Broadway | The Cripple of Inishmaan with Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe has returned to Broadway to star in The Cripple of Inishmaan, and I couldn't wait to see the show. If you've followed OpenLetter2NYC since it's early days, you'll know that I saw Daniel in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying twice because I absolutely loved his performance. The Cripple of Inishmaan is nothing like How to Succeed, but if there's a chance to see DanRad onstage, I will be there.

This play takes place in rural Ireland in the early 20th Century. Daniel is Billy, a young man born a cripple who lives with his two aunts. When the town gossip Johnnypateen tells Billy that a film is being cast on a nearby island, Billy joins his neighbors in traveling to the set in an attempt to be cast in the film. In order to not spoil the plot, I'll end my summary of the show there, but know that this play is a great, dark comedy that will make you laugh and touch your heart as well.

The Cripple of Inishmaan has an unpublicized, general rush policy with tickets at $37 each. My friend graciously waited in line at the theatre for us, and we scored front row seats! I happened to be sitting in seat 102, which meant that Daniel sat directly in front of me for much of the show. It was great! I recommend getting to the theatre by at least 7:00am on show day if you want a chance at the front row. It is definitely worth the wait! Be aware that the stage at this play is quite high, so you will have to crane your neck a bit, and you might miss out on some of the action. I love being up close and personal with the actors, so I don't mind the somewhat-partial view. Note: if you don't want to get any raw egg on you, the front row is not the place for you!

As you may have imagined, the Stage Door experience was absolutely crazy. The barricades were completely filled up by the time we made it out the doors of the theatre, but I was still able to snap a couple photos of Daniel as he signed Playbills and took selfies with those at the front of the barricades. Yes – the man took selfies. By the time my friend and I fought our way to the front, Daniel signed one more autograph and got into his patiently waiting car. I may or may not have screamed "NO!!" when he got in the car..... alright, I was disappointed. But hey, at least I live in NYC and can head to the theatre again before the show closes. For those of you wondering, third time is not always the charm!

While I'm not usually a huge fan of plays (musicals are just my thing), The Cripple of Inishmaan was a wonderful Broadway experience! The entire cast puts on an amazing performance, and it really is an honor to see Daniel Radcliffe in person. In addition to the general rush policy, The Cripple of Inishmaan is offering $27 tickets as well in order to give more people the opportunity to see a Broadway show. All details can be found on the show's official website HERE. The Cripple of Inishmaan is playing at the Cort Theatre until July 20, 2014.

P.S. I'll be back for my selfie, DanRad. I'll be back!

Book Review | Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Today's book review is very exciting for me, as this is the first blog tour in which I've ever taken part! The authors of Branded, Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki, reached out to me and asked if I would review their book, and I decided to go for it. I'm so very glad I did!

While originally released in 2013, the authors revamped Branded to make the story even better. Branded is a young adult, dystopian novel, and the first in a new series entitled A Sinners Series. The book begins with protagonist Lexie Hamilton being snatched from her home in High Society and taken to The Hole. Ever since The Commander rose to power, all citizens who were accused of sin were brought to The Hole to live together in a giant, prison-like sector of society. Sinners immediately get branded around the neck with a tattoo representing what sin she has committed. Lexie's brand is blue, signifying lust. 

Lexie is given a personal guard, Cole, who must watch over her day and night. Those with blue brands don't usually last long, Cole informs Lexie, as they either die of disease or take their own lives. Lexie is given a job at The Hole's hospital, where she learns first hand the true horrors of The Hole – she finds her first patient dead, and others have a strange virus that the doctor can't cure.

As the story continues, we learn more about The Hole, and Lexie's life prior to being accused of sin. The story is told in first-person through Lexie's point of view, and is beautifully written. I raced through Branded quite quickly. I grew to love each and every character, including Cole's dog Zeus, and even shed several tears (okay, I broke down a bit), during some emotional scenes. Though Branded, like all dystopian novels, comments on the serious topic of humanity, it also has many lighthearted moments, and even made me laugh out loud at some points. And yes, there is a love story (and a really great one at that!).

I really enjoyed Branded and am giving it a 4.5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. The ending was fabulous, and definitely got me excited for the next book in the series. The only reason I docked a half star was because the love scenes were just a bit too much for me, and I could have done without some of the details (if you know what I mean). Otherwise, Branded was a fabulous read! I would say more, but as always, I don't want to spoil you one bit. If you love a good dystopian novel, or are simply looking for an action-packed book, I highly recommend Branded. You can purchase the book on Amazon HERE (the Kindle version is just $2.99 if you're on a budget).

Have you read Branded?! Please share your thoughts in the comments!

The book featured in this post was provided for my unbiased review, and the link above is an Amazon Affiliate link. All my opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Broadway | If/Then with Idina Menzel

This past weekend I had the opportunity to see the new Broadway musical If/Then starring Idina Menzel. My friend and I entered the lottery, and though we lost out for $30 tickets we were able to get $50 seats in the front mezzanine. I knew nothing about the show, but thought anything with Idina and fellow RENT alum Anthony Rapp would be amazing. Luckily, I was quite right.

If/Then is truly a new musical. Idina is our protagonist, Elizabeth, and the show follows her life as she moves back to New York after leaving her first marriage. Elizabeth meets up with two friends, Lucas and Kate, who each invite her to join them on separate adventures. Instead of choosing just one path, If/Then shows Elizabeth's life from two points of view – we get Beth, who chooses to join Lucas at his protest, and Liz, who decides to hang out with Kate. The musical evolves into these two story lines, and the audience gets to see how each choice in Elizabeth's life, whether seemingly big or small, plays an important role in her destiny.

