Broadway for Everyone

I'm going to give everyone here a big tip right now, so listen up.

If you buy one musical soundtrack this year, make it SPRING AWAKENING.
If you find yourself in New York and can only see one show, see SPRING AWAKENING.
If you think you don't like musicals, watch the video I've posted below, or at least listen to only the music. I promise, this is an amazing show.
Music by Duncan Shiek....sure, his solo career hasn't been amazing, but this is some very well written music. Give it a try.



www.springawakening.com

Thursday Thirteen #14: Pet Peeves

Thirteen Pet Peeves that I have....

1. People who chew with their mouths open/chew loudly
When I'm sitting across from you, I don't want to see what's in your mouth. When I'm sitting next to you, I don't want to hear every sloppy gloppy piece of whatever you're chewing. (Loud foods like chips and nuts excluded, but if I can hear you chewing soup, STOP!

2. Bad Time Management
Am I seriously the only person who understands this concept?

3. Unreliable people who don't understand why you're frustrated with them
Also falling into this catagory: Unreliable people who want you to trust them with big jobs.

4. Actors who don't appreciate the technical people/aspects of a show they're in
I quote an actor walking into rehearsals for 24 Hour Theatre "I don't understand why they [The Lighting Designers/Techs] are always messing with the lights...it always looks the same..." Little did he know, but there were no lights in the studio less than 24 hours ago. The techs had to take all the lights down, re-hang, re-wire, and re-focus the entire plot in approximately 12 hours...or there wouldn't have been a 24 Hour Theatre.

5. Techs who don't respect actors.
There are a lot of really talented people out there, and we need to work together to produce good theatre. People will only sit through a few Light Shows in their lifetime.

6. People moving the thermostat
65 Degrees is the temperature we can afford...so stop moving it! $400 DTE bills are getting annoying!

7. Single-Issue voters
Around election time, I get pretty worked up about this. Don't base your entire voting on one issue, educate yourself!

8. Heelys in public places
I'm sure they're fun. I can bet that if I was 12 I'd want a pair, but letting your kid run rampant in a packed mall with them is unsafe. Around the holidays at the mall in Florida, I almost got hit 4 times!



9. People who listen to only show tunes
Now, I love some musicals, and I listen to them fairly often....but how anyone could listen to ONLY showtunes, is beyond me. There's so much good music that has been produced for hundreds of years, to ignore it is awful. I might even say that someone who pigeon-holes themself into only one genre of music, no matter what genre, is wrong!

10. Talking loudly in class
If you have to talk, whisper! I don't need to hear about how you were "soooooo wasted" last weekend, or about that rash you have and don't know who/what/where you got it.

11. PC users bashing Macs, when they've obviously never used one...
for an extended period of time. I'm sorry, but Macs make sense. Want to burn stuff onto a CD? put the CD in, drag the files onto the icon, and click burn. On a PC you have to have burning software. Once the software loads, you have to sort through menus to get to your files. Click the files, then after a few more hoops you're ready to burn. I'll pass. Macs aren't the devil. Sit with one for a few hours, and you'll figure that out.

12. People who pass gas loudly and don't apologize
I have someone I know who is notorious for this. He/She is actually known for it among my friends since he/she tends to pass gas very very loudly while only a few people around, and never even acknowledges it! At least apologize! We know you did it!

13. Creep-tastic Myspace!
I have a Myspace...and I'm not a huge fan. There are so many creep-tastic people on there (men and women) and I can't deny their requests enough. I have denied some of these guys/girls upwards of 5 times and they still keep requesting me. On top of that, I receive random messages a lot too. It's just gross sometimes. I'll stick with Facebook.

Shout Out: David Bowie

I'm giving a shout out to David Bowie today for his awesome performance in The Prestige!



Bowie plays Nikola Tesla, who helps Hugh Jackman's character develop a new magic trick. The role of Tesla is cool because he was a real scientist, and the role is written so that it shows what a bully Thomas Edison was to all other scientists who were inventing at the same time he was. Bowie is actually fairly impressive in this role, and I almost didn't recognize him at first. The film as a whole was awesome, so to have a gem like Bowie's cameo hidden in there is just an added bonus. If you need one reason to go see The Prestige, then David Bowie is it.

