Stop the World...I Want to Get On

Death of Heath Ledger

2008-01-27T17:35:00.000-05:00

In generational terms, the death of a contemporary most frightens the young. When one notable lifetime ends, that generation begins to end, too. The death of someone cut down in the prime of life brings home our own mortality. Maybe our rendering them immortal is our way of not facing that inevitability.

The above is a bit from one of the best articles I've seen putting a bit of perspective on the unfortunate death of the actor Heath Ledger.

When Icons Die Young

This is one of those events that seems to be hitting a lot of people around my age (including myself) a lot harder than we'd ever expect and I really think it has a lot to do with that quote above.

Rest in Peace.

The Last 3 Months - Theatre Style

2007-12-15T20:24:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time I created a blog because I wanted to work on recording a new phase in my life. Apparently that failed miserably.

Quick life update: In contract/raise/salary negotiations at work. Good times. Hopefully more money. Comedy world is good. We've started filming off and on and I love and adore everyone I work with in that work. So, yay. Theatre world is picking up again. I'm associate producing "Anchors" with Living Image Arts in February at Theatre Row.

Things are good.

Now, we must proceed onto the overly gratuitous, totally bragging portion of this post, where I shall recap the shows I've seen over the past...3 months...and give my quick couple sentence (at most review). I've been seeing nearly everything that's out there on Broadway right now with my job, so this is pretty absurd in length. =)

Let the games begin?

Grease (9/26) - Atrocious. Seriously. Painful. I recognize that a lot of work went into it, but it was quite the train wreck. There were a couple cool numbers (namely the opening scene) and I know it's going to be around for awhile with its connection to the tv show, but I've seen better versions of Grease at high schools...

Legally Blonde (10/10) - Adorable. High energy and fun. Great fluff musical. Definitely recommend it.

Mary Poppins (10/11) - I thought I was going to hate this and ended up quite the opposite. The scenic design is amazing. Choreography is top notch. Gavin Lee tap dancing upside down across the proscenium while singing "Step in Time" is one of the most delightful theatre moments ever.

Frankenstein (10/15) - This is the OFF-Broadway version at 37 arts (now closed). Interesting design. Great performances. The book and music really didn't work, though. Forgettable songs. Unfortunate that the show wasn't great given the amazing people involved. I really wanted to like this...and I didn't hate it, but as the world has shown, it didn't have any staying power. It reminded me a little of Jekyll & Hyde...done badly.

Jump (10/16) - Downtown. Korean Martial Arts Comedy. Hilarious. Seriously. Go. You'll laugh graciously and be amazed at the bodies on the boys and the talent of the whole cast.

Cyrano de Bergerac (10/17) - Kevin Kline is a god of the stage. So compelling. Great production all around.

The Farnsworth Invention (10/24) - Amazing. Seriously. Riveting play. Top notch design, direction, performance. This is not to be missed. Probably my second favorite play of the season.

The Crucible (at the New School for Drama) (10/26) - It was great to finally see Jen and all of her grad school classmates on state. So much talent running through that group of people...I can't wait to see the next show they do.

Things We Want (New Group @ Theatre Row) (10/30) - Interesting production. Good performances. Solid direction by Mr. Ethan Hawke. The play itself was decent. Hit or miss, though and a little uneven. At times, very enjoyable and true to life...at others, a little too far fetched to be believable.

The Seafarer (11/1) - Top notch cast and production.

August: Osage County (11/2) - Without question, this is the best play of the season. Compelling play, amazing cast, design, direction. I seriously adored this one. All of you MUST go see it. Yes, it's 3.5 hours long, but it flies by and in the end, you're left wanting even more. I think this one is a shoe-in for the Tony.

Make Me a Song: The Music of William Finn (11/3) - Cute show with a strong ensemble. Your run of the mill composer revue, but it's a lot of fun. I need to look into more of Finn's music because I really enjoyed what I heard here.

Radio City Christmas Spectacular (11/6) - Everything I hoped for and much much more. I was so glad to finally see this legendary show. It truly is magical. =)

Yank (Gallery Players in Brooklyn) (11/9) - Great new musical with a lot of heart. I hope this goes somewhere. It has a lot of potential and is a really sweet (and new/untold) story. Great cast.

***Then there was the whole Broadway Strike situation, which I really don't want to get into. It sucked for the industry, shouldn't have gone on as long as it did, but thankfully it's all resolved now. 3 weeks without Broadway is immensely depressing as someone working in the industry. I only ended up missing one show (The Grinch) and am going to try to go see it after Christmas if I have a chance.****

Is He Dead? (11/29) - VERY funny show. Norbert Leo Butz is hysterical. I can't imagine anyone not loving this. You'll laugh throughout and leave the theater feeling great. Very cute and I hope it gains some momentum.

