Dark Monday - Broadway Bares Strip-Opoly

On Sunday, June 20, 2010, the theater community came together for an annual fundraiser, Broadway Bares. In the 20th edition of the event, they raised over a million dollars for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The title of the show is Strip-Opoly, and while I didn't make it myself [one day, David Dust, we just gotta!], from the video, it looks like it might have ignited the heatwave on the East Coast. While countless people give of their time, some of the names of people who offered their services included: Nick Adams (La Cage Aux Folles), Heidi Blickenstaff ([title of show]), Kevin Burrows (Spamalot on tour), Charles Busch (The Divine Sister), Kevin Chamberlin (The Addams Family), Tony and Emmy Award winner Kristin Chenoweth (Promises, Promises), Jennifer Cody (Shrek The Musical), Tony Award winner Alan Cumming ("The Good Wife"), Diana DeGarmo (Hair), Lea DeLaria (The Rock Horror Show), Felicia Finley (The Wedding Singer), Tony Award winner Katie Finneran (Promises, Promises), Barrett Foa (Avenue Q), Julie Halston (The Divine Sister), Jackie Hoffman (The Addams Family), Cheyenne Jackson (Finian's Rainbow), Denis Jones (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Sebastian LaCause (The Rocky Horror Show), reality television star Reichen Lehmkuhl ("The Amazing Race"), Lucy Liu (God of Carnage), Julia Murney (Wicked), Christopher Sieber (Shrek The Musical), Rachelle Rak (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Andrew Rannells (Jersey Boys), Bruce Vilanch (Hairspray), Tony Award winner Lillias White (Fela) and Vanessa Williams (Sondheim on Sondheim). And here is a video recap of the night - with just a little warning: the images on the clip might not be safe for all offices, and one might need a cold shower when done.



For more on the event, including some great pictures, check out BroadwayWorld.Com. For more on Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, click here. You can also make a donation to the group by clicking here.

SIRPAUL Says Hello to You!

Saturday night, I hit the town to see SIRPAUL in concert, along with my niece Mandy, and friend and blogger Rickey Yaneza. The show was outrageously good, and I will get to that in another post very soon. But in the meanwhile, here are some pictures and video Rickey graciously took after the show.



Yes, that is you he is talking to, dear readers. I will have more on the show of this talented, sweet, and handsome man soon, I promise. Such a great night!

Sunday Morning with Kristin Chenoweth

Hey, I know I just posted about Ms. Chenoweth last Monday, (if you missed it, click here) but there was a few videos I was dying to use that I just didn't have the room for - there was so much good music from which to choose! So, without further ado, here is Kristin Chenoweth singing The Girl in 14G. Her vocal abilities are most definitely on display, and are amazing. The song can be found on her 2000 album Let Yourself Go, which you should rush out to buy!



From the same album, you can also find If You Hadn't But You Did. The song was originally from the 1951 musical Two On The Aisle.



And here she is singing Glitter And Be Gay from Leonard Bernstein's brilliant operetta, Candide.

Two Concerts in Two Countries

I mentioned in an earlier post I would be in New York City tonight at a concert, drinking in the music of SIRPAUL. I have been a fan for several years, collecting & loving his music, so it was a big thrill to interview him a while ago. The following are short clips of SIRPAUL performing from several years ago. Enjoy this partial clip of SIRPAUL singing Carry You Home.



However, I haven't seen him perform live, at least until tonight. So I have had these tickets for a couple of months, and just ecstatic. Not only am I getting to see him live, I will also be meeting him after the show! He has been so gracious and fantastic so far, this is just pure bonus. Here is a short clip of him performing the song Thrust.



At the same time, Theo Tams will be live at a show in Toronto. When Theo first announced he had a show coming up, I tweeted him to say if it was any day but the 26th, I would be there. Oh, well, best laid plans.



I still wanna see this boy live at some point, but he is soon taking off for some shows in the UK. I am hoping to catch him soon when he returns! Until then, enjoy this clip of of Theo's acoustic performance of I'm Gonna Say.



Here's hoping everyone will have a great time tonight, not only those in the audience, but also these two performers, as well as anyone else putting their music and soul out there on a Saturday night!

Doctor Who - Vincent & The Doctor

Tonight you can catch the 9th episode of the new Doctor, Vincent & Me, on BBC America, 9PM/8PM Central. In this episode, we watch as the Doctor is taking Amy on special trips, helping her get over the death of her fiancee, Rory. The odd thing is, she doesn't really remember the death, or even Rory, for he was eaten by the crack in the universe, but he is trying to cheer her up. So they go to a museum in France, and the Doctor notices sometime odd about one of the paintings of Vincent van Gogh, and decides to travel back to talk to him. So off in the TARDIS they go.





So they travel to 1890 France, and find a somewhat broken and disheartened man. Seems there have been several brutal murders and some of the villagers believe Vincent, with his crazy ways, brought this to the community. He insists this is not true, but that he can see the monster responsible for the deaths, even if no one else can. Vincent draws the monster, and the Doctor and one of his concocted machines identifies it as a Krafayis, a predator who travels in packs. Vincent is pleased the Doctor knows what it is, but is really entranced by Amy, identifying with a deep pain and anguish in her, even if she doesn't see it herself.





The trio go off to find the Krafayis, even though it brings a sadness to Vincent once he realizes once they do, his new friends will be on their way again, leaving Vincent alone. How will it end? Guess you better watch to find out. Can the Doctor stop the Krafayis, help Vincent understand his value as an artist, and keep Amy from from the pain of remembering Rory? To check out Doctor Who on the web, click here. And watch the trailer below.

Friday Night Party - Casey Stratton

Photos by Terry Johnston

Back on May 20th, singer/songwriter Casey Stratton had a live show at the Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Not only was it recorded to be made available for purchase, it was also taped for a future DVD release. The concert was sold out, as Michigan came out to support their talented native son. One of his popular songs is Blood, from the 2004 release Standing At The Edge.



He also performed I Fall Again, a song from the Memories & Photographs album release last fall. The gorgeous ballad is just intoxicating to me.



You can purchase a download of the concert here. I did, and it sounds fantastic, and covers Casey's music from the start of his recording career to the present. I look forward to purchasing the DVD soon!

Then And Now - Train

The band made up of the core trio of vocalist Patrick Monahan, guitarist Jimmy Stafford and drummer Scott Underwood first got together in 1994, and have been making music ever since. They've had five major label releases, the latest being Save Me, San Fransisco, the late 2009 release that spawned their latest single, Hey, Soul Sister. The album followed a three year hiatus for the band, who wanted to take time for family and friends after several hectic years launching their major label career. The light and frothy pop tune is a departure from their previous hits, which had more of an anthem feel to them. It scored #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Pop charts, as well as #1 on the Hot Adult Top 40 chart.



Although they had a self-titled release in 1998, it was the 2001 album Drops of Jupiter and the title song that brought them to the attention of many. The song also earned the band 2 Grammy Awards for "Best Rock Song" and "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)". While speculation was rampant about the lyrics, singer/lyricist Monahan says he was inspired by the death of his mother for the lyrics, although the interpretation of them have led to many odd trails.



In 2003 Train returned to the top of the charts with Calling All Angels, the first release from the album My Private Nation. Again the band found themselves on top of the Hot Adult Top 40 chart, and peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at #19.



For more on the band, check out their official website here. In 2007, vocalist Pat Monahan released a solo album, Last of Seven, to favorable reviews and a couple of Adult Contemporary hits. You can check out his official website here.