks like a great movie. Although, now I have high expectations. Hope the movie is as good as the trailer promises.

High Drama On the Seas

2009-03-21T10:57:00.002-04:00

I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it. I’m in shock. Really and truly. We have lost a boy singer.

Dwayne has decided that it’s time to move on and has resigned his position on the Jewel of the Seas.

That leaves us in high water. We currently have no replacement scheduled. Just more rehearsals and reblocks. The cast thought we'd seen the end of rehearsals, but I guess not.

To date — since November, and out of a cast of 12—we’ve lost:

A girl dancer due to injury.
A girl singer due to personal issues.
A boy singer due to ??

When will the madness end?!!!

In other Jewel drama ... we had an accident.

During a tech run, one of our flyers was doing his silk act and his grip slipped. He fell from the ceiling to the stage and had to crawl off. Luckily his pride was more injured than his body, but he still got hurt. He's missing a lot of skin from the left side of his body, his elbow is swollen and hurts to move, and his chin needed about 4 stitches, but he'll be okay.

We had to reblock the show to make some adjustments for him, and his understudy went in to fly for the passenger shows, but now he can rest and recover. He's planning on flying again next cruise though. Crazy, huh?

There’s always something going on.

Pierced

2009-03-05T10:34:00.003-05:00

Yes, ladies and gents ... I got my ear pierced. Again.

Some years ago I spent a semester of college in London, and being the cool, hip, trendy guy I am, I decided to get my ear pierced. Not my nose; not my tongue; and not my ear lobe (so passe!).

No, I got my cartilage pierced.

I loved it. Hurt like hell, took three months to heal, but I thought the hoop emanating from the top of my left ear was so cool.

Unfortunately, guys usually aren’t permitted to wear jewelry like that at most jobs (too unorthodox, I guess), so eventually I got tired of taking the thing in and out, and instead let the hole close.

I was lucky, however, and the piercing healed very evenly with a nice break in the cartilage. No keloid.

Flash forward to 2009, when I’ve been thinking about getting the hole re-pierced. I know, so rebellious of me!

So last time I was in port from my cruise ship, I passed by a Claire’s Boutique, and on a whim had the thing redone.

This time it’s a small stud, but I love it just the same. And it’s healed so fast. Basically they were able to just re-pierce the flesh instead of the cartilage for a much nicer experience all the way around.

Does it look stupid? Can I pull it off? I don’t know.

But, I like it, and I now have a piece of metal in my ear.

I’m so trendy.

The 2009 Update

2009-02-18T16:25:00.002-05:00

Hola, Bonjour, and Hello! Yes, I’ve been neglecting my blog, and I apologize. I’m still here, but my internet connection has been and continues to be rather sketchy.

So, let’s get you up-to-speed ...

As you may or may not know, after returning home from the Brilliance of the Seas last April, I worked part-time at Disney World for several months. However, I received on offer to return to sea, and I decided to accept it: The Jewel of the Seas.

So, here I am ... out on a boat. Again. AND the itinerary is almost the same as before: Panama, Panama, and more Panama! YIKES!

My contract runs until June 10th. The good part is that before I sign off, the ship transitions to Europe, and I'll get to see some of the Baltic: Denmark, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, and Russia. So I'm very excited to visit those new countries.

The experience, so far, has been much different than my last contract with Royal Caribbean.

We began rehearsals in October in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, where we had about 6 weeks to learn three shows: City of Dreams, West End to Broadway, and Tango Buenos Aires. The Tango show is the same as the show I did on the Brilliance, so I was happy to already have that one under my belt.

City of Dreams is quite a spectacle with gorgeous sets and costumes. It is by far the most difficult show I've done with Royal Caribbean, but extremely rewarding. Lots of partnering and concert style dance as we travel to the Lost City of Atlantis, Bombay, Beijing, Venice, and even, yes ... Heaven. (Gotta get that club remix in somehow!)

West End to Broadway is an odd assortment of songs from shows originating in London before moving to Broadway such as: Sunset Boulevard, Cats, The Pajama Game, Hair, Chess, Les Miserables, and Barry Manilow’s Copacabana (!).

We even do "Bohemian Rhapsody" from the Broadway smash (that no one's ever heard of) We Will Rock You, the Queen musical. That number is one big acid trip, but our audiences seem to enjoy it.

And, of course, everyone always loves watching the Tango couple from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Always a favorite.

If you're interested, I've posted some show pictures on my website, and I hope to eventually have some video clips up there as well.

The cast joined the ship in November right before Thanksgiving, and we had about 3 weeks of rehearsal onboard before we were fully installed.

Unfortunately, at that time, one of our girl dancers rolled her ankle during "Come Sail Away", our opening number of City of Dreams and eventually had to be sent home for surgery. We were minus a girl dancer for almost two months.

During that time one of our boy dancers had to go home for compassionate leave, so we were then down 2 dancers for 2 cruises. He came back to us, but immediately after his return one of our girl singers needed to go home for personal reasons.

Suddenly our cast of 12 had turned into a cast of 10 ... again!

Luckily, the entertainment office was able to send a replacement singer. At the same time, they also found a girl dancer to take the original girl's spot. So during the last few months, we have had lots and lots of rehearsal time reblocking numbers and then putting new people in.

We finally have a full cast again, and hopefully we can avoid any future injuries or problems.

Now it's time to hopefully settle into some semblance of a routine. I'd like to start working out more, writing more, and figuring out what the heck I'm going to do at the end of this contract ... especially with the current economic climate.

I’ll try to blog more often, but again, internet is difficult out on the open sea.

But please consider this to be a very belated ...

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! :)

I voted! Have you?

2008-10-22T21:52:00.004-04:00

Being away from home prevents me from voting locally in the upcoming American election on Nov. 4th. However, this election is extremely important. And so ... a few weeks ago I requested an absentee ballot. Today I filled it out and mailed it in to my Supervisor of Elections. I voted!

It’s most likely too late to request an absentee ballot for yourself. However, it’s NOT too late for you to become an informed citizen. Take some time to learn about the issues that concern you and find out which candidate best subscribes to your personal system of beliefs and values.

Whether you’re a Democrat, an Independent, or a Republican, it’s important for you to take advantage of living in this free country and exercise your right to vote.

After all ... if you don’t cast your vote, you have no right to complain about the outcome!

Is God Fair?

2008-10-19T13:58:00.003-04:00

Have you ever thought about the fairness of God?

