Amazing Juggling Video

Take a quick minute to look at this video of comedian-juggler Chris Bliss. Amazing!

Grand Hotel opens tonight

Grand Hotel
Originally uploaded by Chazzyg.

This Palm Photo is a little blurry but has a lot of atmosphere. It doesn't do justice to the beautiful costumes created by Mark Mariani, either. Let's be honest, it sucks, but it's the best I've got til Jarrod sends me some of the shots he took. But the production is mighty handsome, and all those within driving distance should hie themselves to the Merriam Theater this weekend.

Revisiting Sondheim's Odd Man Out - New York Times

The New York Times publishedthis review of Sondheim's Company at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and I must confess I got all goose-pimply reading about it. But that's how big a geek I am, I guess. As someone who knows the piece well and loves it, I regard this directorial concept as being particularly exciting. The picture above comes from a gallery on the www.cincyplay.com website.

Grand Hotel rehearsal

GrandHotel1
Originally uploaded by Chazzyg.

Here's Artie Sievers and Molly Walsh as the Baron and Grushinskaya in the UArts production of Grand Hotel. If this picture had sound, you'd hear a high A-flat screaming out of your computer - but then that might be too intense for some Chazzybloggers.

The Korean "Les Miserables"?

A google search on the title "Yoduk Story" will yield many hits like this article in the VOA News, which tells of North Korean writer/director Sung Jeong San's efforts to produce a new musical about the cruelty found in a North Korean prison camp. "Yoduk Story" is named after a prison camp where North Koreans are sent for even minor political crimes - a name that resonates like "Auschwitz" for Korean audiences. While musicals are popular with South Korean audiences, they tend to favor escapist fare like "Grease" and "The Producers"; the director, meanwhile, envisions his story as a Korean version of "Les Miserables." Here's a link to another article about the same production, which opens tonight. Many stories mention how the young director had to pledge a kidney as collateral in order to borrow $20,000 from a loan shark in order to finance his production. Who says doing musicals doesn't take guts?

Recovering nicely...

Any readers who found the prospect of my suffering at the hands of the Dental Inquisition distressing will be relieved to know that I'm recuperating comfortably and benefitting from the angelic ministrations of the Blessed D'Arcy. A papal committee has been convened to put her on the fast track to sainthood, especially after she spent hours stirring a delicious risotto-like Spanish rice pudding so I could have something tasty but not too dentally challenging to enjoy. Hats off to Dr. Mermer and his crew, who seem to have done a splendid job! Now to see how long I can milk this invalid act...

Cogsworth - bigger than life

IMG_0574
Originally uploaded by winnieatcolby.

Here's the man himself, at Disneyworld. Note the resemblance to the pictures below?

A bone to pick

Slightly distracted this evening as I contemplate my impending sinus lift procedure. If I'm not mistaken, this will be my first time under anasthesia for a medical procedure. After the ordeals I've been thru while conscious, I suppose the prospect of a couple hours conked out in the dentist chair while they perform their miracles shouldn't faze me a bit. But if anyone cares to say a little prayer for me, put in a good word to steady the surgeon's hand and speed my recovery.

SAVI workshop at LIPA

SAVI workshop at LIPA
Originally uploaded by Chazzyg.

It's been nearly a year since I accompanied the cast of A Lyrical Opera Made by Two to the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, but there are pictures to prove we were there. That's me on the far right, watching a mixed group of UArts and LIPA students doing the Mirror Canon. Click on the photo to visit my Flickr site, where there are a couple more Liverpool memories.

Racquetball macht das Leben suss!

I've been playing racquetball at the Sporting Club for the last few months with one of my colleagues. (The image above is one I found via Google, and does not depict the two of us.) Despite my diligent efforts, I have yet to win a game against this fiendish opponent! At Christmastime, I invested significantly in new gear - racquet, shoes, glove - thinking that would give me some kind of an edge, but alas! I've only scored in the double digits once in all the games I can recall. This is a real study in patience and humility - if I keep playing and keep taking my licks, I'm sure my play will improve. In the meantime, though, my ego is taking a licking!