Tag Archives: playhouse square

Apr23

Going Green OOTD Bloopers

Posted on April 23, 2025 by lifewithlilred

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Going Green OOTD! This green with envy number was created to go see Peter Pan at Playhouse Square with my sister and nieces. The show was take it or leave it but I had the best time with my best girls and I was so happy to see everyone had green in mind when they picked me up. My sister had on a gorgeous forest green sweater and my eldest niece wore her Tinkerbell costume. So cute! Take a look at the yikes shots from this OOTD shoot as well as an intermission story that still cracks me up:

Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down

Trying to take a nice picture and my hair said “hold my beer” lol

Looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Casting a spell on you to follow my TikTok @lilred6794 ! Did it work?

That face parents make on Christmas day when their kids open a gift they said no to

I’m ready for the big show…

If I make it there in one piece!

Story time!!!!

The intermission during Peter Pan couldn’t have come a moment too soon. My little niece was ready to get up and move and we were getting hungry. So, we made our way to the snack counter for soft pretzels and my traditional tiny bottle of champagne that I get every time I see a show at Playhouse Square. Everyone in the theater had this idea too so we got to the end of the line and stretched our legs as we waited patiently. While we chit chatted about the show, we noticed a crowd forming around people dressed as pirates and someone in a crocodile suit. I thought it was so fun that Playhouse Square had character actors come out and encouraged my sister to take the girls to see them while I held our place in line.

After a few minutes or so, my sister returned and said something that shook me to the core: This cosplay group was not hired by the theater but just came to the show dressed in full Peter Pan garb. All I could say was “Wait, what?” lol and I had to go investigate. So, my sister and the girls took up post in the concession line while I played detective. I approached this merry band of enthusiasts and they were so genuinely excited that I went up to them and wanted to know more. The crocodile suit person told me that not only do they have several pirates in their crew but a Peter and Wendy too. In fact, when they were led to their seats in the theater, the usher told them that they were going to be late for curtain call! Character actors they were not but, arguably one of the best parts of the theater experience, they sure were. 😀

I’m still very curious as to how the crocodile sat comfortably during the show but some mysteries are meant to stay that way. Their creativity and clearly excellent sense of humor made my day!

Have you cosplayed before? Do you have a favorite character you would love to dress up as? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr22

Going Green OOTD

Posted on April 22, 2025 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! I spent a wonderful afternoon a couple of weekends a go at Playhouse Square seeing Peter Pan with my sister and nieces. The show was so so but the company can’t be beat! As to be expected, the audience was donned in a sea of green and I just had to follow suit. It was Peter Pan, after all! Take a look and peep that freshly dyed hair too:

Who? What? Wear?

Shawl: This was a Christmas gift from my mom! ❤

Sweater: Shrinking Violet, TJMaxx

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Heeled Boots: Bamboo, TJMaxx

The earrings were bought forever ago from Target!

Green is one of my favorite colors but, surprisingly, my options for this look were very limited. I have a lot of spring and summer clothes in green but the weather on the day of the show was anything but warm! And, when I said my options were limited, I meant that there was literally only one thing that I could wear to brave the cold in: My green shawl with a faux fur collar. It really is the perfect shade of forest green, the faux fur added some drama for the theater, and hey – it made styling this outfit a breeze!

With no other weather appropriate green clothes to consider, all that was left to do was build the base and accessorize. The shawl is most definitely a statement piece so to keep that shining, I employed the All Black Everything approach. I put on a black sweater, a crispy new pair of black skinnies, and that was that. With such a minimal palette, it made the shawl even more striking and the collar seemed larger than life. I always love showing out at Playhouse Square and just one eye catching piece had me feeling like a star.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I wanted to add a bit of gold fairy dust and went for one of my favorite pairs of heeled boots by Bamboo. They flowed with the jeans perfectly and I can’t get enough of that shiny gold baroque pattern that provided the most delicious pop of color. As there was no open real estate for jewelry, I put on the prettiest pair of flower earrings that look like stained glass. The color palette mimicked my new hair so closely and gave an extra dose of sparkle and shine. With that, it was off to the show!

