Just thought it would be fun to post a blog on my favorite performers. First one, Laura Michelle Kelly. Currently she is staring in Mary Poppins and is absolutely amazing. I have to say being a huge Julie Andrews fan it took me a while to finally go to see the show. I just could not imagine anyone else but Julie Andrews playing Mary but I was wrong. The show is adorable and filled with Disney's tricks and magics but that's not what I thought was the best part or my favorite. I left the show thinking what a great performer Laura Michelle Kelly is. She plays Mary differently than the film and so is the show but it worked. She is a tougher, hilarious and very confident Mary Poppins yet she still has the gracious and lovable charm she is suppose to have with a perfect voice. Also her solo Cd, The Storm Inside is a great Cd. One of my favorites it is a nice collections of original and cover songs, I def recommend her Cd and a trip to see her in Mary Poppins.

wow i have not posted anything in a while. maybe this year i will blog more. 2009 was such a huge and amazing year for me. yea there was many up and downs but i also had some incredible moments. I thought it would be fun to post my top 10 moments of 2009 in photos.

1. Equality March. The most inspiring day I have ever had and I am so thankful I was able to experience this and capture the unity and love this day was filled with.

2. My first Broadway curtain call! I had no clue what on earth i was doing but this day was beyond exciting even if it only lasted a few minutes. it was thrilling and laura michelle kelly is incredible!

3. My first Tony award experience and hopefully not the last. A day celebrating the season I love and a music hall filled with icons and performers winning awards for their amazing performance was a day I can not forget. I love this season and will not forget it. oh and i got to hold a Tony award, cant beat that.

4. such an unreal moment i did not think would happen. Rock of Ages pretty much landed me my job which I will always remember but rock of ages is a show i fell in love with. The music, show, friends i made and every event and memory I had with this show was amazing and just filled with love. This show means so much to me and I got to photograph the cast at a save the children's event. It was unreal i went from just being a fan taking photos for my self to working for them. unreal, i still don't know if it happened.

5. covering my first opening night. FELA! just within the few minutes at curtain call i felt the passion and life this show has. I loved shooting this.

6. Joe Iconis, I have loved his music for quite some time now and I was thrilled to be able to photograph one of his shows. It was an amazing show and such a joy to photograph.

7. Marathon '33. I got to photograph this one night only performance of Marathon '33 honoring June Havoc. Beautiful performance just wish i could see it again!

8. Alice Ripley, Bebe Neuwirth, Beth Leavel, Laura Benanti, nuff said. It was just hard to take photographs while listening to every word they said.

9. Concerts! by far my favorite things to shoot, small intimate concerts in new york city by some of the best Broadway composers and performers! i get to enjoy a night of great music while photographing one off performances. I just love it!

10. Last event of 2009, an Equality odyssey in hope for 2010! inspiring and amazing performances by the wonderful cast of Hair, this is just my favorite shot from the night, Kacie sheik performing a touching song about love.

hope 2010 brings more photos!

Equality NOW!

I'm marching at the October 11th rally in D.C for marriages rights for same sex couples. I'm going with BroadwayImpact. They are sponsoring buses to take groups of people from New York to and from D.C. If you want to join or help out go here http://www.broadwayimpact.com/. 

Broadway Flea Market

I have a lot to post about from reviews of 9 to 5, Burn the Floor, Memphis to events I have covered and to what I have up next. I have been a busy bee which I love just a little tired but today was the Broadway Flea Market so cant complain. 

