Broadway | Twice as Nice [Wonderland & How to Succeed, Part II]

While there are currently a great number of broadway shows to choose from, during my last full week in New York City I decided to see two of my favorites a second time-- Wonderland and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. I honestly didn't think I would see Wonderland again while I was here, but when I heard that it was closing I knew I just had to see it one last time. I tried for the lottery on Thursday evening, and I won! For $30 I was sitting second row center. During the entire show I was sitting there having a wonderful time, but I was also so disappointed. How could this great show be closing?! It is filled with catchy songs, great choreography, fun costumes, and some of the most talented actors on broadway. It's a true shame Wonderland won't entertain any more audiences. 

Not only was I lucky to win the lottery that night, but after the performance Janet Dacal (Alice) and Darren Ritchie (Jack) held a talkback session to answer questions from audience members. For those of you that haven't seen the show, Ritchie's character in Wonderland is the lead singer of the "boy band" The White Knightz. Their main number "One Knight" was definitely my favorite part of the show. It's an amazing song, but it's supposed to be funny, and I die of laughter watching these guys. Click here to watch their "music video." 

Anyway, at the talkback session, an audience member asked Darren if he tries to act like any certain boy band member in particular. His answer? "Football player Justin Timberlake." I have no words! To view the entire talkback, check out the YouTube Video:

On Saturday, I woke up bright and early to head over to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre to stand in the rush ticket line for How to Succeed. I got there two hours early, and got a great spot in line (about the 16th person or so). I politely asked the lady at the box office if I could sit on the right side of the orchestra, and she searched to get me the best seat there. My motives? I just HAD to get  a decent spot at the stage door! Last time I was seated on the left side of the orchestra and I nearly got trampled just walking out of the theater. I was going to leave as soon as the curtain call started, but didn't want to be rude and push the other girls sitting next to me out of the way. Instead I waited patiently, and as soon as the doors opened, booked it out of there. I got a good spot in the second row with enough room to stick my Playbill out to be signed. The problem? Daniel didn't come out! Apparently he doesn't come out at matinee performances. Understandable, since he has another show to do in a few hours, but I was still disappointed.

Even though Dan didn't come out I was still hoping to get some other autographs, but it seems the other actors have grown accustomed to just walking through the crowds as fast as they can. The smiled and waved, and kept right on going. I knew Christopher Hanke who plays Bud Frump sometimes signs, but he didn't even come out! Alas, I saw another great performance, but have another naked playbill. Hopefully my friends and I will be able to road trip it to NYC this summer so I can see the show again. 

Broadway | The Lion King

As many broadway fans know, getting tickets to see The Lion King at an affordable price is nearly impossible. Thankfully, my internship program gets the opportunity to do one "cultural" event during our semester, and we talked our residence director into bringing us to see the show. The Lion King is definitely what I would call "broadway royalty." The show has been playing forever, and since it's a product of Disney, you know it's going to be a lavish production. I was blown away by the intricate costumes and beautiful set. They were definitely the best I have seen so far. What I found shocking, however, was that I wasn't truly amazed by the performers.

During the first act, I felt a little disappointed. Many of the actors including Scar, Timon, and Pumba, had speaking voices that perfectly matched their respectable characters from the film version of The Lion King. The vocals, however, were certainly not broadway material. Likewise, I wished Young Simba and Young Nala had stronger singing voices as well. Sure, they're just kids, but a lot of broadway kids have amazing voices (think Carly Rose Sonenclar from Wonderland). I was much happier during the second act when Simba and Nala came out with great voices. 

All in all, I'm glad I got to see The Lion King without spending any of my own money! We were seated in the back of the center orchestra, and our tickets were $142! Outrageous! If you can afford to drop that much (and more) on a ticket, you won't be disappointed. Of course, this show is great for families with children of any age.

Can't afford tickets? Hakuna Matata! There are plenty of other shows that offer discounts at TKTS and have rush policies. Make sure to check out my other blog entries for more information. You can also view a great blog called Broadway Informer for more in depth info.

New York to L.A.

After my internship ended, I had about two weeks free to relax before my final exam on May 16th. After my class on Monday night, I left for Los Angeles early Tuesday morning to visit my brother and sister-in-law. It was a great trip, and we got to do so many fun things! My traveling was smooth, too, which is always great. Below I'll outline my trip with each day's activities.

