Run This Tour

While in my Entertainment Law class, I stumbled on Facebook (what, like you've never done that before?) and found the latest into the Usnavi YouTube video series. And oh boy, ladies and gentlemen is a hot one.



I think we all know my excitement for this tour and to see the new cast along with Lin, Robin and Karen passing the torch to the new community - hot hot. No other words. Watch.

In The Heights tour - Wepa!

The carnaval is moving out of the barrio.

The cast of the IN THE HEIGHTS tour was announced this week, with some familiar names along with many new faces. Kyle Beltran will play Usnavi, the narrator of the Washington Heights musical. Along with him will be Daniel Bolero (Kevin), Rogelio Douglas Jr. (Benny), Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer (Vanessa), Arielle Jacobs (Nina), Jose-Luis Lopez (Graffiti Pete), Genny Lis Padilla (Carla), Isabel Santiago (Daniela), Elise Santora (Abuela Claudia), Shaun Taylor-Corbett (Sonny) and Natalie Toro (Camila).

The tour will start October 27th at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and will tour the nation for the next year. This includes a stop at my beloved Gammage Auditorium in June 2010. Let me be the first to say welcome to Tempe ITH and how I hope audiences in my hometown will embrace this show as much as I have my family has over the past year and a half. Also: how snazzy is the ammage website looking lately? Nice. (http://www.asugammage.com/shows/2009-10-broadway-season/in-the-heights)

I'm really enjoying how interactive they are making this tour, in terms of their website. They have a map of the U.S. with the tour stops listed and when the tour starts, fans can upload their photos to the map at the appropriate stop, to create a mega fan gallery.

Did I mention how I excited I am for this tour and how I can not wait for it to become even more loved and embraced across the nation.

http://www.intheheightsthemusical.com/map.html

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/133239-Beltran_Is_Usnavi_in_Heights_Tour_Toro_Jacobs_Santora_and_More_Announced

Epicness on 46th Street

Everyone's favorite dance Jon Rua graced the Richard Rogers stage this past week twice as the lead Usnavi in IN THE HEIGHTS. I was devastated when I found out he went on Tuesday and did not know about it until Wednesday. Luckily, and I really have no idea how this happened but I was able to do the lotto on Thursday with my friend Meredith and we won! And to my utmost delight, Jon was on again as Usnavi.

It was such a fresh performance of this character in the show. I really have no other way to explain it but the youthfulness of his Usnavi and the small mannerisms between him and Robin de Jesus who plays Sonny, was so great and funny. And all Heights fans know he can dance, so to see him dance in the, how should I put this, Usnavi way, was hilarious. My favorite part of the show was during the "Finale" when he started the line, "Yeah, I'm a street light...". He attacked it like I had never heard anyone do before.

Marcus was on as Benny, and I am delighted to say that I've seen his Collins in RENT multiple times, so I'm a huge fan of his and can say his "Benny's Dispatch" was so fun, so fun. The talent of the ensemble is always so steller and I think that's why I enjoy this show so much. Every time I see it, I see something different that I hadn't caught before. It's definitely a show thats climbing higher and higher on my favorite list. And I'll keep attending.

A Very Cool Idea

Nina Rosario, a character of In The Heights, is the first in her family to go to college, across the country no less. With her move to California and the financial strain on her and her parents, she is forced to drop out of Stanford. Even with her scholarship, she still has to take two jobs to pay for the endless things college students need.

With the Graduate To New Heights scholarship, the Broadway musical In The Heights and Clear Channel NY are offering this thrilling scholarship to a deserving student. Not only is the Heights family donating $2500 to the scholarship but they are also offering some very exciting packages, where the money from the highest bid will be included in the scholarship.

Some prizes include dinner with creator and Tony-Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, dance lessons with Luis Salgado and even a walk-on role.

I'm hoping people will open their hearts and wallets and bid on these prizes, so that a deserving individual who is in need of the money can further their educational career.

So cheers to Heights, Lin (and I can't believe I'm saying this but) Clear Channel.

If you have someone in mind to nominate a student, starting August 27, visit any Clear Channel NY website and write in 100 words or less, why this person deserves the award. Cheers!

http://www.graduatetonewheights.com/pages/home.html

It's November already?

