Prop Evolution

DCI West

Saturday, June 22, 2019

Stanford Stadium

Palo Alto, CA

We woke up earlier than we thought we would, considering that we had arrived after midnight the night before and unpacked before we went to sleep.  Since we were up, we decided that we had time to go to Hobee's, my favorite place for breakfast in the area, then we would have a late lunch before going to Palo Alto.  When we got to the car, I saw broken glass on the ground on the right side of the car, and said, "RYAN!"  He wondered what the heck, and saw that our car had been broken into, presumably so that the thief/thieves could get into the insulated bag that I had left there overnight.  In only contained snacks, but they had obviously rifled through it because the clear bag I had inside was halfway pulled out of it.  Bro went to the hotel desk to report it while I called the police.  The number that I found for the police department said that they were closed, so I hung up and dialed 911.  By that time, Bro had found out from the hotel clerk that multiple cars had been hit, and the hotel already reported the crime to the sheriff's department, and there should be a yellow contact card on the windshield.  I hung up the phone, but not quickly enough, I guess, because shortly afterward, I received a call from "restricted number".  Being familiar with government calls, I answered (I usually don't answer unknown numbers), and it was 911 checking up on me.  I told her that we were OK as Bro was simultaneously on the phone with the sheriff's department.  While waiting for the sheriff to arrive, Bro called his auto insurance company, and we walked to Starbucks on the corner.  It's a good thing that he walked back to the hotel ahead of me, because the deputies had just arrived.  They asked me if I had left my bag the way that we saw it this morning, and I said no, the suspects reached in and pulled up the bag.  This was part of their investigation as it determined if the charge would be vandalism or attempted theft.  We thanked the deputies and Bro took off some of the shards from the window so that they wouldn't fly out and into our faces while we took the freeway to the repair shop.  While he was cleaning up, we saw a few guys looking at the damage done to one of the other cars.  They said that three cars at their company had been hit last week, and it happened elsewhere, too.  

I don't think I should sit there

I sat in the back seat because there was glass all over my seat, and Bro felt like an Uber driver as I talked to him from behind, and I was also on the phone trying to win a radio contest because I knew the answer to the trivia question.  The phone just rang and rang and I hung up before they ever took a call for the winner, because we had arrived at the shop.  They said that it would take about an hour and a half, so we sat down outside on a planter and finally ate our breakfast from Starbucks.  

Thanks for helping us, Unique!

I also hunted down some stuff for my new Wizards Unite game, and Bro warned me to watch where the heck I was walking so that I wouldn't get killed by wandering into traffic.  By the time the car was done, we were ready for lunch, and went back to the pub by the hotel, Duke of Edinburgh.  Bro and I shared an order of Fish and Chips because he loves theirs.  They were as tasty as he said they would be, and we also enjoyed the samosas.  Of course, we also had some beer because we clearly needed some after the whole ordeal, and we still had a couple of hours remaining before going to the show.  There was a large party in the restaurant that sang "Happy Birthday" and somehow made it a mash-up with Jingle Bells.  They were also wearing reindeer antlers.  I guess they celebrate a half-Christmas?  But they still had a couple of days to go until that point.

Cheers to a new window

My portion of Fish and Chips

Samosas

Our drive to Palo Alto was brief, and we had more time than we thought we would.  I bought a green machine pin from the Cavaliers booth.  The DCI mini-Marketplace also had gear for the Cadets, which was weird to me, because they weren't even at the show.  There wasn't anything there for the B/C corps present.  I didn't like that.

Our seats were the same as last year's, Section 214, Row DD, seats 2-3.  We love these seats because they are at the top of the section, and we can stand.  Also, Bro had nobody in front of him because he was at the top of the stairs.  Sound familiar?  The "keetle corn" guy wasn't there, so I settled for kettle corn.  

Pre-show:

Freelancers Alumni Corps

Alisal: there was a tiny little person spinning her flag and everyone in our section commented on the cuteness overload.

