Disney MGM Studios... I Mean Hollywood

Disney has announced that beginning in January 2008, the Disney MGM Studios will be renamed Disney Hollywood. This used to be my favorite park out of the frou on the Walt Disney World property, but it seems like in the past few years it has been ignored and not had any improvements or additions that dazzle. It was also a disapointment when they took the actual working studios out of the park. It used to be you could walk through the soundstages and see actual tv shows in production. I remember seeing the Mickey Mouse Club (the one with Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake) being filmed as well as Wheel of Fortune and an adventure show starring Hulk Hogan- oh well, that may be the answer there- but anyway, part of the thrill of going there is gone, although it is still great fun. Fantasmic is one of the most amazing shows on the property and the Indiana Jones Stunt Show is a blast. Hopefully the park will get a new boost of excitement with the name change.

Fumble Out of Bed and Stumble to the Kitchen

Dolly Parton has announced that 9 to 5, the muscial version (for which she wrote the music and lyrics) of the movie will play Broadway in 2009.

Children of Eden

I just read that Children of Eden, the Stephen Schwartz musical based on the stories of Adam, Eve and Noah will be heading for Broadway in the 2008-09 season. Originally written in the early 1990's, Children of Eden had a production in London, at the Paper Mill Playhouse in NJ in the late 1990's (it is this production from which the cast album comes from) and many regional productions, but it has never hit Broadway. This musical has the most beautiful Stephen Schwartz music ever! After his mega-hit, Wicked, I'm sure he will have no trouble getting anything produced.

179 Left To Go

Let me tell you about my morning. My classes are good, I believe I am going to have lots of fun this year, however, getting to school is going to be the challenge. I live maybe four miles from school, could be closer to five. Usually it takes fvie to seven minutes to get there. This morning I left home at 7:33am. I finally got to park my car at 7:52am- yes, it took me 19 minutes. Why you ask? Because I sat behind two other cars which were behind a stopped school bus with the sign out and lights flashing and all while the mom stood on the street near the bus putting her daughter's hair in a ponytail. By the time the child actually got on the bus the line of traffic behind me had grown out of sight in my rearview mirror. If that wasn't enough, another child from the house ran to the bus to deliever a lunch box that had been left behind. It was very entertaining and at the same time very sad to see that the mentality of the world had come to the point of it's about me and it doesn't matter how many people it affects. I guess I can go another way to school if that happens again or I can leave a package on the doorstep of that house with a gift of an alarm clock inside or I can laugh about it and hope tomorrow we don't opt for two pigtails rather than the one ponytail.

My Opinion (Not That it Matters)

I am sometimes amazed that some people's idea of worship is creating an emotional frenzy. In my opinion, an emotional frenzy under the label of worship is as worthless as a hole in a cup. You may think you are filling it up, but eventually it will all leak out and you are left with nothing but an empty vessel.

High School Musical 2

So I finally finished watching the second installment of HSM. The dancing was great, the music was ok. In terms of comparing to the first HSM, it wasn't half as good- maybe because the performers this time knew they were in a "musical" where before they just put on a good show and had fun. The one thing I appreciate about this new franchise is the attention it is getting fomr young people who have never seen, much less heard of a movie musical and hopefully that will translate into the theatre. With the addition of a few feature movie musicals lately doing big box office, many people give credit to Chicago for giving new life to this dying art. No, if that were the case it would have started earlier with Moulan Rouge- in my opinion High School Muscial (the first one) has created the growing trend of making movie musicals ok. Hairspray the movie musical, which I neglected to write about even after I had seen it for the second time and waiting to see it a third, is gggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttttttttttt! It is a great translation of a theatre musical that was once a movie now back to a movie. If it wasn't for HSM, I don't thinks that movie would have ever been made. Just waiting for HSM3, 4, 5 & 6- Troy and Gabriella go to college while Sharpay (I have no idea how to spell that) and her sorority sisters sabotage their show and relationship ... Troy and Gabriella get married while Sharpay and the disgrunted bridesmaids sabotage their wedding... Troy and Gabriella have kids while Sharpay and the other moms in the play group sabotage their PTO meetings... Troy and Gabriella move into the old folks home and Sharpay sabotages the jello they get on Tuesdays... as long as it is all sung and danced, that's ok.

Sweeny Todd Poster

I just found this really cool poster of the new movie musical version of Sweeny Todd starring Johnny Depp and directed by Tim Burton.

Two Big Openings Tonight

Tonight the new musical of Disney's The Little Mermaid officially opens in Denver. A little more west and...
Young Frankenstein, the new Mel Brooks musical, opens in Seattle. Both shows are doing an out of town try out for the next month and then will move to Broadway this fall. I can't wait to see them both!

Cool Man

For 50 cents a day, you can make a child happy... no more than the price of a cup of coffee.

Happenings

Had great fun in Washington DC. Saw lost of amazing things and rode on a double decker bus- boy did we look like tourists. School began today- had to get up at 6:45am... ugh! Have gotten absolutely NOTHING done today except set up microphones for meetings in the FAB. FAB has airconditioning- yea! Can't control it- boo! This morning I froze, this afternoon I am frying. Annie Get Your Gun Rehearsal at 7pm. Eating healthy- too many fries. Grease finally opened on Broadway- critics are split. To read about it go to www.broadway.com or www.theatermania.com or www.playbill.com. There are a few pictures to see- I like Sandy in red for the ending, you don't see Sandy in red ever. Maybe I should flip it up a bit, like Annie Oakley in gogo boots.

Day 2 In DC

Day 2 In DC- the weather cooled down a lot, about 80 this afternoon. Went everywhere- White House, memorials, cemeteries & museums.

The Lincoln Memorial

Hey Mr. Lincoln!

Hi from D.C.

DC hour one. Our hotel is one block from the Capitol. Very cool, but the weather is hot- about 103.

Greetings From the Homestead

Where Nikki used to work.

Yeah!

Happy birthday Kaycee and Kaylee! Big number ten!

Showtime Again

We've started rehearsals for Annie Get Your Gun. I will try to keep photos and info as we go along. To see a cast list, go to www.overlooktheatre.org. One week from today is my last day of summer vacation- ugh! Guess what, the FAB still doesn't have air conditioning- surprised? Yea, me too...