Hello. The sky is falling. Bob Dylan has a Broadway musical, The Times They Are A-Changin’–a new Broadway musical conceived, directed and choreographed by Twila Tharp and set to the music and lyrics of Dylan.
And I have a new headache.
Previews begin September 25, 2006.
Carry on.
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I’m watching the Tony Awards right now and right now is a number from The Wedding Singer musical. IT IS TOTALLY GIVING ME AN ULCER. I’m embarrassed for America that such a thing exists. Oh, and why does Molly Ringwald have a lazy eye?
Sweeny Todd number made me realize I will never really “get” Sondheim.
I did however really love the Drowsy Chaperone number… and Alan Cumming Threepenny Opera -ing with his Scottish accent. Swuuueeeet.
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Ok so there were a few other things I’ve done in the last few days that I would like to mention right now.
I got a chance to go see the new play by Adam Rapp, Red Light Winter, at the Barrow Street Theater on Friday. As you may already know, I was a huge theater geek when I was a teenager, so I was trilled to get a chance to see a new stage show that didn’t involve a vague story being drawn around some 80s pop songs.
The play is basically about two college friend who spend a night in Amsterdam and bring a mysterious young prostitute back to their hotel room. A year later their paths cross again in New York, and drama ensues. It had a sold-out run at Chicago’s esteemed Steppenwolf Theater.
One of the things I didn’t realize about this play was that there’s FULL NUDITY (both male and female) in it, so if you were planning on bringing the folks to the show, you might want to think twice about it.
The dialogue can be very wordy at times (and a little hard to believe someone would say in real life), but all in all I did find the play stuck with me, even now, a few days after I’d seen it. It touches upon the themes of disillusioned (or imagined) love, poisonous relationships, and emotional cruelty that people inflict upon each other.
The ending is a little predictable and the character of Christina was kinda “eh”, but Christopher Denham‘s performance as the shy and socially uncomfortable Matt is strong and will eerily remind you of someone you know or went to high school with, as it did with me and my guest.
If you’re interested in checking the play out for yourself, head here and use the code “RW2BLOG” to get a discount of $15 off each ticket up to 8 for performances up until May 13, 2006.
WATCH: “Red Light Winter” trailer
Speaking of Adam Rapp, did you know his brother is none other than the Pale One himself, Mr. Anthony Rapp of RENT fame? Tonight marked the celebration of the 10-year anniversary of RENT being on Broadway!!
True to the RENT line/lottery tradition, there was a lottery held for $20 tickets in the first few rows and American Idol alums Frenchie and Constantine picked out the names one by one and shouted them out using bullhorns and they ended up giving away more than the advertised 34 tickets to the benefit show.
The original Broadway cast (including Rapp, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Idina Menzel, and Taye Diggs) re-created their roles in tonight’s show. The afterparty was held at Cipriani’s on 42nd Street with celebs like uh…Joey Fatone and Luke Perry coming out to show their support.
The also have a RENT podcast you can download or subscribe to on iTunes.
As you may remember, I flipped out when I got a chance to go to the RENT movie premiere last year. Yup, I’m officially having the gayest week ever.
I also want to mention that I went to see everyone’s favorite sleepy Britrockers, Elbow, at Webster Hall last Thursday. There was one completely AMAZING new song they played (Rachel thought it was called “McGregor”?) that seriously had me crapping my pants. Anyone have a live recording of that song? I found it so powerful and moving with its ominous drum beats and soaring Guy Garvey vocals. Beauuuutiful.
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April 23, 2006 will mark the 10th year anniversary of “RENT” on Broadway–which makes me feel really old. In honor of that I dug out some really old tape bootlegs of the original New York Theater Workshop version of “RENT”, hooked them up to my new analog output adapter and made some crappy mp3 versions of some of the “lost” songs from the show. My original tape wasn’t of the highest quality, so neither are these mp3s, but if you are a fan of the show and you haven’t heard these before I’m sure you will get a kick out of ‘em.
The song “Right Brain” has the same melody as “One Song Glory” but the lyrics aren’t nearly as developed. I think you’ll see why Jonathan Larson decided to do a re-write on them. Tony Hoylen plays Roger.
The other song I have is called “Over It.” It’s a duet between Mark and Maureen discussing their relationship but it seems as though it was cut out of the show in favor of “Tango Maureen” between Mark and Joanne. It’s a pretty funny song. You can hear original Broadway cast member Anthony Rapp as Mark and Sarah Knowlton as Maureen.
DOWNLOAD: “Right Brain” from the NYTW version of RENT
DOWNLOAD: “Over It” from the NYTW version of RENT
NOTE: These mp3s are strictly for promotional purposes. If you need me to take them off for some kind of legal reason, please contact me.
Catch more lame “RENT” stuff I wrote about here and here.
