Pic(s) Of The Day - 12.01.15 - World AIDS Day

Legacy Community Health-Montrose hosted a community-wide World AIDS Day Candlelight Observance. Several people spoke and names were read of the deceased. Opening and closing the event were cast members of RENT from Theatre Under The Stars' Humphreys School of Musical Theatre.

Pic(s) Of The Day - 09.19.15 - No Day Like TODAY

The Humphreys School of Musical Theatre presented RENT. This was the original version of the show and not the high school version.

I was amazed at the cast. Some of the members really embraced their characters. Part of their character development included hearing people from Legacy Community Health discuss the work they do with HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and education.

. It has been 14 years since I've seen the stage production. If I find an email that I sent to TUTS, I'll update this post. It explains my emotional attachment to show and was written while I was still reeling from the production.

Pic(s) Of The Day - 02.12.15 - Let's Get Kinky

I have a love affair with Kinky Boots. It started in September of 2013.

Well, the touring company made its way to Houston and I went with some friends on Thursday evening. The touring cast works just as hard as the Broadway cast and had the audience on their fit the moment curtain call started.

The show is presented by Theater Under the Stars and there is still time to see it while it is in Houston. Purchase your tickets here.

Pic Of The Day - 08.24.14 - Downtown

I went downtown on Sunday to check out the Theatre District Open House. Several venues were open to the public for a behind the scenes tour. Also, many of the arts organizations in Houston were showcasing their talent. My intent was to visit all of the venues but it was hot and I only made it to The Hobby Center and visited with my friends from TUTS. There was free parking in the garage and on my way back to the car, I got an up close look at the sculptures that are the entry ways to the park system along Buffalo Bayou.

Pic(s) Of The Day - 05.17.14 - Saturday In The Park

...I think it was the 17th of May.

Saturday evening I had tickets to see Evita at Theatre Under The Stars.  It's been awhile since I've seen the stage production so I was happy to go when it was suggested by Tall Todd.  Before the show, we  met a couple of friends at Batanga for adult beverages and  tapas.

I parked closer to the theatre and walked over to the restaurant.  On my way, I cut through Market Square and snapped these pics.

Pic Of The Day - 03.21.14

So...on Friday, I met up with Elizabeth from TUTS.  I let her suggest a place for lunch and she suggested Canopy.  I loved the idea because I had never eaten there and wanted to give it a try.

It also worked well for my Try Not To Eat Meat On Fridays During Lent observance because...

One of the menu items was crab cakes with fried green tomatoes!  I ordered a Caesar salad to go with it but only ate half of the salad.  It was good and I would order it again!

Bloggers' Night Out + 1

Awhile back, Running My Mass Off and I'm Not Fit To Run suggested that we do a night at the theatre. Do you know how difficult it is to coordinate something like this? My hat is off to the other two for pulling this off and to I'm Not Fit To Run for getting the tickets. I met up with the two of them plus the spouse of Running My Mass Off. We went to see The Drowsy Chaperone.

I was somewhat familiar with the story but not really and I'm sorta glad I walked in a bit blind. OMG I have never laughed so hard during a musical. Yes, I laughed during The Producers and Hairspray and even a few chuckles during Mamma Mia. This one had me LOL too many times.

What's great about it is that it is only 1 hour and 45 minutes with no intermission and it is full of comedy. Yes, it is on the silly side but one of the things that I like about musical theatre is that you can escape from your life if even for a short time. And laughter is good for the soul. Not sure how many calories you burn when you laugh but I'm sure I walked out a bit thinner than when I walked in.

If you are not familiar with The Drowsy Chaperone, here is some information from Broadway.com:

The Drowsy Chaperone begins when a die-hard musical-theatre fan plays his favorite cast album, and the musical magically bursts to life! We are instantly immersed in the hilarious tale of a glamorous bride and her uproarious wedding day, complete with thrills and surprises that take both the cast (literally) and the audience (metaphorically) soaring into the heavens.

Everyone in the cast did a great job. The standouts in the performance are Jonathan Crombie (Man In Chair), Andrea Chamberlain (Janet Van De Graaff) and Nancy Opel (The Drowsy Chaperone). I can so relate to Man In Chair and The Drowsy Chaperone. I think the best lyric from the evening, as sung by The Drowsy Chaperone is:

But you musn't let it lick you
this planet oh so bland.
Keep your eyeball on the highball
in your hand.





The surprise of the evening was seeing Georgia Engel! I remember Georgia when she was on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Georgia has made a career of being a character actress and she shines through in her role as Mrs. Tottendale.

Here is a clip from the Tony Awards. The song is Show Off and it had me cackling! I'm sure the people around me thought I was going to lay an egg.



And here is The Drowsy Chaperone singing another favorite from the show, As We Stumble Along.



The one song I couldn't find a real clip of is Bride's Lament which I had incorrectly searched for Monkey. You would need to listen to the song to understand my confusion. It was another that had me laughing.

Theater Under The Stars (TUTS) is presenting The Drowsy Chaperone through June 1, 2008 at The Hobby Center. If you want to escape the real world and laugh for an hour and forty-five minutes, go see The Drowsy Chaperone.

BTW...drowsy is a word that was used to describe someone who is tipsy.

"Let Me Entetain You. Let Me Make You Smile."

So I went to see Whistle Down The Wind. It was a 200p performance and I was actually surprised at how some people were dressed...not in a bad way. Some people REALLY dressed up! Keep in mind though, this observation is coming from someone who goes to Mass wearing shorts and sandals during the summer months; it's just too hot. Today I was dressed casual chic.


Anywho...it was time for the curtain to rise and I think it was Frank Young from Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) who comes out to welcome us...blah, blah, blah. Then he says there is somebody that wants to talk to us before the show starts and I'm thinking Andrew Lloyd Webber is going to come out at which point I was anticipating peeing in my pants.


Instead, it was Bill Kenwright who is the Producer/Director of the show. In addition to being impressed I start to become a bit concerned.


He informs us that we are the very first audience to ever see this production and he hopes we like the show. (I start having flashbacks to Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? The Musical.) He said he would be doing his notes during the show and that we are welcome to get with him after the show to offer our thoughts...unless we didn't like it then just leave. :-) He said that if we liked the show, then all of America will like the show and he hopes that it runs for a very long time.


So the show starts and to be quite honest with you it wasn't bad. I recognized some of the songs and when put in the context of the story they take on a different meaning. It was quite enjoyable. A little tugging at the heart was in there and I had a couple of lumps in my throat during a few scenes. I thought a few of the rural Louisiana accents were a bit overdone; nothing that can't be corrected. And I may have missed some lines or something 'cause there were a few things that didn't make sense. Enjoyable show.


A funny thing happened on the way to the forum...I mean during intermission. I saw someone that I know and right before the 2nd act was about to begin he asked me what I thought about the show? I told him that I was enjoying it. He said he was finding it hard to believe. I then reminded him that it is musical. And then I start to giggle.


So now I'm distracted because I wonder what he thinks of Cats or Phantom of the Opera? Does he really think that Eva Peron said, "They need to adore me so Christian Dior from my head to my toes."? Does he think that Mame Dennis can really, "...charm the husk right off of the corn."? Did Aunt Eller (latent lesbian that she was) really tell the farmer and the cow man to be friends? How about Snoopy singing that he thinks he is some fierce jungle animal? The list goes on and on!


I go to the theatre to escape and to be entertained. And yes, some things are meant to be unbelievable.