Paradoxically, I believe God actually is fair in that He views all of us equally and that even with all the pain, suffering, and evil in the world, the Order of Humanity makes sense to Him.

I'm not going to comment here on pain and suffering. I believe that to be the disgrace of Man.

Instead (and this is not an indictment of Him), I'm struggling with the fairness of God.

Individual circumstances appear through my miniscule human perspective to be unfair. We’re all born into this world with varying degrees of opportunity. Some people are born into wealth while others are born into poverty which will pave the way to your future: your health, your education, and your overall standard of living. Everything, for the most part, is tied into where, when, and how you were born.

Then there’s ability. The world only has one Barbara Streisand and one Magic Johnson. The rest of us can take lessons, but ultimately, if you weren’t born with the right degree of talent, you just aren’t ever going to become a megastar even when presented with the right opportunity.

Of course, there are exceptions: the little girl with chords of steel who was born into a third world country and will never record a CD; or the famous actor who becomes immensely wealthy but who doesn’t really have the talent to warrant his success.

But in most instances, if you're going to succeed in your chosen field (especially the arts), you must must must already possess the necessary talent.

God places each of us in the world under both positive and negative circumstances. Some people take this as evidence that He doesn’t exist. I don’t. I believe He does exist. I believe He created us. And I believe He loves us all.

I just can’t wrap my head around the apparent unfairness of our individual circumstances. How does He choose who will go where and why? And how? Toss of a die?

Perhaps one day He’ll explain it to me ...

A Weighty Crown

2008-10-16T15:16:00.004-04:00

For reasons unknown to me, Royal Caribbean has begun doing weigh-ins. We didn’t have them during my last contract, but now we’re forced to step on the scale on a regular basis. Whatever.

First day of rehearsal, we took our base weight. I came in at 167. Okay. Great! That’s less than I was expecting to weigh, so yay for me!

Two weeks went by, and we did another weigh-in. I thought I would've gained a pound or two from muscle. City of Dreams is all about lifting and partnering, so I figured I was beginning to pack on some major muscle ... okay ... maybe just some minor muscle.

Instead, I came in at 164 and dropped three pounds! WHAT?! That’s awesome! I mean, who doesn’t want to lose weight, right? Especially at my age. Now, if I can just add some major/minor muscle, I’ll be all set. Protein, protein, protein.

In other news ... I have to have my crown replaced. For those of you who don’t floss your teeth everyday: START! A root canal is no fun. The dentist had to stretch my mouth open for about four hours to dig out that damaged root. Yuck!

Anyway, my one-and-only five+ year-old crown has shifted and created a gap which is allowing bacteria to get under and fester. Not a good thing. So amidst my RC rehearsals, I had to go and get fitted for a new crown.

The Ft. Lauderdale dentist then fit me with a temporary crown while I wait another two weeks for the new porcelain one to be created. But guess what? Two days later, the temporary crown popped off while I was flossing, so I had to go back to the dentist to get the temporary crown refastened.

FYI ... I do not have the time to be going to the dentist day-after-day. I'm dancing my little heart out and need to devote the rest of my time to eating and sleeping. So please cross your heart that this crown remains in place.

I’ll just be happy when rehearsals, and my teeth adventures are over. At least I’m skinnier than I was before I began!

Ah, it's the little things ...

Cell Phone Drama

2008-10-12T15:06:00.005-04:00

I can’t wait to get a new cell phone!

I currently own the LG Chocolate. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend it. It looks cool, but its functionality leaves a little to be desired. I think the newer version is better, but I was cursed with the first edition. However, the phone was fine. I really had nothing to complain about.

Until last February when I began having major problems with it:

Calls not connecting to my phone ...
Dropped calls ...
Losing info...
Etc.

I went to Verizon (with whom I have received excellent service from in the past) and was, luckily, still a week away from an expired warranty. They agreed to send me a refurbished unit, and I was on my way. Received the phone within a decent amount of time, and everything was fixed. Great!

**Side note** They only extended the warranty another month which is rather unhelpful. What if the refurbished unit is a piece of crap? Then you’re stuck with a lemon!

Anyway ... the new/old phone worked great ... until about a month ago.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say Verizon sent me a lemon, however, calls began not connecting to my phone again. I just received missed call notices without my phone ever actually ringing.

And now the battery is utterly shot. I literally get less than five minutes of battery life before the whole phone powers down. I plug it in, and it charges completely within five minutes ... for another five minutes of battery life. I’m pretty much tethered to a wall outlet. My cell phone has, for all practical purposes, become a miniature land line. So much for mobility.

Luckily, I’m eligible for Verizon’s $100 new phone credit in two weeks, and I can’t wait! Let the countdown begin!

And this time I’m not getting the Chocolate!

Gotta Dance

2008-10-05T15:55:00.002-04:00

I’ve been in rehearsals for Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas for 8 days now. We finally have a full cast minus one girl singer (whom the casting department still hasn’t been able to find). Thankfully we have all our dancers so we can learn our choreography without having an empty space.

So far we’ve learned:

Welcome Aboard
The Farewell Show
The ABBA Theme Night (all of which, I previously knew)

... and half of our first show, City of Dreams:

River of Dreams ... nice, easy, floaty number
Time After Time ... tricky, but not too bad
Like An Eagle ... the first number of the Bollywood section. Lots of fingers and bent wrists
Every Way That I Can ... same as Eagle but with lots more hip action!
Aria ... BITCH of a number! Fast and furious!
Heaven ... fun club finale.

My body hurts!!! My calves. My shoulders. My biceps. But most of all ... my butt! Too much lunging in this show!

My days consist of waking, eating breakfast, dancing dancing dancing until my brain fries from information overload, hot tub-ing my sore muscles, showering the sweat and chlorine away, eating anything I can find for dinner, reviewing choreography, and sleeping.

Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?

Farewell ... for now

2008-09-25T12:18:00.002-04:00

Sorry for my absence from the blogosphere. I’ve been busy.

And now I’m gone.

I left Orlando last night and headed down to Ft. Lauderdale to begin rehearsing for my shows with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. I arrived at about 1:00 am and am now going about getting settled: Unpacking. Shopping for food. Meeting my new cast mates. It’s a lot.

One of the male singers arrived last night, too, so he and I chatted as I was unloading my car. I didn’t get to bed until 3:00am. Needless to say ... today I’m tired. Luckily, we don’t have orientation until 1:45 tomorrow, so I should be able to recover by then.

