Theater People - Annaleigh Ashford

We are so excited about this AMAZING new podcast.  Theater People, Patrick and Vonia, are our soulmates!

Since the debut, we have heard interviews with Cady Huffman, Ben Rimalower, and the newest Annaleigh Ashford!

This is an interview that I have been waiting for since they announced it. Annaleigh Ashford is known for her roles in Legally Blonde the Musical, Wicked, and Kinky Boots.  She is also on the new TV show Masters of Sex, and the awesome webseries Submissions Only.  She also made several appearances on Smash. During the interview, Annaleigh and Patrick, take a trip down memory lane - looking at career milestones, performances, roles, and casts. 

The interview starts with a flashback to Annaleigh's 'early days' - such as the interesting fact that she graduated from high school and college early.  She laughs and states, "People sometimes don't believe that I graduated from both."  She also loves fashion, partly due to the fact that she can express her feelings through dress.  

She started as a go-go dancer for Lady Starlight - her name was "Hollywood Starr."  One thing that is interesting is that Lady Gaga played piano for Lady Starlight in the very beginning.  On the Theater People website, there is an awesome picture of an early Lady Gaga with Annaleigh.

One question asked if she had ever considered being a pop singer, as opposed to a Broadway performer.  She noted that she has always been inclined to tell a story through her singing. So, if she would be a pop star, it would be in "1969 or the early seventies."  

The most recent milestone, besides getting married(!), is her role as Lauren in the Tony-Award winning Kinky Boots.  She tells many beautiful stories about her time in the show.  One particular part of their discussion is the impact the show has made, and some backlash the show has received.  If any of our readers, and their listeners, remember, the show got some attention at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade last year.  Many viewers were uncomfortable and angry with the network for allowing the show to have drag queens performing.  However, I think most of the fans of Kinky Boots and musical theatre fans understand that you CAN "change the world when you change your mind."  It is a show that can do that in a lovely way.  Annaleigh and Patrick both mention that the show is promoting acceptance in every performance.

One of the most special parts of the interview is Annaleigh's discussion of her Tony Nomination. She tells that her husband watched the Tony nominations while she huddled under the blanket.  He would yell out the nominations to her.  They take a detour to talk about her beautiful wedding.  She jokingly says that "the rain was our grandmothers' crying tears of joy."

They also take time to answer some awesome Twitter questions.  Whether figuring out how many marshmellows she can fit into her mouth or favorite gifts from her fans, Annaleigh is the definition of cuteness and sweetness.  And if you haven't heard Annaleigh's impersonation of Cyndi Lauper is spot-on!!!

For anyone looking for a new musical podcast to subscribe to, PLEASE check out Theater People.  It is amazing!!!!  There are going to be some amazing people on the show, so get ready for an incredible ride.

For more information:

Theater People Podcast.
Theater People Twitter and Facebook

Theater People on iTunes

56th Annual Grammy Awards

The Grammys is the biggest awards show in the music industry. It is as much about the legendary performances that happen live as it is about who wins the coveted awards.  Tonight saw performances from everyone from the surviving members of The Beatles to Miranda Lambert and Billie Joe Armstrong paying tribute to the Everly Brothers.  


Beyoncé and Jay-Z opened this year's show with "Drunk in Love" in a spectacular and sexy display.  Lorde sang her hit song "Royals" in a display that was strange, to say the least (and was that a weeping angel on the screen behind her?).  Hunter Hayes premiered a powerful new song entitled "Invisible" and Taylor Swift played the piano and sang a wonderful rendition of "All Too Well".  Imagine Dragons and Kendrick Lamar collaborated and brought the house down! Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr performed "Queenie Eye". Carole King and Sara Bareilles performed a mash-up of "Beautiful" and "Brave" that was sensational! Metallica paid an inspired and rocking tribute to the late Lou Reed. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performed "Same Love" accompanied by Madonna as Queen Latifah officiated the wedding of couples lining the aisle of the audience. The performances tonight were phenomenal as a whole and created a show that was worth watching! 

