I noticed so recently that The Utimate T.J. Kous turned one year old this past Saturday! How special it feels to look back at the year in terms of these funny little entries. One of my favorite pieces of writing was my very first unofficial blog post, which manifested itself as a Facebook note predating the invention of this blog.
Two very special friends and I embarked on a journey unlike any other and right now, in honour of a year gone by, in honour of the changing landscape of friendship, in honour of me and my birthday week, I would like to reshare with you that tale. Ladies and Gentlemen, the post that started them all...
High School Musical ACTUALLY Changed My Life!When my dear friend Lauren's sister, Kristen invited me to go with her to Seattle to see High School Musical Live, along with her dear friend Alexa (who are, in reality, both dear friends of mine), I didn't think twice. As the day approached I neglected research on the show, and instead imagined what I was getting myself into. I thought, from what I heard of it, that I would be seeing a Disney quality stage production of the wildly successful TV movie starring, not the folks from the movie, but equally talented and good-looking young triple-threats. I was skeptical, but still pretty into it.
It's the day of the show. I talk to Kristen, just to make sure she and Alexa are on their way to my house so we can take off to Seattle from there. I take this opportunity to ask her what she thinks this show is going to be like. She agrees with me that it'll be a stage production of the movie, but also tells me something that makes me VERY happy: It's with the original cast!!
me: you mean we're going to SEE Sharpay?
her: yes
me: and Gabriella!?
her: Yes
me: and even Monique Coleman, who I have enjoyed watching on this season of Dancing with the Stars?!
her: YES, even Monique Coleman!
me: WOW! I can't believe I'm actually going to be in the same room as Zac Efron. Troy is my favorite!!
her: Oh....well, Troy's not actually going to be there. He couldn't make it. There'll be someone else.
Needless to say I was crushed. But I concentrated on the positive thoughts I was having, mainly about Sharpay. I also thought about whether minor characters like Miss Darbus and the fat pop-n-locker would make an appearance. I was happy.
Let's flash forward to our approach to the Key Arena. We didn't buy tickets online because of credit card issues, so opted to buy tickets at the BO.
us: What are the best available seats you have together?
BO lady: Right here in the second row.
us: 'scuse us? Second row? Like on the floor? In front of the stage? How much?
BO Lady: $ 60.
(the next best seats, much further away, were only $10 cheaper. We each share a glance with one another. Should we do this? Can we afford this? Did we travel all this way to sit in the nosebleeds?)
us: We'll take 'em!!
With the exception of actually high school musicals, college plays and shows at the aquarium, I have NEVER sat in the second row of anything. We were REALLY close. Maybe a total of ten feet from the edge of the stage.
"We're going to be able to see their faces," I said.
"They're going to be able to see OUR faces," Kristen so eloquently pointed out. What a thought!! There was a chance that Ashley Tisdale herself was going to see me and then possibly comment to one of her fellow perfomers, maybe Corbin, about the hairy twenty-something with the teenagers in the second row. Dreams were coming true.
Opening act: Her name's Jordan Pruitt. We saw her video play on the screens before the show. She covered "We Are Family" for the movie Air Buddies, the one about Air Bud's puppies who are all good at every sport. Fuck you, Disney.
She was ok though. Some weird song about popular girls at school and another about being a teenager. Basically, she didn't have enough good moves and she was only mediocre looking. I could've done without her.
Ok, so it's beginning! The curtain comes up to reveal a white stage, HUGE screen above it, and a curvy ramp up the back of the stage. There was no way this was a stage production of the movie. This shit was a full-blown, motherfuckin' CONCERT! Our new Troy comes out in silhouette, he's singing the movie's opening number. Gabriella, a sight in white, comes out, still in silhouette, to join her partner. Right when the song kicks it into the chorus white lights FLASH, fireworks ERUPT, music BLASTS, and the rest of the cast's principles come bursting from a staircase upstage. They were all singing! They were all dancing! They were all wearing eclectic and varied, yet well-made and beautiful costumes, exclusively in black, red and white! They were all real, right in front of me! This was truly the Start of Something New!
Ryan, aka Lucas, informed us of his MC status after the first number. I never really cared much for Ryan; he really just seemed to be a foil to the lovable yet sassy Sharpay. Let me tell you, folks, Lucas is a gem. Funny, quick, clever, cute and sharp, this guy made the perfect MC. He informed us that tonight we would be, of course, reviewing all the hits and favs from the show, and he also told us about something I did not expect: Solo Showcase performances by Ashley Tisdale, Vanessa Hudgens and Corbin Bleu, featuring singles from all their new albums. Let me remind you that all this was to be taking place only feet from my face!
The show was magical: Tisdale rocked the house, Vanessa had some great tracks and some beautiful hair, the dancers were spectacular (one even flirted with me and/or Kristen and threw us an inflatable basketball after Getcha Head In the Game), the new Troy was tolerable, and Monique even danced a latin ballroom number for us. And the COSTUMES!! They just kept getting better and better: many studded belts and plenty of color coordination, tattered dresses and chiffon. Shine! Sparkle! Glamour! Every single person except for the new Troy waved at us and Lucas even mouthed "Thanks, brother!" when I yelled "You Rock, Lucas." Confetti burst out of everywhere at the end. It was pure ecstacy!
And in conclusion, let me just admit something. I am sorta glad Zac Efron couldn't make it. I probably would have ended up screaming too much, distracting him or maybe even getting escorted from the arena. The show was already too overwhelming, I didn't want to go overboard.
Wildcats, everywhere
Wave your hands up in the air!
That's the way we do it
Let's get to it
Time to show the WORLD!
Can't wait for the sequel!!!
