The Raúl E. Esparza "Spread the Love" Thread, Part Four- Page 120
The Raúl E. Esparza "Spread the Love" Thread, Part Four
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2975
Posted: 10/14/10 at 9:57am
From a review in the LA Weekly, definitely one of the....odder descriptions of a performance I've ever read.
"The play is set in the tiny, drought-plagued Kansas town where Jonas (Raul Esparza, in a spry and accomplished performance) and his gospel entourage have pitched their tent."
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2976
Posted: 10/14/10 at 10:38amoops
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2977
Posted: 10/14/10 at 11:22amIt comes across as thesaurus-ized but past that I don't see what's weird about the word choices. They're unnatural, but it's not like the writer called him bland and lame, or wrote a page about how s/he'd like to, slurp, lick him.
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2978
Posted: 10/14/10 at 11:53am
Technically, "spry" is an accurate description, but in our culture I think there's a tendency to associate it with the elderly.
I read that line and all I could think of was Raul jumping around the stage with a cane and an ear trumpet!
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2979
Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:00pmHmm. I don't. It makes me think of a bouncy plant or something.
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2980
Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:10pm
Hmmm. OK, that may be a generational thing. "Spry" and "sprightly" are two words I've always associated with the elderly.
But now you've got me visualizing Raul with, like, fern fronds, bouncing around the stage.
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2981
Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:13pmSprightly makes me think of leprechauns and baby animals.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2982
Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:23pmHave to agree with humbugfoto on "spry." It's the first time I have seen the adjective associated with a 39-year-old.
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2983
Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:30pm
So I guess it's just us kidz and our new-fangled English, yo. 
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2984
Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:37pm
Yep, us doddering old fogies just don't get you young whippersnappers. Can you dig it? Groovy!
Hey! Who took my cane and ear trumpet??
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2985
Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:57pmSpry Raul did.
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2986
Posted: 10/14/10 at 1:27pm
I've seen spry used to describe (young) dancers before. Then again, Raul is turning 40 in a week and a half, so the elderly comparisons might not be off base.
Sprightly sounds like fairies and wood nymphs.
BTW, is Raul coming out the stagedoor yet? My sister is going to be out there soon and had so much fun seeing him the last time, she wants to say hi again.
Wanting life but never knowing how
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2987
Posted: 10/15/10 at 12:04amAww. I hope she gets to.
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2988
Posted: 10/15/10 at 1:29am
Hopefully they won't be ankle deep in snow slush this time. 
Wanting life but never knowing how
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2989
Posted: 10/17/10 at 11:26amOh, I thought the funny part of the description you were talking about was the reference to "pitching their tent." Okay, apparently I'm 12 years old.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/04
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2990
Posted: 10/17/10 at 5:46pm
"Then again, Raul is turning 40 in a week and a half, so the elderly comparisons might not be off base. "
40 is elderly?
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2991
Posted: 10/17/10 at 6:44pm
Yes, 40 is so old and decrepit that people might as well just give up and wait to die.
It was sarcasm, ghostlight.
Wanting life but never knowing how
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/04
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2992
Posted: 10/17/10 at 7:38pmAnd mine was a joke, 'skittles.
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2993
Posted: 10/19/10 at 10:41pm
Very nice article in the LA Times.
To say that Esparza has conversational, much less theatrical, range is like calling the Everglades a bog. During the decade since he made his New York debut — on Broadway, no less — the four-time Tony nominee has played a struggling New York playwright, an incestuous evil sidekick, an androgynous Weimar-era showman and, in the current production of "Leap of Faith," a rock-star evangelist huckster. He has done serious drama and pop musicals, Pinter, Sondheim and "The Rocky Horror Show."
Raúl Esparza's hopes for 'Faith'
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2994
Posted: 10/27/10 at 5:23pm
http://new.lincolncenter.org/live/index.php/as-2011-raul-esparza
!!!!!!!!
I have no words.
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2995
Posted: 10/27/10 at 5:36pmAlready have my tickets. I can't believe this is finally happening.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2996
Posted: 10/27/10 at 9:20pmI haven't been to this venue before. Is it as cool as it seems?
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2997
Posted: 10/27/10 at 10:27pmMe either, but it looks absolutely stunning.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2998
Posted: 10/27/10 at 11:35pmMy ticket says something about a tall chair. As in, don't drink because you might fall off this tall chair??
The Raul E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#2999
Posted: 10/28/10 at 12:10amIt just means they're higher than regular chairs, probably to simulate an incline. So your feet won't touch the ground like they would in a normal theater seat -- think fancy bar stool.
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