In the Room Where it Happens

It's only been two years since Hamilton first premiered on Broadway, and I finally got to see it! (In Chicago.)

The show was a surprise for my sons, who are as obsessed as I am (if not more). I had to hold on to this surprise for five months, which was super hard sometimes. Especially when my older son kept asking if we could see Hamilton when it comes to our neck of the woods in 2018. We had the surprise orchestrated so that we'd tell the boys we were going to explore some museums in the city during our trip to see my family. Their sister would be doing something more for her age and interest level with my parents and sister (which was actually seeing Aladdin, but we didn't tell her this either, as it was also a surprise). The surprise almost blew up in our faces when we entered the parking garage and it said "Official parking for Hamilton." Damn you, parking garage!!! (Not to mention that we reserved space through Spot Hero and it was very hard to find anywhere to park in that garage.) Anyway, we played it off that anyone could park there and that we would just walk by the theater to take pictures. When we got over there, our sons first resisted taking pictures because we did that in New York. We told them to do it anyway. Here's the result (along with some fun video imagery from my husband):



(If you had trouble watching the video for any reason, we stood in front of the marquee to take pictures and my husband prompted the kids by asking "What time is it?" They naturally said "showtime" and I took out the tickets at that point. Then my older son cried. It was a beautiful moment. Of course, my younger son felt the need to be all obnoxious. Go figure!)

After the big reveal, we grabbed a quick snack and had a 20 minute meetup with my best friend. Then we went back to the theater and had to wait in a super huge line to get in, even though we already had tickets. I don't remember it being this chaotic to get inside a theater. We finally got in and I was able to use the bathroom with five minutes to spare afterward. Enough time to get some photos before the lights went down.

Then Daniel Breaker opened the show as Aaron Burr. My older son recognized him as Donkey from Shrek on Broadway (which we watched on Netflix earlier this year). He was a show-stealer, in a good way. I really liked how he played the part and gave a new dimension to Burr, just by the way he emphasized certain words or from the various facial expressions he used to convey his feelings. I really got more of a sense of Burr's animosity towards Hamilton. He was one of my favorite performers. He'll be playing Burr on Broadway soon and that move is much deserved.

It was amazing to see the way the songs played out on stage. Having most of the words memorized, it was nice to be able to focus on other aspects instead of having to listen to understand what was going on. This is a good thing because there was soooo much to see on stage and new ways to think about the songs. I think if I didn't have the soundtrack memorized, I would have been confused or overwhelmed. My husband seemed to do fine though, and has been humming some of the songs around the house. (Don't tell him I told you this. ;) ) I think this was also helpful for the boys. I remember seeing Les Miz when I was in my early teens and most of it going over my head since I hadn't really heard most of the songs at that time. This way, they could also focus on the staging, emotions, etc.

I also liked the fact that I didn't really know the actors all that well, so I could focus on the characters instead of how famous they were. This also came in handy when I saw mostly unknown actors and understudies in Wicked (Joey McIntyre being the only exception to that rule). There were some performances, aside from Daniel Breaker's, that really stood out for me. More on that soon.

Miguel Cervantes played the title role. He was the one originally cast as Hamilton in Chicago, so that was good that we got to see him. He fit the role really well. While I usually have Lin-Manuel's voice in my head, Miguel added a different layer to the part. Perhaps because he is shorter than Lin, this added a nuance that wasn't there before. Like Hamilton had to fight harder to prove himself. I can't really place what it was, but he gave something extra to the role that differed from how I could imagine Lin playing it. He did a great job and I could see all the passion he put into it.

Karen Olivo left the show a few days before we got to see it. I was disappointed to hear that she was leaving so soon, but at least I was prepared not to see her. And that goes back to what I was saying before. If Karen had performed, I would have been focusing on her instead of Angelica. Aubin Wise took over the role of Angelica until the new actress (Montego Glover) starts next month. She played the part well and reminded me of Audra McDonald. I didn't realize how young she is, as she carried herself as the oldest and wittiest.

Ari Afsar was adorable as Eliza. She really made the part her own and put a lot of emotion into it. I got teary eyed at the parts I was expecting to cry from, but more because of how she added an extra punch to those parts. We got to meet and take pics with her after the show. She was the only main character who came out to greet fans. I just found out that she auditioned for my favorite season of American Idol and I even remember her because of the Adopt a Gran-Friend program she started. That stood out eight years ago!

