said the red-head

great gatsby. pick-up artist. roman holiday. dirty dancing.

I am back on track with my mission! Spending that time on the film set was amazing but it made all of my work pile up and get stressful. Things have started to calm down and now I can recommit to my project. 

Last Thursday, I saw a day early screening of Great Gatsby with my friend at the Cinerama Dome. I have mixed feelings about the movie. It's definitely worth seeing, for the discussion alone. My opinion needs a little bit of backstory. Moulin Rouge is my all-time favorite movie. I haven't seen it in a while but there was a time I watched it constantly and never stopped talking about it. It is so integral to my absolute being, not to be an over-dramatic teen. Great Gatsby was a little too Moulin Rouge for me. I know it's just Baz Lurhmann's style in all his movies, but it just felt like a copycat trying to recreate Moulin Rouge at times. Like there was one moment when Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) was at his typewriter, wallowing in the past with his angsty drunken scruff and it was identical to Christian (Ewan McGregor) in Moulin Rouge. Like, the imagery of it, the costumes, the lighting, even the dialogue! So it sat a little funny with me. 

That being said, it was absolutely gorgeous and there were times I totally loved it. The cast did an amazing job. I've missed seeing Tobey's face. I think he's great. Carey Mulligan is so damn effervescent and angelic, I can't even deal. I was really impressed with Leo DiCaprio, especially how young and vivacious (and HOT) he still looks! He's played some older, less glamorous roles lately and it was a refreshing surprise to see him be suave handsome man again. He was made to play Jay Gatsby. Great casting. Isla Fisher keeps pleasantly surprising me! I loved her as Myrtle, the sexy adultress of the dirty city. Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan Baker was honestly the biggest surprise of the whole thing, though. She's fresh out of Australian theater school, hand-picked by Baz himself and she is a TOTAL delight. I am in love with her. I can't wait to see what her future holds. She burns bright, that's for sure. 

The cinematography was very Baz, mostly to my liking. Sometimes it was too much, but there were some fantastic moments. One of my favorites was when we first see the Buchanan's mansion and we're introduced to Daisy through the veil of a ton of white sheer curtain blowing in the afternoon breeze with the sound of tinkling giggles and the silhouette of arms over the couch. An entrance totally befitting Daisy Buchanan. I thought all the party scenes at Gatsby's were perfect, visually. I'm not really a fan of Jay-Z's modern soundtrack. I admire the bold choice and I think it was absolutely PERFECT for the trailers, but took me out of the moment in the film. 

Most importantly, I think the film did a fantastic job of toeing the fine line between gorgeous people that we all want to be friends with and party with always and reprehensible rich fools who take absolutely no responsibility for anything. So in that way, and many others, I think it did a great job transferring from page to screen. 

I bought The Pick-up Artist as a discount DVD at Amoeba Music recently because the cover was like a John Hughes era romcom with Molly Ringwald and (baby!) Robert Downey Jr. It was super fun to watch, even though the plot was odd and confusing (as they can often be in those films). Molly and Robert were charming and cute as usual. It was crazy to see him so young. I loved their rapport, they had great chemistry. 

I just watched Roman Holiday for the first time! My lord, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck are so damn charming and lovely. This film is freaking awesome. So hilarious, so sweet, so visually great, just a fantastic example of classic filmmaking. Everyone should definitely see this movie. I have always loved the concept of Audrey, but I am definitely behind on my history of her. This movie made me fall in love with her for sure, and I can't wait to watch the rest of her films. 

Last night I watched Dirty Dancing with my mom. My lord, that movie is hot! It was so enchanting and fun and I was totally along for the ride. Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze were both PERFECTLY cast. It's just a fantastic movie and I'm so happy. Nobody puts Baby in a corner! 

xoxoleah

definining attraction. [teen hormones]

Backstory: A year or so ago, I was becoming closer with a friend through instant message and we talked a lot about bisexuality and she was so confident and interesting when that term was still new to me. I confessed my "love" for her in a moment of blushing passion and she told me she did not feel that way towards me. I felt devasted for half a millisecond until I realized that I wasn't actually madly in love with her.

