Evita - Part Deux

I was able to score some cheepie-cheepie tickets in the nosebleed section to see Evita again, this time with the alternate Eva played by Christina DeCicco. Before I made it to the theater, I was having second thoughts about going to see this show for the second time so soon. My interior monologue was going on and on about what a waste of money this was because there were no guarantees that this show would be any better.  After all, my first show left me wanting a different experience. However, DeCicco was amazing!!

The big number of “Buenas Aires” was thrilling. DeCicco’s voice was vibrant and her dance moves were smooth and seductive. I get that Elena Roger is a major Broadway star but DeCicco just did a better job. Her voice hit those high notes without it sounding screechy. DeCicco had better phrasing with the songs which made it far more enjoyable. Her rendition of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” was the moment that my interior monologue finally shut the heck up.

My absolute favorite song of the night was her closing number “Lament” it was heartbreaking. I had big soppy tears streaming down my face and I couldn’t make it stop. It was as if with this one song she cracked open my chest and ripped out my heart. Okay, a bit overstated but with that performance....that performance is what I NEEDED the show to be after waiting 30+ years to finally see this musical. *big cheesy smile* All is NOT right with the world but just for a moment I was transported into this glittery world of theater. Everything else just went away.

So my recommendation is go see Christina DeCicco in Evita on Wednesday nights or Saturday matinee, I promise you she is SO worth it. 

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

I went to see the play Harvey written by Mary Chase on Friday, in previews until June 14th. Jim Parson plays Elwood P. Dowd and Jessica Hecht plays his sister Veta Louise Simmons. This play was written and first premiered on Broadway in 1944. This comedy is stylized and reminiscent of an older time but the comedy still plays well today. Veta is trying to institutionalize her brother because Elwood believes he sees and talks to a 6-foot rabbit. However, a misunderstanding ensues and Veta somehow manages to get herself institutionalized. Underlying this premise is the notion about how one treats those individuals that are odd or who don’t conform to the social norm. Elwood chooses to live his life in this “pleasant” surreal fashion to the dismay of his family but he does it without apology. Jim Parson as Elwood works so well for me. He manages to reinvent his persona so that he’s leagues away from his television alter ego, Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory. He was both compelling and curious to watch as Elwood. So very glad I caught him in this play. And I love, love, love Jessica Hecht playing opposite Parson. Her comedic timing was brilliant and there were a few moments that left me unable to breathe, I laughed so hard. The secondary characters played by legendary actors Carol Kane and Charles Kimbrough were delightful to watch but really this play revolved around Hecht and Parson for me. I understand that there was a movie made back in the 50s and I may check it out to see how the film handled the material.

I also went to see Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience by Dan and Jeff. My sister scored some free tickets so we checked it out on Monday night with my 16-year old niece. It was so silly that I couldn’t help but laugh. Some of the material fell flat on this NYC audience but Dan and Jeff recovered beautifully. The funny bits for me had to do when they accidently cracked each other up, i.e. the kiss from the dragon or the very melted chocolate cake that Dan Clarkson spread on his face or even the 11-year old skinny kid who took down Jeff Turner when he played the part of the snitch. They had a hard time recovering from those moments which cracked me up. It reminded me of Tim Conway and Harvey Korman from the Carol Burnett show. I know that not every one loved it, in fact a couple from our row left in a huff after 25 minutes. And if we had paid full price for the show, I might have gotten my panties in a twist about it. But free tickets allowed me to let go and enjoy it for what it was. I have to say that out of the two I thought Daniel Clarkson held up a lot of the show. I get that Jeff was more the straight man in this comedy bit but I really wish he had taken on more of the roles to off-set how one-sided the show seemed to sway. This is a funny show, just leave your up-tight ego at the door and enjoy it for the silly fun it’s meant to be.

Let’s see what else have I been up to? Oh yes, I started my very own twitter account and after several weeks of not knowing how to either read tweets or post them, I opted back out of it again. Yes, even I have my limitations with technology. Not to mention that I happen to read a very interesting article on the internet and privacy. It alarmed me enough to pull back from both Facebook and Twitter. Although, I have enjoyed social media for the time-suck that it is, my tolerance for it has been diminishing by leaps and bounds. I will keep to my blog but I’m going to make a concerted effort to keep the personal bits down to a minimum.

