Meet Penelope

So we all know that those of us in the D-OC like to name our medical devices. I've had the MiniMed Revel for a while now and this pump didn't actually have a name. I'd named my old pump Lola, but this one hadn't gotten a name yet. She'd been stubborn, and until I got her an outfit to wear, she hadn't given me her name.

A few weeks ago I custom ordered a pump skin for my pump. I did this with my last pump as well. My love of theatre seems to be pretty well known throughout the D-OC, but in case you didn't know I have another blog where I focus almost completely on theatre and other related things.

This pump skin is basically the American Idiot (musical!!) poster. I wanted to bring my love of theatre (and my current favorite show) to my diabetes life. I feel they mix more often than not, and I figured if I'm gonna wear a device twenty-four hours a day to keep me alive, I might as well make it look like something I love.

When she got her skin, she gave me her name. It's kind of silly, but on the first national tour of American Idiot, there was a piece of the scenery that the cast named Penelope. I don't know why they picked that name. I don't know where it came from. But Penelope was an awesome set piece AND she made things fun... and occasionally cause some physical pain. Sound like an insulin pump? It did to me.

So....meet Penelope, my insulin pump.

"Do No Harm" Does Harm

Tonight on NBC there is the series premiere of a new show called “Do No Harm.” I’ve known this show was coming for quite some time. In fact, I knew about it when they were filming the pilot, mostly due to the fact that one of my favorite Broadway actors is in the show. Turns out SEVERAL Broadway actors I like are in the show, and it was directed by a Broadway director that I also like.

Because of that, I had been waiting on this show to air. Waiting for news about it. Getting little snippets of what was going on. A week or so ago, NBC made the premiere episode available online. I watched it last week. Of course, I watched it on the chance to see some actors I know from the stage, like Lin Manuel Miranda, Michael Esper, and the star of the show Steven Pasquale.

I won’t spoil the whole show for you. I won’t give away all the details, but the basic premise of the show is that Dr. Jason Cole is a brilliant neurosurgeon with a problem. He has Dissociative Identity Disorder… also known as a split personality. His alter ego, Ian Price, is not a nice person. He’s aggressive, a playboy, and an all-around NOT good guy. Ian shows up at 8:25 every night and goes away at 8:25 every morning. So basically, for 12 hours a day, Dr. Jason Cole can’t be around anyone he knows or cares about, as Ian will hurt them.

There is an outstanding cast of actors in the show. It has an interesting plot line. It COULD be the kind of show I would like to watch. BUT (there’s always a but) there was some terribly incorrect information regarding diabetes throughout the entire show. And the saddest part of the entire thing is that some of the information regarding diabetes will probably continue to be a part of the show for as long as it lasts.

“Why?” you ask? Most medical shows will touch on diabetes for an episode or two here and there, but it never lingers very long. In “Do No Harm” Dr. Cole says he has diabetes. As he is a brilliant neurosurgeon, he has to test his blood sugar levels before he performs surgery. The machine they use is interesting. It’s not an actually BLOOD sugar machine. It’s some sort of device that he places his finger in and it uses infrared light to test his glucose levels.

Honestly, it looked like a pretty awesome machine, except that it was HUGE (think a rolling blood pressure machine from a hospital). And I’m pretty sure it doesn’t exist. I did some research on the internet after I saw this. From everything I can find, this technology doesn’t exist yet. There areseveral companies working on the technology that would allow us to check ourglucose levels with infrared technology, but so far nothing has been approved, and from what I can find, it doesn’t even really exist more than what scientists seem to be TRYING to develop. Basically, nothing headed our way anytime soon.

So, what I wanna know is how to get one… cause if it’s on TV, it must exist, right? You see where I’m going with this? Um, I don’t want people telling me I don’t have to poke my fingers all the time cause I can get this cool machine that tests my glucose with infrared technology. I don’t want to have to take the time to explain that it’s Hollywood making something else up.

That was alarm bell number one in my head. But, you know, it’s not THAT big of a deal….but then Dr. Jason Cole has a conversation with the director of his hospital, Dr. Vanessa Young (a lovely and talented Phylicia Rashad).  

Dr. Young offers Dr. Cole tickets to a Phillies game because it’s his birthday. He tries to turn them down and she says “Just because your diabetes keeps you from working at night doesn’t mean it keeps you from going to a game.” And there’s alarm bell number two in my head. What do you MEAN that diabetes keeps you from working at night?!? I know several people who live with diabetes (T1 & T2) who work the night shift. And why wouldn’t a DOCTOR (and probably a pretty extensively trained doctor, if she’s running a major hospital like in the show) call bullsh** on that? A doctor that knows anything would know that isn’t true.

And that led into alarm bell number three….how does someone who is unable to work for at least 12 hours a day able to make it through medical school? I know people who have gone through med school. There are many, many long shifts. Many times they end up sleeping at the hospital and definitely working night shifts during their residency and/or fellowship. So how did Dr. Cole make it through medical school to become this stellar neurosurgeon??  

Obviously, he is using diabetes as a reason to be able to be home and away from everyone when his alter ego takes over, but what diabetes? It’s kind of a flimsy excuse, especially if you are in the medical profession. And this makes it obvious that the character doesn’t actually HAVE diabetes.

The show continues on and there is an incident in which Dr. Cole can’t remove himself far enough away from people to keep his alter ego from taking over. Dr. Cole reschedules a brain surgery for nighttime. At first I couldn’t figure out WHY. Alter ego Ian Price has no medical training. And Ian pretends to be Dr. Cole… so this untrained person is going to operate on a human? Turns out there is a reason that Dr. Cole did this. And this is where alarm bells four, five, six, etcetera went off in my head.

Ian Price, pretending to be Dr. Jason Cole, enters the surgery room and they demand that he checks his glucose levels (on that awesome, non-existent machine) before he operates on the patient. When the results come they are 315. Here is the basic of what happens in the operating room at that point:

Ian Price asks what’s going on. A nurse says, “You’re hypoglycemic (the closed captioning read “hyperglycemic”, but if you listen to it several times like I did, it SAYS hypoglycemic). You’re going into diabetic shock!” Another nurse/doctor says “Give him 20 units of regular insulin.”

I’m going to stop right there and point out the things wrong with JUST that part. First off, a blood sugar level of 315 isn’t going to send someone into diabetic shock. Possible ketones maybe. Thirst, headache, at worst, blurry vision. But I’ve never known anyone to enter into diabetic shock (I’m assuming they mean full diabetic ketoacidosis with unconsciousness) from a 315.

