I write best when I'm filled with emotion, so I figured I may as well write something today. Yesterday, quite out of no where, I was laid off from my job. You may know me or you may not, but I can assure you this was not due to poor quality of work nor for hours not worked. Not only did I put in overtime almost every week, but I was also widely hailed as a great worker.
So what can you say when you do everything right and work really hard, love your job, love your company, help advertise your job to friends and family even when not on the clock, and then the company turns around and says, "You know what, we're gonna reorganize and find a way to do without you." There's nothing you can say. It's just a slap. A real slap in the face of an innocent man is what this is. I harbor no ill will toward my immediate manager(s) or coworkers, but whoever decided to do this without consulting those people as to who should go and who shouldn't made a gravely irresponsible decision.
Maybe they thought that if they gave the choice to the managers, that the managers would only spare their favorites and not the best workers. If that's the kind of faith you have in your managers, that's pretty sad.
But maybe it's another reasonless reason, that they just closed their eyes and like choosing a winner as randomly and fairly as possible, they pointed to numbers on a page instead of faces and people.
Either way, a great wrong has occurred here, and that's the part that hurts the most. Whether it was a mass layoff by random choice or by salary, they still made an absolutely 100% incorrect decision to remove me from their roster.
If you run a stop sign and an officer gives you a ticket, you can grumble, but you'll still know that you were in the wrong. If you park in an illegal space, you can protest as much as you want, the sign is still right there. But when you've done nothing wrong and prove yourself to be an outstanding worker, and a company still chooses others over you, the wrong is 100% with that company. And I believe that company will, as has happened before, be told of their error. Whether they choose to do the right thing and bring me back, as they did once before, is unknown. But they will be told of their error.
What will happen in my absence? Well, four people are left to do the work of 7 in my department. That's four people by the way, who even if you took away their Internet time and other break time, could still only do at maximum the work 5 did before. Not to mention the fact that my job was a department unto itself that no one else really knew. Which means very quickly, there will be 80 hours of work undone each week. Ridiculous.
Yet all of these words are the rants of someone looking backward with dismay and sadness and a little bit of anger. I need to regroup, I need to compose myself in a myriad of ways, and I need to walk forward confidently, knowing that though this particular company made the mistake of letting me go, there is a whole world out there waiting for me. It's a world of endless possibilities, and somewhere out there is a company who will appreciate me even more than I will appreciate it. I will make more money than I did before, I will meet new and interesting people and make new friends, and I will be happier than I was before.
I am unemployed...now. I will most likely be unemployed tomorrow. But somewhere in the near future is a better tomorrow for me and for my life. I will forgive those in the past who did this to me in error, and I will wish them well. But I will also prove my worth as an employee and as a person tenfold. I'm looking forward to it and I'm also just looking forward. Tomorrow, here I come!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Fantusical! Enthusical! Wow-zeusical!
Seussical The Musical In Malverne, New York
Imagine you're going to see a high school musical. No, not the movie by that name, just an actual local high school musical. What are your expectations? Maybe some occasional highlights amidst a mostly below-par performance? Some laughs, some obvious talent sprinkled in, but still just a local show with local talent, so probably nothing above and beyond stellar. I mean they can still be good shows, just pretty much worth the $9 or $10 admission you paid, right?
Well this past week, I witnessed a definite contradiction to the above rule. Malverne High School put on what can only be described as an above awesome production of Seussical The Musical. That's right, Malverne. You know, the quaint Long Island town whose cute main street can be explored in under 15 minutes? The one that local residents--with affection of course--call "Mayberry" and "Norman Rockwellville". Yes, that Malverne put on a really, really great show that would absolutely compare to the best Off-Broadway productions you've ever seen. And it included at least six actors (Zachary St. John, Samantha Henry, Ashanti Graham, Francina Smith, Rayven Mason and Jesse Gillespie) who I believe are true stars, some even destined to make it to Broadway! That’s not to say others won’t too. Through hard work and discipline, self-confidence and joy, anything is possible! Honorable mentions too go to Mr. and Mrs. Mayor played by Will Avelar and Sarah St. John as well as to Jojo, played at separate performances by Kayla Mascall and Christina Sangineti, both from the class of 2017.
Full disclosure: I know someone in the cast, but only one person, and she had a small part, as this was her first show. But for the record, Megan Malone shined in her role! You're gonna be a star some day kiddo, and I'm glad to have been there for your first show!
The sets were crazy. And by crazy I mean, "Whaaaaaat??? Am I really in a local school auditorium and seeing all of this??? Really???" They were truly amazing! So much work, painting, sawing, creative designing and just plain ol' man hours must have gone into them and they paid off 200%. Those involved in set design, painting and construction should be very, very proud of their hard work!
Malverne High's lighting, sound and costume departments were all equally stellar and extremely impressive. Lighting cues were hit, sound systems were crisp and dependable, and the costumes were beyond expectation and really, really fun to see, both as they were introduced and throughout the show.
The pit orchestra was perfect, really. All of them--all of you--should be so proud of your talents and hard work! Big props too go to co-directors Kenneth Zagare and Rachel Trevor. To be able to coordinate and teach all of the actors their parts, the choreography and the cohesiveness of the entire show, takes incredible talent. Malverne High School is in very, very good hands and the students are extremely fortunate to be under the tutelage of these masters of their craft!