She's so little that they have to give her a different flag

The Star-Spangled Banner was again played by yesterday's tuba player, Adrian Alcazar...or was that "Alcazaz", because that's what Brandt told us.  Twice.  Maybe it was "Alcatraz", I don't know anymore.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD CADETS

The color guard uniforms are here!  I like the color scheme.  The folks in the row in front of us tried to yell out for the person they knew, but it happened just as Brandt announced the corps, so nobody could hear them.  They laughed and tried again later.  I told them it was just practice the first time.  I like that space sound the horns make in the last piece, which was still performed at a standstill, or marching in place, whatever.

That looks uncomfortable

Now they're platforms

Now they're chairs!

BLUE DEVILS B

I like that the first piece piece feels like it's in Morse Code due to the rhythms.  "Hello" is a main portion of the show, and it's nicely done.  I do not know how I missed it the day before, as it is THE ballad, not even just a piece of the ballad.  Maybe I was busy looking at the visuals.  Bro said before the show that he doesn't know why people use balls in their shows, because it didn't work out well for our beloved Apaches due to the unpredictability of balls bouncing.  Sure enough, somebody dropped their gold ball, and left it on the field.  Why didn't they just kick it to the sidelines?  It's a BALL, for goodness' sake!  They need to get those judges back onto the field, so they can deal with the dropped stuff.

Dots and Dashes

Morse Code Flags
I wonder what they say?

Poor Lonely Gold Ball

BLUE DEVILS C

The CG girls got the BD Hairpiece thing going on, with their big 1960s style ponytails.  "Hooray for Hollywood" was better yesterday; they had intonation issues today.  Something was dragging from one of the tenor's drums, but they eventually took it off.  Or it fell off and nobody was there to pick it up.  I don't know.

California Republic Flags and Beach Drums

<Intermission>

TROOPERS

Very nicely done.  I really like the ballad. They need to straighten up the lines, though.

Troopers

More Troop

ACADEMY

OK, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" brought a tear to my eye, it was so beautiful.  Pretty sure it wasn't whatever pungent aroma in the stadium that was not agreeing with me.  I think they need to do more with those flags that look like water, like bring them all under the bridge.

Trombones on Bridge

Bridging Gaps

Little Bridges and Big Bridge

MANDARINS

Rifles did much better today.  I really like the closing music.  CG uniforms look like bare skin with tattoos.  The wagons come together and the drum major climbs on top of them to conduct, and then I think that's the same DM that fights the evil(?) character from the other DM podium.  We're still trying to figure out this show.  I checked the website, and the character is actually an intruder who is interrupting the corps' celebration of taking over a new location.  So either the corps is evil and taking over land like our Founding Fathers and the intruder is a Native American just happening on their ceremony...or something else.  Ah, art.

Celebrating their new location

Corps and Guard Dance Feature

Fight with Intruder

CAVALIERS

The brass threw it down tonight!  Wow.  I prefer seeing this show from up higher because of how much they move around.  So someone stabs someone with a rifle at the end.  Who died? The good guy or the bad guy?  I love that the different sections get their turns in the spotlight, and I especially like the marimba feature.  

Cavaliers Diamond

Love this Flag, Mid-Air

Cavaliers Circle

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

I noticed the flags and rifles this time:  great job, CG!  I keep worrying that the towers are going to fall amidst all of the shaking that happens because everyone is really getting into the show.  Damn, that note just seems to get higher and higher, like he goes up at least 3 octaves during the trumpet feature.  We saw more drill tonight, with everyone laying in a circle on the ground.  Don't mind me, just head banging to SCV over here!  

