Preview: Little Women, the Musical?

Last year I was blown away by the fact that Little Women was turned into an opera, but I went and thought it was fantastic. So when I heard that the musical was being put on this year, I had to go! Maybe next they’ll do the play…or I could read the book! But who has time for that? Maybe one day,

since it is a piece of classical American literature and all. The musical, inspired of course by Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women, is being put on this weekend by the Department of Musical Theatre Studio Production. The story of these four sisters and the trials they go through is sure to be a night to remember and I hope that the music by Jason Howland and the lyrics by Mindi Dickstein will be as memorable for me as that of Bare, which I reviewed last weekend. Maybe I’ll be listening to and singing Little Women for a week too!

This will be a welcome break right before exam week (which most of us will refer to as Hell Week) and I hope you can go out to a show or do something to relieve some of that built up stressing out. I promise, the sound of beautiful voices coming out of some of the sexiest people on campus really does things for the soul. You won’t be let down, because in musical theater, I don’t even think that is possible (unless you’re one of those Sondheim fans that hate everything that he didn’t write).

So here are the details, I know it sucks to have to read through some crazy guy’s thoughts all the time, so here it is laid out ;

What: Little Women the Musical

When:
Thursday 12/8 @ 7:30pm
Friday 12/9 @ 8:00pm
Saturday 12/10 @ 2:00pm
Saturday 12/10 @ 8:00pm
Sunday 12/11 @ 2:00pm

Where: Arthur Miller Theater on North Campus (it’s a great theater, worth the commute)

How much: Student rush $10 BUT HURRY! They’re going fast! They are nearly sold out!

With that, I sign off. Get back to studying!

Sending you love and light,

Danny Fob

(Coffee is on me if you can name the show that my sign off is from!)

P.S. I actually LOVE Sondheim, I’m just not all hipster about him.

Review: Better Be at Bare

Fantastic! That’s what I have to say about Basement Arts’ production of “Bare: A Pop Opera.” I had no idea what to expect, but what I saw was great! The show is basically Rent except Catholic Highschool style. Studio 1 was kind of small, but we all managed to fit in and enjoy the show. I’ve been listening to the soundtrack online ever since, I liked it so much. I hope they do it again next year!

The show was off-broadway years ago, which I can understand because it is not the kind of show that can make it on the big stage. It is set in a high school, severely limiting the target audience to a much younger crowd. Though I’m sure many people would enjoy the show,

Driving in your car andautoverzekering vergelijken is something very common.

it does not have as mature of a feel as something like Rent or Spring Awakening. It does have important messages for young people going through situations of depression, addiction, eating disorder, sexual discovery, self-hate, teen pregnancy, and loneliness. These messages come through quite clearly in an exciting, but slightly predictable plot.

What I enjoyed most about the show was the music. The melodies alone prove to be unique and contemporary, with interesting twisting harmonies that are surprising and beautiful. The lyrics are clever and perfectly chosen. They convey a very adolescent language while tastefully delivering the deeper messages of the show. My favorite song of the show, “See Me,” is the main character coming out to his mother on the phone. Peter and his mother are dancing around one word and it really brought many of us to tears. Michael Hartung, Peter, has the most beautiful voice and plays this part splendidly. It was such a heartbreaking performance. I actually believe that Michael rocked this performance to its core. He was amazing and I wish he would sing just one song to me. Any song. At all. I’m actually sending the video to my mom. Seriously, this is how much I loved it….Anyway, didn’t mean to have an outburst. Most of the cast was amazing. I especially like Sister Chantelle. She is so sassy and wise at the same time!

The only complaint I have about this show? I’m sick of all musicals about Gay people ending in the gay guy DYING!!!!! All of them do that! I do not understand! I want to see one happy gay couple end the play together, because in all of them, the gay couple is perfect. Please, if you are a musical writer reading this, right me a happy gay ending!
On an ending note, I had a great time and this coming weekend I am somehow finding time to go see Little Women! I’m really excited, so if you like my posts, keep a lookout 🙂

Sending you love and light,

Danny Fob

(Coffee is on me if you can name the show that my sign off is from!)

PREVIEW: Little Women the Musical [finally!!!]

Not even words can capture how excited I am for this performance. I want to just set up a link that’ll take you to the soundtrack as soon as you click to read my preview so you can hear just how amazing and beautiful the songs of this show are. AND what’s extra exciting about seeing this performance of Little Women is not only because it’s put on by the musical theatre dept. here but because it’s directed by UM alumnus Danny Gurwin who starred in this musical on Broadway as Laurie!!! Do you realize how awesome this show is going to be?! I don’t even think I know how great it’s going to be. The show closed on Broadway after 137 performances (thanks, Wikipedia.org) in spring of 2005, so I was forced merely to memorize every song on the soundtrack to satisfy my cravings for the beauty of this show…until NOW! Hooray!!

