Barnes & Noble Exclusive: The Phantom of the Opera at the Albert Hall on DVD and Blu-ray

Barnes & Noble exclusive release of the DVD includes bonus
souvenir program. (photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Much like how Walmart or Target distribute exclusive versions of compact discs and DVDs, Barnes & Noble has done the same. The exclusive versions sold by these retailers mainly include additional material that is not included in the versions sold elsewhere.

The latest Barnes & Noble exclusive is the DVD/Blu-ray release of "The Phantom of the Opera at the Albert Hall in Celebration of 25 Years". Unlike their exclusive CD releases of the 2008 'South Pacific' and 2009 'West Side Story' New Broadway Cast Recordings, the Phantom 25th DVD/Blu-ray discs themselves do not include any additional material and includes all the same material sold at other stores and online.

The B&N exclusive is a bonus 24-page mini-reproduction of the celebration's souvenir program. The program does not includes only highlight pages from the original program sold at the show.. But what makes this mini program a collectible is the credit for Wendy Ferguon who played Carlotta at the event. Due to an illness, the scheduled actress, Keira Duffy, could not perform. However Duffy's name and photo had already been included in the printing of the original full-sized programs.

Click HERE to purchase the DVD or HERE for the Blu-ray from barnesandnoble.com. Be sure the product description online says "Barnes & Noble Exclusive". The version I purchased at my local B&N store had no sticker or anything on the cover to indicate it as such. But the sales associate assured me the program was included and indeed it was once I opened the packaging.

Above and below: Pages from the souvenir program in the DVD package.
The program includes a credit for Wendy Ferguson (above center) which
was in the original program sold at the event.

COMMENTS ON EXCLUSIVE RELEASES
Now I have mixed feelings regarding these exclusives. First of all the exclusive versions are not widely publicized so you may have already purchased the item elsewhere not knowing there was an exclusive and being a collector you may have to pay for another copy to obtain the additional material.

Secondly these exclusives can get out of hand if you are looking for a definitive version. For example Sony Masterworks released three versions of the 2009 'West Side Story' New Broadway Cast Recording. There was the standard version sold in most stores that included 16 tracks. Then there was the iTunes release which included 18 tracks. The two additional songs was "A Boy LIke That/I Have a Love" sung in English (in the show the song is performed in Spanish) and "Jump" instrumental track.

However the Barnes & Noble release of the recording included 19 tracks. The three additional tracks were different from the bonus tracks on the iTunes release: "I Feel Pretty" sung in English (this song also performed in Spanish in the show) and two instrumental tracks of "Somewhere" and "Tonight".

Thirdly these exclusives are limited releases so once they're gone, they're gone. Luckily the iTunes version of this 'West Side Story' is still available but if you already own the CD, you would have to purchase the entire recording on iTunes. The bonus tracks are not available for individual sale.

If you do get these exclusives and know that they are such, you will probably feel you got something extra rare once the original stock is sold out.

I am happy I was aware of these and other exclusives sold at these stores as I was able to purchase them before they were no longer available. However I know I would be disappointed if I was a fan of these productions and lost out on getting one of the exclusives.

Loose Change Forgotten at TSA Checkpoints

(image credit: The Dallas Morning News)

According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), $409,085.56 in loose change was forgotten or intentionally left at airport checkpoints. As reported by the Gannett Washington Bureau, this is how it breaks down: $376,480.39 in dollar coins, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies, plus foreign currency worth $32,605.17.

Those who leave loose coins at the airport are likely rushing for a flight or foreign travelers returning home who may feel they no longer have any use for U.S. change. The Gannett report adds that it may be because coins are no longer appealing in an increasingly cashless society and it weighs down pockets and purses.

By airport here is where passengers left the most change in 2010:

• John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)   $46,918.06
• Los Angeles International   $19,110.83
• Hartsfield Atlanta International   $16,523.83
• San Francisco International   $15,908.02
• Miami International   $15,844.83

It's like those plastic bowls at security checkpoints have become TSA tip jars. But a TSA spokesperson indicated they should make every effort to reunite passengers with items left at checkpoints. Money that cannot be returned is used to finance the agency's operations. Republican Representative Jeff Miller of Florida is proposing the money go the United Service Organizations to help operate their welcome centers for U.S. military personnel around the world.

