More Hollywood the Write Way

Back in the first month of this website’s creation, I interviewed those in the entertainment business once a week, every Tuesday to be exact. As the months went on, I started getting more and more interviews (specifically this past month). Also this past month, I started showcasing musicians/bands on Sundays. So, things have been pretty great! Which is why I am thrilled to be sharing the good news with you that…

- Thanks to the success of the website, I will continue to post interviews every Tuesday and the idea of “More in March” will continue from now on, as I will be posting more than one interview each week and showcasing musicians/bands every Sunday.

AND

- I will also be debuting my new radio show! Yes, you read that correctly. I will have my own radio show. Hollywood the Write Way Show on Blog Talk Radio will begin Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 3pmPT/6pm ET right here. Actor, RJ Mitte from the Emmy Award Winning show, Breaking Bad (AMC) will be my first guest on the show.

Keep up to date on the shows featuring special guest by following me on Twitter!

Magda Apanowicz After Kyle XY

This past March 16th was the series finale of the ABC Family show, Kyle XY. Just two days after the finale, I spoke with Kyle XY Actress, Magda Apanowicz. I had a few questions of my own about Kyle XY, her new television show Caprica, and more. Although I wanted the Kyle XY fans to get a chance to ask their questions too so they were thrilled when I let them know about my interview beforehand. Luckily, Magda had just ended her day when we spoke and had enough time to get to both my questions and all of the fan questions. Enjoy!



How was your day?
It was good. The last couple of days have been pretty stressful. I had a callback today from an audition on Monday. That was good. I am really nervous in auditions. It was for a feature called Sorority War. It films in Vancouver so that would be cool to go from one thing to another with Caprica. We start shooting in July and end in February.

So you are a series regular on the show, Caprica but who do you play?
The girl who becomes the first cylon, I am her best friend. Everyone comes to me to figure out what is going on, I am like the middle man.

Are you a regular viewer of Battlestar Galactica?
I had never seen it before. Then I was cast in Caprica and made a conscious decision not to watch it. I did not want to be skewed by it, thinking “oh this is how it should be.” I have seen Season 1 and it was intense. I have seen a couple of episodes of Season 5 because they screen it every Friday at the Universal lot. We have so much to live up to. It is very intimidating.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this show was a panel at Comic Con.
Oh yea, they plan on bringing the cast there next year. I have always wanted to go to Comic Con. I am such a nerd when it comes to Sci Fi and I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

So moving onto what everyone knows you for…Kyle XY, when did you shoot the last episode of Kyle XY?
We shot it in August. I remember getting cast in Caprica and thinking, “I want to do Kyle XY too” so I did 2 episodes of Kyle XY and went to shoot a month and a half of Caprica and then the last few episodes of Kyle XY. It was a lot of work going back and forth but that is the way I love it.

How did you feel about the series finale, with so many unanswered questions?
I know, I am pretty bummed. I watched that show like a fan. Every time it came on, I was like, “Oh my God” because I always forgot. You go through the read through, shoot it, and you know what it is about. Then you totally forget what the episode is about so when you watch it on TV, you are like “Oh my God. That just happened!” I am pretty choked though because I thought that Season 4, they would have gotten really in depth into a really good story. I thought that Season 2 was really solid and I thought that Season 4 would have been really solid as well. It is such a shame that we really did not get the chance to do that. Also, I love that character. I feel so lucky that I got to play Andy, because she is so freakin’ cool.

You touched on my next question which is do you have a favorite episode, season, or storyline from Kyle XY?
Season 2 definitely by far is my favorite. The writing was so incredible. I think my favorite…there are a couple of favorites. I really liked the episode where Andy is trying prep Josh for his date and then he goes on a date with her. I also really liked the episode where they are at the Hands on a Hybrid Cancer Benefit and it comes out that she has Cancer. They have their first kiss. That was really cool. I really like shooting that one. There were so many really good moments in that season. I also really liked the prom episode where Andy got to wear a really pretty dress and come down in that “She’s All That” kind of thing. I got to practice for about a week or two on hip hop for our dance number. That was pretty crazy, trying to learn how to do hip hop in heels and a dress. If you ever want a challenge in life, do that.

Were there a lot of rewrites for the show?
Season 2, they would have changes a week ahead of time. Season 3 they were kind of confused as to where they wanted to go sometimes so there were more rewrites and less time to prepare. I like both ways. I like when you have the script for a week and when you get it the night before.

Do you find comedic timing to be challenging or do you consider yourself naturally funny?
I do think that it is challenging because I am not funny whatsoever. I remember thinking that it was such a comedic role and I was so not meant for it but it ended up making my comedic muscles practice more. You didn’t really have a choice not to be funny. But I don’t try to make other people laugh. I just keep in mind that Andy is offbeat and says things a bit differently than others. I definitely like the challenge with the comedy and drama. I got to do everything all of the time. It was nice to have the whole package of a character.

What film school did you attend and for how long did you attend?
I went to Vancouver Film School. It was a one year program and it was really intense. I don’t highly recommend it when you are young and don’t know yourself that well. You should know who you are before you go into it because it can be a very scary environment. I am glad that I went because years later, it clicked what they were trying to teach me.

Are you a college graduate?
I got into acting when I was in high school at about 15 years old. Then, when I graduated I took some time away from the industry and went to film school. After film school I went back into auditioning. It has kind of been a crazy ride.



Fan Questions (Mainly from Kylexy.net)


What is the one thing you wish your character Andy could have done on Kyle XY? No matter how wild and crazy. – Janey
It is kind of intense and a sad answer but I honestly wanted her to die from the cancer. I don’t know why. I don’t think that now but at the time I did when she was leaving the show. It is such a touchy subject and it would have been nice to show a way of dealing with death, grieving. There are not enough examples of that. I don’t want to give people false hope and I always hated the idea that Kyle saved me. I wanted to believe that Andy did it and her strength pulled her through into remission and just dealing with it.

Can you give us some little behind the scenes or bloopers of some Andy and Josh scenes? – Rhys
Jean-Luc (Bilodeau) is very funny. We stumbled over our lines so that always ended up being funny. One time we shot a scene where he gave me a Popsicle and for some reason, we could not get it right. They ended up using a scene where it broke and fell out of his mouth. That wasn’t on purpose.

Would we have ever gotten to see your moms and the Tragers interact? – Rhys
I don’t think so. I wanted to. It seems like they would be crazy, cool moms. They might have brought them in at least one scene if there were a season 4 but I don’t know.

Do you stay up to date with WWE Wrestling? – Jay
No, but I do like to wrestle. Growing up, my brother and I would fight all the time and his friends would come over and I would fight them. That was fun but for some reason I don’t like the show.

How did you feel about the writers rushing Josh and Andy's relationship along so quickly in the prom episode? It seemed so out of character for Andy to do that. – Karen
I don’t know. I didn’t think they rushed it too much. Josh and Andy really loved each other so for them, it didn’t seem like rushing, and it seemed like the right moment. When the right moment happens, the right moment really does happen. I think she was scared because she was young to lose her virginity but she still really cared about him. I don’t think that she regret it later on in life. I think that she still would have been happy that she waited for someone that she loved very much.

How much of a challenge was it to play the character of Andy? – Patty
It was really challenging. Especially when you are dealing with something like cancer and there were jokes made about it, there is a fine line. It is not a funny subject but it is the way Andy deals with the situation, she covers it up with humor. I really had to dwell into some of the jokes that I was pissed off when I read them. I had to see why a girl like this would say something like that. That was difficult.

Is your character Andy very different from you? – Patty
I would say that there are bits of Andy in me and at times I can act like her. I can be really silly but honestly I think that she is stronger than me.

