It really said US Navy…

…but hey.  I work with what they gave me, okay!

I really don’t like days like these…

It makes me want to curl up and go back to sleep.  Which is really difficult when you are supposed to be teaching elementary students.

Why not talk about a lively fun musical to brighten things up!?

In The Heights is a musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda.  It’s set in the Washington Heights neighborhood and follows the stories of Usnavi (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Vanessa (Karen Olivo),Nina (Mandy Gonzalez)  and Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz). 

Usnavi (get it US Navy-Usnavi??)is desperately in love with Vanessa and spends the entire show trying and succeeding to make it so.  Nina was the, “one who got out” and went to Stanford.  Turns out that Stanford is harder than she thought and she returns to  Washington Heights head down, only to fall in love with Benny who works for her father’s cab company.  Abuela Claudia has been a fixture of Washington Heights since anyone can remember and just wants to have a good life.  When she wins the lotto things change for everyone!  I don’t want to give everything away in case, you want to see it…but that’s about it in a nutshell.

Lin-Manuel wrote the musical and it is partially based on some of his real life experiences.  Lin is an amazing lyricist.  The rhymes he pulls off are humorous and heartfelt.

Songs

96,000.  This is pretty much the bloodline for the entire musical.  Everyone just wants to win so they can get out and have a better life than the one they have now.

 

When You’re Home

A nice little love song between Nina and Benny.

No Me Diga

A little insight as to what hair stylists really talk about.  I have no doubt this is really what goes on…

Alabanza

Song about Abuela’s death.  It reminds me of my Grandma Marie.  It’s a soothing song and almost meditative…

Okay, so there ya go!  If In The Heights is touring near you, I would definitely go see it.  It’s up tempo and happy.  I think this PBS Great Performances clip says it best…

And just for giggles, this Lego Blackout video is pretty great!  Like it just made this gray day so much better.  Hi.lar.i.us.

Hey facebook friends.  I’m so glad you like to read my blog and like the things I’m writing about.  It’d be extra super awesome if you could comment and like it here on WordPress.  It helps get my blog name out there! 

Thanks!  You all are great!

Love,

Me

The A-mah-zing…..

Emily!  What, no?!  Oh, okay it’s the a-mah-zing Seth Rudetsky!  Seth is hilarious and has a vast musical background and knowledge.  He’s written two books…

I took this picture from Seth's website

He’s a host on Sirius/XM Broadway, plus he also does great deconstructions of different broadway songs and has a vlog (that’s a video blog get your mind out of the gutter).

Seth posted two of my favorite musical clips on his website.  One involves the wonderful Raul Esparza.  I first saw/heard Raul in Company.  They had a run in the Playhouse in the Park in Cincinnati and there was no way I was going to miss out!  The stage was basically just a square with a few props on the stage.  The audience surrounded the stage on three sides.  I went with my mom and we had pretty sweet seats.  Raul was amazing as were the other cast members and they definitely deserved that Tony.

Anyway, back to what I was saying…  Seth had Raul sing Defying Gravity for a benefit called Miscast.  He basically pulled out his audition book and making actors sing songs that were the opposite of them.  Raul got Defying Gravity…

Pretty cool, eh?

Next!  In the Heights.  I’ve spoken of my love for In the Heights and Lynn Manuel Miranda before and this little gem is a-mah-zing!

This is Josh Henry from IN THE HEIGHTS demonstrating what he does backstage every night during the song “Home”.

I think that is ridiculous, in the greatest way possible.  What type of ear do you must have to hear that all those songs go together?  Crazy!

Tomorrow, friends, I promise that I will upload my last pictures from vacation!

Hi my name is Emily

…and I am a Broadway musicalholic.  Seriously I am.  I guess it all started when my mom had West Side Story on cassette tape.  Yah, remember those!  My addiction has been pretty much non-stop since we played Phantom of the Opera one year in marching band.  I have to full Playbill binders and probably need to spread them out to four.  I may have more musical numbers on my iPod than “real” music.  I’m pretty sure that I have the lyrics to RENT, Phantom, In the Heights, and Sweeney Todd memorized.  What information had to go for all those lyrics to go in…irrelevant!

My mom, grandma, and aunt are/were really into musicals.  My mom likes to tell the story of staying up listening to Carousel on the radio.  So, I’m pretty sure it’s in my blood!

Anywhozits, last night was the Tony Awards cue The Producers, “Tony, Tony, Tony…he’s having a stroke.  Of genius!”

Yes, last night was the Tony’s.  I love to watch the Tony’s and see all the musical numbers, mainly.  It’s also fun to see who’s there and if the host is any good.  Well, lemme tell ya.  This year the host was none other than NPH himself.  Now, Neil was in RENT, Assassins, Cabaret, and Proof so he knows what’s up.  One of my favorite moments during the Tony’s was when he and Hugh Jackman battled over who was the better host.

Who is the better host?  I don’t know it’s a toss up…they’re both cute and talented…

I also thought the opening was pretty entertaining

I kinda cringed for Brooke Shields and her night didn’t get much better when she was presenting her award.

Lastly, I was super psyched to learn that Lin Manuel a la In the Heights fame was writing NPH’s closing.  I love me some Lin Manuel, he’s so talented it’s ridiculous.  Take a peek…

Oh and here’s one of my favorites from In the Heights

Love it!

Okay I could go on and on, but this post is pretty video laden.  Maybe later I’ll expose more of my inner Broadway geekness.  Oh it’s in there!

Oh Adam, I know if I could have spoken to you...our lives would be so different!