Many thanks!

[rkold]

I'd like to thank becroberts, biscuitbear, blacktempest, bramblehedge, chokingcufflink, fushigitenshi, kosquarepelli, muscatlove, pringlepartie, spark_658, sumeragiskank, vanillafire, and yanchamonkey for the birthday wishes. It was super nice of all of you! *hugs*

My birthday was so amazing. I went to see the Les Miz revival and was sitting RIGHT BEHIND THE CONDUCTOR!!! The cast was really good at emoting in particular Fantine, Marius and Valjean. In fact, the Valjean was absolutely amazing and this comes from someone who saw Colm Wilkinson live. Our Valjean was Alexander Gemignani, who was also the Beadle in the recent Sweeney Todd as well as John Hinkley in Assassins. I never would have thought he would make a fabulous Valjean, but wow, so so so good. And he really became Valjean, not just someone playing a role. The Fantine was Daphne Rubin-Vega, who was Mimi in Rent. Her voice at times seemed a little harsh for the role, but she made you really feel for Fantine and in the end one of the things I like about musicals, is when people actually act. It's my biggest problem with most Gilbert and Sullivan/Opera productions. The voices are generally nice but they sacrifice any acting. The Marius was Adam Jacobs who was SO good. He got weepy at various points. The Enjolras was great, he had lovely voice, Granitaire humped the ass of Feuilly (Or maybe it was Combeferre, it was another student) and obsessed over Gavroche. o_O Cosette had a pretty voice and had more personality than some of the other Cosettes I have seen. Javert had a lovely voice and was best in his scenes with the students. Gavroche was adorable, and the Thenardiers were quite good. Eponine was mostly good, at times I felt like she was playing to the audience and not to the other characters though. ^^;; In general, I really liked this cast, they were actually stronger than the original Broadway cast (David Bryant==horrible) and were probably the best cast in total I've seen live.

The worst thing hands down, is the things cut. Yes, I know Les Miserables by heart, so I knew each time something got cut. Exmples: the second verse of Castle on a Cloud, several lines from Fantine's arrest. Several lines from when Gavroche reveals who Javert really is, a line from the Attack on Rue Plumet, and a bunch of other lines. They added a tiny bit where Valjean meets Cosette in the woods. I really really hope they make a CD of this cast since I would actually buy it in a heartbeat.

I waited after and got autographs from: Fantine, Cosette, Eponine, Marius, Valjean, Javert, Enjolras, Granitaire, Gavroche, and Monsieur Thenardier. Madame left without giving any. ~.~ Though I admit the other characters were more important to me cause I so loved some of them (like Valjean *___________* )

All this has reminded me how much I love shows. I need to make sure to se a play or musical more than once a year. If I can go to Japan once a year, I should be able to handle a show. Perhaps I will ask my mother for tickets to see Avenue Q as a gift, or that play about apples...

Comments

[ladybrick.livejournal.com]

Sorry i missed giving you birthday wishes but glad you had a good time ^^

[rkold.livejournal.com]

No prob, thanks for the late wishes! I had an amazing time, I so love shows.

[akari-sama.livejournal.com]

Aw crap, I fail at dates. ^^;

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :D I'm glad you had such a good day. :)

[rkold.livejournal.com]

That's OK I totally understand, I was on a roll earlier this year where I just kept missing people. ~.~

But thanks for the good wishes!

[pure-trance.livejournal.com]

TOT SORRY I MISSED YOUR BIRTHDAY AUGH!!! Glad you had a good one though :)

[rkold.livejournal.com]

It's all good, it was lovely, though I still feel a little sleepy lol *damn telephone waking me up*

[bramblyhedge.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you got to do something special for your birthday. ^__^ Les Miz is fab, & never fails to make me cry ('On My Own'...*sniffle blither* ;_; *is huge sap* ^_~). I need to make an effort to see musicals more often, too. I didn't get to see The Lion King and am still kicking myself to this day.^^

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I was so so so so weepy by the end, this cast was just so emotional. It was interesting, this cast made it more clear that Marius was trying to gently from the start tell Eponine he was not interested, while in other casts he's seen more clueless or even like he was flirting a bit back, and the Eponine tried to force him into a kiss as she died!

