A Show on Saturday

Saturday was yet another busy weekend day. It seems all my weekend days are jammed full of activity and have been for a while now.

Saturday morning I actually went in to work for a couple of hours. I had some things I wanted to finish up and longed for some quiet time in which to accomplish those things. So, I went in around 6:00 a.m. on Saturday and left a few minutes before 8:00 a.m. I got a lot accomplished in that time. The quiet was exactly what I needed - no distractions.

I had a hair appointment at 8:00 a.m. so that was the next activity on the agenda. I love going to my salon. The guy that cuts my hair has been my hairdresser for years and I've known him since I was a small child. So, we know a lot of the same people and it's always good to catch up with him. He's also hilarious and always makes me laugh and he gives good hugs. So, I guess it goes without saying that I enjoyed my hour or so at the salon.

My next stop was Publix for my weekly grocery trip. This was actually the first "big" trip that I had since returning from vacation so there were more than a few items on the list. Thanks to the help of my coupons, however, my bill was less than I expected it to be. I don't think I've mentioned it, but they are opening a new Publix in downtown Huntsville that's probably two or three miles from my house and I am thrilled! It will even have a drive-thru pharmacy! All I know is I must soon get a basket my bike so I can take it to the store when I need to pick up just a few small items. I'm very excited and also anxious to see if this new Publix will become "my" Publix because I'm very loyal to the one on Whitesburg. Time will only tell.

After I got home and unloaded all the groceries, I was able to lie down and nap for all of an hour before I had to shower and dress and go pick up my mom. She had bought us tickets for a show at Merrimack Hall called "California Dreaming". I had read about the show earlier in the week and then she emailed and asked if I would go with her and so I said yes. The show was  basically a musical revue of songs from the 1960s and since we both love music from the 1960s, it was right up our alley.

We arrived a few minutes late, but still made it and that;s the most important thing. The show was pretty good. They sang a lot of great songs that both Mother and I like and I was tapping my foot on more than one occasion. The only "over the top" part was the one guy pretending to play the guitar to Jimmy Hendrix's  "Star Spangled Banner". It was a bit much. Other than that, I enjoyed the show. I think I was the youngest person there, but still had a good time. I think Mother did as well.

I took Mother back home after the show and then went home myself and spent the remainder of the afternoon and evening being lazy and trying to clear out some things on the DVR. I'm afraid my DVR might explode soon it's got so much stuff on it. I'm still very behind on my shows from being on vacation and I refuse to delete season three of Homeland so I'm at an impasse. I'm hoping to catch up on a lot of shows this coming up weekend.

Saturday was a busy but fun day. A big thanks to my mamma for taking me out on the town!

Saturday, A Shower, and Shrek

Saturday was another busy day for me. I was supposed to start the day with a hike on Wade Mountain with co-workers as part of our health program for reduced insurance rates. The hike was slated for 9:00 a.m. and honestly, I had been looking forward to it. The weather was supposed to be nice and I was ready to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine. However, because of how busy the rest of my day was going to be and the fact that I wanted to finish the laundry and have a clean house, I ended up skipping the hike and stayed home to do chores instead.

My cousin Brittany is pregnant with her second child (she is the mother of the infamous Sydney) and she was having a baby shower on Saturday afternoon. I was originally supposed to pick up my grandmother and take her to the shower, but my aunt Sandra was in town and so she drove my grandmother. The shower began with some baby shower games and ended with Brittany opening her gifts. She got a lot of nice things and her new baby is sure to be blessed with lots of cute outfits.

After the shower, I went home for about an hour or so to let Pip run around before heading out again. I stopped by Target to pick up Catching Fire which had just been released on Blu-Ray and then I met Jackie and the kids at Mellow Mushroom. After we ate, we went over to Grissom to see Shrek the Musical. I had bought two tickets the day they went on sale and then Jackie asked about going and so she bought two tickets as well. She and Ashlyn sat together and Troy and I sat together.

When Troy and I went to our seats, there was someone sitting in them. Long story short, I had ordered tickets for Saturday, but it seems I was mailed tickets for Friday and apparently they had the same problem on Friday night. Thankfully they had a couple of seats close to the front on the left-hand side and Troy and I sat there. It wasn't the middle like I had planned, but we were still able to see the stage very well and that is what was most important. We all really enjoyed the show and I really don't think I've ever seen Troy so fired up about something. He was whooping and hollering and clapping at the end of the show and it gave me a chuckle.

We got out of the show around 10:30 and I got home and in bed by 11:30 which was really 12:30 a.m. thanks to the time change. It was another fun day and night on what was a really great weekend. Shrek the Musical is going on next weekend as well. Check it out if you get a chance!

Even More Christmas Activities

Saturday evening I went with my parents to see "A Christmas Carol" at the VBC Playhouse. The production was put on by Fantasy Playhouse and was just as good this year as in years' past. We arrived about 15-20 minutes before the show started and found our seats. My parents were sitting on the floor in the wheelchair section and I was two rows behind them.

