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lewovo-poto · 3 months ago

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1988 Phantom of the Opera (Partial) Viewing Experience at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. July, 2024

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After learning that it’s possible to make appointments at the NY Library Archive and that they allow viewing of all closed Broadway official recordings for research purposes, I happily booked an appointment. But because I was rushing after watching Cat the Jellicle Ball in the afternoon (great show btw!) and got lost and took the wrong subway, I arrived after 5 PM, and the archive closes at 6 PM. This meant I couldn’t finish watching, so I knew I'd have to come back next time. The archive staff checked my bag and allowed me to bring in paper, a pen, and my phone.

I realized I didn’t have much time, so I thought I’d focus on the key parts. But then, disaster struck again—the computer was about as old as I am, and even my elementary school computer was more advanced. The interface was really difficult to use, and I didn’t really know how to fast-forward or rewind properly, so after wasting 10 minutes, I gave up and decided to just watch it as it was. 😂

(Sorry for any grammar mistakes, English is not my first language)

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**1988 Phantom Review**

The opening captured the surrounding audience, since this was a performance with a live audience. The video quality was average, but if AI restoration becomes possible someday, that would be great. It wasn’t bad, just the typical quality you'd expect from the 1980s.

The Overture was particularly intriguing. I had read in other reviews that there was a female voice, so I was curious, and it turned out there really was a soprano singing along with the Overture, with an “ah—” as the chandelier slowly rose. It sounded quite Gothic. (I wonder when this was introduced and when it was discontinued, as I’ve never heard this version before. It must have been used for a very short period.)

Sarah danced throughout, but there was a moment where she seemed a bit confused, though she quickly resumed dancing normally. After the first part of Hannibal, Carlotta practiced her voice while the old manager introduced everything with a cheerful and enthusiastic tone, rather than the usual tired one (I couldn’t tell if this was because someone else was taking over this mess of a theater or if it was just his naturally cheerful demeanor lol). The conductor squatted down with the sheet music, communicating with the orchestra while waving his arms. I have to say, the immersive experience of the Bucket Show was quite something.

During the iconic “He’s there, the Phantom of the Opera!” line, a male voice also shouted, “There’s a ghost!” Huh?? I hadn’t noticed that before. It seems that the original cast of the Broadway production used British accents (even though most of them, except MC and Sarah, should have been American).

Carlotta looked so small compared to the manager, haha. After getting angry, she said “Ubaldo, Andiamo” in a very deep voice, which I think was the first time I heard that line delivered in a lower register.

Madame Giry asked, “Will the Viscount be at tonight’s performance?” and the manager replied, “Of course, he’ll be in our box.” I don’t think these lines are in the current production anymore; at least, they weren’t in the 25th-anniversary performance.

TOM:

Sarah was so skinny! She really was the wide-eyed ingénue type, with her large eyes. Her dress seemed more teal than green. She wasn’t the lively, bouncy type, but rather, every movement was slow and gentle, and her voice is with lots of vibrato.

Steve Barton’s loud “BRAVO” during the recollection scene was followed by soft, broken out sentences full of laughter, making it seem like he was lost in a beautiful memory.

After TOM, Sarah kept talking and nodding with the conductor, probably reviewing the performance. When MC’s “Bravi” came out, Sarah fell into deep thought until Meg came over and startled her. Meg was super cute, and Sarah’s Christine maintained a frozen, pensive expression while talking to Meg, not really happy until she sang “Angel of Music, guide and guardian, grant to me your glory!” and finally smiled. When Madame Giry said, “Come and practice,” it sounded like there was a male voice saying “Asshole” (though I didn’t see this in anyone else’s report, so it might have been me lacking sleep and hallucinated, or perhaps a spectator’s accidental comment was recorded).

Steve Barton is truly the best Raoul, bars none! He exudes both gentleness and elegance, while his voice carries the excitement and joy of someone who has just fallen in love. When he sees Christine, his face lights up with a smile, and when he says "SOAKED to the skin" to her, he really emphasizes the word "SOAKED" with a pause. Similarly, when he says "Little Lottie," he pronounces it pointedly, like "Li—ttle Lo—ttie," as if savoring the name with each syllable. Sarah’s Christine is also very happy to see Raoul, but when she mentions the Angel, her expression turns pensive and melancholy again. Christine initially declines the dinner invitation, but when Raoul says, "No no, you must change, 2 mins, MY little Lottie" (“MY"!), Sarah’s Christine ends up smiling and looking amused. Because of this, it doesn’t seem like Raoul is being overbearing; it feels like, for a brief moment, the two of them have mutually agreed to go to dinner. It’s only after Raoul turns away that Christine realizes, "Oh no, I can’t go—everything has changed." (Could be me reading too much into it)

When Sarah's Christine first heard MC’s Phantom, she wasn’t scared—it was just… a normal expression when Sarah's Christine thought of the Phantom, the pensive kind, until the “enter at last, master” line when she smiled. MC’s Phantom in the mirror was really… creepy, especially with the makeup and lighting.

(At this point, my notes became too messy to decipher… I was probably too excited at the time.)

Title Song:

During the boat scene, Christine looked very happy, while the Phantom leaned slightly as if about to touch Christine’s face (probably during the “Where night is blind” line).

MOTN:

MC’s Phantom had noticeable… eye bags, lol. MC’s rendition of MOTN felt like a lullaby, but with a Gothic allure. The body language was similar to Sarah’s TOM, with every movement slow and deliberate, very graceful (maybe due to the original stage direction by Gillian Lynne). Sarah's Christine looked somewhat hypnotized. During “Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light,” MC’s Phantom’s fingers almost touched Sarah’s face, coming close to a kiss before pulling away. MC’s “Soar” & “Be” was super long and well-sung. Another part I liked was when, possibly due to the height difference, MC’s Phantom slightly hunched over during “Floating, falling,” making him look extra creepy. It also felt like, after maintaining such an elegant demeanor for so long, MC’s Phantom was finally losing some composure as he got closer to Christine. During “The music that I write,” MC’s voice was particularly seductive, and his lower register was impressive.

Since this was the Broadway version, when Christine was Christine ightened and fainted, the Phantom didn’t carry her. MC’s Phantom looked more like he was in a composed shock—surprised but not panicked, and he gently covered Christine with the cloak. The monkey music box didn’t work well in this performance, lol, as it didn’t play any music (even in the official recording, lol).

When Sarah's Christine woke up, she wasn’t the playful, cute, and mischievous type (like Sierra in 25th Anniversary, and many others). Sarah's Christine looked curious but also more anxious, as if she was unease waking up in a strange environment, which is honestly a very logical reaction after woke up at a strange place, and quite Leroux. When she sang “who’s the face in the mask,” her face showed more fear (though, speaking of which, while its believable for Sarah’s Christine to act anxious when woke up, it’s a bit unbelievable that Sarah's Christine, who seemed so uneasy and scared, would dare to remove the Phantom’s mask. I think I prefer a more playful Christine but that’s more of a personal preference).

After revealing the mask, Sarah's Christine cried and wailed a lot (she seemed very scared, poor girl). MC’s Phantom… my notes got messy again here (probably because I was too excited), but the dialogue used “vixen” instead of “viper.” MC’s Phantom also cried and groaned in pain, crawling toward Christine. I remember he turned his face toward Christine without covering it (though it was hard to see the disfigurement makeup in the dark), reaching out his arm, pleading, and letting out a super sad, sobbing “Oh Christine…” After getting the mask back, MC’s Phantom reached out as if to caress Christine’s face but switched to using his wrist at the last second.

In the Magical Lasso scene, there was a brief glimpse of the Phantom and C. The original Broadway Madame Giry really had a strong witch-like aura, haha.

Then I fast-forwarded because the library was about to close. I remember Sarah’s Christine as the Page Boy was *super* cute. Honestly, that was probably the cutest and most lively I saw Sarah's Christine. Then I fast-forwarded to the rooftop scene, where Sarah’s Christine had her usual fearful attitude toward the Phantom. When singing “So distorted, deformed,” her face seemed to show… a look of disgust (oh nooooo!). But when she sang “in that night, there was music in my mind,” she smiled again. She’s truly a Christine who’s more in love with the Voice... Then the staff had finished clearing the other tables, so I also got up to leave. Through fast-forwarding, it seems like Christine and Raoul had lots of hugs and such. I really hope I can go to NY on a business trip again soon and have time to visit the library to watch the official recording! Next time, I hope I can take my time and enjoy it slowly from start to finish.

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**Personal Reflections**:

Steve Barton needs no further discussion—eternally the best! I've always thought of him as the steady, noble, and gentle Prince Charming type of Raoul. After watching (a portion of) the official recording, I realized that Barton’s Raoul also has a very lively and passionate side, full of the excitement of a young man in love. His voice is full of teasing warmth, especially when he first encounters Christine. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see much of the rooftop scene, but he seems to exude gentleness. In summary, he's a perfect Raoul!

