musicals – The Great Kaysby

The Wizard of…

Currently, I’m working on costumes for a production of The Wizard of Oz. The director recently asked adult friends what the show means to them so that she could share that with the cast. Since seeing the question, I keep thinking about what the movie version means to me. On one hand, I’m kind of like The Wizard of Meh, but on the other hand, I see the cultural impact and highly respect the innovate technology used when making the film.

So let’s break it down by starting with the meh. I remember watching the movie as a kid, and I know I watched it a few times because I distinctly remember that we recorded it off the TV. In fact, I remember fast forwarding through the commercials and then having to rewind when going to far! Other than that, my only major memory of watching Oz as a child is that I liked to make believe Glinda was flying around every time I played with bubbles. In contrast to my The Wizard of Oz lack of memories, I have AMAZING memories of Return to Oz!!! When I was around 7, it was one of my favorite movies! We rented it and Willow from Video Vault more than any other customer! I loved the whole thing. Dorothy gone crazy? Made sense to me! Chicken pet? Way cooler than a dog! Plus, Tick Tock was a fantastic companion, and a wicked queen who could change heads was just enough creepy and cool to my little self! I freaking loved that movie!!!!

From an art perspective, I do have mad respect for all of the technical work that made The Wizard of Oz. First of all, the use of technicolor was absolutely brilliant! It was such a thematic impact to go from sepia tones to technicolor! Secondly, Judy Garland was a gem. “Over the Rainbow” was magnificent and her rendition is still top notch (though my favorite version is Matthew Morrison singing it while playing the ukulele)! Victor Fleming should not have slapped her, and I hate that the grueling schedule of this film is allegedly what fueled the fire that would become her drug addiction! Finally, the costumes – though they literally poisoned a couple of people – and sets were brilliant for their time! The ruby slippers (fun fact, in the book they are silver) are iconic! So I definitely have to give the film props from a tech perspective, and I must admit that when I went to The Wizard of Oz museum as a teenager, all the tech stuff on display was cool!

There are two other things that make me feel meh about The Wizard of Oz. To get one of them, you have to understand that my grandparents lived in Kansas, and we went to see them every summer. Anytime we mentioned going to Kansas, someone would inevitably ask, “Oh, are you going to see Dorothy and Toto?” I guess they thought it was cute, but I remember being a kid around 5 years old and getting an attitude with a cashier who in my head was asking a ridiculous question. I distinctly remember telling the cashier that “No, my Grandma Dorothy lives here!” There’s a good chance I also said something about not liking dogs. The second thing that makes me feel meh about the movie is that between 8 and 10, I read the book. I was amazed at all the great differences that were left out of the movie! I loved the wolves and backstory of the Tinman the most! Also, as someone who loved Kansas as a kid, I liked that in the book Dorothy didn’t hate Kansas and farm life. I also loved the other witches! I know you can’t put every detail from a movie into a book, but I would’ve left the wolves!

I’m glad people love The Wizard of Oz. Plus, I completely understand the fandom given the number of things I fangirl about that people don’t get. Even though the movie’s not my favorite I would like to one day see the amusement park in North Carolina. What can I say? I have an interest in abandoned – or in this case mostly abandoned – amusement parks. I will also add that as a kid, I saw a stage version and loved it, but I’ve always enjoyed live theatre. I remember seeing a musical on stage way before I remember watching TV and movies. I can also say that I’m super excited to be working on the costumes, and I can’t wait to see what the cast and crew do to bring Oz alive in a little over a week!

What does Oz mean to you?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

What I Learned From School House Rock Live

Once again it is the beginning of March, and I am wrapping up another show as the costumer for my school’s Drama Club. This time the show was School House Rock Live! I remember some of the School House Rock songs from when I was a kid, but there were ones that I heard for the first time during tech week. In both cases the songs have reminded me that school is never out for the teacher!

