Here She Is Boys!

Well, it's the day after my testing date and you're reading a new post, which can only mean one thing. I passed the LPC exam and can get on with my life!!!!! For all you aspiring counselors out there (and why is it that the mental health field seems to go hand in hand with theatre queens?), I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Howard Rosenthal's audio study program. The test was phenomenally difficult, but listening to his material non-stop for two months obviously sunk in because I passed with a pretty good margin. Oh what the hell, it's my blog, I can brag my ass off. Out of 160 questions (actually, the test was 200 questions but only 160 count because they field test 40 questions, but you don't know which ones those are, so you have to do your best on each question), I only needed a 93 to pass, but I got a 142!!! That's right, despite not having taken graduate classes in 3 of the 6 content areas, I only missed 18 questions on the entire exam! That is pretty damn good if I say so myself, and a big fuck you to the state licensing board that tried to deny me my right to take the exam.

Now, on to more important things. During my hiatus I did catch The Seafarer at Steppenwolf and I strongly recommend running to the next available performance. It is a truly remarkable show. It does require some willingness to go along with it, but if you do you will be greatly rewarded. I also saw Madame Butterfly and Tristan und Isolde at the Lyric, both were excellent. I enjoyed Butterfly much more this time than I did the last time they did it, probably because this time I was expecting the epic length of the second act and made sure to monitor my liquid intake that morning. That is over now, but Tristan is just starting and if you have 4 hours and 45 minutes to spare, you can't find a better way to spend it. Debbie V. of course is fabulous and seems to have overcome the fatigue that reviewers of earlier performances at the Met and Vienna complained of, she made it through the entire thing and the end was just exquisite. The sets are different than the 1999-2000 production, they're a little more traditional with a touch of Disney inspiration in their use of bright primary colors (go see it, you'll see what I mean), and while I liked the 99 production better, these ones also work, and it's the singing that really makes the show.

Still no definite word yet on a possible trip to NY at the end of the month, my companion is really dragging his heels on getting it set up. It looks though like West Side Story is sold out that entire time, but South Pacific actually has tickets available on Sunday and I just got an email from playbill.com for 20%. I guess since Matty left no one wants to see it any more (and is anyone as excited about Glee as I am? Hopefully Fox will treat it better than they did Arrested Development, RIP). I would like to stay on Monday the 2nd to catch Cheyenne's cabaret debut, but that sucker sold out fast, so we're following our usual pattern. I certainly wish him the best though, and if he needs a stress reliever before the show, Starbucks on Friday morning! Locally we're trying to set a date for Miss Saigon at Drury Lane, and it looks like it will be the final weekend of the show, on March 7, cutting it close as usual. We're also trying to get a date for La Clemenza di Tito at Chicago Opera Theatre in April. I saw a terrific production in Prague 2 1/2 years ago, and while I'm sure the staging of this will be different, the music and story are excellent, so I'm really looking forward to seeing it again. It's one of the few Mozart operas that I truly enjoy. Looking a little further ahead is Xanadu and A Chorus Line, as well as Porchlight's production of Pacific Overtures, along with the rest of our operas and Northlight shows.

So the big story in the immediate future is the Oscars. This is the second year in a row that I haven't seen any of the major nominees. What's with the lack of Mamma Mia love? Best picture of the year, seriously. So, instead of doing my usual predictions, look for something a little different in the next week. Ok, it's time to get back to work. No rest for the Wicked. I've got a lot of music to catch up on, all of the CD's I got for Christmas as well as my emusic downloads (the Maurice Hines Guys & Dolls, NEO (finally!), the London Once on this Island (so much better without that bitch who stole Patti's Tony) and Lady in the Dark) plus the pre-passing gift I bought myself last week, Liza! Anyways, see you soon, no more 6 week waits between posts!