The UCF Knights (1-2; 0-0 AAC) got their first taste of victory this weekend with a 41-7 mauling of the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University (2-1; 0-0 MEAC). The Knights sputtered during the first quarter to put points on the board and struggled defensively to stop the Wildcats, who scored their first and only game touchdown as the quarter came to an end. But as the second quarter began, UCF started clicking. The Wildcats would go on to remain scoreless the rest of the game and Knights’ running back Will Stanbeck got his first 100-yard plus game Saturday. The crowd was raucous. Bright House Networks Stadium was near capacity, with over 41,000 fans in-attendance, the sixth largest in UCF history. With the family weekend underway, the audience embraced the Marching Wildcats incredible halftime performance, which was proceeded by the first performance of the Marching Knights of the 2014 football season. The Marching Knights are fielding the largest band in UCF history, with over 400 members taking the field. UCF will now have a bye-week as they prepare to enter American Athletic Conference play next Thursday against the Houston Cougars (2-2; 0-0 AAC). Kickoff for UCF at Houston is set for 7:00pm and the game will be nationally televised on ESPN. Below, take a look at video highlights of a controversial personal foul call against Rannell Hall, who was ejected the rest of the game and (could sit out for half of the Houston game should the call not be overturned) courtesy of ESPN:
Monday, September 22, 2014
UCF Knights Crush B-CU Wildcats
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Publication Updates: The NP Article Released; AENJ Article Fully Accepted
Great news and updates regarding two articles I recently wrote. One has gone on to publication while the other has moved to being classified as “in press.” The first article, “Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: An Emerging Clinical Approach to Preventing HIV in High-Risk Adults” has been published in this month’s issue of The Nurse Practitioner: The American Journal of Primary Healthcare. The article explores advances in HIV prevention in those at high risk through the use of the antiretroviral medication Truvada. The abstract appears below.
Preexposure prophylaxis: An emerging clinical approach to preventing HIV in high-risk adults
Abstract: The HIV antiretroviral drug emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Truvada) was recently approved as preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) therapy for adults at high risk for sexually acquired HIV infection. This article reviews the data supporting the efficacy of PrEP, and provides other relevant data regarding the implementation of PrEP.
In other news, my article, “Assessment and Treatment of Depression in Gay and Bisexual Men in Emergency Settings” has been FULLY accepted for publication in the Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal and will most likely appear in-publication early next year. Browse my publications under the Research tab and download my CV for a full listing of my publication record.
Monday, September 15, 2014
UCF Knights Fall to #20 Missouri
The UCF Knights (0-2; 0-0 AAC) dropped their second game of the season Saturday to the #20-ranked Missouri Tigers (3-0; 0-0 SEC) 38-10 in Columbia. The Knights offense and defensive fronts performed well in the first half. But a tipped ball that fell into the hands of the Tigers in the middle of the third quarter doomed the Knights. The Missouri defense put aggressive pressure on UCF’s new quarterback Justin Holman, who started for the first-time ever on Saturday. The pressure proved way too much for UCF; multiple turnovers would seal the fate for the Knights well into the fourth quarter. And no matter what, UCF wasn’t able to rebound from the mistakes. UCF moves on to their Orlando campus Saturday for a matchup against the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman College (2-0). The game against BCC will begin at 6pm and will be televised nationwide on ESPN3. The UCF College of Nursing Tailgate Party for the game will begin at 2pm and will be held under the scoreboard in the Softball Lot. Below, check-out video highlights of UCF’s loss to Missouri courtesy of ESPN:
Monday, September 1, 2014
Field Goal in Final 3 Seconds Dooms UCF