Actors truly are what make or break a show, and the talent exhibited this past week in Malverne was truly inspiring and inspired. A huge cast came together after months and months of practice and rehearsals, each one having put in so much hard work to get their part and parts perfect. And all of them deserve paragraphs to themselves which I unfortunately cannot do.
I've written this review as a new Malverne resident (as of 2009) as the best way I know how to help support both the Malverne community and the local high school. The auditorium itself is located less than a thousand feet from my house, so I also look forward to the thriving future of live entertainment here in Malverne just a very quick walk away! And so, though I cannot single out all of the actors, I do hope each of them knows their hard work was appreciated, their parts were all enjoyed and they did a great, great job!!! So please forgive me now for only highlighting three of the cast members before I close.
First there is Horton, played by Ashanti Graham, whose voice was just beautiful. My Playbill tells me he's only a sophomore, so Malverne can look forward to more stellar performances from him in the next two years! His acting was perfect, his voice was perfect and he succeeded in capturing the audience's collective heart with an extremely tender and beautiful portrayal of Horton as the sweet and loving elephant. It’s a great role, but all roles are only as great as the person playing them that day. And he did so beautifully. Well done, Ashanti!
Next there is Gertrude, played by the perfectly cast Samantha Henry. I'd never seen the show before Saturday, having missed it when it was on Broadway. Nor had I heard the soundtrack except for a live rendition of one famous Gertude song by Billy Elliot's Tessa Netting. It's clearly a role that requires lots of stage presence, ownership of the part and confidence. It also calls for oodles of talent, and Samantha Henry had all of it. She was wonderful and funny and sweet, and she always had our full, enthusiastic attention every time she was on stage. Also a sophomore, Samantha will no doubt shine in the years to come at Malverne! She was fabulous! And since it's too good not to include, here's part of her Playbill bit: "Because she is playing a bird in Seussical, Sami would like to dedicate her performance tonight to lonely penguins everywhere." She's also got family in the pit--her dad Steve Henry and brother, Max Henry joined Jim Brosnan as the brass section, who were all awesome!
And finally, last but certainly not least, Zachary St. John played the Cat In The Hat. Two words: Tony Award. This guy has got Broadway written all over him! Only a junior, Malverne still has one more year to see him be amazing right here at home, and on Saturday afternoon, I witnessed a true star in that mischievous cat makeup and costume. You know it when you see it, and those who attended any of this past week's performances would have seen it each and every time I'm sure. He belongs on stage! Zachary was just awesome through and through and he made his already big part even bigger, not with big moves or gaudy attention-grabbing maneuvers, something no good actor does. No, he had your attention with the smallest little smiles and funny little moves. He could sing, he could dance, he could act--he even played the trumpet! Can anyone say "Quadruple Threat"?! He was just SO good, and if the little kids and moms and dads hadn't surrounded him for pictures after the show, I'd have made my way to congratulate him too. Bravo, Zack!
All of the actors, set builders, musicians, and production staff deserve a standing ovation for a job very well done. This was only my first show as a new Malverne resident, but I can tell already that the future for Malverne and the world is already very, very bright! The young people coming out of this small hamlet are enormously talented, and whether mentioned here or not, you were all awesome!
I'm so happy to be part of this community and looking forward to many more great productions in the future! Best wishes and much success to all of you!
Sean Patrick Brennan
Malverne, New York
March 13, 2011
Seussical The Musical In Malverne, New York
Imagine you're going to see a high school musical. No, not the movie by that name, just an actual local high school musical. What are your expectations? Maybe some occasional highlights amidst a mostly below-par performance? Some laughs, some obvious talent sprinkled in, but still just a local show with local talent, so probably nothing above and beyond stellar. I mean they can still be good shows, just pretty much worth the $9 or $10 admission you paid, right?
Well this past week, I witnessed a definite contradiction to the above rule. Malverne High School put on what can only be described as an above awesome production of Seussical The Musical. That's right, Malverne. You know, the quaint Long Island town whose cute main street can be explored in under 15 minutes? The one that local residents--with affection of course--call "Mayberry" and "Norman Rockwellville". Yes, that Malverne put on a really, really great show that would absolutely compare to the best Off-Broadway productions you've ever seen. And it included at least six actors (Zachary St. John, Samantha Henry, Ashanti Graham, Francina Smith, Rayven Mason and Jesse Gillespie) who I believe are true stars, some even destined to make it to Broadway! That’s not to say others won’t too. Through hard work and discipline, self-confidence and joy, anything is possible! Honorable mentions too go to Mr. and Mrs. Mayor played by Will Avelar and Sarah St. John as well as to Jojo, played at separate performances by Kayla Mascall and Christina Sangineti, both from the class of 2017.
Full disclosure: I know someone in the cast, but only one person, and she had a small part, as this was her first show. But for the record, Megan Malone shined in her role! You're gonna be a star some day kiddo, and I'm glad to have been there for your first show!
The sets were crazy. And by crazy I mean, "Whaaaaaat??? Am I really in a local school auditorium and seeing all of this??? Really???" They were truly amazing! So much work, painting, sawing, creative designing and just plain ol' man hours must have gone into them and they paid off 200%. Those involved in set design, painting and construction should be very, very proud of their hard work!
