Clean…Yes! Spectacular…Maybe?

Do you “Need a Little Christmas” around this holiday time? Then it must be time get the whole family together and head on down to The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, now playing at PlayhouseSquare from December 4th- December 28th.

Radio City is generally known for the Rockettes. However, the Christmas Spectacular includes Santa Clause, Mrs. Clause, and a few extra dancers. Maybe you want to know the “storyline”. Well that is the problem I have been having for the past few hours. No defined plot exists between any of the characters. Of course there is dialogue, but it is minimal compared to the dancing. The segues seemed to just carry you from one number to the next without creating a climax.

Speaking of the dancing, that is one of the reasons why the production can be called “spectacular”. Every dance was perfect especially “Christmas Dreams” where everyone dressed in white. Once again that presented a problem. The audience could predict almost every move. First there was some dialogue. Then a small dance including Santa. Finishing with the Rockettes who always ended with their famous line-kick. It was very anticipated.

This production gave an interesting perspective on Christmas and Santa. Every dance had its own twist. For example every child loved the giant teddy bears, giant pandas, and the giant rag dolls. Also, no one can resist the “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” done by the Rockettes. This was one of the times when their precision was very characteristic of the role since they were playing the part of military men. To add to this, the scenery and special effects were stunning! After every scene the back round would change and more bright Christmas colors would appear. I would definitely call the entire play extravagant.

It was refreshing for me to see a clean family play. While sitting in the crowd, I kept on thinking how my little sister would love it. Not often are theater productions great for all ages. Although Radio City may be slightly slow for adults, children will love it and everyone will get into the Christmas spirit.

At the very end of The Radio City Christmas Spectacular there was the beautiful story of the Nativity. Everything about the story of Jesus Christ was realistic and factual. My heart was moved and brought back to the real reason for the season. So be prepared to have an enjoyable experience during the last scene.

Go to playhousesquare.org or call (216) 241-6000 for exact dates, times and ticket availability.

Legally Blonde- Pink and Perfect

Ready for a girl’s night out at Playhouse Square? Then it’s time for you to head out and see the fun-filled musical Legally Blonde. As a matter of fact bring those guys with you, because they will be just as amazed!
Legally Blonde begins in California with Elle Woods (Becky Gulsvig), the perfect blonde sorority president with the perfect love life. But due to pressure from his parents, her model boyfriend Warner (Jeff McLean) breaks up with her in hopes of pursuing a more “serious” lifestyle. With the encouragement of her friends, brokenhearted Elle decides to win her “ex” back and she chases him all the way to Harvard. The rest of the play focuses on her adventures of fitting in with the smart circle and finding out that Warner is not the only guy on the planet.
Becky Gulsvig, who played Elle, seemed to impress the audience throughout the entire show. Her singing was loud enough for all to hear and she hit every note exactly. Gulsvig’s fantastic endurance allowed her to be energetic and active throughout the performance. It must have been those Red Bulls she was drinking while studying at Harvard. She danced with passion and lit up the stage. Even if she had been the only positive part of the entire performance, that would have been enough.
But Gulsvig was not the only phenomenal part of the show. Emmett’s character played by D.B. Bonds was exceptionally developed. Thanks to the writers, Bonds had a great roll to play. During the beginning he portrayed Emmett as the smart lawyer type, but towards the end brought out a more emotional and thoughtful side. All the girls in the theater admired and loved him by the end, including me.
The scenery in Legally Blonde changed every few minutes, but it was always clear where the scene was taking place. The lighting would change from pink to brown to multicolor in order to give the proper mood for the audience. The costumes and props were designed to reflect the bright and happy environment at Elle’s fashion college in California or the dark and serious studying environment found at Harvard.
By the end the entire audience stood and started to clap to the rhythm of the lively music. Can I say anything more? Legally Blonde awed the people watching it and inspired them all by the thought that even people who love to dance, sing and shop can live a life using their brains and hearts.
Legally Blonde is now playing at Playhouse Square in the Palace Theatre from November 11th- 23rd. Go to playhousesquare.org for more information regarding ticket prices and show times. This is definitely a must see!

