Chess on Broadway - 1988

Chess, if you don't know already and many (the four people who read this) of you already do, is one of my all time favorite musicals. I have finally acquired a bootleg of the production! It's amazing, well semi-amazing. Okay, I'll just admit it I secretly love it with all my heart. I've only watched Act I, but I can't wait for Act II. The three stars sing their hearts out and it's such a shame that the cut the CD down to the minimal songs. Yet, that makes sense.

Trevor Nunn does it again! And when I say that I mean he uses the same techniques he used the year before in Les Mis and would use many years later in Rock 'N' Roll. Meaning when all else fails lets use a turntable...Now, I love the turntable, don't get me wrong. It can make an otherwise dull show, fascinating. Once the stage starts spinning you just feel this overwhelming urge that something amazing will happen!

Now for Chess this actually was very true. The way the staged moved (turned), along with the two moving towers made it actually look like they were walking down hallways. It was very cinematic.

However, this show was not without problems. First to mention the utterly confusing storyline. Since every version of Chess is different I cannot tell you the story so easily. The Broadway version though not only had a love triangle (as it always does) there is the whole USSR vs. USA idea. Plus there's Florence lost father. Add in two "agents" who are working for the greater good. Last but not least bring in the sad devoted wife. And I tell you, you have one crazy storyline.

Also there is the music...the epic and amazing music. Then there is the question of...what does one do during these songs? Well in one version they had the chorus provide entertainment by dancing, while the lead sang their ballad. In concert versions it's easier, because we don't expect much. In this version though (save for One Night In Bangkok) Mr. Nunn didn't think about this fully through, nothing happens.

The best example being Nobody's Side. This is Florence's huge number where she finally leaves Freddie and decides to play the game her way! It's a wonderful song, the lyrics are a bit nutty. Yet you listen to it and feel completely empowered! So for years I've wondered what Florence would be doing during this number. Would she be smashing shit up? Would she be standing there doing nothing? So the song begins and well...I think my thoughts are best said in the email I sent to my friend, which was my immediate reaction to the number. Yes I write my friend about my feelings on certain parts of musicals.

Enjoy and I suggest listening to the actual song while reading (Click here!) You really get the feel:

But as we've discussed, the songs are so epic, what do you do? Like the song where people sell things it's just odd. However, my favorite moment is when Judy is singing Nobody's Side. At least in the Swedish version they have Florence in a club getting drunk and have a REALLY good time.

While in this Judy starts off singing after Freddie leaves. Then the turntable moves and Florence walks into her hotel room. Now you think it's gonna get great...and she proceeds to start packing her suitcase...

The rest of the song (like 2 minutes) is just her belting her heart out and she's folding her sweaters and folding skirts. She throws the shoes in very mad. Cause she's belting very powerfully...Yes...so that's just a funny moment.

Lastly, since I'm on theme of Nobody's Side. I may as well drive the point home with this little gem...

The Oscars...

Last night I went to an Oscar's Viewing at my friend Jeff's. It was a private affair involving Gin & Tonics, Pot and lots of chips. The Oscars was a snooze. A major snooze, in my opinion. The only defining moment was when Marion Collard won, as I predicted way back when I first saw the movie in August. Way before everyone else was all abuzz. Yea, that's right I single handedly decided the fate of the Best Actress Category this year. I only try to use my powers for good.

So the song of my life right now is Nobody's Side. Yes, right. Well to tell you the truth, I am on Nobody's Side. Elaine Paige and I are both against everyone! As well as Judy Kuhn and Carolee Carmello! What a crew I run with, I'm actually aghast that there's not a Tony Winner amongst us! Well girl's worry not...I'll change that soon enough.

I came to the conclusion that I have dealt with so much bullshit and so many issues in my life, that I think God intended me to star in this Lifetime Movie he's making. Now I know, almost everyone thinks their lives are more important and interesting than the person next to them. So that's why I soon took that conclusion and decided to alter it slightly.

I decided that no, my life is not more important than anyone else's. And let's face it, there is no God cause so many people have so many problems, I find it hard to believe that God actually favors only those with religious zeal (who are the people with the biggest issues anyway).

I'm not trying to start shooting my mouth off, but I don't feel that religious people are more protected by God. I just feel they're more sheltered/ignorant. I digress...

As I was saying, my life is no more interesting than the people next to me. That's why I decided to start believing that when I don't see people. They cease to exist. It's not that people are boring but, their lives don't really matter unless I am somehow involved in them.

So I like to imagine that when I'm done hanging out with a person, they say goodbye and we hug. Then they just vaporize into thin air. Those thoughts aside, this doesn't count for my good friends. I need them to have lives too because what would I talk about? I am speaking more along the lines of...all those people I read on Livejournal and blogger.* I mean honestly.



* That last line was a joke to see if anyone even got that far to read it.

Musings at night...musings at night

School is underway, no need for alarm. Classes look promising. When will this petty little game of "classes" and discussing them end? I feel like I've been playing this game forever. Hopefully it'll end. I want to at least pretend I'm an adult. How childish to say that...

