Win a Pair of Passes to THE REALISTIC JONESES on Broadway!

If you've ever wondered about the origin of the phrase "Keeping up with the Joneses," this dynamic new play by Will Eno will shed some light on the situation.

What do you really know about your neighbors?

This spring, TONI COLLETTE, MICHAEL C. HALL, TRACY LETTS, & MARISA TOMEI invite you to find out!

THE REALISTIC JONESES Written by Will Eno Directed by Sam Gold
Academy Award nominee Toni Collette (Muriel’s Wedding, Hostages), Golden Globe winner Michael C. Hall (Dexter, Six Feet Under), Tony Award winner Tracy Letts (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Homeland) and Academy Award Winner Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny, The Wrestler) star in THE REALISTIC JONESES, the new play about love and life, friends and neighbors.
Written by Pulitzer Prize finalist Will Eno and directed by Sam Gold (Fun Home), it’s an outrageous, inside look at the people who live next door, the truths we think we know and the secrets we never imagined we all might share.

To enter our contest, post your answer to the following question in the comments section below, along with your email address so we can contact the winner. Please reply no later than Friday February 21st.

Tracy Letts is not only an actor, but also an award winning playwright. For which play did he win the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama? Good luck and come back and visit us soon!

THEATRE
Lyceum Theatre
149 West 45th Street
(Between Broadway and 6th Avenue) New York, NY 10036
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Monday & Tuesday @ 8pm, Wednesday @ 2pm & 8pm, Thursday & Friday @ 8pm, Saturday @ 2pm & 8pm
Beginning April 7:
Tuesday @ 7:30pm, Wednesday @ 2pm & 7:30pm, Thursday @ 7:30pm, Friday @ 8pm, Saturday @ 2pm & 8pm, Sunday @ 3pm
ONLINE & SOCIAL NETWORKS Website: www.TheRealisticJoneses.com Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RealisticBway Twitter: www.Twitter.com/RealisticBway Instagram: www.Instagram.com/RealisticBway 

The Casual Figure Skating Fan's Guide to Sochi 2014

I know more than my fair share about figure skating and follow it very closely every season, but I'm also aware that most people do not. Therefore, I give you "The Casual Figure Skating Fan's Guide to Sochi 2014". If I see a facebook status asking about Johnny Weir, Michelle Kwan, or 6.0, I will probably post this link on your wall to keep me from saying something catty.

General Notes:

-Figure Skating is no longer an art form, it is a math problem

-You will be confused and frustrated because the best programs rarely score the highest

-If you think all the programs look the same, you're probably right; IJS programs are very cookie cutter

-Skaters are scored on TES (the old technical mark) & PCS (the old artistic mark)

-Every element (jumps, spins, lifts, throws, footwork sequences) is given a base value and/or a level and a grade of execution mark

-There is no "best score," though the NBC commentators will likely compare skaters' scores to their own Season's Best of Personal Best

-This season will be the debut of a Gymnastics-style Team event where skaters from all 4 disciplines will combine their scores and the "top country" will win gold; this even will begin before Opening Ceremonies and conclude before the individual disciplines begin

-Here is a link to the full IJS code of points if you want to confuse yourself even further

http://www.isu.org/en/single-and-pair-skating-and-ice-dance/isu-judging-system/introduction

Ladies:

2013 WORLD Medalists: Yuna Kim (KOR), Carolina Kostner (ITA), Mao Asada (JPN)

-If anyone outside of Kim, Asada, or Kostner win Gold it will be a Sarah Hughes-esque surprise

-If we do have a Sarah Hughes moment, it will be Russian teen Julia Lipnitskaia

-If Yuna Kim skates cleanly, expect her to win a 2nd OGM, regardless of how the other ladies skate

-The US ladies have an outside chance at a medal but are in no way favored

-NBC will talk up Gracie Gold, and probably Ashley Wagner as medal favorites, but they will only medal if others make mistakes

-The fully rotated triple-triple combination is key for the ladies, expect NBC commentators to talk that to death

-You will be able to tell which skaters NBC loves because they will drop phrases like "complete package," "complete program," or "fantastic transitions"

-A US lady hasn't won an Olympic or World medal since 2006, expect to hear that from NBC commentators on repeat

-A certain 'top lady' waves during her spiral sequence, I'll let you look for it in Where's Waldo fashion

Mens:

2013 WORLD Medalists: Patrick Chan (CAN), Denis Ten (KAZ), Javier Fernandez (ESP)

-Johnny Weir has retired and Evan Lysacek is injured, neither will compete

-Patrick Chan has won the last 3 World Titles, and though he is sputtering this season, it will be an upset if he doesn't win Gold

-The Quadruple jump (Quad) is key in the mens event, it will be hard to get near the podium without one