*Note- Go to http://tour.legallyblondethemusical.com/ for trailer and other things related to Legally Blonde the Musical.

A Chorus Line

Have you ever felt rejected? Have you been afraid that if you mentioned anything about yourself, someone would use it against you? In the world today, people tend to judge other people by their actions and their past. Wanting to feel accepted plays a big part in what we say and share about ourselves. We would rather hide all our feelings than let the world see them, because we are afraid that others will come to the wrong conclusions. The characters in the play A Chorus Line illustrate for us the inner struggle we all experience in regard to our fear of rejection. On October 14th I had the ability to see A Chorus Line live at Playhouse Square in the Palace Theatre. This play involves seventeen dancers trying out for eight positions and is set in New York City. They are all amazing dancers, but the potential employer Zach, played by Michael Gruber, is looking for more than just skill. He wants to know their personalities, desires, and plans. He begins to dig into their past. As the audience we get to see as the dancers explore their feelings about their profession and their lives.

Although A Chorus Line is a musical the acting is what truly impressed me. Nikki Snelson who played Cassie gave a great performance and brought a deeper meaning to the production. She truly had my sympathy and admiration by the end. Cassie was one of the only characters who knew herself and understood what it meant to love dancing. Snelson seemed to know how to portray Cassie as a strong and sure person. When she had the chance to perform a solo dance I was thoroughly awed. Another character that I enjoyed watching was Paul played by Kevin Santos. He was one of the only characters that had me almost in tears. The way Santos made the audience experience Paul’s pain made him a great actor. Without using any props or much movement on the stage, Santos showed emotion and passion. I absolutely applaud his presentation. Besides these characters, Richie played by Anthony Wayne also had an impact on me. His voice and dancing were beyond astonishing and when I got the chance to see him act I instantly loved him! The only disappointment in A Chorus Line was that it did not have more acting. It would have been very enjoyable to see the characters more developed and the talent of all the actors showcased. But the sensational singing improved this minor setback. It is not everyday that a cast can sing as well as they dance. Each actor and actress added his or her own vocal flair to the production. Some had strong voices while others were sweet, but each tone went with the character that the actor was portraying. Whenever they did sing I found it very entertaining.

As always, the Palace Theatre was beautiful! The actual scenery of the musical did not seem impressive at first look, but by the end I was impressed by the lighting and the use of the elements they had. The dancers were the main attraction and did not require many props. The background was mostly a collection of mirrors that wound rotate whenever the people were dancing. The reflection added depth to the stage and the production. The lighting would reflect off the mirrors and make the entire stage light up! During Cassie’s main performance, another set of mirrors also joined the background and provided a spectacular view. Now for viewers who tend to love action and a more defined plot (such as West Side Story) may be disappointed with the lack of special effects and the lack of acting. But one must remember that this play was written in 1970’s and they did not have everything that we have now and therefore looking past that, the overall scenery was unique and creative.

The original musical of A Chorus Line became a hit on Broadway nearly thirty-three years ago, making it one of the longest running American plays of all time. In this new production of the old show none of the script has been changed. This may make it somewhat slow for the younger crowd. But for an older crowd, this classic will bring back many memories. Now don’t get me wrong when I mention “a younger crowd”. I would not recommend this production as a family night out. A lot of the dancers use language that may not be appropriate for children. Also, Val (Natalie Elise Hall) sings a song (Dance: Ten; Looks: Three) that refers to her body being the most important part of a dancing career. She uses very blunt words to describe those body parts. Other small innuendos also appear in A Chorus Line.

Underlying the main plot of A Chorus Line, I found several other interesting thoughts. Most humans in theatre believe that looks are everything, but Zach, the director, is looking for more. He doesn’t care what the people look like. Instead, he wants to know their hearts. Allowing their hurt and confusion to come out are a big part of whether or not they get the position. Zach is not one to judge; he just knows what he wants and the type of people who will accomplish it. This also applies to life. Although most people can see the outside of a person, the soul and spirit are what matter most.

