Insects, giant peach and amazing adventures. An amazing story written by Ronald Dahl. Trumbull High School has put in a lot of work and effort in the production of James and The Giant Peach. The cast and crew had the amazing opportunity to go to the local elementary schools and present this show to grades kindergarten to third. "It was really great to see such a young crowd enjoying this show" say one cast member. A few members of our youth board made their appearances in this high energy show! "It's bittersweet to see the show close, but it's time to find a adventure." Trumbull High School has its next show, Charley's Aunt which takes place in the 17th Century of a boy and pal who are trying to win the hand in marriage of two young women and the twist and turns of their efforts. The show has its opening next week November 13th and 14th at 7:00 pm.
By Andrea Alica
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Hair
This weekend at Ithaca they have there fall musical being performed. Their fall musical Hair takes place in the 60's and 70's and describes the bohemian life style in New York City at this time period. They have shows on November 7th at 8:00 and November 8th at 3:00. Although it may be a little bit of a drive for many it is definitely worth it because this school is a top school for many Seniors interested in getting into Theatre as a career. The performance is at 953 Danby Rd Ithaca, New York 14850.
By DJ Flam
By DJ Flam
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
REVIEW: Inside Out!
Saturday, I had the pleasure of seeing Pixar's newest animated film, Inside Out. It's like they said, "Hey, wanna have a film where feelings have feelings?" and out came this movie. However, I cannot give it enough praise. This movie didn't feel like a typical Pixar movie, such as Toy Story, Cars, or The Incredibles. But, I'll get to that later.
Here is the official summary of the film: "Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) is a happy, hockey-loving 11-year-old Midwestern girl, but her world turns upside-down when she and her parents move to San Francisco. Riley's emotions -- led by Joy (Amy Poehler) -- try to guide her through this difficult, life-changing event. However, the stress of the move brings Sadness (Phyllis Smith) to the forefront. When Joy and Sadness are inadvertently swept into the far reaches of Riley's mind, the only emotions left in Headquarters are Anger, Fear and Disgust."
 |
| The emotions of INSIDE OUT |
Here is the official trailer (Email viewers, click here: Trailer)
The movie was great! It got a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatos, and critics enjoyed it so much. I loved it, and the friend that I saw it with loved it too. In all honesty, this will win the award for Best Animated Feature Film at the Oscars this year.
It seemed like they made a movie that wasn't just for the kids. In fact, I would say this movie was geared more towards the adults than geared towards kids. There were some parts that just hit us home, because we've been through this. There is something called The Memory Dump, and anything that goes in there is forgotten forever. Memories that seem important at the time go there and are forgotten. In the film, one of those was 3 years of piano. In some parts, you wonder what went into your memory dump. I actually heard kids ask their parents why the people next to them were crying.
I can't keep saying that the movie was incredible. One thing that threw me off for a bit was that I recognized Amy Poehler's voice. Maybe that's because I binge-watched all 7 seasons of Parks and Recreation before seeing the movie. Regardless, she was the perfect choice for Joy. She literally brought joy to the character, and that just made the whole movie better.
Go see this movie! It may be no Frozen, but it is all the more important. You will fall in love with this masterpiece.
-Nathan Clift, 18
Incoming freshman at Western CT State University
President of the NPT Youth Board
It seemed like they made a movie that wasn't just for the kids. In fact, I would say this movie was geared more towards the adults than geared towards kids. There were some parts that just hit us home, because we've been through this. There is something called The Memory Dump, and anything that goes in there is forgotten forever. Memories that seem important at the time go there and are forgotten. In the film, one of those was 3 years of piano. In some parts, you wonder what went into your memory dump. I actually heard kids ask their parents why the people next to them were crying.
I can't keep saying that the movie was incredible. One thing that threw me off for a bit was that I recognized Amy Poehler's voice. Maybe that's because I binge-watched all 7 seasons of Parks and Recreation before seeing the movie. Regardless, she was the perfect choice for Joy. She literally brought joy to the character, and that just made the whole movie better.
Go see this movie! It may be no Frozen, but it is all the more important. You will fall in love with this masterpiece.
-Nathan Clift, 18
Incoming freshman at Western CT State University
President of the NPT Youth Board
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Open Letter to Musical Theatre Majors: Part 2
Last night's post was all about how you should never let your passion die, no matter the role you get cast in. The truth is, the business is more difficult now than ever. So I'll expand on a point I made in the other letter. The point I am referring to deals with if you have an idea for a play, then write it. While I am referring to certain play writes, I'm not just saying plays. I'm talking about all jobs, including production end jobs.
When I attended WestConn's orientation, I heard two stories. One of them deals with a kid that didn't get many leads in the shows. However, when the time came for an internship, he took one that ended up with him now working at Broadway Records as an assistant. Van Dean, a producer that has helped bring Cinderella, Matilda, and Bonnie and Clyde to Broadway, created the record label to ensure that ALL Broadway shows are remembered. Since its launch, shows such as Side Show, The Visit, Matilda, Doctor Zhivago, Big Fish, Peter Pan: Live! and various concerts at 54 Below have had their scores recorded for CD purchase. The other story deals with another theatre arts major (I forget if she was Musical Theatre or Performance). She took the sewing skills and techniques she learned from school and was hired to be one of the costumers for Heathers: The Musical Off-Broadway.
These are people that took what they knew, made connections, and are working in the industry (though it may not have been for acting). There is one more example that I would like to share. On YouTube, there is a channel called "Drunken History". Well, it was such a success that it is going on TV!
Nowadays, there are some actors (i.e. John Cameron Mitchell, Lin Manuel Miranda, Wesley Taylor, Anthony Rapp, Laura Benanti) that are writing their own plays, musicals, and novels. These sources can reach to someone. Then, they read it. If they love it, maybe they want to see these authors in action and find a video of them online. If they see them online, maybe they want to see them live. If they like the show, they go to a Broadway show. I know that all of that is a stretch, but it could happen.
And, in some ways, NPT is doing just that. The New Paradigm Theatre was built by Broadway Actress Kristin Huffman to assist nonprofit organizations and help communities. These volunteers (on both the adult and youth boards) don't need to be thespians, but some are. These boards and the company aren't about performing. They are here to help teach and educate. I know that the lessons I learned on the Youth Board can help me in real life. In addition, I know now how to communicate with adults and my peers, know the importance of a deadline, and know how to professionally present myself. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. That being said, no one is perfect. There is no way of knowing everything. There are always opportunities to learn and grow.