A few minutes after sitting down, a couple came in and had the two seats to my left. Their two seats were in the curve of the playhouse seats where two sections met and therefore, there was a lot of space between the two seats. this couple was probably in their 50s and did not have wedding rings but appeared to be head over heels for each other. I gathered that they were probably in that lovey-dovey stage of their courtship. Long story short, I traded seats with the man so that these two could snuggle up beside each other. The woman thanked me over and over again and practically hugged me. I told her it was no big deal as my parents were sitting in front and I wasn't on that row with anyone.

I actually love those seats in the curve because you get a heck of a lot more leg room than you would otherwise have. Unfortunately I ended up sitting by a squirmy kid whose mother would not discipline. Seriously, the kid had her feet practically on the head of the person in front of her. She wallowed around in her seat and over onto my seat at times. She bounced up and down and moved the seat up and down and all the while the mother sat there either oblivious to what was going on or she just ignored it. At intermission, the girls' sister came over and the two of them crammed into the seat beside me to the point where the squirmy girl was practically in my lap. I asked her to please sit in her own seat thank you. I was hoping she would fall asleep during the second act, but she didn't.

It was the first time I had seen the play in about three years and there are many lines I think I could quote due to the fact that I've probably seen it close to 15 times. The songs for sure I know and I know what is coming up next; but, it is always a good show and quite enjoyable. This particular show was sold out and they asked if anyone had any extra tickets to please turn them in for a tax credit so they could be resold. I'm not sure that anyone had any extra tickets. The show on Sunday was also sold out. I think this is probably one of the most popular Christmas performances in Huntsville and always does really well. If you have never seen it before or it's been a while since you have, check it out next season.

Sunday night I joined some of the girls from my Sunday school class for a Christmas party of sorts. Some of us get together for a prayer group on Sunday nights and although I'm not really a regular, I have been and was invited to the party. We brought finger foods and played Bunko and just generally had a great time. I had never played Bunko before and had a great time playing. We each brought a Christmas ornament and the winners of each round got to trade with one of the losers if they wanted. I ended up with a poinsettia ornament that was really pretty.

We played three games - six rounds per game - and then gathered in the living room to see who won prizes. There was a prize for the most Big Bunkos the most Little Bunkos and the most wins and the least wins. I won the prize for the least wins and got a really pretty photo album. After the prizes were dished out, I gathered up my things and went home. Since the Survivor season finale was on, I wanted to make sure I had time to watch it before going to bed. The hostesses were twin sisters and as I was leaving they gave me a mug with a "n" on it that was filled with homemade biscotti, marshmallows and hot chocolate balls. Apparently you put the hot chocolate balls in a glass of warm milk. I'm looking forward to giving that a try once the weather cools off, or if the weather ever cools off. I'm assuming they got a mug of goodies for everyone because they are very sweet girls.

I made it home in time to watch Survivor and be shocked at the winner. Then I got a wild hair and purged my winter closet of some sweaters I haven't worn in years, some of which I know I've had since 2001. I finally made it to bed around 11:00 p.m. and even turned out all the lights and guess what - there were no rodent scares!

It was a really great weekend full of Christmas cheer!

P.S. My most loyal commenter, Erika, is on vacation this week and therefore does not have access to a computer. So, if someone could please leave a comment or two this week to let me know someone is reading, it would be most appreciated.

The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood

This past Sunday evening, my mom and I went to see the Fantasy Playhouse production of "The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood," and y'all it was quite hilarious. This past weekend was the opening weekend of the production and the season and they could not have started with a better show. Of all the Fantasy productions I have seen, this was hands down one of the best.

The show is, in fact, about Robin Hood, a story which I think we all know fairly well. However, this production added in quite a few modern day quips and just some general laughs as well. The play was perfectly cast as each person played their role superbly well. Each line was delivered in a timely manner and all the jokes were well timed. One of my favorite parts was when Robin Hood was thrown in jail and his punishment was to listen to "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" until he went insane. That gave me one of the biggest laughs of the night. Plus, I really love that song. All the kids were adorable, one of the little boys reminded me a bit of Justin as a child. Every time I see a little boy with glasses I think of Justin at that age. The merry men used wooden spoons as their weapons and that gave me a good laugh as well. In the end, Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham have a competition for the hand of the Maid Marian and as you would suspect, the play ends well for Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men.

Our tickets were originally for the 1:30 show, but since the church where my parents' attend were having lunch and then afternoon service right after the morning service, I changed the tickets to the 5:00 show. There were not very many people there at all and we were the only two people sitting on the floor. There was a couple, probably may parents' age, sitting over to our right and they were quite strange if my mom and I do say so ourselves. The lady laughed extremely loudly -and you know that's saying something coming from me, as I laugh loudly as well. Her laughs actually seemed forced though and there was more than one occasion where she was the only person in the playhouse laughing. At the end of the show when the actors were coming out to take a bow, she yelled at the top of her lungs. To be honest, I was kind of embarrassed for her because she was making quite a spectacle of herself and the focus shifted onto her from the actual performers. It was kind of strange, to say the least. We had a really fun time though and that's what matters.

