Best of 2015

Hey, lovelies! So I'm hoping to make this blog bigger and better in the new year. I feel like I always say that, but at least for now, I'm really motivated and excited. In addition, I'm hoping to really start up my personal blog, Infinite Golden Floors. At this point, I may still end up combining these two blogs, but I'd probably have to change my blog URL again, and I'd rather not. (Regardless, I'll be changing my Twitter handle.)

But let's talk about this past year! It's definitely been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, but overall, I would say I've had a good year, at least looking back now. I'll admit that I think more in school years/semesters than calendar years, so some of the beginning of the year is fuzzy, but I'm loving where I am now in college.

And here is my Best of 2015 list! Everything is listed in no particular order. (I've reviewed many of these, some won't be reviewed at all, and others will be reviewed in early 2016, by the way.)

Top 10 Reads of 2015

Honorable Mentions: I Crawl Through It by A.S. King, Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom, Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Top 2 Graphic Novels of 2015

I decided to just pick two despite having a read a few because most of the graphic novels I read were all within the same rating range and don't particularly stick out.

Top 10 Albums of 2015

(Though most of these were released in 2015, not all were. In addition, I didn't include albums for musicals.)

Honorable Mentions: Stand By You and Fight Song by Rachel Platten, Rabbits on the Run by Vanessa Carlton

Top 3 Movies of 2015

(I'm very bad at keeping track of movies I watch, so I've only looked at those released this past year. I didn't watch very many movies (probably around 5 in theaters), so.)

Honorable Mention: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Top 6 Shows of 2015

American Ballet Theater November 1st Performance (After You, Piano Concerto #1, The Brahms-Haydn Variations)

The Royal Ballet Junes 27th Performance

Happy New Year!

And that's a wrap! I hope you've all had a good year, and I hope the next year will bring even better things. Have a happy new year, lovelies! <3

What were your 2015 favorites? Do you make resolutions; what are some of yours?

A Hilarious Broadway Parody | Something Rotten! on Broadway

A friend from high school and I had been planning to see a Broadway show together even before we graduated, and only the other day did we finally make good on those plans and saw Something Rotten! 

I have heard nothing but good things about Something Rotten! but still went in without much of a clue on what it's about except for the fact that it's funny. What an understatement. This was such a fun show, parodying musicals and Broadway itself, as well as Shakespeare. It takes place during Shakespeare's time. We watch as two struggling playwrights who are trying to make money while having to compete against Shakespeare. The older brother, disheartened and desperate, turns to an unlikely source and finds out that the next big thing is going to be musicals. He also finds out that Shakespeare's most famous play is going to be called "Omelette." 

Hilarity ensues as they try to write a musical about breakfast and eggs. Any Broadway fan will get a kick out of the show and the songs featured. There are so many references to different shows, some obvious and others more subtle. Those who don't understand the references likely won't appreciate Something Rotten! as much, and they'll definitely know they're missing something as the rest of the crowd laughs. But even if you're like me and only got maybe 75% of the references, you can tell they're making fun of Broadway while on Broadway.

The actors do an amazing job, from Christian Borle as Shakespeare to Brian d'Arcy James as Nick Bottom to Heidi Blickenstaff as Bea, there is so much mixed talent on the show. The songs are upbeat and fun. The show is so great for when you need a break or just want a laugh. 

But even beyond the hilarity is a level of depth in the story arc. It's not just about Broadway but also about talent, being true to yourself, freedom, happiness, family, and loyalty. It's about learning who to trust and who not to trust--including trusting in yourself. It's about taking a stand and being your own person. There are two fierce and amazing females who show that they are brave and smart and clever in their own right. 

The end was kind of shaky in my opinion, and I'm not sure how I feel about it, but overall, I think the show wrapped up nicely. It shows how success and happiness don't necessarily have to come from fame and how fame isn't always all that it lives up to. It's about starting over but without changing who you are.

This is such a beautiful and hilarious story that anyone, but especially Broadway fans, will enjoy. There's a dash of history, a lot of wit, some literature and writing, and so many laughs. I highly, highly recommend this show and would see it again if I could afford to.

Review: An American in Paris on Broadway

"There's this really subtle beauty to the show, and I hope others will soon discover it too."

