February 5

Netflix and Streaming

Invisible War  - My AAUW group showed this a while back and I am just getting to see it.  It is so powerful.  The documentary follows a few women and men from every branch of the service who have been sexually abused.  It is amazing how this problem has been brought up time and time again with no real action being taken.  I was particularly incensed by the women in charge who constantly defended the preventive programs and said things were being done.  The only hope was in the very last screen shot when the producers indicated that Leon  Panetta, the then Secretary of Defense, had changed the organizational structure of reporting sexual abuse from that of being to your commanding officer to an outside force.  It is horrifying that so many of our men and women are not only subjected to this abuse of power, but are helpless once it happens.  It is an important film for all to view.

At the JCC - Jews Who Rock:

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia has recently upped their game in the types of performances they are offering. Recently we saw the group "Gathering Time"  They are described as a high energy Peter, Paul and Mary or a co-ed Crosby, Stills and Nash.  The title of their performance was Jews Who Rock.  They sang songs from great Jewish composers from Simon and Garfunkel to Carole King to Neil Diamond to Carly Simon and so much more.  It was a walk down memory lane as all the songs they sang were ones we grew up with.  They finished the official concert with "Light One Candle" and as an encore did an original piece.  The group is made up of Stuart Markus, Hillary Foxsong and Gerry McKeveny. They offer other programs such as Great Folk Rock Festival (featuring the acoustic classics of the 60's and 70's) and Songs of Conscience (focused on songs of social justice).  Go see them if they play a venue near you, you won't be sorry.

A lovely story:

I posted this on my Facebook page, but am posting it again here so that those of you who are not my facebook friends might hear this wonderful story  Recently we met friends for brunch at Chef Geoff's in Tysons Corner. Before Sy and I arrived, the waiter had spilled the coffee creamer on our friend. They did apologize and offered him a choice of pre brunch item or dessert. In addition they offered to dry clean his pants, which in itself was the right thing to do and was appreciated. A little while later, the manager came over and asked how he was doing. Since he was going to a performance after brunch, he mentioned that and had previously asked if they had a hair dryer to dry the pants. Well you won't believe what happened next, the manager asked his size and went and bought him a new pair of pants at Norstroms. I can't believe this and needless to say we will be back. The restaurant has a number of sites in Northern VA, MD and DC and the food is very good and reasonable. Do yourself a favor and patronize this restaurant!

Where Frustrated Actresses Go!

As many of you know, Sy and I went out to visit with the Shermans in San Francisco this past weekend.  Lisa got us tickets for the San Francisco Children's Theater production of Cinderella.  First of all, all the actors were females and not to be nasty a bit over the hill.  Even Cinderella wasn't young, but had the dress.  After the show the actors met with their fans and signed autographs.  The four of us almost fell asleep during the production, but Abby was enthralled.  She loved every minute of it and got all the major players' autographs.  I will say that the wicked step sisters were the best.  During our stay. Abby and I spent a lot of time reenacting Cinderella and I must say our version rivaled theirs!

A place off the beaten path:

The Walt Disney Museum - Located on the Presidio in SF is the Walt Disney Museum.  It is a loving tribute to the man by his daughter.  This museum is NOT for children as they would be bored, but a fascinating trip through Disney's life. Through photographs and interactive exhibits, it retold how he first became an artist, animator, film maker and finally the inspiration behind the construction of Disney Land.  We spent about two hours there, but could have easily spend another hour.  In addition, they show movies that are included in the price.  When we were there, Mary Poppins, was playing.  We thought getting to the museum we thought would be tough, but we were able to take BART to a nearby shuttle that took us right to the museum. The shuttle was free and a bonus was that it went through Chinatown and other parts of the city.  The cost for the museum is $20, but $15 for students and seniors.  

The Northeast is bracing for yet another storm.  Will this winter ever let up!!  Have your supply of movies on hand!!

Roberta

January 25

Netflix Streaming and DVD:

Haute Cuisine - Continuing to clean up my streaming list, I watched this French film that is based on real characters and lives.  Hortense Laborie was the personal chef for the president of France.  The film takes us on her journey as the outsider who cooks food for the President that he enjoys that may not be in his best health interest.  She has to deal with the many personalities in the palace, but always puts the taste and likes of the President before anything else which causes some concerns for her.  For a lovely film, see this one.