Internet Broadway Data Base (ibdb.com)

Similar to the way movies and actors are documented on imdb.com (Internet Movie Data Base), there is now a counterpart for Broadway productions. Called ibdb.com (Internet Broadway Data Base), this website is a treasure trove of the the plays, musicals and theatrical events that have played a Broadway theatre.

Most searches people will make will be by show title or people. The show title search will list every production (original and revivals) of a show that have played Broadway. For example, search for 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and the search results in nine productions of the classic play written by Tennessee Williams. Click on any one of the productions listed and find out the opening and closing dates, number of previews and performances, theatre and opening night credits. Additional links will list Tony and Drama Desk awards and nominations. For musicals, an extra link is included that will list the songs in the production.

Search by performer and find out which Broadway production the actor first appeared which may have been in the ensemble before landing their first starring role. Also find out the awards and nominations the performer received and, where available, their date of birth. A search for actress Kristin Chenoweth reveals she was born on July 24, 1968 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Before she starred in 'Wicked' as Glinda, she already had three Broadway productions under her belt including a Tony Award winning role as Sally in the revival of the musical 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.' Despite two additional starring roles, Chenoweth has not received a Tony Award nomination since 'Wicked'.

But the search I love best of all is by 'theatre'. Presently there are only 40 official Broadway houses, click the venue name under the 'theatre' tab and the results show every show that have played the theatre and various name changes throughout its history. For example, the Foxwoods Theatre which currently houses 'Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark' was first named the Ford Center for the Performing Arts in 1998 then the name changed to the Hilton Theatre in 2005 which remained until its current name in 2010.

Attending Broadway productions since 1995, this website has offered me the chance to remind myself of productions that I have long since forgotten seeing or to learn of productions I have missed or have become of interest.

Only the search by Broadway grosses lacks the detail that can be found elsewhere on the internet (such as on BroadwayWorld.com and Playbill.com).

The website is presented by the The Broadway League. Click HERE for the IBDB app for iPad and iPhones.

Airfare Comparison Tools Part 3: MileWise.com

This is the third and last part of a series of posts covering websites to comparison shop for airfares. The first post covered Kayak.com and the second post covered Superfly.com.

MILEWISE
Very similar to Superfly, MileWise.com allows users to find the best value for flights using cash, miles or points. MileWise tracks all your rewards in one place by telling you how much they're worth, warns you if they are about to expire and supports over 500 reward programs. Their search will figure out how many miles you will earn and factor in your elite level in your reward program.

MileWise is attractive like Kayak and Superfly in its ease of use. From the home page enter your departure and arrival cities, dates of travel, class of service and if you want to shop by exact dates or by flexible dates.

The search results page will sort the airfares by price. The choices will also include flights that can be redeemed with only points or miles. MileWise will translate the reward points/miles into dollars so you can compare if it is worth it to redeem them or pay for the ticket. MileWise also includes the miles/points/rewards you will earn if you belong to an airline rewards program. This is assuming at some point you will redeem the miles you earn.

Search results can be narrowed by ways to pay (cash, miles, points), airlines, cards (American Express, Starwood, Chase, Capital One, Citi), the number of stops and departure/arrival times. If you choose the 'flexible' option from the search page, MileWise will list results by day from which you can narrow search results. MileWise uses Orbitz for flight bookings.

MileWise does have one big shortcoming. It does not display flights for American Airlines nor show any rewards for the airline's Aadvantage frequent flier program. Like Superfly, Southwest Airlines flights do not show up in the search results either. Although I fly American, this website is useful to compare my other reward programs (credit cards American Express, Chase and Citi and Hawaiian Airlines Miles which I use for business travel)

MileWise launched last summer so it's possible further enhancements to their service will be forthcoming.

Airfare Comparison Tools Part 2: Superfly.com

This is the second part of a series of posts covering three websites to comparison shop for airfares. The previous post covered Kayak.com and the next post will cover MileWise.com.

