I'm in New York! Ahh, there is nothing better. I am so grateful that my unique life provides for such amazing travel experiences. I really want to write things as they happen, cause if I wait, I will literally NEVER write them down. So I left LA tuesday night at 9:10 and I didn't really sleep until 2 am this morning. A little dozing on the plane and a smidge of resting once I got into the city. But I essentially started my day right away by catching up on some of my TV shows and taking a well-deserved shower.
Then I headed right out in the heart of the city--Times Square. Simultaneously the worst and my favorite part of the city. First stop: I tried to get rush tickets to Once, but I seriously misjudged the fanbase and the tickets were long gone by the time I got there. No stopping me though, I headed right down to the Nederlander to wait for the Newsies lottery. Let me non-sequitur for a sec. I have only gotten into a show by lottery three times in my life. The first time was for Spring Awakening at the Pantages in LA for onstage seating. My mom (the coolest ever) went and waited in line for me and brought a million people to enter for me cause it was my only chance and I was at work during the drawing. The second time was at Godspell when a stranger approached me to "team up" since we were both single seats. To "team up" for lottery tickets means that we each put that we need two tickets and if either of us win, we take the other. So completely randomly, my partner won and I got in.
Waiting for the lottery.
So I am waiting and I really want to team up with someone. I finally find someone and she seems cool and she agrees. We wait patiently through the calling of the names and I get more and more nervous as they fill up spot after spot. Finally, at the tail end, they call my partner's name! I was so damn psyched. I have good ticket karma. Now I need to help someone else out so I don't feel so guilty.
Marquee.
Newsies-themed drinks. Fun.
Newsies was an absolute blast. I WILL NEVER NOT ENJOY A LARGE GROUP OF DANCING BOYS SHOWING OFF. God, they're good. The music is so good and so moving. Although I will admit I didn't really like some of the new songs they added for the play. Whatever. Small price to pay to see such an experience live. The sets were really cool and industrial-chic (like Rent almost) and very cleverly transformed into different places, but I couldn't get the full vibe because my seat was pretty obstructed. Overall, an amazing show. The only flaw for me was that I was perhaps a smidge too exhausted to fully enjoy it. I caught my eyelids drooping a few times.
Secret shot of the preshow curtain.
I waited at the stage door of course and met some of fabulous boys. I got quite a few autographs and took a picture with Thayne Jasperson and Jeremy Jordan. Jeremy Jordan kind of annoys me sometimes, but he is damn talented.
Thayne and Jeremy.
Playbill and ticket.
After that I went right to the TKTS booth to find evening tickets. I ended up getting fairly cheap fourth row center tickets to Peter and the Starcatcher. God, I don't even know how to describe this show. It was such a revelation. Immensely inventive and thoroughly entertaining every single beat.
Marquee.
It was incredible to see all the actors so very close in a show like this, when there is so much going on in their faces and in the people out of the spotlight as well. Christian Borle, Adam Chanler-Berat, and Celia Keenan-Bolger completely own my heart. My mind is still blown. I am struggling to write coherently. I love that a show like this is such a success and I am surprised it even made it to Broadway. It's so silly and you have to really pack any disbelief away and come along for the ride.
Preshow set. Intermission curtain. God, I'm such a rebel.
The show is so fast-paced and yet every single joke lands perfectly and we get whisked away to the next one immediately. It is incredible how they use simple and creative ways to make incredible things happen. I loved the use of the rope as the water's edge and the walls of rooms and such. Every actor had their moments in the spotlight and also so very many where they got to support others and make the incredible things come to life. Gah, it's just fantastic.
Let me try to pull my thoughts together.
Adam Chanler-Berat is a dream. I saw him as Mark in Rent and I love his voice on the Next to Normal recording. He was born for Peter. With his lanky, skinny little body he looked just like an overgrown Boy. He was very sincere and made me tear up quite a bit at the end.
Celia Keenan-Bolger is perfection. So dang cute and damn talented. She IS thirteen. I truly hope she wins the Tony. Whatever happens, I am SO happy she is even nominated. Funny little tid-bit. Yesterday I saw Newsies which features Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Peter and the Starcatcher which stars Celia Keenan-Bolger. Best Broadway siblings out there.
I give mad props to Christian Borle. He is up there sweating his balls off running here and there and being completely ridiculous. He is just so funny and he does the craziest things and we go right along with him. When he loses his hand there is a good few minutes where we all (audience and cast included) just stare in rapture as he captivates us with his extreme reaction. He got a roaring round of applause for that section. Well-deserved.
I love sitting up close cause you can see some of the mistakes that could happen. For example, there is a part where Christian Borle and Adam Chanler-Berat are very close to each other and Christian is being his crazy self and suddenly I can see that Adam's holey shirt was caught on Christian's button. Christian did a very good job of being subtle but I saw him struggle for a bit. Finally he just pulled it off and we could see a little bit of the rip. They made it look so seamless as the best actors do.
See this show.
I went to the stage door and met most of them. They were very sweet and grateful. Celia might be the cutest human on Earth. I told her I saw her brother in Newsies that day and she was so excited.
Then I ran home, grateful for the early wednesday 7pm curtain. I got ready for bed and caught up on some more of my shows. THIS IS MY LIFE. God, I am so grateful.
xoxoleah
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