I’m nursing a sore throat, too, so feel sorry for me. I woke up this morning absolutely freezing. The temperature was set at seventy degrees, and my bed only had a sheet and a paper-thin blanket. Brrrrr!!! I was c-c-c-cold!!!I’ll probably be out of touch for a while. I have limited internet access, and once rehearsals get underway, I have little-to-no energy left to expend on witty blogs.

But, I’ll try to keep you all updated on the happenings. I don’t want you, faithful reader, to feel neglected.

And now I’m off ... to take a nap! Cheers!

ps. I've redesigned my web page, so if you haven't had a chance, check it out and let me know what you think: www.taitmoline.com

The Miniature Earth

2008-09-10T20:47:00.002-04:00

The world is big, and I take a lot for granted.

This thought-provoking video shrinks the international statistics into percentages to help us understand the world we live in. Very enlightening ...

The Miniature Earth

My play

2008-09-10T00:36:00.001-04:00

If you're in Orlando, come out and support new theater and see my brand new play!

Moline Media Minute

2008-09-09T22:11:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone. It’s time for the Moline Media Minute. Here’s a sampling of things I’ve watched and read lately:

Out of the Silent Planet by CS Lewis

Kind of a disappointment. I love the Chronicles of Narnia, and this book is the first in Lewis’s adult-oriented Space Trilogy. Unfortunately, I had to slog through it. Though, to be fair, I’m not much of a classics kind of guy; I don’t usually enjoy the style.

Dr. Ransom is kidnapped by a mad scientist and his assistant and taken to another planet (which turns out to be Mars) with the intention of being sacrificed to gain favor with the foreign inhabitants. Once there, Ransom escapes his captors and integrates with the different species and societies he meets. Eventually he comes face-to-face with the ruler of the planet who mets out justice to all three humans as he sees fit.

Critics raved about Lewis’s entire trilogy back in the 70s when it was written, but I found his first one rather tedious at times.

I loved the ideas behind the book and the overall philosophy, theology, and mysticism of Lewis’s Mars compared to Earth (“The Silent Planet”). He had great characters, too. But the dense descriptions and slow pace made it difficult for the book to hold my attention.

The Wicker Man

This was Nicholas Cage’s suspense thriller about a secluded island and its strange, Amish-type community. When Cage’s ex-fiance contacts him about her missing daughter (whom she fears is about to be harmed by the island’s community), Cage races to the rescue.

I was excited to see this movie. I’m not a big Nicolas Cage fan, but I’m all about the weird mystery-thriller genre. Unfortunately, the ending was a big let down, and as you know ... it’s all about the ending for me.

I was completely engrossed in the movie, but the finale, meant to be shocking and horrendous when it finally answers your questions, ultimately disappoints when the plot sucks all life and hope from its characters.

What a waste. What a downer. No wonder it bombed at the box office.

The Road to Cana by Anne Rice

Wow. She did it again. Anne Rice sure knows how to take a gamble and make a masterpiece.

Beginning with some bare bones information from the Gospels, Rice creates a story about Jesus’ life before He began His ministry, adeptly weaving history, family, geography, politics, spirituality, and humanity into an engaging and powerful novel.

And she takes risks.

This time around, Rice begins her story with two young boys - accused of homosexual activity - being stoned to death by the citizens of Nazareth (Jesus’ hometown) and ends the book with Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, His exorcism of Mary Magdalene (here Mary of Magdala), and His forty days of temptation in the desert (handled ingeniously, I thought).

If you’re a fan of Chaim Potok’s novels of Jewish life (and even if you're not), you’ll enjoy Rice’s take on Biblical Jewish society. I’m definitely looking forward to Anne Rice’s next book.

Company

My friend, Brian, was so kind to have kept the Broadway Revival Presentation of Stephen Sondheim's Company (shown on PBS last year) on his DVR for months and months for me until we were finally able to get together and watch it. He personally didn’t care for the production, and I wasn’t sure what to expect but ... overall, I liked it.

I definitely think watching the show on television doesn’t carry the same weight or impact of watching the live performance (obviously, but sometimes it does work, like MTV’s showing of Legally Blonde). This version of Company was so modern and minimalistic, I think it needs the atmosphere and energy of actually being present with the actors.

However, I still thought it was a powerful production. Having all the actors play their own instruments actually worked for once. I never saw the Sweeney Todd revival, but I can’t imagine how that would be successful and not distract from the musical. But here, the actors interact and socialize through the music, and their instruments practically become characters in their own right.

I didn’t care much for the melancholy undercurrents, though. Sondheim describes Company as being difficult for audiences to grasp due to its ambivalence: relationships are impossible, yet we can’t live without them.

However, there’s an overall negativity to the show that he doesn’t appear to recognize. The musical’s theme is a paradox, but the lack of hope and positivity affects that audience’s ability to connect with the material.

Still, I still enjoyed this critically-acclaimed revival and was glad to finally see it. Sondheim is a musical theater genius, and this show was no exception.

Good News

2008-09-03T13:36:00.011-04:00

I’m thrilled to announce that my play, this Functional family, has been chosen to premiere at the 2008 Orlando GLBT Theatre Festival!

There will be two evenings of 10-minute plays Sept. 14 and 21 at Downtown Orlando’s Mad Cow Theatre at 7pm with talk backs to follow.

A Celebration Of GLBT Theatre in Ten Minute One Acts

Baby Summer, by Michael Ramirez – New York, NY
Directed by Margaret Nolan

The Boileroom, by Bill Cosgriff – New York, NY
Directed by Seth Kubersky

Songs My Brother Sang, by Myra Slotnick – Provincetown, MA
Directed by Laura Lippman

Daniel(le) – A Monologue Play, by Asher Wyndham – Tempe, AZ
Directed by Lester Malizia

Godfrey – A Short Play, by Ian August – Highland Park, NJ
Directed by John DiDonna

this Functional family, by TAIT MOLINE – Orlando, FL
Directed by Chad Lewis

Kids ‘R Us, by Josh Levine – New York, NY
Directed by Rob Ward

With plays originating from all over the United States, I'm very proud and excited to be included in this Festival!

For more information please go to www.glbttheatrefest.com

Kristin Chenoweth's Addiction

2008-08-29T15:23:00.001-04:00

Hilarious! Who knew Kristin Chenoweth would ever be in the same sentence as meth addiction?!

See more Kristin Chenoweth videos at Funny or Die

Part Time Announcement

2008-08-28T21:00:00.005-04:00

I think the most difficult thing about working part-time for Disney (as opposed to having a full-time contract) is the inability to have a routine or to even plan anything definitively in advance.

