My Blog Has Abandonment Issues

Whoa.  Way to abandon a blog for two years sweetie!  That said, though I never stopped going to the theatre it has lessened due to a pesky thing called grad school sadly.  What happened then you may ask?  Well, new job for one which I've been in for about a year. AND occasionally gives me #jobperks such as tickets. 

I LOVE TICKETS.

So I'm wanting to get this going again, and we will have LOTS to talk about in 2016.  

First and foremost: Broadway in Chicago's 2016 Fall Season.  Oh hello.  I'm a subscriber again (or I will be on March 1st).  Yes, yes, Hamilton is on there BUT check out the rest of this line-up....

Photo from Broadway in Chicago

Hamilton

Aladdin

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Bodyguard

What do all these productions have in common?  To the best of my knowledge, they've never been to Chicago. Not to mention I think they're all relatively newer tours of shows. The whole reason I sadly left my perfectly picked out seats with BIC is the lack of rotation (or just plain dumb shows no one wanted to see).  But this? THIS is amazing and I could not be more excited. 

Hamilton - No-brainer. Can't get NYC tickets? Next best thing!

Aladdin - Disney musicals are either really good or really not-so-good. This one that I've heard so much about though I can't wait to see

Hedwig - Saw it with Neil Patrick Harris in NYC. AMAZING show. I can't wait to hear who the traveling Hedwig is. The best 90 minutes in theater.

Curious Incident of the Dog - Loved the book when it first came out and I was a Borders employee. The cast recording sounds great so I'm excited.

Bodyguard - The only one I'm skeptical about but in the end, it should be fun with good music.

What else is upcoming?  Well so far we're going to the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) Semifinals.  That's right.  Just like Pitch Perfect!

ScreenRant.com

Also, Matilda the Musical which I love that cast recording and am very much looking forward to that production.

Matilda the Musical

I'm sure there will be much, much more to come in 2016.  Anything else in the smaller theater world that you're seeing and keep staring longingly at the tickets on the fridge, wishing the day would get here sooner??

  

C2E2 2013

C2E2 Showroom Floor

Besides musicals  plays and the usual shows you see on blogs such as this, this couple has a wide variety of "shows" they enjoy!  For instance, concerts.  And this summer is going to be full of them it seems judging by the ever growing tickets on our refrigerator door.  Shows can be any variety of thing in my opinion....let's say museum exhibits?  A movie at the theater?  Or even....comic book conventions?  YES!  

That, and it's my blog and I'll do what I like.  So there.  

Loki says "sit the fuck down!"

In any case, probably never mentioned on here before is my love for comic books.  It started around 7th grade while the 90s X-Men the Animated series was on.  I fell in love with the character Rogue, followed by her on again/off again beau Gambit.  This was followed by finding a comic book store and discovering that my favorite characters were in book form?!  Amazing.  So began my comic book collecting - though ill-timed as the X-Men books at that period were going through the Age of Apocalypse arch - and for someone that just knew the animated series, I almost dropped the books altogether due to sheer confusion!

Insert "bigger on the inside joke" here.

Which brings us to today.  I still have the want for collecting as I did, but city living spaces and lack of expendable income at times has caused it to go to the wayside.  Not to mention, just the slim pickings there is in quality of books.  So currently my purchases are The Walking Dead and Saga monthly.  Others just get thrown in so I don't have to put only $4 on my debit card!  

The Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo is Chicago's answer for not having to go to the suburbs for a comic book convention.  We used to only have Wizard World in Rosemont, and that train ride is hell to say the least.  C2E2 has grown significantly in the past four years and resides in the city of Chicago, not 15 miles away in a 'burb!  I hadn't been since the first year it opened and have been dying to see what it's turned into.  That and it was announced that one of my all time favorite people, Felicia Day, was going to be in attendance!  Sold!  

Mama Wonder Woman and wee Huntress

I could go on and on about all the things I saw, the people I talked to, and the creativity that was witnessed over those Friday and Saturday afternoons.  It would be hard to choose.  Instead I will say, that as a nerd/geek/outcast/whatever, a comic book convention is more than about comic books.  If you like TV and movies, there's stuff for you.  Anime?  That too!  My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic?  All over the fucking place!!  There is an abundance of genres to choose from. 

My wife and I spent a lot of our time shopping for art for our new place in the Artists Alley.  We purchase two pieces, two I can't recall who they're done by but will post when they're framed and put up in the condo, and one by Karen Hallion, whom I've been desperately attempting to not buy everything she makes.  But seriously, when you combine Disney with Doctor Who, it's hard. We ended up going with this piece because I've always identified with Belle.  It's going to go in our bathroom with a couple of other classy, yet nerdy Doctor Who pieces (well that's the plan anyways - we still have to get in there and see how it all lays out!).

