Welcome to 21st century Godspell, filled with audience participation, references to Charlie Sheen, Steve Jobs, Lindsay Lohan and Donald Trump, and wine served on stage during intermission. Set in the Circle in the Square Theatre, an intimate theatre in the round, this modern day production of Stephen Schwartz’s classic musical, veers from the original. While the story itself remains the same, many of the songs and much of the dialogue have been modernized. The actors take the stage with cell phones in hand, break into rap and beat box, pull audience members on stage to play charades and pictionary, refer to current events and pop culture, and even do the electric slide while singing “Day By Day”. At one point, a character says, “It’s your father. He wants you to add him on Facebook.”

There are no traditional sets. The story is told on a stage that is mostly bare, a trap door to a pool of water beneath, a ladder, and some other sparse props. Four guitarists are placed around the stage in the midst of the audience, a drum set is placed in the back row, and a piano is built into the stage. The focus here is on the energetic and talented cast; Hunter Parrish (Showtime’s “Weeds”, Spring Awakening), Anna Maria Perez de Tagle (“Hannah Montana”, “Camp Rock”) and Telly Leung (“Glee”, Wicked, Rent). In addition to being strong singers, the nontraditional cast engages in some innovative maneuvers, at one point creating a person out of pieces of newspaper and at another ripping paper to simulate the sound of tap shoes. The direction by first time Broadway director Daniel Goldstein is sharp, witty, and fresh.

This is indeed a refreshing twist on the show we all know and love. Treat yourself to a fun night out. You know you deserve it.

Godspell
Circle in the Square, 1633 Broadway @ 50th St.
Click here for tickets
Ticket Discount Code: GSMDR79
$79.50 / $89.50 (Sat Eves)
Certain black out dates apply
Valid through 12/23/11
For more blog posts on Broadway’s Godspell visit MamaDrama.

The other night, I attended a show… IN A GYM. This was not one of my kids’ shows, but rather an exquisite bare bones production of a new Michael John LaChiusa musical that whisks you away to another world. Queen of the Mist is the true story of Anne Edson Taylor who, in 1901, attempts to jump down Niagra Falls in a barrel. Tony Award nominee, Mary Testa, literally leaves you speechless as Anne Edson Taylor. In her mind blowing tour de force, she is perfection in this role. As Anne says, “I am a phenomenon.” And she is. Mary Testa is supported by a larger than life cast and a brilliant vehicle of dense music, lyrics and direction.

The audience becomes completely invested in Queen of the Mist from two sets of bleachers opposite each other, just feet away from the action. There is a small orchestra down one end behind a screen, and the set consists of little more than an old piano on wheels, a bath tub, and pieces of wood on wheels (which they use to “row down the river”). The strong ensemble cast of Broadway vets each convincingly transform into multiple roles throughout the show. The brilliant music by Michael John LaChiusa, of The Wild Party Fame, is rich and sophisticated. A real treat after so many empty rock musicals of late. And the direction, by Jack Cummings III, ties it all together seamlessly.

Thank you MamaDrama for inviting me and thank you
Transport Group for commissioning this brilliant piece. I might just have to see it again.

Treat yourself to date night in the gym. You will laugh and cry and are guaranteed to talk about something other than the kids the whole way home.

Queen of the Mist
The Gym at Judson Memorial Church
243 Thompson Street at Washington Square South
General admission tickets start at $58;
Premium reserved seating tickets start at $65
For tickets and information: www.transportgroup.org or phone 866-811-4111
DISCOUNT CODE: $10 off with code TGMAMA

For more blog posts on Broadway’s Godspell visit MamaDrama.

Think your kid is cover model material? Don’t we all?? Well, now they can be with FujiFilm’s SeeHere.com’s photo books! SeeHere.com is FujiFilm’s website dedicated to photo sharing, photo books and just about every photo product you can imagine. SeeHere.com allows you to customize a photo book down to the smallest detail. I just did it and it’s so easy – you choose a cover photo and a custom background (I chose cute little blue trains for my baby boy), autofill the photos, and poof your photo book is ready! At only $29.99 these photo books will encourage you to get your digital photos off of your computer and into your home. I pledge to make at lease 1 book for every year out of my kid’s lives. Totally doable.

Enter to WIN one of three Printed Cover Story Books from SeeHere.com by leaving a comment on this blog and tell us who would be the subject of your photo book. Contest ends Friday June 4th.

Ways to get additional entries:

- Tweet about this contest as much as once a day with @iKidNY and http://bit.ly/dbFaJn
- Follow us on twitter (new followers only) and send us a message telling us to enter you in the contest
- “Like” iKidNY on Facebook and leave a comment on the contest post telling us to enter you in the contest. If you already like us “suggest to friends” and you will get one entry for every friend who “likes” us (make sure to tell us who your friends are who “like” us).
- Subscribe to our free mailing list and send me an email to say that you just subscribed to info at ikidny dot com
- If you already subscribe to our mailing list, get a friend to subscribe and send me an email to info at ikidny dot com giving my their name and email addresses (can do this multiple times)

* SeeHere.com DISCOUNT CODES for iKidNY readers:

Offer: 50% Off All Photo Books Plus Free Standard Shipping
Limited Time Offer – Two Days Only: 5/27/10 & 5/28/10
Promo Code: tvbook
Note: The promo code is case sensitive.

50% Off 11oz Photo Mugs Plus Free Standard Shipping
Limited Time Offer – One Week Only: 5/24/10 through 5/31/10
Promo Code: mug2010
Note: The promo code is case sensitive.

(Giveaways were provided by SeeHere.com as well as one for blogger to do write up)

On Sunday, our family attended a matinee of “Funundrum”, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s circus’ latest and greatest three-ring spectacular. It was my 20 month old’s first circus experience and the first time in a long time for my husband and me. It was simply amazing and a far cry from the sawdust and clowns that we remember as youths. “Funundrum” did not disappoint – it was a huge elaborate extravaganza fit for Madison Square Garden! My son, although still young for the circus, loved every minute of the over 2 hour show. The highlights for him (and us!) were the elephants, of course, who are just amazing standing, sitting, or doing tricks, the glow-in-the-dark motorcyclists driving around in a steel cage at high speeds, and all of the dare-devil trapeze artists. The music and theatrics were larger than life and nothing other than “The Greatest Show on Earth”! We can’t wait to go again next year!

For half price tickets through March 31st click here.