Secondly, 20 units of regular insulin for almost anyone with diabetes could be lethal. It’s way, way, way too much insulin for a 315. I assume there are cases of super insulin resistance that would call from something like that, but in general, 20 units of regular insulin is crazy. Also, regular insulin is kind of outdated. I know some people who use it still, but in general, it is so slow working that insulin like Levimir, Humalog, and Novolog are used. They work faster.  

Onto the rest of the scene (which was only about 30 seconds to a minute long). The doctors and nurses in the operating room restrain Mr. Ian Price (who fights them the whole time) and the jab him with some epi pen looking thing while he thrashes around. He immediately goes into convulsions. A nurse says, “He’s tachycardiac-Adverse reaction from the insulin.” Some else yells “Call anesthesia stat! And get me a stretcher.” Mr. Ian Price passes out.

Okay, all the things wrong with that part…. Oh my. Well, first off, the epi-pen looking thing. I suppose it might have been an insulin pen of some sort. Perhaps. But really it just look like they jabbed him with this thing in the arm. Insulin doesn’t need to be administered like that at all. And a true diabetic would have administered the insulin themselves.

Then there is the immediate onset of convulsions. Insulin does NOT work that quickly. There is NO insulin out there that works that quickly. It doesn’t exist. In fact, when you look at active insulin times, the quickest I could find was Aphidra, which according to WebMD has an active insulin time of 1 ½ to 2 hours. This means that while it might start working right away, there’s nothing that would drop the blood glucose levels so quickly as to put someone into immediate convulsions, even if their blood sugar was completely normal and they were given 20 units of insulin. Also a note: Regular insulin has an active insulin time of 5 to 8 hours. http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/diabetes-types-insulin

Then there is the next part. About the tachycardia. I actually did not know what that word meant. I had to look it up. The American Heart Association says that tachycardia is a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute in an adult. I didn’t know that insulin (or a low blood sugar) could cause a rapid heart rate. But apparently it can. I googled that one too, just to be sure. Again, I just can’t imagine blood sugar dropping so rapidly that it would cause immediate convulsions and rapid heart rates. I suppose that this could be considered an “adverse reaction to the insulin” but I just call it a low blood sugar.

And what was that about calling anesthesia?  Why? Were they going to knock out the man already passed out on the floor? I mean really? What was the point of that? Why did no one suggest glucagon (or the more medically potent D50, also known as dextrose). This would have brought around a person having a low in just a few minutes.

At this point, I’m laughing hysterically at the computer screen as I watch the show. I wanted to tell them how crazy they were being. But it just got worse and worse.

Dr. Jason Cole wakes up the next day in a hospital room and Dr. Marcado, a friend who is helping him try to keep Ian from coming out every night, is in the room with him asking him what went happened. Dr. Cole states that he moved up the surgery on purpose because he knew that Ian would fail the glucose test.

When Dr. Marcado asks how he knew he’d fail he says “Come on, Ruben, personality affects body chemistry. Aggression triggers adrenaline” and Dr. Marcado follows up with “Which looks like high blood sugar.” Dr. Cole finishes up with “He’d be given insulin, which he didn’t need.” And Dr. Marcado chimes in, “It would knock him out.”

Okay, I’m not a medical professional. I could be wrong. But again, I googled it. Everything I found in regards to adrenaline and high blood glucose levels was directly related to people who already have diabetes. I KNOW adrenaline causes my liver to kick out sugars, raising my blood sugar levels. But someone without diabetes (which we know Dr. Jason Cole to be) should be covered by their own, working pancreas, right?

And what was that about personality affecting body chemistry? Huh? How would it affect his body chemistry? It’s just so completely out there that I was appalled. By the end of the show I was laughing, but I was also saddened.

taken from the Do No Harm facebook page

What happens when a show is SO full of misleading information about diabetes? Especially when it’s a medical drama? I mean, people listen to the stuff on these shows. They believe the stuff on these shows. And I get to spend all of my free time and energy trying to correct what Hollywood destroyed.

I’ve been told that any medical show is supposed to have a medical technical advisor. I googled. I checked IMDB. I googled again. I couldn’t find anywhere that there was a medical technical advisor listed. It confused me. Maybe because it was a pilot episode they didn’t have one? I wanted to know who told them this information was correct.

The only thing I could find was the name of the writer of the episode and the producers of the show. It was written by David Schulner, directed by Michael Mayer (a Broadway person that I LOVE), and produced by Rachel Kaplan, Michael Mayer, David Schulner, and Peter Traugott.

I really do want to like this show, but they can’t ditch the diabetes storyline at this point. It’s too engrained in who Dr. Jason Cole/Ian Price is as a character. But it’s also a lousy cover for his Dissasociative Identity Disorder and perpetuates the myths about diabetes.

You can find “Do No Harm” on facebook, twitter, and about a million other social networking sites. Do something. Watch the first episode. Then SAY something. Blog about it. Post on facebook about it. Tweet them about it.  I tried to find twitter accounts on the producers and writer but was unable to.

Personally, I just hope this blog post gets out there. Because “Do No Harm” could actually cause a lot of harm by misleading and perpetuating untruths about diabetes. I plan on asking them on twitter & facebook who their medical advisor was. I hope I get an answer. If they don't have one, they should hire me. At least for the diabetes related stuff. I'd tell them to scrap the entire storyline involving diabetes. But then they'd probably try to write about a medical cure.

Steel Magnolias: Raising Money for JDRF

Steel Magnolias. This movie and/or play is often a source of debate in the Diabetes Online Community. Some people love the show. Others hate it for its ending and somewhat inaccurate portrayal of life with Type 1 diabetes can be. I personally fall in to the “love it” camp, while my mother hangs to the other side. She’s always told me that the thought of anything happening to me, her Type 1 daughter, made the movie too difficult for her to watch.

My love of theatre has let me to a couple of different productions of the play, most notably the Broadway production from 2005 starring Delta Burke and Christine Ebersole. I was recently made aware of a staged reading of Steel Magnolias at which all proceeds would go to benefit JDRF. Like anything that involves theatre, I was intrigued. Add in the diabetes connection and I got excited.

After doing a little research on producer David Youse and his Four Things Productions, I found that Four Things has a pretty successful history of production to raise money for charity, including a staged reading of The Normal Heart that eventually made its way to Broadway. I decided to email the producer back and request an interview. Mr. David Youse was very much willing to help out, wanting to get word out about this production, in order to raise the most money as possible for JDRF.

First of all, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to chat with me about this production of Steel Magnolias and about the work that you are doing at Four Things Productions. Can you tell us a little bit about Four Things Productions and what you do?

Four Things Productions is committed to raising money for various non-profits by presenting theater events with wonderful actors. I try to pick one play and one charity, per year, and raise awareness and the most funds, that I can.

