Les Mis rewind

OK, so I'm getting flack from people because I didn't really write anything about our summer conservatory's production of Les Mis so to make it more interesting and in honor of my Perry award nomination, below are my picks for the First Annual Pineda Summer Conservatory Awards, The Pinedas for short.

Latest start of performance: During Friday's matinee (which also happened to start 15 minutes late), the fire alarm went off ten measures into the prologue and everyone had to be evacuated. We waited outside the theatre for at least 10 minutes more until the fire department arrived. Did I mention it was like 150 degrees out?

Performance with the most tears: Saturday night's show. Lots of audible sniffling in the audience. A close second, the ring of sobbing kids around the dessert table at the Spotlight's cast party's "pass the love" session on Thursday night.

Longest death scene: Anna Dugan as Fantine, Sunday evening. Well, I guess it wasn't necessarily longer than usual, it just seemed that way because Brian Hart (Valjean) forgot to go onstage. He was outside the theatre shooting the sh*t with Pami Marks as she was spraying his hair gray and giving him wrinkles for the next scene.

Best performance of a wig: The short Fantine shag. That sucker would not stay on anyone's head (even for Briana on Cabaret Night). It looked great, though! Runner-up: The Fantine long blond wig. Those two beeyatches looked great in that sucker.

Best "Lovely Lady" cleavage: Anna Dugan - 'nuff said.

Best "Lovely Lady" antics: Anna Dugan (see above) and Jen Dilzell with her skirt-lifting chair straddle.

Most consistent wrong vocal entrance: Peter Carmo. Twice for "Lovely Ladies" and twice for "Look down..."

Most fanatic audience member: The Les Mis freak who had seen the Broadway production 10 times and requested tickets for a sold-out Friday night. His reply, "I'm thin." After a second denial from Val, he asked for standing room tickets. Standing room? He'd obviously never been to the CDC.

Worst ensemble vocal: Thursday night's machine gun second act ending of "tomorrow c-c-c-c-c-c-comes!"

Most f*cked up musical scene that was never correct during performance: "Attack on Rue Plumet"

Most likely not to watch the conductor for an entrance: Catalina - as Epinone before "don't you fret...", close second - anyone in the "Attack of Rue Plumet" scene, close third - Dillon on entrance after "Liar."

Most mispronounced character name by Valerie: Thenardier.

Cleanest "dirty" person on stage: Anna Dugan. You need more dirt on that face, girlfriend.

Best ensemble "deer-in-headlights" moment: Friday matinee's begger entrance of "Look down..."

Loudest ensemble entrance: see "headlights" moment above.

Best understudy: Bobby O'Rourke as the foreman. Totally skeevy groping those gals.

Wierdest mother/daughter combo: Stephanie Louis (Madam T) as Holly Curran's (Eponine) mom.

Most diverse character acting choices: William Shore. From priest to drunken lech. Way to go Will!

Most chewed scenery: Dan Berman, Friday evening performance.

Most likely to be roaming around theatre with no shirt on: Tie - Peter Carmo and Dan Berman.