Tuesday began after midnight when I couldn’t get to sleep at a decent hour {I thought I was over the time zone switch, but I was wrong}…
I am staying with my cousin in her new home in Battery Park City and her condo faces West, which means that I have a floor to ceiling view of the river and New Jersey. It’s a very beautiful view to go to sleep with and to wake up to, so I took a photo and happened to catch my reflection in the window. I am not a good photographer, but I think these are rather cool shots.
*click on either one for a bigger view
I then had a good night sleep followed by a wonderful day of studio time and theatre.
In planning for my trip to NY, I had my eye on a play called August: Osage County by Tracy Letts and was thrilled to see that much of the original cast was still performing, so I hoofed it on down to the less popular TKTS booth at South St in hopes of getting a discount ticket. I arrived an hour before it opened and I arrived just in time because about 20 minutes later, the line was winding up the street. {And I did have to get to work after all}.
I got my ticket for 25% off and went happily to the studio to lead a teacher class, which always puts me in very good spirits.
Finally, it was 6:30 and I took the subway up to good old 42St and walked in the sea of people up to W 45th. The excitement and rush I got as I pushed through the tourists made me giddy. {because I, of course, am not a tourist}
When I reached the theater and followed the people pouring in, I felt so alive and right. I was in the right place for my heart and my soul today: right at home in the theatre.
And this amazing play was 3.5 hour long with two intermissions, but I tell you, it went by so fast because the performance was phenomenal on every level. The set was awesome, the writing was brilliant and the acting was superb. I laughed, I cried, I gasped, I groaned, I held my breath, I laughed, I cried, and I recognized. And it really couldn’t have been better.
My boyfriend tries to convince me that theatre is dead, or irrelevant, and while I understand his point of view, I disagree. The house was packed for a three and a half hour family dramedy. Who says theater is dead? You just have to pay a pretty penny for it is all…
But seriously, tv and film will never replace live theatre for me. And yeah, those musicals are good too, but the straight plays, the brave stuff, the relevant stuff, the truthful stuff…is better than any beautiful “musically-scored-to-let-you-know-what-to-feel” scene in a movie or tv show. {I like tv & movies and I like many musicals, ok? So don’t get bent out of shape.}
After the show I re-entered the sea of tourists {I am still not a tourist} and headed home thoughtful and satisfied. My heart has been ailing and tonight I found a way to heal her.
Is this play not spectacular!? I feel like I could see it once a week for years and still be entranced. So glad you saw it…
If you want to pay a pretty penny for another NYC theater experience…Gypsy is really VERy good with Patti in it….
I miss NYC!!!! I think I’ll get to go back in December. I know you’re not there under the best of circumstances, but I’m still a little jealous.
Glad you had such a good night for your spirit.
It sounds incredible. And your boy is wrong – theater is alive and well, though not in a golden age…
I am so glad you got to do something for yourself; especially something that filled your heart so much. And I love the 2nd pic of the skyline with your smiling reflection.
Is The Homecoming still playing? That’s a doozy too.
As long as we have meat on our bones there will be theater. Homo Sapiens have embedded into their DNA the “live experience” gene.
The Theater is not dead. It’s most certainly forgotten. That I grant with disappointment.