From Chaos Comes Order

Well my friends, it's been a crazy couple of weeks for your LuvDusty, but I believe the worst has passed and things are slowly starting to get back to normal.

Aside from the sad passing of my dear Abuela (which I detail below in my previous post), I also had a busy busy time at work, and then the visit of my parents, Bill and Sara, who are actually still in the US and they will be visiting until May 8th.

I also had a callback for URINETOWN at Signature Theatre. This was a mixed-bag experience. I was excited to be called for a callback, which meant I didn't have to audition with everyone in the big cattle-call experience, which is always disgusting, but the downside is that it all felt very rushed. I worked with my vocal coach (yes, now I've started taking voice lessons, together with weekly dance class-part of my "get back in performing shape" plan), on my audition piece and walked in to the callback very confident. I sang the song, they seemed react well and enjoy, but I was still dismissed with a "thanks for coming in" wave and see ya later.

I guess I'm either a) still not strong enough a singer b) just not the right type for the show. I do admit I am more of a traditional musical theatre type, and URINETOWN is not your average musical-but I could definitely do it. Oh well, such is life. Maybe they will offer me Swing again like in previous shows, which would suck, but heck, I'd do it if they asked me.

My parent's visit has been wonderful in that we are getting to explore lots of great restaurants and getting to see some wonderful theatre!

Last week we went to a new place in my neighborhood called TALLULA, I highly recommend it, the food is delicious (if a tad overpriced), and the service was excellent. The atmosphere is also nice. The wine was AMAZING. If you like wine, this is your restaurant, over 300 different bottles to choose from, and over 80 different glasses of wine as well...

Also last week, we went to LA TASCA, a favorite of my parents, also in my neighborhood. The food is consistently good as is the service. And the Sangria is delicious!

This week, we went to our first theatre event, we saw AFTERPLAY at Studio Theatre. It was lovely! Nancy Robinette is simply to die for, and Ed Gero is wonderful as well. What a pair! Dinner was at THAI TANIC, a fun little place a few blocks from the theatre. The food wasn't as good as it has been in the past last night, maybe they had a replacement chef? But it's really inexpensive ($8.95 entree? In DC? Hello?) and great if you have to make a show at Studio.

Theatre and restaurant exploration will continue..next week I am taking them to see MOBY DICK REHEARSED at The American Century Theater (we also have to go to a pre-show reception for the 10th Anniversary of the theatre. I have choreographed several shows for them so I am on the guest list) and THE TEMPEST at The Shakespeare Theatre. I will report back with Theatre as well as Restaurant critiques next week.

RIP Ruth Elena Perrone

My dear dear Grandmother, RUTH ELENA PERRONE, passed away on April 11. She was 87 years old. She was a very important person in my life, always around when I was a child and often acting as the "Nanny" when my parents weren't available to care for me. She is a part of all my childhood and young adult memories and will forever be a part of me. We actually shared many personality traits and I'm sure I got my strong sense of work ethic, my boundless energy (that allows me to have 3 careers simultaneously!) and my highly developed critical thinking skills from her. I owe her so much. And now she is gone.

The only positive of all this, is that at least she is truly "at peace", after a long 7 year battle with several strokes, dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Her passing also makes the life of my parents a little bit more free, since her care towards the last couple of years had become really time-consuming, stressful and expensive.

So, here's to a great woman, RUTH ELENA PERRONE, my dear "Abuela" as I called her. May she rest in peace.

Let's Hear It For The Girls! The other Great Ladies of Song-LIVE!

Well, it seems I am always going on and on about Dusty Springfield. And why not? Because she was easily my favorite pop singer of the 20th century. But I feel sometimes I neglect to mention the other ladies who have proven themselves to be close runners-up, or at least within the top 100 of the last century or so....and I got to thinking (scary, I know), but as much as I am a huge fan of Miss Springfield, I never had the chance to see her perform live.

However, I have had many wonderful opportunities to see other Great Ladies of Song, live and in person, and I wanted to share some of those memories with you here.

CHER-Well, what can we say about this lady? She's definitely an Icon, and like Dusty, she knows how to wear a wig and a costume and sell a song. I saw Cher for the only time live in 1999 during her Believe tour at Nissan Pavillion out in Virginia. It was a wonderful concert and a fantastic show. I still remember Cher descending from the ceiling in full Native American regalia (designed by Bob Mackie of course!) singing an amazing cover of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". That's what Cher fans live for...and while I wasn't a huge fan before I saw her live, I became one after.

TINA TURNER-We have to go back to 1997 for this one...I saw this Great Lady perform live in Hampton, Virginia at the Hampton amphitheatre, during her Wildest Dreams tour. Needless to say, this Great Lady did not disappoint. The show was amazingly put together, but what rocked more than the sound system and the light and video show, was Tina herself! What a powerhouse! Amazing voice, great dance moves (she made the back-up singers-who were half her age-look tired and listless), and those sexy legs! A once in a lifetime experience!

BETTE MIDLER-This woman does it all..sings, dances, acts, tells jokes and all of it is amazing. I saw her in 2000 during her Divine Miss Millennium tour at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. and at the time I balked at the US$85 ticket price, but it was worth every single penny. Actually, at one point, while The Divine Miss M sang her sexy slow version of "Do You Wanna Dance?", I literally felt transported to another world. As if this was one of the most important and artistically exciting moments of my life. It was.

CYNDI LAUPER-While I've never been to a full length Cyndi concert, I have seen her perform live twice, as the opening act for Tina ('97) and Cher ('99). Although each performance was only about 1hr long, it was enough to capture Cyndi's explosive performance style! I didn't know how talented she was and how many instruments she plays and that she's actually written a lot of the songs she's recorded...I learned a lot about the Lady watching her live, and it was wonderful!