Josh looks like a good kisser, so what was it like kissing him? – Kellie
Jean-Luc is adorable and he is a talented actor and yes, he is a great kisser. We are friends and we have never dated. I get that question too so, we are just friends.

What's your favorite hobby? – Europa
Scrap booking. I love scrap booking. I spend so much money on materials and albums. I have been scrap booking since my mom took me to a workshop. I was the only kid there but I loved it. They have it every month and we talk about what is going on in everyone’s lives and stuff. It is amazing. I see how creative I can get with each page. It is fun. Your personality comes out in the pages. With mine, it looks like a bunch of colors vomited on a page. The more you do it, the more you step out of the box.

Do you enjoy playing video games like your character in Kyle XY? - Fan
Yes, I do. I love old school Nintendo and Super Nintendo. I love Wii. I played Rock Band a couple of days ago and I was awful because I cannot sing. It was fun though. I played the drums and I am not coordinated so that did not work out well. I am only really good at the bass and drums. The bass is easy.

What was it like working on a show with such a huge fan base worldwide? – Ahmad, Saudi Arabia
It is pretty amazing getting letters from America to Turkey, France, Germany, Poland, Canada, Guatemala, etc... It is insane and I think, “Wow, all of these people watch it and really enjoy it.”

When was the first time you realized that the show was big internationally? Michael, England
After filming the first season, I started getting fan mail from my agent’s office and then I opened a Myspace account for fans to ask me questions. So many questions came in on there and I realized, “Whoa, a lot of people watch this show.” Then I started hearing from family in Poland saying that I was great on Kyle XY. That was great.

How often have you visited Poland? - HTWW
I have visited quite a few times. Growing up I went a lot. I actually dropped out of high school in Grade 9 and moved to Poland for almost a year. I lived with family over there. I got picked on a lot in high school and I was done with being ostracized. I found more about who I was and what I wanted in life when I was in Poland. I wanted to graduate and I wanted to graduate with my class so I came back to Canada, finished all of my classes and graduated on time. I haven’t been back since then unfortunately because then I got into acting and life got crazy. I have been wanting to go back so bad.

What is your favorite genre when it comes to acting? - Alexandra
I would have to say drama and sci fi. I love the sci fi genre. I love that you can tell amazing stories through fantastical ideas. You can watch something and everyone gets something different out of it.


Be sure to check out the Youtube clip where Magda shows her love to Hollywood the Write Way, here.

For more Magda, visit her MySpace, here.

You can also send fan mail to:
Magda Apanowicz
Lucas Talent Inc.
#6 - 1238 Homer Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2Y5

Demi Lovato Deluxe Edition

Today is the release of the Deluxe Edition of Demi Lovato's album, Don't Forget. The album has some new songs and it also comes with a DVD full of bonus features.

Pick up your copy today, here.



As you know, I became a fan of Demi after I saw her in concert this past December. I made a post about it here so check that out if you haven't yet.

Enlighten Up with Kate Churchill

There is a new documentary hitting limited theaters starting tomorrow that all Yoga lovers and skeptics should see. The film, Enlighten Up! is directed and produced by Kate Churchill. Having seen the film, I can definitely say that the film does a fabulous job at showing the different dimensions of the yoga world. It's a really fun film because you not only get to learn about the yoga world, but you get to watch Kate's subject, Nick Rosen go on a journey, finding out what yoga is all about and if it will truly enlighten him and his life. He yearns to find out if yoga is anything more than a workout. Nick investigates yoga (practiced by some 16 million Americans) for six months, talking with everyone from celebrity yogis in LA to yoga teachers from India. This is quite the road trip experiment! I wanted to know all about it, so I interviewed film maker, Kate Churchill. Here is what she had to say.



Having practiced yoga for 7 years, I want to know as far as the documentary, why now as opposed to when you were first starting out?
The initial idea for this film came from Tom and Jeanne Hagerty, the Executive Producers, who had gone on their honeymoon to Hawaii and met Norman Allen, an unusual yogi who lives in a remote part of the island. The following year, they approached me about making a film. At that point, we were all practicing at the same yoga studio, and I don’t think we had any idea what we were endeavoring to do.

What types/styles of yoga were you introduced to while filming the documentary?
We shot “Enlighten Up!” over a period of 6 months as we travelled throughout the US and India. Along the way, we met, interviewed, studied with over 70 yogis so we encountered a wide array of yoga styles. In the film, some of the styles we feature include: Ashtanga Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Laughing Yoga, OM Yoga, ISHTA Yoga, Dharma Mittra Yoga among others.

Which type/style of yoga best suits you and why?
When I started this film, I was looking for the one style of yoga that would be the perfect fit for both me and for Nick. By the end of making this film, I discovered that there isn’t just one practice that suits me, but rather depending on my needs on any given day the practice will change. Typically I practice four days a week for about 90 minutes each day—sometimes less, sometimes more. It is a practice that mixes a number of different styles and allows me to pick and choose what to focus on for that morning.

Over 16 million Americans practice yoga, but do you think that the majority of them are practicing it in hopes of enlightenment?
People practice yoga for all different reasons ranging from physical and spiritual, and that is a central theme of the film. While we were shooting, I was searching for some form of enlightenment while Nick was really questioning whether yoga could be just a great workout and perhaps give you some entry into a sense of peace. The funny thing about enlightenment is that if you never define what it is, then you can endlessly look for it and perhaps that is what many people are doing while having a great work out.

What brought the decision of Nick investigating yoga for 6 months as opposed to more or less amount of time?
It was based on logistics as well as idealism. It wasn’t a realistic option to go on an open-ended search, and yet at the start of this project I really believed that if we had six months and could go anywhere in the world we would find some truly enlightened teacher and Nick and I would be instantly transformed. That is the idealism part—or perhaps it was more naivety.

How many times have you been to India, and each time have you gone to yoga teachers?
Although I have worked all over the world, the first time I went to India was to shoot this film. I was there for about ten weeks. I really love that country and hope to go back many times. I don’t know that I would go to study yoga as much as to explore an incredible country.

What did you learn about yourself while filming this documentary?
I worked on this film for almost five years, so it seemed like my learning was endless. I had never intended to be in the film, which I ended up being and which challenged every belief I had of how I made films while also making me examine how I worked with my team. I learned that practice is practice, and ultimately any path someone takes they have to take themselves—they can’t have someone else take it or someone else tell them how to do it and the answers they are originally seeking might not even be the ones that they need.

Was anyone that you interviewed for the documentary hesitant to be part of the project?
For the most part in the US, people were quite willing to participate with the exception of Norman Allen. It took me four trips to Hawaii to get to the point where Norman was willing to let us film him. In the 1980’s, Norman left New York City for a more reclusive and simple life living off the grid in Hawaii, so a camera crew and participating in a documentary is a significant change of pace. In India, we weren’t able to confirm our interviews until we were there, which put us in a constant state of uncertainty. Sometimes it took a little more effort, but ultimately we were able to interview everyone that we had hoped to interview.

What do you have to say about yoga seeming like somewhat of a trend?
I haven’t properly studied indicators of the industry like yoga studios closing and opening to draw a conclusion that can be supported by factual evidence. The Yoga Journal, considered to be the leading magazine in the industry, published market surveys in 2004 and 2008 and found very consistent results in terms of the number of people practicing yoga (16.5 million in 2004, 15.8 million in 2008) while showing an 87% increase in the dollars spent on yoga (2.95 billion in 2004, 5.7 billion in 2008). This seems to support a growth in yoga as a product. It will be interesting to see what will happen with this current economy. Last fall, The New York Times ran a story saying that as people in Silicon Valley were losing their jobs, the yoga studios were seeing an increase in business.


