Clickity Click Click!

You may wonder why you haven't heard from me in a while.
Well, let me tell you why; and why you probably won't hear from me much this month...

The month of November is National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo!

The challenge: Write 50,000 words of a story in one month.

I have taken on this challenge, along with several other people I know, and a good portion of the Nerdfighting community. (Go Nerdfighters!)

It's a really cool challenge, and even though I might not finish, I think I will come pretty close, and just having done that will be quite an accomplishment and a thing to be proud of.

Please visit the NaNoWriMo website and check it out. www.nanowrimo.com
You can create a profile and have your own page, have writing buddies, be part of a region (so you are notified if there are going to be any events in your area), and get pep talks throughout the month from famous writers (Niel Gaiman anyone?).

If anything, check out the 'just for fun' section and read some of the archived pep talks. They're awesome.

I've got a little over 3,000 words at this point...Not much I know, but I'm working on it! Slowly, but diligently.
You can check out my profile on the nanowrimo, it's under dame_rachel.
But don't judge me when you do!
NaNoWriMo isn't about writing a staggering work of genius, it isn't about editing and spelling, or even well written sentences. It's about getting the words on paper.
As they say, edit in December. Write in November.

Happy writing everyone!
And let the clicks of your keyboard be the only sound you hear for 30days!
Cheers.

To memorize or NOT to memorize

I have a lot of memorizing to do this week.
I need four songs memorized for my lesson on Thursday.
Do I have them memorized?
....eh....No.

I have to make sure I have the end of 'Mavra' memorized for rehearsal tomorrow.
Do I have it memorized?
....eh.......kinda?

I have to learn and translate a new song for Diction this Friday.
Have I started learning it yet?
.....eh....no....again.

As of tomorrow I will need to start studying every night for the giant Ear Training test of death on Thursday.
The last Ear Training test did not treat me so well.
In fact it bludgeoned me to a near-fatal pulp and left me bleeding on the side of the scholastic highway.
Hoepfully I will manage to beat it before it beats me this time.

I also am dealing with my stigmatized eye ulcers.
That's right.
It's about as fun as it sounds.
My eye is constantly burning, watering, and stinging.
I've got some antibiotic drops right now, but it's going to take a little while until I will be able to wear my contacts again.
My glasses are not quite up to perscription either, which makes it quite difficult to drive, wear sunglasses, or....well.....see anything.

On the plus side, I did get to see 'The Importance of Being Ernest' at the Guthrie today.
SO MUCH FUN!
It is one of my top three favourite plays (in case you were wondering, the other two are 'The Rainmaker' and 'The Lion in Winter').

The actor playing Algernon was hilarious and kept doing these highly original little 'bits' that were so great!
I was just in love with his creativity! I couldn't wait for him to come back on stage so I could see what eye-catching, scene-stealing little bit of business he was going to come up with next. Well processed my actor friend! Well PROCESSED!

The other impressive bit was when they rolled out a rug for the third act and it didn't quite finish rolling out. The servants were all highly choreographed in their movement and so there wasn't 'really' a chance for any of them to spread out the rug. So this one footman, after he finishes setting out his set pieces comes back and with a highly characterized and dandified foot swipe manages to lay the rug flat and flounce off stage.
I applauded the Footman.
I really did.
I applauded and said quietly, "Well-played footman! Well-played!"

Well, enough procrastinating.
I have GOT to accomplish something tonight, or go crazy tomorrow.

Cheers.

Another Review, for you! For you!

