Phone rings, door chimes, in comes COMPANY

Or, we loooooooooooooooooooooove… (13 measures later) youuuuuuuu! Folks, you’ll be happy to hear your favorite lopsided Sondheim fan is branching out! Last weekend I got together with a group of strangers to sing through the (still unbelievably) now-late composer’s 1970 breakout hit Company. Let me tell you, spending seven hours tops on a difficult scoreContinue reading “Phone rings, door chimes, in comes COMPANY”

News of the Soul: February

I’ve become the in-house reporter for the Berlin arts collective Soul and the City. Check out our first monthly roundup of events, workshops, and things to look forward to here. I took the photos too! (Psst—a certain masterclass with yours truly is featured. 😉) Take care of yourselves this Winterspring, folks! Love—Cecilia

Just saw FUNNY GIRL for the first time…

Or, oy! …and it was weird, man. I’m gonna put all my thoughts in a list, because that’s the kind of time and energy I’ve got this week. Reminiscent of other musicals of the era in that the first act contained much more singing, and was much more lighthearted, than the second. But I thinkContinue reading “Just saw FUNNY GIRL for the first time…”

Is INTO THE WOODS the Great American Musical?

Or, an unexpected farewell Let the WordPress record show that I had planned this post long, long before the sudden death of Stephen Sondheim a week ago Friday. As I told my family when I called them thirty seconds after reading the news, there are those figures whose deaths you prepare for, and those figuresContinue reading “Is INTO THE WOODS the Great American Musical?”

In Defense of the Kids Who Had the Nerve to Audition

In which, for once, inclusivity supersedes quality We all—of a certain age, anyhow—remember the scene in High School Musical where a procession of hopefuls audition for the winter musicale. They sing an excerpt from “What I’ve Been Looking For” accompanied by its composer, accident-prone musical genius Kelsi Nielsen, who is to East High what ColeContinue reading “In Defense of the Kids Who Had the Nerve to Audition”

We’re in Urinetown

In which I’m filled with symbolism and things like that It’s the oldest story: Masses are oppressed Faces, clothes, and bladders all distressed Rich folks get the good life Poor folks get the woe In the end it’s nothing you don’t know : “Too Much Exposition” For nearly a week now—beginning, with eerie prescience, shortlyContinue reading “We’re in Urinetown”

Every Beatles Reference in “You’ll Be Back”

In which I send a fully armed battalion to remind you that all you need is love Hamilton’s George III, our favorite mad king, steps out in the middle of Act I to the most fanfare since, well, Hamilton stepped out. He proceeds to introduce himself with a tune I can only describe as Late-StageContinue reading “Every Beatles Reference in “You’ll Be Back””

Girl Next Door

In which I set something straight It came to my attention during a family phone conversation that I have misinterpreted the “girl next door” trope for most of my life. This stock character often appears in visual media as the primary love interest or counterpart (apparently) to the boy next door to her. The premiseContinue reading “Girl Next Door”

Singular Sensation

In which Broadway’s Broadwayest musical turns 45 There’s no shortage of subjects I could chase this week. The album Taylor Swift surprised us with that no one was emotionally ready for. The utter circus my expat life is becoming as I wait on important answers from oversaturated offices. The fact that I’m using my limitedContinue reading “Singular Sensation”