How do you pick the organizations that you choose to donate your proceeds to? Do you have connections to Type 1 diabetes? What brought you to JDRF?

The process can be different each time. Sometimes I think of which play to produce first, one that I think an audience would like to see. Then I find a charity that equals what the plays is about. The Normal Heart would be an AIDS related charity. Steel Magnolias-Diabetes. My mother was a Type 1 diabetic so I'm very familiar with the disease and have that personal connection to it. Playwright Robert Harling and I both decided that JDRF would be our pick, since the funds go to research. We looked at other charities, but felt that JDRF was one that we connected with, because of what they do.

Did you choose to produce Steel Magnolias first, and then pick JDRF as your organization? Or was it JDRF that came before Steel Magnolias?

After the success of The Normal Heart, I realized that the 25th Anniversary of Magnolias was coming up. Knowing the play, I knew that I wanted to present it for a diabetic cause.

You have managed to put together an amazing talented and well known cast and  two-time Tony winner Judith Ivey is directing your production. How was this group of women put together, and are you aware of any personal connections to Type 1 diabetes that might have drawn these women to the project?

Robert Harling [playwright] and I met about two years ago, first, on this project. I asked him who is dream cast would be, 25 years later. Names, names, names kept coming up. Then when you bring on board the brilliant Judith Ivey, she has her vision and the director will take the lead. The three of us come together to discuss who would be great for which role and you want to cast it with the women who you know will connect on stage. This is truly an ensemble piece so each character has to be carefully thought of. Of course I look to see if anyone is public about being a Type 1 diabetic, but what is on the internet is never the real answer. But everyone, it seems, has someone they know who suffers from diabetes.

For my readers who are not your typical “theatre people,” can you explain the difference between a staged- reading and a full production?

A staged reading is simply what is says, a reading of the play with very minimal movement. In a full production with sets, lighting, music, etc, the vision of the director will establish what they want to get across not only in the performances, but with the visual as well. In a staged reading, I believe it's a more powerful way to explore the writing and creating art for the individuals who are witnessing it. By simply reading the stage directions each audience member can create what the beauty shop looks like, what they are wearing and their mind can wonder on what they see. What is so remarkable about this process is that the person sitting next to you can have their own vision of what is happening. So, everyone can enjoy their own show, in their own minds and create for themselves what they are witnessing.

I must note that your staged reading of The Normal Heart, directed by Joel Grey, ended up making its way to New York where it was eventually produced on Broadway. Do you have any hopes of that happening with this production?

I never thought that The Normal Heart would end up making its way to Broadway. I never think that far in advance about a project. I believe that if you focus on why you're presenting the reading and who it's for, the world will take care of you. So, right now, I'm presenting The 25th Anniversary staged reading of Robert Harling's Steel Magnolias, directed by Judith Ivey, to benefit JDRF. After Los Angeles, we will be presenting it in New York on December 3rd, for JDRF, and after that, we can only see what happens.

Any last things you’d like to share with my readers?

Supporting theater, in any city, makes us more aware of others, their joys, their sorrows and it not only creates great conversation, it educates us on all of us. Support the arts when you can, and support a cause, which you are passionate about. I believe it will make us a better country. INFO AND TICKETS: www.steelmagnolias-25years.org Thank you, David Youse

Thank you again, for taking the time to answer some questions for me. I know that there are several people in our Diabetes Online Community that live in the Los Angeles area, and I hope that they get the chance to see the show. I know I would love to be there to see my support for diabetes research and my love of theatre meet on stage. Break a leg!

If you are in the Southern California area next weekend, please try to go see this production. It will be more than worth your money. The production will be at Broad Stage in Santa Monica, Califorinia, Saturday, September 9th, 2012 at 6:00 p.m.

Four Things productions can be found on facebook and the individual Twitter account for this production is located HERE. If you are in the area and get a chance to see the production, please let me know! I'd love to have you guest post about the play.

Any Time Is a Good Time

Anytime is a good time for a d meet-up. I LOVE getting to meet my D-OC friends in real life. It's so great because there is a person you already know you love and have a lot in common with and there's none of the awkward stuff that usually comes with meeting a person for the first time.



Pumping at the Full House park...apparently
also known as Alamo Square. Who knew??

Sarah and I "met" through twitter and facebook and her blog (though I found her twitter and fb first). Something that I discovered quite quickly was that we both share a love of theatre, along with a busted pancreas.

Sarah & I at Lombard street. Let's just say there were juice
boxes consumed after walking up and down that hill.

When my love of theatre led me across the country to San Francisco, I knew Sarah and I had to meet up. :) Sarah was, of course, completely wonderful. She took me and my best friend around to sight see for a while, we went out to a great place for lunch, and then she joined us in our personal brand of crazy, which consisted of sitting on the sidewalk for 5 hours waiting on cheap front row tickets to see my favorite show in the world.

Sarah's great suggestion for sea food! So yummy.

The best part? She didn't complain about the waiting. And I'm pretty sure she enjoyed the show. :) And the whole while, we both had low treatments, we both beeped randomly, tested, calculated carbs, and my best friend had lots of fun checking to be sure we were okay. :D

The show that led me to San Francisco and gave
me the chance to meet Sarah!

All of you who were blessed to be at Friends for Life this year, I'm still a little jealous. But I wouldn't have traded getting to meet Sarah for anything.

Diabetes Awareness through Performing Arts

Earlier this year I was blessed to see a wonderful musical that helps educate about diabetes. This musical, called Andy & the Beats, was written, directed, and starred a man living with Type 1 diabetes as part of his senior thesis/project for college. It was my luck that said college is only a couple of hours from me, so I made the trip and was very glad that I got to be a part of that.
I wrote about seeing the show and even at the time I saw it I thought, "someone needs to do something with this musical." It could be such an educational tool and has so many things about it that would be great, especially for families with children who have been recently diagnosed with diabetes.

After the short run, I hoped that there might be some more attention brought to the show....
Now that's happened. Andy & the Beats is in contention for the Pepsi Refresh Everything grant program. They are trying to get a $10,000 grant to help do another staging of this show. And with each staging and chance for this show to be performed, more and more people will be educated about diabetes.

You can help Andy & the Beats get this grant by voting HERE. You can vote once per day. They are, at the time I am writing this, in 48th place. They need to be in the top 15 in order to receive funding. You can either vote by using your facebook account, or you can create a free Pepsi account and vote that way. All the information is on the page for Pepsi Refresh Grant. Each person gets 5 votes per day, but only 1 can be counted per entry, so go in every day and vote for Andy & the Beats.

We are a very large and very strong community of people living with diabetes online. I KNOW if we can get Disney to pull a certain episode of a television show, we can help Andy win this grant.
Please pass this information along and follow Andy & the Beats on facebook.