Overall, the dancing mesmerized me and the singing lifted my spirits. But be careful when choosing whom to bring with you to A Chorus Line. The dance numbers can be long and not entertaining for short attention spans. But for the right audience it will be an evening of good acting and great dancing. A Chorus Line was originally directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward LeKleban. This production was directed by Bob Avian and the Choreography Re-Staged by Baayork Lee. A Chorus Line is now showing at Playhouse Square from October 15th-26th. Go to playhousesquare.com for show times and ticket prices.

By: Danielle Mendheim, STAR Reporter for Playhouse Square

Pictures From the Play

Here is a picture for A Chorus Line:

For the trailer and cite, click the question mark below:

Yeah.... I have great news!

I have great news...... I received the writing position!!!!!!!! YES. I am so exited. I get to meet a lot of important news people and go to amazing plays. my first meeting is October 14th. Please pray for me as I meet new people and try to be a light for Jesus. Love all you guys!
~Din~

The Meaning.... "What would your Demon say?"

Just in case you are wondering "what on earth was the thing I just read", I thought I would give you some insight. Right now I am reading Srewtape Letters by C.S.Lewis..... (Very good book). My mom asked me to act like two demons were writing about me and the paper below is what I came up with. Please leave you comments. I challenge you too to also try and write what your demon would say. Very convicting and interesting. Thanks!

~Din

Letters From Grusome

My Dear Filthrag,
Quite an interesting specimen you have chosen to tempt… A Christian almost all her life, yet she is forgetful of the Enemy’s sacrifice for her. She appears willing to change, but that can be dealt with very easily. Just make her think she is better than “those other Christians”, who curse and think immoral thoughts. This approach has worked many times and even the Enemy mentions it. Remember that story about the prodigal son? Well, his brother is a grand example of a self- righteous human. Make your subject put herself above the rest and she will no longer see how she needs to change. Though do be careful, for if you go too far, she will see her pride and want to fix it. But even that thought will quickly pass once you show her everyone else’s pride and put her back on her high stool. Another fault I have seen with this person is her lack of self-control. Now this “fault” is a great advantage for us. We can use it to make her eat more than she should and fall into the ditch of gluttony; or we can make her watch excessive T.V. (one of my personal best friends) and fill her mind with thoughts that can never be erased. Even better, we can use books that are useless to the soul to take her away from her purpose in the real world. Once again, take great precautions that the book is NEVER the word of the Enemy or even a book containing the Enemy’s words. For something like that may injure our cause forever and bring her back to her knees. Our goal is to confuse her. Should we try to take her away from her Christian roots entirely, she would for sure notice and may block us out. Instead, use what comes into her mind against her. Then, she will unknowingly stray from the lead of the Enemy. Continue filling her mind with thoughts of our king.

Your Devoted Leader,

Grusome

Some of my favorite actors! Colin Firth, James McAvoy, James Franco, Chris Evans, Christian Bale, and James Caviezel...