Because I never know how many hours I’ll be scheduled to work in any given week, I have to be available any time Disney calls which has resulted in me missing out on a lot of previously scheduled events (like two different birthday parties!).

I feel horrible about canceling on people, but I have to work. Thankfully, all of my friends have been understanding of the situation, but still. I feel terrible. Now whenever I make plans, I make sure to give the standard “Yes ... unless I have to work” response.

Granted, in the past, I was often late or had to cancel things even when I was full-time due to a show time change. But now the occurrences are much more frequent, and it’s aggravating.

However, in today’s economy, I'm thankful to have a job that provides me with a paycheck, even when it’s inconvenient.

Of course, the big news in my life is ... I’m going out on another cruise ship!!!!

It's official. I’ll be going into rehearsals for Royal Caribbean at the end of September to join the Jewel of the Seas in November, and I’m very excited!

For more information about the shows and itinerary see my website under News.

Funny Funny

2008-08-25T22:48:00.004-04:00

These are some hilarious videos I found to spice up your day. They're not that long, but be warned ... there is some adult content. Enjoy!

Universal Studios's Free Photo Booth ...
or so they think.

Sesame Street: CENSORED

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Michael Phelps's Endorsements

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Trying to get this kid to wish Roseanne a "Happy Birthday"

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Go Kathy!

2008-08-24T23:01:00.002-04:00

Finally watched Kathy Griffin’s Life on the D-List 2008 Season Finale. I give her such props. She’s a staunch Democrat, strongly opposed to the war in Iraq, and yet, last season she went to Iraq and Afghanistan to entertain the troops. And this year she went to the Walter Reed Army Hospital to meet-and-greet the injured soldiers (almost all of them amputees) and their families before putting on a show.

What an eye-opening experience to see exactly what the men and women defending our country have to go through. As Kathy said, traveling to the military bases and hospitals puts names and faces to the the numbers we see and hear about on the evening news.

Somehow Kathy kept her sense of humor while still creating an extremely emotional and touching episode. Kudos.

Yes, she’s bawdy and controversial and over-the-top. And I love her!

Goodbye American Airlines

2008-08-17T21:28:00.005-04:00

I’m mad at the airline industry, but most specifically American Airlines. I’m not going to say I’ll NEVER fly with them again (because who knows what’s going to happen with the industry the way it is), but if I can help it, I’m going to avoid American Airlines.

I recently had to change a plane ticket (over a month in advance of the original departure date) and instead of a $25 or even a $50 change fee, they charged me an additional $150 on top of the ticket difference. So basically, my $200 ticket became a $50 credit to book a new reservation, and I lost the other $150.

Oh ... and was there any indication anywhere on the ticket or emails they sent me or on their website that told me a reservation change would cost $150? No siree. The most I could find was a generic “there may be a fee”.

And don’t think I didn’t try and try and try to get the fee waived or at least reduced. I even got Patrick to try. He went above and beyond and climbed higher up the AA food chain than I thought possible.

But American Airlines, whose Customer Service Plan states “We are dedicated to making every flight you take with us something special. Your safety, comfort and convenience are our most important concerns,” gave Patrick this (paraphrased) answer: “Sorry. There’s nothing we can do.”

So, ta-ta American Airlines. See ya, later.

Rubber Boy

2008-08-12T23:22:00.002-04:00

I've seen lots of female contortionists, but it's rare to see a male one. And he's definitely flexible!

Rubber Boy

It's Survey Time!

2008-08-11T22:55:00.004-04:00

Haven't done a survey in a long time either, so here's a random one for fun!

*******************************************************************

Did you have any unread text messages this morning when you woke up?
No.

What's your relationship with the person you last texted?
My honey.

Where was your default picture taken?
Movement Arts Studio

Do you have a flip or slide phone?
Slide.

Do you wish someone would call you right now?
Don’t care.

Could you go the rest of your life without smoking a cigarette?
I sure hope so. I’m trying to avoid cancer!

Name something you dislike about the day you're having?
It’s hot outside.

When was the last time you cried?
I think it was reading The Shack by William P. Young

Is there anybody you're really disappointed in right now?
Not that I can think of ...

Do you miss someone?
Always.

Do you have a best friend?
Yes.

Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?
Usually I talk about them. Or maybe over-talk about them is more accurate.

If someone looked under your bed, what would they find?
Wrapping paper.

What is the last movie you watched?
Batman: The Dark Knight

Will you be in a relationship 3 months from now?
Yes.

Are you happy at the moment?
Yes.

Are you a morning person or a night person?
I’m definitely more of a morning person, but I have a hard time getting up if I haven’t gotten enough sleep.

What were you doing at 1am this morning?
Sleeping.

Do you like to read?
YES! But I don’t have the opportunity to read as much as I did when I was younger.

You're in the hospital, who on your TOP friends would you call?
Amy, Patrick, and my family

Is there a difference between the word 'best friend' and 'friend'?
Definitely. I have lots of friends, but the classification belongs to someone who knows me intimately

When is the last time a girl gave you a hug?
Today at work.

Have you ever touched an elephant?
... I think so ... not sure on that one ...

Has anyone ever told you you have pretty eyes?
Yes. I’ve also been told my eyes are always hugely dilated. Don’t know what that’s about.

Do you ever keep arguing when you know you're wrong?
I don’t think so. I usually argue because I believe I’m right. Once I realize I’m wrong, I think I concede.

How is your hair?
Unruly and receding.

Do you like your first name?
I love it!!!!

Last time you ate grilled cheese?
I hate a grilled ham and cheese only a few weeks ago. Does that still count?

Name something great that happened today?
I booked a day next week to work at Dream Along with Mickey

Who was the last person's voice you heard?
The boys from the cast of Dream Along with Mickey playing Nintendo Wii

Who spoils you the most?
I don’t think anyone spoils me, although there are a couple people who can be very nice.

Do you like your life as of now?
Yes ... it’s kind of in transition right now ... but you know ... that’s life.

How many kids do you want in the future?
I’ve always wanted 2-4 kids, but I don’t forsee that happening anytime in the near future.

Have you ever kissed anyone whose name started with M?
No.

Have you ever kissed anyone whose name started with D?
No. Random questions.

Do you crack your knuckles?
Yes. Those air pockets are annoying.

What were you doing twenty minutes ago?
Dancing on the castle stage at Disney’s The Magic Kingdom

Last thing you drank?
Nice, cold H2O.

