Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Omigod, You Guys

Omigod, you guys! Elle Woods is at Music Circus this week!!

"Legally Blonde" is as light and frothy as cotton candy–and just as pink. It has all the story of the movie with Reese Witherspoon, but without the depth.

The songs aren’t memorable (except for the opening and recurring "Omigod, you guys"), but the cast is so enthusiastic and the dancing so infectious that you find yourself enjoying it in spite of yourself.
This particular production is extra special for a reason that I suspect few in the audience realize. The cast includes a member of the original Broadway cast, coming out retirement for one last production.
Chico plays Elle’s dog, Bruiser and is very professional. He’s trained by William Berloni, 2011 Tony honoree for Excellence in Theater and trainer for just about any animal appearing on Broadway, starting with the original Sandy in the first production of "Annie." Chico (his understudy Roxie is also a Broadway veteran) didn’t miss a cue, made all of his exits, barked on command and performed his big moment, running across the room, jumping onto a bed, and into a dog carrier, flawlessly.
I am currently reading Berloni's autobiography and it's fascinating.  His career started when someone told him to go and get a dog for a new show they were developing, a little show based on the Little Orphan Annie cartoons.  Berloni had never trained a dog before and rescued a dog he ended up calling Sandy from euthanasia at the last minute.

The dog was terrified of anybody and everybody, but Berloni won his heart and he was ready to perform flawlessly before an audience opening night, despite having been run over by a truck two weeks before!

There is a trial which takes place during Legally Blonde, during which some stereotypical gay sight gags went on far too long and I would have found them offensive at any time, but especially so soon after the Orlando massacre, though the audience laughed uproariously

On the whole, it was a good production.  Legally Blonde as well as the sequel Legally Blonde 2 are two of my guilty pleasures.  Movies that are pretty dumb, but which I find "fetching," perhaps because of the performance of Reese Witherspoon.

I hope I have lots to say about the show because I and my colleague, Jeff, are being interviewed on the radio tomorrow morning to talk about the show and the rest of the Music Circus season.


 
Ned was here today and spent most of the day on the floor strengthening the desk.  No way it is evergoing to collapse.  He also started putting up shelves.  It's starting to look very good.  He thinks another three trips and it might be ready for occupancy.

Then, of course, after all of his hard work, the tables turn and it's my turn to work, trying to organize the room and see if I can find places for everything that I want to move back in again.  I have been slacking off on tossing things out of the living room and must get more serious about that before it's time for the big move back home again.
My plan is to get all of my craft supplies sorted out and in individual boxes so that they are easier to find and less likely to get dusty or fall all over the floor.

I have a feeling that plastic containers are going to become my best friends! 



Yesterday's mail brought a wonderful surprise--a real letter from Brianna.  She has sent me letters before, but this one was a page long and more like a real letter.  She also sent me two rolls of decorative tape, the kind I use to decorate the letters I send to both of the girls.
I think that my decision to start writing to the two of them six years ago was a good idea.


I have now finished 13 or so pocket letters now.


I'm having such fun with them.  The one on the left was a dog theme, and the one on the right was an A-B-C theme, where each pocket was a different letter.  I  took it one step further and tried to make all thegoodies inside the pockets start with that letter too.  The H pocket, for example, was full of heart stickers, the G pocket had gum in it.  The B pocket (B for"baby toes") had a letter from me because my name starts with B.  I have five more scheduled in the next month.

No comments: