La bella fragola luna. By Kathleen Choe (actor/singer/writer)
Good, good. What is good?
Right now it’s the strawberry moon.
Right now the strawberry moon is hanging in the sky, and it’s big and it’s beautiful and I’m standing on the roof of my building taking it in, wishing I had a glass of strawberry wine to go with it. But it’s late and there is no strawberry wine to be had, so I just stand there and smile at the moon instead.
I think it winked at me.
Si, la luna. La bella luna.
It’s big and beautiful and the last time we had a strawberry moon it was 1967. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band had just been released, Muhammad Ali was stripped of his championship title and banned from boxing for refusing to fight in Vietnam. Israel, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan went to war for six days. Color TVs came down in price. Loving vs. Virginia was ruled on by the Supreme Court.
The Greatest.
Love wins.
It’s now 2016. I haven’t been on Spotify in a hot minute so I don’t know what’s cool and hip these days (though they play Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ an awful lot at the gym). The Senate just rejected a series of gun measures and is hoping the violence epidemic will go away with thoughts and prayers. Hillary Clinton has shattered the glass ceiling and has a shot at being President of the United States. Hollywood still doesn’t see that it’s wrong to cast a white person in an Asian part. Hamilton just won a shit ton of well-deserved TONYS.
Right. Right. Right.
Wrong. Wrong. WRONG.
The next strawberry moon will be in 2062. I don’t know what the world will be like. One hopes it’ll be better. I have faith that it will be, even though some people will dig their heels in and do everything to make sure the world doesn’t move forward out of their own fear. Others will never stop trying to make the world better because they know it can be.
There will always be critics who hide their insecurities of being unable to contribute to the world under snarky remarks. There will always be the people who ignore them and do it anyway.
The world will still be a combination of good, bad, and frustrating. That’s how it’s always been, and that’s just life.
But right now it’s June 20th, 2016. It’s summer and the air is warm and balmy, though the sky is clear, and la bella fragola luna is in the sky, and I’m saying it in Italian in my head because why not. It’s pretty and I can.
I’m going to take in the strawberry moon right now and remember that even when the world feels like it’s going to shit that there is still good in it, and like a wise hobbit once said, it’s worth fighting for.
I’m going to choose to live in hope and keep trying to set things right however I can, within my own sphere of influence or beyond.
I’m going to remember that there’s always good in the world.
Before this weekend, I had written a completely different post for today, my first day back at Crazytown after our short break.
This Saturday night, I happened to be out with friends at a Brooklyn Pride event. Dancing at a nightclub, surrounded by the happiness of summer in the city and aerialists in rainbow bodysuits. It was surreal to wake up on Sunday morning to learn that another group of people, out celebrating at a similar place, in another city, had been targeted by a radical, possibly a religious radical, possibly mentally ill, a homophobe, a horrible person who committed a senseless and violent act. A city and a place close to my hometown, where many of my friends live and easily could have been.
I think the person who, as usual, says things the way often wish I could, is Stephen Colbert:
“We each ask ourselves what can you possibly say in the face of this horror? But then sadly you realize, you know what to say, because it has been said too many times before. You have a pretty good idea of what most people are gonna say. You know what a president, whoever it is, will probably say. You know what both sides of the political aisle will say. You know what gun manufacturers will say. Even me, with a silly show like this, you have some idea what I will say because even I have talked about this when it has happened before. It’s as if there’s a national script that we have learned, and I think by accepting the script, we tacitly accept that the script will end the same way every time, with nothing changing. Except for the loved ones and the families of the victims, for whom nothing will ever be the same. These people in Orlando were apparently targeted because of who they love. And there have been outpourings of love throughout the country and around the world. Love allows us to change the script. So love your country, love your family, love the families and the victims and the people of Orlando."
The Tony Awards, which happened mere hours after the events in Orlando, went on- dedicated to the victims and their families. Lin-Manuel Miranda, deservedly and unsurprisingly winning for his blockbuster Hamilton, accepted his Tony in the way only he can- rapping a sonnet about his complicated feelings of the day:
"My wife's the reason anything gets done
She nudges me towards promise by degrees
She is a perfect symphony of one
Our son is her most beautiful reprise.