As for Sarah's Christine... uh, well, I have mixed feelings. I've heard others praise Sarah, saying she has a very classical Gothic 19th-century vibe, so my expectations were quite high. I was imagining a mysterious woman with her head in the clouds. Of course, there are also criticisms of her acting, saying it's somewhat lacking (I shall never forgot that one critic was like “She can’t act scared in NY subway at 3am” or something, which is quite mean). After watching this segment of the official recording, I feel... there were some elements in both? She is indeed a graceful, intellectual Christine, with many secrets buried deep in her heart. Her facial expressions seem fine to me, mostly seem pensive and wistful, definitely able to act scared and unsettled. Maybe it's because her Christine always seems deeply burdened, so her expressions often appear serious. But when it comes to her interactions with the Phantom... it feels like her Christine doesn't really love him. Christine only seems truly happy when the Phantom is acting as her Angel of Music or when he has her completely under his spell, but once the Angel leaves or when she's not controlled by the music, Christine immediately returns to reality, filled with unease. Also, during the rooftop scene when describing the Phantom's face, Sarah's Christine actually shows disgust, which really shocked me because I usually see this moment as one of fright (at the Phantom's actions and ferocity) rather than revulsion at his face. So, it's hard to judge—paired with Barton's flawless Raoul, it feels like Sarah’s Christine would be very willing to leave the Phantom. She does give off Leroux Christine’s melancholy and pensive energy——a woman with many secrets, and I really like that about her.

MC’s Phantom—it's a pity I couldn't see the later scenes where the Phantom truly lets loose and explodes. However, from the parts I did see, MC's Phantom is a very classic Gothic "monster." His movements are slow and graceful, yet strangely seductive, and at the same time, quite creepy, especially with the makeup and lighting. His voice is very controlled—except when he's too close to Christine or when his mask is removed, he generally seems like a Phantom who is mostly in strict control of himself. He's very restrained, always keeping his movements and interactions with Christine just on the edge of touching, almost kissing, but then pulls back at the last second (which aligns with the original choreography and the director's intent to express suppressed desire). His anger, perhaps due to the nature of his voice, isn't one of raging madness but more of sadness followed by painful wails, full of pleading. His control over his voice and how he used that to convey emotions is just so captivating and heartbreaking. Oh, how I wish I could see MC's final lair scene, as MC's Phantom is really one who is very composed and elegant most of the time (honestly, it’s more like the Phantom in Kay's novel—one can understand how the old-school Phantoms influenced Susan Kay's inspiration). And I really want to see MC's Phantom with other Christines, like Dale Kristien. I know she’s one of the most supportive of the Erik/Christine relationship and is a fan of MC. I'm very curious how MC and she would perform together.

#poto #phantom of the opera #christine daae #raoul de chagny #erik the phantom #the phantom of the opera #sarah brightman #michael crawford #steve barton #tbh now that I saw 1990 LA bootleg of MC I gotta say his final lair doesn’t disappoint #so much wailing and crying he’s breaking down #the way his voice was void of emotion after being kissed then gradually can’t hold back anymore #amazing #now I really want to see how he acts against Sarah and Steve in final lair

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white-cat-of-doom · 1 year ago

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Ian McKellen has come to the defense of CATS (2019), and the musical in general, with a concise assessment:

“If you think the film got bad reviews, you should have seen the reviews for the stage show!”

For the majority of the article (or everything pertaining to CATS):

Sir Ian McKellen has reflected on the critical mauling of Cats in a new interview with Attitude.

The acting legend, who plays a theatre reviewer in his upcoming movie The Critic, starred in Cats alongside the likes of Dame Judi Dench and Taylor Swift.

The star played the role of Gus: The Theatre cat in the Tom Hooper-directed flop, which received universally negative reviews.

“I have to temper what I say about Cats,” McKellen told us of the furore four years later.

“When I saw it in the theatre, directed by a good friend of mine, in its previews. I was sat next to the most powerful man in American theatre, who was wondering whether to bring the show to Broadway. Of course, it broke every record.

“At the interval, he said: ‘I don’t think Broadway would accept amateur British attitudes to singing and dancing.’ Almost every critic agreed. If you think the film got bad reviews, you should have seen the reviews for the stage show! His eight-year-old niece on the other side of him said [imitates a New York accent]: ‘I loved it!'”

He went on: “When critics are clearly at odds with the public… A show you know the public are enjoying, or would enjoy, is killed by some negative [reaction]… In the case of Cats, the disapproval seems to be universal.”

#CATS Musical #CATS the Musical #CATS 2019 #Ian McKellen #He is completely right #The musical might be near universally derided but it was a smash hit being popular and loved enough to still be running 42 years later #There is obviously something more to all of it than just the stereotypical viewpoints spewed ad nauseam

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batking-lich · 8 months ago

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putting the poll up early so i can go ahead and jump into the next book when i finish this one.

if any book(s) other than the winning choice gets notable support i'll mark it down for after the winning book

synopsis under the cut

prose and cons by amanda flower

Magic, books, and cats collide in a village near Niagara Falls in the latest Magical Bookshop Mystery from the author of Crime and Poetry. In Cascade Springs, New York, Violet Waverly and her grandma, Daisy, are the proprietors of Charming Books, where the power of the written word is positively enchanting... October in Cascade Springs means tourists are pouring in for the annual Food and Wine Festival, and Daisy hopes to draw those crowds to the store. She asks Violet and the local writing group, the Red Inkers, to give a reading of the works of Edgar Allan Poe in the shop’s back garden to entertain the revelers. Everyone eagerly agrees. Yet their enthusiasm is soon extinguished when Violet discovers one of the writers dead during the event. After the shop magically tells Violet she’ll need to rely on Poe’s works to solve the murder, she enlists the help of her trusty tuxedo cat, Emerson, and the shop’s crow, Faulkner. But they must act fast before someone else’s heart beats nevermore...

(this is a sequel but cozies are generally pretty standalone & i'll give you a recap of the first book)

pearl by josh malerman (previously published as on this, the day of the pig)

From Josh Malerman, the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie, comes the legend of Pearl, a strange new monster unlike any other in horror (previously published as On This, the Day of the Pig). NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WALL STREET JOURNAL �� “Daring readers should find this tale of a malevolent telepathic pig to be a memorable experience.”—Booklist (starred review) There’s something strange about Walter Kopple’s farm. At first it seems to be his grandson, who cruelly murders one of Walter’s pigs in an act of seemingly senseless violence. But then people in town begin to whisper that Walter’s grandson heard a voice commanding him to kill. And that the voice belongs to a most peculiar creature: the pig named Pearl. Walter is not sure what to believe. He knows he’s always been afraid of the strangely malevolent Pearl. But as madness and paranoia grip the town and the townspeople descend on Walter’s farm with violent wrath, they begin to discover that true evil wears a human face.

the murder wheel by tom mead

In London, 1938, young and idealistic lawyer Edmund Ibbs is trying to find any shred of evidence that his client Carla Dean wasn’t the one who shot her husband dead at the top of a Ferris Wheel. But the deeper he digs, the more complex the case becomes, and Edmund soon finds himself drawn into a nightmarish web of conspiracy and murder. Before long he himself is implicated in not one but two seemingly impossible crimes. First, a corpse appears out of thin air during a performance by famed illusionist “Professor Paolini” in front of a packed auditorium at the Pomegranate Theatre. Then a second victim is shot dead in a locked dressing room along one of the theatre’s winding backstage corridors. Edmund is in exactly the wrong place at the wrong time, and attracts the suspicion of Scotland Yard inspector George Flint. Luckily, conjuror-turned-detective Joseph Spector is on the scene. Only Spector’s uniquely logical perspective can pierce the veil of deceit in a world of illusion and misdirection, where seeing is not always believing. Tom Mead continues to pay homage to the locked room mysteries of the Golden Age in this second Joseph Spector novel.

(another sequel, but again mysteries can generally stand alone & i'll recap book 1)

grave witch by kalayna price

Grave witch Alex Craft can speak to the dead, but that doesn’t mean she likes what they have to say. As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she’s on good terms with Death himself—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of jeans—nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high profile murder when she’s attacked by the ‘shade’ she’s raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around... To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something—though it’s certainly not his dislike of Alex—but Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life...and her soul.

