Fantabulous News

Welcome back, suckers. I have some earth-shattering news for all of you. You are not going to care, but it is brilliant news for me. http://www.darkhorizons.com/news08/080618h.php The article is dated June 18, 2008. My question is: HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS?! I LOVE SPEECH AND DEBATE!! Yes, I love it so much that I felt the need to put that sentence in bold and italics and throw in two exclamation points. Of course, I am fully prepared for this movie to be a big fat flop, but I don't care. Speech and Debate stands alone as the single most brilliant show I have ever seen. August: Osage County is right behind that. Maybe straight plays are my true calling, not musicals. Interesting stuff, here, folks. Now, I know most of you are sitting there quoting the ridiculously overrated Eric Cartman: "Big f-cking deal, bitch!" Don't lie. I can hear you. And to you I say: "Why, yes, this IS a big f-cking deal to me! Thanks so much for noticing." Now that I've got the ball rolling, might as well turn this post into a love letter to My Favorite Play That I Almost Didn't Go See.

This is Stephen Karam, the playwright. Is it mere coincidence, friends, that he has the same first name as one of the greatest songwriters whoever lived? I think not. This is the guy who provided us with such gems as, "You read my blog? That's my private journal!" and "Boy watcha doin'/boy watcha thinkin/ boy what's your name/It's Abraham Lincoln" and the immortal line that only I laughed at (and since there were like twenty people in the room, everyone heard me) : "Yeah, it's pretty casual. Get an abortion and a slice of pizza." I know it's not funny now, but it was back in January. Forgive me my weaknesses.

Here at the electric keyboard we have Sarah Steele as Diwata. This is from one of the first scenes where we learn that she can't play and sing at the same time, via the musical number I Can't Play and Sing at the Same Time. The non-idiots will notice that the blackboard behind her says, "EXTEMPORANEOUS COMMENTARY." If I am not mistaken, there is an entire scene where she explains what it means, but I don't really remember it now. Anyway, Sarah Steele is a pretty fantabulous actress. If you don't think so, well, then I have nothing more to say to you.

Believe it or not, I almost didn't go see this show. I bought tickets while the stage hands were on strike and I didn't know if my Spring Awakening tickets would fall through. Even though they didn't, this has to rank among the best backup plans of all time. Is there someone keeping track of that? I cannot believe that I almost missed this wonderful little show. My not seeing this show would have altered the course of history more than it would have changed if John Wilkes Booth had missed. (Obviously, I am exaggerating. I just wanted an excuse to use the John Wilkes Booth joke.)

Okay, that's enough of that. So, as you may but probably do not know, Spring Awakening had begun its final week on Broadway. I had intended to shove all my favorite Spring memories into one giant megapost on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon, but instead I'm going to give it to you in doses. I figure these videos are kinda like a bottle of aspirin. Take one at a time and you feel wonderful. Swallow 'em all at once, and you die. First up is the Tony Awards performance. I love this video, in all its censored glory. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXXNy1MNzc8