We chase the melodies that seem to find us
Until they're finished songs and start to play
When senseless acts of tragedy remind us
That nothing here is promised, not one day.
This show is proof that history remembers
We lived through times when hate and fear seemed stronger;
We rise and fall and light from dying embers, remembrances that hope and love last longer
And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside.
I sing Vanessa's symphony, Eliza tells her story
Now fill the world with music, love and pride."
It is no accident that this shooter chose June, when people everywhere are celebrating the beginning of Pride month, to target a gay club. Dan Savage, LGBTQ activist, writer and podcaster, made a great point on his show. He reminded us that June is the month we celebrate gay pride because it marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and the beginning of the gay civil rights movement. He reminded us that during those riots, it was the police escalating the violence against the gay community in a gay bar. This weekend in Orlando, it was the police protecting those who were held hostage in a gay bar. A pinprick of light in a very dark time. A reminder that change and open-mindedness are possible during a time when change and open-mindedness feel incredibly far away.
Like Stephen Colbert stated so clearly, love is the only thing that ever changes the script. As Lin-Manuel Miranda said, loveisloveisloveisloveislove. We live in a country where we have the freedom to have our voices heard, and for love to speak louder than hate. Places like this very site, where artists come together to share what is on their minds and in their hearts about art, life, and the world at large, are places that must be kept safe.
When my husband and I got married, we chose, like so many couples do, some words on love that we wanted to be read at our wedding. Some were poetry, some were quotes; but Daniel specifically requested one from the Bible, which surprised me at first, as he was not raised religiously and had only recently read the New Testament. When he told me the verse, I laughed because it is literally the most-read Bible verse of all weddings everywhere. It is the Pachelbel's Canon of Bible verses. It is the fondant-covered cake of Bible verses. It is the chalkboard-sign-photobooth-prop of Bible verses. But then I read it again. I read it as if I had never read it before. And as he so often is, Daniel was right. And it describes exactly the love that we need to remember and protect right now: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." -1 Corinthians 13:4-7
* If you, like me, are frustrated by the fact that the national conversation after one of America's many mass shootings rarely results in actual legislative action, you can participate right now by signing this petition. Write to your state representatives. Making it harder/impossible to legally acquire semi automatic and assault weapons will of course not completely eliminate those who wish to harm, but it is a really good first step. If you don't mind that you're no longer allowed to bring sharp objects on an aircraft, then signing this petition should be a no brainer for you. *
A man meets the actress he's always loved and the moment is beautiful. Tale as old astime. By Owen Panettieri (Playwright, Lyricist)
I'm working on very little sleep today after having a fantastic time at the Tony Awards Sunday night. Through the generosity of my boss, I got to experience the Tony Awards from a seat in the front center right section of the orchestra seating. I was surrounded by artists I deeply respect - Laurie Metcalf, Common, Claire Danes, Jessica Lange and Oprah to name just a few. But the biggest name of them all in my mind, the one who was most important to me, was none other than Angela Lansbury.
For as long as I can remember I have loved Angela Lansbury. It started with Bedknobs and Broomsticks - a movie I loved to watch on VHS when I was little and made me believe Angela Lansbury was magic. Then of course came Murder, She Wrote a show I watched for years with my mother and grandmother both of whom adored her as an actress. And obviously she is the voice of Mrs. Potts in Beauty & The Beast. As I got older, I came to discover the depth of her stage and film work. Her turns in Gaslight and Manchurian Candidate. Her undeniably iconic performances in Sweeney Todd, Mame and Gypsy. This woman is a worldwide treasure!
So for the past few days since I knew I'd be sitting in the front orchestra section, I actually started to wonder: would I see Angela Lansbury there that night? It wasn't inconceivable. She's a Broadway Legend. She's got her eye on a return to Broadway. I'd seen her on a Broadway stage twice in recent years in Blythe Spirit and A Little Night Music - and as a former host and 5 time Tony winner, her ties to the cermony are strong. What if she was there? What if she was sitting near me? I don't usually get star stuck around famous people, but this would be ANGELA LANSBURY. What would I do?