May 3, 2011

I arrived in Los Angeles at around 3:00PM on Tuesday. After settling in my brother's apartment, we all went out to eat at a great Italian restaurant called Micelis. Not only was the food delicious (especially the bread), but there is a piano player and the waiters sing. Although it was a bit weird that the pianist was playing Christmas tunes a few times, the music was fun to listen to during the meal. 

After Micelis, we went to Scoops for dessert. It's a small ice cream shop that makes its own ice cream in flavors you've never seen before! I wanted to try the Earl Grey Tea, but they were all out since we went at the end of their business day. Instead I tried chocolate hazelnut and chocolate vanilla. Both were really delicious. 

May 4, 2011

For my first full day of the trip, my brother and I went to Disneyland. I had been once before, but it's always fun. Since we went on a Wednesday, there were barely any lines! The longest we waited was for the Indiana Jones ride, and we had gotten a Fast Pass for that one, too. We pretty much went on everything in the park, except for a few that we chose not to ride. I loved the Captian Eo Tribute show with Michael Jackson. It's a 3D film made in the 1980s that they brought back after he passed away. Definitely check it out if you're in Disneyland. You can also meet Mickey Mouse if you take the tour of his house in Toontown! We took a picture with him for fun:

May 5, 2011

On Thursday, my brother and I went to the L.A. Zoo. The heat was quite tiring, as the zoo is huge and you do a ton of walking. The animals and exhibits were really cool, though. The zoo was doing a lot of construction when we were there, so some of the animals weren't out. I still think we got to see a lot while we were there. Here are some photos I took:

 

 

May 6, 2011

When we went to the zoo, we purchased a combo ticket that gave us a discount price on the Aquarium of the Pacific, so we headed over on Friday. Although not as big as the New England Aquarium, the Aquarium of the Pacific still had some cool exhibits. You could pet sharks and sting rays, and feed lorikeets. Here are some photos from the aquarium:

 

 

After the aquarium, we decided to stay and look around the Long Beach area where it is located. For $12, we took a 45 minute cruise around the harbor. It was so nice outside, and the cruise was a great time to relax and learn more about the area. We got to see the Queen Mary, sea lions, and more. Check out the pictures:

 

May 7, 2011

On Saturday, my sister-in-law was off from work so she could come do fun things with my brother and I. First we headed to Olvera Street, a Mexican area with lots of cool shops and restaurants. For lunch I had tacos with rice and beans, and a churro filled with chocolate for dessert. Olvera Street is a great place to walk around and look at a different culture. 

Later on, we went to Melrose, a shopping district. There were lots of little boutiques and a creepy store called Necromance. My favorite place was called Crossroads Trading. Crossroads is a store that buys and sells gently used clothing from great brands. Sometimes you can even find new clothes hidden in the racks. I got a new shirt from Urban Outfitters, a new shirt from Naked Zebra, a Betsey Johnson t-shirt, and a scarf for under $48. Not only was it a great deal, but my sister-in-law and I had lots of fun shopping together. We even got our nails done while on Melrose. My poor brother was so bored!

We ended the day by having Indian food for dinner. I had never had it before, and I admit it was quite good. I really enjoyed it. The bread was great. My favorite part of the day was going to Menchies, though. It's a frozen yogurt bar. You pick whatever flavors of fro-yo you want, put on whatever toppings you want, and then pay by weight. They have unique flavors, and lots of toppings to choose from. Please come to the East Coast now!

May 8, 2011

Sunday was my last day in Los Angeles before my travel day on Monday. My brother, sister-in-law, and I went to a couple antique malls to look around. It's always cool to see what old treasures you can find. I didn't end up buying anything, but it is fun to look. We also went shopping in another store much like Crossroads called Buffalo Exchange. The prices were a little more expensive, but I did find a cute top for around $10. 

After shopping, we went to an awesome mini-golf place. They had three different courses, and we played them all. The weather was nice and it was great fun. My sister-in-law even got 3 holes-in-one! The place also had a pretty cool arcade, where my brother and I played air hockey. Overall, it was a great end to a wonderful vacation. I hope I can visit again soon!

