Ok...ok...ok...in my defense I was probably four or five years old when I became obsessed with Julie Andrews running through fields of flowers and singing repetitive songs to children dressed in curtains. And! In my defense.....Julie Andrews is like the most magical human being on the planet. Seriously....she's a rock star. And c'mon....how cute are they?? With their sad little "please love us, Daddy" puppy dog faces........

But really folks. It's a classic. Not exactly the most thrilling musical in the world. And for the first and only time in my life I will say that I prefer the movie version to any stage production I've seen of it. I know...I know.... sacrilege. But Julie Andrews MAKES this entire musical for me, so forgive me if I'm a bit biased. So my advice? Watch the movie if you haven't already. It's pretty dang cute. 

So for some strange reason, I have become pretty obsessed with this song, which I'm pretty sure also qualifies as a guilty pleasure. However, if you take a closer look at it's fabulousness, you'll realize that it can be enjoyed on a bunch of different levels. On the one had it's very sweet and endearing since Brenda is a total cutie pie who is singing with complete and utter sincerity. Meanwhile, it's also pretty hilarious in a kind of "awwwww, she's being funny without realizing it" sort of way. It's also great stylistically since this show is set in the 60s and the music is written to reflect that. Gotta love that older musical feel with modern day voices!

I also love this song in a dorky artist way. It's a challenge to sing, it has a decent range, and it takes alot of vocal control. Not to mention, she's a pretty fun character. So as a singer I get to say "Ooo! A challenge!" and it makes me happy in my dorky music obsessed brain. So, without further ado.....

This is, hands down, one of my favorite musicals of all time. The Secret Garden has some of the most beautiful music every written for a musical.  I have both acted in it and listened to it often, yet it can still bring me to tears every single time I hear the soundtrack. Of course it helps that it is based on a wonderful book with a fantastic story and amazing characters, but the musical really takes the story to a whole new level. So haunting, lovely, sincere, and sweet. Not to mention heartbreaking, dark, and yet still full of hope. While this musical is devastating at times, there is a certain optimism that carries you through. There is little more that I can say, except that this is a musical that every one should have a chance to enjoy. Listen to it. Be open to the sadness. Enjoy it's delightful characters and fall in love with the music. 

Yep. Color me cutesy, but The Little Mermaid is a musical that I love and totally makes me happy. However, I do have to comment on the idea of "A Musical That Makes You Happy". I realize that I am sometimes cynical, but as I was going through my mental file cabinet, trying to decide which musical could work for this category, I kept struggling. Every musical that I could think of that delights me and fills me with joy, puppies, and unicorns also has moments that are completely sad and devastating. Yes, even The Little Mermaid.  So, how does one make such a choice? Well, although this particular musical has parts that are dark and creepy along with a few "D'awwwwwwwww! The poor baby!" moments, I can still say that there is nothing quite like a Disney happy ending, and let's face it....Ariel is adorable. Particularly if you happen to catch Sierra Boggess' Ariel, which is utterly fantastic. 

On that note, if you happen to take a look outside of the fact that this is a big Disney musical you might notice that it could totally stand on it's own as a well put together musical with great characters, music, and story. The songs that Alan Menken and his lyricists added to the show are great and the costumes, creative set, and choreography are amazing. And I'm sorry....but Flounder?? LOOK AT HIM! Adorable....

Cute as a friggin bright yellow and green button....and to top it off...this kid has PiPES!!! But really.... (http://youtu.be/m5wGARUkFOE   he comes in around 1:30)

And if none of the above can convince you to check this musical out, consider this: live, choreographed versions of "Under The Sea" and "Kiss The Girl". Yep. No more arguing needed. Show. Is. Awesome. 

So, I am sharing a few super short clips from the show, but you can find the entire show (pre-broadway) on YouTube in parts. Not the best quality, but enough to feed the average addict! 

Well, since I seem to be having some blog commitment issues, it's time to start a 30 day challenge! Yes....a 30.....day.....CHALLENGE! But not just any challenge....a musical theatre challenge. Woohoo! Now first, a quick disclaimer: though I love musical theatre, I am a theatre student....meaning I do all sorts of theatre, not just the singing/dancing kind. OK! Now that I've gotten out my moment of pretention, let the challenge begin! Woot! 

So without further ado this is it:

30 DAY MUSICAL THEATRE CHALLENGE
1. The most underrated musical.


2. A musical that makes you happy.
3. A musical that makes you sad.
4. Favourite song from a musical.
5. First musical obsession.
6. A musical that was cut too short.
7. A musical from your favorite composer.
8. Favorite Off-Broadway musical.
9. A musical that you once loved but now you hate.
10. Current musical obsession.
11. A musical that you hate.
12. A musical that is your guilty pleasure.
13. Favorite Broadway Diva.
14. Favorite Broadway Divo.
15. A musical you would have loved to see on stage.
16. A musical that disappointed you.
17. Favorite adapted musical.
18. The musical that you’ve seen most recently.
19. A musical that was robbed of the Tony.
20. A musical that you think is overrated.
21. Least favorite musical from your favorite composer.
22. A musical that had a huge impact on you.
23. A musical that you’ve been in.
24. A musical that you’ve seen more than once.
25. A musical with the best choreography.
26. A musical that you know by heart.
27. Best revival of a musical.
28. A musical with the best costume design.
29. A musical with the best all around cast.
30. Favorite musical of all time.