So it's Sunday night. I'm sitting in the third row from the stage on the right side. Little by little, people are taking their seats. I'm already noticing that the temperature in the theater is warm (by the time the show actually starts, the Beacon was noticeably hot and the situation never improved until after the show was over and we got to pour our of the theater into the cool fresh air outside.) I know the people to my right - they are my friend's parents. I say hello to them as they make their way past some nice older people in our row to get to their seats. When my friend's mom sits down next to me, the first thing she asks me is if I remember who she is (I do! We've met several times! That's why i said hello!) and then immeadiately she asks, "Did you see Angela Lansbury over there? Do you know who that is?" She points and I look to the corner seat two rows ahead of me... and it's ANGELA LANSBURY! I audibly gasp. She's right there! What do I DO? My friend's mom says that she wanted to say hello as they sat down, but her husband didn't think it was a good idea and that they should leave Angela alone. "What do you think?" She asks me. I stare at the back of Angela's head and with no hesitation, I say, "Get up. We're going to say hello to Angela Lansbury."
Battle of the best. With no Gucci in tow. By Joanna Syiek (Director/Producer/Blogger)
TONY time is coming...and you know what that means: the stars are arranging dresses and tuxes, making hair appointments, calling in favors, doing everything they can to look their best. But before they make their debut at the awards, let's take a peek at some of the looks of yesteryear to remind ourselves who really wore it best.
Moderately Self Satisfied Smirk, in Black and White tones
OR
Sondheim or Webber? OMG HARD CHOICE RIGHT?
An I've-aged-well Smile with Oversized Sunglasses for Extra Moxie
OR
Channing or Stritch? How do you begin to choose?
Hot dogs. Lots of hot dogs.
OR
Fierstein or the entire Bullets over Broadway cast? Take a long think, and let us know.
What are you going to be wearing to the TONYs? Or to watch the TONYs? #sweatpantsarealmostlikeballgowns
JOANNA SYIEKis currently an American in Paris with a penchant for original theatre work, clean graphic design, and really good Indian food. She directs around the City of Angels and writes about nourishing creativity, Broadway favorites, and talent obsessions over on her blogging home. www.thoughtsontheatre.wordpress.com EMAIL HER | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | OTHER POSTS BY THIS AUTHOR
A Mother's Day Special. By Alisha Giampola (Writer/Performer)
I was listening to 99% Invisible the other day (which, if you're into podcasts and have somehow missed it, uh, get on that), and it was an episode called Unseen City; all about the nature we frequently overlook in our increasingly urban landscapes. It's a great episode, and I recommend it, but I'm mentioning it because part of the episode got me thinking. Roman Mars and the author he is interviewing are discussing how, surprisingly, many plants and weeds in our everyday lives are edible and sometimes it's nice to be reminded that our food comes from the earth and not a store. I know this was meant to be a lovely sentiment, something to shake a realization from my modern psyche: of course! food from the earth! not a box! how silly! But as I pondered this thought, I realized that someone very close to me had always given me the gift of knowing where food comes from, and just how delicious something picked from a tree hanging over the sidewalk can be. My mom.
Swinging with mom, circa 1988.
When I was very small, we would take walks in the woods by my house. Mom knew what blackberry bushes looked like, and she taught me to find the ripe ones and eat them, warm and unwashed and out of our hands. In Florida, where I grew up, loquat trees inhabit many a front yard, and the heavy yellow fruits would hang tantalizingly within arms reach- or sometimes you'd have to climb the first rung of a fence, or walk through some bushes...either way, my mom or the squirrels were going to get it, and Lita Giampola is a lot smarter than a squirrel. I remember being vaguely scandalized by my mother's brazen and fearless thievery. My mom is a quiet person, much more so than me, and uses this to her advantage. As a kid, I would be deeply engrossed on our walks with telling mom the entire plot, in exhaustive detail, of the Boxcar Children mystery I had just read, and wouldn't even notice until she handed me a loquat, or a tangerine, or a raspberry, that she'd even paused to pick it. We would smell something good, and mom would say: "These leaves look like mint," a moment later we were nibbling on the small green leaves we'd just walked by.
