Spring Awakening and my obsession with a musical I've never seen

So Tamarzeepoo and I went to Broadway in the Park yesterday afternoon to catch performances by the casts of the Fantasticks (which someone who shall remain nameless thought was a musical based on the Fantastic Four comic book movies), the Color Purple, Spring Awakening, and Wicked. I've been wanting to see Spring Awakening for a long time now. When it debuted it was listed on TKTS and I never got around to buying tickets. Then it won the Tony for Best Musical and its near impossible to get tickets. Anyway, this cast is spectacular. Its based on a 100 year old book about kids in Germany dealing with the angst of their blossoming adulthood. The casting director was strict about getting fresh faced young people in the show so no one is over 24 and few have previously acted professionally. I described it to my buddy Miriam who had this to say:

Miriam: isnt harry potter in spring awakening
or was that equuss?
me: this is kinda the same kinda controversialism
kids having sex and trying to kill themselves and all
Miriam: yawn
welcome to yula

I just thought that was funny and wanted to share. YULA is a reference to her Yeshiva high school in LA. Come to think of it, sex and suicide...it does remind me of someone of my Yeshiva University living arrangements.

Anyway, this show is incredible. Tamarzeepoo and I had chills that we haven't had watching a musical since Rent. I have posted a video below of the cast performing on The View. Its one of Rosie O'Donnell's favorite shows (she's seen it four times).



I've had this song playing in the background all day long and Tamarzeepoo is starting to get annoyed. The song is called "Touch Me" and I'm a little disturbed by how obsessed with it since, um, yeah, its about "touching" people, if you know what I mean. I believe its the theme song for the anti-Shomer Negia movement. Its just such a beautiful song. The lyrics are striking and descriptive and the voices are so tender and raw that you can almost see a vision in your head. Few songs resonate with me in that way, examples being "Easy Silence" by the Dixie Chicks or "One Song Glory" from Rent. If you're passionate about those songs, you'll know what I mean.

I want to get tickets for this show really bad. If you'd like to go with me, let me know. We are trying to get tickets. I've tried downloading the music but its hard to find and Half.com doesn't even have it at a good price. For those of you who know me, I don't buy an album from a store unless its got the Dixie Chicks, Tim Mcgraw, or Kenny Chesney on the cover. If I actually have to go out and buy this album, you'll realize how obsessed I truly am.

Don't be this guy

Don't be Charlie. Charlie logged 500 hours on Facebook in a six month period. That works out to about 4 hours per day. Sick! He claims, "Losing my job bothers me far less than losing Facebook ever could." Come on man? Facebook? The only time I had that discussion with myself was when I needed to leave work for a Dixie Chicks meet and greet and private concert. I told Destiny that if my office told me I couldn't leave then I'd have to quit. Yes, the Dixie Chicks do mean more to me than saving Jewish Souls. I am a sick, sick person.

5 Grammys!

The Dixie Chicks went 5 for 5 last night at the 49th Annual Grammys awards winning everything they were nominated for, included the big three, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. As all of you know, I am a longtime fan of the Chicks, ever since the day I heard their anthem Wide Open Spaces as I was readying myself to trek across the country alone for college. And just like Natalie said last night, for the first time in my life I am speechless. Congrats Dixie Chicks. Thank you for not backing down. Freedom of speech is alive and kicking in America. Country radio made the selfish choice of denying Americans the beauty of Taking the Long Way. Hopefully with last night's win, those who didn't have the chance to hear the album the first time around will get up the courage to drive over to Wal*Mart and pick up this masterpiece. Whether you agree or disagree with their politics and wholeheartedly support the office of the president, you should also support the foundation of our great country. The Bill of Rights is a beautiful document. I encourage all of the Chicks naysayers to read it sometime.

Well, I didn't vote for him...or his boss

Vice President Dick Cheney was quoted in the Times this morning saying, "It won't stop us," on CNN, discussing the Senate Foreign Relations committee's approval of a resolution opposing President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq.

Last I checked we had this beautiful thing called checks and balances. If the president ever came up with some ludicrous plan congress could say, hold on a second there sir, my constituents (read: voters and taxpayers) wholeheartedly don't approve of your initiative. Can the president really think he can run a totalitarian regime? Apparently he does. Wikipedia smartly describes it as "maintain(ing) themselves in political power by means of single-party state, secret police, propaganda disseminated through the state-controlled mass media, personality cult, regulation and restriction of free discussion and criticism, the use of mass surveillance." Most of those seem to describe him well in my book. "Restriiction of free discussion and criticism?" Is that like how the Dixie Chicks were cut down three years ago for pointing out President Bush's misguided march to Iraq? I only wish more influential Americans had stood up then to say the same damn thing. "Mass surveillance?" Well, thank God thats not something Presient Bush ever considered.

The New York Times listed 22 US soldiers who died yesterday in Iraq. Of the 22, 2 were Colonels, 1 was a Lieutenant Colonel, 1 was a Major, and 1 was a Captain. This is no longer a war where only "disposable" foot soldiers are being killed. How many more brave Americans need to die before this becomes clear? I can't handle spending every morning on the subway tearing up while reading about a young father of two who was blown away in the sectarian violence. Enough is enough. We impeached President Clinton, the greatest modern president, for canoodling with an intern. But our current president is going to send 40,000 more troops to risk their lives. You thought your State of the Union speech would convince your voters, taxpayers, and naysayers, to stop their criticism, but I'm sorry Mr. President, "It won't stop us".