The production continues this upcoming weekend with performances at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, and 1:30 and 5:00 on both Saturday and Sunday. All performances are the at the VBC Playhouse and the ticket price is $14. The performance lasts a little under two hours, with one intermission. You can order tickets online here or call the box office at 256-539-6829. Tickets are also currently on sale for their yearly production of A Christmas Carol, which is by far one of the best things to see in Huntsville at Christmas time. Those performances are December 7-9 and 13-16. So, go to their site and check it out and if you are able, buy a ticket and support these great community productions

Today We Were Appreciated

Yesterday at work we received an email that said in appreciation for our employees, popcorn would be available in the cafeteria on Thursday and Friday between 1:00 - 3:00. I told everyone that the popcorn must be expiring and they need to get rid of it because why else would they be giving us popcorn? We've never been appreciated before?

At any rate, about 1:30 I headed down to the cafeteria with a couple of other people to get my popcorn, because I wanted to feel appreciated. When we got there, the popcorn was about to be gone and a new batch needed to be popped and so the cafeteria manager came out and put some kernels in the popper and we stood waiting on it. A line formed behind us (I was the first in line) and I quickly felt like everyone was staring at me and blaming me for the lack of popcorn. They weren't, but being at the front of the line, it sure felt that way and then some of the guys starting asking me why there wasn't any popcorn. It actually became quite humorous because there were about 20 of us standing there staring at the popcorn machine. Think of all the money that was wasted in the 10 minutes or so we stood there waiting for a salty snack. Oh well, at least we were appreciated.

In other work related news, we found out today that instead of paper check stubs, we will now be receiving the electronically, which I think is great. I heard one person complain about it but she doesn't have internet at home, however she does have internet at work so I really don't know what the big deal is. I always end up with a drawer full of pay stubs and about once a year or so I will clean them out, but now I don't even have to worry with that because they will all be stored electronically and if I ever happen to need a copy (like to get a car loan for example) then all I have to do is pull them up online rather than dig through a drawer - sounds good to me!

This week the Broadway Theater League (BTL) announced the line-up for the 2012-13 season - I was not impressed. In fact, I might go so far as to say I was really disappointed. Look, I know Les Mis can't come every year (and that's a shame) but there have got to be some better traveling shows than the line-up they have come up with for this next season. Here's the line-up:

West Side Story - ok, it's a classic, and supposedly the most requested show in the 1012 survey, but it's been here at least twice before and it's not one that I would go see every time it comes to town.
Blue Man Group - this is the only show on the list that I might go see. I have wanted to see these guys perform for a while. I have heard it is a great show and I almost suggested we all go see it at Universal when we were there last month, but didn't want to pay for the ticket. So, I might go see this one, but in all honesty, this is not a Broadway show in my mind.
Spamalot - um, this one was just here four years ago and maybe even two or three years before that. I know I've seen it twice and don't care to see it again. I really don't even think it's that funny.
Chicago - I actually like Chicago a lot, so this one could be a possibility as well, Ill have to see what my cash flow is like when ticket buying time comes around
The Addams Family - This one is probably geared towards children and I had no idea there was an Addams Family musical so it might be worth checking out, but chances are, I won't.

They have a line-up of special shows this year too:

Jack Hanna's Into The Wild Live - Um, no thanks!
Elvis Lives - Not a big Elvis fan, although I did go to Graceland on my birthday one year
Garrison Keillor - this one might be okay, especially considering Mr. Keillor is dead and I'm wondering how he might make an appearance.

So, yeah, I'm disappointed. Why can't they bring in Wicked, or Mary Poppins or The Lion King, or Phantom or Les Mis? Please, I beg of you, a good show that hasn't been here before. Thanks for your understanding!

Reminder - come back this weekend and next week to read a book review and enter a giveaway contest - just in time for Mother's Day!

Busy and Restful All In One

It was another full weekend for me. I guess it’s that time of year. Friday night I went to see Rapunzel with my friend Kendra. It was the last production for Fantasy Playhouse this season and it was the best. The girl who played the dragon was hilarious! Kendra and I both enjoyed the show despite the fact that we were sitting by a creepy guy who kept turning around to stare at us. I don’t know if he was looking at me or her, but it was really weird and made me uncomfortable. I think it made Kendra uncomfortable too. Very strange.

As I mentioned last week, Panoply was this past weekend, but sadly, I did not make an appearance. I just couldn’t fit it into my schedule. Each night of the weekend at promptly 9:00, the sky would boom with the Panoply fireworks. They were so loud it sounded as though they were being shot from my own backyard. I had planned on loading up The Tide and going down there on Sunday night to watch but by the time Sunday night rolled around, I didn’t want to leave the couch. I’m sure you know how that goes.

Saturday I went to the gym and made my weekly trip to Publix and then spent the rest of the day cleaning and doing laundry and lots of other fun things like that. I mowed the lawn that afternoon and even brought out the weed eater to trim up the edges of the house and shed. I also potted some flowers for the porch. I bagged the grass clippings and while I was working in the back, the mailman was kind enough to run over my bag of grass and empty it in front of my neighbor’s house. So, I had to bag it again. Thanks a lot, Mr. Postman!

