Hello...as you may know by the title of this post, I'll be blogging about my trip to LA to see Romeo & Juliet: Love Is A Battlefield! Romeo & Juliet: Love Is A Battlefield, is the tale of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet but music set to Pat Benatar and as well a little love from Tina Turner. You may be wondering how did a South Jersey girl end up on a trip of a lifetime to Los Angeles? Well, let me explain how this trip came about. On May 30, 2015, the Goddess of God (who is always on fleek) Mr. Bradley Bredeweg (@BradleyBredeweg) held a contest on his twitter page (which you should totally follow him, and help Taylor (@Elphaba_Anne) get another skype session with this Goddes.) The contest was to make an edit that promo the show: Romeo & Juliet: Love Is A Battlefield. Whoever had the most retweets would win 2 VIP tickets to see this magnificent show at Rockwell: Table & Stage in LA. Now, of course I had to try and put myself in this contest (you'll be insane and dumb if you didn't). I quickly made a collage of the cast and then DMed everyone on my page to retweet my tweet. ( This was a do or die situation for me.) That evening, around 3:45est, was when I was lifted up to the heavens. I was watching something on my netflix on my laptop, when my phone buzzed. I reached over my night stand and grabbed my phone, and saw that Bradley tweeted me saying I won. At this moment, nothing existed but that tweet. I honestly, spazzed, screamed, cried and legit dropped my laptop on the floor. (I didn't care about my laptop...it could've broke and I wouldn't care) I couldn't believe that I won the GOLDEN TICKET!! The ticket of LIFE, LOVE AND WORLD! The date of the show for me to go and see was set! I was going to go and see this show on JULY 11th!
Now, I was freaking out and couldn't contain my excitement to go and see this show. Now you realize I found out that I won the tickets at the end of May, and so I had a month and two weeks till the glorious, heavenly day came. I was that little kid in a candy shop that couldn't contain his excitement. The month and two weeks, felt like a decade, rather then just a month and two weeks. But I made it alive, no one killed me because of my excitement. The week leading to the day I was leaving for LA was finally here!!! Now, mind you I am from South Jersey, and didn't know what LA life was like. I thought LA was like NYC, and so my plan with my friend who was coming along with me, was to take taxis and buses to get to place to place. Well, sadly I found out that getting taxis and buses wasn't a great idea and that my friend and I basically weren't going to get anywhere in LA. BUT don't be sad for us, our savior, our angel Holly, who lives in LA saved us for our embarrassment SAVED US! Holly and I met on Twitter after she saw that I was going to see the show, so we ended up calling each other and that's when she was so so so kindly told me that she was going to take us around LA. Now, it was time to get on the plane and head out to LA. Most people don't know but THIS was my first time on a plane by myself. I'm not going to lie but I was shaking like a chihuahua (you know it's true, chihuahua shakes are awful to see because it's almost as if they are dying). After our connecting flight landed in Texas, I turned my phone back on and get the notification that Nicci Claspell followed me on twitter. So, I had a jumping and screaming moment in the airport of Texas. (I am sorry Texas's airport for screaming and jumping and making one of the guard's come and see if I was okay and not getting attack.) After that moment in that airport, I got on the airplane again and this time it'll land in the LAND OF DREAMS! I landed in LA, after a two and a half hours on the plane. My friend and I decided to just go to our hotel room and stay there for the night since it was already like 6 or 7 for the pacific time.
Day 1 in LA. Holly came to our hotel and picked us up to get our first day started in this land of dreams and happiness. We went to The Fosters house, yes it's an actually house and someone owns this house. All I could do when I saw the house was say these words: "oh my god, wow, ahhhhhh". We of course acted like tourist and of course took pictures outside the house. Then we headed to Anchor Beach Charter School. My friend ended up climbing on a tree and so we created the name kola for her. Can I say, where they shoot Anchor Beach on the show, is actually breathless. The view is magnificent, you get the view of the ocean and mountains. After our moment at the school, we went to see the place where Callie works. It's Not A Burger, IT'S ACTUALLY A REAL PLACE TO EAT!!! Of course, we had out lunch there because duh, why wouldn't you?! After lunch we went horse back riding. I loved it. The views you got while riding a horse in this path was just breath taking. After horse back riding, we decide to walk the Hollywood Boulevard and look around there. We saw where celebrities had their hand and feet printed in the ground. I found out that my small hand fitted a celebrity that for some reason went completely insane and crazy, where my friend and Holly's fit Marilyn Monroe's. Sad moment for me. After that it was time for my friend and I to meet Jillian Leff. Holly dropped us off at this tea and coffee place. My friend and I crossed the street and as I was crossing, I spotted Jillian walking. I of course screamed and my friend looked at me and couldn't understand why, but when we crossed and got on the side walk, I said hi shyly to Jillian and I smiled so bright the whole time we got to hangout with her. I love Jillian so much, like I've been following her twitter page since The Fosters Afterbuzz TV show. She's amazing and gorgeous and I call her my Fleek Princess because she is always on point! After meeting Jillian we went to the venue for the show!!!!
