Sad Days

Well, this is old news by now, but when I heard it a week ago I became so depressed that I just couldn't write. The end is here, Cheyenne's biceps are leaving Broadway on October 12 when Xanadu will close. It's a sad day for fans of quality musical theatre. However, they had a great run considering the almost unprecedented negativity they had deal with prior to opening, and at least Passing Strange bit it first. Plus, the guy they got for Cheyenne's part on the tour (and no, they didn't go with Carpinello, I guess he's even more depressed than I am and wants nothing more to do with the show), is really hot, so I can't wait for it to get to Chicago in January.

Just a couple days after Xanadu's closing was announced, it was announced that [title of show] will be joining it in the great hereafter on the same day, which was even more of a shock. Xanadu at least had over a year-long run on a show no one thought would last 7 performances, but the buzz on [tos] has been formidable. I'm pissed that I won't be able to see it, but I've got the cast recording. It does sound like something that will work well for local and community theatres, so hopefully it'll find its way to Porchlight, Bailiwick, or Light Opera Works sometime in the not too distant future.

Looking ahead to better times, one week from today is Linda day, the new CD will finally be here. Of course, as with Gypsy, I'll have to wait until the next day to go get it since I'm stuck downtown on Tuesdays and refuse to buy anything in the city after the recent sales tax hikes, but I'm sure she will be more than worth the wait. It already looks like she's got some tour dates lined up, let's hope she gets back here soon, maybe finally getting her own headlining concert at Ravinia next summer.

So, that's about it. There's a lot coming up between now and the end of the year, it seems like almost all my weekends are already booked. On top of Caroline or Change, Candide, and Boys from Syracuse, we've now got Mame, replacing Boys at Drury Lane Oakbrook in 3 weeks, followed by Miss Saigon in January (which I'm not sure I can ever see again after the fantabulous production I saw in Prague 3 years ago that put all other productions to shame). There's so much to do and so little time, I've already missed out on The Full Monty, although Marriott's schedule next season is truly superb, with Hairspray, Spelling Bee, and most importantly, Light in the Piazza, which you can bet I will be front and center at. In the immediate future, I've got Janet Jackson on Thursday (after a 15 year wait, it's so about time), and then the first opera of the season (Manon) next Saturday, followed by Jersey Boys (also finally) on Sunday. Then the new round of classes starts, so god only know when I'll actually get my reviews up, but it should be sometime before the end of the year. That's it for now, see you all later.