So, "At the end of the day", where will you be? It could be at the Tony's accepting your award for Leading Actor/Actress. It could be winning the Pultizer Prize for Drama (like Next to Normal and Rent), or you and friends create your own web series and watch billions of people enjoy it when it transfers to TV. Maybe you'll be producing the next hit musical, or even recording the album. No one knows where life will take you, but as long as you stay somewhere in the business that you love, you're in. You're making it happen. You're creating and preserving a beloved artform. In all honesty, "who could ask for anything more"? "We've got magic to do" and there's "no day but today" to do it. I'll stop with the theatre references.
-Nathan Clift, 18, President of the Youth Board
Incoming Freshman at Western CT State University
Musical Theatre Major
When I attended WestConn's orientation, I heard two stories. One of them deals with a kid that didn't get many leads in the shows. However, when the time came for an internship, he took one that ended up with him now working at Broadway Records as an assistant. Van Dean, a producer that has helped bring Cinderella, Matilda, and Bonnie and Clyde to Broadway, created the record label to ensure that ALL Broadway shows are remembered. Since its launch, shows such as Side Show, The Visit, Matilda, Doctor Zhivago, Big Fish, Peter Pan: Live! and various concerts at 54 Below have had their scores recorded for CD purchase. The other story deals with another theatre arts major (I forget if she was Musical Theatre or Performance). She took the sewing skills and techniques she learned from school and was hired to be one of the costumers for Heathers: The Musical Off-Broadway.
These are people that took what they knew, made connections, and are working in the industry (though it may not have been for acting). There is one more example that I would like to share. On YouTube, there is a channel called "Drunken History". Well, it was such a success that it is going on TV!
Nowadays, there are some actors (i.e. John Cameron Mitchell, Lin Manuel Miranda, Wesley Taylor, Anthony Rapp, Laura Benanti) that are writing their own plays, musicals, and novels. These sources can reach to someone. Then, they read it. If they love it, maybe they want to see these authors in action and find a video of them online. If they see them online, maybe they want to see them live. If they like the show, they go to a Broadway show. I know that all of that is a stretch, but it could happen.
And, in some ways, NPT is doing just that. The New Paradigm Theatre was built by Broadway Actress Kristin Huffman to assist nonprofit organizations and help communities. These volunteers (on both the adult and youth boards) don't need to be thespians, but some are. These boards and the company aren't about performing. They are here to help teach and educate. I know that the lessons I learned on the Youth Board can help me in real life. In addition, I know now how to communicate with adults and my peers, know the importance of a deadline, and know how to professionally present myself. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. That being said, no one is perfect. There is no way of knowing everything. There are always opportunities to learn and grow.
So, "At the end of the day", where will you be? It could be at the Tony's accepting your award for Leading Actor/Actress. It could be winning the Pultizer Prize for Drama (like Next to Normal and Rent), or you and friends create your own web series and watch billions of people enjoy it when it transfers to TV. Maybe you'll be producing the next hit musical, or even recording the album. No one knows where life will take you, but as long as you stay somewhere in the business that you love, you're in. You're making it happen. You're creating and preserving a beloved artform. In all honesty, "who could ask for anything more"? "We've got magic to do" and there's "no day but today" to do it. I'll stop with the theatre references.
-Nathan Clift, 18, President of the Youth Board
Incoming Freshman at Western CT State University
Musical Theatre Major
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Open Letter To Musical Theatre Majors
Sunday into Monday, I attended WestConn's orientation for the School of Visual and Performing Arts (aka VPA, as I will refer to it). While in attendence, I soon realized that I was the only person in the Musical Theatre department that has not been "the favorite" or "the one that gets the leads". Heck, in Mary Poppins (which the Trumbull Youth Association is producing this summer), I'm the Park Keeper. In Trumbull High School, I was Lead Munchkin #3, or The Cowboy Wyatt, or Squeegee Man, or Stanley. These roles aren't well known at all, and are small featured parts that come off as insignificant. While some people think that I have been "snubbed" from getting large roles, it was a blessing to have been cast.
If you have been graced with a lead every year, congrats. However, what happens when you get a two-line part? Would you freak out and think "I am better than this", or would you take it because it's a job? Most of the people that do the college shows are more than likely to be in the same situation as you: always the lead. How about that kid that got ensemble, made one of the top 10 BA in Musical Theatre programs in the country, and auditions for a show? If they get cast, that's an accomplishment. If they get a featured part, than that's where they were. If they get the lead, then that's an experience that they've never had before. But let's go back to those that get leads. I think that they deserve them as much as everyone else. However, they should get ensemble too. In the professional world, the odds of actually landing a Broadway show are one in a million. So many things can attribute to that. Hollywood stars are getting roles just so people see the show.
Look at Side Show, and Doctor Zhivago, and even Pippin. These shows weren't name grabbing, and part of that was the leads. As fantastic as they may be, it's hard to draw an audience without a name like Disney or some Hollywood Actor. Also, they might not have won any Tony Awards, which would cause the show to suffer (except the few that didn't win many- including Best Musical- and are still hits, like Wicked and Beautiful). On the contrary, Fun Home had low ticket sales, but won the Tony and the rates are even higher.
Broadway used to be the home of opportunity. In some ways, it still is. When Jonathan Larson began RENT, he didn't want anyone who has been on Broadway. He wanted people to make their Broadway debut and were artists. Names like Idina Menzel and Adam Pascal came out of this show. Sutton Foster got her big break in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, and Carol Channing rose to stardom after HELLO, DOLLY! while Patti LuPone earned her spot in the original run of EVITA. In Fun Home, the more famous person in the show is Michael Ceveres. Everyone else is either making their debut or not well known.
The point I am trying to make is that we never know where the theatre will take us. We could be like Ivy Lynn on Smash and take 10 years to land a lead. We may always be in the ensemble. We might find success in creating a show. We don't know, but we need to be ready. If you have an idea for a play or musical, WRITE IT. Keep editing it. One day, you could see it on Broadway. One day, you could make your Broadway debut. It could be in the ensemble (which isn't bad. The average Equity ensemble member makes $1,600 a week), or in a starring role. Never give up on your dream. If you made it this far, why would you?
