Demetri Martin, Jonathan Groff, Daniel Eric Gold, Skylar Astin and people that are even more famous!
Taking Woodstock. A new film by my favorite director Ang Lee. Enough said!
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Emile Hirsch, Liev Schreiber, Paul Dano, Eugene Levy, Kelli Garner, Imelda Staunton, Dan Fogler, Mamie Gummer, Kevin Sussman, Henry Goodman and Kevin Chamberlin are just bonus to it all!
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com
ModFab got a sneak peak at Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, the new Broadway musical being directed by Julie Taymor with music by The Edge and Bono!
And according to the fab ModFab (wait, is that redundant?) it might not be a disaster after all.
In fact, from the way he's putting it, it might be simply brilliant and now I'm getting REALLY excited about it! (Although crap, if group sales are ALREADY selling well a year before the show, will this mean getting decently priced tickets will be difficult?)
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com
American Idol - Top 10 - Performance Night - Theme: Motown
It's Motown week. Hoorah. I'm so excited I may skip to the local soda shop and get a malt beverage. No disrespect to Motown because I actually do love it, but can we move back into this century?
Enough with this old stuff, can they actually sing some current stuff for once? Considering the real Motown is a dying city, with GM and Ford becoming relics from a different era (which may or may not exist by the end of the year), isn't it time to leave the past and look at the greener future?
As for the performances, blah, I wasn't blown away by anybody tonight. It was more like No-town.
Matt Giraud
23 years old
Home: Kalamazoo, MI
Audition: Louisville, KY
Song: "Let's Get It On" (by Marvin Gaye, Ed Townsend, made famous by Marvin Gaye)
Grade: B+
Great vocals, as this was really Matt's week to shine. And he did, but something was still missing for me, he almost seemed like he was coasting here this time. He's great but I don't know why I don't love him yet still. 
Kris Allen
23 years old
Home: Conway, AR
Audition: Louisville, KY
Song: "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (by Holland-Dozier-Holland, made famous by Marvin Gaye)
Grade: B+
I was worried after seeing the intro clip because with this song, it could have been a schmaltzy disaster, and while his vocals weren't spot on, he somehow made the song sound current. Might not be the best singer in the competition but definitely still one of my favorites. 
Scott MacIntyre
23 years old
Home: Scottsdale, AZ
Audition: Phoenix, AZ
Song: "You Can't Hurry Love" (by Holland-Dozier-Holland, made famous by The Supremes)
Grade: F
MY EARS MY EARS. THEY'RE BLEEDING. SOMEONE TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL. Simon bashed Scott and I would have been there right behind with the clubs. 
Megan Joy Corkrey
22 years old
Home: Sandy, UT
Audition: Salt Lake City, UT
Song: "For Once In My Life" (by Ron Miller, Orlando Murden, made famous by Stevie Wonder)
Grade: D
The judges kept saying it was the wrong song choice. I've really got nothing much to add. It didn't hurt my ears as much as Scott but it definitely made me cringe. A LOT.
Anoop Desai
21 years old
Home: Chapel Hill, NC
Audition: Kansas City, MO
Song: "Ooo Baby Baby" - (by Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore, made famous by The Miracles)
Grade: C+
He kinda hit all the notes, maybe, but I was kinda bored. I still like the guy but it didn't really do much for me and I was always on the verge of cringing. 
Michael Sarver
27 years old
Home: Jasper, TX
Audition: Phoenix, AZ
Song: "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (by Norman Whitfield, Edward Holland, Jr., made famous by The Temptations)
Grade: C-
Is it bad that I'm watching him and already thinking that he's going to be one of those contestants we totally forget about in the future when we look back on this season? Then we'll do an internet search and be like... "oh yah!". He could form a support group with Trenyce or AJ.
So like, you know he's not going to win, right?