Diabetes in Strange Places

Me and my theatre craziness. You’d think with a blog dedicated to theatre, I’d STOP writing about theatre related stuff here. Really, I don’t mean to. But in the past month or so diabetes and theatre have been intersecting in my life like crazy.

On Friday night I went to a production of Camp Rock: The Musical at Cumberland County Playhouse (if you’re interested in my review click here). I took my sister and her boyfriend, mostly cause I didn’t want to go alone and I thought that my sister would enjoy the show (turns out both of them did).

We sat third row, center, so our seats were very close to the stage and very well placed. When I’m watching shows I have a tendency to pick out ensemble members and watch them. They aren’t always a huge part of the show, but seeing their actions and facial expressions can be so fun and give you a slight bit of insight into a character that often has no name or story.

During this particular production I was watching a couple of the kids. And then I saw it. Right before the intermission, I saw the clear tubing at her waist. And in my head I know that a sound pack doesn’t have clear wiring. I followed that clear tubing with my eyes, right to the pink MiniMed insulin pump hanging from her waist.

Being a totally cool person with diabetes, I freaked out! Oh my! I couldn’t believe it (not like I don’t meet diabetics on a fairly regular basis or anything… LOL). After that I couldn’t help but watch that little girl. I also knew I was going to have to introduce myself after the show.

I found Lindsey and her dad standing out in the lobby of the Playhouse. All I did was take my pump out of my pocket and show it to her. Insta-connection, right D-OC? :) I introduced myself to her dad and found out her brother was also in the show (and I’d seen him in other productions at the Playhouse).

We talked diabetes for a few minutes and I got a totally cool D-pictures of us with our pumps. And I made some theater/diabetes friends. It’s fun to know that we can have an instant connection with another person, just by sharing the common bond of diabetes.

Diabetes: The Musical?

Those who know me, know my obsession with all things theater. In fact, I felt so bad about my theater posts on my diabetes blogs, I broke down and started a blog that is solely dedicated to theater. When I started that blog, I kind of promised myself that I wouldn’t “bore” my diabetes readers with my theater posts on this blog.

And here I am, just a few months later, breaking that promise already. But since this theater post involves diabetes all the way, I figured my readers would forgive me. About two weeks ago I saw a Twitter post that came from TuDiabetes. In that post there was a link to an article that totally blew my mind. Someone had written a musical about Type 1 diabetes. A musical called Andy & the Beats. Wow. Not only had it been written, they were putting on a production. And the most amazing part? It was in Knoxville, Tennessee.

As with any diabetic, my first, knee-jerk, reaction was to be wary of a musical written about diabetes. How “wrong” would it be? Was it a joke? A comedy of errors? A random person’s attempt at making a joke of this disease we live with every day? I think most of us can understand a reaction like that. We deal with media misconceptions on a daily basis. Those of us in the diabetes online community spend out time trying to education and inform, often running into brick walls of ignorance over and over again.

The initial article put me completely at ease because the writer of this musical, Andy Rogers, is living with Type 1 diabetes. So is his sister. Knowing that, my excitement took over and I started researching when and where this musical was going to be performed, and how I was going to make the time to be there.

There were only four performance times, admission was free with all donations going to benefit JDRF. While I was researching this show, I found Andy’s research paper online. Those of you who have ever written a research paper, or read one, know how boring they can be. This one was not. I read all 52 pages. And I cried. This was a story. It was the story of Andy and his sister. It was the story of their family and diabetes. Sure, there were the scientific parts, and the “technical” parts. But this research paper was a story that made me even more sure that Andy Rogers had written a special show that would education, inform, and entertain.

Sunday evening I arrived over an hour early. I’m not terribly familiar with the Knoxville area, and even less familiar with the University of Tennessee campus, so I wanted to be sure I got there in plenty of time. From posts on the Andy & the Beats facebook page, I knew that they had to turn away people from one of the performances, and that they had had a full house at the others. I was going to have a seat. And hour early was a good bet. I was the first person in line.

Being the first in line didn’t last long. Within 20 minutes there was a line all the way down the sidewalk. When they opened the house, Andy was at the door and you could see the amazement all over his face. Even though (from what I understood) they’d had full crowds every time. I knew with that kind of reaction from him, and the crowd size, that this show was going to be great.

And great it was. Andy Rogers played a 12 year old Andy who developed Type 1 diabetes after a virus attacked him. The Beats were 3 singing, dancing… well, I’m not exactly sure what they were other than maybe Andy’s guides to having diabetes. Regardless, they were fantastic. Played by Lauren Fitzgerald, Brooks Morelock, and Jessica Hunter, they made Andy’s transition into diabetes… well, kind of entertaining.

Andy was a healthy, happy 12 year old boy and then is attacked by Virus, played by James McGuire. The Beats show up to help Andy by explaining Type 1 diabetes and its symtoms to him and the audience in “The Symptoms Song.”

Andy’s mother takes him to a Dr. Arfaee, played with great comedy by Tina Arfaee. At one point she stabs an orange in Andy’s hand with a syringe. And when I say stabs, I mean STABS. :) How many of us remember learning to give a shot on an orange? *silently raises hand* The title of the song she sings while she stabs that orange: “Your New Friend, Insulin.” I laughed my head off during the entire song.

Andy’s mother, played by Martha Reddick, is very disturbed by the fact that her son can’t be “fixed” by a pill or a shot. Andy ends up in a conversation with his Pancreas, also played by James McGuire. Andy’s Pancreas is angry. So is Andy. They both want to know why this happened to them (sound familiar anyone?).

When they can’t figure out why, Andy starts searching for a cure. Stem-cell transplants, pancreas transplants, etc. It touches on all the reasons why they are still in research stages, or not good for a “healthy” person with diabetes. Andy then searches to make his own cure. After all, he’s a smart boy. When his “cure” fails, he becomes frustrated and sad.

In comes Campbell, another young person living with diabetes. Campbell is played by Campbell Garver, a child actually living with diabetes. Campbell lets Andy know he’s not alone and introduces him to other children with diabetes. Andy Rogers wisely, and beautifully used all children living with diabetes (a full list of names will be listed below).

The final song “Walk for the Cure” left me in tears. Obviously written for the JDRF Walk(s) to Cure Diabetes, the beauty wasn’t in the words (though they were beautiful in their own right), it was in the children singing those words. All I could think as I sat there was that I have just celebrated 25 years living with diabetes. And all I could do is cry and pray that these children don’t have to live for 25 years with diabetes. That there will be a cure before they reach that “milestone”.
Andy Rogers did a wonderful job writing this musical. It’s informative, funny, a little snarky at times, touching, and it pulls at your heart strings. Even though the show has closed, I can’t help but hope that Andy has a way of keeping this show alive. Maybe local communities could do their own productions of the show? I believe that it should be done at Children’s Congress as well. Families affected by diabetes would LOVE this show.

