The Reinvention of Me: What Comes Next

This past Wednesday I was invited to attend the opening night of the Blue Man Group at the Warner Theater.  It had been sitting on my “bucket list” for some time.  Little did I know the good time I was going to have would actually turn out to be the best performance I have ever seen.

Blue Man Group is a highly audience-interactive experience that utilizes colors, sounds, technology and mime performances.  It shows you how a great performance doesn’t necessarily need dialogue to be incredible.

Since this show was so amazing, and I want everyone to see it for themselves, I’m not diving into details.  Note that the first 10 rows are the best to sit in, with the first four requiring you to wear the ponchos they provide (just in case).  They are here until April 3rd.

Shout Outs: Kate Michael (for being my date) and Natasha Barrett (even though we didn’t get to verbally say hi).

On Wednesday, March 16, it was Young Professionals Night at Shakespeare Theatre.  A group of us women decided to go and see Oscar Wilde’s “An Ideal Husband”.  I’ve always loved the theatre and am up for seeing almost any performance.  This was, by far, one of my favorites.

Set in the late 1800s, the play is about well-t0-do political and social affairs that take place in a 24-hour period.  Much humor and wit are incorporated into this performance, giving the audience a glimpse into a multi-dimensional world, most DC residents are already all too familiar with.

Read on if you want an entire synopsis of the play, courtesy of Wikipedia.  If not, scroll to the post-event information.

An Ideal Husband opens during a dinner party at the home of Sir Robert Chiltern in London’s fashionable Grosvenor Square. Sir Robert, a prestigious member of the House of Commons, and his wife, Lady Chiltern, are hosting a gathering that includes his friend Lord Goring, a dandified bachelor and close friend to the Chilterns, his sister Mabel Chiltern, and other genteel guests. During the party, Mrs. Cheveley, an enemy of Lady Chiltern’s from their school days, attempts to blackmail Sir Robert into supporting a fraudulent scheme to build a canal in Argentina. Apparently, Mrs. Cheveley’s dead mentor and lover, Baron Arnheim, convinced the young Sir Robert many years ago to sell him a Cabinet secret, a secret that suggested he buy stocks in the Suez Canal three days before the British government announced its purchase. Sir Robert made his fortune with that illicit money, and Mrs. Cheveley has the letter to prove his crime. Fearing the ruin of both career and marriage, Sir Robert submits to her demands.

When Mrs. Cheveley pointedly informs Lady Chiltern of Sir Robert’s change of heart regarding the canal scheme, the morally inflexible Lady, unaware of both her husband’s past and the blackmail plot, insists that Sir Robert renege on his promise. For Lady Chiltern, their marriage is predicated on her having an “ideal husband”—that is, a model spouse in both private and public life that she can worship: thus Sir Robert must remain unimpeachable in all his decisions. Sir Robert complies with the lady’s wishes and apparently seals his doom. Also toward the end of Act I, Mabel and Lord Goring come upon a diamond brooch that Lord Goring gave someone many years ago. Goring takes the brooch and asks that Mabel inform him if anyone comes to retrieve it.

In the second act, which also takes place at Sir Robert’s house, Lord Goring urges Sir Robert to fight Mrs. Cheveley and admit his guilt to his wife. He also reveals that he and Mrs. Cheveley were formerly engaged. After finishing his conversation with Sir Robert, Goring engages in flirtatious banter with Mabel. He also takes Lady Chiltern aside and obliquely urges her to be less morally inflexible and more forgiving. Once Goring leaves, Mrs. Cheveley appears, unexpected, in search of a brooch she lost the previous evening. Incensed at Sir Robert’s reneging on his promise, she ultimately exposes Sir Robert to his wife once they are both in the room. Unable to accept a Sir Robert now unmasked, Lady Chiltern then denounces her husband and refuses to forgive him.

In the third act, set in Lord Goring’s home, Goring receives a pink letter from Lady Chiltern asking for his help, a letter that might be read as a compromising love note. Just as Goring receives this note, however, his father, Lord Caversham, drops in and demands to know when his son will marry. A visit from Sir Robert, who seeks further counsel from Goring, follows. Meanwhile, Mrs. Cheveley arrives unexpectedly and, misrecognized by the butler as the woman Goring awaits, is ushered into Lord Goring’s drawing room. While she waits, she finds Lady Chiltern’s letter. Ultimately, Sir Robert discovers Mrs. Cheveley in the drawing room and, convinced of an affair between these two former loves, angrily storms out of the house.