-The elder statesman Evgeni Plushenko has returned for one final hurrah and the Russians will be doing their best politicking to get him back on the podium

-You will probably prefer Yuzuru Hanyu's more artistic programs and you'll hate it when Patrick Chan wins regardless

-US men have little to no chance of winning a medal, we haven't won a World or Olympic medal since 2010

-Jason Brown (USA) will be one of the darlings of the games and will probably rise to the occasion under pressure, but without the Quad he will have a hard tim finding the podium unless others make mistakes

Ice Dance:

2013 WORLD Medalists: Davis & White (USA), Virtue & Moir (CAN), Bobrova & Soloviev (RUS)

-There are no longer 3 phases to the Ice Dance competition, there are now only 2

-Expect to hear the phrase "Finn Step" a lot as it is the compulsory pattern that all teams will perform in the original dance

-Free Dances range from Classical and Opera to Musical Theatre and Michael Jackson

-Gold & Silver will go to Davis & White (USA) or Virtue & Moir (CAN) and it will likely be very close; they are far above the rest of the field and will take the top spots on the podium

-Davis & White are slightly favored for Gold because they beat Virtue & Moir at the 2013 Worlds and this season's Grand Prix Final and their scores have been consistently higher

-Bobrova & Soloviev (Russia) will likely win bronze, primarily because of Russian politics; if you personally feel that their performances are not deserving of a medal, you would be correct

-The other teams that have a shot at bronze are Pechalat & Bourzat (FRA), Ilinykh & Katsalapov (RUS), Cappellini & Lanotte (ITA), and Weaver & Poje (CAN)

-The top dance teams are coached by the same small cluster of coaches; become familiar with names like Marina Zoueva, Igor Shpilband, Pasquale Camerlengo, Nikolai Morozov, and Alexander Zhulin

-All 3 American teams are likely to finish in the top 10

-It's tough to tell the difference between average, good, and great ice dance programs because there are no jumps/falls; you should look for speed, overall flow across the ice, synchronization, and smooth transitions in and out of lifts

Pairs

2013 WORLD Medalists: Volosozhar & Trankov (RUS), Savchenko & Szolkowy (GER), Duhamel & Radford (CAN)

-US Pair Teams will be very fortunate to finish in the top 6 and have about a 1% chance of winning a medal

-Volosozhar & Trankov (Russia) will win Gold unless they make major mistakes

-Savchenko & Szolkowy (Germany) will win Silver unless they make major mistakes

-Pang & Tong (China) will most likely win bronze, but Canadian teams have a shot

-The pairs event directly follows the Team Trophy event; fatigue/training could play a role in this event

-Expect some drama with the top two teams, they've been going back and forth in the standings for several years

-Commentators will make a huge deal about Russians retaking the top spot on the Olympic pairs podium

ROMEO & JULIET Comes to Movie Theatres Near You!

Is there anything more perfect than the world's most famous star-crossed lovers for Valentine's Day? Rome & Juliet could not possibly be arriving in theatres at a better time.

ROMEO AND JULIET starring Orlando Bloom (Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean) as Romeo and Condola Rashad (Smash, Sex and the City 2) as Juliet, will be opening at a movie theatre near you this Valentine’s Day! The film has an exclusive run in movie theatres from February 13-19.

                                                   

The stunningly modern stage production has received acclaimed-reviews, including this from the New York Times: “Mr Bloom in a first-rate Broadway debut and the gifted Rashad exude a too fine for this world purity that makes their characters’ love feel sacred.” In addition to Bloom and Rashad, the cast includes Christian Camargo (The Hurt Locker, Dexter), Justin Guarini (American Idol, American Idiot), Tony Award winners Brent Carver (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Sleepy Hollow), Chuck Cooper (Law & Order, American Gangster), and two-time nominee Jayne Houdyshell (Follies). Romeo and Juliet was captured for cinema on November 27 at New York’s Richard Rodgers Theatre by the multiple, Emmy award-winning Don Roy King (Saturday Night Live).

While ROMEO AND JULIET is the most famous love story of all time, this production marked the first time in 36 years that the play was produced on Broadway.

We will be giving away a pair of tickets to see this theatrical experience in the comfort of your very own neighborhood movie theatre. To enter, answer the following question in the "comments" section below by Sunday February 2nd at 11:59 PM. Please include your email address so we can contact the winner.

Question: Condola Rashad came to Romeo & Juliet directly after appearing in the Roundabout Revival of which play? Good luck!