#bats makes a post #poll #book liveblog #liveblog poll

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michaelgruberfan · 2 years ago

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(WIP)

Timeline of Michael’s shows/ work up to 2013 will add more as I get the time (Taken from the Michaelgruber Angelfire website but will be updated by me at a later date (ill rb it then))

2012-2013 -- Bye Bye Birdie Chanhassen Dinner Theater, Chanhassen, MN 2012 -- Roman Holiday The Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, MN 2011-2012 -- Hairspray Chanhassen Dinner Theater, Chanhassen, MN 2011 -- Jesus Christ Superstar Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Chanhassen, MN 2010 -- Hairspray TUTS, Houston, TX 2010 -- Hits from The Music Man, Seattle Symphony, conducted by Marvin Hamlisch Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA 2009 -- White Christmas 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA 2009 -- A Chorus Line National and International Tours 2009 -- Singin' In The Rain Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St. Paul, MN 2009 -- Grey Gardens Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St. Paul, MN 2008 -- White Christmas Theatre Under The Stars, Houston 2008 -- A Chorus Line National Tour 2007-2008 -- A Chorus Line Schoenfeld Theatre, New York City 2007 -- Stairway To Paradise - 50 Years of Revue in Review An Original Encores! Production, New York City Center 2007 -- Irving Berlin's Easter Parade - World Premier Chanhassen Theatres, Chanhassen, MN 2006-2007 -- Irving Berlin's White Christmas 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle and California Musical Theatre, Sacramento 2006 -- My One and Only Reprise Concert Series, Freud Playhouse, Westwood, CA 2006 -- Godspell Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia 2006 -- Applause for the Golden Boy: The Music of Charles Strouse - benefit tribute - New York Historical Society, New York City 2006 -- Guys and Dolls Maltz Jupiter Theatre, FL 2005 -- Irving Berlin's White Christmas Wang Center Theatre, Boston 2005 -- And Then I Wrote... The Songs of Steve Marzullo - concert Birdland Jazz Club, New York City 2005 -- What A Glorious Feeling - World Premiere Production Mason Street Warehouse, MI Dec. 2004 - Mar. 2005 -- Singin' in the Rain - tour Houston TUTS Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre Sacramento's California Musical Theatre 2004 -- Anything Goes Avon Theatre - Stratford, ON 2003 -- A Manhattan Christmas - cabaret King Kong Room, New York City 2003 -- Laughing Room Only Brooks Atkins Theatre, New York City 2003 -- Wizard of Oz Lyric Theatre, Oklahoma City 2003 -- Crazy For You Marian Theatre and Solvang Festival, CA 2003 -- Anything Goes Riverside Theatre, FL 2003 -- Taboo - reading New York City 2002 -- Ain't That a Kick in the Head - workshop The New 42nd Street Studios, New York City 2002 - Smokey Joe's Cafe California Musical Theatre 2002 -- Dames at Sea Goodspeed Opera House 2001 -- Red Hot and Blue Paper Mill Playhouse 2001 -- Kiss Me, Kate Martin Beck Theatre, New York City 2000 -- Anything Goes 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle 2000 -- Rags Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia 2000 -- Singin' in the Rain Music Theatre of Wichita 2000 -- Symposium on theatre at SUNY's Stony Brook campus 2000 -- 14th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition New Amsterdam Theatre, New York City 1999 - 2000 -- Swing! St. James Theatre, New York City 1999 -- Floyd's Follies - Benefit Paper Mill Playhouse 1999 -- Tommy - concert tour 1998 -- History of Sex Golden Nugget Casino, Las Vegas 1998 -- Follies Paper Mill Playhouse 1997 -- filming of Cats video Adelphi Theatre, London 1997 -- Wizard of Oz The Theatre at Madison Square Garden 1996 -- Angela Lansbury - A Celebration - benefit tribute Majestic Theatre, New York City 1996 -- Dodsworth Douglas Fairbanks and John Houseman Theatres, New York City 1996 - 1999 -- Cats Winter Garden Theatre, New York City 1995 -- New Year's Eve Celebration Paper Mill Playhouse 1995 -- West Side Story The Muny Theatre, St. Louis 1995 -- Oklahoma! Arizona Theatre Company, Tucson and Phoenix 1995 -- Little By Little Eighty-eights Club, New York City 1994 -- Harvest of Stars - ArtsPower Benefit Paper Mill Playhouse 1994 -- Songbook Arts and Artists at St. Paul's/National Music Theater Network, New York City 1994 -- Singin' in the Rain Paper Mill Playhouse 1994 -- West Side Story Music Theatre of Wichita 1994 -- Kiss Me, Kate Goodspeed Opera House 1993 -- Little Me Birmingham Theatre, Birmingham, MI 1993 -- Falsettos Alliance Theatre, Atlanta 1993 -- Anything Goes Music Theatre of Wichita 1993 -- Good News! Music Theatre of Wichita 1993 -- Singin' in the Rain California Musical Theatre 1993 -- 7th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition Broadway Theatre, New York City 1993 -- Assisted with choreography of Singin' in the Rain Indian Hill (OH) High School 1993 -- Songs of Unlikely Lovers - A Valentine's Day Review Music Theatre of Wichita 1993 -- My Favorite Year Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York City 1992 -- Singin' in the Rain Music Theatre of Wichita 1991 - 1994 -- Miss Saigon - original company Broadway Theatre, New York City 1990 -- West Side Story - national tour 1989 - 1990 -- A Chorus Line - final company Shubert Theatre, New York City 1988 -- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Alaska Light Opera, Anchorage 1988 -- Dreamgirls Elmsford (NY) Dinner Theatre 1988 -- West Side Story - European Tour 1987 -- My One and Only Paper Mill Playhouse

#Gruber Lore #Michael Gruber

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ear-worthy · 1 month ago

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Podcaster Profiles: Monique & Amy From Another F*cking Horror Podcast

Podcaster Profiles has a simple goal: highlight, spotlight, focus on: the indie podcasters who are the heart and soul of podcasting.

In each article, we’ll ask the person being profiled why they became involved in podcasting and how they became skilled. We'll review their public bio and ask them to tell us something not in it, including any passions other than podcasting and their future plans in podcasting and in life.

In this edition, we’re excited to profile Monique Sanchez and Amy Traydon from Another F*cking Horror Podcast.

Before we begin, let me opine and say how much I admire Monique and Amy. They’re successful entrepreneurs, enterprising business people, wildly creative, and superb indie podcasters. Plus, their podcast alternately scares the shit out of me and makes me laugh

Another F*cking Horror Podcast launched on Halloween in 2020 and has already completed over 150 episodes. I love shows that bend or twist genres to their specific thematic premise, or, in this case, build a club sandwich of genres, with true-crime interacting with the supernatural, with a decadent dessert of satire and comedy.

Another Fcking Horror Podcast combines true crime and paranormal stories with comedy to create a unique listening experience. Each week, co-hosts Monique Sanchez and Amy Traydon deliver a fun and expletive-filled spin on lesser-known true tales of murder, mayhem, and things that will leave you saying, “what the actual fck?”

The co-hosts definitely have a “peanut butter and jelly” type chemistry, and they play off each other nicely.

Co-host Monique Sanchez was born in Miami Beach to Cuban parents who dreamed of having a daughter who would one day marry a Cuban Catholic doctor and become a refined lady of high society. To the dismay of her mother, Monique eventually moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting. For over a decade, the award-winning actress has appeared in various film, TV, and theater productions, including Law & Order and the hit Off-Broadway show and New York Times Critics Pick, Drunk Shakespeare, for which Stagebuddy called her performance “extraordinary.”

NOTE: Photo Credit For Monique & Amy: La Photographie

Amy Traydon was also born in Miami, but moved away when she was five and instead grew up in the middle-of-nowhere in north Florida surrounded by dogs, cats, chickens, ferrets, and a wild squirrel she befriended. She technically has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, but realized that spending the rest of her life stuck in a laboratory wasn’t for her. After working in sales at a tech company in NH, a brief stint as a DJ in NYC, and running a legal cannabis farm on a weird, little island off the coast of Seattle, she returned to New York to work in events where she eventually met Monique Sanchez, who introduced her to the glorious world of true crime and paranormal podcasts and suggested they start one of their own.

The co-hosts ask listeners: “Is it safe for work? Should you listen to it in the car with the kids? Fck no! It’s “Another Fcking Horror Podcast.”

I asked Monique and Amy: “I’ve read the public bios, and you met each other in NYC. But how and when? Starbuck’s? Arrested for loitering near Penn Station?”

“It was the summer of 2020,” Monique begins. “We were deep in the pandemic, especially in NYC. Prior to the madness, I was predominantly a theatre actor whose side gig was managing live, in-person events — so, when the world shut down, I was EPICALLY unemployed. Then the marketing company I work for offered me the opportunity to manage a month-long brand activation at a pop-up drive-in movie theatre (remember when drive-ins came back for a hot second?) Given that it was like the fourth job I had been offered that entire year, I jumped at the chance to do it. I was managing the activation and was going to have three production assistants working with me-all of whom I had never met. One of whom was Amy. Fun fact, the first day of the gig was July 9, which just so happens to also be Amy’s birthday!”