Flash forward to the other day when we drinking together. When our other friend was out of the room, she asked me about the incident because she had been in that pining situation and didn't want to hurt me and such. I was caught a little off guard and muttered a little bit of nonsense about not needing to worry in my not-quite-sober state. We moved on and had a great night. The next night I lay in bed thinking about it and my mind was racing and I felt the need to really think it through and send her a message with my functioning brain. I knew I would never be able to sleep until I sent it, so I ran and got my computer. (sidenote: the same exact thing is happening right now a la this post.)

I wanted to share that message in a public place (with some personal information omitted) because I think I did a pretty good job of defining a little aspect of myself and what is this blog for if not defining myself? Here goes. 

Hey, I wanted to soberly answer your question. I've been laying awake thinking out my words so I have to send it now or I'll never fall asleep. You have nothing to be concerned about, but you're really really awesome for asking. Basically, I have this thing where it's really hard for me to distinguish between positive attention (verging on flirtation) and the person behind it. This is the entire reason that my first relationship happened. You were one of the first girls around my age that talked openly and confidently about bisexuality and stuff in general with me at a time when I was defining myself with newly discovered terms and it was exciting. You were exciting. And I wanted a lady love SO bad that I was grasping at straws in a way? Also, one of my deepest wishes is to have a BFF-turned-lover story. So sometimes I try to fabricate one. Another (giant) layer of the onion that is me is that I HARDCORE friendcrush. Like way stronger than I have ever lovecrushed as of yet. I haven't really had a real boyfriend/girlfriend yet so I can't really tell the difference in how attraction works for me. Like, I'd totally be down to bang/date 90% of my friends. It's just how I am, I think. The hormonal makeout parties were like, my FAVORITE thing. And I miss them. I JUST REALLY WANT TO MAKE OUT ALL THE TIME, OKAY? And like, when you kiss me (or when anyone [or mostly anyone] does), I like it. A lot. It's exciting in a life of NO actual action. And if that makes you uncomfortable, I TOTALLY understand. Completely. I just always walk the fine line of do I wanna be best friends or soulmates or fuck buddies with this person? And it's usually all of the above. So in short, yeah I think you're attractive and hot and I'd be down to date you, but I'm definitely not pining over you (or anyone) (except an ellusive anyone I guess) and I hope that answers your question? 

So yeah, I love trying to put words on my angst and maybe it will resonate with someone? Now, angel of sleepy dust, take me away. 

xoxoleah

 

iron man. iron man 2. iron man 3. hello i must be going.

I got tickets to go see an early screening of Iron Man 3 on tuesday with my friends. In honor of that, I decided to rewatch/watch the first two to prepare. It had been awhile since I saw the first one and I'm not sure if I ever saw the second one all the way through. I really like this franchise. Robert Downey Jr. is absolutely one hundred percent perfect for Tony Stark. The Rhodey switch from Terrence Howard to Don Cheadle was a little more confusing when you watch one right after another but I love them both. Don is great though. I can't really distill my love into typed words, but I really like these movies. DEFINITELY go see the new one!! It was totally epic and well-acted. So fun!! Yay!

I didn't watch any movies for the past three days, but I think my reason is totally valid. I got an internship on an actual film set!! It's been amazing and I'll (maybe) write another post all about that. It's so exciting and I'm learning so much every day. I'm working 13+ hours a day so I come home to sleep, not watch movies. So yeah, fair trade! 

This morning my Netflix DVD finally arrived for Hello I Must Be Going. Great movie! I adore Melanie Lynskey. She's so precious. I didn't know Christopher Abbott (Charlie from Girls) was in it. He's actually really great! I found him kind of dopey on Girls sometimes, but he's growing on me. Blythe Danner and John Rubinstein were totally fantastic as the parents. The script felt so real. Their relationship with their daughter so honest. To reality, not necessarily to each other. This was a lovely little slice of life indie film. Very well-made. Watch it!

It was fun to get back into the swing of movie watching today. Three days was a long time after being so into it. 

xoxoleah

we need to talk about kevin. north by northwest. first wives club. midnight cowboy.