-Nathan Clift, 18
Incoming Freshman to Western CT State University
BA in Musical Theatre
If you have been graced with a lead every year, congrats. However, what happens when you get a two-line part? Would you freak out and think "I am better than this", or would you take it because it's a job? Most of the people that do the college shows are more than likely to be in the same situation as you: always the lead. How about that kid that got ensemble, made one of the top 10 BA in Musical Theatre programs in the country, and auditions for a show? If they get cast, that's an accomplishment. If they get a featured part, than that's where they were. If they get the lead, then that's an experience that they've never had before. But let's go back to those that get leads. I think that they deserve them as much as everyone else. However, they should get ensemble too. In the professional world, the odds of actually landing a Broadway show are one in a million. So many things can attribute to that. Hollywood stars are getting roles just so people see the show.
Look at Side Show, and Doctor Zhivago, and even Pippin. These shows weren't name grabbing, and part of that was the leads. As fantastic as they may be, it's hard to draw an audience without a name like Disney or some Hollywood Actor. Also, they might not have won any Tony Awards, which would cause the show to suffer (except the few that didn't win many- including Best Musical- and are still hits, like Wicked and Beautiful). On the contrary, Fun Home had low ticket sales, but won the Tony and the rates are even higher.
Broadway used to be the home of opportunity. In some ways, it still is. When Jonathan Larson began RENT, he didn't want anyone who has been on Broadway. He wanted people to make their Broadway debut and were artists. Names like Idina Menzel and Adam Pascal came out of this show. Sutton Foster got her big break in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, and Carol Channing rose to stardom after HELLO, DOLLY! while Patti LuPone earned her spot in the original run of EVITA. In Fun Home, the more famous person in the show is Michael Ceveres. Everyone else is either making their debut or not well known.
-Nathan Clift, 18
Incoming Freshman to Western CT State University
BA in Musical Theatre
Monday, June 8, 2015
REVIEW: The 69th Annual Tony Awards
Last night, theatre fans from all over the world gathered around their TV sets to watch the Super Bowl of Broadway. As always, there was laughter and tears. There were tears of happiness and sadness. Without another moment passing, let's get to it!
Hosting for the first time was Alan Cumming and Kristen Chenoweth. I knew from the start they would be great, because both are Broadway actors. They have trained to entertain and know how to captivate an audience. The introduced the night by singing a medely of "Wilkomen" (from Cabaret), "It Takes Two" (from Into the Woods), "Popular" (from Wicked), "Nothing Like a Dame" (from South Pacific), and one or two others that I was unable to write down because they happened so quick.
Following that, they introduced the first Best Musical performance. The cast of Something Rotten! performed the song, "A Musical". Within the song, there are musical references. I can recall the following: Annie, A Chorus Line, Les Miserables, Rent, and others. It had a tap break in it. Usually, musicals that do so have a long run. If that's the case, then I'm thrilled! I don't only want to see this show, but I want to be IN this show!
The next performance was The King and I. They performed a medley. The first song was "Getting to Know You", sung by the King's children and Anna (portrayed by Kelli O'Hara). Following that, Ruthie Ann Miles (in her Broadway Debut) sang her character's heartbreaking song. After that, Anna and the King sang "Shall We Dance", as we get a glimpse of the beautiful and iconic ball gown.
The third musical performance was On the Town. I only had one word... Wow. At the time of it's performance, I thought it would win Best Choreography and Best Revival. It's also the longest running revival of the musical. Following the Tommy Tune medley, Gigi took the stage. It was enjoyable to watch, but I would have loved to see more of the nominee, Victoria Clark, than Vanessa Hudgens.
After winning Best Book and Best Original Score, Fun Home tore the house down. It just broke records, being the first all-female writing team to win the Tony for Best Book and Best Score. Their performance was simple, which made it all the more effective.
An American in Paris performed next. In the first two minutes, it was all dance. I was afraid that there would be no singing. Then, they sang the song all "new Gershwin musicals" have: "I Got Rhythm". Seriously... They team wrote so many other songs. Pick a one. I understand that the song was in the film, but it's the probably the third Gershwin musical to have it.
Next was On the 20th Century. I didn't think that this show would win big, but it did have some pretty cool moments. One of them was that the 4 main tap dancers tapped out the train on track sound. The final collaboration between Kander and Ebb, The Visit performed. This is a show that finally made it to Broadway after many years. It was weird, and I wanted to learn more about it.
Finding Neverland performed. Though it had no Tony Nominations, it is still raking in over $1 million a week (that's on the same level as the Disney musicals). I thought it was weak compared to the live show. Maybe that's due to the camera angles. The last performance was from It Shoulda Been You, the other original musical. It received only a couple nominations, but the performance was strong.
Some special performances of the evening was Josh Groban, with the cast of each company on Broadway, performing "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel, and The cast of Jersey Boys performing in honor of their 10th year on Broadway.
Here are the Winners from the evening!
Best Leading Actress in a Play: Helen Mirren, The Audience
Best Featured Actor in a Play: Richard McCabe, The Audience
Best Lighting Design of a Play: Paule Constable, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Natasha Katz, An American in Paris
Best Featured Actor in a Musical: Christian Borle, Something Rotten!
Best Featured Actress in a Play: Annaleigh Ashfrod, You Can't Take It With You
Best Direction of a Musical: Same Gold, Fun Home
Best Book of a Musical: Lisa Kron, Fun Home
Best Original Score: Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori, Fun Home
Best Direction of a Play: Marianne Elliot, The Curious Incident
Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Ruthie Ann Miles, The King and I
Best Orchestration: An American in Paris
Best Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris
Best Play: The Curious Incident
Best Scenic Design of a Play: The Curious Incident
Best Scenic Design of a Musical: An American in Paris
Best Revival of a Play: Skylight
Best Costume Design of a Play: Wolf Hall
Best Costume Design of a Musical: The King and I
Best Revival of a Musical: The King and I
Best Lead Actor in a Play: Alex Sharp, The Curious Incident
Best Lead Actor in a Musical: Michael Ceveres, Fun Home
Best Lead Actress in a Musical: Kelli O'Hara, The King and I
Best Musical: Fun Home
-Nathan Clift, 18, Trumbull High School
President of the NPT Youth Board
FUN FACT: This was the highest grossing season in Broadway history! That means that attendance is up and we can afford to bring wonderful new musicals to the stage!
Hosting for the first time was Alan Cumming and Kristen Chenoweth. I knew from the start they would be great, because both are Broadway actors. They have trained to entertain and know how to captivate an audience. The introduced the night by singing a medely of "Wilkomen" (from Cabaret), "It Takes Two" (from Into the Woods), "Popular" (from Wicked), "Nothing Like a Dame" (from South Pacific), and one or two others that I was unable to write down because they happened so quick.