Ari Afsar

Samantha Marie Ware took on the dual role of Peggy and Maria Reynolds. She did great as both characters. As Peggy, she added a bit of comedy through the way she came off as the bratty little sister. As Maria, she was sultry and more assertive than I was expecting. Samantha had a small role on one of the later seasons of Glee, so I remembered her from that.

Jonathan Kirkland, who played Washington, made me think of Collins from Rent. I was surprised to not see that role on his Playbill "résumé." He had a commanding presence, which is perfect for that role.

The other actors who stood out to me the most as top favorites from the show were Alexander Gemignani (King George) and Chris De'Sean Lee (Lafayette/Jefferson). Alexander was hilarious as King George. He didn't even have to do much other than some facial expressions and little gestures to have me roaring with laughter. He reminded me of Rowan Atkinson in some ways. Chris had a terrific energy as both Lafayette and Jefferson, and he also made me laugh a lot. I loved his performance of "What'd I Miss?". He was just a lot of fun to watch throughout the show.

The only thing I would criticize at all is the blocking, as the actors turned their heads toward the back of the stage during some parts and I couldn't see their facial expressions at those times. I thought "cheating out" was always the rule of theater. Not sure if the moving stage had to do with this, but it would have been nice to see their faces instead of the backs of their heads. Really just a minor issue, but something I noticed regardless.

Everyone in the show was great overall and they gave a memorable performance for my family and I to cherish. Would I see it again? Sure, but probably not right away. Maybe if I win a lottery sometime from the new app. I do want to take my daughter to see it when she's older. She loves the music, but the show would have been too much for her to handle right now. In the meantime, I'm glad to have seen it and that I can tell everyone how amazing it is. If you get the chance to see it, do not throw away your shot!

Family selfie

The amazing set

My HamilPop, courtesy of Broadway Goes Pop!

It's my birthday...and you get a present!

I love having birthdays, but I also enjoy giving other people gifts. (That, and my husband thinks I need to clean out my book collection. The horror!) So, enter via the Rafflecopter below and one of you will get a box of random books. US only please, as I have to cover the shipping costs. Sorry!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Giveaway ends July 25th at midnight EST.

Orange is the New Black--Season 5, with SPOILERS

I recently finished watching the fifth season of Orange is the New Black. It was a tumultuous and intense season. Perhaps more intense than previous seasons have been. Some parts were really unsettling or disturbing. However, there were also some really good moments that stand out for me. I'm going to share about those today.

If you're reading this post, you've either seen the entire season or don't mind spoilers. (If you haven't watched the series from the beginning, none of this will make sense until you binge watch all five seasons.) I will not take responsibility for ruining the season for you, as I have indicated that there will be spoilers from this point onward. So if you're not ready yet, bookmark this post and come back when you're done.

Favorite moments:

*Episode 5: Taystee's speech at the end. I got teary-eyed from it. If that doesn't earn her an Emmy, I don't know what will.

*Episode 6: Big Boo questioning Angie about Saved by the Bell.

*The one girl imitating some of the other inmates.

*Episode 2: Frieda as a kid, and then seeing all her survival tactics as an adult, including her secret prepper bunker.

*The tribute to Poussey with all the books. So much love in that!

*Linda going undercover as an inmate by accident.

*Episode 1: Big Boo's shout-out to The Princess Bride.

*Flaca and Martiza's YouTube videos.

*The women taking down Piscatella at the end of episode 10.

*Red and Flores trying to re-enact Home Alone.

*Pennsatuckey camping out in the guard's house while all the drama is going on.

*Gloria tricking the other inmates into thinking she's sending all the guards to "The Poo" with intent on actually releasing them.

*The "Lasagna in the Oven" sign

*Maria getting to see her baby again.

*Nicky calling Vinnie to tell him that Morello really is pregnant and that he's lucky to have her.

*Linda and Pennsatuckey being friends for a few minutes before they both got out of "The Poo."

*Piper proposing to Alex. Also, Piper talking to her mom about Alex prior to that, and her mom actually being supportive.

*The makeovers, especially for Flores.

*Taystee taking on Figueroa and trying to help along the negotiations.

*Seeing what Red was like as a young woman in Russia.

*The media thinking Judy was kidnapped by Muslims because of the photo taken by the people in the helicopter.

*Suzanne getting to have play time with the guards and the innocent game with the naughty name.

*Red finding the map from Frieda, but thinking it was something different, yet it led her to find a bunch of people who were missing.

*The flashback to when Taystee and Poussey first met and bonded.