We got to the venue and right away my heart starts beating as if it was going to pop out and run away from me on how excited I was seeing this show. We head inside and my friend and I got seated in what I thought was the best seat in the house because it was right in the middle, and next to where "BRAVE" is performed. As my friend and I order our food and drinks, Holly introduce us to her friend and Carter Shults. My friend and I's drinks arrive, and let me say our waiter was HOT! (Like on fire hot). While my friend and I were jamming to the music that was playing, I spotted Jameson Moss over where the musicians were and my eyes widen and I just pointed at him. I was speechless and my friend slapped my hand and said it wasn't nice to point at people. But my heart was racing, I was actually sitting in a room that will be filled with stars! As I slowly calmed down, I then spotted Jordan Kai Burnett by the stage talking to someone, and she spotted me and blew me a kiss. I squealed and got all jumpy that she spotted me. (Of course I did tweet that moment). My friend and I were now just alone and singing out loud to each other waiting for the show to start, when all the sudden Daniel (I believe that's his name, who does the little talk before the show starts) asked me if I wanted to meet the cast before the show started and all I could do was nod and smiling so brightly. My friend and I got up and followed him to this door that had stairs and I squealed and spazzed and my legs legit felt like jello the way I was shaking from my excitement. Up the stairs was the cast and they were chanting my name and I just couldn't handle it. My friend was walking up the stairs behind me, making sure that I got up the stairs safely since she knew that when I am overly excited I forget how to talk or walk. We finally got to the top of the stairs (which those stairs for me felt like they were never ending). Everyone said hi and hugged me and my friend and all I could do was smile and shake. We got to join there circle of prayer and energy send off before the show. After the circle, everyone started saying hi and enjoy the show and hugging. Then Jordan came up to me and presented me with one of the world's most special gift I could ever think of getting and was honored in getting it. I got the dog tag of RJ: Love Is A Battlefield!!! (If you don't know or didn't pay attention when watching the show live, all the Montague's wore a dog tag.) After I got that and hugged her and said thank you, it was time for us to head down to our seats, so that they can get to there places and start the show.
This show was just jaw dropping, amazing,beautiful, gave me chills, made me cry, and just every single great word you can say! The score in this amazing show was just outstanding and perfectly put together! Putting Pat Benatar and Tina Turner music into this known tale, really helped highlight and bring the text of Shakespeare to life. Corbin and Nicci truly portrayed Romeo and Juliet in an unbelievable way that convey lightness, innocence but at the same time also heat and chemistry throughout this entire show! Can I personally say that there is no one else better then Jameson Moss to be Friar?!?! Like forreal this guy brought tears down my face, and he started and ended the show wonderfully! Paris was played by Jordan Rodrigues the first night and the second night it was Andrew Priozzi, both did a fantastic job portraying the badass Paris, and let me say I did feel bad for him when he proposed to Juliet and Juliet said no, but then again didn't completely feel bad, just slightly because well it's Paris(who by the way should've realize he wasn't going to get Juliet for not treating her right.). All I can say for Tybalt is BRAVO Jeffery Todd! Like, this guy made my friend and I laugh and had our eyes locked on his character every time he was onstage! Now, I have to say, I love everyone in this show with every piece of me but Joey Bybee (Mercutio) and Jordan Kai Burnett (Benvolia) were the partners of all partners in crime! They made me laugh, smile and I just loved these two friendship! Tears did shed when Mercutio died and the tears slowly grew into a sobbing mess when Jordan was singing her solo in the beginning of Act 2. Side note: during intermission, my friend and I went to go to the bathroom, when I fell on my face over one of the small stages. Everyone checked on me and I was okay but I will say, the show was so magnificent that I just ended up getting a battle scar on the battlefield! Now back to about the show, so Anne Letscher took the role of Nurse for this weekend, since Nicci was Juliet ( Ashley was out of town for this weekend show. I know sad face) and she was amazing as Nurse! She belted "What's Love Got To Do With It" with such a great amount of heart and emotion! Ahhhh, yes I have to get to Father Capulet and Mother Montague. Peter Vogt was one of the best Father Capulet ever, he had such a strong, rich bartione that truly served the songs he sang well! Kyra Selman who was Mother Montague, oh my oh my loved every single second of Mother Montague. I loved it when she sang "Let's Stay Together"!