The Robber Bridegroom: OBC
Music & Lyrics: Robert Waldman & Alfred Uhry
Starring: Barry Bostwick, Barbara Lang, & Rhonda Coullet
Review: This musical is not very widely known, which is suprising considering what a favourite it is in regional high schools.
The story concerns the legendary Mississippi folk hero Jamie Lockhart who saves a rich plantation owner from a gang of thieves and then attempts to woo his daughter Rosamund. Standing in the way is Rosamund's stepmother Salome (a evil hag) who has her OWN designs on Jamie and hires the afformentioned 'gang of theieves' to get Rosamund out of the way. Chaos and folksy hijinks ensue.
The music on this recording is most definately bluegrass; but you have to understand that when I say bluegrass, I mean good bluegrass, not bad (and trust me, there IS a difference). This bluegrass, rather than grating the ear with supremely nasal, questionably tuned vocals and instruments, chooses instead to invoke the sort of wild and untamed sounds of pure Americana.
Alternating between the freewheeling Appalacian tradition and the more ethereal English sounds that inspired it, this cd moves back and forth comfortably between haunting melodies ('Rosamund's Dream', 'Deeper in the Woods') and raucus parties ('Once Upon the Natchez' and 'Riches').
The vocals are not necessarily 'pleasant', at all times, but are instead full of character. Rather than operating on the idea that all characters should sound pretty, this production goes for folk stereotypes sticks to its' guns. The evil stepmother sounds grating and shrill, the hero sounds smooth and confidant, the heroine sounds light and ethereal. It all makes sense in the storytelling.
Barry Bostwick (you may know him as 'Brad' from the 'Rocky Horror' movie) is Jamie Lockhart here and does a splendid job handling the idiomatic melismas required by the style. His vocals are confidant and appropriately ping-ee (although occassionally shrill when the range reaches for the heavens).
The beautiful Rosamund is sung by Rhonda Coullet who has several songs which she handles expertly, letting her notes drift above the music, rather than forcing them through.
This cd is most certainly not going to be everybody's cup of tea, but for those who are interested in Americana, it is a brilliant find and a surprising listen.
Rating: 3.6 out of 5
Listen to: 'Riches', 'Nothin' Up', 'Deeper in the Woods', 'Rosamund's Dream'
Interesting Facts: The roles of Jamie Lockhart and Rosamund were originated by Kevin Kline and Patti Lupone in the first braodway production. This production spent more time on tour than on broadway, and for this reason the second Broadway run (and the cast on this recording) is considered the 'original broadway cast'.
The story is based on a Grimm Fairy Tale by the same name.

Boooooo!

Crappiness in life, so today I am resolved that instead of blogging about the crappiness I will instead subvert it by escaping into the realm of musical theatre and giving you all your first review!

