Well the regular Grand Prix season has ended and the top six finishers in each discipline have qualified for the Grand Prix Final in Beijing December 9-12. I will be updating this post over the next 2 weeks with my fantasty picks, and my predictions for the podium. For now, here are the qualifying orders as well as the total points from the two events combined. Check back over the next two weeks for more updates!
The icenetwork.com live streaming schedule for the 2010 Grand Prix Final from Beijing is as follows:
Friday December 10th
4:15 a.m.: Senior short dance
5:25 a.m.: Senior men's short program
6:30 a.m.: Senior ladies short program
7:35 a.m.: Senior pairs short program
Saturday December 11th
3:55 a.m.: Senior men's free skate
5:10 a.m.: Senior ladies free skate
6:20 a.m.: Senior free dance
7:40 a.m.: Senior pairs free skate
**NHK=NHK Trophy, SC=Skate Canada, CC=Cup of China, SA=Skate America, CR=Rostelecom Cup, TEB=Trophee Eric Bompard
Men:
1) Takahiko Kozuka: 15(CC)+15(TEB)=30 (481.58)
CC: 77.40(SP)+156.11(FS)=233.51
TEB: 77.64(SP)+170.43(FS)=248.07
2) Daisuke Takahashi: 15(NHK)+15(SA)=30 (461.86)
NHK: 78.04(SP)+156.75(FS)=234.79
SA: 78.12(SP)+148.95(FS)=227.07
3) Patrick Chan: 15(SC)+13(CR)=28 (466.73)
SC: 73.20(SP)+166.32(FS)+239.52
CR: 81.96(SP)+145.25(FS)=227.21
4) Tomas Verner: 11(NHK)+15(CR)=26 (445.12)
CC:70.31(SP)+144.50(FS)=214.81
CR:74.10(SP)+156.21(FS)=230.31
5) Nobunari Oda: 13(SC)+13(SA)=26 (462.61)
SC: 81.37(SP)+155.15(FS)+236.52
SA: 79.28(SP)+146.81(FS)=226.09
6) Florent Amodio: 11(NHK)+13(TEB)=24 (443.15)
NHK: 70.01(SP)+143.76(FS)=213.77
TEB: 75.62(SP)+153.76(FS)=229.38
1A) Jeremy Abbott: 13(NHK)+11(CR)=24 (435.40)
2A) Brandon Mroz: 13(CC)+11(TEB)=24 (431.11)
3A) Adam Rippon: 11(SC)+9(SA)=20 (436.16)
Ladies:
1) Miki Ando: 15(CC)+15(CR)=30 (346.68)
CC: 56.11(SP)+116.10(FS)=172.21
CR: 54.00(SP)+120.47(FS)=174.47
2) Alissa Czisny: 15(SC)+11(TEB)=26 (332.17)
SC: 55.95(SP)+116.42(FS)=172.37
TEB: 55.50(SP)+104.30(FS)=159.80
3) Carolina Kostner: 15(NHK)+11(SA)=26 (319.48)
NHK: 57.27(SP)+107.34(FS)=164.61
SA: 60.28(SP)+94.59(FS)=154.87
4) Kanako Murakami: 11(NHK)+15(SA)=26 (315.09)
NHK: 56.10(SP)+94.06(FS)=150.16
SA: 54.75(SP)+110.18(FS)=164.93
5) Akiko Suzuki: 13(CC)+13(CR)=26 (335.60)
CC: 57.97(SP)+104.89(FS)=162.86
CR: 57.43(SP)+115.31(FS)=172.74
6) Rachael Flatt: 13(NHK)+13(SA)=26 (323.90)
NHK: 53.69(SP)+107.35(FS)=161.04
SA: 51.02(SP)+111.84(FS)=162.86
1A) Kiira Korpi: 9(NHK)+15(TEB)=24 (318.18)
2A) Mirai Nagasu: 9(CC)+13(TEB)=22 (314.02)
3A) Ashley Wagner: 7(NHK)+11(CR)=18 (310.75)
Pairs:
1) Savchenko/Szolkowy: 15(SA)+15(TEB)=30 (395.58)
SA: 63.99(SP)+133.71(FS)=197.70
TEB: 66.65(SP)+131.23(FS) =197.88
2) Pang/Tong: 15(NHK)+15(CC)=30 (366.87)
NHK: 67.10(SP)+122.27(FS)=189.37
CC: 60.62(SP)+116.88(FS)=177.50
3) Bazarova/Larionov: 13(NHK)+13(TEB)=26 (356.83)
NHK: 60.16(SP)+113.67(FS)=173.83
TEB: 64.18(SP)+118.82(FS)=183.00
4) Moore-Towers/Moscovitch: 13(SC)+13(SA)=26 (346.40)
SC: 53.68(SP)+117.24(FS)=170.92
SA: 61.64(SP)+113.84(FS)=175.48
5) Iliusechkina/Maisuradze: 15(SC)+9(CC)=24 (333.49)
SC: 60.72(SP)+110.68(FS)=171.40
CC: 55.85(SP)+106.24(FS)=162.09
6) Sui/Han: 13(CC)+11(SA)=24 (341.54)
CC: 59.58(SP)+111.89(FS)=171.47
SA: 57.53(SP)+112.54(FS)=170.07
1A) Takahashi/Tran: 11(NHK)+13(CR)=24 (321.13)
2A) Yankowskas/Coughlin: 9(NHK)+11(CC)=22 (321.60)
3A) Lawrence/Swiegers: 11(SC)+7(CR)=18 (315.82)
Ice Dance:
1) Davis/White: 15(NHK)+15(SA)=30 (321.89)
NHK: 66.97(SD)+98.24(FS)=165.21
SA: 63.62(SD)+93.06(FD)=156.68
2) Pechalat/Bourzat: 15(CC)+15(TEB)=30 (321.41)
CC: 64.12(SD)+95.47=159.59
TEB: 65.48(SD)+96.34(FD)=161.82
3) Crone/Poirier: 15(SC)+13(SA)=28 (303.50)
SC: 62.95(SD)+91.47(FD)=154.42
SA: 60.41(SD)+ 88.67(FD)=149.08
4) Bobrova/Soloviev: 13(CC)+15(CR)=28 (299.72)
CC: 55.85(SD)+ 89.54(FD)=145.39
CR: 60.80(SD)+93.53(FD)=154.33
5) Weaver/Poje: 13(NHK)+9(SA)=22 (283.91)
NHK: 58.69(SD)+82.88(FD)=141.57
SA: 59.48(SD)+82.86(FD)=142.34
6) Hoffmann/Zavozin: 9(CC)+13(CR)=22 (272.91)
CC: 52.69(SD)+78.13(FD)=130.82
CR: 57.24(SD)+84.85(FS)=142.09
1A) Shibutani/Shibutani: 11(NHK)+11(SA)=22 (281.74)
2A) Chock/Zuerlein: 11(SC)+11(TEB)=22 (277.53)
3A) Riazanova/Tkachenko: 7(SA)+13(TEB)=20 (283.93)
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
ISU Grand Prix: Trophee Eric Bompard Short Program Update
I am sorry that I did not get to live-blog the short programs today, but here are the results and the standings going into tomorrow's free skates.
Men:
1) Takahiko Kozuka (Japan) 77.64
2) Florent Amodio (France) 75.62
3) Brandon Mroz (USA) 72.46
4) Chafik Besseghier (France) 70.33
5) Brian Joubert (France) 66.95
6) Peter Liebers (Germany) 66.53
7) Kevin Reynolds (Canada) 66.13
8) Nan Song (China) 62.88
9) Anton Kovalevski (Ukraine) 55.79
10) Zoltan Kelemen (Romania) 53.02
11) Jinlin Guan (China) WD
Ladies:
1) Kiira Korpi (Finland) 61.39
2) Mirai Nagasu (USA) 58.72
3) Haruka Imai (Japan) 58.38
4) Alissa Czisny (USA) 55.50
5) Fumie Suguri (Japan) 50.76
6) Cynthia Phaneuf (Canada) 50.51
7) Mao Asada (Japan) 50.10
8) Sonia LaFuente (Spain) 46.81
9) Sarah Hecken (Germany) 46.73
10) Candice Didier (France) 46.06
11) Mae Berenice Meite (France) 41.69
12) Lena Marrocco (France) 38.39
Pairs:
1) Savchenko/Szolkowy (Germany) 66.65
2) Bazarova/Larionov (Russia) 64.18
3) Hausch/Wende (Germany) 54.02
4) Brodeur/Mattatall (Canada) 45.47
5) Zhang/Toth (USA) 40.93
6) Khnychenkova/Magyar (Hungary) 39.46
7) Kadlecova/Bidar (CZE) 39.32
Ice Dance:
1) Pechalat/Bourzat (France) 65.48
2) Riazanova/Tkachenko (Russia) 60.81
3) Chock/Zuerlein (USA) 58.09
4) Carron/Jones (France) 53.36
5) Cannuscio/Lorello (USA) 52.19
6) Ralph/Hill (Canada) 50.50
7) Huang/Zheng (China) 49.55
8) Turoczi.Major (Hungary) 41.27
Men:
1) Takahiko Kozuka (Japan) 77.64
2) Florent Amodio (France) 75.62
3) Brandon Mroz (USA) 72.46
4) Chafik Besseghier (France) 70.33
5) Brian Joubert (France) 66.95
6) Peter Liebers (Germany) 66.53
7) Kevin Reynolds (Canada) 66.13
8) Nan Song (China) 62.88
9) Anton Kovalevski (Ukraine) 55.79
10) Zoltan Kelemen (Romania) 53.02
11) Jinlin Guan (China) WD
Ladies:
1) Kiira Korpi (Finland) 61.39
2) Mirai Nagasu (USA) 58.72
3) Haruka Imai (Japan) 58.38
4) Alissa Czisny (USA) 55.50
5) Fumie Suguri (Japan) 50.76
6) Cynthia Phaneuf (Canada) 50.51
7) Mao Asada (Japan) 50.10
8) Sonia LaFuente (Spain) 46.81
9) Sarah Hecken (Germany) 46.73
10) Candice Didier (France) 46.06
11) Mae Berenice Meite (France) 41.69
12) Lena Marrocco (France) 38.39
Pairs:
1) Savchenko/Szolkowy (Germany) 66.65
2) Bazarova/Larionov (Russia) 64.18
3) Hausch/Wende (Germany) 54.02
4) Brodeur/Mattatall (Canada) 45.47
5) Zhang/Toth (USA) 40.93
6) Khnychenkova/Magyar (Hungary) 39.46
7) Kadlecova/Bidar (CZE) 39.32
Ice Dance:
1) Pechalat/Bourzat (France) 65.48
2) Riazanova/Tkachenko (Russia) 60.81
3) Chock/Zuerlein (USA) 58.09
4) Carron/Jones (France) 53.36
5) Cannuscio/Lorello (USA) 52.19
6) Ralph/Hill (Canada) 50.50
7) Huang/Zheng (China) 49.55
8) Turoczi.Major (Hungary) 41.27
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
My Most Memorable Theatre Experiences: #1 A Chorus Line
From the opening number, I understood that I was witnessing an audition process where a director was preparing to cast a dancing chorus for a Broadway show. When we got to the montage of "Hello 12, hello 13" I was surprised by the honesty in the characters' stories from childhood. But by the time we reached "The Music and the Mirror," it began to hit uncomfortably close to home. On a side note, I was completely star struck by Charlotte D'Amboise in the role. I don't know that I've ever truly had my breath taken away by a performer in the way that I had with her. Cassie speaks for everyone who has ever stood at the end of a kickline when she says "sure I'd love to be a star, but I'm not, I'm a dancer." I've performed with troupes before where directors told us, "we perform as we line, we don't want any Cassies trying to stand out." Having heard this time and time again, I expected Cassie to be a complete diva, but what I realized throughout "The Music and the Mirror" was that Cassie was just as shy and scared as every other dancer on that line and all she wanted was to return to what she did best-to dance.
A Chorus Line is probably one of the most commonly performed musicals in the world and countless directors try to interpret it differently, most often taking it out of its original 1970s setting and trying to modernize it. I've seen this fail time and again, always for the same reason. This show is about one thing, and one thing only, the role of the dancer in musical theatre, something which has changed drastically since the 1970s. Back then, dancers were known as "chorus kids" or "gypsies" because when one show closed, they would perform in another, going virtually unnoticed. When Michael Bennett created A Chorus Line in a dance studio based on conversations he had with Broadway dancers, the Braodway dancer was to be seen and not heard, and made a fraction of the salaries paid to the actors and singers in shows. Once the 1980s hit, the mega musical was born and performers were forced to become triple threats (singers, dancers, and actors) if they wanted to audition for Broadway. The age of the true Broadway gypsy became a bygone era, which is why A Chorus Line is now considered a period piece and should remain as such.