What Maisie Knew - Another film that has been on my instant streaming list for awhile.  This is based on the Henry James novel where a perceptive six year old is bounced back and forth from parent to parent as she gets caught in a custody battle.  The two caring adults in her life make the movie interesting.  Neither parent deserves her.  They are played by Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan of Philomena fame..  Throughout the film I kept on saying where is CPS (Child Protective Agency) and why isn't anyone calling them.  The ending was unsatisfied, but otherwise good especially the little girl playing Maisie, Onata Aprile.

Any Day Now - Does Alan Cumming do anything wrong?  This film too had been on my streaming list and as I battle a lingering winter cold  it was just the right medicine to help me get through yet another day housebound.  The topic is not uplifting, but the performances are outstanding.  Cumming plays Rudy a female impersonator, and Garret Dillahunt plays Paul the local DA, who are lovers and partners  living in California in 1979.  Rudy takes in a Down syndrome young man, Marco played by Isaac Leyna, who is abandoned by his junkie mother.  His relationship with Paul becomes so much more when both of them decide to adopt Marco when his mom is sent to prison.  1979 was not a time of acceptance even in California for gay couples.  In fact, they were routinely prejudiced against.  See this film to see how this true story plays out.  Make sure to have tissues on hand..

On Netflix:

The Bling Ring - This film is based on the rash of burglaries in California by a group of teenagers who targeted homes of "stars" when they knew they were out of town.  It amazed both Sy and me as these home were left either with doors unlocked or had keys under the mat.  Security was limited and the burglars took items like they were shopping in a department store.  The film dragged on and on as they showed the many break-ins.  After awhile, it was just tedious. We both said to each other we got the message, but they had to fill 90 minutes.   Needless to say, these kids got a slap on the wrist.  If they were African American they would have probably served their entire prison term and their sentence would have been much longer.  Also throughout the entire film, we kept on saying where are the parents.  Sad state of the world today.  (See comments about lack of parent controls below)

Important Topic:

Today my AAUW group along with the NACW and Circle of Giving hosted a program about human trafficking in Northern VA.  The presenter conducted a lively discussion on the topic and one of the many concerns brought up was Where are the parents? Something that The Bling Ring brought to mind as well.  I wanted to direct your attention to a You tube entitled "Do You Know Lacy?" It is a must see for any parent, grandparent and concerned adult to watch and share with their daughters and sons.  It is only a few minutes, but very powerful!  Here is the web site:    

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfo2pmBVrCI

Stay warm this coming week.

Roberta

January 21

It has been a snowy day in Northern Virginia and in addition to that I have a cold so it was a good time to catch up on some of the films I had on streaming.  As you can tell from my reviews, some were good and some were just horrible.

On Netflix streaming only:

The Short Game - If you or anyone plays golf or knows anyone who plays golf, this is for you. It follows eight grade-school golfers as they compete in a junior-level championship at the prestigious Pinehurst golf course in North Carolina. Children come from all over the world to compete. It is the same formula as the crossword and spelling bee documentaries, but you will be so impressed with these kids' talent. I particularly enjoyed watching the young boy from Africa. He and his parents had just the right attitude. Allan Kournikova, Anna of tennis fame's brother is featured. They must have the sports gene in spades. Watch this, you won't be disappointed. 

On Netflix and streaming:

I Give It A Year - I put this on my list because I enjoy Rose Byrnes so much.  It is a British romantic comedy that also stars Simon Baker and Anna Farris of "Mom."  The storyline was tried and true - boy meets girl, fall in love, marry in haste, find they are not compatible and attracted to others.  At times the film was a bit crass and was not good enough for these actors. Maybe I just don't get British humor.   I probably would skip this one and not even watch it if it ever gets to TV. 

 

Drinking Buddies - Another film I had on streaming and a good day to watch as the snow fell.  Good movie though, no.  This one starred Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston (who will forever be remembered for breaking up with Carrie Bradshaw on Sex in the City on a post it, but I digress)   I found absolutely no redeeming value in this film.  Wilde and Johnson are coworkers who enjoy each other's company drinking after work and I was not sure if they really wanted to hook up or not. Kendrick and Livingston were their respective boy and girlfriends.  It was 90 minutes of wasted film.  Don't see this one either. 