I had so much fun stepping out in my Going Green OOTD! It was perfect for a matinee of Peter Pan – not too showy as if it were an evening viewing but just right to show off some fashion flare!

What is your favorite color to wear? What is your favorite shade of green? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr18

Peter Pan At Playhouse Square Review

Posted on April 18, 2025 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy everyone!! I had an absolutely fabulous weekend and I hope all of you did too. On Friday, I got my hair done and chitchatted all evening long on FaceTime with my blogging bestie. Then, on Saturday, I went to see Peter Pan with my sister and two eldest nieces at Playhouse Square and a minor league baseball game in the evening with Johnny, our bestie Cliff, and my brother. It was a whirlwind of a few days and so much fun! You can peep my new hair as well as all of the minor league baseball hilarity soon but now it’s time for a review of Peter Pan. Let’s get to it:

If you are unfamiliar with the story of Peter Pan, it goes a little something like this: Peter Pan lives in a fantastical place called Neverland where there are adventures at every turn and no one ever grows up. Peter is the captain to a group called the Lost Boys and they love to hear stories. So, Peter shows up at the window of a home where the mother tells stories every night to Wendy, John, and Michael – the Darling residence.

While trying to hear how Cinderella ends, Mrs. Darling ends up catching Peter’s shadow and he and Tinkerbell must get it back. During his heist, he meets the Darling kids and to Neverland they go. Wendy will be the mother to the Lost Boys and they will play, explore, and never grow up. Of course, in a land of adventure comes danger and the dastardly Captain Hook and his band of pirates are ready to get Peter and the Lost Boys once and for all. Newfound friends, fairy magic, and the ingenuity of children will be the key to peace being restored in Neverland for all of the kids who refuse to grow up!

It is always so exciting to go to the beautiful Connor Palace at Playhouse Square for a show. Regardless of if the performance is a home run, there is sure to be plenty about it that I still enjoyed. This was very much the case for Peter Pan because it fell under my “good but not great” category. Let’s dish about what worked. First and foremost, Kruz Maldonado was nothing short of a delight as the titular character. His vocals were spot on and he played the part so well. I was charmed by his air of mischief and the cocky attitude of a kid who is the leader of his pack. And, when he wasn’t puffing his chest, he still showcased the sensitivity of a child when things aren’t going their way. Kruz was cheeky and pure fun to watch and this really helped keep the show moving forward, even when it was getting stale.

I can’t say that I was overly impressed with the rest of the cast but where they lacked was made up for in production value. The dance numbers were a blast – particularly the tap dancing during “I Won’t Grow Up”. I am a huge fan of anything tap dance and this number delivered with something I had never seen before: Tap dancing on tortoise shells! Perhaps the best scene of all, though, was right at the beginning. Peter Pan came out swinging in magical design. Between Peter dancing with his shadow and the sequence of learning how to fly and traveling to Neverland, I was simply dazzled. So much so, in fact, that it made the rest of the show fall short because how can you top something that incredible?

In terms of other key players in the show, they all felt a bit lackluster in comparison to Peter. Aubrie-Mei Rubel as Wendy was… a lot. Her voice was very shrill and loud in delivery and literally no other character matched that energy, making it feel disjointed every time she spoke. I also had a major problem with Cody Garcia as Captain Hook. When I picture a fearsome pirate, he looked the part but didn’t sound it. I wanted classic booming, sneering pirate who still managed to charm and I got a watered down version. Despite this being a show made primarily for an audience of children, Captain Hook is still the villain and I would have liked to see that tapped into.

As I mentioned, the opening scenes of Peter Pan were so strong and so engaging that everything after felt weak in comparison. It was actually funny to watch my nieces react to the show because I could definitely tell every time they were getting bored. They got fidgety, were in the mood for snacks, and having a chat and I can’t say that I disagree with them lol. A majority of the scenes felt drawn out because of the different “crews” in Neverland. Each bunch had five to seven or so members and each song highlighted them individually in some way shape or form. While this is nice for introductory purposes, it made the numbers feel never ending and almost like a roll call. And, although there were several songs I really did like, the formula didn’t change and there came a point when they all blended together to a point where I was ready to go home.

