The flashing lights and rush of taxis of the city cannot compare to the oh-so-eventful summers in Boca Raton.
Away from the sun-drenched beaches and overly air-conditioned malls is a world that doesn’t include bedroom communities and sweet old suburbia, there is a place full of entertainment and nightlife, warm days and cool nights, ideal for a weeklong getaway.
Taking a journey to New York City for the summer is a costly idea, but not much more than loading up an SUV for a four-hour drive up to Orlando only to spend another $100 for the journey home.
With this summer’s movies being flops, and tickets averaging a price of $10, it’s no wonder why Broadway shows are rising in popularity. Live entertainment has lost its luster compared to the 1980s and 1990s when shows like “Beauty and the Beast,” “Cats,” “Phantom of the Opera,” and “Les Misérables” were climbing toward stardom.
A new era of entertainment is on the rise and critics know that remaking classic books, movies, or bringing popular culture to the stage is a surefire way to attract crowds and make bank.
A story about a nerdy nobody bit by a spider, the tale of the real Malibu Barbie, and an intricate mental puzzle that explores the exploitation of religion and masculinity in a teenager – they don’t have anything in common, but they all intertwine to make up what is the future of live entertainment.
With the opening of “Spider-Man the Musical,” little boys and grown men will finally have an excuse to see a Broadway show without feeling like pansies.
“Legally Blonde the Musical,” whose fame has suddenly heightened due to the MTV show “Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods,” includes a sprinkle of extra satire and sexuality versus the movie version.
The already infamous Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) will undoubtedly draw mobs to “Equus,” which is debuting, on Broadway, later this year.
Spidey to reveal identity to audience?
Peter Parker can not only spew webs from his wrist, crawl on the sides of walls, and hang upside down while doing elaborate make-out scenes in the rain, but now he can sing and dance.
The classic story of the troubled teen turned heroic alpha male will take the stage late 2009, early 2010 on Broadway’s rendition of “Spider-Man the Musical.” The story will be a take on the original plot of the puny boy who falls in love with the girl next door, but who suddenly is bestowed great superhuman ability.
Between his dilemmas of fighting good and evil Parker will sing about his foes and woes and maybe even get the girl. The production is set to be directed by the Tony Award winner Julie Taymor, who happened to direct the hit “Lion King” on both Broadway and London’s West End.
Taymor’s vision will surely be nothing short of successful as she has even been the creative spark for the Metropolitan Opera and helped enhance shows such as “The Tempest” and “Oedipus Rex.”
The musical’s lyrics, score and instrumentals, were written by none other than U2’s Bono and The Edge, which should give the show an edgy rock feel with underlying opposing tones of angst and melancholy.
Nothing has been disclosed yet about the scenery and design, but what is sure is that the effects and costumes are solid and all that is left to do is lock the agreement for the theater.
The show will keep to its traditional ideals as Spidey will still defeat evil, bounce helplessly between identities, do everything for the greater good, and he’ll do it all in his nicely fitting blue-and-red bodysuit while singing under the spotlight.
Illustrations by Colleen Walizer
The boy who cried horse.
Naked Harry Potter is coming to America. Well, at least a naked Daniel Radcliffe is. “Equus,” the provocative play about a psychologically disturbed 17-year-old male is coming to Broadhurst Theatre in Manhattan on Sept. 25.
The infamous Daniel Radcliffe, more famously known as Harry Potter, will reprise his role as Alan Strang, the bothered boy who blinds six horses. The show is more complex than the typical sugar-coated 90-minute musical and is an exploration of sexual and religious connotation with underlying homosexual symbols.
Radcliffe takes on his role with a much more mature acting style and says he wants to breakaway from the Harry Potter stigma and allow people to recognize him as a chameleon not just “the boy who lived.”
Playing a mentally distraught boy will not exactly gain a Harry Potter following, but it does allow him to reach out to an older set of fans who want to see more of the boy wizard.
The show also plays on human emotion by adding in elemental surprises that grasp the audience in their most tender moments – high-pitched sounds, dark lighting, and the simplicity of the stage help transport the audience into the minds of the characters.
Moreover, the show consists of a psychological evaluation of the “crazed teenager” and is explained exquisitely through art and obscenity. The racy show arrives in New York City on Sept. 25, with a preview on Sept. 5. This treat is short-lived though as it has a 22-week run that ends on Feb. 9, 2009. Perhaps it’s too cold for Radcliffe to prance around in the buff for the whole winter.
Q: What’s the difference between a dumb blonde and Elle Woods?A: …
Oh my God, you guys, there’s like a new Elle Woods in town! The chick magnet film turned Broadway musical (which premiered in 2007) contains as many quirky, comedic, yet subtly astute remarks as Reese Witherspoon’s original role of sorority girl turned Harvard Law student.
MTV recently wrapped up “Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods” and now 20-year-old Bailey Hanks is taking on the role of Miss Blonde herself. Hanks’ run started on July 23 at the Palace Theater in Times Square.
Expect the show to have just as much jam-packed girlishness as ever before. The flaxen-haired lead will surely keep the tradition of unnecessary squeaking, “bending and snapping” and toting around her chihuahua Bruiser as an accessory.
With numbers like “Omigod You Guys,” “Positive,” and “Legally Blonde,” Elle keeps to the universal themes of the movie, self-discovery and acceptance.
Her journey from dumb blonde to in-charge bombshell consists of a series of pitfalls and exploration as she battles to find her true self. Not accepting the fact that people still base her IQ on hair color, she faces internal conflicts and ultimately finds self-approval.
Even better news is that the Elle, her Delta Nu sisters, and the whole Harvard Law gang are going on a road trip. Legally Blonde’s U.S. tour will kick off in September in Providence, R.I. and will take its course for one year; this includes four locations in Florida, one even at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach in early March. Now everyone can enjoy the slightly provocative, slightly cheerleader-esque dance moves and bask in the glory of pink shoes. Snaps for us!
Can’t fly to NYC? Check out FAU Live!
Don’t think you have to travel all the way to New York to get a decent show. FAU’s very own theatre and dance department will be holding multiple productions this upcoming fall and spring.
This year’s agenda includes classic acts such as the Russian National Ballet Theatre’s Cinderella and the legendary Aida.
You still get live entertainment, but much closer and at a cheaper price (faculty, student, and child discount apply). Visit the FAU events Web site for more information on this fall’s upcoming theatre lineup.