Type 1 Diabetic Children:

-Campbell Garver

-Amanda Minutolo

-Autumn Barnett

-Natalie Olson

-Gwendolyn Dolenee

-Gavin Bentley

-Rachel Bentley

-Quinntin Bentley

-Catrina Estes

-Russell England

-Addysun Seaton-Camfield

-Dylan Green

-Riley Shover

-Ryan Hopkins

-Kelli Rogers

Because I've Lost My Mind...

Because I've lost my mind...or perhaps hit my head on something and had the sense knocked OUT of me, instead of into me, I've started a second blog. Yes, I can hear the crickets in the room as you stare in silenced astonishment at this screen. I'll answer you're unasked question: Yes, I've gone crazy.

But I figured that most of my D-OC people don't exactly come to my blog looking for theatre news and reviews. So I figured I should start a second blog that will focus solely on theatre. If you happen to be one of the D-OC who also shares my love for theatre, you can check out my new blog (which is MAJORLY still under construction!) at Country Girl/Theatre Geek.

My first post is up and it's kind of a rant. But I hope you enjoy it anyhow.

Music Monday: Thanksgiving Parade

My favorite part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade every year is the performances from the shows on Broadway. This year, my current favorite show, American Idiot, performed "Good Riddance" which is the song they do during the encore of the show. Here's a YouTube clip... enjoy!

Music Monday: Lauren Pritchard

My obsession with all things Broadway led me to a new musical discovery. Lauren Pritchard, who's actually from Tennessee. She was in the original Broadway cast of Spring Awakening, and now she's just released an album called Wasted in Jackson. So far, the hard copy is not available in the United States, but the digital is on iTunes and other music outlets.

She's something different and I thought I'd share it with you. Enjoy. :)

A Lesson in Etiquette

Etiquette. It can be kind of a big word if your vocabulary is small. But no matter what words you use, MANNERS are something we should have been taught as children. Simple things, like not talking during church, or during a meeting. Not jumping line. Turning your cell phone off in a hospital, funeral home, or place of worship.

But some people, it seems, never quite got the lesson. Including the 3 older ladies who sat behind me during a play I saw last weekend. They talked through THE ENTIRE SHOW. Even when I thought I'd be smart and say something about it loudly to my friend who was with me during intermission. But it didn't work, since they talked through the entire SECOND act as well.

For people who aren't aware, it is very rude to disrupt other people while they are at a movie. But at least with a movie, you can rent it when it comes out on DVD. To me, it is even worse when someone distracts you at a live performance. There is no getting that time back. You see it, and you never get that exact experience again. Sure, you can laugh or elbow your theatre buddy. But I have no need for live commentary. I can see the show myself. And I'm sure that your theatre buddy has no need for commentary either.

And for that matter, why do you feel the need to have that commentary be composed entirely of "Oh, that girl sings so pretty!" and "I saw him in two other shows here." and "Where did that other character go? I don't see him on stage anymore." and "Look at that guy dance!". Really, I don't need that. I'd rather watch the show and talk with my friend about it later. Just like you should have coffee with your friends afterwards and discuss the show then.

So, here are the rules for any live show:

1.) Do not talk during the show.
2.) Do not sing along with the performers. If you were that good, you'd be up there instead of them.
3.) Turn your cell phone off. Or at least put it on vibrate.

There are only 3, really. If you follow them, everyone will have a better time at the show. Including you. I promise.

Diabetes Questions

Back in May, when I was on my yearly trip to New York, I got to see A Little Night Music. At the time I saw it, the 2 leading ladies were Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury. After I saw it, Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch took over those roles. I'm sad to say that I won't have the chance to see the show with the new cast before it closes in January, but I still enjoy reading about the 2 new leading ladies. I've been a Bernadette Peters fan for most of my life (hello, people... she was in Annie!). But, having not followed Broadway until I was older, Elaine Stritch is a new person in my fan world.

And boy does she deserve the fans. She's won 3 Emmys, a Tony... and too many other awards to count. Just yesterday I came across an article in the New York Post about Elaine Stritch. The title: Where Life is Suite.

The article was interesting. Apparently Elaine Stritch lives in the Carlyle Hotel in New York. Not temporarily. Full time. Kind of fun, huh? Kind of like Eloise...

But my questions came from a comment she made while talking about the hotel staff helping her out.

"I'm a brittle diabetic," Stritch says. "That's about as diabetic as you can be. But I don't have to be nervous. If my blood sugar acts crazy, I just pick up the phone. In a minute, they're here with orange juice or whatever I need. So I never feel alone."

That's where my question runs in.... Is she a Type 1 diabetic? Typically, that's what I assume when people say "brittle" (a term of which I am NOT a fan). When was she diagnosed? How old was she. Curiosity killed the cat. So I'm gonna be one dead cat. I'm on a mission to answer those questions for myself. We'll see how that works out. :)

Theatre Sadness

As most of you know, I'm a huge theatre fan. I follow many different shows and websites, and several months ago there was news on a little girl named Shannon Tavarez. Shannon was 11 years old and had played Nala in The Lion King on Broadway. She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and was helping get the word out about lack of bone marrow donors, while they were searching for a bone marrow match for Shannon, herself.

They were unable to find a bone marrow match, but did an umbilical-cord transplant in late August instead. According to BroadwayWorld.com, Shannon had been in a children's ICU struggling to stabilize. She passed away on Monday.

Below is a video of Shannon singing earlier this year at Harlem School of the Arts.




A statement released by the family stated that they would "work tirelessly to carry out her wish through MatchShannon.com"

Some of you may remember that my own niece battled cancer. She is in remission now, thank God. But cancer is not just a disease of the old, just like diabetes is not just a disease of the overweight. I send my prayers to Shannon's family and I hope that her mission to help increase bone marrow donors will be very fruitful.

The world lost a light and a talent. I send my prayers to Shannon's family.

Diabetes & My Christian Faith

I've been a Christian since I was 10 years old. Not to say I've always lived my life the way that Christ would have liked me to, but I accepted Him as my Savior shortly before my 11th birthday. He's been a constant in my life, even when I tried to avoid Him.

Another constant in my life has been diabetes. I've actually had diabetes longer than I've been a Christian. Wow. I don't think I ever thought about that until I was typing that sentence.


Seeing as how these two aspects of my life have been in my life longer than almost anything else, you'd think I'd come to terms with both of them.