Is Peter Pan the best show to take your kids to if it comes to your neck of the woods? For as much as I loved my time with my girl squad, I would say this is one you could skip on because the chances are very high it won’t keep them engaged the whole way through!

Have you been to the theater recently? What did you see? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov13

SO Excited!!!

Posted on November 13, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! My favorite place in my neck of the woods has got to be Playhouse Square in Cleveland, hands down. I have seen countless amazing shows there with Johnny, friends, and family and have the fondest memories of each and every visit. Playhouse Square dates with Johnny are something I revel in and I consider our Valentine’s Day date of 2023 to be one of the best. That was when we saw Hadestown together and it skyrocketed into one of our all time favorite musicals.

Since seeing the show at Playhouse Square, we must have said over a million times that we would love to see Hadestown again. As fortune would have it, I received an email from EJ Thomas Hall in Akron for their spring lineup and Hadestown was on the bill. Does EJ Thomas hold a candle to Playhouse Square in terms of overall experience? IE: Venue, theater size, visibility of the stage. Absolutely not. But, I saw Jesus Christ Superstar there and it was a phenomenal effort for what it was. In fact, there were some parts of the show that I liked better than the Playhouse Square production of it that Johnny and I saw. (Also one of the best nights ever!!)

Although EJ Thomas isn’t my preferred venue, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for Johnny and I to enjoy Hadestown once more. I ordered us our tickets this weekend and scored awesome seats: Smack dab in the middle of the third row on the balcony. The best part? We will be seeing it the week after Valentine’s Day so it will be like a do over of our treasured V-Day date two years prior. This past week, I have been really trying to make space in my schedule for fun and purchasing these tickets was the perfect way to dip my toes in the water. We can’t wait!!

If Hadestown is playing in your area, RUN to go see it. You can thank me later when it becomes your favorite musical too. I am so lucky to be able to see this show twice for Valentine’s Day with my main squeeze!

What is your favorite musical? What is the best date you have ever been on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct24

A Night At The Theater OOTD Bloopers

Posted on October 24, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to the blooper reel from my Night At The Theater OOTD! Yesterday, you saw the look I created for an evening at Playhouse Square to see The Wiz. The show was absolutely wonderful, but the picture taking experience? Yeah… Not so much. Yesterday, I told you to stay tuned to find out why the amount of OOTD pictures was severely lacking and that is what we’re going to discuss today. Not until we look at these blurry yikes shots, of course! Let’s get to it:

Closing my eyes to block out the haters

This picture cracks me up because I literally blend into the wall and rug lol

I LOOK BLURRY!!! I MEAN… GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😉

My hands were clearly moving faster than the speed of light

This is such a “duhhh” face lol

Drawing everyone in with my seductive gaze

Normally when Johnny and I go to a Playhouse Square show, we make a whole event of it. We’ll go out to dinner, get a drink at our favorite bar in the area, then head to the main attraction. Having this time out before we’re even at the theater gives the perfect opportunity to take pictures away from a huge crowd. And, of course, it’s so much fun! Seeing The Wiz, however, was different because Johnny and I felt like taking it easy for the day and going straight to the show.

This was totally fine with me because we were both wiped out from a long work week. However, I had forgotten how difficult it is to take pictures at Playhouse Square! It basically sucks. We arrived at the theater with about forty-five minutes to spare to hit up the bathroom, take pictures, and get drinks. Had I planned better, we would have taken pictures at any old place beforehand. But, alas, I didn’t and it was a mad dash because everyone was arriving at the theater when we were.

Taking pictures at Playhouse Square is a delicate dance. You have to stake out a spot and pray that you have thirty or so seconds without anyone walking by. Much easier said than done! Not only is it hard to take the pictures to begin with, but they never turn out good anyways. The lighting outside of the Connor Palace is so low and yellowy and it isn’t what is needed for a quality shot. Not to mention that every single picture turns out blurry AF and I’m not sure why. I was lucky to get three pics that I was somewhat happy with!