Premise of the Show – Tom is really nervous about becoming a teacher; he is afraid of not being a successful teacher. I think all first time teachers can relate to this. Even after 11 years, on the first day of a new school year, I always think “Do I still know how to do this?” I even felt the same way when I recently started doing online tutoring. I spent a lot of time teaching online with NTI and having seven Online Learning Academy classes, but I was still nervous about being able to be a good tutor online. Thankfully, so far so good!

“The Preamble” – Apparently a lot of people had to learn and memorize The Preamble in elementary school. I never had to do this, and I will admit that all I know of The Preamble is “We the people”. Given the importance of The Preamble and The Constitution, I really should pay more attention to it. I suppose that it’s just something I take for granted as being important while not feeling the need to know the details. It’s kind of like knowing that you get money on pay day and never looking at your pay stub because your money is direct deposited.

“Ready or Not, Here I Come” – I had no idea about the counting by fives on your fingers coordinating with the multiplier. I just memorized my times tables as a kid without tricks. It makes me happy to know that I now know a way to teach fives multiplication to those who need a manipulative to help learn math.

“Interplanet Janet” – Besides being a fun song, this one made me think of “Planet Schmanet Janet” from another musical. This got me to thinking that there are not a lot of women’s names that rhyme with planet. I also love that the song is old enough to claim Pluto is a planet! I still think little old Pluto deserves to be a planet!!! Are you team Planet Pluto?

Along with my takeaways, it was great seeing my favorite numbers from childhood – “Conjunction Junction” and “I’m Just a Bill” – brought to life! Did you ever watch School House Rock? What did you learn from it?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

What I Learned From School House Rock Live

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

13 Things About Me

You know those articles about famous people like “25 Things You Never Knew About Nicholas Brendon”? As a celeb gossip site junky, I like to read those to see if the things listed are truly ones I didn’t know. Typically, if it is someone associated with a favorite show or musical act, then I already knew about 75% of the things. Today, I got to thinking about my own audience and what fun things people may not know about me. Thus, I present “13 Things You Never Knew About The Great Kaysby”!

1. I love reading Top 10 Style Lists! Top 10 lists, especially those on http://www.screenrant.com, are one of my guilty pleasures when it comes to reading. I want to know things like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 5 Times We Felt Bad for Riley (And 5 Times We Hated Him)”. Lists about my favorite TV shows and movies always amuse me! I also enjoy just general funny top lists like Dave Letterman was known to share on his late show. I prefer my lists to have bold titles so that I can just read the list without all of the fluff if I’m not in the mood for it. (Feel free to just read my bold titles.)

2. I prefer odd numbers. I don’t know why, but I’ve always preferred odd numbers over even numbers. Maybe it is because I’m an only child which meant three people in my house growing up. Maybe it is because people always insisted that numbers like 13 were unlucky. Could just be because I’m an odd duck; therefore, I like odd numbers.

3. I don’t like being hot. If it is over 80 degrees, then I’m not happy! In fact, if it is over like 72 with the AC, then I’m grumpy. There is nothing worse to me than being sweaty and stinky. When it is over 80 degrees, the only way I want to be outside is either in a pool or on the ocean (cruise ship pre-pandemic or beach). I would much rather have fall temperatures all year than sweat.

4. I love food, but I do not like to eat it outside. Outside there are bugs (something else I’m not a fan of). The easiest way to get me to throw away food is to have a bug land on it or near it. Flies buzzing around food really grosses me out especially if they land because somebody told me when I was little that a fly vomits every time it lands.

5. I love food, but I’m very picky! I don’t like cheese unless it is on pizza or like how it is on pizza. The cheese CANNOT be the dominant flavor or texture. I don’t like steak because of the texture. I’m not a fan of chocolate unless the chocolate is a small part of a chocolate chip cookie or Reese’s cup. Ice cream is too cold, and I’ll only eat it when it is melty in a Blizzard. I’m not a fan of beer or drinks with sugar in them. Cheetos are yucky as are Cheez-its. I don’t like olives, mushrooms, or lima beans. Blue cheese dressing is gross as well.

