🎼10 Music Acts 🎤 That I Want A Broadway Musical From 🎭… Bonus Footage…

Hello Gentle Reader,

I am really pleased with the end result of my last series of posts. I have been asked about other artists that I love and why I skipped them or didn’t have so and so on the list. There were a few people that were initially on the list, but I wanted to narrow it down to just 10 because I am sure I could easily have made the list of 25 Music Acts…

So, in light of the questions, I wanted to add some answers to the people that should have been on the list but didn’t make my official list. Let’s go!

*Florence + The Machine – Once I finished focusing on the acts, I had to go through and see who would I like to see on Broadway in the 2021/22 season. This band was number 13. While I love how Florence Welch’s voice brings their songs to life, I think their songwriting style is totally suitable to musical theatre. If I were working on a project that was a modern historical fiction (60’s – 00’s), they would be the first people that I would run to.

*Lady Gaga – Like Panic!, I feel like it may only be a matter of time before this actually happens so she was number 15. What I would love to see and I think could be magical is for her to write the music for a fantastical fairy tale or tech heavy sci-fi story. But the fairy tale would be my first choice.

*Janelle Monae – She was number 11! If there is anyone I want to see a tech heavy sci-fi musical from it is her! She has such a unique sensibility and I think her use of organic and electronic music would give her an edge on this style.

*Beyonce’ – I didn’t have her on the list because with her “Black Is King” on Disney+, it is only a matter of time before Disney puts her show on Broadway. Official prediction: I am guessing 2024/25 season possibly sooner. Let’s see how that prediction holds up.

*Madonna – I love Madge. I really do even now. Were she in her Ray Of Light mindset or earlier, I would love to see her create some sort of underdog story with a strong female lead. At this time, I am not sure what she would make. I still enjoy her albums, but not in a storyteller kind of way. More like a I just want to dance or have some fun. I like the idea of the Madame X persona, but I feel like it lacks a focus because it is SO broad.

*Depeche Mode – They ended up being my number 12. I love these guys. Their sound has evolved and continues to mature. I feel like a blue collar story with some sort of big secret would best suit their sound.

*John Mellencamp – You know what I would LOVE to hear from him? I would love a growing up story about Jack and Dianne. What happened to them? Did they have a family and grow old together? Did he develop a substance abuse problem and it was up to her to keep the family together? SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!!!

*Shakira – Since her sound has a lot of world music influence, I feel like she would be the perfect person to add to a team working on a battle of the bands kind of musical. Her song stylings are quite diverse and with her experience, I think it could make for an amazing piece of art.

Well, Dear Reader, this is the group that didn’t make the list. Not for any reason other than there are just too many people to make top 10. Did I miss your favorite? Who was it? Let me know what act you would like to see.

Oh, I think it is great to mention, Lovely Reader Dana emailed me with the suggestion of The Decemberists making a musical based on their rock opera styled album Hazards of Love. I think that is a friggin’ brilliant idea and I am super bummed that I didn’t catch that! LOL. But that’s why we have a community, right? Great call, Dana!!!

Okay, Kind Reader, it is time to get back to the day’s tasks. Let me know in the comments if you agree with Fellow Reader Dana or to let me know who your favorites are.

Until next time, stay safe and alert and make sure you check in with your loved ones! Sending you love ❤️and light🕯!

A Lot Can Happen in 14 Days…

Dear Gentle Reader,

My how the last two weeks have flown by!

The Ghost Light Project was kicked off… It was announced that there are plans to cut funding to the National Endowments of the Arts and of Humanities… The circus is going to pack up the tent for the last time… A Chorus Line rehearsals have started to get intense… Went out dancing at the local Goth club… They call today super bowl Sunday (but I like to think of it as mini Gaga concert day)… welllll maybe the circus thing was a little longer than two weeks. I actually believe it happened before the Ghost Light Project.

I am not a big sports fan, so I watch “the big game” for the commercials because, well, they are like mini-mini movies and some of them are VERY clever, well done, or even moving. And when I say watch, I totally mean that I fast forward the game on DVR. 😀Then of course, there is my Gaga rocking out the halftime show! I was shocked that there was no Doritos commercial. Usually they have one of the best spots so it made me a wee bit disappointed. Maybe they aired it during the pregame time, but all that stuff doesn’t need any extra real estate on the DVR.

For the brief time that I have this evening, I just want to take a moment to talk about the GLP. Then later in the week I will write about some of the other things I mentioned.