And I have. But I've always had a problem dealing with them and how they relate to each other. I've never blogged about my thoughts on the "healing" crap that gets passed around by all the "miracle cure" people. But I've commented on several of the blogs by those who have voiced their opinions.


I fully believe that my Jesus died for my sins and that He took stripes for my healing:


- 1 Peter 2:24 Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.


-Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.


Those verses alone tell me that He can heal me. His decision to do so is up to Him. I am faithful and will do what needs to be done. If I get my healing here on Earth... FANTASTIC! If I don't get it until Heaven, I still get it and will be thankful in eternity for His healing.


I do believe that He's had a hand in my life with diabetes. In regards to complications... I have very few. I've been living with diabetes for almost 25 years. My care wasn't always the best. A large majority of my childhood and my young adult life (up through college) I took minimal care of myself at best. When I look at the state of my body after all of that, I can see His hand on my life.


In spite of all of this, I've always had a hard time relating my diabetes life and my Christian walk. I know they are intertwined, but I've always had a hard time putting the two together in my head. Too many people have asked (maybe not directly, but still...) "What are you doing wrong, that you've not gotten your healing? Do you not have enough faith?" While I know those statements are absurd, I've always found it easier to keep diabetes and church.... separate, for the most part. Easier on me. Easier on my brain.


Not long ago I found out that the New York Historical Society was going to be having an exhibition called Breakthrough: The Dramatic Story of the Discovery of Insulin. This looking incredibly interesting to me. But as you all know, I don't live in New York. And my yearly trip usually occurs in May. This exhibit is set to close long before May.


I had nearly resigned myself to missing yet ANOTHER thing in New York (and asking myself AGAIN why I don't actually live there...) when my roommate suggested we take a very quick weekend trip to the city. And by very quick I mean less than 24 hours, sleeping on a friends floor and turning around and driving back. She wanted to see a show again (I won't lie... I wanted to see this show again myself) and she had to go to Maryland that weekend anyway. By the time you get to Maryland, you're more than halfway to NYC anyway.... so we went.


It required me to survive for 3 days on very little sleep, and to take a day off work, but we went to New York. Both of us went to see the show, she went to spend the morning at Comic Con, and I spent the morning at the New York Historical Society after a VERY quick breakfast with Allison.


Just a side note: all of my NYC friends, I didn't really tell anyone I was coming because I knew I wouldn't have time to visit with anyone. No worries though, I'm coming back in the late spring....this time for and entire week!


Going to the NYHS exhibit by myself was one of the best things I think I have ever done. And just so you know, God speaks to people in all kinds of places and in all kinds of situations. He most recently spoke to me on a Sunday morning in New York City while I looked at one of the most touching, wonderful historic exhibits that I've ever seen.


All around the exhibit is the evidence of life. My life. As few as 85 years ago, diabetes was a death sentence. If insulin had not been discovered, I wouldn't be alive right now. Had I been born in another century, I wouldn't be alive right now. That's a scary thought.


There are letters and log books and insulin bottles from the very beginning of insulin production through current types. There are pictures of children, nearly wasted away before they received the life saving serum, and after pictures showing healthy happy children. Children that you wouldn't even know were sick just by looking.


There were so many things that I couldn't begin to tell them all to you. But around one corner was a quote, written on a wall. This quote was by Elliott Joslin.


"By the Christmas of 1922 I had witnessed so many near resurrections that I realized I was seeing enacted before my eyes Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones."


Wow. For those of you who aren't familiar with the story, it is found in Ezekiel chapter 37. Ezekiel, a prophet of God was given a vision by God.


Verse 1: The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,


Verse 2: And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.


Verse 3: And He said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest.


Verse 4: Again He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.


Verse 7: So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the ones came together, bone to his bone.


Verse 8: And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.


Verse 10: So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.


Although I've been familiar with this story for years (it's a favorite of my Pastor's), I stood and looked at that wall, with Dr. Joslin's quote, and realized that God was showing me something. He was showing me His hand in my diabetes. I was moved. I think I stood there for about 10 minutes, quietly staring, and praying. Thanking God for His hand on my life.


I knew my time was limited, so I continued on. Looking at pictures. Reading letters from patients that were sent to both Banting and Best (the scientists who helped discover insulin), and letters that were written to Dr. Elliott P. Joslin.


In one particular letter, written by a young adult who had received insulin and was living life quite well, there was another moment for me. I didn't write down the quote. I'm now wishing I had, but I can give it to you almost exactly. I don't think I'll ever forget it. The letter starts off telling Dr. Joslin of his good quality of life and thanks him for his help. Then, toward the bottom of the letter, the young man wrote "The persons who discovered insulit* should be thanked as they are following in the footsteps of the One who gives life more abundantly." Insulit was one of the early names/types of insulin.


John 10:10 has always been the verse I use to those who tell me that God gave me diabetes. I don't believe that. I never will. The verse reads: "The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."


I can assure you that diabetes kills, steals and destroys. Therefore it cannot come from the One who give life more abundant.


When I read that reference to one of my favorite verses in scripture, I cried. I stood in the New York Historical Society building and cried. I cried tears of pain and of joy. Pain at what I, and every other person that lives with diabetes, deals with on a daily basis. Tears of joy for the message that God sent me "I am here. Even in the diabetes. I am as much a part of your diabetes as I am of you." And I cried tears of thanks that God used men to create something that has saved millions of lives.


When I left, I called my mother and cried again as I told her what I'd read, and what I heard from Him.


I know insulin is not a cure. I pray for a true cure on a regular basis. But until a cure, I thank God for insulin and the treatments that have allowed me to live a semi-normal life.


If you have a chance to visit this exhibit, please do. It is worth it. You may not get what I got out of it. I wouldn't expect you to. But I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. The historical significance and the items that are included are very interesting. It's worth it.

Late Music & Guest Blogging

This Music Monday post quickly became a Music Tuesday post because of my crazy busy day yesterday...

Liza Minnelli. Singer. Actress. Broadway great. Daughter of the great Judy Garland. Icon. Currently touring. One stop on her tour? Nashville. And I’ll be there. I spent an exorbitant amount of money for 2 tickets in the “nosebleed” section. Thankfully the nosebleed seats in Tennessee Performing Arts Center are still great seats.

Am I crazy? Maybe. But I go back to my post on why I love live theatre. You get to be in the same room with some amazing artists. And seeing Liza Minnelli was something I wasn’t going to miss if I could help it.

Next up on the to-do list….find someone to buy my second ticket from me so I have someone to go with me. :)

Also, I have TWO guest posts up right now. Two of our D-OC bloggers are on vacation and I was honored to be able to guest post for them.