Peace,

L~


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Morning Poem

The sky is open with rain today
eyelids flutter with sleep, unprepared
for pinched straps, tight subway cars, wet shoes
plod on grey carpets leaving behind
dewy prints and bloody mary drops
exhaled sighs, elastic images
stretch across dark green sight losing sea
a thirsty mouth will not soon forget
the taste of clean water on dry lips.


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Skywalking in Russia.

I came across this video on HuffPost and had to share.  This is wicked crazy but I love the footage.  

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Hooray for Grey Days

It’s been damp and grey the last couple of days. Yesterday, I took a walk down by the Lower East Side and came across this wall of urban painted pictograph on E. Houston. I had to take a pic. At first, I wanted a shot of it straight on but I liked the details on this piece. The paint was running down the wall. Unlike ancient glyphs, there was no etching into rock for longevity. Instead, the temporary aspect of the piece made me pause. The city keeps evolving and changing each year with a quickening pace. I looked down to see if the paint had reached the sidewalk but the rain seems to have washed it away.

Anyway, I kept walking, listening to Ani DiFranco on my iPod, and on Lafayette something caught my eye. On Bond street, there is this amazing iridescent green building that I haven’t seen before. I was trying to get a decent pic to show off its colors but alas I only pinned down a corner. The building has a stone gate that reminded me of Gaudi. Lovely.

Enjoy the pics.

L~
 
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Sound of My Voice

Holy Hell!!  Went to see Sound of My Voice and it's AMAZING! Truly, a thinking person's film.  Blew my mind and I don't say that lightly.  This film is directed by Zal Batmanglij, written by Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling.  I am a HUGE fan of Brit Marling.  She also wrote and starred in Another Earth.  I LOVE what she's doing for film. Christopher Denham and Nicole Vicius play Peter and Lorna, a couple who infiltrate a group led by Maggie (Brit Marling) to create a documentary on cults but things takes a creepy turn.  The couple start to unravel when they begin to question their motives and some of Maggie's rhetoric starts to seep in. Christopher Denham performance crackles electric against Brit Marling's cult leader. And Nicole Vicius as Lorna plays an interesting counterpoint to Maggie and Peter. Go to their website (linked above) and watch the first 12 minutes, I promise you it's intriguing.   


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Volcano - Damien Rice

I watched Philip Phillips perform "Volcano" last night on American Idol and I wanted to hear Damien Rice’s version. Love…love…love…this song. Now I can’t stop listening to it. So I had to share…of course. I’ve known about this singer since 9 Crimes but it’s been awhile since I’ve listened to his music. Enjoy!

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Evita - What was That?!

Let me start off this entry by writing-- I get that I had big, billowy, clouds of expectations for Evita. After all, I’ve wanted to see this show since I was 8 years old. When the music began to rise for Requiem for Evita, I had goosebumps from sheer excitement. The big headed man who sat in front of me wouldn’t sit still so I had to perch on the edge of my seat to see the opening number, and the rest of the show for that matter.  I also had to resist the urge to hit him in the back of the head with my playbill for a good part of the show. Then Ricky Martin came out and started singing. He has a decent voice and he pulled it off...but he lacked emotional depth for me. He’s a Latin man for goodness sake, emotional depth is in our DNA! Anyway, he reminded me of the kind of Broadway singer that uses jazz hands. He did lots of assertive pointing when he sang, which when I think about it now actually makes me giggle. Having said all that, he was okay for the part of Che. I just wanted more heat and tension between Che and Eva and it just wasn’t there.

