Newsies The Musical

It feels like forever since I have be able to see a touring company musical. 

I managed to win tickets to the full 2016-2017 season at the Tulsa PAC.

The first musical just happened to be NEWSIES!!!

I loved the movie (added points for featuring actors from RoundHouse). When I saw the Tony awards a few years ago that had a Newsies performance featured I knew I needed to see this show.

The musical changes some things from the film. Instead of Bill Pullman's reporter helping the boys out it is actually a female reporter that replaces Davey and Les' sister and becomes the love interest for Jack Kelly.

The music is great. All the songs that I liked in the movie are made bigger and better. All of the new songs feel like they should have always been there.

But the main attraction with Newsies- the DANCING

Just wow!

These actors kill it. They even dance during scenery changes so that there is never a lag in the show. Let me just say that I expected some amazing dancing but I was still blown away.

I want to take dance classes now.

Of course going to a musical would not be complete without getting the program.

From what I understand, this national tour is almost over. The last stop will be in Austin, TX. But there is some possible good news.

A live performance of Newsies has been recorded in LA which means that it may end up being released to DVD. This has happened with RENT, Cats, Shrek, Into the Woods... so there is hope that Newsies might be available to own. If this happens I would recommend getting a copy. 

Literary Fixation- A Rant on Classics

Don't let the title make you think I dislike classic novels.

That is not this case in this rant. It is because I have read many classic novels that I have loved that I am writing this.

Lately every "classic" novel I have read has been bad i.e. boring, bad pacing, unlikable characters etc.

Age of Innocence is the book that broke this reader's back. It has been on my TBR list for quite awhile. Yet reading this book took all my will power. Dull as dry toast springs to mind.

When I refer to classic novels I mean books that are more then a few decades old and are on recommended reading lists such as "Every-man's Library" or "Books Everyone Should Read".

Many of this books I have loved. Examples:

 All of Jane Austen's books

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

The Poldark series

Women in Love by D H Lawrence

A Room with a View by E M Forster

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

There have even been some classic novels that are not my favorites/ or I had a hard time reading but I thought they were work it.

Little Dorritt by Charles Dickens ( Took me three years to finish, still worth it)

The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy ( Everyone in the books eventually dies from old age, but the characters are interesting)

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (The main character is cruel but I still enjoy this book)

As you can see I do have an affinity for the classics. Yet somehow nearly every classic novel I have read in the past year or so I have really disliked.

With Age of Innocence I didn't care at all about any of the characters. 

Vanity Fair consisted of mainly characters I couldn't stand.

Jude the Obscure left me feeling hopeless

And I never liked the Great Gatsby. I know it is technically a good novel but not for me.

This year my favorite books that I have read have been the first two books in the Poldark series, the epic historical fiction The Sunne in Splendour and The Host by the Twilight writer Stephanie Meyer (still shocked about that one). 

I think I am going to take a break from the Classics for awhile. If I draw one from my TBR box, I'll just toss it back in.

Netflix Picks- September 2016

For this month's Netflix picks I am choosing movies from the 1980's in honor of my birthday.

Unfortunately a lot of films that I love from the 1980's are not streaming on Netflix; Blue Lagoon, Labyrinth, Casual Sex?, Clue... but here are a few that I think are pretty good.

To Be or Not To Be (1983)

Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft star as a Jewish married couple who are stage actors in Poland when WWII starts. The movie is funny while hinting at the reality of what the Jews faced in WWII. Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft's chemistry is delightful, you can tell they enjoyed working together. And baby Tim Matheson is adorable as a soldier with a crush on Bancroft's character.

The Princess Bride (1987)

If you have never seen The Princess Bride you have missed out. It combines everything needed for an entertaining film. You have romance, adventure, sword fighting, kidnapping, evil royals and Billy Crystal.

Trust me.

Have fun storming the castle!

A Room With A View (1985)

This is not for everyone.

I happen to like costume dramas with that epic scenic feel. If you like Downton Abbey you may enjoy this. Bonus is a younger Maggie Smith as the dowdy chaperone. 

Hairspray (1988)

Most people think John Travolta and Zac Efron when the title Hairspray appears. Heh NOPE! John Waters original film is delightfully odd. Debbie Harry and Sonny Bono play the parents of the mean "Amber". The actress playing "Amber" later went on to be Vitamin C, you know the singer who sang that graduation song.

That is just the beginning of the strangeness of this movie

* At one point I tried to tease my cousin's hair like the girls in the movie, bad idea.

The Super Mario Bros Super Show (1989)

I remember watching this as a kid. Of course I had a nintendo system and played Mario games (and Duck Hunt). Still one of the strangest shows I can remember. But it brings back all the feels.

Birthday 2016

My birthday is September 1st. This year I had planned on going all Captain America/ Stucky. Unfortunately my birthday cake plan went wrong and I ended up getting Krispy Kreme in place of a Stucky Shield cake. 

And because I was rather disappointed in not having the cake I envisioned I also had to comfort myself with multiple cheesecake from the CheeseCake Factory. Just look at that Godiva cheesecake in the middle. Decadent. 

What would a birthday be without some splurging. I adore LUSH bath bombs but the mall that has a LUSH store is almost an hour away. I get these sparingly but I am ecstatic when I do get them. Grabbed an Intergalactic (turns the water such a pretty blue that I feel like a mermaid) and Dragon's Egg (this ones smells amazing). 

In this far away mall is a store called Lolli and Pops that carries all different kinds of candy. They even have areas with candy from different countries. Of course I head straight to the British candy. Those white chocolate buttons are the best white chocolate candy I have ever had.  

And the Disney Store. This is what I bought at the actual store. My Alice obsession is still going strong. Once I got home I realized that I needed a few more things. In a couple of days I should be getting a "gift" in the mail.

Essentially my birthday was pretty good. I had lunch with my mom and a small shopping spree.

Still haven't found the Labyrinth Funko Pops yet. The quest continues.