So Much Fun, So Little Time to Blog

I've been so busy busy busy again, I just haven't taken the time to keep you updated.  I'm really sorry about that.  I so need to get a new laptop or tablet so I can do some of this blogging from my house.

I don't really have the time or the energy to do full reports on everything I've seen, so I'll just put some photos and commentary below and hope that I can get back into the groove.  AGAIN.  SOON.  Think good thoughts, please...

photo credit: Rosalie O'Connor

photo credit: Erin Baiano

photo credit: Gene Schiavone

I went to ABT's fall season with my IHBB and had a grand time, as usual.  We saw a new ballet, Garden Blue, by choreographer Jessica Lang. It was very pleasant, with lovely shapes and movement through space (and I enjoyed the Dvorak piano trio), but I'll need to see it again because I was a bit confused by it; Other Dances by Jerome Robbins (lovely and lyrical), and Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room, which was spectacularly exciting.  It was a very lovely evening and the cotes du rhone at both Epicerie Boulud (pre-show) and Cafe Luxembourg (post-show) was excellent.

I went to see my friend Max Vernon's cabaret show, Existential Life Crisis Lullaby, at Joe's Pub.  I love Max and I think he's supremely talented, so it's hard to be objective, but this cabaret was wonderful (and the burrata appetizer was amazing)!  He and some incredible guest stars (including my old chum Alice Ripley, whose photo is above) sang pieces from his musical The View Upstairs.  I laughed a whole lot, cried a whole lot, and just had the best time.  His songs are equal part fun, whimsy, pain and power.  I love him.  This is one of the most exciting hours of music you're going to see, so you should check out Max's next cabaret show in November.  

I went to the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's festival of new musicals last week.  I saw material from I think fifteen new musicals.  It was a lot.  All I'll say is that I loved some and didn't love some, but I hope they all get attention.  How's that?  After that, I went to see two OTHER musicals:

photo credit: Carol Rosegg

photo credit: Carol Rosegg

The authors of both of these new musicals (Ordinary Days by Adam Gwon; Midnight at the Never Get by Mark Sonnenblick) are also friends and I am also predisposed to love them and not be objective.  But I don't think I'm being prejudiced when I say that both musicals are beautifully crafted, beautifully performed, and have terrific songs!  I truly enjoyed seeing them both and I think everyone else will, too.  Ordinary Days captures the everyday struggles of a life in New York and finding who you are and where you fit in the world.  It's really specific yet really universal and I loved getting to know these characters.  Midnight at the Never Get was really unexpected and moving and ended up somewhere I never dreamed.  And I was truly blown away by the songs; they were pastiche, yet not, and so well done.  Obviously I give a huge thumbs-up to both shows (and you can get discount tickets if you try).  I have another busy week coming up, but hopefully I can get my ducks in a row and tell you more about all of this wonderful new work I've been fortunate enough to see...