I spent Saturday evening studying for the Bible class I was teaching on Sunday morning and also watching the Stanley Cup playoffs. Sunday I went to church and napped. So, it was a busy weekend but also there was time for rest as well, which is always a good thing. Hopefully your weekend was filled with fun and a little relaxation too!

Arthur and The Magic Sword

Sunday evening, my mom and I went to see the Fantasy Playhouse edition of Arthur and the Magic Sword. If you’ve ever seen The Sword in the Stone or know the story, then you obviously know what the play is about. It was a cute production and the actors did a really great job. Jackie took her kids the week before my mom and I went and they enjoyed it as well.

We got to the Playhouse a few minutes before it started and found our seats which were on the floor. There was a man sitting in the seat beside ours but when the show started, he scooted down a couple of seats. There was lots of sword fighting and the kid that played Kay did a great job because he was the penultimate little snot and I wanted to punch him in the face; but I refrained. I think of all the characters, Merlin was my favorite. Of course, I think I like Merlin in every rendition of a King Arthur story. Maybe deep down inside I want to be a sorcerer.

The first act was about an hour and 15 minutes and when the second act started, and Fantasy and Fantasy Jr. came out to talk to the audience, they asked a question and some kid from the audience yelled out his answer which got everyone laughing. One of my favorite things about going to Fantasy shows is listening to the kids’ reactions and various things that happen during the show. It’s usually good for a laugh or two.

After the show was over I took my mom back home and left her in the capable hands of my dad and brother. I wish something hilarious had happened because it usually does when mother and I go on an outing, but sadly, nothing crazy or out of the ordinary took place on this particular evening. Perhaps next time we will be up to our crazy old antics.

Fantasy has two more regular season shows and also their annual production of A Christmas Carol, which is always quite wonderful. Check out their upcoming shows on their website. All their shows are held at the Playhouse at the VBC, which is a great place to see a show. Check it out!

The Rat Pack: A Review

Sorry for the late post today. I started writing this morning but then had to stop in order to get ready for work and I haven't been posting at work this week since I'm on a new job. So, today's post is late, which means many of you will be reading it on Thursday. At any rate, let's begin...

Last night Jackie and I went out to Merrimack Hall to see a performance of Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show. About three years ago, Broadway Theater League hosted a performance of he Rat Pack Show and I loved it and was anxious to see how this one compared. I met Jackie out front at 7:15 and we soon found our seats and settled in for the show which was supposed to start at 7:30 but actually started a few minutes after.

The guys came out singing, as expected, and they were quite good. The first act of the night was by the guy who played Joey Bishop. He told a lot of jokes, all of which were quite funny. Jackie and I laughed quite a bit during his performance. My face actually hurt a little bit from laughing so much.

After Joey, was Dean Martin, who looked a lot like Will Ferrell, a fact that Jackie pointed out.Once she noticed the resemblance, it was obvious and made us laugh almost every time we looked at him.He was quite tall, like Will Ferrell and also a lot of his motions were similar to Will's (yes, we are on a first name basis). He had a good voice but didn't look much like Dean Martin (clearly since he looked like Will Ferrell).

Sammy Davis, Jr. came out next and the guy had the glasses and some of the moves and even the voice was pretty spot on, but overall, I thought he looked more like an Asian Sammy Davis, Jr. than a black Jewish Sammy Davis, Jr. I think the man just had light colored skin, but his eyes had an Asian flare about them. Plus he was a little pudgy around the middle and call me crazy, but I've never seen the real Sammy Davis, Jr. with any pudge.

After a brief intermission, the guy playing old Blue yes came out to sing. He had a good voice but his mouth made some weird motions which was kind of distracting if you looked too closely. He also didn't look much like Frank, but as I said he had a good voice, which I guess is the point.

The foursome came out on stage again and had a few more jokes and a few more songs. Overall the show was really great. As I said, we laughed quite a bit and the singing was good and as a result, we were quite entertained. The show was similar to the one BTL did a few years back, except that show had actors that looked much more like the folks they were playing on stage. In fact, the Frank in that show looked so much like the real Frank it was scary and his voice was also so spot on you probably wouldn't have known the difference if you had closed your eyes.

Merrimack Hall is a great place to watch shows. If you've never been before, be sure and check out the other shows they've got in the line-up for the rest of the season. You might find something to your liking.

RENT Review

This past Friday night, my friend Sabrina and I went to see Independent Musical Production’s (IMP) production of RENT at Merrimack Hall. IMP is a local production company that obviously specializes in musicals. They formally performed shows at Grissom High School and other locations and this was the first time they had performed at Merrimack. My parents had the tickets and had already seen the show and so they gave the tickets to me (thanks Steve and Deb!).

The show started at 7:30 and was over around 10:00 or so. Amazingly, I didn’t doze off during the show which seems to be my norm these days. I have been overwhelmingly tired lately – even before the time change.

I was familiar with the music from RENT since I have a copy of the soundtrack but had never seen the live production. I knew the premise of the story and told Sabrina beforehand that the story would be dealing with homosexuality and AIDS. Whether you approve of the lifestyle of these friends or not, the underlying theme of the story is the same no matter what your walk of life – that you can find a family amongst your friends, and that love is an important aspect of life.

