While you’re in: See a Broadway smash, turn water into pie, befriend squirrels
‘Hamilton’ is here
If you wait to see Broadway shows until they come to The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, you haven’t yet gotten a look at “Hamilton,” the history and rap-filled show that has been wowing the world since 2015. Now, thanks to the global pandemic, you can see it right here. In your house. Disney Plus is debuting its filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s masterwork on Friday, July 3. It features the original cast, including Miranda. Generally speaking, filmed plays can never replace the real thing — or, at least, they couldn’t replace the real thing when the real thing was possible. But it’s not, and it won’t be until at least next year. That makes “Hamilton’s” debut online all the more important for those who love theater. Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones, for one, is over the moon, dubbing the film “the greatest translation, democratization and preservation of any Broadway show, ever.” And at $6.99 for a month of Disney Plus, it’s a cheap ticket. If you’re not sure — or while you’re waiting — check out the song and dance Miranda arranged to surprise his wife, Vanessa Miranda, and “21 Chump Street,” the mini-musical he wrote for “This American Life.” Broadway Olympia had planned an April production of “Chump,” about a boy who falls for an undercover policewoman, but that, like virtually all other plays, was canceled.
Pandemic pie
When the going gets tough, people turn to baking. And since March, the demand for flour, yeast and endless tips and how-tos has surged. A Google search for “pandemic” and “baking” turns up nearly 42 million results — only 20 times more than a search for, oh, say, “pandemic” and “Trump.” If you’ve mastered sourdough bread or had enough chocolate chip cookies, The Olympian has a suggestion you probably haven’t tried: water pie. Yes, it’s a pie made chiefly (but not only) with water. In the most common variation, the pie begins with a crust into which the adventurous baker pours water before adding flour, sugar and butter. The result after baking and chilling is a filling that might be like a custard if only it included eggs. Video baker Emmy Cho experiments with a far more promising version sent to her by a fan. Cho uses eggs, and she blends the filling with a stand mixer before pouring it into the crust. She’s delighted with the result, which is not all that different from regular pie. If you’d rather watch someone else follow a recipe than do it yourself, though, Cho’s Spaghetti-O Jell-O mold video is a must-see. It looks as bad as you might expect, but Cho is chipper even when it’s time to taste the Vienna sausage-stuffed finished product, which she pronounces “not bad.”
Feeling squirrelly?
After more than 100 days of global pandemic, it’s no wonder if you’re feeling squirrelly — which is defined as nervous, flighty, unpredictable and even eccentric. It’s also quite possible that you’ve spent more time watching squirrels, because chances are you don’t have many places to go and things to do. Yes, watching birds is the more conventional pastime, but as those with bird feeders can attest, one of these things will lead to the other. Of late, Linda Masteller has found herself doing more squirrel viewing in her Lacey backyard, where she recently watched a particularly talented critter doing an aerial show. “I love watching their antics,” she told The Olympian. If you feel the same way, you’ll want to check out Mark Rober’s attempt at building a squirrel-proof birdfeeder. Rober, a sort of latter-day Rube Goldberg, built an elaborate obstacle course in an attempt to outwit the squirrels. They bested him, proving they’re not nearly as squirrelly as most people these days. But don’t feel bad for Rober: He’s been rip-roaringly successful in getting back at people who steal packages.
When she was 2 years old, Molly Gilmore asked her parents to name her little brother “Twinkleberry,” after the brother of Beatrix Potter’s naughty “Squirrel Nutkin.” She discusses local arts, entertainment and more with 95.3 KGY-FM’s Michael Stein from 3 to 4 p.m. Fridays.