SUPERFLY
Superfly.com unlike Kayak.com also allows you to manage your frequent flier miles, hotel, car and credit card rewards in one place. Similar to Kayak, I like that the search page for Superfly is clean to view and simple to use.

Step 1, select your status if you belong to a frequent flier reward program. Step 2, search for your flights by entering your departure and arrival cities, dates of travel, the number of persons traveling and class of service.

The search results page will list the available flights by 'Net Value' which Superfly indicates is the net of 'Price' less 'Rewards'.

Here is how Superfly defines each part of their formula.
Price - This is the amount you will be charged for the ticket with most taxes and fees included.

Rewards - This is the personal value of the rewards you will receive as a result of purchasing the ticket. Superfly multiplies the flight's distance by your personal base value of mile. They then add any bonus you may receive as a result of the class of your ticket, any multiplier you may have due to your elite status and any extra miles relevant due to airline minimum benchmarks per leg.

Net Value - This is the value specific to you. It combines the ticket's price and the value of your rewards. Superfly reminds you that the cheapest ticket doesn't necessarily offer the best value when you consider the miles earned or rewards you may or may not receive. This is the primary reason users like Superfly.

In other words, if you won't be earning any miles the cost the cost of the ticket is more to you in the long run. But this assumes that you will redeem the miles you earn at some point. Still puzzled about their math. They accept inquiries at math@superfly.com. Click HERE to view their frequently asked questions page.

Once you have chosen your flight, click the 'book' button and you will be directed to Expedia or the website for your airline of choice. So if you are part of American Airline's reward program and you choose an American flight, your browser will be directed to American's website. If you do not belong to an airline's reward program for which you choose to 'book' a flight, Superfly will direct you to Expedia.

Search results can be sorted by price or rewards. You can filter the search results by the number of stops, time of departure or arrival, cabin and preferred airlines. Click 'details' on the same page to find out the type of aircraft and duration of the flight.

If you register at Superfly, you will be able to manage all your rewards in one place, receive help to retrieve passwords for your reward accounts and show off your status on Facebook.

It should be noted that Superfly which launched in May 2010 and covers 65 reward programs does not include Southwest Airlines flights in their search results.

Airfare Comparison Tools Part 1: Kayak.com

Although my choice of air carrier is American Airlines, this does not mean I immediately purchase an airfare from the airline without still doing some price shopping. I still compare American's fare with other airlines and as long as American's fare is reasonably similar to other airlines, I feel secure about making the purchase knowing I have not overpaid for my ticket. If American's fare is much more expensive than other airlines, I will continue searching for other dates until the fare is similar. Depending how strict my travel dates are, my acceptable range between American's fares and other airlines does widen a bit.

Of course most people do flight comparison shopping as the primary way to find the lowest fare. Regardless if you are finding the best fare within a single airline or among several airlines there are three websites that you should be using. This post is about Kayak. Part two will cover Superfly and part three will cover MileWise.

KAYAK

Kayak.com does not sell airline tickets or hotel stays like Orbitz or Expedia. It is a price comparison tool. But besides comparing fares ranked from the lowest to highest between airlines, the website allows the user to also compare fares on Priceline, Expedia, Travelocity, Hotwire and ChaepOair. New browser windows open if you ask Kayak to includes these other websites in your search.

After entering your departure and arrival city and planned flying dates, your search will result in a list of airfares. Users can refine the search by nonstop flights, take-off or landing times, airports, cabin and airlines.

If you find a particular fare of interest, move your mouse over the select button and three buttons appear: details, pin and share. Click the 'details' button to list the flight numbers, type of jet, flight time and estimated number of seats remaining on the flight.

Should you find a great fare to share with others or planning a group trip, click the 'share' button and send emails (or use Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn) that will include the flight information. If you are doing multiple searches or scrolling through several pages of flights, use the 'pin' button to save the flight info at the top of the search results page so you can compare your selected fares side by side.

By clicking the 'select' button, Kayak will open a new window and direct you to the airline's website to purchase the ticket.

Persons using this website should be warned that airfares are constantly changing so do not be surprised if the actual airfare on the airline's website is not the same. Kayak does include a disclaimer that "we make every attempt to get accurate prices, however, prices are not guaranteed."