*What Chang says before she escapes through the hole in the fence.

*The Shining scene involving Flaca and Maritza.

*Learning about Alison's back story (even though we don't know why she's in prison yet).

*Hamilaria moments:
"Showtime!"
"See you on the other side."
"Say no to this."
"Wait for it."

I don't know what will happen in season six, but I hope we get back to some of the main inmates' stories instead of focusing on annoying ones like Angie and Leanne, the racist girls, or those girls who were snorting coffee. I want to know what's happening with Daya and Sophia, as well.

Books I don't like

I need to preface this post by pointing out that I'm normally not negative about books. I have a hard time giving three stars or less to a book on Goodreads/Amazon and would rather not review it at all if that's the case. I don't like hurting the sales of a book. However, some are pretty well known and did fine without my review, either way. I wanted to share about those here. I am not posting this on social media, as to not make authors feel bad. If you're a follower of my blog, then you'll probably see this post. Also keep in mind that no two readers are alike. I may not like a book, but it doesn't mean you won't. There are times I love a book that other people (usually in my book club) hate.

Here goes!

The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold: This was such a disappointment to me after reading The Lovely Bones. I didn't like anything about Helen.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski: This one just dragged for me and felt so unsettling. I disliked it so much that I forgot the author's name until now, when I had to look it up.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout: One of those books that was so depressing, I wanted to put it in the freezer afterward, like they did on Friends.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender: It had the potential to be interesting, but the lack of quotation marks was annoying. And it just went off the edge after a while and I felt like my time had been taken advantage of.

The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult: One of her weakest books. The ending was so disappointing too. Thankfully she made up for it in the following years. There was a movie and I don't even know why I bothered watching because it wasn't much better.

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks: I love Nicholas Sparks, but I was so mad at him for writing this book. I wanted to throw it against a wall when I was finished. And I refuse to see the movie.

The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank: I got this one, thinking it would be some edgy chick lit novel. However, it was slow and felt like everything was all over the place.

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce: It's rare that I get halfway through a book and just quit, but this was dragging so much that I kept zoning out. I listened to it as an audio book, but the story just wasn't doing anything for me.

Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg: I enjoy Fannie's writing, but this one just seemed like a portrayal of people in a small town and lacked substance.

I'm sure there are others, but they may have just been that forgettable. I am not including books I only read a few pages or chapters from before calling it quits.

As a bonus, these are the types of books that don't interest me:
*Books that take place on a beach or at a beach home
*Spy novels
*Cozy mysteries
*Jane Austen or anything related to her books
*Vampire novels
*Trending series: Hunger Games, Game of Thrones, Fifty Shades, etc.
*Political thrillers
*Sci fi and/or fantasy
*Stories about wealthy families
*New adult romances (usually featuring topless men on the cover)
*Horror (although I loved that in high school and college). This is different from suspense thriller.
*Fictional novels about historical figures

Thankfully, there are more books that I love than that I dislike. I'm never at a shortage for what to read, either!

You can't take the country out of the girl

I am so bad about posting about my vacations. Remember how it took me four months to post about my cruise last year? This time, I’m going to try not to let a month go by before posting about my trip to Nashville. Instead of sharing my entire itinerary, I’ll just point out the highlights and post some pictures.

To preface everything, I met up with Froggie, my BFF of 30 years, to celebrate our friendship and see another New Kids on the Block concert, since we did that in 1989. We picked Nashville as it was a new town for both of us to visit and a good in-between spot where we could catch the concert together.

Reunited at the airport!

Highlights:

*Our Airbnb: I’ve never stayed at an Airbnb before, so this was a different experience than staying at a hotel. Our host, Jennie, was very nice and accommodating. She did her own thing, so we only saw her every so often, but when we did, we had fun chatting with her. She has the cutest little dog who shares a name with my favorite dog from my youth. If you are ever looking for an Airbnb in Nashville, check out the ones in Donelson and perhaps you’ll find her. The price was great and the space was comfortable and large enough that we weren’t breathing down each other’s necks. We could come and go as we pleased, as she had a keypad with a code for us to let ourselves in. (That worked well, since we stayed out pretty late!) Funny story….when we first arrived, GPS changed the address on me, so we almost went to the wrong house. Oops!

*Broadway Street: There’s really nothing like it. Every bar has loud, live country music coming out of the doors and windows. There are tons of people all over the place. Everyone has their own way of dressing, so it doesn’t matter if you wear a dress or a T-shirt and jeans. You just fit in anyway. I love the idea that people are performing in the bars for a chance to get discovered and potentially become famous. There’s so much energy and enthusiasm all around.