What a crazy movie! I wanted to see We Need To Talk About Kevin when it came out, and then I saw Ezra Miller in Perks of Being a Wallflower and I really wanted to go back to this. It was very bizarre, but totally gorgeous and interesting. The cinematography was so beautiful and surprising and the sound design was fascinating. Tilda Swinton was quite a trip. Isn't she always? If you don't mind experimental weird shit, then I for sure recommend this one. I really liked watching it even though I was flustered most of the time. I had to disconnect my brain and just watch. Very cool. 

North By Northwest was my first Hitchcock ever! Can you believe it? I know, I'm lame. It was fantastic. I loved how sassy it was. One of my favorite lines was, "Not that I mind a slight case of abduction now and then but I have tickets to the theater tonight!" Cary Grant was so charming and cheeky and Eva Marie Saint is gorgeous. My dad just interviewed her on the red carpet of the TCM Film Festival last week. It's just a great example of cinema. Totally gripping and hilarious and well-paced. 

Hehe, First Wives Club was a lot of fun. The cast is absolutely insane! Literally eveyone is in it. Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton are the actual "club" but the supporting cast is also star-studded. Maggie Smith, Sarah Jessica Parker, Victor Garber, Marcia Gay Harden, Stockard Channing, etc... It was fun to seem them all a bit younger in this hilarious movie. I mostly loved it and I definitely recommend it. My only complaint was that I thought that some of the scenes were too far over the top. There were too many one-note, loud yelling stormoff fight scenes. Especially with Diane Keaton. She's sweet but I'm not the biggest fan of hers. Even in Annie Hall. 

Wow. Midnight Cowboy is an peculiar film. I stopped watching before the end because I was nodding off. I didn't feel the need to go back and finish it. I might do that one day, but I'm good for now. 

As always, comment with opinions! I love talking to people about movies. I always learn something new. 

xoxoleah

annie hall. brokeback mountain. place beyond the pines.

Last summer I saw my first Woody Allen movie ever. My cast at my theater camp watched Bullets Over Broadway for inspiration. I loved it. By the way, it's coming to Broadway next season! A while back I bought the DVD of Annie Hall at Amoeba and I finally watched it. I'm really glad I watched it and it was hilarious, but I wouldn't say it was my favorite movie ever. I like the filmmaking style and humor of Woody Allen a lot though. My dad has the said the "Jew eat yet? Not did you. Jew." joke for my entire life. It's engrained in my psyche and I had no idea it was from this. So that was fun.

I had always wanted to watch Brokeback Mountain, but I just never got around to it. I looked at the info and noticed it came out in 2005! That's EIGHT years ago. I don't know, that just baffles me. I really really liked this one. I thought Jake Gylenhaal and Heath Ledger were fantastic, but I was prepared for them. I totally did not know that Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway, and Linda Cardellini were the wives/girlfriends. They were great also. It was fun to watch right now because I am in the middle of rehearsals for Oklahoma, the musical. I thought it was interesting the way they showed passing time. It often took me by surprise, like OH it's been four years since the last scene, okay. It was confusing for me at first, but I got into it. The affair itself was so interesting, how it turned from violent passion to tender love. Not that the violent passion ever dissipated though. It felt very honest. 

I have mixed feelings about Place Beyond the Pines. I'm glad I saw it and I think it's one of those movies that just is what is. First of all, it felt too long. It's separated into 3 distinct acts and it was a lot. The first part was with Ryan Gosling and that was good, except I found Eva Mendes super annoying to watch and Ryan was a little too broody. Also he had a lot of fancy hipster clothes for being dirt poor... But I enjoyed watching it. I didn't care much for the second part with Bradley Cooper. The third part was a little ridiculous to believe, but I liked it a lot, mostly because I love Dane DeHaan. I think he's super talented. The cinematography was gorgeous though and I liked the way they tied in the "place beyond the pines" at the climax of each section. So yeah, good watch, but I wouldn't wholeheartedly recommend it. 