The upper left corner of the search results page will list additional tools to set price alerts, calculate the cost of including checked-bags and list airline fees and fare charts. The 'fare charts' track the history of fares for your particular search over the past 90 days.

If you see a 'Hacker Fare', this search looks for better round-trip deals by combining tickets issued by two different airlines for each direction of travel.

The website also helps to manage trip plans by allowing the user to store their searches, set alerts for price changes on specific flights or at certain hotels over a period of time as well as help to track reward points. A window prompts users to enter an email address to create a price alert for travel between certain dates.

Click HERE to get the Kayak mobile app for iPhone and iPad.

Spread The Word: New 'The Book of Mormon' Musical Shirt Designs

Show your support for God's Favorite Musical by wearing
God's Favorite T-shirt. The gold tee features 'The Book
of Mormon' logo on the back. (note: online exclusive)

Call them shirts, t-shirts or tees, the marketing masters behind the musical 'The Book of Mormon' is still on roll. A new set of shirts were introduced and most are available only online at the Book of Mormon Broadway Store. Only the "Turn It Off" shirt and previously available shirt designs are available at the Eugene O'Neill theatre on Broadway and online.

Again the designers have taken references from the musical and plastered it on the front of these shirts. For fans of the show, which is still selling out a year later and commanding a premium ticket price of $477, such a variety of souvenir shirts may be hard to resist. All shirts range in price from $30 to $35 (shipping additional).

Click HERE to see the previous post about the other shirts available for 'The Book of Mormon'. Click HERE to purchase these shirts and other souvenirs from the Book of Mormon Broadway Store.

Do you love Orlando? Then you and Elder Price have something
in common. Show your love for not only Orlando, but also 'The
Book of Mormon,' in the Planet Orlando Tee! The black tee features
a gold foil planet outline on the front and Book of Mormon logo
on the back. (note: online exclusive)

Feeling something you shouldn't? Turn it off! Wear this 'Book of
Mormon' Turn It Off Tee as a reminder that you can simply turn
off any feelings that you shouldn't be feeling. 

Become one with the land in Africa. Wear the tee to prove it.
(note: online exclusive).

Are you ready to man up? (note: this long sleeve
shirt is an online exclusive)

Do you believe? Show it with this tee with the
show logo on the back.
(note: online exclusive)

Three Actors, Three Posters, Three Marquees: Casting 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'

Daniel Radcliffe ended his run in the lead role of J. Pierrepont Finch earlier this month in the Broadway revival of 'How to Succed in Business Without Really Trying'. Though the show was short of a complete sell-out, Radliffe never missed a performance during his 10-month contract, helped to fill the theater to an average of 94% of capacity, and was instrumental in producers recouping their $9 million production cost by December 2011.

Radcliffe's replacement is Nick Jonas (of Jonas Brothers fame). Though he is contracted to star from January 24 to July 1, 2012, producers had the great idea in casting Darren Criss ("Glee") to fill the interim between Radcliffe's departure and the the arrival of Jonas.

With Criss starring only three weeks in the role and his fame cemented by his role of Blaine on the FOX television series and his cover of the Katy Perry song "Teenage Dream" from the show, the box office is currently on fire with grosses coming in at over $1.3 million each week.

With Jonas starring in the role for six months, predictions are that the box office will soften as audiences have a wider window to catch the actor/singer in the role. Other major changes in the cast includes Beau Bridges as J.B. Biggley (replacing Tony Award winner John Larroquette) and Michael Urie ("Ugly Betty") as Bud Frump (replacing Christopher J. Hanke).

Publicity for the show has remained similar with the three young actors gracing adverting, the marquee and playbill cover by wearing a similar grey suit. But it was rather cutesy that each actor would have a signature color bow tie: blue for Radcliffe, purple for Criss and green for Jonas. Souvenir ties in each color were sold at the show. Photos below of the 'How to Succeed' marquee from BroadwayWorld.com.