If you're confused by my If/Then summary, that's okay. I was definitely confused when the show first started, but slowly began to see the separate lives that Beth and Liz lead. While the show is certainly funny at parts, be aware that If/Then deals with serious topics (I highly recommend you bring tissues). The story is absolutely beautiful, and I say it is truly a new musical because it represents our society as it is today. The choices that Elizabeth must make, and the people she interacts with, are the people of 21st century America. For example, this is the first Broadway show I've seen that portrays homosexual couples as normal, everyday people, and not as over-the-top drag queens (not to bash those that do – you all know I loved Priscilla). I'm very impressed with If/Then being able to change the status quo of Broadway while using familiar Broadway faces to get the message across.

My Stage Door experience for If/Then was unfortunately a bit of a downer. Despite the beautiful weather we'd been experiencing, it was pouring rain when we exited the theatre. Many thanks to Anthony, James, and Jason, who still signed our Playbills in the rain. I know Idina does come out to sign autographs at the show, but we weren't so lucky. As with any Stage Door experience, hope for good weather!

Overall, if you're in New York, then you should see If/Then. The cast is brilliant, and it was such a privilege to hear Idina sing live. Keep in mind that this show is recommended for ages 12 and up, as it deals with some adult themes and the F-word makes several appearances. More information about the ticket lottery and If/Then can be found on the show's official website HERE. It is currently playing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

Pre-order the Original Broadway Case Recording on Amazon HERE.

I use Amazon Affiliate links so you can find the products I talk about easily. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Book Review | Skin Rules by Debra Jaliman

Today I have my first review of a nonfiction book for all of you! I recently read Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist by Debra Jaliman, M.D., and thought I would go ahead and share my thoughts on this book even though it's a bit different than what I usually discuss on my blog.

As you may have guessed, Skin Rules is all about skincare. The book consists of a series of rules regarding what products to use, what ingredients to look out for, and what treatments are available. I really appreciated how Dr. Jaliman talks not only about specific products, but about products from all budgets. Now I know exactly what to look for the next time I'm at the drugstore, or the next time I'm at Sephora. Whatever your price range is, Dr. Jaliman mentions a product for you.

I learned so much from Skin Rules that I felt a certain "call to arms" when it comes to my skincare. I think I take pretty good care of my skin, but now I've learned even more. In fact, I've already started a few changes in my skincare routine to ensure I'm doing everything I can to take care of myself. The only thing missing from Skin Rules is more guidance on how to take care of combination skin. I would have loved more information on that topic, as I do have combination skin and often have difficulties finding the perfect products to use. Nonetheless, I'm still amazed at how much Dr. Jaliman packed into such a short book.

If you're interested in skincare, I definitely recommend Skin Rules. It is a very fast and easy read, and I know I'll be referring to it quite frequently. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, only because it lacked more information on caring for combination skin. You can purchase this book on Amazon HERE.

Let me know in the comments if you like hearing about the nonfiction books I read as well!

I use Amazon Affiliate links so you can find the books I mention easily. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Snapshot Sunday | Fleet Week 2014

Navy Ship at Pier 92

Gorgeous view of the city

It's Fleet Week here in NYC, and I had the opportunity to tour the ships at Pier 92 in Manhattan today. It was beautiful out, and the perfect day to make a trip to the water. If you have the chance, stop by tomorrow for the last day of tours. All information can be found on the Fleet Week website HERE.

Bout of Books 10.0 | Day 7 & Readathon Wrap-Up

Currently Reading: 

Learning to Breathe Fire by J.C. Herz [BUY]

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart [BUY]

Books Completed: 

1. The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson [BUY] [REVIEW]
2. Skin Rules by Debra Jaliman, M.D.[BUY]
3. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut [BUY]
4. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell  [BUY]

Pages Read Today: 83

Pages Read Total: 1212

My Thoughts on Today: I was able to get 44 more pages read in Learning to Breathe Fire today, but the book is a bit slow going and one that I'll need to read over a long period of time. Thus, I decided to pick up We Were Liars and got through 39 pages before the end of the night

Final Bout of Books 10.0 Thoughts: Overall, I am very happy with my first Bout of Books readathon! I read four books, over 1200 pages, and even began two more books. I surpassed my goals, and even though I didn't read very much in the last two days I am still psyched about my overall performance. I can't wait for the next one in August!

Bout of Books 10.0 | Day 6

Currently Reading: Learning to Breathe Fire by J.C. Herz [BUY]

Books Completed: 

1. The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson [BUY] [REVIEW]
2. Skin Rules by Debra Jaliman, M.D.[BUY]
3. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut [BUY]
4. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell  [BUY]

Pages Read Today: 22

Pages Read Total: 1129

My Thoughts on Today: Today was definitely my fail day. I was just in a sulky mood for some reason, and didn't feel like reading. That's bound to happen in a week-long readathon, so I'm trying not to beat myself up about it. Tomorrow is a new day!  

Goals for Tomorrow: Since I didn't read much today at all, it looks like I won't be able to finish Learning to Breathe Fire. My goal tomorrow will thus be to break 1200 pages total for this readathon!