What were you doing at midnight last night?
Uh, sleeping. Morning person, remember?

When is your birthday?
September 13th

Where does most of your family live?
My extended family is centralized in Minnesota, but I have family all over the world. My immediate family lives in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Florida.

Did you kiss or hug anyone today?
Yes

Ever told someone you loved them and meant it?
Yes. I would hope that people wouldn’t say I love you without meaning it.

Have you ever thought about getting your nose pierced?
I’ve thought about it ... and then dismissed it.

Have you broken a bone?
Nope.

What can't you wait for?
My birthday!

Who are you talking to right now?
Nobody.

Have you ever been suspended or expelled from school?
No. I’m boring.

Who was the last person that called you?
Patrick.

Who is the last person that called you and you didn't answer?
Patrick.

Are you good at giving directions?
I think so, if I know where they’re going.

Rent a movie or go to movies?
I would say go to the movie, but the experience is so often marred by the attending audience, so now I’ll usually say rent the movie!

Has anyone told you they've missed you lately?
Yes.

Are you wearing any clothes that don't belong to you?
Yep. They’re all Disney’s baby (except the underwear!)

If you could seek revenge on someone, would you?
I don’t think so, but then again I don’t currently have anything to seek revenge for so it’s hard to say.

Mountains or the beach?
Mountains.

Bonfires or fireplaces?
Tough one. Depends on the weather, but I’ll pick bonfires. The S’mores just edge out the fireplace.

Have you ever taken medicine that wasn't prescribed to you?
No. In general, I try to stay away from medicine.

Do you hate when people smoke around you?
Yes. It smells bad and gets into my clothes.

Who was the last girl you talked to?
The Dance Captain of Dream Along With Mickey

Who was the last person you talked to in person?
See last question.

Do you have any plans for tomorrow?
I’m dancing at Beauty and the Beast

Recently done anything you regret?
No. I try not to regret. Too much time and energy wasted on things I can’t change.

How do you handle stress?
Depends. I think I usually handle it fairly well depending on the situation, but other people tell me I tend to freak out.

Do you think best friends can be replaced?
In general, no. Once a best friend, probably always a best friend. That’s my theory right now.

Who will you be with Saturday night?
Me, myself, and I watching the Olympics!

Who's Myspace Password Do You Have?
Umm... my own.

What does the last text message in your inbox say?
It’s not a text. It’s a picture of my cat, Gideon.

Something you want to know?
Why do our bodies generate more hair all over ourselves as we grow older, while the hair on our head disappears?

Something you're happy about?
I’m happy I’m healthy.

Do you wish you were somewhere else right now?
No. I’m happy to be working and making a paycheck.

Movie Thoughts:

2008-08-09T21:59:00.003-04:00

I haven’t done any movie reviews in a while so ... let’s see if I can catch up:

A Home at the End of the World

I’ve heard about this movie for a long time and was looking forward to finally seeing it, but, I must say, I was disappointed. I kept waiting for something more.

From the writer of The Hours comes a functionally dysfunctional threesome between two childhood friends and the girl they meet along the way. It wasn’t necessarily bad - all three leads were excellent - but when the end arrived with a decidedly sad turn of events, I just thought ... “is that all?”

The Strangers

Don’t even bother. The trailers were excellent, but this movie is a completely unbelievable piece of garbage. I can’t believe Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman agreed to make it.

Were you scared?
Yes.

Did you jump in your seat?
Yes.

Did it have any other redeeming qualities?
No.

Strangers is pointless, depressing, and stupid. If you’re in the mood for a good scare, rent Vacancy instead, a far superior horror film in every aspect.

Juno

When I finally saw this movie, I thought my expectations might sabotage my viewing pleasure. Boy was I wrong. Extremely witty, unconventional, and thoroughly surprising, Juno was a delight to watch. The Oscar for original screenplay was well-deserved.

In the mood for a quirky comedy filled with snappy dialogue and believable characters? Juno is your movie.

The Amityville Horror (2005 remake)

Pretty straight-forward horror movie based on “true” events that I actually enjoyed. Fluffy and lacking substance but still enjoyable when you’re in the mood. Settle in with a bowl of popcorn, a dark room, and loved one to snuggle up with, and you’re all set.

Reminded me a lot of The Shining and definitely better than Strangers (see above), but I’d still opt for Vacancy.

Dan in Real Life

Another disappointment. Okay, I wanted to like this movie. I really did.

Steve Carell was excellent, Juliette Binoche absolutely perfect, and the three daughters were believable and precocious, but the whole movie was so melancholy. Where was the joy? Where was the hope?

Carell plays a columnist whose wife died four years ago and is struggling to find love again. Sounds like a good beginning. But his large extended family comes across as so insensitive, uncaring, and oblivious that when the end finally comes I was only mildly happy. Just too much sadness. Carell was like Charlie Brown only more depressing.

If you want a heart-warming story about large families, I recommend watching The Family Stone instead. It succeeds where Dan fails.

Batman: The Dark Knight

Finally, I saw the blockbuster that everyone’s talking about.

The first thing I have to say is how well-crafted this movie was. The plot moves faster than Batman’s Batmobile so the 2.5 hours zoomed along unnoticed. Christopher Nolan does a masterful job of balancing the action with the drama and keeping the tension tight between the good characters and the bad characters. There weren’t any twists per se, but I can’t say I ever knew where the story was headed. And that’s the kind of movie I like.

Heath Ledger makes an incredible Joker, and with his untimely death, it’ll be interesting to see if he wins an Oscar for his role. I didn’t think anyone could surpass Jack Nicholson’s Joker, but Ledger sure did. He’s every bit as good as people said he was.

The whole cast, actually, is wonderful including Christian Bale ... except for his raspy Batman voice. What’s up with that?!! Was anyone else distracted by his utterly ridiculous vocal put-on? It made it difficult to understand him when he was the Caped Crusader. I don’t remember that voice from his first Batman movie, but maybe it wasn’t as pronounced. Oh, well.

Surprisingly, The Dark Knight lived up to the hype. And now I’m actually looking forward to the next Batman movie.

Books for Thought

2008-08-02T23:02:00.004-04:00

I haven’t done any book reviews in a while, so here are the last two books I've read:

The Kite Runner

Amazing, amazing book. Not at all what I was expecting. Actually, I don't know what I was expecting, but I guess it wasn't this.