COMPLETE WINNERS LIST

Macklemore came into the show as a three-time Grammy winner from the awards presented pre-telecast and added another Grammy to his collection during the show for Best New Artist.  "Cut Me Some Slack", which was written by Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear, won Best Rock Song and was interestingly enough recorded using the original Sound City equipment.  Lorde and Daft Punk took home multiple awards, Best Song of the Year and Record of the Year & Album of the Year respectively. 

FASHION

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Anna Kendrick looked stunning in a strapless Azzaro gown.  She walked the red carpet with a classy air of style and grace.  She is definitely my choice for best dressed of the night! 

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Taylor Swift sparkled down the carpet in this gown by Gucci.  She looked stunning, but I have to say I would have liked this dress even more if it had been homogeneous in color and omitted the see-through part at the top of the gown, but it was gorgeous regardless.

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Pink showed off her amazing body in  Johanna Johnson and Rauwolf.  I could have done without the V in the middle of the dress which led to a curtainy look at the bottom, but Pink looked stunning regardless. 

As we impatiently wait for a new Doctor...

...The Time of the Doctor has become the focus of the January 2014 issue of Doctor Who Magazine.

  

One of the bigger articles in the magazine is an interview with showrunner Steven Moffat about The Day of the Doctor, the fiftieth anniversary special.  Tom Spilsbury conducts the interview, focusing on the fact that the television special broke a world record for the largest worldwide simulcast.  

There are also a few interesting articles about some important players in the creation and development of Doctor Who, such as Anthony Coburn and 'Bunny' Webber.  DWM also takes time to look at the issues published in 2013.  There is also more information about the 50th Anniversary and the many events and people involved, such as the celebration at Buckingham Palace.  There are also some reviews of Anniversary specials, such as An Adventure in Space and Time (my personal favorite!).

While it may not be a special edition of DWM, I think this issue will hold a special place in the hearts of Matt's many fans.  Now, we anxiously await the next issue with Peter Capaldi on the front - in honor of his first series of Doctor Who.

In other news, I got a copy of The Doctor's Lives and Times.  For any fan of the Doctor, this is a great collectible to add to a personal collection.  It is very cleverly designed and organized - as it is supposedly the research done by Professor River Song on the Doctor.  

The pages are organized, in my mind, like a scrapbook of letters, diary entries, ticket stubs, historical documents and pictures.  However, my favorite part of the book is the interviews and discussions with the writers, directors, producers, and actors of Doctor Who.  Not only do we get to see the fictionalized Doctor, we also get a look at the Doctor behind the camera.  

One of the contributors is the late Elisabeth Sladen, who played Sarah Jane Smith - companion to the thrid and fourth reincarnations of the Doctor.  I must've gone on a Whovian shopping spree, because I also got a copy of Elisabeth's memoir.  

I am slowly working my way through the book (it's hard to juggle school reading and reading for pleasure).  I read the foreward, written by David Tennant, a day ago. 

It brought me to tears, as I was taken back in time to seeing Sarah Jane with Jon and Tom, then David in later years.  Here, you can listen to David read his foreward.

For more information:

Doctor Who Magazine

The Doctor's Lives and Times

Elisabeth Sladen Memoir

For more updates about Doctor Who, follow us on twitter!

20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

The Screen Actors Guild Awards strive to honor actors who have showcased extraordinary talent in film and television during the past year. The SAG Awards are the only televised awards to exclusively honor performers.  The show consists of 13 awards for acting in film and  television during a two hour show aired live on TNT and TBS.  They are considered one of the industry's highest and most prized honors as it is a peer voted honor.

This year the show honored some of the year's biggest and brightest stars.  A complete winner's list can be found here.