Some Assembly Required

Tower with Brass

Trumpet Soloist
Yes, she's playing with one hand

Sssshhhh....SCV is Sleeping

BLUE DEVILS

I like this show with all of its stage references.  I also like how they bow, like old-school theatre.  When are they going to turn on the ghostlight?  That would help me understand a little bit more.  Bro said the beginning of BD's show is the end of the play "Oedipus Rex", and the rest of show is what happens after the play ends, like the stage itself comes to life.  Interesting.  The percussion feature with the shoe dance is fun.  That little boy in Blue Devils C is going to become that guy on the stage at the end of this show, getting a solo when he joins the A corps.  Mark my words.

And now I shall show you the evolution of the BD screens.  I think I need to make all of the ones I have into an animation or something.

The Beginning

Doors begin to open as the play ends

All doors open

Some people going back into the doors

Bringing the walls down

They start to get on top of them as they rise back up

Walls coming back up

Individual Doors

Little Stage

It's a theatre!

It's a Shoe Dance Surface!

It's a Dance Surface and a Very Long Bench

It's a Stage for Shoe Dancers and the Corps

It's a Path to the Ghostlight

Scores

Open Class:

3) 43.25 -- Blue Devils C

2) 55.50 -- Vanguard Cadets

1) 58.80 -- Blue Devils B

World Class:

6) 61.45 -- Troopers

5) 64.95 -- Academy

4) 67.85 -- Mandarins

3) 71.00 -- Cavaliers

2) 72.35 -- Blue Devils

1) 73.00 -- Santa Clara Vanguard

You go, SCV!!!  They had the highest score of all competitors nationwide tonight, too.  Awesome!

We stopped at Wendy's to get something to eat before returning to our hotel, hoping that our car would be intact in the morning.  What a day.

Next up:  Moonlight Classic's 40th Anniversary

Let's Go, Clown Up!

MidCal Champions Showcase

Friday, June 21, 2019

Lamonica Stadium at Clovis High School

Clovis, CA

It's drum corps time y'all!!!!!  I'm typing this while I'm wearing an SCV shirt, of course!  

On Thursday night, I attended DCI Cinema's Tour Premiere, and I was blown away by Carolina Crown.  That hornline is crazy good.  They were my favorite of the night.

But Friday was the first live show of the season out west, and Bro and I headed out on the road to Clovis.  We only had a little bit of traffic to deal with, and we went straight to our favorite place in the Fresno area: Limon.

We usually order the same food here because we've waited all year to visit and we crave whatever, but this time, we changed it up a little bit.  We did not order the ceviche, so I missed out on my huge corn kernels.  We did order empanadas, veggie this time.  Bro ordered a pork chop because he was interested in the side of cabbage bacon mushroom hash.  I was thinking of ordering the arroz con marisco, but the server said that the mixed seafood included items that I don't enjoy, so I opted for the short rib dish.  We even changed up our drink orders, and I ordered a Chichatini, while Bro ordered the Peruvian Picasso.  Everything was delicious!  Bro commented that he's never been to a place that was this consistent, from drinks to appetizers, to service.  There's a reason we return here year after year.  

Happy to show off my Chichatini
Pisco Queirolo, Cointreau, lime juice, syrup,
 chicha morada (purple corn infusion)

Bro with his Peruvian Picasso:
Tito’s vodka, lime juice, syrup, passion fruit juice,
chicha morada ice cube

Veggie Empanadas
Sauteed mushrooms, choclo, and mixed veggies

Chuleton
Pan-roasted pork chop, over a mushroom-bacon-cabbage hash,
 white wine demi-glace

Adobo de Carne
Braised boneless beef short rib, in a cilantro-panca broth,
vegetables over mashed potatoes

The online menu says that the short rib is served over truffle mac and cheese.  I'm glad that I didn't see that until today, because I would have been disappointed to not get that.  I enjoyed my dish, though, so it's all good.  I had to quickly down about half of my cocktail because we needed to leave to go to a drum corps show.

This year's show was at a different venue.  We didn't know where we would park, but ended up in the premium parking section so that we could be close to the stadium, since Bro still had a long drive to get to our hotel after the show.  The elite corps had their own little mini DCI Marketplace, but every corps had cool banners at their booths.  One of these days I'll get a better picture of them so I can share here.