On Netflix:

The Big Wedding - Not quite sure how or why this one was on my list, but happy it was.  It is a predictable romantic comedy, but has a wonderful cast.  Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigi, Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams headline this all star cast about a couple who has to pretend they are still married to placate the groom's birth mother who would not approve of divorce.  Needless to say, mayhem ensues, but it is fun, touching and a good way to pass a few hours.  I always love to see Robin Williams and he is great as the family Priest.  (BTW if you have not tuned into his new comedy "The Crazy Ones' do so; it is well written with a great cast and anything David E. Kelley does is worth watching!)

At the JCC:

Mr. Benny - This one man show, starring Tim Newell as Jack Benny, was a walk down memory lane.  The first act takes place just before Benny is about to start his television program.  He reminisced about the old days of radio and how he got his start.  The second act was right before he was to go on his last TV program.  He was being beaten out in the ratings by Gomer Pyle.  It was a kind and gentle show, but one that warmed the heart.

A note about local entertainment:

Don't dismiss activities right in your backyard.  As mentioned above, we saw a delightful one man show and when I look at the JCC's website, there are other programs of interest.  These programs are usually much cheaper than the "professional" productions and many times just as good.  The Reston Community Center has a good production of Les Miz according to many of my friends who have seen.  Will try and get tickets for it before it closes.

In the meantime, my friends in the Northeast, stay safe and warm.  And my west coast friends and family, please send some of your warm weather this way.

Roberta

January 7

In Theaters

 

The Wolf of Wall Street - Sy wanted to see this film and I tagged along.  It is almost three hours and it goes pretty fast.  One of my friends said she felt like she was watching a soft porn film so a word to the wise; if you don't enjoy watching nudity, seeing people abuse drugs or dislike hearing four letter words, see Frozen not this film!  The film is based on the memoirs of Jordan Belfort, a securities stock broker. Black Monday hits and he loses his job.  He starts his own firm, Stratton Oakmont,  which was your typical "boiler room, bucket shop" that hawked penny stocks to unsophisticated investors.  This type of establishment is a far cry from the major investment houses. The excesses that were depicted were common in the 1990's.  You can read what happens to him and his firm, Stratton Oakmont, I won't give it away here. The film is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars two of my favorite actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill.  Matthew McConaughey, Rob Reiner and Kyle Chandler have smaller roles.  Although it is based on a true account, I found it so over the top that it was a bit unbelievable.  Wall Street with Michael Douglas is a better film .That beings said, I would definitely put it on your Netflix list when it comes out.

 

Over the break OLLI (Ocher Life- Long Learners)  are showing movies.  This is the one I saw last week.  It is also available on Netflix::

 

The Gods Must Be Crazy - This 1980's film plays like a documentary at first then becomes a Keystone Kops, Marx Brothers silly film.  It was the perfect way to spend a cold, snowy afternoon.  This film is a South African comedy.  It is set in Botswana and tells the story of Xi a member of the bushmen and whose tribe has no knowledge of the world beyond their little piece of the world.    Many stories intertwine and play like an English farce where everyone comes together and in the end all is well. Silly, unsophisticated, but fun.

 

 

A Wonderful Read

 

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton -  This novel has it all - mystery, thievery, murder and love.  It tells the story of a daughter who has witnessed a murder and fifty years later tries to find out what really happened. The book is written in present day and flashes back to  to pre- World War II, England through the blitz to the fifties and beyond. The ending will blow you away.  For a good read, pick this one up, hang in there and you won't be sorry.

The country is going through very low temperatures even in Florida; not sure about CA, but since you will be probably staying indoors, catch up on your Netflix streaming if you have that service.  I have only two episodes left for "House of Cards."  I put off watching it when it first came out and I liken it to a car wreck, you hate it but can't stop looking.  Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are despicable, but wonderful in their roles.  I just hope government is not run like this, but I am sure there is some truth to what the show depicts.

Stay warm,

Roberta

 

 

January 2

Happy New Year!

At Theaters:

Saving Mr. Banks -  Emma Thompson gives a convincing Oscar worthy performance as P. L. Travers the author of Mary Poppins in this true story about her relationship with Walt Disney. Disney spent twenty years trying to convince Travers to turn over the rights of her book so a film could be made.  The film shows how Mary Poppins is a parallel to Travers childhood and does this by flashing back from her childhood in Australia to the 70's.  Tom Hanks as Disney and Colin Farrrell as her father are very good in their roles as well.  It was a very heartwarming film and one I highly recommend.

