The Lion King

I took the kids to see their very first Broadway Musical yesterday- The Lion King. The production of Beauty and the Beast we saw a few years ago technically doesn't count in my mind, because it was just a local production company and the fact that your ticket came with an all you can eat buffet dinner cheapens it a bit in my opinion.

So I took the kids to Gammage at ASU yesterday to see the Lion King. I was excited to take them, something I have always enjoyed is going to the theater and I love that the kids are getting old enough that I can start sharing things I love with them.

We almost didn't make it in time. After parking in the top level of the parking structure and walking the block to the theater, with only minutes left until showtime I couldn't find the tickets in my purse. I searched frantically for a minute or two, then decided they must not have made it back in my purse after I pulled them out for some reason on the way to the theater. I kicked off my shoes (more cute than practical) and ran barefoot back to the car. The police officer directing traffic laughed at me on the way back as she spied me running down the street with my tickets in one hand, and shoes in the other. But I made it with moments to spare. I barely had enough time to pause at the drinking fountain.

(On a side note, I have to mention that I thought it was really sweet how Nick would thank the police officers directing traffic as we walked passed them. They would smile big and beam down at him, and it made me proud to be his mother even though I admit he didn't get that from me. I am sure directing traffic is a pretty thankless job, and I am grateful that Nick, through his example, reminded me to show gratitude to those around us. I stopped to think for just a moment, that as we were running late as it was, the presence of those officers directing traffic probably made it possible that we were to even navigate all those cars and find a parking spot in time to see the show at all.- Thanks, Nick. You're a great kid)

Our seats were pretty crappy, second balcony, the far right side of the theater, but John and I weren't about to spend top dollar on something we weren't even sure the kids would enjoy. My advice to anyone would be to get a seat on the floor. The cast would come though the audience with their larger than life puppets, and up on the second balcony we could hear the audience gasping and ooh-ing and aah-ing, but we couldn't see what the commotion was about until the giant elephant lumbered up on stage, and I could only imagine the effect of the birds flying about over the heads of the people sitting down below.

I took the three oldest while John stayed home with Christopher. Zach is in a difficult position right now, not quite one of the bigger kids, but not quite a little kid either. He's closer in age to Madison than Christopher, and he goes to school all day with the bigger kids while Christopher stays home, but I think more often than not he fits better in the "little kid" category.

He was upset he got left behind when we went to see "A Christmas Carol" without him last December, so I promised to take him to see this. However, about halfway through the first act he was asking me "how much longer". He took two potty breaks and needed to go get a drink from the fountain twice before intermission. By intermission he was begging to go home. I was so happy we were on the far right side, so he wouldn't bother other people as he would need to get up and go out over and over and over again.

Despite all that he said he loved it. We all did, it was pretty awesome. The two older ones are begging me to take them to Wicked now. I promised Zach I would not be taking him.

London Calling

Wow. one day is NOT enough. I mean, I knew that before hand, but still... I totally fell in love with this city, even though it felt like one of those speed dates. (Not that I know, but I imagine it's like that) We took a bus tour of the city, so mostly we just saw the city from the top of a bus. I took a bunch of pictures. Like almost 200, and I got a few good ones. Generally my rule is that I try to get people in the pictures, but mostly I just got pictures of places here. I was amazed at how pretty the big clock tower was. "Big Ben" I guess that's the name of the big bell inside it, that you can't see and the architecture on the Parliament building was amazing. I loved hearing the bells chime every half hour. I mentioned to the guy selling us the tour bus tickets how pretty I thought the clock tower was and he totally gave me this crazy look, like "it's a clock. how pretty can it be?" It was pretty. Maybe when you get to look at it every day it loses it's charm.

One building I wish I could have gotten to go inside of was Westminster Abbey. By the time we made it there on foot, it had closed. That's one thing about London I wish were different. Nothing opens til like 10, but then closes at 5. I think Westminster Abbey closed at 3:30. Apparently a lot of famous dead people are in there.

I thought this was the coolest bridge. It's the Tower Bridge. It's one of those bridges that opens up in the middle to let big ships through. Seriously, like a hundred times yesterday, I was like Wow. They just don't make stuff like this anymore.And this big battleship is currently a museum, but it was the ship that fired the first shots on the D-day invasion.

We did get off the bus to see a few of the sights, but even then, we just got the highlights. One of the places we wish we had more time to see was the Tower of London. That's where they kept prisoners and beheaded a bunch of people. It's a bigger complex than I thought. They have a church there, a palace where the monarchy ruled for hundreds of years, and the crown jewels, although we didn't get to see those. Didn't have the time. They had guards outside guarding the crown jewels (probably inside as well.) They were an impressive sight. Being as yesterday was the Queen's official birthday, we didn't make it near Buckingham Palace, that road was closed off, our bus even had to detour, but we got to see the guards at the Tower of London (and some impressive air force fly-by's in her honor.)

