The Gayest and Scariest Things You'll See This Week.

Elizabeth Olsen in "Silent House"

So I'm sort of torn between two movies I very much want to see this weekend. First, I practically begged D to come see John Carter, which he less-than-enthusiastically agreed. Then I said "Unless you would rather see Silent House, then I'll see John Carter with K or Dale."

He replied "What's Silent House?"

Directed by Chris Kentiss and Laura Lau (Open Water), Silent House is a real-time, found-footage, single-take horror movie starring the very up and coming Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) in the American version of the Uruguayan horror movie, La casa muda (The Silent House). If it was indeed filmed in one take, I imagine rehearsals would have been pretty intense. And how many versions did they shoot before they got perfect take? Personally, I know of plenty amazing single-shot sequences (The Bird Cage and Children of Men come immediately to mind) but I don't think I've ever seen an entire single-take film. Here's both trailers:

So what do you think? I haven't seen the original, but I am so very intrigued by the whole thing and I'm dying to see how they pull it off.

I know - I promised a Gayest Thing, too. Fear not. Perhaps this should really be called the 'Most Fabulous Thing,' because I promise you, it is Fab-U-Effing-Lous! I found the below clip earlier on Towleroad and since I'm rehearsing for Musical Theatre's second greatest drag role (Albin in La Cage is undefeated, though Victoria in Victor/Victoria is a close 3rd), I've been keeping my eye out for reference material and when I saw the clip I am about to share, it inspired me to give at least as joyous (though hardly as elaborate) a performance as the star of this piece. I wish I was sure enough of the clip's national origins to give proper credit, all around. My Spanish is practically non-existent. If you know, please let me know. 

Anyway - this is how you do drag, bitches!:

Talk about owning it! Am I allowed to say "You go, girl," as long I use it both sincerely and ironically,  like Chelsea Handler uses it?  I think (and hope) that person won that competition. And if (s)he* didn't win, who the hell topped that act?

*Don't judge; I have no idea how that person identifies (though if you do, please let me know).

And since we're already talking about performing in drag, I had my measurements taken while wearing the custom bra I'll be wearing in Hairspray. This Edna Turnblad is a 67 Triple F. Jealous, much?

Didn't think so.

More, anon.
Prospero

Belated TV Review: "Awake"

Because of my last post's aforementioned 5000 plates, I didn't get to see the premiere episode of NBC's newest genre drama "Awake," until tonight. And I have to be perfectly honest admit that I thought... well, about that in a moment (or three).

Ruggedly handsome Jason Isaacs, best known to American audiences as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, is Detective Michael Britten; a man who is having a rather unusual experience -- or should it be 'experiences?'-- after a devastating  auto accident. Mike seems to have found himself torn between two realities. In one, his wife Hannah (Laura Allen from "The 4400" and "Terriers") survived the accident but not his son. In the other, his son Rex ("Saving Grace" and "Lost" alum Dylan Minette), instead of his wife. He goes to sleep in one reality and awakens in the other. He is seeing a therapist in both realities, who offer conflicting advice and opinions and each other's therapies, while insisting their counterpart is a fantasy. B.D. Wong ("Law & Order: SVU") plays the aggressive realist who insists Mike's other world is a dream, while the always impressive Cherry Jones (the last POTUS on "24") is the more sympathetic shrink, though equally insistent on her own reality. Mike also has different partners and cases in each world, though both cases have similar details which seem to impact on one another. Wilmer Valderama ("That 70's Show;" "Royal Pains") and Steve Harris ("The Practice;" Quarantine) are the respective partners.

New genre TV hasn't been so good, so far (see "The River") this year. But I must admit that the first episode of  NBC's "Awake" has me intrigued. We know nothing about Mike and his family's lives before the accident, so what bearing does any of that have on what's happening to him? Why are some things leaking over from one reality to the other? Which world (if either) is reality?  

Isaacs, with his rugged good looks (and impressive American accent) is exceptional in his performance as an emotionally devastated man who has decided to try to embrace the duality of his existence rather than deny one for the other. Allen and Minette are both seasoned up-and-comers who are able to deliver the kind of solid performances needed in show like "Awake." It helps that both of the therapists are played by two highly-regarded (and openly gay) Broadway and TV veterans in Wong and Jones. 

Show creator Kyle Killen ("Lonestar") has done a fine job in setting up the premise by starting right in the middle of the story, with possibly the most minimalist (is that an oxymoron?) exposition possible, which made me immediately want to know about the events that led up the accident and what effects (if any) they have on what's happening now. The show is beautifully shot in alternately realistic and semi-dream-like styles and anchored by the dedicated performances from an excellent cast.

The central conceit of "Awake" is about as high-concept as genre TV can get. It also joins "Fringe" (for my money, the best show on broadcast TV) as the second contemporary network series to feature alternate universes, albeit in very different ways. ***1/2 (Three and a Half out of Four Stars).

Have you seen "Awake?" What did you think? 