I'm having a lot of fun with this! It's great to force myself to have the attention span for a movie. I definitely suffer from the ADD-media-overload of my generation. I try to fight it though. Here's to more movies!

xoxoleah

disconnect. pretty in pink. croods.

I've actually been doing pretty well in my "Film [un]School Project". I literally just made up that name and I love it. So in the past three days I've seen Disconnect, Pretty in Pink, and The Croods. 

I really, really liked Disconnect. It's still playing at Arclight and I absolutely recommend it. It's about the different dangers of modern day technology. It follows three interweaving storylines--teenage boys cyber-seducing their classmate as a prank, identity theft, and online prostitution. It was a fascinating movie. It was terrifying because of how real it felt. Any of the situations could easily be happening to anyone I know (and probably has happened.) Jason Bateman played the father of the bullied boy. It was great to see him as just a regular guy, not another victim of comedic schadenfreude. Also Alexander Skarsgard was the husband in the couple who are victims of identity theft. It was also cool to see him not as a brooding hunk and just a regular Joe. The way they showed the technology on the screen was great. Really inventive. I keep bringing this movie up in casual conversation. I think it's fantastic. 

I feel a little ambivalent toward Pretty in Pink. I love all the John Hughes movies and I love Molly Ringwald, but I just didn't fall for this one. The best part was absolutely Jon Cryer as Duckie. I would watch 2 hours of just him any day. I liked Molly as a teen fashion designer in the 80s. I just didn't really feel the epic teen romance of Andie and Blaine. I would've loved to see Andie end up with Duckie. It just felt a little unsure of itself the whole time. As I was watching, I felt out of place a little. So, not my fave, but still fun to watch, if not for the crazy clothes at least.

I went to see Croods in theaters on a Monday morning. It was super fun, except for the hordes of toddlers... The cast was awesome--Emma Stone, Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, etc. It was pretty much what I expected in terms of story and writing, but what really had me gripped was the world they created. It was gorgeous and I was so impressed with all of the animals and plants they invented. It was a blast to see what new thing was just around the corner. The colors were beautiful and it was definitely a feast for the eyes. 

I'm really enjoying my project so far. It's fun to get all the reactions and responses from people. I posted a Facebook status about it and got 25 comments in two days. I love involving my community with my life. 

As always, feel free to reach out with opinions or comments or recommendations or whatever!

xoxoleah

movies.

I've really been making an effort to expand my cinema knowledge lately. My list of to-watch could probably wrap around the equater once or twice. I adore movies but my repertoire is a little lacking of classics. I've seen tons of movies, but there are so many that "everyone's seen" that I missed out on. I'm trying to catch up. I only recently started watching the Star Wars franchise which was way overdue, mostly because I am Princess Leah! 

Yesterday I watched Pulp Fiction. I haven't fully formulated my opinion on Quentin Tarantino but it's mostly positive. I have seen Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained, and Inglourious Basterds. I mostly really liked them. The violence was only too much a select few times. I really like his writing. I think the scenes are often subtle and hilarious in the face of ridiculous violence. I loved the characters in Pulp Fiction, but the timeline sort of confused me. Granted, I was sewing a skirt at the time so I only paid about 87% attention to the movie. I'm definitely glad I watched it though. Now I want to rewatch the Pulp Fiction Community episode. In fact, I'm doing that right now. 

I also watched Red Balloon which was so sweet and creative. I really recommend watching it. This little boy finds a big red balloon on the street and they become fast friends. It's a magical little tale with pretty cool effects for being made in 1956. It's only half an hour and it's on instant Netflix. Plus, it's on the Hulu Criterion Collection so that stands for something, right?

This week in theaters I've seen Trance and 42. Both were really great. Danny Boyle's Trance is a total trippy mind fuck. As my friend Alice said on Facebook: "It's got everything. Explosions, techno music, boobs, guns, Mac trucks, those gas line fires, and that thing where people pretend to be other people.....it's awesome." It made me think of Fight Club a little bit. You're never really sure exactly what's going on but it's hot and pretty and the actors rock. The leads were James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, and Vincent Cassel. They totally brought it. 

