In good Company with Nia Vardalos, a taste of Cuba and BBQ improvisations

I was back in Toronto at the theatre on Saturday.My buddy Adam Brazier's theatre group Theatre 20 was doing a production of Stephen Sondheim's Company. This was a show that I wanted to see when I first heard they were doing it, mostly because I usually like Sondheim and curiosity because I didn't know much about this particular show . I wanted to see it all the more when I heard that My Big Fat Greek Wedding star/writer Nia Vardalos was going to be in it.

For those who don't know Stephen Sondheim is a legendary Broadway composer whose works include Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum, and the lyrics for West Side Story. Back in December 2010 I actually met Stephen Sondheim. Sadly it was not a great stage door experience. If you've read my old myspace blog, you'll know this story, but forgive me while I recount it. There was an evening with Stephen Sondheim with Q&A etc, afterwards I stage doored. One of the theatre employees told the crowd Stephen had left, I had to go to catch the Subway, and came across Sondheim sneaking out another exit about to get into a car, I asked him if I could get a picture. He replied with a "no." Not I am sorry, no explanation, just flat out "no." Nothing else was spoken between us, talk about being unappreciative of your fan base!

My stage door experience on Saturday on the other hand was quite the opposite. Nia  was a complete and utter sweetheart. The Berkley theatre has this outdoor patio stage door area, and eventually I was the only one waiting left there, I was worried I had some how missed Nia even though I was out there right away. I would be surprised if I had, because I am sure people would have been stopping to talk to her. I guess that is the matinee crowd for you. One of the theatre employees was kind enough to double check for me, and as soon as she heard a fan was waiting for her she came right down. She introduced herself, asked me my name. I was able to tell her that I really related to Toula of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and she said she was Toula too deep down, I even got my DVD signed. She asked me how to spell my name, but the pen I had brought actually had my name one it, so I pointed it out.  That was definitely the cherry on a great afternoon. Here's a pic of us and the DVD:

As to the show itself, I enjoyed it, although at times I thought the vocals were overpowered by the band. I didn't find the songs particularly catchy, nothing got stuck in my head. (Although I really like the song Getting Married Today which was featured on Glee) The performances were great, I really didn't like Louise Pitre's character, which was a testament to her ability because I have met Louise and seen her perform a couple of times and she is a really nice lady. It was strange I didn't even recognize of the actress Marisa McIntyre from when she was on the signing competition show How Do you Solve a Problem like Maria?and she was my favourite, unfortunately I didn't get a chance to tell her because I didn't find that out until after. (Through out my theatre going I have actually seen 4 out of the 10 finalists on that show. 

I had purchased an onstage seat. I had only ever done that once before and I got hit by the actor but that a story for another day/post. There was only me and another lady with seats on stage, and she decided not to sit there during act 2, so I sat in the audience as well. I was too self conscious being the only one up there. I didn't really like the sideview anyway, but at least I can say now I was onstage with Nia Vardalos and Brent Carver. (I had hoped to meet him and have him sign my Kiss of the Spiderwoman soundtrack but that didn't happen.) The seat in the audience wasn't much better because of the guy in front of my kept moving his head.

Before the show thanks to the helpful box office clerk I found myself in the distillery district at a Barcardi Cuban festival.Not really knowing where the theatre was I showed up uber early, and never been to the distillery before. I got to lunch on a pina colada and cubano sandwich (Which if you have seen the movie Chef, you'll understand my curiosity to try one) It felt like I was on a mini vacation exploring new culture, foods and shops etc Here are a couple of pics:

 

Definitely a better than the weekend before when a bad element on my stove was accidentally turned on and it basically exploded and there were sparks and there was need for the fire extinguisher. Even though the element was replaced there was a short in the stove, and so it couldn't be safely used. That happened on the Sunday but I didn't get a new stove until the Wednesday (Of course Canada Day was on the Tuesday so nothing was open and very few people were working). The incident led to some creativity my boyfriend suggested a cookie sheet as a griddle on the barbeque and that is how I made french toast one morning. I became quite adept at using the propane camp stove over the next few days. I will leave you with pics:

Seeing the Lion King and meeting Adam Beach

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted, what can I can say I have been out enjoying the beautiful weather getting tanned. First let me get this off my chest, I can't believe the guy I couldn't stand as the Genie in Aladdin has now won a Tony, ugh! Also from what I've seen on the Tony's I need to go see Neil Patrick Harris in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, like yesterday. His Tony performance was AMAZING! (Ramin Karimloo may have lost fair and square as much as I was blown away by his performance as Jean Val Jean back in January)

That being said, I am now cautiously optimistic Disney musicals again after seeing the Lion King on June 7. They had me from the giraffe costumes. (Not that I am biased because I love giraffes or anything) They stayed true to the movie which is important to me  -I watched it the day after- although I was a little worried in the beginning of act two that they were going to have this sub plot of Scar pursuing a grown up Nala, fortunately that wasn't the case. I ended up watching the movie the next day. Sadly it seems I have lost my Lion King soundtrack, I've got the case but not the CD. I think it is a good thing the music wasn't fresh in my head, I think that may have detracted from my enjoyment of Chicago because I had pre-watched the movie etc.

I was in the upper balcony of the no longer to be torn down Princess of Wales Theatre (YAY!) so I didn't get to see any costume detail up close. It was especially neat to see how the animals were done because I had gone to a zoo the week before and had seen Lion's and giraffe's up close. Anyway I bought a souvenir programme and couldn't believe all the intricate beading and shell-work.  The ingenuity and the amount of work that went to everything was really impressive. There probably close to 150 costumes. I loved how the person wearing the giraffe costume was using stilts for their hands and feet and their head became the base of the giraffes neck.I still think the hyenas were well done and captured the hunched heads just like the cartoon.

The staging itself was phenomenal.  The elephant grave yard scene I think would have been scary if I were a kid. The way they handled the stampede scene was pretty cool. I don't even want to think about all the time that went into making the wildebeest costumes. Julie Taymor is a genius.

The cast was uber talented too. I though the guy who played Scar was fantabulous. The delivery of Scar's snarky comments was spot on just like in the movie. He was deliciously evil. He's my favourite.

Either way after seeing Lion King I am willing to see another Disney musical. Right now they are batting 50/50 that I'll like it. I am not overly familiar with Newsies, so I wonder what I would think of that show... it is coming next year maybe I'll go.

June 19 marked 10 years since my Aunt Mel passed it is hard to believe it's been that long. So there was something I wanted to do when I saw Lion King, we have a picture of her in front of the Princess of Wales Theatre when she took her son to see Lion King, so I got my friends to take one of me. I guess it was my way of trying to feel close to her some how, that probably doesn't make much sense.  I kinda wish I had remembered to pick the same spot, but the spirit is there.Here are the pics, Mel on the left and me on the right.

 

 A couple weeks after Lion King I got to meet actor Adam Beach, a fellow aboriginal.There was a screening of one of his movies for National Aboriginal Day. It is a sad state of affairs that there aren't more prominent aboriginal actors out there, case in point I can't even name one prominent female native actor, Adam is one of the biggest. You would probably know him from the TV shows Arctic Air or Law and Order:SVU or the films Windtalkers and Smoke Signals. I didn't even find out about the screening until the morning of, definitely how I expected my day to turn out when I woke up! 

The movie that was screen was an indie pic, with themes still relevant to aboriginal society today. There were 5 members of the cast there as well, which was neat, four of them signed my little flyer for the movie, and Adam signed my newly purchased copy of Smoke Signals. The Q&A after was really interesting. I found out all about Adam trying to bring the full movie theatre experience to remote reservations with pop up theatres. Also he is starting a film institute in Winnipeg. He's all around just a really cool guy, a little goofy and funny, not to mention easy on the eyes.. sigh. total crush. His mannerisms and speech remind me of my aboriginal relatives, a total 'nish not a Hollywood hotshot and I respect him all the more for it. His answer to the last Q&A question was "Yes, I'm single" even though that wasn't remotely what the question was. I will leave you with a pic of Adam and I.