Musical Mania

So I was out of the Broadway loop for a few months, but I have jumped right back in of late. And given my tendencies towards doing things in the extreme, I of course have made it my goal to see basically every show I haven't seen and have interest in seeing.

So Trish and Keith (aunt and uncle) were in town a few weeks ago just to hang out and see a few shows. I went with them to see Curtains, with David Hyde Pierce (yes, the guy from Frasier) and Debra Monk (yes, George's mom on Grey's Anatomy. It was really fun, really entertaining, and basically an all-around good time. I recommend seeing it while they're still in it.

Two weeks ago I saw Spamalot, finally, as I've heard it's basically the funniest show ever. And it was basically a very true statement. I laughed until I thought I was going to pee my pants. And Kate and Cassie felt the same. It's absolutely hysterical, whether or not you've seen the Monty Python movie or even whether or not you thought it was funny. A must see.

Then last Sunday I went to (finally) see Avenue Q. I mean, seriously, it's a riot. And it's puppets, which, even though I knew beforehand, I was still a little skeptical about it, honestly. But I found myself actually watching the puppets rather than the people, which is clearly what you're supposed to do, but I was a bit surprised to see how well it worked. And who wouldn't love a show that includes songs like "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist," "If You Were Gay," "What Do You Do with a BA in English," and "I'm Not Wearing Underwear Today." Ahhh yes, what fun.

Then in a moment of intense spontaneity and impulsivity I got a text from Becca at 6:30 PM asking if I wanted to go to the dress rehearsal of Gypsy. With Patti Lupone. Who is basically amazing and one of the most talented Broadway performers of all time. As if there was any question of whether or not I would go. Thank you Becca for your appreciation of my insanity, er impulsivity. It was awesome. And I'm seeing it again next week, which is really when I was supposed to see it anyhow. But twice is even more excellent.

And then, as a great finale, I saw Spring Awakening. There are absolutely no words to describe how much I loved this show. We're talking *maybe* more than I love Jersey Boys. But in a totally different way, because this show is unlike anything I've ever seen. Now I understand why my friends who are Broadway nuts (Becca and Dani) have seen it at least 5 times. So ok, for those of you who don't know, this show won 7 Tonys. No one in the cast is over 20. It's basically about 8 teenagers coming-of-age in 1890's Germany. The time and locale are somewhat irrelevant, they just all have German names and it's clear they live in a very conservative and traditional society. But the themes and emotions and story is universal. My mouth was literally agape for almost the entire show, and I cried more than once. It is raw. It is real. And the music just shoots straight into your very core. The way they use light and movement and space is also interesting and unique. In short, I would see this show every week until it closes if I had the funds.

I love New York.