Barbie's Thursday Thoughts

Pairs

1. A new program can transform your season-"Take Me To Church" clearly elevated Kayne & O'Shea's level of skating
2. An emotional song will pull in the crowd over a rock song any day of the week
3. You can never rely on US Pairs to perform the way you expect
4. Too much confidence is always a cause for concern (I learned this from Ann Jensen)
5. Castelli & Tran have a future if they can.....eh hem.....stay together!
6. Never underestimate the power of real ballet training-Aaron & Settlage show us that in their posture and extension through each limb
7. If Denney and Frazier had not been injured, this would have truly been a 4-way race and the most competitive US Pairs event in years
8. A purple unitard is something we all think about wearing but most of us leave it in the back of the closet with the gold lame hot pants
9. Todd Sand still looks as fabulous as ever......like a real life Ken doll
10. I love Jimmy Morgan for his skating, but also because I met him in real life and he tweets with me

Ladies

1. I want Kori Ade to be my coach when I go back in time and become an elite figure skater; the respect between pedagogue and pupil is palpable 
2. Heidi Munger's costume was far and away my favorite
3. Mirai Nagasu has done some living and that showed in her performance in a great way; her struggles have taught her to skate like a woman
4. Karen Chen has "it" but "it" just wasn't her night, don't freak out people, she will come along
5. Tyler Pierce blew me away with how effortless her program looked
6. Ashley Cain should stop fighting the urge to skate to Frozen, she clearly already has the dress
7. Abbott & Rippon are a breath of fresh air as choreographers
8. Polina may not wow me as a performer, but she knows how to COMPETE at Nationals
9. Ashley Wagner...well that broad sure knows how to put on a show
10. Gracie Gold, you had one job and you singled a lutz?
11. We had our moments, but I just wanted some clean skating; too much to ask?

2016 US Championships: Pairs Preview

The Senior Pairs event seems like it should be a slam dunk for Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierem, based on their International season, but when has a US Pairs event even been that simple? Here are a few questions that have me excited for this event:

1. Will Scimeca & Knierem allow their Skate America and NHK medals and GPF qualification to propel them to a 2nd consecutive US Title?
2. Looking forward, can Delilah Sappenfield coach a World Medalist?
3. Will Kayne & O’Shea or Aaron & Settlage, or Castelli & Tran perform in a way that establishes a clear 2nd place US Team?
4. Will Calalang & Sidhu be able to factor in? 
5. Can Mervin Tran ever achieve the success he once had with Narumi Takahashi again, and with Marissa Castelli? Will they stay together long enough for any of this to matter?
6. Which junior medalists from last year will sneak onto the podium? Fields & Utah Stevens, Liu & Johnson, or both? 
7. Who will give us that classic great half of a free skate and then crumble in the second?
8. And last but not least, how many of these teams will still be together next season?

2016 US Championships: Dance Preview

This Senior Dance event has had me on the edge of my seat for months following the Grand Prix Final. That being said, I have so many question:

1. First and foremost, who will have the most garish costumes and music?
2. Will the judging be fair?
3. Will any of the placements have fans in an uproar?
4. Which free skate will make cry? (eh hem, Shibutanis)
5. Will there be any significant movements from the Short to the Free?
6. Will Chock & Bates be given an unfair bump by the judges because they are International favorites?
7. Which coach will wear the biggest scarf?
8. Will Marina combust if her Shibutanis lose, yet again, to former students Chock & Bates?
9. Will Hubbell and Donohue even be in the gold medal conversation or will there be, as in the past, a clear drop off between 2nd and 3rd?
10. Can Hawayek & Baker step up and challenge for 3rd or will they just fall by the wayside as yet another great junior team?
11. Does Alexandra Aldridge re-enter the conversation with her new pair-turned-dance partner Matthew Blackmer?
12. Will anyone else impress us?
13. What will be trending among skating tweeters after this event? (you know we won’t all be happy)
14. And most importantly, will Ann Jensen and I get our artistry and unicorns?

2016 US Nationals: Mens Preview

I’m less excited about the Senior men than anybody else in this competition. Do you feel me?

1. Without Jason Brown or even Joshua Farris in the competition, any win almost seems…..less than. Nevertheless:
2. Can Max Aaron, the clear favorite, land his jumps and win outright?
3. Will Nathan Chen, the once novice and junior phenom, improve upon last year’s 8th place finish in his Senior debut and threaten for the podium?
4. Can dark horse candidate and twitter-verse favorite Grant Hochstein make a statement after his impressive 4th place finishes at Cup of China and NHK Trophy?
5. If Hochstein skates cleanly, will he have a moment with his Les Miz free skate and bring the crowd to its feet?
6. Is Ross Miner still relevant?
7. Will Adam Rippon’s jumps fail him yet again, but wow us with his artistry?
8. Who will be the surprise member of the final group in the free?
9. Who will make the biggest jump from the short to the free?
10. And finally, the question is not if, but who, will the selection committee screw out of an International assignment?

2016 US Nationals: Ladies Preview

Ashley vs. Gracie: Part 4

1. Does anyone else matter to the skating faithful?
2. Does Ashley come from behind in the short to win in the free as has become commonplace?
3. Does my girl Ashley, an old broad by skating standards, have any gas left in the tank to take another US title and have a prayer of a World medal?
4. Does Gracie live up to her word of “no more doubles”?
5. Does Gracie, clearly the more talented of the two, get out of her head and put up the points we know she can?
6. More importantly, which of these two will give us the best Side Eye?
7. Can Polina finally perform like a mature young woman?
8. Does Karen Chen make the Gracie vs. Ashley debate moot by wiping the floor with all of them?
9. Can Courtney Hicks’ jump propel her back into the conversation?
10. Where does Carly Gold factor in, and more importantly, how does her presence affect Gracie?
11. What chance does Mirai Nagasu have after all these years, particularly where International assignments are concerned?
12. Will any one performance make me cry or stand up and cheer?
13. Can anyone from last year’s top ten trio of Bell, Price, or Miller surprise us and make the podium?
14. How will last year’s Junior winner by a mile, Bradie Tennell, handle the pressure of the Senior event?
15. Finally, will the dreaded “committee” have to step in when it comes to International assignments or will they let the competition play out?

