What I'm Loving...

1. Music that reminds me of Home:

My Little Girl in Tennessee from Chris Thile & Michael Daves on Vimeo.

2.  Exotic Prints! AKA the Inspiration for my Summer Uniform

by Andrew Yee

This summer I'm gonna be rocking lots of safari-inspired bright colors and prints. The great thing is I got most of my new summer stuff at Forever 21. With dresses priced as low as $13.50 you can totally buy into the trends and go for it. Here's a couple of things I got: 

Bethenny Ever After

3. I like the occasional reality show but I'm no reality-obsessed-I'll-watch-any-Kardashian-you-throw-at-me type. But I am seriously loving "Bethenny Ever After"--a show that chronicles the work/family/skatingwiththestars balance of a hilarious New Yorker named Bethenny Frankel. Frankel is actually pretty fascinating-even on paper-she is a chef who started her own "Skinny Girl" brand, was a contestant on the Apprentice, was a cast member on "Housewives of New York" (even though she wasn't married) and now has her own show. As you can see from the photo, she and her husband don't take themselves too seriously. Check this show out on Monday nights on Bravo.

Country Club Plaza

4. Kansas City! I visited my parents in their new city and I loved it. Who knew that a city in the dead center of the country could have so much to offer? Delicious food--BBQ is KC's speciality--at Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbeque, tons of great shopping at Zona Rosa and the Country Club Plaza, as well as lots of museums, professional sports, and theatre (though we didn't get there in my 72-hour trip). I really can't wait to get back to this fun city.


So what are YOU loving?

4 Shows I Want to See on Broadway this summer (and how you can get cheap tickets to all of them!)

 I am without a doubt beyoooond stoked to be returning to the Big Apple for the summer months. I landed an amazing sublet with some southern musical theatre actress girls. (Seriously? What are the odds?) And I've got some work stuff cooking that is really exciting to me. Plus now my favorite dude lives there and is always up for an adventure and that just gives me so much to look forward to!!

One thing I love about having lived in New York here and there is that I've become a source for show advice for some people who don't get to travel to the concrete jungle  too often. I also got to recommend shows to people when I worked at TKTS! So, today I thought I'd share the 4 shows I'm most looking forward to seeing when I get back to New York. Make no mistake, I'll be seeing more than only these four--but these will take priority. And I'll tell you why!

1.  The revival of Cole Porter's ANYTHING GOES
I love a good classic and Sutton Foster has never disappointed me on stage. I saw her in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN and SHREK: THE MUSICAL and she has incredible subtle comedic timing, chops that ring like a bell, and effortless tap dancing. In addition, I would love to have seen Patti LuPone play the iconic Reno Sweeney in 1988 but alas I was 3. I recognize that Sutton Foster is a legend in her prime and I think any artist, patron, American owes it to himself/herself to see her perform! She really is gracious to keep doing it and not abandon us for a film career. PLUS, the title number has some of the most genius lyrics in all of musical theatre. See here!


2. HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING 
Like any of you I had my doubts about Harry Potter playing a role that required triple threat prowess but the reviews are in and Radcliffe has delighted audiences. I also can't help but love the fact that he is a 21-year-old superstar kazillionaire who isn't too good for Broadway. Radcliffe did some mad work learning how to dance and sing--a year of consistent training. I respect that he didn't just slide by on his name (or face I guess) but that he did the work. He knew audiences would come whether he was bad or good but he wanted to be good. So he worked. That's an applicable lesson, yall.

3. JERUSALEM
More than any other show, maybe ever, I have heard RAVE reviews of Mark Rylance's performance in Jerusalem--from patrons who really go see theatre and know good acting. Word on the street is that Rylance's performance is transcendent and simply remarkable. He played the lead in its previous production on the West End and it's now transferred to Broadway. In addition I wanted to see Rylance in last fall's La Bete but didn't get the opportunity before it closed. I've heard that Rylance is "the actor of our time" and I've just gotta see that.








4. WAR HORSE
Once I was in a show in which 75% of my job was operating a remote controlled mouth for a guy wearing a bear suit. Ever since then (and before) puppets (and remote controlled bear mouths) were not my thing--until I saw this. These two guys from South Africa have made puppets that really, REALLY feel like actual living, breathing animals. Again, a transfer from the West End in London, this show has received tons of buzz and fascinates me from the outset. It is about a boy and his beloved horse who is sent off to the Great War in the early 20th century. Between the incredible puppetry, the rave reviews, and the story with heart I'm sold. I want to see this show.

