March Broadway Madness: Round 3 Shubert Conference

So Wicked and Beauty and the Beast will battle to see who will represent the Nederlander Conference in the finals. Let’s see who will fight to represent the Shubert Conference.

Here we go!

Spring Awakening v. The Pirate Queen

Oh, wow. This is an intriguing matchup. Both opened in the same season and I saw them within weeks of each other. I got to see one with my friend and that was a really special trip out while the other was with my mother, which was also a great experience. And both have different but impactful stories, so I guess this is also going to come down to my gut.

Winner: The Pirate Queen!

March Broadway Madness: Round 3 Nederlander Conference

Here we are at the Elite Eight! It’s amazing to me how I’ve narrowed down a field of 36 contenders and am now down to eight. I’m eager to see how these matches will play out. I thought I would rule one way when just eyeballing certain matches but then when I did deep dives, found myself changing my mind. I have a feeling it will happen a few more times before I crown a winner.

Like Round 2, this will focus more on comparing the two musicals rather than evaluating them individually.

Let’s get started!

Rent v. Wicked

Both of these musicals defined a generation, have songs that have lasted throughout the years, and made their marks on Broadway. And both count Idina Menzel in their original casts. But I feel one is more timeless in its appeal and story while the other is a nostalgic and maybe rose-colored look back at a slice of life during a certain time. It still has some timeless messages but I think it really appeals more to theater people than the other. And one has definitely stuck with me more than the other.

Winner: Wicked!

March Broadway Madness: Round 2 Shubert Conference

Half of my Elite Eight are now set! Time to determine which other 4 musicals will be joining the Elite Eight.

Let’s see how the eight musicals remaining in the Shubert Conference fare this time!

Spring Awakening v. Aladdin

This is an interesting match up. One is bright and extravagant, the other is dark and minimal. Each have their own messages, though one is more kid-friendly than the other. And both have some great songs, though I think one production and one album rises up a little bit higher than the other.

Winner: Spring Awakening!

March Broadway Madness: Round 2 Nederlander Conference

(I realized that I had forgotten to include two musicals I had seen and intended to include. I only realized it when I was wondering why I hadn’t seen Legally Blonde appear in the bracket yet. I went back to my list and realized that it and Lennon did not appear anywhere. Lennon probably wouldn’t have survived any bracket but Legally Blonde stood a good chance of progressing far and I’m sorry I forgot it).

So I’ve eliminated twelve musicals so far and I now face the Sweet 16! It’s time to whittle them down more until I have my Elite Eight. Who will survive Round 2?

I’ve already discussed each musical individually so going forward, my comments will focus more on the match up.

Let’s start with the Nederlander Conference!

Rent v. Jersey Boys

This is a bit more of an even matchup, both having made their own marks on Broadway and become something of legends. Each ran for a good amount of time and Jersey Boys still lives on off-Broadway (or did and will once theater came come back). There’s been talk of reviving Rent, though, so I’m sure that will be something to look forward to. But one production still stands out a bit more and has left such an impact on Broadway that one of its songs has become an anthem of sorts.

Winner: Rent!

March Broadway Madness: Round 1 Shubert Conference Group B

This is our last group of Round 1! Once I make these final four calls, our Sweet 16 will be set and I’m sure things are going to get tougher for me to decide.

But let’s get through Group B of the Shubert Conference and then I can worry about that!

Here we go!

Moving Out v. Spamalot

Moving Out: I saw this musical twice and I definitely needed to do so. It’s really a ballet set to the music of Billy Joel, telling the story of five friends as they graduate high school and go through the tumultuous 60s and 70s through his music and dance. It was very beautiful but during my first viewing I had to keep glancing at my Playbill to follow along with the story (they had the plot printed in the Playbill). So when I went back to see it, I was able to just sit back and enjoy everything else. So it loses points for being a bit hard to follow at first but it does have Billy Joel music. And Billy Joel’s music is awesome.

Spamalot: This seems to be almost the exact opposite of Moving Out. It’s more commercial than “artistic” (only in quotes because art is so subjective, who is to say Spamalot isn’t art?) and more silly than serious. But it’s definitely easier to understand, even if you aren’t a fan of Monty Python.

Winner: I went back and forth on this. As I’ve said earlier, the only criteria is really my own opinion so I’m going to go with my gut and give it to Moving Out.