Cast of Firefly cosplay

Wil Wheaton wrote this great blog post about how comforting it is to be at a convention.  And it is so true.  It's a rare opportunity for everyone to be who they are (or in some cases who they wish they were!).  No one judges.  Seriously.  There are women who are wearing not much more than a leotard and tights, who would get the shit kicked out of them in school or on the street because they might be overweight, etc.  Instead, they get asked left and right for their picture to be taken!  And every convention I go to I'm amazed at the sheer amount of people in wheelchairs, or families with autistic children, and so on.  Basically, *everyone* is there to be themselves and not feel like the world is staring them down.  

TARDIS and Dalek cosplay

Several times throughout the weekend I choked up when I gazed around the floor at my fellow nerds.  They are all so talented, so imaginative, and most importantly so, SO loving.  It amazing and I would encourage anyone who's never been to a show such as this to try it - you might discover a movie you've never heard of, an author who's name you've heard of but never tried, or an artist as you're walking by their table and have the "I *have* to have that print!" thought.  That art may not stay with us forever (though I hope it does!) but the memories will.  And I already cannot wait until next year! 

C2E2 2013

Finally, we got to say "HELLO!"

If there has been one statement we've gotten a little tired of hearing it's been "you guys haven't seen Book of Mormon yet??".  No, no we haven't.  And for no particular reason really.  We had the money, we had the time since you had to buy the tickets about 6 months out, but we never got the motivation to just go buy them.  

Then one day Val's sister, who I think has never seen a musical in her life, got free tickets to see it in St Louis.  Then it got to the point of "well if she's seen it we have to go now!".  And I'm glad we did since I had just discovered the news that it was leaving Chicago soon.  So I went to the box office and scored two balcony seats within the next month by not being too picky and Val and I would have to sit one behind the other (which actually, the people next to me never showed so the second half we got to sit together!)

Now, onto the actual show.  Elder Price is usually played by Nic Rouleau, but like most matinees, we got the understudy of Stephen Mark Lukas.  I don't know of Rouleau and haven't heard anything fantastic about him as the Elder, but Lukas was not fantastic.  It took him a few beats to find the pitch.  His voice didn't make it through "I Believe".  And he was just dull.  Now, that being said, having not seen Mormon before this could be how they all act (dull, not off pitch) but I could have cared less about the character.

So Elder Cunningham helps the show out.  That's how it is?  The Elder Cunninghams in NYC and West End are usually the ones I hear about.  And now look at Josh Gad on TV!  In any case, this Cunningham was play by Ben Platt, who if you're a music nerd like us, you'll remember as the Star Wars nerd from the (amazingly funny) movie Pitch Perfect.  He played Cunningham as a bit mentally challenged it seemed.  He got a ton of laughs.  His voice, also not strong, but still better than Lukas'.  I think he did the character very well and it was nice to have someone that didn't sound exactly like the original cast recording.  

Now, having been listening to the cast recording for about two years now, and knowing every single line, I was set up for disappointment.  But I wasn't in the end.  It didn't blow me away at all, but it was one of the most highly entertaining shows I've ever seen.  Seeing it finally in person was even funnier than listening to the recording or watching clips from the Tony Awards.  The set was really detailed for a touring show, the costumes are basic though.  One thing that we both enjoyed is that every character plays several minor characters in the show.  I can only imagine the costume changes going on backstage during those times!  

Though we weren't impressed with Lucas, and I liked Platt while Val was meh about him, the one we both loved was the kid that played Elder McKinley, Pierce Cassedy.  He lit up the stage as the closeted gay Elder.  His singing was more decent than his cast mates.  And all around with his dancing and acting skills, he was a delight to watch.  Also, we want to now be BFF's with him.  I thought about asking when passing him in the theater hall with his Broadway Cares bucket.  

I'm SO happy we finally saw this show. There is nothing like looking over on a Sunday at 2pm and seeing 70 year old people laughing at jokes about clits being cut off, maggots in scrotum  and AIDS.  It's something I can't imagine ever experiencing again.  It's not a show you come out feeling renewed in humanity or found you learned a valuable lesson.  But in the end you laughed your ass off and it was worth it.  Don't go for amazing singing - go to have fun.  Because I was crying several times and I know every word to the music in this show.  They did a great job bringing these interesting characters to light for sure!