Fancy School Labeling

Our seats were in the top row, Row 21, seats 15 & 16, on the left 45 yard line.  We like having nobody behind us so that we can stand whenever we want.  Bro also likes to be at the top of the stairs so that he has nobody in front of him.  He chose seats well!

The Star-Spangled Banner was performed by Adrian Alcazar, a tuba player from Blue Devils.  That was cool!  I've never heard the SSB performed by a tuba player before.

BLUE DEVILS C

Repertoire: "California Dreaming" -- We Built This City by P. Wolfe, M. Page, D. Lambert, & B. Taupin; California Girls by B. Wilson & M Love; California Dreamin' by J. Phillips & M. Phillips; Axel F by H. Faltemeyer; Hooray for Hollywood by J. Mercer, R. Whiting, & G. Mercer

Hey, it's a camera from BD's "Fellinesque"!  Their props also include a Hollywood Sign and a Lifeguard Chair.  I like their drum heads, which have a picture of a beach with the silhouette of a lifeguard station.  Or is that a beach chair?  Nice job, soloists!  Especially the mellophone player during California Dreamin'.  The lone male color guard kid is really good and I'm predicting he will be a BD color guard (CG) captain someday.  The tiny cymbal player is cute!

GOLDEN EMPIRE

Repertoire: "Icarus" -- Movement I: Despair  -- Icarus and Daedalus Fantasy by K. Gates; Movement II: Escape -- The Firebird by I. Stravinsky; Movement III: Soaring -- Fly to Paradise by E. Whitacre; Movement IV: The Fall -- The Fall by E. Lanser; Movement V: Realization -- Verdi: Requiem, Aeternam by G. Verdi; Movement VI: Demise -- Verdi: Requiem Dies Irae by G. Verdi

I didn't hear them say "Icarus", so I didn't know what was going on.  The CG is wearing costumes, but the corps is not wearing their uniforms.  The show is not done, and they ended after the ballad.  It was like, "emotion, emotion EMOTION!" and then...nothing.  I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the show.  Hmmm...that music sounds familiar.  I don't know what corps played it or when, but I've heard it very recently on my drum corps playlist.

BLUE DEVILS B

Repertoire: "Re: Calling" -- 1000 Airplanes on the Roof by P. Glass; Hello by L. Richie; Phrygian Gates by J. Adams; Visionary by K. Froelich

We weren't looking in the program, and tried to guess what the show was about.  Bro said, "Messages" because it looked like Morse Code.  When the announcer said the title, I heard "Recliner", but I didn't see any sofas on the field, so that wasn't it.  Bro heard "Redialing", which was a lot closer.  Nice big sound at the opening!  The flag performers are doing well, especially the last portion when they are in triangle formation.  So are the rifles the dashes and the balls the dots of Morse Code?  Is that vocal percussion I hear?  Bro likes the "Hello" theme, but I didn't hear it.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD CADETS

Repertoire: "What About Us" -- Primacy of Number by P. Glass; Downside Up by P. Gabriel; What About Us by S. Mac, J. McDaid, & A. B. Moore

Aussies!  Oh, how I've missed those!   A woman yelled, and I thought she said, "LET'S GO, CLOWN UP!" OR "LET'S GO CLOWNS!"  We have decided that she was referring to "Send in the Clowns".  Or we just heard her incorrectly.  Wow.  Great sound!  It's going to be really loud here later when the World Class corps play.  Those props: are they ramps?  They're lying down on them at the beginning, but then later, one slides into the other, and suddenly they're chairs!  Cool.  Bro wants some.  They take off their Aussies later in the show.  They did a standstill performance for the last portion.  I like how the cymbals hold their plates up then set them down one by one along with the music.  I wish they were touring to Finals this year because I would love to see what they eventually do with this show.  I don't know if I can be at the Bellflower show, which will be their last one this year.