TICKETS

For movie times and tickets, visit http://broadwayhd.com/

ONLINE & SOCIAL NETWORKS

Website: www.RomeoAndJulietBroadway.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RomeoJulietBway

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/RomeoJulietBway

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/RomeoJulietBway

Google+: Plus.google.com/+RomeoJulietBway

Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4ZvduhMstA

2014 US Figure Skating Championships: NBC & Ice Network Viewing Times

As per usual, NBC is giving is very sparse coverage of the US Figure Skating Championships. The rest of the events will be shown live on Ice Network. Enjoy watching and be sure to follow @barbiebackstage for all of my live updates, thoughts, and opinions. Cant want to watch with you all! 

2014 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships NBC Broadcast Schedule (all times Eastern, subject to change, check local listing) BROADCAST DATE EVENT TIME (ET) Saturday, Jan. 11 LIVE pairs free skate and free dance 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11 LIVE Ladies free skate 8-11 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 LIVE Men's free skate 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18 Smucker's Skating Spectacular 4-6 p.m.

2014 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships Icenetwork Broadcast Schedule (all times Eastern, subject to change, all events live unless noted) BROADCAST DATE EVENT TIME (ET) Sunday, Jan. 5 Novice pattern dance Novice ladies short program Novice pairs short program Novice men's short program 9:15 a.m. 12:20 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 6:15 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6 Novice free dance Novice ladies free skate Novice pairs free skate Novice men's free skate 9:40 a.m. 11:50 a.m. 1:35 p.m. 3:35 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7 Juvenile pattern dance Juvenile pairs free skate Junior short dance Junior men's short program 8:30 a.m. 11:10 a.m. 3:25 p.m. 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8 Juvenile boys free skate Juvenile free dance Juvenile girls free skate Intermediate pattern dance Junior pairs short program Junior ladies short program 8:30 a.m. 9:55 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 1 p.m. 4:10 p.m. 6:20 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 Intermediate ladies short program Intermediate free dance Junior men's free skate Intermediate pairs short program Junior free dance Intermediate men's short program Senior pairs short program Senior ladies short program 8:10 a.m. 9:40 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 1 p.m. 1:05 p.m. 2:35 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 7:45 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10 Intermediate pairs free skate Junior ladies free skate Junior pairs free skate Intermediate ladies free skate Intermediate men's free skate Senior short dance Senior men's short program 8:30 a.m. 8:45 a.m. 10:50 a.m. 12:10 p.m. 1:45 p.m. 1:45 p.m. 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11 Senior pairs free skate (early groups) Senior free skate (early groups) Senior pairs free skate (late groups)** Senior free dance (late groups)** Senior ladies free skate (early groups) Senior ladies free skate (late groups)** 11:30 a.m. 12:45 p.m. On-demand On-demand 6:45 p.m. On-demand Sunday, Jan. 12 Senior men's free skate (early groups) Senior men's free skate (late groups)** 12:50 a.m. On-demand

MACBETH at Lincoln Center

Jack O'Brien's production of Macbeth at Lincoln Center is unique in its sparseness. He retains all the classic elements, but the lines are sleek and modern. You'd expect "over the top" from the director of Hairspray, but he defies your expectations. The stage and characters are primarily dressed in black, with Lady Macbeth's white dress and the red splotches of blood serving as highlights.

The production seems economic, with the witches playing multiple characters, but could this doubling be purposeful? When you truly examine the plot, you realize that the witches are controlling all of the action in the play, so it only makes sense that they assume other roles in the ensemble. O'Brien has chosen to cast men as the witches, which is fine, but one in particular is dressed as a female and flits about the stage as if he were a teenaged girl. It isn't interesting or creepy as intended; it is just distracting.

Anne-Marie Duff is fantastic in the role of Lady Macbeth. I always forget how little time she spends onstage, but when she is onstage, it is powerful. Duff's training is evident through her diction and command onstage. She excels at the iconic moments from "unsex me" to "out damn spot". Ethan Hawke's Macbeth is putty in her hands. Speaking of which, Hawke's lack of Shakespearean training stands out in this otherwise very convincing cast. His actions are strong and he is visually energetic and exciting, but vocally, he seems out of place. His diction is not nearly as precise as the other characters; it is almost as if Macbeth is a Texan living in Scotland. Daniel Sunjata is a surprising standout in the role of Macduff. His stage presence radiates into the audience, his speech is impeccable, and most importantly, you root for him every step of the way. His Macduff is sympathetic, endearing, and the hero of the play.

Shakespeare can be difficult to watch if you are unfamiliar with the text or the style, but Lincoln Center Theater's production of Macbeth is highly engaging. The dark, brooding drama pulls you in from the opening lines, forces you to choose a side, and live with that decision as you await the bloody results.

Use the code "MACBLOG" for discounted tickets.