The Homecoming (12/6) - Pinter is one strange man. Somehow, I've escaped study of his work throughout my life and I really feel like I need to look into it now. Disturbing play. Creepy and inexplicable. STELLAR cast. Ian McShane and Raul Esparza (yum?) are phenomenal. If you love Pinter, you'll love this. It's a very well-done production, but I feel like it's a hard sell in the world for anyone who doesn't know what Pinter is all about.

Rent - I hadn't seen this in approximately 5 years. Ended up going to it this time because my top clients were in town and they wanted to see it. I was SO happy to see the show again and it's just as wonderful as it's always been. The current cast is stellar. I actually saw many of my favorite performers from the show over the years in it again, which was awesome. I still love this show and it's definitely still full of life (unlike some other shows that have been playing for awhile).

The Little Mermaid - To be honest, I was disappointed. I really wanted to love the show, but I didn't. The cast is absolutely PHENOMENAL, but the production has a lot of trouble, primarily in terms of its design and direction, which is unfortunate. I know most audiences will really love it. It will likely play for a long time. I definitely get why people will love it, but I just didn't. It has a lot of great moments...a few awesome scenes, but as a whole isn't what it could be. I am absolutely in LOVE with the boys playing Flotsam & Jetsam (Ursula's eels), though. They stole the show for me. (Along with the glorious Sherie-Renee Scott).

Spring Awakening - I heard that John Gallagher, Jr. was leaving the show (tomorrow is his last performance), so I really wanted to see it again with him in it. It was nice to actually see it from the house this time (the other time, I was in onstage seating) - started in the left boxes, moved to the front mezzanine. I love and adore this show with all of my being. For me, it's what musical theatre should be. I love the source material, the music is new and exciting, the performers young and inspiring. I wish that I could sell this show to more groups in my day job, but the material is a bit too racy for most of our groups, which is truly a shame. Still, if you haven't seen this, you need to.

And....scene. =) My 3 month recap on the world of Broadway (and a little off). If you haven't been invited by me to these shows (I generally have 2 tickets) and are interested in being a part of my theatre going fun, shoot me a message. I generally don't get a lot of notice for shows (it ranges from same day to weeks), but if you want to join, let me know.

Love to you all,
K

Is there anybody going to listen to my story?

2007-09-23T14:48:00.000-04:00

It's been a whirlwind couple of days...

To recap:

Friday night, I went out to dinner with Anandini and another of the women in our office (who was a big-time Broadway performer in her day). We spent far too long at a diner in mid-town and gossiped about the office, ourselves, and listened to some of Nicole's amazing stories of Broadway back in the 60's. Awesome. They both also know of my current crush(es?) and are thrilled with the prospect of something happening, so Anandini has suggestions of double dates with she and her husband. Hah. We'll see how that goes...

And THEN...we went to see The Ritz at Studio 54. It's a revival of Terrence McNally's classic farce about a gay bathhouse in NYC. You can imagine the crazy hijinx that ensue from there, I'm sure. Rosie Perez was fabulously funny and quite good at stealing the show. There are a host of supporting characters that are very funny as well. The set and lighting design is absolutely STELLAR. You know it's farce when there are something like 40 doors onstage. A few chase scenes definitely reminded me of Noises Off with the door bits. Overall, I definitely did enjoy the show. My biggest criticism is that it is WAY outdated (and this is BIG) so a lot of the jokes don't land as well as I'm sure they did in the original. But, the stellar design, hot scantily clad boys, and good performances are still good for laughs. It's not a show that I'd rave about to anyone, but it's far from a flop. I probably wouldn't pay to see it (there isn't a lot I would right now, honestly, with prices as astronomical as they are), but with being comped in, it definitely served to be a fun evening.

Then comes Saturday, which was a simple day turned quite epic. My friend Betts (she moved to the city about a month and a half or so ago - we were close in high school) and I met up to have an early brunch in midtown. We decided upon Marseilles, near 44th & 9th, another restaurant in the Tour de France line. I've eaten at another (Metro Marche), so I had high hopes of the highest end one of the line. It most definitely did not disappoint. I ordered an enormous brioche french toast with caramelized bananas and a cereal crust as well as cava mimosa. They were both stellar. I should also mention that the complimentary bread/pastry selection pre-meal was also to die for. I highly recommend this as a place to do brunch and I'd like to come check out their non-brunch fare. Hooray French food.