Malverne High's lighting, sound and costume departments were all equally stellar and extremely impressive. Lighting cues were hit, sound systems were crisp and dependable, and the costumes were beyond expectation and really, really fun to see, both as they were introduced and throughout the show.
The pit orchestra was perfect, really. All of them--all of you--should be so proud of your talents and hard work! Big props too go to co-directors Kenneth Zagare and Rachel Trevor. To be able to coordinate and teach all of the actors their parts, the choreography and the cohesiveness of the entire show, takes incredible talent. Malverne High School is in very, very good hands and the students are extremely fortunate to be under the tutelage of these masters of their craft!
Actors truly are what make or break a show, and the talent exhibited this past week in Malverne was truly inspiring and inspired. A huge cast came together after months and months of practice and rehearsals, each one having put in so much hard work to get their part and parts perfect. And all of them deserve paragraphs to themselves which I unfortunately cannot do.
I've written this review as a new Malverne resident (as of 2009) as the best way I know how to help support both the Malverne community and the local high school. The auditorium itself is located less than a thousand feet from my house, so I also look forward to the thriving future of live entertainment here in Malverne just a very quick walk away! And so, though I cannot single out all of the actors, I do hope each of them knows their hard work was appreciated, their parts were all enjoyed and they did a great, great job!!! So please forgive me now for only highlighting three of the cast members before I close.
First there is Horton, played by Ashanti Graham, whose voice was just beautiful. My Playbill tells me he's only a sophomore, so Malverne can look forward to more stellar performances from him in the next two years! His acting was perfect, his voice was perfect and he succeeded in capturing the audience's collective heart with an extremely tender and beautiful portrayal of Horton as the sweet and loving elephant. It’s a great role, but all roles are only as great as the person playing them that day. And he did so beautifully. Well done, Ashanti!
Next there is Gertrude, played by the perfectly cast Samantha Henry. I'd never seen the show before Saturday, having missed it when it was on Broadway. Nor had I heard the soundtrack except for a live rendition of one famous Gertude song by Billy Elliot's Tessa Netting. It's clearly a role that requires lots of stage presence, ownership of the part and confidence. It also calls for oodles of talent, and Samantha Henry had all of it. She was wonderful and funny and sweet, and she always had our full, enthusiastic attention every time she was on stage. Also a sophomore, Samantha will no doubt shine in the years to come at Malverne! She was fabulous! And since it's too good not to include, here's part of her Playbill bit: "Because she is playing a bird in Seussical, Sami would like to dedicate her performance tonight to lonely penguins everywhere." She's also got family in the pit--her dad Steve Henry and brother, Max Henry joined Jim Brosnan as the brass section, who were all awesome!
And finally, last but certainly not least, Zachary St. John played the Cat In The Hat. Two words: Tony Award. This guy has got Broadway written all over him! Only a junior, Malverne still has one more year to see him be amazing right here at home, and on Saturday afternoon, I witnessed a true star in that mischievous cat makeup and costume. You know it when you see it, and those who attended any of this past week's performances would have seen it each and every time I'm sure. He belongs on stage! Zachary was just awesome through and through and he made his already big part even bigger, not with big moves or gaudy attention-grabbing maneuvers, something no good actor does. No, he had your attention with the smallest little smiles and funny little moves. He could sing, he could dance, he could act--he even played the trumpet! Can anyone say "Quadruple Threat"?! He was just SO good, and if the little kids and moms and dads hadn't surrounded him for pictures after the show, I'd have made my way to congratulate him too. Bravo, Zack!
All of the actors, set builders, musicians, and production staff deserve a standing ovation for a job very well done. This was only my first show as a new Malverne resident, but I can tell already that the future for Malverne and the world is already very, very bright! The young people coming out of this small hamlet are enormously talented, and whether mentioned here or not, you were all awesome!
I'm so happy to be part of this community and looking forward to many more great productions in the future! Best wishes and much success to all of you!
Sean Patrick Brennan
Malverne, New York
March 13, 2011
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Review: Michael Dameski in Billy Elliot 3/31/2010
originally posted for www.billyelliottheforum.me.uk AND www.friendsofbilly.com
Wednesday March 31st, 2010
Billy: Michael Dameski
Michael: Jake Evan Schwencke
This was my 13th time seeing the show and the end is not only not in sight, it's not ever going to happen. I will see this show as often as my wallet allows for as long as I possibly can. If I die before the show stops running, I will be in Heaven watching the show every "day".