Thursday Thirteen #13: Movies

Thirteen Movies that Changed the Way I Looked at Films

1. City Lights
This is by far my favorite chaplin film. The entire blending of comedy and selfless love as the tramp does everything he can to help the blind girl pay for the operation, is brilliant. And then, an ending that just breaks your heart the way only Chaplin can. This movie truly defined craftsmanship as a film through plot, shots, and editing...and it was made 30+ years before most of the films on this list!

2. Star Wars (OT)
I saw the entire Star Wars Original Trilogy when they were re-released into theatres in the 90s completely remasterd. I immediately fell in love with (through my studies I've come to call) this brilliant Space-Western. George Lucas leads you along on the edge of your seat as you follow the farm boy, the princess, and the cowboy all over the galaxy. I still get excited watching the original trilogy! (Those other 3 movies Lucas just made?...well, lets just say I choose to ignore 80% of what happened there)

3. Shampoo
I really enjoy Warren Beatty as an actor, and my freshman year at Michigan I watched Shampoo for my film history class. I think that this film is the first one to truly break my heart more than City Lights did. The entire movie is set up as a wonderful romantic comedy, and by the end you really want things to turn out right for Beatty's character, but the plot has better ideas. After viewing Shampoo I was a little angry, I'd felt robbed of a great romantic comedy, but really it was all still there. The ending isn't what defines a great RomCom, it's the soul of the movie, the content, the jokes, and the believablity of the characters. I think RomComs are failing as a Genre now because they've lost a lot of their soul and believability.

4. Annie Hall
I could have filled this entire list with Woody Allen's work. As a writer/director, he's had a huge effect on me, and it's hard to pick just one movie to include on this list. I think Annie Hall truly encapsulates everything I love about Woody's work. It contains two deliciously flawed individuals trying to love eachother eventhough the drive eachother crazy. In the end, I always root for them to be together...because who else could they end up with? So many scenes shine in the film, and it all works so perfectly.

5. The Godfather
I & II are brilliant, III is....well, it's Godfather III. The Godfather is a cinematic masterpiece, and it still amazes me. I read a draft of the screenplay this past summer, and even on paper, the movie is riveting. I get chills from some of the dialogue, and I'm entertained by how many people don't know the fun fact that the horse head was actually real! No other crime drama will ever live up to this film, but I also think the genre of family-relationship dramas has been forever changed too. No other "black-sheep coming into his own" story has ever compared to that of Michael's.

6.Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
My favorite "Buddy Film" ever! Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer are brilliant as a con-man and a gay-PI trying to solve a crime, and almost failing. A great script gives both of these actors great material to work with, and the plot puts them through the ringer. If you haven't seen it yet--GO GET IT. It was my favorite film of 2005.

7. Harold & Maude
Where to begin with Harold & Maude? This film made me think twice about every other teen relatioship movie I'd seen. Harold is one of the most brilliant characters ever in film, with his suicide "attempts" every 5 minutes, and his hearse-porche hybrid, it's non-stop brilliance. His relationship with Maude is heart warming and disturbing, but makes sense in some way. As an audience member, you end up rooting for Harold a lot, and so his happiness around Maude is welcomed, and Maude's death is great cinema.

8. The Company
Robert Altman was a truly brilliant man, and this film is awesome. Neve Campbell wrote and developed the film herself, and her performance is great, both acting and dancing. The cinematography and choreography work together to make a gorgeous product. What I really love is how conflict is not forced upon the audience. The simple conflicts of the dance world, the relationship world, and the job world are beautiful, while the threat of injury (temporary or permanent) is always hanging over the dancers' head.

9. When Harry Met Sally
The friends-turned-lovers comedy has never been the same since When Harry Met Sally was released, the same has been true for how I approach this genre ever since I saw "WHMS". There are too many moments to meantion, but I will say that it has forever changed how I say "Pecan Pie."

