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A Broadway-style Friday Five

It's time for RevGalBlog's Friday Five, and this time it's on musicals and plays:

1. Describe the last play or musical you saw. (At least provide the what, when, where, and why). What was your opinion of it?

To Kill a Mockingbird at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival last month. I was lucky to sit three rows back from the stage in the center courtesy of my oh-so-good friend Lenore, who had a couple of complimentary tickets (and she chose me).

TKM is one of (if not my top) favorite books and films. Unbelievably I didn’t discover it until I recently moved to the South—and it was another oh-so-good friend Susan (an author herself) who gave it to me.

The play was incredibly powerful, mostly because they treated the audience (of which I was front and center) like the jury during the trial. Very moving.

Added bonus: the young girl who played Scout was trained by another-oh-so-good friend (and, let me tell you, ultra-uber-talented) Lauren. Now, contrary to what you might think, I only have a handful of oh-so-good friends, so that most of these sisters are associated in one way or another with this play is part of what made the experience so special.


2. All time favorite play? Musical?


Has to be Hamlet. Also saw it here at ASF. It was probably the fifth time or so that I’d seen it, but it was the first time I actually got so lost in the story that I forgot I was watching a play. Incredible. (Added bonus: I saw this with oh-so-good friend Susan and our husbands.)


3. “The Producers,” “The Philadelphia Story,” “Hairspray,” “The Wedding Singer”…all were movies before they were musicals (okay “The Philadelphia Story” was a play and then a movie, and they changed its name when it became a musical, but whatever). What non-musical movie do you think should next get the musical treatment?

Heh, The Mummy. Just kidding. Um, Nanny McPhee?

Lauren (who’s acted in too many musicals and plays to count) says Pride & Predjuce—with its sweeping plot and costumes—would be perfect. Dang. Wish I’d thought of that.


4. Favorite song from a musical? Why?

I just heard some songs from Les Miserables (we are using Broadway as a theme in our summer Contemporary Worship series, which I've yet to blog) and I’m stunned. Such biblical truth about grace and mercy in a musical only a couple of decades old. But, I must confess, the love song (heh, or almost any song or arrangement, for that matter) from The Phantom of the Opera gives me goose bumps everytime.

Lauren says West Side Story’s “Somewhere” is her’s because “it resonates heaven for me.” I just heard it again (we’re using it in our service this Sunday) and have to agree. For Lauren and I both, it creates a sense of longing for heaven where there is (in Lauren’s words) “peace, quiet, open air and we all can be together.”


5. The most recent trend in Broadway musical revues is to construct a show around the oeuvre of a particular super-group or composer, where existing songs are woven together with some kind of through story. The most successful of these (“Jersey Boys” (The Four Seasons), “Mamma Mia” (ABBA), “Movin’ Out” (Billy Joel)) have made a mint, but many (“All Shook Up” (Elvis), “Hot Feet” (Earth, Wind and Fire)) have bombed. What great pop/rock singer/composer or super-group should be the next to be featured, and what might the story-line be for such a show?

It was reading this question that made me call Lauren to begin with. I drew a complete blank (the only thing I could think of was Iron Maiden and I don’t even like them. Ack.). So, what does Lauren say? U-2, hands down. As to the story, there are lots of options, from focusing on four guys from Ireland who make it big to something to do with Bono’s humanitarian efforts. Thanks, Lauren!


Bonus question for singer/actors. Favorite part you’ve ever played/sung.

Heh, you don’t want to hear me sing and I can’t act worth beans (though my 8-year-old daughter is showing talent). But I was curious about Lauren, who says her favorite role (which she played twice) was Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. It was “the most hysterical role” and she got to “sing and dance.” Simply, “I absolutely loved playing her.”


Unexpected bonus for me in this Friday Five.

Realizing how connected by the arts are me and my sisters!


(Image:
Amazon)