I'm a Theater Person now

[catko]

Graffiti artists on the way to Christopher Street Subway Station

Had plans for Wednesday to be a hang-around the apartment and clean up day, or possibly go out to breakfast at Locande Verde (which I found on some 25 best site) then go see Ground Zero. But, when I woke up, I rolled over, turned on the laptop, squinted at Twitter, and saw a link to a NY Times story "The Secret of the TKTS Booth." Wednesday is a matinee day! Too good a coincidence to pass up, so flung out of bed (well actually, off the couch, it's cooler and you can sleep in longer without the skylight beaming--or dripping--down on you), to make it to Times Square. Tickets for the 2 pm shows go on sale at 10 am.

Got a bit confused about the subway this time, I can't remember why, something like "walk to the further line to end up closer, or vice-versa" but anyway, when I emerged from the station, I somehow walked three blocks in the wrong direction, which you wouldn't think would be possible considering I was walking away from this.

     

Anyway, found the TKTS booth with no problem ("it's under the red stairs") and got in a pretty short line, which about quadrupled behind me in a few minutes, so good to get there by 10:15. Got tickets to "9 to 5"--the other choices included Chicago and Mary Poppins. Had some time and hungry, but nothing that suited me in the area, so spent quite a bit of time on a corner trying to get my iPhone to locate the best way to get to Barney's, which I thought was closer. In any case, stalked around both above ground and below, through tiled winding sweaty catacombs from subway station to subway station. Stores and musicians down there, amazing. I actually think I walked in circles, since when I finally found my way to the NRW uptown I was back at the Times Square Station.

Emerged at the 59th/5th Street Station right at Central Park East, and fortunately also Barney's was right there. Fancy area. Went to the top of the store to Fred's Cafe and had an elegant and sustaining lunch of Amish (?) sauteed chicken livers and Cold English Pea soup. Perfect for pre-theater. When I left it was about 12:30, and there was a line of hopeful lunchers out the door and around the escalator, so good timing again. Shopped around through the sparse, cool showrooms of Prada, Marc Jacobs, etc; lovely store, of course.

   

More direct route back, since I knew where I was going, and Times Square is not hard to find. The B Train is kind of modern, with light up directional signs and all.

    

I had great seats--you can see the stage at the pic, but can't discern there are old-style phone handsets hanging down--which was a lot of fun, and, surprise to me, starred Alison Janney in the Lily Tomlin role! I guess the cast found out right before our performance that the show is closing soon; lukewarm reviews I think, but it's going on the road as well. Songs written by Dolly Parton; overall I agree with the review at that site, it's a faithful but not sparkling adaptation of the movie. One of the reviews called it "workmanlike" which seemed inappropriate considering the theme of the show! I'm always amazed at theater, and how they do the sets and lighting, not to mention the singing and dancing. Well worth the $60 or so.

    

Times Square was packed the whole time. Building-size billboard of Anderson Cooper for duhhhrama . ESPN Sports Zone in memory of the time James first moved here, living at the Radio City apartments, and we were listening to the Cal/USC football game at midnight, they were TIED and we got dressed and ran down to see it here! They went into overtime, that weird set-up field goal version, and CAL WON!!!!!!

I guess this was my day for mild subway mishaps, because again I got on an express heading downtown when I should have got a local, but figured it out in advance, got off at the station before, then took another interminable underground passage to catch the F line, which lands closer to my apartment. I guess I could have just walked, but it was sloppy rainy, soon to turn into, again, window-rattling thunder and lightning! Hope no-one got struck this time. (ETA: No, but in that storm I linked before, a cricket player in did. "A Brooklyn man was struck by lightning yesterday -- his body tossed into the air and his clothes shredded on his body -- when a ferocious storm whipped across a park where a cricket game was under way, friends said." He survived.)

Spent the rest of the evening in, eating leftovers and chatting online, including the WatchReaperWednesday rewatch.

I'm starting to get an uneasy feeling about this trip ending. Like, I'm more on my way out. I don't feel unsatisfied, feel like I've done a lot, but there are still PEOPLE TO SEE, and, well, I'm just loving it so much here. Of course, sitting here feeling the cool breeze come in, I also feel just a tad homesick, so there's that.