I can't believe this is post #700!

I realize I haven't written here in awhile and haven't posted any recent pictures. I've had lots of great experiences in the past month, and you can see some photos from those experiences here. I visited New Orleans (great food and great music), saw The Bridges of Madison County at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and, most recently, went to the U.S. Open.

I just finished Marisha Pessl's Night Film; I read it in two days (and it's not exactly a short novel). I couldn't put it down. I love Marisha Pessl. I haven't read Special Topics in Calamity Physics since it came out (seven years ago), but now I want to go back and reread it just so I can hear more of Marisha Pessl's voice. I hope she doesn't wait seven more years before publishing her next novel.

I've seen three shows in the last two days, two of which were fabulous. (Mr. Burns was not fabulous in my opinion, so I won't talk about that; I usually only write about positive theatre experiences here. Ben Brantley loved the show, though, and called it "downright brilliant," making it one of his critic's picks, so what do I know? I think the fact that I've never watched The Simpsons hindered me with that one.) I saw The Tempest at Shakespeare in the Park on Friday. It's a magnificent production featuring some great Broadway performers, including Norm Lewis and Laura Benanti, as well as 200 New Yorkers from various community organizations. It's quite ambitious to have so many people onstage, but it made for some fantastic moments of theater. It was well worth the 4.5 hours I spent in line for tickets (and it was a beautiful day to wait in Central Park).

Last night I saw The Glass Menagerie on Broadway. I remember studying this play in college and writing essays on it; it greatly moved me when I read it, so I was eager to see it performed onstage. This production is absolutely perfect; it's simply exquisite. I cannot say enough good things about it and cannot imagine a better staging of the play. The production transferred to Broadway from Cambridge, and Ben Brantley's New York Times rave review of that production expresses my feelings better than I can. Zachary Quinto plays Tom, and I'm a fan of his so I was eager to see his performance; I loved seeing him onstage in Angels in America (he's probably best known as Sylar on Heroes, Spock in the new Star Trek movies, and for his role in American Horror Story). He plays Tom with weariness that weighs down his every step and anguish and vulnerability that contort his face; his performance made the character resonate with me in in ways that didn't hit me when I read the play. He's heartbreaking, and he's the soul of the play. Cherry Jones (whom Mr. Brantley calls "perhaps the greatest stage actress of her generation") is fantastic as Amanda. When she reminisces about the past to escape the reality of the present, she transports you into those memories, and the shift back to reality is painful. Celia Keenan Bolger (a theatre favorite of mine; she most recently starred in Peter and the Starcatcher) is Laura, and she's a perfect mix of fear, hope, surprising strength, and eventual devastation (which sounds like a strange assortment of feelings, but it's what I sensed and it works). This play is gorgeous and devastating and proof that Tennessee Williams was a genius. This production feels like the perfect example of what the play should look like onstage. If you are in New York in the next few months, go see it.

I'm not sure why I don't write about books here very much. I love books, and I'm an English teacher. I did write a post about my favorite books of 2012, so check that out if you haven't yet. Right now I want to talk about YAlit. One of the current trends in YAlit is dystopian series. I love dystopian novels; I guess Lois Lowry's The Giver is one of the earliest ones that captivated me, and I've been addicted to the genre since I read Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale in high school (that book was also the beginning of my obsession with Margaret Atwood). Just the concept of dystopian lit fascinates me; I love seeing different authors' visions of what our world might become. I love reading about the past, but I also love seeing visions of the future; I understand we learn from the past, but I also believe these imagined future worlds can inform the decisions we make as a society going forward.

 There are many new dystopian series/novels out there, but there are three trilogies that are probably the most popular. They're also really, really good. It seems like pretty much everyone has read The Hunger Games trilogy. The second one is the Matched trilogy by Ally Condie. The series follows a girl named Cassia who struggles against the path that her society has planned for her. I mentioned this series in the post I lined earlier (my favorite books of 2012). I love the importance of art and creativity in the series (especially the significance of writing). The third is the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth, and it might just be my favorite (or maybe that's because it's the most recent one and I'm eagerly awaiting the conclusion; the third book in that series is scheduled to come out this October, and I can't wait to read it). The Divergent series is about a girl named Tris (Beatrice) who lives in a world that is organized around five key virtues (bravery, selflessness, intelligence, honesty, and peacefulness) and has to deal with the growing divisions between these factions.

What I love about these three trilogies is that each one portrays a strong female protagonist who must make difficult choices. These are great books for young adults because they're full of adventure, but they also make kids contemplate difficult issues and consider the effects of different social and political structures. These books aren't just for kids, either. I'm an adult and I devoured them all. So if you're looking for some entertaining and thought-provoking reads, check out these series.

