posted by maggie on Aug 16
Halloween is the time of year that starts off the holiday season with a crazy punch. The roots of Halloween go back to Celtic and Christian holidays but today, for most people, it is just about having a good time. The party has a spooky feeling about it but depending on what one decides to be for Halloween it can be light and fun.
It is always fun to see what people are going to pull off for costumes each year. There are some who like to incorporate current events into what they are wearing for the party. Then there some people who just sift through endless Halloween costumes to see if something interesting is found. Others go with a certain mood or favorite character. No matter what people decide to do, not everyone is going to be the character from the movie Halloween .
The funniest thing is spending Halloween with little kids. They don’t really know what is going on but they have a fun time dressing up in their favorite characters. It is fun to see a family of three boys go as Alvin and the Chipmunks or a little girl dressed up as the princess she truly is.
posted by maggie on Apr 13
Currently, the are almost 60 Off-Broadway plays being performed in New York City. Most of the plays you’ve never heard of and some you have. These Off-Broadway musicals, play or revues are performed outside of the Broadway theatre district and are more of an intimate affair because they have less than 100 seats, but Off-Broadway shows are what keeps theatre alive and well in New York. Plus, some Off-Broadway shows have had subsequent runs on Broadway and they may feature well known playwrights, actors and the ticket price is considerably less expensive than attending a real Broadway show.
Many Off-Broadway venues are located throughout the city, so thay are very convenient to attend if you’re staying at any of the great hotels , plus the venues have many restaurants around them for you to have either dinner or lunch before or after the show, and no matter where the location, you’ll not only end-up enjoying a great performance, you’ll be able to see parts of New York City you would’ve missed otherwise.
Some of the current Off-Broadway shows are: two by A.R. Gurney the ‘Black Tie’, a comedy performed at Dramaat 59E59′s and ‘The Grand Manner’ a drama performed at Mitzi E. Newhoust Theater, you might remember Gurney for ‘The Dinning Room’; ‘Family Week’ by Beth Henley, this is a dark comedy performed at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, it takes place one year after the main characters death of her son at a recovery center in the desert, and her mother, daughter and sister arrive to participate in ‘family week’. Henley is known for her hit play ‘The Miss Firecracker Contest’, starring Holly Hunter in the 1989 film version; ‘Ideal’ by Ayn Rand, a comedy, believe it or not, performed at 59E59′s theater C. This play is about the world’s most famous actress who has been accused of murder and 6 of her devoted fans are challenged to stand by their idol in her time of greatest need. ‘Ideal’ will close in July, so you better catch this one fast. Another play, one you’ll recognize, which is closing in June and needs to be seen soon, is ‘Our Town’ by Thornton Wilder and is being performed at Barrow Street Theater.
Off-Broadway shows may vary in quality and in performances, but you never know if you’ll be watching the next Broadway hit.