*Grand Ole Opry: This was my favorite part of the trip. I loved learning about the history of the GOO and all the love that surrounds it. Country singers seem like one big family. There’s no pretense…they show up in their cars and walk up to a side door to access the building. There are dressing rooms for every type of performer and they all have different themes. Everyone just seems to get along and support one another. They showed a video where people were told they were invited to be members of the GOO. I was getting teary-eyed seeing their reactions. They were all so genuine and appreciative. The tour guide was a lot of fun and got so excited over the smallest details at the venue.

At night, we saw a concert at the GOO. While our seats were up high, it was cool to be there and see the performers standing on the famous circle where we all got to stand and take pictures on earlier that day. The performers were The Whites, Smithfield, Jamie Lynn Spears (yes, Britney’s sister, who has an incredible voice and country vibe), Maddie and Tae (Tae looked like Tatiana Maslany when I saw her and Maddie’s super thin high heels made me trip just looking at them!), Lee Brice (whose wife just had a baby girl recently), Montgomery Gentry (whom I thought was just one person’s name and not a band), and Ricky Skaggs (classic country). They each sang three songs. This was all playing on air, as it was being broadcasted to an XM station. They even had commercial breaks. Before the show, the emcee was asking where everyone was from and it was cool to see representation from all around the US. The emcee was kind of annoying, but she kept things entertaining.

The circle where all singers stand when they perform

A few of the dressing rooms:

*The NKOTB concert: The main reason we were there, of course! Not only was it NKOTB, but also Paula Abdul and Boyz II Men. B2M kicked off the concert. I almost forgot all the songs they did back in the 80s and 90s, but then they came back to me as soon as I heard the opening notes. The guys looked like they had a lot of fun performing. They even put lyrics up on the screen behind them so we could sing along. Paula’s performance was more artsy with a lot of dancing and interactive videos. There was even a video with the cat from “Opposites Attract.” She did all her classics, but her show was shorter than B2M. Then, finally, the New Kids took the stage! They performed for over two hours, playing their classics and tossing in some new ones. I like the “Dirty Dancing” song, which was new to me at the time. It was fun to sing along with the songs I listened to all the time in the 80s, especially “The Right Stuff.” Of course, Froggie and I were screaming for our favorite New Kids the whole time (hers is Donnie, mine is Joey). As an extra only-in-Nashville treat, they had Big and Rich perform. Then later, they brought Carrie Underwood onto the stage. That was so cool! They even performed songs from their earlier albums. If you were a die-hard NKOTB fan, you would know them. And, of course, they ended the concert with “Hangin’ Tough.”

Carrie joined them on stage!

My New Kid crush!

*Meeting Darwin Shrugged: While Froggie and DS had previously met in person, this was my first time meeting her. Honestly, it was like we had known each other our whole lives and were just friends reuniting after a long period of time. While I’ve only known her online up until now, she is the same in person. I was instantly comfortable around her. We all had a great time chatting and hung out for about two hours. I hope we’ll get to meet again one of these days.

*Manis and pedis: After we arrived in Nashville, we had to do something we always do together…get manicures and pedicures! We found this place called Sation Nails. They were really nice and the pedicure was fantastic. My nail tech had her three year-old daughter there at the time. So cute!

*Going to Target: It became a joke after a while, since Froggie had to go there a couple of times prior to us meeting up and then twice when we were together. The layout was the same as one I go to a lot. We also went to Kroger a couple of times.

Overall, it was a wonderful and unforgettable trip. I had such a fun time hanging out with Froggie and we got even more inside jokes, as well. Next time, we’re doing Vegas!

Favorite Disney Movies

Since I love so many Disney movies (I'm a Disney Dork, after all), I am just going to list my top 10 favorites here. What films are on your list?

1. Beauty and the Beast (original animated version, even though the live action one is amazing too): I fell in love with it from the opening number. And Belle is my Disney soul sister!



2. Aladdin: I love how the story was re-imagined by Disney. Robin Williams stole the show as the iconic Genie.



3. Wreck-It Ralph: Incredibly creative, funny, and even emotional. I love the rapport between Ralph and Vanellope. It's one of those movies I can never tire of.



4. Monsters Inc. (Pixar): So clever and imaginative. I love the way the monsters turn scaring kids into a business and way to power the town. And Boo is just adorable! I also enjoyed the prequel, Monsters University.