Following that, they introduced the first Best Musical performance. The cast of Something Rotten! performed the song, "A Musical". Within the song, there are musical references. I can recall the following: Annie, A Chorus Line, Les Miserables, Rent, and others. It had a tap break in it. Usually, musicals that do so have a long run. If that's the case, then I'm thrilled! I don't only want to see this show, but I want to be IN this show!
The next performance was The King and I. They performed a medley. The first song was "Getting to Know You", sung by the King's children and Anna (portrayed by Kelli O'Hara). Following that, Ruthie Ann Miles (in her Broadway Debut) sang her character's heartbreaking song. After that, Anna and the King sang "Shall We Dance", as we get a glimpse of the beautiful and iconic ball gown.
The third musical performance was On the Town. I only had one word... Wow. At the time of it's performance, I thought it would win Best Choreography and Best Revival. It's also the longest running revival of the musical. Following the Tommy Tune medley, Gigi took the stage. It was enjoyable to watch, but I would have loved to see more of the nominee, Victoria Clark, than Vanessa Hudgens.
After winning Best Book and Best Original Score, Fun Home tore the house down. It just broke records, being the first all-female writing team to win the Tony for Best Book and Best Score. Their performance was simple, which made it all the more effective.
An American in Paris performed next. In the first two minutes, it was all dance. I was afraid that there would be no singing. Then, they sang the song all "new Gershwin musicals" have: "I Got Rhythm". Seriously... They team wrote so many other songs. Pick a one. I understand that the song was in the film, but it's the probably the third Gershwin musical to have it.
Next was On the 20th Century. I didn't think that this show would win big, but it did have some pretty cool moments. One of them was that the 4 main tap dancers tapped out the train on track sound. The final collaboration between Kander and Ebb, The Visit performed. This is a show that finally made it to Broadway after many years. It was weird, and I wanted to learn more about it.
Finding Neverland performed. Though it had no Tony Nominations, it is still raking in over $1 million a week (that's on the same level as the Disney musicals). I thought it was weak compared to the live show. Maybe that's due to the camera angles. The last performance was from It Shoulda Been You, the other original musical. It received only a couple nominations, but the performance was strong.
Some special performances of the evening was Josh Groban, with the cast of each company on Broadway, performing "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel, and The cast of Jersey Boys performing in honor of their 10th year on Broadway.
Here are the Winners from the evening!
Best Leading Actress in a Play: Helen Mirren, The Audience
Best Featured Actor in a Play: Richard McCabe, The Audience
Best Lighting Design of a Play: Paule Constable, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Natasha Katz, An American in Paris
Best Featured Actor in a Musical: Christian Borle, Something Rotten!
Best Featured Actress in a Play: Annaleigh Ashfrod, You Can't Take It With You
Best Direction of a Musical: Same Gold, Fun Home
Best Book of a Musical: Lisa Kron, Fun Home
Best Original Score: Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori, Fun Home
Best Direction of a Play: Marianne Elliot, The Curious Incident
Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Ruthie Ann Miles, The King and I
Best Orchestration: An American in Paris
Best Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris
Best Play: The Curious Incident
Best Scenic Design of a Play: The Curious Incident
Best Scenic Design of a Musical: An American in Paris
Best Revival of a Play: Skylight
Best Costume Design of a Play: Wolf Hall
Best Costume Design of a Musical: The King and I
Best Revival of a Musical: The King and I
Best Lead Actor in a Play: Alex Sharp, The Curious Incident
Best Lead Actor in a Musical: Michael Ceveres, Fun Home
Best Lead Actress in a Musical: Kelli O'Hara, The King and I
Best Musical: Fun Home
-Nathan Clift, 18, Trumbull High School
President of the NPT Youth Board
FUN FACT: This was the highest grossing season in Broadway history! That means that attendance is up and we can afford to bring wonderful new musicals to the stage!
Sunday, May 24, 2015
REVIEW: Finding Neverland
This past week, one of my mom's Facebook friends said that he had 2 tickets to the musical Finding Neverland for May 23rd. He and his wife were now unable to go, so they wanted to see if anyone was interested. My mother said that she would take them. She told me and my older sister that we could go see it.
This show was one of the shows I had doubts about. After If/Then, I wondered if this was another musical that is using big stars to get people to see it. This came across my thought process when the Tony Award Nominations came out, and this show wasn't nominated for any award. I then had to know: was this show as fantastic or is everyone seeing it for the stars?
Natalie (my older sister) and I hopped onto the train to the city and visited various sights in the city (including the Tony Awards Pop Up Shop).
Following that, we arrived at the theater around 1:40pm. There was already a giant line of people (spanning about 1 and a half to 2 blocks) waiting to get into the theater. We enter the Lunt Fontanne Theater and were quickly sent to our seats, for it was 10 minutes to showtime. The lights dim, and a small green light flutters over the audience's heads. Then, someone dressed as Peter Pan begins to dance with it. Then Matthew Morrison entered the stage. The applause for him was long and loud, with people shouting his name. I hated it. I believe that applauding in the beginning is great. It showed the actors that the audience was ready for the performance. Applauding for the famous lead did nothing but destroy the illusion. However, that was not the musical's fault.
Overall, I thought the musical was surprisingly stunning. The music was perfect. I will get to that in a bit. The ensemble was perfect. They were the life of the show. In fact, they helped make the show what it is. I cannot remember the name of Kelsey Grammer's character, but I vividly remember the character Eliot. Eliot is a rather small character. He doesn't have a song, but he left a lasting impression on me. The actor that played him, Chris Dwan, made his Broadway Debut in this show. The set and projections... wow. They were breathtaking. I have to say, this show honestly should have been nominated for some Tony Awards. Somebody made an error there.
Onto the music, which helped take this show into the modern audience. The music was incredible. In modern shows, you have a pop influence in the music. This music was so much better than any typical pop show. The composers, Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy, have never written for Broadway before. However, they have written for pop singers. Maybe that made the music more attractive though. Pop songs are usually energetic and full of life. When done well, they are tunes that people will be singing for years. That leads us to the "concept album". In 14 days, there will be a Finding Neverland album where different pop singers (from Nick Jonas to Pentatonix) reimagine the songs. This will not replace the cast album though. Now, why is this genius? One, these singers have thousands of fans. Two, the composers have composed Grammy winning songs. If those fans hear these song covers and fall in love with the music, then they will want more. They will want to know the show. That show will lead onto other shows. Soon, they will see a show live.
