Musical of Musicals

For all you Gleeks that are over abundant fans of the Musical. Here is the one-stop shop for you all. It is a fellow blogger by the name of Chris Caggiano and is called Everything I Know Learned From Musicals. He is a multi-talented man from Boston who teaches at the Conservatory and also pens articles of both theater history and reviews.

Everything I Know....

His site is a wealth of information. The first thing you see are his countless reviews of everything imaginable from not just New York, but the entire East Coast. But if you take the time to dig more, there are complete pages on the Best Songs Ever Written for the Theater, Musicals That Suck and even a Musical Theater Manifesto. Recommendations - check! Broadway gossip - check! Foreign Cast Albums - check! Vintage musical clips - check. Someone has too much time on their hands - but boy is it great! Check it out.

Wax Museum

As I hibernate from our "Polar Vortex", (we will look back at this anomaly in a year and choke on this term) I have rounded up a whole slate of items to share. This one is a case of art imitating life - on a very grand scale. The artists name is Ron Mueck and he began his career in films doing puppetry and special effects construction. More recently he has taken his creative gifts and made them into a stand-alone art form.

The featured pics do only a small justice, so please check out his complete web gallery. Not only are his human creatures detailed, he also plays with scope and perspective which will leave you mildly stunned. Here are side by side scalings of his work:

Ron Mueck Facebook page

Humans of New York

New Years is going well and I am current on all resolutions so far. But three days is not a banner effort yet. I am enjoying the Tweeting and trying to combine social media with a bit of social conscience. Not every day, but just an awareness. Already, I have stumbled onto a few great resources which will all get shared in time.

Here is a connection via childhood friend Eric, now living in Madison. A meager photographer in NYC, Brandon Stanton. I'm not sure if this is his trade or his passion. But after failing while working in the Chicago Stock Market, he refocused efforts into this great photo-blog of slice-of-life New York. He just approaches characters on the street, asks a bit about them and then documents a vivid moment in their life for all to share. Both simple and profound at the same time. I will show a few shots from the last few days over New Year's, but his page really deserves a full look. The pictures also do not relay the small conversations had. Check him out.
Humans of New York

 

Resolutions '14

One of my favorite tasks of the year! And I realize most others dread them. But for me, it is a chance to challenge myself. Goals and intentions without fear of stress. Maybe it is just the competitive side of me and I am determined to meet each one. It is especially helpful to me now with blogging - that I put them into print. It begs me to be more accountable. We shall see. But here they are - no particular order.

Baking/ Cooking -  Once a week, I will employ a talent I enjoy and am good at, to explore new ideas of all things food. Crock pots, cookies and casseroles.

Twitter - I will use the opportunity to daily to take a stand on an issue or chime in on support of others. 240 characters can say a lot.

Basement - I will finally check off the last tangent of my household organization chores.

Scanning Pictures - Reclaim moments of my past and keep them both alive and vital as I bring them into the digital age and share them with others.

Happy Hour - Cheers! Once a month, I will venture out and try new places, be social and connect to old friends.

Game Nights - An excuse to bring guests into the house for friendly competition and camaraderie.

Letters - Continuing last years tradition of 1 handwritten letter per week to extended friends and family. Even with the increase in postage stamps.

Books - Giving a 2nd chance to finish a single book a month; which I failed at terribly last year.

Wellness - Find new ways to re-invent myself throughout the year; be it a new hair color, a yoga clas or spluring on a new pair of jeans.

Vacation - A trip does not mean judging out of town. I need some recharge time whether at a retreat up North or on a sandy beach somewhere. This is the year.

Happy New Year

From my house to yours, best wishes for a new year as we leave this one behind. From most I have talked to - 2013 was far from a banner year. Health crises, job dilemmas and loss of loved ones for many. That is not to say it went without some occasional travel, family visits and a few great meals out. But looking onward with gusto. Tomorrow will follow a list of resolutions which I have been pondering for the last week. We shall see how well each are met - with intention and no pressure. (And the house is not really mine. An outing at the historic Ramsey House last week.)

Cards filled with nostalgia and reminders from family and friends, near and far. Thanks for the greeting.


Festive front banister. It adds a glow to the house and I think I will keep it intact through the winter to welcome friends as they come and go. I am ringing in the year with close friends and hoping you are doing the same and not alone.

Album Art

As I finish up the holiday season with its music, and the Compact Disc continues to fade into oblivion, here is a retro look back at album cover art. The LP was an art form in itself and we continue to idolize some of the classic works as true masterpieces. These examples ARE NOT.

Please Jesus, use them!

This one, surprisingly not from BuzzFeed, but an online art blog called the UnTapped Source. I have no idea where they scoured the globe to find these, but they are indeed international and of every decade. Painfully bad and from less than independent labels. More like a Polaroid camera and a printing press in a basement. A hoot. And as always, a link to the source so you can view each and every one of them
www.theuntappedsource.com/blog/worst-music-album-cover-art-youll-ever-see/ 

Oh No She Didn't!

Oh Yes She Did!

Emily Blunt in grade school recorder class?

a few gay men probably bought this for a basement fantasy

Amazing cast of Glee

Say what you will about the television show, Ryan Murphy's teen brainchild, they certainly have been a hotbed of amazing talent over the last 5 seasons. The show continues to grapple with midlife as some tangents have taken turns that often disappoint. But who could not say that of many long runs? What is a ploy to explore new directions (pardon the pun) and what is a miscalculated risk? I honestly think the current season 5 is doing quite well in spite of the death of Cory Monteith and managing to stick to the younger members still in school and less on the drama of the NY graduates. The young cast members have just as much in terms of chops as the originals did - they should be allowed to fly. The offshoot of The Glee Project injected honest and heartfelt pathos into the world of reality TV as well and its winners have held their own in the hierarchy.

Each cast member has had their own strengths that evolved over the years. Surprises as supporting roles emerged as front runners with Heather Morris, Naya Rivera & Alex Newell. Broadway chestnuts occasionally are featured that often rival the original recordings (yes Barbra's "Being Good" sung by Lea Michele.) All are fierce actors first which is a key element. All this leads to this incredible new video posted by Harry Shum Jr. Harry emerged from chorus boy in the line of the football team into an incredible presence. Here he has blossomed into a stunning performance artist using his gifts of dance as he interprets what it was for him to be shy and how his dance has become his outlet. A powerful message in all its color as narrated by Ze Frank.