ad hoc.

Rent is closing on Broadway. Legions of upper-class white kids will have to find something else to relate to.

From IMDB:

The film features a few cut songs from the Broadway musical. They are: “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” (and it’s many reprises); “Ah, Miss”; “Johanna” (as sung by Judge Turpin); “Parlour Songs”; “City on Fire”; “Epilogue”. As well as the elimination of singing of the ensemble completely. There are also a few cuts within the remaining songs. The only songs to remain in tact are: “Epiphany”, “Pretty Women”, “Johanna” (both Anthony’s and Sweeney’s), “The Worst Pies in London”, “Poor Thing” and “My Friends”.

And that was my biggest complaint! Sure, they needed to cut back for timing, but some of the awesomeness was the ensemble/”Greek Chorus” parts. And they changed the plot a little: Sweeney builds his own chair instead of orders it, among others. And how can they leave out “City on Fire” with the lunatics running the streets of London? You’d think Tim Burton would be all over that. The cuts of songs made Johanna have an absolutely useless role. And can we get an epilogue please? It was so needed. It is hard for me to judge the movie because I know literally every word and every note so I cringed when something was left out. Also, they seemed to cut out the humurous lines. Yes, there are several hymurous parts to i, but I guess Tim decided to go with horror movie, not black comedy.
But otherwise, it was good. Johhny Depp’s best work, I think and it was cool to see Sweeney/Ms. Lovett as a younger goth couple. Sacha Baron Cohen, pretty good. Costumes/makeup- should win the Oscar hands down. The singers were not strong, but whatdya goin’ do? But Sweeney Todd is probably my favorite music ever so I don’t think anyone can live up to the expectation.

For those of you that don’t know, I was in the orchestra for my high school’s production of the show (I know, what high school does this? Luckily we had a great music/drama program) and it was the one experience in high school that I actually enjoyed. High school musicians playing Sondheim? It totally improved my playing about 300%. Sondheim is awesome to play, even after a thousand times. I loved the experience and I loved seeing it put together. I don’t really remember the actors who were in it, but I remember them being good. I wonder how a high school production sounded? The music is pretty difficult. To me, it sounded awesome. The year after that we did South Pacific which sucked so, so badly and was so boring to play (the cello had some down beats for about 5,000 measures and barely any melodies) and the show was horrific.

There also seems to be a trend of musicals being made into movies, which really irks me, because it totally cheapens the musical experience. The only musical that I would LOVE to see as a musical is Assasins, another Sondheim musical. Can you imagine the possibilities? It will never get made because some conservatives may find it innapropriate (It’s a musical about people in the past who have assasinated/attempted to assasinate US presidents, and they all interact with each other and give their reasons why).

Colin Firth, you’re off my list.

Thanksgiving weekend: the time when lots of Americans go out and exercise mass consumerism. This year I actually managed to buy nothing this weekend (except more cat food and toilet paper. So sue me.) This is a weekend where I consume mass amounts of pop culture.

Watched Hairspray on dvd. I was actually dreading it, because I had really low expectations. As far as broadway musical to movie adapatations, I had both Rent and The Producers on my mind. However, I was pleasnatly surprised. Nikki Blonsky was fantastic, unfortunately this is probably the only role she is ever going to get. Amanda Bynes, when given the right role, is actually quite hilarious. The adult cast, except for James Marsden, was pretty sub-par. And John Travolta was absolutely horrendous. First, he looked hella scary, and what the fuck was with the accent he put on? Was he trying to do a Baltimore accent? Zac Efron was actually quite adorable too, and I am not saying that because he is Zac Efron. I think he could even try his hand on Broadway, his dancing is pretty good. Here are my complaints: of course the movie couldn’t include every musical number from the show, but they left out the best ones! “Mama I’m a big girl now” could have showcased more of Penny and Amber, who now seemed like peripheral characters. “The Big Dollhouse” is one of my favorite numbers too, but they actually changed the plot to where Tracey does not go to jail. Link’s “It Takes Two” was on the soundtrack but not in the movie. Or did I maybe miss it? It could have been a huge Zefron moment. The movie also suffered from what the musical did: the first two thirds of the movie were great, and then the last third really lagged. If I had to put my thoughts to a mathematical formula,

John Waters’ original movie version > the Broadway stage version > the 2007 movie

Also finished Heroes, and I know I am going to disappoint a lot of you by saying this, but somehow it just didn’t do it for me. I really thrive on character development, and the only character I really felt I saw develop was Sylar (and I am not just saying that because I lurve Zachary Quinto). I felt like the whole season unraveled into a web of significant plot twists, and every five seconds we learn that a character is not what they seem. Dun dun dunnnn….Mr. Bennett is not trying to kill the Heroes, he’s really protecting them…dun dun dunnnn…Nathan is really Claire’s father…dun dun dunnnn…Nathan and mom are really behind the NYC explosion….it was fun to figure out, but didn’t suck me into the lives of everyone. And quite frankly, I am getting really sick of Milo Ventimiglia’s bangs. I am glad he cuts his hair in season 2. And as I have said a million times before, Heroes is a total ripoff of The 4400, who was able to keep the story going with character development.