Finding Neverland is the perfect show for a first-timer to Broadway. It is the perfect show for children, families, theatre geeks, band geeks, anyone. This show is everything you can want in a show, though the idea seems a bit far fetched. Now to answer my question: was this show as fantastic or is everyone seeing it for the stars? I think that the second one would be truer. When I was waiting for the Broadway actors and actresses to leave the theater and so I can get my Playbill signed, everyone wanted to know where Matthew Morrison was. When he came out, everyone was cheering. Eventually, I got up to the front. However, I was then pushed back by some "Glee" fans. I cared that he did a great job and that he is a Broadway Actor, not that he was a main character on Glee. When people see a show for a star, that sells tickets. However, for how long? When the cast changes, you either had enough people to see the show for it to continue without a star, or you have to get a big enough star.
Nevertheless, the show was amazing and (if people give it the chance to thrive), it could run for years. If you need a new show to see, I would say this one. If you are still unsure, tune into the Tony Awards June 7th. The cast is performing, alongside the companies of Something Rotten!, On The 20th Centurey, On the Town, The King and I, and many others.
-Nathan Clift, 18
Trumbull High School
President of the Youth Board
This show was one of the shows I had doubts about. After If/Then, I wondered if this was another musical that is using big stars to get people to see it. This came across my thought process when the Tony Award Nominations came out, and this show wasn't nominated for any award. I then had to know: was this show as fantastic or is everyone seeing it for the stars?
Natalie (my older sister) and I hopped onto the train to the city and visited various sights in the city (including the Tony Awards Pop Up Shop).
 |
| Tony Awards Pop Up Shop |
Following that, we arrived at the theater around 1:40pm. There was already a giant line of people (spanning about 1 and a half to 2 blocks) waiting to get into the theater. We enter the Lunt Fontanne Theater and were quickly sent to our seats, for it was 10 minutes to showtime. The lights dim, and a small green light flutters over the audience's heads. Then, someone dressed as Peter Pan begins to dance with it. Then Matthew Morrison entered the stage. The applause for him was long and loud, with people shouting his name. I hated it. I believe that applauding in the beginning is great. It showed the actors that the audience was ready for the performance. Applauding for the famous lead did nothing but destroy the illusion. However, that was not the musical's fault.
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| My selfie with Matthew Morrison |
Onto the music, which helped take this show into the modern audience. The music was incredible. In modern shows, you have a pop influence in the music. This music was so much better than any typical pop show. The composers, Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy, have never written for Broadway before. However, they have written for pop singers. Maybe that made the music more attractive though. Pop songs are usually energetic and full of life. When done well, they are tunes that people will be singing for years. That leads us to the "concept album". In 14 days, there will be a Finding Neverland album where different pop singers (from Nick Jonas to Pentatonix) reimagine the songs. This will not replace the cast album though. Now, why is this genius? One, these singers have thousands of fans. Two, the composers have composed Grammy winning songs. If those fans hear these song covers and fall in love with the music, then they will want more. They will want to know the show. That show will lead onto other shows. Soon, they will see a show live.
Finding Neverland is the perfect show for a first-timer to Broadway. It is the perfect show for children, families, theatre geeks, band geeks, anyone. This show is everything you can want in a show, though the idea seems a bit far fetched. Now to answer my question: was this show as fantastic or is everyone seeing it for the stars? I think that the second one would be truer. When I was waiting for the Broadway actors and actresses to leave the theater and so I can get my Playbill signed, everyone wanted to know where Matthew Morrison was. When he came out, everyone was cheering. Eventually, I got up to the front. However, I was then pushed back by some "Glee" fans. I cared that he did a great job and that he is a Broadway Actor, not that he was a main character on Glee. When people see a show for a star, that sells tickets. However, for how long? When the cast changes, you either had enough people to see the show for it to continue without a star, or you have to get a big enough star.
Nevertheless, the show was amazing and (if people give it the chance to thrive), it could run for years. If you need a new show to see, I would say this one. If you are still unsure, tune into the Tony Awards June 7th. The cast is performing, alongside the companies of Something Rotten!, On The 20th Centurey, On the Town, The King and I, and many others.
-Nathan Clift, 18
Trumbull High School
President of the Youth Board
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Valley Shakespeare Festival's As You Like It
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| The Cast of As You Like It |
To summarize the play, it is the classic love story of a boy who meets a girl who gets banished and she and her cousin get thrown into the woods. With disguises, love, and laughter, love stories get intertwined and (hopefully) become sorted out in the end.
Did that sound confusing at all?
If so, then you're not alone. Before I took a Shakespeare class in school, I had no clue how to read a Shakespeare play. I loved watching them, but I never understood the text. Now I do. One of the plays we studied was As You Like It. Shortly, it became one of my favorites.
What the Valley Shakespeare Festival does is that they take a condensed version of the play and perform it with a rather low budget (the plays are only about an hour long), and still continue to make these productions free. They allow multiple characters to be performed by the same actor (in Romeo and Juliet, I was Benvolio/ Nurse/ Page).
Since they don't have the Victorian Costumes or the set you might expect (but still keeping the language of the original), you might ask yourself: Did it take away from the production itself? Was the play even more confusing than it was? I'll tell you: it didn't. I was able to see the play through a new light. I often ask myself how we can "update" one of his plays in order to engage a modern audience. I stopped asking my question, because the answer was simple. Shakespeare defined what it is to be human. He wrote about our imperfections and our mistakes, our emotions and how we over exaggerate our lives. As long as you have convincing actors, the story goes a long way.
Did I like the performance? How couldn't I? With clear movements, contemporary staging and costumes, interaction with the audience, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face even if I tried! Unfortunately, their only public performance (so far) was this Saturday. However, those of you that attend a Shelton school (I believe they stated that they are going to the 4th grade classes) will be able to see this wonderful show!
The cast is as follows:
Sarah Levine as Celia
Jess Breda as Rosalind
Stephen Humes as Orlando
Kristen Kingsley as Adam/Phoebe
David J Wiena as Charles/Silvus
Adam Kezel as Oliver/Touchstone
Matt Catalano as Duke Frederick, Duke Senior and Audrey
Tom Simonetti as Le Beau/ Jaques
They have an upcoming summer production as well. This production is... A Midsummer Night's Dream. Follow them on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyShakespeareFestival?fref=ts
-Nathan Clift
President of the NPT Youth Board
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Little Red Riding Hood: The Ballet
On Monday, April 20th, 2015, I performed the ballet version of Little Red Riding Hood for the elementary school students at Meadowside School in Milford. It was a unique version of Little Red Riding Hood, which included two other fairy tales: the Three Little Pigs and the Princess and the Frog. I played Little Red, who finds herself lost in the forest, narrowly escaping the clutches of a hungry wolf due to a little help from some distracting pigs and a clumsy princess.
