THE FILM SOCIETY==>A

Friday==>A Happy Friday shout out to all of my loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the morass known as cyberspace.

It is a beautiful Fall morning here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, with azure blue skies, wispy clouds, a rather brisk breeze coming off of the Hudson River, with temperature of 61º @ 10:30am.

The forecast for the weekend is:

Saturday - sunny, 67º/50º

Sunday - sunny, 62º/44º

Soooooooo ... let’s get started with Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s entertainment event ...

THE FILM SOCIETY, in 1970 in South Africa a young teacher, Jonathon, and his school become involved in an Apartheid controversy==>A

The acting is excellent, especially Euan Morton as Jonathon, Roberta Maxwell as his Mother, and Neville Sutter as the Headmaster.

The story line is very involving and emotional at times. The 2:20, two act, running time passes quickly as the characters and plot develops and evolves.

I am so glad I finally got to see it. It is playing at The Theater Row Complex on West 42nd Street and runs through October 26th.

Billi Pod says==>if you haven’t seen this show yet ... do it now!!

When the show was over I came back to the cozy confines of PHC and settled in to watch the final innings of The FuckSox/Tigers ALCS game, won by The FuckSox 5-4, putting them 1 game away from advancing to The World Series.

Game 6 will be Saturday at the cesspool known as Fenway Park @ 4:30pm on FOX. It is win or go home for The Tigers.

In the NLCS series The Cardinals lead The Dodgers 3-2. Game 6 is tonight @ 8:30pm in St. Louis, carried on TBS. It is also win, or go home for The Dodgers.

Oh, just learned that Saturday’s Gators/Missouri game will be carried locally on MSG. Nice!!

OK ... moving on ...

Tonight’s entertainment event is a classical music concert @ Carnegie Hall ...

7:30==>THE FIVE BROWNS @ Carnegie Hall - “Five Juilliard-trained siblings. Five Steinways. 440 keys.  Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring,’ Saint-Säen’s ‘Danse Macabre,’ Holst’s ‘The Planets’ and other works for multiple and solo pianos.” (complimentary ticket)

Man, doesn’t this sound interesting? This group has had several chart-topping CDs and has traveled the world to rave reviews wherever they have performed.

OK, my loyal and faithful readers and followers time to post this ... but first ...

To my family and close friends==>you can’t outrun your past. 

What has happened, has happened and there is nothing you can do about it except to move on with your life and this is what I have tried to do for the past 23+ years. 

I’m OK ... trust me ... I am.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>3.11 miles (or, 6,817 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/13==>377.16 miles (average 3.46 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.”

Wednesday Was An Excellent Doubleheader.

Thursday==>Sorry, my loyal and faithful readers and followers, about the delay in posting about yesterday’s excellent entertainment doubleheader. I won’t bore you with the details other than to say that I had an appointment with my ear doctor, Rose DuLude, that took a bit longer than anticipated ... so ...

Let’s get down to business with Billi Pod’s report cards, starting with ...

THE OLD FRIENDS - “A drama about shy, middle-aged lovers and boozy divas and issues surrounding legacy, loyalty, and the meaning of happiness that have hounded them for generations==>A

This Horton Foote drama, featuring Betty Buckley and Hallie Foote, has excellent acting that makes the troubling story line tolerable.

The characters are mostly unlikeable. Almost everyone gets drunk and I personally found that to be kinda disturbing, however, I am glad that I finally got to see it because it closes on Sunday.

Why does it deserve an A? Easy==>Betty Buckley.

Billi Pod says==>it is worth seeing.

For the evening I met up with my theater-buddy Marty Kosarik aka Whatever and his friend Cathy Altholz at the City Cinema on 2nd Avenue in the Union Square area for the just released movie ...

BROADWAY IDIOT, the documentary movie that follows Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong as he works with Broadway veterans to turn his mega-hit album, American Idiot, into a Broadway musical==>A

The show is totally enjoyable, if you are a Green Day fan and/or a fan of American Idiot. It really does a good job in giving insights into the inner workings of mounting a Broadway show.

As I posted yesterday, Marty is a self-confessed American Idiot addict because he has seen the show on Broadway and on its national tour(s) a total of 35 times, and yes, that is the correct number==>30-fucking-5 times. (Today he corrected the number from 37 down to 35).

