The Year's Best

'Tis the season ... for reviewing the year that was and planning the year that will be. True to form, I've thought about all the entertainment I've seen this past year and come up with this:

Best Movies of 2006
Now I haven't yet seen Dreamgirls or The Good Shepherd and I imagine they might make this list. But for now...

8. The History Boys
7. Bobby
6. Before the Fall
5. The Queen
4. Half Nelson
3. Little Children
2. Little Miss Sunshine
1. The Departed

Best Nights at the Theater of 2006

10. Jersey Boys (NY)
9. Hay Fever (London)
8. Evita (London)
7. Little Dog Laughed (NY)
6. The Lieutenant of Inishmore (NY)
5. Grey Gardens (NY)
4. Sunday in the Park with George (London)
3. Billy Elliot (London) - just as good the second time
2. The History Boys (NY)
1. The Phantom of the Opera (NY) - becomes longest running show in Broadway history

Pleasant surprises of 2006

- The Times They Are A-Changin' (Broadway)
- Tarzan (Broadway)
- Sweeney Todd (Broadway)
- Rain: The Beatles Experience (Boston)
- Superman Returns
- United 93
- An Inconvenient Truth

The biggest disappointments of 2006

- Lestat (San Francisco)
- High Fidelity (Boston)
- Borat
- The Black Dahlia
- Scoop
- X-Men: The Last Stand

Happy Holidays

So we'll launch the new spot with a Christmas post. Enjoying my first complete day off in quite some time. It's nice to enjoy a slow morning pace, without watching the clock and trying to remember a) is this a school day? (this is usually easy because I'm up significantly earlier on those days), b) do I start at the Rockettes or the Nutcracker today? c) exactly how many performances am I working today? d) can I get in any Christmas shopping? e) is that god forsaken Fore River Bridge scheduled to go up at all this morning? and f) did I remember to feed the cat?

With only one performance yesterday, I was able to get off to the movies for the first time in a while. Caught THE HISTORY BOYS, which suffers when compared to the brilliant play, but on its own terms, is quite enjoyable. Last night, I watched LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE on DVD at my parents' house and laughed all over again. Such a wonderfully written movie (an Oscar for original screenplay seems inevitable) with terrific, understated performances. I'm hoping to catch DREAMGIRLS in my in-between shows openings this week.

So, welcome to the new blogspot. And Happy Holidays!