Now back to my memory...by the end of the show I was so involved with the characters and could see myself in every one of these dancers trying to prove that they deserved a spot on that line. The 11 o'clock number, "What I Did For Love" is the tearjerker of the show, but for me it was a moment of great catharsis. It validated every sacrifice I had every made and would continue to make in my life for dance. It made me feel such a sense of camaraderie with not only the characters, but the actors themselves. This was one of the few times when I truly believed the performers onstage were living rather than acting because they weren't simply playing dancers, they were dancers. This show has not only become one of my favorites, but A Chorus Line has become a part of me as it pays tribute to those who would give up everything they have, for the chance to dance.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
My Most Memorable Theatre Experiences: #10-#2
In preparation for the completion of this series tomorrow, I thought I would remind you of numbers 10-2.
10) The Lion King
Okay so I was a little behind the eight ball on this show. I didn't see it until 2009, about 10 years after it opened on Broadway. For some reason I never got around to it, but when I lived in Manhattan last summer, I made it my goal to see every musical on Broadway. The Lion King was the last show I saw that summer, the night before I moved to be exact. And I must say it was the perfect end to an amazing summer of theatre. Now I should probably preface this by saying, "I am a cryer". I cry a lot in the theatre, and that is often how I measure how good a show is. Now I was not expecting to cry in The Lion King, a show that I thought was for children. From the moment Rafiki sang the opening syllables, tears streamed out of my eyes. Sure its cheesy, but the harmonies in the opening song, Circle of Life, just moved me deeply. The other number that was particularly touching for me was, He Lives In You, Simba's coming of age moment. This was another song sung by the magnificent character of Rafiki, and when she was joined by an African choir on the reprise, I was again moved to tears. I was somewhat familiar with the use of puppets and masks before seeing the show and I was completely expecting a work of over-the-top Disney-tastic spectacle. But what I actually experienced was a work of theatrical stagecraft that was not at all like something out of a theme park, but rather art. Helmed by the ingenious Julie Taymor, this piece brings our favorite animated characters to life in front of our very eyes. We see the human actors and we also see the animal masks and puppets, which seems like sensory overload, but in actuality, it does not matter if we look at a face or a mask. It isn't about what we see, but what we feel, and that is the spirit of the actor living inside the character.
9) South Pacific (revival)
Like most theatre fans, I grew up watching the Rogers and Hammerstein musicals on video. I started with The Sound of Music and a bit later I fell in love with Carousel, and then South Pacific. I loved the romance of these shows and the glorious, sweeping scores. When I began to study vocal performance, I gravitated toward the R&H songs as they fit wonderfully into my soprano voice. They are still among my favorite repertory pieces today. Unfortunately for me, most contemporary musicals are written for belters so when I knew that Lincoln Center Theatre was reviving South Pacific, I jumped at the chance to see it. I had seen a charming little community theatre production of South Pacific in Walla Walla, WA a few years before and fell in love with the score and staging, but what I saw and experienced at Lincoln Center blew me away. I had listened to the cast recording before I saw the show and fell in love with the voice of Kelli O'Hara. She has a glorious soprano and while she mixes down into her chest voice, she is definitely not a power belter, and she became a singer that I could relate to. Unfortunately when I saw the performance Miss O'Hara was on maternity leave, but Laura Osnes was perfectly lovely in the role of Nellie Forbush and Paulo Szot was, and I do not use this word lightly, a revelation in the role of Emile de Becque.
Now while I have always said I'm an old soul, contrary to popular belief I was not around in 1949 for the original Broadway production of South Pacific. But you could have convinced me otherwise as the opening notes of the overture transported me to the 1940s when full orchestras and romance trumped rock scores and electronic music. When the stage retracted from the thrust to reveal the orchestra as they played excerpts from Bali Hai and Some Enchanted Evening, the water works began and continued throughout the opening sequence (did I mention I love a good cry at the theatre). The opening sequence of Cockeyed Optimist, Twin Soliloquies, and Some Enchanted Evening was enrapturing. Everything about the production was captivating, from the wonderful performances by Danny Burstein as Luther Billis and Loretta Ables Sayre as Bloody Mary and picture perfect direction of Bartlett Sher, to the visually stunning scenic and lighting designs. One of the most unique aspects of this experience, for me, was the fact that I was one of the youngest people in the audience of the Vivian Beaumont theatre that night. It felt so wonderful to be in the presence of a more mature generation that may indeed have seen the original production with Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza, and above all, that truly maintained respect for the theatre as a venerated art form, and not simply as entertainment. I guess what really touched me the most about this production of South Pacific was the realization that classical musical theatre and timeless talents like Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot still have a place on The Great White Way.
8) Wicked
Those who know me well know that my love for Wicked runs deep and may be surprised that it is not higher on my list of memorable theatre experiences. I think the reason is that I have seen it so many times, it must be 7 or 8 now, so the impact of my initial experience began to fade with each repeat visit. Because of this, I am a strong proponent of only seeing a show once if it has a strong effect on you the first time you see it. I saw Wicked for the first time in 2004 on Broadway. Most of the original cast had left by that time, including my idol Kristin Chenoweth, but Idina Menzel was still playing the role of Elphaba. I didn't know a lot about Wicked the first time I saw it, in fact I didn't know much about Broadway at all. While I had seen a lot of shows on their national tours as a youngster, Wicked was my first true Broadway show. I have a hard time deciphering what I remember from my first time seeing Wicked and what has been filled in by my repeat visits, but I do remember that the song For Good made a very profound impression on me. This representation of a friendship between two women was something that I had never seen in a musical before and it struck me as somewhat groundbreaking. I had the slightest inkling that this message of friendship would touch other people as it had me and that Wicked just might be the next big smash hit on Broadway. Well I think thousands of theatre-goers would agree with me and Wicked has become Broadway's juggernaut, running for 7 straight years to sold out houses at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre as well as several national touring companies, sit down productions in Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and several international productions.
I think Idina Menzel said it best in her accetance speech for the 2004 TONY award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for Elphaba when she exclaimed "I'm so proud to be in a show that celebrates women and our strengths and differences." I guess this aspect of the show is what has drawn me back to Wicked at least once a year since 2004. The universal message of friendship and accepting our differences speaks to the heart of every person. There are times in our lives when we relate more to Glinda and there are times when relate more with Elphaba, but nevertheless, we've all had close friendships that have grown from our differences and this show reminds us of how important those relationships truly are. Sure, we've all had our favorite Elphabas and Glindas and while many are still partial to the original cast, I actually prefer Stephanie J Block in the role of Elphaba and have grown to love Annaleigh Ashford's Glinda. But with every cast change on Broadway and around the world, the names of the actresses playing the lead characters become less important and the show itself has emerged as the true star.
7) A Little Night Music (revival)
I apologize now if I start gushing, but of my list of top 10 theatre experiences, the revival of A Little Night Music was my most recent show so it is incredibly fresh and vivid in my memory. This show was a highlight of my life as a theatre-goer for several reasons. First of all, it was my first experience with a Stephen Sondheim work live on stage, other than Sondheim on Sondheim, and I was certainly not disappointed. From the top of the overture the final waltz, I was enraptured by the intricacies of the music, eloquence of the text, and the actors' polished performances. I found myself humming in 3/4 time several days after seeing the show. I try to see as many theatrical productions as possible, particularly those with historical significance that have made a grand impact on the musical theatre canon, but perhaps the biggest draw for me was Bernadette Peters. I wanted to see A Little Night Music when Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury were playing Desire and Madame Armfeldt, but I simply had to see this production when Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch took over the lead roles.
I have been a big fan of Miss Peters since I started my vocal training. My voice professor in college was frustrated because I learned vocal technique very quickly, but she was having trouble teaching me to "act the song." Finally, she sent me home with a VHS copy of Sunday in the Park with George and said "watch Bernadette Peters and learn from her." At that moment I got it. I realized that in the musical theatre, one must deliver a song as the character rather than themselves and that that often means letting go of vocal technique in order to allow the characters' emotions to seep through. Because Miss Peters has had such a profound impact on my growth as an artist, I was delighted to finally have the chance to see her on stage.
I was literally shaking in my seat as the curtain rose in the Walter Kerr Theatre. The actors entered in darkness but the moment I saw her signature red curls, I knew that I was in the presence of my Bernadette. I expected to fall in love with Bernadette's performance, and I did, but I also fell in love with the entire company and the show as a whole. Elaine Stritch was perfection in her comic timing and Alexander Hanson was a debonair, yet vulnerable Frederick. The younger cast members sparkled as well from Leigh Ann Larkin's Petra with her 11 o'clock showstopper The Miller's Son to Erin Davie's Charlotte and her acerbic sense of humor. But the true highlight of the evening for me was Bernadette Peters' Send in the Clowns. This is arguably Sondheim's most well known song and I've heard it many times over, but never truly understood its meaning. But in the context of the show and this specific scene where Frederick rejects Desire's love despite their history, I began to realize the weight of this song. They realize that they are in two very different places and when Desire is finally ready to love Frederick, he has found another wife, and the only way she can cope with the tragedy of the situation is to fake humor. In this respect, the song is truly heartbreaking and while Bernadette was visibly crying during her performance, I was doing the same from my orchestra seat, for many reasons. Not only was I feeling sympathy for Desire and her grief, but I was thinking of how lucky I was to finally see my idol perform live. (This is the point where I gush) I started thinking of how inspirational Bernadette Peters is as a performer and how giving she is to the audience. She has had such a long, illustrious career and she could easily retire or focus on film and concert work, but she has given us all the gift of returning to the stage where I am certain that a whole new generation of theatre-goers are falling in love with her at every performance. As I watched Bernadette Peters in A Little Night Music, I said to myself, "I will never forget this performance," and I'm certain that I never will.
6) Next To Normal
I apologize for neglecting this blog series over the past few weeks. I've been trying to cover the start of the figure skating season but now that that is underway, I'm back to theatre! I lived in Manhattan in the summer of 2009 and made it my personal goal to see every musical on Broadway. After the TONY awards, I became interested in Next to Normal and decided to wait in line for rush tickets. I thought I'd be fine arriving at 9am for a 10am box office opening, but little did I know, that was much too late. I didn't get tickets and saw Rock of Ages that night instead. On the way home from that show, I passed the Booth Theatre and happened to bump into Alice Ripley. She asked if I'd seen the show that night and I was so starstruck I could barely speak, but eventually found the words to tell her I'd waited in line but didn't get tickets. I proudly announced that I planned to get in line at 5am the next week to ensure that I'd get tickets. Then, to my surprise, Alice hugged me and told me how much she loves her fans and that she is so proud to be in a show that people love enough to wait in line for hours for rush tickets. She even told me to friend her on facebook and tell her when I was coming to the show, which I may or may not have done.
The next Friday, I arrived at the Booth Theatre at 5am and was first in line. When the box office opened at 10am I was able to purchase front row orchestra seats for $20 and could not believe my luck. I treated myself to the full theatre experience that night including a nice dinner before curtain. I hadn't listened to the music prior to seeing the show as I wanted to experience it all that night and from the beginning notes of the prelude, I was completely enraptured. I normally fall in love with shows because the music speaks to my soul, and this show was a perfect example of that. I found the blend of soft, traditional musical theatre, with rock and folk music to be genius in getting to the essence of the Goodman family. In some productions, good music can mask a weak story or poorly written book, but this show was one of those rare occasions where all elements worked perfectly in harmony. I use this phrase often, but this show is truly a play with music, because even if the score were taken away, the characters are developed enough to tell a complete story. How this show lost the TONY for Best Musical to Billy Elliott still astounds and infuriates me. Alice Ripley, who did win a TONY for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Diana Goodman, a wife and mother suffering from bipolar disorder and depression was a complete tour de force. Patti LuPone once said that the most exciting performers to watch are those that are on the verge of spinning out of control. This describes Alice's performance perfectly. One minute she was in control of her voice and body and the next moment she wasn't and not only did that make her performance exciting, it made her portrayal of a mentally ill woman believable. While the other performers, J Robert Spencer as Dan, Kyle Dean Massey as Gabe, Jennifer Damiano as Natalie, Louis Hobson as the Doctors, and Adam Chanler-Berat as Henry were all fantastic, in my opinion they only served to support the character of Diana. While I think this show is stellar regardless of the casting, I think that Alice Ripley has become so iconic in this role that without her, it may not have much staying power on Broadway. In fact, now that Marin Mazzie has taken over the role, the show has all but posted its closing notice. But regardless of how much longer it lasts on Broadway, this show shed light on a topic previously untouched by musical theatre, developed a cult following, and truly touched a new generation of theatre-goers. And did I mention that it won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for drama?