10. The Producers
Let's just say I was more than a little obsessed with The Producers in high school. I loved this movie way before the musical was even rumored to be in pre-production. I stumbled upon the film during a Mel Brooks movie marathon one day. I've always been a fan of "Get Smart" so my dad reccomended the Producers, and I've been addicted ever since. Gene Wilder completely redefined the perfect character actor for me after watching this film.

11. Chaplin
This is the perfect Biopic by far. Robert Downey Jr. was definitely robbed of the Oscar in 1992, because his performance was superb. I was also impressed by how accurate most of the film was. Sure, there were some liberties taken with Chaplin's childhood, but it was quite impressive. Well done!

12. Singin' In the Rain
I was trying to think of another movie musical that truly changed the way I approached the genre, and it always came back to this one. The film even makes the best out of the lame tradition of a ballet sequence in classic musicals. With two great leads and a fabulous supporting cast I'm sure this movie could have survived even the worst of scripts...but luckily the book and the music are also wonderful.

13. Snakes on a Plane
Yeah, that's right, Snakes on a Plane had a profound effect on me. I've studied silent cinema for a long time, and a little known fact is that silent movie halls were far from silent, there was music, but the audience also participated. The audience would boo, cheer, clap, and yell whenever the plot called for it, and these Nickelodeons were a community event, a place where people came together and enjoyed themselves. No other movie have I seen in the theatre that recreated the Community Event experience than Snakes on a Plane. I had so much fun, and it truly made me reevaluate how I experience movie-going.

Life Lessons Learned in Wisconsin

My week in Wisconsin was eventful! The Michigan Theatre Dept. represented itself well, taking home an honorable meantion and the Gold in Stage Management, and honorable meantion in scenic design, and a spot as an alternate for Lighting Design.

Here's what I learned while in Wisconsin:

1. The Cheese Cake Factory makes INTENSE salads...


(My roommate, Stephen, with his intense-garnish-salad)

2. A Chicken can hook up a sound system in under 5 minutes...


(Taken during the Tech Olympics)

3. Wisconsin supposedly loves cows...but these were the only ones I could find!


(The cows behind Kopp's Ice Cream Parlor)

4. I know who the first mayor of Milwaukee was...Juneau?


(My friends standing with the mayor himself, Mr. Juneau.)

5. The old Pabst factory is the coolest looking complex of buildings ever...


(The Pabst factory!)

Going BLUE in Wisconsin!

I'm in the land of hopes and CHEESE all week for the Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival for a friendly Stage Management competition.

First impressions:
1. There needs to be a tunnel connecting Michigan with Wisconsin. Seriously. A SIX hour drive? please.
2. There are a lot of annoying theatre people staying in our hotel. Hopefully they're not up late.
3. Free wireless internet in hotel rooms is awesome
4. People can't drive. This is just in general. Go back to class!
5. This is going to be an awesome weekend
6. University of Michigan Theatre RULES!

Thursday Thirteen #12: Advice

Thirteen things I would like the youth of today to know

1. Radio
There is more music than what you hear on the radio everyday, explore it.

2. Get involved with the arts!
Even if you can't draw a straight line with a ruler, or couldn't act to save your life, get involved with the arts! Whether you're making the art, or appreciating it, jump in with both feet. If you think art is boring--change it yourself, make something you think is awesome!

3. Classic Movies
School yourself, kids! Turner Classic Movies is amazing, and you should definitely learn who Carey Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, are as soon as possible. (Photo from Bringing Up Baby

4. "Best" Friends
I've seen too many arguements in middle school, high school, and even college start over someone naming different people their "Best" Friend. Don't limit your friendships, value each friend the same as another.

5. "Punk Rawk"
Blink 182, Good Charlotte, Avril Lavigne, Sum 41, etc etc etc...are not punk rock. They're pop-rock. Do not assume that they are punk, just because they shop at Hot Topic.

6. The DaVinci Code
It's fiction. Using it as hard evidence for the Bible's inaccuracy is like using Spider-Man as a medical refrence on the effect of spider bites.

