Mari Vanna - West Hollywood & My Russia Problem

Russia, Russia, Russia. You're killing me, Russia. But what to do when I've already got so much invested in you? Six years of my life writing a musical, learning everything I can about the culture, the politics, language and food... You're making it very difficult for Steven and I to take our trip there. Basically, you're an embarrassment. 

In some ways, what's going on over there with the INSANE LGBT laws-- which apply to VISITORS even, and not just gay visitors, but visitors they SUSPECT of being GAY SYMPATHIZERS!!-- is part of the strange cultural conflict and karma that interests me about Russia in the first place.

But let's table my desire to boycott all things Russia for the moment and celebrate Brie's birthday, which happened to be at new West Hollywood hot-spot (oh, the irony!) Mari Vanna. Named for a supposedly real Russian woman with a flair for cooking that turned her home into an un-intended scene, the ambience reflects a Russian cottage complete with knick knacks, garden boxes, and fluffy blankets to snuggle up in in case you get cold. 

The vodka was truly amazing-- the perfect buzz, no hangover. And while I didn't love the chicken and onion jello that is a Russian staple (Sorry!) their beef stroganoff was about the best I've ever had. 

Brie looked crazy beautiful and glamorous, as per usual. And Mari Vanna is one of those key-ed places where you have to have one in order to get into special VIP nights. I'm not normally into exclusive key type stuff, but I got one. And it comes on an adorable blonde matryoshka doll key chain. 

Okay, but seriously, I think boycotting Russian food and vodka isn't the way to go. I generally try not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. But I do think we should be pressuring events like the Olympics to relocate and sponsors to pull out of places with inhumane laws. Here's how you can get involved with that: 

Petition Coca-Cola, VISA, Procter&Gamble, Samsung, and Panasonic to stand for Human Rights and pull sponsorship from the 2014 Winter Olympics.

https://www.change.org/petitions/coca-cola-visa-procter-gamble-sams...


Petition Team USA/United States Olympic Committee to boycott the Winter 2014 Olympics in Sochi Russia
http://www.change.org/petitions/united-states-olympic-committee-boy...

Petition the UK to boycott the Russian Winter Olympics 
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/52656

 Petition to Boycott Winter Olympics 2014:https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/calling-us-boycott-2014-w...


Petition Winter Olympics 2014 Sponsors to condemn anti-gay laws
https://www.change.org/petitions/stand-against-russia-s-brutal-crac...

Petition the IOC to relocate the 2014 Winter Games to Vancouver

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/international-olympic-committ...

And listen, who knows how long this kind of disgusting lawmaking will last in Russia, or how long Americans with short attention spans will decide to boycott. But just, in the long run, can I say, whatever you do, please don't boycott any musicals about massacred Russian royalty. Okay? Thanks. 

The Day of the Show - Singing & Dying with Nicholas & Alexandra

What an exciting day! Later this afternoon, we'll be premiering Nicholas & Alexandra for the first time ever in its entirety in a private reading in NYC. The people in this cast make me kind of giddy and there's years-long connections galore in that room. After meeting our Nicholas & Alexei yesterday, I started to even out my nerves. 

I've spent years trying and failing and grieving with the Romanovs. It's just been me, Steven, and their story for a long time. (Well, and Autumn!) It feels really good to flesh out the rest of Autumn's family. To give them shape and channel their empathy along with ours into this story. To have the support of so many people behind how we've chosen to tell this story. I have a feeling I'm probably going to cry at least once today.

Since we can't have all of you, we're making some of the tracks from our concept album available to listen to for one day only. 

The Russian Crown Jewels Are Missing & Whatnot Friday Links

Today is Friday, but it feels like a Tuesday because of the holidays. So much so that I woke up intending to write about something else and then realized I needed to bust out some links. So here they are! Happy Friday!

- The Mysterious Disappearance of the Russian Crown Jewels

- Author Wally Lamb works with female inmates. He posted this tale of forgiveness. 

- The age old question: Jay Z Lyric or Line from The Great Gatsby?

- I love Stephen Schwartz's Pippin and wish I could see the Diane Paulus production. Sigh.

- The Big Lebowski explains the Fiscal Cliff

- Who are you? Who will you be in 10 years?

- Romeo Beckham for Burberry. 

- Season 3 of Downton Abbey starts in the US this Sunday. Good luck with this one, guys. 

Please Don't Ruin Anna Karenina, Keira Knightley

Keira Knightley, though only in her mid-twenties, has already gotten to play a substantial chunk of literatures greatest heroines: Lizzy Bennet, Lara from Dr. Zhivago, Ruth from Never Let Me Go (though she's more the villain of that story) and now Anna Karenina. Personally, I've never been a fan. I think she holds all her emotion in her nose. And I don't think anyone ever plays a Vivien Leigh role better than Vivien Leigh.  And I think she's too young to play Anna Karenina.

But I'm intrigued. For the texture of the time period (which I write about constantly in Nicholas & Alexandra) And largely by the drug that is ANY new adaptation of classic literature, Anna Karenina being a favorite. But also by the uber uber young Aaron Johnson (sorry I refuse to call him Aaron Taylor-Johnson) as Vronsky (he's 22! He was born in the 90's!), Matthew Macfadyn as Oblonsky (he is never ever not good) and Jude Law as Karenin. Jude Law has turned himself into a bit of joke in recent years, but I like to remember back to a time when he wasn't a leading man, but a magnificent character actor and villain. Or even more recently than that, when he was able to bring leading man focus and character actor complexity to Hamlet on Broadway and the West End. My gut says his performance as Karenin (where he lets his natural hair line free!) is the performance of this film. 

But of course, it won't be all art-- not all the time. There will have to be some Hollywood cross promotions like the Anna Karenina line at Banana Republic and whathaveyou. 

McC stagged us free advance screening tickets, and if my shit were here from London yet (sigh) I'd bust out my fake fur and rock it out down to the theatre. Opens everywhere November 16th.