Streetcar leaves me to desire more...

This is going to be short because there isn't much to say really.  Sometimes shows that you had no expectation surprise you and other times they are just down right disappointing   

Sign outside Lyric Opera

We were able to take in Lyric Opera's very limited showing (only four total) of "Streetcar Named Desire" on Wednesday.  I've seen the movie, and it was pretty good, and Renee Fleming was playing the lead, so despite everything else going on we decided we couldn't pass this up. 

I suppose we could have though.  In short, Renee Fleming did not "wow" me the way that I expected.  I've never been able to see her live, though I've had many an album of hers that I listened to over and over again. As soon as she came out though, I was already a bit disappointed.  Were my expectations too high?  Perhaps.  But considering the hoop-la around this show and her, I think that's warranted.  

In short, Renee Fleming does not pull off a southern "voice" too well while being all operatic.  I was having flashbacks of Halle Berry playing Storm in the X-Men movies, and the viewer would raise an eyebrow on the occasional "oh that's right, I'm suppose to have an accent in this!" moment.  Or Renee is too classy a broad to pull it off!  The male lead, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, while nice to look at (bald, built, and tattoos!) made me cringe at several points.  I was excited when he walked out because he didn't seem the norm as far as opera singers, but again, left disappointed.  

The shining star in my opinion was Susanna Phillips playing Stella.  She was flawless, played the role well and I bought her as the character as opposed to the first two.  I wanted more of her instead of everyone else.  

In the end, I can now say "I saw Renee Fleming" but this show left me shrugging my shoulders and trying not to giggle at the "STELLA!!!" (sung, of course...) coming out of a bald man ripping his shirt off on stage.  Let's leave that to Marlon Brando, I think.

No more Mormon in Chicago?

Man, talk about right timing.  So the rumors are going this week Book of Mormon is about to be done with it's course here in Chicago.  THIS was a very well put together article in the Tribune today as to why they think so.  

I loved having Wicked in Chicago as a semi-permanent staple, but the really neat thing was hearing how many people knew someone actually in the show.  BoM is a touring show, so these people aren't Chicago actors.  

So I breathe a sigh of relief knowing my tickets are hanging on the refrigerator and will finally see it in a week.  It was a great gift for Chicago to get the extended run.  I'm also almost relived we're seeing it so we don't get asked why haven't we seen it yet??  I feel like I know the soundtrack so well already that I'm not going to LOVE it like I should but I have a bit of hope since I keep hearing how well Ben Platt is doing as the role of Elder Cunningham.  He did great on Pitch Perfect, so we shall see!  

But time for Book of Mormon to move on and something else to roll into the Bank of America theater!  

"A cock, in a frock, on a rock." - Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

So it has been FAR too long since this blog has been in action.  A year almost to the DAY.  No excuses!  We've seen some small productions but not too much of note lately, but I felt bad I hadn't even written about the smaller ones.  But no more!  We're back on the wagon!

 Sometimes you have shows that completely surprise you at how much you enjoy them.  In the past, shows that have done this for me have been Fela! and American Idiot.  Last night was another one of those shows.  

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was a movie (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) I had only seen once, but my wife adored   Without her, I probably wouldn't even know this movie.  I kept track of the musical when it came and went in 2011 on Broadway, although I noted and clapped for their Tony win in costume design, because WOW.  I considered seeing it when we were in NYC, but it just didn't thrill me enough to go.  

The view from the front row

So I had been tossing around the idea with my wife for the past couple of months about going, and I honestly don't think unless I had gotten a TravelZoo email about it, would I have made the trek downtown to a box office to buy tickets.  So I'm thankful something got us into gear.  And we scored on the tickets too.  Usually with these deals, you get tickets around $27 (add on the fees about $50) and *usually* they're in the balcony section or at best rear orchestra.  Well, I'm not sure if someone at TravelZoo screwed up or what, but I landed front row tickets for the discounted price!  

Front row was a great place to be for sight, not so much for sound.  For one, the "people" in front of you is the orchestra which can drown out the vocals sitting that close, and then the speakers projecting the performers mike's above your head and not point towards you.  But in this show, much like Hair, you know the songs, and the plot line is campy and not imperative to pay attention to.  We were however right in front of the confetti cannon.  You heard me:  CONFETTI CANNON.  

