Dare to click the book cover below, to pre-order your copy, because this is a book you will not want to miss, if you view yourself as a serious fan of the Vampire Lestat…
Day 12 (of 28 Total Days) Post:
Lestat Musical Week
We’re running out of things to post, but I will post this spectacular vocal performance of Hugh Panaro, performing one of my favorite tracks from the ill-fated Lestat musical, Right Before My Eyes. I know there is a lot of antipathy towards the Lestat musical, as though the very notion of Anne Rice’s books becoming musicals is an anathema. I loved the musical, even from the low-quality tracks I’ve managed to find. Everyone has different preferences and expectations, when it comes to musicals, but I felt that the musical was pretty strong, considering how inherently difficult and taxing of a task bringing such a well-beloved, iconic “vampire” character to the musical stage is.
To showcase the short-lived legacy of the Lestat Musical, I will be posting rough cut videos of songs and performances, along with any and all interviews that I can manage to find for this entire week. This is to help celebrate the legacy of Lestat, and the musical, that has otherwise been submerged in the waters of forgetfulness.
Also, below is a Youtube interview with both Anne and Bernie Taupin,one of the writers, behind this short-lived, though memorable musical (at least to my eyes). This should help better contextualize the talents behind this, and how supportive Anne Rice was of this musical (Tomorrow, I will post a link to a longer, more in-depth article, from her website that perfectly describes her praise for the musical).
**Did you have a chance to attend the musical, during the short time that it ran on Broadway? Now be completely honest, did it live up to your expectations? Was it a technically good musical? Do you have any memories of seeing or attending it? Email me anything related to the musical, for being potentially considered to be posted here on my blog (as part of #28DaysofLestat) at narniafanatic@gmail.com.
***Please send photos, artwork, letters, diary entries, an epistolary novel, something that you feel artfully engraves the impact Anne Rice’s stories have had on your life to narniafanatic@gmail.com with the subject line of “28 Days of Lestat! With your express permission being granted to share these things (one poem or song per day during the course of October, 2014, up till the 28th of October), I hope to post something each day- a small fragment of one person’s completely unique approach to the series, which will hopefully come together, impressively, on the 28th of October, to virtually reconstruct the different views and memories people attach to this series, the character of Lestat, and many of the other vampires (or immortal species) Anne has created, in an uncannily realistic way, which makes us believe that these characters are very real, and existing amongst us.
Also, be sure to share anything Vampire Chronicles-related on the Lestat Book Coven Facebook Group Page, any comment sections on all 28 individual #28daysofLestat posts here on this blog, or on Twitter,Instagram, Tumblr, and beyond!!
A SPECIAL BLOOD AND GOLD First Edition, Signed Hardcover Contest
I will be attending Anne Rice’s signing at 192 Books on October 28, 2014, and I am planning to get a copy signed and personalized for the winner on that date!! This is a special laminated (serving to protect the book) first-edition hardcover that is in very good condition. This contest helps further promote my self-publishing publicity and editorial services, for the many indie writers out there, and I really thank you, in advance for entering this contest, as these contests do go a long way with helping promote this service, so aptly named: A Bibliophile’s Workshop
Another hypothetical prize- Video Greeting, from Anne Rice herself!(still not definite, as of yet) is to record a special message at the signing, from Anne Rice, to the winner. I’m pretty certain she’d be really excited to do this, so it is a good chance that it may happen. But given time constraints at signings, this may not happen…Stay tuned for more details on this development.
Contest Rules:
Winners are chosen randomly, by the Rafflecopter APP, and the contest is to everyone, with a few restrictions. For those living outside either US or Canada, you can enter, as long as you understood you are required to pay the postage, as I cannot afford to pay any international shipping costs. I’d love to, but I cannot feasibly offer this, in my current financial situation!
I apologize to those in the same boat, as well, who would not be able to afford the shipping costs. I am always remiss to post that following message, barring you from entering. It generally sucks, as so many of you are equally as passionate (or even more passionate) about Anne Rice’s than anyone.
**Comic Shared by Coven Member, Jo Vee**
Read, and be entertained by this very amusing comic, which will serve as the Hyperlink image, that will allow you to be redirected to a Rafflecopter App. that will allow you to enter this contest!!
***Please send photos, artwork, letters, diary entries, an epistolary novel, something that you feel artfully engraves the impact Anne Rice’s stories have had on your life to narniafanatic@gmail.com with the subject line of “28 Days of Lestat! With your express permission being granted to share these things (one poem or song per day during the course of October, 2014, up till the 28th of October), I hope to post something each day- a small fragment of one person’s completely unique approach to the series, which will hopefully come together, impressively, on the 28th of October, to virtually reconstruct the different views and memories people attach to this series, the character of Lestat, and many of the other vampires (or immortal species) Anne has created, in an uncannily realistic way, which makes us believe that these characters are very real, and existing amongst us.