On a related note, this leads into a quick discussion about one of my favorite actresses, Shailene Woodley. She was fabulous in The Descendants, she was lovely in The Spectacular Now (currently in theaters), and she happens to be starring in two upcoming movies based on books that are favorites of mine. She's playing Tris in Divergent, and she's also starring in John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. If you haven't read that book, go buy some tissues read it right now (it was Time Magazine's #1 Fiction Book of 2012 and it's fabulous). I'm always nervous when books I love are adapted for the big screen, but the casting of Shailene Woodley in these two films gives me hope.

Add me as a friend on Goodreads if you want to keep up with what I'm reading. I'm very excited for Marisha Pessl's Night Film to be released (August 20th!). Her first novel, Special Topics in Calamity Physics, is one of my favorites (add that to your reading list, too!). I saw her speak when she was promoting that novel (in conversation with Jennifer Egan!) and was very impressed with her. I wrote about the event here. I can't wait to read her second novel.

Since I'm full of recommendations today, I'm adding one that's not a book. Go watch Top of the Lake. It's a miniseries that's available on Netflix, and it is so. Freakin'. Awesome. I finished it today and I'm sad that it ended because I want to keep watching I love it so much. It'll probably win a bunch of Emmys. Check it out. 

Finally, just because:

"So when your hope's on fire, but you know your desire. Don't hold a glass over the flame, don't let your heart grow cold. I will call you by name, I will share your road. But hold me fast, hold me fast, 'cause I'm a hopeless wanderer. And hold me fast, hold me fast, 'cause I'm a hopeless wanderer. I will learn, I will learn to love the skies I'm under. I will learn, I will learn to love the skies I'm under. The skies I'm under." ~mumford & sons

It feels like I'm spending more time outside of NYC this summer than I'm spending here at home. This summer I will have spent time in upstate NY, Greensboro, NC, Iowa, Colorado, Williamsown, MA, and New Orleans. I'm back for another brief stint before heading to the Williamstown Theatre Festival this weekend and then going to New Orleans next week. I spent last week in Iowa (for a family lovely reunion) and in Colorado visiting my parents, and it was nice to spend time with so many family members, especially because I don't get to see many of them very often.
Here I am with some of my cousins and our grandmother:

 And here I am in Colorado after a long hike:

You've probably already seen this, but it's still worth posting. I love Mumford & Sons (search my blog for my concert post on them), and I love that they have a sense of humor and don't take themselves too seriously. I also love Jason Bateman, Will Forte, Ed Helms, and Jason Sudeikis, so this is pretty awesome.

I'll hopefully have a good review of the musical The Bridges of Madison County (music by Jason Robert Brown!) to share after this weekend.

 "Jesus said, 'Mother, I couldn't stay another day longer.' He flies right by and leaves a kiss upon her face. While the angels are singin' his praises in a blaze of glory, Mary stays behind and starts cleaning up the place." ~patty griffin

I'm going to try and post more often now. My latest catch-up entry was a long one (scroll down), so I'll try to stay more up to date so I don't have to do those catch-ups.

My initial reaction to the Emmy nominations, announced this morning:

I'm disappointed that the Emmys still fail to recognize that Parks and Recreation is the best comedy on TV. At least Amy Poehler was nominated (she better win this time). Where's the nod for best comedy, though? And why didn't Adam Scott get a nomination this year? And Nick Offerman? I honestly believe this is the best comedy on TV, and I'm baffled as to why the Emmys continually fail to acknowledge it. 

I'm happy for Homeland. Of course Claire Danes and Damien Lewis were nominated for their leading roles, which is awesome but not surprising. I'm SO thrilled that Morena Baccarin and Mandy Patinkin were nominated in the supporting categories, and Rupert Friend in the guest actor category. Five acting nominations ain't bad! (Along with noms in the categories for writing, directing, and best drama.)

I'm super thrilled for Anna Chlumsky being nominated for best supporting actress in a comedy. She's my favorite thing about Veep, I've been a fan of hers since she was Vada Sultenfuss in My Girl (oh, My Girl, how I love you), and it's been lovely seeing her all grown up and showing her comedy chops on this show.
(Sidebar on Anna Chlumsky: I also love that she's a New Yorker and a theater junkie. She was super sweet when I met her at a show I was ushering for. And she just had a baby, so congrats to her! And I love the name Penelope.)

