The DaVinci Code

I am so confused.

I get an email from www.rottentomatoes.com which is a film review web site. They have multiple film reviews and based on the average of those reviews, a grade. For example, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2 got an 84% and 85% respectively. The X-Men movies got 87%, and 80%. Superman got a 94%. Superman IV got 5%. Needless to say, I tend to agree with almost all their ratings. Except...The DaVinci Code got 23%!!

Now I went to see The DaVinci Code last night with my friend Marc. I read the book, Marc did not. Because of the BEYOND FLOP grade it got from rotten tomatoes, I expected it to suck. I LOVED this movie!! I thought it kept you on the edge of your seat and it followed the book (with a couple of exceptions). I asked Marc what he thought, having NOT read it and he loved it too.

The end was a little corny, but the movie as a whole is SOOOO much better than a 23%!

There is my 2 cents.

My 4...

I wanted to play...

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Installment Loan Team Leader
2. Chuck-E-Cheese Manager
3. Waitress
4. Insurance Assistant

Four movies I could watch over and over:
1. Kill Bill Vol. 1
2. Kill Bill Vol. 2
3. Blazing Saddles
4. Young Frankenstein

Four places I have lived:
1. Town of Tonawanda
2. Grand Island
3. Kenmore
4. Rochester

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Desperate Housewives
3. Sex and the City
4. Six Feet Under

Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Disney World
2. Oxnard, CA
3. Houston
4. Disney World

Four websites I visit daily:
1. You Tube
2. Mike Garvey's blog first, then links to other blogs
3. DisneyWorld.com
4. Buffalo News

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Anything Grama Caputi
2. Steamed Dumplings
3. Mighty Taco Chicken Fajita (no cheese/hot/sour cream)
4. Vegetarian Chili recipe from Emeril Lagasse

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. San Fele, Italy to meet my relatives
2. Paris
3. Disney World
4. Scuba Diving in the Caribbean

Four friends who I've tagged that I think will respond:
I am blog retarded. What does this mean?? Ha.

Going to CHICAGO!

Todd's brother and sister live in Chicago so Todd and I are flying out on my birthday, and we are meeting up with his family. Amanda (his sister) is performing with her dance company. I am really looking forward to it. Todd and I just watched a Food TV program about Chicago pizza. My stomach will have to just deal with it. Damn you lactose intolerance.

Artie Award Time!! UPDATE!!! I got 6 right!!!

Here are the nominees!!! My predictions look like THIS.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
Joe Demerly, Salome
Gerry Maher, Juno and the Paycock
Paul Todaro, Romeo and Juliet
Dan Walker, Glengarry Glen Ross
Richard Wesp, Celadine
WINNER: GERRY MAHER

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Lisa Ludwig, Always… Patsy Cline
Mary Kate O'Connell, Buffalo Zings!
Loraine O'Donnell-Gray, Urinetown
Kim Piazza, Columbus
Michele Roberts, Urinetown
WINNER: MARY KATE O'CONNELL

Outstanding Lighting Design
Chris Cavanagh, Urinetown
Brian Cavanagh, Masque of Beauty and the Beast
Michael Lodick, The Devils
John Malinowski, No Niggers, No Dogs, No Jews
Keith Wharton, Deathtrap
WINNER: CHRIS CAVANAGH

Outstanding Choreography
Kelli Bocock-Natale & Kathy Weese, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well…
Michele Gigante, Man of La Mancha
Michael Walline, Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Michael Walline, Masque of Beauty and the Beast
Michael Walline, Naked Boys Singing!
WINNER: MICHAEL WALLINE (NAKED BOYS SINGING)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
Arlene Clement, Good
Caitlin Coleman, Valhalla
Kristin Tripp Kelly, Loot
Lisa Vitrano, Good
Katie White, Valhalla
WINNER: CAITLIN COLEMAN

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Lou Colaiacovo, The Last Five Years
Bobby Cooke, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well…
Chris Critelli, Urinetown
John Fredo, Urinetown
Brian Riggs, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well…
WINNER: JOHNNY FREDO

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Stephanie Bax, Desperate Measures
Kelly Ann Krupski, Always… Patsy Cline
Bethany Moore, Urinetown
Kathy Weese, The Last Five Years
Maggie Zindle, Man of La Mancha
WINNER: KELLY ANN KRUPSKI

Outstanding Set Design
David King, Celadine
David King, The Cocktail Hour
Neal Radice, Columbus
Chris Schenk, Urinetown
Ken Shaw, Number the Stars
WINNER: CHRIS SCHENK