In closing, I would like to point out that 2 of the 4 shows I want to see are plays. Look ma, I'm branching! I also want to point you towards some discount ticketing options for these Broadway productions. When I'm evangelizing to non-theatre-types about Broadway their first response 9 times out of 10 is that it is too expensive. Well, you guys just don't know where to look! Check it out:

ANYTHING GOES
General Rush: $30 - limited number of tickets available when the box office opens. Subject to availability. Limit 2 per person.
Student Rush: Limited number of half-price seats sold beginning three hours before curtain. Subject to availability. Limit 1 per valid ID.
Hiptix: $21.50 - Roundabout's Hiptix program allows registered patrons between ages 18 and 35 to purchase 1 pair of tickets per production at this price. Info at: http://hiptix.com/

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING
General Rush: $30 - tickets available on day of performance when box office opens. Limit 2 per customer.


JERUSALEM
General Rush: $26.50 - available on a first come, first served basis for day of performance when the box office opens. There is a limit of two tickets per customer.

WAR HORSE
Student Rush: $30 - Lincoln Center Theater offers $30 student rush tickets beginning two hours before a performance at the box office (subject to availability). Student rush tickets are limited to one ticket per performance and you must show a valid college/university ID to purchase a ticket. Not all performances have student rush tickets.

Even if you are not able to get to Broadway this summer, many touring productions have discounts and rush tickets as well. And when in doubt, support your local theatre!

It's a new dawn! it's a new day! it's a new blog!

*This post has nothing to do w/ LG. I just found "Pt. 2" apropos.

 So, I turned 26 last week.

That puts me closer to 30 than 20.

I think it’s time for a change of pace with this blog.

I got a new address because, well, I guess I just want to make it a little bit more difficult for people to find the things I was musing about, say, 6 years ago. There’s nothing wrong with that, right?

I’ve been thinking a lot about what the point of this should be. I still like the name. I still certainly like to write, and I still like to connect with my homies out there.

The point of this blog used to be “write about the deep thoughts you’re thinking and update the people on what’s going on.” But lately (with the advent of falling in love and all o dat) those things have become really delicate. And I’m not sure I want to lay these things out in this kind of forum...at least not yet.

So I thought about doing away with the whole “blog” idea and just doing Twitter. But then I thought “NO!” I love having this outlet because sometimes my thoughts are more detailed than 140 characters. #truth

I’m going to attempt to blog more regularly—maybe less frequently than I have in the past but more regularly. I’m thinking I’ll give the “update” type of reports every month or so and keep most of my writing topical. Anyway, WHO CARES about my game plan? Let’s talk about moving past—a couple of years past—the “early 20’s.”

**********

Nobody ever told me how weird the 20’s would be. Back where I come from (hey yall!) you graduate high school, you go to college, you get married, and you have some kids. For those of us who took a different path, there was no model. All of my life I was a “student” and then one day I woke up and I was a ______. (The case of the missing identity!) It’s been a process of putting one foot in  front of the other and figuring it out. When I finished college at 22 I embarked on this journey that I really couldn’t have planned or foreseen. I’ve been blessed to live in a few different places, work creatively, and meet people who have changed the way I saw the world. I discount none of that.

I spent my 26^th year performing at a dinner theatre, traveling to Europe, making final memories with my Grandfather, working in a Broadway producer’s office, and meeting my love.

What a year!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 26 years (I know, I know, in the grand scheme of things I’m practically a fetus) it is this:

Live. BOLDLY.

Whether or not we grasp it, we only get one shot at life. 6 of my 10 years in my 20’s are DONE. What will I do with the next 4?

Life is both too short and too long to live in fear. We must take chances. We must find out what makes our heart skip a beat. And we must, LIVE.

One great thing about words is that they outlast us. So let’s be purposeful about this:

I want to live a life that reminds people that God loves us. I want to take nothing for granted and be fully present. I want to be an active participant during my time on earth and not someone on a couch watching someone else’s reality show.

Life has got to be lived, that’s all there is to it. –Eleanor Roosevelt

Many thanks for making the trek to the new blog,

Hilary