5) Everyday Rapture
I must admit that there were two reasons that I bought tickets to see Everyday Raputre. 1) My good friend is a huge fan of Sherie Rene Scott and wanted somebody to see the show with her. 2) I am a Roundabout Theatre Club Hiptix member so I got really cheap tickets. I had heard about this Sherie Rene Scott person before and while I thought her voice was good, I assumed she was just your generic Broadway belter. Also, I though it was highly narcissistic to co-write and star in your own show and actually have it come to Broadway. Nevertheless, I went to the show, expecting to hear a lot of vocal tricks and riffing and see a lot of camp.
Now we reach the point where I eat my words. My expectations were shattered within the first five minutes and I was completely enraptured, no pun intended, by this tour de force of a performer. I've written several posts about this show already, including a formal review, so I'll post links to them.
I'll try not to repeat what I wrote in earlier posts, and now that its been a good four months since I saw the show, I would like to talk about my fond memories. This was a big theatre season for me as I got the chance to see my three Broadway idols, Bernadette Peters, Barbara Cook, and Kristin Chenoweth, onstage in the same summer. But as much as I adored seeing these ladies onstage, none of them gripped me quite the way that Sherie did. Patti LuPone once said that performers are most exciting when they toe the line between in control and out of control, which is the perfect way to describe Sherie in this show. She speaks directly to the audience at the top of the show, telling us she is playing a character also named Sherie Rene Scott who is 50% real and 50% imaginary. This is one of the few musicals I've seen where the book rises to match the music and two elements work seamlessly together to make a cohesive show. Being a one-act, the show moves forward and the momentum is never broken, allowing it reach a climax and eventually a point of catharsis for the audience. The supporting cast is used sparingly, making it the closest thing to a one-woman show since Liza worked the Palace two years ago. Being a singer myself, I have a great deal of respect for good belting and Sherie is a perfect example. It just happens so naturally from good breath control and projection, as opposed to those other belters (I'm not naming names) who sound like their faces are going to fall off when they go for a high F.
I could go on and on about her vocal technique and her acting skills, but what really struck me about Sherie Rene Scott, and the thing I remember most from Everyday Rapture, is how warm and giving she was. I've been to many performances where the actors phone it in, but Sherie's passion and love for the show just radiated throughout the theatre as she put every drop of herself into the performance. I went on such a journey with this character that I felt like I'd experienced a lifetime of her emotions all in an hour and a half. This show actually changed how I feel about theatre and elevated my standards of what makes a perfect musical. I made a big bold statement that Everyday Rapture was the only perfect new musical since Sunday in the Park with George.
Oh yeah, and did I cry? There was no eleven o'clock emotional ballad that instructed me to cry, but nevertheless the waterworks happened anyway, and it was during the final number, Up The Ladder To The Roof, an uptempo to be exact. And did I mention that song is also my ring tone? And every time my phone rings, its an Everyday memory of the Rapture.
4) Hair (Revival)
For five weeks straight in the summer of 2009 I played the ticket lottery for the Broadway revival of Hair almost everyday. It seemed that I would never win the ticket lottery, oddly enough I rarely lose Broadway ticket lotteries, so I heard about the standing room tickets and decided to go that route. Now I would never recommend standing for a Broadway show because I feel that it takes you out of the performance but for this show, it does the exact opposite. Because the cast members, or the tribe, frequently enter the audience and perform in the aisles, I felt like I was truly part of the performance. As I stood behind the last row of the orchestra, Alison Case (Crissy) gave me a flower and an invitation to a "be-in," Will Swenson (Berger) dove over me to get to the last row of the orchestra, and Darius Nichols (Hud) picked me up and carried me around when he made his Act II entrance.
I really didn't know what to expect when I saw the show for the first time, even though I had heard nothing but positive reactions and I really enjoyed the TONY awards performance. Because Hair is more of a concept musical than a traditional plot-driven show, I must admit that I had a bit of trouble following the story the first time I saw the show and it did not strike me the way I expected it would as I could not find a way to relate to the 1960s characters. Nevertheless I had a great time and loved the energy of the performance, especially when I got to go onstage during the finale dance party.
In the days following the performance, I could not get Hair out of my head and could not stop listening to the soundtrack. Then it hit me that Hair was not just about the 1960s, but rather it was about the power that young people can have when they are united as one. I have never really considered myself an activist but the message of this show, "Letting the Sun Shine In" seemed to relate so closely to many of the issues facing our nation today and I felt so compelled to do something with the passion I felt for this show.
The second time I saw the show on Broadway I was completely invested in everything the cast was doing and the composers were trying to say and I really "got it". When Gavin Creel, Hair's original Claude, began to promote the national march for equality in Washington DC within the Broadway community, I knew I had to be there. Going to the march on the national mall on October 11th, 2009 with all of my theatre friends was one of the most elating experiences of my entire life and it was on that day that I learned what it really meant to "Let the Sun Shine In".
During this time I was also working on my own creative project as a tribute to the youth movement portrayed so artfully in Hair. I was inspired to choreograph Levitating The Pentagon based on my research of the youth culture of the 1960s. While my piece was not meant to be a direct representation of what I saw and felt from Hair, I wanted to capture the show's community and self-empowerment themes in a different medium: postmodern dance.
I saw the Broadway production of Hair for a third time in May of this year with a new cast that was so much different than the original tribe while still maintaining the youthful energy and feeling of community. I was so happy to be back in the Al Hirschfeld theatre where I had been so inspired six months earlier, not only to create my own art, but to join a social movement. Seeing Hair with two friends who were new to the show was a particularly special experience as I again realized how magical this piece of art really is.
The Broadway production played its final performance on Sunday June 27th, 2010. While I, along with thousands of others, was so sad to see it go, I know that as this production embarks on its national tour it will continue to inspire new generations of starshines to become the change they want to see in their own world, whether that is in regard to politics, the environment, equality, or any other issue that they feel passion for. It began in Washington, DC on October 26th, 2011 and continues to spread love to all who are willing to receive it.
When the original production of Hair premiered on Broadway in April of 1968, it was revolutionary and when this revival opened in March of 2009, it compelled an entirely new generation of hippies to stand up for their beliefs the same way that their grandparents did in the 1960s. So I would like to thank James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot for having the courage to write a musical that challenged the status quo and Joe Papp and the Public Theatre for believing that theatre could inspire social change. You have taught us all that our differences make us beautiful and that we all possess, within ourselves, the power to change the world around us.
3) RENT
I am not here to call myself a RENT-head as I was not a part of the cult following that originated with the show circa 1996 (I was about 8 years old then) but the Jonathan Larson's masterpiece touched me just the same. I am quite embarrassed to say that I saw the movie before I saw the Broadway production, but nonetheless, the movie was my gateway to the show. It was March of 2006 and my senior year of high school when I took a trip to New York with my mom. I was obsessed with RENT's score and we tried to get tickets to the show, but because of the movie's popularity, tickets were hard to come by. We waited in freezing weather at TKTS but the only thing available was partial view. We had recently heard about the show's ticket lottery and decided we would try our hand at that. Our hotel concierge urged us to purchase tickets because the lottery was "nearly impossible" to win, but we thought we'd try our luck anyway.
I remember this like it was yesterday. My mom and I both wrote our names on sheets of paper and anxiously awaited the drawing. I could tell that most of the other people there that night were huge fans of the show and their love for RENT was infectious. Now I am not what I would consider a lucky person, but on that day something just felt right and sure enough, the first name drawn was mine! I couldn't keep from shaking as I handed the box office attendant the $40 to purchase my two front row tickets.
Now I don't know what I can say about RENT that hasn't already been said, but never in my life had I felt so much love and energy in one room. I have now seen the show several times, always from the front row as a lottery winner and I would never want to see it from anywhere else. There is really nothing like it, you feel like you are on stage with the actors and their energy is kinetic. This is one of those shows that has meant different things to me at different points in my life and what spoke to me then was the message "no day but today". It was a difficult time for me as I was preparing to choose a college and transition into a new phase in my life and the show's message really gave me the strength to seize these new opportunities. My first time seeing RENT is an experience that I will never forget and of all the theatre lotteries I've won over the years, this was truly the luckiest I've ever felt.
2) The Phantom of the Opera
When I was 4 years old I was visited by the angel of music and I was never the same. My aunt took me to the Kennedy Center's Opera House to see the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera and according to her stories, I was the most well behaved four-year-old that anyone in the audience had ever seen. I was completely mesmorized and though I've seen the show several times since then, I'll always remember my first. Come to think of it, wasn't "remember your first time" an ad slogan used to promote the show a few years ago? Anyway, it's becoming increasingly difficult for me to decipher my first memories of the show from more recent ones, but I certainly remember the specatacle, from the the Phantom's lair to the masquarade, and of course the falling chandelier. But above all else, I remember the music and that has lived with me for the past 18 years. I loved to listen to the original cast recording, I believe it was on cassette tape then, and I specifically remember running around my house singing the cadenza to "Think of Me" and the notes above the staff at the end of the title track, because I wanted to be Christine Daae. I was probably the only four year old in my neighborhood who know what a high C was.
While I have come to love many other musicals in my theatre-going career, The Phantom of the Opera will always be my first. And as a singer, I still love singing this score more than anything other piece of music I've ever learned. Though there are surely other musical theatre composers that I admire more, I will always credit Andrew Lloyd Webber with inspiring my love of the musical theatre, which has become for me, a love that never dies.
10) The Lion King
Okay so I was a little behind the eight ball on this show. I didn't see it until 2009, about 10 years after it opened on Broadway. For some reason I never got around to it, but when I lived in Manhattan last summer, I made it my goal to see every musical on Broadway. The Lion King was the last show I saw that summer, the night before I moved to be exact. And I must say it was the perfect end to an amazing summer of theatre. Now I should probably preface this by saying, "I am a cryer". I cry a lot in the theatre, and that is often how I measure how good a show is. Now I was not expecting to cry in The Lion King, a show that I thought was for children. From the moment Rafiki sang the opening syllables, tears streamed out of my eyes. Sure its cheesy, but the harmonies in the opening song, Circle of Life, just moved me deeply. The other number that was particularly touching for me was, He Lives In You, Simba's coming of age moment. This was another song sung by the magnificent character of Rafiki, and when she was joined by an African choir on the reprise, I was again moved to tears. I was somewhat familiar with the use of puppets and masks before seeing the show and I was completely expecting a work of over-the-top Disney-tastic spectacle. But what I actually experienced was a work of theatrical stagecraft that was not at all like something out of a theme park, but rather art. Helmed by the ingenious Julie Taymor, this piece brings our favorite animated characters to life in front of our very eyes. We see the human actors and we also see the animal masks and puppets, which seems like sensory overload, but in actuality, it does not matter if we look at a face or a mask. It isn't about what we see, but what we feel, and that is the spirit of the actor living inside the character.
9) South Pacific (revival)
Like most theatre fans, I grew up watching the Rogers and Hammerstein musicals on video. I started with The Sound of Music and a bit later I fell in love with Carousel, and then South Pacific. I loved the romance of these shows and the glorious, sweeping scores. When I began to study vocal performance, I gravitated toward the R&H songs as they fit wonderfully into my soprano voice. They are still among my favorite repertory pieces today. Unfortunately for me, most contemporary musicals are written for belters so when I knew that Lincoln Center Theatre was reviving South Pacific, I jumped at the chance to see it. I had seen a charming little community theatre production of South Pacific in Walla Walla, WA a few years before and fell in love with the score and staging, but what I saw and experienced at Lincoln Center blew me away. I had listened to the cast recording before I saw the show and fell in love with the voice of Kelli O'Hara. She has a glorious soprano and while she mixes down into her chest voice, she is definitely not a power belter, and she became a singer that I could relate to. Unfortunately when I saw the performance Miss O'Hara was on maternity leave, but Laura Osnes was perfectly lovely in the role of Nellie Forbush and Paulo Szot was, and I do not use this word lightly, a revelation in the role of Emile de Becque.