All-in-all Priscilla is a mesmerizing visual show.  The costume details were just phenomenal.  During the funeral scene at the beginning of the show, I have no idea what was going on with recently departed Trumpet, and instead was marveling at the different religions being shown through outfits, hats and umbrellas.  The Divas who came down from the rafters several times during the show were the strongest voices, in my (unprofessional) opinion.  I didn't care much for the vocals of Tick, Bernadette or Felecia, but then again, it's campy and about drag queens, so I'm ultimately not caring about this.  The drag queens I watch in Chicago's Boystown never sing period.  And who can forget the classic scene of Felicia on the high heel of the bus 'belting' "Sempre libera" from La traviata?  Perfection.

The ladies werking the lobby of the theater

The crowd was phenomenal!  It was the oddest split of gay men and the elderly - the latter being just there on their season ticket night we assumed, and wondering what is going on on stage.  When we arrived in the lobby, there was a group of drag queens posing for pictures with everyone.  Right before the show started, they came in, took off their wigs and sat down to raucous applause.  I assumed they were part of the Priscilla experience  but no, they were actually there to watch the show!  

In the end, this show made me laugh for over two hours - which was much needed as I had been sick and barely out of the house for the past two weeks.  As an artist the costumes just took my breath away, the LED lights "painting" the bus pink were a great touch, and the music along with the high energy of the performers made this show a delight.  I'm happy we ended up seeing this in the end, and would recommend it to anyone.  This touring show definitely shows some "hot stuff" on stage.

And with that, we're no longer subscribers

There was an amazing feeling I had when this current season was announced for Broadway in Chicago.  It was "we HAVE to see all these shows!"  And the most affordable rate was through becoming a subscriber.  So we finally did what I had always dreamed of, we bought our own seats.  I look at those seats now, and on first Saturdays of a show for 3 hours those seats are ours.  There's a wee bit of pride in helping out the arts when you think of that.  


But in the blink of reading an article, the decision was made to cancel those wonderful seats.  Seriously BIC, I'm starting to realize your ploy of grabbing money now.  


The line up for next season is as follows:
West Side Story
Love, Loss and What I Wore
Ann:  An Affectionate Portriat of Ann Richards
Memphis
Donny & Marie:  A Christmas in Chicago
La Cage Aux Folles
Come Fly Away
With off-season specials of:
Chicago
Mary Poppins
Rock of Ages 
Fiddler on the Roof
The Addams Family


In the season line up there are only two shows I want to see out of seven.  I think the Donny & Marie being forced in there is the kicker for me.  No thank you.  And Ann Richards?  That couldn't have been traded out for something else?  I think that Broadway in Chicago is just catering to their older clientele with half of this listing.  Who I'm sure pays the most in tickets, so who can blame them in the end.  


Then there's the weird off-season shows.  Four of the five have been here in the past two years already.  Addams Family bombed not in sales but in reviews, and now Bebe Newirth and Nathan Lane won't be in there.  Rock of Ages I just saw in October.  Fiddler, just here.  Mary Poppins, just here and extended it's stay.  And then there's Chicago, which is here for the first time in a bit.  Oh, but wait....only for ONE week.


So after one email to my wife with this list she sent back the "should we even bother" message.  My answer and she agrees is "NO".  We will spend our money buying better seats to West Side Story, La Cage Aux Folles and Chicago at least.  Maybe a Memphis or Mary Poppins if money and time allows.  


Also, this way we'll be able to hold on to more money for smaller theater shows going on around the city that are different and new.  With so many show touring across the nation and the world, we bring back things that we just had in our great city.  


I'm disappointed to say the least.  I really did feel prideful in those first Saturday seats.  And maybe others looked at last season and said "snore" while I jumped up and down.  And now this season they're happy.  


What do you guys think?  Do I have the wrong mind set?  Should we be able to trade out shows if there are some we absolutely do not want to see?

Looking Ahead: Broadway in Chicago's next season

As I continue through the past few weeks of Broadway in Chicago's current season on this blog, you'll begin to realize we didn't like as many shows as we've liked.  Or actually, that's basing it on loving Next to Normal in April - because they can't screw that up, right?  Eek!  


Considering the lack of thrill we've gotten from the offerings we're in the consideration process for next season, which should be announced here pretty soon.  We've had gut reactions and then some that we've come around to eventually.  In the end I think it's going to be the combination of the season package that will decide it for us.  


So here's what they're offering after this season, so far:


Beauty and the Beast

Now this has been announced forever, so I'm thinking it's just for the holiday tourist season and probably won't be part of our season tickets package.  I saw this back in.....wow....1996 I think, in London.  It was a birthday present from my grandmother.  I got all dressed up for the theater in London, took what at that time was one of my very few cab rides, and felt magical about to see my favorite Disney movie on stage in real life.  