42 was a total tear jerker. It chronicles the life and career of Jackie Robinson, the first black man in Major League baseball. Chadwick Boseman totally embodies Robinson and Harrison Ford is fantastic as Branch Rickey, the baseball exec who pushed for change by signing Robinson in a very unwelcome time. The supporting cast was also wonderful. I loved Nicole Beharie as his lovely wife, Rachel Robinson. It was fun to see some of my Grey's Anatomy loves--George O'Malley (T.R. Knight) and Chief Webber (James Pickens Jr.)--on the big screen. Alan Tudyk was fantastic as the vile, slur-spitting Ben Chapman. Man, I love Alan Tudyk. He is so versatile! You hate him in 42. You adore him in Firefly. You are terrified of him in Dollhouse. And yet, you always love him. The fellow Dodgers were also great. I especially loved Hamish Linklater and the shower scene. Definitely recommend this movie. Bring tissues. 

This monday I went to the opening night of the City of Lights / City of Angels French film festival with my dad. We saw Daniele Thompson's It Happened In Saint Tropez. I prefer the French title, Des Gens Qui S'Embrassent, which translates roughly to People Kissing. It's a crazy story of family and many entangled and complicated relationships. It's the kind of movie that should be seen without reading a synopsis I think. If it ever pops up on Foreign streaming Netflix or anything, make sure to catch it. It was charming, funny, sad, sweet, and silly at times. Great cast. Great movie. My mom is from Paris and I feel disconnected from my French heritage (especially since I don't yet speak French.) I am determined to start watching a lot more French movies and I really want to move to France to immerse myself in the language and culture in the near future. Anyone have any recommendations for how to go about that?

Here's to more movies soon! I'm glad I finally smashed my psychological writer's brick wall enough to squeeze this piece out. 

xoxoleah

happy birthday mastin!

We hosted a birthday party for our friend Mastin of The Daily Love on Saturday. I had a lovely time and met some amazing new people. This is going to be another recipe post though. I made a chocolate cream pie with mint whipped cream topping. It was my first time using a new pie book that my dear friend Cassidy gave me for my birthday. It's called A Year of Pies by Ashley English. I recommend it for any baker, aspiring or skilled. The recipes are great and the pictures are pretty. 

I'm always clean and orderly before I start baking.

Ingredients/Supplies:

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 cup butter, chilled
• 3/4 cup ice water

Filling: 

• 2 1/2 oz sweetened baking chocolate
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Whipped Topping: 

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Optional chocolate shavings or crushed peppermint candies

9-inch pie pan, electric mixer

Directions: 

Crust:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix flour and salt. Using two forks, blend the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly drizzle ice water until the dough begins to clump. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and place in pie pan. Prick the bottom 6 or 7 times with a fork, then refrigerate for 15 minutes. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, then remove the weights. Bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes until crust is golden. Cool completely. 

Filling: 

Combine chocolate, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Add milk and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then turn heat to low. Remove 1/2 cup of the cooked mixture and pour it slowly over the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter. Pour into prebaked crust. 

Whipped Topping:

Using electric mixer on high speed, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract until billowy peaks form. Pile the whipped topping over the pie. Sprinkle chocolate or candy over the top, if using. Chill until ready to serve.

Finished product!

Totally rocking recipe. Definitely recommend it. 

xoxoleah

broadway round-up. december 2012.

2012 was an amazing year in my relationship with Broadway. I got to travel to New York three times and see 33 (I think) shows on and off-Broadway. I am so grateful for the opportunities that my lifestyle and privilege allow for. There were some amazing things and some that I would not choose to see again, but there wasn’t really anything so bad that I needed to leave or felt cheated. In December, I got to see Annie, Bare, Elf, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Forbidden Broadway: Alive and Kicking, Picnic, the Heiress, the Mystery of Edwin Drood, the Other Place, Sleep No More, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Golden Boy, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Grace. Quite a list.

Annie

I have a special childhood connection with this show. I also have fiery red curly hair and the TV movie—the one with Kathy Bates, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, and Victor Garber—was a huge part of my early years. Then, when I was 11—the same age as our favorite orphan—I played the title role at my theater school. I have an old-fashioned Little Orphan Annie doll and my dad has always crooned the songs of the show to me.

