Technically, this title is one day late, as Fall begins on September 21st, and I am probably going to get this finished on the 22nd. Well, I've been a little slow these past few months, so at least I'm being consistent. Wouldn't want to shock people by being reliable and keep to a schedule. This is a walk-about, a traipse through the mean streets and filthy alleys of the most complicated city in the world, by a person with a frazzled brain. Too much to think about. Too much to do. Too much to report, and not enough time to do it all in a punctual manner. So take it when you can and enjoy. This is the best I can do. Life interferes with life. You get my drift.
So Fall is in the air. Today the people are wearing long sleeves. Jackets are not in evidence yet, but perhaps soon. Walking and biking are a great pleasure. The subways are no longer heat pits of torture, and I love this city. The Farmer's Market in Union Square is filled with stunning fruits and veggies, none of which I purchase, because I am not home to cook. I am on a mission: Do things and experience the world at my doorstep.
Lots on the calendar and here are some of the highlights from the past 2 weeks:
1. BIRTHDAYS: 2 Theater BDays (Tom Flynn (sweet/charming, Dr Dillamond) and Teal Wicks (my Diva, Elphaba) and Mine! You know I celebrated 3 days, thanks to Linda & Neal B and my Bdwy friends (even got plotzed one night), but September 11th came along, and put an end to the silliness.
2. 9/11 was really intense. I must have DVR'd 20 shows, to learn as much as possible about how New Yorkers experienced the events of that day. I went down to Ground Zero with Nanette and Steve a week before, and the area was already staged for the huge number of people expected there on that Sunday's memorial. The City was ready for anything. I saw at least 3 police check points from Central Park to the Broadway area, and there were video towers all over. The thing that remains in my mind is the reading of the names. That Sunday was filled with tears, for me as well.
3. Jacqueline came in from CA to participate in TealWicksWickedWeek, the ending of her run as the GreenGirl. 99% of the theater these 2 weeks is going to be devoted to those last shows, but she and I did get in one other show called Sleep No More, a performance piece, done in a 5 story abandoned hotel. The audience wears masks, roams the building following the actors and can even participate in the action. Oh, the play that is loosely performed is Macbeth. It is so rich and full of action, that I never got to the rooms where the witches were double bubbling, toil and troubling. Me, missing witches! It was a huge blunder on my part! It lasted 4 hours, and I didn't want to leave. Special evening.
Another special evening was the world premiere of "8", a new work about the Prop 8 case in the courts right now, that was presented as a reading with a star-filled cast for one night only. The tickets started at $2K down to $500. Not in my price range. I was not happy. Here are some of the actors:Matt Bomer,Anthony Edwards,Morgan Freeman,Cheyenne Jackson,Larry Kramer,Christine Lahti,John Lithgow,Rob Reiner,Yeardley Smith,Ellen Barkin,Bradley Whitford, to name the ones you might know. There were others as well. I really wanted to go. Then on Saturday, there was a tiny notice in BroadwayWorld, that there would be a few RUSH tickets offered at 10 o'clock Monday, the day of the reading. I put out an e-mail to my theater buddies and the plotting began. What time to get to the theater to get in line? It was decided that 6 would be good. Sunday night, my friend Elisa called at 11 to tell me that there were ALL READY people on line. I got up at 2:30am and got to the theater at 3:11. I was 12th. Much fun was had by all in line. Some played cards, some slept, and the rest of us gossiped about theater. I love RUSH lines, but this was the first one I have done before the garbage men get up. Got the tix and went home at 10:15 to sleep those lost hours. The show was historic, not only for the content and the acting, but for the star quality of the audience. Every Gay Advocate in NYC was there, as well as actors, because it was on a Monday night. I learned that the photo shoot in front of the theater that you see the next day in the papers is called "the step and shoot", the press was in heaven and so was I. I went up to all sorts of "names" and talked. I was making the best of that evening. The only problem is that I am too fraking short. I get lost in the crowd and am engulfed. I need 8 inch heals.
On that somber note of despair at the state of the nation, I will stop. Thanks for reading. I'm having a wonderful time. I hope to spread the joy by blogging to you. Don't think I don't miss you ...I do, but I'm too busy to think about it. TTFN
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