Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been a distinct pleasure to be part of your online experience in the Performing Arts. It’s been an interesting blog to write, with a subject matter as broad as “the Performing Arts,” and at times it’s been frustrating in that there’s so much to write about that just choosing something has been difficult.
We live in exciting times - the “death of live performance” that was feared with the advent of digital media never happened, and if anything there is more live performances simply because they can now be webcast, broadcast, etc. More people than ever are appreciating and understanding dance and music thanks to the reality shows and the specials, and Broadway itself is booming. Suddenly, thanks to “High School Musical,” being in a school musical is cool again, something that makes me wish I could go back to my high school days and point out to my young nerdy self.
But all things have a beginning, a middle, and an end, and this will be the final blog entry in this particular blog. I am off to other writing endeavors, and B5Media has plenty of other blogs covering specific parts of the performing arts. I’d like to thank Arieanna, my content editor, for her guidance and patience while I’ve been here.
Dancing with the Stars does not, I’m sheepishly admitting, start for another couple of months- though my reports of possible contestants was right on. I can even add absolutely positively unverified rumors of Clint Eastwood and Kim Kardashian to the mix. But don’t quote me on that…
Dancing with Drama
What I’m not so glad to hear about on the celebrity blogs is the search criteria by which the show’s producers are picking potential candidates. Apparently they are looking for divorcees or at least former couples to have them competing on the same show. Or even better, someone with some kind of illness or injury.
What About the Dancing?
See, the big breakthru of these shows is that it proved that audiences would care about the dancing, not just drama. Sure, they got involved in the dancers struggles, but that was enough to make them care.
Do we really need to manufacture a drama out of their lives? Jerry dancing at his daughter’s wedding was enough to jerk a tear; Marie’s illness was sympathy inducing. But I fear. That if the producers have their way, this will be more about behind-the-scenes antics than people celebrating dance.
Everyone was happy and excited for Bailey Hanks, winner of MTV’s Legally Blonde reality competition. She beat out the other legal blondes and landed her leading role, which she premiered last Wednesday. The other contestants went home, heads hung low, bitter and defeated, right?
Well, not so much.
Surprise! You’ve Got Contracts!
As it turned out, the producers had jobs in mind for all four of the top contestants in the show.
Rhiannon Hansen will play Margot, Elle’s best friend, in the touring company of Legally Blonde
Autumn Hurlbert will join the Broadway cast as Elle’s understudy
Lauren Zakrin will not only join the touring company in the ensemble but also act as a second understudy for the Broadway show.
So all four top contestants won contracts, and all four seem to be pretty happy about it. “I couldn’t be at a better place; this is better for me now and this is where I’m supposed to be,” Rhiannon told the Deseret News.
I think this is a piece of brilliance on the part of the producers, and could change the way people get cast in these shows. They came out of this with (I’m presuming) a profit from the MTV show, four solid leads for their main star, and everybody’s happy.
The dancer who made Simon Cowell smile has made it all the way to the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent, the English equivalent of American Idol. Sophie Mei didn’t make the cut afterwards, but it’s still quite an accomplishment for a belly dancer.
Dance 3, Presence 10
She’s not all that technically brilliant, according to my Middle Eastern Dance Research Team (yes, I have one, doesn’t everyone?). But what she has is presence - she’s obviously having a great time as she dances and entertains, and it’s contagious.
One of the most prolific and amazing writers I know, who I am also lucky enough to have met a time or two, is Scott Sigler. He’s not, as far as I know, terribly musically inclined, even when he’s looking a lot like Elton John back in his feather-boa-and-big-glasses days. But he is also a writer for A&E online, specifically in their horror genre.
What does this have to do with the performing arts? Why, I’m glad you asked…
Everything’s Coming Up Musicals
I’ve written here before about the Creature From the Black Lagoon as a musical. But did you know there are others?
Evil Dead the Musical
Toxic Avenger the Musical
The Fly
Repo: the Genetic Opera
I didn’t know about some of these, until I read his column over on A&E. I was able to remind him of Point Break LIVE! which doesn’t really count, as it’s not a musical (but the fact that Keanu Reeves’ part is read by a random audience member off of cue cards is pretty interesting) . He also mentions the old standby, Rocky Horror Picture Show, but strangely enough missed the beginning of the genre, Little Shop of Horrors, and of course the newest Broadway fiasco noble effort, Young Frankenstein.
No, I’ve NOT Seen Dr. Horrible!
Of course, Joss Whedon is the talk of the town with his new Dr. Horrible , and no, I’ve not seen it yet (about four of my friends suggested I write about it when I started this entry). I will subscribe to it tonight, watch it tomorrow on my new iPhone, and give it a proper Fame or Famine review. OK? So leave me alone already!
It makes one wonder, though…are we in a new age of musicals, clever and witty and pretty and gay…?