(images: BrodwayWorld)

Closing!!! 'Backbeat' Musical in London

Backbeat Marquee at the Duke of York's Theatre.
(image:British Beatles Fan Club)

Another musical adapted from a feature film fails. 'Backbeat' was an unusual choice. It may have had the Beatles as a subject matter but unfortunately the story takes place before they were famous and is actually about the bass guitarist who was not part of what were to become the fab four. Also the 1994 movie "Backbeat" is not a well known title compared to other recent film to stage adaptations. (It's U.S. box office gross was $2.4 million.)

"Backbeat" the film is a dramatization of the Hamburg, Germany phase of the Beatles in the search of luck while playing the seedy clubs of the city. The band at the time was made of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Pete Best, George Harrison and Stuart Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe falls in love with a German girl and he has to make a choice between a new life in Germany and rock and roll. The film spawned a Soundtrack CD and is available on DVD. (Sutcliffe died in April 1962 of a brain hemorrhage just before the Beatles made their first recordings that would launch their fame.)

The musical 'Backbeat' opened at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End on October 10, 2011 (previews from September 24) and will close on February 18, 2012. The production directed by David Leveaux starred Nick Blood as Sutcliffe, Andrew Knott as Lennon, Daniel Healy as McCartney, William Payne as Harrison and Oliver Bennett as Best. Ruta Gedmintas plays Astrid Kircherr, the name of the girl that Sutcliffe falls for. The musical had its world premiere in 2010 at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre. Producers hope to transfer the show to Canada in summer 2012.

From Sam Marlowe's Time Out review: "This is no tacky jukebox musical. Instead, it's a striking absorbing play with music, written by Ian Softley and Stephen Jeffreys and based on Softley's 1994 film of the same name. It does, of course, exploit the mythology of the Beatlres; but it does so imaginatively, with neither wide-eyed adulation nor slavish adherence to historical fact. The results are dark, thrilling and startlingly moving."

Nick Blood as Stuart Sutcliffe

Oliver Bennett as Pete Best

Daniel Healy as Paul McCartney

Andrew Knott as John Lennon

Will Payne as George Harrison

(all production photos: Nobby Clark)

The Air Up There: Germs on Airplanes

(image: msnbc)

Air travelers suffer higher rates of disease infection and one study indicates the increased risk for catching a cold as high as 20%, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.  One culprit to blame: the air that is recirculated thoughout the cabin.

Studies indicate that most jets today can capture 99.97% of bacterial and virus-carrying particles. It's when the air circulation is shut down which happens during long waits on the ground or when passengers are boarding or exiting is when infections can spread.

The report points out a study in 1979 that when a plane sat three hours with the engines off and no air circulating, 72% of 54 people on board go sick within two days. It was traced to one passenger who had the flu virus. In 2003 the Federal Aviation Administration issued an advisory that passengers should be removed from planes within 30 minutes if there's no air circulation but compliance is not required.

One thing passengers should be aware of are the "hot zones": beware of sick passengers who are two seats beside, in front of and behind you. But passengers should note that other factors come into play. The environment at 30,000 feet is extremely dry and because viruses tend to thrive in low-humidity conditions they can spread easier. The mucous membranes of people are not as effective in blocking infection when they are dry. In addition the body can tire at higher altitudes making passengers more susceptible to catching colds.

Germs can live for hours on airplane cabin surfaces. Everything from tray tables, seat-back pockets, pillows, blankets, latches, overhead bins and the lavatory can be contaminated.

The report suggests passengers take these precautions to keep germs at bay:

Hydrate - Drink water and keep nasal passengers moist with a saline spray.

Clean Your Hands - Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently. Passengers often infect themselves by touching their mouth, nose or eyes.

Disinfecting Wipes - Use them to clean off tray tables before using.

Seat-Back Pockets - Avoid them. They get stuffed with used tissues, soiled napkins and trash.

Open Your Air Vent - Aim it so that air passes just in front of your face so the filtered air can direct airborne contagions away from you.

Change Seats - If you are seated near a cougher, sneezer or someone who looks like they may have a fever, changing seats may not be possible on full flights but it is worth a try. One sneeze can produce up to 30,000 droplets that be propelled as far as six feet.

Air Circulation - Notify the flight crew if the air is shut off for an extended period.

Pillows and Blankets - Avoid them.