Which brings me to my next point, Elena Roger playing the part of Eva was SO disappointing. Ergh! I mean her voice was NOT meant for this part. She sounded like Edith Piaf throughout the show (and not in a good way) as she shouted through the better part of the musical. Roger also hit some really bad notes when she tried to reach those higher octaves. The sound she made actually made me cringe. Believe me, I understand that this is not an easy musical. However, it didn’t help that her very thick accent got in the way of the songs. If I didn’t know almost every song in this show, I would not have understood half of what she sang. I know she’s been working with diction coaches but let’s just say she needs more work. I think her one decent moment was the last song, “Lament” because quite frankly it was the only song she couldn’t shout her way through. *sad sigh* 

Just to give you a measuring stick, remember the movie version of Evita with Madonna and how god-awful she was in it...let's just say that Madonna sounded half-way decent in comparison to Elena Roger's shrieking version. Yep, it was that bad!! 

And another thing, I think the music director hit the fast forward button during the first act. Quite frankly, some of it was Roger singing ahead of the music. Other times the timing of the music felt almost manic, like they were racing for the intermission. Either way, it went by so fast that there was no time to make those very important connections between characters. Ergh!

What worked

Rachel Potter singing the Mistress song, “Another Suitcase in Another Hallway” was by far the highlight of this production. Her voice was nuanced and beautiful. She absolutely shined in this one moment. Lovely.

The Ensemble was amazing both in voice and in dance. During the seduction scene between Peron and Eva, there were several ensemble members dancing a gorgeous tango. I almost wanted the leads to shut up so I can enjoy the dance sequence. Rob Ashford’s choreography was AMAZING!! Loved it.

Max von Essen was the right amount of charming and smarmy as Magaldi. His voice was ridiculous (in a good way). Wish he was on stage longer.

So here is my confession, I may go see it again when Roger’s understudy performs. Wednesday night or Saturday matinee. I really want to experience this show without a pained expression on my face. Is that wrong?  Let's see if I can score some cheap tickets because there is NO way I'm shelling out full price for this show. Anyway, Go! Make some beautiful music. End Scene.


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Going on and on and on

Okay, I’m writing this blog in the midst of a raging headache but I was hoping that writing (which is my cure-all next to drinking water) would distract me from it.

The Avengers / Joss Whedon
How long has it been since I raved about Joss Whedon? Oh right...after Cabin in the Woods. Well, I went to see The Avengers this weekend and loved it. It’s partly because I’m a die-hard Whedon fan. Go Mutant Enemy, Grrr-Argh!! And partly because I really love the snarky humor in the movie.

Yes, the action in it was pretty good too but you know me, I’m always about the dialogue and there was enough juicy bits for me to chew on. Also, I didn’t watch in 3-D because my eyes don’t quite compute without shutting down into a migraine. Anyway Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow didn’t hurt the eyes either. I wished Cobie Smulders had more lines because I’m all about strong smart women in films. Robert Downey Jr. was most excellent as per usual...but I’ve gotta give a big shout out for Mark Ruffalo as Dr. Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Ruffalo completely won me over in this film.

I’ve been reading what the critics are saying about the movie and there are few things that I agree on BUT (rabid Whedon fan about to shout) EVERY TIME JOSS WHEDON has tried to do his own thing, the studios nix his ideas because they tend to run too far into the dark side. So Whedon needed a win here and I’m glad he’s doing well by this movie. Anyway, I’m probably going to go see this movie again on the big screen ‘cause it makes me really laugh out loud.

Evita
So tomorrow I am going to see Evita on Broadway. I am so excited I can hardly stand it. No, seriously, I have wanted to see this musical since Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin were leads in the original production, back in 1979. Every time the commercial came on t.v., me and my sister Ces, would belt out the few bars of “Buenos Aires” and dance around our living room like two crazy children. Anyway, I begged and pleaded for my folks to take me to see it but alas it wasn’t in the cards, too expensive. They thought I was too young for some fancy broadway show and they took me to the circus instead. * humph * Let’s just say that I’m not a fan of the circus. I always felt bad for the animals. * doing a little happy dance *

Okay, headache seems to be getting worse so I went and got a big mug of ice cold water. The cold water has made my fingers very cold and pressing them to my temples feels so gooooood. It’s a mild migraine. I’m having dinner with some friends later and I’d really like it to go away before I have to meet up with them.

At this very moment, I’m listening (very softly) to Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”...I love the opening lines to this song. “I remember when I lost my mind. There was something so pleasant about that day. Even your emotions have an echo in so much space.” Haha! Great lines.

