It was a musical like no other. Jesus Christ Superstar has been shown in cities all over the world, told in different interpretations. We are privileged to have experienced this spectacular musical produced in a big stage like Sydney Entertainment Centre. Well, the production wouldn’t be called “the arena tour” for nothing. They showed in Sydney for only three days and each show, all tickets were sold out.
Playbill, tickets and a fridge magnet to add to our collection
The Husband took the lead in getting us tickets as he was more enthusiastic in seeing JCS. While I’ve seen JCS way back in college, a production by Repertory Philippines, the promise of a rock musical in an arena piqued my interest too.
The crowd before the show. Full house!
Tim Minchin as Judas Iscariot. He brought the house down with his commanding presence and powerful voice. He’s the star of this show.
Ben Forster as Jesus Christ. Amazing and talented. He lit up the stage with his astounding voice.
Melanie C as Mary Magdalene. It was a dream come true to finally watch a Spice Girl live and I’m so grateful it had to be Melanie C. She was a revelation! Her voice was fantastic, substantially powerful and yet soothing when needed.
Andrew O’Keefe as King Herod. I’ve only known him as an Australian TV Host so it was my first time to see him sing and dance. He was extremely good! As in, wow! He brought King Herod’s character into a different dimension. His part was only one song but he did it so remarkably well.
This production showed a modern day JCS. They adapted the concept of Occupy London; social media came into play such as status updates in facebook and twitter; coverages from CCTV cameras; uploading videos on youtube; even one of the pharisees used a Macbook in one scene! I appreciated how they made JCS as current as possible.
In a nutshell: If you ever come across this production and it promises a musical and rock concert in one, go and see it! It’s worth your money and time.
I’ve been LSS-ing on this song since I’ve seen SMASH’s Season 2 finale. There’s something inspiring and hopeful about the message of “Broadway, Here I Come!” that I can’t help but feel positively excited whenever I hear it play or hum it by my lonesome. It’s a good song for when you feel you need a little courage from within or simply when you want something to perk you up in the mornings.
Can I just say that I love the 2nd season of SMASH? It’s so much better than the first one. This last season, they’ve eliminated the subplots that didn’t matter and instead focused mostly on theatre and production.
Anyway, here’s the lyrics if you want to sing along with the video above (I’ve also highlighted my favourite words on the song):
“Broadway, Here I Come!”
I’m high above the city
I’m standing on the ledge
The view from here is pretty
And I’m step off the edge
And now I’m fallin’, baby
Through the sky, through the sky
And I’m fallin’, baby through the sky
It’s my callin’, baby
Don’t you cry, don’t you cry
And I’m fallin’ down through the sky
Toward the street that I’m from
Oh, Broadway, here I come
Mmmm
The pressure it increases
The closer that I get
I could almost go to pieces
But I’m not quite there yet
See, I’ve been bravin’ crazy weather
Drownin’ out my cries
I pull myself together
I’m focused on the prize
And now I’m fallin’, baby
Through the sky, through the sky
I’m fallin’, baby through the sky
It’s my callin’, baby
Don’t you cry, don’t you dry
‘Cause I’m fallin’ down through the sky
And it’s a tune you can hum
Oh, Broadway here I come
Broadway, here I come
Will I remain the same
Or will I change a little bit?
Will I feel broken or totally complete?
Will I retain my name when I’m the biggest, hugest hit?
This is just something for the books and an experience that the Husband and I won’t ever forget.
We were supposed to go up the mountains last Friday but changed our plans due to the awful weather (unpredictable rains!) so we decided to book tickets to the latest Star Trek movie. It was a Friday afternoon and we saw a few people lined up at the counters. When we got inside the theatre, it was us and only us. Wow!
At first I found it quite scary to be just us alone in the huge theatre. I think the big space and darkness overwhelmed me. But once I got over it, it was sooooo much fun watching a movie like Star Trek with just us inside the theatre. I got to laugh and scream as loud as I can. We had no inhibitions as to how we’d react. Plus, the Husband and I didn’t have to whisper our side comments during certain scenes. It felt like we’re just sitting in our lounge room only we had a bigger screen!
Good thing the Husband brought his little flash with him that he was able to take a photo of me inside the theatre. I told him this happy circumstance might never happen again so we should have a photo.