After the show, I got to take pictures and meet everyone in the cast again and talk to them but mostly it was me getting lost in heavenly goodness of the whole entire cast. This cast is truly so close and such a family that I can honestly say when you read their tweets or instagram post and they have the #battlefam it's SO TRUE! They are a family, they truly supported Nicci being Juliet for the first time ever! I have never ever out of all my times in high school theatre and college never ever ever seen a cast like this. I was shaking once again because I was in a room full of these talented people! I kept saying "I can't believe this, all of this is happening and real". Then something amazing, wonderful, better then Brallie, better then churro ice cream sandwich! Nicci sang to me face to face (AHHHHHHHHH! Can you tell I am still screaming and still can't believe it happened?!?) of "What's Love Got To Do With It". Yup, ladies and gentlemen you read that right. I spend some more time talking to the cast, until it was time to go back to the hotel and sleep.
Day 2 in LA. In the morning, my friend and I got dropped off at Venice Beach to see Freak Show (a show my friend likes) and spend a little time on the beach before the big afternoon and evening of spazzing out, fangirling till I die continue. We spent for a couple of hours at Venice and then we decided to check out Beverly Hills before going to All American Girl. My friend or as I should say the kola ended up climbing on a tree once again and then we drove around and pass Simon Cowell's house. After that we headed to called Launge Theatre, where All American Girl was at. At the theatre I met one of Holly's friend Leeza Gibbons. We all head into the theatre and got our seats all the way at the top on the right side. While sitting there, I started freaking out because I look around the crowd and spotted Sherri Saum (Lena Adams Foster) a couple of rows below us and slightly to the left. Of course naturally I took a picture of it and said " I spy Sherri Suam". Then I spotted Sharon Lawrence in a couple seats to the left of us and ahhhhhhhh! I was in a room with Sherri Saum, Sharon Lawrence, Leeza Gibbso and soon Annika Marks when she comes on the stage.
All American Girl is such a breath taking show. It's such a powerful show to see, I strongly say to go and see this show because it's truly one of those shows that you just have to see and get taking away. I mean this show is absolutely relevant. Annika is stunning in this show, she embodies every single human emotion from love to wonderment to humiliation to fear. It's a show that till this day, I can't stop thinking about how amazing and magnificent it is. Annika portrayed characters from little to older and truly she was a star in this solo show! She should get a Tony for this! After the show was done, we went out to the lobby to wait and see her. In the lobby is when I met Sherri Saum in person and man I was shaking like a chihuahua again and couldn't form words but once I could form words, we talked about her bebes' and life and of course The Fosters. I did also say hi to her from those of you who asked me too. Then I met Sharon Lawrence and this woman is such an honor to meet because I remember her from Grey's and Rizzoli and Isles and as well one of the recent is "Grace" movie! She's absolutely stunning! Then the unbelievable thing happened, Annika came out and she spotted me first and smiled at me and came over to see me. (Still freaking out about this). I got to meet her boyfriend and also talk to her about the movie "Grace" and life. We also talked about little Gracie(puppy) and how she got her name. After that we went to the Grove to kill the hour that we had till it was time to go back to the battlefield.
On our way to head to the venue for Romeo & Juliet: Love Is A Battlefield, Holly says "you do realize you are like 5 minute away from seeing Bradley." When I herd that all my feelings and excitement hit me like everyone that ships Brallie when they kissed! Like I was legit going to be in the same room with the cast as it is but add in Bradley and his parents.....yeah I legit started shaking more then ever and my mind just went blank. But we got to the venue and right when we walk in, who do I see already?!?! The Goddess of God, Mr. Bradley Bredwege!!! He came up to me and all I could do was hug him. When we finally pulled apart, he introduce me to Katie and Vinny!!!!! (Moment of spazzing please). Bradley then asked if I wanted to meet his parents. Of course I said yes (You don't say no to Bradley because that's like saying no to the Pope or President of the U.S). His parents are like so so sweet and nice and oh my god they are just the best of the best! Mama B and Papa B are absolutely the world's most supportive, sweetest, kind hearted parents ever! While I was talking to them, you could see how much pride, joy and happiness they had for Bradley and all his work, as well for Tyler and Alex. The show soon started and my friend noticed that Bradley, Katie and Vinny were sitting right next to us! (Pshhh, not big deal. MY INNER SELF WAS FREAKING OUT!) Now the show started and can I just say even though I did see it the night before, this show captivated me again, amazed me, and I just couldn't stop getting lost into the show once again. Then it was intermission and as my friend and I came back from the bathroom, Bradley asked if I was having fun and then told me that he and Vinny were watching my reaction and everything during the first Act. (NO BIG