The beginning was a little difficult as I figured out the characters and their names - and the Afghani language in general - but that's really the only negative thing I have to say about the book because the prose was so smooth.

The characters were rich and well-rounded, the history and politics fascinating, and the story compelling and heart-wrenching. If you haven’t already read it, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of The Kite Runner. It wasn't the third highest selling book of 2005 for nothing.

The Shack

Interesting book!!!

The premise is this: where is God amidst tragedy? Not an easy topic to tackle, that’s for sure. And yet William P. Young courageously delves into a story about a husband whose daughter is abducted during a camping trip with unabashed tenderness.

The writing alternates between rich and glorious to hideously amateur, and yet, this book offers a fresh and original take on the nature and personage of God. If you’ve hungered for something spiritual that is decidedly Christian in nature but still waaaaaaaaay out-of-the-box, check this book out. I can't describe it, but I've never read or thought about God in the terms that this book dramatizes.

You’ll have to wade through some dense theological/philosophical passages in the middle, but it’s worth it for something so different from your typical spiritual fiction.

And ... I admit it ... I teared up at the end. If that isn't enough of a recommendation, I don't know what is.

Lifted

2008-07-31T23:08:00.005-04:00

Here's a cute little Pixar short called Lifted that was nominated for an Oscar in 2006 or 2007. I guess it played in theaters before Ratatouille, but I wouldn't know. I only saw that movie on DVD. Yet I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it. Much better than I had originally anticipated.

Anyway ... Lifted reminds me of my very first driving lesson ... sort of ... Enjoy!

So You Think You Can Dance 2008

2008-07-30T23:01:00.002-04:00

The end is upon us. The season finale of SYTYCD 2008 is next week, and since I haven't chimed in at all this year, I thought now would be the perfect time.

Here are my thoughts, in no particular order:

* I know not everyone enjoys Cat Deely, but I do. I think she's a great host who mixes slick presentation with outright dorkiness. Props to her for wearing Twitch's gold teeth. Funny. Ryan Seacrest would never put somebody else's saliva in his mouth ... on camera.

* What happened to Alex DeSilva? He's one of my favorite choreographers, and this season, he's only done one or two numbers. Sad. And speaking of disappearing people ... where's Dan Karaty? He judged once or twice at the beginning, but absolutely NO choreography for him. Weird. And on that same note, I'd love to see Mary Murphy choreographing again. I always loved her stuff, as well. Too much new this season. I want some old back.

* But I love Tabitha and Napoleon. Their routines are great. I love-love-loved Shane Sparks, but Tabitha and Napoleon rock!

* And so does Sonia! Her In The Garden routine was AWESOME!!!! Favorite number of the night hands down.

* Chelsea always seems to lose either an earring or an article of clothing every week. Tonight, I believe, she lost both.

* Is it just me, or is Tyce Diorio trying to become Mia Michaels? His contemporary choreography is beginning to look extremely similar to The Mia's. And then there's the Celine music. I think the two of them need to stop sharing their iTunes playlists. Don't become a Mia-clone, Tyce, please. Even with all the accolades the judges throw your way.

* Loved the music of tonight's Paso Doble. Why? It's from Le Reve, an amazing water show in Vegas that I'm partial to.

* The final boys this year are just not that great. Of the three, I think Mark's the best. And even he isn't as good as boys from previous years. (Sorry, Rhonda.) But, he is unique. And for that, I give him thumbs up.

* I don't get all the love Josh receives from the judges. He's a great hip hopper; he seems extraordinarily nice; and he gives his all, especially emotionally, when he dances. However, Katee carries all the numbers they do together. She's the one doing all the hard dancing. He just does all the lifting (which is itself difficult, yes). But, I'm telling you, if he hadn't been paired with her so often, I don't think the judges would be eating him up as much as they do.

* And speaking of Katee, I'm putting my money on her to win it all. I don't think a boy's going to win this year (even though the public loves to be entertained by those hip-hoppers.) Of course, it'll depend on the performances next week, but my guess right now is Katee takes it all. She's been consistently fabulous and done an outstanding job with everything that's been thrown her way.

* Although, I think Courtney has been under-appreciated. She's done some amazing routines this season, and I don't think the judges have really given her the kudos she deserves.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Oh, yeah. Jeff Lewis of Flipping Out is k-razy. But you already knew that.

ps. What was up with that country two-step routine from a few weeks ago?! The choreography was fine and looked extremely difficult. But still. The performances. The dancing technique.

Worst. Number. Ever. I couldn't believe what I was watching. Could you?

uh-oh

2008-07-26T11:41:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, while working at Beauty and the Beast, I happened to be carrying too many things in my hand and dropped my cell phone into a glass of water.

I took the battery out and let the phone dry. Unfortunately, it looks like my phone is dead.

It wouldn't turn on when I put the battery back in this morning until I plugged the phone into an outlet. Then it worked. And then shut off. And then turned back on again. And then turned off.

I took the battery out again to allow it even more time to dry. But it's not looking good.

I'm eligible for a new phone from Verizon in October. But what do I do until then?

Crap.

UPDATE: I waited another eight hours with my phone unplugged and the battery out. And guess what? It's now working! Maybe it wasn't dry yet.

My advice? Don't drop your cell phone into a cup of water.

Today's Thought

2008-07-20T22:08:00.002-04:00

So here’s my beef:

What’s the big deal about offending people in the United States?

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be nice. And I don’t want to intentionally hurt people. And, of course, it’s important to be aware of the people around us and to be sensitive to their feelings.

But that being said ... I don’t understand the concept of wanting to legislate people’s actions so that other’s “aren’t offended”.

Americans live in a free society, and as long as we’re not breaking a law or infringing upon someone else’s freedom’s then you should be allowed to do or say what you will.

I have the right to offend you. You have the right to offend me. If I don’t like it, I can always walk away. So can you. Hurtful words are hurtful, but I can choose to let them affect me or not.

I’m not talking about harassment or abuse. I’m talking about getting so caught up in what other people are thinking that we suddenly become offended when someone says something we disagree with.

I fear that in today’s current culture of “political correctness” it may soon become illegal to offend people. And that, my friends, will be a sad day indeed.

I'm baaaaaack!

2008-07-10T20:55:00.002-04:00

I’m back from my vay-kay-tion to Minnesota.

RECAP

My brother’s wedding was ... a great story for them to tell their children.

Q. What’s the first rule of having an outdoor wedding?
A. Having a Plan B.

There was no Plan B.

