Change

Don't freak out, I know that nobody likes change. Quite frankly, I'm tired of keeping 2+ blogs.  All my life I felt like I had to try to compartmentalize my personality, to hide the real me to avoid embarrassment or the judging eyes of others.  But you know what? That's not who I am.  This year is going to be about me-not in a selfish the world revolves around my every wish way-I want to be better. I want to be nicer, happier and more me. My goal this year is to fully accept myself and feel comfortable with me.  I can't do that by trying to separate myself into little categories. It's time to clean house.

For starters, I'm merging my multiple blogs into one. This will be an ongoing process, so bear with me. Keep the Starving Out of Starving Artist will still be up on Blogger, you just won't find any new content here. instead, you can find all of my wacky artsy/nerdy/crazy adventures on my new home:  www.GurlOnGirlGaming.com (not as inappropriate as advertised.) 

I'd love it if you all followed me over there if you haven't already!

H2$ and a Dance Down Memory Lane

My fabulous boyfriend surprised me with an early Christmas present: tickets to see How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Friday night! We had such a fun time. I really wanted to see this show for a couple of reasons; I was in H2$ once upon a time in high school, so I have a fondness for the show-it was one of the first musicals I was in. Also, I love me some Daniel Radcliffe. I was unable to see him the last time he was on Broadway in Equus, which received impressive reviews, had amazing puppetry, and featured a stellar cast (plus the added bonus of Harry Potter's "wand" on display for the better part of the show for the ladies out there).

H2$ follows the young and eager J. Pierrpont Finch as he attempts to climb the corporate ladder using the advice in a little book: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (the book is narrated by the smooth vocal stylings of one dreamboat Anderson Cooper).

Considering DanRad (yes, that is what I'm calling him from now on) had no musical theatre training before this, he can hold his own in the show. His vocals stretch a little thin at times, and he sings a little nasally on the high notes, but he more than makes up for it with his comedic timing, and the boyish charm he brings to the otherwise underhanded smarmy fellow that Finch can be in his career-driven pursuits. His on-stage chemistry with John Larroquette (from Night Court...anyone?) is so fun, and it is clear the two have a great working relationship. DanRad is also an impressive dancer considering his lack of training. While his form is not always as perfect as someone who has been dancing for decades, he brings an infectious energy and it is obvious he puts tremendous effort into his craft-an admirable feat. Granted, his super-stardom doesn't hurt him either, but I am amazed at how even after a year in this show, he still has such energy and focus amidst the (many, many, MANY) screaming fans in the audience each night.

Seeing the show Friday brought back a few fond memories from high school (and how few they were). While watching some of the choreography in the show and then later while listening to the soundtrack on the train, I even started to remember my old choreography from 12 years ago. It's funny how the brain and memories work, isn't it? Then I started trying to remember the names of my original cast in high school and started playing "where are they now?" in my head. The fellow who played Finch in my high school production, is now a local news reporter in Washington D.C. The guy who played J.B Bigley is now a director at the Atlantic Theatre Company here in NYC. Our Bud Frump now works in public television. Our Hedy La Rue is an actress/dancer in L.A. Our hilarious Wally Womper is now a seemingly jack-of-all-trades in the theatre and production world. Our Smitty now works as a student coordinator at the University of Colorado in Boulder. And last, but not least, our lovely Rosemary is now traveling the world and singing as she goes (or so I gathered from her vague FB page). Ok, enough stalking for now.

Oh, and me? I was a lowly secretary in a white button-up shirt and a ridiculously 60's bright orangy/salmon-colored skirt, and I was not a toy.

Pardon Me, While I Take a Stand...

I've censored the following, in protest of a bill that gives any corporation and the US government the power to censor the internet--a bill that could pass THIS WEEK. To see the uncensored text, and to stop internet censorship, visit: http://americancensorship.org/posts/15442/uncensor

█████ ████ did ███████ of ██████ ██████ ████ ████?

Tell Congress stop messing with our rights!!!

-Not Currently Starving, but a Little Pissed Off

Radio City Christmas Spectacle

Last night my boyfriend and I got to go see the final dress rehearsal of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. One of the perks I get from one of my jobs is I get free tickets to the shows I'm promoting, and we happen to be promoting this show. I was really excited because I had seen the Rockettes on tour in Denver many years ago, but I'd never been to Radio City in the 5 years I've lived here. The lobby had beautiful crystal Christmas tree chandeliers and the art deco style of the architecture has been well preserved in the building. We had decent seats in the orchestra section, and when the curtain went up, I got all excited like I was a little kid again, but it was to be bittersweet excitement since the clusterfuck of an audience ruined the magic a little bit.