Following its theatrical premiere at New York’s IFC Center on April 1, Enlighten Up! will expand nationally, including engagements in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley, San Diego, Seattle, Washington DC, Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis, Santa Fe, St. Louis, and many more.

Congratulations Friday Night Lights!

Congratulations to Friday Night Lights. The show has officially been picked up for 2 more seasons!

Source: EW



Catch my interview with FNL Actress, Stacey Oristano here.

New Season of Greek Begins Tonight

An All New Season of Greek Begins Tonight on ABC Family at 8pm EST so make sure you tune in!



Check out my interview with Greek Actress, Amber Stevens here.

Movie Monday

A Look Ahead:

Land of the Lost
Rating: TBA
Release Date: 06/05/2009
Cast: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel



Just Released:

In Theatres

Adventureland
Trailer
Rating: R
Release Date: 04/03/2009
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader



On DVD

Slumdog Millionaire
Rating: R
Release Date: 03/31/2009
Cast: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla



A Look Back:

Meet the Robinsons
Rating: G
Release Date: 03/30/2007
Cast: Daniel Hansen, Jordan Fry, Wesley Singerman, Matthew Josten, Steve Anderson



*******
Fun Link: Read The Lovely Bones before its film release on December 11, 2009

Reviewing Anarbor: Free Your Mind EP

I was recently introduced to the band, Anarbor who just came out with their new EP, Free Your Mind. After listening to the EP, I have nothing but good things to say about this band. These four guys hailing from Phoenix, Arizona created the EP with the help of producer, Mike Green (Paramore, Good Charlotte), so they were in good hands.



Always Dirty, Never Clean is my favorite song because the vocals, lyrics, and music are killer. This is the perfect theme song for any artist/band in the music business. Let The Games Begin has to be my second favorite song. The lyrics and instruments come together so well. It's tight. Where The Wild Things Are (Monsters) is my favorite song lyrically. I love the line, “You're the smoke in the air making everyone choke.” Wow. I like the harmonies in this track too. You And I is the song where everyone wants the lyrics to reflect their real life. The emotion is definitely felt in this song. I can definitely see this being played on the radio like crazy. It sounds like a summer hit. Passion For Publication is a funny song in a good way. The lyrics are clever, the music is fly, and the lead singer, Slade does his thing. The title of the song especially really makes it funny when you think about it. If tabloids had their own theme song, this would be it. The Brightest Green is another great song. Slade really brings it. Everyone can relate to this song, I am sure of it. The music video for this song is pretty decent too. Halfway Sober is a good song although I think it has to grow on me more. The idea of the song was great but something about the execution… or maybe like I said, it just has to grow on me.



There is no doubt that all of the songs are catchy, so the band has got that going for them right off the bat. All of the songs also sound very raw. When I say that I mean that if I were to hear them live, I know I would be hearing what is on the EP and they would be good. The worst thing to hear is an album that has been toyed with so much that the artist/band does not sound anything like the album live. So kudos to the band for the way they recorded the EP. Now while this EP is a great listen, I can see that there really is so much more room for creativity. So I cannot wait to see what the band comes out with next. I can’t forget to mention that this band is pretty good looking too!

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Free Your Mind is out now and available on iTunes.

Anarbor is currently on the Take Action Tour with Cute Is What We Aim For, Breathe Carolina, Meg & Dia, & Every Avenue.

Anarbor will be chatting with all the Bamboozlers in the Gab Chat tonight, 7pm EST / 4pm PST. The band plays at Bamboozle Left on April 4, 2009. Tickets Are On Sale Now.

TV Week In Review

*Reviews May Contain Spoilers*

Desperate Housewives - A Spark. To Piece The Dark.

Bree: Steal what you must my love. But it won’t be my company.



The introduction was set up very well. Karl coming back was a bit of a surprise in a random kind of way. I cannot decide if he was entertaining or annoying and a waste of time. After the second piece of artwork that Karl’s son drew near the end of the episode, was it just me or did Karl completely evade confirming that his wife “just left?” Based on the picture, it looks like he killed her. Gabby and Carlos as well as Bree and Orson having relationship issues was very well written. Orson is selfish and wrong for wanting Bree to give up everything - everything that she has worked for to be a housewife for him. Orson need not worry about what good Bree can do for him and worry about what good he can do for himself. I cannot believe that Carlos tied Gabby up and left her there! Gabby was right to do what she had to do to get her husband’s attention. The scene at the office was great. Finally, Lucy left. Let’s hope that really was the last of her. Lynette’s conflict of work vs. family is getting repetitive. Let’s stop being so real and give us more Wisteria Lane drama. It was very entertaining to see Gabby and Tom together after the past 2 weeks of Gabby and Lynette together. When Dave was talking to Katherine about being happy, I still do not know if he meant what he said or if he said what he said as part of his front. It works so well either way. Now Edie was not very intelligent, knowing what she knows about Dave and his unusual behavior in terms of not calling the cops or a few guys over to protect her in case Dave decided to get big once he came back. Edie is smart so that seemed a bit out of character. Although knowing that Nicolette is leaving the show (I am not saying for good because never say never) I will not analyze that to death. Nicolette rocked it tonight! I definitely enjoyed this episode. There was nothing that really hit the roof like it seemed it would for the promo last week, but I still very much enjoyed it. I am excited for next week. I feel like I am ready for all of the story lines that are taking place right now to hurry up and end so more interesting story lines can take their place. I enjoy what I am watching but based on past seasons, I know that it can be better. So let’s get back to basics if need be so I can enjoy Desperate Housewives like I used to.

Chuck - Chuck vs. the Predator

General: I want everything you have on her and Bartowski.




The introduction was strong. This whole episode was. I love the writing on this show. The comedic timing is just brilliant. I cannot believe Jeff made his own office in a bathroom stall! I cannot believe that Jeff, Lester, and Morgan played around with Chuck’s laptop that Orion gave him. It was hilarious seeing Chuck and them trying to get the laptop back from Big Mike for business while Lester and them were trying to get it back for fun. Jeff trying to throw his voice made me laugh! I liked how Lester called Jeff, Jeffrey and Jefferson. It was so funny when Casey knocked out Emmett. Morgan hearing Big Mike and his mom was disturbing and funny. I was surprised when the General said that she was coming directly and Chuck might have to leave back with her. The walk Did you notice “Geek Chic” when Big Mike and the staff were on their way to Burbank? Ha. I loved it. Sometimes people are so desperate for what they want that they cannot see the trap that they are walking into. Emmett ruining the entire Buy More Store in the Beverly Hills was cool to see. It was more than disappointing when Chuck was forced to trap Orion. There are fan theories that Orion is Chuck’s father and while that could very well be the case…that seems to easy in a sense. I don’t know, well see. I was full of so many different emotions when the General herself invited Chuck to be a real spy. I wonder what will become of this. It seems as though I know the answer but I could always be surprised. It was great to see special guest, Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy) in this episode.

Gossip Girl - The Grandfather

Blair: What happened to the Nate Archibald that just wanted to get high and play Halo?