As this year's Tony nominees are announced, can we declare this is one of the strongest Broadway seasons for musicals in history? By Owen Panettieri (playwright, lyricist)
The Tony nominations are announced today. Congrats to all the nominees! Regardless of who is up for the awards, it's clear that there are many, many worthy artists working on Broadway this season who won't make the cut. That's a shame. I saw all 11 new musicals this season, and 4 of the 5 revivals (sorry I missed you, Dames at Sea!) and I can honestly say this has been one of the richest and most diverse seasons Broadway that audiences have ever experienced. Even if you removed Hamilton from the equation, there would be a bunch of shows that would be strong contenders for the top prize at the Tonys. There is really so much out there right now that's worth seeing and it's all different types of music and different stories with diverse casts and creative teams. There's something for everybody this year! Whatever you're looking for, we've got it this season. All the bases are covered. Let me break it down for you.
THE JUGGERNAUT - HAMILTON
The Tonys Website Says: From the creative team behind In the Heights comes a new musical about Alexander Hamilton, the scrappy young immigrant who forever changed America.
What Owen Says: My personal/professional bias doesn't even come in to play when I say that Hamilton is a cultural phenomenon. It's in a field all its own. It has already racked up a million awards including the Grammy and the Pulitzer. It also has a phenomenal companion book that's #1 on the New York Times Non-Fiction Best Seller's List. It's just everywhere. And if you can actually get in to see the show? It lives up to the hype. Keep trying that Ham4Ham lotto, friends!
THE ORIGINAL REVIVAL - SHUFFLE ALONG, Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
The Tonys Website Says: In May 1921, the new musical Shuffle Along became the unlikeliest of hits, significantly altering the face of the Broadway musical as well as that of New York City. Because of Shuffle Along, Uptown and Downtown met and became one.
What Owen Says: It's not a revival, despite what some producers would hope you and the Tony nomination committee would believe. What it is, is pretty exhilarating, when the dancing kicks into gear. A phenomenal cast and exceptional choreography really lift this one to great heights. Audra is going tappa tappa tappa, y'all. You are really planning to stay away from that?
My friends and I have been trying to predict the nominations for months so I thought I'd try my hand at it officially...
by David Davila (musical theatre writer)
Well the Tony nominations will be announced on Tuesday and though I haven't seen every single show that is eligible this year... I actually have seen a whole dang lot of them... and I've read the reviews... and... I've talked to all the tourists and jaded New Yorkers about them ALL YEAR LONG...
So here are my predictions:
****please note this list doesn't represent my personal favorites in any way, and is only a guess at how I think the nominating committee will lean****
BEST MUSICAL
School of Rock Hamilton Waitress Shuffle Along
BEST PLAY
Eclipsed King Richard III The Humans The Father
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
The Color Purple She Loves Me Spring Awakening Fiddler on the Roof
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
The Crucible Blackbird A View from the Bridge Long Days Journey Into Night
My Favorite Lyric Moments of the Year by David Brush
This is the time of year for endless year-end lists. Movies, books, theater, music, - the lists are varied and never ending. So – for 2015, I wanted to offer a top list that is rarely – if ever – recognized. My favorite lyrics from the year that was.
“When We Were Young” by Adele – There has been much buzz about the return of Adele in the final months of the year – and with good reason. She IS the voice of a generation in a way no one else can claim. I, however, am often drawn to the lyrics that are both specific and commonly universal. My choice here is a line that is equal parts poetic and personal:
Two Virginians and an immigrant walk into a room. Diametric’ly opposed, foes. They emerge with a compromise, having opened doors that were Previously closed, Bros. The immigrant emerges with unprecedented financial power, a system he can shape however he wants. The Virginians emerge with the nation’s capital.
And here’s the pièce de résistance: No one else was in the room where it happened.