Now this is one of my favorite shows to memory.  The song 'Home' is original to the show and one of the best songs.  The costumes were breathtaking and the songs sounded fantastic.  How many times have I seen this movie, and then this show makes me cry at the end!?  Crazy talk.  So in the end, this is one we might/might not pick up.  I would watch it again, but I'm not sure Val cares too much for it.  So check as "maybe" for now.


West Side Story

YES.  This is one that ever since we moved to Chicago that we've been saying "if that comes here, we're going to it", and then here it is.  I'm pleasantly surprised by the controversy of some of the lines being in Spanish.  Scandalousness!  Whatever.  People get over it, they were Puerto Ricans!  But whatever helps them sell tickets....anyways, this is a definite yes for our ticket holdings.








Love, Loss & What I Wore

First thought about title?  Straight chicks.  Then saw logo?  Straight chicks.  And then read the descriptions about women and their relationships etc....sounds a bit better, but I don't think I'm the audience they're trying to reach.  As a lesbian, who was always a tomboy anyways throughout life, I didn't have too much love and loss, and I care less about fashion!  For me it's tank tops and flip flops all the way!  So the verdict?  Pass.




Ann: An Affectionate Portrait of Ann Richards

As someone who grew up in Texas, I know who Ann Richards is.  Unlike the lady in the bathroom during Les Miserables when we were talking about next season ("WHO?!"  was the response I got upon telling her the show).  Now, don't get me wrong, Ann Richards was a great woman and a great asset to Texas at the time.  An entire show dedicated to her.  I'm on the fence about that one.






Memphis

2010 Tony Winner for best show.  The plot and such doesn't interest me much, but it's supposedly good?  Though in my opinion it was slim pickings for this years Tony's.  The song they play everywhere (I'm not sure the name) has that "Na na na na na na-na na" line in it that goes FOREVER.  If it's part of the package, sure why not?  If not, I don't know if I'll make an effort to see it.










Come Fly Away

*snore*














Have you seen any of these shows?  Love em or hate em?  Feedback before we throw down money is appreciated! :)

Working the Musical

 When we were debating the package deals for becoming subscribers with Broadway in Chicago, one thing that was making us hold off was this show.  What was it?  It sounds old.  Out of date I bet.  But Stephen Schwartz did the music.  Crud.  Fine.  We'll deal if we don't like it.

Also, I had no idea about the Broadway Playhouse Theater.  I read up about it and it sounded like a nice little theater right off the Magnificent Mile.  I got the CD from the library since it looked like all copies of it in any form of media had been discontinued.  And then I proceeded to NEVER listen to it.  And I'm so glad I didn't because this was a pleasant surprise from a show!

The tagline of Working is "The perfect musical for everyone who has ever worked a day in their lives".  And this is so true.  There are countless characters that are portrayed by the six actors on stage, beginning with someone everyone recognizes, the McDonald's clerk.

The premise of Working comes from the Pulitzer Prize winning author and Chicago radio broadcaster, Studs Terkel.  Back in the 1970's he asked many people one simple question:  "What kind of work do you do?"  The variety of answers make you feel happy for some, sad and shameful for others, but most importantly it makes you think about your own life, and your own job.  Does "work" mean just your job to you?  Or is there more to it than that?  I love how this show really touched me in numerous different ways.

Before the actual show though you have to take in the Broadway Playhouse Theater.  It's amazing.  I love smaller venues - sometimes the larger ones aren't so good for shows with spoken parts in them.  And sometimes the acoustics are even bad for music.  But here it was crystal clear.  The seats were comfy and the spacing was just right that there was no bobbing of heads this way and that to be able to see the scene taking place.  The set was fascinating to watch.  Yes, I said *watch*.  It was divided up into 6 cubes that showed the behind the scenes of the actors and actresses getting ready for the show.  Also, the person that does the audio for the beginning of the show was in plain sight and we got to hear her announcements to lights, sound and cast which was neat to me because I love seeing and hearing the stuff you don't normally get to.

