NEWSIES

IT WAS
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
GOOD!!!!!!

Usually for standing ovations, people gradually rise half-heartedly to join the crowd so they don't look like assholes. At the end of Newsies, people LEAPT to their feet. I would have even given them a standing ovation after the very first dance number. SO GOOD.



So I bought these tickets weeks ago the second I found out Newsies was coming to Broadway. But to be honest, I had never seen the movie all the way through until yesterday. I just really really loved the song, "Seize The Day" and I had a hunch it was going to be pretty well done based on the performance I saw on The View.

Well...our seats were really really close. We could literally see the spit fly out of the singers' mouths.



Constance has been a Newsies superfan since childhood, so she was really excited.



Jeremy Jordan, who plays Jack Kelly (the role Christian Bale plays in the movie) is incredible. Both as a singer and dancer. He is going to be a household name someday soon.



The dancing is incredible. The singing is incredible. The almost-all-boy cast is so athletic and so talented and HOT.

This production blew me away Book of Mormon-style.



The set design is pretty simple, yet really cool in the way it transforms and rotates to fit whatever number is going on.



The show officially opens March 29... after which the official reviews come out... after which it might become REALLY hard to get tickets. The show was supposed to only run until June 10th, but Disney already extended the run until August after the show made like $7 million dollars in its first few days of presale and the show went on to break all kinds of records at the Nederlander theater in its first 6 days on Broadway... records that were previously held by final performances of Rent, a show that ran for 12 years.

So...you should buy your tickets now. Don't be afraid and don't delay!

You will NOT be disappointed.



Going to theater in NYC is THE BEST!

NEWSIES Tonight!!!!

Con and I are going to see Newsies Tonight!

It opened on Broadway last week to rave reviews.

We have SICK seats. So excited!

Avenue Q

We saw Avenue Q last night.





My headshot client Lexy is starring in the show and scored us free tickets.

It's really funny. It won the Tony for Best Musical in 2003.

But that was almost 10 years ago now.

And now we have Book of Mormon which takes amazingly offensive hilarity to the next level, so it's hard to compare.

But still it's a really great show. Definitely recommend it.

I LOVE BROADWAY / Book of Mormon

So the Book of Mormon last night was, of course, INCREDIBLE.

I went with roommate Kayvon and it was so much fun not only to watch it again but to this time be able to watch as the audience roared with laughter.

We had found cheapo last minute tickets on Stubhub for $175 and pounced on them.

The vantage point mayyy have been better than last time. 2nd row Mezz!




I loved keeping an eye on the audience during the show.

There's nothing quite like seeing a group of grannies erupt in cackles when the cast sings out "fuckfrog on his clitoris-face!" (Yes, those are actual song lyrics.)








Going to shows is one of my favorite things about living in New York.

Every time I leave a show I just feel happy and inspired.

Working with actors on a daily basis, I've really come to appreciate them and their craft.

And in New York it's all about the craft.

New York actors are different from LA actors because they just love ACTING. Even if you're starring on a Broadway show, you're probably not making millions.

Most LA actors care about the craft, but they probably care more about the fame and the money. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I LOVE fame and money. But in NYC, very few people go into acting expecting to be famous. They just want to act because they love it - the fame is a by-product of being an amazing actor.

And this cast is full of amazing actors. And when you see this group of people, singing and dancing and clearly IN LOVE with what they do, you just can't help but be inspired and happy and so proud of them for committing to doing what they want do and succeeding!

The original cast members all just renewed their contracts through 2013. You have to see this show. NOW.

THE BOOK OF MORMON

I think I have a new best friend.

I know... I have over 30 best friends. I'm greedy. We've been over it.

But each of the people I consider a BFF is truly special in his/her own unique way. And I'm in a unique line of work where I work and meet with new people on a daily basis.. and a lot of them are truly just wonderful, talented, inspiring, beautiful people. So I can't help myself. Sometimes I just have to befriend them. (It also helps that actors make great daytime buddies and lunch buddies while most of my office-drone friends slave away in their cubicles.)

So when Anthony walked through my door a few months ago for his headshot session being all charming and hilarious and cute but neurotic (he had concerns over a cold sore that had formed from biting his lip when he was eating a late night sandwich like a savage), I immediately fell in love.

You may recognize Anthony as the latest cover model on my website. He's the first thing that pops up when you go in.



What's even more interesting is that Anthony - from his hair, to his eyebrows, to his nose, to the rest of his bone structure - looks a lot like the white-version of our long-lost friend PWu!




It's bizarre.

-------------------------

Anyway,

Long ago Anthony and I had talked about seeing the Book of Mormon.

We've been to the lottery at least 3 or 4 times and have failed to win each time.

So when the deal finally popped up on GiltCity, I jumped on it.