Also, be sure to share anything Vampire Chronicles-related on the Lestat Book Coven Facebook Group Page, any comment sections on all 28 individual #28daysofLestat posts here on this blog, or on Twitter,Instagram, Tumblr, and beyond!!
COMING SOON….News about Prince Lestat Book Coven Release Party Festivities-New York NY
**For those who reside in the vicinity of New York, NY, Anne Rice will be at 192 Bookstore in New York, NY on October 28th, 2014 (coinciding with the official release of Prince Lestat) I’ll be attending the New York event, and there are some exciting events, planned ahead of the signing at 7pm. Eastern at 192 Bookstore, which hypothetically, may include a special dinner and “Coven of the Articulate” Dinner at a New Orleans-style restaurant or coffee shop There is also the chance that there may be a special event at the legendary St. John the Divine church, in New York City, where a live reading of Memonch the Devil will take place, reminding all fans of one of Lestat’s more daunting adventures through heaven and hell that occurred nearly two decades ago
**Those of you, who do not live in the New York area still have a chance to meet Anne Rice, and get your treasured/beloved copies of Prince Lestat signed.
Several venues have discreetly posted some ticket information for the upcoming Prince Lestat book tour. I will try finding more, and posting them below, with hyperlinked text for your convenience!! If you need help finding a signing near you, leave a comment below, or email me at narniafanatic@gmail.com.
For your convenience, all events that are not free events (a vast majority, unfortunately, are events that have charges attached/require tickets) happen to have asterisks (*) next to them:
If you manage to find any more events, please leave the link and other pertinent details in the comment area below! Thanks.
*October 28, 2014- Anne Rice& Victoria Wilson Book Signing- New York , NY
*November 2, 2014- Anne Rice & Christopher Rice Book Signing New Orleans,LA
*November 5, 2014- Anne Rice, In Conversation with Christopher Rice- Hartford, CT (for some reason, this event is a bit exorbitantly priced)
*November 6, 2014- Anne Rice, In conversation with Victoria Wilson- Philadelphia, PA
*November 8, 2014- Anne Rice, In conversation with Victoria Wilson- Chicago, Il
*November 19, 2014- Anne Rice, In conversation with Christopher Rice- Los Angeles, CA
(Click the hyper-linked text, to be referred to site to buy tickets!)
Justin, I was lucky enough to attend one of the shows of the musical in San Francisco before it’s run on broadway. I will forever cherish that experience. Hugh Panaro was excellent. I also remember being very impressed with Allison Fischer who played our beloved Claudia. I thought it was wonderful. Personally, I love the music. I would love to see the lyrics for it. I won’t say how, but I managed to get a full copy of the music from the show and I still love it. As with other Anne Rice projects, I thought the music was the best thing to come from this. I’m also a big fan of the music from the QotD movie, even though I hate the movie. I love the feelings the music expresses.
As for 28 Days of Lestat I’d love to see some good synopses of the books. I really don’t have time to reread them all again. But I would like to get a good reminder of the stories.
BTW, that clips of Hugh singing really got me! I love that song! Also, I’m so glad to see someone out there really taking Anne’s work seriously in an academic sense. I’ve been reading her work since I was in the 7th grade and have been arguing the relevance of her work since high school. Had my interests gone toward literature in college I’m sure that I would have focused on her work. However, she inspired me to go into history and archaeology. I’ve really enjoyed your blog. Thanks!
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Deanna, for your benefit, I am doing a recap. of discussions the coven has had in the past about the first three Vampire Chronicle books next week, which I hope will effectively get everyone planning to read Prince Lestat on the release date ( a good percentage of Anne Rice Fans).
Also, thank you for leaving a comment on this otherwise empty comment thread. Getting some real comments (and not tons of spam ones) always makes me happy. And, I love hearing stories or accounts, from those that remember attending the Lestat musical. I cannot help but envy you a bit, since the Youtube videos only partially capture the true beauty and splendor of seeing such a musical live on stage.
I would love a DVD made out of the musical, if old, archived footage of the musical exists. We deserve it, or at least an official recording of the songs. I feel like the company that owns the rights to the musical did very little to actually preserve some fragment of this ill-fated, underrated musical. Not everyone liked it, and they are entitled to their opinions, but I don’t see why Warner Bros. and anyone working on this is somehow ashamed of this work. I think it was pretty awesome, and much more honorable/faithful of an adaptation than that “Queen of the Damned” film.
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