My Top Five Theatre Experiences...Thus Far

In no particular order, I give you my top five most unforgettable theatregoing experiences I've had up to this point!

1. The Lion King - Salt Lake City, 2010

I was just a little disappointed when I saw this show on tour at the Capitol.  However, the admittedly breathtaking puppetry and visual design was something that I will never forget.  The Circle of Life was one of the most effective and phenomenal show openers and closers that I have ever seen.

2. Ragtime - Hale Centre Theatre, 2005

The first time I saw Ragtime was when I worked as an usher at the Hale Centre Theatre in West Valley.  I was an audience watcher for one of the opening performances.  (Audience Watcher=Paid to watch the show)  I was underwhelmed for most of the first act.  It wasn't until the first act finale that I finally stepped back, took a deep breath, and realized that everyone should experience this show at least once in their lives. There was something, visually and aurally, about that act one closer that made it an experience of a lifetime.

Oh, and the Hale is bringing the show back for its 2013 season.  You simply have to see it.  Twice.

3. The Phantom of the Opera - Salt Lake City, ~1999

I'm fairly certain this was one of my first professional theatre-going experiences.  My parents, my brother, and I were sitting in the very back row of the theatre.  I vividly remember jumping out of my skin twice during the show - once right at the beginning when the auctioneer reveals the chandelier, and again at the end of Wandering Child midway through act two.  The whole experience was out-of-this-world and really kick started my obsession for all things theatre.

4. The Drowsy Chaperone - New York, 2006

The Drowsy Chaperone was the first show that I saw in a genuine, bonafide Broadway theatre.  99% of the original cast was intact.  The buzz in the theatre throughout the entire performance was simply electric.  This would be on my shortlist of experiences that I would love to relive over and over again.

5. 110 in the Shade - Hale Center Theatre, Orem, 2010

Seeing four-time Tony winner Audra McDonald perform the heck out of this show 20 feet away from us has simply got to be one of the greatest experiences I have ever had.  She had the entire audience in the palm of her hand throughout the entire performance.  Every single thing about her performance seemed 100% natural.  How in the world did she do it?!  The world will never know.  She earned a Tony nomination for performing this role on Broadway.  Nomination well-deserved.

Tony Nominee Predictions

Wow, it's been a while.  Click here to see what's been happening at the Clark household.


I'm going to put on my theatre nerd hat again (then again, have I ever taken it off?) and do some good old-fashioned predictions.  Tomorrow morning the Tony nominations will be announced, and the following is a list posted over at Playbill.com of potential nominees in the major categories.  I'll put my predictions in bold, and, when announced tomorrow, I'll mark the official nominees in red.  Let the tomfoolery begin!


(Note: Of course, I haven't been to New York since 2006, so all of my predictions will be based purely on word-of-mouth and critical reviews.)



Best Play
Chinglish
Clybourne Park
The Columnist
End of the Rainbow
The Lyons
Magic/Bird
The Mountaintop
One Man, Two Guvnors
Other Desert Cities
Peter and the Starcatcher
Relatively Speaking
Seminar
Stickfly
Venus in Fur

Best Musical
Bonnie & Clyde
Ghost the Musical
Leap of Faith
Lysistrata Jones
Newsies
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Once
Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark 


Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman
Don't Dress for Dinner
Gore Vidal's The Best Man
Man and Boy
Master Class
Private Lives
The Road to Mecca
A Streetcar Named Desire
Wit


Best Revival of a Musical
Evita
Follies
The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Godspell
Jesus Christ Superstar
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever


Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Tug Coker - Magic/Bird
James Corden - One Man, Two Guvnors
Hugh Dancy - Venus in Fur
Kevin Daniels - Magic/Bird
Paul Gross - Private Lives
Dulé Hill - Stick Fly
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman
Samuel L. Jackson - The Mountaintop
James Earl Jones - Gore Vidal's The Best Man
Stacy Keach - Other Desert Cities
Frank Langella - Man and Boy
John Larroquette - Gore Vidal's The Best Man
John Lithgow - The Columnist
Eric McCormack - Gore Vidal's The Best Man
Mekhi Phifer - Stick Fly
Alan Rickman - Seminar
Blair Underwood - A Streetcar Named Desire
Gary Wilmes - Chinglish


Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Nina Arianda - Venus in Fur
Angela Bassett - The Mountaintop
Tracie Bennett - End of the Rainbow
Kim Cattrall - Private Lives
Stockard Channing - Other Desert Cities
Tyne Daly - Master Class
Rachel Griffiths - Other Desert Cities
Rosemary Harris - The Road to Mecca
Linda Lavin - The Lyons
Jennifer Lim - Chinglish
Cynthia Nixon - Wit
Nicole Ari Parker - A Streetcar Named Desire
Tracie Thoms - Stick Fly


Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Matthew Broderick - Nice Work If You Can Get It
Danny Burstein - Follies
Reeve Carney - Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark
Harry Connick, Jr. - On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
Raúl Esparza - Leap of Faith
Ben Fankhauser - Newsies
Richard Fleeshman - Ghost the Musical
Jeremy Jordan - Bonnie & Clyde
Jeremy Jordan - Newsies
Steve Kazee - Once
Norm Lewis - The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Paul Nolan - Jesus Christ Superstar
Hunter Parrish - Godspell
Ron Raines - Follies
Josh Segarra - Lysistrata Jones


Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Jennifer Damiano - Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark
Caissie Levy -Ghost the Musical
Kara Lindsay - Newsies
Jan Maxwell - Follies
Audra McDonald - The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
Cristin Milioti - Once
Patti Murin - Lysistrata Jones
Kelli O'Hara - Nice Work If You Can Get It
Laura Osnes - Bonnie & Clyde
Bernadette Peters - Follies
Elena Roger -Evita


**Update: 5/1/12**
So, how'd I do?  I got 24 correct out of 37, which puts me at about 65%, or a D.  Hey, at least I didn't fail, right?  :D

Stay tuned for my winner predictions before the Tony Awards ceremony on June 10.

Full list on nominees can he found here.

25 Days of Christ: Day Twenty-Five

Merry Christmas, everyone! Though I didn't get to update every day, I've enjoyed doing these posts and thinking of Christ at least once a day throughout this Christmas season.

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed...

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem;...

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered,

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they mad known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

(Luke 2:1, 3-19)

25 Days of Christ: Day Twenty-Two

Wow, I'm lazy. This blog post shall be proof that I haven't forgotten about this series. I've thought about it every day, but simply haven't had time to get a post in!

Happy three-days-before-Christmas!



While you're at it, go and read or watch Elder Holland's talk, upon which this Mormonad is based. It is a powerful talk.

25 Days of Christ: Day Nineteen

Missed posting over the weekend. Whoops. I blame it on...laziness. And a LOT of time spent with family. That's actually a better excuse.

If you haven't already, go and subscribe to Mormon Messages on YouTube. Or, go and like their page on Facebook. Then, enjoy the video below, entitled Wise Men Still Seek Him.

25 Days of Christ: Day Sixteen

In the excitement of being able to attend the Mormon Tabernacle Choir annual Christmas concert tonight, the only really appropriate thing to post is my favorite traditional song that the Choir sings each year as their grand finale - Angels, From the Realms of Glory. Enjoy!

25 Days of Christ: Day Fifteen

During the most recent First Presidency Christmas Devotional, President Eyring announced the availability of new Christmas films recently made by the church. They were subsequently posted on LDS.org as a free service to the entire world. They will be uploading more videos shortly, but for right now they've got videos centered on the birth and childhood of Christ. Check out this video to whet your whistle, then continue to browse to find other great new videos.

And, if you're not reading this on a computer, be sure to check out the new mobile app, currently only for iPads - more devices will be supported at a later date.

How cool is that?