Antuan took part in a charity event with ABC Daytime benefiting Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS. It took place at the famed Town Hall theater right off Times Square (it was at Town Hall in NYC that the phrase “no bad seat in the house” was born).
The event gathered some of Daytime television’s biggest stars (Whoopi Goldberg from The View, Susan Lucci from All My Children, etc.) to entertain their fans. The crowd was made of mostly of Soap Opera fans who shelled out a pretty penny to see their favorite Daytime actors dance, sing and put on a “Broadway style” show.
Antuan danced in a couple numbers including one with Susan Lucci. She “sang” the Bette Midler classic, Do You Wanna Dance? and Antuan provided the actual dancing.
There was a nice party afterwards. I got to meet and hang out with the other dancers and singers. We were drinking a nice glass of wine and chatting it up when we heard, “Could you scoot down? Ms. Lucci needs two tables.”
We did scoot and Antuan introduced me to her. She was very nice and even posed for a picture with Antuan.
The beginning of March was a really busy theater month for us as well…it started with…wait for it…wait for it…
Gypsy.
Last Summer I was able to see City Center’s production of Gypsy starring the legendary Patti LuPone. I was thrilled when it was announced in the Fall that the show was so well-received that it would make a move to Broadway.
We took in the show on the 4th and were once again blown away. From the show's goose-bump inducing Overture to when Ms. LuPone stops the show with her interpretation of Rose’s Turn…you can feel the magic that is live theater. I think anyone who truly loves musicals and theater should get a ticket and experience Gypsy.
On the other end of the spectrum…later that week we saw the new Broadway stage adaptation of the movie dud, Xanadu. The movie I could hardly sit through…it is painfully bad…but the musical was hysterical. Its camp value is high and it’s sense of humor is right on par with mine. I would re-visit the show again and again.
It was nice to see Cheyenne Jackson back on the Broadway stage. I wrote about him a couple of years ago when I saw the jukebox musical, All Shook Up. I thought All Shook Up was great. I think (on and off with different friends I ended up seeing it 4 or 5 times) it was a fun show. Ok, maybe it’s not revolutionary theater…but a fun way to spend a night out in NYC. Cheyenne’s a talented, tall-drink-of-water who commands the stage. He’s got a great vocal range and I was really impressed with his comic timing in the show.
Antuan also attended the opening of In The Heights. He was in the show when it was off-Broadway and will probably go back in when during the summer when cast members start taking vacations.
The show opened last weekend to wonderful reviews and I think is bringing a whole new audience into the theater.
Ok…I think that’s the latest, well…from a theater standpoint.
I know there's more to share...Elizabeth and I are writing music again...work is going well...but I'll catch you up on that a little later.