Performances will be December 8-11 in the Arthur Miller Theatre. I hope you find time to attend because it is going to be fantastic. Quoting from one of my favorite songs in the show, it is sure to be “astonishing.”

Read more about the performance and buy tickets here: http://www.music.umich.edu/departments/mustheatre/productions.htm

REVIEW: Bare, a pop opera

Last night I attended Bare, a musically-charged and sexuality-questioning explosion propelled from the stage and onto the laps of the audience. Certain songs were heavy with harsh beats and foot stomping rhythms, while others captured your heart, a cello pleading softly from the pit. If I could only choose one thing that I liked most about this musical, however, it would definitely be the lyrics. They were so heart felt and poetic; I found myself thinking over each refrain, even after the song was long ended.

Basement Arts put on the performance, so we were sure to get there early to form a line outside the doors. It was in Studio 1 at the Walgreen Drama Center and if you’ve ever been in there you know how small and intimate a theater it is (which was absolutely stellar for this performance). Tickets are free, so everyone just waits in line hoping they’ll be room for them inside. I’m pretty sure they didn’t have to turn away many, if any, people last night, so that’s good.

The Spectrum Center sponsored the event, so I had a hunch on what to expect in the plot. And if that didn’t clue you in to the sexuality themes of the musical, the cover of the playbills would reinforce the message. One key idea in the musical was how to know what is right or normal when those people and institutions in your life, like your parents, school, church, tell you it’s wrong. It was a very moving performance, and the story itself led to many open discussions on issues such as drugs, sex, alcohol, love, the church…etc. These heavy and controversial subjects were handled with respect and consideration, which was good because of the wide range of audience members present. I thought it was beautifully done.

Furthermore, the actors were fantastic and the singing was pretty good; however, probably not one of the best vocals I’ve heard out of a student theater organization. The students didn’t have microphones, so I did appreciate that they had to compete with a drum set, cello, keyboard, and bass guitar to be heard. I thought the two leads, Sam Lips and Michael Hartung, along with the mother of the main character were extremely talented. They stood out the most to me, in terms of talent.

What’s interesting about this musical is it has never been on Broadway, only off. It has performed in numerous tour productions all over the country, but never has it been accepted to perform on Broadway. After seeing the show, and discussing it with a few friends, I think I understand why it has never been able to perform on the same stages as Les Miserables or Wicked or The Phantom of the Opera. It’s good, but the plot is somewhat one dimensional and cliché, in my opinion. The ending, which I’ll refrain from giving away, is somewhat of a cop-out. Not to sound insensitive to the issue it presents, but it does leave the audience a bit dissatisfied (and not like a comfortable open-ending either, but just like…wait, you are really going to ignore the other characters right now??). For me, the story was really focused on Peter, a student at a Catholic school in love with his best friend Jason. I felt the ending shifted away from the struggles of Peter and onto Jason. If I were to rewrite the plot, I would change a few scenes to develop Jason’s character further, especially considering he’s the character we are thinking most about at the end of the show.

Bottom line, it really was a great show, and I’m glad I attended. Supporting Basement Arts and the Spectrum Center AND World AIDS week is always excellent – especially all at the same time!

P.S. If you were wondering who was the creeper running around the Walgreen Drama Center taking pictures with all the Little Women posters…that’d be me. Preview and review coming soon!!!

Preview: Heart Bared?

Tonight is the first showing of the musical, “Bare,” a Basement Arts production. I know some of the people in it and it just so

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happens to work perfectly into this busy last two week schedule that we all have. The show is set at a Catholic boarding school and uses an exciting contemporary musical score to play out a plot of sexual and social exploration. The students are struggling with countless questions and tonight I, at least, will see if they receive answers.

The show is completely free and is showing Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7pm, and Friday at 11pm in studio 1 of Walgreen Drama Center on north campus. Doors open at 6:45pm.Please come support your fellow students and see what they have to offer us!

I hope to see you there!

Sending you love and light,

Danny Fob

(Coffee is on me if you can name the show that my sign off is from!)

PREVIEW: Basement Arts and The Spectrum Center present BARE

Sponsored by World AIDS Week, Basement Arts presents “BARE: A Pop Opera.” I’ve heard so many great things about this show, and I’m so excited to finally get a chance to see it. And it’s FREE! Basements Arts with support from The Spectrum Center is putting on this sure-to-be-stellar musical at the Walgreen Drama Center on North Campus, Studio One. UM Events website says, “A group of high school seniors at a Catholic boarding school faces issues of sexuality and personal identity…they struggle to come to terms with who they are, and who the world thinks they should be…” (UM events). It is sure to be a fantastic event; especially since the other event I went to sponsored by the Spectrum Center was absolutely amazing. I don’t think we will be disappointed.

The performances of “BARE” run December 1st 7pm-9pm, Dec. 2nd 7pm-9pm and 11pm, and Dec. 3rd 7pm-9pm. Attending is free and more information regarding World AIDS week can be found at their website: worldaidsweekum.wordpress.com

Hope you can make it!