Thursday, December 4, 2014

Breaking Gator News - Major Barbara - The Asphalt Christmas - Billi Pod’s Upcoming Entertainment Schedule


Thursday==>BREAKING NEWS. ESPN is reporting that Colorado State coach Jim McElwain has agreed to become the next Gator coach.

The 52-year old McElwain was in his third season at Colorado State and the team’s record was 10-2, having won 16 of their last 20 games.

As most of you know, AD Jeremy Foley was looking for someone with a strong offensive background and it appears as if McElwain fills that bill. This year Colorado State was ranked 13th nationally in total offense. YES!!

So ... apparently the search is over and a new Gator Era begins ... so ...

WELCOME COACH McELWAIN & GO GATORS!!

Now ... back to the usual things and stuff ... 

It is a beautiful day here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World. We have azure blue skies with only a few puffy clouds.

The only negative ... it’s cold and windy. At 11:30am it is 43º, wind chill down to 37º. Oh well ...

Let’s move on to Billi Pod’s report card on yesterday’s Off Broadway show ...

MAJOR BARBARA - “In this revival of George Bernard Shaw’s 1905 classic, when the charming weapons-manufacturer Andrew Undershaft goes toe-to-toe with his passionate daughter Barbara, a Major in the Salvation Army, over his “ill-gotten” fortune, it leads to the wager of the century. She is determined to save his soul - he is determined to open her eyes to a wider world. Their confrontation will knock their entire family’s moral compass up, down, and sideways, never to be the same again.”

Billi Pod’s report card==>B+

There is a lot to like in this comedy/drama of morals vs. money. Guess which one wins?

Yes it is, of course, dated and sometimes the story line is a bit tricky to follow, mostly due to the English accents, but the totality is involving.

The cast is excellent, headed by Dan Daily as the millionaire munitions manufacturer, Andrew Undershaft, and Hannah Cabell as his religion-obsessed daughter, Barbara.

As the story line develops the originally reviled father becomes more and more likeable and understandable, especially after we find out that ... "He pays his workers a generous wage, rescuing them from what he calls the ‘seven deadly sins’ -  ‘food, clothing, heat, rent, taxes, respectability and children.’ For him, there’s no greater evil than poverty.”

The running time was originally posted at 2:40, with two intermissions. Well, it has been trimmed down to 2:30, with one intermission, and that works.

Billi Pod says==>see this show if you like period comedy/drama and/or George Bernard Shaw.

It is playing at The Pearl Theatre on West 42nd Street and runs through December 21st.

Moving on to today’s entertainment event ...

An Off Broadway show to get the Christmas Season underway ...

7:30==>THE ASPHALT CHRISTMAS - “‘The Bells of St. Mary's’ meets ‘The Exorcist’ in this outrageous satire that celebrates Hollywood Christmas movies, with a nod to the Carol Burnett Show. It's the story of St. Celestine's convent school's annual Christmas pageant, a ‘possessed’ teenager, her long-lost mother, a singing priest with a past, and a couple of nuns who must deal with the devil within their convent school walls.” (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Tonight is the first performance of this show that opens tomorrow. It is playing at The Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block, has a running time of 1:15, without intermission, and runs through December 21st.

Yeah ... sounds like a good way to get into the Holiday Spirit, doesn’t it.

In closing ... your favorite blogger has already scheduled a very interesting series of entertainment events for most of the upcoming 11 days/nights ...

Thursday - December 4 - 7:30==>THE ASPHALT CHRISTMAS (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Friday - 8:00==>PUNK ROCK (Off Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

Saturday - all afternoon and evening==>college football Conference Championship games.

Sunday - open at the moment

Monday - December 8 - 8:00==>THE BUTTCRACKER (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Tuesday - 7:30==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC (subscription series)

Wednesday - 11:30==>Eye Doctor appointment; evening is open at the moment

Thursday - 7:30==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC (free - subscription series perk)

Friday - 8:00==>MAKE THE YULETIDE GAY (concert - discounted TDF ticket)

Saturday - open at the moment

Sunday - 3:00==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC - Holiday Brass (full price ticket)

So ... looks kinda interesting doesn’t it?

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>2.02 miles (or, 4,435 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>1,357.32  miles (average 4.03 miles per day)

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod
“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

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