Once Upon a December (or May): Countdown to Anastasia on Stage!

I grew up in the late 90s/early 00s, in an era of childhood culture largely dominated by the Disney Renaissance- and another movie, so closely tied to the Disney-princess-musical style that it was often mistaken for a Disney film, one that has retained its popularity and has the unique situation of being based on history, rather than a classical fairy tale. I'm talking, of course, about Anastasia, the 1997 animated classic that got an entire generation interested in Russian history (and stopped any of us from being afraid of bats). And, to the delight of fans everywhere, the beloved musical is finally coming to the stage- destined for Broadway next season, but beginning with a run at Hartford Stage this spring.

In honor of the show's May 12 opening performance, here's a week-long countdown, with something every day to take you on a journey to the past (and present, and future):

Artistry and Athleticism: The Best Storytelling of the 2015-2016 Figure Skating Season

I'm guessing most of you didn't expect to see anything about sports on this blog, did you? Not on a blog about storytelling and artistry. Not on a blog written by someone who is about as far from sporty as you can get. But here's something you might or might not know: I'm a big fan of figure skating. Love it. Always loved watching it. Even trying to learn it- finally found myself an athletic activity that 1) I don't loathe on sight and 2) I'm not completely terrible at.

I've grown to love the feel of blades on ice