Now while I have always said I'm an old soul, contrary to popular belief I was not around in 1949 for the original Broadway production of South Pacific. But you could have convinced me otherwise as the opening notes of the overture transported me to the 1940s when full orchestras and romance trumped rock scores and electronic music. When the stage retracted from the thrust to reveal the orchestra as they played excerpts from Bali Hai and Some Enchanted Evening, the water works began and continued throughout the opening sequence (did I mention I love a good cry at the theatre). The opening sequence of Cockeyed Optimist, Twin Soliloquies, and Some Enchanted Evening was enrapturing. Everything about the production was captivating, from the wonderful performances by Danny Burstein as Luther Billis and Loretta Ables Sayre as Bloody Mary and picture perfect direction of Bartlett Sher, to the visually stunning scenic and lighting designs. One of the most unique aspects of this experience, for me, was the fact that I was one of the youngest people in the audience of the Vivian Beaumont theatre that night. It felt so wonderful to be in the presence of a more mature generation that may indeed have seen the original production with Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza, and above all, that truly maintained respect for the theatre as a venerated art form, and not simply as entertainment. I guess what really touched me the most about this production of South Pacific was the realization that classical musical theatre and timeless talents like Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot still have a place on The Great White Way.
8) Wicked
Those who know me well know that my love for Wicked runs deep and may be surprised that it is not higher on my list of memorable theatre experiences. I think the reason is that I have seen it so many times, it must be 7 or 8 now, so the impact of my initial experience began to fade with each repeat visit. Because of this, I am a strong proponent of only seeing a show once if it has a strong effect on you the first time you see it. I saw Wicked for the first time in 2004 on Broadway. Most of the original cast had left by that time, including my idol Kristin Chenoweth, but Idina Menzel was still playing the role of Elphaba. I didn't know a lot about Wicked the first time I saw it, in fact I didn't know much about Broadway at all. While I had seen a lot of shows on their national tours as a youngster, Wicked was my first true Broadway show. I have a hard time deciphering what I remember from my first time seeing Wicked and what has been filled in by my repeat visits, but I do remember that the song For Good made a very profound impression on me. This representation of a friendship between two women was something that I had never seen in a musical before and it struck me as somewhat groundbreaking. I had the slightest inkling that this message of friendship would touch other people as it had me and that Wicked just might be the next big smash hit on Broadway. Well I think thousands of theatre-goers would agree with me and Wicked has become Broadway's juggernaut, running for 7 straight years to sold out houses at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre as well as several national touring companies, sit down productions in Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and several international productions.
I think Idina Menzel said it best in her accetance speech for the 2004 TONY award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for Elphaba when she exclaimed "I'm so proud to be in a show that celebrates women and our strengths and differences." I guess this aspect of the show is what has drawn me back to Wicked at least once a year since 2004. The universal message of friendship and accepting our differences speaks to the heart of every person. There are times in our lives when we relate more to Glinda and there are times when relate more with Elphaba, but nevertheless, we've all had close friendships that have grown from our differences and this show reminds us of how important those relationships truly are. Sure, we've all had our favorite Elphabas and Glindas and while many are still partial to the original cast, I actually prefer Stephanie J Block in the role of Elphaba and have grown to love Annaleigh Ashford's Glinda. But with every cast change on Broadway and around the world, the names of the actresses playing the lead characters become less important and the show itself has emerged as the true star.
7) A Little Night Music (revival)
I apologize now if I start gushing, but of my list of top 10 theatre experiences, the revival of A Little Night Music was my most recent show so it is incredibly fresh and vivid in my memory. This show was a highlight of my life as a theatre-goer for several reasons. First of all, it was my first experience with a Stephen Sondheim work live on stage, other than Sondheim on Sondheim, and I was certainly not disappointed. From the top of the overture the final waltz, I was enraptured by the intricacies of the music, eloquence of the text, and the actors' polished performances. I found myself humming in 3/4 time several days after seeing the show. I try to see as many theatrical productions as possible, particularly those with historical significance that have made a grand impact on the musical theatre canon, but perhaps the biggest draw for me was Bernadette Peters. I wanted to see A Little Night Music when Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury were playing Desire and Madame Armfeldt, but I simply had to see this production when Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch took over the lead roles.
I have been a big fan of Miss Peters since I started my vocal training. My voice professor in college was frustrated because I learned vocal technique very quickly, but she was having trouble teaching me to "act the song." Finally, she sent me home with a VHS copy of Sunday in the Park with George and said "watch Bernadette Peters and learn from her." At that moment I got it. I realized that in the musical theatre, one must deliver a song as the character rather than themselves and that that often means letting go of vocal technique in order to allow the characters' emotions to seep through. Because Miss Peters has had such a profound impact on my growth as an artist, I was delighted to finally have the chance to see her on stage.
I was literally shaking in my seat as the curtain rose in the Walter Kerr Theatre. The actors entered in darkness but the moment I saw her signature red curls, I knew that I was in the presence of my Bernadette. I expected to fall in love with Bernadette's performance, and I did, but I also fell in love with the entire company and the show as a whole. Elaine Stritch was perfection in her comic timing and Alexander Hanson was a debonair, yet vulnerable Frederick. The younger cast members sparkled as well from Leigh Ann Larkin's Petra with her 11 o'clock showstopper The Miller's Son to Erin Davie's Charlotte and her acerbic sense of humor. But the true highlight of the evening for me was Bernadette Peters' Send in the Clowns. This is arguably Sondheim's most well known song and I've heard it many times over, but never truly understood its meaning. But in the context of the show and this specific scene where Frederick rejects Desire's love despite their history, I began to realize the weight of this song. They realize that they are in two very different places and when Desire is finally ready to love Frederick, he has found another wife, and the only way she can cope with the tragedy of the situation is to fake humor. In this respect, the song is truly heartbreaking and while Bernadette was visibly crying during her performance, I was doing the same from my orchestra seat, for many reasons. Not only was I feeling sympathy for Desire and her grief, but I was thinking of how lucky I was to finally see my idol perform live. (This is the point where I gush) I started thinking of how inspirational Bernadette Peters is as a performer and how giving she is to the audience. She has had such a long, illustrious career and she could easily retire or focus on film and concert work, but she has given us all the gift of returning to the stage where I am certain that a whole new generation of theatre-goers are falling in love with her at every performance. As I watched Bernadette Peters in A Little Night Music, I said to myself, "I will never forget this performance," and I'm certain that I never will.
6) Next To Normal
I apologize for neglecting this blog series over the past few weeks. I've been trying to cover the start of the figure skating season but now that that is underway, I'm back to theatre! I lived in Manhattan in the summer of 2009 and made it my personal goal to see every musical on Broadway. After the TONY awards, I became interested in Next to Normal and decided to wait in line for rush tickets. I thought I'd be fine arriving at 9am for a 10am box office opening, but little did I know, that was much too late. I didn't get tickets and saw Rock of Ages that night instead. On the way home from that show, I passed the Booth Theatre and happened to bump into Alice Ripley. She asked if I'd seen the show that night and I was so starstruck I could barely speak, but eventually found the words to tell her I'd waited in line but didn't get tickets. I proudly announced that I planned to get in line at 5am the next week to ensure that I'd get tickets. Then, to my surprise, Alice hugged me and told me how much she loves her fans and that she is so proud to be in a show that people love enough to wait in line for hours for rush tickets. She even told me to friend her on facebook and tell her when I was coming to the show, which I may or may not have done.
The next Friday, I arrived at the Booth Theatre at 5am and was first in line. When the box office opened at 10am I was able to purchase front row orchestra seats for $20 and could not believe my luck. I treated myself to the full theatre experience that night including a nice dinner before curtain. I hadn't listened to the music prior to seeing the show as I wanted to experience it all that night and from the beginning notes of the prelude, I was completely enraptured. I normally fall in love with shows because the music speaks to my soul, and this show was a perfect example of that. I found the blend of soft, traditional musical theatre, with rock and folk music to be genius in getting to the essence of the Goodman family. In some productions, good music can mask a weak story or poorly written book, but this show was one of those rare occasions where all elements worked perfectly in harmony. I use this phrase often, but this show is truly a play with music, because even if the score were taken away, the characters are developed enough to tell a complete story. How this show lost the TONY for Best Musical to Billy Elliott still astounds and infuriates me. Alice Ripley, who did win a TONY for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Diana Goodman, a wife and mother suffering from bipolar disorder and depression was a complete tour de force. Patti LuPone once said that the most exciting performers to watch are those that are on the verge of spinning out of control. This describes Alice's performance perfectly. One minute she was in control of her voice and body and the next moment she wasn't and not only did that make her performance exciting, it made her portrayal of a mentally ill woman believable. While the other performers, J Robert Spencer as Dan, Kyle Dean Massey as Gabe, Jennifer Damiano as Natalie, Louis Hobson as the Doctors, and Adam Chanler-Berat as Henry were all fantastic, in my opinion they only served to support the character of Diana. While I think this show is stellar regardless of the casting, I think that Alice Ripley has become so iconic in this role that without her, it may not have much staying power on Broadway. In fact, now that Marin Mazzie has taken over the role, the show has all but posted its closing notice. But regardless of how much longer it lasts on Broadway, this show shed light on a topic previously untouched by musical theatre, developed a cult following, and truly touched a new generation of theatre-goers. And did I mention that it won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for drama?
5) Everyday Rapture
I must admit that there were two reasons that I bought tickets to see Everyday Raputre. 1) My good friend is a huge fan of Sherie Rene Scott and wanted somebody to see the show with her. 2) I am a Roundabout Theatre Club Hiptix member so I got really cheap tickets. I had heard about this Sherie Rene Scott person before and while I thought her voice was good, I assumed she was just your generic Broadway belter. Also, I though it was highly narcissistic to co-write and star in your own show and actually have it come to Broadway. Nevertheless, I went to the show, expecting to hear a lot of vocal tricks and riffing and see a lot of camp.
Now we reach the point where I eat my words. My expectations were shattered within the first five minutes and I was completely enraptured, no pun intended, by this tour de force of a performer. I've written several posts about this show already, including a formal review, so I'll post links to them.
I'll try not to repeat what I wrote in earlier posts, and now that its been a good four months since I saw the show, I would like to talk about my fond memories. This was a big theatre season for me as I got the chance to see my three Broadway idols, Bernadette Peters, Barbara Cook, and Kristin Chenoweth, onstage in the same summer. But as much as I adored seeing these ladies onstage, none of them gripped me quite the way that Sherie did. Patti LuPone once said that performers are most exciting when they toe the line between in control and out of control, which is the perfect way to describe Sherie in this show. She speaks directly to the audience at the top of the show, telling us she is playing a character also named Sherie Rene Scott who is 50% real and 50% imaginary. This is one of the few musicals I've seen where the book rises to match the music and two elements work seamlessly together to make a cohesive show. Being a one-act, the show moves forward and the momentum is never broken, allowing it reach a climax and eventually a point of catharsis for the audience. The supporting cast is used sparingly, making it the closest thing to a one-woman show since Liza worked the Palace two years ago. Being a singer myself, I have a great deal of respect for good belting and Sherie is a perfect example. It just happens so naturally from good breath control and projection, as opposed to those other belters (I'm not naming names) who sound like their faces are going to fall off when they go for a high F.
I could go on and on about her vocal technique and her acting skills, but what really struck me about Sherie Rene Scott, and the thing I remember most from Everyday Rapture, is how warm and giving she was. I've been to many performances where the actors phone it in, but Sherie's passion and love for the show just radiated throughout the theatre as she put every drop of herself into the performance. I went on such a journey with this character that I felt like I'd experienced a lifetime of her emotions all in an hour and a half. This show actually changed how I feel about theatre and elevated my standards of what makes a perfect musical. I made a big bold statement that Everyday Rapture was the only perfect new musical since Sunday in the Park with George.
Oh yeah, and did I cry? There was no eleven o'clock emotional ballad that instructed me to cry, but nevertheless the waterworks happened anyway, and it was during the final number, Up The Ladder To The Roof, an uptempo to be exact. And did I mention that song is also my ring tone? And every time my phone rings, its an Everyday memory of the Rapture.
4) Hair (Revival)
For five weeks straight in the summer of 2009 I played the ticket lottery for the Broadway revival of Hair almost everyday. It seemed that I would never win the ticket lottery, oddly enough I rarely lose Broadway ticket lotteries, so I heard about the standing room tickets and decided to go that route. Now I would never recommend standing for a Broadway show because I feel that it takes you out of the performance but for this show, it does the exact opposite. Because the cast members, or the tribe, frequently enter the audience and perform in the aisles, I felt like I was truly part of the performance. As I stood behind the last row of the orchestra, Alison Case (Crissy) gave me a flower and an invitation to a "be-in," Will Swenson (Berger) dove over me to get to the last row of the orchestra, and Darius Nichols (Hud) picked me up and carried me around when he made his Act II entrance.