Broadway | Rock of Ages

Today I had every intention of seeing the new broadway show Baby It's You! Unfortunately, after waiting an hour for the box office to open, there were no rush tickets for the matinee show, only the evening performance. Luckily, Rock of Ages was directly across the street, and I was able to get a student ticket for $27. The man at the box office told me I was sitting in the last row, but that I would have a great seat, and boy was he right! Okay, so I didn't get to enjoy the flyers, guitar picks, and glitter being whipped at my head like the people in the first few rows, but I could see everything perfectly. I also got a cool plastic lighter that only the first few people in their seats received. I'll admit, I was too embarrassed to actually use it in the show, though!

Basically, Rock of Ages is another rock opera that takes a bunch of music and tries to mold it into a story. This time it's 80s rock, and although the story is kind of shady in how it fits together, I was having too much fun to care! The narrator, played by Mitchell Jarvis (or Keith Stone, for those of you that watch TV), is absolutely hilarious. His funny moves had me cracking up. That's one thing I loved about this show-- not only was the music catchy and fun, but the actors had me laughing constantly! They interact with the audience so well. I left the show smiling.

One thing I did notice about Rock of Ages is that it is not your typical broadway experience. Instead of serving wine in adult sippy cups, they sell mystery shots in test tubes and jello shots. Let's just say that you could tell which audience members bought the shots! It was cool to see which audience members have been to this show before, too-- and there were quite a few that had! They knew when to shake their jazz hands, start the slow clap, and even yelled out things at the actors. While this behavior is not acceptable for most broadway shows, at this rockin' show it fit in perfectly. 

I definitely recommend this show to anyone open to it. No kids under 16, though! Lots of scandalous outfits, and plenty of crude humor. Oh, and the main actress becomes a stripper, too. Otherwise, adults will have a great time! If you want to do student rush you only need to go about 30 minutes before the door opens. The one drawback of this show? You will not be able to stop singing "Don't Stop Believing." No, really. I'm still repeating it in my head.

Goodbye, Internship!

Today was the official last day of my internship. It feels good to not be an intern anymore! I had a great job and the best boss, but I am honestly glad it is over. The biggest drawback of the entire semester? The commute! The more-than-an-hour long commute from the Bronx to Manhattan completely sucks-- especially during rush hour. Almost every morning trip had delays. Last week I was even stuck between stations for an hour. Needless to say, being an intern in NYC is not glamorous.

I am very lucky to have gained so much experience as an undergrad, though. Not many students are able to intern at a law firm before reaching law school. I also learned a lot about what it takes to be a sports agent (one of the fields I would like to enter as a lawyer). It's much more than contract negotiation-- marketing and personal relationships are the keys to your clients' (and your own) success. I'm even thinking about watching some of the NFL Draft on Saturday to see if any of my boss' guys get drafted. I have a new respect for football, but I would definitely want to work with basketball players. Basketball is much more exciting and enjoyable for me, and I need to be interested in the work I do.

Moreover, for my last day my boss took me out to lunch at the restaurant that Justin Timberlake co-owns, Southern Hospitality. I had been wanting to go there all semester! We went to the Hell's Kitchen location, which is easier to get to from where the office is (although, I met him in Grand Central because my train was delayed... surprise, surprise). The food was absolutely delicious. I love southern-style stuff. I got a caesar salad and a BLT wrap, plus we got spinach and artichoke dip as an appetizer. There were so many options to choose from, though, that I want to go back and try more! I definitely recommend it if you're in the city. This location is just a short walk from Times Square, and there is another on the Upper East Side. 

On my way home from lunch, I had a really cool experience on the train. When I first moved here at the beginning of the semester, I was taking the train home with Mary. I'm not sure exactly where we were coming from, but a man came on and sang "Lean On Me." He had such a beautiful voice, and now every time I hear that song I think of him. Today, he was on the train again singing the same song. In a weird way, I felt as if I had come full circle. I'm going to miss the NYC community. We all come from different places, but we're all in it together. 

