}} Play Bill {{

[Lilith]

I saw a great production of the play, A Flea in Her Ear, by one of the local unis tonight. It was a wonderful farce with tons of bawdy adult humor and a wicked little BDSM streak.

I was wondering how many of you attend plays? What was the last one you saw? All time fave? Do you have a preference regarding the type of theater you attend? Prefer comedies? Musicals? The classics? Something a little more experimental?

[BlueSwede]

Don't have a chance to see many plays, unfortunately. My all time favorite: A--My Name Is Alice.

[FallenAngel5]

I love plays, they are fantastic. :) I live close enough to NYC that we go to Broadway shows fairly often. The last one that I saw was Aida, which was very good, but my all-time favorite is The Producers, which I saw with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. It was very good. I think all in all I prefer the Broadway musical, especially comedies, but I love a good drama. I saw Tony Kushner's Angels In America before it became an HBO movie, and I loved it, but I also thought HBO did a fantastic job with it. The next one I have tickets to is Movin' Out, the show based on the music of Billy Joel. Looking forward to that. :) I sure hope there's someone else here that shares my affinity for Broadway shows.

[Lilith]

I would remove my left kidney with a spoon to see Movin' Out in NYC.

[Gilly]

Originally posted by BlueSwede
Don't have a chance to see many plays, unfortunately. My all time favorite: A--My Name Is Alice.


Is that the one about a young girl in the late 60's or early 70's that gets messed up with drugs? I recall reading a book that I think was called that, which was a diary written by a girl who went from being good, to living on the streets pretty much. From what I recall, it was a good book.


As for plays, lordie, I think the last one I attended was probably Rodgers & Hammersteins Carosel. (yeah, I fucked that spelling, but I went through 20 different ones, and none looked right. ;) )

That was back in the 8th grade, and I was in the chorus, as a "child", since it was a high school production, with a few middle school kids.

Ballet's, on the other hand, I've been to probably 5 in the past 6 or 7 years. Most were performed by the only professional ensemble in MI, but I also got to see 1 with the Moscow Ballet, 1 with touring NYC Ballet members, and 1 from the Kansas City Ballet.

Good stuff :D

[Gilly]

Wait, I saw Cat's a few years back. Does that count as a Play, even though it was a musical? Yeah, I suppose it does. -shrugs- I don't know anymore.

I'd love to see Rent, though. That one has interested me since they put it into production.

[Lilith]

I got tix to Rent for my bday one year...it was wonderful.

[Gilly]

I'm jealous. Spank me and make it better? ;)

[Lilith]

If you insist;)

[campingboy]

I have season tickets to a local pro threater group. Also go to the Fringe every year.

I tend to like the smaller productions but every once and a while I like the dazle that comes with the big musicals.

The best fringe show was McHommer - a one person play using the Simpson charaters put to McBeth. I was sore from laughing at the end of that show.

Still love the old Bard, but I also like newer plays.

[Teddy Bear]

I LOVE plays!!!

We have a terrific summer playhouse here in RI called 'Theatre by the Sea'. It's less then a mile from the ocean in an old restored building. The grounds surrounding it have an award winning garden you can stroll through during intermission. There have been some famous actors in plays here. Of course my mind has gone blank right now and I can't think of one. lol. We see at least one play there every summer. The last 2 were 'Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' (my favorite) and 'The Sound of Music'.

The University of RI has a great theater dept. & we have been to alot of their productions. Just recently I took my Girl Scout troop there to see 'Romeo & Juliette'. They loved it!!

Our local high school has put on some pretty good performances too. Last year they put on 'Bye Bye Birdie'. This coming weekend my youngest is going to be in 'South Pacific'. Grumble will be going with us to see it.

Theres also Providence Performing Art Center. (PPAC) They put on big shows equal to any I've seen in NYC. Two years ago we saw 'Phantom of the Opera'. This year my daughters saw 'Hairspray' starring that funny guy with the deep voice.... darn it I'm drawing blanks on all names tonight. (my kids say I have 'old-timers' disease)...... (BRATS!!!)

We used to go to NYC once a year to see something on Broadway. But it got so expensive and the local theater is so good, that we stopped going. The last few we saw were 'Sugarbabies', with Mickey Rooney; 'Annie' with Sarah Jessica Parker; and 'Evita', forget who was in that one.

I think live performances are the best! No special effects like in the movies but when you see those actors pouring themselves into their role or singing and dancing with all they've got, its just incredible. Yeah, I guess you could say I like watching plays. ;) :D

[Loulabelle]

Hehehe....when you're a memeber of the cast, as I often am, people get a bit pissed off if you don't attend!

I've been involved in amateur drama for ten years, and love the theatre, whether on stage back stage or in the audience.