I love Chess the Danish Cast. After all these years I finally get the full recording of the entire show. How superb! I sort of want to sleep with my People, Power and Politics teacher. He has a touch of the Irish brogue and a beard. He seems like a complete genius. He also isn't making us write any papers and only have tests to do.

The Costume Shop at school will not be getting me as a dresser this semester. It really annoyed me when I went up there and one of the bitchy girls is like, "We were gonna kick you out of the room anyway..." Referring to the fact I signed up to work in the shop. I look at her and go, "Well I have all semester." And she sassy replies, "I wouldn't count on that..."

I turn to her and look her dead in the eye and ask, "Are you being cryptic...what does that even mean?" Like what sort of secret message was she trying to convey?! It's true I was told I had the entire semester and I only need the room once. Then I'm good to go. She just replies, "I mean get your pillow done as soon as possible." I know her point, but why did she have to be such a bitch about it?

This whole situation seems like a scene from Clueless the TV show...

Not a Shiksa Goddess

Hearing Judy Kuhn talk about Chess in 1988 really makes me smile

:-) << Just like that.

Judy is a little too polite about things in general. You know she doesn't like to step on toes...but I love her and want to hear her dish. I want to see her (once Broadway reopens) in Les Mis as Fantine before it closes.

My favorite quote of this interview is:
Interviewer: The lovely ibdb.com tells us as well as playing Cosette you also are referred to as...whore.

Now the real tale:

The last payment for China requires me to go to the Speech Office in my school. Now I am required to take Speech...yes...but there is a way to get out of it you take a speech screening test. Apparently they make you read this passage that contains all of the different sounds you can make. I plan on taking it someday, who knows when really. Just as long as I don't have to take that class...

So some girl was asking this homely, I mean homely Jewish girl. Now, I know that may be stereotyping, but I go to Brooklyn College, where every girl is basically Jewish. On top of this the girl was socially awkward too. Matchmaker, anyone? No seriously this girl needs a hardcore Matchmaker...

She was a huge...not hot...HUGE mess. I stood there watching her speak and I was in disbelief, pure disbelief! It was phenomenal! I wish I had a video clip of her or something...

Weekend In the Country

Time for illegal bootleg musical reviews:

1. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (stage version) — Phenomenal! Really funny, sometimes bad sound quality. Totally great though. I just feel for it much more than the movie. There's something about a stage show with one person telling a tale. You don't need all the extra scenes, you just need that energy to get you through. The ending was great, when Hedwig turns into Tommy, it just explained a lot to me. It also made more sense to me than the movie.
2. Sweeney Todd Revival — It was so great to see Patti back on the stage again. I remember seeing it in 2005 and hating it. I was in a much different place in my life though. I wasn't happy. Watching it again has made me realize how much I adore it. It's a brilliant revival. All the characters are played very well and with a touch of craziness. Watching it through something struck me about the ending. That I never thought of. It's just a silly little fact, but it made things a little more interesting.
3. Chess the 2003 Concert Version — Funny show. I still enjoy the Swedish production more. It was great to finally hear. Yet something lacked...oh yes the ending. The DVD cuts out right before the final song. I don't mind, I got all I needed from it. The extra songs they added is what I mean. That's all I needed to hear, really. Otherwise it's kind of a snooze, but fun to watch. The Swedes do it so much better because it's a full out production. Sure you can't understand a word, but it's so fun to watch.
   

In other news, it's been go-go-go in life. Tomorrow will be the third day I don't get proper sleep. It's how it works. You sit there and say, well if he has no free time, then how is he watching musicals?

My answer is, while I write my paper, while I sew my beret, while I do things. I envy those who "have time" I look forward to it someday soon. Finishing this paper tonight has assured me sometime.

I was going to write more, but I got distracted...DAMN!

Iguana At Home — A 3-Part Mini Opera

Theatre, theatre everywhere and not a chance to justify complaining...If everything goes according to plan, by the end of September I will have seen:

Hair 40th Anniversary Concert in the Park
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
King Lear at BAM
The Misanthrope

I finished watching the Swedish version of Chess, which is amazing though slight absurd.

Why treat me like a fool?

It was a production of epic proportions. The three leads were good in their own way, and though I didn't understand a word of it, I loved it all the same. All the songs are amazing and though the staging may be a little kooky and the chorus a little awkward in certain scenes. In short, to see a staged version of it finally was totally worth it.

Will he miss me, if I go?

So, the fall setting in Park Slope is beautiful. It's almost more picturesque than the falls back home, and we had some good falls. It's too perfect though. I have walked down the street feeling like Kathy Whitaker - A Woman on the Verge.

I could be in someone else's story! In someone else's life...

How does this sound for being a touch insane...So I got a special recording of A Little Night Music (The BBC Concert starring Betty Buckley and Maria Friedman (a role I actually enjoy her in)) So upon listening to it, the recording is a touch dodgy, but truly amazing to hear the whole show starring one of my favorite Divas. The only noticeable problem is it doesn't have A Weekend in the Country. One of the greatest Sondheim opening Act II numbers ever.