Chris, over at The Life of a Diabetic, and Becky, at Instructions Not Included. Check their blogs out if you haven't already. Both are wonderful additions to our blogging community and fantastic people in general.

Enjoy!

Theatre Thursday: Hello, Dolly!

Last week, in my quest to quench my theatre addiction (hey, cut me some slack, I’ve not seen a show since May!), I attended a local theatre production of Hello, Dolly! at the Cumberland County Playhouse. It’s a little bit of a drive for me, but it’s the closest theatre to my home. It also has good quality productions. When you can’t make it to a professional tour, or to New York and Broadway, this is the place to go. At least if you live around here.

The last show I saw at the Playhouse was about a year ago. When I was checking the current shows, I realized that Hello, Dolly! was playing. Something that most of you don’t know is that Hello, Dolly! was the first play that I can ever remember seeing. I was around 7 or 8 years old and my aunt was in a local theatre production in the Atlanta area. My dad and I were visiting my uncle, aunt, and cousins. I’d never even heard of Hello, Dolly! so my aunt made sure that my cousin and I had a chance to sit down and watch the movie version before I went to the show that night.

Sadly, I was so young, I remembered very little about the story. All I remember is watching my beloved aunt every second to see every move she made on stage. She didn’t have a huge part. She was in the ensemble, if I remember correctly. But all I knew is that my aunt was famous. And I thought it was the coolest thing in the world.

The good part about remembering so little about the story was that seeing the production at the Playhouse last week was like seeing a show for the very first time. I remember a few songs and some bare basics about the story, but other than that, it was a nearly a new story to me.
That day I’d had a horrible day at work. I was tired and was slightly regretting buying my ticket to see the show. I really just wanted to go home and go to sleep. But, as I sat there in my seat, my regret and exhaustion began to abate. By the time the house lights dimmed and the first notes of the show began to play, I was grinning from ear to ear.

Quickly, I was lost in turn of the century New York City with a meddling matchmaker and all the insanity came along with her prying ways. Weslie Webster played the role of Dolly Levi with comedy and grace. The real stand-out performer, for me was Mrs. Irene Malloy, played by Nicole Bégué. Ms. Bégué played the role of Mrs. Malloy with just enough cunning to make sure you knew that she was in the market for a husband, but just enough innocence to make her falling in love with Cornelius believable. Her rendition of “Ribbons Down My Back” was truly beautiful.

Cornelius was played by the talented Jason Ross (whom I saw play the role of Edna Turnblad in the Playhouse production of Hairspray), who didn’t fail to give another great comedic performance. Sidekicks to Cornelius and Mrs. Malloy, Minnie Fay and Barnaby were played with over-the-top comedic acting by real life husband and wife team, Lindy and Gregory Pendzick. Thankfully, over-the-top is exactly what these characters needed. Minnie’s childlike demeanor and Barnaby’s youthful ignorance were played well by Mr. and Mrs. Pendzick.

In all things I expected from the Playhouse, the production was fantastic. The singers are talented, the acting was better than anything you’d find anywhere around here, and the staging was quite good. Next up, at the Playhouse is Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. In a few weeks I’ll make the trek back to the Playhouse to see it. After seeing the show on Broadway just a few months ago, I look forward to seeing a local production of the same piece of work.

Withdrawls

Hi. My name is Cara, and I'm a Glee-addict. It's been almost a month since my last (new) hit. In order to make it through the day, I'm sharing this with you. May we all survive until the fall.

Why I Love Live Theatre

I had a diabetes post that I was writing to be posted today, but after this morning's news about Rue McClanahan's death, I started thinking about all the people we've lost in recent years. As many have pointed out, Betty White is the only remaining "Golden Girl". In 2008, we lost Estelle Getty and just last year Bea Arthur passed away.

Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, and Betty White

Something all of the "Golden Girls" had in common was that they, at some point in their lives, did theatre. Which brings me to my topic, and the title of my post.

Why I love live theatre. There are probably a million reasons that I could name. But the biggest one that I can think of is the intimacy. If you've ever seen a play or musical, even a school play or a local theatre production, you can understand what I mean when I say that live theatre is intimate. Watching a movie, or television show is not very interactive (unless you're like me and like to yell at your TV alot). You sit. You watch. You watch again on rerun or DVD. And every time you watch it, it is exactly the same.

With theatre, you never know what you're gonna get. Sometimes it's a misstep in a dance number, or a giggle from an actor, and a missed cue or line. Sometimes the show goes off without a hitch. But either way, you are in the room with the actors. Not in the room with the TV. Depending on where your seats are, you could be a few feet away from them. But sometimes, just being in the same room is magical enough.

I've been blessed to be in the same room with actors like Catherine Zeta-Jones, Christine Ebersole, Delta Burke, B.D. Wong, Kristin Chenoweth, Sean Hayes, Laura Bell Bundy, and Rebecca Gayhart. And most importantly, I've been in the same room with the multi-talented and legend Angela Lansbury.

You may ask, "Is that why you go? To see famous people?" Nope. Not at all. The first time I saw Kristin Chenoweth she wasn't famous. I had no idea who she was. Same goes for B.D. Wong. I had no clue who Christine Ebersole & Rebecca Gayhart were when I saw them. I will admit that some shows I pick because of who's in them though.

Delta Burke, Rebecca Gayhart, Lily Rabe, and Christine Ebersole in a scene in Steel Magnolias

When I saw A Little Night Music with Allison a few weeks ago, my sole reason was to see Angela Lansbury. Catherine Zeta-Jones was in the show too, but I have known who Angela was since I was a child watching Murder She Wrote with my grandmother. She's also had an amazing Broadway career, with a total of 5 Tony's to her name. Simply to be in the same room where she was performing her craft was an experience I will never forget.

Catherine Zeta-Jones & Angela Lansbury in A Little Night Music

At each and every play or musical I've seen, right down to local and school productions, there is always a standout. Someone who catches my eye and makes the show. Sometimes it's a "star". Sometimes it may be a person in the chorus. Someone who may only have a line or two.

At each show I see, I think to myself, "This will never happen again. This show, exactly as it is, with these actors and this audience, will never ever happen again." That misstep. That ad lib. That glance at the audience member in the front row. It will never happen exactly like that ever again. In a way, each and every show is a part of history. And I believe that's part of what makes theatre so exciting. You feel the excitement of history being made. And when you're in a room with several hundred other people and some very talented actors, the energy and excitement is contagious.

I know it may sound like crazy rambling, but this is part of the reason I love live theatre. As we lose more and more Hollywood (and stage) talent, it's a honor to be able to say that I've not just seen their movies or TV shows. But to say I've seen them live and in person. Even shaking some of their hands and getting autographs. Not everyone can say that. So even if the star you're seeing the the star of their high school production, I encourage everyone to go experience the wonder that is live theatre. Because you'll never know what you'll get.

