That's How You Jazz - Jelly's Last Jam

Some days, you just feel like tap dancing!

Rainbow Connection

I watched a documentary on The Muppets this morning and this was one of the clips they showed in it.  Just a beautiful, inspirational song sung by the consummate professional, Kermit the Frog!  Gotta love this!

Children of Eden

Life often gives us all second chances.  I know that I have had more than my fair share, some of which I took advantage of, some I did not.  Looking ahead at what all my life has to offer and will bring me, I am reminded of this beautiful song by Stephen Schwartz.  It is the title song, the finale of Act I, here with the wonderful Stephanie Mills leading the cast as Eve, finally returning home to be with her Father.  Enjoy!

Prayer for Change

I found this prayer online.  It is exactly what I need to hear and when I wanted to hear it!

Musical Theatre Role Reversal

Every actor has a list of roles they would like to play if they were the opposite sex.  Nowadays, you can actually find productions full of gender bending casting, which is great.  It gives actors the chance the play parts they never dreamed about.  Here is my musical theatre role reversal dream list:

1.  Mother, Ragtime

The role of Mother in Ragtime is a dream role for any actress.  Marin Mazzie was absolutely stunning in her performance in the original company.  "Back To Before" is probably the best eleven o'clock number written in the last 30 years.  I mean, who wouldn't want to play this part!

2.  Mama Rose, Gypsy

The mother of all musical theatre roles....literally.  Every song Mama Rose sings is a classic and the score runs the spectrum of emotion.  From her opening number, "Some People" to her finale, "Rose's Turn", each moment she has on stage is a gift.  It's got to be a demanding workout to perform this 8 times a week!  I'd be up for that challenge...if I could sing haha

3.  Sheila, A Chorus Line

I love the character of Sheila!  She has great wit and sarcasm...2 of my strong suits haha  Her opening of "At The Ballet" is when ACL really hooks you.  I would love to play her!

4.  The Baker's Wife, Into The Woods

What a wonderful show and character.  If I were to play this, though, I would have a difficult time making it mine.  I would want to imitate Joanna Gleason.  She's perfection!

5.  Joanne, Company

Another fun, sarcastic and bitter role I was born to play.  "The Ladies Who Lunch" is one of the most recognized songs in the Sondheim canon.  And Joanne gets to sing one of my favorite lyrics ever in "The Little Things You Do Together" :  The concerts you enjoy together, neighbors you annoy together, children you destroy together, that keep marriage intact."  Why hasn't someone done the all male version of Company yet?

6.  Amneris, Aida

Amneris is not nearly as big a role as Aida, but she gets the best number, in my opinion.  And that's in a score that already has a lot of great music in it...won the Tony for score.  But in the hands of the right choreographer and costume designer, this would be a fantasticly fun role to play.  I'm sure somewhere a drag queen has done this one justice (I've seen some that haven't done it justice lol).

7.  Carlotta, Follies

Follies has so many outstanding roles for women that it is hard to pick just one.  But, if I did have to, it would be Carlotta.  She has so many wonderful lines and gets to sing the amazing number "I'm Still Here".  There has been a parade of incredible actresses who have played this role, from the original Yvonne De Carlo to Carol Burnett to Eartha Kitt.  It's a stunner!

8.  Miss Adelaide, Guys and Dolls

Adelaide is truly the heart of Guys and Dolls.  She is both very funny and very sympathetic.  And underneath her comedy is a longing for a different life which is a great foundation for any actor to build upon.

9.  Vera Charles, Mame

Come on, who wouldn't want to follow in Bea Arthur's footsteps?!  Enough said!

10.  Charlotte, A Little Night Music

Charlotte is sarcastic, bitter and yet very much in love with her husband.  I have this same kind of dry wit and would love to play her one day.  Maureen Moore's portrayal knocked it out of the park...quietly haha

Quote of the week

Recipe of the week - Marinated Tomatoes

I found this recipe in one my First Baptist Church of Monroe cookbooks.  My distant cousin, Kathy Cole, who is also the church secretary, submitted this recipe...among several other ones that I want to try.  I have been trying to find ways to get more tomatoes in my diet. I didn't particularly care for them growing up, but I am warming up to them more as an adult.  I tried this a few weeks ago and we both really enjoyed it.  I will make it again for sure!

3 large tomatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp basil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp chopped onion
1/4 cup sugar

Slice tomatoes and arrange in shallow dish.  Combine remaining ingredients in a jar; cover tightly and shake well.  Pour over tomatoes.  Cover and marinate in refrigerator several hours.

Enjoy!