My guest this past week was my friend Christian from Germany. He and I met through a Billy Elliot MOVIE fan group over 8 years ago and have been online friends since. This was our FIRST TIME meeting ever (our first time like ya know) and we spent the week seeing NYC together. On Wednesday the 31st, we saw Billy Elliot The Musical together on his birthday (his first but not last time seeing it). We spent much of his week in New York quoting lines from the movie to each other in as authentic an accent as we could (even though English is his second language, he did even better than me!) and after he saw the musical, we both added lines from that to our dialogue as well. By the time I dropped him to the airport on Saturday afternoon, I was overcome with emotion and couldn't even speak I was so sad to be letting him go again. As I drove away, I sobbed uncontrollably, wiping away tears so that I could avoid hitting cars. The next day I apologized online for being such a BFW, one of the phrases we quoted to each other from the movie. To give you a hint, it's what Tony calls Dad as Billy runs back to say goodbye to Michael. =)
This was my first time seeing Michael Dameski and Jake Evan Schwencke (still need to see Liam, Dayton, Alex and Jacob). I loved them both! Such different characterizations of each part than I've seen from anyone else! And it's been about 9 months since I've seen a short version of Billy, so that was a nice change too. =)
Before I go on, I have to say how special it felt even from thousands of miles away, to be seeing Billy Elliot performed in the Imperial on Wednesday at 2 PM while at the same time across the pond such a special show was underway at the Mother Church! I felt the connection and the solidarity in the air at The Imperial. And while I'd have chosen to be at the Victoria Palace Theatre if I could have, Wednesday's show at The Imperial was the second best place on Earth that day!
The day BEFORE the show, on Tuesday the 30th, I had brought Christian into the city despite the rain so I could show him some of the sights like Times Square. Monday was a total washout and his luggage which should have come with him from Germany to Dublin to New York had been sent on to Boston after he changed planes in Dublin. If the luggage was across the ocean in Dublin, he would have gotten it back by Monday evening. But because it was just a few hours away, he would not get it back until Tuesday via FedEx to my house on Long Island. And I'm only a short 15-minute drive from JFK too! Don't even try to figure that one out! Anyway, Monday he was wearing some of my partner Andy's clothes because they have a somewhat similarly svelt shape (ST5X) and so by Tuesday when his luggage arrived, it was time to just start seeing NYC, even if it was rainy. We couldn't decide on a good Italian place so we settled for Olive Garden, which I assured him was not authentic but is usually tasty. Side note to this side note: He'd never seen one of those light-up vibrating discs that restaurants give you to hold to let you know when your table is ready. Despite Germany's technological and economic superiority in many ways, that one hasn't crossed over. I think it's just because they're more sophisticated and more patient than we are in America. =) I'm sorry, my digressions are digressing...
At the bar at Olive Garden, the bartender asked the woman to my left what brought her to New York and Times Square. She told him she's a university teacher from Dallas and while her students were in meetings for some conference in town, she was trying to see a few shows. I asked her which shows, of course hoping she'd mention Billy, but she didn't. But she was seeing West Side Story and A Little Night Music, so I didn't slight her. She mentioned another too but I can't remember the name. I said, "Not Billy Elliot?" and she smiled and said no, not this trip unfortunately. I told her my story of how Christian and I met back in 2002 online because of the movie and how now we'd finally met in person and would be seeing the show together for his first time and my 13th. She was delighted for us and was interested in my take on the show and why I keep going back.
I mustered up something like, "Well, I don't know, it's just a very charmed show, there's just something extra special about it. Part of it of course is the dancing and the choreography, especially since Billy keeps getting better as the show goes on. I think any show that has the main actor performing better and better throughout as they learn how to do something makes for a really great show and Billy does this too. I mean in the beginning he's stumbling over onto the floor but by the end--wow!" I'm sure my facial expressions, the glint in my eyes and my smile gave away my love for the show too. I encouraged her to see it, to somehow squeeze it in before her trip ended, and assured her that she can get discounted partial view orchestra seats that would still be a great enough view. I don't know if she ended up going but I hope she sees it at some point.
The next day before the show began, a woman sat down in front of us with her father and her son. She asked me at one point how long the show would go for and I told her about 3 hours all total but worth every minute of it. "Have you seen it before?" You can all tell how the rest of that conversation went as you've had the same one (or soon will).
Michael Dameski's Billy is a little angrier than I usually prefer, but not in any way out of character for Billy. He may not smile often or for very long, but he portrays Billy as a tough kid from a tough town during a tough economic time. Michael's Billy is dark but in an exciting way. Theatre patrons come to see a show about a kid who dances, and the darker side of Billy only enhances the overall effect the show has on the audience. Somehow seeing a tough kid from a mining town in northern England overcome obstacles and secretly take ballet lessons is more evocative an experience than just seeing some boy from the suburbs do the same.
Michael speaks very clearly and his brooding temperament and angry-young-man movements are always in sync with his dialogue, whether through a simple "ow" or an earth-shattering scream. Speaking of screams...
I can't go on any further without just jumping to his Angry Dance. If decorum were not expected and composure was available, the appropriate response after witnessing Michael Dameski's Angry Dance could be put this way:
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu**ing Hellllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You're just sitting there in your seat breathless to begin with but then not just a little scared by the end too. Not only has he completely captivated you with his movements, he has shook you to the core of your being with the longest scream you can imagine to end the number. You don't even want to clap or cheer because he is still in the moment and has screamed not just at the police or at life but at you as well. And as he stands up and brushes himself off he glares at you with such anger and disgust, even pausing to walk away but looking back at you still. Finally, ultimately, breathlessly, you come to your senses and begin to applaud and cheer with shock at what has just happened before you and what has just happened to you.
Okay. Regroup, Sean, you've got more to write.
