Broadway and Other Venues

Yesterday the girls and I went with my mom to the play Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is not always the case for me.

Let me back up a little and say that my mom LOVES plays. She loves going to them, watching them and also being in them. She just loves the whole theater environment. Me, not so much. Another area I am a total disappointment in. My mom and I are quite opposite in many ways and since I'm the only daughter, with five sons, it puts a lot of pressure on me to be a good companion, as far as my mom is concerned.

I do NOT enjoy performing. At all. Singing? Nope. (Well, I enjoy singing, I'm just not very good at it. Just ask my kids. Yesterday as we were driving home from the play, Ally, Morgan and I did a rousing rendition of "Low" in the car, much like the Bohemian Rhapsody scene in Wayne's World. It was a little embarrassing when I looked over and saw the people in the truck next to us gawking. Oh well.) Dancing? Nope, no rhythm. Speaking parts? I'd rather die than stand up and do ANYTHING in front of a group of strangers. So, you will not be seeing me in a theater near you anytime soon. My talents lie more in the spelling and baking arenas, neither of which would earn me a Tony Award, though I do have some nice Spelling Champ shirts from elementary school.

Anyway, my mom and I went to New York City about six years ago. Little did I know that she went with the intention of seeing as many Broadway plays as possible. We started off with a matinee of Chicago about two hours after we walked off the plane. I have to admit, I dozed through a lot of that. It was starring Melanie Griffith, not really my favorite. We also saw Aida (the musical, not the opera), starring Toni Braxton, which I loved. We actually saw it twice. The first night we had tickets Toni was sick so there were understudies but I really did love it enough to buy tickets again when she was back a couple nights later. The other play we saw that time was Nine, starring Antonio Banderas. Now he is an amazing performer. I didn't love the play itself, but the acting was great and it is totally what I pictured a "Broadway" play to be. I'm curious to see the movie to see how it compares.

I have seen Phantom of the Opera a couple of times, once in California where I also dozed because I was still working swing shift plus overtime so I got home at 2:30 a.m., left my house around 6 or 7 a.m., flew to California, was the designated driver, got us to the play around 7:00 and fell asleep about halfway through for about 45 minutes. I saw it again a few years later and decided once it came out as a movie that that might be the best option for me for that particular play. (And besides, it has Gerard Butler, what more could you ask for?)

Last year my mom and I took the girls to NYC for spring break. We saw Wicked and Mamma Mia. It's funny because I had no expectations for Wicked so I really loved it but was a little disappointed by Mamma Mia because I had such high hopes. I am a huge ABBA fan from back in the jr. high days.

I've seen Les Mis once about 18 years ago and I didn't get it. I think I was so shocked by the scene with the prostitutes, which I wasn't expecting, that I couldn't concentrate on the message or the story. I think I'm ready to give it a try again one of these days to see what everyone else sees in it that I missed.

My mom and kids have been in several stake plays over the years, both in her stake and in ours. They've been in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Joseph (twice, her stake and ours), Cinderella, Brigadoon, etc. Those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. The one play I flat out refuse to go to ever again is Oklahoma. My mom was in it a few times and I'm just done with that one. She has also been in several community plays like Camelot (twice, I really do like that one), Kismet, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Little Women, etc., etc. The list could go on and on.

Let's not even get into how much money I've spent on plays I didn't really even want to go to.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is one play I have enjoyed seeing off and on through the years at different venues. It's fun to see how each cast portrays the script. I've probably seen it five or six times now, plus a lot of times on video with Donny Osmond. I could really do without Potiphar's wife's costume and also those of her ladies-in-waiting (or whatever they are called). Joseph and Aida are my two all-time favorite plays. Ones I could see every year. Secret Garden would be a close second. I've seen that a few times but the last time I saw it, it was not a very good production. I also quite liked Wicked, but my mom pushed it and we saw it the second time too soon, so I think I'm done for a while. Mamma Mia is okay, but I'm kind of a prude and I think the movie kind of ruined it for me, though I usually like the movie versions better. I REALLY liked the movie better of Phantom of the Opera. (Did I mention it had Gerard Butler in it?)

Yes, after thinking it through, I think I'm more of a movie/video type person. You can buy the video for less than the cost of a play ticket, watch in on your own time - taking breaks when necessary, wear your comfy clothes and eat great snacks, all in the privacy of your own home.

A few years ago it was mentioned someone might be making a movie of Aida. That would be a dream come true. Then I'd hardly ever have to leave the house for another play ever again.

Mom will not be pleased.