I really didn't know what to expect when I saw the show for the first time, even though I had heard nothing but positive reactions and I really enjoyed the TONY awards performance. Because Hair is more of a concept musical than a traditional plot-driven show, I must admit that I had a bit of trouble following the story the first time I saw the show and it did not strike me the way I expected it would as I could not find a way to relate to the 1960s characters. Nevertheless I had a great time and loved the energy of the performance, especially when I got to go onstage during the finale dance party.
In the days following the performance, I could not get Hair out of my head and could not stop listening to the soundtrack. Then it hit me that Hair was not just about the 1960s, but rather it was about the power that young people can have when they are united as one. I have never really considered myself an activist but the message of this show, "Letting the Sun Shine In" seemed to relate so closely to many of the issues facing our nation today and I felt so compelled to do something with the passion I felt for this show.
The second time I saw the show on Broadway I was completely invested in everything the cast was doing and the composers were trying to say and I really "got it". When Gavin Creel, Hair's original Claude, began to promote the national march for equality in Washington DC within the Broadway community, I knew I had to be there. Going to the march on the national mall on October 11th, 2009 with all of my theatre friends was one of the most elating experiences of my entire life and it was on that day that I learned what it really meant to "Let the Sun Shine In".
During this time I was also working on my own creative project as a tribute to the youth movement portrayed so artfully in Hair. I was inspired to choreograph Levitating The Pentagon based on my research of the youth culture of the 1960s. While my piece was not meant to be a direct representation of what I saw and felt from Hair, I wanted to capture the show's community and self-empowerment themes in a different medium: postmodern dance.
I saw the Broadway production of Hair for a third time in May of this year with a new cast that was so much different than the original tribe while still maintaining the youthful energy and feeling of community. I was so happy to be back in the Al Hirschfeld theatre where I had been so inspired six months earlier, not only to create my own art, but to join a social movement. Seeing Hair with two friends who were new to the show was a particularly special experience as I again realized how magical this piece of art really is.
The Broadway production played its final performance on Sunday June 27th, 2010. While I, along with thousands of others, was so sad to see it go, I know that as this production embarks on its national tour it will continue to inspire new generations of starshines to become the change they want to see in their own world, whether that is in regard to politics, the environment, equality, or any other issue that they feel passion for. It began in Washington, DC on October 26th, 2011 and continues to spread love to all who are willing to receive it.
When the original production of Hair premiered on Broadway in April of 1968, it was revolutionary and when this revival opened in March of 2009, it compelled an entirely new generation of hippies to stand up for their beliefs the same way that their grandparents did in the 1960s. So I would like to thank James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot for having the courage to write a musical that challenged the status quo and Joe Papp and the Public Theatre for believing that theatre could inspire social change. You have taught us all that our differences make us beautiful and that we all possess, within ourselves, the power to change the world around us.
3) RENT
I am not here to call myself a RENT-head as I was not a part of the cult following that originated with the show circa 1996 (I was about 8 years old then) but the Jonathan Larson's masterpiece touched me just the same. I am quite embarrassed to say that I saw the movie before I saw the Broadway production, but nonetheless, the movie was my gateway to the show. It was March of 2006 and my senior year of high school when I took a trip to New York with my mom. I was obsessed with RENT's score and we tried to get tickets to the show, but because of the movie's popularity, tickets were hard to come by. We waited in freezing weather at TKTS but the only thing available was partial view. We had recently heard about the show's ticket lottery and decided we would try our hand at that. Our hotel concierge urged us to purchase tickets because the lottery was "nearly impossible" to win, but we thought we'd try our luck anyway.
I remember this like it was yesterday. My mom and I both wrote our names on sheets of paper and anxiously awaited the drawing. I could tell that most of the other people there that night were huge fans of the show and their love for RENT was infectious. Now I am not what I would consider a lucky person, but on that day something just felt right and sure enough, the first name drawn was mine! I couldn't keep from shaking as I handed the box office attendant the $40 to purchase my two front row tickets.
Now I don't know what I can say about RENT that hasn't already been said, but never in my life had I felt so much love and energy in one room. I have now seen the show several times, always from the front row as a lottery winner and I would never want to see it from anywhere else. There is really nothing like it, you feel like you are on stage with the actors and their energy is kinetic. This is one of those shows that has meant different things to me at different points in my life and what spoke to me then was the message "no day but today". It was a difficult time for me as I was preparing to choose a college and transition into a new phase in my life and the show's message really gave me the strength to seize these new opportunities. My first time seeing RENT is an experience that I will never forget and of all the theatre lotteries I've won over the years, this was truly the luckiest I've ever felt.
2) The Phantom of the Opera
When I was 4 years old I was visited by the angel of music and I was never the same. My aunt took me to the Kennedy Center's Opera House to see the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera and according to her stories, I was the most well behaved four-year-old that anyone in the audience had ever seen. I was completely mesmorized and though I've seen the show several times since then, I'll always remember my first. Come to think of it, wasn't "remember your first time" an ad slogan used to promote the show a few years ago? Anyway, it's becoming increasingly difficult for me to decipher my first memories of the show from more recent ones, but I certainly remember the specatacle, from the the Phantom's lair to the masquarade, and of course the falling chandelier. But above all else, I remember the music and that has lived with me for the past 18 years. I loved to listen to the original cast recording, I believe it was on cassette tape then, and I specifically remember running around my house singing the cadenza to "Think of Me" and the notes above the staff at the end of the title track, because I wanted to be Christine Daae. I was probably the only four year old in my neighborhood who know what a high C was.
While I have come to love many other musicals in my theatre-going career, The Phantom of the Opera will always be my first. And as a singer, I still love singing this score more than anything other piece of music I've ever learned. Though there are surely other musical theatre composers that I admire more, I will always credit Andrew Lloyd Webber with inspiring my love of the musical theatre, which has become for me, a love that never dies.
My Most Memorable Theatre Experiences: #2 The Phantom of the Opera
While I have come to love many other musicals in my theatre-going career, The Phantom of the Opera will always be my first. And as a singer, I still love singing this score more than anything other piece of music I've ever learned. Though there are surely other musical theatre composers that I admire more, I will always credit Andrew Lloyd Webber with inspiring my love of the musical theatre, which has become for me, a love that never dies.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
My Most Memorable Theatre Experiences: #3 RENT
I remember this like it was yesterday. My mom and I both wrote our names on sheets of paper and anxiously awaited the drawing. I could tell that most of the other people there that night were huge fans of the show and their love for RENT was infectious. Now I am not what I would consider a lucky person, but on that day something just felt right and sure enough, the first name drawn was mine! I couldn't keep from shaking as I handed the box office attendant the $40 to purchase my two front row tickets.
Now I don't know what I can say about RENT that hasn't already been said, but never in my life had I felt so much love and energy in one room. I have now seen the show several times, always from the front row as a lottery winner and I would never want to see it from anywhere else. There is really nothing like it, you feel like you are on stage with the actors and their energy is kinetic. This is one of those shows that has meant different things to me at different points in my life and what spoke to me then was the message "no day but today". It was a difficult time for me as I was preparing to choose a college and transition into a new phase in my life and the show's message really gave me the strength to seize these new opportunities. My first time seeing RENT is an experience that I will never forget and of all the theatre lotteries I've won over the years, this was truly the luckiest I've ever felt.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Composer David Yazbek who delivered hits with The Full Monty and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels fails to write one hummable tune, aside from the act I closer "On the Verge." The lyrics are just as forgettable and a week after seeing the show, I can't remember a single line except "Welcome to the edge, to the verge," which the title practically gives us anyway. Having not seen the film, it is difficult for me to judge Jeffrey Lane's book because it is challenging to tell what is from the source material and what was written by Lane himself. There are certainly holes in the plot and loose ends are never tied up. For example, in the song "Mother's Day" Pepa's (Sherie Rene Scott) mother is introduced but is never addressed again in the play, leaving the audience hanging without a resolution. Also, we are led to believe that the uptight Carlos (Justin Guarini) has left his fiance for Candela (Laura Benanti), yet she has been flighty and noncommittal in the past and all he really wants is monogamy and security, so why choose her?
In terms of performance, Benanti in the role of Candela steals the show, turning a small part into a star turn. Her true commitment to the character is evident not only in her speech patterns but also in her body language and her walk, or well, her prance. We truly believe that she is a scatterbrained but lovable model who honestly would fall for a terrorist. Patti LuPone as Lucia gives a dominating performance as usual and her starpower speaks for itself. She is the only actor to get entrance applause and though the material given to her is shallow, she tries her damnedest to give life to this stock character and I did sympathize with her greatly. Sherie Rene Scott in the role of Pepa is tough for me to critique because I saw her at her finest in Everyday Rapture and nothing could ever live up to that. We get the sense in this show that Scott is unhappy as an actor because she does not seem to commit to this role as she has to others. Her Spanish accent is not as strong as that of other actors and in many of her songs, she drops it entirely. It doesn't help that she is given the weakest material of any character and while Pepa is supposed to be the central character, the one that we all root for, we feel no sympathy for her. But then again, I hate to fault Miss Scott for the problems with the book and the lyrics. Her singing is perfectly enjoyable in the show, but with the ballads she is given by Yazbek, she has no opportunity to show off her fabulous belt, which is what makes her truly special. Brian Stokes Mitchell as Ivan is in perfect voice and is lovely as always, though his character does nothing to further the plot and could be eliminated entirely. Guarini in his Broadway debut is surprisingly strong as Carlos and his confusion between his commitment to his fiance Marisa (Nikka Graff Lanzarone) and his infatuation with Candela is palpable.
I'm not the first person to say this and I won't be the last, but this show would have benefited greatly from an out of town tryout. Performing the show in another city, away from New York critics, would have given Sher and the creative team a chance to hear audience reactions and correct some of the show's problems. The actors also would have had more time to experiment with making their characters less generic. This show is a limited engagement and will end in January, and I just get the feeling that the creative team realized the show would never live up to the hype it inevitably received due to its all-star cast and creators. However, because they didn't have to worry about the show's ability to sustain a long Broadway run, they settled for mediocrity. The box office sales may prove me wrong, but I feel pretty confident in saying that this is one limited engagement that will not extend.
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Trophee Eric Bompard Preview
Next weekend the ISU's Grand Prix of Figure Skating makes its final stop in Paris for Trophee Eric Bompard. For the top skaters and teams, this a great performance will put them among the worlds best in The Grand Prix Final and for the others, this is their last chance to prove themselves as up and coming stars for next season. In the Men's competition, Kozuka looks to rack up another win to qualify for the Final, though he do so by placing 4th or higher. Brandon Mroz, one of the surprises this season, also has the chance to qualify for the Final if he can place 2nd. Though a long shot, Amodio, Joubert, and Reynolds also have hope for the Final if they can pull out a win here.
With 5 of the 6 ladies spots already taken for the Final, Alissa Czisny has a golden opportunity to seize the 6th as long as she medals here. Phaneuf, Korpi, and Nagasu can also take the last open spot with a win in Paris. This has been a disappointing season for Asada and Suguri and they cannot make the final, they can shake up the standings if they skate well.
Savchenko & Szolkowy are almost guaranteed to win the pairs competition, though they only need to place 4th to take one of the two open spots in the Grand Prix Final. Bazarova & Larionov of Russia can also qualify for the Final if they place in the top two, which is very likely with the weak competition in this event. The rest of this field is really a toss up and with no true stand outs, the third spot on the podium is completely up for grabs.
Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat blew away the competition at Cup of China and are almost certain to win here at home, but as long as they place in the top 5, they'll qualify for the Final. Chock & Zhurlein of the USA have a golden opportunity to make their first senior Grand Prix Final if they place in the top two, which they have a real shot at doing with few standouts in this event. Three other teams in this field, Riazanova & Tkachenko, Carron & Jones, and Huang & Zheng could seize the last spot on the final if they could somehow manage to win here. Mathematically speaking, if one of these three teams wins, Chock & Zhurlein place 2nd, and Pechalat & Bourzat place 3rd, all three could make the final, though that is highly unlikely.