Some of the night's biggest winners were: Lupita Nyong'o in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role category for her role in 12 Years a Slave. Jared Leto won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in Dallas Buyer's Club, giving the distinct impression that he is a shoo-in for the Oscar.  Matthew McConaughey also won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in Leading Role for his role in the film.  Modern Family won for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for the fourth consecutive year and Ty Burrell took home the actor for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series.  Bryan Cranston took home the actor for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Walter White in Breaking Bad. The series also won for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series to mark its first win and third consecutive nomination.  Maggie Smith won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actress in a Drama Series beating out Anna Gunn in what I consider to be an upset, but SAG-AFTRA members do have a great love for Downton Abbey. Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in Leading Role was awarded to  Cate Blanchett for her role in Blue Jasmine.  Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture was awarded to the cast of American Hustle.

Rita Moreno was rightfully and deservedly honored with the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award which was presented to her by Morgan Freeman. She gave an endearing speech that included an f-bomb, true sentiments of gratitude and ended with a serenade.

Given these results, it is likely, but in no way guaranteed, that Leto and Blanchett will take home Oscars come March 2nd.  It is also likely that McConaughey could take home an Oscar and 12 Years a Slave remains the top contender for Best Motion Picture.

Other Guild awards are held as followed but are not televised:
25th Annual Producers Guild Awards - January 19, 2014
66th Annual Directors Guild Awards - January 25, 2014
66th Annual Writers Guild Awards - February 1, 2014
2014 Ace Eddie Awards (Film Editors) - February 7, 2014
18th Art Directors Guild Awards - February 8, 2014
61st MPSE Golden Reel Awards (Sound Editors) - February 16, 2014
16th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards - February 22, 2014

Red Carpet Fashion

Amy Adams looked stunning in a one-shouldered gown by Antonio Berardi.  The gorgeous bright blue, along with her fabulous up-do and make-up gave her an old-Hollywood look that was to die for, and worked much better for her than her Golden Globes dress.

  Anna Gun looked spectacular in a stunning midnight blue gown by Monique Lhuillier.  She carried a purse adorned with the Breaking Bad logo by Edie Parker. Even had she not won a SAG at the awards, she still would have gone home a winner in this dress.

Cate Blanchett walked the carpet in a gorgeous gown by Givenchy.  The Blue Jasmine star was pretty in pink and became one of the major talking points of the live red carpet feeds.

 Lupita Nyong'o has gained a reputation for being fashion forward and savvy and this red carpet look was no exception.  She looked gorgeous from head to toe in this gorgeous blue/turquoise dress by Gucci.

Michelle Dockery has a stunning sense of style that has remained present during this awards season.  The Downton Abbey star showed a lot of skin in this plunging number from J. Mendel that was a hit on the carpet. 

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Oscar Nominations and the Critic's Choice Movie Awards

Oscar Nominations

Watch the nominee announcement here or read the list of nominees here.
The nominees for the night's biggest category are:

This past year was a difficult year to be an excellent movie because there were so many amazing films that many were lost in the shuffle and did not receive the recognition that they deserved, but it is important to remember that accolades do not singularly determine a film's worth, and many great films have gone, and will go, unrecognized. Many wonderful and amazing films were made and many of them were well represented and garnered already this awards season.

Everyone's first question when nominees for anything are announced is "who is missing?"  This year, as is the case every year, some films are snubbed because there just aren't enough spots for every great film.  Tom Hanks, or Tam Honks if you prefer, did not receive nominations for either of his major roles this year as Captain Phillips in Captain Phillips and his role as Walt Disney in Saving Mr. Banks.   Emma Thompson was also left off the list for her role in the latter. Lee Daniels' The Butler was also left out of all major categories, most notably lacking nominations for Oprah Winfrey in the Best Supporting Actress category and Lee Daniels for Best Director.  All is Lost was all but shut out of the race, receiving only one nomination for sound editing.  Ron Howard's film Rush was completely shut out of the nominations,however, due to it's poor overall box office performance it is not an incredible shock.  Her received five (well deserved) nominations, but did not earn a nomination for the film's star Joaquin Phoenix.  Blue is the Warmest Color was shut out of the race entirely (although it was not eligible for Best Foreign Film, it was eligible for other categories).  Enough Said  was shut out, which registers on a different level of hurt given that it was James Gandolfini's final performance and Julia Louis-Dreyfus' first major role in years.  Inside Llewyn Davis was completely shut out as well which is particularly surprising given that it was thought to be one of the best films of the year by many.  This is by no means all of the snubs (and a more complete list can be found here) but the aforementioned problem of the sheer volume of amazing films made this year has made it an equally big year for snubs.  Leonardo DiCaprio, however, DID receive a nomination and if he wins for Wolf of Wall Street it will be his first Academy Award, because of this and many other deserving nominations, one should keep in mind that snubs do not take away from deserving nominations.

