Anna and the Tropic Reviews

Going back to the Theater after approximately 16 years was an experience I so long wish I never waited so long to revisit.This experience was in someways extremely special since it was the first play my 16 year old daughter got to see and I think she is now hooked on seeing more. Not only did I have my daughter there to enjoy the experience but my man's daughter who was so excited to see a Theater production as well.  We came early to make sure we got front row seats.  We enjoy listening to the play and learning about the characters and as an audience member, I got to go back to place of my roots and remember the plays I was so lucky to see as a teenager and young adult on Broadway, Westpoint, and London. 

I learned that night that there are so many people that are older than I that never been to a reproduction and in ways it makes me feel bless on the childhood I had living in the State of New York.  Also blessed that my parents are exteremly into the arts. 

This play was well directed, well casted and the costumes were right on the dot to that time period. I say this not just in the dresses and hair style but even the stockings had the seems in the back which is how they were made back then.  You may ask how I know this,  well I am a member of the International Costuming Guild and the NYNJ Costuming chapter (aka Sick Pups).  The characters played the part well and kept you on your toes. 

The only down side was the ending and nothing against the actors but the writer. I was expecting the Dad to shoot the brother for raping the daughter, but I was expecting a longer play and was shocked it was already 2hrs.  The play also hit good points that it was started on time.  Okay one more down side no refreshment stand.  When you have a pregnant guest that would have been nice but that is just another benefit of being able to see plays at broadway.

I did notice one more item that has nothing to do again with the cast but the audience.  Once again I am made aware of my upbringing from NY and not Florida.  I was always force that if you go to the theater whether it is off broadway or on broadway, you dress up. Jeans, flipflop, tanktops, shorts, etc were not allowed when I went to a play. My mother would have killed me dressing like that.  Now you don't need to dress up like you are going to prom but church clothes were good starters.  That again shows how different cultures view the arts in different views.

As I end this blog. I give this play thumbs up. I am please I went and would recommend it to anyone I can.  I am also looking for Dearly Departed next month. Another night out with the girls and even bringing more people which includes one that has never been to a true production before. Also now the thirst for more plays have been back into my blood and who knows maybe next semster I will grow courageand even try and audition.

may not be the way the stage was set here in DSC but very close

American Musical

American Muscial:

The American Muscial Started as early as the rolling 20's in America.It was a form of history in some ways to bring out issues of society to the public.  We had great musicals as Porgy and Bess, which musical hits from Gershwins, and South Pacific that showed us the issues between black and white.  Musicals are the form of theater where you bring drama and comedy to music and dance.  This form had it rise and falls over the years.  As in the 30's and 40's and then in the 60's the musicals took from broadway to Hollywood which such great Actors as Frank Sintra and Gene Kelly starred in many musicals.  Even Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dick got some of their acting credits in such musicals that took from the stage to the theater and then back to the stage.  In the american musical you will see great stage art work and muscial that will tell you a story love, sadness, hard time, etc.) Most musicals the audience can releate to the story they are telling (expect for cat's i don't understand that show) but the audience are moved by the actions and lyics of the music playing.  For me i can watch musicals almost all day long (as long it isn't cat's) Musical takes me to a place where my troubles are long forgotten and i dream that i am on stage with the actors.

Cat's the second longest musical to hit NYC. 1982-2000

One of the all time famous Musical that played on New York City Broadway was the Musical "Cat" by Andrew Llyod Webber. It is the second longest show to run in New York City starting in 1982. Now on a personal view, I will never know how this show lasted so long since i slepted for the first act, but i guess the music from the second half, which had the musical hit "Memories" done by Barbara Streinsand and the outfits that made the human look like real cats brought the people in. Cat's was moved to second by the musical Opera "Phantom of the Opera" which is another Andrew Llyod Webber production.  Though i come close to seeing that show but failed each time, i will see it before i die.

(memories - cat's the only hit from this musical and only one reason to see it: in my opinion)

starlight express cast - it is was a great experience to see live in London

Though Cat'sand Phantom hold the all time best for Andrew Llyod Webber, my favorite musical by him is actually the one that got the lowest reviews. Starlight Express was a musical based on Roller skates.  This musical the actors roller blade all over the stage. Trust me you don't even want to sleep because there is so much action and music.  I was lucky and saw this play in London and was in awed.  Of course after seeing this musical I had to see cats because Cats got such great reviews and maybe i should seen Cats first. The  plot features around a group of toy railway trains, portrayed by actors on roller-skates, who come to life inside the mind of a small boy. The characters race to become the 'fastest engine in the world', and in the end, the underdog, Rusty, triumphs, winning the race and the heart of a beautiful observation car (starlight). Now the plot for Cat's well it just about cats and i am sorry i can watch my cat at home for more entertainment.


(starlight express video) and this is from london which is where i got to see it

Interesting facts:

my favorite Movie Musical and turned broadway On The Town - the day i feel in love with Gene Kelly

Many musicals were not just the master mind of one person.  In the early stages the greatest musicals were the master mind of two people. Roger and Hammerstein  in many ways were the grandfather of the American Musical which were hits back from the 30-60's and many of their plays were turned in to movies which brought the musical to everyone.  The highlight of the movie musical is one of my all time favorites "On The Town" starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra

The biggest hight of the American Musical actaully started in the 1980's and the truth of the matter is that the hight of the american musical period was not even from America but from England.  The Master mind of Andrew Llyod Webber grew to fame here in America with his wonder hits of Cat's, Phatonm of The Opera and Starlight Express to just name a few.


Biliography
Flner, Mira, Orenstein, Claudia; The World of Theater, Person Eduation 2006, pg 169-174
Wikipedia, Cat's the Musical; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_(musical) web.
Wikipedia, Starlight Express: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlight_Express web.
videos:  Cat's and Starlight express: http://youtube.com/ ; web