The Legend of Korra
The sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender is finally airing. (Tony reminded me yesterday.) So I watched the first couple of episodes yesterday and was really getting into it. At first, I was resistant because the original characters were no longer in the storyline but once I let that go, it grew on me. Tony said that the lead character of Korra reminds him of me because she’s so headstrong and stubborn. Ha! I totally see it. There is a scene in the second episode where she is trying to learn to air-bend. Her teacher tells her to be like a leaf in the wind to get through a maze of spinning walls. Korra proceeds forward and gets knocked upside her head by those spinning walls and after a couple of unsuccessful tries she gets so angry she uses fire to blaze through the walls. Ha! Yep, I totally see it. Anyway, this is a great animated series to check out for young and old alike.

Update on Indigo
Let’s see writing is like those spinning walls, I’m getting knocked upside my head trying to get through this next part in my novel. Hehehe. I’m still writing. I haven’t given up. I promise not to torch the pages. I just sometimes feel like I’m not smart enough to write this novel. There is so much story to tell but I’m not sure I’ve got what it takes to finish it. Crazy, I know. I write despite my natural tendency to want to run away from this story.

I’ve gone on for ages and the headache is a dull ache in the right side of my brain. I think I should be okay for tonight if I don’t drink or eat. Ha!
Peace,

L~
 
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Out Past the City Limits

The sound of thunder woke me up very early this morning. Pandora turned into the Halloween cat (arched back, puffed out tail, walking sideways) and proceeded to find a place to hide when she thought the sky was falling. I love thunder storms. I curled up in my bed, tight warm blanket and listened to the sound of the rain for a good long while before I had to get up and get my day started.

Now, I am staring blankly into my computer screen and wishing I was anywhere else but here. I get that everyone feels this way sometimes but…today, I wish I was more of a nomad. Just pack a backpack with some essentials and head out. Wishful thinking. Besides Pandora doesn’t really like to travel, she’s more of a homebody who likes to stretch out on a bright spot in the apt to catch a few rays. She’s my seven lb anchor at the moment.

I know I’ve been a bit gaga over Jack White’s music but really it’s just an amazing distraction from the dissatisfactions of one’s life, don’t you think? I feel shackled and bound and I’m not even married. And for an hour or two music helps get me out of my own melancholy head and reminds me that there can be pleasurable moments. So an hour listening to the music of the rain helped.

I yearn to be out in the world today, taking a long walk out past the city limits, leaving the technology of laptop computers and smart phones behind. Anyway that’s all she wrote today. Heading off to work on my novel for a bit. Wish me good vibes and happy writing.

Peace,

L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

A Day Late...

I know I’m a day late with this bit of news but I was distracted with my novel yesterday. Jack White is numero uno on the Billboard Album Charts. Hoorah!! A co-worker saw the album in Starbucks and told me he thought of me. Awww. It’s just because I’ve been raving about this album to anyone who will pay attention for 30 seconds. And even when they don’t pay attention I make mention of it. I warned everyone ahead of time that I have a music crush on White, so peeps have been duly warned.

Rolling Stone’s Steve Knopper writes: “Will the chart success last? Almost certainly not. No rock band – not even sales powerhouses Nickelback and Coldplay – manages to stick around the album charts for very long.”
Say it ain’t so!! I’m hoping all those fellow rockers out there looking for a sound that is not completely synthesized on AutoTunes will check it out. There is enough buzz happening out in the world that he may hold on to the spot for longer than a week.

I’m sporting indigo blue nail polish to show my enthusiasm.  :-)

Anyway, all this rock music has me revisiting music by Led Zeppelin and looking for new sounds like Black Keys.

Marvel’s The Avengers comes out this weekend and Joss Whedon directed this flick. I’m very excited! Folks are already lined up to see a midnight viewing of this film. I’d be out there too but I am not independently wealthy this week. So I may hold off till a Saturday viewing. I was trying to convince my younger sister to come along but she’s not really a fan of Whedon. I’m not really sure if we’re related once she broke that news to me but we’ve always suspected she may have been left on the doorstep. Hehehe. * I kid, I kid *

Rock on people, rock on!!

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.