March Broadway Madness: Round 1 Nederlander Conference Group B

So far it’s been a wild ride (at least for me). I can’t wait to see what results come from Group B of the Nederlander Conference. Let’s see what I think about seven of these musicals.

Here we go!

Anything Goes v. Hello, Dolly!

Anything Goes: I got to see this revival of the show with Sutton Foster and Colin Donnell, both of whom were amazing in the show, as well as THE Kelly Bishop. I unfortunately did not get a chance to see Joel Grey but I don’t think it hurt the show. And I was a bit disappointed that I went to see the show after Laura Osnes left but Erin Mackey shone in the role of Hope Harcourt. Everyone performed Cole Porter’s music well and the show was funny as well as engaging. However, I have forgotten I’ve seen this show and I almost forgot that Kelly Bishop was in it! Yes, I saw it almost a decade ago but that’s still a strike against the show.

Hello, Dolly!: I’ve already discussed Hello, Dolly! Right now, it does have an edge because I saw it more recently so it’s fresher in my mind. So this seems to come down to Kelly Bishop and Sutton Foster vs. Donna Murphy, which is a tough battle.

Winner: Though it’s tough with as many great leading ladies are in this round, I have to give it to Hello, Dolly!

Christmas Perfection: Christmas in “Killarney”

I’m sure you can figure out why I decided to review/recap this movie this month. And I don’t care how cliché it is.

This was another movie I enjoyed late at night this past holiday season. I hope you all give it a try and get to enjoy it too.

It’s Christmas in Killarney/With all of the folks at SPOILERS!

March Broadway Madness: Round 1 Shubert Conference Group A

Well, Nederlander Group A gave me a lot to think about and consider. I can’t wait to see what Shubert Group A gives me.

So without further ado, let’s start evaluating the shows!

Spring Awakening v. The Wedding Singer

Spring Awakening: I saw the original Broadway cast – which means I did get to see Skylar Astin on Broadway too! It’s certainly one of the darker musicals I’ve seen, tackling such topics as incest and rape, abortion, suicide, etc. Like there are a lot of warnings that need to proceed recommending this musical. But it’s still very good and with some beautiful music. And it still manages to end with something of a hopeful note, so kudos to it.

The Wedding Singer: I pretty much covered this in the wild card round. But this is such a stark contrast to Spring Awakening, a lighter musical with a definite happy ending. Will that be enough to move on?

Winner: It seems that this time, edgy edges out the hopeful. I’m going to have to give it to Spring Awakening.

March Broadway Madness: Round 1 Nederlander Conference Group A

Now with our “Wild Cards” settled, it’s time for the main event! We’re starting with the Nederlander Conference Group A today!

For now, these entries will be long but should get shorter once I cycle through all the shows involved. I will evaluate each show and then declare who I feel is the winner based mostly on my opinion.

Let’s begin this round!

Memphis v. Rent

Memphis: This is more a good match to go up against Rent. It tells the story of a white man in the Jim Crow south who falls in love with a black woman with a voice just as beautiful as she is. He works to help build her career but has his own issues, including not being ready for all the hate the world throws at them. If you’re looking for a musical with a happy ending, this really isn’t it. If you want a musical that will make you think and feel something, this is it. It also has some great music – I especially recommend listening to “Say a Prayer.” But I’m not sure it had the same staying power as Rent.

Rent: I covered this in the Wild Card round. But as I noted above, I feel Rent has had more staying power than Memphis. While Memphis probably has timely message for our times, there is still something about the message of Rent that still attracts new fans every year.

Winner: This is a bit more difficult but I think I still have to give it to Rent, just for the fact that it’s stayed in collective memories as well as my own a lot longer.

March Broadway Madness: Wild Card Round

Let’s start with our “Wild Card” entries. I will evaluate the two musicals and choose one to advance to Round 1.

“Wild Card” Round – Nederlander Conference A

Mary Poppins v. Rent

Well, this is a weird match up – two musicals that probably couldn’t be more different! But I did see both twice, so they do have that in common!

