It was weird for me to hear that my buddy Dave was not a fan of live theater, but that even being of that opinion he enjoyed The Lion King when he saw it in person. I don't go to the theater enough, to my way of thinking. I prefer it to movies and very much more prefer it to TV. I guess I can understand how a person might be unable to suspend their disbelief long enough to see a live show, but to me live theater is the true and legitimate form for the art. Any way we went to see Lion King this weekend with the granddaughter and that was a big success. Big!One of my favorite places here in the Chicago area for theater is a little-known venue called First Folio. I was first introduced to it when my daughter got a job as the stage manager there for a season (or just a show? I have no brain anymore...).
They are best known for their renditions of Shakespeare, in my mind, and I say they have a list of regular players who are quite good at it. If I have one beef about Shakespeare in America, 21st Century style, it's when people try to change the setting of it to the Wild West or a garage in Peoria or something. First Folio doesn't always do that, but they do it enough to bug me sometimes just a little. When I see my Bard I want my Bard like the Bard. I know, for everything else I like it probably seems strange I am that much of a traditionalist when it comes to Bill. But there it is.
Outside of the shows the coolest thing about First Folio, though, is that it's done outside. And you can bring your picnic baskets and small folding tables and chairs and just eat cheese and sip... water... while you watch under the summer stars. If that isn't heaven I don't know what else could be.
So anyway the Lion King was, as I said, a big hit with the granddaughter. Big enough so that I went and got tickets for the Chicago's Goodman Theater production of Christmas Carol so we can take her Christmas week.
Dude, check it out... second row seats.
It's good to be the guy with the tickets.
5 comments:
I'm not a huge fan of Shakes, but I also prefer the traditional adaptations. And I do love the occasional live performance, but generally I'm a movie guy over a theater guy.
All that being said, you couldn't pay me to go see The Lion King. Maybe if they used real lions...
I know, but it's different when you have a granddaughter.
I like going to the theater. An ex boyfriend's mom and stepdad were actors, so I actually saw quite a bit of plays back in the day. Then they had parties, and I can't think of much worse than a roomful of stage actors in a room, all vying for the spotlight. It was freaking hell.
Anyway, now you've got it in my head to look around for something to take Gilda to this season...
A room full of actors... Otherwise known as living hell.
It's not so much live theater, but MUSICALS that I have a problem with. Always have. People singing their dialogue is so freaky and unnatural to me that I can't seem to get into it.
So did YOU like it?
Post a Comment