Amy’s recollection about how they met is similar: “We actually met on my birthday of all days! We had both worked freelance gigs for the same company for several years and had heard of each other but had never actually met before. Then in 2020, we were scheduled to work together on the same program for a month. We got to talking and immediately hit it off! On the first day, Monique mentioned that she was listening to a podcast on the history of the lobotomy and I immediately said (possibly yelled?), ‘You know the guy who invented the lobotomy won a Nobel Prize? I will never get over it!’ We realized that we were fascinated by all the same strange, slightly morbid things, immediately became best friends and spent the next month being obsessed with each other. I talked about her so much that my boyfriend (now fiancé) texted Monique at one point and told her to ‘get her own girlfriend.’ To which Monique responded ‘fight me for her.’ We’ve been best friends and psychic sisters ever since!”

We discussed their foray into podcasting, with Monique explaining: “Now, I’m the type of person who needs background noise to focus-and I find podcasts are great for that. And given that I’ve always had macabre tastes and morbid fascinations, the audio content I consume tends to be of the paranormal and true-crime ilk.”

“So, I was in the middle of Last Podcast on The Left’s multi-part series on the history of the lobotomy (I know-but it really is a fascinating series. The boys do a great job with it. Highly recommend them, if that’s your jam). I don’t remember if Amy, who at the time had never even listened to a podcast, asked me what I was listening to, or if I just volunteered that information to an unwilling participant. Either way, I told her what I was listening to and without skipping a beat, Amy goes, “You know the guy who invented the Lobotomy won a Nobel Prize?” and I was like WHERE THE F*CK HAVE YOU BEEN MY ENTIRE LIFE??? And the rest is history.”

When I asked about how the concept for the podcast evolved, Monique explained: “So, the job we were working on was the type of gig where you showed up, set everything up, and then had like four hours of down time before the event actually started. This drive-in was in the middle of nowhere in the Bronx so there wasn’t anywhere we could really go. So, we would just hang out and talk.”

Monique continues: “We quickly discovered we were kindred spirits as our conversations often turned to true-crime and the supernatural, with me sharing my must-listen-to episodes of various true-crime podcasts and Amy sharing, despite her healthy skepticism, her deep desire to have some sort of alien/UFO sighting or encounter. They were the 2 topics we found ourselves naturally drawn to and discussing regularly. So why Sophie’s Choice it, when we can just talk about both? It is our show after-all. We can talk about whatever the f*ck we want.”

Then I ask how did you start the podcast four years ago? Technical knowledge? Recording space? Financing? Equipment?

Monique says: “We had one thing: Audacity. We didn’t have any sponsors or money. When I proposed making this podcast, the very next thing I said to Amy after she accepted was, ‘Also, I don’t know how to make a podcast.’ And the thing is, four years in, I still don’t. Amy is the brains of this entire operation. Despite also never having made a podcast, Amy was so eager to jump in and just figure it out. Her fiancé, Jonny, had recently bought recording equipment for some projects he was working on so it was with that that we recorded in her apartment in Bay Ridge. In addition to researching, writing, and recording a story every week, Amy is the one who edits and releases the episodes. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, without Amy, there would be no Another F*cking Horror Podcast. I just scream into the void about murders and ghosts.

Amy recalls that, “Podcasting started out as something of a Covid ‘hobby.’ When Monique suggested starting one, I absolutely loved the idea! Getting to talk about all the weird, morbid things that fascinate me with my bff? Sign me the f*ck up! Fortunately, my fiancé had a bunch of equipment already, and we recorded our first episodes in my apartment in Brooklyn. I taught myself how to use editing software to produce our episodes but Monique is really the brains behind all our creative aspects. She came up with the name for the podcast and our sign-off, writes all our episode descriptions, and generally handles anything creative. “

Amy continues: “I designed our cover art and eventually our website. (But again, content-wise all Monique!) We do everything pretty much just the two of us and it’s very much a team effort. (Despite how much credit she likes to give me, lol.) She also handles our social media account which is something I am absolutely terrible at, so while she says there wouldn’t be a podcast without me, I always say, we wouldn’t have a podcast or the amazing community of fans we do without her! We’ve also had some help from friends along the way of course who gave us advice on how to improve our audio quality since our first episodes (thanks, Filip!) and gave us direction and kept us focused on the steps we needed to take to grow the podcast (I’m talking about you, Brad!) We’re still mostly self-financed but are also lucky enough to have been supported by all our wonderful fans’ contributions through Patreon. Link: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=117881536."

Monique talks about why she got into the acting and show business: “I grew up feeling deeply misunderstood. I’m a middle child, only daughter, first generation American of Cuban descent. That comes with a lot of baggage and a lot of opinions as to who I ‘should’ be: namely, a ‘lady.’ Someone who doesn’t rock the boat, doesn’t have big feelings or contradictory opinions, doesn’t like macabre things, and definitely doesn’t curse. But try as I might, I never felt that I aligned with that perceived ideal, so I spent a good portion of my life feeling out of place and that I was too much. So, I found refuge in film and TV. And it was in watching and falling in love with these other characters that I not only found an escape but also came to better understand myself. So, initially, I was drawn to acting because it gave me the opportunity to be someone else. Not only that, I quickly learned that on stage, I could not only express all the feelings and be as messy and imperfect as I wanted but that it was actually encouraged!”

When I ask Amy, “Is there anything you haven’t done? You’ve been a squirrel whisperer, chemist, crab farmer, event planner, and salesperson? How did these life experiences prepare you for the podcast?”

Amy thinks for a few seconds and replies: “Hmm…I haven’t been a cult leader yet, lol. But I’ve definitely had an eclectic mix of jobs in my life! I really enjoy learning new things and for me, the best way to do that is just to jump in and give it a try. I always approach every job as an opportunity to learn something, whether it’s a new skill or just something about myself (like dear god, I hate sales and don’t want to do that ever again.) But working in so many industries has given me a pretty diverse range of skills and knowledge and while I don’t know if any of it really helped with the podcast specifically, it did teach me that just because you don’t know how to do something yet, doesn’t mean you can’t! I’m constantly saying “we’ll figure it out!” because even if I don’t know how, someone out there does and fortunately, we live in a world where how-to blogs and YouTube tutorials are literally at the tips of our fingers, so it’s easier than ever to teach yourself how to do something you know nothing about.”

When I ask, “Where do you want the podcast to go?”

Monique doesn’t hesitate: “World domination. Obviously.”

Amy seconds that goal with more detail: “And this is why I love Monique! World domination would be pretty awesome but at the very least, we’d love to be able to do the podcast as our full-time jobs. It’s also a not-so secret dream of ours to be able to do our own Celebrity Ghost Stories type of show. We both watched it and were obsessed! In fact, one of the things we bonded over at first was our mutual love of the show. It’s off the air now, but it would be so much fun to be able to bring it back with new celebrities and all kinds of paranormal stories instead of just ghosts because I absolutely live for a celebrity alien story!”

Monique Sanchez and Amy Traydon are the epitome of indie podcasters — wildly creative and innovative; hard-working; savvy business people; enterprising entrepreneurs, and a credit to the independent podcasting community.

*****************************************************

After four years of exploring the world’s most bizarre crimes and supernatural mysteries from their respective apt studios, hosts Monique Sanchez and Amy Traydon are ready to bring their unique blend of humor and horror to a live audience with its first-ever live event: “A Cute & Creepy Weekend with Another F*cking Horror Podcast from November 1–3, 2024 in Tarrytown, NY.

“We’re really looking forward to getting to interact with our fans in person and giving them the opportunity to finally meet each other! We’ve discovered this wonderful, supportive community of amazing people who are just as passionate about all things paranormal and true crime as we are, but we’ve never had the chance to all hang out together and share our interest in the macabre. With our Cute & Creepy Weekend, we have two whole days to get to know each other and have some fun, spooky adventures along the way,” said Amy.

Co-creator of the podcast, Monique added, “Amy and I have put a lot of thought and care into making our first live event the kind of spooky, once-in-a-lifetime experience that not only we ourselves would want to attend, but that our amazing listeners deserve. And we’re just so excited to share it with everyone!”

If you’ve never heard of this podcast, check out the show, and then consider attending their “Cute & Creepy Weekend” from November 1–3, 2024, in Tarrytown, NY.

The event will feature:

· 3 days/2 nights in a private luxury suite

· Aura Photography from Inner Light Aura

· An intimate welcome dinner in a Victorian Library

· A live séance held on the Day of The Dead by a psychic medium from New Orleans

· A private tour of the famed Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

· A spooky slumber party, complete with games, with your two hosts

· The first-ever live show of Another F*cking Horror Podcast

· And more

Tickets for “A Cute & Creepy Weekend with Another F*cking Horror Podcast” are on sale through the show’s website.

I’ll be there. Hope to see you and meet you there!

#podcast #true crime #horror #comedy

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openingnightposts · 3 months ago

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#HelenHayesTheater #JOB #NewYorkTheater #TulisMcCall

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deiamusica · 3 years ago

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EVIL HOT ROD (CAT CREW INC) 2021 TORONTO FRINGE REVIEW

JULY 27, 2021 SAMANTHA WU

Fast cars and even faster women. Evil Hot Rod by Cat Crew Inc, playing virtually at the 2021 Toronto Fringe Festival, is like if the T-Birds in Grease went evil. In this musical radio play set in 1950s New York, Tony Raggione is proud of his new hot rod purchase, despite what all his buddies say. This ride, Carmilla, may look like a hunk of metal that likely won’t make it off the lot, but Tony is determined to make her a lightning roadster… even if she happens to be evil.

Evil Hot Rod is written and directed by Carlo Schefter and Diana Di Mauro and is a direct throw back to greaser flicks, hot rod culture, and rockabilly aesthetic paired with a good ole horror flick. This is a horror comedy that’s chock full of satirical (and a few rather stereotypical) characters that serve as vehicles for the songs. There isn’t much growth to the characters here; it’s all about the music.

If you’re a fan of Grease or The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you’ll be drawn to the music here. In particular, the number “Strange Love” is reminiscent of “Greased Lightnin'” and “Sweet Transvestite” combined.

And if the music is the main focal point, what we have here feels more like a decent draft than a fully developed show. Something that I can feel can be fleshed out, edited, and played around with to be transformed into a production that has the potential to be quite spectacular. As it stands, it’s a good effort but it’s currently lacking something — fleshed out lyrics, stronger vocals, a more rounded band, further expansion to the story itself — which might really blow people away.

Considering how creating theatre during the pandemic has left many artists with far more challenges than they’re used to, this may have weighed on the limitations of this production. I’m not sure if Evil Hot Rod was written with the intention of being a radio play, but if they do plan on fleshing out this story for the stage, I’m looking forward to seeing what they do.

Details

Evil Hot Rod is playing on-demand at the Virtual 2021 Toronto Fringe Festival.

Purchase a $5 Membership to access the On-Demand programming on the Fringe website, then Pay What You Can to each show as you go with a suggested price of $13 per show.

Memberships can be purchased here. View the virtual on-demand show listings here.

Accessibility notes:

On-Demand shows: videos are closed captioned, transcripts are available for all audio content, documents are screen-reader friendly, and all digital images are provided with alternative text descriptions. These access supplements have been generated by the company and reviewed by the Festival. They may vary slightly from company to company.

Fringe Primetime presentations will feature Auto-Transcribed Captioning.

Content Warning: This production contains depictions of violence, coarse language, gunshots, sexual content, and abrupt cues, recommended for an audience ages 14+.

Poster design by Diana Di Mauro and Carlo Schefter

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audiofuzz · 8 months ago

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Punk Rock | Destroy Boys Share New Single “Plucked” + Tour Dates

Destroy Boys, a band that has been making waves in the punk rock scene, has garnered positive reviews for their energetic performances, honest songwriting, and the ability to connect deeply with their fans. Their music, often described as a bridge between classic punk sounds and contemporary themes, showcases their growth both musically and in terms of popularity. According to SPIN, Destroy Boys shared insights about their experiences touring, their fan base’s reaction to new singles, and the band’s evolution over the years. The members reflected on how their music has remained “viciously honest,” which resonates well with their audience. They compared their relationship with their fans to growing up with Harry Potter characters, emphasizing the deep, evolving connection they share . Third Coast Review’s coverage of Destroy Fest 2023 highlighted the band’s ability to bring together a compelling lineup of punk bands, showcasing their influence in the punk rock community. The festival was praised for its vibrant energy and the band’s knack for creating an inclusive, spirited environment . A live review from S.L.R. Magazine on Destroy Fest 2023 in NYC elaborated on the band’s live performance charm. Despite mixed feelings upon initially hearing their music, the reviewer found the live performance to seal the deal, particularly noting the band’s great energy and diverse setlist. Their latest offering “Plucked” is a raucous and melodic track that embodies the spirt of this incredibly effectual punk band. DESTROY BOYS HEADLINE DATES Saturday 3/16/2024 - Los Angeles - The Bellwether (Destroyfest) Friday - 5/10/2024 - Tampa, FL - Jannus Live Saturday - 5/11/2024 - Daytona Beach, FL - Welcome to Rockville Monday - 5/13/2024 - Raleigh, NC - Cat's Cradle Tuesday - 5/14/2024 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel Thursday - 5/16/2024 - Birmingham, AL - Zydeco Friday - 5/17/2024 - Nashville, TN - Eastside Bowl Saturday - 5/18/2024 - Columbus, OH - Sonic Temple CAVETOWN SUPPORT DATES Friday - 6/7/2024 - Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Financial Theatre Saturday - 6/8/2024 - Los Angeles, CA - Torch Sunday - 6/9/2024 - San Diego, CA - Petco Park Tuesday - 6/11/2024 - Berkley, CA - The Greek Friday - 6/14/2024 - Troutdale, OR - Edgefield Saturday - 6/15/2024 Canada Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena Sunday - 6/16/2024 - Seattle, WA - Seattle Zoo Tuesday - 6/18/2024 - Salt Lake City, UT - Granary Live Thursday - 6/20/2024 - Denver, CO - Red Rocks Saturday - 6/22/2024 - Dallas, TX - South Side Ballroom Sunday - 6/23/2024 - Austin, TX - Moody Amp Tuesday - 6/25/2024 - Houston, TX - 713 Music Hall Friday - 6/28/2024 - Miami, FL - FPL Solar Amp Saturday - 6/29/2024 - Orlando, FL - Orlando Amphitheater Sunday - 6/30/2024 - Atlanta, GA - Coca Cola Roxy Tuesday - 7/2/2024 - Washington, DC - Anthem Wednesday - 7/3/2024 - Philadelphia, PA - Skyline Stage @ The Mann Friday - 7/5/2024 - Canada Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage Sunday - 7/7/2024 - Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall Tuesday - 7/9/2024 - New York, NY - Pier 17 Wednesday - 7/10/2024 - New York, NY - Pier 17 Friday - 7/12/2024 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore Saturday - 7/13/2024 - Chicago, IL - Salt Shed Outdoors Read the full article

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highfunctioningalcoholic · 8 months ago

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when he opened the door to his cabin that morning ( or was it afternoon by this point? ender wasn't sure ) he hadn't expected to see atticus with a box in his hand. curiosity killed the cat and ender apparently was a cat as he simply let the other inside curious to see what was inside. he tried to play it off as cool and collective but he was a few steps behind atticus peering over his shoulder trying to get a peek before the other explained and once he did, "you want to start a theatre department here?" those champagne eyes that were once filled with curiosity blinked now in surprise and he fell silent. allowing himself now he reached into the box and pulled out the first costume that was lying on top. it was a deep royal purple and he held it up in his hands as he stared at it as if it was the most precious thing he had ever been given in his life and in that moment, it was.

staring at the costume in his hand, he was transported back to the festival his mother had taken him and his twin brother to in verona the first year they moved to italy. sipping on a non-alocholic spritz a young ender stood in front of the stage as it began, the deep voice projecting "two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene...". it was the moment he perhaps first felt his real father's blood inside him as for that entire day he stared at the stage watching each play with undivided attention that was rare for a ten year old boy. the whole time all he could think about how he longed to be on that stage, how he wanted to be one of them twisting words to sound fancy to the point that no one really understood what was being said but couldn't turn away from them either.

his whole life he chased that high; from moving to new york for college to study theatre, to only get offered roles as understudies on broadway never really being enough. he had the few nights he did get to go on at last minute taking control of the stage as if it was his own and while the reviews loved and praised him, it still was never enough. he was never enough...so he turned to wine and poured himself into that finding more success as a professional alcoholic than he ever did as an actor.

it had stung, giving up his dreams like that but now as he stood there with the costume in his hand he felt that same feeling he felt as a kid watching that play for the very first time. "i would love that," he wasn't sure how long he had stayed silent and when he did speak his voice was barely audible. to get a second chance to feel those things he thought he had given up on, why would he turn it down? "i do not think you know what this would mean to me," ender's voice was still that soft, full of emotion as he looked away from the cloth in his hand to the man who had brought it to him. and then as if to realize he was projecting his unresolved issues onto a man who didn't come to the cabin asking for that, he cleared his throat and declared, "of course as the head of our new department i declare that i get first pick of the roles. privileges and all that."

closed for @highfunctioningalcoholic location dionysus' cabin

the night atticus met ender at the amphitheater had remained stitched to the front of his mind for days now. the two exchanged shakesperare with one another and talked about the theater. it was nice to know there was someone here he could come to in regards to one of his interests, though he didn't know what ender's opinions on andrew lloyd webber were... the son of athena liked to sew and knit in his free time, it was a way to calm his nerves and his anxiety only seemed to be amplified from all these quests that they were on. he didn't quite realize what it was that he saw sewing until the image popped in his head and he couldn't stop until the project was over.