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
David Butler, Buffalo Zings!
Tom Owen, Urinetown
Marc Sacco, Naked Boys Singing
Ron Swick, Desperate Measures
Tom Zindle, Man of La Mancha
WINNER: TOM OWEN

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Jimmy Janowski, I Am My Own Wife
Jim Mohr, The Cocktail Hour
David Oliver, Quills
Peter Palmisano, Amadeus
Brian Riggs, The Good Thief
WINNER: PETER PALMISANO

Outstanding Costume Design
Geraldine Duskin, Amadeus
Olivia Ebsary, Urinetown
Jenipher Gurney, Celadine
Tessa Lew, Quills
Kenneth Shaw, Masque of Beauty and the Beast
WINNER: GERALDINE DUSKIN

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Kerrykate Abel, Salome
Anne Gayley, The Cocktail Hour
Leah Russo, Number the Stars
Renita Shadwick, No Niggers No Dogs, No Jews
Joyce Stilson, Book of Liz
WINNER: ANNE GAYLEY

Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Kelli Bocock-Natale, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well…
Randall Kramer, Urinetown
Paul Todaro, Man of La Mancha
Michael Walline, Naked Boys Singing!
Todd Warfield, Buffalo Zings!
WINNER: KELLY BOCOCK-NATALE

Outstanding Direction of a Play
Derek Campbell, Juno and the Paycock
David Lamb, The Cocktail Hour
Fortunato Pezzimenti, Amadeus
Dan Shanahan, 'Night Mother
Christopher Standart, Quills
WINNER: DAVID LAMB

Outstanding Ensemble of a Musical
Buffalo Zings!, O'Connell & Company
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well…, Irish Classical Theatre
Man of La Mancha, Kavinoky Theatre
Naked Boys Singing!, Buffalo United Artists
Urinetown, MusicalFare
WINNER: JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL...,

Outstanding Ensemble of a Play
Amadeus, Irish Classical Theatre
Glengarry Glen Ross, Ujima Theater Company
No Niggers, No Dogs, No Jews, Paul Robeson Theatre
Quills, Torn Space
Valhalla, Buffalo United Artists
WINNER: AMADEUS

Outstanding Production of a Musical
Always… Patsy Cline, Kavinoky Theatre
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well…, Irish Classical Theatre
Naked Boys Singing!, Buffalo United Artists
Sammy & Me, MusicalFare
Urinetown, MusicalFare
WINNER: URINETOWN

Outstanding Production of a Play
Amadeus, Irish Classical Theatre
The Cocktail Hour, Kavinoky Theatre
Good, Jewish Repertory Theatre/Irish Classical Theatre
No Niggers, No Dogs, No Jews, Paul Robeson Theatre
Quills, Torn Space
WINNER: NO NIGGERS, NO DOGS, NO JEWS

Emanual Fried Award for Outstanding New Play
Buffalo Zings! by David Butler, Neil Garvey, Amy Barlow Liberatore, Mary Kate O'Connell, Loraine O'Donnell Gray, Reed Rankin, Ron Swick, Todd Warfield & Deep Throat
Casual Sex Diaries by Matthew Crehan Higgin
Peddler's Bones by Jon Elston
Salome by Chris Kelly and Jimmy Janowski
What Good Ole Days by Mary Craig, June L. Saunders Duell, Paulette Harris
WINNER: SALOME

Mommy 101

Dear Mother Nature,

If you decide that one day I should be blessed with little ones, please remind me of a few things:

#1: It probably isn't a good idea to let them drive on my lap before the age of 1.

#2: Please give me a gentle kick if I should not tighten their safety straps on their car seat.


#3: Since I am pretty sure I won't have a body guard to save my ass, when it comes down to my child vs. my drink? My drink should fall down and go boom. Not my baby.

Thanks so much,

Michele

My Theatre Season THUS far...

To my delight I will be appearing as Adele in A Man of No Importance at the Irish Classical Theatre Co., and as Susan in Tick Tick Boom at Musicalfare Theatre!


A Man of No Importance (as taken from the Ahrens and Flaherty website) is based on the 1994 Albert Finney movie of the same name. A Man of No Importance tells the tender story of Alfie Byrne, a bus driver living in 1960's Dublin. A passionate fan of Oscar Wilde, Alfie is determined to stage a version of Salome at his church, despite the objections of church authorities. In the process of fighting for the play, Alfie is finally forced to confront his own sexuality and take a stand in the world.

It is a GREAT musical, and I get to be all knocked up in it and shite. AND I get to say SHITE! Ha. I need to work on my Irish still. Oye.