I also watched The Girl Next Door, which, believe it or not, is a pretty kickass movie. I think it was marketed as a teen sex romp, but really it is not. Really awesome use of a soundtrack as well. And, as mentioned, Enchanted and BSG: Razor. Also got a crapload of music, but really haven’t had a chance to listen to it.

I just saw this poster for the new Sweeney Todd movie…and I am way impressed. You all know that Sweeney Todd is near and dear to my heart, and I have high hopes for this one. I never thought Sweeney could be so….hot.

I take this as another sign that New York has gone to shit. First, Bed Bath and Beyonds are popping up on the Lower East Side, and now this crap is invading Broadway. What. the. fuck. Legally Blonde comes to broadway. Stephen Sondheim probably wants to shoot himself in the face. I know I do.

This song is called “Ohmigod you guys”. For real.

“What You Want”

“Bend and Snap” Please make it stop.

Because I Said So + The Last Kiss + Keeping the Faith + Mrs. Doubtfire =

LICENSE TO WED!

John Krasinski, you are terribly adorable, but make terrible character and film choices. This looks so horrible. So bad I may need to go see it and liveblog through the whole thing.

This is kind of pathetic…Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal are reprising their roles as Roger and Mark. Give it up! It was ten years ago! I think the characters are supposed to be 22, tops. Also, the show is about as relevant as video cassette rewinders. Anthony R. cannot let go…he recently wrote a book about being in the show and I saw him speak last year and he was still talking about it. Ugh. And it makes me mad that tourists are spending $100 to see that show. I knew a woman who had seen it 11 times and liked to brag about it. Yes, I hated her.

Yay! I have discovered what I will be doing this summer. Rome season 2 is out August 14. Extras season 2 is out July 10.  Heroes comes out sometime in August too.

celebcrushwatch: Eric Bana talks about wearing codpieces,  Cillian Murphy, DM! and again! Patty Wolf at the Virgin mega…back to red hair.

[Original Cast Recording, Spring Awakening] [ multiply][.rar]

Some new photos from the Hairspray movie. Looks like it could be good. Or completely horrible.

Amber Von Tussle looking like….what you’d expect.

Queen Latifah playing her typecast role. And that’s John Travolta folks. I think I actually look like him in drag.

omg! Zac Efron as Link Larkin! Sooo cute! He looks like Joaquin in Walk the Line.

Mrs. Pingleton has the right idea. I’s like to tie up Amanda Bynes and beat the shit out of her.

This is the dumbest movie teaser ever, for Hairspray. Now I’m not to excited to see it. But what’s this? James Marsden is in it?

SACHA BARON COHEN - COHEN’S SINGING DUMPED FROM SWEENEY TODD

British funnyman SACHA BARON COHEN’s singing has reportedly been cut from TIM BURTON’s forthcoming SWEENEY TODD movie, because it’s so bad. The BORAT and ALI G creator plays SIGNOR ADOLFO PIRELLI - the arch-rival of JOHNNY DEPP’s SWEENEY TODD, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street - in the big screen version of the hit musical. British newspaper The Sun reports Burton has given Cohen permission to rap his songs, because his singing voice isn’t good enough. A film insider says, “Pirelli is a notoriously demanding role with some difficult songs. “Any professional singer would struggle. So Sacha has been told to go for a rap style. It will be a bit like JIM BROADBENT’s performance in MOULIN ROUGE!. That won him a BAFTA. “Sacha is going to do a fantastic job but he couldn’t cut it with the singing. His voice was too low.”

This is some bullshit. I was already weary of the Tim Burton-remake of the musical. Sweeney Todd is very near and dear to my heart, and when you fuck with it, I take it personally. Uh, his part is that of an opera singer- and now you take away the singing? Second of all, the numbers with Pirelli are some of the best of the show. If he can’t sing it- fine someone who can! Borat already finished his fifteen minutes, stop trying to capitalize on that. Ugh.