After the Tower of London, we went to Shakespeare's Globe Theater. This was the one thing Nick wanted us to go see. If we had more time, I would have liked to see a play here, (they still do them) but we had enough time to peruse the gift shop, and take a picture or two.

They had a lot of statues and war memorials all over the city. I was totally amazed. I guess when you have that much history, there's a lot to memorialize. They even had a statue of Abraham Lincoln. One Memorial that made me laugh (not that the memorial itself was funny) actually, I don't remember what it was for, but it had giant lions around it, and the tour guide said the whole thing was made from recycled French canons. This memorial was one we got to see, and it was for the Battle of Britain.

I also liked the little statues everywhere. Even the light poles were neat. (wish I had gotten a picture)The dragon is a symbol of the city of London, and they had it every where.

Along the river Thames walkway there were all these street entertainers. I liked this guy. I don't know who the girl is, I think she made the mistake of giving him some money.

Pretty much the last thing we did before we hopped back on the underground (subway) to head back to our hotel and change to go to Les Miserables, was go on the London Eye. It's this huge Ferris wheel which gives you an amazing view of the city.
So we are totally exhausted already....Looking forward to the train ride through the chunnel as we head to France. I already have a blister from the dumb shoes I bought just to wear to Les Mis, apparently they weren't made for running through town. We tried to take a taxi because we were so late, but the guy told us it was probably faster to walk/run, than fight traffic. We made it just in time. Exhausted, but on time.

Oh and the seats were awesome. Center, about 8 rows in. I cried as usual, and forgot tissues as usual. We had to get cokes at intermission because we were so tired however. It was so amazing, and fun to see the little changes from the Broadway version. Even John was like, "Did they change stuff?" . The London version of the show has always been my favorite, I have that full album on my walk-man, I've never even owned the Broadway version. I think the accents make it more real to me or something. So cheesy, but totally a dream come true to see this in London. I was really disappointed not to get to see it in New York, but this more than makes up for it. You have no idea. Okay, so we are off! need to check out before they kick us out, and run and catch our train.

Enchanted

Okay, so yeah I'm a dork and not just because I've always loved Disney movies (and pretty much anything else Disney) but I had to share this, and even as I am typing I am thinking that maybe everyone else already knows this stuff, but I felt pretty cool figuring it out all by my self.

So the other day when our friends were in town we put the kids to bed and Mindy and I made the hubbies stay up late and watch Enchanted with us. So we loved the movie, (I'd seen it before) but still laughed and grossed out at the cockroaches and the hair from the sink made me want to hurl, and that's when I decided that I needed to put the "Happy cleaning song" on my blog , but I'm getting off the subject.

Earlier that day Mindy was flipping through my "Grimmerie" and she pointed out to me that Elphaba (Idina Menzel) was Nancy from Enchanted. No way! So we watched it that night, and I was paying extra attention to see if she would sing or just be in the soundtrack which I don't think she is, but was disappointed, so anyways as I was watching the credits roll by I notice that Paige O'Hara is in the credits as Angela. Who? I met her once and have her autograph and she was the voice of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. So that got me thinking, They pulled all these elements from other Disney Princess movies, they couldn't do them all, so what if they had a bunch of cameos of other princesses? Guess what?! they did! So they had Jodi Benson (Ariel) she was Sam, and even Pocahontas was in it (can't remember her real name, she was some pregnant mom though ) The only actress they didn't get was Lea Salonga who was both Mulan and Jasmine. So now you know what I just wasted an hour of my day doing....

Blog music

I had fun tonight adding music to my blog, most of it is just stuff that makes me smile. Unfortunately it wasn't the most comprehensive list that I had to choose from, and I am not sure how (or if) I can add music from other places (itunes, my own CD's or hard drive) so there were a bunch I should have liked to add. So I will probably add and/or delete as impulse strikes me.

Since this is my blog I'd like to take the opportunity to talk about some of the music I put on and why it makes me happy. For starters, I love Harry Connick, Jr. If I weren't happily married and he wasn't married to a Victoria's Secret model I would be stalking him. He will probably always be on that list. I've seen him in concert a few times, and hope at least one of my kids will be a piano prodigy as well some day. (or at least be able to play me some of his music.) I prefer the big band stuff mostly. Back before the days of e-bay, John chased down a really hard to find import for me cause there was a CD out there I didn't have. (That's love for ya baby) I worked in a music store for several years and was always on the search for that thing.

I totally missed the bandwagon on Wicked when it came here to AZ, but after seeing it in New York, I am in love. I have several favorite songs, but one that makes me laugh is "Popular". It just makes me laugh because I have tons of experience being on the other end of that, my prettier and more popular friends wanting to make-over me. I generally welcomed it however, just because I knew my own limits and am not likely to change on my own. Then I'd stick my hair back in my ponytail and go back to being me.

