The Open House/Michigan State Wind Symphony==>BLAH!

Sunday==>Well, my loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the morass known as cyberspace, in the name of fair and unbiased reporting your favorite blogger here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, has to share with you that yesterday’s entertainment doubleheader failed to live up to Billi Pod’s expectations. Yeah==>BLAH!!

Yes, this was one of those rare occasions where things just didn’t pan out as anticipated. I guess this is to be expected when one sees as many entertainment events as does Billi Pod. He does, however, a good bit of advance preparation and research before booking events but ... well ... you know ... sometimes things just don’t click.

And this is just what happened yesterday ... so ... without further ado let’s just move on to Billi Pod’s report cards on the less-than-stellar events ... starting with ... 

THE OPEN HOUSE, the World Premiere of Will Eno’s drama about a dysfunctional family, but with something of a twist==>C

Decent acting saves a very confusing story line, assuming there really is a story line. 

I guess the fact that neither the Playbill nor the website gives any of the characters names should have been an early hint.

You know, I could sense Will Eno lurking in the rear of the theatre and smirking as he was thinking to himself ... “Assholes, you actually paid money to see this because you wanted people to think you understand me. Well, you don’t and you never will ... so fuck you, you fucktards.”

When the show was over I asked the ladies seated on either side of me (one in her mid-30s, the other in her mid-50s) what they thought about the show and both of them basically said that they had no clue about what they had just spent the last 75 minutes watching.

Oh, I have a feeling that the critics, especially The New York Times, will give it rave reviews.

So, to my Tri-State theater buddies==>if you do choose to see this show, please give me the benefit of your thoughts/comments.

The show is in previews, is playing at The Signature Theater Complex on West 42nd Street, has a running time of 1:15, without intermission, and runs through March 23rd.

When the show was over I was able to have a nice walk and wander session in my Hell’s Kitchen ‘hood.

My entertainment event for the evening was a concert at Carnegie Hall ...

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WIND SYMPHONY @ Carnegie Hall - “This performance commemorates the 10th anniversary of John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 3, ‘Circus Maximus,’ and will also feature additional works by Corigliano and David Maslanka.”

My comp. seat was excellent, row U in the orchestra, but ...

Billi Pod’s grade==>D<==what a major disappointment.

The young musicians were excellent but the material by Corigliano and Maslanka was nothing but 2-hours of screeching, ear-splitting atonal dreck.

I considered leaving at intermission but didn’t because I had hopes that the second half, Corigliano’s Symphony No. 3, ‘Circus Maximus,’ would be better. Well, it wasn’t. The piece appropriately ended with a loud gunshot from the stage.

I can’t remember ever seeing so many people getting up and leaving while the orchestra was still playing.

As I was waiting for the subway I struck up a conversation with two couples who had also attended the concert. One couple had graduated from Michigan State and they said they were mortified at how bad the program had been.

Oh, well ... as “they” say ... you can’t win them all.

Moving on ...

The major positive for the otherwise mundane/blah day had to do with my Florida Gators. We beat Ole Miss 75-71 to move to 25-2, 14-0 SEC. 

Syracuse lost for the second time in a week meaning, probably, The Gators will be ranked Number 1. GO GATORS!! 

Tonight’s entertainment event is an Off Broadway show, one of Billi Pod’s all-time favorites ...

7:00==>FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: ALIVE AND STILL KICKING - “After an absence of nearly a year, Forbidden Broadway gleefully returns to New York with new victims and new laughs. This year's targets include Pippin, Kinky Boots, Matilda, Motown, and Les Miz, and many more.” (Off Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

This show is playing at the newly refurbished and renamed Davenport Theatre on West 45th Street, has a running time of 1:40, with intermission, and is currently selling tickets through May 11th.

I will close this posting by sharing Billi Pod’s AWESOME entertainment schedule for the upcoming 6 days ...