American Hustle - This movie has had Oscar buzz surrounding it and I can see why.  It is a fun, touching and intelligently made film.   Not sure why Jennifer Lawrence is getting all the hoopla as Amy Adams is just as good if not better in this film.  Bradley Cooper as the FBI agent and Jeremy Renner as the mayor do a wonderful job with their roles, but the real star of the film is Christian Bale playing the con artist Irving Rosenfeld.  Other supporting players round out this amazing cast including Louis C.K. Many of these actors starred in previous films by the director and they gel together to make a wonderful ensemble.   A famous actor has a small cameo and doesn't get screen credit, see if you recognize him.  The story is loosely based on the Abscam scandal of the early '80's when an FBI agent exposes corruption among several members of Congress in New Jersey and PA. Some call this film a drama, some a comedy - I'll split the difference and call it a dramedy.  No matter what you call it, it is worth seeing.  

As many of you know Sy and I spent the Christmas week on a cruise on the Celebrity Summit cruising to St Croix, St Kitts, St. Thomas, Dominica and Tortola.  On our Delta leg of the trip, I chose the following films to watch:

We're The Millers - What a pleasant surprise.  Jennifer Aniston heads this cast of Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts and Will Poulter who pose as a family who smuggle drugs across the border.  What makes this film work is the chemistry between the four actors.  Aniston and Sudekis show off their comedic chops.   For a fun movie, see this one.

The Family - Roberta DiNero, Michelle Pfieffer and Tommy Lee Jones head this all star cast, but why would they do this film.  It is two hours of my life I will never get back and I could not leave the theater.  I could have shut it off, but hoped it would get better.  No such luck.. It has gratuitous violence, a poor story line and an undeveloped plot.  The only mildly funny part was when DiNero, who is in hiding in France and posing as a writer, is invited to critique a film, but when that film does not appear they show the alternate - Goodfellas which is funny.  Don't bother seeing this.

 

Note about the cruise:

This was our first time on Celebrity lines.  The ship was smaller than others we have been on. It held about 2400 passengers and 900 crew which is small for the big ships.   I must say we could not have been happier.  The ship is quite lovely, staff attentive and food marvelous.  We met a lot of nice people and escaped the cold for a few days.  What could be bad.  I would recommend doing the flexible dining.  This way you have the opportunity to sit with different people each night or just have a quiet time with the person or persons who come with you.  Sy had two complaints - you know how much he loves his coffee and they just couldn't make it to his liking.  Even in the speciality coffee area, he tried, but just didn't quite make it the way he likes it.  Also he felt the dealers in the casino needed to lighten up. This was not high stakes blackjack.  We played at a $6 table and the dealers who were mostly Ukrainian were unfriendly, unhelpful and dealt very fast.  Although we lost money, it was not a lot and I always attribute it to entertainment. Speaking of entertainment, we found, as we have before, that the entertainment in the lounges tend to be not only more intimate, but of good quality.  The guitarist on board, Justin Wade, had a lovely voice and played well.  He favored James Taylor and did a find job with his songs.  The piano player, Will Foraker, reminded us of Eric.  He played so well and liked to play jazz.  Finally an acapella group called Four Sail was fun and very talented.  The ports of call were fine.  We got in three beach days and really each island has the same things; waterfalls, beaches and a fort, but we liked the idea that each day except for Christmas we were at a port and could get off the ship   This time we came in two days before the cruise started.  We did it for a better flight schedule and reduce the already high airfare, but it is something we would do again.  Instead of worrying if you are going to make the ship and be exhausted the first day on board, we spent two night in Puerto Rico relaxing on the beach and getting to the boat early so we could take advantage of the lunch and be relaxed for dinner and the show.  We would stay an extra day if we did this again as the ship gets you off early in the morning, but tells you not to book a flight before noon.  Our flight was not until 3:20 so we spent the entire day waiting around the airport. It will take us a few years before we are ready for another cruise as we now need to lose the weight we gained, but it was all worth it!

A Note about lost luggage:

In all our years of traveling, we have never had our luggage lost, but this time the spell was broken.  On our return flight, we had to not only make a connection, but go from Delta to United in Atlanta.  When we arrived at Dulles, our bag did not show up on the carousal.  We went to the United baggage office and put in a claim.  The representative was able to ascertain that the last time our bag was put into the system was in Puerto Rico.  As Eric said to me, our bag needed more time in the sun.  They give you a number and a site to go on to check.  The next morning I checked with Delta and they were able to locate the bag and said it would be on their 9:30 flight out of Atlanta so it did make it out of Puerto Rico.  Long story short, our bag arrived by 4 Sunday.  You can even check on a web site :wheresmysuitcase.com and it tells you exactly where it is.  Ours was a story with a happy ending.  Hope all yours are too.