Lil Rounds
23 years old
Home: Memphis, TN
Audition: Kansas City, MO
Song: "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" (by Holland-Dozier-Holland, made famous by Martha and the Vandellas)
Grade: C-
I'm just going to say it. She was as off and as bland as Michael Sarver. She yelled most of the song and when she didn't, she was off and boring. I know she's a "diva" but thank goodness Kara called her out for not hitting Motown out of the park. Not to be stereotyping here but she's BLACK. Motown should have been her THANG. And instead, she came off almost as whitebread as Sarver. 
Adam Lambert
26 years old
Home: Los Angeles, CA
Audition: San Francisco, CA
Song: "Tracks of My Tears" (by William Robinson, Jr., Warren Moore, Marvin Tarplin, made famous by The Miracles)
Grade: B-
I know most of America is probably shocked and impressed by Adam's clean cut transformation but he still relied way too much on that shrill upper register semi-falsetto voice that wasn't as crisp or clear as it needed to pull something soft life this. I'm sorry but Jacob Hoggard did a far better transition from punk to clean-cut-oldies back in Canadian Idol Season 2. 
Danny Gokey
28 years old
Home: Milwaukee, WI
Audition: Kansas City, MO
Song: "Get Ready" (by Smokey Robinson, made famous by The Temptations)
Grade: B
He's still a douchebag but I kinda liked his performance tonight, at least when he wasn't trying too hard to be cool. When he tries, he just looks like an even bigger dork. 
Allison Iraheta
16 years old
Home: Los Angeles, CA
Audition: San Francisco, CA
Song: "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" (by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, made famous by The Temptations)
Grade: B+
I actually didn't love that last scream but yet again, she does another solid performance and manages to make her raspy rock voice sound smooth.
The Final Round Up:
Best of the Night: Kris Allen
Second Best of the Night: Matt Giraud
Third Best of the Night: Allison Irahetta
Fourth Best of the Night: Danny Gokey
Worst of the Night: Scott MacIntyre
Second Worst of the Night: Megan Joy Corkrey
Bottom Three Predictions: Scott MacIntyre, Megan Corkrey, Michael Sarver
Going Home: Scott MacIntyre (PULEASE FOR THE LOVE OF HEARING, PULEASE)
For more on American Idol:
Click here for the most recent posts.
Season 8:
Top 2 Performance
Top 3 Performance, Top 3 Results
Top 4 Performance, Top 4 Results
Top 5 Performance, Top 5 Results
Top 6 + Matt (Top 7 Redux) Performance, Top 7 Redux Results
Top 7 Performance, Top 7 Results
Top 8 Performance, Top 8 Results
Top 9 Performance
Top 10 Performance
Top 12 Performance, Top 12 Results
Top 13 Performance, Top 13 Results
Top 36:
Group 1, Group 2, Group 3
Wild Card, Wild Card Results
Pre-Top 36:
Who Are You Going To Vote For?
Handicapping the Alleged American Idols
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com
This kid rocks. Why wasn't I that brave when I was his age? Why am I not as eloquent as he is at my age NOW?
17-year-old James Neiley from Charlotte, Vermont at the hearings before Vermont's same-sex marriage bill vote (which passed!). (towleroad). The clip isn't from C-Span but I wish it were.
The kid has a future in politics. If only politics had more people like this kid. There's hope yet.
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com
The Real World: Brooklyn - Dilators, Dresses and Bow Ties, Pole Dancing and Pedro, Saving a Private Ryan - Eps. 2109-2111
Is it just me or am I getting soft? Or shall I say, softer? I mean, I always give way more benefit than the doubt should allow but I figure, hey, these people that sign up for The Real World, well, they've got to be a little sick in the head already, so I've let stupidities go a lot on this show.
But while the kids in Brooklyn are still really just kids, I'm really addicted to this batch. I mean, considering Chet is probably the biggest twat of the group, and he's still not that bad overall, it's a pretty good season.
It's been actually interesting to watch this group slowly discover themselves in the big city and learn to grow up. I mean, they're still childish in their antics, from the fights about cleaning the house (hilarious that it's the guys that are the clean freaks), to the numerous pranks, but ultimately, it's been kind of refreshing to watch them realize that the real world is HARD and that life doesn't go as planned.