Mary Poppins: It was a Disney production and Disney certainly knows how to pull out the stops. And it was based on one of their most beloved movies though also heavily inspired by the books. In addition to the memorable songs from the movie, new songs were added that rounded out the story and felt like they fit right in. The choreography was truly amazing and “Step in Time” was a true showstopper even before Bert went “over the rooftops.” And of course, it was well known that Mary Poppins took flight – though that was best experienced in the mezzanine rather than the orchestra. My only two quibbles was the elimination of “I Love to Laugh” from the movie and then in between my viewings of it, the song “Temper Temper” was eliminated. I enjoyed the song though I understood it was removed because it was frightening children (in the song, Michael and Jane are shrunk down to the size of their toys, which then put them on trial for being abusive to them due to their own tempers). Overall, it didn’t hurt the production and it was still a fun musical for all ages.

Rent: What a contrast to Mary Poppins – and not just because of the plot! Whereas Disney pulled out the stops with lavish sets and spectacles, Rent was more minimal. A steel structure served as many things and there were only a few other items, the second biggest part of the set a folding table. Someone didn’t fly overhead. Instead, the plot tugs on the heartstrings. It’s a story about found family and the struggles of trying to survive in a world that seems against you. It addressed AIDS though it was one of many projects humanizing the disease. Rent, however, became a cultural phenomenon and really caught the public’s attention. But there is still the lingering doubts about if Rent would’ve blown up so much if creator Jonathan Larson hadn’t tragically died before the first off-Broadway performance. Or would it have only gotten better because he could’ve continued to fine tune it? Because there are some problems with the story and the characters and there is the troubling undercurrent of “true artists suffer and starve for their art” in the plot in addition to “No day but today”. However, Rent continues to live on and continues to inspire new generations to this day with its story and characters.

Winner: It was a tough call but after writing everything down, I think I have to give the win to Rent.

March Broadway Madness

March Madness lives! I know all you sports and betting fanatics missed it terribly last year when COVID cancelled all games. So I’m sure you’re happy it’s back.

I’m not much of a basketball person. I follow my NY Mets during baseball and NY Giants during football but I just never got into basketball (except in college during our girls’ team’s Cinderella run – go Marist Lady Foxes) . Nor am I interested in really doing a proper March Madness bracket.

But you know what I am interested in? Broadway musicals.

You know what I miss? Broadway musicals.

So while everyone follows along on their brackets, I’m going to make one of my own featuring all the Broadway shows I remember seeing – I’m pretty sure I forgot a couple. (And I know it’s a privilege that I could have seen so many that not only did I forget some but I still had enough for a 34 team match up).

Here’s how it will work: I used a bracket generator to randomly assign shows against each other. I will write several posts (hopefully every day) where I go through the different rounds, picking from the brackets until I get to the best show that I’ve seen – in my opinion. I’ve decided that all the shows on the “left” side of the bracket I’ve created will be the “Nederlander Conference” and those on the “right” side of the bracket will be the “Shubert Conference.” The shows have not been divided up by whether they played in a Nederlander or Shubert theatre, it just seems easier to keep track.

Here’s the line up:

“Wild Card” Round – Nederlander Conference

Mary Poppins v. Rent

Hello, Dolly! v. Frozen

“Wild Card” Round – Shubert Conference

The Addams Family v. The Wedding Singer

Gigi v. Spamalot

Round 1 – Nederlander Conference Group A

Memphis v. (Winner of Mary Poppins v. Rent)

Jersey Boys v. White Christmas

Little Shop of Horrors v. Hairspray

Wicked v. Pippin

Round 1 – Nederlander Conference Group B

Anything Goes v. (Winner of Hello, Dolly! v. Frozen)

The Music Man v. The Sound of Music

Beauty and the Beast v. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Les Miserables v. On Your Feet!

Round 1 – Shubert Conference Group A

Spring Awakening v. (Winner of The Addams Family v. The Wedding Singer)

Aladdin v. Cinderella

The Pirate Queen v. Little Women

Newsies v. Avenue Q

Round 1 – Shubert Conference Group B

Moving Out v. (Winner of Gigi v. Spamalot)

The Phantom of the Opera v. Tarzan

Godspell v. A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

Anastasia v. Jesus Christ Superstar

Make your picks and find out which comes out on top in my opinion. Feel free to play along in the comments below!

WandaVision: Something Wicked This Way Comes…

Last time: Wanda and Vision navigated parenthood as Westview entered the 80s. The twins grew to 5 years old and then aged themselves to 10 in order to keep a dog they found. Vision continued to notice strange happenings in Westview and tried to discuss it with Wanda, falling out of step with her. He then spoke to the real “Norm” and grew more concerned. The twins dealt with their dog dying before Wanda and Vision argued about what was really happening in Westview, with hints that it wasn’t all Wanda.