Click HERE to view the complete article on wsj.com. The graphic below can also be viewed in the article or click on the graphic for a larger view.

30-Story Hotel Built In 15 Days

I'm not sure about you but I'd have second thoughts about staying at a hotel that was constructed in 15 days. But apparently if you need something done and need it done fast, you have to applaud the Chinese.

Boasting over 170,000 square feet of space, the hotel located in Dongting Lake in Hunan Provice is reported to be able to withstand a 9.0 earthquake. According to the International Business Times, the quick turnaround time was helped by using prefabricated modules that were put together in a factory and then placed on steel structures at the construction site.

Broad Group is the company building this project and was also responsible for the construction of the 15-story Ark Hotel in Changsha, China in six days.

And There Was One, Broadway Long Runs in Las Vegas: 'Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular' To Close at the Venetian in September

Advertising at the Venetian/Palazzo for 'Phantom' and 'Jersey Boys'
(image: DurangoBeach/flickr)

When 'Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular' closes in Sin City on September 2, only one Broadway musical ('Jersey Boys') will remain playing in one of the major hotel resorts on the Vegas strip. It's unlikely any new New York musical will set up shop in this gambling mecca anytime soon. The dream of a "Broadway West" in this desert city has evaporated.

The stage musicals presented on the strip since 1993:
'Starlight Express' (Las Vegas Hilton, September 1993-November 1997)
'Chicago' (Mandalay Bay, March 1999-February 2000)
'Mamma Mia!' (Mandalay Bay, February 2003-January 2009)
'Avenue Q' (Wynn, September 2005-May 2006)
'Hairspray' (Luxor, February 2006-June 2006)
'Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular' (Venetian, June 2006-September 2012)
'The Producers' (Paris Las Vegas, February 2007-February 2008)
'Spamalot' (Wynn, March 2007-July 2008)
'Jersey Boys' (Palazzo, May 2008-January 2012; Paris Las Vegas, March 2012-open ended)
'The Lion King' (Mandalay Bay, May 2009-December 2011)

'The Producers' at the Paris Las Vegas.
(image: snakecharmed/flickr)

These productions were designed to play long-term sit-down runs in Las Vegas. Other productions such as 'Footloose' at the Rio or 'Smokey Joe's Cafe' at Caesar's Palace had definitive limited runs while other played on the strip as stops for a national tour. Some off-Broadway productions ('Blue Man Group') have made it to Vegas and these titles are not included on the above list. Although 'Chicago' was announced as a limited run at Mandalay Bay, the belief is if the musical proved successful its run would have been extended.

With most of these shows logging disappointing unprofitable short runs, it's likely that only 'Mamma Mia!', 'Phantom' and 'Jersey Boys' returned their investments with smaller profits made by 'Starlight Express' and 'Chicago'.

'Mamma Mia' banners at Mandalay Bay.
(image: hayncandi808/flickr)

Some critics called the selection of Broadway-type shows for Vegas a dud of a fad while others blame the current financial climate as well as the expensive economics to produce and run each show all the while maintaing the quality of a New York production.

There are some other extraneous reasons that caused the shuttering of some of these productions. The Las Vegas Hilton changed ownership in 1997 and the current owners chose to close 'Starlight Express' despite a planned five-year run. It is largely rumored that the 'The Lion King' was shuttered as Mandalay Bay wanted to accommodate a new Cirque du Soleil production based on the songs of Michael Jackson and the closing would allow for renovation of Mandalay's theater.

It was a great experiment, if one would accept that it was such, to compete against the Cirque Du Soleil productions that multiply every few years. Even Cirque found a dud by their standards with 'Viva Elvis' at the Aria Hotel which opened February 2010 and will close August 2012.

The steps of Manadalay Bay welcomes guests to 'The Lion King'.
(image: dshalock/flickr)

In an attempt to generate interest in 'Avenue Q' at the Wynn, a Vegas
taxi decked out in fuzzy orange.
(image: drewinchicago/flickr)

For myself seeing these productions were my main purpose for returning to Vegas every three or four years since 1993. With the announcement this month of the 'Phantom' closing, it's likely I will require another trip before September.