Rufus’ ex telling Lily about her and Rufus was intended and I cannot believe the nerve that chic had. I do not know if lists ever really work or not, on TV or in real life so it was just awkward to see once again on a show. I was glad that Vanessa was encouraging Nate to go to his family reunion. Even though Nate’s family was nowhere to be found when his parents were at rock bottom, my thought was that they may have seen what wrong they did. Fortunately, the Grandfather was proud of Nate for the way that he handled things which was good. Unfortunately, Vanessa was introduced to a new world that neither she or I think Nate is ready to lead. Nate is right for wanting to take the mayor’s internship so that he has something to do while he figures out who he is and what he wants to do with his life but he can also take some time out in the summer to spend with Vanessa. It doesn’t look like the two have broken up officially and I have gotten used to the two together so I am actually rooting for them. On the other hand, I am always rooting for Nate and Blair. Seeing as how Nate & Blair ended this episode…Only time will tell what happens. Carter and Blair getting together was a bit of a shock but even more shocking, Blair had absolutely no guilt over it with Chuck right there. She is so deep in hurt that she is pushing away the people that mean the most to her. I know what that feels like. Blair finally shoplifting was something I had been waiting to see since she first did so in the books. I do not remember if Blair got accepted to the college that she was begging for in this episode, or she had to beg in the books as well. I do know that it wasn’t interesting in this episode but her time in college was, so I cannot wait to see that translate on the screen. When Blair & Chuck were alone together and Gossip Girl was talking about a game of bluff, Blair’s wardrobe was on point. Seeing Nate and Blair reminisce was such an aww moment. How funny was Dorota cursing Chuck out in her native language? I can only imagine that is what she was doing. Though this episode does not stand out among the rest, and there was nothing that was draw dropping, I still somewhat enjoyed this episode.

One Tree Hill - Searching for a Former Clarity

Dan: I’m getting a heart.
Lucas: It’s about time.



I love the way this episode was written. Everything about this episode was just right. I cannot believe the new principal really gave Haley an ultimatum of her job vs. free speech. Last time I checked it was the 21st century and America, so that new principal needs a reminder. Haley quit and now it is time to get her music going! I am so excited for what is next for Haley. It was extremely big of Sam to take the fall for Jack. It just sucked how Brooke told her off and had absolutely no faith in her. She didn’t ask her what happened, just went straight to yelling at her. Thankfully, Brooke apologized for calling her unfixable. I never did love the Brooke and Julian relationship so to see that there are issues here…it was only a matter of time. Not for nothing but it seemed like it was set up to be doomed to fail. How funny was Dan’s heart being eaten by a dog? Even though that wouldn’t happen in a real hospital, that was funny. It was equally funny as it was disappointing for Dan…or was it? How funny was that random guy saying, “Great day to be alive” to Dan? Man, I didn’t expect Dan to be a man and tell Jamie that he killed Keith. I laughed when Lucas told Jamie to ask Dan why people do bad things like kill people. It was hard hitting when Jamie said that Keith and Dan still loved each other and all that near the end for the Sims world. Having the reality of knowing that their father really is going to die soon hit Lucas and Nathan. Horrible father or not, Dan is their father. What Dan said to Lucas and Nathan was written so beautifully. Lucas’s movie problems was disappointing because it was fun to see things come together. Although with news swirling around of Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton leaving the show, it does not surprise me. Skills’ storyline was not interesting until Skills said that maybe he and Deb should one day have kids of their own. No. I don’t think so. That is just weird. It has nothing to do with age and everything to do with Skills being Lucas and Nathan’s friend. Thankfully, Deb broke up with him because, he does deserve more than that, I agree. Of all the people in the world to date. What a great episode. If you need to know the reasons why I love One Tree Hill, you can watch this episode.

Heroes -

Micah: Wait, you’re bait?
Tracy: I didn’t know that it was you.
Micah: It doesn’t matter who you thought it was. How could you do that to anybody? Thought there was a good chance they’d follow you. Just didn’t think that you would be in on it.



Bryan Fuller is back, yay! What a fantastic episode. I loved it. It all makes so much sense now that Matt Parkman the baby was his baby not Matt as a baby. It was so exciting to see Janice again! For a quick moment, I thought that the rebel was baby Matt once we saw his powers. My original assumption was Micah and I was right! I was over the moon when Micah showed up on the screen! Finally! It’s about time! Little Micah is growing up! His voice got deeper. Aww. I was really hoping that Tracy would not lead HRG to Rebel because I was thinking that with the Rebel being Micah, it may not have been a good experience for Micah. Although Micah is very mature for his age and very smart so he was prepared. I am so excited that Micah is back on screen and I cannot wait to see him in the coming weeks. Angela having her vision saved her for a hot minute and the anticipation of getting caught or not was great. When she was trapped in the elevator, I was so relieved that Peter saved her! Although I was very puzzled as to how he knew she was in there. Andy using his powers to save him, Hiro, and baby Matt was quite funny since he got knocked out right after his first attempt. I screamed at the top of my lungs when Hiro got his power back…apparently I got too excited too soon. Even though Hiro claims that time is on his side, that can also be a negative if there are any distractions. It was really sad to see Tracy die. The effect of her tear streaming really did it for me. Although I was actually more sad when Daphne died. What Matt did for her was just the sweetest most incredible thing. I have nothing but good things to say about this episode and I am pumped for next week’s episode.

Samantha Who? - My Best Friend‘s Boyfriend

Samantha: Drama king huh? Snap!



Samantha Who? is finally back! It came back right where it left off with Andrea all strung over Tony. It was unexpected for Andrea to admit that the relationship with Tony was the best for her because of how they communicate. Who would have thought? Finally Todd admitted that he was interested in giving another try at his relationship with Sam. I am hoping that Todd does not dig himself in a hole with making himself unavailable. Todd still loves Sam and Sam still loves Todd so they need to get together. I just want to see them together and skip all of the in between. Although it is pretty realistic, so in that sense I appreciate how this storyline is written. Lucky Todd tagged along to meet Andrea‘s date too. I wonder how long it would have taken Andrea and Sam to realize that Tony was gay. I wonder if Todd’s friend knew that Tony was gay and did not say anything. It was so wrong of Tony to say that Sam hit on him. What was the point of that? He could have laughed it off and left with Andrea. Anyway, Andrea and Tony worked things out to their advantage so I guess that is all well and good. Dena and Regina’s storyline was not all that entertaining. This was a pretty decent episode. I expected more funny so hopefully it will be next week.

The Office - Two Weeks

Oscar: I love a good quitting story. It... makes me feel like I have control over my own life, gives me hope. Maybe I'll have one of my own someday.



Oscar talking about how he loves a quitting story made me chuckle. It was funny when Michael said something about him not worrying about calories anymore when that has nothing to do with leaving Dunder Mifflin. It was so kind of Andy to give Michael wine as a going away gift but Michael was wrong to say that he already had wine. If Michael was actually a good leader, his idea to start his own paper company would be bright. I do not like how the new boss is treating Jim. Kelly saying that she was tight with her sister like the Kardashians and then her and Angela fighting over the new boss was hilarious. I cannot believe that Kelly said Angela was turning 50. That made me laugh out loud. I actually expected Dwight to want to be part of Michael’s paper company so I was a bit taken aback when he declined Michael’s offer. The scene where Michael was crawling around the office and almost threw down with Charles was awkward. The last thing that I expected was for Pam to want to go with Michael. It was funny seeing Angela and Kelly front and center for the meeting, head over heels for Charles. The promo for next week looks insane. I wonder how long this Michael’s paper company storyline will last, why Kevin was picked for reception, and what is up with Ryan’s hair. I enjoyed this episode although it still felt more awkward than funny because of Michael’s behavior throughout.

Terminator: SCC - To the Lighthouse

John Henry: You never found Sarah Connor?
Ellison: No, I never did.