Outside Westview, or what Darcy dubbed “the hex,” Monica teamed up with Jimmy and Darcy to try to get more answers. She clashed with Hayward, who saw Wanda as a threat to be neutralized while Monica believed they needed to work with Wanda to end whatever was happening in Westview. Hayward tried to kill Wanda and she left the hex to issue a warning before reinforcing her barrier.

And then in a twist, Wanda and Vision get a visitor – it’s Pietro, though this time he’s played by Peter Evans, and he’s there to visit!

I forgot to discuss this last time – I wonder how SWORD ended up with Vision’s body? Even with everyone at Stark Industries no doubt in mourning, I’m sure Bruce would’ve claimed Vision for them. It’s just suspicious why they took Vision into their possession.

So COVID pushed the release of WandaVision back. Apparently it was supposed to come out in September and that’s why this episode has a Halloween theme. It still works but the timing would’ve been better had there been no pandemic.

This is Halloween, everybody make a SPOILER!

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Fallout

Last time: Zoey decided to have a “live free” day and did drugs with Aiden and Danny Michael Davis. They wandered the neighborhood and then had popsicles at the Clarke House. Zoey then decided to not care so much anymore but then she abandoned it the next day after Max called her out and Danny Michael Davis said he was going to sell the company.

Meanwhile, Max just wanted to get his dad’s approval (and money) but fell short (though he gave the money back), Jenna pulled a prank to punish the contractor who now turned cold toward Maggie after she rejected him and caused Maggie to fire her, and there was a bug with the Chirp that meant it didn’t recognize anyone who wasn’t white. So Danny Michael Davis wanted Simon to smooth things over, leading to an internal battle and a consult with Tatiana and Mo – did he do what his boss asked or did he take a stand?

At the press conference, he kinda did both – he gave the company line and then took a stand.

So this is the last episode until the end of March. Let’s see what they left us on…

Cause baby whether you’re high or low/Whether you’re high or low/You gotta tip on the SPOILERS!

WandaVision: Family Matters

Last time: We got a glimpse of life outside Westview and got some answers. A grown-up Monica Rambeau returned from being snapped (or “blipped”) and went back to work for her (now deceased) mother’s organization SWORD. She met up with Agent Jimmy Woo over a missing person case that turned into a missing town when no one had ever heard of Westview, NJ. When she got sucked into Westview, SWORD called in for reinforcements – including Darcy Lewis, who found the signal to watch the sitcoms Wanda and Vision had been living. They tried to get in touch with Wanda but nothing worked. Monica then got tossed out of Westview and told everyone that it is all Wanda.

But is it? I mean, this is Marvel and they are masters of the twist at this point.

I have feeling this iconic line for All About Eve will be applicable until the show ends:

Everywhere you look/Everywhere/There’s a SPOILER!

(Sorry. Couldn’t resist)

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: I Want to be Sedated

Last time: Zoey struggled to pull herself out of her funk and decided to follow Mo’s example by focusing on being happy. However, she then had to layoff 10% of her staff, including sweet George – who was already having a bad day as it was the anniversary of his abuela’s death. She then decides to just get wasted at the cleanse Mo had for his and Max’s new restaurant, something that caused some turmoil when Max felt Mo wasn’t taking the business as seriously as him. They eventually talked it out and realized they just had different ways of approaching the business, both of which were valid. Zoey accidentally rehired George while drunk and so had to fire him again. She then had a heart-to-heart with Simon, who told her that she needed to lean into her feelings and not try to fight them in order for her to grow and heal.

Also, Simon nailed his first interview as SPRQ Point’s spokesman and befriended the interviewer, Tatiana Morris. And David decided to quit his job to be a stay-at-home dad to Miles. Emily first freaked out but then supported him. And Roger hit on Maggie and she turned him down, saying she wasn’t ready to move on. She and Jenna then bonded more, which made Emily feel a bit put out.

Oh, and Zoey reconnected with her old neighbor, Aiden, who is now an adult and hot.

So we’ve entered the mid-season hiatus. But I’m sure it will be here before we know it. After all, this March isn’t going to last a full year like last March.

Right?

Today is where your book begins/The rest is still SPOILERS!