Monday, February 26

Iguana Is Not Going

A couple of years ago The RENT movie came out. I was against making it into a movie from day one. Everyone was excited about it, I wasn't. Everyone said I should see it at least once, I still haven't. Some people said it was a masterpiece, they have been removed from the picture.

Then they announced that Dreamgirls was in fact being made into a movie. I was thrilled and had every right to be. It upset me that no one really knew about Dreamgirls beforehand. You'd be surprised out in 2004 when I would say, "I can't wait for Dreamgirls to come out!!!" And the puzzled looks I'd receive.

Then when it got closer to the release date I'd hear such atrocious comments like, "Yea Dreamgirls, the story of Diana Ross and the Supremes." Excuse me? Sure the movie did mirror is a little, but the musical not so much.

But I digress, as I often do on subjects like this. In short the movie is a great success, and though it barely made a killing at the Oscars, it made on big triumph for Jennifer Hudson and I am SO happy for her. I never watched American Idol, but her Hollywood story is so sweet. I sort of want her to retire now, cause I'm afraid that she may never make a good movie again. This should be enough for her.

But I love how in her speech last night she did a QUICK shout out to Jennifer Holliday. It made my night. As I promptly turned of the TV once I saw her win that award.

So in short.

Congrats Ms. Hudson, you told them right! This time Effie White DID win!!

Wednesday, February 21

Iguana Sees Dutchman


First before I post, I just filed my taxes...or think I did. I'm not even 100% sure. I went through the steps, paid my online filing fees, but it all seemed so easy.

For the first time I owed money, yup, 19 dollars. A huge sum I know! I think living in New York City and filing taxes you will ALWAYS owe money. Anyway I think it's done and it wasn't as complicated as I thought. Unless of course something goes horribly wrong and I'm arrested by the IRS...Then I'll have problems.

Now onto the plays I saw this week...well one of the plays I saw this week.

Dutchman was perhaps one of the best shows I have yet to see in a long time. I know I probably say that about most shows. This time I really mean it. It's a complicated show to describe really. It's controversial, short and chilling.

The play is set on the Subway, which adds to the metaphor of The Dutchman. It's a legend about a ship lost at sea that forever sails on endlessly, never reaching land. As far as I have been told at least. This particular subway is very much the same, at first it makes normal stops on the subway, and suddenly it seems to be going and going, as the action in the show increases, the time between stops takes longer and longer.

The story centers around two characters. A black man named Clay and a white woman named Lula. Lula enters the subway and immediately begins hitting on and enticing Clay. You can immediately tell that Lula is not exactly all together though. My favorite part of her entrance is when she's hitting on Clay while eating an apple sexily. Then suddenly she smashes the apple with her fist and starts screaming. Yet Clay still seems interested in Lula.

The show is about race and stereotypes in society. An it first premiered in NYC (at the same theater) in 1964. At that time it was obvious this play would stir up a lot of controversy, what's sadly surprising is the way it still rings true today.

Not to long ago I posted an entry about being harassed in the Subway because I was gay. The reaction of myself and of the people I was with, mirrored very closely to Clay's reaction, even though his was obviously more theatrical, the things he says on the subway though were shockingly similar to what my traveling companions said when we switched trains.

Both Dule Hill, who played Clay and Jennifer Mudge, who played Lula were terrific! The characters seem so difficult to play and not make overly dramatic or campy and they both did an excellent job.

All I can say is if someone approaches you on the subway in a flirtatious way and is eating an apple...switch cars or get off the train ASAP!!!

Monday, February 19

Suddenly, Last Summer: Prologue


It all REALLY began in January of 2006, a new year, a new life, a seed had been planted that would soon change my life forever. Like all seeds, it needed something to get it started, a spark to light the flame....

I'll try to avoid many cliches in the future, specially with some of the topics I'll be covering it'll seem even more tacky. Like a Jackie Collins Novel really. But I digress.

Up to this point I was living in a world of seclusion and naivety. It's hard to explain what happens when you enter a world of different viewing. I was near the looking glass, I knew something was on the other side, but I didn't know how to pass through.

At my old school I felt as though I was in a state of coma. Before college I had two one year long relationships with two guys I thought I loved when I was young. I was always wondering how it went wrong. Well the first one was long in the past so I didn't mind that it ended. But the other was still fresh in my mind. He had cheated on me and it hurt me very much.

It was the idea of him getting fucked by someone else that hurt me. Not so much that he cheated, it was that. That's what I told others too: He had betrayed my trust.

But in reality it was I who had betrayed him. I had cheated first. The only thing is I never got caught.