Sunday - 7:00==>FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: ALIVE AND STILL KICKING (Off Broadway)

Monday - 8:00==>BROADWAY BY THE YEAR: The Broadway Musicals of 1915-1939 @ Town Hall (Off Broadway)

Tuesday - 8:00==>MOTHERS AND SONS (Broadway)

Wednesday - 7:30==>AFTER MIDNIGHT, starring K. D. Lang (Broadway)

Thursday - 7:00==>BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (Broadway)

Friday - 8:00==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, with Mary Chapin Carpenter @ Avery Fisher Hall (concert)

Yeah, I know ... really interesting/exciting isn’t it?

HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.60 miles (or, 10,062 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>160.65 miles (average 3.03 miles per day)

GO GATORS & GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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

Smiling, The Boy Fell Dead/The Open House/Michigan State Wind Symphony

Saturday==>What a gorgeous beginning to the weekend here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

It’s the warmest it has been in quite a while and almost all of the accumulated snow and ice has gone away.

At 11:00am it is 47º with azure blue skies, as you can see from the photo taken from my 41st floor apartment on West 42nd Street. It is looking North over my Hell’s Kitchen ‘hood.

The weekend forecast is excellent, but .. dammit ... on Monday evening it begins to get cold again and then it is supposed to snow on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Oh well ... will just have to enjoy the good weather while it’s here.

So ... let’s move on to Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s Musicals In Mufti show at the York Theatre ... 

SMILING, THE BOY FELL DEAD, about a boy, Waldo, who overcomes extraordinary obstacles to gain a girl, fortune, and family honor==>A

Another totally enjoyable evening with a stellar cast

The story line lampoons the once popular tales of pluck and luck by 19th century novelist Horatio Alger, Jr. and it is very funny.

I thought the lyrics by soon-to-be 90 Sheldon Harnick (who was seated in the row in front of me) were very catchy.

As I said, the cast is stellar, particularly Matt Dengler in the lead role of young Waldo and Broadway veteran Tony Roberts as Waldo’s evil nemesis Simeon Moodis (the photo is Dengler, Harnick and Roberts).

At curtain call Harnick joined the cast to receive a roaring ovation. 

Once again James Morgan (a Florida Gator like moi) and his amazing staff put together a highly professional product with less than a week of rehearsal time. 

Billi Pod says==>see this show if you possibly can.

The show is playing at The York Theatre @ The Citigroup Center on East 54th Street, has a running time of 2:00, with intermission, and has remaining performance dates of today @ 2:30pm & 8:00pm; and, Sunday @ 2:30pm & 7:30pm.

Moving on ...

Today is going to be a very interesting entertainment doubleheader for your favorite blogger ... starting with ...

2:00==>THE OPEN HOUSE - “The World Premiere of Will Eno’s drama about a dysfunctional family, but with something of a twist.” (Off Broadway - $25.00 ticket)

Yeah, I know that the above description doesn’t tell you a whole lot but, truthfully, it is the best I could find.

The show is in previews, is playing at The Signature Theater Complex on West 42nd Street, has a running time of 1:15, without intermission, and runs through March 23rd.

When the show is over I will do a major walk and wander session, probably just in my Hell’s Kitchen ‘hood, and then it will be the second part of the doubleheader ...

8:00==>MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WIND SYMPHONY @ Carnegie Hall - “This performance commemorates the 10th anniversary of John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 3, ‘Circus Maximus,’ and will also feature additional works by Corigliano and David Maslanka.” (concert - complimentary ticket)

Yeah, Billi Pod is in the mood for some classical music.

In closing ... I am sad to report to my loyal and faithful readers and followers that the recently opened Broadway show BRONX BOMBERS, will close on March 2nd. 

Yeah ... BRONX BOMBERS bombed, to put it mildly. The reviews were almost uniformly negative and the show was drawing only about 35% capacity. Hope this isn’t an omen for the Yankees upcoming season ...

Anyway ... 

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>3.04 miles (or, 6,659 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>156.05 miles (average 3.00 miles per day)

GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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

Hand To God/Fallon/Smiling, The Boy Fell Dead

Friday==>Why don’t we get this TGIF posting started with something other than the usual and all-too-often mundane weather report?

I mean, who out there in the boondocks, hinterlands and wastelands gives a flying f**k that at 11:00am here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, it is foggy, gloomy, with a light drizzle and temperature of 38º, wind chill 30º? I mean, really, who cares?