I have to say that the flea market is one of the best events held each year in the alley and a bit disappointing it had to be moved inside this year. I love just being outside for the day walking aimlessly in the alley just looking at all the Broadway merch being sold, seeing the actors work the tables and just mingle and just seeing hundreds of people come together to raise money for a great cause. Today it was a mad house. It was moved inside the Roseland Ballroom which was cramped, packed and hot but just glad they even had it. It still was fun and was able to find some great deals. I made a few rounds before purchasing anything. I was on a search for anything 9 to 5 yet unfortunately didn't find much. There was a large Stephanie Block Poster which I eyed for a while but than realize there was no way I could carry that out of there let alone bring it home. It was sold and brought up to the autographed table which was quite humorous to see this life sized post of Stephanie just being walked around. I wonder what her reaction was. I believe my first purchase was a chocolate chip cake by the wonderful chefs over at the Lion King. I than hit the TKTS booth yet lost like usual. Why I even bother I don't know since I never win raffles. It was hard to even walk let alone look at the tables around 10am so we decided to take our chances in the basement. While walking to the stairs we hear a familiar voice . who was it? Felicia Finley working the auctions. Nice surprise to see her and I cant wait till she makes her return to the stage! she was hilarious today and a great seller. We made it downstairs where I found my favorite purchase. I saw a few A Chorus Line show jackets yet the first one i tried on was huge and didn't fit at all but the second one was perfect but 150 dollars to much for me to pay for a jacket. I made a few more rounds up stairs getting a one dollar Rent poster, five Dollar Rock of Ages off Broadway program. I didn't see many things I wanted to buy. The Wicked table had a few things but couldn't see myself spending 300 on a leather bag. A few 9 to 5 shirts but didn't have my size, Rock of Age calendar but wasn't going to spend 40 dollars on it. few other posters and records but ended up not getting. Turned one O'clock and we hit the photo booth. I wanted a photo with Stephanie Block, Chad Kimball and Montego Glover but Chad didn't make it but I was still able to get a photograph with Stephanie Block which I wanted since 9 to 5! She was a doll and couldn't have been sweeter. I was quite nervous like normal but she called me over put her arm around me said thanks a bunch of times and rubbed my back ha ha! told her how much I loved 9 to 5 which she seemed very happy to hear I was going to say how I felt I shouldn't have closed but that was way to many words for me to get out. I also wanted to give her prints of the photographs I took at 9 to 5 but punked out. oh well.

 

Maybe next time. Alice Ripley was also doing photos at the same time which was nice to see Alice, shes amazing. 

After the photos we were hot, tired and had a headache which meant food and resting. Before we left I ran down stairs to see if the jacket was still there. It was! I asked how low they would be willing to see it for. I was thinking 100, 80? he told me 40!! I took it right there! I love it! best purchase I have made at the flea markets yet. 

Overall it was a nice day and hope they raise a lot of money! 

I had my first day of work yesterday for BroadwayWorld. I covered the premiere of Clear Blue Tuesday at the Musical Theatre Festival. The film was amazing (if you get a chance to see it go), they were so kind and invited me to stay and watch it. Many producers and the cast were there, I covered the two sessions of Q&A and than posed shots after and before the film. I was so nervous esp when i got they they asked me how long I worked for bww and all i could say was a few days and everyone laughed haha! It was my first time and i thought i did ok. The times i had to go up to people I felt very nervous and hated interrupting there convo's for a photographs but i have to get over that when its my job to. Kelli O'hara was also there which was amazing, I hadn't met her before and she was very sweet!! Overall it was a great experience and cant wait for the next shoot!!

Speaking of Julie Andrews! she is coming to NY in October for a evening with her! Shes having a question and answer and selling signed copies of her new childrens book. I must get tickets to this. My only problem is I have class at the same time the event is. Just my luck but hopefully ill find a way to go i mean its Julie Andrews!

PlayBill.com A evening with Julie Andrews

I cant get anymore excited really this past week has been pretty amazing. My first published photo essay on BroadwayWorld, I might get the chance to meet a Broadway legend and a Broadway director wants to meet up in a few weeks. I think I'm still in shock this is all actually happening. I feel like i use say hey i want to work for Broadway and just didn't seem possible it was just an idea I had after looking at all the images in my favorite shows programs and such. I cant wait to begin all of these and jump right in. I want to start tomorrow there is so much i want to photograph! The other day after I heard from BroadwayWorld i ended up in times square early around 9 and i just walked around the theatres, there were about four shows unloading ready to begin there Broadway run. I got this huge thrill that I could be photographing this season coming up that I could be working for all of this. It was a great feeling hopefully it all will happening!