alexis in the city

Theatre vs. theater

Ryan and I went to see Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway tour last night. I wanted to like it - I have fond memories of seeing it on-stage as a kid, and Harvey Fierstein is supposed to be incredible - but I was less than impressed. I found Fierstein’s performance to be disappointing - from his voice to the way he played his character - and I felt that what should have been complicated themes of persecution, tradition and a changing world were downplayed to the point that the overall focus of the musical was lost. Ryan postulated that the film was MUCH better and - although he enjoys going to the theatre - in general he feels that well-produced films are a better experience than well-produced plays.

Considering that in lieu of MTV, SNL, Nintendo and other 90’s pop culture tidbits, I was exposed to Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, The Wiz, Hairspray and the like, I naturally disagree with Ryan’s premise. I don’t think that plays are ALWAYS better than movies - I’ve never seen the movie Fiddler on the Roof, and I’m sure it probably is superior - but I, personally, will likely always choose a live, in-the-moment experience over a manufactured one.

My family’s library of Broadway soundtracks and the immense number of hours spent in the theatre growing up certainly contributes to this preference but it’s more than that ~ theatre is, well, a spiritual experience for me. It’s one of my favorite things about life - the feeling that you’re almost eavesdropping in on someone else’s life, someone else’s story. That they’re sharing something with you in a personal way. I’m not going to make the case that all theatre productions are meaningful and profound. I’m not going to say that Les Mis is the same caliber as Legally Blond, of course. They’re completely different ends of the spectrum but they both have the capability to engage with you in an intimate way, whether it be through the heartbreaking honesty of Jean Valjean or through the earnest hilarity of Elle Woods.

I still vividly remember the first time I saw Les Mis, over ten years ago. I was at the Pantages with my family, sitting in the second row. We were close enough to see the actors spit, to be even more thoroughly drawn into what I would already consider one of the, if not THE greatest musical. It was heart-wrenching, raw, and no movie could ever compare to that.

Not to mention that for me there’s something beyond the actual production itself - theater is the thing my family and I did (and still do) together, it’s the thing Ryan and I do together, it’s a thing I love doing with friends. I have fond, fond memories of laughing through the Scarlet Pimpernel with my parents, seeing 42nd street with my Grandma, being completely blindsided by the nudity in Spring Awakening when I saw it with my sister (ok, that one’s not as fond…), queuing up for the cheap seats to Chicago with a friend in London’s West End, attempting to surprise Ryan with Les Mis tickets. My life’s memories are punctuated by theater experiences, so I guess I’m a little bit biased.

I don’t mean to imply that theater (as in film and movies) can’t produce a spiritual experience or fond memories. I just know that I, personally would be far more inclined to pick theatre over theater. And since Ryan and I need a thing we do together, I guess I’ll stick with it. Lord knows we can’t agree on what movie to see …

obsessive thoughts of an OCD nomad

~ it is not what we carry with us but what we let go that defines who we are ~

my mom has a room full of furniture for me. it’s all the furniture that was in my room when i was growing up (and which belonged to my great-grandparents), along with a couple awesome walnut dining tables that were my grandparents’ and hopefully two green Ethan Allen wingback chairs (if she does, in fact, decide to re-do the living room). all this stresses me out. if you’ve ever seen my apartment - tragically furnished only about a half-step up from a college dorm with craigslist finds, ikea purchases and, yes, even things i’ve found on the street - you’re probably wondering why, for the sweet love of god, i don’t already have all my awesome bequeathed furniture in my apartment. but it’s not that simple ~ as is usually the case with me.

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outsourcing the “nesting” instinct

the holidays have gotten me thinking about it: i am not a nester. my apartment itself isn’t really “decorated” at any time of year. i don’t have an eye for design at all except to choose lots of green accents, and keep things as minimalist as possible when living in 400 square feet ~ nothing on top of shelves, no trinkets or decorations or candles. (i do collect art from the countries i travel, but some of it isn’t even up, and the pieces that are, are haphazardly placed.) perhaps because of this, i’ve never decorated for the holidays - any of them, really.  i go “home” every christmas where my mom exquisitely displays all my childhood nostalgia - how could i ever venture to compete with that? i don’t have my own family and the amount of time and effort to arrange something for two people who really don’t care either way, seems pointless. this combined with my aforementioned lack of design skills and space, and desire for minimalism, is the perfect storm for some really half-assed decor, even if i tried.

so i never have. not so much as a christmas tree. the interesting thing is, i LOVE the holidays. i love family tradition: decorating the tree, making sugar cookies, eating swedish meatballs with lingonberries on christmas eve and swedish sausage on christmas morning. i love looking at all the crazy christmas crafts we did as kids, and reading all our favorite books like “the little drummer boy” and “the grinch” and watching “little women” (which has somehow become a holiday tradition). i love santa lucia and candlelight services and singing carols around the piano. but these are all things i do with my family, and nothing i would try to replicate on my own, which is probably why i don’t see the point of decorating. like all my other traditions, i rely on my parents for that.

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why church is like the gym

church is like the gym for me. some people have probably heard my analogy, but here it is:

i get up every morning and go to the gym, 7 am, like clockwork. it’s not a choice for me, it’s not something i evaluate, it’s just something i do. it’s something i’ve always done basically my entire life, and i don’t really think about it. i don’t know how to do anything else from 7 to 8am. i don’t particularly enjoy it - i don’t wake up in the morning thinking, “oh boy, i’m so excited to get up and work out.” like i said - i don’t think about it at all. i show up at the gym and i work the hell out of myself. i don’t have a blast while i’m there, but i don’t hate it. then, after i leave, i’m glad i went - i feel like i did something good for myself and that i made a good decision. and if i don’t go (yes, there have been a handful of times over the course of my life where i’ve **gasp** skipped the gym!) i feel like crap. overall i see the benefits it has in my life and therefore it’s not a habit i’m going to part with.

this is pretty much the perfect description for how i view church. i don’t go every day or anything, but it’s a weekly habit that’s been ingrained in me since the dawn of time as i know it. i don’t really enjoy it, but i’m not miserable - and after i go, i’m glad i went … though - like the gym - that’s mostly because if i don’t go, i feel guilty.

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What’s the deal with DOMA?

massachusetts filed a lawsuit wednesday against the federal government that calls into question the constitutionality of the defense of marriage act (DOMA).

i’ve tackled this subject before as i believe the federal government should leave itself out of the marriage thing altogether. in my version of an ideal world, there would be two different rules governing marriage - the legal side of things which would allow for equal treatment of all people (what we would now consider civil unions), and the religious side of things which would allow for what we now term “marriage.” however, this is not the way things are, nor do i think we’re heading in that direction so what should be done given the way things are now?

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