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As you guys know, I love RENT despite it’s immensely hokey nature, bad acting (thanks Adam), and ridiculous premise. But check out this article by Jesse McKinley in the New York Times which touches upon some interesting ideas: Does RENT make you angry when you see the outside of Horseshoe Bar on 7th and B masquerading for the “Life Cafe”…which is a real place that is across the park on B and 10th? Why ISN’T there a subway station on the corner of Tompkins Square Park? Do RENTheads make the pilgrimage to the Life Cafe? Would real eVillage barflys see the glossy version of their neighborhood on the big screen? Etc.
Oh, and here’s a very grainy camera phone picture that I took when S.G. and I were walking past Horseshoe Bar while they were filming the exterior RENT shot on March 10, 2005.
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Tonight I went to the 12 midnight showing of RENT. Yes, that makes this the 2nd time I’ve seen this movie in one week. The first time was at the world premiere.
But this time was just as fun. It was great to see it with such a responsive crowd. The most fun thing was seeing all the young teenage kids dressed up as the movie characters and/or decked out in RENT paraphernalia and homemade tshirts. And you can imagine the pandemonium that erupted when original cast member Anthony Rapp and newbie Tracie Thoms ran into the theater right before the film started.
Oh and totally unrelated, I saw Mercedes from “America’s Next Top Model” Cycle 2 at dinner.
Hooray geekdom! I’m so retarded tired.
UPDATE: The NY Times gave the movie a positive review. In addition to “RENT,” I’ve seen Walk the Line and “Jesus Is Magic” in the theater. Walk the Line, performances are better than the movie itself, which can be hokey, over-the-top and hard to believe through many portions of the movie, if not the whole thing. “Jesus Is Magic”…apparently I’m not really into Sarah Silverman’s comedy because I didn’t think it was as funny as I had anticipated.
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As you may already know, I LOVE RENT! Like, a lot. Through the kindness of a really sweet person, I was fortunate enough to attend the world premiere of the movie at the Ziegfeld Theater tonight and the after party at Roseland.
I was a little nervous about seeing the movie because I’m such a HUGE fan of the stage musical, but I have to say I was not disappointed. I loved it. There were some great moments that Rentheads will really get a kick out of. I was so happy during the whole film. I’m not sure if it’s for everyone, but I adored it and I’m seeing it again next week at the midnight showing on the 22nd. Ok, are you now embarrassed for me? Sorry! I just have to geek out on this.
My favorite moment was during “What You Own” when they show Roger in Santa Fe. It’s amazing because it looks like they switched the real footage with outtakes from a Creed “With Arms Wide Open” and/or Britney Spears “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” video (above). Yessssss!
At the premiere I saw Sarah Silverman (who has a small but hilarious role in the film), Little Steven, Joey “‘Nsync” Fatone (Who has been “Mark Cohen” in the Bway production), the dude who played “Will” on Alias, and of course the movie cast, Adam Pascal, Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel, Wilson J. Heredia, Jesse L. Martin, Rosario Dawson, Tracie Thoms, etc. But I was most shocked when I saw noneother than the original stage “Joanne,” Fredi Walker!!!!!! That was the best.
During the actual screening of the movie, the cast, director, and family of Jonathan Larson were announced and made to show themselves. When the “new kids” Rosario and Tracie were called, they both stood up and whooped at each other and pointed back and forth, as if to say “no YOU are the best!” “no no, YOU are the best!” It was cute when Wilson and Taye were standing up and they kept pointing at one another as well.
The afterparty was a fancy event. There was a full catered dinner buffet and open bar. Roseland was decorated with “trash” and flyers and other assorted “RENT-type” decorations like broken TVs, wires, flaming trash cans, etc. There was even a “street musician” positioned downstairs by the bathrooms and coat check. All around the place were projections of stills from the movie, and also of the RENT logo and sayings like “Leap of Faith.”
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Adam Pascal sang one of the songs heard on the Macy*s Fourth of July Fireworks special. It was called “They Will Lead.” It was totally gay.
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Return of the Rock Festival.
Aaron Sorkin off “West Wing.”
Former Stuff editor still needs a date.
Tony Kushner marries. His turn-ons include perfect grammar and looking exactly like Tony Kushner. Mozal tov!
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MTV is so lame sometimes. Like their new Handpicked album. Coldplay “Yellow,” Travis “Sing”… Five for Fighting, Yorn, Adams. Oyyyyyy… But we like the picture they put up on their website of good ol’ CP.
Which brings us to something more enjoyable. MTV2 premiere Thursday- KYLIE MINOGUE. Gentlemen, start your engines.
I missed Ewan on the Golden Globes. Ooops. And Russell Crowe just THANKED Anthony Rapp in his speech. First Adam on the Mandy Moore diary… now Anthony. Ok. Whatever. Apparently Anthony is doing some stuff with the Japanese cast of Rent… Yeah… I don’t get it either.. Go to his site to figure it out.
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