Weekly Wrapup Quizzy from caersidi

1. Do you enjoy the theatre?
I love the theatre. :)


2. What is your favourite play? Why? What's your favourite musical? Why?
Hmm...this is a very difficult question. I'm afraid I can't think of a favourite play at the moment (too tired perhaps?), so I'll give you my favourite musical instead. Only I have so many I can't pick just one, so here is my top 5. *grins*

The Fix. Don't worry if you don't know this one, most people haven't heard of it. It was an award winning musical that premiered a few years ago at the Donmar Warehouse, directed by Sam Mendes (whom most of you probably know as the director of American Beauty and now Kate Winslet's boyfriend), and its the story of a senator's son who is forced to become a politician by his mother and uncle when his father dies of 'suspicious circumstances.' And all Cal wants to do is get stoned and play his guitar. It's a fantastic rock musical, full of humour and angst, and is just bloody good fun.

Ragtime.. Brilliant, tragic, humourous, poignant...I could wax poetic about the merits of this new musical all day. It's certainly the best show from the 1990's, and I don't think it gets nearly the credit and praise it so rightly deserves. The tunes are catchy, the lyrics exciting, the characters sympathetic and you even get to learn a bit of history too. An absolutely wonderful show.

Les Miserables. Everybody's favourite, and I'm no exception. The melodrama, the music, the grand epicness of it all...yep, it's Les Mis all right, and it's still one of the greatest theatrical experiences you'll ever see.

Songs for a New World. You probably won't have heard of this one either, but if you are a musical fan, you MUST buy this album. It's not strictly a musical, more a collection of songs united by a common theme (one moment in time that changes your life forever), and it's the most amazing thing I've discovered in a very long time. It was written by Jason Robert Brown when he was just 23, but the songs show a depth and emotional maturity that you would think could only come from someone who has lived a long (and no doubt extremely interesting) life. His style is unique, and often incredibly funny, and the entire show just makes you feel good. And how many things can do that nowadays? :)

A Chorus Line. The show that made me fall in love with musicals. A Chorus Line was the first show I remember seeing, I think I was three or four years old, and I also think it was from that moment on that I loved the theatre. I can not express in words how much I adore this show, how much it means to me -- it's always been a part of my life in some way, just as my favourite books have been, it's become more than just a show, it's a friend. There's a verse in one of my favourite songs that perfectly describes me, and I'll never forget the time when I listened to it and thought: 'this is me.'

Mother always said I'd be very attractive - when I grew up, when I grew up
Different she said with a special something, and a very very personal flair
And though I was eight or nine, though I was eight or nine...I hated her.
Now *different* is nice, but it sure isn't pretty
Pretty is what its about
I never knew anyone who was *different*
Who couldn't figure that out
So beautiful, I'd never live to see...

My mother used to tell me this exact same thing all the time, and here was someone singing my thoughts in a gorgeous song -- how could I not fall in love?
The tragedy is that even though I feel so passionately about this show, I'll never be able to perform in it, as it's for dancers only. Sigh.



3. What do you like best about the theatrical experience? Why? What do you like least? Why?
I love the emotional exhilaration you get from watching an excellent production, feeling a part of the show, wanting to know more about the characters, how they can make you laugh till your sides ache or weep because they touched you in a place you never knew existed within you.
What I like least doesn't really have anything to do with the performance itself -- I hate how ticket prices are reaching astronomically high levels for no good reason, people who talk all through the show and then complain about how they couldn't understand anything when it's over...that kind of thing. Oh, and I really can't stand pretentiousness, when directors think they are being so smarmy and clever, or actors who strut around the stage ruining the show for everyone else. That annoys me so much. Gah.


4. Do you buy soundtracks to musicals? Why or why not? What's your favourite soundtrack? Why?
Do I ever! *laughs* I've got loads -- Tommy, Miss Saigon, Falsettos, Little Shop of Horrors (Howard Ashman=GENIUS), Tomfoolery, Oliver, Blood Brothers, My Fair Lady, Into the Woods, Cabaret, Chicago, Beauty and the Beast, Jesus Christ Superstar (I will play Judas one day, the role is PERFECT for me! I don't care that he's a man, that role is MINE! *lol*), Once More With Feeling (the brilliant Buffy musical)...and god knows how many others. My favourite depends on what mood I'm in, so I really couldn't say. I don't like bad music y'know. ;-)


5. Have you ever been in a play, either on stage or in supporting roles backstage? What was the play? What did you do? Would you do it again? Why or why not?
Well, yes, I have. I am an actor after all. :)
I've stage managed 5 or 6 productions, and even though I'm incredibly disorganized I was actually rather good at it. I've also done lighting and soundboard and other techie things, and directed a few shows as well, which was great fun. I'm not a fantastic director or anything, but I really enjoyed doing it, and I think my actors had fun too.

My favourite roles have been:

Sister Mary in Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For you by Christopher Durang (I was SO good, I made an excellent sadistic Jewish nun *laughs*)
Pozzo in Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
Magenta in The Rocky Horror Picture Show by Richard O'Brian
Mommy in The Sandbox by Edward Albee
Bertha in Hello from Bertha by Tennessee Williams

Would I do it again? Of course! Especially if I got paid this time. *grins*