I've been desperately wanting to watch this show ever since I heard about it, especially given that it's very balletic and both Robert Fairchild and Christopher Wheeldon are huge parts of the show. That's me fangirling hard and hoping to see the show. And luckily, my parents bought tickets for a friend and I to see the show for my birthday! Yay!

The show blew.me.away. Firstly, it was pretty cool because I actually recognized two of the songs because we use the instrumental versions in ballet class. But speaking of dance, the dancing was really what did it for me. Everyone in the show is so great at dancing and at telling a story through dance. It's so gorgeously together, and for those who appreciate storytelling through dance, An American in Paris does just that, and it does it so well. I was impressed that even when moving sets, the actors and actresses were dancing. Everything was made into a show, everything a part of the setting and the story. As a dancer and as someone who just loves watching ballets and dancing, I'm in love with the show and blown away by all the talent. I didn't realize until the day after that Leanne Cope, who plays Lise, is only in the corps de ballet at the Royal Ballet (Robert Fairchild is a principal dancer with the NYCB). Like wow! She is so talented, as is the rest of the cast.

What was particularly interesting was the mix of ballet and jazz in this production. While I'm not sure how likely such an abstract work as the one they "performed" in the show (there's a show within the show) would have actually happened in that time period, I quite liked the mix of the two, and I think it helps those who don't necessarily like ballet. Even the music is a combination, and it's done very tastefully.

Speaking of the music, it should be noted that that's where things get interesting. The thing is, both Leanne Cope and Robert Fairchild are pretty good singers, but it's also pretty clear they're pretty inexperienced with singing on Broadway. In particular, I noted that every time Robbie Fairchild was singing with other people, they turned his mic way down and turned up the mics of the other singers. This is totally reasonable, and I'm glad he was cast because his dancing is fabulous, but it was just something I noticed almost right away. That being said, the rest of the cast is fabulous. While there aren't many big ensemble numbers, the few that are there are really spot on and SO fun. But the vocal performances I loved most were those of Jill Paice (plays Milo Davenport) and Max von Essen (plays Henri Baurel). The thing is, if you're looking for a classic Broadway show with big flair and lots of really fun ensemble pieces, this is not that kind of show. There's much more dancing than singing, and as I've mentioned, it's more for those that can appreciate storytelling through dance. Very rarely are the leads singing and dancing at the same time, and I would normally want more singing in general, but if you don't mind (like myself), then it's fine.

(On a side note that I'm not sure where to put: I love how well the actors and actresses generally stayed in-accent, even when singing. I remember seeing Kinky Boots and not seeing that really being brought across. Props to this cast!)

The story itself is also fantastic and very well-executed. It's easy to follow, and while I'm not a huge fan of the way they were all going after Lise, it's a lovely story about love, freedom vs responsibility, finding true love, and art. And it's hilarious! Not in a way that kids may necessarily understand, but for those of us who are older, there's so much humor found at all the right portions. In particular, Adam (Brandon Uranowitz) and Madame Baurel (Veanne Cox) stand out in the comedic front. Their performances were stellar, and they made everyone laugh.

Lastly, I really want to mention the sets and costumes. The set design was incredible, and the use of the screen for backdrops was amazing. The images that were projected and the physical sets, which were all very moveable and had various uses, really set the mood and the place, and it wasn't hard to see oneself in Paris. Many of the sets were simple but perfect for what was needed. And I can't not mention the glory that was turning the stage into a stage, with the audience of the show within the show being the back of the stage, so that the cast and dancers were facing the back for large portions of the "American in Paris" number. It's confusing to explain, but it's so cool to see when you watch it on stage. Of course, the costumes were gorgeous as well, particularly those for the ladies. They matched the time, place, and situation, and each really fit the personality of the character.

I really enjoyed An American in Paris, and while it certainly isn't going to be for everyone, it was everything I was hoping for and more. I'm so glad I was able to see the show, and I hope the show will stay on for a long time. It likely caters to an older audience, as I also noted when I went to see the show, but really, I think anyone who can appreciate the amazing dancing will love it. Fans of ballet will especially love it, but it's so easy to fall in love with the show. There's this really subtle beauty to the show, and I hope others will soon discover it too.

Review: Side Show on Broadway

Disclaimer: I, and a guest, was invited to see Side Show in exchange for a mention on the blog (thank you to Side Show and 87AM). This, however, does not affect my review in any way.

