Omelette, The Musical

"The future is bright if you could just write a musical!"

Just off Broadway comes the Tony-snubbed, hidden gem that is a Shakespeare enthusiast's (or dis-enthusiast's?) and a theater lover's greatest dream. Full of snark, puns, and just the right amount of vulgarity is this show that, while deprived of proper recognition, is filled to the brim with originality.  Despite the off putting title, Something Rotten!, a satirical take on England's Elizabethan age of literature, is one of the most entertaining shows to grace the stage in the past decade.

Telling the story of Nick Bottom (a clever play on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream) and his brother, Nigel, the musical satirizes the accusations against Shakespeare for his copyright tendencies. With an extended commentary on Elizabethan society in general, the struggles of Nick and Nigel Bottom to write a play that competes with that of The Bard's is brought to life with bright, wildly entertaining musical numbers. The musical's pinnacle explodes in a whimsical homage to musical history while Nick Bottom searches the future for Shakespeare's greatest play, Hamlet. Unfortunately, this results poorly for him as he misinterprets the vision and instead forms the first musical, Omelette. Yes, like the breakfast food. 

While this type of breakfast humor may seem superficial and far too immature for the seasoned literary, underneath lies a deeper type of comedy, one that only those who know their shows will fully appreciate. From mocking Richard III to calling out Andrew Lloyd Webber for the anomaly that is Cats, the humor that exists throughout each scene is superficially funny for most but uniquely funny for those who are more aware, creating a performance that appeals to a wide array of people in different ways. 

On top of this never ending humor and catchy, uplifting songs, comes the undertones of familial bonds and speaking up for oneself that add the morality for those who crave a more sentimental feel. Standing up for love and adjusting to create equal relationships for all allow for this mainly satirical act to have even more depth than the complex literary allusions. 

Combining all of these aspects together, Something Rotten! has something for everyone. Even if one is not versed in the plays of Shakespeare or every Tony winning musical under the sun, the heartwarming story line and the amusing music will get even the least musical/literature inclined person's feet tapping. 

After seeing this show, it is clear that it stands among the many underappreciated shows that have graced the Great White Way. Missing the window and lacking the prestige for the Tony nominations, the musical has now closed on Broadway and is now in the midst of its first, and perhaps only, national tour. This cache of comedic treasure has gone unnoticed by many and those who take up the opportunity to see it are often blown away by its splendor. Take the chance to see the show before it disappears into the vaults, it will leave you giggling over repressed puritans and musing about the ridiculousness of a musical about danishes, bacon, and fried eggs. 

By Appointment Only

When organizing a schedule, especially for those whose schedules are more than averagely full, one commonly thinks of meetings, parties, appointments, birthdays, or familial obligations making up the majority of the open time slots. For those of us who prefer to have our day mapped out to the exact hour, there may even be time blocked off for the gym or the yoga class that one may or may not attend depending on other, more pressing occasions. Often, the day is packed full of reminders and obligations until late in the evening, when the only thing left to is fall into bed and start the process over again in the morning. Which is why it should be relatively unsurprising that one who is so devoted to the upkeep of their plan book will eventually have to make time to do something as trivial as absolutely nothing at all.

For those determined to maintain optimal efficiency in all that they do, there is no greater taboo than free time. It's a waste, an open slot where something useful could be occurring but isn't, often creating nothing but self deprecation and anxiety over a potentially missed event. These overachievers and workaholics can often be seen thoroughly scanning through calendars and double checking with coworkers or friends, ensuring that everything in their day runs smoothly, one engagement transitioning into the next without any gaps. Free time is often not a feasible option. Why do nothing when something can be done to be ahead of the game?

It is this type of thinking that drives these determined perfectionists into a wall of exhaustion. With a "no break" mentality it's only a matter of time before there's no energy left and the body demands to sleep, shutting down for longer than normal, backing up the schedule that was previously so meticulously organized. With this consequence in mind, the idea of free time may become less ghastly and more logical, especially when bringing into account precious productivity. The last thing overly productive people want to hear is that their lifestyle is in actuality less efficient.