Another interesting aspect of the Oscars will be the award show itself.  This year they, the executive producers, have decided on a superhero/movie hero theme for the show.  It will be interesting to see exactly what this entails and whether it adds to or takes away from the show itself.  Another interesting aspect will be Ellen DeGeneres as host of the show.

Watch the Oscar race conclude on Sunday, March 2nd.

19th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

The Critics' Choice Movie Awards have more specific categories than many of the other award shows, such as the Academy Awards or the Golden Globes.  The awards therefore lend themselves to honoring stars who may otherwise miss out in more general categories. One example of this is Mark Walberg's win for Best Actor in an Action Movie for Lone Survivor.  At one of the larger awards shows he would likely have been lost in the shuffle of bigger films that have had larger numbers at the box office, bigger stars, or more well-known stories, but the Critics' Choice Awards gives him a chance to be recognized.  They also recognize younger talent with the Young Actor or Actress Category which this year saw a win for Adèle Exarchopoulos for her role in  Blue is the Warmest Color.

The cast of American Hustle won Best Ensemble of the night, an award many hoped would go to the cast of The Butler given that it was shut out of the Oscar nominations.  Best Supporting Actress went to Lupita Nyong'o, a very deserving and talented actress who played such a great part in 12 Years a Slave.  Best Director was given to Alfonso Cuarón  for Gravity.  Many other wonderful talents were also awarded with well deserved awards at the show (a full list can be found above).

One of the wonderful things about this award show is giving filmmakers, actors and other people responsible for aspects of filmmaking to be honored.  It takes so much  work to make a movie and so many people give up their time and temporary sanity to make films something worth watching.  Even with all of the talent and effort in the world, it is difficult to make a film that will do well at the box office, resonate with viewers, AND be met with critical acclaim.  When a team is able to make a film that meets all of these criterion it deserves, more than anything else, to be recognized for its achievement.

Lea Michele's Upcoming Album PLUS Music Video Released!

Since Glee made its television debut in 2009, Lea Michele has gone from Broadway Diva to TV Star.  Now, she is making a jump into the pool of pop artists with her debut album Louder.

I have been a fan of Lea for quite some time, having seen her in the Tony Award-winning Spring Awakening.  I have watched Glee, if only to see the Broadway performers and hear the music, since the beginning.  So, I have been anxious to see where Ms. Michele's solo career would go.  

Louder, which will be released on March 4, 2014, is sure to be an instant hit - if only judging by the reception of the album's first single, "Cannonball."  Her second single, the lovely ballad, "Battlefield," is a tear-jerker that I'm sure many listeners can connect to.  On January 13, the album's title track was released on Billboard.com (and is now available on iTunes!). 

Last week, she also debuted her music video for "Cannonball," which can be seen below:

In past interviews, Lea has noted that she worked with Sia, Christina Perri, Colin Munroe and Stargate on the album.  Also, the album was set to be released in 2013 - the date was pushed back after Cory Monteith's sudden passing.  Songs "Cannonball" and "If You Say So" were added to the track list after Monteith's passing as a way for Ms. Michele to pay tribute to her late boyfriend.  

In light of her many career milestones and personal triumphs, I beleive that Lea Michele's solo career will go far.  I am not saying this because I am a fan of hers; I truly believe that she will go far.

In addition to her solo album, she has a book set to be released in the next year.  The book will not only be a self-help book, but also a memoir.  I am guessing it will be similar to her co-star Jenna Ushkowitz's book.

Louder is now available for Pre-Order on iTunes, Amazon, and her website.
Follow her on Twitter for updates and news about the album!