LINDA RONSTADT-Well, this Lady I had been waiting to see live for 14 years, she rarely makes live appearances anymore especially on the East Coast. Well, I got to see her last summer (2004) at Wolf Trap in Virginia. It was a wonderful evening, outdoor space and Linda did not disappoint. She sang beautifully as only she can, and with a clarity and energy that is simply astonishing for someone in her 50s. Her voice has actually gotten BETTER with age, which is hard to believe since it was so good to begin with. The highlight was her version of "Lush Life" (with a nice intro about Billy Strayhorn and his being persecuted for being gay), her Jimmy Webb set ("Do What You Gotta Do", "Adios", "I Keep It Hid") which nearly drove me wild (I love Webb and Linda, and Linda singing Webb...gorgeous!), and the encore, when she spoke about Michael Moore (over ridiculous boos from a few rude audience members), and dedicated a powerful version of "Desperado" to him. Later on, Linda had trouble in the press and was escorted by security out of her Vegas gig for that moment, but I saw it 6 weeks before. But Linda had such class, such poise, she didn't let it disturb her singing at all..she just sang right through the idiots cat-calling in the audience. She is a true Great Lady!

NANCY WILSON-No, not the blonde sister from Heart, but rather, the legendary jazz vocalist. I saw her live just last year (2004) at the Kennedy Center. She is just as beautiful, classy and stylish as I thought she would be, and considering she's almost in her 70s, it was amazing to watch her belt it out and sing with so much sophistication. Definitely the classiest Lady I've seen live.

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER-Another classy performance, if occasionally a bit more raunchy...saw her on Valentine's Day (yes, it was a date), 2003 also at the Kennedy Center and it was amazing! She signed my CD afterwards and spoke with me briefly, very very nice lady and a stunning talent and personality!

JANE OLIVOR-This was a great performance, winter of 2001 at The Birchemere in Alexandria, Virginia. Jane is one of those "unknowns" who is so freakishly talented it's really a crime she's not a bigger star. She is just as talented as Streisand, as folksy as Judy Collins and as emotional as Edith Piaf..all rolled into one. I am going to see her again next month (again at The Birchemere) and I can't wait.

Ok, I hope I've done justice to some of the other Great Ladies of Song...of course, Dusty is still #1 for me, but these other ladies are not far behind.

But just to make sure I don't leave anyone out, here is a list of Great Ladies of Song that I have NOT yet seen live, but really really really want to very soon! Hopefully time and fate and $$$ will allow:

Dionne Warwick
Eartha Kitt
Dolly Parton
Emmylou Harris
Barbra Streisand
Dido
Kylie Minogue
Sally Mayes
Megan Mullally
Stacey Kent
Jane Monheit

It's Time To Take Back The Word "Liberal".

I happened upon this wonderful documentary while watching HBO the other night. It's called Left of the Dial and it deals with the creation of the left-wing talk radio AIR AMERICA.

I watched with fascination as the many ups and downs of starting this huge endeavor flashed in front of my eyes. It's not easy being a Liberal in these hear United States..that's for sure.

Granted, most of the problems that besmirched this enterprise were brought upon by their own inept hands, but it still was rather interesting to see how little support AIR AMERICA got from other media outlets and from businesses that should be supporting the "alternative" viewpoint.

I'm sort of sick and tired of sitting back and taking it though. Aren't you? I mean, it seems Liberals (and I consider myself a PROUD one, thank you very much), have been gutted and basically robbed of their fightin' spirit! I have to spend my days watching and listening to this Administration, led by a grinning Monkey, telling me what to do and think, considering themselves "messengers from God", with their "holier than thou" attitudes and their stupid "unless you drive an SUV and have a US flag on your lapel you are not with us" brand of Patriotism.

That's why Randi Rhodes, the explosive talk radio host, is my favorite of the AIR AMERICA personalities. She's not afraid to get ugly. She fights like a Man. She makes Limbaugh, Hannity and all those other right-wing lackeys look like little Mamma's boys....and I'm glad for that.

Finally, someone on the left has some balls! (Ironically, or maybe not so much, it's a Woman too!) It seems all we have left is Randi. Granted, Bill Maher with his Real Time show on HBO and Jon Stewart with The Daily Show on Comedy Central are trying to get the message out as well. But Maher is seen as too much of a "Hollywood outsider" and Stewart's liberalism is more of the traditional kind...sarcastic, indirect, mocking the right without ever really losing his cool.

Randi on the other hand is not at all afraid to spit, yell and scream! And for that I applaud her.

The right-wing (now with its lips surgically attached to the Xian Coalition's ass) has never been afraid to be aggressive and to fight, spit, yell and scream. And all along, the Liberals, well, we just sat in the corner and grinned and made fun of their "crazy yokel ways". And in the meantime, we sat and watched them hijack our country.

Well, I think it's time to stop grinnin' and start kickin'..butts that is. Randi knows what I mean, and I think her brand of Liberalism is just what the left needs to pick itself up, dust itself off and start all over again.

Let's take back the word "Liberal". Let's never again be ashamed to call ourselves that. After all, if we don't stand up for "the other side", who the heck will? Certainly not this lying sack of shit of an Administration, nor the bloated, over-heated Congress, and definitely not Big Brother Business. It's the people--floating on the ether, over the airwaves, sending out their message that will change this country. It has to be!

So...Long live AIR AMERICA and especially Randi Rhodes! Here's hoping she has balls enough for the rest of us. We need it!