I'm also thrilled for Kerry Washington's nomination for best actress in a drama. She's fabulous in Scandal, so I'm glad she was noticed. I think the show should have been nominated for best drama, and it would have been nice to see Jeff Perry get a supporting nod, but at least Kerry Washington got nominated.

How did Hayden Panettiere not get nominated for supporting actress in a drama for her work in Nashville? Her performance in the season finale alone should have WON her the award. Seriously. I've watched it multiple times because I'm so in awe. I'm glad Connie Britton was nominated for best actress in a drama for Nashville, but her costar should have also been recognized.

I wish The Walking Dead, Parenthood, and Covert Affairs had been recognized.


On a related note, Covert Affairs is back! The fourth season premiered this week. This is one of those shows where each season is better than the last (I absolutely loved the third season), so I have high hopes. They're already dropping bombshells and bringing the action.


That's all for now. I'm heading to North Carolina for the weekend, and hopefully I'll return with some pictures to share.

Oh my goodness, it's summer and I'm busier than ever. I know I haven't posted in forever; I just haven't had time. I have many concerts and Broadway shows to write about and can't review in depth right now, so I'll give you some highlights. Here's some bullet points on the last couple of months:

Broadway:
Matilda was my favorite new show of the season. I absolutely loved it (and my students did, too; they also loved the backstage tour we were fortunate enough to take). It's a lovely, lovely show.

Concerts:   
Big Star's Third was a highlight. Big Star is a tragically under-appreciated band, so it was wonderful to see this tribute to them. I was thrilled to see Pete Yorn, Sharon Van Etten, Kurt Vile, Mike Mills (those four are pictured in the first four photos on the left), and many other talented musicians sharing the stage to perform this brilliant album. I'd pay money to see each of those artists, so to see them all together was perfect. The concert was at Central Park Summerstage, one of my favorite venues, and I got a spot in the front row.

Another highlight was Dave Matthews Band at Woodstock. This is an ideal venue for the band; it's a beautiful outdoor setting. I went with my friends Bill and Amy and a bunch of hikers (more about that later). We tailgated before the show (let me tell you, DMB fans know how to tailgate) and then grabbed seats on the lawn to enjoy band, who definitely know how to put on a live show. They seriously are one of the best live acts around; they're all incredible musicians, and they've spent so much time touring over the last couple of decades that they're constantly exploring their music and continue to find new ways to make their songs fresh and meaningful. Highlights of this show for me were "Warehouse" (oh my goodness, I love that song), "Jimi Thing," "So Damn Lucky," and the closer, "Ants Marching." I remember memorizing "Ants Marching" in high school by listening to it over and over and over again, and by looking up the lyrics so I could perfect the "Candy man, tempting the thoughts of a sweet tooth..." part. I still have the song completely memorized more than ten years later, and hearing it close out the concert was a perfect ending to the show.

Visits: 
I've spent time with my friend Kim, and I also stayed with Bill and Amy. Bill and Amy live right next to the Appalachian Trail, so they give thru-hikers a place to stay. A bunch of hikers came to the DMB concert with us, and even more came to Bill and Amy's Fourth of July party. Every year they have a party on the 4th, and they invite hikers along the trail. This year there were 38 hikers (and 50 people total at the party). It wasn't just a day-long party; for the few days that I was there, the house was filled with people. I got to meet so many interesting characters; it was an incredible experience. I already can't wait for next year.

Movies: 
I went to the premiere of The Way, Way Back, which was a blast. I loved the film, and it was cool to rub elbows with Toni Collette (LOVE her, and she's even more gorgeous and sweet in person), Steve Carrell,  Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, and more. The movie is funny and bittersweet and I highly recommend it.

Another movie I really enjoyed was Fruitvale Station. It broke my heart. Even though you go into it knowing the story and knowing how it will end, it still has a tremendous emotional impact, mostly because of Michael B. Jordan's performance. I've been a fan of his since Friday Night Lights (and I enjoyed him on Parenthood), and it's great to see him carrying a film.

Random: 
I went to a taping of Live with Kelly and Michael (Nick Cannon and Sasha Alexander were the guests), I went to Random House's Annual Author's Event for NYC Educators, and I've seen some cool performances at Lincoln Center through the class I've been taking.

 

So basically I'm busier than ever, even though school's out. I have lots of mini-vacations coming up, which I'll share about. 

ETA: Today's a sad day for a few reasons. Here's one of them. I took this photo a few years ago, and I love his smile in it. RIP Cory Monteith. 

Today I'm cheering myself up by going to see Zachary Levi on Broadway in First Date and then going to ASSSCAT at UCB in the evening. 

I'll leave you with a recent cuddle session.