pianojohn

Does anyone even read this site: http://coastercrazy.com/ Or are they just a bunch of 13 year olds trying to fan the flames of a now dead issue? Geez! Again, if any of this anti-Robb sentiment was applied to a noble cause, think of what could be accomplished!

If the people behind savethebigdipper.org would spend the same amount of time trying to really save the coaster verses the time they spend making up fake Twitter accounts, they may actually accomplish something. The latest fake ones: http://twitter.com/#!/robbalvey http://twitter.com/#!/TPRetarded Really? And we're the ones being immature! I say Robb sues them for defamation of character and use the winnings to torch the Big Dipper once and for all. And I was one of the people who rode this coaster growing up in Ohio. The real villian here is Cedar Fair for letting this coaster rot and die. Shame on you.

Cedar Point from across the bay

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but here goes: http://twitter.com/#!/BlobbAlvey Probably from the same people who created the .org site.

And here's the poster for my other show opening in just a few weeks! And my other show!

And another review or two: [ title of the show ] Book by Hunter Bell Music & Lyrics by Jeff Bowen Directed and Choreographed by Kenny Howard and Michael Wanzie Musical Direction and accompaniment by John B. deHaas Footlights Theatre, Orlando, FL If you watch those old movies about Broadway, musicals come from tuxedoed men sitting around a piano peeling off hit tunes and engaging storylines while sipping champagne and plotting a victory cruise to Europe. In my humble experience, the writing process is much closer to the agony of Jeff (Rob Lott) and Hunter (Kevin Kelly). They notice a call for scripts with a short fuse, plunge into depression over the story line, and finally decide to go all post modern and write a musical about two guys writing a musical. They draft some female friends (Robyn Kelly and Melissa Mason), and soon enough, they have a hit Off Broadway, and then its one small step to the real big time: Orlando’s Footlights Theatre. Every flaw and success in this show’ script is gleefully pointed out more quickly and accurately by Bell & Bowen than I ever could. They call their own show “Self Referential Bullshit,” but it’s the funniest self referential bullshit that I’ve ever heard. The songs are clever, scenes that go one to long abruptly stop with the comment “This scene is too long,” and there’s even a moral at the end: If you collaborate, figure out who owns what before you go too far. Success may destroy your friendships. I admit missing most of the pop culture references, but there’s plenty of laughter for the out dated. Every song seems to sound vaguely show tune familiar, with highlights like “Monkeys and Playbills” the broke-and-must-pay-the rent driven “Part Of It All” and the touching “A Way Back To Then” which highlighted Robin Kelly, her rubbery face and underrated voice. Melissa Mason played Susan, the actual actor forced to strip on stage (boy, was THAT in the wrong venue). She’s got the better pipes, and led the writer’s block lament “Die Vampire Die.” The boys were in nearly every song, Kelly with his maniacal grin and Lott with his boyish charm, and even though they weren’t miked on opening night, they seemed to fill the room with sweet sound. Writers writing about writing can easily head into the commode of self-indulgent self congratulation, but this show keeps one foot stuck though the fourth wall. It shows that a deep inner subtext or uplifting social commentary isn’t as important as engaging songs, funny lines and a story that feels coherent if not earth shattering. It also shows that the Footlights is capable of entertaining without wigs and falsies, packing a house and getting a standing ovation. A few more shows like this, and they can start bringing in the buses from The Villages. Nice work, Mr. Wanzie and Mr. Howard! For more information on the Footlights Theater, please visit http://www.theparlimenthouse.com or http://www.Wanzie.