MISERY on Broadway

MISERY, adapted by William Goldman from Stephen King's bestseller begins with a simple, unassuming house. Snow is lightly falling. There is no grandiose opening of the curtain. The lights at the Broadhurst simply dim as the house rotates to reveal a sickly, exhausted Paul Sheldon (Bruce Willis). Annie Wilkes (Laurie Metcalf) is taking care of him like any friend or family member would, that is until we learn that she is the novelist's "Number One Fan" who also happened to rescue him from a near-fatal car accident. Annie shares her favorite memories of reading Paul's famous "Misery" series while helping him recover from his injuries, but soon he realizes that he is less of a patient and more of a hostage. When Annie finds Paul's latest work, a piece which Annie deems "vulgar," he realizes how truly demented she is. She forces him to burn the book. When Paul attempts to escape, Annie will stop at nothing to keep him there, taking measures that will turn your stomach, until he agrees to write the final installment of the Misery series. Annie even threatens to kill him if he does not complete the final Misery book with the necessary rewrites until it is to her liking. Using a typewriter without the letter "N," he is literally writing for his life.

In the penultimate scene, Annie and Paul reach their final confrontation and only one of them makes it out of the quiet Colorado house. Stephen King is known for his suspense, but this production lacks the energy of the source material. There is no "edge of your seat" quality that you would hope for from King, something that the film did so brilliantly. It's certainly exciting to see stars onstage, but with so many fantastic pieces on Broadway this season, this does not top my list.

Fall/Winter 2015 Broadway Preview

Well friends, the 2014-2015 Tony season is behind us and while big winners like Fun Home. King & I, and Curious Incident are reaping the benefits, many shows have closed. Such is the circle of life on Broadway, although we can't be completely upset because many new exciting shows are opening! I am here to preview some of the shows that I am most excited about. Disclaimer: These are not all the shows opening this fall/winter, but just those that we are particularly excited to see.

HAMILTON
Theatre: Richard Rodgers

Opening: August 8th

Why I'm Excited: This is perhaps the most anticipated Broadway production in years. I saw it front row at the Public. I am debating whether to see it again because it was just so perfect in that intimate setting, but if you didn't see it downtown and you want to see the 2016 TONY winner for Best Musical, get your tickets now!

SPRING AWAKENING

Theatre: Brooks Atkinson

Opening: September 27th

Why I'm Excited: I missed it the first time it was on Broadway but I did catch the national tour. Normally I would say that only 8 years later is too early for a revival, but this is a completely reimagined production by Deaf West that will be performed in American Sign Language as well as being spoken. This pieces will feature Oscar Winner Marlee Matlin as well as Broadway favorites Andy Mientus and Krysta Rodriguez. 

The Gin Game

Theatre: Golden

Opening: October 13th

Why I'm Excited: James Earl Jones & Cicely Tyson.....enough said! 

Dames at Sea

Theatre: Helen Hayes

Opening: October 22nd

Why I'm Excited: Every Broadway season needs an old school favorite and this is it! Plus, I love Mara Davi and haven't seen her on Broadway since A Chorus Line.

Sylvia

Theatre: Cort 

Opening: October 27th

Why I'm Excited: Annaleigh Ashford is attending obedience school to prepare to play the role of a dog in this production.....are you intrigued yet? If not, Matthew Broderick and Julie White also star.

On Your Feet

Theatre: Marquis

Opening: November 5th

Why I'm Excited: We love Gloria! Sure, this may suffer the same fate as most jukebox musicals and lack a strong book, but even so, try to convince me you don't love the Conga! 

Allegiance

Theatre: Longacre

Opening: November 8th

Why I'm Excited: George Takei stars in this new piece set in a Japanese Internment camp. This is new territory for a Broadway musical and also features Great White Way veteran Lea Salonga.

China Doll

Theatre: Schoenfeld 

Opening: November 19th

Why I'm Excited: What goes together better than Mamet and Pacino? Just a word of advice, leave children and home as well as anyone who cringes at the drop of an f-bomb.

The Color Purple

Theatre: Jacobs

Opening: December 10th

Why I'm Excited: The original Broadway production had some bright moments, but overall it was clunky and too long. Luckily this production is helmed by John Doyle, the king of stripping down grandiose shows and presenting exactly what the audience needs to see. Jennifer Hudson will certainly sell enough tickets to keep this production afloat, though I suspect that Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black) will be the breakout star of the season. Can we say Best Featured Actress in a Musical??

Fiddler on the Roof

Theatre: Broadway

Opening: December 17th

Why I'm Excited: The Theatre Queens will kill me for this but I've never seen a full production of Fiddler. I love me some Danny Burstein, and although I don't feel we need yet another revival of this Bock & Harnick classic, I have faith that the visionary Bart Sher will reimagine this.  

Noises Off

Theatre: American Airlines

Opening: January 14th 

Why I'm Excited: This is my all time favorite plays! If you've not seen it before, prepare to get an ab workout from laughter. In the world of farce...this play is king, but it's the theatre so let's cal it queen. Andrea Martin, Megan Hilty, and Jeremy Shamos star.