7. Older music doesn't suck
Classic rock, oldies, rockabilly, classical, they don't suck. There would be none of the music that's popular today without them. (Photo is of the Rockabilly band The Living End)

8. Appreciate your parents
Even if they drive you crazy, appreciate your parents, most are just trying to love you the best way they know how. If you take them for granted, you'll regret it later. As someone who lost a parent as a teenager, I know how precious time with your parents is.

9. Silent Movies
Silent movies are what started it all, and once you watch some, you can see where today's cinema came from. I love to see comedies now, and find all the gags that were recycled from the silent greats.

10. Take time for yourself
Going from school, to cell phone, to instant messenger and email, to text messaging can slowly overwhelm you. Be sure to give yourelf some time to relax without friends and distractions. Allow yourself to just sit and listen to music, read, exercise, or sleep.

11. Name Brands
Does paying $30 for a badly made Tshirt make absolutely no sense to only me? The latest trends are taken from the people who don't shop at Abercrombie or Hollister, so try shopping elsewhere.

12. Find a spirituality that works
You don't need to be "born again," however, find a religion that you identify with. Explore the great thinkers in religious thought, and make an informed decision. I'm catholic because I want to be, not because someone told me to, or because that's what my parents are. Having an uniformed religious life, is just as effective as an uniformed political life.

(Oops for forgetting #13!)
13. Sleep
Get some sleep! A lot of "attitude problems" could probably be solved with an extra hour of sleep or so during the school week. I always needed 8 hours in high school. Find what works for you, and try harder to meet your needs!

SHOUT OUT!

I'm giving a BIG Shout Out to my friend and author Colleen Gleason today!

Her book The Rest Falls Away is being released today, and I'm giving it a big &hearts &hearts &hearts &hearts &hearts! After finishing the book this weekend, I found it incredibly exciting, and definitely a page turner. Coming from me this is surprising for most people, since I tend to read comedic novels, and non-fiction, and this is a historical vampire serise. So, I'm proud to say that I think anyone can enjoy the book. Featuring a sassy female lead, and stellar plot, I was hooked from page one.

Go get your copy today!

Collen's official website is www.colleengleason.com, and she blogs at www.colleengleason.blogspot.com

Top 10 of 2006

Ladies and Gentlemen, here is my list of the top 10 things that happened (to me) in 2006

(These are in no particular order)

1. Stage Managed my first University of Michigan Mainstage production
I stage managed The Pajama Game and now I'm taking my work to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in two weeks! Exciting!

2. Moved out of my Parent's house
I'm all on my own in Ann Arbor in my big beautiful house!

3. Started working for OLGC Lifeteen band
Technically I started in November 2005, but 2006 was my first full year with Good Counsel. I love everday I go to work.

4. Life on the Road
OLGC sent me to Ohio for a Life on the Road conference. I learned a lot and had a great time working with and hearing from so many talented Catholic musicians.

5. Painted a Mural

My blood, sweat, and tears went into this mural, and I love seeing it every week.

6. Asst. Stage Managed 3 operas
3 operas at once. Never before attempted by the University of Michigan...and never again. It was tough coordinating all 3 operas, while keeping 3 casts and a very thinly spread director at bay.

7. Worked for Steppingstone School as a camp counselor
It was fun working with kids all summer!

8. Learned how to skateboard
I've always wanted to, and now I can!

9. Became a member of the OLGC Lifeteen College Core
We ran the Lifeteen program all summer, planning life nights, meeting with teens, inventing games, hosting events, it was all in our hands. I made some really good friends through college core.

10. Harry and the Potters @ the Blind Pig

One of the best concerts I've ever been to.

What's your top 10?

Returned from Sunny Florida!

Yes, I've returned from my 9 day trip to beautiful Florida!

My family and I spent a night at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando, which is by far the best hotel ever created. I was in Rock N Roll heaven, wandering around the floors of the HRH looking at the memorabilia, especially the Gingerbread Graceland that I found (That's my pic of it! It's AMAZING!) What's great about the HRH is they're a incredibly nice hotel, while still being down to earth. All of the bell hops, desk help, and even the waiters are funny, and helpful. One of the best parts about staying at the HRH is that if you show your room key when you get in line on any of the rides in Universal studios or Islands of Adventure, you get to go in the Express Lane! I rode some great rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and my sister and I still agree that Earthquake is still the most fun.