"so.. let's just say i was inspired the last few days." he said once ender let him inside their cabin, offering the box that was in his hand with the new costumes he'd been working on over the past week now. "not sure if you have something similar to it but i had this idea, perhaps we could start some sort of theater department here if you will?" the godling didn't know if the other godlings would be interested but at the very least, ender could do a one man performance. "we've got the beautiful amphitheater and it's a shame that we aren't utilizing it the way the greeks intended."

#( ender & atticus )#no audience could ever want you ( ender )

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chrisryanspeaks · 8 months ago

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Punk Rock | Destroy Boys Share New Single “Plucked” + Tour Dates

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justforbooks · 3 years ago

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Sidney Poitier, who has died aged 94, was the first black actor to win an Oscar in a leading role, in 1964, for his performance in Lilies of the Field. This simple story about a handyman helping German nuns build a chapel in Arizona was enhanced by its star’s humour and vitality. It led to a string of successes – To Sir, With Love, In the Heat of the Night and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (all 1967) – which made Poitier a box-office star and consolidated his growing fame and wealth. But Poitier’s greatest achievement – alongside his friend and occasional rival Harry Belafonte – was to help alter the racial perceptions that dominated not just Hollywood, but also society in general.

His success came against seemingly insurmountable odds. He was born two months prematurely into extreme poverty in Miami, where his Bahamian parents, Evelyn (nee Outten) and Reginald Poitier, had gone to sell their tomato crop. The family remained in the US for three months before returning to Cat Island, where Sidney spent his early childhood. They moved to Nassau in a vain search for a better life.

Sidney left school aged 13 to help support his family. A couple of years later, his parents sent him to New York to stay with an older brother. After a series of menial jobs, in desperation at the cold weather he joined the army – giving his age as 18. Having worked unhappily in a physiotherapy unit, he engineered a discharge, faking a psychiatric disorder. In an attempt to escape washing dishes for a living, he attended an audition at the American Negro Theater in Harlem where – virtually unable to read – he was firmly rejected largely because of a strong Bahamian accent.

According to his autobiography This Life (1980), the turning point in Poitier’s mostly unhappy early years came with this rejection. For months afterwards he worked in restaurants and, through conversation and the radio, changed his speech so dramatically that on a second audition the group accepted him. He agreed to work as a cleaner in the theatre while doing his training.

The tall, athletic and dazzlingly handsome Poitier was cast in an all-black production of Lysistrata in 1946, which was followed by another play, Anna Lucasta, and a role in a military documentary, From Whence Cometh My Help (1949), which introduced him to the screen. His Hollywood debut was No Way Out (1950); adding years to his age, he landed the role of a doctor who is racially harassed by a hoodlum.

Despite good reviews, Poitier was hardly inundated with offers, since Hollywood was only just creating worthwhile supporting roles for black actors. He moved abroad for his next part, in Zoltán Korda’s rather ponderous version of Alan Paton’s novel Cry, the Beloved Country (1951), in which he played the Rev Msimangu in support of the veteran black actor and activist Canada Lee. The film was partially shot in South Africa, where Poitier was introduced to the horrors of apartheid, when he and Lee were housed outside town and segregated in all respects.

A few minor roles followed, but Poitier mainly supported his wife, Juanita (nee Hardy), whom he had married in 1950, and children, by running a restaurant in New York. A turning point came when he was given the role of a student (cast 10 years below his true age) in Richard Brooks’ explosive Blackboard Jungle (1955). As a mixed-up kid, in a mixed-race school, he was at last in a hit movie – made famous by Bill Haley’s soundtrack, which featured Rock Around the Clock.

He worked on the engaging Goodbye, My Lady (1956), directed by William Wellman and starring the child actor Brandon De Wilde, then Brooks cast him in Something of Value (1957), set in Kenya. But the parts were few and Poitier believed this stemmed from a political blacklist as well as racial discrimination. Another break came with A Man Is Ten Feet Tall (1957), an adaptation of a TV drama in which he had played the same role. His character, a dockworker, was something of a trademark Poitier part: good-hearted, tolerant (to a point) and a balance to the white lead (in this case, John Cassavetes).

As Hollywood, rather than New York, belatedly tackled racial themes, Poitier gradually emerged as a star. After being noble in Band of Angels, and married to Eartha Kitt in The Mark of the Hawk (both 1957), which was funded by a religious group, he was offered a part in The Defiant Ones (1958). At the insistence of his co-star, Tony Curtis, Poitier shared top billing above the title – a breakthrough for the period. He and Curtis gained Oscar nominations for their roles as antipathetic convicts chained together and on the run, and Poitier received best actor awards at the Berlin film festival and from Bafta.

A setback came with Porgy and Bess (1959), in which – contractually forced into playing Porgy – he was swamped by MGM’s lavish studio version of Catfish Row and Otto Preminger’s lumpen direction. In contrast, A Raisin in the Sun (1961) was a successful film of the groundbreaking play with which he had triumphantly returned to Broadway in 1959. Now in his 30s, Poitier achieved what other black actors only dreamed of – steady work in leading roles. The low-budget Lilies of the Field (1963) brought him not only an Oscar but also another award at the Berlin film festival. He became busier – to the detriment of his marriage, which ended in 1965 – with films including, that year, The Bedford Incident, in which he was cast as a journalist, a role that, significantly, did not depend upon his race.

After a western, Duel at Diablo (1966), he played a teacher in the British-made To Sir, With Love, based on ER Braithwaite’s autobiographical bestseller. The movie proved a huge, unexpected, hit and Poitier, having negotiated a share of the profits to keep the budget low, became increasingly wealthy.

That rather naive view of British school life was followed by two major successes. In the Heat of the Night offered him the role of Virgil Tibbs, the Philadelphia cop who falls foul of bigotry in a Mississippi town, where the racist southern sheriff (Rod Steiger) is at odds with the immaculate cool of the black detective. He and Steiger interacted superbly under the director, Norman Jewison. It was arguably Poitier’s best performance, but it was Steiger who got the Oscar nomination (and won).

Stanley Kramer’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner completed a box-office hat-trick and further challenged race barriers. Poitier played a handsome doctor brought home by the daughter of a wealthy couple; his presence tests the parents’ liberalism, especially when the youngsters announce they are getting married. The movie is now routinely dismissed by critics as contrived and over-earnest. At the time, few considered it soft and Poitier soon found that it held the ring of truth when, after a long relationship with the black actor Diahann Carroll, he married the white actor Joanna Shimkus, provoking hostility from some quarters.

Poitier co-wrote and starred in a romantic comedy, For Love of Ivy (1968), and followed it more controversially with The Lost Man (1969), co-starring Shimkus. A revamp of the classic Odd Man Out, it cast him as a black radical on the run – rather than the IRA fugitive of the 1947 original.

Twice he revived his most famous role, in They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970) and The Organisation (1971). Sandwiched between these mediocre works was Brother John (1971), in which Poitier was cast as an angel descending on an Alabama town to see whether racism had lessened since his mortal time there. One can see why he was tempted by gutsier roles.

To escape the rut he turned to direction, taking over Buck and the Preacher (1972), starring as a freed slave with his pal Belafonte (stealing the movie) as a conman priest. The film humorously upended many cliches. Several of the films he directed were as the result of a newly formed company, First Artists, with Poitier, Barbra Streisand, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman each undertaking to make several films within a specified time. Only Newman and Poitier maintained their quota.

In fact, Poitier was to direct eight more films, starting with the sentimental A Warm December (1973) and ending with the lamentable Ghost Dad (1990). Few were as enjoyable as his debut, although some – notably Uptown Saturday Night (1974), A Piece of the Action (1977) and Stir Crazy (1980) – were commercial hits. Their greatest, if oblique, value was in giving sustained work to fellow black actors.

Towards the end of the 1970s Poitier moved to semi-retirement and his acting parts, including The Wilby Conspiracy and Let’s Do It Again (both 1975), were hardly satisfying. He narrated a documentary about his hero Paul Robeson and stayed off screen for several years.

In 1988 he re-emerged in a brisk thriller, Little Nikita, playing an FBI agent on the track of spies. The film co-starred River Phoenix, with whom he reunited in the enjoyable caper Sneakers (1992). The same year he also received the American Film Institute’s life achievement award – the first black actor to receive the accolade. It ushered in another busy period, including To Sir, With Love II, made for television in 1996; a portrayal of Nelson Mandela in Mandela and De Klerk (1997), also for television; and the political thriller The Jackal (1997), in which he played the FBI’s deputy director. He published two more memoirs, The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (2000) and Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter (2008).

In 2002, almost 40 years after his groundbreaking Academy Award victory, he was awarded an honorary Oscar for his performances on screen and “for representing the industry with dignity, style and intelligence”. This view was echoed not only in his numerous awards for acting. In 1974 he had been given an honorary knighthood; in 2009 he received, from Barack Obama, the US presidential medal of freedom; and in 2016 he was awarded the Bafta fellowship. He also served as the non-resident Bahamian ambassador to Japan between 1997 and 2007 and was concurrently the Bahamian ambassador to Unesco.