Of course the closings and lack of new Broadway productions on the strip may be symptomatic of the opening of The Smith Center for the performing arts. Where Vegas largely lacked a traditional theater venue outside of casinos for touring Broadway productions, visitors and residents will now have a chance to enjoy these shows outside of a gambling environment. The $470 million Smith Center is located west of the Fremont Experience. Best of all the venue presents the perfect place for the strict limited run of one or two weeks that is normal for touring musicals.

On the calendar for the Smith Center's Broadway Las Vegas Series:
'The Color Purple' April 3-8, 2012
'Mary Poppins' May 22-27, 2012
'Million Dollar Quartet' June 12-17, 2012
'Memphis' July 18-22, 2012
'La Cage Aux Folles' August 14-19, 2012
'Wicked' August 29-October 7, 2012
'The Addams Family' November 20-25, 2012
'Anything Goes' February 5-10, 2013
'West Side Story' February 26-March 3, 2013
'Shrek the Musical' March 19-24, 2013
'Disney's Beauty & the Beast' April 16-21, 2013
'Billy Elliot the Musical' May 14-19, 2013
'American Idiot' June 11-16, 2013
'Catch Me If You Can' June 18-23, 2013

Click HERE for tickets and more info about these productions at the Smith Center.

The Smith Center
(image: tossmeanote/flickr)

'Hairspray' had folded four months after opening at the Luxor.
(image: grubby)

Some of the theaters in Vegas were renamed for the production it was
hosting. Here is the Grail Theater named for the object of obsession in
'Monty Python's Spamalot'.
(image: n-sai/flickr)

Las Vegas Hilton tokens advertise 'Starlight Express'.
(image: silverstrikers.com)

Airplane Manners: High Road or Load Road

(image: terminalu.com)

This info is from a 2008 Newsday article but I find it's still relevant today. The author presents different scenarios in regards to applying airplane manners (or lack thereof). Have you taken the high road or low road?

IN THE WAITING AREA
Low Road: Cluster around the gate. Put your briefcase on the chair next to you so nobody can sit there. Talk loudly on your Bluetooth and gesture wildly.

High Road: Make sure other travelers know that the seat next to you is available. If someone elderly or pregnant walks up, offer your seat. You might also find a nearby gate that's empty and sit there (while keeping track of time).

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
Low Road: Argue with them. Be demanding. They don't have anything to do but focus on your needs, right?

High Road: Develop empathy. Smile as you board. Say hello to them by name. Have eye contact, thank them when they serve you a beverage.

OVERHEAD BINS
Low Road: Put your carry-on bag in the first available bin toward the front, so you can jump up, grab it and exit quickly.

High Road: Put your carry-on above your own seat or, better, under your seat.

CRAMPED LEGROOM
Low Road: Aim your vent at the head of the person who is leaning into your lap.

High Road: Before you lean back, look behind you and ask eye-to-eye, "It is OK if I lean back just a little?"

TRAVELERS WITH KIDS
Low Road: Avoid eye contact with a harried parent assigned to a different row than his or her minor child. Is it your fault these leisure-travel losers were forced to take middle seats in separate rows?

High Road: Get over yourself! Be a mensch for three hours and give up your choice aisle or window seat. You'll be richly rewarded in heaven and, if not, you'll be richly rewarded by not having to sit next to the kid.

WINDOW ZEALOTS
Low Road: Drink lots of water (it's good for you when you're flying) and get out of your seat at least three times to use the bathroom.

High Road: Know that you drink a lot of water when flying and reserve an aisle seat.

AISLE ZEALOTS
Low Road: Create a trap for people seated in the middle and window seats. Bring on steaming coffee and footlong sub with chips. Spread out the food, paperwork and laptop on tray table, extend leg into aisle.

High Road: Adapt gracefully to your temporary environment. Discard food trash quickly. Work if you must, but don't forget to acknowledge your neighbors with a smile or small talk so they'll feel more comfortable asking to get past you to the restroom.

FOOD
Low Road: Pick up something in the airport food court that is really stinky. Spicy Italian is good, or onion rings, or maybe something with blue cheese.

High Road: Eat before the flight or pack healthful, smell-free snacks. Consider sharing with your famished seatmates.