So ... we will begin this posting with Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s totally enjoyable Off Broadway show ...

HAND TO GOD, a trash-talking hand puppet, Tyrone, takes charge of its shy teenage handler, Jason, at a Christian Puppet Ministry. Has the devil been let in?==>A

This is the same grade that it received from Billi Pod back on 12/3/11 and 3/17/12 when it had a virtually sold-out run up at the Ensemble Studio Theatre on West 52nd Street.

In summary==>This show is insanely funny, profane, sacrilegious, well-performed and totally enjoyable. 

Moving to the larger Lucille Lortel Theater actually had a positive impact on the show because of the ability now to have multiple sets.

I have to report that Steven Boyer, reprising his role as Jason/Tyrone, is incredible and the physicality in his performance is amazing.

In this regard I want to share a link to a story about him that appeared in the New York Times back in 2011 ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/theater/steven-boyer-unleashes-his-inner-demon-in-hand-to-god.html?_r=0 

It is well worth taking a few minutes to read.

The house was about 90% full and I am rather confident that once it officially opens and the new reviews are in that this is gonna be a very hot ticket ... so ...

Billi Pod says==>you gotta see this show ... do it NOW!!

It is playing at the Lucille Lortel Theater downtown in The West Village, has a running time of 1:45, with intermission, and runs through March 30th.

OK ... now ...

Last night’s “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” was a lot of fun with guests Michelle Obama and Will Ferrell. I mean, how can you beat that combo?

The three of them did a 6-minute sketch about a spoof talk show called “Ew” that was absolutely hilarious.

It’s been quite a positive week so far for Jimmy. Tonight’s show starts at 11:35pm, meaning this is the first time it will be head-to-head with Letterman.

Sorry, Dave, but Billi Pod has gotta watch Jimmy tonight.

Moving on ...

Tonight’s entertainment event is another show in the York Theater’s Musicals In Mufti Series honoring the collective work of musical legend Sheldon Harnick ...

8:00==>SMILING, THE BOY FELL DEAD - "A musical comedy that tells a classic success story about a boy who overcomes extraordinary obstacles to gain a girl, fortune, and family honor.  Set in the Midwest at the turn of the last century, it spoofs Horatio Alger’s rags-to-riches tales.” (Off Broadway - discounted ticket)

As I said, this is part of the York Theatre’s Musicals in Mufti Series, and, as you probably know by now “Mufti” (pronounced MUFF’tee) means “in street clothes, without the usual trappings.” The show is presented script-in-hand, with minimal staging and props.

The show is playing at The York Theatre @ The Citigroup Center on East 54th Street and has remaining performance dates of tonight @ 8:00pm; Saturday @ 2:30pm & 8:00pm; and, Sunday @ 2:30pm & 7:30pm.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>3.09 miles (or, 6,756 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>153.01 miles (average 3.00 miles per day)

GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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

The Happiest Song Plays Last/Hand to God/Some Baseball

Thursday==>A nice balmy day here in the Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World. At noon it is 45º but, dammit, rain storms are in the forecast for the evening and into tomorrow morning.

Why can’t we have a 24-hour stretch without either rain or snow? Why??

Oh, well ... 

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

THE HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST, about how two cousins attempt to deal with life==>C

This show has a confusing, often unbelievable and un-involving story line. Frankly, even after processing the show overnight I am still unsure what the playwright’s message is ... or ... even if there is one.

I guess you could say that for Billi Pod, the happiest song never played, but then how would I know since all of the songs, including, the “highlighted” last one are sung in Spanish.

My theater-buddies, who were also at last night’s performance, give it the following grades:

Michael Pederson==>C+

Dennis Dohman==>D-

Marty Kosarik==>C-

Billi Pod says==>you are warned.

The show is still in previews, is playing at Second Stage Theatre on West 43rd Street, has a running time of 2:25, with intermission, and runs through March 23rd.

Now ... I have to share that your favorite blogger is really psyched over tonight’s entertainment event, the Off Broadway show ...