Before I actually explain how and what happened, the reason I am mentioning this (since it actually happened a year prior to everything else happening) it was the seed that had been planted.

Do I feel rotten that I have lied for almost a year and a half? Yes, why did I do it? Because I'm human and that's what humans do, they lie and cheat apparently. I caught my Ex, he didn't catch me. I wasn't about to be the wronged one. Some would consider this evil, and I'll admit it is, maybe I am evil.

In my defense though I was young, confused and very hurt at the time. If what had happened then, happened in the present things would've been much more different...

I think that's enough for tonight. I wanted to start off with a bang, and I think this is appropriate...

Stay Tuned for next entry...

For the Sake of Rememberence

I've decided for the sake of my memory I am going to start recording my past experiences since I moved out of college and into the real world, so I can keep track of these events and not forget so easily.

These entries are probably going to be graphic, brutally honest (whether I want to or not), random, shocking, and may hamper your opinion of me VERY much.

I am doing this nonetheless because I need to get it out. A lot has happened to me since May 2006 and it needs to come out now...

Regardless of this, these entries will be friend's only cause I don't wish for the whole world to read them. Even though the home blog WILL be public (aka This blog you're reading now).

Just remember I am doing this to reflect...Or am I telling myself that?

Friday, February 16

Iguana Sheds His Skin and his Feelings

It's over. I ended my little tryst with W. Why did I do it? Things weren't going that badly, we got along, he was sweet and he was totally into a monogamous relationship...It's because of these three items though that I decided to break it off before we got to serious.

And now ladies and gentlemen, I shall become a total bitch.

Item 1. We got along. Sure it's true we did get along, he was polite. But we got along as much as I got along with a friendly classmate. We have little in common. Not that we would sit there in silence for hours, but as most people know. I am into theater, majorly, and my boyfriend doesn't need to be a theater connoisseur like me, but perhaps it would be nice if he had some general knowledge on the fact. And there is a difference between seeing theater with someone who appreciates it VS someone who just goes...I can see that difference.

When I say Stephen Sondheim, it should ring a small bell, that's all I mean.

But it wasn't just theater, it was movies, music, video games, etc. And call me selfish, but I just don't want to teach you from scratch.

Now I know opposites attract, yin and yang and all that, but I don't know if I agree sometimes.

Item 2. He was sweet. — Now I know I may get shit for this one, but I must say it. Everyone wants a sweetheart in their life. Someone who will tell you that you're beautiful and will hug you unexpectedly, but then there is the kind of person who will always remind you how beautiful and constantly hug you so that it loses it's effectiveness and just becomes redundant. W was the latter case. Every day for a month I would get a text message such as, "Hey, my heart (or inset any cutie nickname you'd like, sweetie, sexy, dear, etc.), I hope your day is going well and I am thinking of you!"

The first week or so of that, I liked it, it was nice.

I'd say it started to lose it's charm when combined with the constant gifts and wanting to see each other...I am with you constantly. I know you like me and are thinking about me, right now I'm the biggest influence in your life. Like anything too much of it will ruin the feelings.

Item 3. Totally into monogamy — I do like that idea too, but I knew it would happen. Every time I meet someone I'd like to date, I get those fears. Those "I'm only 21, it's too soon to settle down for a long while with one person and I'm not going to do it until I am 100% sure he's the right one for me" fears. Sadly, which W I didn't feel like he would be that one.

Thus I ended it. I don't feel sad, just afraid. I'm nervous about the fact that I don't know if I can meet a person I want to settle down with. Someone worth spending all my time with and enjoying it. I'm still not 100% comfortable with the idea of an open relationship with someone, but everyday that seems more reasonable.

So until then I'll go back to doing what I do best...

Being a Ho.

I already have a new notch in my bedpost...I know, I know. He was a very sweet guy and how appropriate he was calling me over because his boyfriend was on a business trip. He was so happy with my looks and my attitude that he couldn't resist.

I made him cum really quickly and thus felt that little flame light up again.

Monday, February 12

Iguana Has a Day Off

Honestly I don't feel there's enough hours in the day anymore. I try to do something and time just flies by. Okay, granted I have enough time to write a journal entry, when I should be researching internships, doing homework, reading books and planning where I want to grad school, but I'm doing this instead...

The above was written two days ago, so I'm just continuing on. I'm having some negative thoughts about life in general. Nothing horribly bad. More just about doubting myself and the aspects of my life and all it encompasses. I wonder if I'm making correct decisions all the time. Whether or not I should make my escape from things while the going is fresh. I don't know. It's all workable, but just confusing.

I believe that I always seem to feel the opposite of what I should when I'm in certain situations.