From Baya's delusion as a dancer slowly slipping away, to Devyn getting a job at a fashion house (oh wait, she IS getting what she wants, thanks to her new boobs, though she definitely seems surprisingly sensible and reasonable about it all), to Katelynn finding a job as a cage dancer because she's completely broke. 
And who didn't love Scott when after all their bickering (kinda like brother and sister), offers Katelynn a loan to stay in New York? (Wait, and how much money does the guy have? I guess his modeling jobs ARE paying well!) 
Of course, then we find out that Scott is a republican and all that love is lost again, but hey, everybody's gotta have some fault. (Was it any surprise Chet was the other republican in the house?). Loved seeing Obama's election night win all over again through the eyes of the Real Worlders (though where did Baya and Devyn go?)
But reality all came crashing down when Ryan got the call last week to return to the army, it was heartbreaking and a little scary to watch. 
Seriously, how intense was that?
And to know that he ships out for real on April 15th is actually a terrifying thought. These aren't just characters on a TV show. Ryan Conklin really has to go back to Iraq for real. And he might not make it back. God forbid.
Despite all the silly boyish pranks, and his way-too-first-timer-serious-personal-film for the film project, I've been kinda loving Ryan, who seems to be turning out to be a better guy than JD (who still kinda seems like an ass when he's drunk in a Jeckyl and Hyde way).
Apparently, Ryan is already currently back in the army doing re-training in preparation for his next tour of Iraq. He can't even bask in the glow of reality TV stardom or join the next batch of sadsacks on the RW vs RR challenges to milk his 15 minutes of fame.
Though I'm curious to see the reaction this week from the rest of the house on Ryan's news. I know it'll dampen the rest of his stay but while it's very different than Pedro Zamora's blast of reality into the house (which they relive with the premiere of the new biopic film), it seems like the first time The Real World has actually been real since San Francisco.
I mean, just watching Katelynn come into her own womanhood post-op (when not being hounded by the curious Chet) and playing dress up with Devyn (which was actually sweet), this group of squabbling roommates actually seem human.
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com
The Secret Life of The American Teenager - One Night at Band Camp - Eps. 122
OMG OMG OMG. The baby is coming the baby is coming! I'm assuming the baby will arrive tonight on the season finale of this surprisingly addictive show. I still can't believe how much I'm LOVING this show (from the creator of 7th Heaven, a show I despise with a passion), which is like the anti-Gossip Girl in terms of production value but in all it's low-rent sets and awkward acting, there's some hilarious dialogue and more soapy twists than Serena and Dan have been through.
And now we get to see it from the start! A last week's flashbacks took us back to BAND CAMP! When Ricky first met Amy and got Amy preggers. You gotta admit, the kid's got swagger and his current emotional state (getting him to ask Ashley to be a friend in true desperation) somehow rings true. 
And LOVE that Amy is such a spoiled naive brat and is SOOO uninformed and ill-prepared about the pregnancy. Yes it HURTS. You're squeezing a whole HUMAN through your birth canal. And YES, you have one! (Hysterical!)
I also love that everyone somehow finds an excuse to come to the hospital, including Grace's brother Tom. Though as much as like the new Jack this later half of the season, I think it's wrong that Grace is considering going back to him. I am enjoying her friendship with Adrian though. Man, I can't get enough of this show.
Gossip Girl - The Age of Dissonance, The Grandfather - Eps. 218-219
Oh Gossip Girl, how I've missed you and your sarcastic narrations and twisty twisted soapy plots that change faster than the rules to a stimulus package. 
And oh how I missed you Dorota! Who keeps Blair in check! Cause I certainly can't keep up with who she's with, who she's against, who wronged her or who she's siding with anymore. It's all getting too complicatedly delicious!