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Theater review: ‘[title of show]‘ Posted on October 4, 2010 by Elizabeth Maupin| Leave a comment There’s something about [title of show] that feels very Fringe. Not Fringe in that this little musical, at the Parliament House’s Footlight Theatre, could likely turn up in Orlando’s annual spring madness – although, if it were a good bit shorter, that could very well be the case. But Fringe in that [title of show], which is self-aware to the point of narcissism, feels like innumerable shows we’ve all seen at the Fringe, the kind in which some blocked young writer says to himself or herself, “Gee, I can’t think of anything to write about, so why don’t I write about that?” Fortunately, [title of show] mostly gets away with it. And the Wanzie Presents production, co-directed by Kenny Howard and Michael Wanzie, mostly sails along blithely on the strengths of a charming cast and a script that aims for and pretty much conquers the nth degree of absurdity. Composer Jeff Bowen, who graduated in 1993 from Stetson, and lyricist/book-writer Hunter Bell were, as they put it, “nobodies in New York” when they set about to enter a script in the 2004 New York Musical Theater Festival. Both had been theater nerds; both collected Playbills. They had only three weeks to write their show. The result was a musical about writing a musical, with Bowen and Bell playing themselves, two actress friends playing, well, two actress friends and a lone keyboard player sharing the stage with four mismatched chairs. But the show took off, so [title of show] now ends not with the pair sending off their script to the festival but with its path to off-Broadway’s Vineyard Theatre and, for a brief run in 2008, to Broadway. That’s pretty much what you get at the Footlight Theatre, where Kevin Kelly and Rob Lott now play the struggling lyricist and composer, Robyn Kelly and Melissa Mason play their friends Susan and Heidi, John B. deHaas is on the keyboard and the chairs are backed by a fake wall that looks as if water has been running down it for years. There’s no other pretense, really: The opening number is called “Untitled Opening Number,” and a scene ends when one of the guys says, “Right now I feel like we have to get out of this scene because it feels a little long.” He’s right, of course, but it doesn’t much matter when the show is filled with self-deprecating wit. Lott’s Jeff – or Jeffy, as everybody calls him – nags Kevin Kelly’s Hunter for his poor grammar; the two argue about whether “theater” rhymes with “sweeter,” and Hunter gives Jeff a hard time for voicing opinions about shows he hasn’t seen. (“I have opinions about stuff I never see all the time,” Jeff replies.) The two characters are ridiculously obsessed with New York theater: Even if you know who John Cameron Mitchell is and remember Henry, Sweet Henry (guilty as charged), you may still wonder about the dropped names of a couple of more obscure New York thespians. And Lott and Kelly bring plenty of pizzazz to their roles – found, in Lott’s case, in his essential sweetness and, in Kelly’s, in his terrific voice. Mason and Robyn Kelly have less to do, although they present a good approximation of two actresses who aren’t much interested in each other, and Kelly’s wry facial expressions are priceless. The spunky Mason isn’t always able to make her lovely voice heard, and you’re left wanting to know a bit more about who these women are. Actually, that feeling is a little surprising because [title of show] outstays its welcome toward the end: The show feels at least half an hour too long (and, in fact, the Broadway version clocked in at 30 minutes shorter than this one). Part of your restlessness toward the end may be the pace, but most of it is in the nature of the show itself, which all too often meanders from one scene to the next. It’s funny to watch a couple of guys filling out their festival applications in what seems like real time; it’s less funny to hear them sing about development and photo shoots and the minutiae of getting a show onstage. In that way, [title of show] is a victim of its own imaginative premise – sometimes hilarious and sometimes, like life itself, just routine. In theater, just like everywhere else, sometimes you have to take the bad with the good. What: Wanzie Presents production of Jeff Bowen-Hunter Bell musical. Where: Footlight Theatre, Parliament House Resort, 410 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando. When: 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, through Oct. 23 (also, 8 p.m. Oct. 25). Cost: $14 most performances, $12 Oct. 25. Online: wanzie.com.