Act II just starts with Maria Friedman saying in her ever singsong voice [insert sarcastic look here], "Plague." WHAT?! But it sounds like such a funny joke! I need to know someday! What is she saying Plague to?

So my solution [insert crazy reference here] is to record the Weekend in the Country number from the Lincoln Center Revival in 1990. I do this because it's the only version I know of on the Internet that contains all the intermittent dialogue during the song...

No man, no madness...

Lastly tonight, I leave with my latest anecdote [I wrote this to a friend in an email]:

Funny story, the other day a guy was selling books on the street. This was during my bad day (losing insurance and all that) and you know it's book sold from a table on the STREET. You would think that it be like 2-5 dollars a book. I found a Hirschfeld book that I've seen many times at Strand for like 9-10 bucks. I go, "How much is this." and the old gay bitch says...

"Asking price is 18 dollars...but I can negotiate. It originally went for 30 dollars." I looked at him with my one eyebrow askew and said, "I only have a couple of dollars." He shrugs and I go to put it back and the BITCH grabs it from my hands and says, "LET ME DO IT!" I let it go a second to late cause I wanted it to fall to the ground, but he caught it.

Only in Park Slope would someone sell books in the STREET on a table for consumer report prices.

Iguana Is Fantastick!

The weekend moved by quickly, but quite enjoyably. Some ups and downs, but mostly ups. What's more surprising is the fact that this coming week, because my school is filled with many Jewish students. I only have class Monday and Tuesday. How insane is that? With Labor day, followed by this coming week with three days off, I feel I can't fully get into the school "mood." I know that come October and November I won't feel the same way.

This weekend was enjoyable because I finally saw The Fantasticks with the Gentleman Caller. He likes to rub it in that out of the "handful" of shows he's seen, he has seen like 2-3 that I have never seen. It's when he says things like that, that I am filled with the urge to slap him across the face. Figuratively not literally. He knows it bothers me and I find that admirable...I think.

What's great about finally seeing The Fantasticks is that I can NOW listen to the CD I've had for months and understand what is going on. It truly is one of those shows that you need to see before actually hearing it.

This should come as no surprise, but I found myself incredibly drawn to The Girl (or Luisa as she's called). Maybe it's the fact that Liza once played the role and I feel universally drawn to her. Not only that, she played it opposite Elliot Gould. So therefore if their characters procreated and Liza had a child (understand, this is ALL a hypothesis) that child would most likely be me.

It was more of the fact that The Girl is the dreamer of the show. Her song Much More was fascinating, and she had these quirky lines like, "I am special...please God, please! Don't let me be normal!" I sat there thinking, "Oh...I've said that many a time."

The show reminded me of a smaller version of Candide. It shared the idea that dreams don't last forever and reality, no matter how cruel must set in eventually.

Sometimes you need to die a little in order to grow.

The rest of the night was supposed to be spent in Astoria, Queens at a Dollywood Vs. Bollywood theme Birthday Party. With two DJ's literally spinning Dolly Parton and Indian Mixes. It was ultimately not in my Destiny to never go to this party. While waiting at my friend's apartment before the party, I went to use the bathroom.

While I was out of the room they got into a trivial fight. About what time we were supposed to leave. I feel that my being present at the time of this fight caused one of the couple to get flustered and he just left the apartment without saying a word, while I sat there. The other and I sat there watching TV for another hour, until he proclaimed that he wasn't going to the party. This one, not going, being my better friend (and the fact I was supposed to spend the night at the end of the party at their place, and he would leave much sooner than the other) gave me an address to meet the others at the party. I wasn't about to go now.

The Gentleman Caller to the rescue.

He let me come over to his place, because I didn't want to go home and I like to see him. We watched half of Capote and now I want to read In Cold Blood. Seeing as I have two books, amongst many other books for school, to read. I will put that one for later.

Speaking of which, I'm currently trying to speed through Manuel Puig's The Kiss of the Spider Woman before I see the musical. I'm not entirely upset if I don't finish reading it, the book is immensely different. It's brilliantly written, entirely in conversations between the two prisoners. Molina is such a lovely character, entrancing for me to read, yet he isn't perfect. It's wonderful. I wish I didn't know his fate because I am sure this book, and the musical may do it too, would put me into tears when it finishes. Time will tell.

I've been spending a lot of time with The Gentleman Caller lately. I sometimes find myself confused by what he takes it all as (ha! Understatement!) I like what it is and all that comes out of it. A friendship with kissing really is what it is right now. I'm not really in the state of mind to expect anything more and I am NOT in the mood to rush anything.

Let me figure out how to make this person my friend...

I feel comfortable with him. Not completely, but personality wise I am not worrying about idle things. I can act stupid and not worry. Plus, he's very handsome. I find myself looking at him when his back is turned...in his boxers...I know that I don't often feel that with other guys.

Oh GOD! I hope he knows I'm somewhat smart...

Because I am in the mood for it...