Thursday, July 29, 2010

A Wicked project

Well, it was my sister's birthday last Sunday and I wanted to do something extra special for her since we don't really do the whole 'cake-and-a-party' thing like normal people. Since our reawakening of musical interests, I wanted to do something Wicked-related. I did get her The Grimmerie: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Hit Broadway Musical from playbillstore.com, which I found out later she had been eyeing for quite some time. Plus, I kinda wanted it too, so win/win.Anyway, about a month ago while browsing the aforementioned online store, I happened upon the Wicked original Broadway poster, and the cogs started turning. Instead of just buying the poster, why don't I paint it for my sister? Thus began the planning for my first major painting project.

I had to sketch it out on the canvas first, erasing most of the pencil until it was just visible so it wouldn't show up on the final piece.
And after 4 late nights and half a day of painting, this was the final product.There's another poster which has G(a)linda - the white witch - with the flesh colour of her skin painted on as well, but I didn't have that colour and I like the stark contrast between the black/green and the white. The original Broadway poster has Elphaba with a more rounded face, but I wanted a more elongated look like (former Elphaba) Eden Espinosa's face (who I believe has one of the most perfect Elphaba 'looks' once she's 'greenified,' that is). I was looking for an image I had seen before to show this, but then I realised it was a still from a YouTube video. Skip ahead to 2:42 to see the still I'm talking about.



Reading: Dead Air by Iain Banks
Listening to: 2006 Spring Awakening original cast recording, (and something totally different) "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

We're perfect together

Yes, I think I must finally admit it. Here. I ... am a shoe whore. I've bought 3 pairs of shoes in the past 2 and a half months. It's as though I'm making up for lost time after having been a tomboy growing up. The whole interested-in-clothes thing is very recent, so I'm still in that new phase where I'm in awe of everything I see, in terms of fashion, and experimenting with my own clothes. I used to live in jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers, so anything is a step up, really.

This was a pair I ordered from Forever21.com (a site which I online window shop at all the time). They're 5 inches which, I've found is the highest heels I can walk in. I wore them (for the first time!) to Rock the Ballet, which I saw with my mom and sister a few weeks ago.
These are the second pair, bought from Cotton On in Australia. It's the Arizona boot in Chalk, if you're interested. They remind me of witch's boots, and seeing as how I'm still loving Wicked, they're perfect.The third pair was suede black flats, nothing really special.

Needless to say, I have not bought anything in a few weeks because a) if I keep spending my money, I will have none left; b) I only buy something if I've been eyeing it for at least 2 weeks (and haven't seen anything I've really liked in a while), and; c) I have been too busy with work and other mind-occupying things to look at anything.

Reading: Dead Air by Iain Banks
Listening to: 2003 Wicked original cast recording, Jack's Mannequin's Everything In Transit

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Wicked Love

My latest obsession: musical theatre. It's not something exactly new to me, to be honest, having seen Fame as a kid. But it is as though a volcano erupted. I guess my interest in musical theatre was always there, waiting for the day when it could come tumbling out, unexpected. Now it seem as though my days are full of musicals. My favourites so far have to be Wicked, and Rent, but I so desperately want to see Spring Awakening and Les Misérables. I've only seen the Rent film, and since the show's now closed I doubt I'll get the chance to see it live.

Of all the women who have played Elphaba (of Wicked), my favourites would have to be Idina Menzel, Carmen Cusack, and Eden Espinosa (in no particular order). So I thought I would share some of my favourite Wicked-related performances of theirs.

Idina had mono or some other kind of illness while performing this ("Defying Gravity") at the 2004 Tony Awards, but she was still amazing considering she had about 2 seconds to get into character.

I love Carmen's expressions throughout this song ("No Good Deed"); she just shows the desperation, anxiety, and eventual Wicked-ness needed for this song. Not to mention the fact that she has a fantastic voice.



And finally, Eden Espinosa's version of "No Good Deed." Best "Fiyero!" belt at 2:08 I've ever heard. Girl's got some pipes.



Before this becomes just a post of YouTube videos, I shall end it here by saying I had no idea how many lines of dialogue from Wicked could be used in everyday life. My sister and I have been having fun using them, sharing secret smiles around our mom who has no idea what we're talking about.


Reading: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
Listening to: 2003 Wicked original cast recording, 2005 Rent soundtrack, 2006 Spring Awakening original cast recording