Okay, so I have to admit that while I have enjoyed this season, I have not loved this season. There is simply not enough action. I am not even an action type of person but when I watch Terminator, I expect to see that. When I do not see it for such long periods of time, I get bored. I was getting to the point where I become somewhat bored until the end of this episode. This is one of my favorite shows to watch so I do not want to be saying that I only loved the ending of an episode. Having watched what is to come this season with the promos shown at conventions, I know that there is so much to look forward to. Right now, though, it is just good or great. I want to see amazing like earlier in the season and all last season. Getting to the episode itself... the close call with John Henry got me pumped. As for Derek, it must suck to find out from a terminator that your dead girlfriend was pregnant and lost the child. Hey, Charlie's back! It was good to see him on the show. Even knowing about Sarah's cancer from the beginning, seeing her discuss the issue with Charlie was still heartbreaking to see. Thankfully for now, it was not cancer but a transmitter. The transmitter in Sarah's body was ridiculous. Thank God she figured it out! There was some action at the end that I greatly appreciated but I am still yearning for more amazing Terminator so bring it! I am also curious as to how religion will continue to play into the show. Enough with dragging things out, bring the action up a notch and let's get to what really matters now. We are past the filler episodes stage but something is just missing.

Raymond J. Barry Talks Cold Case and More

Exactly one week ago, I had the pleasure of talking with actor, Raymond J. Barry who can be seen on Cold Case, Lost, and soon The Cleaner. He also has a numerous amount of films releasing this year and in 2007, Raymond was nominated for Best Supporting Male Independent Spirit Award for his role in Steel City. I was lucky enough to chat with Raymond about everything from his recurring role on Cold Case to his experiences at Brown and Yale University. There is so much below and I hope you enjoy!




Getting right to Cold Case, did you regularly watch the show before getting this role?
No, I did not. I had no idea what the show was about. I actually don’t watch a lot of television. I watch the news at night but generally speaking, I am not into TV series. Sometimes I watch my own work just to make sure that the work is okay. I enjoy being on the show and it is a phenomenal cast. It is really a fun job.

Is your role in this show a recurring role?
Yes it is. I have done 6 episodes and I believe I will be back next time. While the show is on hiatus, I will be going into The Cleaner on A&E. Before talking to you, I was actually learning my lines. I am also playing the Grandfather of Jack on Lost.

I was going to ask you about Lost.

Do you watch Lost?

I love Lost.

Everyone who watches it loves it but they don’t know quite what is going on… and I don’t either. (laughs) It is kind of a cryptic plot. I have only done one episode but I am confident that they will call me back.

How long did it take to film that episode of Lost?
I arrived on a Saturday and we shot on Monday and I left Monday night.

Going back to Cold Case, what do you have to do to prepare to play the role?
The main thing that I do is that I make sure that I am totally prepared with my lines. I don’t want to hold up anybody because I cannot remember my lines. Then I personalize the relationship between myself and my daughter on screen with real life. In this particular role, there is some guilt involved because in the storyline I deserted my daughter which I have never done in my own case. I am a father. I have 4 children, one of which was born 7 months ago. I have a 36 year old, a 17 year old, a 9 year old, and a 7 month old. So I know what it is to be a father. What I can bring to the role has a great deal with my own experience as a father. The guy is an ex-alcoholic and I was never an ex-alcoholic but I can imagine how that must be like. The relationship is a bit dysfunctional but there is hope because they become reconciled eventually.

As far as the alcoholism is concerned, did you do research such as go to an AA meeting?
Yes. I also grew up in a situation where there was some alcoholism. From having lived around alcoholics, I kind of know what that is and it is not a very comfortable thing to grow up in.

Talk about the episode that is going to air this Sunday, “Libertyville.”
I think in that particular episode we have an argument over her resentment of my having left her when she was about 8 years old. She was in a lot of pain about that. It comes out in an argument that we have in a park. It was difficult to shoot. In fact, I did a movie, Steel City. They referred to hat film, telling me that they wanted that kind of emotion for this scene. The writing was totally different from when I did Steel City but I did it.

Moving onto stage..You toured around the world a lot at the time that you were doing stage work, so what would you say was the most fascinating place to visit?
I did a play in Algiers. There is a village in Algeria that is so fascinating. It is a completely different culture. I would look outside my hotel room and there would be a person dancing with 2 drums tied to his waste. It was just magnificent. They are so talented. I would see farmers holding hands as they walked down the street. I found that to be such a statement about friendship. There was no condensation of homosexuality or anything of the nature. It was just plain old beautiful to see. The men were so elegant with their robes. I think that takes the cake as far as location. Berlin was also very fascinating. I performed at the time that the wall was there. It was very interesting. We were there in the middle of the winter. I also performed in prisons in the United States in the 70s and I also worked in prisons doing theatre workshops. I had a company that was composed of ex-offenders and I had a truck that opened up into a stage. Ex-offenders would get paid to perform in the plays and have some shot at working at a craft that might bring them out of the ghetto and away from drugs. That was a very profound experience for me. There was a certain degree of frustration though. 95% of the people who I worked with are dead now because of the life. I also worked with the Puerto Rican Playwright Workshop and I had a similar experience in that setting. All of these people were enormously talented!

Which play has changed your life?
Well, going into theatre was the most unlikely choice I could have made as a young man. I hardly talked, I was not outgoing, and I was very insecure about communicating. As decades have unfolded, I have had the good fortune to get work. By getting work, I became more and more confident. By allowing myself to take on more, I would say that the transformation of who I was then at the age of 21 when I started acting, to who I am now is so profoundly different because of the craft and life of theatre that I have lived. I am actually outgoing now, I have ideas, and I am political. I am still growing. For me, this profession helped me grow as an individual.

What has been your most challenging role?
Probably because of the time that I was at in my life, I would say playing Tom Cruise’s father in Born on the Fourth of July, directed by Oliver Stone. The reason why it was challenging was because I felt enormous responsibility to pull it off, given that my son was going to become paralyzed from the waist down from fighting in the Vietnam War. I wanted to pull it off. I wanted to enter that emotional state and I put myself through hell to make that character. I did pull it off and I am very proud of it. I have to give credit to Oliver Stone because he was really hard on me and I needed someone to be hard on me. I am very proud of it.

Moving on, you are quite the talented painter & sculptor but have you had any art shows in NY or LA?
I have never had an art show in LA. I had 3 shows in NY in my 20s. But I don’t like it. I just paint. The reason that I am not into that is because you have to sell your work and I don’t like selling and going over prices. Also, I usually miss the stuff that I sold. So I am not cut out for that. I am actually staring at an unfinished painting in my studio right now.

When did you start painting?
I started painting seriously when I was 24 years old. My mother was a painter, my grandfather was a sculptor, and my sister is a painter. I was surrounded by paintings all of my life. It was natural to walk into a household with canvasses all over the place. It was bohemian setting in the middle of the suburbs in Long Island.

Now can you tell me about your experiences at Brown University and Yale University?
I went to Brown because 2 athletes from my high school in Long Island went to Brown before me and I admired both of them. So I wanted to go where they went. I was also accepted into Dartmouth but I went to Brown and got a scholarship. I was an athlete so I was on the Brown track team, I played football, and I played basketball for 2 years. I majored in Philosophy. I don’t know exactly why. The word was kind of fancy and I was very naïve. It made me feel like I was intelligent or something. I did enjoy philosophy though. Finally during senior year, a guy asked me if I wanted to be in a play. Of course I said no, I wasn’t interested. Long story short, he kept coming back. Then he invited me to his theatre class and long story short, I became interested and joined the play. I was awful and of course all of the football players came and laughed their asses off. But I was interested. Then, the same guy encouraged me to apply to Yale’s drama school. Yale accepted me. I went to Yale for one year and then left to work. I loved my experience at Brown. I can’t say that I loved my experience at Yale but I worked very hard at Yale, wondering if I should be there. The transition that took place at Brown is what education should be all about. Brown was a wonderful experience.