Comedy of Errors. The show that I'm working on at school. It does seem very appropriate I would be involved with that show, very appropriate.

I'm listening to a musical called Goblin Market. It's interestingly strange. More like a poem, or a children's story that a musical (but I think that's what they were going go). Oh the 80s were truly a fresh time.

School is failing to REALLY entice me this semester. Yet I'm staying on top of all my work nonetheless. It's a academic in me. I can't let it fall, just because my interest has failed. It's all old hat now. Reading, reading, reading...Tis true.

That and drafting.

Work too. Keep my mind numb and you won't hate it as much. Keeping my mind number, yes sir.

Thank God the radiator finally came on. But here's a butt of the joke. I'm leaving for work in a few minutes. Yes the radiator wasn't on ALL day, except right now. Thank God for space heaters.

Now off to work for 8 hours of work/sitting/rest (maybe). Reading a play called Stop Kiss, about Lesbians and hate crimes...It better have a clever twist cause right now I'm catching onto Diane Son's tricks.

Iguana Gets Into The Follies


This was a great theater filled weekend (but one must ask nowadays, what weekend ISN'T a great theater weekend for me nowadays?)

On Saturday I saw City Center's Limited run of Follies. It was amazing! First off it had stars such as Victoria Clark, Donna Murphy, Victor Barber, Christine Baranski, JoAnne Worley and Philip Bosco. All of who shined one way or another. Of course Clark and Murphy shined the most, since they played the two leads.

What really impressed me though was the story. The basic story was about the Weissman Theater was being torn down and the old Follies ladies and Gentlemen are welcomed back for one last party there. Four old friends are reunited, as well as the old flames of the past. The night is filled with memories both good and bad.

This was played out with the four leads having younger counter parts that would play them in their memories. Other minor characters had younger people, but only to show what they were like in their younger glory when they preformed their numbers. It was both beautiful and sad.

Now I've listened to the CD for many years just thinking that was all the story was about. What I never realized was how the second acted developed. Now I have always know that the reason this didn't win best musical in 1972 was because the book had some troubles, but it wasn't for naught. In the second acted the four main characters (both young and old) have their own version of the Follies, but using Folly in it's other meaning:

A foolish act, idea of practice.

So in the second act each character has a big Folly like number, displaying well, the folly of their life. In a way it was brilliant. Sally singing a beautiful vamp like number, about how crazy she is for a man, but she does realize that he never loved her in return. Buddy singing his campy number about his wife and his mistress. Phillis singing a sexy number about the two women she wishes she could combine so she could be every woman. An Ben singing about success, fame and love, but having a nervous breakdown before the song can finish.

B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T.

Plus the idea of the younger versions of the character intermingling with the older was superb too. Overall I was VERY impressed.

Then I saw the smaller production of Tennessee Williams, In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel. Interesting setup. Campy lady, neurotic man, insanity ensures. Lots of incomplete sentences, but it was very good. Even in his old age 10 knew how to do it!

Sunday, February 4

Iguana Has Tennessee Williams on the Mind

First in normal news, I'm still itchy.

Second in theater news, I finished The Coast of Utopia Trilogy. Each play stands out on it's own. Voyage was a Chekhov-esque drama, with many characters to be introduced and each scene moving by the year. What Stoppard did that was brilliant was how he lead you into the mood of the show through a character who in fact wasn't the main character of the series. It was like giving the audience exposition, but first hand.

Shipwreck soon showed you who the next two plays would revolve around. Of the three I enjoyed this one the most. It started off with the same grandeur as Voyage, but in the second act soon became much more human and intriguing to watch. As well as heartbreaking.

The final, Salvage, brought the series to a close, or did it? Do we forget that after 1866, Russia still went through much more historical events.

Hello Lenin.

But for the final piece I have to say it combined the complexity of the first part with the enjoyability of the second. It was great. So after the show naturally I bought a ticket to a marathon day...

Yes that's one day, ALL THREE plays. It's a 12 hour day kids. Starting at 11 am, and ending at 11pm. Granted I get a lunch and dinner break. It's going to be intense!!! I can NOT wait. To see it all together.

No show has ever effected me this way. I enjoy it.

Today I journeyed out to New Jersey to see my second in three Tennessee Williams shows. Today was Summer & Smoke. Which will get it's own review in a different entry. Amanda Plummer was great as Alma, but I can see where the show once got criticism. On the 13th I'll be seeing, In the Bar of A Tokyo Hotel, one of 10's last plays. It's gonna be interesting, probably. It's playing at an off-off-Broadway theater called The White Horse. Check it out, got a limited run.