DEAL....BUT ACTUALLY I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO MELT THE FACT THAT I WAS IN THE SAME ROOM AND STANDING IN FRONT OF THIS GODDES!) Honestly this show is that show that you can see like 1,000,000,000x's and you still will be mesmerized and mind blown! Intermission was over and Holly asked if I wanted to go sit at the bar for when "Love Is A Battlefield" comes on. Of course I wanted to, and so I slowly got up and went but stopped because the show was already starting and I didn't want to be in the way of people's views, when all the sudden Holly pushes me to the end of the bar, where I stopped in front of Bradley and I was speechless once again. But he ended up pointing to his left and my eyes followed and OH MY GOD! ASHLEY ARGOTA WAS RIGHT THERE!!!!!!!! (If anyone of you know what Periscope is, Bradley was on it one day before I even went to LA, and said that he had a special guest for the Sunday showing) YES! YES! The surprise guest was Ashley Argota!!!! I almost cried but instead I screamed, and Ashley shushed me because the show was still happening. I calm somewhat down and sat at the bar to see the scene that was about to happen at the bar, while I was sitting there, Ashley was sitting right next to me at the bar. (Sorry, physically I am right now screaming). I got to talk to Ashley after the show and oh mh god everything I ever thought of Ashley was true. She is amazing, beautiful, kind, sweet and I just love her more then anything. Of course I did bring up about pot brownies for Taylor! After that song was done, I went back to my seat and just was full on watching the show and getting taken away by how amazing this show was. Ahhh, this show was amazing!! Everyone in the cast and crew need to get a TONY! Tony's what up with you not giving this unbelievable, fantastic cast their Tony's?!?! This show is the best of the best! The creative team deserves so much credit and need to get TONY's as well. Tony's you are SLAKING big time! But to get back to the show, I of course cried again when "Brave" was sang by Nicci, and then again when Romeo and Juliet died and then just straight up sobbing when Friar came on at the end! BRAVO BRAVO! The cast slayed both nights!!! After the show I got to talk to all the cast again and talk to Bradley even longer and his parents and took tons of pictures and even did #bradleying with him and his parents. (THAT PHOTO is like an artist winning their first Grammy!) THIS CAST IS AMAZING AND KIND AND I JUST LOVE ALL OF THEM! Nicci and I had a Juliet "Brave" moment and oh my god can I say that I just love her so much and ahhhh she's my spirit animal!
Day 3 in LA. Holly, my friend and I did a lot of exploring again. Went to Ripley's: Believe It Or Not! Then we went to City Walk. Then we got to meet up with Bradley again because I realize that I didn't get a single picture with him and I. So, we went to West Hollywood where I fell in love with the fact that they had a tree that had rainbow lights on and they had a little cave outside of the bar that Bradley was at, that I could touch the ceiling of that little cave. (You don't understand, that's a big deal for me since I am tiny.) So, the bar Bradley was at was having a Musical Monday, and I went inside to see him, and load and behold who was performing?!?! THE BATTLEFAM! Yes, I sneaked into a bar just to get a picture with Bradley. I walked in and the cast was up and ready to sing. I am standing watching them and all the sudden I looked to my left and Bradley was standing right next to me!!! I kept telling myself to be cool, be calm but who was I kidding, I WAS STANDING NEXT TO BRADLEY! But then he went to sit down, so I just continue to watch the performance and I had to gain confidence and walk over to Bradley and let him know I was there. So I walked over and said hi, to him and we watched the show once again. YES I SAW ASHLEY ARGOTA SING AS JULIET! But unfortunately I couldn't stay for the whole thing being as the fact that my friend and Holly were outside waiting for me. So, Bradley and I went outside to meet them and we got to take out picture! Yes, I totally sneaked in to a bar underage but then again wouldn't you do it, if it meant you were seeing your Goddes Bradley?
Day 4 in LA. Sadly this was my friend and I last day. But it wasn't wasted, we went to a famous donut place: Randy's!!! (I don't play when it comes to donuts!) After that we went to a comic store, where my friend and I truly geeked out. After that we spend the rest of our time in Santa Monica. It was a great afternoon by the water but sadly it was time to get to LAX and head home.
Holly: You have no clue how thankful and how much I truly appericate the fact that you took time out of your life and gave two girls who never been on the WEST COAST or LA in general a time of our lives. We'll keep all the memories we shared with you throughout our lives. Thank you so much once again for everything!
Bradley: YOU ARE MY GODDES! You made my dream of meeting you come true and gave me the best thing anyone could ever give me and that was this experience of a life time! I can not say it enough how much you mean to me and how much The Fosters means to my heart. From a girl who came from being left on the street in China, to now what life is like. Continue to conquer the world with love and happiness.
To The Cast: I love you all so much! You guys are completely the most talented cast ever! Thank you for making a girl smile till the end of earth!
Video's will be tweeted soon!
love is love, Emma