A daughter from his first marriage, Gina, died in 2018. He is survived by Joanna and their daughters, Anika and Sydney Tamiia; and by three other daughters, Beverly, Paula and Sherri, from his first marriage.

🔔 Sidney Poitier, actor and director, born 20 February 1927; died 6 January 2022

📷 Photo above: Sidney Poitier and Lilia Skala in Lilies of the Field, 1963, for which Poitier won the best actor Oscar.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

#JUST FOR BOOKS #Sidney Poitier #in memoriam

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krispyweiss · 2 years ago

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Song Review(s): Phil Lesh & Friends - “Aiko Aiko,” “Cold Rain and Snow” and “China Cat Sunflower” -> “I Know You Rider” (Live, Oct. 14, 2022)

With seven Friends joining Phil Lesh on stage, things can be exuberant, sloppy or a bit of both.

Couch surfers got to hear all of these elements in “Aiko Aiko,” “Cold Rain and Snow” and “China Cat Sunflower” -> “I Know You Rider,” the gratis tracks from Lesh & Friends’ Oct. 14 gig/livestream in New York State.

Guitarists Eric Krasno, John Scofield and Grahame Lesh; keyboardist Ivan Neville; Karl Denson on sax, flute and percussion; drummer Alex Koford; and harpist Mikaela Davis were Lesh’s band this time out. Davis was mostly inaudible until the octet dissolved into a “Space” segment between “China” and “Rider,” but there was still an abundance of cooks.

Neville sung “Aiko” and while the groove was deep, there was some toe-stepping where solos belonged. Denson shined on flute and intruded on tambourine.

The namesake bassist took the mic for “Cold Rain and Snow,” a ramshackle version with vocal flubs and traffic jams on stage.

“China Cat” fared better, with Koford on lead vocals and the players having found their spots. The segue was going in interesting directions before it morphed to “Space” and cracked into “Rider.”

The latter had rough harmony singing and relatively smooth playing.

Lesh, 82, has eight more shows with a revolving cast of players scheduled at the Capitol Theatre through Oct. 31. And that’s the most-important thing here.

Grade card: Phil Lesh & Friends - “Aiko Aiko,” “Cold Rain and Snow” and “China Cat Sunflower” -> “I Know You Rider” (Live - 10/14/22) - B+/C/B/B-

10/15/22

#phil lesh & friends #phil lesh #grateful dead #the dixie cups #ivan neville #dumpstaphunk #alex koford #mikaela davis #eric krasno #soulive #john scofield #grahame lesh #karl denson #aiko aiko #cold rain and snow #china cat sunflower #i know you rider

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garfieldandmeblog · 3 years ago

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Garfield: The Movie

AM: There’s an interesting writing choice in Garfield: The Movie regarding the setting. It begins in a cul-de-sac, just a few miles from a large city. For Garfield, the cul de sac is safe; he knows the ins and outs, all of the neighboring cats and dogs, and it’s where he always gets his way. Anything beyond the cul de sac, however, is dangerous, unknown, even hostile, and that’s not even mentioning the city. With all of this emphasis placed on place, one begins to wonder where exactly the film takes place. One would assume that it takes place in Garfield creator Jim Davis’ home state of Indiana. Wikipedia, however, claims that it takes place in Los Angeles of all places. What’s interesting, though, is that the movie does everything its power to obscure the actual setting from the viewer. There are no signs anywhere in this film that say “Los Angeles,” no one mentions living in L.A., and there’s just no defining characteristics. It’s not even a matter of the camera crew just choosing not to shoot things that screamed L.A.; things are deliberately edited to obscure that fact. There’s a scene towards the end of Act 2 where Garfield has to go to the city to rescue Odie from the clutches of an evil infomercial personailty. On the freeway, we get a shot of the city skyline and a freeway exit sign—which reads, not Los Angeles, but “The City.” A bus’s destination sign reads “City Center.” The so-called “Los Angeles” looks more like a movie set for a film taking place in New York. You would think that, taking place in L.A., the movie would have taken the golden opportunity to take Garfield to L.A.’s iconic locales. Garfield in front of the Grauman Theatre. Garfield at the Hollywood sign. Garfield at Dodger’s Stadium. But no, none of that.

Garfield: The Movie’s setting is strange because they don’t utilize it for what you might expect. The effort the filmmakers went through to hide the truth about the setting is rather impressive, I’ll say that. It doesn’t seem like it ultimately accomplished anything though. And so, ultimately, the choices made regarding the setting resulted in an affect that is neither good, nor bad, just… there. Much like the film itself.

I give this movie 5 out of 10 lasagnas.

JK: For my final official critique here at Garfieldandme.com LLC, I will be reviewing Garfield the Movie. How did it make me feel? How does Garfield make me feel at this point? I thought I knew, but as of right now… It’s mixed.

I thought I didn’t like Garfield. I thought it would be funny to employ irony against the fat cat. When I began writing about Garfield, the original mission was to find a way in, primarily through cruel joking and punching down, every week and that was it; that was going to be the focus of this project.

But finding a way through… It requires energy. It requires an actual interest in whatever you’re writing about, whatever you’re exploring. And as the project went on and on, my interest and energy waned. It became increasingly difficult to talk Garf. The ratio of good ideas/fun writing sessions to phoning it in grew smaller and smaller. Part of the fun, at first, was acknowledging the pure magnitude of syndication Garfield has amassed. But, diving into it, getting deep, it’s hard to keep a smiling face when the material brings so little to you. Life is short, and Garf is long.

There are hidden gems in the bog of never-ending Mondays. There are glimpses of Jim Davis giving a shit. And those moments, when they come up, are worth cherishing. It compelled me to write knowing the cat was acting in an interesting way. It gave me material to work with. It gave me hope.

And then, we’d get another week of duds. Then, another. It’d go on, and I’d feel frustration, apathy, devastation, etc. over and over again. It became routine.

So, Garfield the Movie. What makes Garfield the Movie interesting? It’s Garfield’s first live-action adaptation. It stars… movie stars. Garfield is CGI. These elements are all fine. The whole movie is just fine. And that complete milquetoast quality makes the film, ironically, a great Garfield adaptation. There were times I was watching the screen and I hoped the movie would be worse, more blatantly disgusting or bold. Maybe then I could write about it. But no, from start time to end, this movie is okay.

Bill Murray sounds like the voice Davis and Co. settled on when they brought Garf to the home television. Jon is whatever. You can have a discarded Chik Fil A wrapper replace Jon in this movie and nothing would change. Odie is lovable and fun (maybe the highlight). Jennifer Love Hewitt.. I mean, c’mon. Liz was hot already, but…

…

There’s nothing really deep here.

The only redeeming portion of the whole film is the credits. I’m serious. There, it tells another story. Comics and largely comic strips are a medium of sole ownership. Charles Schultz storyboards, Schultz draws, he signs his name in the bottom left corner. And that’s it. Film, in this critic’s opinion, is one of the most collaborative mediums of expression out there. On even the worst films (and I’m not saying Garfield runs in this camp), there are probably five or more people who gave up hours of their lives in an attempt to make you smile, to entertain you for a little bit. It’s interesting to see this many people interpreting Davis’s cat. This bird’s eye view perspective, however, does not negate how bored I felt during the film. And my opinion doesn’t really matter. The best of them, working on this project, hopefully made this to make a child (or the rare Garf fan) happy. Or they were miserable. Regardless, they all made the film. I spent an hour of my life watching. We are in this together.

We reflect whatever we spend time with. If you spend hours with the cat, you become the cat. You spend time working overtime at a job you hate, and suddenly you hate yourself. You spend the night out, maybe drinking wine with friends on a weekend, at a little bar on the outside of town. It’s August. The night is air is warm, and it looks like no one is on Wilshire tonight. Except you and people you love. You laugh and really feel it in your chest, in your stomach. You look at everyone and, maybe it’s the light, maybe it’s the Merlot, but they emanate a soft golden glow covering their forearms to their rears to their legs to their feet. You look down at yourself, and you’re glowing too.

Was it Anne Dillard who wrote “How we spend our days, of course, is how we spend our lives”? Am I remembering that correctly? What year is it? What was I doing about this? How does Garfield make me feel? How am I feeling right now? Stepping away from the cat is not easy, and in a sense, this gesture feels like stepping away from this past year in its good and nasty. I want to change my life, and so I’ll change my relationship with him. It’s small, but why not. Life is short, and Garf is long. Thanks for spending this time with me, I’ll never forget it.

Two lasagnas out of five.