I wish all of you a very Happy, Healthy New Year and keep going to the movies!

Roberta

December 17

In Theaters:

Philomena -  Does Judi Dench do anything that is not first class and top rated?  This film, based on true events, pulls at your heart strings and makes you angry at the same time.  It is about a woman looking for her son she was forced to give up and how the Sisters not only made it happen, but prevented her from knowing his whereabouts.  Although the topic is heavy, Dench brings a bit of lightness to it with her wit and the wonderful screenplay.  Steve Coogan, playing the reporter who helps her find her son, is a great counterpart to Dench.  This film is a wonderful antidote to the present "epic" films out today.  Do yourself a favor and see this one. 

Special Reporter Sy Sherman's review of -:

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - Is certainly a hard "hobbit" to break.  Part two of the series picks up right where part one, the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, leaves off.  Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman, quietly and convincingly takes center stage along with Ian McKellen, who plays Thorin, the leader of a band of thirteen dwarves, who together with Bilbos, are on a quest to reclaim their home and the treasure of Erebor (the Lonely Mountain) from the fire-breathing Dragon, "Smaug". Although it seemed strange to watch a dragon speak, English no less, the nearly three hour movie uses entertaining slick special effects to maintain it's frenzied pace throughout. Part two of the series is definitely worth seeing even for those not given to fantasy. But if you plan on seeing part two, I strongly suggest seeing part one first. And for those of you who can't get enough of the Hobbit franchise, don't worry, part three will probably be here by the time the holidays roll around next year.

On Netflix:

White House Down -  Sy is nominating this for the worst movie ever made.  I don't quite agree with him although it was quite stupid.  There was more shooting up in the White House and ridiculous situations than I can enumerate.  That being said, I do like Jamie Foxx who played the President and Channing Tatum is really hot.  James Woods and Richard Jenkins play the bad guys with Maggie Gyllenhaal is the female addition.  The young girl, Joey King, who plays Tatum's daughter is good.  In a nutshell, good cast, ridiculous story-line.

 (Sy is protesting this rating, he said )

At Arena:

The Power of Two - Although this cabaret has closed, I wanted to direct your attention to these two performers - Nicholas Rodriguez and Eleasha Gamble.  The two starred in Arena's production of Oklahoma a few seasons back.  They sang for 90 minutes and were just wonderful.  Gamble's voice, in particular, is so versatile.  They sang show tunes, some Joni Mitchell and pop.  Gamble will be in this summer's touring company of Lion King at the Kennedy Center and Rodriguez will be in Arena's Mother Courage.  It was just such a delightful concert.  Take note of these stars!.  In addition, we got the tickets from Goldstar which was an added bonus.  The concert took place at the Kogod Cradle which is Arena's intimate theater. 

My friend Carla sent this information to me and it was confirmed by snoops so it is legit.  Be careful!