After Orlando, my family drove down to our time share in Hollywood Beach, Florida. Hollywood Beach is the french quarter, with a full "Broad-Walk" (It's not a boardwalk, since it's not elevated...So the pool attendant claimed). There are plenty of restraunts and shops, and a full beautiful beach to enjoy.

Over all, it was a wonderful christmas time!

Thursday Thirteen #11: Classes

Thirteen Classes I've enjoyed in my 5 semesters at The University of Michigan (and 2 half semesters)

1. Theatre Pedagogy
The wonderful Dr. EJ Westlake led this 4 person class on teaching theatre, and using theatre as a teaching tool. I learned so much and had a lot of fun. With only 4 people in the whole class, we had some very good discussions on how theatre should be taught and what we've learned through observation.

2. History of American Film
The film department no longer offers this class, but I thought it was awesome. We went from Edison's black mariah films all the way up to today's industry. I got to see movies like The Gold Rush, Night of the Living Dead, Shaft, It Happened One Night, and Shampoo up on the big screen and talk about film history---a subject I personally love.

3. Set Design 3
Considering I was the only person who showed up for every class (and on time too!) I enjoyed this class. I feel like I'm really growing as a designer, and it's fun to see my class mates improve so much also.

4. Intro to Stage Management
Considering there's no Advanced Stage Management class at UMich, I'd have to list this one. I loved learning about the field hands on and in the classroom. No one can teach a class like Nancy Uffner.

5. The Screenplay as Literature
I took this class during the spring half-term. It kicked my butt, since I was working part-time too, but I kept up with the reading. I learned that the Godfather's script is much different than the movie, that the screenplay of Star Wars sucked, and that Harold and Maude is amazing.

6. Intro to Design
This is the class where all the freshman designers get their feet wet. Featuring projects like: pasting macaroni to paper, painting a hat, making shoe box models (aka diaramas), drawing/painting characters from The Snow Queen....wait, was that College or Second Grade?

7. Theatre History 2
After suffering through a semester of theatre history I didn't care about, I finally got to the real meat of what interested me in theatre history. We read some great plays, and the professor led some good discussions. Mostly, I liked my group's final project, where we presented 2 minutes from Twilight Los Angeles: 1992 as a battle rap.

8. Communications 101
Another spring half-term class, this one was pretty cool. Basically, we talked about media, and how the world interacts with it, how technology has changed everyday life and how media is created, etc. The professor was a little crazy, but she was super nice and understood that all of us were working and taking other classes at the same time, so she was really flexible.

9. Intro to Technical Theatre
The best part of this class was the professor, because Gary Decker is amazing.

10. Rendering
This class taught me to draw, paint, and approach design well. The projects were challenging, but I enjoyed doing them. My portfolio is awesome now!

11. Intro to Information Science
From the name, it looks boring, right? And I admit, that I took this class purely to fulfill my Social Science graduation requirement, but I will also admit that this class was really interesting. The flow of information is complex and confusing, but I understand it now. Also, how we gather and store information has evolved a lot over the last few decades. The lectures were amazing, so I always showed up...even though the Professor podcasted the lectures. I've been pleasantly surprised by most of my non-theatre classes, and this one takes the cake for the most surprising.

12. Scenic Painting Lab
I spent 45 hours in the paint shop for this One Credit practicum, but I'd rather spend it there than anywhere else.