The UCF Knights (0-1; 0-0 AAC) lost to the Nittany Lions of Penn State (1-0; 0-0 B10) on Saturday in Dublin, Ireland in the Croke Park Classic. The Knights’ Offense sputtered the entire first half of the game under the gun of quarterback Pete DiNovo, who was only able to lead the offense to a paltry 28 yards of total offense. DiNovo completed just 3/8 passes for only 18 yards. When DiNovo was finally removed from the game at the midpoint of the third quarter, UCF ignited with Justin Holman at QB, putting up 3 touchdown scoring drives, going into the lead for the first time in the game 24-23 with just 1:13 left to play. But, unfortunately, with the Defense being absolutely gassed (Penn State’s time of possession was almost 10 minutes longer than UCF’s due to the poor offensive performance for more than 1/2 of the game), Penn State easily marched down the field, setting up kicker Sam Ficken for a winning field goal with :03 left on the clock. UCF now has a bye-week before heading to Missouri to take on the Tigers (1-0; 0-0 SEC) on 9/13. Missouri is coming off a 18-28 victory against San Diego State and play at Toledo this Saturday. Watch ESPN’s highlight of UCF’s loss to Penn State in the Croke Park Classic below:
Thursday, August 28, 2014
UCF Knights Hold First Dublin Practice
The UCF Knights arrived at about 8:00am in Dublin, Ireland Wednesday to begin preparations for their matchup against Penn State Saturday. The team took a quick nap and then ate some lunch before heading out to their practice field to begin drills. Take a look at the Orlando Sentinel video featuring coverage of the team in Ireland. Kickoff of UCF vs. Penn State in the Croke Park Classic is at 8:30am on Saturday. The game is being broadcast nationwide on ESPN2.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
UCF Knights Depart for Ireland
The UCF Knights (0-0; 0-0 AAC) departed Orlando this afternoon for Ireland. The Knights take on the Nittany Lions of Penn State (0-0; 0-0 Big 10) in the Croke Park Classic this Saturday. The matchup between the two will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. Kickoff is set for 8:30am EST. UCF returns 9 starters and has a hellacious Defense which should give the inexperienced Penn State offense all it can handle. The Knights, however, have some big question marks after the loss of quarterback Blake Bortles and top running back Storm Johnson to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Penn State leads the series 2-1; but the Knights took care of business and bested them 34-31 last year in Beaver Stadium. Take a look at the video below featuring highlights of the Knights boarding their bus to the airport along with some interviews by key UCF players and head coach George O’Leary:
Theater Reviews: Les Miserables and Aladdin
I had the opportunity to venture to NYC this past weekend with my partner to celebrate our 5-year anniversary. We were able to catch the revival of Les Miserables, Aladdin, Disney’s newest addition to Broadway, and the incredible current production of Cabaret at Studio 54. My reviews of Les Miz and Aladdin appear below. Click here to read my original review of Cabaret: Theater Review: Cabaret.
Les Miserables
There’s a lot to like in the new revival of Les Miserables which opened March 23rd at the iconic Imperial Theater on Broadway. There are also some minor annoyances which provide only a little not to like. Overall, however, the show is as spine-chilling and inspirational as ever. One of the most noticeable differences in this production of Les Miz is its more grand production scope than seen previously. The revival trades in the traditional rotating stage table for much more elaborate sets. While prior productions of the show relied much more on dark lighting to essentially create mood in the place of any real noteworthy set designs, that isn’t the case here. The sets are large and seem much more what would be seen in a mid-budget Broadway production. While I was originally concerned that the larger sets and lack of rotating table would distract from the minimalistic tone that made many fans love the show, I quickly found myself having the opposite emotion. The scenes are greatly enhanced and the overall quality of the production shines when given the opportunity to do so on a larger scale. The costumes seem to be a little more detailed in the revival as well; and the lighting, while maintaing the show’s overall darkened environment, seems to be appropriately brighter in certain scenes (“Master of the House,” for example).
