Friday, August 28, 2009

Show Recommendation: Phantom

Poor Maury Yeston.  He's gotten his thunder stolen twice (that I know of!)  The first time was when he was writing his amazing musical adaptation of the novel "The Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Leroux.  They were raising money to fund a Broadway production when this dude on the other side of the pond named Andrew Lloyd Webber announced a musical based on the same story.  Well, that, as we all know, was a smash hit in London.  And it's still playing in New York.  (The 2nd time Maury got his thunder stole was with "Titanic".  That amazing musical opened within 6 months of James Cameron's movie.  Everyone talks about the movie.  Those of us that know the musical, and have had the wonderful opportunity to be involved in a production, are well aware that the musical is vastly superior to the over-hyped movie.)  Anyway...the musical "Phantom" got put on the shelf for a bit.  The libretto was actually made into a TV miniseries, starring Charles Dance, Teri Polo, and Burt Lancaster.  (Well, let me tell you...I grew up on the movie.  My cousin Melissa and I watched it so many times we practically had it memorized.)  Not long after the movie aired, the first production of the musical was produced.  Approximately 1000 productions around the world have followed.  The latest...at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Johnstown.

I had the priviledge of seeing most of the final dress rehearsal.  I was taking pictures of the set for my sister, so I viewed the majority of the show through the digital camera.  I am so excited to come back and see the entire show.  It's EXQUISITE!!!!!  Forget ALW's version...this show is all heart and no spectacle.  You are drawn in quickly, and you fall in love with the Phantom.  Your heart just aches for the guy!  And the music...oh, wow!  Gorgeous!!!  Some of the best songs Maury ever wrote are in that score.  DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!!!!  It runs tonight (August 28) through November 8, 2009.  And when you go, I have words for you:  BRING KLEENEX!!  I was having trouble taking pictures near the end of the show.  It's hard to see the camera, let alone the stage, when you're crying.  This is a heartbreakingly beautiful musical, and should not be missed!

Candlelight Dinner Playhouse

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Sunday, August 23, 2009

I wasn't kidding!

I said that I was going to cut my hair short, and I was not kidding!  Here's the picture proof:

 
I feel 10 pounds lighter.  At least, on my head.  :)

Friday, August 21, 2009

Flashback Friday

Tomorrow, I will be walking in the Corn Roast Parade with Loveland Opera Theatre. Today's Flashback Friday has to do with the LAST time I walked in the parade...with Home State Bank in 2003.


Note the roller skate sticker in the bottom corner. I was supposed to roller skate in the parade (another one of my not-so-brilliant ideas) and ended up getting my foot kind of run over by the truck pulling our float. I was fine...no damage to me, other than some bruises...but the skate got bent and I had to walk the parade. Should have taken that as an omen, because I was fired from the bank less than 6 months later. (No, not because of the skate incident.)

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Strangest. Phone Call. Ever.

I'm not sure what just happened, but I do know that it may have been the strangest phone call I've ever gotten at work. And I've had some doozies!

Me: Good Morning, [Company name]
She: Yeah, I'm calling about your 1 bedroom on [address]. Is it still available?
Me: Yes, it is.
She: Well, I'm a lady. *Click*

Wha-wha-WHAT?! Seriously, that was it. I don't think I misheard her. Weird!!!!

Monday, August 17, 2009

My thoughts on the new Dancing with the Stars Cast

There are currently 2 tabs opened on my Firefox. The first is Blogger. The second is ABC.com and the Dancing with the Stars cast. I haven't looked at it yet. I'm going to now. Join me as I react to the stars I'll be watching this fall on one of my favorite shows!!! Ready.....


1) Aaron Carter - your hip hop training will do you no good! Learn that early, and you'll be fine!!

2) Ashley Hamilton - why do I think of Gone with the Wind every time I hear that name.

3) Chuck Liddell - never heard of him.

4) Debi Mazar - never heard of her.

5) Donny Osmond -OH. MY. HECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *ahem* I mean...cool.

6) Joanna Krupa - never heard of her.

7) Kathy Ireland - nice!

8) Kelly Osbourne - okay, that's going to be interesting.