6. I love to bake, but I don’t eat a lot of it. I love to bake! I love trying new recipes! I’ve been working on my decorating technique after getting hooked on Nailed It! on Netflix. Fun fact, once I’ve baked it, a lot of times I don’t want to eat it. The exception is usually cupcakes and cookies. During the holidays this means I bake a lot of things for other people just because!

7. I love to paint! I will never claim to be good at it, but because of the “Paint and Sip” style classes that have become so popular, I love to paint! I like playing around with a blank canvas and trying my hand at creating art. Currently, I’m watching YouTube videos of Bob Ross to improve my skill!

8. I love socks! I have so many socks that I could probably go two months and never wear the same pair of socks twice! I love ankle socks, knee socks, no show socks, socks with designs, plain socks, fuzzy sucks…any type of socks! If you ever want to buy me a present, then send socks! I have size 10 feet, so they can be a challenge!

9. I love labels, and I’m not ashamed to admit it! There are not a lot of things where I pay attention to labels. I don’t shop for name brand clothes, and I always try to save money by purchasing brands like Great Value when it comes to groceries. However, when it comes to shoes and bags, I’m not ashamed to admit that I have favorites! For shoes, I love my Skechers and Converse! You want me to be amused for a while? Drop me off at the Converse outlet! I’ll also accept knock-off Converse. I just love that style! With handbags, I’m a fan of Coach and Kate Spade. The addiction started when I earned pieces from both designers as prizes in my direct selling job. My helpful hint when it comes to labels? Shop the outlets, and sign up for their emails so that you get extra deals! That way you can save and shop!

10. I love performing! Performing on stage in front of an audience has been one of my passions for as long as I can remember. I love acting, and I love to sing. My fear of what people thought of my singing has truly held me back from singing in public more. That’s why I’m always in the ensemble in musicals! Acting wise, I love to be in comedies! If I can make people laugh, then I feel like I’ve accomplished something great! Favorite roles have included Emily Webb in Our Town (even though it’s not a comedy), Mrs. Poppenghul in Moonlight and Magnolias, and Phyllis Montague in Play On.

11. I love playing games! I love to play games! I love computer games like World of Warcraft! I love console games especially any Zelda game! I love board games, card games, and table top RPGs! Any game where I have a goal and the chance for victory pretty much makes me happy!

12. I love “quiet” activities! I love putting together puzzles. I enjoy word games on my phone. I enjoy completing crossword puzzles and word searches. I LOVE to read! This is one is so big that I can say breaking down and buying a Kindle last year was one of my best purchases. I love taking pictures of flowers and landscapes!

13. I love decaf coffee that doesn’t taste like coffee. If I’m drinking a cup of coffee, then I want it to be so diluted with creamer that it is like a pale brown color. For me the best coffee tastes like french vanilla, caramel macchiato, or a mocha. Drown it in whip cream and I have my own frothy Starbucks like drink at home. In actuality, the best coffee to me isn’t even coffee. It is a nice, freshly brewed cup of hot tea.

There you have “13 Things You Never Knew About The Great Kaysby”! I challenge you to share things about yourself that people may not know!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

“What Good Is Sitting Alone In Your Room? Come Hear The Music Play…”

“…Life is a Cabaret, old chum, come to the Cabaret.” – “Cabaret” from Cabaret

This is a line from the first musical I was a part of with Hardin County Playhouse: Cabaret. Music has always been a major part of my life in various forms. Some of my earliest memories are of being in our van when we would travel and listening to a Beach Boys cassette tape on a portable tape player. This was before vehicles typically had a built in cassette player…you know during the Stone Age! Now a bunch of years later, music is still an important part of my life, and it has even influenced some of our travel!

So without further adieu, I present The Great Kaysby’s Top 5 venues for music and musicals! Warning…you may want to travel after this!

Conseco Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN – https://www.bankerslifefieldhouse.com/ – First of all, I didn’t know this venue had experienced a name change! It is now Bankers Life Fieldhouse, but in 2000 it was Conseco Fieldhouse! Picture this…it was the year 2000 and I was 16. My aunt had agreed to take me to the show, and I had even been allowed to sign out of school early to travel. It was March, but it was still pretty cold out, and I was standing outside a venue hoping for a glimpse of one of the Backstreet Boys! Oh yeah…I was a FAN GIRL! If you would have asked me then who I was going to marry one day, then I would have told you hopefully AJ McLean! He was the bad boy, I was the good girl, and he had sang, “If you want it to be good girl, get yourself a bad boy!”