However, instead of going into the details of what its like to be a ballet dancer or how cute the audience of little 3rd and 4th graders was, as you might have expected from this post, I would like to make an important note about the artistic process.
You see, while rehearsing for the role of Little Red I got to look closely into the mind of the original choreographer of the ballet, Victor Trevino. Victor is an ingenious man who has choreographed countless ballets for my company throughout the years and is extremely dedicated to the art of dance. I have rehearsed and performed the role of Little Red in the past, but only through learning it off of videos of prior performances and hearing feedback from teachers not linked to the creation of the ballet. This was the first time I had the chance to rehearse the ballet with Victor himself, its creator, and through this experience I realized a whole new undertone to the story that had somehow disappeared over the years in his absence: comedy.
Comedy, as you may assume, is not common in ballet. Often, dancers become too focused on the steps or too caught up in the pretentiousness of what it means to be a “ballerina” that they disregard the true intention behind the choreography and why certain movements were placed in certain moments of the piece. As a young dancer simply learning the role off of a DVD, the meaning behind the steps of this ballet was not clear. I didn’t know why it took 5 pique turns and 8 counts of bourrés just to make it from one side of the forest to the other. But then Victor came along and transformed our perception of the ballet that my fellow dancers and I had reduced down to a monotonous string of meaningless turns and leaps. He truly brought it back to life!
After seeing our first run-through, it was blatant to Victor that none of us were aware of the intention of our movements. He explained to us that this ballet was created for children, and he pointed out all of the moments that were originally created to serve as points of humor and comic relief. He told us to exaggerate our movements, to capitalize on what seemed odd about the plot or the manner in which we were dancing. For instance, there is a point in the ballet where Little Red produces a flashlight from her basket and shines it at the audience, emulating the fact that she had lost her way in the dark woods. As I first began rehearsing the role, I simply took the flashlight out of the basket as if it was completely normal for a character in the 15th century to know what a flashlight was, let alone how to use one. Victor revealed that comedic factor here to me and showed me how to manifest that comedy within my movement.
Over the course of our rehearsals, Victor identified several more key points of comedy and showed us as dancers how to reveal them to the audience. While the room of dancers once used to sit up against the wall and doze off while the others were rehearsing their individual parts, now all were actively engaged, laughing at the ridiculousness of the movement and the comedic irony of the plot that was somehow missing before. I almost felt embarrassed for my company, how we had shallowed Victor’s intricately layered, well-though-out choreography into some mesh of steps and blank faces; how we had wasted this opportunity to perform a comedic piece, which is so rare in the ballet world. This is why I urge all of the young dancers out there to truly understand your choreography, recognize that there are layers to your movement, and don’t ever get too caught up in executing the steps. After all, 90% of the audience members end up focusing on nothing but your facial expressions in the first place! So please, especially if you have the chance to work with the original choreographer of the ballet that you are rehearsing, search for the integrity of the steps and consider your acting abilities just as important as your dancing abilities - it will certainly provide a way to stand out from the crowd.
Shaina Arsenault
However, instead of going into the details of what its like to be a ballet dancer or how cute the audience of little 3rd and 4th graders was, as you might have expected from this post, I would like to make an important note about the artistic process.
You see, while rehearsing for the role of Little Red I got to look closely into the mind of the original choreographer of the ballet, Victor Trevino. Victor is an ingenious man who has choreographed countless ballets for my company throughout the years and is extremely dedicated to the art of dance. I have rehearsed and performed the role of Little Red in the past, but only through learning it off of videos of prior performances and hearing feedback from teachers not linked to the creation of the ballet. This was the first time I had the chance to rehearse the ballet with Victor himself, its creator, and through this experience I realized a whole new undertone to the story that had somehow disappeared over the years in his absence: comedy.
Comedy, as you may assume, is not common in ballet. Often, dancers become too focused on the steps or too caught up in the pretentiousness of what it means to be a “ballerina” that they disregard the true intention behind the choreography and why certain movements were placed in certain moments of the piece. As a young dancer simply learning the role off of a DVD, the meaning behind the steps of this ballet was not clear. I didn’t know why it took 5 pique turns and 8 counts of bourrés just to make it from one side of the forest to the other. But then Victor came along and transformed our perception of the ballet that my fellow dancers and I had reduced down to a monotonous string of meaningless turns and leaps. He truly brought it back to life!
After seeing our first run-through, it was blatant to Victor that none of us were aware of the intention of our movements. He explained to us that this ballet was created for children, and he pointed out all of the moments that were originally created to serve as points of humor and comic relief. He told us to exaggerate our movements, to capitalize on what seemed odd about the plot or the manner in which we were dancing. For instance, there is a point in the ballet where Little Red produces a flashlight from her basket and shines it at the audience, emulating the fact that she had lost her way in the dark woods. As I first began rehearsing the role, I simply took the flashlight out of the basket as if it was completely normal for a character in the 15th century to know what a flashlight was, let alone how to use one. Victor revealed that comedic factor here to me and showed me how to manifest that comedy within my movement.
Over the course of our rehearsals, Victor identified several more key points of comedy and showed us as dancers how to reveal them to the audience. While the room of dancers once used to sit up against the wall and doze off while the others were rehearsing their individual parts, now all were actively engaged, laughing at the ridiculousness of the movement and the comedic irony of the plot that was somehow missing before. I almost felt embarrassed for my company, how we had shallowed Victor’s intricately layered, well-though-out choreography into some mesh of steps and blank faces; how we had wasted this opportunity to perform a comedic piece, which is so rare in the ballet world. This is why I urge all of the young dancers out there to truly understand your choreography, recognize that there are layers to your movement, and don’t ever get too caught up in executing the steps. After all, 90% of the audience members end up focusing on nothing but your facial expressions in the first place! So please, especially if you have the chance to work with the original choreographer of the ballet that you are rehearsing, search for the integrity of the steps and consider your acting abilities just as important as your dancing abilities - it will certainly provide a way to stand out from the crowd.
Shaina Arsenault
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
REVIEW: On the Town
One of our newer youth board members, Kieran Brown, attended the musical revival of On the Town on February 22nd.