3. “She Used To Be Mine” from WAITRESS by Sara Bareilles – Bareilles’ lyrics are always a goldmine. For me, it was only a matter of time before she composed a musical. And what a welcome voice she is! In the year of Hamilton, it is going ot be very easy to dismiss the great work of the 2015-2016 Broadway season – but my hope is that Waitress finds and maintains its audience. Let us not forget that this song – an original written exclusively for a musical – is getting some wonderful radio airplay. That is a statement we have not heard in years and is something to celebrate.
It's not simple to say That most days I don't recognize me That these shoes and this apron That place and it's patrons Have taken more than I gave them It's not easy to know I'm not anything like I used to be Although it's true I was never attention's sweet center I still remember that girl
4. “Ring Of Keys” from FUN HOME by Jeanine Tesori, Alison Bechdel and Lisa Kron- It was Fun Home’s performance at the Tony Awards that defined the year for me. The powerful and revolutionary performance further solidified this show (and this song) as not only opening doors in the industry, but busting them off their hinges. There were a million ways to express the message of the lyrics here – but none better and more honest than these:
Your swagger and your bearing
And the just right clothes you’re wearing
Your short hair and your dungarees
And your lace up boots
And your keys – Oh
Your ring of keys
DAVID BRUSH is a producer (Hot Mess in Manhattan, off-Broadway), director, lyricist, librettist, author, and lover of all things musical theatre. Member of Dramatists Guild and connoisseur of art, red wine and Food Network dishes. www.deanbrush.comEMAIL HIM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | OTHER POSTS BY THIS AUTHOR
PBS and BroadwayHD offer (legal) opportunities to see theater's best while still in your PJ's by David Brush (librettist, lyricist)
Not all of us can get to New York and see a Broadway show . Even fewer of us get to London’s West End. Happily, there are a multitude of ways (legal ones) presented to us that bring some of the best of the business to our living rooms. So cozy up in your PJ’s, pour a glass of Pino, set your DVR’s and settle in. Here are a few of the newest and best:
BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL (Live from London’s West End), PBS – The Fall Arts Festival over at PBS has quickly become the theatre world's equivalent of Shark Week. Some of the best programming coincides with the festival each fall. Winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Musical and featuring a score by Elton John, Billy Elliot is a much lauded musical that didn’t get in front of nearly as many live audiences as it should have. PBS debuted the live experience from the West End on October 23 – and it is available in repeat performances. Check your local listings and set your DVR. This is a beautiful musical and great addition to the fall 2015 line-up.
SHOW BOAT (Live from Lincoln Center), PBS – The classic musical gets a concert/semi-staged production in the tradition of last season’s Sweeney Todd with the New York Philharmonic and an all-star cast including Vanessa Williams, Julian Ovendon (Downton Abbey), Lauren Worsham, Norm Lewis, and Fred Willard. The Kern-Hammerstein masterpiece sounds as gorgeous as it ever did and the cast is top notch. PBS’s Fall Arts Festival presentation is at once nostalgic and new again.
ACT ONE by James Lapine, PBS - Musicals aren’t the only product getting the PBS Fall Arts treatment. Based on the biography of the same name regarding theatre legend and impresario Moss Hart, Lapine’s play features stellar performances by Tony Shalhoub, Andrea Martin and Santino Fontana. The production, produced by Lincoln Center Theater, is gorgeous and transcending.(Premiere date is November 13)
ROMEO AND JULIET (2013 Broadway Revival), BroadwayHD – Broadway’s Netflix has arrived in the form of BroadwayHD – a paid streaming service featuring hits from Broadway and the West End. Only a few titles have surfaced so far in this young company, but more are to follow. This Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad Shakespeare revival is a highlight of the current offerings.
MEMPHIS (From the 2009-2010 Broadway run), BroadwayHD - Featuring the original Broadway cast including Montego Glover and Chad Kimball, this 2010 Tony Winner is filmed gorgeously – perfecting showcasing the score that won so much praise from critics and fans alike. Truly- the next best thing to seeing it live.
DAVID BRUSH is a producer (Hot Mess in Manhattan, off-Broadway), director, lyricist, librettist, author, and lover of all things musical theatre. Member of Dramatists Guild and connoisseur of art, red wine and Food Network dishes. www.deanbrush.comEMAIL HIM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | OTHER POSTS BY THIS AUTHOR
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