I sooooo need to see the show Spring Awakening. Who would have known Duncan Sheik is still around?

Also, I sooooooo need to see Children of Men. Of course it’s not playing around here.

So the critics listened to me and High Fidelity is closing on Broadway, along with that Bob Dylan musical thingy. ‘Tis a shame. RS asks what top five movies should never be musicals. Haha.

I never thought I’d live to see the day that hipsters would me on Broadway.

Word is that High Fidelity on Broadway is not good. In a mean way, I’m glad. Some things should be kept off the stage. Somehow modern stories do not transfer well to Broadway. Browadway is about the fantastical, over the top, old-fashioned.

People who pay full price for Broadway tickets are total suckers or tourists, or both. Now the Times is finally catching on. I could have written this- I saw the entire 2003-2004 Broadway season for under $300. Read the rest of this entry »

So the site for the High Fidelity broadway musical is up. I have such low hopes for this one that it has come full circle that I expect it to win a Tony. I guess I do have to make an effort to see it, because it is based on is one of my favorite books ever. Ugh. THe music video for “Top 5 Breakups” is painful.

I just think of all the struggling singer/dancers who are making it the right way and not getting parts because their daddy pimps them out. This makes me sad for the state of musical theater.

Ashlee Simpson has signed on to play murderous vixen Roxie Hart in the London run of the musical Chicago. After weeks of speculation, Simpson kicked off rehearsals for the legendary musical in a New York City studio on Monday. Chicago producer Barry Weissler confirmed the news to American publication Star, saying, “Yes, it is true. Ashlee Simpson is joining the cast of Chicago in London. We are very excited and are looking forward to gauging the London audience reaction.” The deal for Simpson to star in the play was finalized this past weekend and she will appear onstage in October in London’s West End. According to a source, “Ashlee’s a dancer; her background is in dance. She wants to do live theatre. This will put all of those critics to rest. She’s always wanted to be on stage, but she got diverted when she started selling so many albums.” Simpson’s Chicago role follows Usher’s decision to join the cast in New York. He’s currently playing Billy Flynn on Broadway, where he’s receiving lukewarm reviews.

I am watching an amazing documentary called Broadway: The American Musical. Seriously. I am crying. I am constantly reminded that Stephen Sondheim may be the biggest genius of the last century.

July 9, 2006

Producers Use the Web to Romance Audience and Bring Them Back

Read the rest of this entry »

I wanted to give a brief description of my adventures these past two weeks, to give shout outs where shout outs were due. Two Mondays ago I headed back to NYU for this conference. It was odd being back to the site of my grad school days, but I didn’t pay much mind because I had some other things on my schedule. Got to see my conference pal JT, who is fucking crazy. We ran around making fun of everyone and going to bougie stores like Fish’s Eddy. The conference was so-so, I don’t know if I learned anything. I go to these conferences looking for some new info to make my job better, but I guess I had high expectations. The highlight? Anthony Rapp was the keynote speaker.I don’t know what he had to do with my field of profiession, and neither did he I think. BUt he is so adorable I can’t take it. I think he is actually Mark in real life too. And he is maybe my height, if he’s lucky.

Also FINALLY got to see Paul again, after falling out of touch for two years. He is alive and well and working at BU, the lucky bastard. We had a 26th street reunion with Courtney, and it felt like the last two years never happened. Well, almost. I am grateful that they have the same view about keeping in touch that I do: sometimes there is not much to say to each other on a day to day basis, but there are never hard feelings when we see each other. I am in my own little world here, sometimes it is hard to keep someone up to date with the tiny details of everything I do.

I did have two celeb sightings. I was down in the theater district on the Sunday when the matinees end, and I saw Mark Ruffalo leaving the theater after his performance. Schwing! He looked kind of scruffy and incnspicuous, and in reality I would not have noticed him if he was a regular guy. Later on I am 99% sure I saw Johnny Knoxville in Greenwhich Village. Double schwing.

Being back in ny when I don’t live there is a blessing and a curse. I love the city and always will, but when one is there on a vacation or a short visit, it is overwhelming and I feel like I have to schedule something every minute I am there. WHen I lived there, I knew that I would get to things eventually. And I had the luxury of checking something out before class or running to the Bowery Ballroom after class to see a show. Ah, those were the days.