While the musical had two revivals that were short lived, this revival is a hit! The New York Times (the article is here) is raving about it. The cast album is out now.
What is On the Town about?
On the Town follows the story of 3 sailors and what happens when they have 24 hours to see all the sights that they heard about from their families. Of course, they meet women and it is turn after turn of excitement. Leonard Bernstein (who composed West Side Story along with Stephen Sondheim) composes the memorable songs of the production.
My sister, Nina, saw this show in November with the high school choir. I was unable to go, for I was helping out with the THS Fall Play that day. My sister isn't as into musicals and theater in general as I am, but she loved it. She came home and told me all about the show, the story and how funny it was, everything. This was the first musical she had seen without anyone in the family, but she had a fantastic time. One thing she never stopped talking about were a few roles: The voice teacher, the taxi driver, an old lady. More important to the show, my sister couldn't stop freaking out over the choreography.
My sister isn't a dancer, but she has friends that are. They soon became ashamed of their dancing after watching this show. Based upon the clips I have seen, it is intense and energetic, and what more could you ask for?
The musical is playing at the Lyric Theater in NYC. It is still running, and audiences cannot stop talking about the magic this team made.
-Nathan Clift
President of the Youth Board
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| "My family and I went to New York to see the new Broadway musical "On the Town." Not far from the theater district we bumped into the cast of Matilta and Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Gavroche in Les Mis. We chatted with the kids for a little about their Broadway lives, performing on the Tonys etc. So cool!"- Kieran |
What is On the Town about?
On the Town follows the story of 3 sailors and what happens when they have 24 hours to see all the sights that they heard about from their families. Of course, they meet women and it is turn after turn of excitement. Leonard Bernstein (who composed West Side Story along with Stephen Sondheim) composes the memorable songs of the production.
My sister, Nina, saw this show in November with the high school choir. I was unable to go, for I was helping out with the THS Fall Play that day. My sister isn't as into musicals and theater in general as I am, but she loved it. She came home and told me all about the show, the story and how funny it was, everything. This was the first musical she had seen without anyone in the family, but she had a fantastic time. One thing she never stopped talking about were a few roles: The voice teacher, the taxi driver, an old lady. More important to the show, my sister couldn't stop freaking out over the choreography.
My sister isn't a dancer, but she has friends that are. They soon became ashamed of their dancing after watching this show. Based upon the clips I have seen, it is intense and energetic, and what more could you ask for?
The musical is playing at the Lyric Theater in NYC. It is still running, and audiences cannot stop talking about the magic this team made.
-Nathan Clift
President of the Youth Board
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Oscar Nominations 2015
It's that time of the year again! After another wonderful film season, the nominees of the best films in America will announce their winners in the live telecast NEXT WEEK!
I really thought that Into the Woods would have been nominated for Best Picture (considering that and Jersey Boys were the most recent movie musicals to be made, one of them could have taken the spot). After having a few weeks to think about it, I stand by what I said about the film. It was well done. HOWEVER: If they took the time to really develop the second half instead of shove it into the last 30 minutes, it would have been nominated and might have won! (though it was nominated for 3 Academy Awards)
Nevertheless, here are some of the awards and their nominees I am the most excited for (if that didn't make sense, I apologize) (for the entire list, visit: http://oscar.go.com/nominees)
BEST PICTURE:
Birdman, Selma, Boyhood, The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, American Sniper, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Whiplash
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Eddie Redmanye (The Theory of Everything), Bradley Cooper (American Sniper), Michael Keaton (Birdman), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Meryl Streep (for Into the Woods), Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), Emma Stone (Birdman), Laura Dern (Wild), Kiera Knightly (The Imitation Game)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Into the Woods, Maleficent, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Inherent Vice, Mr. Turner
MAKEUP AND HAIR STYLING
Guardians of the Galaxy, Foxcatcher, The Grand Budapest Hotel
PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Interstellar, Into the Woods
VISUAL EFFECTS
Captain America: The Winter Solider, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Ment: Days of Future Past, Interstellar
ANIMATED FILM
Big Hero 6, The Boxtrolls, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Song of the Sea, The Tale of Princess Kaygua
Which nominee do you hope will win the Oscar?
-Nathan Clift, 17
Trumbull High School
President of the Youth Board
I really thought that Into the Woods would have been nominated for Best Picture (considering that and Jersey Boys were the most recent movie musicals to be made, one of them could have taken the spot). After having a few weeks to think about it, I stand by what I said about the film. It was well done. HOWEVER: If they took the time to really develop the second half instead of shove it into the last 30 minutes, it would have been nominated and might have won! (though it was nominated for 3 Academy Awards)
Nevertheless, here are some of the awards and their nominees I am the most excited for (if that didn't make sense, I apologize) (for the entire list, visit: http://oscar.go.com/nominees)
BEST PICTURE:
Birdman, Selma, Boyhood, The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, American Sniper, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Whiplash
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Eddie Redmanye (The Theory of Everything), Bradley Cooper (American Sniper), Michael Keaton (Birdman), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Meryl Streep (for Into the Woods), Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), Emma Stone (Birdman), Laura Dern (Wild), Kiera Knightly (The Imitation Game)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Into the Woods, Maleficent, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Inherent Vice, Mr. Turner
MAKEUP AND HAIR STYLING
Guardians of the Galaxy, Foxcatcher, The Grand Budapest Hotel
PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Interstellar, Into the Woods
VISUAL EFFECTS
Captain America: The Winter Solider, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Ment: Days of Future Past, Interstellar
ANIMATED FILM
Big Hero 6, The Boxtrolls, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Song of the Sea, The Tale of Princess Kaygua
Which nominee do you hope will win the Oscar?
-Nathan Clift, 17
Trumbull High School
President of the Youth Board
Monday, January 19, 2015
SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT IS BACK: 1-25-15, "I Graduated from Arts College... Now what?"
Join us for New Paradigm Theatre’s SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT.
Jan 25th 9pm EST
Sunday Spotlight is A FREE educational webinar (you tune in from your own computer!) that features guest stars from Broadway, Film/TV as well as Voice Over Artists, Producers, Directors, Casting and all walks of the Entertainment industry. These pros give you their time so that you can learn about the business of the Performing Arts from the experts!
Sign up via the link below (free) and you will be sent your own personal link to use on the day of the Webinar. Jan 25th. 9pm EST. You see and hear through your own computer as well as being able to ask questions of the stars. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7179521021932180225
This month’s topic: The era of "Pick me" is over! "I will create my own!" is here! NPT selected six successful college graduates to participate in a Round table discussion regarding their experiences in the "outside" world. "Creating your own Career" using what each of them has learned in the arts, will be a big theme this evening.
