"Stay sane inside insanity"

We went to see the final midnight performance of The Rocky Horror Show at the Bucks County Playhouse last night.  I couldn't pass this up as there was a Broadway cast and production team, notably Kevin Cahoon as Frank-N-Furter.

Cahoon (or as I lovingly call him, Cahooooon) is one of my favorite theatre actors, and he was my very first live Frank on Broadway back in 2001.  I've met him a few times over the years as I went to see a bunch of his shows and gigs (his CD? Sublime neo glam rock- buy it!), and he's always been a sweetheart.  Even though it was nearly 2 am, he stopped to chat with fans after the show (with a box of his dressing room supplies under his arm), and he was floored to hear he was my first Frank.  12 years...my god, where does the time go?  I've seen him twice now, Terrence Mann once, and a local actor at the Playhouse back in 2003.  

It's interesting that I've only seen Rocky Horror live four times considering it's one of my all time favorite musicals.  Yet, I've only seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch live once, and that show is practically my lifeline.  I saw the 1998 revival of Cabaret 45 times up through its closing performance on January 4, 2004.  I can't just go see any old performance of that show because the Sam Mendes production is just too close to my heart.  It's a big deal that I can watch the movie to perfect my Liza impression (let's face it, she would be my drag personality).  My most recent tattoo that I got in July is "Lady Peaceful" in-between my shoulder blades.  Those are the lyrics from the Cabaret song "Maybe This Time" that I've been striving for since 2001.  I found this peace with my husband.

Hunter Foster directed this production of Rocky, and he tweeted last night that the show may not be over.  This is pretty fantastic as I am all about Cahoon looking gorgeous in makeup 8 times a week.

Then....

...And now.  My god, does he age?!

This also presents a really interesting quandry.  My trifecta of shows could very possibly be in New York City at the same time in 2014.

Cabaret is going to be revived with Alan Cumming.

Hedwig is debuting on Broadway with Neil Patrick Harris.

Rocky Horror could very well find a stage with Kevin Cahoon.

If you know me at all, you know that my head is exploding right now and my credit card statements are going to be weeping.  

I wrote about Hedwig back when the press release came out, but I haven't written about Cabaret at all on here.  I have old (locked) potentially embarrassing livejournal entries all about the show and my 45 times going.  I started going in October 2000 when Matt McGrath was the Emcee and Lea Thompson was Sally Bowles, and I saw every Emcee and almost every Sally from that point forward.  I also saw plenty of other shows (sometimes in multiples) during that time and beyond.  Hey, I introduced lots of friends to Cabaret, and some of them even saw it multiple times since they enjoyed it so much!  I have been asked if it was boring seeing the same show so many times, and I have to emphasize is that it was never the same show.  Every actor brought something so different and special to the Emcee, Sally, Cliff, Fraulein Schneider, Herr Schultz, Fraulein Kost, Herr Ludwig, and all the Kit Kat boys and girls.  I can't pinpoint which shows were my favorite right now, but that sounds like a fun topic for the future!

It took awhile for me to get over the fact that Cabaret was out of my life.  I enjoyed going to Assassins at Studio 54 in spring 2004 because the stage and seating were still set up like the Kit Kat Klub.  They renovated to standard seating shortly thereafter, and I didn't see a show at that theatre until the Assassins reunion concert in December 2012.  There were still so many wonderful pieces of the theatre that hadn't changed a bit.  It felt like coming home in a strange way.

I was both thrilled and wary when I heard that the show was being revived with Alan Cumming.  Why couldn't they have just kept the show running until he was available and willing to play the final months?  Why revive the same production after 10 years?  However, it was a bit of a relief when the show closed because I wouldn't have to feel that strange sense of fan obligation to keep seeing all the casts.  Money was getting tight, and I had to start growing up.  Plus, I didn't want the show to become stale like others that had been running for so long.  It's been a long time since my crush/obsession over Alan Cumming, but my husband and I saw him in his one man show of Macbeth at Lincoln Center in July 2012, and it reminded me of what a brilliant actor he is and how good he still looks.  Of course I want to see his iconic performance!  I can see at this point that he will do it out of a true love and passion for the material.  It will be sad not to have the sadly deceased Natasha Richardson back as Sally, but it appears that the rest of the cast will be new to Cabaret.

Iconic  

These girls work their asses off.

I worry a bit that my precious memories will be tainted, but I don't think that will really be possible considering it's going to be a near carbon copy of the previous revival.  I'm excited to take my husband to the show that meant the world to me for years and got me through so many rough times. However, the timing just feels so weird...everything I love is suddenly coming back after 10 years.  I finally got the Cabaret tattoo, and then all the revival news began.  It's going to be amazing but it's not going to be the same.  I can only see Cabaret and Hedwig once, especially because we're paying for two excellent tickets for each performance, and the train fares went up, and we have bills to pay...etc.  

My life is completely different from the last time I saw these shows.  I was a morose single retail bitch who was taking care of her chronically ill parents.  Both parents have since passed, and I'm married to the best man in the world and actually in a grownup job.  The majority of my friends have married and started having kids.  I've met new people since the shows ended that have become some of my closest friends.  I'm still in contact with friends I met through Cabaret and other actor fandoms and consider them to be some of my dearest friends.  I know this is a wonderful walk down memory lane that I finally get to share with my husband.  He just saw Rocky Horror and will be seeing Cabaret and Hedwig next year.  I just wish I could put my finger on why it's just so surreal for me.  