So anyway, I already was invested in seeing the new revival that opened this winter. Then, I found out online that Lilla Crawford was going to be Annie! I worked with Lilla at YADA, my theater school, before she went to the great white way and got cast as Debbie in the closing cast of Billy Elliot. We were excited back then, but I hit the roof when I heard about her latest role. Then when she appeared in the opening of the Tony’s this year, I just lost it. She was on my TV! Singing with Neil Patrick Harris! Insane.

My friend Ryan—who also works at YADA—tagged along for a few days of my trip. It was his very first time in New York and he was like a puppy in a candy store. Our very first day in the city, we won the lottery for first row Annie tickets. It was a small group, so everyone ended up getting in, but it was still so exciting to win. Annie ended up being Ryan’s first show on Broadway ever, and he was completely satisfied.

You walk in to an intriguing display of white clothes hung on crisscrossing lines that covered the whole front of the stage. I liked the set design a lot, but I thought it could’ve used better execution. For example, the Warbucks mansion seemed like a glorified paper dollhouse. They had a really cool idea with this life-size “book” of sorts for the different rooms of the house. Flats of different rooms were joined with a book-like binding and they could fan out the pages and switch them easily during songs like “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here”. Otherwise it seemed very flat. Even with the Broadway budget for a big revival, they used flats for balcony railings and fancy columns, which made the set look cheap. I loved the concepts and designs, but the end product left me wanting more.

Katie Finneran was a dream. She really played into Miss Hannigan’s insanity, though she sometimes went too far into character-actor-land. Her rendition of “Little Girls” was loads of fun and boy does she have a set of pipes. Her costumes were beautiful and fancy, which really accentuated the contrast of the glamorous and womanly life she wanted and the poor and tough life she ended up with. Lilla was amazing of course. She has such acting chops for such a little munchkin. I remember her as Millie at YADA. She blew us all away. The orphans were great, although scarce. There were only five (without Annie) and it seemed small on the big stage. Emily Rosenfeld, who played Molly, was perfection. She had such comedic timing and was insanely cute. There was a hilarious moment in the first scene when Annie pulled Molly out of a drawer, where she had been sleeping, to comfort her. I loved ­­­Brynn O'Malley as Grace and newcomer Anthony Warlow as Warbucks.

At our show, we got to experience true live theater and everything that entails. Three songs before the end, I noticed the conductor pick up a phone and then quiet the band. I saw a slight commotion upstage right and then they brought the curtain down and we heard a calm woman come onto the loudspeaker and announce, “Ladies and Gentleman, we will be holding the show as Lilla has fallen,” or something along those lines. We heard Lilla’s crying before they shut off her mic. They lowered the main curtain and brought up the house lights. We sat there for maybe ten minutes when the woman came back on and informed us that Lilla was alright but her standby would be going on for the end of the show. They started up again in five minutes and the standby was wonderful. It blows my mind that adults are able to be ready to jump into a show in a situation like that, but a twelve year old girl? Absolutely insane. Katie Finneran carried Lilla out for the bows to a standing ovation and held her for the entire company bow. The sense of love, community, and support makes me tear up as I write this. It was horribly sad, but also kind of wonderful in retrospect. It makes a great story and we got to share in truly a unique experience. I know Lilla won’t forget it any time soon. And we’re lucky we were there that first matinee of our trip or we wouldn’t have gotten to see Lilla! She was out for a week to recover. Quite an experience for Ryan’s first Broadway show.

Bare

That night we saw Bare at the New World Stages (where I saw Rent last year). I really loved it. The music/plot/cast completely pulled on my hormonal and angsty teen heartstrings in the best way. It takes place at a co-ed Catholic boarding school (oy) and the main plot revolves around Peter, the quirky gay boy and his hidden relationship with Peter, the so-far-in-the-closet jock. In order to “fix” himself, Peter sleeps with Ivy, the pretty, slutty popular girl. Entanglements ensue. The show is a revamp of the 2004 pop-opera. The original didn’t do very well commercially and closed shortly, but became an underground cult favorite. I listened to the original soundtrack when I learned about the new production. They added/changed songs and made the whole sound more angsty and Spring Awakening-esque.