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever: OBC (that's 'original broadway cast')
Music & Lyrics: Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner
Starring: John Cullum & Barbara Harris
Review: 'On a Clear Day' is an interesting little gem of a musical not often produced because of it's strange subject matter.
*drumroll please*
The show concerns Daisy, a girl with ESP who just wants to quit smoking so her fiance can get a job promotion. For help in this matter she consults psychiatrist Dr. Mark Bruckner, who is going to help her through hypnosis. It is during a session that Daisy relates the life of 'Melinda Wells', a woman in 18th C. England, and her romance with a portrait painter. Over time Mark comes to love the free-spirited Melinda, but conveniantly manages to neglect telling the mousy Daisy that he's flirting with her past self! In the end, all comes clear (Eh? Get it?), but to reveal anything more would be to spoil the plot.
This particular CD is not very self-contained; that is to say, if you were not familiar with the plot, you would probably not be able to follow it at all just through the songs. For this reason I recommend printing out a synopsis to have with you while listening.
The songs themselves are at times both catchy, humorous, and haunting; evoking not only the riotous fun of a 1960s musical (in such songs as 'On the S.S. Bernard Cohn' and 'Wait till We're Sixty-Five'), but also the conventions and sound of 18th c. England ('Tosy and Cosh', 'Don't Tamper with My Sister').
However, it doesn't stop one from getting slightly impatient at the number of rumative melodies foisted upon the dashing John Cullum (as Dr. Mark). During the title track 'on a clear day' one is engaged, by 'She Wasn't You' you ask yourself, "Another slow solo for John?...ok..." by the time you hit, 'Melinda' with it's seemingly endless Cole Porter-esque array of verses, you're ready to skip the track and move on to something you can move to! (unfortunately, the next track on the list is the poor offering "When I'm Born Again", sung with questionable voice by a minor character who appears only for the purposes of killing time. What did we learn from 'Showboat' Burton Lane?! What was that? Songs should advance the plot? Well done! Now let's apply that lesson shall we?).
The vocals on the cd are mostly beautifully done. One can revel in the steely broadway belt of Barbara Harris as Daisy (Tony nominated for this role), or be warmed by the gorgeous baritone of broadway leading man Cullum (also Tony nominated here).
An unexpected treat on the disc is a song performed by William Daniels (aka Mr. Feeney of 'Boy Meets World' fame), as Daisy's money obsessed fiance in which he argues that even if things suck presently, they'll have great benefits when they're sixty-five and retired (arguably the catchiest tune on the whole disc).
To sum up, this is a cd that takes a little patience and brain power in the listening, but is worth it for the few musical diamonds that can be uncovered.
Rating: 3.8 out of 5
Listen To: 'Wait Till We're Sixty-Five', 'Hurry, it's lovely up here', 'Come back to me'
Interesting Facts: William Daniels and John Cullum would both star in the original broadway cast (and subsequent film version of) the musical '1776' only four years later. Daniels as John Adams, and Cullum as Edward Rutledge.
The role of Dr. Mark Bruckner was originally meant to be frenchman with a different (appropriately french) name, and was played by film actor Louis Jordan ('Gigi') during try-outs. When Jordan was shown to lack the substantial voice needed for the role, the good doctor was adapted to be an American and given to John Cullum who would play the part on broadway. Later in the movie adaption starring Barbara Streisand, the male lead was given to Yves Montand and the role was changed back to being a frenchman. Whew!



So.....Was that a bit run on? Probably. Do I feel better now? Yes.
Also, try and find a recording of 'Wait till we're sixty five'. It is seriously adorable.

Cheers.

Hark! An idea!

Hi everyone.

So, this weekend at Sarah's house, I was giving her music from my itunes and as she flipped through my broadway playlist she would ask me about different musicals.

This gives me an idea!

I am going to go through all of my broadway Cds and review them.

For some of you, this is exciting or interesting.

Others of you couldn't care less.

But it's something for me to do that keeps my thoughts from turning grumpy.

So.....
Here's how it's gonna go.
I'll still have my regular bloggy posts, but whenever I have time/feel like it, you'll get a cd review.
This will continue until I'm through them all!
And since I have upwards of 42 days of Broadway music....This could take awhile.
MWHAHAHHAHAHAAAAA!!!

I think the format will be that I state the title, give a rating based on five stars, a written review, and a 'recommended listening' list of tracks from that particular cd.

Looking forward to it!
Cheers!

Wartburg College! You Ra Ra Ra!

WARTBURG HOMECOMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First things first......KASTLE KAPERS!!!!

(The Ritterchoir are 'Men in Tights'. Awesome.) =D




Sarah, Rachel D, and I sneak into the basement of the Lyceum.

Look! It's the couch from 'Rumors'! The counter from 'Bus Stop'! Costumes from 'Pal Joey' and 'Christmas Carol' hanging in the back!

*LOVE*

We're so sneaky!



Later, we went to the silent movie (Phantom of the Opera) accompanied by the Waverly Orchestra. Sarah won a book in a drawing! What are the odds? GO SARAH!

While staying at Sarah's house, we played with her brand new kitty, Watson! He sure is rambunctious! It took forever to get him to sit still for these pictures!

GOOD TIMES AT THE BURG!!!

HUZZAH!

WARTBURG COLLEGE! YOU RA RA RA!

Cheers.

I quit.....almost.

No specifics.
Just suffice it to say, this will go down as one of the top three worse days of my life.

This morning was God-awful.
Actually, scratch that.
There are not words to describe how AWFUL this morning was.

It's enough to make you quit.

Holding on to tomorrow.

Wartburg college, you ra ra ra!