As the lights came up for intermission, the woman in front of me turned back around and said, "You weren't kidding!" Her father told me that his other daughter was working with Elton John right now on a project, I think some animated movie but I'm not sure. They were all very impressed with the show.
Jake Evan Schwencke. Even his name points to the personality behind him. An adult in a child's body, Jake has a "knowing" you wish you had. He just looks soooooooooo comfortable on stage that you don't even think twice about whether he knows his part inside and out. There's an elvish impishness to his face that is just adorable and his eyes sparkle with a universe-understanding knowledge you can't quite put your finger on but again, wish you had as well. His Michael is more confident than some others not by example of craziness but in the quietly confident way he presents his character on stage. Where some might add a "c'mon" to Billy to move him along like when he tells him to look in the mirror, Jake just smiles and waves him over and you just feel that he not only owns the stage but owns Billy as well. He's the type of actor, it seems, that might be difficult to act with because you're always seeing your friend Jake smiling at you and not just the character that your character is acting with.
When they put on their tap shoes for Express, the boys seemed like Jake had beat Michael for the very first time. I have no idea if this is true or not, but Jake seemed absolutely thrilled with himself and I thought I heard him say, "first time!" with a really big smile. =) Very cute. Later on after Electricity when they're in the soup kitchen, Jake gives Michael D. some of his soup with a smiley look that can only be described as absolutely precious. =) Shows such a loving adoration he has for his friend Billy.
Back to Michael and his Electricity. His dancing is spectacular, really incredible and you can tell he's been with the show for a long time already between Australia and the U.S. His timing is great, his moves are varied and, well, electric, and he is wonderful to watch perform. One other man and I gave him a standing ovation after it and others may have joined too although it didn't seem like anyone in front or left or right of me did. Michael stayed in end pose but looked over at me when I stood and though part of me felt like he was breaking character, it also gave me a huge rush of feeling like I was part of the show...as if Billy had gotten one of the judges to stand and applaud too. =) And it reminded me of times in live theatre when others have given a standing ovation when I did not. I have often been too shy to give a standing ovation but am as often very appreciative that the stars are getting one from someone else. Still, he very much deserved it and I was happy to help. At show's end when Michael stood in front of the BILLY sign, the entire audience stood as one to give him a huge ovation. He is a wonderful Billy and if you see him perform you will love him!
When Jake came out for his final bow at the curtain call/encore, I gave out a big whoooo for him. The woman in front of me turned at that point and said, "He was great!" She said it in a way that made me feel like she wanted me to tell him for her. It's funny that people think I have connections when it's the furthest thing from the truth. =)
As we left the theater, a random 70-something year-old woman smiled at me and I asked her if she enjoyed the show. "I loved it!" she beamed. I told her it was my 13th time seeing the show and she grabbed her husband's arm and pointed to me. "He's seen the show 13 times!" He smiled at me and said, "I can see why, it was fantastic!"
Christian loved the show too, by the way, although he's more of a thinker type and not an emotions-driven guy like me, so he said he needed to process it all. He's seen Billy Elliot the movie more than any other, and though he originally saw it in German, he's since only watched it in English. He quotes the movie with perfect accents and really loves the story. So seeing the musical finally has brought him back to square one. He said he feels like he knows the movie so well and the musical is just different enough to really make him step back and go wow. He's not ready to gush yet but assured me he really loved it.
Christian is also not a big theatre goer but after we got home later that day, he was asking me if there was a soundtrack he could buy and if there were any video clips of the show so he could see parts of it again. When I did show him some scenes at home and another Billy (TK who I love) was in the video, he told me after that he preferred "our Billy" as in Michael Dameski. So I feel like I've done my job well enough. ;-)
Thank you for reading about some of the magic Billy's story has brought to my life in the past 10 years, thanks to Michael Dameski for being an AMAZING star and for the entire cast and company of Billy Elliot around the world for giving us such an inspiration to witness on stage. And thanks to Christian, my newest off-line friend from Germany, for joining me for an awesome week in New York!
Sean Patrick Brennan
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Billy Elliot The Musical
There is a piece of musical theatre introduced to the world a few years ago that is gradually building such a huge fan base that it's now like a giant snowball rolling down a ski slope. Many shows, much like singers and groups, have a faithful fan base. But at the cost of a ticket to live theatre, let alone a popular one, this show has fans foregoing many other expenditures for the chance to see the show again and again. Some even travel from other continents to see it, and though the show in question is now available in several continents and is still multiplying itself, the most dedicated fans will make sure they see it as performed not just closest to them, but often the one playing a continent or two away as well. The show, of course, is Billy Elliot The Musical.
If you're a fan of Billy Elliot The Musical, please leave a comment to this blog to fellow fans and those who have not yet seen the show.
I first saw the show in London in 2007. I had seen the original movie by Stephen Daldry (written by Lee Hall) and had heard the soundtrack of the show when it first came out, so I wanted to see it during my already-planned trip to Europe. It blew me away. By Intermission I was literally speechless. I looked around in a fog, half in shock and half breathless in amazement, and couldn't even speak for a while.