When the show was over we had a great dinner at a Ukrainian restaurant also on 2nd Avenue.

So ... Mary and Cathy ... it was a fun evening and great to be with you.

Now, what about today?

Well, I am finally getting around to seeing an Off Broadway show that I have been waiting to show up on my ticket services. Earlier, every time it had showed up, I already had something booked ...

7:00==>THE FILM SOCIETY - “This Jon Robin Baitz drama is set in a South African school for boys in 1970 and chronicles the struggle of a young teacher to keep politics out of his extracurricular film club. After the school becomes embroiled in an Apartheid controversy, he must decide whether to support his activist colleague or side with the headmaster who can make or break his career.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This mostly well-reviewed show is playing at the Theatre Row Complex on my block, has a running time of 2:20, with intermission, and runs through October 26th.

When the show is over I will have time to watch the final innings of the Boston FuckSox/Tigers ALCS game, from Detroit. The series is tied 2-2 after The Tigers kicked butt yesterday, winning 7-3.

Again, my loyal and faithful readers and followers ... I am sorry for the delay ... so ...

I want to close with something strictly for my male readers and followers ...

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.00 miles (or, 10,942 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/13==>369.80 miles (average 3.46 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.”

Back-to-Back Doubleheaders

Wednesday==>Your favorite blogger here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In the World, has another entertainment doubleheader scheduled for today ... so we need to get things started with his report card on yesterday’s doubleheader ... starting with ...

The staged reading of BLEEDING LOVE, the post-apocalyptic musical where it's always night, it's always cold and nothing ever grows==>INTERESTING. (remember, Billi Pod does not usually assign letter grades to readings)

This show was very well performed for a staged reading, especially the young actress Dana Steingold, who brings back memories of a young Kristin Chenoweth.

Before the show I met up with my theater-buddy Dian Crystal aka My Lady and we had time for some much needed catching up.

When the show was over I subwayed back to PHC, had my usual pre-theater snack (fruit and cheese plate), changed clothes and then headed up to Lincoln Center for the second half of my entertainment doubleheader ...

7:30==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall - works by Golljov (who??), Mendelssohn, and Dvorak==>OUTSTANDING, as usual.

The performance was conducted by 26-year-old Joshua Weilerstein, who is one of two Philharmonic Assistant Conductors. Honestly, on stage he looks no older than 18, not joking. I can’t imagine how it must feel to be conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra before a full-house in NYC, The Greatest City In The World.

When the concert was finished he and the orchestra received a roaring standing ovation.

Yes, this was a good way to end an interesting doubleheader.

And, speaking of doubleheaders ... I humbly think that what I have scheduled for today is also interesting ... what do you loyal and faithful readers and followers think ...

2:00==>THE OLD FRIENDS - “Matriarch Mamie Borden and the remaining members of two longtime Texas farming families await a visit from Mamie's son Hugo and his wife Sybil. When Sybil arrives with alarming news, old friends on opposing sides must confront the issues surrounding legacy, loyalty, and the meaning of happiness that have hounded them for generations.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This well-reviewed Horton Foote drama, featuring Betty Buckley and Hallie Foote, is playing at The Signature Theatre Complex on West 42nd Street, has a running time of 2:05, with intermission, and closes on this Sunday after a very successful run.

I am so glad that I am finally getting a chance to see it.

Then ... for the evening ...

7:20==>BROADWAY IDIOT - “A documentary movie that follows Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong as he works with Broadway veterans to turn his mega-hit album, American Idiot, into a Broadway musical.”

I will be seeing this just released movie with my theater-buddy Marty Kosarik aka Whatever and his friend Cathy Altholz.

It is playing down in the Union Square area and has a running time of 1:20.

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting I have to share with you loyal and faithful readers and followers that Marty is a self-confessed American Idiot addict in that he has seen the show on Broadway and on its national tour(s) a total of 37 times, and yes, that is the correct number==>30-fucking-7 times. TOTALLY INCREDIBLE!!

And, he already has tickets for an additional 6 shows, 2 in Boston, 2 on Long Island; and 2 in Cleveland.

Marty has told me countless times that American Idiot is truly his “life story” and each time he sees it, it is like a therapy session.

Sooooooo ... I am really looking forward to his feedback on the movie ... so ... stay tuned.