Next, we trekked over to the Theatre at St. Clement's to see the NYMF production of "The Piper." I wouldn't normally check out festival shows, as I don't know anything about them and am generally too busy, but this one boasted an incredible cast including Christiane Noll (from various Broadway offerings) and two good friends of mine: Patrick Ryan Sullivan (my Sweeney from Creede last summer who has been in several B-way productions) and T.J. Mannix who was in "Committed" with me (Theatre Row, back in May). I was definitely excited and the story sounded intriguing, so we went. Definitely an interesting show. IMMENSELY well developed characters, GORGEOUS music, incredible performers. We definitely enjoyed it. But then came the last 5 minutes of the show. The ending was just so preposterous. We couldn't buy it. Too much happened that wasn't explained and we both had a problem with it ending so happily. It's a lot to ask, I'm sure, but a rewrite of the end would definitely make this have more of a future potential because it has a LOT going for it, other than about 5 minutes of the show. =) It was also fabulous to see my two friends in roles completely different than what I've seen before...and Pat's Irish accent combined with T.J.'s stellar German fare made me positively giddy.

Then, we went on a shopping extravaganza to SoHo and spent WAY too much money. Betts blew hers at the fabulous Uniqlo, while mine was at H&M. I was on a mission to buy a business suit that wasn't exceptionally expensive, but still nice and professional. I need it for my job and specifically for an SM gig that I have this week. I decided upon a basic dark gray pinstripe jacket/pants combo with a button down black shirt. Very classy, I might add. And under $125. I couldn't justify spending more than that on my current salary and with my current needs, so I got lucky.

Just in case you missed that...I, Kendra Dolton, now own a BUSINESS SUIT. What is going on in this world?

Then we decided that we might as well make an entire day of our outing because we still had more to say and do...

So, after wandering aimlessly around SoHo we happened upon my favorite little Italian homemade pasta restaurant "Il Corallo" on Prince & Thompson. Amazing. As always. We split a bottle of red wine and got a nice buzz while devouring our delicious pasta and capped it off with the most delicious tiramisu I have ever tasted. And that means something if you at all know me and my love for tiramisu.

Next, we trekked to Union Square and bought tickets for "Across the Universe", but still had some time to kill so we went to Betts' fabulous little studio near 18th & 1st. (OMG JEALOUS). After watching 2 episodes of Arrested Development (I'm hooked now that someone has finally shown it to me), I made off with Season 1. We drank another couple glasses of wine, then headed back to the movie theatre.

Ok...so Across the Universe. If you're not aware, this is the new Julie Taymor brainchild Beatles movie musical. When I first say the preview for this, I was positively giddy. I knew this was destined to be one of my all-time favorite movies. Boy, was I wrong. The movie couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Characters were underdeveloped. Too many styles were thrown together. And while there were good performances, it seemed like more of a series of really awesome scenes all strung together that didn't have much to do with each other, than a cohesive movie. This is not to say I didn't like it, because I did. It was just too spastic to work as a movie. I'll probably buy it watch scenes selectively.

And....that's about it. Today has been a lazy day so far, though it looks like I might be going out later. I had big plans to see Hair in Central Park and go to the Broadway Flea Market in Schubert Alley..but sometimes sleep is just more important.

Over and out.

TONY Best 'Hoods - Washington Heights Ranked #3

2007-09-19T23:53:00.000-04:00

First an upcoming Broadway hit musical and now a nice ranking in the article. Maybe there's more to this neighborhood than meets the eye...though I sort of resent being park of the "influx of white people" the article mentions...

http://www.timeout.com/newyork/article/625/22454/3-washington-heights

Time Out New York / Issue 625 : September 20, 2007 - September 26, 2007
Best ’hoods
#3: Washington Heights

Bodegaville lives on, despite the white people.

Photo: Michael Kirby

Jane Jacobs wrote that sidewalks are meant to bring people together (even if those people don’t care to be together). You’ll remember that in Washington Heights: It’s hard to go a block here without running into a neighborhood character, whether it’s the chicharrón lady selling twice-fried pork ribs out of a metal cart, middle-aged women playing bingo on the sidewalk in front of a church or a family man keeping guard outside one of the dozens of clothing stores.

The areas between 179th and 183rd Streets from Broadway to Amsterdam are particularly busy, peppered with generic clothing stores that go by names like Women’s Sense, as well as specialty shops selling elaborate furniture sets (one can be bought here and delivered—to the Dominican Republic). Indie stores rule too: A small strip on Broadway near the George Washington Bridge Bus Station, for example, features two florists, a Salvadoran restaurant, an Ecuadoran restaurant and more-typical Latin lunch counters, among other local businesses. And there’s a lack of big chain banks: just four. (Within a few blocks’ radius, we also found 12 bodegas—hardly surprising, since the Asociacion de Bodegueros de los Estados Unidos, the trade organization for bodega owners, is headquartered on 179th Street.)