I know it was only a dress rehearsal, and so the people who paid for their tickets probably got some serious discounts, but many of the seemed to not understand that we were not watching a movie that if you talked through it, the people on stage could hear you, and it's not like at home where if you miss something, you can pause and rewind it. This is a live event. Why is this concept so difficult for some people?!?!

Here are just some of the issues I had with my fellow audience members:

-Loud talkers

-Babies crying, and not being comforted, only ignored by their "parents"

-The child having a tantrum sitting behind me who was kicking and/or punching the back of my seat while his "parents" did nothing

-People in front of me taking pictures during the show...of THEMSELVES (thus the flash would blind me for a while, thus I missed bits of the show

W. T. F?!

I think my boyfriend put it best when he said: "That audience was what I imagine it would have been like to see Shakespeare in his time, with all the groundlings peeing, farting, yelling during the performance."

Now, the show itself was quite enjoyable. I'd seen it int he past, so I remembered a lot of the classic Rockette numbers and was pleased with the new ones they added this year. The costumes were lovely and it's always amazing to see the Rockettes do what they do.

Something new that was added this year were several 3-D elements to appeal to the little kids. They were well-executed, but I would have been fine without them. So, if anyone does see the show, I hope your audience is better-behaved than mine was, and I hope you enjoy the show! (Check your cynicism at the door though, it's a family show)

-Currently Lost My Appetite

Times Square

One of my part-time "survival jobs" I have while I look for creative work/projects/outlets is promoting Broadway shows in Times Square on the weekends to supplement my income. I do this on top of working full time 5 days a week in an office. Why do I sometimes work 7 days a week, you ask? Because no one can live comfortably on less than 30K a year in this city. Plus, the holidays are coming up very quickly, and I need some dough to buy my loved ones gifts that don't come from the Dollar Mart.

If you've never been to Times Square before, you know that it's one of the most iconic places in NYC, there are lights and people and billboards everywhere. It's quite overwhelming at first, but it's almost magical, especially at night.

If you have been to Times Square or are a New Yorker, you know that Times Square is like the 2nd circle of Hell. There are stupid tourists everywhere getting in your way, it's loud, it's dirty, it's smelly, and those damn comedy show guys are up in everybody's faces all the time.

As much as I truly hate Times Square sometimes, other times, I do have to admit, it has some charm. Like when you see crazy random shit that gives you stories to tell your friends for years to come, those are the best times.

I feel like I've "seen it all" most of the time, I've seen everything from celebrities, to crazy homeless guys, to bomb scares, to elderly couples in domestic disputes that turn violent. And nearly every time I'm in TS, I see something new that makes me say, "whoa."

-Not Currently Starving, but Looking Forward to Christmas Goodies

(To be continued...)

The City

There are days when I exit the train and walk up 6th ave to my office where I work and just breathe in the city. There are mornings like today when the air is crisp and the flow of the city just washes over me and I fall in love with New York all over again. The energy of the hustle and bustle pumps me up to face the day. On mornings like this one, I think, "Why would I want to leave this place?"


Then reality sets in. I go to my job; my job that wastes my talents and sucks out my soul ever-so-slowly, day-by-day. I put in my 8 hours, then get on the crowded subway full of cranky selfish people. I go home to my crappy apartment with the bills, the roach infestation, my broken couch, minimal cell phone reception, and the asshole landlord.


I try to look on the bright side: I'm employed, I have health insurance, I have a roof over my head, I have food in my kitchen, and I have people who love me in my life.

While I love NY, and I know that it's where I'm supposed to be right now, so I can't really see myself living anywhere else. However, the fantasies of living in a cabin in the woods for a couple of months or living near the beach for a while seem to pop into my head more frequently than they used to. Maybe, just maybe, it's time for a change...

-Not Currently Starving, But Wondering When Lunch is

Don't freak out!

I'm currently trying to tweak my blog design, and I will be busy having fun and tweeting at NYCC this weekend, so I may be on a hiatus for a while. Don't worry, I'll be back soon!