<Intermission>

TROOPERS

Repertoire: "Beyond Boundaries" -- Divertimento for Band Op. 42 by V. Persichetti; Enterprising Young Men by M. Giacchino; Wondrous Light by J. Estacio; To the Stars by R. Edelman; Chorale VI/Cantus - Song of Aeolus by K. Jenkins; Main Title (from The Orville) by B. Boughton; Krill Attack / Shuttle Escape (from The Orville) by B. Boughton

I love the ombre colors on the flags. I'm guessing that the last red one is for practice, because it doesn't really fit the rest of the theme.  Very nice ballad, especially the forte at the end.  I like that they kept the gray pants color of the traditional uniforms. That's a pretty blue in their uniform tops.

THE ACADEMY

Repertoire: "The Bridge Between" -- Dance: First Movement by O. Davis; Equilibrium by P. Lovatt-Cooper; Bridge Over Troubled Water by P. Simon; Horizons by P. Lovatt-Cooper

Their uniforms are like an amalgam of the white/black of Phregiment, the pinkish purple sleeve of BD, and a bit of drizzle like the Cadets' Zebra Cake uniform.  I love the effect of the lining inside their coattails when they kneel with one leg stretched out.  Beautiful "Bridge Over Troubled Water": so much better than what I heard from the Cadets on the cinema broadcast the previous night.  Bro said it was because Academy actually plays the whole song, and therefore we can hear the progression of the emotion in the piece.  Cute bit of "London Bridge is Falling Down" at the end.

MANDARINS

Repertoire: "subTerra" -- 1. Ritual and Discovery by K. Poulan & I. Jackson; 2. The Chase -- On the Shoulders of Giants by P. Graham; 3. Allure -- Truman Sleeps by P. Glass; 4. Capture -- Run Boy Run by A. Willsume & Yoann Lemoine; 5. Sacrifice by K. Poulan & I. Jackson

They have skull towers.  Creepy.  I love that they embrace the darkness of their show.  Nice throwback to the old school uniforms with the skirts on the corps.  The rifle moves are ambitious, and they'll need to really tone up that performance to be even more effective, because they had a lot of drops tonight.  I love the way the CG moves to the music.  Horns -- whoa.  Crazy, crazy!  (But not like 2017's crazy).

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

Repertoire: "Vox Eversio" -- Fraternity by T. Delreuyelle; Audivi Media Nocte by O. Wasespi; Nothing Else Matters by Metallica; Original Music by P. & S. Rennick

Their uniforms are a drab gray with a swirly V, and do nothing to show off the performers.  They have gone back in town and seem like they've built more Towers of Babel, and they've added climbing poles.  Is this a prequel to last year's show?  They won't need to play their horns up to the stands because they're already high up on the towers.  Wow, those soloists.  That high soprano with that really high note is the same one from last year.  That trombone!  Wow.  That sousaphone with their high note, too!  WHAT?!?!?  That was intense, man.  That hornline is so good I forgot how much I liked Crown the night before.  Also, it is clean, very clean.  The Metallica piece is just...INCREDIBLE because they try to replicate the guitar solo and they run with it.  I want Lars Ulrich to hear this!  So maybe the theme of Nothing Else Matters applies to the fact that it's all in the music, people.  I mean, we forgot what the CG did for the whole show, because we were so focused on the music.  It was awesome.  Bro is looking forward to when the Metallica piece comes back into the closer.  That's right, we're still looking forward to stuff, because the show isn't even done yet.  At first when the show started, I wondered if this would be an off year for Santa Clara.  But after about a minute and a half, I stopped wondering, and was very pleasantly surprised and awed by this corps yet again.

BLUE DEVILS

Repertoire: "Ghostlight" -- Cycle Song by I. Heap; Rhythm Song by P. Smadbeck; A True Passion by L. Balfe; Stroke of Genius by L. Balfe; Symphony No. 3 by A. Khachaturian; Ghostlight by D. Glyde; Circus by B. Spears

Those yellow sleeves remind us of last year's Troopers uniform.  I really like the effect of the yellow, though.  That's a big screen at the back of the field.  Wait, they're doors.  Wait, they're platforms.  Very cool use of that prop.  I like the ladders with the white at the top and a kind of ombre into black. Great job with the music and the drums, because, of course, this is BD.