Last night, I was trying to put together an outfit, and I had to keep taking it down a few notches.  Bright or super deep red lipstick got immediately wiped off, black eyeliner wasn't even considered thanks to always wearing glasses, glitter would just accentuate the lines around my eyes, and the one studded bracelet I found had to go on the wrist that wouldn't clash with my wedding ring.  I didn't have any nail polish or earrings on, my necklace was tasteful retro, and I felt like I had to add some definition to my mod dress with an zebra belt.  The edgiest thing about my outfit was the crimson fishnets and vinyl boots, and even they were fit well and had sensible fuzzy socks hidden for comfort.  Every time I tried to add something "dark" or "weird," I would just look at myself disgustedly and rip it off.  The thing is, I barely have any "dark" or "weird" clothes, accessories, or makeup anymore.  I suddenly want to wear things that are cute but complimentary.  I don't want to do things just because other people are doing so.  I couldn't even finish one drink with our late night pre-show dinner.  And for the record, after 5 1/2 years, that was the latest we'd ever begun a night out.  

I'm not old.  I'm going to be 33 in a few weeks.  But that means I've been in a new demographic for awhile, and I didn't fully realize it till last night.  I've never felt so old when going to a show.  I was never so grateful for daylight savings time as I was today.  We stayed in bed for half the day.  I used to have four strong drinks at Studio 54 during a two show day and still go out with friends after.  I wore whatever I wanted.  I did whatever I wanted during city days.  I didn't care if I was less functional at work the next day.

I have a life now that's not all about my needs.  I am married and make decisions with somebody else and have a 9-5 job and go through all the ups and downs of being a homeowner.  I'm also pretty damn lucky that my husband is so interested in the shows I love and wanting to get to know more about that part of me.  He listens to my stories and watches some clips or videos with me and even investigates shows on his own.  We make these city trips special now.  We are still pretty young, but we also know our limits.  Seeing Cabaret from front orchestra table seats and Hedwig close enough to potentially get a "car wash" are special events that we will talk about for years but not make the focus of our lives.

It's ok to still love and reminisce about the memories, and it's fun to make new ones.  It's ok to still be a fangirl and hold all this close to my heart.  But it's also ok to keep moving on with my life and knowing that while these moments have been impactful, becoming Lady Peaceful was the most transcendent moment of all.

First themed post....*drumroll please*

I'm putting my own spin on the common Throwback Thursday.  Welcome to....

FANGIRL FLASHBACK FRIDAY!!

I've had many celebrity interactions since the year 2001, and I think it would be fun to share those stories.  Much of these experiences happened at stage doors, concerts, and conventions, and sometimes they were completely random.  

I'm not looking to dig up gossip or talk trash, but I will be honest.  Some people may be A-listers, some people may be obscure.  I have pictures, detailed memories, and a lot of fondness.  I can still laugh even if it wasn't the friendliest interaction.  One thing I've learned over the years is that celebrities are human beings.  

This week's Entertainment Weekly Pop Culture Personality Test was taken by Matthew Morrison, and I think he's a good person to kick off this segment.  I'm also kind of bursting at the seams that we both saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 7-8 times in the theatre and that we both still sing to New Kids on the Block.  Hey, we're right around the same age, it makes sense.  

Ha, nice freeze frame.

I first saw Morrison in The Rocky Horror Show revival on Broadway near the end of its run in 2001.  He was a Phantom kid and had a big fro and lots of eyeliner, black lipstick, and leather pants.  I called him Curly Haired Hot Guy from Rocky.  When he fell into the role of Link Larkin in Hairspray, I started freaking out, especially because it was so hard to get tickets.  I happened to get lucky and bought one for half price from a desperate lady when I was in the TKTS line.  The whole original cast was there that night except for Morrison.  I still have irrational dislike for his poor understudy John Hill.  I sucked it up and bought a full price ticket for a few months later.  He was there, and the angels sang.  Well, that might have been my pants.  It was even more joyous because I got to see Shoshana Bean as Tracy, and she was just fabulous.  Put it this way-  when a guy as hot and talented as Matt Morrison falls in love with a big girl 8 times a week, I'm gonna fall in love.  Hell, even Zac Efron got a pass from me in the movie version, but no one beats Matt as Link. 

This is a rather long introduction, but I feel it's necessary since he's made it so big as Will Schuester on Glee.  I stopped watching after the 2nd season, partially because I was sad that he essentially isn't more than an overly eager and oblivious douche who loves Journey.  I try not to pay much attention to tabloids and blind items, but people often do change when they become rich and famous.  I prefer the old days of swooning outside Broadway theatres and searching for photos and footage.  It was fun to see him briefly in the movies Music & Lyrics and Dan In Real Life which may have resulted in me bouncing in my seat while loudly whispering MattyMorrisonMattyMorrison!!!  I feel bad that I didn't see him in anything onstage after Hairspray, but as I had to be choosy with my shows (living two hours away with limited disposable income will do that to a person), I ended up passing on The Light In the Piazza and South Pacific.  I know, I know.  I kind of regret that, but I just couldn't justify potentially falling asleep for that ticket price.  I really like him as an actor, but there are only a select few that I will do anything to see in a show.  

I have a few shots from 2002.  One day I'll scan pix, but for now, the high quality phone shots will do!

That is some damn nice hair.

I'll mostly be cutting myself out of pictures, but you can have a glimpse.  This was during the Broadway Flea Market when he gave me a big ole "Hey, how YOU doin'" when I came up.  I don't care if he's a charmer, that still makes me feel so good.  OhgodletmebeyourTracy.

It was fun to say "Bitches, I saw him first," but now I just enjoy the nostalgia.  However, I think it's time to shuffle up the playlist and move the swoonworthy "It Takes Two" back into the top ten most played songs.