More, anon.
Prospero

D'oh! (P Is Not Yellow)

Uncle P Is Not Actually Yellow, Despite Calling Himself 'Uncle P'

Well, I know I don't have to tell you what this post is all about. If you missed yesterday's now-deleted post, then never mind. If you read it - I blame myself for listening to my mother who reminded me at least five times that it was this weekend, without once looking it up for myself. This is what happens when you have 5000 plates in the air, at once. I'm not complaining... just embarrassed.

I'll be back in a bit with tonight's real post.

Hopefully No More Embarrassment, Anon.

Prospero

Good News, Sad News, Good News

So let's start with Good News, shall we?

The MCCC/JTMF joint production of Hairspray is well into rehearsals and I am having a ball playing a certain lady of size. There are some very talented folks in the cast, including my friend Tom as my hubby, Wilbur. Our 2nd Act number together is going to be a blast. I'd honestly forgotten how much fun being in a musical can be. 

Ticket sales are brisk - several evening shows have already sold out. Opening night's audience will include a rather large contingent from the Day Job (who just can't wait to see me in a dress). Several of them have already seen me play an arrogant, bullying director (Noises Off) and a complete  idiot (The Nerd), so they're chomping at the bit to see me play a woman, especially one who sings and (sort of) dances. And our first matinee audience will include both college friends I haven't seen in almost 25 years and at least one blogger friend I've never met in person. You can order tickets on line at www.kelseyatmccc.org or by phone at 609-570-3333. Directed by Jeremy Robinson; Choreographed by Jody Person; under the musical direction of Peter DeMets and co-starring Yours Truly in several dresses, Hairspray should be a rollicking good time.

In other Good News, the James Tolin Memorial Fund is pleased to announce our Tenth Anniversary Gala AIDS Benefit, featuring a reprise of our very first production: Paul Rudnick's gay romantic comedy Jeffrey. Having directed our last 10 productions, I am happy to hand over the reigns to founder Tracy Antozzeski (who also directed the show the first time around), so that I can reprise my role as interior designer of a certain age, Sterling. I'm even more excited that I will finally get a chance to really act with my Dear D, who will be playing the title role of actor/cater-waiter Jeffrey. The Gala will include an Opening Night Red Carpet Extravaganza; a catered reception on both Friday and Saturday nights and our biggest and best Silent Auction, ever. Tickets can be purchased by clicking the link above or by phone at 609-570-3333. Trust me, you DO NOT want to miss this one.

This second bit of Good News is also my Sad News. Jeffrey will be the final annual June AIDS benefit for the JTMF. After 10 years of very hard work by the Board and Staff, as well as the many talented people who've contributed artistically, we've decided that our current formula is no longer working for us and we'll be taking a year off to reassess and reinvent ourselves.

That's not to say that the JTMF is going away. Far from it. And that's the final bit of Good News. We'll be back. We're already looking at ways to continue to raise money for good causes in James' name and have already planned a special Halloween staged radio play* for Fall of 2013. Additionally, we're working to foster a relationship with a local NJ anti-suicide foundation while exploring other avenues for raising funds to keep both the James Tolin Memorial Scholarship going, as well as continuing to support the good work of the Open Arms Foundation, which provides support and counseling for NJ residents who are both afflicted with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

If you've supported JTMF in the past, I thank you. And I sincerely hope that you will continue to do so in our future endeavors, whatever they may end up being.

All that having been said, here's a taste of the 2002 Seattle production of Hairspray:

*Any guesses as to what said Radio Play will be? Your guess is probably right.

More, anon.
Prospero

I Am Not Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn

I don't remember exactly how the conversation got started today, but we were talking about brushes with celebrity and a friend asked me if I'd ever had any weird or funny celebrity encounters. I've had several, but the one I am about to share has stuck with me, if only to remind me how not famous I am.

I do spend a bit of time in New York and have lived in L.A. and have seen, passed and even met more than a few famous folks. Paul Winfield; Danny Aiello; Jimmy Fallon; Katie Couric; James Earl Jones; Chita Rivera and Treat Williams are some of the famous people I've encountered either in New York or L.A. But in the early aughts, I was working for the NYC Ballet at Lincoln Center, playing Louis XIV as part of their "Family Fanfare" educational program. I would take a very early morning train in, do two shows and then spend the afternoon either sleeping on the train home; shopping; wandering around the city or meeting friends for drinks in Chelsea, Soho or the Village.

One day, after the second show, I had time to kill before meeting a friend downtown for a drink, so I decided to pay a visit to the cafe at the Lincoln Center Barnes and Noble. I got a coffee and a pastry, studied lines for another show I was doing and then got up to head out to catch the 1-9 train downtown. The cafe at the Lincoln Center B&N is on the third floor, as are the Children's Books. I was heading for the Down escalator when none other than Liam Neeson came off the Up escalator, apparently desperate for a children's book of some kind. Our paths intersected and we did the right/left/right dance you do when you're trying to avoid a head-on collision with someone in your path. I think I said something completely lame like "Excuse me, Mr. Neeson" and got out of his way as he headed into the stacks in search of "Harold and the Purple Crayon" (I'm assuming).