Currently, we're working on a farce similar to the one you've just seen, Lil, although there's not really a BDSM theme (damn!). I get to roll around on the couch with a guy who reminds me a little of Robert Redford......it's a hard life!LOL

[LixyChick]

I'd love to see more plays...but Mr. Lixy doesn't like to take the time. Don't ask me why. I can't get an answer from him. But, I suspect it has something to do with the fact that they don't have a bar in the theatre! LOL! I know...I know...I've suggested Dinner Theatre, but I think he thinks I'm trying to trick him (kinda like Sharon did to Ozzy to get him into the Betty Ford Center). LMFAO!

Anyway...The last play I saw (can't remember the year) was at a local theatre. A friend's father was playing a part in "Arsonic and Old Lace". I saw a highschool version back when I road my dinosaur to school too. And, I remember watching the movie with my mother a long time ago (can't remember the star, but for some reason I keep thinking Jimmy Stewart).

I'd go and see just about anything. I'd prefer not to see musicals but I'll make exceptions for something like "Bye Bye Birdie" or "Grease"...or along those lines! Oh...and I'd love to see "Evita" and especially "Oh, Calcutta" (what with it being a totally nude play and all... :D ...)! Does anyone do that one anymore?

[Lilith]

Lixy~ I saw Arsenic & Old Lace a couple years ago too.

I go to quite a few of the productions at my college or at FSU. I have gone to some of their Lab type plays. I once saw a girlfriend perform in a play that compared the life/visions of Joan of Arc with that of a young girl in a psych hospital. Was very avant garde. I think it was just called Joan. I heard somewhere that in order for the acting students to graduate here they must perform in a lead role in a play. This causes them to have to put on less traditional type plays due to the lack of mainstream plays available in one semester, so the uni has lots of small lab type theaters and performances.

[Oldfart]

We get a roving band up here every few years, and catch "Grease"

or something else (if I'm not rostered on).

We're a looooong way from civilisation here.

There's a local crew who do arcane politically and culturally sensitive

presentations, but like everyone else, we just leave them to their devices.

[FallenAngel5]

I don't think losing a kidney is a way to go for tickets, Lil, but sometimes the tickets cost that much. :) I'm glad to see so many enthusiasts, and something that was said reminded me.
If Buffalo, we have what's called "Shakespeare in the Park." There's an outdoor stage, and put on several Shakespeare plays every year, it's always fantastic. My favorite of those was <em>Comedy of Errors</em> - because it was updated. Several of the main characters were Elvis empersonaters... lol - I just remember laughing through the whole thing.

[nikki1979]

***CRYING****

i absolutly LUV theatre, i used to be in all the productions whe i was in high scholl and i totally miss it all, everything from stagecraft to the adrinaline rush of the preformance. the last one i went to was "gypsy" several years ago when i was still unmarried and still stateside. i keep hinting to jeeping that id luv to go see some plays here, but when we have a chance we dont have the money :( my absolute fave is "my fair lady" i just luv that! musicals are my fav but i luv to see em all, i saw "cats" when it toured tho little rock that show kicked ass, i luved all the dancing and costumes it was awsome

~nikki

[huntersgirl]

I too used to do Theatre when I was younger. I miss it so much! What a rush it was. I haven't been able to see as many in recent years, last summer we attended a play at a "summer theatre" I can't recall the title, but I loved it. The last "big" production I saw was "Rent". My mother gave me tickets for Christmas one year. When I was young, we would go to NYC at least once a year and see something on Broadway, so I have been quite fortunate. I love all types of theatre, musicals, drama, comedies. On a side note....I have never been to a ballet, but have always wanted to. I danced for over 13 years and loved ballet. When I was young, I had the opportunity to perform with a theatre company in NYC at Lincoln Center. Well my family came to see me perform and while I was busy with rehersals and performances etc...They went and saw the NYC Ballet perform. I was so jealous, especially because my siblings couldn't have cared any less for ballet! But they did get me a souvenier beach towel...lol How very thoughtful of them!:p

[jseal]

Lilith,

We did catch “Oliver” when it was in town, and during the last season, we enjoyed “Rigoletto”, and the season before that “Don Giovanni”.

“A Doll’s House” was the last serious (downer) we saw. Ibsen had a severe perspective on the human condition.

So, I guess I’d go with the Musical label.

[skyler_m]

I started out as an Acting major in college. With my schedule of traveling, I don't get to be in plays at all anymore. Once I get a job that has me home every night, I know that I will do more community theater. I'm a fan of musicals. My favorite musical to be in was My Fair Lady. Playing an arrogant SOB was pretty fun. Some people said I played it too well, in fact.

My all time favorite musical is Guys and Dolls. My goal is to play Sky Masterson once before I die. (And yes, that's how I coined the name Skyler for myself years ago...)

As a more general overview, I love Neil Simon. He has amazing thought and wit when he writes plays.

Okay, enough of me...