When the show was coming to Broadway, I made sure I could attend the very first performance. I booked myself for the First Preview on October 1st 2008 along with other fierce Billy Elliot fans from around the world who were buying group tickets together. That night I met many of Billy's truest friends from multiple continents, some who I am still in touch with regularly. It's a show very much about community, and its fans are a true community too.
The story: A young boy growing up in a tough mining town in Northern England where the miners are all on strike. His father sends him to boxing class to keep him/make him tough. It is a tough world as these miners see it, and young Billy should be prepared. After boxing class one day, Billy is told to stay late by himself to practice his boxing. He's been slacking off and seems too interested in dancing around the ring instead of boxing with the other boys. So he's got the keys to the hall which his boxing coach gave him to pass on to Mrs. Wilkinson, who runs the dance class at the other end of the hall. He sees the ballet class, is convinced by the dance teacher to give it a try and comedy + inspiration ensue. But of course, that's just the short version.
The sets: move up and down and left and right out of no where and seamlessly bring you in and out of different parts of this world--the kitchen, the stairwell and bedroom, the dance class, the miner's hall, the streets of riot-ravaged Northern England and so forth.
The music: fierce, true, powerful, moving, equal parts sad and invigorating. Elton John's score is both unique and spectacular and the lyrics by Lee Hall (writer of the film and chosen at Sir Elton's insistence as the one who should pen the show) are hilarious and dramatic and sad and joyous all exactly moving the audience as they did in the movie.
The boys who play Billy on Broadway (in alphabetical order: David Alvarez, Tommy Batchelor, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish) are each one a phenomenon. They carry the show and are on stage so much, which is why they take turns doing different shows throughout the week. Their dancing, singing and acting are all spectacular, thanks not just because of the training they had before the show, but also thanks in great part to the team behind the musical. Even the choreography is supervised by Peter Darling, the same choreographer as the movie.
I cannot say enough about how wonderful this show is. But please do yourself a favor. And by favor I mean treat yourself to a wonderful (though brief) online experience of the show. Check out the show's Website at www.billyelliotthemusical.com (and choose the continent closest to you--South Korea and San Francisco, stay tuned!) or all over YouTube for videos of the show.
I encourage you to leave a comment about the show whether you've seen it yet or not. And if you haven't seen it, find out for yourself why so many people all over the world are being wiped off their feet by this amazing show! I promise you, you'll want to write a review like this (or hopefully better) yourself!
Sean Patrick Brennan
Billy Fan Name: angelenroute
If you're a fan of Billy Elliot The Musical, please leave a comment to this blog to fellow fans and those who have not yet seen the show.
I first saw the show in London in 2007. I had seen the original movie by Stephen Daldry (written by Lee Hall) and had heard the soundtrack of the show when it first came out, so I wanted to see it during my already-planned trip to Europe. It blew me away. By Intermission I was literally speechless. I looked around in a fog, half in shock and half breathless in amazement, and couldn't even speak for a while.
When the show was coming to Broadway, I made sure I could attend the very first performance. I booked myself for the First Preview on October 1st 2008 along with other fierce Billy Elliot fans from around the world who were buying group tickets together. That night I met many of Billy's truest friends from multiple continents, some who I am still in touch with regularly. It's a show very much about community, and its fans are a true community too.
The story: A young boy growing up in a tough mining town in Northern England where the miners are all on strike. His father sends him to boxing class to keep him/make him tough. It is a tough world as these miners see it, and young Billy should be prepared. After boxing class one day, Billy is told to stay late by himself to practice his boxing. He's been slacking off and seems too interested in dancing around the ring instead of boxing with the other boys. So he's got the keys to the hall which his boxing coach gave him to pass on to Mrs. Wilkinson, who runs the dance class at the other end of the hall. He sees the ballet class, is convinced by the dance teacher to give it a try and comedy + inspiration ensue. But of course, that's just the short version.
The sets: move up and down and left and right out of no where and seamlessly bring you in and out of different parts of this world--the kitchen, the stairwell and bedroom, the dance class, the miner's hall, the streets of riot-ravaged Northern England and so forth.
The music: fierce, true, powerful, moving, equal parts sad and invigorating. Elton John's score is both unique and spectacular and the lyrics by Lee Hall (writer of the film and chosen at Sir Elton's insistence as the one who should pen the show) are hilarious and dramatic and sad and joyous all exactly moving the audience as they did in the movie.
The boys who play Billy on Broadway (in alphabetical order: David Alvarez, Tommy Batchelor, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish) are each one a phenomenon. They carry the show and are on stage so much, which is why they take turns doing different shows throughout the week. Their dancing, singing and acting are all spectacular, thanks not just because of the training they had before the show, but also thanks in great part to the team behind the musical. Even the choreography is supervised by Peter Darling, the same choreographer as the movie.
I cannot say enough about how wonderful this show is. But please do yourself a favor. And by favor I mean treat yourself to a wonderful (though brief) online experience of the show. Check out the show's Website at www.billyelliotthemusical.com (and choose the continent closest to you--South Korea and San Francisco, stay tuned!) or all over YouTube for videos of the show.
I encourage you to leave a comment about the show whether you've seen it yet or not. And if you haven't seen it, find out for yourself why so many people all over the world are being wiped off their feet by this amazing show! I promise you, you'll want to write a review like this (or hopefully better) yourself!