When she and Lord Goring confront each other, Mrs. Cheveley makes a proposal. Claiming to still love Goring from their early days of courtship, she offers to exchange Sir Robert’s letter for her old beau’s hand in marriage. Lord Goring declines, accusing her of defiling love by reducing courtship to a vulgar transaction and ruining the Chilterns’ marriage. He then springs his trap. Removing the diamond brooch from his desk drawer, he binds it to Cheveley’s wrist with a hidden device. Goring then reveals how the item came into her possession. Apparently Mrs. Cheveley stole it from his cousin years ago. To avoid arrest, Cheveley must trade the incriminating letter for her release from the bejeweled handcuff. After Goring obtains and burns the letter, however, Mrs. Cheveley steals Lady Chiltern’s note from his desk. Vengefully she plans to send it to Sir Robert misconstrued as a love letter addressed to the dandified lord. Mrs. Cheveley exits the house in triumph.

The final act, which returns to Grosvenor Square, resolves the many plot complications sketched above with a decidedly happy ending. Lord Goring proposes to and is accepted by Mabel. Lord Caversham informs his son that Sir Robert has denounced the Argentine canal scheme before the House. Lady Chiltern then appears, and Lord Goring informs her that Sir Robert’s letter has been destroyed but that Mrs. Cheveley has stolen her letter and plans to use it to destroy her marriage. At that moment, Sir Robert enters while reading Lady Chiltern’s letter, but as the letter does not have the name of the addressee, he assumes it is meant for him, and reads it as a letter of forgiveness. The two reconcile. Lady Chiltern initially agrees to support Sir Robert’s decision to renounce his career in politics, but Lord Goring dissuades her from allowing her husband to resign. When Sir Robert refuses Lord Goring his sister’s hand in marriage, still believing he has taken up with Mrs. Cheveley, Lady Chiltern is forced to explain last night’s events and the true nature of the letter. Sir Robert relents, and Lord Goring and Mabel are permitted to wed.

Post-Performance

Because it was Young Professionals Night, there was a wine tasting, post-performance, sponsored by Kim Crawford Winery, MapHook and OnTap Magazine.  They set us out on a scavenger hunt, throughout the theatre, to win prizes, such as iPads, iPods, t-shirts and the like.

Photos can be found here:  http://www.ontaponline.com/scene/?album=4&gallery=314

Shout outs go to: Taryn Fielder, Felicity Amos, Michelle Backus, Sarah Dean, Seyhan Duru, Sanam Toosi and Rey Alatorre.

I  never understood what the hype was about.  I mean, she wears strange clothing (if you call it that sometimes) and she labels herself as “androgynous”.  Her music videos are even more confusing to those who aren’t die-hard fans and she has some good songs.  But how fabricated is she?  I didn’t understand what Lady Gaga was all about until last night.

Here’s a woman who had a terrible time being picked on at school for being homely.  Her escape was music: singing, playing the bass, the piano and even the organ.  My assumption was that she was a fabricated singer at best who didn’t write her own music and probably lip-synced to her own music at concerts.  I was proven wrong – on all fronts.

Set scene: Thousands of screaming fans in glitter, feather boas, sequins, fairy costumes, outlandish makeup, leather, ripped stockings, wigs – basically anything you can dream up and it was there.  If I had been assigned to photograph just the fans for a fashion piece, I would have claimed to have the best job on the planet. It was as if the best of Disney and Halloween came together for one night.

About 9:20pm, the lights went down and the roar was defeaning. Black and white fashion images of Lady Gaga took over the white stage curtain and house music played.  You instantly felt like you were about to see a runway show, as opposed to a concert. A countdown began at 10 and at 1, the projected images gave way to a large shadow of Lady Gaga singing.

After the first song, the curtain was raised and it revealed a shady alleyway in New York with a broken down car.  It was then that the story was starting to be revealed.  Her and her friends were trying to get to the Monster Ball.  At this point, Lady Gaga is wearing a purple dress with large shoulder pads and sings “Dance in the Dark”.