Last week she was all in a rage against Serena for blasting out to Gossip Girl herself, but it wasn't Serena, it was Dan, no it wasn't Dan, it was Rachel. Ah, her rage against Dan continues and now her rage against Rachel is back after the teach destroyed her Yale prospects.
Meanwhile, points for casting NYTimes resident theatre critic Charles Isherwood as NYTimes resident theatre critic Charles Isherwood in his Upper East Side debut. Especially when he loved the messed up version of The Age of Innocence performed by our resident spoiled brats. Yuki in a fat suit was particularly fabulous! Or Nate breaking the fourth wall. Or Dan making out with the disgraced teach Rachel in the costume closet!
In even bigger points for casting, tonight's episode casts Broadway's Aaron Tveit (Broadway's upcoming Next to Normal AND the upcoming Broadway-bound Catch Me If You Can, last years Saved, Next to Normal, Wicked, Hairspray) as Tripp, Nate's cousin. AND James Naughton (Chicago) as Nate's grandfather. 
More on Gossip Girl, Kings, Degrassi: TNG, The Amazing Race, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters:
So Nate gets convinced to attend the big family reunion, the same family that pretty much disowned them when his father disgraced them, and gets slowly suckered back into his rich waspy world. Poor Vanessa, who with Dan, convinced the poor guy to basically walk away from the only healthy relationship he had. Oh well, more shots of Nate! and More shots of Aaron Tveit as Tripp!
Lily and Rufus decide to reveal their "lists" which is a clever way to create LOTS of backstory for young Lily in the spinoff (Britany Snow! hurrah!). Basically, Lily was a slut. And Rufus was not. 
Meanwhile, slutty spoiled Chuck is trying to stop slutty spoiled Blair from falling into Carter Baizen's slutty spoiled hands (Sebastian Stan, also playing spoiled on Kings, see below). And instead Chuck loses Blair to someone ELSE? AGAIN? Oh Dorota, shouldn't you clean up this mess?
Kings - Prosperity - Ep. 102
Enjoyed the second episode but does everyone bad have to look so nefarious? It's like only the bad guys have bad skin. Lots of wrinkles? You must have been in the sun a lot and it therefore made you want to scheme and plot.
Well, Sebastian Stan doesn't have bad skin but I'm not sure his Jack is really all that bad (yet) and more just playing the poor spoiled misunderstood and underestimated son of the King. He's essentially Chuck on Gossip Girl, Stan's archenemy on that show.
I think now that I know they've filmed the whole season (thanks to RJ) so I know it will actually be wrapped up, puts me at ease about this show. I'm not sure I could watch this forever but I'm loving the whole production so far. Plus Brian Cox as the secret overthrown king hiding in some lair underneath King Silas' compound? Awesome!
I'm not sure if I'm getting all the symbolism and all the warring sides because it's either too complicated or too simple (and I'm just thinking it's complicated) but it's all kinda fun to watch and it feels all very grande!
Degrassi: The Next Generation - Touch of Grey, Heart of Glass - Eps. 815-816
That whole scene where Kelly gets caught with Emma's pot seemed a bit too coordinated. Of COURSE he gets caught while trying to dump her stash. How convenient.
Meanwhile, cutiepie (and a sort of younger Canadian version of Zac Efron, no?) K.C. (Samuel Earle) is apparently a rageaholic. Seriously? Even for Degrassi, that seemed to come out of nowhere to try to give him an "issue".
Then Alli continues her pursuit of Johnny only to sleep with him, but in a bigger shocker, Johnny was ALSO a virgin AND seems super sweet about it all. (Seriously, if you cut Scott Paterson's blond tresses, he's actually a really handsome fella) It was actually kind of a sweet episode, even though we knew this was coming all along.
The Amazing Race - Alright Guys, We're at War! - Ep. 1406
Camels!
Okay, so last week the flight attendants finally avoided elimination but alas, nothing really changed this week and it was the end for the skyhags (I've been one so I can say that). Not much new except that Mike and Mel continue to surprise. I was just thinking poor Mel seems to get all the hard challenges but Mike seemed to have noticed this week was a bad challenge to give his older father to do (to carry buckets of water back and forth).