8:00==>HAND TO GOD - “A trash-talking hand puppet, Tyrone, takes charge of its shy teenage handler at a Christian Puppet Ministry. Has the devil been let in?” (Off Broadway - discounted ticket)

This show had a highly successful mostly sold-out run at the Ensemble Studio Theatre on West 52nd Street back in 2011 and 2012. I saw it on 12/3/11 and again on 3/17/12 and totally loved it.

It has now moved to the much larger Lucille Lortel Theater downtown in The West Village, has a running time of 2:00, with intermission, and runs through March 30th.

Hopefully, the larger venue will not adversely impact the quality and charm of the show.

Moving on ... 

Well, Spring Training is now underway down in the warm environs of The Sunshine State, more specifically, for The Yankees, in Tampa, FL.

As you know, Derek Jeter has announced that this will be his final season. The Captain has handled the media frenzy very well.

The first Spring Training game is on Tuesday, February 25, @ 1:05pm against the Florida State Seminoles. The next afternoon at 1:05pm the Yankees will play the Pirates.

I am more than ready for some baseball.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>3.03 miles (or, 6,632 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>149.92 miles (average 3.00 miles per day)

GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

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

Intimacy/The Happiest Song Plays Last/Fallon/Upcoming Schedule

Wednesday==>OMFG! A heat wave has hit The Big Apple. At noon it is 43º. OMFG!!

Time to break out the Tees and shorts. Summer is finally here ... time to head outside and enjoy the great weather and ... oooops ... WTF? ... it’s raining ... raining??? ... I can’t believe it ... oh well, I guess it is back to the usual things and stuff ... like ...

Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s Off Broadway show ...

INTIMACY, the boisterous and revealing comedy about race, sex, intimacy and the making of a porn movie==>B+

Now, folks, the sexual scenes are very graphic, with full nudity, totally erect penises (real or prosthetic, who knows) and visible ejaculation. Plus, uncensored porn is shown on a large TV screen.

The play explores the divide between porn fantasy and the much messier reality of sex. 

I found the show to be funny, thought-provoking, gasp-inducing shocking, entertaining and extremely well-performed.

I particularly liked Austin Cauldwell in the role of Matthew, the teenager who is filming the porn movie involving his urbanite neighbors.

Yes, I liked it so much more than I had anticipated. The house was almost full and there were far fewer “walk-outs” at intermission than I had anticipated.

Billi Pod says==>if you are open minded and like plays that push the envelope, then this is the show for you. If not ... stay as far away as possible.

It is playing at the Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block, has a running time of 2:30, with intermission, and runs through March 8th.

Moving on ...

Last night’s “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” was excellent. 

Jimmy seemed to be much more relaxed and confident. He had a good back-and-forth with his guest Jerry Seinfeld.

Tonight’s guests will include Bradley Cooper and musical guest Tim McGraw.

Tonight’s entertainment event is an Off Broadway show in previews ...

8:00==>THE HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST - “The story of two cousins, Elliot and Yaz, who discover the joy in coming home again and the comfort of family, both by blood and by love. Featuring the sounds of traditional Puerto Rican folk music.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show is in previews, is playing at Second Stage Theatre on West 43rd Street, has a running time of 2:25, with intermission, and runs through March 23rd.

I will close this posting with your favorite blogger’s AWESOME upcoming entertainment schedule here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World ...

Wednesday - 8:00==>THE HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST (Off Broadway)

Thursday - 8:00==>HAND TO GOD (Off Broadway)

Friday - 8:00==>SMILING, THE BOY FELL DEAD: Musicals in Mufti (Off Broadway)

Saturday - 8:00==>MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WIND SYMPHONY @ Carnegie Hall (concert)

Sunday - 7:00==>FORBIDDEN BROADWAY - ALIVE AND STILL KICKING (Off Broadway)

Monday - open at the moment (never fear, it soon will be filled)

Tuesday - 8:00==>MOTHERS AND SONS (Broadway)

Yeah, I agree - pretty AWESOME. I will probably schedule matinee performances for Saturday and/or Sunday.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>2.00 miles (or, 4,388 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>146.89 miles (average 3.00 miles per day)

Billi Pod

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