The week before the wedding and the week after saw beautiful blue skies, temperate weather, and gorgeous sun. The day of the actual wedding only saw grey skies, hurricane force winds toppling all the handmade flower arrangements, and rain, rain, rain. Luckily, there were tents to sit under.

And to top the whole day off, the tension between my parents (the in-laws) and the bride came to a head and exploded right before the wedding. No one was very happy. Oh, well. I was just the groom’s brother.

The rest of the week was nice. Family dynamics are interesting, though. No details here, but family is family. And I love 'em.

Unfortunately, I developed some sort of weird sickness. I’d wake up with a headache, an achy body, and lethargy. As the day progressed, I’d get better. Then it would return again at night. This lasted the majority of the week. I came home and continued to wake up with massive headaches. Finally I shut myself in my room, slept for twelve hours (or something like that), and now feel much better.

AUDITION

Today I had an audition for a web hosting gig. I don’t like to talk much about auditions because performers audition more than we actually get jobs so why discuss all the lost opportunities? But today was special. Why? Because I talked back to the casting director. For those not "in the know" this is a sure way to not get a job.

SHE: “You need to get color headshots.”
ME: “I know. But some people like black and white.”
SHE: “No they don’t.”
ME: “I just went to a seminar with Mark Fincannon, and he said he likes them.”
SHE: “He’s the only one. XYZ likes color.”
ME: “You’re right. I need to get color headshots.”

Probably not the end of the world, but still stupid. I thought I rocked the audition, though. Which means I won’t get a call-back.

TMI

Do you know that humans create urine even without drinking anything? That's a little tidbit my sister Tricia, the RN, told me.

Does that explain why I have to pee every hour? Seriously. Every hour. Or almost every hour.

Patrick thinks I’ve conditioned myself this way. Very possibly. But, I think I actually have an extraordinarily small bladder. I have to keep getting up to go to the bathroom because my stomach hurts if I don’t. And pretty soon I'll be up to three bathroom trips in the middle of the night. Ugh. What happened to sleeping eight hours straight without waking up? I'm not that old yet.

I know that's more than you wanted to know, but I think we’re close enough now to share.

vay-kay-tion

2008-06-26T23:35:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow I'm on vacation! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow I leave for the ... uhm ... sunny? ... quaint? ... midwestern? ... sights of MinnesOHta.

My brother, Michael, is getting married Saturday morning, and Saturday night he's holding a joint reception with my sister, Tricia, (who just got married last month). Lots of family and stuff. Should be fun.

I'm hopping on a plane tomorrow morning, and I don't return until next Saturday. Whoo-Hoo!

Here's to some restful and relaxing R&R! (haha!)

See y'all later, and Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonys Remembered

2008-06-24T08:16:00.003-04:00

I know, I know. The Tony Awards are soooo last week. But, I wanted to chime in with my thoughts and opinions.

So here's my Tony rundown:

The Lion King
When will that opening get old? Pure theatrical brilliance! And kudos to my friend Phillip Turner. You make a fierce zebra, man!

Whoopi
There’s been some mixed reaction to her hosting, but I enjoyed her. Not controversial, not too annoying, just enough. The host always walks a fine line between moving the show along and justifying their presence. I personally liked all her musical homages. Lights, action, Broadway, baby!

Cry-Baby
Those male dancers were workin’ it! Wow! They earn their paycheck every night, that's for sure. The number didn’t necessarily make me want to see the show, and now that it’s closing I won’t. But it was still an entertaining dance number. Reminded me of Susan Stroman's Crazy For You prop choreography.

Passing Strange
Uh, what was that? Some nice voices in there, but Stew’s yelling and the cast’s gyrating against a backdrop of neon didn’t give me any reason to want to see the show. I’ll pass on Strange, thanks.

Gypsy
Did Patti Lupone hit a homerun or what? I’ve never been a huge fan of hers (although she did always strike a chord with me on Life Goes On), but this role was made for her. What a number! What a voice! And she did give a funny (if somewhat self-indulgent) Tony speech almost thirty years after her first win. It was definitely Patti's night.

Underscoring
"Dear Producers: can you please not play annoying music under the intros to each musical? Thanks!"

South Pacific
I know it’s the current darling of the theatrical community, but I’ve never cared that much for South Pacific. And their montage didn’t really change my opinion except for Kelli O’Hara. She was a glorious Nellie, just sparkling onstage.

Laura Benanti
Tony speech of the night! She was so cute and humble and shocked. Everything she said was so heartfelt and wonderful. The epitome of a "Thank You" speech.

Grease
Love the movie, but don’t care much for the stage show. Personally, I like the two reality stars that won the lead roles, but every time I’ve ever seen Grease on the Tony’s it’s always fallen flat for me. This time was no exception.

Excerpts
Little Mermaid: Fine, nothing spectacular.
Catered Affair: Uhm, Faith Prince? Couldn’t you hear yourself in the monitors?
The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein: How ostentatious is THAT title?! But Megan Mulally is my hero!!!

Cameras
What's up with showing people in the audience that look like they’re at a funeral? Every time the camera would close up on an audience member they looked bored out of their minds. Hello?!

In The Heights
Intriguing number. Even with all the hype, I wasn’t really into this musical, but now I'm kind of curious to see it (which is what a Tony number should do!) Hopefully, there isn't too much rap. I don't care for that. (whoops, now I sound like a sap!)

See also Passing Strange.

Sunday ... George
Daniel Evans ... what is it about him? He has such a child-like joy when he performs. This Sondheim musical has always felt cold to me, but he exudes such personality and charisma. And is Jenna Russell a Bernadette Peters clone or what? But who cares? From all accounts, she’s just as fabulous, if not more so, than her co-star.

Glenn Close
My favorite Tony moment? Glenn Close (who looked amazing except for the pointy boobs. What was up with that?!!) yelling:

Some Enchanted Evening ... South PaTHific!

I laughed rather long and hard over that one.

Xanadu
Haven’t seen the show, but their musical number seemed an odd choice to me. But, maybe it was the only choice? I don’t know. Still want to see it.

And why couldn’t their introduction have included Cubby Bernstein or at least a reference to the famous Tony campaign manager? Xandau should have won an award for most brilliant marketing.

Rent
And finally ... the cast reunion of Rent. Disappointing. The new cast looks and sounds too slick and produced, and the old cast came together for what? All of two seconds? Nothing like teasing us for no reason. Oh, well. What do I expect?