Catching up with friends

Yesterday, I treated myself to a matinee of Oliver! at the Temple Theatre in Sanford, NC.  I have never seen anything there before, but have had friends work there in the past.  Actually, that is why I went to see this show.  My friend Steve was in it.  Marcia asked me a few weeks ago if I wanted to go catch the show with her and I'm glad I did.

The show itself was a lot of fun, but I'll blog about that at a later time.  The best gift was getting to catch up with friends I had not seen in a long time.  Marcia, Steve and I were all in the same BFA class at UNCG some 20+ years ago.  I had not seen Marcia in about 10 years, but we had been keeping up through FB and actual letter writing.  I had not seen Steve in over 15 years since we randomly had lunch one day at Friendly Center.

In some ways, it was as if time had stood still.  We got a bite to eat after the show and sat around the table catching up and talking theatre.  We all three basically look the same as we did 20 years ago except for a few gray hairs.  Except for Marcia, who seems to never age LOL  It was very reminiscent of all of those times we would go out after shows or rehearsals and hang out.  Some of our conversations sounded exactly the same!

Things have changed for all of us in the last 20 years.  Parents have passed away, careers have changed, relationships have changed.  But the core of our friendships are still there and that was pretty amazing to me.  As I am attempting to get back into real life, moments like these are not only precious, but vital.  It felt good to have actual conversations with real people face to face.  Not once did any of us pull out our phones to check whatever it is that really didn't need checking in the first place.  It was great!

I am ready for more such events in my life.  And I don't want to let 15 years go by without seeing the ones I care about again.  Life is too short and it means to much.

Have a blessed day

Facebook Detox pt 1

Well, I survived the first 24 hours of not being on FB.  I have always heard, and experienced, that the first few days of quitting something are the hardest.  I'm not sure if this was hard or easy for me.  I think I met the challenge somewhere in the middle. 

I certainly did find myself with a lot more time on my hands.  I didn't sit at the computer for 2 hours first thing in the morning, which was good.  I have not found a routine to replace it with yet, but I kept busy.  It was just nice to simply sit on the porch for awhile, enjoy my coffee and just be one with the world around me, not constantly looking down at my phone for updates.  I really liked that aspect of it.

Then, however, there were times when I thought "I should post that on FB."  That is a feeling that will go away slowly, I imagine.  But, I overcame the urges and the feeling passed.  I realized that my world will not change for the better whether or not a post whatever it was to begin with.

And, I have had some time to think about how I deal with things.  Michael and I had a good, long talk about lots of things and I now have a pretty good foundation with which to build upon.  I have some definite ideas concerning life and we have made some plans and goals for me, which is good. 

Overall, so far so good.

An absolutely beautiful rendition of a beautiful song.  As I look to the future, and leave the past where it belongs, this is one of those pieces that inspires me greatly!

Thought of the day - Taking back control from Facebook

Yesterday, I reached my boiling point with Facebook.  While I enjoy the good things on FB such as recipes, animal groups, historic homes, etc., it seems like yesterday I could not get away from politics and other such things in my feed.  I don't know why the algorithm powers felt the need to fill my page up that way, but that's how it was.  And I got angry about it.  Very angry.  I wrote a small rant about it, which I have since deleted as I typically do with my angry FB posts.  I just couldn't take it anymore.  I thought about it long and hard throughout the night as I tried to sleep and I came to two conclusions about the whole thing.

One is that society overall has too many labels.  Everyone has to be one thing or another.  There can't be any gray areas where people can just be people.  If we, as a society, used more manners, dignity and class and less labels, things would be improved.  The other one is that I have let FB control me.  I am allowing it to shape my opinions of people.  I don't like that.  I do not want this non living entity...the internet...to be my source for how I feel about people.  And that is what is happening to me.  Somehow, I have become addicted to this shit...and I have a very addictive personality.  Very!  And yes, it is hard to face the facts that people I care about think certain things.  I have to learn to deal with that.  But I do not want that process to be because of or through FB.  Period.  When I truly think about it, we have placed so much importance on unfriending people that it is genuinely laughable....me included.  When it comes right down to it, who the f**k really cares about that?  It's kind of like being in high school cliques all over again.  I survived that once and don't care to revisit that at all.

So, I am taking some time off of FB just to clear my head of the whole thing and to take a long, hard look at how important social media is to me.  I am praying to God that I will realize that it truly does not make a difference in my life.  I might become left out in the cold about some things from social media, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.  Like any other addiction, I have to get control over it before it ruins me.  I can do this.  It will just take some time and effort.

That is all

Quote of the week

She always makes me laugh in this movie!

Quote of the week