The cast has some truly shining stars; but unfortunately, miscasting also is a concern. As Valjean, Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom in the West End Production of Love Never Dies) is great. His voice is so different and fantastic that he is able to bring a superb personal quality to the role that allows him to interpret the character uniquely on his own. It isn’t a surprise that he was nominated for the Tony Award for his performance. Tony Nominee Keala Settle (Madame Thenadier) steals essentially every scene she is in as well; her hilarious interpretation of the oversized yet lovable con-artist brings the comedic relief the show is at times desperate for given its incredibly heavy story. Cassie Levy (the original Molly from the West End and Broadway productions of GHOST) hits the role of Fantine out of the park; her solo “I Dreamed a Dream” was heart wrenchingly convincing. And while these actors bring this production of the show to new heights, there are some distractors who unfortunately bring it down. Tony Award winner Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon) is horrifically miscast as Eponine. Her soft and almost whiny voice becomes an obvious flaw in “On My Own;” and the alteration of her race when the older version of her character is revealed comes off as strange and unnecessary. Another poorly cast actor is Kyle Scatliffe as Enjolras. Unfortunately, he has a strong lisp that overpowers his singing ability and I found myself cringing in almost every scene in which he was featured. With the amazing and competitively cutthroat talent on Broadway, I seriously question just how he was able to be cast in the show in the first place.
But even with these two awkward casting choices, Les Miz has enough shining and soaring moments that make these sore thumb stick-out performances easily forgotten. The orchestrations are absolutely brilliant; and the sound design in the theater is so well done that there are times when Claude-Michael Schoenberg’s classic score sounds as if it’s being performed by a 100-piece orchestra. The book, based on Victor Hugo’s classic tale of forgiveness and redemption set in the backdrop of an emerging French Revolution, is unaltered in the revival. This is a wise choice since the original production of Les Miz remains one of the most beloved musicals of all time. And while this production may not live in the hearts of theatergoers quite as long, it certainly has enough to it to leave quite the positive impression.
Aladdin
With such Broadway mega-hits like The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Newsies in their massively profitable portfolio, it was just a matter of time before Disney turned their iconic cartoon-movie Aladdin into their next Broadway jewel. And unfortunately, while the costumes are adorned with enough shimmering rubies to put a disco ball to shame, the show itself quickly tarnishes. The one standout of the production is Tony winner James Monroe-Igleheart (MEMPHIS), who brings the story’s energetic and hilarious genie literally to life. However, he is immersed in such a sea of mediocrity around him that he practically upstages his fellow performers. I don’t fault him for that. Besides Jonathan Freeman’s standout performance as Jafaar, none of the other actors in the show are even remotely memorable. Sure, Adam Jacobs is ridiculously nice to look at. And his voice is certainly fine. But the same cannot be said of Jasmine’s Courtney Reed, who’s flat and unimpressive vocals leave much to be desired. The sets are also nice to look at (mostly); but they are nothing special.
But for all the shortcomings the performances and sets of Aladdin provide, the true atrocity of the show lies in its book. The story, by Chad Beguelin (Elf, The Wedding Singer) provides some promise in Act I, which is fun and lighthearted. But Act II quickly decimates any spark of enjoyment from the show. Instead of using Act I as a springboard to conclude the story and emphasize its moral message, Act II relies on childish humor and ridiculous dialogue that rapidly deteriorates the storyline, making it beyond silly, trite and meaningless. Even the orchestrations by the Disney music God Alan Menken come off as bad. “A Whole New World,” one of my all-time favorite Disney musical numbers, is supported by unbelievably weak instrumentation; and the unnecessarily repetitive lyrics sung by the two leads that give the impression they’re “going through the motions” by the time the song is performed, renders it a miserable failure. Countless times, my partner and I glanced at one another, rolled our eyes, and let out a deep sigh of disappointment in the ever-so-worsening show. I’ve seen countless shows over the years on the Great White Way. So very few I would describe as being completely “disposable” junk. Unfortunately, Aladdin easily earns that unflattering label.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Producer for Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark Eyeing Nationwide Arena Tour
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark producer Michael Cohl stated that he plans to tour the $75 million Broadway musical to arenas across the U.S. Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, which ended its Broadway run Jan. 4, was previously announced for a Las Vegas sit-down engagement following its three-year New York run. Cohl states that Las Vegas is no longer the goal, and that the show will instead embark on an arena tour in late 2015 or winter 2016 in order to reach larger audiences. “I think Spider-Man is a pop culture rock show that was meant to be in arenas,” Cohl said.