So what’s it like to live here? Residents talk about rising rents and the influx of white tenants (who have fled more costly fees on the Upper West Side or in Morningside Heights). Indeed, just west of Broadway lies a Starbucks, a sushi joint, wine bars and pricey condominiums.

But Washington Heights is still the heart of the Dominican community—young things sport i ♥ dr T-shirts, and you can get plenty of Dominican street food here, including pastelitos (fried cheese or meat-filled puff pastries), chimichurris (Dominican hamburgers) and a variety of desserts. It’s still a neighborhood where people feel at home barbecuing on the sidewalk, playing dominos on the street or bouncing a ball in one of the few tiny school yards. And until that Starbucks moves a few blocks over, it’ll stay that way.
Photo: Jodi Love

Word on the street
Cesar Nuñez, 37, storeowner, Conception II (601 W 180th St between St. Nicholas and Wadsworth Aves, 212-740-3455)
“I’m in the shopping district, just off of 181st Street—we sell men’s and women’s clothes; it’s a family-run business. Over the years, the neighborhood has changed, but not too much. I customize my merchandise to appeal to different demographics. You have to, it’s the best way: to change with the area.”

OVERALL SCORE: 28
8
7
9
-2
-2
8
Some blocks feel very short, especially on the avenues, and there’s a mix of residential and commercial (and old and new) buildings throughout. The foot traffic’s dense—it’s hard to move on Broadway and St. Nicholas during peak shopping hours. Add the quirky characters and you’ve got one defiantly New York ’hood.

— Heather Appeldefia

It Starts

2007-09-19T23:06:00.000-04:00

As a new chapter of my life has recently begun, I started to feel inspired to keep a blog again. I used to be obsessed and stopped for about a year and half, but now I've started again with a clean slate.

This will be filled with tales from the world of work, love, life in the city, theatre, comedy, and everything else that happens in this crazy world.

Life is starting to make sense now and I have a career that looks like it actually has a future, so things are looking up indeed.

But...on to what I'm actually doing with myself.

My day job now is working for a company called Group Sales Box Office (http://www.BestofBroadway.com). I started there in early August. My title is "Group Tour Manager" and we are yet to know what that really means. My company's primary focus is the sale of Broadway tickets to a group sales market. However, I work specifically in our Tour & Travel Department (there are only 2 of us), so I do most of my work with tour operators who are planning trips to bring various groups from all over the country to NYC. Additionally, I'm the liaison between our company and several restaurants and attractions in the city that we have partnerships with.

Generally speaking, this job will involve a decent amount of travel (to conferences, to visit clients, etc.) and a LOT of free theater. Always a good perk. Plus it's salaried, with benefits, and a normal person schedule (M-F 9-5:30). Amazing. On the free theater side of things, I've already seen several shows in my short time there including: Curtains, The Drowsy Chaperone, Les Miserables, Chicago, and Forbidden Broadway. I'll be seeing Roundabout's The Ritz this weekend and Mary Poppins in the near future. We see most shows when they're in previews, which is awesome, as we have to talk about them all day to our clients. I love it.

I'm surprisingly in love with the tourism and travel industry and went to my first real networking event last night. It was a "Business Card Exchange" hosted by NYC & Company at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. These events are fancy, with tons of food, open bars, and LOTS of schmoozing. I'm sure they'll get tiring down the line, but right now I'm really loving getting acquainted with the people I'll be working with in our industry. There are a lot of exceptionally interesting people out there doing really exciting work. Here's a picture of my boss (though she'd probably hate that I'm referring to her as that) Anandini and I at the event last night...
The job has also led me to meet some rather important (and good to know) people in the Broadway world...but we'll talk more about that later.

In addition to this full-time real life job, I've taken an unpaid position as Production Stage Manager of the company New Media Comedy, LLC. They've been around for awhile, but are really starting to make their mark on the world now. They produce primarily filmed sketch content for various internet providers, but also do some live shows. They also produce a few of the larger comedy festivals in NYC including the upcoming New York Underground Comedy Festival and the Harlem Comedy Festival. Find us on myspace at http://www.myspace.com/newmediacomedy.

I'm having a ball with this group attending writers meetings, rehearsing for a live show on October 1st, and planning the film shoots. It's something totally unexpected in my life, but I adore it.

So. Things are good. Very good. More soon, I promise. =)