Caffeine: Swank Shows and Even Better Coffee

So, I'm in the process of making Music Circus my new home. I think I'll be doing everything but sleep there, which I'm totally okay with. Rehearsals are happening in the pavilion for now, but soon there will be shows rehearsing at the Sacramento Ballet, the pavilion, and Sacramento Theatre Company. The first run through is happening later this week and final dress for Millie is only a week from now! With Thoroughly Modern Millie in rehearsal, I've been working in the prop shop making all sorts of stuff. 1920's replicas of Vanity Fair, type writers, bouquets, and telephones are only the beginning - there's always the ever-present intern responsibility of sorting through random hardware and tools. But luckily, in between the long (long) days at my (unpaid!!) job, I've been able to check out some cool spots downtown as well.

My Coffee Shop of Choice: Temple Fine Coffee and Tea! I love their chai tea, first of all. But also, you can order tea and it comes in a little kettle, their coffees and teas are rare, organic, and fair trade, and you can order your coffee French Press! Now all I need is to sing on the street corner for a little loose change to buy a cup. Located at 1014 10th Street (between J and K) in Downtown Sacramento.

Must-See Show(s): Forever Plaid at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret just performed its 300th performance last night. It's a fabulous tribute to 50's music and riotously funny - plus, it's totally family friendly. Aaaand, the tenor is incredible! The production continues every night (dark on Mondays) well into July.

A quick summary:

The critically acclaimed show is an affectionate revue of the close-harmony "guy groups" (e.g. The Four Aces, The Four Freshmen) that reached the height of their popularity during the 1950s. Personifying the clean-cut genre are the Plaids. This quartet of high-school chums' earnest dreams of recording an album ended in death (literally and indeed, symbolically) in a collision with a bus filled with Catholic schoolgirls on their way to see the Beatles' American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. The play begins with the Plaids returning from the afterlife for one final chance at musical glory.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch is playing downtown at the New Helvetia Theatre through June 27th. It's a rock musical with a cult following similar to that of Rocky Horror Picture Show, but I've yet to see it. It comes highly recommended by a friend and closes this Saturday! All performances are at the Artisan at 1901 Del Paso Blvd. in Sacramento.

Guilty Pleasure of the Week: Harry Potter the Musical! That's right - it exists. And you can watch the whole thing on Youtube. Here's the beginning of the first act: