Tuesday, September 27, 2005

renee, giving autographs


renee
Originally uploaded by queenesther.
i saw last broadway performance of "all shook up" at the palace theater on sunday. i had to -- the show (a retelling of shakespeare's "12th Night" with lots of elvis presley's songs) was my friend renee's broadway debut. unfortunately, it only lasted for about a week or two for my friend, although the show had been up and running for quite some time -- they gave notice to close the production almost as soon as she got the part. when we got to the theater and i told ralph what happened about how she gets the show and then it gets cancelled, he blurted, it's like an episode of "good times"!

it was a matinee show and it was very nearly sold out, a very enthusiastic and jubilant crowd. there were barricades and cops and the usual mayhem that happens at the backstage door when the cast appears. the idea is to get everyone in the cast to sign the show poster. that can make it quite a collectible later on.

i got to sit inbetween dana ("baby girl") rainey and make a remark here and there about the dancing, and jack sprat, an elvis fan -- who honestly thought the show was over at intermission because he figured it had lasted long enough.

i knew quite a few performers in the cast. everyone gave such strong performances. it's elvis, fer cryin' out loud -- really fun crowd pleasing stuff. afterwards, we went to divine bar on 54th and 8th for a cast send-off. hanging out later on gave me a chance to reconnect with old friends -- like john eric parker -- (we did the original cast of the first national tour of RENT together).

i decided awhile ago that although i'd like to do broadway eventually, i'm way more interested in originating roles.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

sounds fun. i'm definitely going to broadway to see ANYTHING when i get to NY

Queen Esther said...

be sure to see Avenue Q and The Lion King when you come to nyc. i'm not sure that anything else on broadway is worth the money you'd shell out. the lion king is pretty spectacular, though. for off-broadway, go see Blue Man Group.