Mynee's Musings

Into The Woods

This week's show was Into the Woods.  I knew nothing about it other than there was a movie by the same name last year although we didn't see it.  As you have probably guessed, we aren't big movie fans.  I can't sit still that long, ha!  Anyway, the story line weaves together the lives of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Bean Stalk and Rapunzel.  A witch casts a spell on The Baker and his wife who then must find a milk-white cow, hair as yellow as corn, a blood-red cape, and a slipper of gold to reverse the spell.  Well, you can probably figure out how that ties back to the other characters.  I don't really consider this a "kid" show because it is somewhat dark but w really enjoyed it.  The narrator was Ken Page, one of our favorites!

We ate dinner at The Culver Pavillion before the show.  Coconut shrimp, beef shortribs, various sides and salads.  Yum!  Next weeks show, Beauty and the Beast.  

The Buddy Holly Story

This weeks show was The Buddy Holly Story.  I’ve been voting for this show for years so I was glad they finally decided to add it to the lineup this year.  I didn’t really know a lot about Buddy Holly other than that he died in a plane crash along with Richie Valenz and the Big Bopper.  I was familiar with some of his songs such as Everyday, Peggy Sue and That’ll Be the Day.  I didn’t realize that he was only 22 when he died and that he married his wife after only knowing her for 5 hours.  I also didn’t know that Ritchie Valens was only 17 when he died. Wow!

We ate at Bottleworks before the show.  We started with the hummus and then I had the bacon mac and cheese and Bill had the BLT.  There were a few brews in there too…Brown for Bill and IPA for me.

Next week, Into The Woods.

Holiday Inn

This week's show was Holiday Inn.  We gave our tickets to my niece and brother-in-law.  My mom had outpatient surgery yesterday and my sister was out of town so I went to the hospital with my mom.  I wasn’t sure when I’d get back home plus Bill wasn’t sure when he’d get home because it was the second week with the new payroll system and he’d been putting in long hours.  We figured it would just be best to skip the show.  My niece and brother-in-law enjoyed it all worked out.

We decided to eat dinner at Morgan Street and were able to sit outside on their patio as the weather was great.  Yummy food and great brews!  Next week, The Buddy Holly Story.

Hairspray

This weeks show was Hairspray.  We saw it for the first time 5 years ago and really liked it.  Can you believe we’ve never seen the movie?  Anyway, the show is really cute and the actress who played Tracy Turnblad, Ryann Redmond, was really good.  It was her Muny debut.  Liz Mikel who played Motormouth Maybelle was fantastic.  Wow, can she sing!  This was her second Muny performance as she was in Seussical last year.  The weather didn’t look promising but luckily, it didn’t rain. 

We ate dinner at the Culver Pavillion before the show.  Years ago, we would eat there before every show when LoRusso’s catered the food but then the Muny formed their own catering company and we weren’t too impressed.  We tried it again last year and liked it so we decided to make reservations for dinner for three different shows based on the menu.  This week, one of the featured items was crab cakes.  Yum!  They also had various sides such as a meat, cheese and fruit platter, risoto salad, a roasted potato salad, green beans, salad, baked potato bar, as well as two other entrees; chicken and beef.  It was all really good.

The next show is in two weeks; Holiday Inn.  Stay tuned…

My Fair Lady

The Muny season opened last week with My Fair Lady.  Our season began the same way that last season ended…with a rain-shortened performance.  They were about 3/4^th of the way through the first act when it started raining.  There was about an 45 minute delay and the actors started to come back out on stage when it started raining again so there was another 15 minute delay.  The performance started again and about 15 minutes later, it started raining.  By this time, it was about 10:30pm and they weren’t even finished with the first act.  We decided to head home and, as it turns out, they ended up cancelling the rest of the performance.

Due to all of the rain we’ve been havnig this month, we decided that the grass would probably be too wet for a picnic so we ate dinner at Bottleworks before the show.  When it’s either too wet or hot to have a picnic, we usually eat at either Bottleworks or Six Row as both are relatively close to The Muny.  Well, Six Row closed earlier this month in anticipation of moving to a new location.  Sounds strange to me.  Why would you close before the new location is up and running?  I sure hope they do open again as it was one of our favorite microbreweries.

Next week, Hairspray.  

2015 Muny Season

The 2015 season was announced last week and overall, I’m pleased with the lineup:

• Oklahoma
• The Buddy Holly Story
• Beauty and the Beast
• Hairspray
• Holiday Inn
• Into the Woods
• My Fair Lady

Only one of the shows I voted for, The Buddy Holly Story, was chosen.  We’ve never seen Holiday Inn or Into the Woods so that’s cool.  I love My Fair Lady although Bill isn’t too fond of it.  The only one that I really don’t like is Oklahoma.  We saw it back in 2007 and I actually pretty much hated it.   Unfortunately, it’s the first show of the season so we can’t give our tickets away.  It’s like an unwritten rule, we must attend the first and last show…hee hee hee.  Oh well, I’m sure it won’t be that bad. ;)

2014 Muny Season Recap

This was one of the best seasons ever!  I seriously loved all of the shows.  For my season recap, I always rank the shows and I almost feel guilty doing so because I really enjoyed all of them.  That being said, here goes…

1. Hello Dolly
2. Adams Family, Seussical and Grease (all equal)
3. Billy Elliott
4. Porgy & Bess and Tarzan (both equal)

Ha, yes I know I should rank them individually but I just can’t.  3 shows are “tied” for second place and 2 shows are “tied” for fourth. 

