Prolouge

I have never ceased to be amazed by the sheer number of book to musicals out there. Case in point- 'Count of Monte Cristo'

Now, I actually like this book, it's one of the few ones I read in sophomore English, and, despite my aversion to all things french, I actually liked it. It was short for honors English standards and actually kept my attention for a while.

But this is not a book review, it's a musical one. I know a lot of shows I go off the soundtrack, because I live in a world of little money and many shows to watch, and I know that most shows can't be judged off their CD's. But this one is good.

I love the minor key for one. It has the same feeling of Jekyll & Hyde in its slow ballads with interesting instrumentals behind it. As much as I hate ballads, these ones managed to actually make me listen, again, minor keys will do that.

Reading it with the book is a must, as the score only captures the feeling of the book better than it's delivered in the story. I liked it, a lot, but good luck finding a copy of the CD other than Itunes

So beyond that, we're doing 'Cripple of Inishman' right now, which I absolutely love now by the way. It's about a cripple boy that nobody likes who runs away to be in a movie but comes back to be with a girl and then dies.

Oh wait, spoiler alert. Anyway this show is amazing, and it's my first show actually being on a crew and only a crew. If we didn't have to scrape black paint off chairs all day it would be better, but distressing clothing last week was fun enough.

Oh and having and Irish accent is always fun.

Love
Ashton

Ten Minutes Ago

I don't quite comprehend how my abrasive, direct, no-nonsense approach to dating can help everyone except myself.

Which brings me to today's subject- Stupid musical love songs.
I love sappy romances as much as the next girl, but when I went to see a production of 'Cinderella' at a local high school I found myself laughing at grossly inappropriate times. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIe2Y5lgahQ I mean how am I supposed to take that song seriously? It's about every cliche in romance story EVER. to quote

"Ten minutes ago, I saw you
I looked up when you came through the door
my head started reeling you gave me the feeling the room had no ceiling or floor.
Ten minutes ago, I met you, and we murmured our how do you dos
I wanted to ring out the bells and fling out my arms and sing out the news."

Obsession is not okay kiddies. This isn't Dante's Inferno and you aren't Beatrice bro.

The only person I accept sappy love from is Mr. Frank Sinatra, and that's because he's oh so very pretty. Oh so very *sigh*

Oh wait this is a Broadway blog. My point is, actually I lost track of what my point was. DAMN YOU SINATRA!

I'm going to end this on a good note, Book of Mormon is officially on tour. To bad I'm not in Denver.

Save The Last Dance For Me
Ashton

You and I

So I've recently been going through all the random musical albums I downloaded on my ipod and I found one of my old favorites 'Bare - A Pop  Opera.' It's one of those hipster musicals that only ran off Broadway that you can name drop like hell and sound like the pretentious Theatre Student you know you are.

It's a typical teen angst musical (think 'Spring Awakeing' on crack...) about a catholic school. Any bets on the main plot line?

Yup, OMG WE'RE GAY AND CATHOLIC GOD HATES US RAWWWRRRR.

Not to be cynical or anything, because I do love this musical. If only for the main tune, you know that measure of music that shows up at the beginning/end of every other song? Yeahhhh the 'Ban nah ba dum' that doesn't have words but you hum it anyway?

This is hard to get across without speaking. And Into the Woods just came on Pandora, hold on I have to reminisce.

So now that that's done, I shall continue. So there's drugs, cussing, homosexuality. All the things my Conservative republican family would love to see me listening to. Perfect rebellion musical. I will admit, I cry at the end of watching it (There's a full production of the show on youtube) but that's because I'm a wimp and I cry at everything.

I just finished up Chicago, and the show has surprisingly grown on me. I was only on chorus, but since I'm a member of the 7th period technical theatre class (honors theatre credit bitches) I did a lot of tech work as well. Such as woodgraining. Oh woodgraining. Second show in a row I've used that particular skill. Also, since it's Chicago our color scheme was black and uh...black. And a little bit of black ust for emphasis.

None of my clothing escaped the two weeks of solid cell block painting. Speaking of the cell blocks, Guess who fell off the top of one? I'm as graceful as a gazelle in heat I swear. I should've gotten checked for concussion-like results of said fall.

Whatever, the bruises and cuts hurt way worse than that.

Anyway, I need to actually try and pass Pre-Calc. Looks like I'll be up a while.

Roxie

So, I lost all access to a computer around Christmas due to a nasty virus that wiped my hard drive... Yay me. We just ended our run of chicago, and had the shortest cast party ever. And I'm really tired right now, so I jsut wanted to tell the hundred or so people that actually read this that no, I'm not dead, and I'm keeping this up.. I'm just realllllyyyy tired, and have awful luck.
So, on that note, I shall post tomorrow with pictures and stories
Love,
Ashton

Zwei Welten

Been listening to German Broadway recently. It's quite amusing when you know a bit of the language. Don't know why, but it tis'.