Using this hook, this threat upon a seemingly perfect system, the door for free time begins to edge open. Thinking logically, the idea of taking systematic time off to recharge the batteries seems more and more beneficial. Setting aside scheduled time a few times a week, whether it be an hour of pleasure reading or forty five minutes of meditation, results in long term heightened efficiency with more energy and a lower likelihood of feeling negative emotions. Rather than going until a crash, ensuring that there are periods of rest in a normal work week create a healthier life style that will allow for  more opportunity to live successfully.

The problem with this, however, is implementing it into a way of living that has always neglected rest and free time. Looking at this issue personally, as someone who writes everything into a schedule and rarely agrees to take time off for reasons other than illness, there never seems to be any time to simply not do anything. Something always requires my attention, there is always something I could be doing to better my education or my chances for a successful future. However, after four years of running endlessly, crashing, and starting over, the need for a change, especially before college, is necessary. That being said, it has proved more than difficult to carry out this way of life after years of free time neglect.

As a result, I have resorted to putting these break periods as actual events in my complex and ever filling planner. As basic and trivial as it sounds, by putting the activity (or rather, lack thereof) in its own designated time slot two or three times a week, I find it much easier to let go of the itch to do something stereo-typically productive, and to take time off. By accepting that it is not only beneficial to have these periods of rest, but mandatory, I find it easier to give these moments their own appointment, something that I usually would not miss.

I hope to find that these "appointments" with myself eventually do evolve into something that doesn't need to be specifically written down, and that for other people who feel the compulsion to work until they drop, the idea of free time becomes less taboo. Until then, I will embrace the transition, and ensure that I begin getting the extra beneficial rest that I need to be the best I can be, even if it is by appointment only.

An Airing of Grievances from a Disgruntled Ohioan

Dearest Inconsistent Ohio Weather Patterns,

Your volatility is exasperating, and your February dreariness does nothing but depress. Your lack of action leaves those who silently yearn for the gift of accumulation endlessly downcast, a veil of melancholia that makes every day appear somehow gloomier than the one preceding. You offer nothing but a tunnel of disappointment that amplifies irritation, anxiety, and impatience as you choose a dalliance with abnormality over century long expectation.

In addition, while you fail to make up your mind about which season you want to express, us mortals are destined to suffer an endless cycle of sinus infections, weather specific migraines, and unnecessary emotional shift as the air pressure spikes from one extreme to the other: from 60 degrees and bright to a subzero windchill with nothing but unforgiving black sky to greet us in the mornings. The ability to achieve efficiency dwindles as the last of our energy is sapped away as your out of line antics result in monotonous stagnation

Not to mention, you bipolar, theatrical nuisance, the inability you posses to achieve anything worth merit, worth mention. Unprecedented spring like temperatures are painfully dull when all anybody under the age of eighteen wants is for several feet of snow to stir up the expected season specific excitement, with early morning phone calls of promise an extra day of recuperation. Despite what must surely be your best of efforts, the fact remains that you have proved significantly lackluster in your duties of providing the significant traits that differentiate spring from winter and autumn from summer. How can anyone not be unimpressed when the only thing you have to offer is rain that doesn't even freeze and clouds that produce no lasting snow?

And so, after a month of letdown and anticlimax, it has become mandatory to release this airing of grievances, to state firmly that in the four weeks or so that remains in what truly counts as the winter season, it may be in your best interest to fall in line with what is desired. Cold and snowy is preferred over cold and stuffy as you flicker dangerously between the line of unseasonable and seasonable conditions. For the sake of health and happiness, it is implored that you provide at least one instance of the anticipated temperatures complimented by precipitation of the frozen variety. The ability to continue working successfully for many of us is at stake.

Sincerely,
A Snow Day Deprived Local