Next time Johnny and I don’t have a pre-date before the actual date of seeing a show, I know better than to think we will be able to take pictures at the theater. This was a massive, epic failure for OOTD shots. A huge win for bloopers, though! 😀

Where is your favorite place to take pictures? How early do you arrive for an event you are attending? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct23

A Night At The Theater OOTD

Posted on October 23, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Last weekend, Johnny and I enjoyed a fantastic evening at Playhouse Square where we saw The Wiz. Like TJMaxx, Playhouse Square is my happy place. I love attending the excellent plays and musicals that are put on and, of course, I love the fashion. Getting dressed to the nines for A Night At The Theater brings me great joy and it is such fun to see other people’s interpretation of a night out look. This is mine:

^^^ Wondering why there are so few pictures? Find out during the blooper reel tomorrow!

Who? What? Wear?

Topper Jacket: Happily Grey, TJMaxx

Sweater Dress: Forever 21

Lace Cami Top: mittoshop, French Rooster

Snakeskin Pattern Boots: Marc Fisher, TJMaxx

Hoop Earrings: Argentino Vivo, TJMaxx

The necklace was my grandma’s ❤

A few days before attending The Wiz, I purchased my new Happily Grey topper jacket from TJMaxx and I knew that I wanted to wear it to the show. Playhouse Square is the fanciest place that Johnny and I go to and the topper jacket screams luxury to me, making it a perfect choice. The look that I styled for our date night is actually what I pictured in my head when I first tried the jacket on. I am pleased to report that it turned out exactly how I envisioned and I felt like the belle of the ball!

To start, I put on my burnt orange sweater dress from Forever 21. This dress is literally old as dirt, but I wasn’t concerned about it because I kept my jacket on all night. It was also a strategic decision to wear it. The color was just what I needed for the rich fall palette I was establishing and most importantly, it had length. While the jacket would have been fine over jeans and a top, I wanted something more than that. The sweater dress was high low, hitting at the bottom of my knees and down to my ankles and it gave the peek a boo pop I pictured underneath the jacket. (It is worth mentioning that for the sake of being warm, I did wear jeans under the dress. It was freaking freezing the night of the show! This dress was also quite low cut, but that is nothing a lace trimmed cami top can’t fix.)

Next, it was onto shoes and accessories and I had just the pair in mind. For shoes, I selected my gorgeous pair of cobalt blue snakeskin pattern heeled boots by Marc Fisher. I am so enamored with them! I love the more burnished hues of fall like the gold in the jacket and orange of the dress. However, I wanted to perk things up by adding in a jewel tone and these boots gave me that opportunity. Their length was also ideal because they hit right where the “high” portion of the sweater dress ended. This allowed for the jeans I had on to be fully covered and kept the outfit moving seamlessly from piece to piece.

Finally, it was time to wrap things up with accessories. Because a more delicate pair of earrings would have gotten lost amidst the faux fur jacket collar, I went bold with a huge pair of gold hoop earrings. These babies by Argentino Vivo are my favorite! I thought that the earrings would be enough, but the outfit felt like it was missing something. To fill the open real estate on my neck, I chose a beautiful necklace from my grandma of forest green. It tied the outfit together perfectly and added another color to my All Fall Everything palette.

I felt like a star in this OOTD and it’s always nice when an outfit I dreamed up turns out the way I wanted without making any tweaks. Johnny and I had a fabulous Night At The Theater and here’s to many more!

What is the fanciest place that you go to? Do you go to the theater often? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct18

The Wiz At Playhouse Square Review

Posted on October 18, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! This past Saturday, Johnny and I spent a rousing evening at Playhouse Square to see The Wiz. Nothing pleases me more than a night out at one of my favorite places with my favorite guy! I admit that I have never seen The Wizard of Oz in its entirety or have seen The Wiz. However, I knew the story line and a few songs from The Wiz and with a plot and music that fun, it was sure to be a great show. And, it was. The Wiz was a celebration of Black excellence from start to finish and I am so thankful for the opportunity to have seen it! Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