Golden Globes 2014: Winners, Losers, and All Those in Between

2013 was a big year for movies and TV shows, and as such awards contenders are facing steeper competition than they have in years past.  The past year saw the end of one of the greatest dramas to grace the small screen in the middle of what is being called the golden age of television, what is being called one of the most amazing feature films about slavery, a father-son directing duo making one of the most revered films of the year, and that doesn't begin to scratch the surface of the year's happenings.

Tonight the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) set out to honor the accomplishments of members of the entertainment industry who worked to create amazing films and television in the previous year.  Amy Poehler and Tina Fey returned for a second year as hosts of the event.  After their success in both ratings and viewer approval last year, the HFPA set out to sign them on for this year's awards.  Through contract negotiations to host this year's awards Poehler and Fey asked to return next year as well.  They were expected to keep the audience rolling and they did not disappoint.

Poehler and Fey kept the audience and television viewers laughing the whole event.  Winners made thoughtful speeches, although there was "wrap it up music" to be heard on more than one occasion.  The star-studded event pulled in over 19 million viewers and Poehler and Fey's return had a lot to do with the high viewership.  The HFPA should be able to expect similar ratings for next year's show when they return to host a third time.

Full Winner's List

The night's winners ranged from the almost guaranteed to complete shockers.  It is important to remember however that the HFPA and the Academy are made up of entirely different people and the HFPA has it's own way of doing things, and they often like to be ahead of what they expect to be a trove of garnered awards. This is evident in Brooklyn Nine-Nine's win for best comedy or musical and Andy Samberg's win for the show in the best actor category. Social media was abuzz with congratulations for the Saturday Night Live alum as well as a plethora of tweets wondering "what is #brooklyn99?" Many were hoping that Parks and Recreation would win the category and give host Amy Poehler the award but the HFPA voters chose to award the new comedy.  Poehler was awarded a much deserved Golden Globe, her first, for Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy for Parks and Recreation.  She gave a genuine and animated acceptance speech after a make-out session with Bono.

Behind the Candelabra was all but a sure thing to win the Best Miniseries or TV Movie, as was Micheal Douglas as Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie for his role in the film.  Looking at the HFPA's future winners, it was foreseeable that Jon Voight won his category for Ray Donovan but many were understandably surprised that he beat out Aaron Paul for his role in Breaking Bad.  Jennifer Lawrence beating out Julia Roberts and Lupita N'yongo in the Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture category was unexpected and given the talent in the category her win wasn't a given going into the show.  Jared Leto was a shoo-in to win Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for Dallas Buyer's Club and Frozen was the only real contender for Best Animated Feature Film.  Amy Adams beat out Meryl Streep and other contenders to win Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, Leonardo DiCaprio won Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy for The Wolf of Wall Street and gave a well thought out and heartfelt acceptance speech, Robin Wright won Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama, but one of the biggest upsets of the night was Jacqueline Bisset's win for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or TV Movie for Dancing on the Edge and her subsequent "shit" that slipped through sensors followed by a disjointed and blundering acceptance speech.

The bigger awards went to the top contenders, such as 12 Years a Slave's win for Best Motion Picture, Drama, but there were the upsets mentioned above and the quality of acceptance speeches varied from passionate and heartfelt to partially censored.  Looking ahead to Oscar Nominations, the buzz generated by the wins from the Globes can play a definite factor in nominations from the Academy but given that they are two separate bodies, any speculation as to the effect of a Golden Globe win on chances of an Oscar nomination or win is pure speculation.   Winners from the awards will likely see an increase in movie sales  and a definite increase in buzz and publicity surrounding the films so the possible effects will come to light when Oscar Nominations are announced on January 16, 2014.

Fashion

Best Looks of the Night:

Michelle Dockery looked elegant in a jewel-adorned Oscar de la Renta strapless gown and accessories from Bulgari's Diva collection.  

A pregnant Olivia Wilde looked stunning in an emerald-green sequin gown by Gucci.  She was positively glowing while posing for cameras on the red carpet and showing off her baby bump.