I didn’t meet a Backstreet Boy this time (I would meet Howie Dorough later with my two BFFs, Mom, and aunt outside the Hyatt hotel in Lexington, KY), but I did see their tour bus with the duck in the front window!

This show turned out to be one of the best BSB experiences I’ve ever had (I’ve seen them four times with number five coming in September)! For one, we were super close to the stage on the bottom tier of seats. We were so close that a security guard saw my aunt taking photos with a zoom lens camera, and he promptly destroyed the film in front of us. Secondly, this show was filmed. Footage from the show was used for the music video for “The One”. We sat right behind the camera! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZYrEz0mxts

Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, Ohio – https://www.riverbend.org/ – Hands down, this is my favorite concert venue! Typically, I’m not big on outdoor venues. I’m a chunky girl and outside tends to equal sweaty and uncomfy especially in the summer. However, Riverbend is cool because part of the venue is a covered pavilion with actual seats and the rest is a lawn where you BYO chair/blanket. I’ve been to one concert here, Kid Rock many moons ago, but if it were closer to home I would be there more often.

The Fabulous Fox – St. Louis, MO – https://www.fabulousfox.com/ – This is the most beautiful venue that I have ever had the opportunity to visit! This year, the Fabulous Fox turns 90 years old! It originally opened in 1929, and it is still a beautiful representation of 1920’s Art Deco. Mr. Kisby and I saw The Phantom of the Opera here, and even though our seats were in the very back of the lower level, they were phenomenal! When that chandelier came swinging out over the audience it gave us chills! Another great thing about this venue? It is in a small arts district so there is a lot of other cool stuff to explore while there. Added bonus? Our trip to The Fabulous Fox also included Jilly’s Cupcakes (one of my very first blogs was about Jilly’s) and a taco pizza from Casey’s!

The Kentucky Center – Louisville, KY – http://www.kentuckycenter.org – Do you know what is so cool about this venue? A fire can’t keep it down! In June 2018 a portion of the building caught fire and was destroyed. By June 2019 the venue, while still under construction, was revitalized enough for a run of Hamilton! Mr. Kisby and I have seen four musicals at The Kentucky Center: Hairspray!, Wicked, Cabaret, and Hamilton. We’ve sat in four different areas and can attest that there is not a bad seat in the house! Another perk? Every employee and volunteer that I’ve interacted with here is very friendly! You can’t beat Southern hospitality mixed with the performing arts!

KFC Yum! Center – Louisville, KY – https://www.kfcyumcenter.com/ – I’ve been here for Lady Cards basketball and a concert, and I am amazed by how versatile this space is! When you are at a concert it is hard to believe that basketball is played here; when you are at a basketball game it is hard to believe how easily it can be converted into a concert venue. I saw the Backstreet Boys here (concert number four) when they were touring with New Kids on the Block. Fun fact, the ticket scanners were not working, and instead of our top level seats we ended up being seated in the lower level by the stage! We saw the guys loading into the backstage area from our seats! I’m looking forward to going to see the DNA Tour in September (BSB concert number five)! I recommend Yum! Center for both its great facility and the variety of entertainment that it has brought to Louisville.

So now you know The Great Kaysby’s Top 5 Music/Musical event spaces! I hope that you will have the opportunity to check them out! Also, should one of the Backstreet Boys or Kid Rock happen to read this, then a couple of backstage passes would be great! Thanks! 🙂

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

#concerts #musicals #consecofieldhouse #bankerslifefieldhouse #backstreetboys #bsb #theone #riverbend #kidrock #fabulousfox #phantomoftheopera #thekentuckycenter #hairspray #wicked #cabaret #hamiltion #kfcyumcenter #ladycards #thegreatkaysby #mrkisby