My Thoughts On Season XIV of American Idol

By Meg Hodson

Wow, Season XIV of American Idol. I think it's safe to call yourself an American institution at that point! And it is. For me, American Idol continues to be the reality singing show I go to. Yes, I have watched The Voice a couple times. But maybe it's because I've been watching American Idol for so long that it feels like home to me. 

This season, we have seen the return of American Idol judges Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick, Jr., and Keith Urban. Ryan Seacrest is back for his 14th season as host. While I still may long for Simon Cowell and his rock hard criticism and amazing skill at choosing talent, let's look at the here and now. The reality is that this is a great group of judges with solid chemistry. Let's face, we did not have that chemistry when Nikki Minaj and Mariah Carey were on the show. American Idol learned their lesson and moved on. The current judges are a good fit.

I got the chance to get some behind-the-scenes access to Hollywood Week for American Idol this season back in October. It is one of my favorite parts of the competition. No one can deny that there is talent out there this year. So far, except for one or two misses, I agree with who has advanced and now makes up the Top 24. My wish is that American Idol focuses not only on the talent, but finding that balance between talent, stage presence, and star quality. Just because you have "the look" won't make you a pop star. 

I also like the fact that there seems to be a nice balance between veteran performers (like Nick Fradiani) and newbies who haven't really performed much (Daniel Seavey). While it makes me a little apprehensive that contestants like Daniel have made it through to this point, I think this is what sets American Idol apart from shows like The Voice. While The Voice seems to focus strictly on seasoned musicians, American Idol provides a nice balance of backgrounds. 

Who are you rooting for this year on American Idol?

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This Weekend Only: Winnie The Pooh, The Musical

By Meg Hodson

Perfect family fun has hit downtown Portland for this weekend only! A live, musical production of Winnie The Pooh, produced by Vancouver-based Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy, plays through Sunday at the Brunish Theater. A fun, playful group of young children make up the cast with all your favorite characters from the classic series.

The Brunish is an intimate theater, perfect for a production of this nature. All the kids in the cast were very brave as they performed for the audience. It runs a little over an hour, the ideal length when bringing young ones to the theater (although I would recommend this for the 4+ age group). 

For the price of a movie, you get well-arranged, live entertainment that is family friendly and supports a great local arts group. Be sure to fit it into your schedule this weekend in Portland!

You can find Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy on their website, Facebook, and Twitter.

If you like what you're reading, I invite you to follow my blog.  Cheers!

Winnie The Pooh Hits Downtown Portland This Friday!

By Meg Hodson

I'm always excited about live productions that are not only kid-friendly, but also have kids in them. The acclaimed local theater group Metro Performing Arts Center is bring Winnie the Pooh to life! They will produce a live stage production featuring the popular children's character this weekend only at the Brunish Theater at the Portland Center For The Performing Arts.

So, what part of this famous characters' story do they bring to life with music? Winnie-the-Pooh, the famous bear, is singing happily that "Isn't it funny how a bear likes honey," when the "terrible" trouble begins. Kanga comes to the forest with soap for baths and spoonfuls of Strengthening Medicine! Something must be done! It's a musical your entire family will enjoy.

You've got 4 chances to see it: Friday, January 16 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, January 17 at 2pm and 7:30 pm, or Sunday, January 18th at 2pm. You can conveniently buy tickets online and they are an affordable $10. Considering that's also the price of movies these days and you get live entertainment with this production, I think it's a win-win.

Metro is a non-profit Performing Arts Academy offering the Vancouver, Washington Metropolitan area top-notch arts education. In their first year, they expanded their mission to allow a Community Theatre for the community. Please visit their website for more information. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

If you like what you're reading, I invite you to follow my blog.  Cheers!

#IdolTweethearts: The Art of Being An American Idol Fan

By Meg Hodson

American Idol and FOX covered my expenses for a trip behind-the-scenes to Hollywood Week of Season XIV. All opinions, photos, and gushy thoughts remain my own.

I've been a fan of music for a long time. My memories of music go back to sharing my Carpenters' record in preschool and playing it on the turntable in class.  Elton John was one of my other favorites as a young child. In grade school, teen pop stars like Shaun Cassidy and Andy Gibb made me giddy with excitement. Duran Duran was my ultimate band in high school and I attended more concerts than I can count in college. 

You get the idea....I love music! That love has continued until today. I am such a F-A-N. Just for fun, I pulled up the definition of "fan" from Wikipedia:

"A fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person who is enthusiastically devoted to something, such as a band, a sports team, a book or entertainer."

It's pretty great when you can say you are a true fan of someone or something. In the past year, I have had the amazing pleasure of being part of the IdolTweethearts. American Idol sent myself and some other influential ladies almost a year ago to experience Hollywood Week for Season XIII.  I have always been a big fan of American Idol, so combining that with a little behind-the-scenes access seemed like the perfect combination. And it was (you can read some of my posts from the past year here).

Do you know how I know I am still a true fan? One of those exciting trip opportunities came a few weeks ago when myself and 2 other IdolTweethearts were asked to return for Hollywood Week for Season XIV. I jumped up and down; I heard myself say "eek!" out loud. Yep, a big fan.

As I entered the stunning and ornate Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, I felt the zsa-zsa-zsu. What's that, you ask? Well, Carrie Bradshaw said it best: it's that "butterflies in your stomach" feeling when you love someone or something. Between the twinkling lights on stage and buzz of producers, it's almost other-worldly as I take it all in. 

What makes American Idol unique for fans is you are reborn every year. With a new set of contestants, a new set of singers with dreams, you have a new group to become attached to. There is a new Idol just for you.

Oh yes, and then there are the judges. When Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick, Jr., and Ryan Seacrest enter the room, I take pause. I still get a little starstruck. Okay, a lot.  I suppose I am getting a bit more comfortable with each successive trip. But I'd like to think I will still have that zsa-zsa-zsu forever.