Our first review of [title of show] from the Orlando Sentinel: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_stage_theat/2010/10/review-title-of-show-from-wanzie-presents-at-parliament-house.html ‘[title of show]‘ from Wanzie Presents at Parliament House — posted by matt palm on October, 3 2010 12:14 AM Written in 2004, the comic musical “[title of show]” is a reflection of these voyeuristic times we live in. At the movies, we watch a re-creation of the founding of Facebook. On television, we see women undergoing face-lifts on a health channel, or the vapid “Jersey Shore” gang working out and hooking up on MTV. In “[title of show],” writer Hunter Bell can barely summon up the energy for his real life because “there’s a new season of ‘The Bachelor’ about to start.” But Bell did pull himself away from that dating program, and the result was “[title of show].” In the musical we watch Bell and friend Jeff Bowen create a Broadway show, in fact the very show we’re watching. I guess it was just a matter of time before even the stage turned to reality programs. Luckily, the production of “[title of show]” onstage at the Parliament House’s Footlight Theatre, makes the little story of this musical’s creation a laugh-filled ode to creativity, friendship and growing up. In real life, Bell and Bowen wrote the basic show in three weeks to meet the deadline for a New York City musical festival. Their friends, actresses Susan Blackwell and later Heidi Blickenstaff helped develop the show, and the four starred in the show at the festival, then during an off-Broadway run. After a self-promotion campaign on YouTube and a video blog — another sign of the times, for sure — the show had a three-month Broadway run. Now that we’re all a little jaded by so-called “reality” entertainment, one wonders how much of the story has been exaggerated or undergone some dramatic enhancement, not that it really matters. In the show, Hunter asks if the show is too self-indulgent. Of course it is; that’s the whole point. And much of “[title of show]” is truly funny. There is Broadway name-dropping and slams on fellow musicals such as “Shrek” and “The Little Mermaid.” And there are jokes about Times Square and a cell phone that rings with the opening riff of “Cats” to great effect. But the deeper humor lies in the way the characters speak to each other, how they play off each other — just as friends do, yes, in real life. Co-directors Kenny Howard and Michael Wanzie have assembled a top-notch cast. As Hunter, Kevin Kelly bursts with energy, raising an eyebrow here, delivering a witty putdown there. Rob A. Lott’s Jeff looks as happy as a kid in a candy store. Melissa Mason brings a sweet perkiness to Heidi. And long-limbed Robyn Kelly is a sarcastic ball of neuroses, worried about her singing ability, full of deadpan asides. Musical director John B. deHaas has a pleasingly laconic stage presence and strikes a good balance between the singers and his keyboard. He can’t help that in the show’s second half, the clever songs give way to less-interesting medleys and montages that advance the musical’s tale more quickly but don’t pack the laughs — or the melodies — of the earlier tunes. And performing in the Footlight Theatre presents some challenges as doors whoosh open and thud shut, and the sounds of dance music invade the theater. The background noise is perhaps more problematic than usual, given that all the actors but Kelly have moments when they’re a bit difficult to hear. And in this little, heartfelt show, you don’t want to miss the next funny moment. See for yourself What: Broadway musical “[title of show]” by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell When: 7: 30 p.m. Saturdays, Oct. 9, 16 and 23; 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25. Where: Footlight Theater, Parliament House Resort, 410 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando Tickets: Saturdays: $14 in advance at http://www.WANZIE.com/boxoffice; $16 at the door. Oct. 25: $12 in advance; $14 at the door.

Really quick report here! I had to work my regular job last night and didn't think I'd have enough time to make it to HHN. But I arrived at the gates around 1045pm and was able to hit 7of the 8 houses by midnight! Light crowds and perfect weather helped (as well as running from house to house!) The houses were good and there were some neat effects, but none of them really blew me away. Again, I was doing the "credit whore" tour of HHN so that could account for it. The Hades houses seemed to be in the worst shape with many of the carved set pieces broken by aggressive guests. It looks like the sets were carved out of styrofoam and then sprayed with grey paint. But you could see parts broken off and the white styrofoam sticking out. One of the houses featured bird like creatures who reminded me of Spy vs. Spy from Mad Magazine. Not really scary in my book. I will be going back to see Bill and Ted's and get that 8th credit. Also, I hope to get there when it opens so I can really see what some of the outside scare zones look like. The muerte one was cool but I felt it was too dark especially with all the bold paint colors in it. The Ghost house was by far the best. Great scenery and very cool effects. My all time fav is still the one where they had the 2 story theater balcony illusion.