Tune in from your own computer (it's a free webinar) and hear successful grads give you advice and answer your questions in a thoughtful manner that will get you thinking about your own mission. Presented by The New Paradigm Theatre Company-NPT (a non profit) as a part of their mentoring mission to create leaders through the arts. www.nptheatre.org
TO ATTEND: USE THIS LINK NOW TO SIGN UP FOR FREE
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7179521021932180225
(You will then be sent your own link to use on the day of the webinar which is: Sunday, Jan 25th. 9pm EST)
Jan 25th 9pm EST
Sunday Spotlight is A FREE educational webinar (you tune in from your own computer!) that features guest stars from Broadway, Film/TV as well as Voice Over Artists, Producers, Directors, Casting and all walks of the Entertainment industry. These pros give you their time so that you can learn about the business of the Performing Arts from the experts!
Sign up via the link below (free) and you will be sent your own personal link to use on the day of the Webinar. Jan 25th. 9pm EST. You see and hear through your own computer as well as being able to ask questions of the stars. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7179521021932180225
This month’s topic: The era of "Pick me" is over! "I will create my own!" is here! NPT selected six successful college graduates to participate in a Round table discussion regarding their experiences in the "outside" world. "Creating your own Career" using what each of them has learned in the arts, will be a big theme this evening.
Tune in from your own computer (it's a free webinar) and hear successful grads give you advice and answer your questions in a thoughtful manner that will get you thinking about your own mission. Presented by The New Paradigm Theatre Company-NPT (a non profit) as a part of their mentoring mission to create leaders through the arts. www.nptheatre.org
TO ATTEND: USE THIS LINK NOW TO SIGN UP FOR FREE
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7179521021932180225
(You will then be sent your own link to use on the day of the webinar which is: Sunday, Jan 25th. 9pm EST)
Sunday, January 11, 2015
The Golden Globes! It was... confusing...
Congrats to all the winners! Honorable mentions are:
Best TV Series- Comedy or Musical: Transparent
Best TV Series- Drama: The Affair
Best Original Score of a Motion Picture: The Theory of Everything
Best Original Song of a Motion Picture: Selma, "Glory"
Best Screenplay: Birdman
Best Foreign Language Film: Leviathan
Director of a Motion Picture: Boyhood
Best Picture- Comedy or Musical: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Picture- Drama: Boyhood
Lifetime Achievement Award: George Clooney
Broadway Actors/ Actresses/ Adaptions that had wins tonight:
Best Actress in a Motion Picture- Comedy or Musical: Amy Adams (Big Eyes)
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Mini-series, Series, or TV Movie: Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart)
Best Actor in a Motion Picture- Drama: Eddie Redmanye (The Theory of Everything)
Wait... Big Eyes? The movie based on a true story that was actually a drama? What's it doing in the Comedy/ Musical category?
I wish I knew. It ISN'T a comedy or musical, and I wouldn't consider (from the various trailers and clips shown tonight) Birdman a comedy either. Nor Pride (though PRIDE and BIRDMAN were considered Drama/ Comedy). In fact, Into the Woods and The Grand Budapest Hotel were really the only movie to fit the category (The same, I hear, happened to the TV shows).
Now I'm not saying that those movies shouldn't have been nominated. They deserved their spot. However, when you set a boundary for a movie genre and then place a movie in it that doesn't belong there, then why have boundaries? If they made a giant Motion Picture category, then it would make sense.
I don't know... Maybe I'm the only one that found it odd. We'll see what happens at the Oscars. Personally, though Into the Woods won less Golden Globes than Les Miserables did, it could mean something for the Oscars. Chicago was nominated for 8 Golden Globes 12 years ago and won 3. We never know.
I could go on and express worries about the future of musical films, but let's look back on the 2 most recent, okay?
Best TV Series- Comedy or Musical: Transparent
Best TV Series- Drama: The Affair
Best Original Score of a Motion Picture: The Theory of Everything
Best Original Song of a Motion Picture: Selma, "Glory"
Best Screenplay: Birdman
Best Foreign Language Film: Leviathan
Director of a Motion Picture: Boyhood
Best Picture- Comedy or Musical: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Picture- Drama: Boyhood
Lifetime Achievement Award: George Clooney
Broadway Actors/ Actresses/ Adaptions that had wins tonight:
Best Actress in a Motion Picture- Comedy or Musical: Amy Adams (Big Eyes)
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Mini-series, Series, or TV Movie: Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart)
Best Actor in a Motion Picture- Drama: Eddie Redmanye (The Theory of Everything)
Wait... Big Eyes? The movie based on a true story that was actually a drama? What's it doing in the Comedy/ Musical category?
I wish I knew. It ISN'T a comedy or musical, and I wouldn't consider (from the various trailers and clips shown tonight) Birdman a comedy either. Nor Pride (though PRIDE and BIRDMAN were considered Drama/ Comedy). In fact, Into the Woods and The Grand Budapest Hotel were really the only movie to fit the category (The same, I hear, happened to the TV shows).
Now I'm not saying that those movies shouldn't have been nominated. They deserved their spot. However, when you set a boundary for a movie genre and then place a movie in it that doesn't belong there, then why have boundaries? If they made a giant Motion Picture category, then it would make sense.
I don't know... Maybe I'm the only one that found it odd. We'll see what happens at the Oscars. Personally, though Into the Woods won less Golden Globes than Les Miserables did, it could mean something for the Oscars. Chicago was nominated for 8 Golden Globes 12 years ago and won 3. We never know.
I could go on and express worries about the future of musical films, but let's look back on the 2 most recent, okay?
- Frozen: It was the only movie musical last year (though it was animated). It is now the highest grossing animated film of all time and LOST the Golden Globe win for Best Original Song ("Let it Go" still holds onto our heads)
- Les Miserables: Won Best Picture- Musical or Comedy at Golden Globes. Hugh Jackman won against Daniel Day Lewis and Anne Hathaway won for Fantine. However, ONLY Anne Hathaway went on to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Coming up soon is the film adaption of a risky piece of literature. I don't know how audiences will react to that. It's not something that appeals to all audiences, nor does it seem interesting to many. The love story is flawed from the start and it almost didn't happen. Luckily, it did. Of course I am talking about The Last Five Years! Who will be seeing that?
-Nathan Clift, 17
Trumbull High School
President of the Youth Board
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