Tell me about your upcoming projects.
I play the lead in Charlie Valentine (just released in the 25th). The Shortcut is produced by Adam Sandler and his brother. I play the main antagonist. There is another film, Hotel California, where I play a gangster. I am working on Cold Case, The Cleaner, and Lost…I am busy. Life is good. I just turned 70 years old. At the age of 70, I have 3 movies, 3 roles on television, and my wife just gave birth to our 4th child, my 7 month old daughter. Life is good.

You are living the life.

I am living the life. I got no complaints.

Being 70 years old, what do you want to teach your children that you may not have done when you were younger?
Life is spiritual. You will not get much out of life if you reduce your life to fame or materialism. It is about joy for what you are doing, joy for just breathing. You have to appreciate being alive. It is really something to think about.

Win A Makeover by Jazmin Whitley

If you are on the USC Campus this weekend, check this out.
Click the picture below for full size.

Marc Kudisch Introduces 9 To 5 The Musical

In a few short weeks, Marc Kudisch will be on stage previewing the new musical, 9 To 5 in NYC. When rehearsals started in NY, late February, I had the opportunity to chat with Marc about just about everything that you would want to know about 9 To 5. Make sure to share this with your friends as you are buying your tickets to the show!



Tell us about your character, Franklin Hart Jr. in 9 to 5.
What don’t you know about the character? (laughs) He is that boss that everybody hates. The play takes place in 79. The film came out in 81 but it was really written in 79. There is a big difference between 79 and 81. I am old enough to remember it. It was the last batch of the unabashed male macho, self serving, self involved, man who thinks he is the master of the universe. By 1981, it was replaced by the corporate guy. There was a certain innocence and ignorance that allowed him to continue on with his craziness. It is amazing how relevant the show is now.

So tell me about getting the role.
I didn't audition for this. I had worked with Joe (Mantello) before. My name was brought up so I did one of the readings and it went very well. The audition process has changed quite a bit. Readings and workshops are the place where the auditioning process really are now. You have to be in the development stages of these things. I don't audition as much as I used to, which is a plus and minus.

How is it a minus?
Well it definitely is a minus in a lot of ways. I love to audition. If you don't know the people especially, it gives you the opportunity to say hi. Actors are auditioning those people as much as they are auditioning them. What we do is collaborative. If people are interested in me they will tell me that they are interested in me joining or they will think that I am just not right for it. Then I will really want to audition for it. Because they know me or think that they know me, they wont' give me the opportunity to walk in that room. They don't want to insult me or waste my time in their opinion. Or they just do not see me in the role because they see me in a particular way. I like the auditioning process because it gives you the opportunity to explore and show another side of yourself.

What is a typical day of rehearsal like for 9 To 5?
I have some new material for 9 To 5. Today, I just had to work on a new song and a new reprise. Right now, for the first week my days or not crazy. They will get there though. You wake up at 6am to warm yourself up, you go to rehearsal at 10am, you finish around 6pm or so, you go home and eat dinner and rest to do it again. Right now, they are starting choreography for a new song for the ensemble. That is a big number. This week, I will go in and out, a couple of hours here and there. Next week, we will put the first act back together again, then the second act. We have 3 weeks rehearsal, which is short. Then we have 3 weeks of tech which is good. It's a great cast and the re-writes are really good! A lot of people are going to say, "Damn!" If you have kids, get a babysitter. This is not for them. This is for adults to come and have fun.

Had you met Dolly Parton prior to your involvement in 9 to 5?
No, not at all. That was part of the fun. She is the sweetest person. She is incredibly supportive and she loves working on this show. She is a hard working woman. She is very generous and respectful. I appreciate it. It is nice to hear Dolly Parton say that she likes my voice. I'll take it. When we were in LA, she was touring so we didn't have her around as much as we would have liked. Then, when she was around, we were in the middle of a lot of tech stuff so she really didn't get to see a lot.

Speaking of the LA previews, what was opening night like?
Well...in LA...it was a challenge. The show is great but it is such a big show tech wise so when we got out to LA, the schedule did not give us enough time for that. We were under a lot of pressure and stress to get things working. I think that to a certain degree it is very easy for Broadway to get caught up in the technology of today. It takes more time to put sets up because shows get so technologically advanced. In so many ways, we are still playing catch up with that so it was a challenge in LA because our stage...our first preview, we knew we would have to stop. So Dolly came in that afternoon and rehearsed with the orchestra for an hour just in case we had to stop. Our set in LA had big pieces so moving around was going to take time. In our first preview we stopped. We were almost at the end of Act One and we actually thought that we were going to have to stop sooner. Then we came in a little bump in the road, Dolly got up and sang a couple of songs. The audience was loving it and then we got going again. Then my office didn't move the way that it was supposed to we had to improvise an entire scene physically because the scene involved both sides of the set and we only had one. Dolly had to get back on stage again! It was a challenge but it was fun and we were proud of the show. It takes a lot of work to make it look effortless. All of that won't happen in NY. That is why we go out on the town, find the glitches, fix it, and simplify it. You learn from your run. Our run in LA was fantastic. After opening was when we really hit it. We had a 2 week preview period in LA and on average in NY it is 4 week period. So we were expected to put on a Broadway show in half the time, so it was a challenge. It was good though. It was good! I don't even think the audience realized half of what I am telling you.

Do you have a favorite song in the musical, 9 to 5 so far?
I just heard a new song today that (Stephanie J.) Block sings in the first Act. I really like it! She has a great song in the second act, "Get Out and Stay Out." There is a great song, "Tattle Tale" that got cut! It was a great song but it wasn't supporting the flow of the play. I have always liked my first song in the show. It is fun, shameless. I have a new song in the second Act with a new Reprise to it. It is great. It is Dolly Parton. The woman can write. Not just country. So much of her best music, she never sang it but wrote for other people.

What moment in the show really touches you the most?
What touches Frank is very different. (laughs) The song I heard today was sweet. It was about someone dealing with a lot in their lives and trying to stay positive. You wouldn't expect that so early on. It really hit a chord. There is this sudden moment of vulnerability. There is a great moment at the end with Allison Janney and Andy Karl that is really touching. The thing about our show is that it is honest and not precious so the moments that are tender always come out of a complicated situation. That is what makes it so tender to watch.

9 To 5 begins previews on April 7, 2009 and debuts on Broadway on April 30, 2009 at the Marquis Theatre.

Catching Up With Kaya Star, Danielle Savre

If you watched Kaya (MTV), Heroes, or Summerland, among other shows, than you have seen Danielle Savre. You probably do not know what she is up to now and what she has to say about appearing on shows such as Heroes. Well, I have got the scoop on all of that and more straight from Danielle herself.



So my first question is about Heroes since that is one of my favorite shows. What was your favorite part about filming Heroes?
Everything! The script was great so that is what really attracted me. Then being on set, the people were just amazing. The part was just so much fun to play! I had an awesome death scene. Everything was just awesome. Who’s your favorite character?

Probably Matt (Greg Grunberg). Who is your favorite character?
I don’t know. I always think about which power I would want to have the most. After you think about it for awhile, you really think about the pros and the cons of each power.

Another show that I enjoyed which you were on was Summerland.

Oh, you liked Summerland? (shrieks)

Yes, it was great.

I loved that show! I miss it. Every time people talk about it I get sad.

What was your favorite episode or storyline on Summerland?
That’s a good question. I want to say that one of my favorite episodes was probably with me and Jesse (McCartney) first meeting on the beach. Then probably the episode where he gave me the horse. I loved that show. It was my first television show where I got to work my acting chops off. I always remember the scene where I slapped him too.

Most recently, you have worked on "Kaya." Before being part of Kaya were you interested in being in the music business?
Yes. I started singing the same time that I started acting, which was around 7 years old. Acting took off quicker. I was in 2 singing groups when I was younger. When I joined Summerland, Jesse really encouraged me to start singing again. Then I started a group again, Trinity and we toured for awhile with Radio Disney. That was awesome but after that, it wasn’t really going anywhere and I really needed to focus on acting or singing. We stopped that group but the girls and I still remain great friends to this day. I got Kaya, which ended up being luck that I got to both sing and act in the show. I am working on a solo album now though.

How was living in Canada while filming Kaya?
You know what, I never really got to see Canada. I was working 5 days a week on set and the 6th day I was in the studio, and the 7th I was just resting because I think I only got about 4 hours of sleep a night. Everyone that I met was amazing.

Since you are putting together your debut album, what is the sound of that going to be like?
That is such a hard question. It is like pop rock with edge. I can’t really compare it to any specific artists.

Do you write songs?
I do. There are some songs on the album that are not written by me but yes, I do write songs.

How long have you been recording?
We started working on this album March 2008 but we officially started recording and everything in August. 7 songs are finished right now.

Is there a time frame that you have to release the album?
My producers think I am crazy but I want the album to be released on my birthday, August 26, 2009. Marketing is the biggest obstacle. If it doesn’t get released by then, it will be next year. We’ll see.

What label are you signed with?
I am independent but I am still deciding if I want to go with any of the major labels.

Do you like Broadway?
I would love to do theatre. I want to go to NY and try out for theatre roles because I do love theatre. It is definitely something I would love to do. It is funny though because I have only seen musicals, I have never seen plays. I would love to do it though.


Do you spend more of your time in Simi Valley or in LA?
I would like to say that I live in Hollywood and I sleep in Simi. I am in LA every single day. I do not want to move there because I like the escape, the quiet in Simi.

With acting & singing, do you have time for college?
I actually graduated from high school at 15 years old. My parents are really big on education so I went to college and finished a full year but sophomore year something came up. I think that was the year I joined Summerland. I sign up every year, hoping that I can finish classes and finals but it is so hard to do both.

Would you be studying music and acting in college or something else?
At first it was actually business. That always intrigued me and also it really plays into this business. I think I would concentrate more on acting but still take business classes on the side because I like to be educated on all of that.

Other than hopefully releasing your album, what else would you like to do for your 21st birthday in August?
I would love to be promoting a film that I am very passionate about. I am so lucky to have what I have now, I do not know what to ask for.

What are some of your favorite TV shows?
All of my favorite shows on TV are canceled but I love Dexter. I really like House. I like shows that really make you think. Lie To Me is is so good.

What's on your iPod?
I have got a lot of Rihanna, a lot of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, The Pussycat Dolls, T.I., Justin Timberlake...pretty much upbeat songs because I love running to the beat of music. I love Coldplay but their songs are too slow for me to run with.

So when you do have free time, I have no idea when that is, but when you do, what do you like to do?
(laughs) I love the spa. That is like my escape from everything. Also, seeing all of my friends. I love to run too. I used to play soccer growing up and I just love running for miles and miles and miles.

Movie Monday

A Look Ahead:

The Ugly Truth
Rating: R
Release Date: 07/24/2009
Cast: Gerard Butler, Katherine Heigl



Just Released:

In Theatres:

Monsters vs. Aliens
Trailer
Rating: PG
Release Date: 03/27/2009
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Kiefer Sutherland




Other Notable Mention: 12 Rounds (John Cena)

On DVD:

Bolt
Rating: PG
Release Date: 03/24/2009
Cast: John Travolta, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Miley Cyrus



A Look Back:

21
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: 03/28/2008
Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira



*******
Fun Link: Here’s a look at Tim Burton’s upcoming film, Alice in Wonderland.

New on Broadway

There are 3 musicals that I am looking forward to seeing this Spring.

The new musical, Next to Normal, which opens on April 15th at the Booth Theatre is starring Alice Ripley, J. Robert Spencer, Aaron Tveit, Jennifer Damiano, Adam Chanler-Berat and Louis Hobson. Check out this music video for the song, Superboy and the Invisible Girl and you will want to see this musical as well!



The new musical, 9 To 5, which opens on April 30th at the Marquis Theatre is starring Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty and Marc Kudisch among others. This musical is based on the film of the same title and features new songs written by Dolly Parton. It was a pleasure meeting Stephanie when I saw her in Wicked last year. I also did an interview with Marc Kudisch which I will be posting this Tuesday.



The revival of West Side Story, which opened on March 19th at the Palace Theatre is starring Matt Cavenaugh, Josefina Scaglione, Karen Olivo, Cody Green and George Akram among others.

TV Week In Review

*Reviews May Contain Spoilers*

Desperate Housewives - The Story of Lucy and Jessie

Susan: Actually, I’m more worried about the lesbian outside that is trying to get in!



This introduction was great, once again. Even though I was thrilled that Carlos was offered Bradley’s position, I am hoping that Bradley’s wife does not have an agenda with Carlos and Gabby. I was hoping that Lucy wouldn’t be another storyline where the wife is jealous of who the husband works with. So I was disappointed when it turned out to be just that. Let’s hope this does not drag out and is resolved as soon as possible. I was glad that Edie finally found out that Dave had a daughter and she died in the car crash too. Next week’s episode is very important when it comes to Edie’s character since she may or may not die. I do not want her to die but if she does, I am sure it will work in the storyline. Only time will tell! It was great to see Swoosie Kurtz guest star on the show. I enjoyed her on Pushing Daisies. Her character in this episode as Susan’s boss who kissed her was quite amusing. How do you react to your boss kissing you on the lips? Luckily everything worked out in the end. Bree set down the law in her house about stealing but I don’t think that Orson can learn how to control this habit before this gossip makes its way around Wisteria Lane. Interestingly enough, Bree tried to do the right thing, went about it the wrong way, and got Juanita in trouble for her wrongdoing. I cannot believe Bree did not say anything when Gabby cancelled Nita’s birthday party. That is low and all the right she is doing in this situation does not even matter to me if she can allow that to happen. Lynette and Gabby interacting more in this episode was great. For awhile there, it seemed like Gabby’s storyline was filled with nothing but Carlos and her home life so it is nice to see her interact with the women of Wisteria Lane more. I can’t believe that Lynette said she was 54! She’s crazy. I also do not understand why she told Gabby she accepted another job but in the end that did not matter since she took the job to help Gabby out. It was great to see Bevin Prince appear in this episode. I loved her on One Tree Hill. I also just recently interviewed her here. I really enjoyed this episode and next week seems like a huge episode, so I am anticipating it.

Gossip Girl - The Age of Dissonance

Gossip Girl: Looks like the teacher just got schooled.