I felt that this particular performance of RENT was just mediocre to be honest. It was opening night (I really have to stop going to opening night performances!) and the microphone of one of the main characters (Mark) wasn’t turned on for about the first 15 minutes or so and you could barely hear what he was singing (and we were on the front row!). There were a couple of guys with really great voices (Roger and Collins) and the girl who played Mimi just wasn’t that great in my opinion. Of course, I suppose I was comparing it to the soundtrack which I suppose is a little unfair considering the voices on the soundtrack are trained professionals. There was also one girl who had terrible facial expressions and was clearly struggling with her acting and it also looked as though she were lip syncing. Come to find out her parents are the benefactors of IMP which explains a lot. Despite some of the less that stellar singing, I was still moved by the story and even cried a bit at the end when everyone thinks Mimi is going to die.

For a local production, I suppose this version of RENT was okay. I have a feeling there are other local groups (Huntsville High) who could have done a lot better job, but what do I know? I’m just a spectator.

The Wedding Singer: A Review

Last Friday night, Jackie and I headed out to see Huntsville High’s production of The Wedding Singer. It was opening night and everyone seemed excited to see the show. The show started at 7:30 and we arrived a little after 7:00 and bought our tickets at the ticket booth located in the lobby of Huntsville High’s theater.


Our seats were on the last row of the front section and with the exception of the large noggin of the man in front of me, the view was really great. The floor is slanted which makes all the seats great for viewing. I didn’t have much trouble seeing around the large noggin, I just had to tilt my head to one side or the other.

The musical is based on the 1998 movie of the same name which starred Adam Sandler. The musical has the same characters and many of the same scenes, but obviously most of the dialogue is sung rather than spoken. If you are a fan of this movie, I would recommend that you go see this at Huntsville High. The students there did an amazing job with this show. I have seen other productions at HHS before and they have all been wonderful and this show was no exception.

The students did a great job in their roles, the singing, dancing, choreography, acting, etc. was all fantastic. It’s obvious that the kids have put a lot of love and hard work into making this show a success. The costumes were also great and the scenery was remarkable. I’m really not sure if there are enough adjectives to describe how great this show is. HHS productions are some of the best amateur shows I have ever seen.

The Wedding Singer continues this weekend with showing at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2:00 on Saturday afternoon. The tickets are $15 and the show lasts about two and half hours, including a 15 minute intermission. If you need something to do this weekend, go check it out, you will be so glad you did and will leave with a big smile on your face!

Huntsville Happenings and a Review of Tom Sawyer

Looking for something to do this weekend? How about some live entertainment in the form of a play?

This past Friday night, my friend Sabrina and I went to see Fantasy Playhouse’s production of Tom Sawyer. I am a season ticket holder and usually look forward to seeing the shows. I don’t know why, but for one reason or another, I wasn’t too fired up about Tom Sawyer; probably because it was a Friday night and unless it’s football season, I generally like to spend my Friday nights doing a whole lot of nothing.

The show started at 7:00 and we got there a few minutes before curtain. I was prepared with a wrap because it’s usually quite cold in the playhouse, but this time it really wasn’t too bad. The show started and Sabrina and I both had a hard time hearing what the folks on stage were saying. We kept asking one another, “What did he/she say?” The props were very minimal and when the large curtain was down in front and props were being changed behind the curtain it was really noisy. Some of the props were on casters and when the props were rolled out, it sounded liked thunder to me. I found it to be very distracting. The first act seemed to last way too long in my opinion and I kept wondering when intermission was going to arrive. I was craving a Diet Coke and that’s all I could think about.

Intermission finally came and since I only had $2, I had to settle for a drink at the water fountain, which wasn’t as delightful as a Diet Coke, but it at least parched my thirst for a brief moment.

The second act started and the sound had obviously been adjusted because we could hear better than we could during act one. The second act wasn’t as long as the first act, which was a welcome relief to this viewer who found this to be one of the most boring plays I have seen in a long while. In act one especially, I found myself nodding off. It just didn’t keep my attention.

Jackie took her kids on Sunday afternoon, and surprisingly, they said it was their favorite play so far. Since Fantasy shows are geared toward children, I guess Tom Sawyer worked in that regard seeing as how Troy and Ashlyn thought it was a good show. Jackie said the sound was really loud when they went on Sunday; so, obviously some adjustments were made from Friday night, which was opening night. I should have known better than to get opening night seats; the kinks are still being worked out on opening night.

Tom Sawyer continues this weekend with performances on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 and 5:00 p.m. Tickets are only $12 and can be bought by calling 256-539-6829. The director of this show is Michelle Allen, who is actually a childhood friend of mine and Jackie’s. I realize I didn’t give this show the greatest review, but as I mentioned, Jackie’s kids really liked it so maybe your kids will too. Check it out if you get a chance!

Here are some other upcoming productions you may be interested in (click the link for more information):

Lee High presents Romeo and Juliet, February 25-27
Huntsville High presents The Wedding Singer, March 4 – 12
Grissom High presents Beauty and The Beast, March 18-27
Lee Lyric Theatre presents The Drowsy Chaperone, April 1-9

Theater Review: Beauty and The Beast

This past Sunday night, I went to see Beauty and The Beast, put on by Huntsville’s Broadway Theater League. It was a wonderful show. If you’ve never seen it, you should try to the next time it is in your town. Well, if you like musicals, that is. I suppose if you don’t like musicals or theater productions then it would be a waste of money.