Sean Patrick Brennan
Billy Fan Name: angelenroute
Sunday, August 3, 2008
A brief blog of blah blah blah
Hi anyone who happens to get linked to this blog of mine. As you can probably tell, I don't write here often--almost never. =) I just wanted to make sure there was a blog here that tells you that I am always available by e-mail and chat anytime you wanna say hi. I have MySpace, Facebook, YouTube videos and AOL, Yahoo and MSN messenger so hit me up anytime!
Hope your summer (or whatever season it is when you eventually read this) is going well. ;-)
Sean
Hope your summer (or whatever season it is when you eventually read this) is going well. ;-)
Sean
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Wasting: Time, Freedom, Life
I had a life, once. Then in 1993 that life ended--well, went into deep hibernation at least. I changed. Everything changed. I literally became someone else and was that someone else for over four years, four very important years from age 18 to 22. It was during that time that I ceased to be just Sean and became Brother Sean. And sure, you can say I was always Sean no matter what titles went before my name or initials followed, but for me, I cannot explain how transformative those years were for me. I think only others who have been through the exact same thing--living and working in a monastery or even spending time in prison--would know and understand some of what that experience does to a person. And so I come to the purpose of this blog. It was 10 years ago today, July 19, 1997, that I left the religious order I was in and ceased to be Brother Sean.
When I joined the Brothers, I gave up everything I owned. I gave away my possessions and lost my friends (the latter not happening on purpose but as a side effect of never being able to speak to them or see them). I cared very much for my friends and loved them very much. Attempts to communicate were thwarted, though, and even letters sent to me were confiscated and opened before I saw them. There is no need for exaggeration on my part: It really was that bad. The word brainwashing was used against me by my friends back in the day, and I assured them I wasn't being brainwashed. I was, however, quite soulwashed.
I was called by God to be there. I was called by God to be guided and taught by my Brothers and I was called by God to guide and teach my Brothers. I was also called by God to leave. But I didn't. My ego self tried to "make it work" and I honestly thought I had to stay there even though I was deeply unhappy. "Unhappy," of course, is putting it mildly. By my fourth year there, I was diagnosed with clinical depression and seeing a psychologist weekly, crying all the time and frequently on the floor in my room listening under door cracks and around corners to hear if people were talking about me. I wasn't crazy. I was just very, very sad. The Brothers--perhaps predictably--forbade me from getting medication for my clinical depression and my Novice Master suggested I pray to the Holy Spirit for help. My psychologist, though paid by them, saw through their quackery and advised me to get out of there.
Realizing I was gay in those years was one of the toughest things I had to go through. I knew it wasn't a sin--I wasn't delusional--but I also knew I was stuck, with no one to talk to about it. One person I finally confided in was a college professor who I knew to be gay himself. As I am publishing these reflections online, I won't go into specifics about him or the other people I told I was gay, including fellow Brothers, but it was very much a helpful process for me. Unfortunately for my professor, he wasn't so lucky. His letters to me were intercepted unbeknownst to me--either before I read them (re-sealed?) or after I had read them and stolen from my room. After I left--I found out later--the Brothers of my community went to see the President of Manhattan College, Brother Thomas Scanlan. They reported the letters to him and attempted to get my teacher friend fired. They never showed any real concern, any real Christian love for me, but instead took their warped minds to the campus of Manhattan College and tried to ruin the life of one of the only people who treated me decently. They failed and have since started sending their young Brothers to a different college, thereby restoring decency and honor to my beloved college. Ahh...catharsis.
My freedom in those years was stunted. No movies out at the theaters, no random trips to the mall, no time spent with friends, no fun trips away, no family time except for a few hours every six weeks, and I even missed a couple of family weddings. I see TV shows like Friends or Seinfeld on reruns and unlike most people, I'm seeing them for the first time. I had TV there, but virtually no free time to watch it. My day began every morning at 5:30 AM. Morning Prayer and Mass were at 6:00 AM and I had an incredibly full schedule all day long every day, finishing with Night Prayer at 9:20 PM. And that didn't include any homework or reading time which would have to be squeezed into the one or two hours I managed to stay awake before collapsing in bed each night.
This blog could sufficiently fill books about my time there. My own first novel which I'm still putting finishing touches on lately goes into some of my experiences there. But today as I commemorate, celebrate and reflect on my tenth anniversary of the day I left there forever, I also reflect on what I have done with my life since then and what I still want to do. Any freed prisoner or defrocked monk is filled with an enormously elated sense of freedom. The whole world is yours and you appreciate all the freedoms you have more than any ordinary human being could or would. It really is a complete absence of freedom that makes you appreciate the freedom more when you have it again. But today, even though I have so much in my life to be grateful for, so many friends, a loving boyfriend, an apartment and possessions, life experiences and more, I take this time to especially recognize all that I have not done.
That brings me, finally, to the subject I began my blog with. I am wasting time. I am wasting my freedom. I am wasting my life. Too drastic? Too harsh on myself? Perhaps, and it's true that we all do this to different degrees. But I believe that if I asked a prisoner, or someone who feels stuck in monastic life, or more poignantly if I asked an elderly person or really anyone older than me, "What would you do if you were 32 and free to do anything with your life" how many would say just keep wasting it?