Other things I noticed about NY: now when beggars ask you for money, they are more savvy about it. Instead of just asking for the money, they will offer you a reason that they need the money. Reasons I heard: “I have to get to the free mental health clinic”, “I have to get to Hoboken to see my stefather on his birthday”, “I have to check my email at Starbucks” (no lie). It’s like some PR firm went around and coached people on how to better get money. I can appreciate people being more honest. I am generally consistent about this and usually do not give money, but I usually give away cigarettes if people ask. If one cigarette is going to give someone a few moments relaxation, then so be it. Of course, I become a chain smoker everytime I enter one of the five boroughs.

Also, an obvs thing about ny is that you can see a lot of people in a short period of time. This made some fashion trends way more noticeable. First off? Gaucho pants are out of control. They were gross enough the first time around, but now they have gone too far. Maybe worn with some cute espradrilles and a summery top, but ladies, they are not everday wear. Not with a t-shirt, not with tennis shoes, and certainly not with tube tops. Plus, they could not be more unflattering. I saw more camel toe than I needed to.

I also caught a performance of The Threepenny Opera at Studio 54. Classic example of a good cast, good production, and great performances. It followed the trend of taking something from the past, making it “modern” in Baz Luhrman style: making crazy costumes (they were designed by Issac Mizrahi), giving characters Mohawks, making characters bisexual, and setting it in a post-apocolyptic crime-ridden, S&M world. Alan Cumming basically played his role from Cabaret. Ana Gasteyer was ok. The best was Nellie McKay, who I previously thought was obnoxious (and very much like Joanna Newson). I’ll give her album another spin.

On another night I headed over to The Strand to see Chuck Palahniuk’s only New York appearance. Man, he sure does have a following, because it was so packed and crowded I had about 10 panic attacks while waiting for him to come on. But uh.my.gawd. I worship this man. He read a new short story and answered fan questions, many of them which were stupid. He did give updates of his novels in film production: Survivor’s screenplay is finished, but it is being made by the same people who made Constantine (boo). Choke is ready to start filming, with Susan Sarandon as the mother. Ryan Gosling pulled out as the lead, so they are still in casting. I have an idea of who would be great….I also gave my father a copy of Haunted for father’s day. I told him it was my favorite novel ever. I wonder if he thinks I am some kind of sick sociopath.

A Grand Unified Theory of YouTube and MySpace

Tarzan on Broadway blows.

Where the hell has Whit Stillman been?

The best 25 works of fiction in the last 25 years. Now, I totally respect Toni Morrison, but Beloved just didn’t do it for me. I struggled to get through it in freshmen English.

Broadway’s New Math: Top Dollar Tickets Equal Bigger Sales

So people will pay $500 a ticket just for the pleasure of paying $500 a ticket? Gross. If I paid that much, I would be scared to blink during the performance. If you live in the city and have some patience, you can see most shows for $30 or less. My best deals: Avenue Q for $20 and Assasins for $18. Of course, you have to make the time to get to the box office at a very specific time.

First the Wedding Singer is on broadway and kind of gets good reviews. Then Legally Blonde. And now Elf. This is getting out of hand. Broadway is not waht it used to be. Now it is being catered towards the masses. Is this really to expose people to culture or to make more money?

No no no no no this is a sacrileage.

Musical High Fidelity To Debut in Boston; Broadway in Fall

The new musical, High Fidelity, will play a pre-Broadway engagement in Boston before landing on Broadway for a fall 2006 opening, the producers announced April 24.

Walter Bobbie (Chicago, Sweet Charity, White Christmas) has signed on to direct the new Tom Kitt, Amanda Green and David Lindsay-Abaire musical take on the Nick Hornby novel, which was also a film. Jeffrey Seller, Robyn Goodman, Kevin McCollum — the team behind the 2004 Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q — will produce the new work.

High Fidelity follows the story of a record store owner (and constant Top 5-listmaker) who — when things in his current relationship go sour — revisits his former relationships to find where he went wrong. The 2000 film reset the Hornby story in Chicago (rather than England) starring John Cusack, Jack Black, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lisa Bonet, Tim Robbins and Lili Taylor. The musical will be set in New York.

Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Kimberly Akimbo, Fuddy Meers) will pen the book with music by composer Tom Kitt (Laugh Whore, Debbie Does Dallas) and lyricist Amanda Green (For the Love of Tiffany, Up The Creek Without A Paddle ).

The world premiere pre-Broadway production will play an out-of-town tryout engagement, Sept. 26-Oct. 22 at the Colonial Theatre as part of the Broadway Across America – Boston series. The show will then begin previews on Broadway in late November and open in early December at a theatre to be announced.