I also think if Victor isn't out, he needs to come out now. Seriously, this trip seems to be a whole awakening for him.
Desperate Housewives - A Spark to Pierce the Dark - Ep. 518
The one where Edie gets killed. And where Orson almost gets killed.
I know the big shock was that Dave didn't end up killing Edie Britt and in a twist of fate, her escape lead to her own demise when she crashed into an electric pole and fried herself. How undignified and unsexy? Man, Marc Cherry really had it out for Nicolette didn't he?
Meanwhile, I'm actually liking the idea of Lynette working with Carlos (as it finally mixes in the men with the housewives' lives, though can she even really be called a housewife anymore?) but the storyline seemed more filler. Still, the comeuppance against Carlos' ex-now-VP (the much missed Leslie Boone, though I didn't really buy her sudden turn as a meanie) was fun, especially with Lynette pushing Gabi's girls to be bad.
I didn't care for Orson's continued downfall either except that it brought in more of Andrew to show up in a few scenes (but really, way too few).
I did love Susan with the return of ex-husband Karl. if only so that she could throw a can of paint on him in front of the headmaster.
Still, this was really the episode Dave was supposed to kill Katherine and where Edie catches onto his grand plan. Now what's the next twist?!
Brothers & Sisters - Spring Broken - Eps. 319
The episode where Ryan becomes a dickwad plot device again and turns Justin against Rebecca. And where Holly conveniently becomes nice when Tommy disappears and is let off the hook. Okay. Let's MOVE ON! And make Ryan nice again, cause I like looking at his face!
At least Greg Berlanti moved Matt Letscher over from his other show Eli Stone and brings him on as Kitty's new potential... something. Man, when did Letscher get so sexy? Loved him on The New Adventures of Old Christine but I still remember him as the annoying douchebag on Good Morning, Miami (yes, I don't know why I remember that show, but I do).
And Sarah goes BACK to Ojai. Again. And leaves hippieville. Too bad, I kinda liked the hippieville storyline. Plus it finally gave Eric Christian Olsen a respectable role for once.
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com
Romeo and Juliet - The National Ballet of Canada - Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto, ON - *** (averaged, out of 5)
Choreographed by John Cranko, Music by Sergei Prokofiev, Staged by Reid Anderson, Reproduced from Benesh Notation by Jane Bourne 
I'm realizing that I like the weird experimental modern ballet stuff (like the previous show Innovation) more than I do these longer romantic full storied pieces. At least these older fashioned story pieces. Even though these longer, full storied, full costumed, giant sets are the ones programmed to bring in the audience. 
The company danced the Shakespeare tragedy well but I found the overall choreography a bit slow and "traditional". Though the bits with Romeo, Mercutio (Piotr Stanczyk, above) and their boys to be quite amusing and interesting. But I think half the time I was hoping they would break out into "Somewhere" and do the Dream Ballet. Of all the full costumed ballets I've seen so far, I think this one touched me the least (my favorite is still by far The Italian Straw Hat and then Cinderella, both which had a buoyancy to it).
It may have also been the chemistry between the leads. I had the wonderful Chan Hon Goh (who retires later this season) and Aleksandar Antonijevic (above in a photo with Sonia Rodriguez) but they didn't seem like they were having a torrid love affair against the backdrop of warring families. They danced lovely together but I didn't get the sparks that I had been hearing Jason O'Reilly (below) or Guillaume Côté and Heather Ogden (1st and last photo) had been giving. 
Still, Etienne Lavigne was a terrifically menacing Tybalt (the beard helps) and the band of fools (from what I could determine, was Robert Stephens, Martin Lindiger and 3 other amazing masked dancers who I couldn't figure out) were particular highlights in a dark and tragic show. 