Here is the icenetwork.com live streaming schedule for the event. The times are Eastern Standard Time (US). Becuase I will be celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, I will not be live-blogging any of the sessions but I will try to check in with the live feed when I can and post scores. I'll also be retweeting anything and everything I find related to the competition so check me out @barbiebackstage
Friday, Nov. 26
9:30 a.m.: Men's short program
11:30 a.m.: Pairs short program
12:45 p.m.: Ladies short program
2:30 p.m.: Short dance
Saturday, Nov. 27
7:30 a.m.: Men's free skate
9:45 a.m.: Pairs free skate
12:30 p.m.: Ladies free skate
2:15 p.m.: Free dance
In an update on Fantasy Skating, Skategate & I are quite upset that the Ice Dance scores from Cup of Russia were counted because all three of our Fantasy teams withdrew due to injury and we received no points for that event. We are emailing the Fantasy administrator to voice our concerns and I will update you if an agreement is reached.
**BackStage Barbie **Skategate **Shared Picks
Total Points: 9299 9318
Overall Placement: 157T 140
Men:
1) Kevin Reynolds (Canada)
2) Jinlin Guan (China)
3) Nan Song (China)
4) Florent Amodio (France)
5) Chafik Besseghier (France)
6) Brian Joubert (France)
7) Peter Liebers (Germany)
8) Takahiko Kozuka (Japan)
9) Zoltan Kelemen (Romania)
10) Anton Kovalevski (Ukraine)
11) Brandon Mroz (USA)
Ladies:
1) Cynthia Phaneuf (Canada)
2) Kiira Korpi (Finland)
3) Candie Didier (France)
4) Lena Marrocco (France)
5) Mae Berenice Meite (France)
6) Sarah Hecken (Germany)
7) Mao Asada (Japan)
8) Haruka Imai (Japan)
9) Fumie Suguri (Japan)
10) Sonia Lafuente (Spain)
11) Alissa Czisny (USA)
12) Mirai Nagasu (USA)
Pairs:
1) Mylene Brodeur & John Mattatal (Canada)
2) Klara Kadlecova & Petr Bidar (CZE)
3) Maylin Hausch & Daniel Wende (Germany)
4) Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy (Germany)
5) Anna Khnychenkova & Mark Magyar (Hungary)
6) Nicole Della Monica & Yannick Kocon (Italy)
7) Vera Bezarova & Yuri Larionov (Russia)
8) Felicia Zhang & Taylor Toth (USA)
Ice Dance:
1) Kharis Ralph & Asher Hill (Canada)
2) Xinton Huang & Xue Zheng (China)
3) Pernell Carron & Lloyd Jones (France)
4) Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat (France)
5) Dora Turoczi & Balazs Major (Hungary)
6) Ekatarina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko (Russia)
7) Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello (USA)
8) Madison Chock & Greg Zhurlein (USA)
With 5 of the 6 ladies spots already taken for the Final, Alissa Czisny has a golden opportunity to seize the 6th as long as she medals here. Phaneuf, Korpi, and Nagasu can also take the last open spot with a win in Paris. This has been a disappointing season for Asada and Suguri and they cannot make the final, they can shake up the standings if they skate well.
Savchenko & Szolkowy are almost guaranteed to win the pairs competition, though they only need to place 4th to take one of the two open spots in the Grand Prix Final. Bazarova & Larionov of Russia can also qualify for the Final if they place in the top two, which is very likely with the weak competition in this event. The rest of this field is really a toss up and with no true stand outs, the third spot on the podium is completely up for grabs.
Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat blew away the competition at Cup of China and are almost certain to win here at home, but as long as they place in the top 5, they'll qualify for the Final. Chock & Zhurlein of the USA have a golden opportunity to make their first senior Grand Prix Final if they place in the top two, which they have a real shot at doing with few standouts in this event. Three other teams in this field, Riazanova & Tkachenko, Carron & Jones, and Huang & Zheng could seize the last spot on the final if they could somehow manage to win here. Mathematically speaking, if one of these three teams wins, Chock & Zhurlein place 2nd, and Pechalat & Bourzat place 3rd, all three could make the final, though that is highly unlikely.
Here is the icenetwork.com live streaming schedule for the event. The times are Eastern Standard Time (US). Becuase I will be celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, I will not be live-blogging any of the sessions but I will try to check in with the live feed when I can and post scores. I'll also be retweeting anything and everything I find related to the competition so check me out @barbiebackstage
Friday, Nov. 26
9:30 a.m.: Men's short program
11:30 a.m.: Pairs short program
12:45 p.m.: Ladies short program
2:30 p.m.: Short dance
Saturday, Nov. 27
7:30 a.m.: Men's free skate
9:45 a.m.: Pairs free skate
12:30 p.m.: Ladies free skate
2:15 p.m.: Free dance
In an update on Fantasy Skating, Skategate & I are quite upset that the Ice Dance scores from Cup of Russia were counted because all three of our Fantasy teams withdrew due to injury and we received no points for that event. We are emailing the Fantasy administrator to voice our concerns and I will update you if an agreement is reached.
**BackStage Barbie **Skategate **Shared Picks
Total Points: 9299 9318
Overall Placement: 157T 140
Men:
1) Kevin Reynolds (Canada)
2) Jinlin Guan (China)
3) Nan Song (China)
4) Florent Amodio (France)
5) Chafik Besseghier (France)
6) Brian Joubert (France)
7) Peter Liebers (Germany)
8) Takahiko Kozuka (Japan)
9) Zoltan Kelemen (Romania)
10) Anton Kovalevski (Ukraine)
11) Brandon Mroz (USA)
Ladies:
1) Cynthia Phaneuf (Canada)
2) Kiira Korpi (Finland)
3) Candie Didier (France)
4) Lena Marrocco (France)
5) Mae Berenice Meite (France)
6) Sarah Hecken (Germany)
7) Mao Asada (Japan)
8) Haruka Imai (Japan)
9) Fumie Suguri (Japan)
10) Sonia Lafuente (Spain)
11) Alissa Czisny (USA)
12) Mirai Nagasu (USA)
Pairs:
1) Mylene Brodeur & John Mattatal (Canada)
2) Klara Kadlecova & Petr Bidar (CZE)
3) Maylin Hausch & Daniel Wende (Germany)
4) Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy (Germany)
5) Anna Khnychenkova & Mark Magyar (Hungary)
6) Nicole Della Monica & Yannick Kocon (Italy)
7) Vera Bezarova & Yuri Larionov (Russia)
8) Felicia Zhang & Taylor Toth (USA)
Ice Dance:
1) Kharis Ralph & Asher Hill (Canada)
2) Xinton Huang & Xue Zheng (China)
3) Pernell Carron & Lloyd Jones (France)
4) Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat (France)
5) Dora Turoczi & Balazs Major (Hungary)
6) Ekatarina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko (Russia)
7) Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello (USA)
8) Madison Chock & Greg Zhurlein (USA)
ISU Grand Prix Final Standings (Pairs are Set)
These are the current standings in the Grand Prix of Figure Skating after 5 of 6 events. A few skaters are already guaranteed to make the final based on their placements at their events, but others are on the bubble and their spot in the final is contingent on the placement of a few skaters at the final event, the Grand Prix of Paris. Skaters are awarded with points based on their placement in each event with 15 for 1st, 11 for 2nd, 13 for 3rd, 11 for 4th, 9 for 5th, 7 for 6th, 5 for 7th, 4 for 8th, and 3 for 9th. Only the top 6 qualifiers are invited to the Grand Prix Final and many tie breakers are in place in the case that added placements produce the same total number for several skaters. The first tie breaker is the top placement at the skaters best event, followed by scores, etc, etc.
The top 6 pairs have qualified for this final as of this morning and the mens final will be decided shortly. Ladies and Dance will be decided later this afternoon.
(BOLD denotes a place in the final; asterisk denotes potential place in final)
PAIRS:
1) Pang/Tong: 15 (NHK) + 15 (Cup of China) = 30
2) Savchenko/Szolkowy: 15 (Skate America) + 15 (Paris) = 30
3) Moore-Towers/Moscovitch: 13 (Skate Canada) + 13 (Skate America) = 26
4) Bezarova/Larionov: 13 (NHK) + 13 (Paris) = 26
5) Iliushechkina/Maisuradze: 15 (Skate Canada) + 9 (Cup of China) = 24
6) Sui/Han: 13 (Cup of China) + 11 (Skate America) = 24
*1st Alternate) Takahashi/Tran: 11 (NHK) + 13 (Cup of Russia) = 24
*2nd Alternate) Yankowskas/Coughlin: 9 (NHK) + 11 (Cup of China) = 20
MEN:
1) Daisuke Takahashi: 15 (NHK) + 15 (Skate America) = 30
2) Patrick Chan: 15 (Skate Canada) + 13 (Cup of Russia) = 28
3) Tomas Verner: 11 (Cup of China) + 15 (Cup of Russia) = 26
4) Nobunari Oda: 13 (Skate Canada) + 13 (Skate America) = 26
*5) Jeremy Abbott: 13 (NHK) + 11 (Cup of Russia) = 24
*6) Adam Rippon: 11 (Skate Canada) + 9 (Skate America) = 20
*7) Takahiko Kozuka: 15 (Cup of China) + X (Paris) = 15
*9) Brandon Mroz: 13 (Cup of China) + X (Paris) = 13
*12) Florent Amodio: 11 (NHK) + X (Paris) = 11
*15) Kevin Reynolds: 9 (Skate Canda) + X (Paris) = 9
*16) Brian Joubert: 9 (Cup of China) + X (Paris) = 9
As of now Abbott & Rippon are in the top six, but they could be ousted by Kozuka, Mroz, Amodio, Reynolds, or Joubert if they place well next week at the Grand Prix of Paris. The following placements would need to be achieved for these men to ensure a spot in the Grand Prix Final:
The top 6 pairs have qualified for this final as of this morning and the mens final will be decided shortly. Ladies and Dance will be decided later this afternoon.