Here's a great version of "Lean On Me" with Steven Tyler. The video quality is crappy, but it's the music that's important:

Broadway | American Idiot

American Idiot is a rock opera on broadway that takes the music of Green Day and attempts to mold it into a story. The show is closing on April 24th, and since I will be home for Easter during the weekend, I knew yesterday would really be my last chance to go see it. At 5:00PM, two hours before the show, I entered the lottery in hopes to win one of twenty-five seats in the first two rows of the orchestra for only $27. Unfortunately, there were literally at least a hundred people there (if not more) and I didn't win. However, I did end up paying $37 for a "partial view" seat. A little more than I would have liked to spend, but my seat was actually pretty decent. There were only a few moments where I missed part of the action. 

I'm not sure why I wanted to see this show so much. I only knew about half of the songs performed, and while it was really cool to see Billie Joe Armstrong perform live, I'm not the band's biggest fan. While the plot of the story definitely needed some work-- it's difficult to make a cohesive story with a bunch of songs that weren't written to relate-- the music was a lot of fun. If you have a chance to see it before it closes, definitely go if you like rock operas or Green Day. You'll see a great concert if nothing else. Just do me one favor-- no kids under 17! The audience was filled with little, punk teens (and even some young children!!), but this show is really not appropriate for them. The language is strong, and let's just say it sticks to the phrase "sex, drugs, and rock and roll." 

American Idiot has had a great run on broadway, but after seeing it I can understand why it's to close this weekend. Once you've seen a Green Day rock opera, you don't need to see it again. 

Don't do drugs, kids! 

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IN OTHER NEWS:

If you would like to see a video from the Priscilla Queen of the Desert CD Signing I attended, click here: http://www.broadway.com/shows/priscilla-queen-desert/videos/ Bonus points if you spot me in the video!

If you would like to know more in depth information about Student Rush/General Rush/Lottery for broadway shows, check out: Broadway Informer. She does an amazing job at giving you all the info you need to know! 

Broadway | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

This morning I waited in line for two hours to get a $30 rush ticket to see How to Succeed on broadway starring Daniel Radcliffe. I normally only arrive at the theater about 30 minutes ahead of the box office opening, but after seeing the line at Catch Me If You Can yesterday when I got there an hour early, I knew I had to get there way ahead of time to see DanRad. Imagine my surprise when I show up and there are about 15-20 people ahead of me. I was so nervous! Should I wait? Should I leave? Three people in front of me bailed soon after I got there. Luckily, when noon rolled around I had my ticket in my hand. I was sitting in the fourth row, and although it was stamped "partial view" I could see everything just fine. 

As the show was about to begin, I could not have been more excited. I was literally trembling (of course, the air conditioning was freezing in the theater). I had no idea that the show I was about to see would leave me smiling for hours after I left the theater. How am I supposed to sum up for you how amazing this show was? Let me put it this way-- Harry Potter who?! Seriously, Daniel did a phenomenal job. Okay, so he's not the best singer in the world, but his voice is pleasant enough. Everyone knows he is a great actor, but now he has proven he is one outstanding performer. Daniel and the cast of How to Succeed with entertain you to the fullest.

Daniel plays J. Pierrepont Finch, a young window washer who quickly rises to the top in a powerful corporation thanks to a how-to guide. I cannot stress to you how fun this show is. The dancing, the music, the extravagant set-- it all is put together so perfectly. I keep asking myself, "Would I still love this show if Dan didn't play the lead?" And you know what, while it would still be fabulous, it just wouldn't be the same. He is made for this role. Daniel is so charming and talented. He interacts wonderfully with the rest of the cast, his dancing is rather impressive, and, most of all, he is really enjoying myself. My absolute favorite moment in the show was during one of the last numbers called "Brotherhood of Man." This scene in itself is a huge, powerful moment, but I caught something that made me see that Dan is having the time of his life up there. Dan did a fancy maneuver (not sure if it was a somersault or what) but he landed facing the actor who plays the chairman of the board of the company he works for. When those two made eye contact, Dan was absolutely beaming. He wasn't just smiling for the sake of the show-- he was truly having a blast. 

I really do not want to put Dan's performance on a higher lever than the rest of the cast's because that is definitely not true. Everyone-- from the other lead actors to the members of the ensemble-- is so talented. I can't begin to explain the amazing time I had at How to Succeed. If you go to see one show this season, make it this one. Just remember to get there very early if you want rush tickets. No matter what, it will definitely be worth the wait.