Even the crappiest seats in the house routinely sell for $400+...so the fact that our GiltCity deal came with a 2-hour VIP reception with food and drink made the whole thing kind of a no-brainer.

We were SOOOO excited. Literally twirling and jumping up and down as we headed toward the theater.



The set is gorgeous. Of course we're not allowed to take any pictures once the show starts, but our seats were middle and center.



And the play itself? F*CKING UNBELIEVABLE.

It is SO good.

From the INSANE lyrics, to the singing and dancing and complete absurd lunacy in-general, it truly is in a league of its own and there has never been anything like it.

I literally found it hard to breathe at times. But there were actually a lot of people who didn't find some of it amusing and sat there stone-faced for a lot of it.



We discussed this afterwards and I guess, yeah, even if you think of yourself as the most open-minded and with-it individual...nothing can really prepare you for countless AIDS jokes or to hear someone sing, "FUCK YOU GOD IN THE ASS MOUTH AND CUNT!!!" over and over. The first time it's actually kind of jarring.

We ate it up though. Could not get enough.



If laughing hysterically for 3 straight hours does not forge a new best-friendship, I don't know what does.

I love love love loved it and downloaded the soundtrack as soon as I got home. I'm still laughing.



But don't take my word for it. Just listen to this song. The first time Bobby played it for me we almost crashed our car it was so funny.



YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS SHOW.

The original cast is moving onto bigger and better things, so GO SEE IT NOW. I know because Tom (Gaston) auditioned for the show a few weeks ago.

I'm so glad I saw it with the original cast. This show is going to be around for a LONG TIME and it may change Broadway forever.

------------------------------------------

After the show we ate...like savages. Open bar and open food are two of my favorite word pairings.





Here's another vid of Andrew Rannels performing "I Believe" at the Tonys.



The song is better in the context of the show...but I think it's pretty good on its own.

-----------------------

My life is literally THE BEST.

Book of Mormon!!!!

Gilt City is offering VIP tickets to a special performance of Book of Mormon for $500.



I just bought two. I figure that the going rate for regular crappy seats is around $400 on stubhub anyway, and these are going to be the best seats in the house AND it comes with a post-show reception with food and drink and mingling with the cast so it's actually a pretty sweet deal. And I'm sure I can probably scrounge up a headshot client by schmoozing at the afterparty so it'll just pay for itself. And either way it will be really fun and funny.

Who wants to buy my extra ticket?

The show is at 1pm on Dec 7th.

Come!!!!

How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying

So last week I had I did headshots for Charlie, who you may or may not remember his appearance in Broadway Bares last summer.




Charlie is currently starring alongside Daniel Radcliffe (AKA Harry Potter duh) in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying so he was able to hook me up with tickets for tonight.



And not just any tickets...



Grrrrrrreeaaatttt tickets. Orchestra E. Normally $320 a seat. For a fraction of the price.



The show also starred John Larroquette.



But the crowd went NUTSO for Daniel. At points they had to wait for applause to die down after certain numbers before they could continue on.



And though the show started a little iffy with some not-so-amazing songs, in the end it had won everyone over. I loved it.

It's like Mad Men. But funny. And with singing and dancing.

None of the songs are all that memorable, but the dancing and acting and performing is top notch.

The dancing especially.




I have new respect for Daniel Radcliffe, who not only spoke with an impeccable American accent throughout the whole show, but was able to sing and dance amazingly as well.

I just might give the Harry Potter films another shot. (Still can't see the appeal.)



After the show, fans waited by the stage door for autographs.



There were hundreds and hundreds of people.



All waiting to catch a glimpse of Daniel before he jumped in his car and sped away with his security team.




He emerged and the crowd went nuts.





Charlie put us on the guest list at the stage door so we were able to go beat the throngs of crazy Harry fans...




...and got to go backstage to check out the set.





Yay!



Interesting insider fact: You may have heard that Daniel is taking a break from the show this summer to promote the last Harry Potter film. But in order to do that, Warner Brothers had to buy out EVERY SINGLE SEAT in the theater for each day they would be taking him away from the production since it wasn't in his play contract that he'd be taking any breaks from the show. (He's under contract through January I believe). That's alotta munny.

Anyway. Yes. Amazingly entertaining show. The finale itself is worth the ticket fee. Definitely should check it out if you get a chance.

You can visit Charlie's website at: www.iamcharliewilliams.com

He's an incredibly talented dancer.

And you can get a taste of the show by viewing the trailer for How to Succeed below:



Oooh and look, I found the poster from last year's Broadway Bares with Charlie front and center.



(Yes his body is ridic.)



Sad that Euguela's wedding is the weekend of Broadway Bares this year so I'll miss it!