Here are my previous reviews from visits to The National Ballet of Canada:
Innovation ***1/2 - IN COLOUR ***, Emergence *****, DEXTRIS ***1/2
In The Upper Room & Symphony in C & Polyphonia ***1/2
The Fiddle and The Drum & Etudes & the second detail & Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan ****
Cinderella ****
Rooster & Soldiers' Mass & 24 Preludes by Chopin ****
An Italian Straw Hat ****1/2
West Side Story Suite & Glass Pieces & In The Night ****1/2
The Merry Widow ****
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com
Because of basketball March Madness and President Obama, American Idol and Survivor: Tocantins are shifted this week which sort of throws the TV schedule around again. How annoying. Idol will be on Wednesday and Thursday (thus pushing Bones off the schedule) and Survivor will also be on Wednesday (while basketball takes over CBS Thursday and Friday). It will also be the first week Josh Schwartz's two shows Gossip Girl and Chuck will directly compete against each other on Monday at 8pm since they've somehow avoided it until now (with repeats or hiatuses). It's also against the season finale of The Secret Life of the American Teenager where I assume Amy will finally have the baby! At least The Big Bang Theory isn't airing (though How I Met Your Mother will air a new episode at 8pm but then a repeat in its normal timeslot.
You know? The networks sure don't make it easy to want to follow all their shows.
Oh well, here's what the other TV bloggers are talking about:
Some of the show descriptions in this quiz are real pilots, some I've made up. Take the quiz and see if you can spot the fake pilots! (BuzzSugar)
GMMR asked if you were a network exec and could program TV for only one hour out of each day, what would the TV schedule look like? (Give Me My Remote)
You know a show is going to be good when it manages to equally upset the liberal communists (who think the show pushes a Christian agenda) and the religious nutjobs (who think the show pushes a gay agenda). Scooter endorses Kings if only because they cast Mr. Boston in the lead role. (Scooter McGavin's 9th Green)
Vance is enjoying the shows no one is watching. Like newbies Kings and Better Off Ted or old faves Ugly Betty and Lost amongst many others. (Tapeworthy)
This week, Jace talked to Joss Whedon about his "Man on the Street" episode of FOX's Dollhouse, why Dollhouse seems to lack the funny, and whether he would be leaving television for good. (Televisionary)
Sara celebrated the fact that Chuck was back to wearing ascots on the latest episode of Gossip Girl. (TiFaux)
Jennifer contemplated why Ugly Betty Suarez is such a man magnet. (Tube Talk)
Steve got his hands on a copy of next week's Gossip Girl and recapped it for your spoilerly pleasure (TVFanatic)
Ben celebrated the enws that BBC3 had bought the UK rights to the new murder mystery Harper's Island and took a look at it spin-off web series Harper's Globe. (TV Spy)
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com
I was trying to decide between Duplicity and I Love You, Man (Julia and Owen vs Paul and Jason, tough choice) but because I'm pooped and lazy, I ended up doing neither and happened to watch Beetlejuice on TV, and then my sister replayed 30 Rock and even though I'm watching Alec Baldwin in both, it took me half the night before I made the connection that it's the SAME Alec Baldwin. Whoa. Times have changed.
Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis (who basically still looks the same) in Beetlejuice circa 1988ish):
Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock circa 2009:
I'm not saying he looks bad now, there's a certain handsome sexiness to him still (in that rugged bearish way). But seeing him in Beetlejuice was a little jarring since I forgot that he was in that movie.
And in another twist of fate (or star-crossed programming), when Beetlejuice was over, The Departed with Alec Baldwin started on another channel.
As for Beetlejuice, what happened to Michael Keaton? Or Winona Ryder? Or even Geena Davis? All so talented and all so great in that movie. Especially Keaton who I keep forgetting can do wonderful stuff (like also in the original Batman movies before Joel screwed them all up with new guys). I still wonder how I watched that movie so many times as a kid since it still kinda freaks me out (I was never into the horrow or ghoulish stuff and even though I know this movie is a comedy, there's some freaky stuff man!).