^^^ Lol, Johnny had way more fun than these pictures lead you to believe! 😀

We all know the basic plot of The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz stayed true to this. Dorothy gets swept away to the land of Oz after a tornado hits her Kansas home. To return back to the life she knew and her beloved Aunt Em, she must travel to the Emerald City to meet The Wiz. Along the way, she meets new friends that could also use some help from The Wiz. A scarecrow who needs a brain, a tinman who needs a heart, and a lion who needs some courage. The quartet makes their way to the Emerald City together, but must be wary of the Wicked Witch who wants to foil their plans. During their journey, the foursome learns that what they wanted can be found within themselves – they just need to know where to look!

The cast of The Wiz was absolutely divine and there was no weak link to be found. Nichelle Lewis was stunning as Dorothy and her voice was pure magic. Dorothy was spunky and brave and it was impossible to look away from her. And when she sang those high notes? Wow! It was such a joy to see Dorothy’s interactions with her newfound friends and they all worked together so beautifully. Avery Wilson as the Scarecrow, Phillip Johnson Richardson as the Tinman, and Kyle Ramar Freeman as the Lion were perfectly cast and their physicality as the characters were sublime. When the foursome was all together, it was like watching a movie come to life onstage and it was so neat to see the real deal happening before my eyes.

Of course, a shout out needs to be given to Melody A. Betts who played Aunt Em and Evillene. She was so lovely as sweet Aunt Em who took Dorothy in after her parents passed and a force to be reckoned with as Evillene. Her song as Evillene “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” was mine and Johnny’s favorite from the entire show. Deborah Cox as Glinda also gave a very strong performance and her glittering gowns were everything. She blew us away during her number “He’s The Wiz”.

The Wiz featured a very creative set with moving parts and huge projections set on a screen. Rather than a different set for each location, they used the images and lighting to bring the space to life. The woods had a projection of the woods, the poppy field was a projection of a field of poppies and… you get the point! I thought that this was such a good idea for the set of The Wiz because it’s a play about a journey. The location of the characters changed frequently and using images instead of full set changes helped keep the show moving along seamlessly.

Finally, let’s talk about some of my favorite songs! The soundtrack of The Wiz is rooted in soul, gospel, and R&B and it was jam packed with bangers. From upbeat to ballads, the hits just kept on coming with The Wiz. As I mentioned before, our favorite number was “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” which was a gorgeous tip of the cap to Aretha Franklin. “You Can’t Win” sung by the Scarecrow gave us all of the James Brown vibes and we loved the Tinman’s smooth rendition of “Slide Some Oil To Me”. Every actor brought their own special flavor to each song and paid homage to the greats. Don’t even get me started on the dance numbers which tied the show together perfectly. “The Emerald City” dance which began Act II was fabulous!

If The Wiz is coming to your neck of the woods, then I cannot recommend seeing it enough. It was a celebration, it was a joy, and it is not one that should be missed. You will love it!!

What is your favorite song from The Wiz? What is the last musical you have seen? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul10

Beauty & The Bell

Posted on July 10, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello! Mine and Johnny’s Moulin Rouge date night came as a surprise to us. We knew we were going, but we thought we were seeing it on the eighth instead of the first! I planned on making us reservations at my favorite restaurant, Pepper’s, but that plan got foiled with the mix up of dates. Lucky for us, I have another favorite eatery – Taco Bell, and that is where we went for our pre Moulin Rouge meal. Lol, check it out:

^^^ VERY NICE!!!!

Taco Bell is, was, and always will be everything I could ever want and more. We strolled into The Bell in our theater’s best, used the touch screen ordering device like seasoned pros, and naturally took pictures. You’re not going to not when you’re at the Taco Bell in fancy clothes! There was another perk to this particular TBell location, the fact that it is right next to a really awesome bar called the Funhouse.

After we got our food at the happiest place on Earth, we brought it over to the Funhouse to eat there and enjoy a libation. The combination of TBell and the boozy blue raspberry slushie was a match made in heaven! Not only does the Funhouse have great drinks for on the cheap, but it is literally the coolest bar I have ever been to. It is decorated with pictures of carnival side shows, coffins, and skulls everywhere. There is also a nice selection of arcade games. So, obvi it’s right up mine and Johnny’s alley!