2012 Skate Canada: Mens Preview

Patrick Chan (CAN) looks to take back his Skate Canada title after Javier Fernandez won last season. He is going with Rachmaninov for the short and Vivaldi for the free...trying to win over those Europeans eh? Patrick is literally on thin ice with the skating fans this season for multiple reasons. Aside from his many off-color comments in the press, many people believe that he was undeserving of the World title over Denis Ten last season. He needs to clean up his skating this season and put together perfect programs in order for skating fans to believe that he is deserving of Gold in Sochi.

Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) is one of our favorite skaters. He has the artistic soul of Johnny Weir and Sasha Cohen, but unfortunately he also has their competitive mentality. He does well on the Grand Prix, however, and luckily for him, he earns extremely high PCS marks and levels so he can absorb a few small mistakes and still earn high scores overall. I want to see him put together a full season this year and earn the Olympic medal that he truly deserves. I cannot wait to see his interpretation of Rota's Romeo & Juliet and Parisian Walkways made famous by our own Lang & Tchernyshev.

Jeremy Abbott (USA) is a sentimental favorite for me to make the Sochi team. His Vancouver trip was disappointing and unfortunately, the last quad has been a roller coaster for him. He only went to Worlds 2 of the last 4 seasons, finishing 5th in 2010 and 8th in 2012. He has everything he needs to make an Olympic podium, but he has to catch lightning in a bottle and put them all together in 2 programs. I'm so thrilled that he is revisiting Muse, because his previous Muse program was fantastic and his best of the quad. He will face competition at home, but I strongly believe that if he goes clean, he will make it to Sochi. That road starts here and there's no reason he can't medal here. I actually think it will be good for him to face two of the best in the world here. Why not meet the competition face to face early on?


My Podium Predictions:
Gold: Patrick Chan (CAN)
Silver: Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)
Bronze: Jeremy Abbott (USA)

The Rest of the Field:
Elladj Balde (CAN)
Andrei Rogozine (CAN)
Michal Brezina (CZE)
Takahito Mura (JPN)
Nobunari Oda (JPN)
Joshua Farris (USA)
Ross Miner (USA)

2013 Skate Canada: Ladies Preview

Julia Liptnitskaia (RUS) is the one to beat here. She doesn't necessarily have the best skills or artistry of the field, but she is the best competitor and at these early events, that generally wins the day. She has her sights set on Sochi and as long as she can stay healthy, she is all but guaranteed to make the Olympic team. She has fared the best overall of the "Russian babies" as she transitioned from the junior to the senior ranks and I appreciate her skating more than that of Sotnikova, Tuktamisheva, or Radionova. She qualified for the Final last year and likely would have done quite well if not for that concussion. My only concern for her is that Schindler's List is beyond her current range as a performer. We shall see.

Akiko Suzuki (JPN) is a longtime favorite of nearly the entire skating world, but the biggest question mark with her is a competitive edge. I'm afraid that her window of opportunity has passed her by and and that she reached her peak in 2012 with that World bronze. She recently finished behind Lipnitskaia at the Finlandia Trophy. I question her choice of Phantom of the Opera for her free skate because I think she can do better than that warhorse. She is so classical and refined that I'd prefer she choose something more nuanced.

Kaetlyn Osmond (CAN) won this event last year and she has the potential to do it again. However, she won primarily because she was simply cleaner that the other women. I personally don't believe that she has the maturity or performance quality to beat a clean Suzuki, Lipnitskaia, or even Gao. I truly believe this event will be decided by who makes the fewest mental errors.

Gracie Gold (USA) is the "no pun intended" Golden Girl in US Figure Skating. USFS wants her to be the answer that we've all been looking for, the next Michelle Kwan who can dominate national and international events. She is almost guaranteed a spot on the Sochi team, but she needs to prove that she has the mental game to compete and that's where she's been lacking recently. Luckily for her, she is a late bloomer across the course of a season. She bombed at this event last year, but went on to win silver at Cup of Russia, silver at US Nationals, and placed a respectable 6th at Worlds. If the wheels fall off here, we don't need to lose our minds yet, but it will be cause for concern for Team Gold if Gao or Hicks beat her here.

Christina Gao (USA) is a personal favorite of mine and I am really pulling for her to make the Sochi team. She has a much more international look than many of the US ladies and much more classical elegance than either Wagner or Gold. We know that she is an extremely hard work and my biggest fear for her, opposite of Gold, is that she will peak too early. She has finished 5th at US Nationals for the past four years, so she's going to have to show USFS that she is the real deal on the Grand Prix before their judges will PCS her high enough at Nationals to make the podium.




My Podium Predictions:
Gold: Julia Liptnitskaia (RUS)
Silver: Akiko Suzuki (JPN)
Bronze: Kaetlyn Osmond (CAN)

The Rest of the Field:
Amelie Lacoste (CAN)
Veronik Mallet (CAN)
Natalia Popova (UKR)
Christina Gao (USA)
Gracie Gold (USA)
Courtney Hicks (USA)