Actually, I always find Empty Chairs at Empty Tables awful sad. Though I confess, even though it's a great moment, I still do not get when Valjean tells Javert that Marius "has done no wrong and he needs a doctor's care." The boy was just at the damn barricade!!!! *laughs*

My next Broadway goal is Avenue Q I think or maybe the Pirate Queen. XD; The Vertical Hour and the Apple Tree also look good.

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

Oh, Les Mis revival! I also hope there's a CD! And yes, it always seems a bit weird when you see a favorite musical or play and realize lines have been cut. So cool that you got center seats!! Glad you had a good birthday--sorry to have missed it. I didn't much get on the net yesterday.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

Awww it's OK I totally understand. ^^

I so would buy the CD, this was a superb cast. (And I have 10 or more different CDs and saw 3 different casts live) The problem is a bunch of the lines they cut are ones I like for one reason or another. lol They're were quite a few from the evil fast tunes.

My mom wanted to know what to get me for my birthday, and I think I want a ticket to see a show with her. XD;

Happy Birthday!

[ginarolo.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I hope you get to see more shows.

Re: Happy Birthday!

[rkold.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'd like to work to see more shows. I feel terribly that I haven't seen anything since the Man of LaMancha revival a few years ago.

Though next time I so want a nice sharpie for book signing. lol All I had was the pink pen I bought at Muji.

[twotone]

Ack, I totally spaced and missed your birthday! *guilty*
But I'm glad you had such a great time at Les Miz. It sounds like it was an awesome cast and a great performance, even with the cuts.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

It was a super amazing cast and I would totally recommend seeing it if you can. The Valjean was just so so so so so good and these were hands down the best seats I have ever had for anything. The only thing I regret is when Marius threw the francs to the Thenardiers I missed getting the note as a souvenir since I was just too stunned when the show ended.

Awww, you just got back from a vacation, I'm sure you're still a little jet lagged and getting back into the swing of things.

[twotone]

I think I left my brain on vacation... :P I still need to find time to print out some of our vacation photos so we can share them with friends and family.

BTW, what are your holiday plans? You're going to be in Japan for Dolpa 17, not 16, right? *confused*

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I'm not going to Japan until March, and I'm going in May so whatever events are then. ^o^

Originally I was going to see the in-laws in Utah for Christmas, but now I'm staying here. ^^;;

My big holiday plan so far is sometime after Christmas my best friend Jenn is going to go into NYC and we're going to meet. ^^ But other than that I'm pretty open. ^_^

It was the altitude sickness, always a good excuse!

[winter]

*facepalms* Sorry, totally slipped my mind too :) Happy birthday!

And lucky you! Who was on as Enjolras, out of curiosity?

[rkold.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the late wishes though!

The Enjolras was a newbie named Aaron Lazar. I thought he was really quite good and had a voice. Plus he was tall and attractive. XD;

he wasn't Michael Maguire mind you, but he was much better than the guy on Complete Symphonic and David Burt.

[gokumew2.livejournal.com]

Wah! Late, gomen. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

[rkold.livejournal.com]

Awwww thanks! And I hope your grandmother is doing better! That must be awful stressful.

[gokumew2.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she is. Thanks! *hug*

[rkold.livejournal.com]

*hugs*
hospitals suck, and it's hard visiting someone where. I adore my grandmother, so completely understand.

[(Anonymous)]

i'm sorry i didnt get to do a birthday post for you but i did try to call you T__T
either way, Happy Belated Birthday!

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I know I have that problem with LJ too where it suddenly decides to log me out. I've also had that prob with DoA. ~.~

Thank you for the kind thoughts!

[blacktempest.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you had such a great birthday! That's how it should always be :)

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I think so too! Do you have any plans for yours next month, or not planning so far in advance? We actually bought the tickets in June though I had not realized quite how good the seats were.