When the weather matches the mood of your show, you know you’ve got something powerful going on.   Photo by Dan Norman I have always been a great lover of opera, so it saddens me that I haven’t had a chance to see many performances in the last few years!

Some excellent #beachreads for your consideration I’m always game for a good #shelfie Reading roundups have become one of my favorite perennial posts, and for good reason. I’m an avid reader and started tracking the books I read on Goodreads a few years ago to have a better way to

There’s never been a better time to #drinklocal   Be honest, what’s better than a strong cocktail on a rooftop on a gorgeous day? Nuthin’ We’re in the throes of #libation season, a favorite time of year for me, and I couldn’t resist sharing some of my favorite new finds

Sometimes, all you want is a good B-list sequel.   Photo by Joan Marcus I was raised on the original Phantom of the Opera Broadway soundtrack. At 12 years old, when I got my first boombox #datedmyselfalready, I owned three CDs: Celine Dion’s greatest hits; Barbra Streisand duets (including a

When the world heats up, you need something to cool you down.   Who loves supporting #Minnesota business? One of the joys of being a blogger is that occasionally someone offers to send you product samples. These can be hit or miss, but there have been a few I’ve tried

Have you ever questioned your memories? Let me tell you a story: it’s 2006 and I’m a junior in high school in a small town up north. The school musical is announced and it’s West Side Story. I’m thrilled because it’s one of my favorite shows, ever.pointblank.omg., and I get a

If there were one sentence to describe Chicago, it would be “sex on stage.” I’ve seen many sultry shows in my time, but little compares to the sensual explosion that is Chicago. From the barely there costumes to the musical sighs to the iconic Bob Fosse choreography, Chicago oozes sex

Some people are just made for certain parts.   Photo by Dan Norman Robert Downey Jr. was born to play Iron Man. Denzel Washington was thoroughly destined to be Malcom X. Who but Idina Menzel could have originated Elphaba? Or who could have breathed life into the Phantom other than

This is such an exciting time to be an artist. Thanks to the power of the internet, social media and crowdfunding, artists are more empowered than ever to really flex their creative muscles, and how lucky are all of we to enjoy it? From Donald Glover to Mindy Kaling, there

Biopics can be a tricky thing.   Photo by Dan Norman I always feel for actors who have to portray famous figures, especially those alive during the last 100 years or so since the film industry exploded and we have real-life video footage to refer back to. Fans can be