(BOLD denotes a place in the final; asterisk denotes potential place in final)
PAIRS:
1) Pang/Tong: 15 (NHK) + 15 (Cup of China) = 30
2) Savchenko/Szolkowy: 15 (Skate America) + 15 (Paris) = 30
3) Moore-Towers/Moscovitch: 13 (Skate Canada) + 13 (Skate America) = 26
4) Bezarova/Larionov: 13 (NHK) + 13 (Paris) = 26
5) Iliushechkina/Maisuradze: 15 (Skate Canada) + 9 (Cup of China) = 24
6) Sui/Han: 13 (Cup of China) + 11 (Skate America) = 24
*1st Alternate) Takahashi/Tran: 11 (NHK) + 13 (Cup of Russia) = 24
*2nd Alternate) Yankowskas/Coughlin: 9 (NHK) + 11 (Cup of China) = 20
MEN:
1) Daisuke Takahashi: 15 (NHK) + 15 (Skate America) = 30
2) Patrick Chan: 15 (Skate Canada) + 13 (Cup of Russia) = 28
3) Tomas Verner: 11 (Cup of China) + 15 (Cup of Russia) = 26
4) Nobunari Oda: 13 (Skate Canada) + 13 (Skate America) = 26
*5) Jeremy Abbott: 13 (NHK) + 11 (Cup of Russia) = 24
*6) Adam Rippon: 11 (Skate Canada) + 9 (Skate America) = 20
*7) Takahiko Kozuka: 15 (Cup of China) + X (Paris) = 15
*9) Brandon Mroz: 13 (Cup of China) + X (Paris) = 13
*12) Florent Amodio: 11 (NHK) + X (Paris) = 11
*15) Kevin Reynolds: 9 (Skate Canda) + X (Paris) = 9
*16) Brian Joubert: 9 (Cup of China) + X (Paris) = 9
As of now Abbott & Rippon are in the top six, but they could be ousted by Kozuka, Mroz, Amodio, Reynolds, or Joubert if they place well next week at the Grand Prix of Paris. The following placements would need to be achieved for these men to ensure a spot in the Grand Prix Final:
- Kozuka: 9 points (4th place)
- Mroz: 13 points (2nd place)
- Amodio: 15 points (1st place)
- Reynolds: 15 points (1st place; still contingent on other skaters' placements)
- Joubert: 15 points (1st place; still contingent on other skaters' placements)
LADIES:
1) Miki Ando: 15 (Cup of China) + 15 (Cup of Russia) = 30
2) Carolina Kostner: 15 (NHK) + 11 (Skate America) = 26
3) Kanako Murakami: 11 (NHK) + 15 (Skate America) = 26
4) Akiko Suzuki: 13 (Cup of China) + 13 (Cup of Russia) = 26
5) Rachael Flatt: 13 (NHK) + 13 (Skate America) = 26
*6) Ashley Wagner: 7 (NHK) + 11 (Cup of Russia) = 18
*9) Alissa Czisny: 15 (Skate Canada) + X (Paris) = 15
*14) Cynthia Phaneauf: 9 (Skate Canada) + X (Paris) = 9
*15) Kiira Korpi: 9 (NHK) + X (Paris) = 9
*16) Mirai Nagasu: 9 (NHK) + X (Paris) = 9
As of now, 5 skaters are guaranteed to make the Grand Prix Final, and 4 of the competitors at next week's Grand Prix of Paris are vying for that 6th spot currently held by Ashley Wagner. Czisny, Phaneuf, Korpi, and Nagasu all have an opportunity to make the final with strong placements or wins in Paris. The following placements would need to be achieved for these ladies to qualify for the final:
- Czisny: 11 points (3rd place) but she may get in with less depending on placements of other ladies
- Phaneauf, Korpi, Nagasu: 15 points (1st place) a win in Paris could place any of these skaters in the final unless Czisny places 3rd or higher and then she will take the last spot in the final
ICE DANCE:
1) Davis/White: 15 (NHK) + 15 (Skate America) = 30
2) Crone/Poirier: 15 (Skate Canada) + 13 (Skate America) = 28
3) Bobrova/Soloviev: 13 (Cup of China) + 15 (Cup of Russia) = 22
*4) Weaver/Poje: 13 (NHK) + 9 (Skate America) = 22
*5) Hoffman/Zavozin: 9 (Cup of China) + 13 (Cup of Russia) = 22
*6) Shibutani/Shibutani: 11 (NHK) + 11 (Skate America) = 22
*8) Pechalat/Bourzat: 15 (Cup of China) + X (Paris) = 15
*13) Chock/Zuerlein: 11 (Skate Canada) + X (Paris) = 11
*16) Riazanova/Tkachenko: 7 (Skate America) + X (Paris) = 7
*17) Carron/Jones: 7 (Skate Canada) + X (Paris) = 7
*19) Huang/Zheng: 7 (Cup of China) + X (Paris) = 7
As of now, 3 teams have qualified for the final, 3 teams are on the bubble, and 5 teams competing in Paris have the potential to qualify for the Grand Prix Final. The following placements would need to be achieved in Paris for these teams to make the final:
- Pechalat/Bourzat: 7 points (5th place)
- Chock Zuerlein: 13 points (2nd place); 11 points would tie them and would be broken by total scores
- Riazanova/Tkachenko, Carron/Jones, and Huang/Zheng all need 15 points and a win to qualify
- Note: Weaver/Poje will qualify unless one of the teams with 7 points wins in Paris, Chock/Zuerlein place 2nd, and Pechalat/Bourzat place 3rd
Friday, November 19, 2010
ISU Grand Prix: Rostelecom Mens Free Skate
1) Tatsuki Machida (Japan)
Music: Legends of the Fall
Music: Stazione di Palermo
Music: Charade
Music: Sikuriadas/War Bolivian/Cacharapaya
Music: Pirates of the Caribbean
Music: Smooth Criminal
7) Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan)
Music: Zigeunerweisen
Music: Piano Trio No. 1 in E flat major by Schubert
Music: The Bolt
Music: Michael Jackson Medley
Music: Life is Beautiful
Music: Phantasia
Tomas Verner (CZE) 230.31
Patrick Chan (Canada) 227.21
Jeremy Abbott (USA) 217.21
Samuel Contesti (Italy) 207.30
Alban Preaubert (France) 204.68
Artur Gachinski (Russia) 202.64
Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan) 202.66
Ivan Tretiakov (Russia) 189.85
Javier Fernandez (Spain) 184.06
Konstantin Menshov (Russia) 181.15
Tatsuki Machida (Japan) 177.01
Anton Kovalevski (Ukraine) 175.74
Music: Legends of the Fall
- After a disappointing short he has nothing to lose here so he should really just go for it
- He seems to have good speed into the opening triple, lands it
- Triple axel is huge and flows nicely into a double
- So far so good
- This choreography is also very musical
- This has always been one of my favorite movie soundtracks
- One fall there, probably a lack of concentration or tired legs
- Popped a jump
- His spins seem to be traveling quite a bit
- He looks like he may not be conditioned to stay strong throughout his entire long program
- FS Score: 60.80 (TES) + 60.84 (PCS) -1.00 (deduction)= 120.64
- 56.37 (SP) + 120.64 (FS) = 177.01
Music: Stazione di Palermo
- Fell on his opening jump, he was so crooked in the air
- Stepped out of first jump in combination
- He doesn't seem like he is over his legs out there
- He seems to be gaining confidence as he goes through the program
- He is definitely getting better as he goes
- This music, with the gun shots and screams, is a bit hard to listen to at 7 am
- FS Score: 56.19 (TES) +60.30 (PCS) - 1.00 (deduction) = 115.49
- 60.05 (SP) + 115.49 (FS) = 175.74
Music: Charade
- This music starts right off the bat
- Opening jump is a little shake, but landed, nonetheless
- He seems to be landing his jumps almost on straight legs
- His spins seem very slow, he is having trouble gaining the speed to match this music
- Even in his combinations, it seems to take him time to get from one jump to the next
- He doesn't look thrilled with that performance
- FS Score: 66.52 (TES) + 57.72 (PCS) = 124.24
- 65.61 (SP) + 124.24 (FS) = 189.85
Music: Sikuriadas/War Bolivian/Cacharapaya
- He is to good to be this low in the rankings so if he is clean, he'll really move up here
- Huge 3A right there
- Its so easy to tell the difference between Contesti and the first three in his power and his confidence
- His jumps are getting good height tonight
- Samuel doesn't seem to be tiring quite as much as the other skaters
- He still looks solidly over his legs and his jump have good height even at the end of the program so he should go solidly into first
- The scores are taking a long time
- FS Score: 73.1 (TES) + 66.50 (PCS) =141.61
- 65.69 (SP) + 141.61 (FS) = 207.30
Music: Pirates of the Caribbean
- I loved this free at Skate Canada, thats the whole reason I picked him for my fantasy team, lets see if he can repeat here
- Oh wow he held onto that landing and then just lost it
- Huge 3A right after to make up for it
- He seems to not be concentrating
- I think this drunk sailor footwork is really funny but I wonder what the judges think
- He is starting to pop jumps here, I don't think he is concentrating, or he is really tired or something
- This final footwork pass is really great
- Even on the last spins, he seemed to trip over his own feet
- FS Score: 52.68 (TES) + 65.92 (PCS) - 1.00 (deduction) = 117.60
- 66.46 (SP) +117.60 (FS) = 184.06
Music: Smooth Criminal
- He has some good speed right off the top here
- Is he voguing with all those hand movements?
- This program is a little too flashy for me with all the superfluous hand and arm movements
- FS Score: 51.69 (TES) + 63.42 (PCS) -1.00 (deduction) = 113.81
- 67.34 (SP) + 113.81 (FS) = 181.15
**Group 2 takes 6 minute warm-up
The camera just showed Plushenko, if only I had a penny for his thoughts
Music: Zigeunerweisen
- Here is yet another Japanese skater who has the potential for greatness
- He is looking very solid technically and he also has quite the artistic flair, like a young Takahashi
- I love that the Japanese are making such a splash on the international level, but I really wish when the Russians were great
- I want to see more expression on his face
- I looked away for a second and he was down, did he fall on a jump, or did he trip or something?
- FS Score: 67.20 (TES) + 66.22 (PCS) -1.00 (deduction) = 132.42
- 70.24 (SP) + 132.42 (FS) = 202.66
Music: Piano Trio No. 1 in E flat major by Schubert
- Wow he was very titled in the air on that jump and fell really hard on his side
- I am not a huge fan of his skating, he always looks tired, like he is running out of steam
- I would love to see him get deeper into his knees
- He looks so wobbly and unsure of himself, I'd love him to be more grounded and stronger on his legs
- He is landing his jumps, but I really feel that he is holding back
- I hate when skaters interpret footwork as running around and flailing their arms
- I don't know where this will put him in the standings, but his just really is not a good program
- Well at least his coach looks happy
- FS Score: 68.32 (TES) + 66.86 (PCS) -1.00 (deduction) = 134.18
- 70.50 (SP) + 134.18 (FS) = 204.68
- That score seemed very high for the performance we saw out of him
Music: The Bolt
- I want to know what Plushenko thinks of his mini-me
- Well he popped his first jump and Plushenko wouldn't do that
- He even lands his jumps like Plushenko
- He seems to really be slowing down here past the halfway point
- He just popped open another jump
- He can't seem to land any of his jumps without two-footing at this point in the program
- He is not happy with that performance
- FS Score:61.43 (TES) + 69.10 (PCS) = 130.53
- 72.14 (SP) + 130.53 (FS) = 202.94
Music: Michael Jackson Medley
- Wow there are a lot of Michael Jackson programs this season
- Well he seems to be staying on his feet at least
- I don't get the blue glove?
- This program is very one note, its all at one level, there is no rise and fall
- FS Score: 78.09 (TES) + 78.12 (PCS) = 156.21
- 74.10 (SP) + 156.21 (FS) = 230.31
Music: Life is Beautiful
- Come on Jeremy!
- From the very top, he is committed to telling the story
- He falls on the quad, but I believe it was fully rotated
- Stumbles on second jump but the third, a triple axel combination was very strong
- What was that combination, a triple-single-double?
- He just doesn't seem to be himself
- Oh Jeremy, another fall
- Could this still be the boot problem that has been plaguing him?
- I do really like the program and he is committed to the presentation aspect
- I expect him to still have high components scores
- Oh the poor guy, he just looks like he could cry out there
- FS Score: 64.26 (TES) + 77.34 (PCS) -2.00 (deductions) = 139.60
- 77.61 (SP) + 139.60 (FS) = 217.21
Music: Phantasia
- Is this a new costume for Patrick?