13. Musicology
I love music history, so studying music from Bach to the Beatles was right up my alley.

Pics are of projects I did in some of my classes. First is my Waiting Room set design, second is my Snow Queen scene, and last is my rendering final project

Thursday Thirteen #10: Sufjan Stevens

My Thirteen FAVORITE songs off of Sufjan Stevens' album Songs for Christmas


The Michigan native Singer/Songwriter, Sufjan Stevens, has been earning acclaim for many years now for his one-of-a-kind music. Sufjan has recently been in the spot light because of his mission to record an album dedicated to each of the 50 States. Already tackling Michigan and Illinois (IL got 2 albums, technically), Sufjan has released a 5 CD box set for Christmas. Songs For Christmas started as a simple tradition that Sufjan started, by quickly recording Christmas EPs for his friends and family, and the following box set is the result of 5 years worth of EPs. The production quality improves with each disc/year, but Sufjan's original approach and heart-felt delivery of each song brings new meaning to many christmas classics. Sufjan also supplies brand new Christmas songs that are infused with his creativity and humor. The following list is a very small selection of the 2 hours of sonic bliss that I promise you will experience while listening to these albums.


1. Holy, Holy, Holy (Disc 5 version)

2. Get Behind Me, Santa!

3. The Little Drummer Boy

4. Angels We Have Heard On High

5. The Incarnation

6. O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Disc 1 Version)

7. Star of Wonder

8. Ding! Dong!

9. Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming

10. Only At Christmas Time

11. Once In Royal David's City (Disc 5 Version)

12. Christmas in July

13. The Winter Solstice

Concert Review: Ben Taylor @ Borders

Ben Taylor featuring Sonya Kitchell and David Saw
Friday, December 1, 2006
Ann Arbor-Downtown Borders

Ann Arbor's 107one, local radio station, has a feature on their station called Studio A2, where they have national artists perform and get interviewed. Last year they started doing Studio A2 ON THE ROAD at the downtown borders. This was an interesting event, since it was technically just a live radio interview, that just happened to be at Borders.

For those of you who don't know, Ben Taylor is the son of James Talyor and Carly Simon. I first saw Ben when he was on tour with his mom as the opening act. He immediately blew me away with his great acoustic guitar lines, brilliant lyrics, and his voice sounds exactly like his father! After seeing him that one time, I became addicted to his album "Another Run Around The Sun" and was hoping he would come back to the Ann Arbor area. A year later, he finally returned! Unfortunately I couldn't go to his concert at the Ark, but 107one set up this great in-store appearance.


The set up was incredibly simple, just 3 stools, the sound equipment, and a backdrop. I was really impressed with how good everything sounded eventhough the venue isn't suited for this kind of performance.

Finally, between the cookbooks and coffee shop, Ben, Sonya, and David appeared from behind the backdrop and were introduced by the local radio personality. Sonya Kitchell performed her song "No Matter What" first, which had a great guitar line, lyrics, and featured her voice really well. David Saw accompanied her on guitar, and Ben provided back-up vocals.

I was completely floored to find out during the radio that Sonya was only 17 years-old! She says that "[I] was born, and started singing." She was raised in a very creative household, since her parents are both visual aritist, and they have always been supportive of her music career and her dreams.

After the brief interview with Sonya, Ben played a new song called "Wicked Way," which was a really witty song that immediately had the crowd laughing and clapping at his lyrics. The song will hopefully be on his next album, which “About...0%” has been recorded, according to Ben.

Once the song was over, Ben talked about growing up as the son of James Taylor and Carly Simon. Their advice to him was to always remember that "music is blue collar; don't be fooled that everything is glamorous." He took this to heart, understanding that his parents came from a time when it was much easier to be successful in the music bussiness, and that the industry has changed a lot since they started.

Sonya played one more song live on the air for the radio audience, which had a very sophisiticated melody, and wonderful lyrics. David and Ben both played guitar, and their strumming/picking styles blended very well together. Unfortunately, the song hasn’t been recorded yet, and probably won’t be any time soon, since she’s touring in Europe in the spring, and will be unable to get any recording done until the fall of 2007.


Ben played one more song for the in-store audience, which is one of my favorite songs off of Another Run Around the Sun, called “Ghost”. Ben apologized to the audience, since he had flown from Dublin the night before and on top of that he was pretty sick, so he was afraid he sounded terrible. But honestly, I thought he sounded great!

Over all, I thought the morning was really fun, and this intimate setting made me enjoy it all the more. I hope that next time Ben comes through town I’ll be able to see a full concert of his!