(Curtain comes back down with more black and white images and more house music)

Act II: Lady Gaga and her friends are now in a subway.  She’s dressed in a scantily-clad nun’s outfit, complete with large hat (a depiction of a pre-habit era).  After a few more songs: “Boys, Boys, Boys” (the male dancers were wearing white boxer briefs with ahem “enhanced parts”, followed by “Beautiful and Dirty Rich” – video here), she stops to address the crowd.  She’s carrying a scepter of sorts that has a huge spotlight and camera at the end of it.  She’s reading people’s posters, engaging with the audience and even sang a rather beautiful rendition of Happy Birthday to one fan.  This pause seemed to tie in, seamlessly, with the next song – “Love Game”.

(Curtain comes down and more black and white – now moving/rather disturbing – images display with more house music)

Act III: Lady Gaga and her crew are stuck in a dark, scary forest (and is wearing a large red cape, also covering part of her face, with large horizontal shoulders that looked as though she accidentally got caught on a clothes line). After her first song, the cape gives way to a patent leather bikini of sorts. She is playing a piano that has been set on fire.  Her voice sounds soulful while she sings.  This transitions to her next high-energy act: “Monster”.  It’s at this point that her dance group crowds around her and emerge bloody – they’ve eaten her heart (metaphorically speaking).  This is followed by her taking yet another break to call someone in the audience.  Usually, it would sound like a fabricated marketing ploy but the crowd was convinced otherwise when the camera panned to the woman on the other end of the call.  It just happened to be the one fan that was a mom who escorted her pre-teen daughter to the concert.  Lady Gaga called to invite her backstage to meet her.  Her daughter looked like she was going to faint and her mom (I’m pretty sure) didn’t know what to make of it.  The song that followed this was “Telephone”, which was then followed by “Alejandro” –  a rather sultry dance number.  The end of this “act” was Teeth, where she started by playing the intro to Phantom of the Opera on an organ, which led her to roam in a fountain of fake blood, before being carried off to the front of the stage where a “twister” swallowed up her and her friends.

(Curtain comes down again for the same sequence.)

Act IV: This “twister” was a conical LED board that showed various colored Lady Gaga images and more house music.  When it was raised, it revealed Lady Gaga in a white butterfly costume with a mechanical headpiece that looked like a sea anemone had come to life (she’s still covered in blood/corn syrup).  She’s lifted up over the crowd on a platform when she sings.  When she is set back down, she starts talking to the crowd.  She sort of sings her words and when the crowd starts to get pumped she lets her vocals loose and the most soulful/rocker-filled vocals come out, that could give Christina Aguilera a run for her money.  It made the crowd go wild.

(The white curtain comes down again and the sequence repeats, except they fall more into the S&M variety.)

Act V: Lady Gaga emerges to find that her dance team has left her by herself and the “fame monster” comes out to try to get her (video here).  It’s a light up dragon that has glowing eyes and teeth.  It’s then that she sings Papparazzi, followed by The Fame.

(The white curtain comes down again and the sequence repeats)

Act VI: Lady Gaga is wearing a chrome star-like dress and shoes for the final number: “Just Dance”.

(The white curtain comes down again and people are at a defeaning roar once again.)

Encore: Lady Gaga and her female singers come out in simple, long dresses and begin “Born This Way” – a cappella.  Eventually the band and the dancers come out to join in.

The lights come on and the show is over.

I’ve seen a lot of performers in my day and so far, none compare to what I just saw last night.  Lady Gaga is a true performer: She writes her own songs, she sings, she dances well, she plays a multiple of instruments and she engaged with her crowd to let them know she cares.  I liken her show to a full-on Broadway performance.  To those who don’t understand… to go through that many costume changes, that many intricate (and large stage sets) and that many songs, without passing out from exhaustion (of full-on singing and dancing), deserves the Grammys she was up for.

I’ve not only downloaded the rest of her songs (there really isn’t a bad one), I’m already trying to find when she’s coming back.

I will admit, I’ve never been to a Cirque du Soleil show before.  I’m not sure why.  Growing up, this troupe would erect their tents each fall in the grounds, directly across from Tysons Galleria, drawing a huge crowd.  And, in all the times I’ve been to Vegas, I’ve never bothered to see a show there either (then again, I’ve never quite made it to a show there in general).  So, when given the opportunity to go and witness a dress rehearsal for a brand new show, and the first launched by a woman, how could I say no?