- Fall on the quad, but it looked fully rotated
- Good triple axel
- I think the music is trite, but I love the choreography
- Lori Nichol should win an award for this piece, the choreography is so fabulous
- Another fall on the second triple axel
- And a third fall, he is not concentrating
- Oddly enough the most falls in the competition came out of the top two men
- I would die to know what Plushenko is thinking here, he is probably thrilled because both Patrick and Jeremy rotated quads, even though they fell
- Despite the fact that this program is a gem, I do not think skaters should use the same program two years in a row
- Patrick is not happy with that at all
- FS Score: 66.95 (TES) + 81.30 (PCS) -3.00 (deduction) = 145.25
- 81.96 (SP) + 145.25 (FS) = 227.21
Tomas Verner (CZE) 230.31
Patrick Chan (Canada) 227.21
Jeremy Abbott (USA) 217.21
Samuel Contesti (Italy) 207.30
Alban Preaubert (France) 204.68
Artur Gachinski (Russia) 202.64
Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan) 202.66
Ivan Tretiakov (Russia) 189.85
Javier Fernandez (Spain) 184.06
Konstantin Menshov (Russia) 181.15
Tatsuki Machida (Japan) 177.01
Anton Kovalevski (Ukraine) 175.74
ISU Grand Prix: Rostelecom Ladies Free Skate
1) Elena Glebova (Estonia)
Music: Capriccio Espagnol
Music: The Witches of Eastwick
Music: Evita
Music: Bohemian Rhapsody
Music: Die Fledermaus
Music: Piano Concerto in A minor by Grieg
Music: Danse Macabre
Music: Malaguena
Music: Zigeunerweisen/Hungarian Rhapsody
Music: Fiddler on the Roof
Music: Capriccio Espagnol
- That sex and the city program just did not suit her well, I wish her better luck for the free skate
- She is looking a little wobbly in her landings
- She just isn't doing much for me in this free skate
- She looks very slow and seems to be losing speed at the end
- FS Score: 39.80 (TES) + 45.62 (PCS) = 85.42
- 45.78 (SP) + 85.42 (FS) = 131.20
Music: The Witches of Eastwick
- I cannot even handle her costumes this season
- Her jump landings all look so sloppy and her arms flail
- She has stumbled out of nearly every jump so far
- Poor girl is having a rough competition here
- Its hard to watch
- She reminds me so much of Irina Slutskaya its uncanny
- FS Score: 48.43 (TES) + 51.02 (PCS) - 2.00 (deduction) = 97.45
- 46.61 (SP) + 97.46 (FS) = 144.06
Music: Evita
- Lets hope Ksenia gives us something entertaining to watch
- Lost my feed at the beginning of her program
- A few clean jumps
- A stumble
- She doesn't seem as invested in the performance here as much as she was at Skate Canada, home crowd nerves maybe
- FS Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 52.93 (SP) + (FS) =
Music: Bohemian Rhapsody
- FS Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 53.26 (SP) + (FS) =
Music: Die Fledermaus
- FS Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 53.61 (SP) + (FS) =
Music: Piano Concerto in A minor by Grieg
- FS Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 54.00 (SP) + (FS) =
Music: Danse Macabre
- FS Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 54.99 (SP) + (FS) =
Music: Malaguena
- FS Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 56.17 (SP) + (FS) =
Music: Zigeunerweisen/Hungarian Rhapsody
- FS Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 56.84 (SP) + (FS) =
Music: Fiddler on the Roof
- FS Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 57.43 (SP) + (FS) =
ISU Grand Prix: Rostelecom Cup Pairs Free Skate
1) Tatiana Novik & Mikhail Kuznetsov (Russia) **
Music: West Side Story
Music: Romeo And Juliet
Music: Moonlight Sonata
Music: Van Helsing
Music: Nessun Dorma
Music: Rhapsody in Rock
Music: El Dia Que Me Quieras
Music: Claire De Lune
Kavaguti/Smirnov (Russia) 182.70
Takahashi/Tran (Japan) 165.47
Evora/Ladwig (USA) 162.85
Gerboldt/Enbert (Russia) 160.62
Lawrence/Swiegers (Canada) 154.67
Berton/Hotarek (Italy) 150.85
Simpson/Miller (USA) 145.78
Novik/Kuznetsov (Russia) 136.83
Music: West Side Story
- Ok here we go, I'll be very interested to see a Russian team interpret this very American story
- Good speed her
- Split twist was nice, but it may have been only a double
- Oh wow she really wiped out hard on that side by side
- Hand down on the throw, very little speed going into it
- They have some nice lift positions, but nothing seems final or polished to me
- This program really did nothing for me at all
- FS Score: 46.43 (TES) + 45.94 (PCS) -1.00 (deduction) = 91.37
- 45.48 (SP) + 91.37 (FS) = 136.83
Music: Romeo And Juliet
- I love this music, but I need the program to be spectacular if they choose this music
- Unison is all kinds of off in these spins
- There is such a lack of speed and energy here
- This team and this program are really doing nothing for me
- If you are going to "die" in an ending pose, hold it for more than a hot second so it can resonate
- FS Score: 51.48 (TES) + 49.59 (PCS) = 101.07
- 49.78 (SP) + 101.07 (FS) = 150.85
Music: Moonlight Sonata
- I do not like that they chose this music, it belongs to Gordeeva & Grinkov
- First jump of opening combo was slightly out of sync, she barely saved her landing on the second jump
- Slight crash on landing of split twits
- She two foots the landing of the first throw
- She could use a lot more stretch in her overhead lift positions
- She falls on second throw
- Spins are pretty good
- They could have a nice future, but then again at 14 & 22, by the time she truly matures, he will be ready to retire
- FS Score: 47.10 (TES) + 49.40 (PCS) - 1.00 (deduction)= 95.50
- 50.28 (SP) + 95.50 (FS) = 145.78
Music: Van Helsing
- Good height on that split twist, but there was a crash on the landing
- They have wonderful lift positions
- Major unison and timing issues on the jump combination there
- They need some work if they are going to compete with the world's best
- There are so few consistent pair teams out there
- They are losing so much speed here, they are practically at a stand still out of some of their lifts
- They don't get a lot of height or distance in their throws, nothing like the Chinese
- FS Score: 52.12 (TES) + 50.84 (PCS) = 103.00
- 51.67 (SP) + 103.00 (FS) = 154.67
Music: Nessun Dorma
- This is amazing music, lets see if they can do it justice
- If all of our American pair teams could skate clean at nationals, Evora & Ladwig would win
- That was a clean catch on the split twist
- Amanda falls on the first side by side
- She two foots the landing of the first throw
- Even the spins are out of unison
- I just feel like I want to throw my hands up at the state of American pairs skating
- We need a major coach to come in, find young strong singles skaters and pair them up at a young age so they learn the technique together; similar to what Bin Yao does in China
- Zoueva & Shpilband changed the face of Ice Dance in the United States; we need somebody who will do that for pairs
- They do have great moments, don't get me wrong, particularly their overhead lifts
- That one where he holds only her hip is stellar
- There is that ugly death spiral position
- FS Score: 57.62 (TES) + 53.65 (PCS) - 1.00 (deduction) = 110.27
- 52.58 (SP) +110.27 (FS) = 162.85
Music: Rhapsody in Rock
- She completely misses the combination on the opening jump sequence
- Clean catch on the split twist
- They lit it up in the short but their free didn't do much for me
- FS Score: 52.64 (TES) + 54.16 (PCS) = 106.80
- 53.62 (SP) + 106.80 (FS) = 160.62
Music: El Dia Que Me Quieras
- She takes a fall on the opening jump
- Any more major mistakes and I believe Evora/Ladwig may pass them as well
- This as very underwhelming to me
- It lacks speed and flow across the ice
- She could be a lot more stretched out in the air on the lifts
- She is too funny, such enthusiasm
- FS Score: 55.31 (TES) + 55.26 (PCS) - 1.00 (deduction) = 109.57
- 55.90 (SP) + 109.57 (FS) = 165.47
Music: Claire De Lune
- It seemed like forever from the time the music started to the time they started moving
- Ps did the announcer just call her "Kawaguchi," her old Japanese name?
- She lands the throws with her chest very low
- She also landed her jump with her chest very low
- That was a bit of a crash on the split triple twist
- Is it bad that I'm happy this pairs competition will be over in a hot minute?
- She just two-footed her second throw
- I don't know who matched up these two skaters, but Smirnov could have been so good with a better partner who pointed her feet
- I loved that moment where they showed the smile on Moskvina's face
- FS Score: 56.03 (TES) + 64.76 (PCS) = 120.79
- 61.91 (SP) + 120.78 (FS) = 182.70
Kavaguti/Smirnov (Russia) 182.70
Takahashi/Tran (Japan) 165.47
Evora/Ladwig (USA) 162.85
Gerboldt/Enbert (Russia) 160.62
Lawrence/Swiegers (Canada) 154.67
Berton/Hotarek (Italy) 150.85
Simpson/Miller (USA) 145.78
Novik/Kuznetsov (Russia) 136.83
ISU Grand Prix: Rostelecom Cup Free Dance
1) Alexandra Paul & Mitchell Islam (Canada)**
Music: As Time Goes By
Music: Let My People Go/Money/Jessica Rabbit/Venus
Music: Don Quixote
Music: Selections by Yello and Art of Noise
Music: Cha Cha/Manada de Carneval
Music: Gypsy Witch
Music: Manolete-The Passion Within
Music: Melody of the White Lights
Music: As Time Goes By
- FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 45.75 (SD) + (FD) =
Music: Let My People Go/Money/Jessica Rabbit/Venus
- FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 48.45 (SD) + (FD) =
Music: Don Quixote
- FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 49.14 (SD) + (FD) =
Music: Selections by Yello and Art of Noise
- FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 50.59 (SD) + (FD) =
Music: Cha Cha/Manada de Carneval
- FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 51.97 (SD) + (FD) =
Music: Gypsy Witch
- FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 57.24 (SD) + (FD) =
Music: Manolete-The Passion Within
- FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 57.65 (SD) + (FD) =
Music: Melody of the White Lights
- FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) =
- 60.80 (SD) + (FD) =
Thursday, November 18, 2010
ISU Grand Prix: Rostelecom Cup Short Dance
1) Alexandra Paul & Mitchell Islam (Canada) **
Music: La Cumparsita-Amor por el Tango
Music: Agony/Tango
Music: Battagliero/Alexander's Ragtime Band
Music: Russian Waltz
5) Elena Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev (Russia)
Music: Delilah
Music: Sleeping Beauty/Skaters Waltz
Music: The Addams Family
Music: My Fair Lady
Bobrova/Soloviev (Russia) 60.80
Gorshkova/Butikov (Russia) 51.97
Hubbell/Hubbell 50.59
Ilinykh/Katsalopov (Russia) 49.14
Mysliveckova/Novak (CZE) 48.45
Music: La Cumparsita-Amor por el Tango
- This was the surprise ice dance team from Skate Canada, they have a lovely style on the ice and people are already calling them Virtue/Moir 2.0
- Their Skate Canada short dance was good, but where they really shine is in their free dance so if they are not stellar here, do not be alarmed as they will surely turn it on tomorrow
- At 19 and 20 they are a very young team
- As you know, I'm not a big fan of the tango with the golden waltz in these short dances but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt
- She seemed to step out early on the second set of twizzles
- Their golden waltz seems very slow and they could get a lot deeper into their knees; their edge quality could also use some work, but as I said, where they shine is in the free dance
- Like the other couples using the tango this season, the transition from waltz to tango is awkward and disjointed here
- Oh wow she cot caught up in the footwork and took a fall, she never really catches up with him on that step sequence and the unison suffers
- She also completely jumped out of performance mode
- She looks very upset, but they should keep their chins up knowing how special their free dance is
- SD Score: 25.71 (TES) + 23.04 (PCS) -3.00 (deduction) = 45.73
- **TES stands for Technical Elements Score, PCS stands for Program Components Score
Music: Agony/Tango
- SD Score: 26.98 (TES) + 23.16 (PCS) -1.00 (deduction) = 49.14
Music: Battagliero/Alexander's Ragtime Band
- SD Score: 24.86 (TES) + 23.59 (PCS) = 48.45
Music: Russian Waltz
- Ok I apologize for missing the last two, I'm back now
- Here is an up and coming Russian team that hopes to restore Russia's place atop the ice dancing world
- Russians are normally the masters of compulsories, but this looks very slow to me
- These costumes are also too loud for me to the point where they are distracting
- Overall that was just okay for me, it didn't do much for me on the whole
- SD Score: 27.29 (TES) + 24.68 (PCS) = 51.97
5) Elena Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev (Russia)
Music: Delilah
- I like their speed here right off the top
- This is a strange music choice for a Russian team but it works for them
- Their unison is wonderful
- Ok here we go into the golden waltz portion
- They have nice deep knees
- Of the three Russian teams here, these two are the most exciting to watch and seem to be the best technically and in terms of precision
- That death drop where he spins her low on the ice always scares me but it is so exciting to watch
- Their rotational lift is a standout
- This team beat Faiella & Scali at Cup of China and if the Italians stumble again, I think they could challenge them for gold
- SD Score: 31.22 (TES) + 29.58 (PCS) = 60.80
Music: Sleeping Beauty/Skaters Waltz
- I love her costume, if floats beautifully without being distracting
- They seem a little stiff here in the Golden Waltz portion, I would love to see a little more freedom in their movements
- Her twizzles seem much slower than his but they ended at the same time, did he do more revolutions?
- SD Score: 29.21 (TES) + 28.03 (PCS) = 57.24
Music: The Addams Family
- What is it with these brother/sister teams skating to the Addams Family this year...the Reeds, the Hubbells
- I love that opening rotational lift with her foot touching the back of her head
- She does some kind of weird stumble, but her butt doesn't touch so there shouldn't be a fall deduction
- This is a fairly strong American team, but you can definitely tell the difference between who trains with Zoueva/Shpilband and who doesn't
- They had the stumble in the middle and a bobble on the last twizzle sequence, but overall a much better performance than at Cup of China
- Why isn't their coach with them in the Kiss and Cry?
- SD Score: 26.21 (TES) + 24.38 (PCS) = 50.59
Music: My Fair Lady
- I see they haven't shortened the dress that caused them to fall at Cup of China
- If they can stay on their feet, they should have no trouble winning this competition
- Some unison issues on their first twizzle sequence, she is not spinning as fast as he is and her leg is not as high
- They look good here in the Golden Waltz portion
- I really like this program, and they have well established characters and great theatricality
- Federica's costume is really growing on me
- Their free skate is spectacular if they can stay on their feet
- SD Score: 26.93 (TES) + 30.72 (PCS) = 57.65
Bobrova/Soloviev (Russia) 60.80
Faiella/Scali (Italy) 57.65
Hoffman/Zavozin (Hungary) 57.24 Gorshkova/Butikov (Russia) 51.97
Hubbell/Hubbell 50.59
Ilinykh/Katsalopov (Russia) 49.14
Mysliveckova/Novak (CZE) 48.45
Paul/Islam (Canada) 45.75
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