LET THE GAMES................BEGIN!!!!!

Alright, I'll admit it....I am more than slightly biased since Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" is my favorite book. However, if you listen to the sound track to this beautiful musical you will find a collection of fantastic songs highlighted by some absolutely amazing singers. While the majority of the music is dark and mysterious it also has moments of comedy, romance, and a sincere sweetness that makes it a favorite of mine.  Also, for those Secret Garden (the musical) fans out there, Jane Eyre has the same hauntingly beautiful feel that can only be found on a windy English moor. Technically speaking, this show also has some pretty awesome stuff. It is very dark (literally) and the set can range anywhere from small to epic while still retaining the essence of the story. The music is full of lovely duets that can make your heart flutter one second, and your skin crawl the next. Though I do realize that this particular musical isn't meant for everyone, it is way underrated and needs a few more adoring fans! 

Here is "Sirens" - one of my favorite's from Jane Eyre-The Musical:

After returning from my trip to the UK & Ireland last night, I can already speak on the list of things I've missed about the US:

1.) Coffee - Yes...the coffee...oh how I have missed it. Filling my morning with joy and coffeeness. So good. So easily accessible. Good job, USA, good job.

2.) Vegetables - They are everywhere! Fruit too! So easy to add to a meal or to just be a meal. It's wonderful. 

3.) The plumbing - Flushing on the first try??? NO WAY! Super stoked....the whole water pressure and temperature adjustment in the shower thing is pretty sweet too. 

4.) Tap water- Oh the tap water, not chalky, not salty, just refreshing. This is good.

However, I can also already make a list of things that I miss about the UK and Ireland.

1.) Friendly strangers. Yes, California, they exist. People who hold the door open for you. Don't give you dirty looks if you make conversation. Respect of your space but don't avoid you like the plague. Help you if you're lost. And, in general, aren't giant assholes. Example: there was a blind homeless man on one of our buses. People helped him to his seat, the bus driver made sure he knew where to drop him, then man sitting next to him made conversation, when he needed his armrest adjusted or when he dropped his cane, people helped without needing thanks. Talk about a culture shock.

2.) History. It's everywhere. Not just the landmarks and the museums, but in the local pub, the street you walk on, the river you splash in, and the people that you meet, full of knowledge and pride. Thousands of years of history. It's beautiful. (And side note: don't mess with the naked men in blue, they are scary and awesome.)

3.) The "red shirts". No need to elaborate. Funny, knowledgable, and fun folks. Yes, indeed ;)  Which leads me to......... *drum roll*

4.) Accents....they are awesome and so pretty. 

5.) Scones. Ireland, thank you. Just, thank you. 

6.) Pubs. Not only for the FANSTASTIC beer (which deserves a number of it's own), but for the people that you meet, the fun you find, and the stories. 

7.) The FANTASTIC beer. 

8.) Street performers. Yes, our group was lucky since we had a good amount of time at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which had hundreds of awesome street performers. But even outside of the festival - on the tube in London, on the streets of Dublin, street performers everywhere! And if you were paying attention to item #1 you'd be able to guess that, yes, people do indeed stop to listen and throw in some change. Because these are some talented folks adding music, culture, and clowns to our busy lives, sometimes even making us stop and listen for half a second. Love it.  

9.) Education. It's valued. It's affordable. It's better. It's specific. It's wanted and appreciated. It's not putting their 20 year olds into crippling debt that they'll be paying for the rest of their lives. Listen up America, you're doing it wrong.  

10.) Transportation. I know...this is weird. But it's so easy to get anywhere you want to go. It's awesome. 

11.) General views on artists. Of course on our adventures we met plenty of artists, musicians, performers all over place, and there is a huge difference on how they are viewed. Like the most of the artistic lot in the US, they have their "day job" and then they have their passion. But unlike the US, their is a certain amount of actual acceptence when someone says "I am a musician(artist/performer)". Maybe this is a particularly sensitive area for me since I'm so used to saying "I'm an actor" and getting responses like "Cool, what do you do for a living?" or "Oh, that's nice. Which restaurant do you work in?" or "Ha. What's your back up plan?" or "Do you have a rich husband then?" or "Awesome. What do you actually do?" or "It must be nice to be one of those 'free spirit' types"....and I could go on...the first person I told I was an actor in the UK, I went through my usual mental process. Oh c'mon...you other performers out there know it. The "here comes the smirk, followed by fake appreciation, and a rude comment. Just smile and maybe they'll go away..." mental preparation whenever we have to admit our passion to a stranger. However instead of the usual, I was pleasantly surprised by being able to actually have a conversation with this person about what I do and why I love it. Yes, I know what you're thinking..."that person must've been another performer..". But nope, she was a biology student. Performers, artists, and musicians are a valued part of society, and unlike in the US, in the UK it isn't treated as a big secret. 

12.) Culture. People from all over the world. Different languages. Different ways of life. Different social norms. Everywhere. It's pretty awesome. 

That is my general list of things that I already miss about the UK & Ireland. To clarify, I am an American girl and proud to be, but I learned alot in my short trip that just make more sense than what I've grown accustomed to. I'm sure I'll think of more things to miss since I've been home for less than 24 hours at this point, but for now, this will do.