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City Stories · November 16, 2016

Curtain Call (x4)

In a series of happy accidents, I found myself catching not one or two live theater productions recently, but four Broadway-caliber shows within a matter of days (two of them actually on Broadway).

It started with a pair of tickets to Hamilton here in Chicago, tickets I’d purchased in March of this year and had all but forgotten about until September when I had to confirm they weren’t for a weekend during the Festival. Thankfully, they were for the Saturday immediately after, meaning the Universe did me a massive solid in rewarding a lot of hard work with a very awesome evening. What’s more, I got to take my kid brother with me. He’d read the companion book for a school project, so he was game to check out the real thing. What’s more, he’d never been to a professional production like this, so sharing that experience with him…priceless.

The next episode of scheduling serendipity was also a bit of a snafu, but it all worked out in the end. As soon as I saw that Fun Home was making it’s way to Chicago, I knew I wanted to snag tickets. I was living in New York when it opened on Broadway, and (as this was pre-Hamilton days) it was such a hit I decided to hold off on getting tickets until some of the buzz (and the prices) died down. Fast forward to the show closing after just over a year and, you know, my moving to Chicago. Now making the rounds on its first US tour, the show was only in town for two weeks and my availability was limited, so an aunt and I ended up snagging a couple tickets the same night as the Festival’s staff party. Though I was sad to leave the gang, the show proved as moving as I expected.

Just days later, I was on a plane bound for LaGuardia and a weekend away in my favorite city in the world. I’d looked ahead at my theater options (no need to see Hamilton this time!); it’s one of the main things I’ve missed about living there: the thrill of being on the scene when a new show opens, snagging tickets any given night. Catching the new production of Cats was high on my list, if only for the nostalgia factor. It was the first show I ever saw (I think I was like…seven?), and despite the absurdity of people dressed as cats leaping through the air and belting out ballads, I truly love the music and message. Rather than splurge ahead of time, I decided to take my chances day-of at the box office. Sure enough, the nice young woman behind the glass arranged a great deal on a first-row balcony seat. It was as campy and as wonderful as I remembered.

The last of the four shows in this run of productions was one I hadn’t originally sought out. When I let a friend know I was coming into town, he pointed out that Waitress was hosting a special Monday night show with audience karaoke hosted by none other than Sara Bareilles. Based on the film, the stage production is charming and heartwarming, and it’s been holding its own on Broadway since it opened in April. The post-show to-do sold me on getting tickets to this one, and the timing couldn’t have been better. On the eve of what ended up being quite a horrible election day, being in this theater filled with love and good vibes and great music (and an impromptu performance of Brave) was exactly what I needed to cap off an already amazing week of theatrical experiences.

Like the films I watch, I keep a running list of the shows I see throughout the year. I like to be able to look back, to see in one place the experiences I’ve collected. Before these last couple of weeks, my 2016 list was looking fairly slim (albeit with the crown jewel on there); turns out, all it takes is coming out the other side of a film festival and one trip to New York to get that list filled out.

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Posted By: Lisa Trifone · In: City Stories

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Hello! I'm Lisa, and this is—or rather I am—Somebody's Miracle. Explore everything I'm watcing, reading and baking, all my far-flung adventures and ones closer to home. Thanks for reading.

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lisabeesa

Two years ago today, I was coming off what - until Two years ago today, I was coming off what - until that point - was the biggest adventure of my life. I bought a home. I turned 40. I spent a month in Paris. I’d hit a new career milestone. Life was every bit what I imagined it could be. 

Then I walked into a first date with a guy I met on the internet and very quickly realized my (our!) best adventure had just begun. 

Two years of getting my goat (and delighting in it), because you love to see me laugh. Two years of not just making dinners but plating them, too, because you know I like a pretty plate. Two years of grand gestures not because you’re big on gestures, but because I am.

I thought I had it all figured out, and I think I would’ve been fine if you’d never walked into my life. But good grief am I glad you did. ❤️
🎄 Holiday Playlist! 🎄 It's my favorite trad 🎄 Holiday Playlist! 🎄

It's my favorite tradition (of so many!) of the season: my annual holiday playlist. Twenty-four songs. Two hours of tunes.

Sabrina Carpenter and The Kinks. My Morning Jacket and Kacey Musgraves. Ben Folds and Bette Midler and Bad Religion. 

You can listen on Spotify at the link in my bio!

Happy, happy holidays to you and yours. Wishing you a joyful season!
I’d watch Pablo Larrain’s version of paint dry I’d watch Pablo Larrain’s version of paint drying, but thankfully his latest biopic of a famous, troubled woman (after JACKIE and SPENCER) is a far more engaging fever dream of passing time and missed opportunities.

MARIA, featuring a performance by Angelina Jolie that vibrates with vulnerability, is not perfect but it is fascinating. 

Now in theaters; on Netflix next month. Full review at the link!
My phone yelled at me this morning that I was out My phone yelled at me this morning that I was out of storage space, so over a couple cups of coffee I went back through this year’s photos and videos to purge what I don’t need on my device. 

Stumbled on this snap Brian took of me over dinner back in…June?…and honestly, I just love it. I love the way he sees me and I love the way I look when I see him. ❤️

Take care of each other. That’s all.
Eight years ago this week, @justin.f.brady and I w Eight years ago this week, @justin.f.brady and I went to see @waitressmusical on Broadway, and after the show we were treated to full band karaoke with die-hard fans. 

At the end of the show tunes lovefest, @sarabareilles—who wrote the show’s music and was hosting the karaoke—took to the mic to perform Brave, and it was more cathartic than I think any of us realized in the moment. 

It was the night before the 2016 election and none of us were (looking back now) as worried as we should have been. I had early voted, the wind seemed to be at @hillaryclinton’s back and we were ready for history to be made. 

I’ve thought about (and talked about) that moment a lot in the years since - it’s a great story! But especially today, as we’re on the eve of another monumental Election Day, I am imploring anyone reading this who may still be unsure or may not yet have a plan to be brave and vote for the person who is NOT a convicted criminal, serial sexual assaulter, con-man and dictator-in-waiting. @kamalaharris is the only way forward.

We can get back to debating policy in four years. For now, please vote for humanity, for democracy, for decency and for sanity. I wanna see you be brave.
Signs of life! 👋 I feel like I’ve been in a Signs of life! 👋 

I feel like I’ve been in a fog the last week or so, and it’s going to last at least through Tuesday…but I’m here, I promise!

Got to catch @musictheaterworks’ LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (with the lovely @yersha_la_la_la for company!) and it was delightful. Great production with just a hint of that community theater patina, a bit rough around the edges. (Is it just me or is that S in “Florist” totally upside down?!)

Full review coming soon at @thirdcoastreview!
This one gets a spot on the grid! Congrats to Drew This one gets a spot on the grid! Congrats to Drew and Jean on a beautiful wedding day and the start of an exciting new chapter. (But really, thanks for such a great reason to wear my new favorite dress! 😉)
I absolutely love this time of year. 🍂🍁 I absolutely love this time of year. 🍂🍁
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