Almost immediately after this, two young women came off the Up escalator. One of them approached me and said "Can I have your autograph?" I was stunned for a moment, until her companion yanked her arm and said "Not him, dummy! He's nobody!" The second girl then led her companion in the direction of Neeson, who seemed to me to be not in any mood to talk to fans. Of course, my first thought was "Well, neither are you, bitch!" Chagrined, amused and a bit confused, I made my way downstairs, marveling at the fact that I'd 'danced' with Oskar Schindler; Ethan Fromme; Rob Roy; Jean Val Jean and Qui-Gon Jinn, all at the same time.

If you're in New York and want to have celebrity encounter, I recommend spending time in Lincoln Center. ABC Studios are across the way and there are many shops where celebs spend their money.

More, anon.
Prospero

Barsoom!

Taylor Kitsch as John Carter of Mars

As a kid, I loved the Edgar Rice Burroughs' novels about Civil War soldier John Carter and his adventures on Mars (called 'Barsoom' by it's inhabitants). Burroughs (probably best known as the creator of Tarzan) imagined a violent planet in a constant state of war, with Carter as it's prophesied savoir. I always thought the stories would make for some terrific movies, though I can't imagine how they could have been made with any accuracy before the advent of CGI. 

Now that the technology exists, Disney has adapted Burroughs' first Barsoom novel ("A Princess of Mars") for the big screen. John Carter stars "Friday Night Lights" star Taylor Kitsch in the title role of a man who finds himself transported to another planet where lower gravity gives him super-strength and the ability to leap great distances. In the novels, Carter does all his battling in the nude. This being a Disney film, Kitsch spends the movie wearing a leather loin-cloth and not much else (not that I'm complaining). I imagined Carter as older than Kitsch, though I can't fault director Andrew Stanton (Toy Story; Finding Nemo; Wall-E) for casting the very hot up-and-comer in the role. Of course, the supporting cast ain't too shabby. Samantha Morten, Willem Dafoe; Thomas Hayden Church; Mark Strong; Dominic West; James Purefoy and Bryan Cranston all play parts, though some (like DaFoe) appear in motion capture performances which render them unrecognizable.

Disney has a lot riding on John Carter; it's $250M budget among them. Disney's forays into Sci-Fi (The Black Hole; Tron) haven't always been critical darlings. Still, Stanton's track record with Pixar has been nothing short of amazing. I hope he'll do just as well (if not, better) with his first foray into live-action. 

Regardless, I know that I will definitely be seeing John Carter during its first weekend. With 11 novels from Burroughs himself (published between 1912 and 1964) and two more by his son, Disney certainly has a potentially huge franchise on their hands. I only hope they've done the series justice.

John Carter will be released on March 9th.

More, anon.
Prospero

I'm Cooking for a Party Again?

Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries and Raspberries

So, this marks the second party this month at the Day Job. Why? Just because. Actually, it's a Leap Year party. Leap Year only happens once every four years, so why not celebrate? Of course, it's really just another excuse to eat and show off our culinary skills.

Since 2012 is a leap year, many folks took the challenge to heart. On the proposed menu are 4-bean salad; 4-cheese quiche; 4-toppings pizza... you get the idea. And while I threatened to make both frog's legs and kangaroo burgers, I settled on a simple 4-berry pie.

I love a good pie, and except for a really excellent cream-cheese icing carrot cake, prefer it to almost any dessert. Pies are also pretty forgiving when it comes to fillings, at least. I used a store-bought crust (real pie crust - especially a good one - is so hard to make*) and two, one-pound bags of frozen mixed berries. I thawed and mixed the berries with a half cup of sugar; a quarter cup of light brown sugar; a sprinkling of flour; two tablespoons of corn starch; a half teaspoon of fresh-ground nutmeg; a teaspoon of fresh-ground cinnamon and a teaspoon of lemon zest. I joined the two crusts with an egg wash, which was also brushed over the top crust, along with a sprinkling of sugar. I baked it at 350F degrees for an hour. The result (which you can see below**), may be ugly (I prefer the term 'rustic') but it smells delicious. I only hope it turns out to be at least half as good as the quiche I made for our Valentine's party, earlier this month.

My Angry-Looking 4-Berry Pie

I still seem to have problems with crimping the edges of my pie crusts so they look pretty, but at least they held together, unlike the apple pie I made last fall, which had more than few separations between the top and bottom crusts (and no, I'm NOT going to make an obvious joke here).

Of course, there will another work party in March, for St. Patrick's Day. I already know I'll be making that Asparagus and Vidalia quiche again - it's been requested by several people and has green ingredients. And it was incredibly simple to make.

I do so love to cook. Not everything I make is successful. I have, on more than one occasion, made some truly disastrous dishes. But I've had some surprising successes, too. My pear-stuffed pork chops a few years ago were rather amazing. And I would gladly enter my Meatballs Marinara in any contest. 

Just don't ask me to make or eat poutine (Yes, Jon, I'm talking to you). The very thought of the traditional Quebecois dish of French fries, cheese curds and brown gravy just turns my stomach. I can promise that will never be a dish I serve my coworkers (or anyone else), ever.

More, anon.
Prospero

*Someday, I'll convince my mother to teach me how to make her amazingly light and fluffy pie crust.

**A cell-phone isn't exactly a Leica.