And by the way, Star Trek Into Darkness was an entertaining film. It was definitely worth watching on the big screen.
This morning, I spent a few moments reflecting on how grateful I am to love and be loved by family and friends. Every Valentines Day, my thoughts are not just for my significant other but also for the special people who fill my life with love and joy. Wherever they are, I send positive and grateful thoughts out to them, not just today but everyday.
Here’s my Hearts Day gift to you dear readers. A short film by Disney entitled “Paperman” which takes only six minutes of your time but will give you a smile that could last the whole day.
This video made me remember how love can find you in the most unexpected times and how the universe makes a way for things to fall into place because some people are meant for each other. Ahhh Love, the most wonderful thing!
Have a fun Hearts Day! Live, love and be grateful! 🙂 Sources: WikipediaYoutube
Last year, I was fortunate to have watched and seen more shows/exhibitions than I expected. Big thanks to friends who gave leads and invited us. There were so many wonderful shows and exhibitions last year but the Husband and I carefully chose what we’d like to really experience. Here’s a list of memorable shows we watched in 2012. Musicals
Annie. My childhood dream to see “Annie” came true when it showed in Sydney during the first quarter of 2012. The musical that made songs such as “Tomorrow”, “It’s a Hard-Knock Life” and “Fully Dressed” famous. I enjoyed every minute of this heart-warming story of an orphan named “Annie” as she dreams a home to call her own. Love Never Dies (Sequel to “Phantom of the Opera”).The continuation of Phantom and Christine’s tragic love story. If you have seen “Phantom of the Opera”, this is a must see. It’s as fabulous as the its predecessor but more dramatic and poignant.
Legally Blonde. Afun and entertaining show that will remind you how great it is to have girlfriends who will always be there to share the highs and lows of your life, get over the man who broke your heart, fall in love again (with the right man this time) and celebrate the uniqueness in you. Read about my story here.
Exhibitions Harry Potter. An exhibition which made me appreciate and love the film series even more. It was a treat for movie enthusiasts to see each character’s wands and outfits worn in the movie, the flying car, the Horcruxes, the Twizard Cup, pieces from the Wizard’s Chess, the Invisibility Cloak and the full version of Buckbeak. Read my story and see more photos here. Love Lace. Lace is one of my favourite fabrics (next to silk and satin) because of its intricate and meaningful designs, the details and hardwork that goes into creating them, and the romance and mystery it brings to those who wear them. The exhibition showcased the things one can do to lace, may it be in the form of dresses, boots, gloves, jewellery and artwork. It was a small exhibition but it was a beautiful showcase. See more photos here.
Picasso. The most significant exhibition of Picasso’s art ever held in Australia. More than 150 important paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings created by Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) have come from the artist’s personal collection – works he was determined never to relinquish. It was amazing to see his work and admire his style in art.
Madame Tussauds. Enjoyed this fun exhibition with our family. Each Madame Tussauds is unique in every city as 60% of the wax figures in Sydney are composed of famous Australian personalities such as Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue, Rod Laver, Lleyton Hewitt, Julia Gillard, John Howard and Mary Mackillop. Read my article on Madame Tussauds here.
Narnia. A short but fun exhibition for kids. I enjoyed seeing this exhibition because it showed the costumes used for the film. Made me appreciate the huge effort and cost in filming this kind of production.
Ballet Sleeping Beauty by the Imperial Russian Ballet. One of the most watched ballets in history. The music was written by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, the original scenario was conceived by Ivan Vsevolozhsky and the choreographer of the original production was Marius Petipa. My first time to watch ballet and it was good. Read my story here.
Sports Event Australian Open 2012. Another dream of mine that came true! We got to watch the best tennis player in the world, Roger Federer. And this all happened on my birthday which made me so happy. To watch a legend like Roger Federer is a gift. For someone like me who’s far away from any Grand Slam or Masters venue, it is a once in a lifetime blessing. The minute Federer walked inside the court, the crowd was in awe. One will feel the air of royalty alluded to him by many but he didn’t look intimidating at all. He looked relaxed and down-to-earth. He has this certain grace that only a Master exudes. For more of my Australian Open 2012 experience, please read here.
In my books, this was a great line-up of shows and exhibitions. I hope the shows we see in 2013 will be as entertaining. We also look forward to learning new things as we experience a different set of shows and exhibitions in the coming year.
