Filed under: 2008 Election
Today was my first day in front of a high school classroom as a full time teacher. I’m exhausted. But I couldn’t go to bed without hearing the my President speak and posting a few thoughts…
On second thought, there’s nothing that I could possible say that won’t be said somewhere else in the blogosphere. So I’ll be concise: I love and am immeasurably thankful for President George W. Bush. And more, I’m going to miss him immensely.
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Filed under: Music
On graduation day, a few months ago now, Courtney surprised me with maybe the best gift ever. 
It’s rare that anybody truly shocks me with a gift–I really think I could have been a private detective, or maybe I was in another life, because I usually snoop around until I figure out what the gift is. Court just kept saying “it’s small enough to fit in an envelope and you’re really going to like it.”
When the day finally rolled around, she handed me the envelope and all I could see was a the logo for Geico car insurance showing through the thin paper of the envelope. “Car insurance,” I though to myself, “what a weird gift.” It turned out that the logo was just an advertisement at the bottom of a printed ticket to see Les Miserables at the Filene center at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA.
I’ve been in love with Les Miserables for a long, long time…ever since mom made me watch the 10th Anniversary Edition on PBS during one of those fundraising telethons they do. I later received the 10th Anniversary Edition c.d. set (which was stolen in a recent trip to Baltimore–bastards) and last year I was given the 10th Anniversary d.v.d. for Christmas. This year. I got to see it in person.
Here’s a clip for that 10th Anniversary “all star” cast. Every single clip is so great that it was hard to pick one. At first I was going to pick “Empty Chairs and Empty Tables,” because Marius is amazing. Then I thought I’d pick “On My Own” because Eponine’s voice is angelic and if you can listen to her sing without getting teary-eyed then you must be dead. But I decided on “One More Day” because it features everybody–including Colm Wilkinson (Valjean) and Michael Maguire who, I’m pretty sure, was born to play Enjolras:
If you’ve never watched Les Miserables (the musical–not that crap film), youtube it and search “10th Anniversary.” A lot of the clips are up.
The show at Wolf Trap may not have featured the all stars of the so called “Dream cast” performance BUT it was nonetheless fantastic. When we first received our programs, I looked to see the picture of who would play Valjean. I commented, “he’s far too young to play Valjean,” but what a job he did. Javert was also amazing. And Marius. And Eponine. Aw, hell, the whole cast was fantastic.
Two thumbs way way way up.
Courtney, I know you don’t ever read this, but if you stumble upon this I wanted to tell you THANK YOU SO MUCH one more time.
tags technorati : LesMiserables, Musicals, WolfTrap
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