I once again forgot to take a pen for the night the ballots were handed out.  The good thing is, the ballot is also online so I did vote.  Here are my choices:

• Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
• Jesus Christ Superstar
• Mame
• Ragtime
• The Wiz
• Young Frankenstein
• Saturday Night Fever

Saturday Night Fever wasn’t listed on the paper ballot but it was listed online.  We’ve seen Jesus Christ Superstar, Mame and Young Frankenstein before but we haven’t ever seen the other four shows.  It’s always fun to see how many of our choices they actually choose.

Based on the last two years, the 2015 season should be announced some time in October.  I’ll be sure to post the info here. 

Until next time… 

Hello Dolly

We went to our last Muny show of the 2014 season last night, Hello Dolly.  This is one of my all-time favorite shows.  I love everything about it; the songs, the costumes, the storyline.  The last time I saw it at The Muny was in 2007 (went with a former BFF) and the last time Bill saw it was 1997 when Gretchen Wyler played Dolly.  I seriously could see it every year and never get tired of it.  This year, Beth Leavel played Dolly and she was fantastic!  She was Sister Robert Ann in Nunsense last year.  John O'Hurley also returned to The Muny again this year to play Horace Vandergelder (last year; Spamalot) and was perfect for the part.   

Here's the sad part...we didn't get to see the entire show.  It started raining during the end of the first act and they stopped the performance twice.  After an abbreviated intermission, they started the second act.  After the first scene, it started raining.  They were able to perform Waiter's Gallop and then it really started raining.  Well, the next song was Hello Dolly and the actors pushed through the rain and gave an outstanding performance.  No one even left despite the rain.  The actors received a standing ovation and then they announced that the show would have to stop due to rain.  We left our seats and stood on the side under cover and then about 10 minutes later, they announced that the performance had been cancelled.  I was sad but I was just happy that they were able to perform the Hello Dolly number.   

Because it looked like rain, we ate at Six Row instead of having a picnic dinner as planned.  They had tapped a double Waimea IPA (New Zealand hop) IPA the night before so we were able to try it.  Very tasty!

I'll post a review of the entire 2014 Muny season soon.  Until then...

Grease

We saw Grease at The Muny last night.  We've seen it at The Muny and The Fox (last time, Taylor Hicks played Teen Angel).  I really like the movie and was hoping that this production would be better than the production at The Fox with above mentioned Teen Angel.  Well, we were looking at the playbill before the show and noticed that a woman, Teresa Kindle, was playing Teen Angel.  What?  A woman?  Teen angel is a guy.  Well, not in this production.  Hmmm, I just couldn't picture a female Teen Angel.  Let me tell you, she practically stole the show!  She was amazing!  Phyllis Smith who played Phyllis Vance on The Office and is a St. Louis native, returned to The Muny to play the part of Miss Lynch.  She just cracks me up.  The entire cast did a great job!

Because it was St. Louis Craft Beer week, we decided to eat dinner at Six Row so that we could taste one of their brews made especially for this week.  We had the IPA made with Simcoe hops and it was really good.   

There is no show next Friday since Grease started on Thursday (strange schedule this year to say the least).  The final show will be in two weeks...one of my all-time favorites...Hello Dolly.  :)

Seussical

 

We saw Seussical at The Muny on Friday.  I think it was actually the “kid” show of the season but we loved it.  Who doesn’t love Dr. Seuss?  Seussical and Addams Family are tied for my favorite of the season so far.  Stephen Wallam, who plays Thor on Nurse Jackie and who played Shrek last year, returned again this year to play Horton.  John Tartaglia played the Cat in a Hat.  He had played the genie in Aladdin in 2012.  They were both excellent and the set was amazing.  After the show, as we were walking out, a man was talking to another older gentleman who said, "My son is the Cat in the Hat."  The other man said, "He did a great job.  You must be proud" and he said, "Oh yes, very proud"  and touched his heart.  I thought it was sweet.      

We ate at the Culver Pavillion again before the show.  In addition to the salads, cheese and fruit platter, breads, hummus, muffins, etc. the entrees were flat iron steak, fried shrimp, canelloni and “kid friendly” foods such as chicken fingers, mac and cheese and a baked potato bar and then apple crumb cake for dessert, Yum!  Once again, I was stuffed. 

The weather was beautiful.  We have really lucked out this year.  Only two more shows left and hopefully the weather will cooperate. 

Next week, Grease.  Stay tuned…