Tick Tick... BOOM! (as taken from the MTI Shows website) is a musical look at the courage it takes to follow your dreams. TICK, TICK... BOOM! is Jonathan Larson's autobiographical tale of a young composer on the brink of turning 30 and falling into oblivion. His girlfriend wants to get married and move out of the city (TICK,), his best friend is making big bucks on Madison Avenue (TICK...), yet Jon is still waiting on tables and trying to write the great American musical (BOOM!). Containing fourteen songs, ten characters, three actors, and a band, TICK, TICK... BOOM! takes you on the playwright/composer's journey that led to the Broadway blockbuster, RENT. Set in 1990, this traditional book musical is filled with instantly appealing melodies, and a unique blend of pop and musical theatre styles. Everyone, regardless of age, will love this youthful, endearing, and thoughtful piece, and will surely embrace the universal ideal of holding onto your dreams through life's most difficult challenges.

I am really looking forward to this coming year. I would LOVE one more show but we shall see. Mama may need to get a job. SHITE!

I hate working out...

Since I am turning 30 REAL soon I am determined to get into the best shape I possibly can. I also would love to get back into a bikini for our Disney trip. I started eating better, and exercising everyday and I realized how much I LOATHE working out. In fact, I make excuses for why I can't work out CONSTANTLY. Some recent excuses: I have cramps, I walked around Toronto for 4 hours, I have a show tonight in which I sweat profusely... you get the idea. Well, NO MORE! Today, I decided no MATTER WHAT I would work out. Then I remembered I forgot my sneakers at home. NO MATTER! I will exercise in my old expensive Aldo shoes. And folks, that is JUST what I did.

Songs

I need some suggestions of songs to download into my Ipod.

GO!

DAMN AUDITION SEASON!!

So I auditioned for a musical called A Man of No Importance at the Irish Classical Theatre. It is being directed by my old professor Brother Augustine, whom I adore, and it is an older cast so I thought I'd have a good chance (cue early birthday tears).
I got called back at the initial audition for the role of Adele, the young ingenue. I attempted the worst Irish dialect ever (whale oil beef ucked) but nonetheless, did pretty well.
A week or so later Vincent O'Neill called me to come back again for the same role. He said it would be to read with different people. I said, "So, I won't need to sing again?" Vincent replies, "Not likely, but it's never a bad idea to have something prepared." Man, I suck.
So, I go in there to read for Adele again with one of my favorite performers, Brian Riggs. After our reading, where my Irish seems to have gotten WORSE, Brother looks at me and says, "I would like to hear you sing Princess from the score." DAAAAAMMMMMN!
I sight read the best I can, but WTF!! I came out of the room and rolled my eyes at Brian, and bitched to Lorraine but it was my fault. I didn't need to stay, which was no surprise to me. Oye. Live and learn I guess.

WEIRD PHOTOS!!

Every so often, my camera phone will get switched on by accident in my pocket, or purse. Sometimes I will have 10 pictures of absolutely NOTHING. Well, it hasn't happened for a while BUT this morning I noticed 4 pictures that looked like it may have. Then I took a closer look.







Well, if it is a ghost (in my purse, or pocket) at least it is SMILING!

Adorable...

Thanks Katie!! I could have done that ALL day. :)

We are leaving next month, right after my birthday, and I CANNOT WAIT! I have been to Disney too many times to count, and it never gets boring for me. They always add new rides, restaurants, and shops and I am so excited to go on Everest, and Soarin'.

Here is the newest little Disney item that I HAVE to have... PAL MICKEY!! He looks like a normal plush toy BUT he is actually a TOUR GUIDE! He reminds you about parades and show times, tells you stories and trivia, recommends attractions, plays games and tells you where to locate Disney characters. I guess it gets as technical as you walking down Main Street USA and he will say, "See the names written on those second-story windows? Those folks helped Walt Disney build this Magic Kingdom!" OR he might say "Say, 'Fantasmic!' will be starting in about an hour, if ya wanna see it, now's a good time to go grab a seat!" Then when you go home he tells Disney jokes, trivia questions, sing-alongs and games.
The downfall? Pal Mickey sells for $65 plus tax. However, I don't care one bit. He is the first thing I am buying when I get there. I am such a dork.

Let's try this again...

So, I am pretty sure I have tried starting a blog at least 3 times already. Each time, I either can't think of anything clever to say or I just forget that I have one. I am HOPING this time I can see things through.
I have no real reason to be starting a blog because honestly I enjoy reading Mike's, Katie's, and Lisa's (when she updates) so much more. BUT, what the H? Let's give it the old college try.