Catching Up

Well, it's been a long week. After all that writing about the Tony's, I needed a bit of a break. However, that certainly doesn't mean that nothing happened since Monday.

First of all, you may remember that last Tuesday, the 5th, both Curtains and 110 were supposed to be released, but at the last minute 110 was pushed back to this past Tuesday, the 12th. So, I decided to wait until then to go pick up both of them at once so I wouldn't have to make 2 trips. Bad call Last week, when I did an inventory search, every Borders had Curtains in stock. Well, it must have had the best first week sales of any cast album ever, because when I did an inventory search on Tuesday, no Borders had it in stock. Then, when I searched for 110, it only pulled up the old original casgt recording, there was no record of the new recording. Now, this normally wouldn't be a problem, except I had a rewards gift certificate to use, so I really needed to go to Borders and not Barnes and Noble. However, I was also planning on getting my Dad a book on gardening for Father's Day, and the Borders in Evanston had it in stock, while the Mt. Prospect Borders, that I usually go to, did not. So, I went to B&N's website, and sure enough the Evanston store had both Curtains and 110. So, at lunch I headed out for what I thought would be a 40 minute trip or so. Complete miscalculation. There was a massive power outage in downtown Evanston, resulting in every traffic light becoming a 4 way stop. It took fucking forever just to get into Evanston, and then with the fucked up way their streets are designed, I kept going around in fucking circles looking for a parking space, but unable to find one, and no matter which way I turned, I kept ending up back in DT Evanston, going through the fucked up interesections with non-working lights. I swear to god if I ever have to go through the interesection of Benton & Davis ever again, I will fucking kill someone. So, after about 30 minutes of this circling, I finally bent my moral standards and pulled into a garage. Finally I caught my first break, the first hour was free, and I certainly wasn't planning on being there that long. However, the damn garage was almost totally full (because everyone else was sick of the fucking nonworking traffic lights and ulled in there as well), and it took me almost 15 minutes to get a spot and get out. I went to Borders first and got the book for my dad and then checked out the CD section, just for fun, and what do you know? They had about 10 copies of 110 on the shelf, as well as both the Women's and Men's Broadway Scene Stealers CD'S. A note to Borders: you will make you customers so much happier if your online inventory search would accurately reflect what you carry. They did not have Curtains though, but I picked up 110 and checked out. I then went to B&N and picked up Curtains, which looked like it was their last one. After all this trouble, I expect to see it on Billboard's top 200 chart next week. Then, after all the trouble, I had to give myself a treat, so I browsed through the section, and they actually had the original London Cast double CD recording of Starlight Express. I'm not talking about the new, re-orchestrated release, I'm talking about the late '80's, packed in the thick 2 CD case, orignal recording with full synth orchestrations. I had had my eye on that for so long when I was in high school, but never actually bought it since double CD's were so expensive then, and then it disappeared, and was only recently replaced by the updated version, but the new orchestrations are lacking in the cheesy fun, so I was thrilled to find this relic and snatched it up I checked out, got my car, and returned to work almost 2 and a half hours after I left. It was totally worth it though, all the CD's are great, especially 110. I'm thrilled also to hear Frances Rufelle on the Starlight CD, although I thought Sarah Brightman had been in the original cast, but she is not listed. Still, it is so great to finally have it.

So then on Wednesday I get an email from the Queen Mum, stating "I hear there's this show about the Four Seasons that's coming to town. Is there any chance we can see that, I love the Four Seasons." So, it looks like I'm getting roped into going to Jersy Boys. You'll be able to read all the bitching as it happens, at least I've got time to steel myself, we won't be going until January.

Before that happens, another much more enjoyable group of boys are coming back to Chicago this fall; Altar Boyz is coming back, this time to the Drury Lane Water Tower. I missed it last time because they were here when I was in Europe, but this time I am dragging everyone I know to the show, it is so aswesome.

We're also getting another Broadway show, but it will be a local production About Face Theatre will be doing The Little Dog Laughed in January and February of next year. I haven't seen anything in their new space, in fact the last production of theirs I saw was Bash, quite a few years ago, I am so overdue to see something there. Hopefully they'll have the guy who played Nathan in Dream Boy take the naked role, I would so pay to see that.

Congratulations to Danielle Brothers, winner of the Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her hilarious portrayal of Comrade Ada in Flora the Red Menace. She was won of the few winners not to have to share the award with a co-winner. Fiorello! and Side Show tied for Best Musical, I'm glad I got tickets for Side Show and will be sure to catch Fiorello! this time around. However, I still haven't gotten any offers for my Most Happy Fella ticket, let's get on that people!

Lastly, Company will be closing on Broadway on July 1, I'm glad I got my chance to see it.

Next up, Shenandoah on Thursday at the Marriott Lincolnshire, hopefully I will see some of my loyal readers there.