Good for Marie

So... I just cried watching Daniel Evans sing a clip from "Finishing the Hat"...ummm wow. And then I read the article about him in the The New York Times, which made me love him a little more. He's studying philosophy? And he's from Wales? Does it get much sexier than that?...suddenly this theater season seems a little more interesting.
That and Lena keeps going on about In the Heights so I checked out their opening night video on Broadway.com and that looks incredibly awesome as well. Especially intriguing to me is Pricilla Lopez who is most definitely a hero of mine...I think I've heard her sing "Nothing" a thousand times.
So between those shows, and the promising looking South Pacific revival and the brilliant performance I am sure Patti Lupone is giving this seasons set of musical offers doesn't seem so bad. This is of course coming from one who has seen none of these shows. Living on the West coast is difficult in that regard. I mean...I'm leaving my somewhat stressful job so that I can pursue my dreams right? Most notably the dream of devoting my life to the art form that I love...aka friggin musical theatre. It seems odd to be so far removed from where all the action is but I made that decision long ago.
San Francisco has been home to more and more pre-Broadway tryouts...granted it's not the most original work that's heading to New York it's still new work...and we've had a quite a few in the last few years.
One new musical I am very much looking forward to is Sacagawea. I can safely say the composing team is one of my favorites. Craig Bohmler and Mary Bracken Phillips capture the environment of the piece with authentic musical sounds and quick clever lyrics. Bohmler's music is rich with the flavors or wherever the show takes place, his orchestrations are full and, I say this with the greatest respect, old fashion. You can appreciate each instruments part in telling the story in a way that a small band musical will never allow. Each voice is heard intelligently and brought together in soaring melodies that fill my soul with light.
Sacagawea gets it's first full staging this summer in Martinez at my place of business, and for me will be the highlight of the summer craziness that is my life.
I think if I was determined enough I would write a musical. I think someday I will. Right now I feel like I have so much more to learn about the form. Some might laugh since I know more than a lot of people but I truly think that I wouldn't want to write something until I was motivated and knew it was going to be the best thing I could possibly create. Now maybe I'll never write it if I keep thinking that way...what do I know about anyway? Musical theatre? Like the world needs another musical about musicals. (Although I have to say, having just seen it, I think Musical of Musicals the Musical was definitely a great advancement to that genre) One day I'll do it. Just so it's out of my system if nothing else. But I think other people will make better musicals. I think people with other stories to tell besides mine will make better musicals. My story has been told (but I'll still make a bundle on my memoirs)
C'est la vie.
Life in the theatre will continue. I'm anxious to see where it goes. I may not have the energy to be part of its movement.
Pins Abigail