As many of you know, I love the theater, musicals, plays, whatever; and I was really excited to see this show since I had never seen it before. To my knowledge this was the first time this show had been to Huntsville. My friend, Sabrina, and I bought tickets a couple of months ago and before we headed downtown for the show, we went to dinner at I Love Sushi. Sabrina treated in honor of my birthday and the dinner was delicious! If you are a sushi fan and have not tried I Love Sushi, then you are missing out! I think it is the best sushi place in town. Everything is so fresh and so good! Just writing this makes me want some right now. Maybe I will go there for lunch today.

After dinner, we had some time to kill and stopped by Starbucks for a coffee. We got the coffees to go and then went to the VBC. We had to park on the fourth floor of the parking garage because there were so many events that night and the whole complex was packed. I didn’t even know there was a fourth floor of the parking deck. I guess in theory I knew they had added on, but I never park in that garage so I didn’t put it all together. I can be slow sometimes.

We were on row “S” but our seats were still very good. The renovation at the VBC is looking great! I’ll be so glad when it is completed though because it can be quite a nuisance at times. I’m sure the folks that work there feel the same.

The show was great from start to finish. There are a lot of songs from the classic Disney movie, but there were some new songs too. There were a lot of amazing special effects and the costumes were so bright and colorful! There were a lot of children in the audience and Sabrina and I decided that hearing the kids laugh and ooh and ah made the show even more enjoyable.

Grissom High School Theater is doing a production of Beauty and The Beast in March and the tickets are more affordable than seeing a professional production. If you have never been to any of the theater productions by the high schools in and around Huntsville, you are missing out. There is a lot of talent in this town and all of the high schools put on great shows. Click here for the information on Grissom’s Beauty and The Beast production. The tickets are only $15 for adults and $10 for children and can be purchased online.

Sleeping Beauty

I’ve had so many things to tell you about this week that I almost completely forgot to write about going to see Sleeping Beauty this past Sunday night. I only remembered it last night and since the play is continuing this weekend, I wanted to be sure and include it in this week’s posts in case you are interested in going to see it.

This year I bought myself two Fantasy Playhouse season tickets. The first of the three plays included in the package is Sleeping Beauty and I went, along with my friend Sabrina, last Sunday night.

The play was really well done, as are all plays put on by Fantasy. The costumes were really amazing and the set was simple yet extremely cute. The three main characters in the play are the three good fairies and the one bad fairy. The storyline has been changed a little, but it was still very good and had some added adult humor that Sabrina and I thought was quite funny.

The three good fairies did a fantastic job! Their names are different from those in the movie and the girl that plays Daffodil does and absolutely delightful job and she is just as cute as a button. The bad fairy, Belladona, also did a great job; she was wonderfully wicked and had a really fantastic evil laugh – it sounded just like the evil witch in the Wizard of Oz. The other actors also did a great job and one guy in particular, he played Lord Brunswick, cracked us up. His facial expressions were priceless.

The play continues this weekend with showing Friday night (7:00) and Saturday and Sunday afternoons (1:30) and evenings (5:00).The tickets are $10. The great thing about Fantasy is that they welcome children and their plays are geared toward children, which is great for you parents out there. Sleeping Beauty lasted about two hours and was a lot of fun. I hope you’ll check it out.

The Wizard of Oz: Part Deux

Earlier this year, Tony and I went to see Broadway Theater League’s production of The Wizard of Oz. This past weekend, I tagged along with Jackie and her kids to see it again; only this time it was put on by Huntsville’s Fantasy Playhouse and it was directed by my dear friend, Billy Jenkins, although I call him Bill.

If you have never been to a Fantasy Playhouse production, then you must go! It is by far one of the best local theaters in Huntsville and always has the most elaborate costumes, make-up and sets; and the actors always do a fantastic job. Their shows are geared towards children, which is nice for those of you lucky enough to be parents because the shows are all kid friendly and you don’t have to worry about your child being too loud. My friend Candy, took her daughter Jane Claire to see the show a few nights before we went, and JC loved it!

We arrived at the playhouse a little early and found our seats. Ashlyn was disappointed that we were on the back row; but, I assure you, there is not a bad seat in the house and we could see everything just fine. She cheered up after a few minutes of pouting.

This face reminds me of Jack Nicolson in The Shining

Once the show started, the kids loved it and so did Jackie and I. We thought the Cowardly Lion was hilarious and it turns out that the Lion was played by Jake Bennett, son of George who was in my parents’ wedding. I haven’t seen Jake since he was in junior high or high school; so, I was surprised that he had been bitten by the acting bug. He really was hysterical and one of the best parts of the show.

The show also included my friend, Matt Crawford, who played the Flying Monkey King and he really did fly – five times, or maybe it was four. All of special effects were great and Troy kept talking about how he didn’t know how they got the Wicked Witch of the West to melt.