I have to be honest. I barely knew anything about Side Show when I was first contacted about the show. I had seen the image from when I had been in the city, but I hadn't heard about the show. But as soon as I read about it, I got super excited because it sounded like the kind of show I'd love.

And I enjoyed it more than I was already anticipating, though there were some flaws that keep me from being completely in love with the show. But the good stuff first.

The cast was fabulous, with some standout performances. Erin Davey (Violet Hilton) and Emily Padgett (Daisy Hilton) were spectacular in their own way; their acting was so amazing, and they both truly captured the two girls and their similarities and differences. My personal favorites were David St. Louis, who killed it as Jake, Brandon Bieber, dancer extraordinaire, and Charity Angel Dawson, who was my favorite member of the freaks cast because of her voice. His voice is just mind-blowing, and I really hope he'll land another role soon because more people need to be exposed to his talent. Charity Angel Dawson (Fortune Teller) also had an amazing voice, and actually, both David and Charity's voices really shined in the song "The Devil You Know." And as a dancer, I loved Brandon Beiber's dancing; it stuck out to me right away, and I wasn't surprised to find out that he's the dance captain. But honestly, the entire cast, particularly "the freaks," were just great, and the chemistry between everyone was evident.

Next was the singing and the score. Wow! I really loved the big numbers, and I also love how there are silly ones, some deeply emotional ones, and some in between. I feel like that truly fit the tone of the show--a bit light and funny at times, deeply emotional and heartbreaking at times, some in-between times, but overall amazing. There were some songs that seemed a bit unnecessary--some did break up the drama and add a bit of humor--and seemed to break a bit away from the story, but at the end, I really enjoyed the music as a whole.

The last thing is the costumes and sets in general. The moving Freaks set reminded me so much of when I saw Newsies, but that'll lead me in a different direction. So I was a tad irked afterward about how it was mentioned once that this takes place during the Depression but you never really see any of that, but then I remembered the life Daisy and Violet were living for most of the plot, and it didn't really bother me. I especially loved Daisy and Violet's outfits, of course. (Also, that on-stage costume switch was just so woah! to see, despite a slight wardrobe malfunction for one of the girls.)

Now, onto some of the more bothersome parts...to be honest, it was mostly in regards to the plot. The story seemed to be going in an upward projection for the first part of the show, but somewhere along the way, it began to fall apart, leaving me disappointed by the end. Firstly, there were some character-related issues. Though I absolutely loved Jake, it felt like he was in and out of the story and thus in and out of the girls' lives, which of course wasn't true from what we were told. It just felt like he was a plot device when he could've been a much more stellar character. (Also, the not-so-subtle racial undertones were noted.) Then there was the fact that all the romantic plot lines were just so weak--there was seemingly no chemistry between any of the characters involved other than the bond between the sisters themselves. The Jake-Violet part was only semi-hinted at in the beginning but hardly continued in any way. Maybe it was meant to be a surprise, but it just didn't feel that way. But for me, the worst was the Terry-Daisy and Buddy-Violet romances because it seemed either convenient or like a trick meant to further make the girls stay with them and the vaudeville show. There seemed to be little actual chemistry, though they sure tried to make it seem like there was something there. And the hinting that Buddy's gay but oh-I-guess-not-because-wedding! was cringe-worthy at best, and it made the whole romance-might-be-a-ploy idea seem not too far-fetched. I really thought the thing with Buddy was going to lead somewhere, but his possibly being gay was just never brought up again and later didn't seem like had ever been hinted.

And perhaps what bothered me most was the end itself. So I know the show is based on the real lives of the Hilton sisters, but seeing as how the show was already changed a bit for this revival, I don't see why they couldn't change the end a bit. I feel like part of what drew me to the show when I read about it was the fact that it was supposed to be about the girls coming to accept who they are and then through that, learning to do what they want and figure out what's best for them without letting someone dictate that. They went from the hands of Sir to the arguably manipulative Terry (and Buddy), which was another never-mentioned-again plot lines that seemed important but was messed up because of the messed up romances, and then SPOILERS into the hands of a guy making a movie about them called Freaks. This leaves me feeling conflicted because on the one hand, perhaps they're okay with being freaks in the eyes of the world because they understand that the world will always see them that way and that they were the ones who changed inside. On the other hand, it feels like the entire journey the girls when through didn't matter because they're still just freaks and being taken advantage of by the movie director or producer or whoever. END SPOILER The ending just felt so anti-climactic and slightly disappointing, especially since the first half had set up for a great second half, which failed to deliver.