If only the people who came up with these schemes would put all that ingenuity and cleverness to some positive purpose we might  really have something! CHECK IT OUT : From a friend: (It originated in  Florida) Just when you thought you'd heard it all. This scam is actually very  clever. Be very careful out there!   This one could easily slip by most  anyone - beware of people bearing gifts. The following is a recounting of the  incident from the victim: Wednesday a week ago, I had a phone call from  someone saying that he was from some outfit called: "Express Couriers,"(The  name could have been anything) he asked if I was going to be home because  there was a package delivery for me that required a signature . The caller  said that the delivery would arrive at my home in roughly an hour, and sure  enough, about an hour later, a uniformed delivery man turned up with a  beautiful basket of flowers and wine. I was very surprised since it did not  involve any special occasion or holiday, and I certainly didn't expect  anything like it. Intrigued about who had sent me such a gift, I inquired as  to who the sender was. The deliveryman's reply was, he was only delivering the  gift package, but allegedly a card was being sent separately... (the card  has never arrived!) There was also a consignment note with the gift.   He  then went on to explain that because the gift contained alcohol, there was a  $3.50 "delivery / verification charge," providing proof that he had actually  delivered the package to an adult of legal drinking age, and not just left it  on the doorstep where it could be stolen or taken by anyone, especially a  minor.   This sounded logical and I offered to pay him cash. He then said  that the delivery company required payment to be by credit or debit card only,  so that everything is properly accounted for, and this would keep help in  keeping a legal record of the transaction. He added couriers not needing to  carry a bunch of cash, would make them less likely targets for  robbery.   My husband, who by this time was standing beside me, pulled  his wallet out of his pocket with the credit/debit card, and 'John,' the  "delivery man," asked my husband to swipe his card on a small mobile card  machine. It had a small screen and keypad where Frank was also asked to enter  the card's PIN and security number. A receipt was printed out and given to us  as our copy of the transaction. He then said everything was in order, and  wished us good day.   To our horrible surprise, between Thursday and the  following Monday, $4,000 had been charged / withdrawn from our credit/debit  account at various ATM machines. It appeared that somehow the "mobile  credit card machine," which the deliveryman carried now had all the info  necessary to create a "dummy" card with all our card details after my husband  swiped our card and entered the requested PIN and security number.   Upon finding out about the illegal transactions on our card, we immediately  notified the bank which issued us a new card, and our credit/debit account was  closed.   We also personally went to the Police, where it was confirmed  that it is definitely a scam because several households had been similarly  hit.   WARNING: Be wary of accepting any "surprise gift or package,"  which you neither expected nor personally ordered, especially if it involves  any kind of payment as a condition of receiving the gift or package. Also,never accept anything if you do not personally know or there is no proper  identification of who the sender is.   Above all, the only time you should give out any personal credit/debit card information is when you  yourself initiated the purchase or transaction!   Pass this on, it may just prevent someone else from being swindled. Once again, I wish you all a very Happy New Year. Roberta

December 12

On Netflix:

Delicacy - I guess I am continuing in my French phase.  This subtitled film stars Audrey Tautao as she plays a young woman who is brought out of grief by a caring male co worker.  It is very sweet.  Not a lot of action and slowly played out, but a lovely little film.  On a cold, snowy day a good way to pass the time. 

Hello I Must Be Going - This indie film starts Melanie Lynskey who played Charlie Sheen's crazy girlfriend on "Two and a Half Men."  In the film she plays a young woman who moves back into her parents' home after a divorce.  She finds the meaning of love in an unexpected way.  Although a bit slow at times, the story was a good one and well developed.  It was good to see Blythe Danner and John Rubinstein as her parents.  I might wait until you can get this on streaming or it appears on the Sundance channel rather than using up a place in your queue.  

On Netflix and Streaming:

The Sapphires - What a delightful film based on true events.  A group of Australian aborigine singers (three sisters and one cousin in the film, but in real life two and two) want to sing.  With the discrimination of the 50's through 70's against aborigines in Australia, they had limited opportunity until they decide to sing to the soldiers in Viet Nam.  A  feel good film.  

A note about the recent The Sound of Music Live 

I know Carrie Underwood and her co star Stephen Moyer were panned in this production, but she does have a lovely voice and you can't help but love the score.  For that reason alone, I enjoyed the production.  Underwood should keep singing and either get a better acting coach or leave the acting to others.  The male lead was a bit stiff, but I can't say that I hated it.  Tears always come to my eyes when I watch this film.  As usual Audra McDonald was superb.  You also have to give them credit in that it was live and no major flub was committed.  I did like how they moved from scene to scene i.e. from the house to the chapel.   Also remember this production was based on the Broadway show not the classic Julie Andrews' film which is the gold standard for this production.  Just my thoughts

A shout out to high school music programs:

Last night the Woodson music department put on their annual winter concert.  Over two hundred students are involved in this program.  Groups included Women's, Men's,  Mixed Choral, Select Men's and Women's Ensemble so it was a jammed packed evening.  What struck me the most that in this day of being politically correct, this program had a wonderful balance of Christmas, Chanukah and music sung in other languages ie Spanish, Russian which simply highlighted our diversity.  I love the disclaimer in the program - "The Fairfax County Public Schools Music Program of Studies requires the performance of literature that is both sacred and secular.  Balance of music selected and performed from among historical and contemporary composers, genres and periods is achieved through the course of a year's instruction and not within any individual concert."  Well stated!.  

Just in case I don't post before the end of the year as we are going away, I would like to wish all my friends who celebrate Christmas a very Merry Christmas and everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Roberta