Yes I am! Saturdays Oct 2, 9, 16, and 23rd and Monday the 25th. All the [title of show] shows are at the P House Halloween is only on for 2 shows: Friday Oct 22 and Sunday Oct 24th. And I'm at Hoop Dee Doo once in awhile. Been working full time at Treasure Tavern: www.treasuretavern.com It's a new dinner theater on I Drive. if you come to the show, PLEASE say hi afterwards!

Any theater geeks? I am in the midst of music directing two shows and playing piano for both of them! [title of show] opens Oct 2nd at the fabulous Footlight Theater at the Parliament House in Orlando, FL. More details here: http://www.facebook.com/titleofshoworlando?ref=ts And then for TWO NIGHTS ONLY Oct 22 and 24th, I will be presenting Halloween: The Musical I wrote the book, music, and lyrics of this musical comedy parody of the 1978 slasher film! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Halloween-The-Musical/141760568944?ref=ts So if you're in Orlando or coming down for any of the Halloween events, check out one or both of my shows! Thanks! [title of show] poster and info

Wow. That's on my list of things to do! Go to Oktoberfest!

i305 Pre trims in early April 2010 (greyed out every time on the turn after the first drop) Viper at SFGAdv (what a piece of CRAP!) Wildcat at Idora Park (Labor Day 1983 right before the park closed for the season. Crazy fast! And sadly we were probably the last people to ride it since it caught on fire the following April 1984) Dodonpa (the launch was just too much....not to mention it was December, freezing cold outside, and the ride ops wouldn't let us wear hats or gloves for fear they'd fly off....WHAT??)

Soooooooooo.....Stratosoar is just...a tease? Hmmm....kind of a let down since they already announced Knott's and CW's version hours earlier. The ride: very cool The announcement: not so much.

It's 2pm....c'mon CP and tell us what we already know!!

Listen to my golden voice on NPR from Marketplace! marketplace.publicradio.org/www_publicradio/tools/media_player/popup.php?name=marketplace/pm/2010/08/13/marketplace_cast1_20100813_64&starttime=00:21:42.650&endtime=00:25:38.0

Yay! Dippin Dots (and assorted other park fare)! Hope they start bringing more rides for the outdoor midway. The last time they had a lot of rides was the year they did Dining in the Sky. Remember that??

Very cool! He must have recorded a bunch of different intros. I just saw one for Orlando Attractions Magazine as well. But still a nice touch and REALLY thoughtful to reach out to the fanboys/fangirls community!

I always take the subway when visiting Coney Island. No problem with parking that way!

I have not been up in the tower yet, but I DID record the cast CD for Halloween: The Musical in Clermont! So now it can be famous for three things! (maybe!) But what about the creepy thing next door? Mystery Hill perhaps??

I think the old operating model was put in place for two reasons: 1) The all male crews usually worked on rides where they would manually have to move the trains requiring a lot of physical strength (Demon Drop, Blue Streak, Sky Ride) whereas the female crews would run the more high tech rides that could be moved with the computer (Magnum, Corkscrew) 2) It cut down on flirting during the work day (though I tend to disagree with that mentality). That's how it was when I worked there 1986-1990.

1987 is when I was playing piano for "Ain't We Got Fun" at Cedar Point and my roommate was one of the trumpet players for the Hobo Band!

wow. I am speechless! More photos please! They really are spectacular!

On a side note, just found this picture of the zero G roll removed from Maverick. This must have been an early test run. http://blog.wdwinfo.de/wp-content/uploads/Maverick021.jpg

The butterbeer was awesome! Not too sweet. The only sour taste is the price....but since this is technically the only place in the world where you can have it, I guess they think they can charge whatever they want. Still, it would be nice not to feel like you were fleeced, especially since soft drink costs roughly half as much on any of the other Islands in the park.

Oh, my only gripe was with the cost of Butterbeer. In the souvenir mug: $9.50. Hmmm.....refills anyone??