But it's kinda neat watching Alec Baldwin play the NORMAL LAMO central guy, especially now that we know him so well as the off-the-wall Jack Donaghy.
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com
Alright people, I know the economy sucks and you're all trying to save some money, but that doesn't mean you need to hibernate (not that there is anything wrong with that, as you can see my Tapeworthy sidebar, there's plenty of free tv to keep you entertained). Go entertain yourself AND stimulate the economy! (Or go BE an entertainer, more details at the bottom). 
In Toronto, cause I know you're all Canadian and cheap... er... fiscally responsible people, and you all tend to be reserved about EVERYTHING and wait until it's a sure thing before you see it, both Dog Sees God and Spring Awakening are offering Student Rush tickets for $25.
For Dog Sees God, $25 student rush starts 30 min. before the show (most shows are 7:30pm and NOT 8pm shows so make note). Cash only but there's pretty much no problem getting them at the door at Six Degrees (which is sort of a large metal indescript door where Yuk Yuk's used to be at Eglinton and Yonge). (And if you're not a student, regular tickets are only $41.50 on weeknights anyways! AND ALL tickets include a drink from the bar!)
UPDATE: This Tuesday's show will be PWYC (Pay What You Can)!!! 
For Spring Awakening in Toronto, $25 Student rush seats are available 2 hours prior to each performance (12 PM for matinees, 6 PM for evenings) with valid student ID, cash only, in-person the Canon Box office (at the Victoria Street Main Entrance). Limit 1 ticket per person. Wristband policy in effect.
For those who AREN'T students, they just made the Canon Boxes (both Orchestra and Mezzanine) to be $20 side partial view seats but since the show is mostly front loaded in the centre, I doubt you'll miss much. These box seat prices are available to everyone and can be ordered ahead of time. Yes. $20 seats. For EVERYONE and ANYBODY. (They had $25 stage seats but those are now completely sold out for the entire run, save for the 2 they hold back for house seats/rush/who knows). If you want to purchase regular seats, the code "SPRING" still works for 20% off Tuesday thru Thursday performances.
Jersey Boys in Toronto now has eased up on their rush policy. $20.00 Rush Seats are available for purchase at the Toronto Centre for the Arts Box Office beginning two hours prior to the following performances (Cash only, limit 8 rush tickets per person): Tuesday 8:00 pm/Wednesday 2:00 pm & 8:00 pm/Thursday 8:00 pm/Friday 8:00pm/Saturday 2:00pm/Sunday 2:00pm (Basically, all shows except Saturday night).
For Saturday 8pm show, there are $20 Partial view seats are available for purchase at the Toronto Centre for the Arts Box Office two hours prior to the following performances:
Anyways, those of you in the US, Sign up with Goldstar for emailed discounts (to many cities around the US). There's always tons of deals that include tours and sporting events in addition to theatre.
In NY, there's always BroadwayBox for promotional discount codes/ coupons (which also has deals for Las Vegas and London to a lesser extent). Or check here for Rush/ Student/ Lottery/ Standing Room deals on Broadway. And Rooms: A Rock Romance Off-Broadway also has deals and student rush apparently. And don't forget the Roundabout Theatre's Hip Tix Program always has $21.50 tickets (2 per person per show, $20 + $1.50 theatre fee, can be prepurchased) for those 35 and under. And the Manhattan Theatre Club has a similar deal (but $30) for those under 30.
In Boston, the Huntington Theatre has the H_Tix program for those 21-35 for $25 seats for all shows (best available seats except for premium seats. Can be pre-purchased). They are also having a sale this Wednesday March 27th for $27 tickets for certain showings of The Miracle of Naples.
In LA, the Center Theatre Group (for shows at the Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum and Kirk Douglas Theater) offers $20 Hot Tix, available 3 weeks before the first performance of a show. 2 per person (any age), can be ordered ahead at (213) 628-2772 and use a credit card (with free shipping and no surcharges too!) or on the day of at the box office (cash only). Tickets can be anywhere but generally I've gotten side orchestra seats around the 5th row for the Ahmanson and 2nd last row in the centre section for the small Mark Taper Forum (so they were totally great seats still). But they also started a $20 pricing for almost all shows (except weekends I think) so entire sections of regular seats are only $20 now.