Once we were done breaking bread or should I say burritos, we played ski ball which is both of our favorites. We started out pretty rusty because we haven’t played in almost two years. By the time our quarters were gone, we were scoring left and right and that was much more like it! Then, I dragged Johnny into the photo booth to get a commemorative photo strip of our night on the town:

Lol these pictures sum up our relationship beautifully and I love them so much! I truly can’t think of a better, more fun, more us beginning to our night at the theater than a trip to Taco Bell and the Funhouse. We had such an amazing date night and I can’t wait for more. BTW, we deff got Taco Bell again on the 4th of July lol!

What is your favorite bar in your neck of the woods? What about your favorite fast food eatery? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul9

A Night At The Theater OOTD

Posted on July 9, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred!! Yesterday, you read my review for mine and Johnny’s date night viewing of Moulin Rouge at Playhouse Square. Today, we will be checking out what I wore for our Night At The Theater. Half of the fun of going to a show is getting dressed up! It’s a blast to not only get dolled up yourself, but to see what other people are rocking for their theater’s best. I LOVED the look that I put together so let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Floral Dress: ModCloth, Coconinno

Fringe Shawl: TJMaxx, Laundry

Black Heels: Show Story

Gold Earrings: American Eagle Outfitters

When I am styling OOTDs for Playhouse Square, it is important to me to create looks that are glam and unique. As I mentioned, a lot of the fun for me comes from styling and I want fits that make me stand out in the crowd of theatergoers. This particular outfit was a little ditty that I came up with in my head and it turned out exactly how I pictured it. I love when that happens! 😀

Let’s start with the dress. It’s actually kind of funny, I got this dress by Coconinno from ModCloth when my brother got married in 2015. This is the first time I have worn it since then and I am pleased to report that it still fit like a charm lol. Why haven’t I worn it in almost a decade, you might ask? I don’t know, honestly! It’s beautiful, of course, but I just never felt like I had another occasion to wear it for. So, it sat sentinel in my closet for years.

This dress wasn’t my first option, but I realized that I had exhausted all of the pieces that I would normally wear for a Playhouse outing. The remainder of the clothes I had to pick from were too casual for both the setting and a show like Moulin Rouge that examines the finer things in life. This dress was an afterthought and now I don’t know why I didn’t wear it sooner! The fit was divine and the big, gorgeous blooms in a jewel toned palette made me feel like the star of the show.

As I styled this outfit in my head, I knew that the dress itself wasn’t going to be enough. It was too hot for a jacket and my faux fur shawls were a been there done that accessory. The solution? The adorably charming fringe shawl by Laundry! I am obsessed with this piece from the flowery lace to the hanging tassels. Once it was on, it almost looked like it could have been part of the dress and that is what I was hoping for. Something that looked built in rather than simply placed on top.

Next on the agenda was shoes and I chose the heels by Show Story that I wore for mine and Johnny’s wedding. With so much wedding attire in one look, I should have put my veil on too! A dress like the one I was wearing was begging for a killer pair of pumps, which is a style that I don’t own any pairs in other than my wedding heels. These were the obvious and only choice and the vertebrae heel added the edge that is a necessary part of all of my looks.

Finally, it was time to accessorize and all I did was wear a small gold dangly pair of earrings from American Eagle Outfitters. There were several reasons for this minimal approach. 1) Long earrings or a necklace would have taken away from the neckline that was established. 2) The bold dress pattern and the fringe shawl served as accessories in themselves. 3) A lot of my tattoos were visible and I prefer for them to do the talking. With all of that in mind, why would I need anything more than a little touch of bling?

I have styled countless looks for Playhouse Square shows and this one is definitely in my top three. I felt awesome in it and my vision came to life perfectly. Keep it posted for bloopers and pics from the rest of our Moulin Rouge extravaganza coming soon!