Les Miserables has been a favorite for years, since a good friend of mine first introduced me to it. After hearing the music (on a cassette tape) I stood outside (again, back before the internet- I think I was 15) for HOURS (I think 8) in February in Utah at the Capitol Theater (still my very favorite theater) we got awful seats, but it was so worth it. I've probably seen it half a dozen times since, read the 2000 page book (it took 7 years, no exaggeration) and I still bawl my eyes out when Valjean dies. I picked the song "on my own" for a couple reasons, firstly, my choices were limited, a couple of my favorite songs are a little on the raunchy side (Master of the House) and thirdly, as a teenager I totally identified with that song. The whole unrequited love thing rang a little too true.

I think Simon and Garfunkel was my very first favorite band. No kidding. I think I was in the 5th grade before I realized they still made new music. I don't know if I thought that it was a passing fad particular to the fifties and sixties, or if the radio dial was frozen in one place and there was only one radio station. Consequently I grew up with the sounds of the Beatles, Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, Simon and Garfunkel, Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Righteous Brothers, amongst so many others. I remember this one time some friends of mine (6th grade?) were playing a game where you had to sing along to whatever song came on the radio next, I made them change the radio station when it was my turn because I had NO HOPE. (the first song I ever remember hearing when I did move that dial was "We built this city on rock and roll" -I think that's the title anyways. It was totally the coolest. That and my then best friend Michelle, was into A-Ha. She made me learn some of the songs so I could sing backup.)

(side note, totally unrelated to this particular post. I am upstairs typing and Christopher keeps climbing up the stairs to feed me. Ew gross, I know, but with four kids, gross becomes relative. I'm more worried about the mess that may or may not be downstairs. The strawberries from dessert I didn't mind so much, but I'm a little more worried about the piece of baked potato. (I thought I cleaned up from dinner already? )

I can't really remember what other songs I put on so they must not be too important or have some significant meaning to them. most likely they just make me smile.

Wiggly Blonde

Just kidding, the title is actually Legally Blonde, but when Madison was little that's what she used to call it. She liked the movie a lot because the girl, Elle, always wore pink. And she had a dog. Which, in a totally unrelated subject, just today Madison was looking at something and it asked her what she would do if she were President of the United States. She'd get a dog. Any-hoo, we pretty much had just three days in New York- Saturday, Sunday and Monday. They don't do shows on Mondays. John thought that maybe since it was a holiday they might, so he looked and looked, and found nothing on the internet (and if he can't find it, it's not there). We resigned ourselves to only seeing two shows and we were walking down the street towards Times Square to go to the big Toys R Us there, and we just happen to pass a line forming outside the theater for "Legally Blonde- the musical". So we went in and checked it out, and they were indeed having a show that night, it started in one hour, they still had the best seats left, oh and by the way, they were practically half price. Sold! We still had time to run to Toys R Us, take Zach's present back to the hotel and John changed out of his sweatshirt (I was dressed a little better, but I still had Nike's on). Of all three shows, it was our least favorite. It wasn't terrible, but we're glad we didn't pay full price. If we had the choice, we would have rather seen Lion King, or Little Mermaid, but beggars can't be choosers. It was still fun. I liked the dogs the best.

Spamalot

This was John's must-do for the trip. He's a huge Monty Python fan. We had pretty good seats for that as well. I admit I enjoyed it too, and I asked him what was his favorite part (cause I have very little to say on the subject) and he thought the whole thing was pretty funny. It's pretty much the "Holy Grail" movie with singing and dancing, and some other stuff that I don't remember in the movie, but then again, it's been awhile. (since jr. high?) My favorite part of the movie which they did put in the show, was the whole "It's just a flesh wound" scene. Not as good as the movie, but pretty impressive in and of itself. And the French were particularly obnoxious. John wants to get himself a pair of coconut halves so he can pretend to be a horse. Before we went to New York we ordered him a t-shirt as well. It says "The Knights who Say Ni" It has a big shield on it and at the bottom of the shield it says "Bring us a shrubbery!" John thinks it's hysterical.

We're thinking that Tim Curry starred in the original production, which we would have liked to see that. I'm thinking the current King Arthur (Tim Curry's role) was cast as a Tim Curry replacement, not necessarily as a King Arthur- he was there to BE Tim Curry as King Arthur. (If that makes any sense?)

