The Color Purple - An Amazing Journey

I had the privilege of seeing The Color Purple last night at Proctors. I missed out on the Broadway production, luckily I had a second chance. The Color Purple is beautifully crafted and it soars to great heights. The story is uplifting and serves as a valuable reminder of how “people are making life harder for other people”, in the end we are all the same and The Color Purple stresses the importance of acceptance and tolerance.

The most notable aspect of this production was the cast; the talent on that stage is at times awe-inspiring. The songs are quite memorable and the lighting design was striking. The story is also of great importance, and I commend the book writers for focusing on the journey of this amazing woman. If you have some time, go to Proctors this weekend and see this show, you won’t regret it.

VIA and Thanks!

Today I am thankful for the new Starbucks Via. The office coffee was extra crappy today, I'm too busy to leave the building (but not too busy to blog, go figure), plus payday is Friday and my funds are limited.  What is a coffee snob to do? Open up a Starbucks Via and add hot water! I was a bit skeptical at first...instant that tastes like brewed? Impossible! On days like this, Starbucks Via is ten times better than the alternative! I'm thankful for this hot cup of delicious coffee, not quite like brewed but close enough! I reccomend the Italian Roast! Yummy! Thanks Starbucks (and Heavy D for purchasing them for me).

Vegas Trip 2009 - THEhotel - A Review

THEhotel at Mandalay Bay

Aside from the fact that the rooms at THEhotel are showing their age, we had a very pleasant stay. I loved the separate living room/bedroom, the bathroom was large and well appointed and the service/staff were very friendly and accommodating. My only complaint was the cleanliness of the room, between the large windows and massive mirrors every spot and fingerprint showed making the room seem a bit dirty at times. 

The amenities at Mandalay Bay were at times mind blowing. The pool area felt like our own little island getaway, the restaurants were top notch and the casino was very pleasant to gamble in. It was also great to have several entertainment options within our casino (House of Blues, Lion King, Beach Place etc). The pool became very crowded at times, but we never had a problem finding a place to sunbathe. It was also great having a separate entrance for THEhotel, it made arrival and departure very easy. Check-in was a breeze and all our room requests were met.

As far as location goes, Mandalay Bay is not the most ideal, but we enjoyed being away from the chaos of the strip, the tram to Excalibur was a nice way to lighten the journey to the strip.  If you want to be in the middle of all the Vegas action, this isn’t the hotel for you.

In short, I would stay at THEhotel again in a heartbeat.

KA is CACA

I'm finally getting around to reviewing the elements from our Vegas trip. First up. KA by Cirque du Soleil.

I had high expectations for this show. After watching the trailer online (see youtube video) and hearing some great word of mouth reviews I thought I would leave this show amazed and mind blown.  Sadly, this was not the case.  KA is an over-the-top spectacle which lacks any sort of heart, passion or energy. This show proves that a production can not survive on technology alone.  Yes the massive stage is amazing and the moving sets are at times jaw dropping, but other than that, KA has not much else to offer.  The "story" isn't a story at all, the acrobatics are done better in every other Cirque show I've seen and the overall flow of KA is lagging. I think Cirque has run it's course and KA is proof of that.  When in Vegas I wouldn't spend a single cent on this show, take your money elsewhere....Phantom and Jersey Boys...a real theatrical experience.

Words and Bubbles

I love me some bubbly, I love me some wine...I would love to review such things but I can never find enough words to describe such a thing. Starting soon I'm going to introduce a new line of blogs aptly titled...

A flute full of words...bubbly reviews in a few words or less.  Sound fun? Yes. Useful? No. Tasty? We'll see. Simple? Very.

Shoot...red wine doesn't go in flutes...I guess thats what variations are for.

Next to Normal - A Review

Next to Normal, winner of 3 Tony Awards is a stroke of brilliance. Currently playing on Broadway at the Booth Theatre, Next to Normal is an emotional roller coaster where poignant songs and emotional story-telling meet soaring performances and brilliant design. One question, why this show wasn't the winner of a few more Tonys, especially "best musical"? With all that award nonsense aside, Next to Normal is one of the best musical experiences in recent memory. This show does not sacrifice substance for style, the primary focus is the story and the music, design and cast frame that story to perfection, a rare feat these days.

Alice Ripley is a tour de force as Diana, I can't get over how brilliant she was in this show. I feel honored to have seen this fine leading lady in top form. Kudos to the rest of the cast for their exquisit performaces. The show is designed and directed to perfection and the music and lyrics were catchy yet meaningful. The book (the most important element) is powerful and witty.

Next to Normal is theater at it's best. Broadway is once again changed and I wish we could see more shows like this produced on Broadway, To sum it up, this show is daring, un-apoligetic, heartfelt, candid, funny, disturbing, moving...the list could go on...

I dare you to find another musical currently playing on Broadway which holds up to the words listed above. Head to the Booth now, you will not be disappointed.

Next to Normal
The Booth Theatre
Performance: 2009.08.29 2pm

EQUUS - A Review

I saw the much hyped production of EQUUS this past weekend. I have to say I was both impressed and unimpressed. The work itself holds up very well and Richard Griffiths was brilliant as per usual. I was also impressed by the acting skills of Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter). The rest of the cast was very good, aside from Kate Mulgrew, her performance lacked depth, compared to those around her. The overall design of the show was great. Wonderful direction and impressive lighting.

In the end I wasn't blown away. I'm not sure why, I'm still thinking about it. The production had moments of amazing intensity, but they didn't last long enough to make an impact. Should you run to the Broadhurst??? No, walk. If you have the chance to see this production, check it out, but I think the play to see this season is The Seagull. I'll let you know in a few weeks.