I like both versions in different ways. I think the original is more about telling the story through clearer lyrics and more traditional musical-theater-type songs. The newer versions are more about the tone and feeling. In Spring Awakening, the lyrics are poetic and convey the feelings rather than actually pushing along the story. I think both methods have pros and cons. Travis Wall, of So You Think You Can Dance fame, choreographed the show. It was beautiful, but hard to forget how very Spring Awakening everything was. He even put a continuous angsty loop dance, like the Mama Who Bore Me/Totally Fucked/Mirror-Blue Night motif. The highlights of the cast were Taylor Trensch as Peter, Barrett Wilbert Weed as Nadia, and Alice Lee as Diane. Missi Pyle was hilarious and heartfelt as Sister Joan/Mary. The set was very 2012. The walls of the church were collaged with instagram pictures and projections of specific instagram pictures were vital to the plot. If you’re a teen or teen-at-heart, definitely go see this show.

Elf

Loads of corny Christmas cheer! Totally fun. Beth Leavel was great as the mom and the kid, Mitchell Sink was fantastic. Jordan Gelber played Buddy and really committed. No Will Ferrell, but fun fun fun. The elf costumes were so bright and cheery—I totally want one. Wayne Knight from Seinfeld was Santa. I love sassy Santas. Speaking of, there was a funny song where all the depressed Santas are hanging on Christmas eve for free Chinese food and they sing, "Nobody Cares About Santa". This famous chocolate guy made a big “ELF” masterpiece for some auction and the stage door guard gave me a piece which was so nice. It was quite tasty.

Radio City Christmas Spectacular

I think everyone should see this at least once. I probably wouldn’t have gone if Ryan wasn’t with me, but I am so glad I did. The Radio City Music Hall is a masterpiece. So gorgeous and the technology is awesome. I also recommend taking the backstage tour. They teach you about the mechanics of the stage and it’s insane. It’s revolutionary now but I can’t even imagine what it must’ve been like back when it was built. The Rockettes are so impressive and I just never get tired of seeing thirty-something women in a line moving as one unit. Plus they can kick damn high. The classic toy soldier routine was so great. Great Christmas tradition. 

Forbidden Broadway: Alive and Kicking

This show is just so good. I saw Newsical the Musical earlier this year and was heavily disappointed. It felt uncomfortable at times cause it was supposed to be amazing and fell so short. This, however, surpassed my expectations. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a big fun musical that parodies all its Broadway neighbors in hilarious songs and impersonations. It used to run every year and closed in 2008, I think. I had heard of it as a kid, but didn’t really connect with it until I got to experience it in person. The four actors were so darn good. They had the perfect mix of over-the-top silliness at times with the killer pipes to back them up. They were also did impeccable impressions. I absolutely recommend this show to lovers, and love-to-haters, of Broadway.

Picnic

I saw the first preview and I was super impressed. I didn’t know the show (or movie version) at all and I really enjoyed it. Maggie Grace was lovely as Madge, Madeline Martin was sad and hilarious as Millie, Sebastian Stan was kind of odd, but definitely looked the part. I love him as the Mad Hatter on Once Upon a Time. Mare Winningham was fantastic as Flo. I loved Elizabeth Marvel in Hyde Park on Hudson and she was fantastic in this as Rosemary. I recommend this revival. Very well-executed. 

"Picnic" inpsired food options at the concessions bar.

The Heiress

L: Dan Stevens and I. R: Jessica Chastain and I.

I quite enjoyed this play. I went in with low-ish expectations which I believe helped me. I mostly went to see Jessica Chastain and Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley). I was pleasantly surprised. It's an interesting, if slightly dated, story and I loved the old-fashioned costumes and set. I got to meet Jessica and Dan at the stage door after the show which was amazing. 