Kerry Washington also showed off her baby bump in this gorgeous Balenciaga dress. The Scandal star looked radiant and exuberant on the carpet.

Julianna Margulies stunned on the carpet in this Andrew Gn dress. The Good Wife star showed off her sexy side in this dress and worked the carpet. 

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey were the hosts with the most at the awards! They both looked gorgeous in their red carpet gowns, as well as in their various stage looks.  They were dressed in Carolina Herrera, Stella McCartney and Ted Baker. Not a single look was a miss for the dynamic duo who are not only hilarious, talented, and amazing writers, but are sexy to boot! 

Review: Felicia Ricci's Unnaturally Green

Felicia Ricci's amazing memoir reveals some of the workings of the Broadway musical Wicked.  She allows the reader to see the audition process for the show, experiences with behind-the-scenes work of the show (i.e. costume, hair, make-up), and her personal life throughout her time with the show.  

Now, if you are wondering exactly who she is...that's okay.  Unfortunately, I had never heard of her until I got the book.  However, I have to say that I'm glad I discovered her!  If you have time, check out these youtube videos I found of her performing numbers from Wicked.  

Felicia Ricci graduated with a BA in English from Yale University, but her passion was performing.  She had had very little professional experience, only having really performed in some non-professional stuff.  She even notes in the book that she got her agent by sending emails to different possible agents (with a compilation video of some of her performances at Yale), and only two responded.  She proceeded to do regional work until she got her break as the Elphaba stand-by in the San-Francisco company of Wicked.  

One thing that I love about this book is that there are no boundaries within the writing.  Felicia does not restrict herself as she tells the story.  She was already the understudy for Elphaba in San Francisco when she auditioned for the stand-by role.  She tells that after her stand-by audition, the week-long wait also took a strain on her physical health...I won't disgust you with the details, but she will.  

I love how she discusses her experiences with the songs of the show.  One chapter is titled, "Songs of Death, or, Meet Eden Espinosa."  If you know Eden's works and have heard her sing, then you know that is the truth!  

As I said, this book is perfect for any Broadway or Wicked lover! So, go take a peek into the magical world of Wicked with Felicia Ricci.


Felicia's Youtube Channel
Felicia Ricci
Wicked's Official Website

Winter Jam 2014: The First Stop

Winter Jam is a Christian Rock concert that aims to bring collaborating artists and a speaker to various cities around the country to spread music and the word.  This year's line up was headlined by Newsboys and included Lecrae, Tenth Avenue North, Thousand Foot Krutch, Plumb, Newsong, Colton Dixon, Love and the Outcome, Everfound, Derek Minor and speaker Nick Hall.

I didn't know much about most of the artists before attending the show.  A few of their songs would pop up on Pandora, I have some songs by Tenth Avenue North on my iPod that I love, and of course Colton Dixon was on American Idol.  Our real focus, however, was Thousand Foot Krutch.  That is not to say that the other artists weren't as good or didn't rock just as hard because they did, but we, my friend and I, have been trying to see them live for quite a while now and they did not disappoint!

The PNC Arena was rocking from the moment we stepped in the door! As each band came out, the room became more and more electric and they weren't kidding when they say Christian Rock! Every band rocked out! Even during slow songs people were up and singing along and it was a great atmosphere.  As I said earlier we were looking most forward to Thousand Foot Krutch.  They rocked extra hard! Not only because we actually knew all their songs, but also because they went right after the speaker and  they really Fired It Up! Newsboys was the headliner and they proved it with their set which rocked the house and possibly the whole street!

I highly recommend attendance for anyone who enjoys Christian music, especially Christian Rock.  It is only $10 (at the door, no ticket required) and it is general admission, or you can buy a WinterJam Jam Nation Pass for between $30 and $50 and sit on the floor with various other perks.  All of the artists, for the most part, signed afterwards and it was great to meet all of them. They have over 40 shows currently scheduled in the Eastern United States with dates for the Western part of the country coming soon! Check it out in a city near you!

Here's a small preview of TFK: