Charities and Opera Houses

Is it considered a shameless plug if it's for charity?  I think not.

I am extremely excited about this: in2books

in2books is an incredible volunteer literacy program I signed up for (thanks for the amaze balls suggestion, Cara!), that connects adult volunteers with 3rd-5th grade students from under resourced communities via ePals, an internet pen pal program.  In a nutshell: You read 5 books selected by the students over the course of a school year, and write a letter (an email, in our super advanced society) about said book to your student pen pal, discussing the themes and important issues in the story they have selected.  It's a super easy way to help out and make a difference in a child's life - a child who may not have had the opportunity to read as many books, or be able to talk about what they're reading.  Each book is chosen from a different category (Realistic Fiction, Social Science, Biography, Folktales, and Science), and each title is chosen by the students themselves.  How great does this sound?  Great, right?  It's great.

In other news: I went to the Stephen Schwartz tribute concert tonight at the New York City Opera, aptly named "Defying Gravity".  It was also, in fact, amaze balls (overused in tonights entry, yes).  While I was already in love with the adorable Kritsin Chenoweth (especially after working with her at the Drama Desk Awards - another story for another time) and her impeccable comedic timing and spontaneity, and while I was also already obsessed with Raul Esparza's wet-my-pants-amazing voice, I now have new found admiration for Victor Garber, Ann Hampton Callaway (who, for the record, wrote and sang the theme song for The Nanny, what?!), Lauren Flanigan, and Todd Wilander.  OH, and Stephen Schwartz, who finished up the night playing and singing "For Good" with the fabulous Ms. Chenoweth, who cried her eyes out as the song progressed.  And was I not completely floored by Esparza and Garber's Godspell medley (shout out, Godspell cast - it was incredible and made me miss you), and Esparza singing Defying Gravity himself?  I believe I was.  Holy Bazooka Joe, Batman.  The best $12.00 I have ever spent (aside from the $1.75 Happy Meal toy I purchased at McDonald's today, don't judge me).