What is your favorite occasion to dress for? What is the oldest piece of clothing you have in your closet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul8

Moulin Rouge At Playhouse Square Review

Posted on July 8, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! This past weekend, Johnny and I had a wonderful date night seeing Moulin Rouge at Playhouse Square. We had an absolute blast and you can read more about the rest of our outing and peep a brand new OOTD later this week! Playhouse Square is my happy place and even though Moulin Rouge wasn’t my favorite, it was still phenomenal as per ushe with the shows put on there. Let’s get to the review:

Johnny and I went to Moulin Rouge knowing nothing about it. We have never seen the movie and the only songs that I was familiar with going in was Lady Marmalade and Because We Can. Long story short… The Moulin Rouge is a nightclub that is falling on desperate times. If a financial windfall doesn’t happen, it is sure to close. Luckily for the crew at the Moulin Rouge, a wealthy man called The Duke takes an interest in Satine, the “sparkling diamond” of the club. Satine knows what she needs to do to get The Duke’s money and as she awaits him in her boudoir, a mix up happens. *gasp*

Instead of The Duke coming into Satine’s room, Christian who is an aspiring songwriter and hoping to audition for Satine arrives first. It is instant love and a love triangle is born between Satine, The Duke, and Christian. The Duke agrees to fund a new play and as rehearsals are underway, Satine and Christian are sneaking around like teenagers. That’s not the only secret Satine is harboring, as she is in poor health. As opening night at the Moulin Rouge draws nearer, The Duke becomes more controlling, Christian and Satine’s love amplifies, and her condition continues to decline. Will the Moulin Rouge have to shut its doors? Will true love win? Go see the musical to find out! 😉

Before we discuss the good of the show, let’s get a few bugaboos out of the way. My main qualm actually had nothing to do with the performance itself, but the theater it was in. Moulin Rouge was showing at the Keybank State Theatre and the sound quality isn’t the best there. Johnny and I had great seats in the middle of the first row of the balcony and while we could hear the songs perfectly, all of the spoken lines were near impossible to hear. This was frustrating, to say the least, but unsurprising. Every show that I have seen at the Keybank is like that! *face palm*

My next gripe was both a good and a bad thing. More good than bad, it’s just a matter of preference for me. The songs in Moulin Rouge were all popular hits and each number would end in a mashup. You could basically turn on the radio and there is a 95% chance you would hear one of the songs from the show. I much prefer a musical with songs written specifically for it. But, on the other hand, it was fun to hear songs that you know instantly throughout the show. It was hard not to sing along!

Despite my personal preference for songs from musicals, the set list was full of bangers. Banger after banger lol. We’re talking Britney, we’re talking Beyonce, we’re talking Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Adele, Elton, and so much more. My favorite number was to Sia’s Chandelier when Christian goes on an absinthe bender. I also loved the tango set to Roxanne and the adorable love song mashup with songs that included I Will Always Love You, Heroes, and Pride (In the Name of Love) just to name a few.

And, finally, let’s discuss the wonderful performers who graced the stage. Courtney Reed as Satine was phenomenal. That girl could SANG and I was so impressed with her range and ability to capture the essence of each song perfectly. John Cardoza as Christian was a formidable leading man and I liked his sensitivity in contrast to Satine’s strength. Both Reed and Cardoza worked so well together and carried the show beautifully.

Another character that Johnny and I loved was Harold Zidler, the owner of Moulin Rouge, played by Austin Durant. He was hysterical and a really fun addition to every scene. While all of the performers held their own well, I wasn’t overly impressed with Denzel Tsopnang as The Duke. His character is not a good person. The Duke is controlling, menacing, and aggressive and I just didn’t feel that in his portrayal. He definitely fell flat in comparison to the rest of the cast, which was disappointing as it is such a major part.

Moulin Rouge was, overall, an awesome show. It wasn’t the best thing that I have seen, but I’m really happy that I got to see it. In fact, Johnny and I enjoyed it so much that we are going to watch the movie! If Moulin Rouge comes to your neck of the woods, I highly recommend getting tickets!

What is your favorite song from Moulin Rouge? Have you seen a musical recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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