THE CAVALIERS

Repertoire: "The Wrong Side of the Tracks" -- Part 1: Gorgon by C. Rouse; Bum's Rush by D. Grantham; Part 2: Rock Island (from "Road to Perdition") by T. Newman; Part 3: Original Music by M. McIntosh & C. Walker with assistance from M. Martin & A. Miller; Part 4: Cathedral (from "Road to Perdition") by T. Newman; Part 5: Gorgon

SPLOOIE!!!!  I've missed that.  Nobody tosses a flag like the Cavaliers CG.  Like the part when the rifle soloist catches a high toss in front of the barrel tower, and when he catches, a flag is tossed from behind the barrels, and falls just perfectly so we can see that the picture on the flag is of two people walking along a railroad track.  That's the Cavaliers brass sound that I love!  Bro predicts that the barrels will make an appearance at Finals Retreat.

Then Bro had to listen to a guy speaking to someone else about his thoughts on the placement tonight:  1) BD, 2) Cavaliers, 3) Mandarins, and no SCV in the top 3.  Because he was talking loudly, and acting like he knew everything.  He would soon find out how wrong he was, and I hope his friend stops listening to him.

SCORES

Open Class

4) 41.40 -- Blue Devils C

3) 49.65 -- Golden Empire

2) 54.90 -- Vanguard Cadets

1) 57.60 -- Blue Devils B

World Class

6) 60.45 -- Troopers

5) 64.60 -- Academy

4) 67.10 -- Mandarins

3) 70.20 -- Cavaliers

2) 71.70 -- Blue Devils

1) 72.35 -- Santa Clara Vanguard 

Yes, Vanguard won with an unfinished show, and beating everyone's score from the DCI Tour Premiere, as did BD.  SCV is still on a hot streak, folks!

We stopped at McDonald's for slushies and apple pies and Bro drove another couple of hours to our hotel of the trip.  Since we will be staying here for the entire trip, we were able to unpack and enjoy not living out of suitcases/duffel bags.

Next up:  DCI West

DLR LotD 060219

Disneyland Resort

Line of the Day

Sunday, June 2, 2019

"Emily, what are you doing?" -- Suddenly concerned mother, after leaving her small child alone for at least 15 minutes with a cell phone, a Mickey ice cream, and her stroller to fend for herself, in Tomorrowland

DLR LotD 05/19/19

Disneyland Resort
Line of the Day

Sunday, May 19, 2019

MouseAdventure: Goofy Sports Edition

"Where the heck is the butter?!?" -- Sherry, many times, in Toontown

Working on the Polo quest

Congratulations to my team, The Dippy Dawgs, for scoring 330 out of a possible 435 points, making 9th place of 99 Basic teams, including finding and solving the Hidden Quest.

It was a little bit wet that day

We got buttons!

We should have about 7 of these.
Or at least 3.

Les Miz Again!

Les Miserables

Les Miserables National Tour

Hollywood Pantages Theatre

Los Angeles, CA

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

My drive to work this morning started with listening to Santa Clara Vanguard's 2013 show "Les Miserables".  Later in the day, a memory came up on Facebook of the time I saw "Whose Line Is It Anyway" and they included "Les Miz" in one of the sketches.  It was like the universe was telling me, "What a perfect day for you to see your favorite show!"

You might be thinking to yourself, "Wait. Didn't she just post a blog very recently about Les Miz?"  Well, yes.  Yes, I did.  But now it's the national touring company's turn.  When I arrived at the theatre, I had plenty of time to shop and relax before being allowed to enter the house and find my seat, which was on the left aisle of the mezzanine in row K, seat 19.