Welcome to the NEW Cosmic Kid!

I spent all sunday night re-building this wonderful blog, and I for one, think it turned out beautifully. Featuring my own photography in the background, and some improvements on a stock blogger template, I came up with this.

Hopefully this week I'll finish my concert review of Ben Tayor's in-store acoustic set at Borders, and an awesome new Thursday Thirteen.

Next week, I'll have a book review, and my Favorites for the Month of December!

See you around,

The Cosmic Kid

Thursday Thirteen: Trapped on an Island

Thirteen Albums I'd want to have with me if I was trapped on an island


1. Rent-Original Motion Picture Cast Recording (Delux Edition)

2. Bruce Springsteen-The Wild & The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle

3. U2-Best of 1980-1990

4. Beastie Boys-To the Five Burrows

5. Elvis Costello-North

6. Dashboard Confessional-The Swiss Army Romance

7. Jack's Mannequin-Everything In Transit

8. Bruce Springsteen-Live 1975-1985




9. Joni Mitchell-Blue

10. Radiohead-OK Computer

11. Wicked-Broadway Cast Recording




12. The Who-Ultimate Collection


13. Ted Leo-Shake the Sheets




On a Side note: Go buy Sufjan Stevens' Album Songs for Christmas if you want to hear some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard! If you buy this box set and can't find at least one song that you like, I will buy the CD back from you.

Thursday Thirteen: About Me

Thirteen Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Cosmic Kid

1. I Skateboard
I may not skateboard well, but I do skate. I learned this summer and absolutely love it. I especially like riding through the theatre building since it has all concrete floors!

2. I have 5 roommates
Luckily we live in a 6 bedroom house, or we'd probably hate eachother. I love them all!

3. I have the same job now that I had in High School
In high school I started music ministering in Freshman year. By the end of Sophomore Year I'd taken over the Music Ministry and was running it by myself. My friend Chris was the campus minister and he coordinated all of the other complicated aspects of the mass. Today, I work as a music minister for a church in Plymouth, MI, and Chris is an Associate Youth Minister........AT THE SAME CHURCH! Kind of funny how that works out, eh?

4. I hate Keanu Reeves
I would rather watch paint dry than Keanu Reeves act in a movie. I have never seen any of the Matrix movies because of this.

5. I have a paranoid hamster
I've had this hamster for a few months, and he refuses to be handled. He's warming up to me, since I give him treats and let him run in his hamster ball, so I'm hoping he'll let me hold him soon. However, the other day he barricaded himself inside of the "cool petting zone" portion of his cage by filling the tube that connects it to the main chamber with bedding. The next morning it was all gone, but I can't help but worry that he thinks someone's out to get him....

6. I went to my first concert at age 5
Maybe I was 4, but I'm positive it was before my sister was born when I was six. I went and saw Fred Penner LIVE with my too-cool-for-school parents. I'm pretty sure it was at the Fox in detroit too....very classy.

7. I adore Hockey
I love hockey and I love living in hockeytown! If there hadn't been a 2.5 year waiting list for the girl's league near my house I probably would have played. GO WINGS!

8. I listen to the Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys is the only kind of rap that I can stand, mostly because they don't take themselves too seriously, and they have fun with their music. I honestly couldn't care how many chains and "b*tches" the dime-a-dozen rap stars have today. Give me some Beastie rhythms and I'll be a happy camper.

9. I am addicted to Podcasts
Now that I've discovered that NPR podcasts Wait Wait Don't Tell Me and This American Life I've found even more addicting podcasts and listen to them religiously!

10. I have only pulled one full all-nighter in college
I don't know how I've managed it, but I've only had to have one full-on all nighter after 2.5 years at the University of Michigan. Sure, I've gone to class on 4 hours of sleep, but that's not a huge deal. After my all-nighter, I seriously wanted to die. I'd stayed up to finish my History of Dress source book on the 1970s. Not only that, but I then had to DRIVE on the freeway, in rush hour morning traffic to get to class on time! I was the most dangerous person on the road that day. I got a B+ on the project though, which is outstanding since the prof never gives good grades to non-costume design students.