On September 8, my boyfriend and I drove to the National Harbor to their events grounds to see Ovo – Cirque du Soleil’s newest show.  There, the infamous yellow and blue big top tents greeted us at the top of a hill, inviting us to the magic it held inside.  Upon closer inspection of our tickets, we were invited to join other VIP guests in the Tapis Rouge room.  Once inside, we were greeted by staff holding champagne and wine while a photographer was ready to snap a complimentary photo of us in front of the Ovo display.  Once being able to wander, it’s immediately noticed how plush and chic the interior is.  And, in the center, a decorative motorized lazy susan displayed artistic hors d’ oeuvres for you to enjoy.  This was in addition to the huge pineapples on a stick, with shrimp skewers, servers were walking around with.

About 30 minutes into relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere, it was announced that we were to take our seats.  We wandered out of the tent and into the big top where the familiar circus smells were all around: popcorn, funnel cakes, candy and more.  After saying hi to a few more friends, we made our way to Section 101, Row D – just a few rows back from the stage.  When seated, we noticed the the giant lit-up egg (Ovo means egg in Portuguese) that glowed brightly amongst the dark stage.  Soon thereafter, the show began.

To not give away the entire show, it can be summarized as a beautiful concert of bugs, living in harmony.  The producer took the best of the animal kingdom and brought together a symphony of ideas, creating a spectacular acrobatic show with a romantic twist.  The attendees oohed and aahed over every acrobatic twist, turn and lengthy handstand done, whether in the air or on the stage.  Some even commented on the flexibility and balance of these performers, while they maintained full character.

By intermission, we were invited to go back to the VIP tent to enjoy some sweet treats and more champagne.  Instead of a rotating lazy susan, there was a static circular display of candy jars and containers to fill up on your favorites, as well as servers with pineapples on sticks, offering chocolate-covered strawberries.  It was also really great to catch up with some friends.

By the second act, people were amazed and overwhelmed at the  synchonous motions of the grasshoppers and their rock wall/trampoline bounce scene.  By far, my favorite to see and probably one of the most challenging to perform right.  Although all scenes in this show were amazing, this part was definitely noteworthy enough to make you want to see the show again.

When it was over, the only question left unanswered was the egg and what was inside of it, something no one has the answer to.  Still, on the way out, there was a loud buzz of the recounting of all that was seen, the story that unfolded and comments of how each wanted to see it again – I agree.  In fact, I’m making it a mission in life to see all Cirque shows still in existence!

Shout outs go to Aba Kwawu, Angie Goff, Katherine Kennedy, Jenny Goff, Kate Michael, John-Michael Scott, Alex Naini and all of those that were there but I didn’t see!

Last Thursday, my mom took myself and some of my family to see Mary Poppins at the Kennedy Center.  Since the advertisement came out last year, I had been begging to see it.  On July 15th, I finally got my wish.

As most anyone who has seen the Kennedy Center knows, there is nothing more impressive than to enter this building with the expansive red carpeted halls and arched entryways.  It’s a place where musicals, plays, symphonies and the like come to life.  And, when a Disney musical comes to the theater – magic happens.

DON’T READ FURTHER IF YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IT!!!

When the house lights went down and the stage lights came on, the magic instantly appeared.  The set designs were incredible – almost as if the movie just jumped right off the TV and onto the stage in 4D – the most impressive of which was the Banks’ house – it was a two-story set that folded and opened like a dollhouse, mechanically.  However, Act I seemed a bit rushed in dialogue and a few twists to the story were introduced that made you slightly uncomfortable, had you seen the movie.  The upside: the Statues of David that came to life (yes, they were anatomically correct).

Act II the magic was turned on.   The tap routine during “Step in Time” was amazing, as were the actors that started climbing/scaling the walls (yes, even upsidedown), and flying across the stage.  At other parts of the Act, the furniture moved, lights flickered, kites flew and the stage truly came alive.

As the the musical was coming to  the end and the wind had changed direction, Mary Poppins opened her umbrella and prepared to fly over the stage – and over the left side of the orchestra section, to the second tier balcony.  It was truly one of the most amazing and memorable endings I’ve seen to a musical, hands down.

Parting with a Souvenir

When seeing a musical with my mom, she always spoils us by letting us pick out a keepsake of some sort.  In this case, I grew up wanting a Mary/ Poppins parrot umbrella – mostly because it talked.  Although this one did not, my eyes became huge when I saw it – the Mary Poppins umbrella, complete with parrot handle.  It’s now mine.