#garfield #lasagna cat #film #film critique #comics #criticism #analysis #movie review #funny #haha #garfieldandme

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oatmilkovich · 3 years ago

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Hi there,

I remember seeing your post about Sondheim's comment about Cats and then saw your tag about ALW. So now I'm curious about why all the hate because it's definitely not the first time I've heard this. I mean, I know very little of theatre but thought why not just ask. Good to learn something new everyday. 🙂

Also, sorry for your loss 😕

hey!

so there’s a couple things about ALW. i’ve personally never been a fan of his work — i think the majority is pretty mediocre, he’s had many more misses than hits. plus, he’s really leant towards commercial blockbusters - like his reimagining of cinderella that’s currently in the west end right now.

even more so he’s been known for being awful to work with — recently he was reported screaming at the cinderella cast because of a bad review from the new york post (i cannot for the life of me find the article now so someone’s team has done some scrubbing off the internet) and told them that young performers are just members of the service industry and no one deserves to be on stage. you can’t create genuine, heart filled original work with the mindset that you’re working in the service industry — that’s why his work is always so mediocre. he’s here to sell tickets and have his own name up in lights.

the biggest thing for me is that ALW is a life long member of the conservative party here in the UK — the only reason he’s now decided to denounce his loyalty to the party is because of the way they handled the arts in during the covid pandemic. not because of the fact they hate the poor or are happy to starve children and leave them homeless or get away with people burning in their own houses (and block measures to stop it again) or selling off the NHS to their friends and causing a health care crisis or being perfectly happy for the ‘bodies to pile up’ because it was easier than covid measures or cutting funding for arts and education for state education or wanting people to die in the channel rather then helping them seek asylum after escaping danger in their home countries or handed out rounds of applause for NHS workers instead of raising their pay during a fucking pandemic. i could go on but you get the picture — tories are genuine pure evil and inhumane bastards that are happy to watch the poor die as the rich get richer.

no, the only reason he “stopped” being a tory is because of his bloody musical cinderella being pushed back because of lockdown measures. this isn’t even mentioning the fact he was a member of the house of lords which is group of unelected (!!!) officials who are allowed to criticise, vote on and impact laws and bills that are passed through the british parliament. so he was a genuine member of the british parliament — despite not being voted in by anyone (he was appointed by the queen, which is a whole other layer of archaic) — and yet he voted only in 2% of votes passed through the house. though in one example, he flew back home to vote for a tax cut — so you know, we can see where his priorities lie.

so that’s what people mean when they say we won’t have this same reaction to ALW passing as we have had with sondheim. sondheim changed the game of musical theatre and revolutionised it, mentoring new talent and literally paving the way for the future of the genre. ALW has just been… here — he’s had an impact, sure, but we won’t miss his place in the industry. hell, i’ve even met the guy and i think he sucks.

but anyways, if you like ALW musicals — go for it. i’m never gonna tell someone that they can’t but supporting him and his politics however… yeah. not for me.

anyways - have a lovely day, i hope this clears things up for you. sorry it took me a few days to get to ❤️❤️

#remember this is clouded by my own personal opinion also #pls do not come crying to me about how you love phantom #asks #the man is a tory bastard

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guardianreadersofthegalaxy · 4 years ago

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My 2020 film ranking

1. The Personal History Of David Copperfield (AKA ‘The Life of Dev Patel III: Victorian Dev’) – This adaptation of the Dickens classic charts the changing fortunes of its eponymous hero, as well as those of the colourful characters he meets along the way. Armando Ianucci brings his signature naturalistic dialogue to the classic story, plus spot-on colour-blind casting and minus his usual unpleasantness. Particular praise goes to lead actor Dev Patel and to Christopher Willis’s gorgeous soundtrack. And, of course, Charles Dickens.

2. 1917 (AKA ‘George McKay Goes Forth’) – Two British soldiers in the First World War must face the dangers of No Man’s Land to stop a doomed attack and save the lives of sixteen hundred men. There’s nothing quite like an immersive experience. With the help of omnipotent cinematographer Roger Deakins, director Sam Mendes enters the Great Hollywood Long-Take Battle and beats Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro G. Innaritu at their own game. Credit to Thomas Newman for the pulse-pounding score and Krysty Wilson-Cairns for a screenplay that develops character through action more than dialogue.

3. Parasite (AKA ‘A Sweet, Collaborative Family Project’) – The working class Kim family will do whatever it takes to find lucrative employment with the wealthy Parks, even if it kills them. There’s something of a Shakespearean tragedy to this that I really like. Sympathetic antiheros, dark farcical comedy and a suitably bloody conclusion make this one of Bong Joon-ho’s more coherent pieces of social commentary.

4. Atlantics (AKA ‘What Happens When You Don’t Pay Your Employees’) – Ada’s happiness if threatened when her lover, Souleiman attempts to flee Senegal by boat. This starts out as a slow-paced mood piece, then changes gear halfway through as it becomes a crime film with undertones of soft-horror. It looks gorgeous and sounds even better, with a haunting score and effective use of the natural sound of the sea, wind and other elements.

5. His House (AKA ‘Walls… I Scream’) – A Sudanese couple seek refuge in the UK, but are unable to escape the horror they left behind. It’s a tried and tested horror formula: a strained family unit try to come to terms with shared trauma against the backdrop of an important social issue. But it’s really well executed. The understated tone left me unprepared for the brazenly nightmarish imagery.

6. A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood (AKA ‘Man Feelings’) – A troubled journalist is asked to write a profile on wholesome children’s television presenter Fred Rogers. There’s not much to say about this one. A sweet, sometimes surreal, tearjerker about facing up to your trauma and dealing with your emotions. Very nice.

7. Uncut Gems (AKA ‘Camera Enters Sandman’) – A New York jeweller and compulsive gambler takes a series of increasingly dangerous risks. This doesn’t build tension so much as it is tension, throughout. The only drawback is that Adam Sandler’s Howie is so unlikeable that I didn’t care what happened to him, unlike in the Safdie brother’s more morally ambiguous film Good Time. Still, a great ensemble cast and skilled sound mixing make this a uniquely gripping experience.

8. Marriage Story (AKA ‘Divorce Me, You Meaty Oak Tree!’) – A couple fight an increasingly hostile custody battle for their child during their divorce proceedings. This would be an amazing play. Acting and writing are all spot on, evoking the relatable nuances of a fraught relationship as well as illuminating the farcical process of divorce. But the potential that film offers as a medium is underused, besides some nice colour grading.

9. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (AKA ‘I Miss Theatres’) – A 1920’s Chicago blues band embark on a tumultuous recording session. This has all the strengths and weaknesses of a play. The spectacle of cinema is done away with in order to spotlight the many dialogues and monologues in a way that feels unnatural for a film. But the source material is excellent and the cast definitely do it justice.

10. Tenet (AKA ‘Taco Cat’) – A mercenary known only as ‘The Protagonist’ gets caught up with time travel, a Russian oligarch and the threat of Armageddon when he joins the mysterious ‘Tenet’ organisation. This is way too long and the endless, inaudible exposition gets dull very quickly but the inventive and heart-racing action sequences more or less make up for that. The male actors all play their roles with charisma while Elizabeth Debicki is left to do the emotional heavy lifting.

11. Dolemite Is My Name (‘AKA And F***ing Up Motherf***ers Is My Game’) – Standup comedian Rudy Ray Moore crafts his comic persona, Dolemite. Though this is a little formulaic in its adherence to the standard biopic structure, it surpasses the likes of ‘Nowhere Boy’, ‘Walk The Line’ or ‘Good Vibrations’ by having a protagonist who isn’t a total arsehole. And if you’re going to recreate the aesthetic of a film genre, Blaxploitation is at least at lot of fun.

12. Jojo Rabbit (AKA ‘Moonreich Kingdom) – An enthusiastic Hitler Youth member reconsiders his beliefs when he discovers a Jewish girl living in his house. If you go into this expecting to see the film that will single-handedly end global fascism, prepare for disappointment. What you really get is a sweet and funny coming of age story in a mildly controversial setting.

13. Saint Maud (AKA ‘I’m Walking On Thumb Tacks Oh-oh’) – A hospice nurse and recent Christian convert, believes she must save the soul of her terminally ill patient. I never say this, but Saint Maud could have been longer. The first seventy minutes go for slow building tension but that leaves the last half hour with not enough time to bring things to a head. The creepy atmosphere is carried by the music and visuals more than the understated performance of the two leads.

14. Uncorked (AKA ‘Billy Sommeliot’) – A young man from Memphis dreams of leaving his parents’ barbeque restaurant to become a sommelier. This just kinda follows the formula of ‘young working class guy wants to do something his parents don’t approve of’. It’s competently made but not really imaginative and wastes the opportunity for some great food porn.

15. Eurovision Song Contest – The Story Of Fire Saga (AKA ‘I Went And Watched ‘Atlantics’ Instead’) – An Icelandic singing duo realise their lifelong dream of competing in the Eurovision Song Contest. If I were a professional critic I would never review a film that I’d stopped watching after 30 minutes. But I’m not, so here it is in last place.

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