Playbill‘s Adam Hetrick contributed to this BLOGBOARD post.
Rocky Down for the Count as Musical Sets Closing Date on Broadway
Rocky: The Musical is down for the count. The stage production of the famed 1976 Sylvester Stallone film will play its final performance at the Cadillac Winter Garden Theater on August 17th. The show was nominated for several Tony Awards, including a Best Actor nom for Andy Karl (Rocky) along with nominations for Best Choreography and Set Design. It didn’t win any of them. The show’s music and lyrics are written by major Broadway talents Lynn Aherns and Stephen Flaherty (the dynamic duo behind Ragtime). But unfortunately, the increasing competitive marketplace of the Great White Way was too tough on the show, which has a high weekly overhead cost. Rocky: The Musical was hovering around the $650K/week range, insufficient for sustainability. To read my review of Rocky: The Musical, click here: Theater Review: Bridges of Madison County The Musical, ROCKY: The Musical, Machinal, and All The Way
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Movie Review: Jersey Boys
The film adaptation of the smash Broadway hit Jersey Boys, based on the rise of the 1950’s music group Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, was released on Friday. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the film gets the opportunity to explore areas that get overlooked in its stage version; but it loses some of the emotional pull the stage show provides so amazingly well. When the film works, it works really well. The acting is superb. John Lloyd Young, who won the Tony Award for his origination of the role of Frankie Valli on Broadway, delivers a commanding performance and seems to have been born to play the iconic singer. Vincent Piazza, who most recently played the recurring role of Lucky Luciano on HBO’s hit series Boardwalk Empire, plays the sleazy money embezzler TonyDeVito, who although proves he is a back-stabbing friend of low morals, also plays the lovability of the character well when it’s called for. The other members of The Four Seasons, Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda) and Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen) support their scenes well. The overall cast, punctuated by Christopher Walken as the group’s mafia-associated ally Gyp DeCarlo and Mike Doyle as their flamboyant and over-the-top producer Bob Crewe, is excellent. But for the wonderful performances the movie gives us, unfortunately, there are critical areas where the film falls short. One of my biggest complaints about the film is its cinematography. Simply put, it’s just not good. Eastwood should’ve paid a lot more attention to how some of the scenes were executed.
One scene towards the middle of the film shows The Four Seasons riding in two sets of automobiles as they transverse the country on tour. The scenes are so obviously shot on a green screen, it is embarrassing. The music also has some problems. While most of the songs sound great, obvious lip-synching during live performances threatens the authenticity of the scenes. And while the struggle between Crewe, Gaudio, and Valli’s record label tyrant to buy into his different sounding single “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” is effectively depicted, when the song is finally performed, Eastwood allows the brass section to completely overpower their recurring interlude, making the tune shrill. This is done to emphasize a point in the plot about Valli’s dream to have a horn line in one of his songs. But Eastwood allowed the song to be ruined in the process. The tragedy that occurs in Valli’s life, his failed marriage, and inability to secure intimacy with a partner is expanded upon in the movie nicely. But the ending of the movie, which actually appears to have been inspired by the post-curtain performance given by the cast of the stage show, comes off as ridiculous, silly, and completely inappropriate. If this review is starting to sound like a roller coaster going up and down, that’s because the quality of the movie mimics that very motion. There are scenes in Jersey Boys that are unbelievably effective and moving. But unfortunately, those moments are not sustained throughout; and too many bad directing errors coupled with horrific cinematography dooms the film to the doldrums of mediocrity that recent Broadway musical-turned motion picture productions (eg. Les Miserables) have been able to avoid quite successfully. Jersey Boys, released by Warner Brothers Pictures, is rated R for explicit language throughout.