As for London, I have yet to find a great site that compiles the deals (if there are even any). Usually I find each play or musical will only have it listed on their individual site but either they don't list it anymore or there are very few deals to be had right now (surprisingly) because I cannot find ANYTHING. Annoying. At this point, I can only find Concession seats (rush seats in British it seems) for Three Days of Rain (Best available for £21 for students, seniors and the unwaged on the day of). The National Theatre always has £10 deals or rush or standing room or student prices (seriously, there are way too many details). The Wyndham Theatre offers £10 seats in the upper balcony and standing room rush on the day of for the Donmar In the West End productions.
If anybody knows of better sites that compile the deals in London (I can't even find any on the message boards, so maybe there are few?), let me know. So far I've only found this site that seems good at describing each theatre's seating (that compiles info on all the good and bad seats in each of London's theatres).
UPDATE: The above site TheatreMonkey also compiles the London theatre deals here!!!
Meanwhile, if you're in Canada and you think you're a star:
OPEN CALL AUDITIONS IN TORONTO FOR SPRING AWAKENING and Auditions for So You Think You Can Dance Canada starting in Vancouver, both on April 4th:
OPEN CALL AUDITIONS IN TORONTO FOR SPRING AWAKENING
Seeking Male and Female Singers ages 17-21 for future replacements for the US National Tour of Tony Award Winning Musical, SPRING AWAKENING.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4TH, 11 AM
ROY THOMSON HALL
60 SIMCOE STREET
Access via Artists' Entrance, South of Roy Thomson Hall at Wellington.
Bring a recent picture and resume and prepare a short folk/alt rock song.
Bring sheet music. An accompanist will be provided.
Call 212-719-9393 x540 for more info.
Auditions for So You Think You Can Dance Canada are starting up again:
Audition dates and locations and details
Registration begins at 8 a.m. in each city.
Auditions will be held at the locations and on the dates listed below (subject to change):
Vancouver, B.C.: Saturday, April 4, Centre for Performing Arts, 777 Homer St.
Edmonton, Alta.: Tuesday, April 7, Winspear Centre, 4 Sir Winston Churchill Square (Corner of 99th Street & 102nd Ave.)
Saint John, N.B.: Tuesday, April 21, Imperial Theatre, 24 King Square S.
Toronto, Ont.: Monday, May 18, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, John Bassett Theatre, 255 Front St. W.
Montréal, Que.: Tuesday, May 26, Théâtre St-Denis, 1594 St-Denis St.
The So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 2 cross-country auditions are open to all Canadians who, as of April 1, 2009, are of the age of majority in the province/territory in which they reside, and are no older than 30 years of age.
Competitors must be either a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
All competitors must be legally eligible to work in Canada.
Competitors must be of the age of majority in the province/territory in which they reside and no older than 30 years of age as of April 1, 2009. The age of majority is as follows: 18 years of age in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan; and 19 years of age in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut and Yukon.
All competitors must provide two pieces of identification, including a government-issued photo ID (e.g. driver's license or passport), at the audition.
Competitors may bring a non-competing dance partner for purposes of the audition.
All competitors must bring with them, along with the proper ID, the signed personal release, the completed preliminary questionnaire, and the music sheet. All will be available at the audition site and for download soon at dance.ctv.ca.
All competitors are asked to bring with them the completed music sheet indicating the music they will use in their audition, along with the CD containing the indicated music.
All songs must be "original" songs that are commercially available. A song must not be a re-mix of a song, a song downloaded from the Internet, or a competitor-created mix.
Competitors will not be permitted to audition in any article of clothing with a visible designer, sports or other logo; artwork; name; photo; or other mark which may be subject to protection by copyright or trademark laws.
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com