There is no finale to this long blog. There is no magical answer at the end. There is reflection, and there is determination. My first life lasted me to age 18. My second life felt like a lifetime unto itself and it was only four years. My third and present life began 10 years ago today and it is not over yet. I have goals. I have dreams and aspirations, many of which are beyond reason, but as Blaise Pascal said, "The heart has reasons of which reason does not know." I dream big and I make many dreams come true. I am blessed with many talents, a sweet and caring disposition, a good sense of humor and a lot of love for others.
I will waste time and freedom and life more in the future, but I will not waste it as much as I have in the past. I am only 32. It has only been 10 years. I am only just beginning.
When I joined the Brothers, I gave up everything I owned. I gave away my possessions and lost my friends (the latter not happening on purpose but as a side effect of never being able to speak to them or see them). I cared very much for my friends and loved them very much. Attempts to communicate were thwarted, though, and even letters sent to me were confiscated and opened before I saw them. There is no need for exaggeration on my part: It really was that bad. The word brainwashing was used against me by my friends back in the day, and I assured them I wasn't being brainwashed. I was, however, quite soulwashed.
I was called by God to be there. I was called by God to be guided and taught by my Brothers and I was called by God to guide and teach my Brothers. I was also called by God to leave. But I didn't. My ego self tried to "make it work" and I honestly thought I had to stay there even though I was deeply unhappy. "Unhappy," of course, is putting it mildly. By my fourth year there, I was diagnosed with clinical depression and seeing a psychologist weekly, crying all the time and frequently on the floor in my room listening under door cracks and around corners to hear if people were talking about me. I wasn't crazy. I was just very, very sad. The Brothers--perhaps predictably--forbade me from getting medication for my clinical depression and my Novice Master suggested I pray to the Holy Spirit for help. My psychologist, though paid by them, saw through their quackery and advised me to get out of there.
Realizing I was gay in those years was one of the toughest things I had to go through. I knew it wasn't a sin--I wasn't delusional--but I also knew I was stuck, with no one to talk to about it. One person I finally confided in was a college professor who I knew to be gay himself. As I am publishing these reflections online, I won't go into specifics about him or the other people I told I was gay, including fellow Brothers, but it was very much a helpful process for me. Unfortunately for my professor, he wasn't so lucky. His letters to me were intercepted unbeknownst to me--either before I read them (re-sealed?) or after I had read them and stolen from my room. After I left--I found out later--the Brothers of my community went to see the President of Manhattan College, Brother Thomas Scanlan. They reported the letters to him and attempted to get my teacher friend fired. They never showed any real concern, any real Christian love for me, but instead took their warped minds to the campus of Manhattan College and tried to ruin the life of one of the only people who treated me decently. They failed and have since started sending their young Brothers to a different college, thereby restoring decency and honor to my beloved college. Ahh...catharsis.
My freedom in those years was stunted. No movies out at the theaters, no random trips to the mall, no time spent with friends, no fun trips away, no family time except for a few hours every six weeks, and I even missed a couple of family weddings. I see TV shows like Friends or Seinfeld on reruns and unlike most people, I'm seeing them for the first time. I had TV there, but virtually no free time to watch it. My day began every morning at 5:30 AM. Morning Prayer and Mass were at 6:00 AM and I had an incredibly full schedule all day long every day, finishing with Night Prayer at 9:20 PM. And that didn't include any homework or reading time which would have to be squeezed into the one or two hours I managed to stay awake before collapsing in bed each night.
This blog could sufficiently fill books about my time there. My own first novel which I'm still putting finishing touches on lately goes into some of my experiences there. But today as I commemorate, celebrate and reflect on my tenth anniversary of the day I left there forever, I also reflect on what I have done with my life since then and what I still want to do. Any freed prisoner or defrocked monk is filled with an enormously elated sense of freedom. The whole world is yours and you appreciate all the freedoms you have more than any ordinary human being could or would. It really is a complete absence of freedom that makes you appreciate the freedom more when you have it again. But today, even though I have so much in my life to be grateful for, so many friends, a loving boyfriend, an apartment and possessions, life experiences and more, I take this time to especially recognize all that I have not done.
That brings me, finally, to the subject I began my blog with. I am wasting time. I am wasting my freedom. I am wasting my life. Too drastic? Too harsh on myself? Perhaps, and it's true that we all do this to different degrees. But I believe that if I asked a prisoner, or someone who feels stuck in monastic life, or more poignantly if I asked an elderly person or really anyone older than me, "What would you do if you were 32 and free to do anything with your life" how many would say just keep wasting it?
There is no finale to this long blog. There is no magical answer at the end. There is reflection, and there is determination. My first life lasted me to age 18. My second life felt like a lifetime unto itself and it was only four years. My third and present life began 10 years ago today and it is not over yet. I have goals. I have dreams and aspirations, many of which are beyond reason, but as Blaise Pascal said, "The heart has reasons of which reason does not know." I dream big and I make many dreams come true. I am blessed with many talents, a sweet and caring disposition, a good sense of humor and a lot of love for others.
I will waste time and freedom and life more in the future, but I will not waste it as much as I have in the past. I am only 32. It has only been 10 years. I am only just beginning.
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