Going with some of your closest girlfriends to see one of the ultimate girl movies of all-time is one of those memories that you will remember every last detail of.  Now, going to a premiere when you have a few HUNDRED girlfriends (and some man friends) in two packed theaters is an entirely different experience altogether.

On May 26, just one day before Sex and the City 2 was set to open across the country, I was invited to get an earlypreview of the movie every woman (and some men) were eager to see, for the last two years.  There were so many questions: Would Carrie get pregnant?  Would Samantha get married?  Was someone getting divorced?  There was a great buzz at the pre-party at Farenheit, the Georgetown Ritz Carlton bar, where  the VIPers got together and began to discuss, excitedly, what this movie might have in store for us SATC fans.  There was also excited buzz about everyone’s outfits: Some women dressed up in ballet skirts, to pay homage to Carrie.  Other women dressed more like Samantha, and even Charlotte and Miranda.  Still, some paid homage to famous designers, featured in the movie, or even where most of the film was shot: Saudi Arabia.  My outfit paid tribute to only one thing: fabulousness. I’m not one to shy away from a little bling or brighter colors and out of all the outfits I’ve worn to events, this one had to be one of my favorites and (gasp) it was comprised of things already in my closet .

The Outfit

Crayola colors seem to attract my eye this year and I chose my LuLu La La Love, one-sleeved purple mini dress ($35 and no longer for sale on their site).  I paired it with a BCBG belt ($48 and also no longer for sale), rhinestone heels, a massive Cache rhinestone bracelet ($58 and still for sale online), a 16-carat oval rhinestone ring and faux rhinestone earrings I had from my Redskins Cheerleading tryouts back in 2002. (Note: No pictures were taken of me that night so I don’t have one picture with the complete outfit.)

I’m sure it’s hard to imagine but I hadn’t had this much pride in an outfit, based on pulling together things from my closet, in a long time!

About 30 minutes into the pre-party, it was announced we could begin walking over to the AMC Georgetown theater.  Eagerly, some new girlfriends of mine and I rushed over to grab good seats before getting the usual movie theater fare: popcorn, candy and water.  Yep… a few hundred well-heeled women eating popcorn, chicken fingers, hot dogs, sodas and candy

Do Not Read Further if You Haven’t Seen the Movie!!!!

When the lights went down and the movie began, everyone was cheering and clapping.  It only grew to a small roar when each character was introduced.  The camaraderie in the theater was pretty amazing – it gave you goose bumps to know that each and every one of these people had something in common with you: the love of these characters.

The movie’s first real big scene was a gay wedding – and not just two men getting married in a simple ceremony. It included the gay men’s chorus, a whole winter theme, set in a ballroom, and Liza Minnelli as the officiator.  It was actually very sweet to see and very well-done.  But, when Liza Minnelli did a geriatric karaoke version of “Put a Ring on It”  I was slightly disappointed and a little bit embarrassed.  It just seemed a bit over the top.  Then again, it IS SATC and I was still eager to see what else this movie had in store.  It wasn’t until they got to Abu Dhabi that I truly had a problem with the film.  Although amazingly lavish and very entertaining (and I’ll admit, I was a little envious of their experiences there – including Samantha’s Dutch man), I was shocked at how much this culture had been disrespected.  Between Samantha’s menopausal outbursts that are considered punishable public acts in that country, and the Saudi women revealing their clothes under their Burkas, I was amazed that the producers could take it that far.  It’s as though the writers were desperately trying to find a story to go along with the underlying gripes and woes of being in your 40s and 50s: boring marriages, kids driving you crazy (there was one memorable scene when Lilly put painted hand prints on Charlotte’s vintage Valentino skirt), menopause… things that maybe are just out of my realm for me to truly understand.  For once, I feel like I lost the understanding of the characters.  The only major upside (aside from Samantha’s men): their outfits.  Their wardrobe value was almost as big as the salary of one character.  In fact, to give you an idea, Carrie’s outfit during the karaoke scene was $26,000.

After the almost two-hour film came to an end, I was surprised to see no clapping. The theater kind of mumbled and all got up and left, leaving me to believe that although the film wasn’t awful, it could have been done better.

Regardless, I had never been to a premiere before and for my first one, it was a really fun experience.  The bonus: A swag bag, filled with Godiva, Serendipity chocolate (they are opening a location in DC soon), Moet, Fresh (a free dress there) and much more.