Matt - The Flying Monkey King

Jake - The Cowardly Lion

After the show was over, the kids got autographs, and I got an autograph from Matt. He was barely recognizable under all his make-up.

The show was really awesome and I encourage you readers to go to a show or two next season. The season tickets are relatively inexpensive and you will always get a good quality show. Fantasy also puts on a season extra show of A Christmas Carol, which is not included in the season ticket price, but also always a good show.

We had a nice time and the kids did too. Enjoy the pictures.

Troy and Ashlyn with The Wicked Witch of the West

Dorothy signing autographs - the blue kiss is from the Good Witch of The South

Troy is chatting up the Good Witch of the South

The Tin Man

Ashlyn and Troy with Toto

BTL's The Wizard Of Oz: A Review

This past Sunday, Tony and I went to see Broadway’s Theater League’s production of The Wizard of Oz and it was fabulous. As many of you know, I love, love, love Broadway plays and musicals. Last year I was lucky enough to win season tickets to the Broadway Theater League. This year, we’ve been to two shows – A Chorus Line and The Wizard of Oz.

The Wizard of Oz is based on the 1939 film of the same name, which is, as I’m sure you know, based on the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. As a child, The Wizard of Oz was one of my most favorite movies, and still is to this day. It is truly a classic in my opinion. So, when I heard the musical was coming to Huntsville, I knew I had to go.

The show had two acts and many of the lines were the exact same as in the movie. The special effects were absolutely phenomenal! The wicked witch even threw fire at the scarecrow just like in the movie. I have no idea how she did it, but both Tony and I were impressed. The songs were all from the movie as well and made me want to get up and dance and sing along – in fact, I’ve been singing them ever since Sunday night. I think Tony’s probably tired of hearing me sing “If I were king of the forest”. The show was really well cast also, which makes a huge difference in these types of productions. There were a lot of children in the audience as well and I really didn’t hear any of them moving about or talking; so, obviously the show was quite captivating to them as well. And, did I mention there was a real live Toto! That Toto was one of the most well behaved dogs I have ever seen in my life. Tony was mesmerized by the dog and how still it was during the various scenes. You can’t beat a show with a real dog!

I have seen a lot of Broadways shows in my day, but I would venture to say that The Wizard of Oz has become one of my favorites. It had one of the best sets I have ever seen and was just an all around good show. I would definitely see it again.

If you happened to miss this production of The Wizard of Oz, then check out an upcoming local production of it, coming up at the end of April put on by Fantasy Playhouse. The tickets are around $10 and it is being directed by one of my co-workers, Billy Jenkins. Fantasy Playhouse is geared toward children, so don’t be afraid to load up your little ones for a night on the town. It’s sure to be a lot of fun.

Classical Mystery Tour And The HSO

Saturday evening, Tony and I went to the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra’s pop series concert, “Classical Mystery Tour.” If you’ve never been to the symphony, you should go. It is always a lot of fun. I love watching the different instruments being played and find it so fascinating how it sounds so powerful and so much more alive in person.

The “Classical Mystery Tour” is actually a group of four guys who dress up as and sing songs by The Beatles. They play guitars, piano and the Ringo plays drums, of course, while the symphony plays along with them. Tony and I are both huge Beatles fans and so when I won tickets to the symphony at work a few months ago, I knew this show was our only option.

When we first got there, we found our seats and I was sitting next to a man that had to have been in his 80s. I gathered (from eavesdropping) that he and his (I assume) wife were season ticket holders to the symphony. We also looked around and saw a guy we work with there; he was a couple of rows behind us. We gathered that he was there because it was a Beatles show because I doubt this particular guy would be into the symphony; but I could be wrong.

The set list for the evening was handed out as we took our seats and Tony was disappointed that some of his favorites weren’t on there. The Beatles recorded over 200 songs; so, it’s doubtful that these guys would get to everyone’s favorite song. When they first came out on stage, they were dressed in the black suits that The Beatles wore when they first hit the scene. The guy that portrayed Paul could easily pass as his twin; they look so similar and their mannerisms were very similar too. There were three empty seats in front of us and right before the show started, a man came in and sat down in front of me. He was wearing a hat and I wasn’t sure if he planned to take it off. Thankfully, he did. He kept looking around like he was waiting for someone, but must have given up on the mystery person’s arrival because he moved over a seat and was now in front of Tony. The next thing we knew he was answering his phone and proceeded to have a conversation – while the show was going on! I couldn’t believe it. If it had continued much longer, I would have asked him to leave; but he finally told the person to call back and leave a message. I really don’t understand people that do this. I’ve had this happen in the movie theater and other places and I just don’t understand. Can you really not stand to answer your phone? Why are you so rude and inconsiderate? Did your parents not teach you any manners?

After the first set, there was a 20 minute intermission and seized the opportunity for a bathroom break. Of course I had to stand in line for half of that time and listen to ladies tell their Beatles stories, which I really wasn’t interested in.

The second set started and Tony thought they really turned it up a notch. The second set was quite a bit better; plus, they had had a few technical difficulties during the first set. The cell phone talker man came back in and then left mid-way through the second set, never to be seen again. I’m not really sure what was going on with him, Maybe he was upset that he didn’t have a plus one.