9) Louie Vito - never heard of him.

10) Macy Gray - let's hope she stays on for awhile so she can't come back and sing at a results show. I'm not a fan of her voice.

11) Mark Dacascos - never heard of him.

12) Melissa Joan Hart - wait a second...didn't I just hear that she packed up and moved her whole family across the country to take care of her ailing mother? This does not compute.

13) Michael Irvin - never heard of him.

14) Mya - I've heard of her, but I'm not familiar with her work.

15) Natalie Coughlin - cool!

16) Tom DeLay - wait...WHAT?! Ummm......okay.

Well, there you have it. From the looks of it, it's going to be an...uh...interesting season. I think it's a little obvious who my favorite going in is...don't let me down, Donny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Time for a change!!

My hair is too long. Yes, it's only chin-length in the front. But it's too long! This mop on my head that I call hair is just TOO DARN HOT!!! So, help me decide how short to go:

Option 1:

Okay, maybe not.

Option 2:


I don't know.....

Option 3:


I don't know if this one would work. My hair is thick, has a tendency to curl just enough to be annoying, and does whatever the heck it wants. Hmmm...maybe I should go with option 1.

Let me know your thoughts.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Apparently, I'm famous!

The Taffetas opens on Tuesday. (Oh, my gosh...TUESDAY?!) Anyway, I decided to do a little search on Google to see just where we are advertised. So I typed in "The Taffetas" "Loveland Music Guild." The very top result was this:

Loveland Music Guild Presents THE TAFFETAS 8/11-8/13Jun 24, 2009 ... The Loveland Music Guild is proud to present Rick Lewis' lighthearted musical The Taffetas, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, August 11-13, ...
http://broadwayworld.com/article/Loveland_Music_Guild_Presents_THE_TAFFETAS_811813_20090624

My very first reaction was "Wait, WHAT? Broadwayworld.com?!" So I click on it. Sure enough! There's an article about us on there! So I click on it. Cool! It's our press release! I don't know who put it on there, but cool! Then I notice something interesting... my name is a link. So I click on it. I have a profile on BroadwayWorld! http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Angela_Johnson/

Please note that I was a make-up design artist on Tarzan, and I'm on the Australian Cast Recording of The Sound of Music. Good to know, right? I also apparently wrote a book called "A Cool Moonlight" that has been turned into a modern dance show. Cool!

As I look through the rest of the links on Google, it's the local paper, some website called AmericanTowns.com, and some other local stuff. But seriously....HOLY CRAP! BROADWAYWORLD.COM!!!!! That made my whole day!


COME SEE THE SHOW!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Dear Home Owners Associations of the World,

Before you make a complaint about the state of your neighbor's property, I invite you do to 2 things. First, check in the covenants to see if your complaint is because they are in violation of something expressly written in the covenants. Second, consider this question: Are you trying to force your standards onto the other person? As The Grinch said, "One man's toxic waste is another man's potpourri." Now, it should never get that bad. But for the love of all that is good and holy, MIND YOUR OWN FREAKING BUSINESS!!!!! Just because you pay $X a month, doesn't give you the right to judge others in the neighborhood. "We pay $X so you'll keep people from bringing the neighborhood down." No, actually, you pay $X so that we can water & mow the greenbelt that your dog craps in.

Also, if you are calling the management company of your HOA, please remember that they work under the direction of your Board of Directors. Unless the Board has given them free reign on certain things (like collecting past dues), then everything has to go through the Board. Don't automatically blame the management company. They are trying to do their jobs. And because of LOVELY people like you, I'm sure that many people who work in HOA Management are the ones hitting the bars at 5:00 pm. Or in the case of those who don't drink, eating a lot of ice cream at 3:30 pm (also known as "Ice Cream-Thirty".)

Finally, I ask you to remember that you would be a lot happier if you would just MIND YOUR OWN FREAKING BUSINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sincerely,
The HOA Bookkeeper who now talks to herself and has an odd twitch

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Flashback Friday

Bekah's first Christmas
2007
Age 2 1/2 months

Wednesday, August 5, 2009