After the show we will catch a bite in the Union Square area, I think it will be, per Marty, Ukrainian food, whatever that is.

Now ... just a bit of sports ...

It appears to me that The Fat Lady is getting ready to sing out in LA after the Dodgers lost last night to the Cardinals by a score of 4-2, going up 3-1 in the series.

Game 5 is this afternoon at 4:00pm, in LA, carried on TBS.

And ... The Boston FuckSox now have a 2-1 lead in the ALCS after defeating The Tigers 1-0 in another pitcher’s duel.

Game 4 is tonight at 8:00pm, in Detroit, carried on FOX.

So ... my loyal and faithful readers and followers ... I hope you will agree with your favorite blogger than today’s doubleheader sounds interesting. Let’s just hope it turns out that way.

Oh ... yesterday was also a pretty good walking day, too ...

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.00 miles (or, 10,942 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/13==>369.80 miles (average 3.46 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.”

Monday Was A “Back-to-Normal” Day

Tuesday==>Your favorite blogger is happy to report that Monday was a much saner and “normal” day than was Sunday ... Thank You Higher Power.

Billi Pod was able to finish off most of his scheduled chores and errands with surprising ease. 

Plus ... and this is a big plus ... he was able to book his flights to and from Columbia, SC, for Christmas with family, thanks to the highly professional services of his Travel Agent and longtime friend Blanche Bryant of International Sun Travel in Bartow, FL.

There is only one nonstop flight a day between New York/Columbia or Columbia/New York and they sell out very quickly, especially in the holiday season and also because of the presence of Fort Jackson in Columbia.

I will leave NYC on December 24th and return on the 28th.

Will furnish more details to family and friends later .. so ... moving on ...

I am also happy to report to my loyal and faithful readers and followers that last night’s staged reading, THE SECOND MAN, about the relationships of four very different people: Clark, a hack writer; Kendall, a wealthy older woman; Monica, a starry-eyed young thing; and, Austin, a rich scientist was==>ENJOYABLY ENTERTAINING, even though it is set in the 1920s, making it, of course, dated.

Remember, Billi Pod does not usually assign letter grades to staged readings.

The reading was part of the “Plays-You-Should-Know-But-Probably Don’t” series by The Peccadillo Theater Company @ the Theatre at St. Clement’s on West 46th Street.

When the reading was over I came back to the cozy confines of PHC to watch the rest of the Dodgers/Cardinals NLCS game. 

It was a very exciting game and the Dodgers won 3-0 to remain in the championship fight. The Cards lead the series 2-1.

Moving on to Billi Pod’s entertainment schedule for today ...

Well, it is another entertainment doubleheader, starting with ...

3:00==>BLEEDING LOVE - “In this post-apocalyptic new musical comedy it's always night, it's always cold and nothing ever grows.” (reading - free ticket)

This is a staged reading by The Amas Musical Theatre Company and is performed at the 14th Street Y in the Union Square area. I am seeing it as a guest of my theater-buddy Dian Crystal aka My Lady.

When the reading is over I will race back to PHC to change clothes and then head uptown to Lincoln Center for the second half of my doubleheader ...

7:30==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall - The program is: Golljov (who??) - Last Round; Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto; and, Dvorak - Symphony No. 8 (subscription series)

Your favorite blogger is definitely in need of a classical music fix.

Yeah ... another interesting day in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

Oh, just a bit more sports ...

1. The Gators remain in the top 25 in all of the polls, which, frankly, I find a bit surprising. We are currently 3-point favorites over Missouri, next Saturday’s opponent, in another away game.

2. Game 3 of the Tigers/FuckSox series is today at 4:00pm, from Detroit, carried on Fox. The series is tied 1-1.

3. Game 4 of the Dodgers/Cardinals series is tonight at 8:00pm from LA, carried on TBS. The Cardinals lead 2-1.

In closing I want to share two recent photographs taken of my darling great-granddaughter Saylor, with her Mom, Gina, and Dad, Alex, at The State Fair in South Carolina.

I also have some very exciting breaking news to share with you loyal and faithful readers and followers as soon as I get the OK from Alex and Gina to do so.

OK ... time to post this and then get ready to head down to Union Square ...

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>2.79 miles (or, 6,098 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/13==>364.80 miles (average 3.44 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.”