American Idiot

When I first heard that there was a musical coming to Broadway that featured nothing but Green Day music, I called a good friend of mine, who I knew loved Green Day let her know we were going to have to plan a trip to New York. Then, after reading THIS review of the show, while it was still at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, I knew I had to see it when it came to Broadway.


American Idiot is based on the album of the same name by the band Green Day. I, myself, have never been a huge Green Day fan, although I liked several of their songs. Back in 2003, when most of the country was frustrated with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and many people were fed up with the running of our country, Green Day released their album American Idiot.
The album was a musical statement for the group, and many others, that spoke to their frustrations. It went on to win numerous awards, along with becoming a fan favorite.

The members of Green Day state that the album was written as a rock opera in the first place, so Broadway was the next step. They took the songs from American Idiot, along with some songs from their album 21st Century Breakdown and wrote the musical with help from Michael Mayer (of Spring Awakening fame).

The result is exactly what you would expect: A rock concert with a storyline.

There is no intermission in this 90 minute show, but you don't feel the need for one. From start to finish, there is very little dialogue, but the music and acting do a fair job of getting the point across anyway.

The choreography is shaky at times, but I got the distinct impression that it was supposed to be that way. And like the lack of dialogue, the choreography worked well for the production. It has a very similar feel to the choreography of Spring Awakening.

Sadly, Mary Faber, who played the role of Heather, was out the evening I saw the show. Libby Winters, her understudy, did a fantastic job filling her role. But that change kept me from seeing the complete Original Broadway Cast. Sigh.

Usually when I see a show, I can pick out one or two actors who seem to "steal the show." With American Idiot, the entire case is so talented that I can't single anyone out. Sure, there were the names that I knew already going in, like John Gallagher, Jr. and Rebecca Naomi Jones. And there were the people who had some great scenes and performances overall. But each and every person in the cast, including the ensemble members, was incredibly talented.

To prove that they don't just sing, act, and dance, at the final curtain call the entire cast picks up their guitars and they perform "Time of Your Life". This is one of my favorite Green Day songs ever and was the perfect ending to the show. Although I didn't take this myself, I've posted a video of it below. Check it out and you'll see what I mean. Sadly, "Time of Your Life" isn't on the cast recording. (Hey, if anyone important actually reads this... YOU NEED TO RECORD THAT AND RELEASE IT AS A SINGLE!)




Now I should note that I am a conservative person both by nature and politically. Some people might think that this show, the band, and the music would go against my conservative personality. But I have to say, I lived through this time in history (recent history, but still history) and was around the same age as the characters at the time this show would have taken place. I may not always agree, but I understand. I have had friends deal with drug addiction, unplanned pregnancy, and have had former high school classmates injured in war. I've seen people leave home trying to find themselves (heck, I did it too) only to come back home to the people that were there in the beginning. This show is for our generation. It portrays the lives many of us have led and are still leading.

My advice: if you get a chance to see American Idiot, DO IT.

Also, hang out afterwards. Nearly every member of the cast came out to sign autographs and pose for pictures.

Mamma Mia!

Theatre Thursday is here again folks! Lately I've been to see several shows, so I should have a Theatre post for the next few weeks in a row.

Back before Christmas my mother and I watched Mamma Mia!, the movie. We both thought it was thoroughly cheesy and we both loved it (If you know us, you'd know that both thoughts are completely possible at the same time...).

Through my wealth of useless knowledge about all things Broadway related, I knew that Mamma Mia! the Broadway touring production was coming to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (further known at TPAC) in the spring of 2010. Immediately, my mind went to Christmas gifts, and what a great gift it would be to take my mom to see the show.

My mother has never been to New York. She's never seen a Broadway show before. But she spent a lot of time growing up doing plays at school and singing show tunes in choir. In fact, she sang me more show tunes than lullabies when I was a child. She is basically the reason I love musical theatre so much.

After confirming that I could get tickets before Christmas, I knew right away that's what I was going to do. I also purchased the movie, unwrapped it (and let's be completely honest, I watched it, too) and put the tickets inside the DVD case.

She was thrilled when she opened her Christmas present. And I knew that I'd not only get to hang out with my mom (which I don't do nearly enough anymore), but I'd also get to see a show. And what's better than a show? Sharing it with people you love, of course!

This is a few weeks ago now, so I figured it's time for the theatre critic in me to come out. First of all, I'd like to say that both my mom and I, along with a great friend of mine that went with us, had a fantastic time. Second of all, I'd like to say the the show is every bit as cheesy and fantastic as the movie. Actually, a little more fantastic, just because it's live theatre and not a movie.

Mamma Mia! has been on Broadway for several years now. It's currently playing in the Winter Garden Theatre (where Cats was for so many years!). The poster even says "The Global Smash Hit". And it really is global. The show currently has productions in London, New York City (of course), Norway, and Mexico. There is also a North American Tour, an International Tour, a Dutch Tour, a Spanish Tour, and an Australian Tour. Whew! If that doesn't say "Global Smash Hit", I don't know what does.

Now, onto my review:

For those of you who have never seen the movie or the musical, I'll give a brief synopsis. The show is about a young woman, Sophie, who is about to get married. She has been raised by her single mother, Donna, never being told about her father. In her desire to meet her father, she discovers that her mother doesn't even know who it is; there are three possibilities.

So, without Donna's knowledge, Sophie invites all three men to her wedding, hoping to discover who her true father is.

Of course, hilarity ensues, especially upon the arrival of Donna's old friends Tanya and Rosie, and her three ex-beau's, whom she's not seen in twenty years.

Throughout it all, Sophie learns that family is what you make it, and Donna learns that sometimes it's okay to ask for help and that love doesn't always go away.

And the greatest part of the show: every single song is an ABBA song. I wasn't born when ABBA was popular, but like most people (at least people with good taste in music ;)...) I've learned many ABBA songs over the years. And I can assure you that nearly every song that you would know by ABBA is in this show, from the title track, Mamma Mia, to Dancing Queen. There are 22 total songs in the show, and I knew about 80% of them going in.

All the actors and actresses did a good job, but Rachel Tyler, who played the role of Tanya, and Kittra Wynn Coomer, who played the role of Rosie, stole the show. Their comedic timing was impeccable and they were probably the most talented of all the actors and actress in the show.

So, is Mamma Mia! the greatest musical ever written? No way. Not by a long shot. But it's fun, and funny, and is something even a non-musical lover could enjoy, if for nothing more than the songs. There seemed to be a large number of women enjoying the show with friends, especially women who were young during the ABBA reign. And I know that I enjoyed every second of it.