However we did get to see Clay Aiken, which we were excited about BEFORE. We're not big American Idol fans in this house, but we're guessing that's the only reason why he was cast. He seriously brought nothing to the show except his name. A couple times for a moment he would sing, and you'd think "wow he has a voice" but those were really short moments. And I am guessing the boy can not dance. When he was on stage, he looked really awkward, and he was generally absent during ALL of the dance numbers. I had visions of the choreographers just telling him to go. Get off the stage. And he's not even cute. Just goofy looking. He grew his hair out for the show, so it's shoulder length. It's pretty awful. I didn't mean this to be an "I hate Clay Aiken" post, cause I really have no feelings about the guy in general (I don't think I even saw any of that season of "Idol") but he really irritated me.

Edit- I've been informed by an irate fan that he didn't grow his hair out, but that it was a wig.Which totally makes sense in retrospect because that would suck having to go out in public like that, but from my vantage point (3 row mezzanine, center)it looked pretty real to me, so I'd like to formally apologize to any fans out there, I'm sure he's a great guy, should he ever do broadway again, I hope he can do a show that will more adequately show off his skills, but even though I said I'm not an "Idol" fan, I don't live under a rock, and I've always thought he was really goofy looking. I won't take that back, or the fact that he generally irritated me.-sorry just my opinion, and I won't apologize for that! (To tell the truth I was glad to see that America could vote for someone for vocal talent and not necessarily a pretty face)

Happy to say I saw it, I enjoyed spending time with my husband, I'm glad he got to do something he wanted to do, since the rest of the trip was pretty much "all about me" - not that I'm that demanding, John's just that way. But I don't really need to see it again. - unless of course Tim Curry reprises his role, and they get rid of Clay, then you could talk me into it.

Wicked

One of the big things I wanted to do in New York is see some shows on Broadway. My first choice was Les Mis, but they ended their run in New York to go back on tour. (I was devastrated) My second choice was Wicked. So not disappointed in those turn of events! I am still a snob at heart and would love to say I saw Les Mis on Broadway, however, now I can say I saw Wicked on Broadway! (It's much more Ozmopolitan)

I passed up the opportunity last year to see it in Phoenix, which I sadly lament that decision, but you see, I read the book first. Hideoteous. Horrendible. I am almost totally usually of the opinion that the book is always better. This was the first time I was disappointed. It's an awful book. Did I mention hideoteous? A friend of mine introduced me to it, but she hadn't read the book yet, just loved the music from the musical. So I jumped online, and bought the hardback copy (something else I am snobbish about) and read the whole thing. Don't judge me- I kept thinking, "it HAS to get better!" It doesn't. The book is terrible. Horrendible. It leaves you going "They made a hit musical out of this!?!?!" Very Confusifying. In the book the only redeeming character is Elphaba (the wicked witch.) She dies. The love of her life, Fiyero, dies. Glinda is a shallow "witch" and undergoes no character reformations. The Wizard is actually an evil dictator, and Dorothy is a whiny brat. There is no happy ending, which is why I think he made a book two, about Elphaba's and Fiyero's son. However, I do not now know, nor do I care to ever know if that book turns out better, the first one is so horrendible. So, I was pretty hesitant about seeing it when I had the opportunity before, but after talking to people I totally changed my mind. The musical is so much better.

My other real regret is not being able to see it when Kristin Chenoweth was in it. (She wasn't in the tour, so even if I had seen it before, that wouldn't have changed.) But she was the original Glinda, she's on the soundtrack. She's also in my new favorite TV series, Pushing Daisies. There's been this big TV writers strike for months, so there is no new episodes of nearly anything on TV these days and I am really looking forward to seeing new episodes of Pushing Daisies in HD on John's new TV. (totally side tracked there!)

Anyways, I loved it! Even John liked it a lot. We had really good seats. Elpahaba totally rocked. She was amazing. I even admit to my eyes watering a bit. I had been listening to the soundtrack for a couple weeks before, just so I could learn some of the songs. Also a few weeks ago I was telling a friend of mine that I was going to go see it, and so she suggested that I buy a t-shirt off the Internet instead of at the theater, cause I could save money. So I did. It's not an official "Wicked" t-shirt, but it made me laugh. It says "Of course I'm in a bad mood, Someone dropped a house on my sister!" My kids didn't get it. So sad. I should at least rent the original movie. Or TiVo it or something. During intermission however, I sent John to get me some milk duds and the nicer program. He surprised me with the "upgraded" version. It's a hardback Grimmerie. Pretty swankified if you ask me. He also surreptitially bought me a necklace and earrings he thought I'd like. (sorry girls, he's taken!) So, um, yeah if I'm wearing a black necklace with green swarovski crystals with what looks like a witch's hat for a pendant, it is a witch's hat. (And yes, I've been known to wear it to church) Even if it's not Halloween. Just FYI. I'm not sure that it ousts les Miserables as my favorite, but I just may be a Wizomaniac yet. It's the Wickedest! (my Grimmerie has an Ozian Glossararium in the back. I'm expanding my vocabulary!)