Daily distraction: Andrew Lloyd Webber, the Louvre and family game night
A scene from “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Image by Getty/David M. Benett/Contributor
By PJ Grisar April 4, 2020
Welcome to your daily distraction, our recommendations for ways to stay engaged and entertained while we socially distance ourselves to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak. You can find our past recommendations here; many of the opportunities we’ve highlighted are ongoing.
Shabbat shalom, we’re still staying at home. This week was interesting, nu? I finished watching “The Tiger King” on Netflix, and it is just as crazy as everyone says. If you’ve seen it, let me know what you think. Did Carole Baskin kill her husband? Why did that one guy opt for prosthetic legs with scary clown faces on them? Who’s the guy who actually sings Joe Exotic’s songs?
Anyway, it’s another week behind us out of who knows how many. I hope that there were plenty of bright spots for you. Here are some more suggestions to keep you busy today.
1) Watch a cute Bible story
Sir Andrew Lloyd Wbeber has launched a YouTube channel airing past productions of his work. First up is Webber’s first musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”, up on the channel till 2 PM today. While you’re staying home from shul, this is a good way to keep your kids up on their patriarchs. The boppy — and mercifully short — show tells the story of Jacob’s favored son Joseph and his adventures in Egypt. Donny Osmond plays Joe and the late, great Richard Attenborough is Jacob aka Israel. If you need a break from “Prince of Egypt,” try popping this on for the kinderlach or, for those without young ones, watch yourself.
2) Check out the Louvre, Guggenheim or Frick
Some museum buildings are works of art themselves. While it will be a while before we can safely pay a visit to any cultural institution — no matter how striking its architecture — the internet has the next best thing. You can tour the collection and grounds of the Louvre museum, the Solomon R. Guggenheim, the Frick Collection and more all from your home. Take in some paintings and sculptures, but don’t sleep on I.M. Pei’s glass pyramid, Frank Lloyd Wright’s elliptical gallery walls or the stately manse that is Frick mansion. Stretch your (virtual) legs and see something that isn’t your couch, bed or TV.
3) Play a board game — or make one up
I suspect that for many of you, your board games have been receiving a lot more attention recently. If you’ve neglected Uncle Pennybags or Princess Lolly, it may be time to blow off the cobwebs and play a round or two. But, if your Scrabble and Pictionary sets have run their course, never fear. You can always make your own board game. You can get advanced, using a guide like this or do something simple, like filling out the blank cards in Apples to Apples with jokes. If you have a bunch of games, you can always mix and match too. What happens if you blend Trivial Pursuit with Monopoly, replacing chance cards with questions? The board is your oyster.
PJ Grisar is the Forward’s culture fellow. He can be reached at Grisar@Forward.com.
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