[jennaflower]

Plays are one of my favorite forms of entertainment... but unfortunately none of my friends feel the same way.. and without a special guy to go along, I haven't seen one in ages... it isn't exactly a solo event (or atleast it doesn't seem so to me).

[darogle]

Love going to the theater! My personal favorite is "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare...Abridged!!!" by The Reduced Shakespeare Co. Was hilarious!!!
I also love going to see the melodramas that a local troupe put on in a antique operahouse not far from me in the summers.

[Lilith]

Originally posted by jennaflower
... it isn't exactly a solo event (or atleast it doesn't seem so to me).

I've had to go to a couple alone when no one else wanted or could go with me. I know I felt strange at first sitting there by myself, but I was surprised to find that there were many people my age, men and women, there alone.

[BIBI]

[i]
Anyway...The last play I saw (can't remember the year) was at a local theatre. A friend's father was playing a part in "Arsonic and Old Lace". I saw a highschool version back when I road my dinosaur to school too. And, I remember watching the movie with my mother a long time ago (can't remember the star, but for some reason I keep thinking Jimmy Stewart).
[/B]

Lixy.........Cary Grant , who IMO was wonderful!

Loved that movie.......:)

[maddy]

I love theater... but haven't been recently due to funds and lack of people willing to go with me. I have only been to a limited number of productions but have a long list of ones I would love to see. I have seen Rent several times - including alone in NYC. I also particularly like things like STOMP and Tap Dogs - and would love to go to Vegas and see Blue Man Group.

When I went alone in NYC, I made the decision that I would rather feel awkward going alone than regretting not having gone at all. Once I was in the theater, I found myself forgetting I was alone and being able to truly enjoy the show.

[Lilith]

I saw STOMP last year....It was sooooo awesome. I'm going to Vegas in June and we are trying to decide if Blue Man Group is on our "must do" list.

[way22hot]

Live theater is one of the joys in life, to me it doesn't matter if it's a school play or a broadway production I'm always game to go!
My favorite though was my 1st broadway production I saw
"THE MAN OF LA MANCHA" I was 7 or 8 years old at the time and
I've been hooked ever since.

[GingerV]

There's NOTHING I won't see....I LOVE theater. Given my choice of where to put my money, I don't tend towards musicals. I do enjoy them when I see them, just not my favorites.

I just saw Albee's new play (The Goat or Who is Sylvia) literally last night, and thought I was going to cry twice. Once because I was laughing so hard, and once because there was a moment so beautiful and awkwardly wrong that there was no other way to respond. The actors were given an incredible challenge, they had to keep up serious dramatic acting with a script that was going to make the audience howl with laughter...and they had to make us sympathize with the incomprehensible. But they did it, I was grateful just to have seen it. Oh, and the set was fantastic.

My favorite? I can't tell you. Like Ready4Ty, I saw Angels in America on stage, when it was first produced in London. I went back twice more. I've avoided the HBO version out of fear that it won't live up to my memories. I saw Ian McKellan do Uncle Vanya in a tiny theater. I saw Copenhagen in NY, then again after I moved to London less than a year later. That was a hell of a chance to compare.

Too many special experiences to pick one. It's like picking among your kids ;). I think I'll just assume I haven't seen my favoite yet.

Ready4Ty: if you're in Buffalo, do you get out to the Shaw festival in Niagra on the Lake often? It's just the other side of the border from you, and it's amazing....I miss it desperately.

G (who's taking her dramageek self away from this thread now....before she bores everyone rigid, and not in a good way)

[FallenAngel5]

I've never actually been to the Shaw Festival, though I have heard many fantastic things about it. I love Niagara-on-the-Lake, though, it's beautiful there. Other local things that I enjoy are the Shakespeare productions up in Stratford. I haven't been in a long time, I think the last I saw up there was Taming of the Shrew, but that's always a good time too.
I do recommend seeing the HBO version of Angels in America. I didn't think that it would be as good either, but the cinematography was amazing. Something that you don't get on the stage. And Meryl Streep was dead-on as Ethel Rosenburg. I've looked at pictures since... and the costume/make-up people did an amazing job. :)

[skyler_m]

I saw both Stomp and Blue Man Group. Loved both of them. The music from Blue Man was absolutely amazing. I even bought the CD after the show.

Going back to my previous post... they recently released Guys and Dolls on DVD that has been enhanced. It's the 50th anniversary of it's Broadway debut.

Yes, I already bought it...

[WildIrish]

We saw Stomp a few years ago and loved it too. I don't sound near as good beating on garbage cans and sinks! Must be the lack of rhythm.

When we lived in eastern CT, we had season's tickets to Candlewood Playhouse and saw a ton of musicals & a few plays. We really enjoy live theater. When I was very young, my parents bought summer season tickets to a children's playhouse and though it was probably very good...I was too young to appreciate it.