The wit, humor and humanity of Nick Hornby’s characters and story naturally lends itself to musical treatment,” according to songwriters Kitt and Green. “It is a socially acute contemporary love story about people who are obsessed with, and define themselves by pop music and culture. The hero’s life is a soundtrack and the big moments are songs.

It was bad enough when The Wedding Singer was made into a Broadway show. For those who have seen the movie version, maybe they can rest easy with this one, but purists who worship the book (i.e., me) will be outraged. Um, first, it takes place in London, not New York. Second of all…just please don’t do this. I can’t even imagine how they are going to obtain all the rights to the music that is mentioned. I have a vision of a large dance number set to a medley of Velvet Underground Songs. Ugh.

Jeff Whitty is one of the creator/main performers in Avenue Q. The internets is all abuzz with a recent open letter to Jay Leno about his recent gay jokes. I would say it’s a good letter, and it sort of represents the annoying gay jokes made all the time. The Brokeback Mountain parodies are really tired, and show that yes, the characters like cock, but they also went through crap for who they were. And are you forgetting? Jack Twist was BRUTALLY MURDERED. Hahaha. Bring out the limp wrists and disco balls. It also makes me think of the recent GLAAD awards, where Will and Grace was given a standing ovation. Is a show about self-loathing, superficial, falmboyant, promiscuous gay men really forwarding the movement? (Although, an older episode was on where Jack was stalking Kevin Bacon, and it was HI-larious). Hi, I like to speak for all gay men. Ok, so here’s the letter. It’s taken from here.

Dear Mr. Leno,

My name is Jeff Whitty. I live in New York City. I’m a playwright and the author of “Avenue Q”, which is a musical currently running on Broadway.

I’ve been watching your show a bit, and I’d like to make an observation:

When you think of gay people, it’s funny. They’re funny folks. They wear leather. They like Judy Garland. They like disco music. They’re sort of like Stepin Fetchit as channeled by Richard Simmons.

Gay people, to you, are great material.

Mr. Leno, let me share with you my view of gay people:

When I think of gay people, I think of the gay news anchor who took a tire iron to the head several times when he was vacationing in St. Maarten’s. I think of my friend who was visiting Hamburger Mary’s, a gay restaurant in Las Vegas, when a bigot threw a smoke bomb filled with toxic chemicals into the restaurant, leaving the staff and gay clientele coughing, puking, and running in terror. I think of visiting my gay friends at their house in the country, sitting outside for dinner, and hearing, within hundreds of feet of where we sat, taunting voices yelling “Faggots.” I think of hugging my boyfriend goodbye for the day on 8th Avenue in Manhattan, and being mocked and taunted by passing high school students.

When I think of gay people, I think of suicide. I think of a countless list of people who took their own lives because the world was so toxically hostile to them. Because of the deathly climate of the closet, we will never be able to count them. You think gay people are great material. I think of a silent holocaust that continues to this day. I think of a silent holocaust that is perpetuated by people like you, who seek to minimize us and make fun of us and who I suspect really, fundamentally wish we would just go away.

When I think of gay people, I think of a brave group that has made tremendous contributions to society, in arts, letters, science, philosophy, and politics. I think of some of the most hilarious people I know. I think of a group that has served as a cultural guardian for an ungrateful and ignorant America.

I think of a group of people who have undergone a brave act of inventing themselves. Every single out-of-the-closet gay person has had to say, “I am not part of mainstream society.” Mr. Leno, that takes bigger balls than stepping out in front of TV-watching America every night. I daresay I suspect it takes bigger balls to come out of the closet than any thing you have ever done in your life.

I know you know gay people, Mr. Leno. Are they are just jokes to you, to be snickered at behind their backs? Despite the angry tenor of my letter, I suspect you’re a better man than that. I don’t bother writing letters to the “God Hates Fags” people, or Donald Wildmon, or the Pope. But I think you can do better. I know it’s “The Tonight Show,” not a White House press conference, but you reach a lot of people.

 

I caught your show when you had a tired mockery of “Brokeback Mountain,” involving something about a horse done up in what you consider a “gay” way. Man, that’s dated. I turned the television off and felt pretty fucking depressed. And now I understand your gay-baiting jokes have continued.

 

Mr. Leno, I have a sense of humor. It’s my livelihood. And being gay has many hilarious aspects to it — none of which, I suspect, you understand. I’m tired of people like you. When I think of gay people, I think of centuries of suffering. I think of really, really good people who’ve been gravely mistreated for a long time now.

You’ve got to cut it out, Jay.

Sincerely,

Jeff Whitty

New York, NY