OCCASIONALLY EXTRAVAGANT: Moving

Moving is a &itch. Not going to lie.

FREE: Talkbacks

Last weekend, I went and saw Oleanna with Gina and Teresa. This David Mamet play is making it's way to Broadway with stars Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman. (It received good reviews at the Mark Taper Forum in LA earlier this year.)

The plot in a nutshell: Slightly pompous and distracted professor (Pullman) is meeting with a failing student (Stiles). And basically, I can't tell you anything else without giving away the major plot device. (Sorry!) But.... it's all about political corrected-ness and what words mean. And it's intense!

A bonus (and the free part of this blog entry) was the talk-back after the show, starring the NY Post theater critic and all around smarmy person, Michael Riedel. (Normally, I'm not a fan of his reporting, but it might be because if I was a critic, I would match his sarcastic barbs and raise him a "that's what's she said".) Riedel came out and was asked questions about the show from a moderator and audience made comments. One guy in the audience was craaazy and had the complete opposite view from the rest of the audience (and the way that Doug Hughes staged it) and accused Riedel of being sexist. I normally avoid looking at crazy people on the subway or walking down the street, but the entire audience was trying to get a better look at this guy. And to top it off, I actually enjoyed what Riedel had to say. Upcoming and past panelists include: Kathryn Erbe (The Mighty Ducks, Law & Order CI), Montel Williams, Tovah Feldush, Pia Lindstrom, Fred Duritz (??). For the complete list, click here.


Bonus points, to anyone who can tell me why this play is called Oleanna, because I don't know and it's bugging me.....

CHEAP: New York Institution

The Shake Shack is totally worth the line.

Started in 2004, the Shake Shack is basically a burger joint. With fries, wine, beer, ice cream cones, hot dogs, concretes (think Sheridan's) and milkshakes. The lines have been know to wrap around Madison Square Park. I met my friend, Gina, there to celebrate "Shacktoberfest" where they brought in German beers, and my choice, the German Chocolate Concrete. Bliss.....

CHEAP: Drinks and Princess Leia

Tori and I had tickets to see Carrie Fisher's one-woman Broadway show, Wishful Drinking, based on her book of the same title. Obviously, any show with "drinking" in the title, deserves to be pre-gamed.

Blockheads on West 50th (behind New World Stages) offers $3 margaritas all. the. time. Grabbed some good Tex-Mex food... and walked to Studio 54.

We show up at like.. 7:12, thinking we'll grab our tickets and then get some PinkBerry (fro yo). And the usher tries to take our tickets, and we're all confused. The show has already started!!! For some crazy reason, despite the fact our email says 8pm, the show started at 7. We are mortified!

I've never been to Studio 54 in this life, or a previous disco-dancing one... so I did NOT expect such a HUGE space. We were up in the mezzanine and it was cavernous. So of course, we have to troop waaaaayy up to the cheap seats, and we hang our heads to show our remorse for being tardy.

The show in general? I don't think we missed much in the first 20 minutes. However, I DIED when she put on the Leia buns wig. The Hollywood Inbreeding 101 was funny, Eddie and Debbie, Eddie and Elizabeth, Eddie and 8 other wives.... Compared to JLo, this people were Olympic medalists in marriage. She dishes on everyone.... for example, George Lucas told her she couldn't wear a bra in the white Leia dress.....because there was no underwear in space.

Grade: B- Despite my Star Wars appreciation (some call it obsession), this show didn't float my boat. I applaud Carrie Fisher for using comedy to deal with her crazy past, bipolar diagnosis, and alcoholism, but the jokes seem worn. She's been touring the show long enough, that she know where the jokes are, and "throws" the sarcastic bits away. (Theater speak for whispering the biting remark after a serious statement) And if you're in the balcony, you can't hear it.

FREE: Theater Round-Up

Seen a lot of free theater lately and have a lot more on the ole' schedule...

Let's Re-cap!

Vigil is the off-Broadway two-person show starring Malcolm Gets (TV's Caroline in the City) and Helen Stenborg. This hilarious little show is about a lonely, slightly crazy banker who gets a letter from his aunt whom he hasn't seen in thirty years. He quits his job and rushes to her death bed. Only... she's taking her sweet time. Grade B- not because of the actors, but the direction and material

After Miss Julie on Broadway. Roundabout's fall season begins with a re-invention of Strindberg. Because we all know Strindberg isn't depressing enough.... Starring Sienna Miller ( you know, the girl that Jude Law cheated on with his kid's nanny....), Jonny Lee Miller (of the canceled Eli Stone on TV) and Marin Ireland (of last season's Reasons to be Pretty). First of all, the set is AMMMAAAZIING. If you've ever toured an English estate and been lucky enough to see the staff kitchen with the long wooden table, copper pots hanging from everywhere, and the extensive bell system to ring the staff....it's an amazing replica. I digress. Patrick Marber (Closer) wrote this adaptation and after you trudge thru the first scene where Sienna Miller is acting "drunk".... (It's one of those times, where you'd think the director would be like...let's go method) the play kicks into high-gear and you are on a passionate rollercoaster for the next 90 minutes. Special kudos to Marin Ireland for stealing all the funny lines. Grade: A-

I included the promo photo for....well, to help the sex appeal on my blog.