Aaaannnd moving on…

Well, as I was doing my errands on January 19th, I just happened to find myself near the downtown San Jose area around the 5 o’clock hour, so I joined the party at the Hammer Theater. I was so jazzed because I thought this was going to be a big event based on the message it was sending. When I arrived, honestly, I was taken aback that the gathering was rather small. However, that being said, I do have to mention that the publicity was a bit on the down low.

After some opening remarks, there was some mingling, and sadly I use that term loosely, it was more like people keeping close to those that they knew. I was trying to find representatives of the other companies that are near the area but was having a really hard time. I was curious to know what plans the companies had for the GLP. I was surprised that this task was proving so difficult. Surprised and a little saddened. However, Dear Reader, I do have to have to say that one of the representatives for the Hammer Theater was a great host. I feel terrible that I lost the paper on which I had written her name. She was great at checking in with the guests that were there and making sure that everyone had a chance to fill out the GLP “I Am” pages, making small talk and offering up refreshments.

I did love all the “I Am” pages. It was a beautiful sight.

All of the pictures I took of the “I Am” pages had the same effect thanks to that doggone wonderful disco ball’s reflections, so the top is all wonky. So bummed about that. Sadly, the above is the best one that I can share. My “I Am” page said “I Am a son, brother, and husband. I Fight for the Arts, all of those that can’t fight, and Equality for ALL” (and based on that sentence, the Oxford comma. LOL)

There was a great little jazz combo from San Jose State University that was jamming in the corner. They were fantastic. On the first landing of the stairs that lead up to the balcony there was a ghost light and people could snap a shot of themselves with it, but I didn’t see many people taking up that offer. I did like the visual though.

Gentle reader, I so wish that I had been nearer to the Saratoga Theater so that I could attend the event with my friends there. I still have designs on finding out what the theaters in downtown are planning for the project. I also still want to talk about the circus and the NEA but those will have to wait for another time.

Did you celebrate the Ghost Light Project? If you were to fill out one of the “I Am” pages, what would you write? Oh, not sure what the “I Am” page is… well..

iamposter

Now that you know, what are you gonna write? Who do you fight for? Let me know in the comments below.

And until next time, Gentle Reader, I wish you a good night. I need to get to bed, I think learning the bows for A Chorus Line has left my personal tank on E.

Looking back through ’11 (Part 2)

PART 2

As I stated in Part 1, once we reach this point of the year, we tend to review the things we did during the year. Some people look back to see if they’ve accomplished any of the goals that they’ve set for themselves. Some look back in regret. Some people look back to learn from mistakes. Some, like me, do a combination of them.

I am not big on self-promotion. Call me shy. So I’ve never looked for accomplishments. I often review with a combination of regret and what did I learn. Of course, though, you already know this.

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April was a fabulous month! The main reason was because this was the month that we got to see Xanadu at The Retro Dome starring Adam Berry. It was such a wonderful campy and fun show that I loved every moment of it. I laughed until I was teary eyed. It was just so good! My only regret is that I didn’t see it more than once! It totally would have been worth it.

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May was a huge month! Somewhere in the end of 2007, I was watching “New, Now, Next” on Logo television. It was sort of like Mtv, but played most queer or queer-friendly artists. At the end of one episode, there came this song on and it made me want to dance. It was super catchy, and this cute little blonde girl was struttin’ her stuff. I was totally diggin’ it! In her, I saw a young Madonna and fell in love with her, just as I did Madonna. Of course, this young girl who was telling me to “Just Dance” was Lady Gaga. I’ve been a huge fan of hers and love the gumption this girl has to make it.

Store

Well, in May her long awaited 3rd album was released, and I had to get my hands on it. From the day I got it until about a week ago, I have had it living in my car’s cd player non-stop. I just find the poetry of the words magnetic. Music is deeply personal to everyone so some songs or music don’t mean the same things. This whole disc is something that I connect to in a way that I haven’t latched on to in a very, very long time. I’m considering writing a series of posts about the individual songs and why they speak so loudly to me.

But Gaga wasn’t the only thing happening this month, I took a ride up to Pacifica because my buddy Sam Valenzuela was working on a play that dealt with immigration and the things people do to try and live a better life. The play was called The Boxcar. It was a gripping account of a group of men that hitched a ride on a freight train to get into the US to work. This sadly was based on true events and all the men but one died on that train. If you ever get the chance to see it, please do.

The movie Bridesmaids stormed into theaters and killed at the box office. It is destined to become one of those favorites in a culty sort of way. It had an amazing cast that just played the parts to perfection. I regret that I don’t have that movie in my collection. Yet!