Overall, the Tony’s were highly enjoyable. No controversy or mistakes, but not too straight-laced either. Good job everybody! I look forward to your 2009 broadcast!

For Real?

2008-06-19T19:32:00.003-04:00

I guess it’s officially time for another real blog from me.

Facebook ... I finally joined several months back, and I STILL don’t get it. I mean, there are a few things to like:

The streamlined appearance.
The ease in which I can customize my page.
The fact that the site always seems to know who my friends are by “suggesting” I add them. Creepy. And cool.

But then there’s things I don’t like slash get:

What the heck’s new?! I feel like I have to click everywhere just to figure out what I haven’t seen yet. MySpace is much easier. I log on, they tell me I have new comments, messages, whatever. Not so with Facebook. I have to figure it all out on my own. Time-consuming.
All the friggin’ applications. I mean, some of them are cool. Namely, the Visual Bookshelf or Stage Door applications. But do I really have to install Every. Single. One of them? If I get one more “You’ve been invited to some mob war" thingee I think I’ll stick a fork in my eye!
There’s no actual blogging. Weird.
And you can’t see anyone’s profile unless you’re friends with them. What, no snooping?! Isn’t that the whole reason I’m online?!! :) But seriously, sometimes I don't know who's asking me to friend them because their default picture just shows a baby. Uhm, that doesn't tell me who you are.

But I shouldn't complain. Facebook has allowed me to become friends with my other friends who aren’t on MySpace so I can then spend more time at home finding out about even more people through my computer instead of actually talking to them. Finally. A way to isolate the human population even more! Awesome!

In other news ... movies ...

My uber-cool dude Patrick and I had a marathon last week. We saw Iron Man, Indiana Jones 4, Prince Caspian, and The Happening.

Prince Caspian was definitely my fav. I’m sad it didn’t do as well as expected in the theaters. Not only was it true to the original novel, but all the changes they made were exceptional enhancements that actually upheld the integrity of the book. I think the entire Chronicles of Narnia canon is beautiful, and I hope they film all seven books (especially The Magician's Nephew). But, then again, I'm a sucker for YA fiction.

Next was Iron Man - an extremely pleasant surprise - followed by Indiana Jones and The Happening.

I love M. Night My-Name-Is-Hard-To-Pronounce, but he really needs to start directing someone else’s movies. I mean ... what was the point of The Happening? It just ended. No change, no growth, no nothing. Just a not-so-subtle warning to humanity. Whoop-dee-do.

Kudos to Betty Buckley, though. Her role slash cameo was the highlight of the movie for me.

Then there’s Indiana Jones. All I can say is ... uhm ... what? Aliens? Dumb.

It could have been cool, but none of it made sense. And enough of the CGI, George Lucas! Did Indy really need those “cute” groundhogs? Enough already!

But Harrison Ford still has it! There's The Mummy and the National Treasure franchises, but no one holds a candle to Mr. Ford. He's the quintessential professor slash archeologist who can handle a whip. I'll go see an Indiana Jones 5 IF they cut out the crapy. And I'd be happy to have Cate Blanchett! In fact, put Betty Buckley and Cate in a movie together and let the sparks fly!

And that, my friends, is today’s blog. For real.

My favorites

2008-06-18T18:55:00.000-04:00

I think these may be my two favorite YouTube videos of all-time. I mean, c'mon. You can't beat the innocence of children. They're just so funny!

Injured, Injured Bad

Monster Baby

Movie Updates

2008-06-08T22:03:00.003-04:00

Two days of Dream Along With Mickey and my feet are starting to burn. I can’t tell if it’s the heat or just the friction between the thin soles of my jazz shoes and the stage. I guess it’s time to build up those dancer calluses!

So, I’ve seen a few movies the past couple of weeks that I haven’t shared. First it was ...

The Orphanage :-) :-) :-) 1/2
I was so excited to see this movie because not only had it gotten great reviews, but I thought it was directed by the brilliant Guillermo del Toro of Pan’s Labyrinth (which BTW, I highly highly recommend!). However, I discovered after the movie finished, The Orphanage is only produced by Guillermo del Toro and not directed. Bummer.

Whatever. It had his style. Unfortunately, the movie fell flat for me. On the positive side, the journey was constantly surprising, the ending had a tragic twist, and several plot points were subject to discussion. However, I think it was a victim of inflated expectations.

Sweeney Todd :-) :-) 1/2
Saw this with my good friend, Brian Sumby, and this is what I’m going to say ... too much CGI. I know it’s Tim Burton’s trademark, but it was too distracting. The opening credits were cartoonish, the gushing blood was laughable, and Helena Bonham Carter just didn’t have enough of a voice for Mrs. Lovett. Her character was spot on, but I couldn’t get past her singing voice. I liked everyone else though including Johnny Depp (although the Antony was an interesting choice). I thought this adaptation was better than Rent or Phantom, but not as good as Dreamgirls. It was just ... okay.

Into the Wild :-) :-) :-) :-) 1/2
Saw this the other night with my sister, Kelly. Excellent movie. Sean Penn, whether you agree with his politics or not, is truly an artist. The cinematography alone is absolutely sumptuous. And the lead actor, Emile Hirsch ... stunning. He single-handedly carries this movie with his mostly silent outdoor activities.

Based on a true story that was made into a book, Into the Wild was developed though journal entries, interviews, supposition, and conjecture to piece together the last year or so of a young man who abandons his family and ultimately travels to Alaska in order to live off the land. (how's THAT for a sentence of explanation?!)

For the majority of the movie, all I could think of was how selfish and possibly mentally disturbed he was. However, the end of the movie made it for me. Excellent and heart wrenching. The final fifteen minutes are so frustrating, I can’t imagine what his family must have thought or felt once all the pieces of the puzzle had been gathered.

Into the Wild also contained my new life theme:

True happiness is shared.

I love that.

True happiness is shared.

Perhaps one man’s death, will awaken another man’s soul ...

Xanadu is too GAY!

2008-06-06T22:54:00.000-04:00

Countdown to The Tony Awards ... 9 days ...

This is hilarious!

MORE Planet Unicorn

2008-06-04T20:52:00.001-04:00

It seems lately I'm blogging less and posting videos more. Well, as my beloved Kathy Griffin would say, "Suck it!"

Eventually I'll write lengthier posts.

For now, enjoy some new adventures from Planet Unicorn. I think they're getting less funny as they go on ... and yet ... I love them so ...

Episode #5 "Debbie"

Episode #6 "Christmas in February"