The Rapture

Every Day Rapture was Sherie Rene Scott's past engagement with Second Stage Theatre.

A show featuring song by U2, Judy Garland and Time Rice- Elton John among others, tells her story of growing up as a half mennonite in Kansas, her two greatest loves: Jesus and Judy and her coming to New York and becoming a "semi star" or so she says (a full broadway star in many eyes of the theatre goers tough...) and a minor youtube mishap.

This is was more than a one woman show or a singer's cabaret, full of heart and with a good

story to be told, plus Ms Scott has a nice sense of herself and a good sense of humor about life.

I specially liked Tom Kitt's (Next To Normal) arrangements to the music, which gave the song a refreshing sound.

In the end I was able to have a few words with Ms Scott and she was delightful as her show, teaching me that we all can live our lives through a song.

Letting the Sunshine In

HAIR is THE revival of the season, winning in it's category as the best one this past june 7th at the Tonys, I'll agree that it was an award well deserve for this flamboyant production of peace loving hippies.

We could talk about why Hair is such as successful show, not only among those who actually lived in the 60's (as my dad) or those who got to see the original production of it back in the park a long time ago but why is it that among the new generations as my self Hair is the rage.

I could say it's the timeless music that somehow you know without having seen the show before, a friend of mine pointed out that he loved the harmonies.

Maybe is the talented cast with stars as Gavin Creel, Will Swenson or Kacie Sheik but the whole tribe is such a an amazing cast of never ending energy and surprises that for two hours and a half will have you in endless shock at the end of your seat wanting more.

My personal opinion is that the success of Hair stands beyond song as Let the Sunshine In, Hair or I believe in Love but in it's story, and how is amazes humanity, since we clearly haven't change in almost half a century.

The shock of seeing we're still the same, killing one another fill of hatred, and still youth fighting with all it's might for a brighter tomorrow, a peaceful and understanding society.

My generation may not wear flowers in their hair, or wander around Washington Square while tripping trying to convince people that Vietnam is wrong.

But we definitely make a stand for what we believe, the new generation still tries to fight for human comprehension and love of our fellow men, no matter what religion or cultural background you might have grew up with.

Fighting for marriage equality and war to end.

Hair make you realizes that there's something bigger than our selfish beings, that we eyes and mind open we can come together and try to save our world, as they say in the show "what a piece of work man" and it so true that you'll certainly will have an out of body experience and will come out of this show with so much energy you'll only want to put flower in you hair and do something for the progress of this world.

I can say that even if the critics say that the show was far much better in the Park the last two summer, and I think it may be true since I saw both. There's something magical about being outdoors is Central Park, but it's still an eye popping magical mystical show that will leave you wanting more, and although it's indoors now there's some scenography and audience interaction that will leave you static.

So since it's the Age of Aquarius I will tell you this... Go see Hair!

P.S

If you want a little more of Hair, or just to see it's wonder by yourself here is the link to the tribe's performance at the Tonys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1GzYCsoVv4

It's all about love

New York is going crazy about two revivals that opened this past spring:

West Side Story (WSS) and Hair.

Luckily I was able to see both, although getting tickets for both of them was almost a miracle since they are sold out... specially WSS.

They do not do student tickets nor rush, so your only chance to see it for less than a 100$ is doing the lottery, I didn't win for either but guess what! There's an alternative way for WSS, which is their partial view tickets (which aren't partial at all! but you are way back in the theatre - Palace Theatre- ad since it's a big one they sell them for 24.50$).

With Hair I just got lucky, tired of going almost every single day to play the lottery and coming out empty handed -which is weird since I'm always really lucky at it- I decided I really wanted to see it so one Sunday I finally thought of buying one of their cheapest tickets for 37$ (last tow rows of the theatre) and little did I know that the box office lady gave me for that price an orchestra ticket row M center!!!

I still do not know if it was my lucky day or the fact that I was there half an hour before the show started and they where giving me a cancellation seat for that price...

Both of them are really good shows.

WSS is the classic Romeo and Juliet story, Tony and Maria here, where Juliet doesn't die.

This show has always been a favorite of mine for three strong reasons: Sondheim, Bernstein and ROBBINS. If you also take into account that the book was written by Arthur Laurents and Hal Prince was one of the producers it's just pure, at it's best theatre magic.

This Production stayed with mister Robbins original choreography, and his idea of the original staging of it. Although the direction was given by Mister Laurents himself.

It's a top production and the idea of the sharks being latin american performers thrilled me so much, Josefina Scaglione, who came for Argentina is so talented with a lovely voice and cute as a button, Karen Olivo performance as Anita was quite good she even won a Tony for it and her dancing impressed me! (although Chita Rivera will always be Anita in my mind).

The only two things that I regret is the songs performed in Spanish, I thought at first this was a brilliant idea plus Lin-Manuel Miranda was hired as the translator for the spanish lyrics and dialogue. What could go wrong?

Well although the dialogue in spanish was good, the songs I'll admit I didn't like that much... and spanish is my mother tongue... so believe me, I should now!

The second one was Cody Green in the beloved role of Riff. This shows that winning a reality t.v contest does not make you a broadway star. He's a terrific dancer, that can't be deny but he certainly is not an actor or a singer.

If you, like me, grew up watching the movie with Russ Tamblyn or listening to the Original Broadway Cast with Michael Callan, you will be disappointed. You'll notice the one who steals the show from Mr Cody is Curtis Holbrook in his role as Action.

I like to think that part of this show success is that it has always been a work of love, since the first moment Jerome Robbins came up with the idea which also makes me think that Art means Time. Did you know it took Mr Robbins 8 years to finally get it done!

Still WSS is a timeless show that both young and old will thoroughly enjoy.

Long time no see

Hi everyone!

I hope you are enjoying what's left of the summer holidays.

I've been really busy but I left New York for the summer, before I did, I saw tons of shows, most of them Tony nominees but since the Tony's where a long time ago I see no point on talking about them now, although some of the plays and musicals where phenomenal.

So my next blog will probably be about those shows... some still playing in New York, other have closed all ready.

Also this past spring I was fortunate enough to meet people like David Hyde Pierce, Sherie Rene Scott and Geoffrey Rush and hear them talk about their work on the stage! plus I got some playbill signed... so that was cool.

See you soon

Lion