Holy cow, people.
How is it already November 9th? Almost an hour away from double digits.
And so close to thanksgiving (which means home to my dog!)

I've been slacking in my updates because...I am a slacker. so here we go my precious readers(I know you're out there beautifuls).

October was a busy theatre month for me.
I was fortunate to see [title of show], Gypsy, Speed-The Plow- and In The Heights all in one weekend! And with my mom and bff no less.

Let's start with ............. a little [tos]
Oh dear [tos], i love you.
please come in my pocket and stay forever.
Sadly, as reported earlier, [title of show] ran it's course but let me just say, i adored this production.
Having only heard the cast recording (i almost wrote soundtrack, uhoh, im slacking), i knew the general concept but sitting in the second row was pretty amazing.
Hunter and Jeff were fantastic and hilarious and endearing. The girls, Heidi and Susan were perfect in their "me" roles. I adored Secondary Characters and What Kind of Girl Is She, and A Way Back to Then. I felt like the first half really really flowed well and the second part, I was left...waiting, if that makes sense. It got kinda heavy toward the end, which I wasn't expecting but I understand as necessary for the journey.
Anyway, I loved it, I left the theatre smiling (partly because my Amtrak was an hour late and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it on time and the other half because I was 10 minutes away from seeing my Mom).

The next night I saw Gypsy. This was my first time seeing the show and I loved it. But Holy Mother of Jones, it was long. I guess that's how it was done back in the day - 3 hour production. Patti Lupone is god, basically. I was fortunate to see her in Sweeney Todd with my other Broadway husband, Michael Cerveris, and adored her. This production was all about her - and the goddess that is Lauren Benanti. I would love to grow up in vaudeville and then become a stripper! Life long dreams people.

Next night, was kind of a toss up. I ended up seeing the Mamet revival of Speed the Plow, last minute. I adore Raul Esparza, as stated in an earlier blog entry. I half expected him to belt out Being Alive, because the show was in the Barrymore, same as the revival of Company. Jeremy Piven can go either way for me. Love him in Serendpity and yes, Chasing Liberty but kind of don't care for him otherwise. I know, not being a very objective reviewer but hey. Elisabeth Moss was cute.
That is my review of Speed the Plow. Enjoy.

Next night was IN THE HEIGHTS. It needed to be capitalized because this show = my life. Except I don't rap and don't go around dancing and proclaiming my latin-ness. Although, I think I should.
Anyway, this was my 3rd time seeing ITH and my mom's 2nd! Two times - watch out!
This was definitely a favorite of mine because our seats were pretty amazing and it was fantastic to see Karen on again (she was out last time), and of course my girl crush Mandy Gonzalez. Oh and Lin, because well, he's like....awesome.
Mom said she loved it much more this time around and my friend, Elisia, loved it too! I love this show for several reasons but one is that it still makes me cry. Breathe, is the song that struck a cord with me back in March when I saw it in previews (cue me crying in the last row, rear mezz without a tissue). Everything about this show I love. Even the awful parent songs (yeah i said it).
I love in the heights! i love the little mexican flag being waved during Carnival del Barrio.
I love home, i like the climax of home, i love the ending of home. I love in the heights!

Legally Brown: The Search For The Next Piragua Guy

I don't think I've ever laughed so hard.

Watching the first YouTube video of Legally Brown: The Search For the Next Piragua Guy is like a jolt of energy that tickles your funny bone and makes you want to do a happy dance.
No kidding.

This playful series written and directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of In The Heights, is a spoof of MTV's summer snooze, Legally Blonde: The Search For the Next Elle Woods (omg, that takes forever to write out, you're correct Seth Rudetsky).

For Brown, instead of looking for the next Usnavi or Benny, they dig deeper, who can be the next Piragua guy, the scene stealing belter who sells the ensemble icees throughout the show.



Hunter's Condition.
I love how you can tell Seth is cracking up while playing the piano.


Matthew Morrison, Boricua Bad Boy
Definitely my favorite of the videos. haha

At the beginning, my vote was for Mathew Morrison because well, come on.
But as events unfold, only the best man who can serve the icee with ease, agility and spanish will win, stay tuned to see who becomes...the next Piragua guy!