Overall, the show was enjoyable though certainly not my favorite. Many flaws in the characters and plot kept the show from being spectacular and on top of its game. I would say, if you have the time to see the show before it closes, go do so and quickly because the show ends on January 4th (!!!). The music and acting are really amazing, and if the show had a stronger plot, the show would've been ever greater. But if you can't find the time, it's not the end of the world. I'm sad the show won't have a longer run, but I'm happy to have been exposed to it this time around.

And thanks again to Side Show and 87AM for the opportunity to see the show before it closes.

Side Show: Website (buy tickets!) | Twitter

Review: Newsies on Broadway

"Beyond the incredible singing, dancing, and the important lessons, there's this underlying energy and enthusiasm that ties up the show and takes it from great to extraordinary."

If you follow me on Twitter, you've probably witnessed my fangirling over Newsies since the end of August. 

The show closed on Broadway on August 24th, so before then, I had been anxiously hoping to be able to see the show before its closing. I happened to be in NYC on the 15th and figured I would try my chances in the lottery. And I actually won! I was beyond excited, and I could not be happier.

Can I just say, WOW! This show blew my mind away. Most Broadway shows are definitely more theater/acting/singing oriented. But my favorite aspect of Newsies is the dancing. As a dancer, I was especially amazed and blown away. The guys (and the few girls) are superb dancers; I am so jealous of their dancing abilities! Every single one of them shined in their performances. The dance numbers were larger than life, and I think every single person in the audience was watching in awe. Just AHHH! If you're a dancer, you must see Newsies at some point. (And if you're not a dancer, you still must see Newsies. ;))

But of course, as a Broadway show, I do have to address the acting/singing aspect of the show as well. The songs and the singing? Spot on! The audience laughed at the funny moments, and the audience sat in silence at the sad, somber moments. I think everyone felt every emotion we were meant to. The group songs definitely do inspire a sense of camaraderie and the "Yes we can!" spirit of the newsies. You really grow to root for them, cheering for them all along the way. It's frustrating when they are faced with a setback, but ugh, it's just perfect. And the singing is just as great. They really do the music justice. They're all more than 100% into the singing, and it really shows. It really affects the audience, even if it may not seem that way at first. They're just infectious (but in a good way!). And the songs themselves are so sing-able, and once you listen to the songs/the cast album, you'll have it stuck in your head for days. Every song is attacking and completes its purpose and more. It's the same with their acting! Every member is so amazingly talented, as is usually the case on Broadway. (And can we just talk about how for most of the cast, Newsies was their Broadway debut?! Including Corey Cott, who took over as Jack Kelly, the main Newsie, right out of college.)

Then, there's the plot. I like the setting and the exploration of the newspaper industry during the time of Pulitzer and Hearst, especially after having learned a bit about it in my history class. However, parts of the plot were probably the weakest (but not by much) parts of the show. With the exception of one point/twist which may or may not be a surprise to people, it's fairly straightforward and isn't too difficult to predict. But I believe that with the rest of show being so great, you kind of push this to the back of your mind while watching the show. And besides, there are some great lessons that the story shows--from tackling the struggles of females and highlighting a strong, willful female character to showing how determination and teamwork can make the unthinkable/"impossible" happen, the show has something to teach everyone, young and old.

There's just this air about the show and the performers that's different from the other shows I've seen. Of course, everyone on Broadway is amazing and really in character, but with Newsies, there's this deeper energy that goes from the performers to the audience, and I think that's why it's impacted so many people, and I think that's why it's gained such a large following. Beyond the incredible singing, dancing, and the important lessons, there's this underlying energy and enthusiasm that ties up the show and takes it from great to extraordinary. 

I highly, highly recommend Newsies for everyone. Seriously, the show isn't on Broadway anymore (*sobs*), but a different cast is going on a national tour. And while I can't vouch for them for certain, I know they'll put on an amazing show at a Broadway worthy level. Please, if they're stopping near you, go watch the show. I promise you won't regret it!

(Also, my dance competition team is doing a Newsies mash-up for our production number this year, and I'M SO EXCITED YOU HAVE NO IDEA)

Learn more about Newsies and Newsies on Tour HERE