5. The Parent Trap (original version with Hayley Mills): I watched this for the first time in forever (pardon the Disney song reference) and found myself crying during "Let's Get Together." I watched this countless times as a kid and acted it out with my sister. (I was Sharon.)



6. The Lion King: This says it all!



7. Enchanted: I love the way they turn an animated princess into human form and put her into the modern world. So much fun, while also being sweet and creative.



8. Tangled: Definitely tissue-worthy. It had a similar feel to Beauty and the Beast. Mandy Moore was great as Rapunzel's voice. I also love how Mother Gothel was so easy to hate.



9. The Little Mermaid: Such a classic Disney flick. You can't not smile when Sebastian sings "Under the Sea." And "Part of Your World" is such a great princess ballad.



10. Hercules: It has a similar feel to The Little Mermaid. I love Megara and how she won't say she's in love. There are some great songs and a lot of fun energy. And, of course, I cry at the end.



Runner up:
Cinderella (live action): This was so beautifully done. I enjoyed the animated version as a kid, but the live action version took it to a whole new level. Lily James was such a sweet Cinderella. There were some funny moments, as well as really heartbreaking emotional ones.



Warning: I will be posting a list of my least favorites soon. If you've been keeping up with my blog for the past few years, you will know at least one of the movies going on the list!

The Goldbergs, Season 4--with SPOILERS

Since I watched the season as it was going, I didn't have the benefit of binge-watching. This meant I had to wait weeks between episodes sometimes. Oh, the travesty! And when is Adam going to pair up with the Duffers to make a Stranger Things crossover? It would totally work!

I enjoyed most of season four, as you can tell from my extensive list of favorite episodes. My sons and I even joke around about some of the things that happened on the show. We do this thing that Evie and Erica do to each other in one of the episodes, where they shush each other at the same time. And the swear/geek/attitude jar scene is always a classic to act out. And, of course, we call each other "shmoopie."

Episode 1-Breakfast Club
As a new school year begins, the Goldberg kids end up in Saturday detention.
How could you NOT love such a fun tribute to a classic '80s flick?!?



Episode 5-Stefan King
Adam tries to be a horror writer in the vein of Stephen King. However, his efforts get him grounded on Halloween when Beverly discovers that she's the basis for the monster in his story. Meanwhile, a desperate Erica forces Barry to be her "date" at the school's costume dance.
Two words: Suddenly. Seymour.



Episode 8-The Greatest Musical Ever Written
A school musical production creates strife between Adam and Barry while substitute teacher Beverly creates havoc in Erica's class.
Perfect episode for musical theater geeks like myself! See the trailer here.

Episode 11-O Captain! My Captain!
Barry tries to prove Beverly wrong in his chemistry class while Adam needs Erica's advice for his friendship with Emmy.
I cried from this one.

Episode 14-The Spencer's Gift
Erica and Barry get jobs at Spencer's Gifts, then Murray insists that Adam get a job as well, but Beverly is adamant that Adam focus on filmmaking.
I love how Barry turned out to be the better employee.

Episode 15-So Swayze It's Crazy
Beverly's on a mission to make Adam a film star.
One part made me think of the season one finale of FRIENDS, but with a better ending. That totally made the episode for me.

Episode 16-The Kara-te Kid
The ultimate karate battle between the Adams.
BEST episode of the season, hands down! Sooooo many funny moments. I even made my husband watch it. And there's a special treat at the way end...



Episode 17-Deadheads
Barry's JTP membership is in jeopardy while a family swear jar is introduced.
I love the multiple jar scene. (Or should we call it Jar Jar? That wouldn't make sense in the '80s though!)

Episode 19-A Night to Remember
Prom night at school.
Lots of sweet moments. This is also the episode where Adam and Jackie first meet. One part reminded me of SAVED BY THE BELL.



Episode 21-Fonzie Scheme
Beverly's attempts to find Murray a hobby backfire; Erica comes to the rescue when Barry's scheme to steal golf carts goes awry.
The golf cart scenes were so funny. 



Episode 23-Jedi Master Adam Skywalker
Erica and Barry's curiosity with the yearbook's best goes awry.
However, I love how they make it up to Adam. I also loved Adam's power trip.



Episode 24-Graduation Day
Erica's graduation, Barry's summer plans and Adam's relationship go awry.
It was nice to see Dana again, even though she and Adam were out of sync. The graduation scene was funny too.

If you're a fan, tell me your favorite episodes from season four!