I think I am going to split this into two posts. Tune in soon to hear about The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Other Place, Sleep No More, Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf, Golden Boy, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Grace. 

xoxoleah

p.s. I apologize for my crappy vertical iPhone photos.

p.p.s. I know that taking pictures of the opening set/curtain is illegal, but I am always discreet and I can't resist trying.

new.

On Friday, I cut off all of my hair. This was a huge moment for me. My hair has always been a gigantic piece of my identity. The color, the curls, the length. And I loved it. I used to say I would never ever cut it. I had wanted it long for so long and it was almost like a prized posession. I've lately begun to learn the "never say never" lesson. There are so many things I used to adamantly claim about myself that I have completely changed/evolved my views on. It's fascinating. 

I first got the haircut bug a few months ago. I saw a screening with my dad and the main lady had a pixie cut. It appealed to me but I felt crazy and conflicted. I forgot about it for awhile. Then 9 days ago (thank you twitter--how else would I know when/what I was thinking in the past) I was at a Father John Misty concert and there was this cute group of three girls next to me in the pit. One had a long boho messy ponytail that I was jealous of and one had a teeny pixie cut with a little barrette that I was also jealous. Again, I was conflicted. 

This happened. 

After that, the idea was a subconscious virus. It was taking me over, and I had no idea. It all boiled to a point this Friday, 1/5. I couldn't stop thinking obsessing about it. I called my mom to ask her what she would think if I cut off all my hair. She was slightly shell-shocked but open to the idea. The idea kept spiraling in my head and soon I was having a full-fledged identity crisis. I had a casual mini nervous breakdown at Guitar Center. I felt torn in half, not to be a melodramatic teen. 

I spend so much of my life being responsible and taking care of myself and living in the world as an adult. I needed to do something impulsive that might give me a few regrets, but nothing too serious. I needed to be a teenager. 

So that afternoon I went to the hairdresser and cut off my identity. Welcome to 18. Welcome to 2013. It feels good. 

The process.

Bye-bye.

My hair is on my closet floor waiting for me to ship it to Locks Of Love. I think it's cool, but maybe I'm creepy. Sometimes I hold it up like it's still in a ponytail or like I have peyos. For all the Goyim, peyos are the curly sideburns you see on Jews sometimes. I'm not quite ready to say goodbye just yet. Getting there though. I look in the mirror and see someone new. Interesting, but different. It's a good new, I think. 

Before and After.

In other body modification news, I got a tattoo yesterday. It's really important to me to clarify my motives in hair vs. tattoo. The hair was 100% impulsive, possibly regrettable, slightly rebellious. The tattoo was something I had thought about for a very long time and something I knew I would like consistently, since I draw it on anytime I'm near a pen. I really appreciate the art of tattoos and I truly understand the permanence and consequences. Just ask me about lover tattoos and you'll hear my epic groan that I can't help but emit everytime. 

So anyway, I was prepared. I don't want people to look at how quickly I did everything and think I did it unconsciously. Not that I care what people think, but I do a little. I also want to get my upper ear pierced (three rings on my left ear) but after that I'm definitely done for a little while. It's kinda nice/fun to do it all at once. Start off the new year right. 

By the way, the tattoo barely hurt. Slightly uncomfortable and kinda scary, but the actual pain level was very low. And it only took, like, ten minutes. 

It's fun to see people's different reactions, especially to my hair. I'm still reacting myself. I surprised all of my friends this weekend at my birthday party. I didn't post anything online and some of them had absolutely no idea. It was hilarious. I think people are way more surprised about my hair than my tattoo. Plus, anyone who knows me has seen many different versions of stars all over my wrist, many many times.

I want to give a big shoutout to my awesome dad. He has really changed over the years to be more open and understanding and I want to give him a public appreciation. He was very cool to begin with, but just a hint of Jew stress and lots of "Oy!"s. It was a little tough when I decided to leave school but he has come many a mile since then. I called him about my hair and he was very chill and excited to see it. I was pretty worried to tell him about my tattoo but we got dinner tonight and he was perfect about it. I'm so proud of him. And a wee bit embarassed about the stress my mom and I felt in between doing it and telling it. So yeah, love you dad! You rock. 

Happy New Year.

xoxoleah