Many thanks!
Dec. 7th, 2006 03:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rkoldI'd like to thank ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
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...
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...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 08:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 09:07 am (UTC)HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :D I'm glad you had such a good day. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 09:41 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 09:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 10:28 am (UTC)Happy Birthday!
Date: 2006-12-07 11:04 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 02:30 pm (UTC)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.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 05:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 05:09 pm (UTC)But thanks for the good wishes!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 05:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 05:14 pm (UTC)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.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 05:20 pm (UTC)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;
Re: Happy Birthday!
Date: 2006-12-07 05:21 pm (UTC)Though next time I so want a nice sharpie for book signing. lol All I had was the pink pen I bought at Muji.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 05:24 pm (UTC)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.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 06:50 pm (UTC)And lucky you! Who was on as Enjolras, out of curiosity?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 07:43 pm (UTC)BTW, what are your holiday plans? You're going to be in Japan for Dolpa 17, not 16, right? *confused*
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-07 08:32 pm (UTC)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!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-08 12:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-08 04:29 am (UTC)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.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-08 04:32 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-08 01:36 pm (UTC)either way, Happy Belated Birthday!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-08 02:58 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-08 09:31 pm (UTC)hospitals suck, and it's hard visiting someone where. I adore my grandmother, so completely understand.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-08 09:38 pm (UTC)Thank you for the kind thoughts!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-09 02:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-09 07:08 am (UTC)