I love love love this song. I can't wait to see Waitress when it arrives on Broadway!

Happy Birthday to me.

Here's a video from my second Counting Crows show of the season, at the PNC Bank Arts Center. My friend Sandi and I had lawn tickets but paid $10 to upgrade, so we ended up paying a total of $30 each for what turned out to be pretty great seats (though not front row like we're used to). Anyway, obviously the video quality is crap, and you can hear me singing along, but I filmed this for myself. I love this song. Scroll down for much better video from show #1 (front row). More to come after Atlantic City next weekend!

This has been an awesome summer for concerts. I saw U2 three times, saw Dave Matthews Band once, and am seeing Counting Crows three times. The first of those three shows was absolutely fantastic. I filmed my favorite songs; watch them above. I can't stop watching.

I'm back, and so soon! Don't worry, this isn't about Fun Home; this time I'm here to further your musical theatre education with this lovely new article about Hamilton, which is an absolutely brilliant show (I've written about it before). This article from Vogue is definitely worth reading, and the photos (by Annie Leibovitz) are gorgeous.

Here's the White House video that the article references (I've posted it before, but it's handy to share it again here because it's mentioned in the article, and it does give me chills):
Here I am with the show's brilliant creator/Hamilton:

And with Jonathan Groff (King George III):

I can't wait to see this show again, this time on Broadway (though I worry that it will lose a bit of its charm in a huge Broadway house that holds 1,319 people). I'm so glad I saw the show at the Newman Theater, with a seating capacity of 232 people; it was so intimate, and I loved being able to see the tears on the actors' faces. I'm still excited to see it on Broadway, though; I have tickets for November, but I'd like to see it before then as well.

Okay, this'll be my last Fun Home post for awhile. It's just in my mind right now; since seeing the show again, I haven't been able to stop listening to it. The show won five Tony Awards: Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori won Tonys for Best Book and Best Score, Michael Cerveris won for Best Actor in a musical, Sam Gold won for Best Director of a Musical, and the show won Best Musical. Sydney Lucas gave a beautiful performance of "Ring of Keys" at the ceremony. Have I mentioned I love this song? (Yeah, I have. I raved here and here and here.) I'll stop after this. Just watch. 


Here I am with the lovely Ms. Lucas: 

 And Tony winner Mr. Cerveris, who is also brilliant in the show (plus my view of the stage from my seat, which was basically on the stage): 

Finally, I'll end with a fun video of a song from the show that is guaranteed to make you smile. I promise. Aren't these kids fantastic?!

I'm seeing this again today (hooray for winning the lottery!) and hope it cleans up at the Tonys. I love it so much. Sydney Lucas singing "Ring of Keys" is one of the most amazing things I've seen (and she's singing it at the Tonys tomorrow!).

Thanks John Oliver. I think I need a sign that says "Don't f**k me on this!"

I can't say enough good things about this show. It blew me away; it's definitely one of the best things I've ever seen. This man, Lin-Manuel Miranda, is an absolute genius.

Jonathan Groff plays King George and he's hilarious. He was also super nice.

Here's a throwback to Lin-Manuel's Tony acceptance speech for In the Heights. He's wonderful.


Okay, one more video:

Last one, I promise. This one's good:

The Stella sisters are one of the main reasons I watch Nashville (along with Hayden Panettiere). Here's a new cover of theirs:



I have to do a massive theater post soon, because I have a lot of shows to write about.

One thing that really makes me fall in love with TV shows is the music. If I love the music on a show, I'm immediately hooked. This was on the latest episode of House of Lies, which is having a great season so far. Just the fact that the show stars Kristen Bell and Don Cheadle is enough for me, so songs like this are just a bonus. This same show was also used on Scorpion, another TV show I watch. (I watch way too many shows.)

This is really old, and it's very possible that I posted it here a couple years ago, but I can't remember so I'm posting it now because I love it. Probably my favorite Key & Peele sketch. Happy Friday!

Here are my quick Golden Globe reflections, before I go to bed because I have to work tomorrow. (Why are awards shows on Sunday? Ugh.)

Really happy that The Affair won Best TV Show (Drama) and Ruth Wilson won for Best Actress in a  TV Show Drama for The Affair. I love the show, and I can't wait for next season.

The Grand Budapest Hotel won for Best Picture (Musical/Comedy). Hooray! Birdman was definitely the frontrunner, but I'm not sure that should even be considered a comedy, and although I enjoyed it, I didn't love it as much as most people seemed to. I did enjoy Michael Keaton's performance very much, so I wasn't disappointed to see him win, but I'm glad the film didn't win Best Picture.

I'm thrilled that Fargo won Best Miniseries. I love love love Fargo. I just wish Allison Tolman had won for her performance.

Yay for Julianne Moore! Her performance in Still Alice is heartbreaking and beautiful, so I'm glad she won Best Actress in a Drama (Film). Amy Adams won Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy (Film), and although I loved her in Big Eyes, is that movie really a comedy? I don't know, sometimes these categories confuse me. On the TV side, I'm still not convinced Shameless and Orange is the New Black are comedies, either.

Anyway, I enjoyed the evening, even though I wish Tina and Amy had been more prominent. I'll miss them as hosts next year.

I absolutely love this combo of songs (which is made even better by the "I am feathered" alts from "A Murder of One" in "A Long December"), and this is a fitting video to share today as we begin a new year (which will hopefully be better than the last). Happy New Year!