What I Learned This Week: #141

Monday, February 10 – Sunday, February 17

The Week in Broadway: Les Misérables pulled in to Cincinnati as part of the Broadway across America series, reminding me of what I love and don’t love about Broadway Across America. I love that professional, live theater with live musicians is available. I don’t love that traveling shows are often cut-rate productions and cast members seem to to phoning in their performance.

In this production, the stage was kept very dark, I expect to make up for the sparse set decor. The use of screen projection to change scenes was lackluster, at best, though Javier’s suicide was cleverly done.

The first act of the show lacked energy from the stage. The raucous song Master of the House was a snooze.

Whatever the cast did at intermission, the second act was much better. Jean Val Jean’s “Bring Him Home” literally brought the audience to tears and got the longest applause.  (I didn’t keep my program, but I think the actor was Patrick Dunn).

Les Mis itself is quite a crowd pleaser. The audience absolutely loves, loves, loves this show, and no nit-picking can deny how great it is to be a part of a that experience.

The screen at intermission

The stage as the audience entered

The Week in Keepin’ it Real: Man, I love me some craft beer, fancy wine, a small batch bourbon, but sometimes Miller Lite is the right drink. That is all.

The Week in Knowing Stuff: I struck up a conversation with a dude at the bar and we decided it was time to finish the night by going to the bar across the street. Two locations makes an evening of drinking seem less lazy. Anyway, on the way to the next bar he asked if I wanted to see his apartment.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking.

But, I could tell this was really an innocent invite. He wanted to show me his place. I went up. It was a nice spot. He showed me the roof and I got some new views of the city. On the way out, he asked if I would help him make his bed – he’d just washed the sheets.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking.

But, we made the bed. Turns out I’m better at putting pillows in pillow cases than I knew. And then we went to bar two. And soon thereafter, we parted ways. I knew I was safe the whole time. I just knew. Delightful.