This was the first time that I caught a glimpse of the upcoming show SMASH and have been dying of anticipation for this show to start. I can’t believe that it’s only a few weeks away!!! Yippee!

Sadly, the amazing Arthur Laurents passed away in May as well. He was a youthful 93. He will be missed. The theatre world really lost a treasure.

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June was a surprise month for movies. I saw Super 8 and LOVED it. I wanted to love Green Lantern, because that is one of my favorite superheroes, but it wasn’t great. It was enjoyable, but not that WOW! that I was hoping it would be. I was a little devastated. I’m not gonna lie.

Anthony Wiener caves in and resigns after sending phone pics of his junk to some girl. The republicans were all huffy about it, but yet when one of their people gets caught hiring male escorts it’s not a big deal. Ugh, it was disgusting and I say do away with the lot of politicians and have regular people serve as the governing body of the nation for a year. Politicians are just making matters worse.

And I picked up my little novel again to re-read and strengthen the story and character building and the like. I still have yet to let people read it though. I regret not being on top of that better. Poor time management on my part. I’ll totally cop to that.

So how did you do on the second quarter of the year? I hope you’ve all accomplished what you set out to do. Things seem to be getting crazier as the year progressed. Do you agree? Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

Success Formula…

H [I(O + C) (F + P)] + T + K= S

Opportunities and Chances are only part of how one creates Success.

One may argue that Opportunity and Chances are one and the same. I think they are slightly different. The best way I can explain why I think they are different is like this: A Chance is like an audition. You are going into this with the same likelihood of success as the next person. So, let’s say you now have the part. You have to take advantage of this Opportunity to grow it into another either Chance or Opportunity.

This must be coupled by Fearlessness and Passion so strong that they complement each other rather than get in each other’s way.

The ability to be vulnerable is where Fearlessness comes into play. In theatre, being able to be completely open and honest requires that one must shed all their “normal” defense behaviors and habits that one has acquired in order to develop the thick skin they need for this business. When you combine Passion to Fearlessness, it definitely makes becoming vulnerable so much easier. When you are so Passionate about what you do, you are willing to do anything you need to do in order to increase your Success rate. But note, there is a fine line with Passion and the chance of overstepping is high. Take care that you treat everyone with integrity and respect.

Now, once you multiply those factors together you have to take Inspiration and magnify those figures which then creates Confidence.

I can’t stress how important it is that when the feeling of Inspiration strikes, you should honor it and create something. It doesn’t matter what it is. I created this post after watching the video above. Something about Lady Gaga just makes me want to either write or sew. Or sing. Since writing requires less set up and material, I chose it over sewing and I sing along with whatever is playing. But like I said it doesn’t really matter. It could be a quick sketch on a napkin. I have a beautiful inked one that I bought for a dollar while at a karaoke bar. See?

0514111302 — If you do something like this, have the Artist sign it!

Once you have your confidence number, multiply that with Heart.

No is a word that artistic people hear all the time. It’s incredibly hard to constantly be judged in order to make your dreams come true. Heart is the thing that is going to keep you driven. Just like your heart is the organ that is vital in sustaining life in your body, your Heart is going to keep you fighting to obtain your dreams. So when your tired of being shot down for not being/believing/looking/loving like the mainstream thinks you should, let your Heart help you to keep going and reaching down even when you think you have scraped the bottom of your resources. This will also be the way to judge what is wrong and right for you.

Next, you take your answer and add Talent to the mix. Now Talent comes in varying degrees as does all things, but if you are lacking in one area, you can make up for it in O, C, F, or P. Clearly, not everyone out there is that successful is Talented. For good measure, make sure you do your homework, Knowledge, and learn as much about your vocation of choice as you can since it will only help you. All of this equals Success.

And I wish you much Success!!

How to build character…

Dictionary.com defines character as the following: 1. the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing. 2. one such feature or trait; characteristic.

3. moral or ethical quality: a man of fine, honorable character. 4. qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity

In light of recent world events, this is how to build character: HELP THE JAPAN RELIEF EFFORT!

For those Lady Gaga lovers, like myself: Gaga designs a relief bracelet

or you can go the traditional route: Red Cross or Disaster Funding

For all you shoppers out there who need to show that you’ve donated to the cause: Cafe Press has some t-merchandise available

Your actions help to create who you are and the impact you have on those around you. Use that influence to do something good! I used to write “Help Me Do Good” everywhere. There’s never been a better time than now to help!

Thank you.