I reminisced about seeing the show my very first time, and it was in this theater, also in the mezzanine, but in one of the back rows.  I was with my family and my best friend's family, and that night, I fell in love with a show that would continue to touch my heart 25 years later.

I always love seeing the iconic poster in LA!

View from my seat

View of stage at intermission

• I enjoyed listening to Nick Cartell's voice (Valjean).  It was strong and powerful, and he hit that high note in "Bring Him Home" and other songs just beautifully.  
• I also liked Andrew Maughan's voice (The Bishop of Digne), and I see now in the program that he is one of the understudies for Valjean, which makes perfect sense to me.  I'd be interested in seeing his performance in the lead role, too.
• As I watch Les Miz more and more, I have come to really despise the Factory Girl.  I guess I'm supposed to do so, but still, she's just so hateful.
• Aubin Bradley (Little Cosette) did a great job!  I wanted to hear her sing more.
• Allison Guinn (Madame Thenardier) was hilarious.  I love the way she used the baguette as her prop for her lines in "Master of the House" to show the difference between "he thinks he's quite a lover", and then breaking off a small piece and singing, "but there's not much there".  Then she violently hacked away at the bread with a huge knife, and I giggled my way through the rest of the song.
• It's a shame that I didn't really care for Paige Smallwood's performance as Eponine, because that is my favorite character in this show.  I thought she sounded too nasal during her recitatives, and while I thought her voice was powerful and her intonation was spot on, I just didn't feel it.  Usually, "On My Own" has me in a mess of tears, and it didn't happen this time.  I did like, though, the way her final note in the song echoed in the silence of the rest of the theater.  That lingered for a while, and it made me smile because the audience let the moment happen instead of jumping to applaud right away.
• I did like Smallwood's part in the trio with Jillian Butler (Cosette) and Joshua Grosso (Marius), as the voices balanced well and sounded lovely together.  
• Butler's lilting voice was quite nice, and her high notes just floated and were divine!
• Grosso's performance had a bit of humor in it that I'm not used to, and I quite enjoyed it.  I especially liked the way he portrayed Marius' nervousness when he squeaked out the seconf line of "A heart full of love" before saying, "I'm doing everything all wrong!"
• Oh, Enjolras, always so earnest.  I was distracted by Matt Shingledecker's breathing, though, like the microphone was too close to his chest or something. 
• I felt like Josh Davis (Javert) didn't feel like singing the low notes much, because he did not do my favorite "Valjean" lyric at the opening of "Confrontation" all slow and menacing the way I like it. 
• I don't know if that was the fault of the orchestration, though, because the entire production seemed to me like it was being performed a couple of metronome clicks faster than I am accustomed.  Like, maybe the director didn't want them to relish their notes the way I want them to do so.  At intermission, I thought, "Isn't it usually 2 hours in by intermission?" It was at "only" an hour and 45 minutes at that time.
• Parker Weathersbee (Gavroche) was awesome.  He had a great voice, and I enjoyed every moment he was on stage, even his small gesture of offering Eponine's hat to Marius after she passed.
• Oh, don't get me wrong, I didn't hate Smallwood's performance in its entirety: I thought her duet with Grosso in "A Little Fall of Rain" was fine, but I think I cried more for Marius than for her, which is not normal for me.
• The set was interesting, because they didn't use the rotating stage for this production. Instead, they used traditional set pieces that were pushed forward, or magically floated across the stage, like one of the tables on house left.  This made the staging a bit strange to me, because I expect the women to be turning on the stage during "Turning", but they weren't.   I missed it the most, though, during the battle scenes, because I like how the original production turns the stage around so that we see the aftermath of Enjolras on the barricade.  With this staging, they show him afterward in the back of a wagon, where they also put Gavroche.  

Although I liked this production, it was not my favorite, but it's still Les Miz, and I still cried, and I was still uplifted by hearing the people sing. 

Sorry about all of the white dots from the lights
One Day More

Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean