Lestat didn’t SUCK!

I had such a freaking awesome time in NYC yesterday! My head is still spinning after the magical meeting with Sam Raimi! Here is a transcript of our meeting:
“Can I get a picture taken with you?”
“Sure, what’s your name?”
“I’m Donna!”
“My name is Sam Raimi”
“I know who you are!” (I ALMOST said, “You’re Ted Raimi’s brother!,” but I bit my tongue)
“Do you?”
“Yeah, and I was just walking by and saw you!”
“Did you just come from Lestat?” (I was carrying the poster with me)
“Yeah, it was great but it closes tomorrow”
“That’s a shame I didn’t get to see it”
“Don’t worry, you didn’t miss too much. Thanks for taking the picture with me!”
“No problem!”
“Later!”

Before the play, Lisa and I went to Chinatown. We shopped around and you won’t believe what I bought! A PAIR OF SUNGLASSES! I know what you are thinking, “Big Whoop!” Well, no! These sunglasses look like the sunglasses Susann Korda (a.k.a Soledad Miranda) wore in the fantabulous film, Vampyros Lesbos: Die Erbin des Dracula. Check them out:
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And here’s a link to a pic Lisa snapped of me in my new sunglasses!

A funny thing happened after I got the autographs from the Lestat cast. Lisa and I were walking away when I passed a little old man. As I passed, the old man jutted out his hand and said to me, “I’m Jimmy’s uncle!”
“Wow!” I said shaking his hand, “Jimmy’s uncle! How are ya?”
“Doin’ fine!”
“So, who’s Jimmy?”
There was a man in a suit standing with the old guy. I think he was a producer or stage manager. He said,”Jimmy plays Louis in Lestat…you were here to see the show, right?”
“Oh yeah, and he was great! Fabulous job!”
“Actually, he was understudied today.”
“What a shame, the understudy did a great job though.”
“Jimmy wasn’t here ’cause his wife is having a baby!” said Jimmy’s uncle.
“A baby! That’s wonderful news, do you know if it’s a boy or girl.”
“A girl”
“Congratulations, you have two things to be proud of!” I then took off. I got a kick out of how proud Jimmy’s uncle was of him and I wondered if he had seen the show. Would this uncle be just as proud of Jimmy if he had seen the homosexual vampire musical extravaganza? I hope so. The show needed work but I really think it had promise.

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Here’s a pic of Louis (Jim Stanek) getting his neck bitten by Lestat

The reviews for Lestat were scathing. I spoke to the girl who sold programs and she told me that her experience was you either LOVED IT or HATED IT! She said that over this month of performances a ton of people walked out of the show. She said they threw the programs on the floor and yelled at the people in the box office. She also said a lot of people came out raving too. The show kind of reminded me of The Scarlet Pimpernel. My cousin David and I went to that show about 7 years ago and as much as I loved it, leaving the theater, I couldn’t remember a single song. I think it is important that the songs are memorable. The only memorable songs in Lestat were Embrace It and I Want More. Another issue is that I think it is impossible to shove 2 books into a libretto. The story arc was far too wide. I think they would have been more successful if they had just focused on Lestat’s early years. Both Lisa and I agreed that the ending was almost shocking in it suddenness. Lestat is murdered by Claudia and Louis but somehow ends up on the hull of a boat singing a song. He then goes back to Paris where he runs into Louis and Claudia. Little Claudia is murdered. Lestat taunts Armand. Marius and Gabrielle show up and they sing a song. The stage clears and Lestat runs out in a sexy red shirt and jeans and says, “I AM THE VAMPIRE LESTAT AND I’M GONNA LIVE FOREVUH!” FIN! Weird, just weird. Oh, and Lestat was too nice! I can’t believe I am going to say this since I was very unhappy with the casting but Tom Cruise’s Lestat seemed closer to the book’s Lestat. This Lestat was just so nice and lovely. His joviality made it difficult to understand why Louis and Claudia were so unhappy with him. Why the heck did they kill him? He seemed like such a nice guy! Okay, I realize I am running at the keyboard and I bet no one has stuck with me this far so I am just going to end it. I am the Vampire Lestat and I am going to live FOREVUH!

One thought on “Lestat didn’t SUCK!

  1. John Beck

    you went to Chinatown? They beat up Jack Bauer!!! Brad Pitt makes a hot vampire. However, I think everyone would be better off watching the Hunger. 🙂

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