The Heart of Penelope

Living in the world today as a teenage girl can be difficult, especially when you have people always telling you that without beauty, you will never find love. Reese Witherspoon understands the struggle young women have and evidently decided to prove a great point in producing the movie Penelope. The adorable, fairy-tale story begins by telling the history of the Wilhern family. Many generations before Penelope was born, her great grandfather fell in love with a peasant, but because she was not from a family of wealth, he refused to marry her. The peasant’s mother (who happened to be a witch) came to the Wilhern house and put a curse on the decedents of Wilherns so that the next baby girl born to their family should have the face of a pig. It just so happens that the next girl is Penelope.
In order to get rid of the curse, Penelope must find “one of her own kind”, who accepts her in spite of her looks. Her “loving” mother Jessica, has a difficult time admitting that her only child has the nose of a pig and continues to tell Penelope that the curse is not her fault but the fault of her great grandfather. Because Jessica is ashamed, she hides Penelope away from the world and tries to secretly find this someone who will love her daughter. Many men come to meet Penelope, but when she shows herself, they all end up jumping out the window (literally) because her nose surprises them. When Max, a handsome and talented gambler, rejects her for a different reason than her face, Penelope decides it is time to embrace the real world.
The fantastic acting carried out by Peter Dinklage (Lemon), James McAvoy (Max), and Christina Ricci (Penelope) made the movie delightful and entertaining. Ricci’s face provided beauty even with a prosthetic nose. Besides her adorable face, Christina had a certain innocence through out the movie, which prevented anyone from judging her for her facial features. As an actress she could not have represented the cheerful and positive Penelope any better. McAvoy and his amazing accent definitely enhanced the film. Although he was charming most of the time, his character was brought across as a carefree spender with no purpose in life. But as the movie proceeded, the audience could see that under all those poor qualities, was a man with talent and passion. Dinklage portrays a man who has stalked the Wilhern house for years trying to expose the curse to the world. In the beginning he appears to be the “bad guy”, yet after acquiring a picture of Penelope and writing the article he so ardently desired, he seems to feel guilty and angry with himself. A change appears to take place inside him and he begins to respect Penelope as a person, not just a story. Peter did a spectacular job of making the audience hate him in the opening of the film and then admire him by the end.
In addition to the great acting, the fairytale-like-story brings across a very profound thought. It teaches the audience (especially girls) to “like themselves the way they are” and not spend their whole lives trying to hide or change. Penelope spends most of her life (and in this case the length of the movie) to discover that it is not the outside that matters, but the inside that counts. Most of the time in a movie the celebrities are gorgeous and perfect, so that by the end everyone wants to look exactly like them. But the writers of Penelope must have wanted to communicate a different idea of beauty, because they did not potray Max as Prince Charming nor Penelope as the lovely maiden. Instead they gave each one a special personality and character, so that people would love them both for their hearts.
The scenery and computerized graphics in Penelope give the story a fairytale feeling. They are unique and enchanting in a childish way. For instance, Penelope’s bedroom almost seems like a picture book. She has every toy a child could desire and even a pretend garden. Although her imaginary life appears splendid, Penelope still longs for the real world. When she finally enters reality, she floats around a fair where children are playing and joy fills the hearts of everyone. Some critics might laugh at this introduction to the real world, but it betrays Penelope’s innocence all the more. One can see that a lot of time and thought went into the creation of this wonderful story.
Besides the creativity of the tale, a few particular aspects take away from the effectiveness of the film. (Spoiler Warning) The director seems to spend a large amount of the movie trying to bring across the reason why Max cannot break the spell. At least five different scenes are used to show the viewers that he does not come from a family of wealth and is hence not “one of Penelope’s own kind”. Instead of spending so much time on this one element, the writers could have developed the relationship between Max and Penelope. Perhaps this would have made their love a little bit more believable. Yes they learned each other’s favorite instrument and what career the other one wanted to pursue, but there were not enough scenes of them together to really assume he had the ability to love her for her heart regardless of her face. Although Penelope is recommended for all ages, even younger children, the screenwriters included some adult language.
In spite of the language and elaboration of Max’s unsuitability, I enjoyed watching this movie. It kept me guessing, had me laughing, and of course I fell in love with Max! Although to some it may seem too “happily even after”, we all know that every once in a while we need to see something that lifts our spirits and gives us a great feeling inside. What better way to do so than to watch a fairy tale? Over all the Director Mark Palansky brings a great point across that will keep the audience thinking about who they are instead of what they are wearing. Just like Penelope learned we must all remember, “It’s not the power of the curse; it’s the power you give the curse.”

New to blogger....

Hey you all! Just got this blog because I am planning on having a new writing assignment with Playhouse Square. I will be reviewing plays such as Hairspray, Mary Poppins, and Legally Blonde. Please check back and read all you want.... To begin with, I have written a paper about the movie Penelope. So go on, and enjoy! ~Din