11. I don't drink
As a 20 year-old Junior in college, I have participated in some crazy things, but I am proud to say that drinking isn't one of them. I have nothing against drinking--legally, and in moderation. The main reason I don't drink is because it seems like such a hassle, to have to worry about geting a MIP (Minor in Posession), or worrying about what I did last night. I have plenty of fun perfectly sober. Oh, and have I meantioned I hate drunk people? I do. I can't stand to be around them at parties, at concerts, at sporting events...they ruin my night if they're really bad. I just don't want to be that person. So, I can honestly say that the only alcohol I've ever had has only come after the word "Amen"

12. I greatly dislike Steve Angrisano
Angrisano is a christian music artist, who is used by a lot of churches who have bought into his "Youth Oriented" music. I don't like Angrisano, mostly because his music is really boring and overdone and his lyrics are lame. I honestly thing that Angrisano sits down with the task to write a song that youth will like, but it doesn't work like that, because if you write that way then it comes off as forced. There are plenty of musicians who are making christian music that youth really respond to, without being boring. If you set out to make good music for God first, and then look for your audience, then you won't be shoving a square peg in a round hole all the time.

13. I've been entered in a National Contest
I've been entered in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival's Stage Management contest. I get to spend a week in Wisconsin participating in the contest in January. I have to make a display for the Pajama Game, which I SM'ed in October, and then have a panel interview about the show and my experience as a stage manager. I'm also entering a set design in the "paper project" contest (which means the design never actually happened). It's going to be pretty exciting.

Thursday Thirteen: Posters

So, I'm going out tonight...and today is Thanxgiving, so I'll be posting this now. Sorry it's not themed for the holiday...I wrote it in advance for times like these



Thirteen Posters I Have Hanging In My House

1. A 1989 Promotional poster for the University of Michigan Theatre Dept.
This poster is amazing! With a really cheesy picture and a list of faculty that is incredibly out of date, this thing will be worth something some day!

2. Charles Chaplin's The Kid
I've seen a lot of posters for The Kid, but none like the one I have. It's chaplin holding the baby he has just found abandoned, and a policeman stands over chaplin. The picture is beautiful, with so much emotion passing between chaplin and the baby, but the policeman brings humor to it. They don't make posters like that anymore.

3. Harry and the Potters-Summer Reading and Rocking Tour 2006
Great art, great band, GREAT concert! I had to get this poster to remember the night by, especially since the picture is AWESOME, it could be the poster for the next book, really.

4. Bruce Springsteen-Born to Run
When you're as big a fan as I am, you've got to have this iconic poster somewhere in your house!

5. The Who
My favorite picture of the who is the photo of the band sleeping underneath a huge union jack. I found a poster of it this fall, and now it hangs proudly above my bed. They're so peaceful when they're sleeping!

6. James Dean
My roommate and I are huge fans of James Dean, so we've got two posters of him hanging in our breakfast nook. One is a nice head shot, and the other is James walking down Broadway in the rain, huddled into his coat. It's a gorgeous shot.

7. SNAKES ON A PLANE!
The best movie of the summer has the best poster too. This one is rare too, since they used the snakes wrapped around a plane logo for all the official posters.

8. Action Action
The pink/green sceme of Action Action's album "Don't Cut Your Fabric to This Year's Fashion" is really cool, so the poster I have for it is double awesome.

9. Psalm 144:9
The psalm reads: "I will sing a new song to you, God. On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you." randomposters.com has an awesome poster for it with an electric guitar player on it, and the psalm superimposed over it, it's a great image.

10. John Lennon-Imagine

11. Rusmore
Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray hang proudly in our 2nd floor hallway.

12. Elvis Presley for President
Elvis for Prez and Nixon for VP in 2008! Get the vote out!

13. Promo poster for Apple's IPOD
This poster is really cool since it's one of the original promo cards. It says LIVE TONIGHT 5.2.03 on it, and has an ipod dramatically lit. It's pretty awesome