I was very disappointed that after a month of waiting for a new episode, there was a filler episode. I never usually like filler episodes. This episode started off really slow and eventually became very comedic, which thankfully saved this episode. Even though Jenny was hardly in this episode, she looked amazing. Her wardrobe, hair, and makeup were on point. Onto the others…I wonder if Blair will get out of her school conflict as easy at Nate got out of his in the books. Chuck’s storyline is still very dull. Although when the girl straight out told Chuck that she used him for his money, that was bold. Speaking of his storyline, Carter was in it. The actor who plays Carter, Sebastian Stan is in a new series, Kings (NBC) that you should check out! I loved Vanessa helping Serena out. That was the most humorous moment ever. Another incredibly hilarious moment was when Blair & Dan were on the carriage during the play. These were the best 2 moments of the episode. When Nate thought that Vanessa was talking to the guy that Serena liked, I knew he would make something out of nothing. Sure enough, he did. The play really got dramatic and it wasn’t because of the screenplay. Did Blair just walk away from making the teacher’s life miserable? That is a first for Blair. The teacher took it to an extreme low by being the one who sent the blast to Gossip Girl. Dan Humphrey is not doing the right thing at all. I am glad that this relationship did not last long. It is one of those things that I have seen in every other teen drama and did not want to see again. Plus, Dan is too good for this type of storyline. This episode started off dull but it ended up being much more comedic than dramatic tonight and I loved every moment of that. I am looking forward to next week. Which will hopefully further the drama that we all want to see.

House - Here Kitty

Foreman: Say Puss one more time.



The introduction was refreshing with a fabulous guest star, Judy Greer. The whole death cat storyline was as equally interesting as it was ridiculous. I loved how House was trying to be sarcastic about a patient who actually was a firefighter. I cannot believe House attempting to watch the cat sit next to one of the sick kids. Taub treating his “old high school friend” was a great bit. Taub being in his “old friend‘s” environment encouraged him to resign back at the hospital but quitting there never works for anyone apparently. For such a smart guy, Taub wasn’t so smart as he lost most of his money before and almost did again. That was disgusting when Kutner told 13 that it was he and not the cat who went on House’s chair. That is such a Kumar move, I wonder if the writers thought about that when they wrote this in. Regardless, it was brilliant. There was not enough Wilson in this episode. I loved it when he said, “Dead people are renowned for their warm glow.” Overall, I might actually say that this is one of my least favorite episodes of the season but that doesn’t mean that I am not excited about the next episode.

One Tree Hill - You and Me and The Bottle Makes Three Tonight

Brooke: It sucks being the footnote in someone else’s love story.



Millie and Mouth starting their relationship over is what I have been waiting for, but it looks like I will either be waiting longer for this to happen for when Millie comes back or I will be wasting my time on waiting. I want to have hope for Millie and Mouth but I also trust that the writers have Mouth’s best interests at heart so we will see. Haley and Nathan are just so adorable together, I love them. I am so glad to see the two discussing their future as a family with their careers. It was so cute when Jamie said that he would rather watch Gossip Girl. Deb has her reasons for feeling the way that she does towards Dan but she also needs to let Dan see his grandson. Deb and Dan’s argument was full of emotion. I loved every moment of it. Finally they let out the truth and their true feelings…just in time for Dan to get a heart. Now, knowing the unofficial news that Hilarie and Chad are leaving the show…since Peyton may or may not lose the baby, we can all pretty much map out the rest of their storyline. They did their thing in this episode though, I felt the emotion. It was so raw, I loved it. The song that played, “Til Death Do Us Part” was the perfect song to play during their scene. Julian wanting Brooke to say “I love you” made me think about just how fast the time went by for it to get to this stage.

Ugly Betty - The Sex Issue

Betty: What’s your hurry soldier?



The opening scene was great. Ignacio hitting Matt and Archie was awfully funny. I loved the writers naming MK & Ash’s next book as “More Influence.” I felt sympathy for Wilhelmina being tired from actually taking care of her baby, working like a dog, and thinking about Connor at a time like this. She is Wilhelmina, things will work out. When Matt rushed Betty into the car, I was wondering if this was the episode that we would get to see whatever skeletons are in his closet. Matt being with hundreds of women is the best that they could come up with? Ehh. However, Amanda and Marc sexifing Betty was so incredibly entertaining. As for Hilda, her intentions with Archie after the date I can‘t blame her for, but what is good for one person is not necessarily good for Hilda. Even though after Hilda told Archie her initial intentions, they talked and everything worked out...I still do not think that Hilda and Archie are a good match. I just am not buying it. Betty’s wink after, the “what’s your hurry soldier” line was the most funniest thing in this episode (aside from the Marc and Amanda scenes). Betty’s scarf was a distraction and her hair flips were so wrong. Ha. Was that a Betty first - taking off her glasses? I don’t remember the last time Betty took her glasses off. Everything concluded well in this episode and while this one does not stand out, it was enjoyable. I am going to miss Ugly Betty while it is on its hiatus but I will be sitting front and center, ready to review the next episode once it returns.

The Office - New Boss

Pam: I can tell Michael’s mood by which comedy routine he chooses to do. The more infantile, the more upset he is. And he just skipped the Ace Ventura talking butt thing. He never skips it. This is bad.



The first laugh of the night came with Jim’s wardrobe and hair. Pam was awfully excited about it, regardless of Charles being there. Michael agreeing with Jim and not Dwight never fails to makes me laugh. Michael’s minor joke was nowhere near funny. It doesn’t even make sense. Michael is delusional if he thinks that Ryan was his best friend. What’s up with the C shaped bagels? I laugh at the things that he decides to put effort into. I do not understand why Michael had to introduce Oscar, Angela, and Kevin the way that he did. I cannot believe how unprofessional Michael was, not telling the office about the cutback. By now, Michael should not be so ignorant as to how to talk to people who are not the same race as him. While it is still hilarious, it is also disappointing to see how much he hasn’t changed since season 1. “Just call me asap as possible” was pretty funny. Gosh, Michael is just too funny. Instead of hanging up the phone, he just had to say, “I was never given a name” before hanging up. Ha! Michael just had funny line after funny line. “I think that’s a little hyper critical” was just hysterical. Kelly and Angela trying to get with Charles definitely brought the laughs. It was so sad seeing Michael get upset and making a fool of himself while getting his anger out. When Michael was leaving the office to see David and he was close to tears and pushed the chair…aww. As far as Jim goes, I understand why he wanted to talk to Charles alone about his position but the way he went about it, Jim must have been really intimidated by Charles. Otherwise, I see no reason why he made himself look so stupid. This whole episode was nothing but a sympathy trail for Michael for me and I cannot believe the way that it ended. Next week’s episode should be interesting! I haven’t anticipated an episode of this show this much in awhile!

Terminator: SCC - Today is the Day Part 2

John: Would you please give me your gun. You are not going to shoot me.



The only interesting part about the introduction was the connection between Jesse and Catherine. When Sarah brought up the point to Cameron about thinking about why John sent her away from him, that really made me think. Once Catherine pretty much admitted that she was planning on killing Ellison, since John Henry caught her planning it…I thought about whether or not she may kill John Henry as well or even instead. Regarding Jesse’s connection to John, I still do not quite understand the connection. I am not sure if it is just me and it went right over my head or if all the pieces really aren’t there yet. The fact that John knew about Riley before Riley got the chance to tell him made me so proud of John! He is on the ball! Man, that entire scene was incredible. Amazing job Thomas. Amazing job. I was surprised that John’s question was “Will you join us” although from a general standpoint, the “If you can’t beat them, join them” phrase comes to mind. I was also somewhat surprised to find out that Jesse was pregnant. This episode was just full of answers and surprises. I am so glad that Derek said, “I don’t know who you are…You are not my Jesse. You never were.” Did Derek really shoot Jesse? If so, yes! John crying at the end made me shed a tear. After all that he has been through, going through, and will go through…man. It just really hit that emotional mark. Even though this episode totally revolved around Jesse, who is the character that I like the least…it actually was a good episode. In some ways it left me with more answers than questions and other ways more questions than answers.