My parents have made me stop going to tech rehearsals, which is down right depressing. Honestly, tech is one of the only things that still manages to be enjoyable. Now, I could go into a whole 'out of control' rant here, BUT I SHALL NOT!

Muhahahahaha Take that anxiety!

So yes, German Broadway, it's amazing! Jekyll and Hyde, Tarzan, and Lion King are all that I've been able to find. But I'm sure if I search hard enough I'll find more. Quite obviously- I speak a little of it. (Shut it! German Two counts!) And I love the sound of the language. To all you haters- suck my..ahem..

So, I suggest you look into some good old fashioned 'Konig der Lowen' or um..'Tarzan' 

Sorry for all most posts being depressing lately, I'm trying to be happier with them because this wasn't meant to be a bitch blog, but it's starting to turn into one.

NEVER! I REFUSE! I AM COMPLETELY SANE!

Well that last one is debatable. But anywho, to prevent any further boredom on your part I shall cut this one shorter than usual.

All my love

Ashton

Circle of Life

Wow two Disney titles in a row? Well this is just on behalf of my slight obsession with all things Julie Taymor. I really think the titles I write have almost nothing to do with the entry beyond the first paragraph, but still. Lion King for the win?

So I'm at the point in a show where I want nothing to do with my actual life, honestly if I could work all day long until I eventually end up passing out on top of the cell block I would. Beyond my personal and school life falling apart at my feet I really have nothing else.

There's something comforting in working that long. I know I'm a masochist n'all but really, I love the feeling of coming home covered in paint and only having to think about what I'm gonna do after chorus rehearsal tomorrow.

I suppose I can't really beat around the bush on what I'm really saying- outside of Theatre life pretty much blows. Can't get the grades, can't get the guy... Just generally epicly failing at everything but painting, and even that's a bit shoddy. I'm sure eventually I'll get out of this slump, but for now it's gotten to the point where I've canceled my Facebook because I'm tired of the anxiety it gives me.

God this is supposed to be a theatre blog and I've turned it into some kinda bad teenage soap opera. Enough of this crap! Story time!

So as of right now I've almost died three times in the last day. Once was in the middle of a Huck Finn project where I was supposed to do a fake spit take and instead started choking in front of my entire AmStud class. Since it was a theatre-esq project they all thought I was just doing really good at acting. But you know, I'm not that good, of course not. So I was about to blackout when I finally managed to get some air in. Of course I was laughing at myself the whole time so it was pretty messed up to say the least.

Second time I tripped on one of the cell blocks and almost fell off the second story.

And the third time I almost got hit by a bus.

Something's trying to kill me I swear...

So I think that's enough for today, kinda run out of replays on YouTube for Lion King. That and I have a pre-calc test to study for (which I might not actually fail thanks to the subject matter actually being applicable to life)

Your's truly

Ashton

Poor Unfortunate Souls

Theatre IV has one and only one perk- getting to do frivolous projects that have nothing to do with the black plastic monster that currently sits in the back of my car.. (my portfolio for those of you who've never encountered such an object)

So as such, we're doing a musical theatre project, which allowed me to fangasm all over the whiteboard. For those of you not paying attention- I know a lot of Broadway shows. Drowsy Chaperon, Bat Boy, Memphis, Mamma Mia, Into the Woods.... Someone stop me before I turn this post into a giant list. 

Anywho, I shall be doing 'Poor Unfortunate Souls' from Little Mermaid (Yes.. it did run on Broadway) Jaded manipulative individuals seem to be my forte. I hope this isn't some sort of subconscious desire that needs to be checked out. I'm already crazy enough, I don't need un-diagnosed psychopathy... 

Chicago's going..well enough. I've decided to take up a new anti-gossip banner, mostly because I have the naive belief that if I stop talking about everyone else I might just possibly be left alone. Maybe. I don't know what it is about the seniors, but none of them have any respect what so ever for anyone but themselves. 

Wait, that's not true, some, actually most of them do... I just remember the bad ones. Wait, gha, no, I won't talk about anyone.. ANYONE! 

My grades suck, my social life's dead, and the only thing I have left is slowly fading away in intensity. I need work and stress to function, and not being something important to the show is killing that. I'm on chorus and I don't dance. I'm kinda on tech but not really... Just kinda lost between the two with neither of the groups really accepting me. 

I'm sorry, this wasn't meant to be so depressing, none of the entries are, but I suppose with my current mindset I can't really write like anything else. 

Now I'm off for yet another date (but not really) with the Russian. 

Ashton