After the second set, the guys received a standing ovation and then came out for an encore. They played “Hey Jude,” which is one of my favorites. When they asked the audience to sing along, I looked over at the older gentlemen next to me (remember in his 80s, easily) and he was singing along like it was nobody’s business. Then everyone ended up on their feet clapping and waving their hands in the air and Mr. 80s was doing it too. It cracked me up. The Beatles’ music spans and touches the heart and soul of multiple generations, which cannot be said of many entertainers.

This was a very good show and if it comes to Huntsville again, I will definitely consider going. We both liked Rain better – Rain is another Beatles show that is fantastic – but liked this show as well. My favorite songs of the night were “A Day In the Life” and “Hey Jude” and Tony liked “Golden Slumbers.” We both cracked up when “Ringo” sang “Good Night.” When he as whispering at the end, it was all I could do to control my laughter. The guys also changed into Sargent Pepper costumes as well as clothes from when The Beatles preformed in the 1970s, including John’s white suit. I would recommend this show to anyone who is a Beatles’ fan.

Alice In Wonderland

This past Sunday I went with Jackie and the kids to see “Alice in Wonderland” at the VBC Playhouse. It was a really good show. Fantasy Playhouse is geared towards children. So, all the shows they do are kid-friendly and there are always a lot of children in the audience, which I think is great. It’s a good way to get your children accustomed to going to the theater.

I think everyone knows the story of “Alice in Wonderland.” The book was written by Lewis Carroll in 1865 and tells the story of Alice, a young girl who falls down the rabbit hole into a fantasy world that is quite peculiar. All of the characters you are familiar with were in the play, including the Cheshire Cat, the Caterpillar, Humpty Dumpty, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, The Mad Hatter, The Queen of Hearts, well, you get the picture. The play was very well done and the kids really enjoyed it. They were able to get autographs of the characters after the show and afterwards they talked and laughed about different scenes from the play.

There are more performances this weekend. So, if you live in Huntsville and have some time, take the opportunity to go and see this play. The show times are Friday, October 16 at 7:00 and Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18 at 1:30 and 5:00. Another great thing about Fantasy Playhouse is that the ticket prices are quite reasonable – just $10 a person. Check out their web site at http://letthemagicbegin.org/

Here are a few photos:

A scene from the tea party.

It's a little blurry because the Mad Hatter was running arund like a crazy person.

Here's Troy getting Alice's autograph after the show.

Troy and Ashlyn with the Cheshire Cat.

Cirque du Soleil: Saltimbanco

Last night Tony and I went to see Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco, courtesy of my aunt. She won four tickets and took my cousin (her daughter) and me and Tony. I don’t think Tony was really that excited to be going along, but I think he enjoyed it after it was all said and done.

Prior to the show, I looked up some information, on one of my most favorite sites, Wikipedia and read what it was all about. So, I knew a little bit of what to expect. (You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltimbanco) But, the article didn’t do this spectacular justice. The performances were absolutely amazing. The body strength of the performers is amazing. I have never seen anything like it. The colors were also very vibrant and overall it was truly a magical experience. My favorite part of the night was the last performance when there were four people on swings and bungees. It was beautiful and also looked like a lot of fun!

As I said, I think Tony ended up liking the show and when I asked him for a quote for this site he said, “Freakin’ fantastical fun for free.” Who knew he would use alliteration to express his opinion of the show?

Unfortunately, I couldn’t take any pictures (strict policy), and I had intended to take pictures off of the Saltimbanco web site and put here, but there aren’t any that can be used. So, you’ll have to check out the Saltimbanco site for yourself, which can be found here: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/default.asp The Saltimbanco link is at the bottom of the page, and you can view the links for the other Cirque shows as well. It also lists the touring dates. The tickets here in Huntsville were a bit pricey. I’m sure the seats up top are less expensive, and we sat up top and the show was still great. So, keep that in mind should you decide to go.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: A Review

This past Sunday (February 1) was my 32nd birthday. Back in the Fall, Tony bought tickets for us to see the Broadway Production of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” which came to our fair city this past week. The final performance was on Sunday, my birthday, and that was the date for which he bought tickets.

Let me tell you, folks, if you have not seen this show, run, don’t walk to the nearest showing and go see it! I have been a fan of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” the movie since I was a small child. I’ve watched it hundreds of times. So, I was really anxious to see how it would play out on the stage. It was FANTASTIC!

There were a lot of great scenery changes, which some shows don’t always have. They had five or six real dogs in it that periodically ran across the stage, and every time they showed up, it made me laugh uncontrollably! This show was very well cast, which was a nice treat because sometimes the people playing the parts aren’t always as great as they could be. And the car – it flies! It was so amazing! Most of the songs from the movie are also in the live production, which made me want to get up and dance with the actors at times, but I refrained myself and stayed in my seat. I just tapped my foot to the beat. It was a great show for young and old alike. Definitely go see this one if you have an opportunity. The information for this tour can be found at http://www.chittyontour.com/index.html So, check it out and see if it’s playing at a location near you.

These guys were hilarious!