The show was approximately 90 minutes long and no intermission.  Which was perfect.  It moved very quickly between the characters.  We saw a trucker.  We heard a hooker sing about how her life is.  A fireman in distress about what he sees day in and day out.  A housewife (which I cringed every time I heard this term, but it was done in the 80's) sang about how she has no friends and her life is dull and never for herself.  An older teacher that couldn't connect with her kids anymore - so she use to love teaching and now loathes it and it scared of her children.  A 19 year old graduate that has a fresh new business degree and thinks he's going to conquer the world - but we all know how that turns out for most of them!  One I really loved was the older waitress.  Picture that older lady that's in the diner you love - her attitude is always chipper, she's always prompt, she's seen it all in there, and nothing will get her down!  This was someone I think about when I enter a place like IHOP such as the Bagel or Melrose Diner here in Chicago.  How does she maintain that attitude?  I would HATE doing this and she looks content.  Oh, and this "older" lady, does the splits at the end.  She's that good of a waitress!

The cast was phenomenal to say the least.  Barbara Robertson, would played the parts such as the teacher and waitress, was a hoot and can play any age young or old!  E. Faye Butler can move and be sexy and belt out those numbers.  One of the most moving numbers was by Gene Weygandt, who Chicago remembers are the Wizard in Chicago's run of Wicked.  He played a retiree who most definitely was regretting the decision of quitting work, something we all supposedly long for one day.  Basically he lost his wife, his friends, and frankly his reason for living.  And then we all wanted to go visit our grandparents after that!  Amazing job.

To sum up, this is the show I could have cared less about and it's the one I've enjoyed from this season's run the most.  From the theater itself, the premise of it, the cast, and the way it still makes me think about it at least 3-4 times a week while I'm in my own job or observing the workings of others.  I hope this goes somewhere because with our economy and job losses lately, it is as relevant today as it was 24 years ago when it first hit Broadway.

Les Miserable (for the second and last time)

When Val and I first started dating, she treated me to Les Miserables at the Hobby Center for Performing Arts in Houston, Texas.  I was ecstatic.  This was a show I dreamed of seeing for ever and now I finally get to see it and how this moving circle thing with people walking on it works....


I also didn't know and/or realize this would be the beginning of a long, long list of shows that Val and I would end up seeing in our lives together.  


Now back in Houston I left feeling, in a word, "meh" about the whole experience.  But then again, I've hated the acoustics in that theater (don't get me started about the 2nd time I saw Rent and couldn't even hear the first act) so I wasn't surprised.  


So when we heard that Les Mis was coming to Chicago, we bought the season ticket package and were off!  It was the first show of the new season!

this was taken leaving Wicked 2 months before

So we were off with some high hopes of seeing this epic show in a new light.  I read about how it's been redone for the 25th Anniversary.  The turning center of the stage is gone.  There's new stage scenery and some new technology?  I'm interested!


Unfortunately though, we left with the same "meh" feeling once more.  I think that was the last chance I'm giving Les Miserables on stage.  Though the music continues to move me.  I think we just haven't seen any strong individuals in this show.  No one's voice is carrying the way that they use to in the Les Mis shows of old (and on CDs) so our expectations are high.  As an ensemble though the weight that the songs have is amazing.  

Luckily we knew the lyrics because some of them ended up getting lost for whatever reason.  Muffled sounds.  So weird in such a great theater!  Valjean was just a loud singer.  Nothing to write home about.  Fantine made me cringe at times.  Éponine was actually one of my favorites. And then later on the train ride home we had a laugh about how the auditions must be for Young Cossette.  The child's voice almost sounds recorded because no matter what production you're seeing 'Castle on a Cloud' sounds *exactly* the same!  


The changes I happened to like while Val did not.  The lack of the moving stage didn't bother me too much.  Now there's a screen behind them showing a road (or sewer etc) and the perception of it makes it seem like they're actually moving.  The sewer scene made me slightly nauseous even with how it made my sense feel like I was watching a movie!  Also, *SPOILER ALERT* for the death of Javier, that was much better than the actor jumping off the "bridge" and down the stage hole below.  He is now hoisted and hovers flailing his arms and legs while the scene moves behind him quickly giving the illusion of falling down.  It was beautiful (I guess as suicide can be?) and that image has still stuck with me.  


Also of course, the epic battle scene (or as I like to call it "EVERYONE DIES!!!").  They really make you feel like you're behind the barricade with them.  Feel every loud gun shot and feel for every fallen solider.  

All-in-all I'm very happy we tried again.  Oddly enough though the new Les Miserables in Concert was on WTTW when we got home off the train and we ended up watching most of that for the rest of the evening.  Now THAT is what the singing in our show should have sounded like!!  Besides Nick Jonas that is.  Talk about one of these things is not like the other.  His voice does NOT carry with the power in everyone else's.  Kinda feel for the guy.....


What are your experiences with Les Miserables?  Have you seen the updated version?  Like it or loathe it?