Advice Regarding My Upcoming Trip — Page 3

I mostly lurk here, but thank you for sharing this ... and thank you for staying alive.

Wow! What a great moment. Way to go, Miles.

Thanks for all the kind replies. I got two hours sleep and realized that there’s no way I’m making my lunch reservation so moved it to dinner and canceled original dinner reservation. Don’t want to be falling asleep during Tootsie tonight Lol. Still pinching myself. Did that really happen? Feels surreal.

Thank you for sharing the story here. I'm glad you're here. What an incredible night for you.

Double post

Updated On: 10/4/19 at 11:05 PM

What a GREAT week!!! THANK YOU so very much for sharing your journey with us. It’s been amazing living vicariously through your posts. Looking forward to my own next trip to NYC (sometime in 2020). Have a safe trip home and ENJOY all of those wonderful souvenirs and memories!

In town car on way to JFK accompanied by my mountain of luggage. I was surprised I didn’t break down into tears when I got to express very personal things directly to Madonna Thursday night. Things I’ve been dying to say for a very long time. But now it’s hitting me. Intermittent tears as the week especially Thursday night washes over me. If I could tell that sad young man who sometimes contemplated ending it all every time a love affair went bust anything, I’d tell him it gets better, the best moments of his life are ahead of him, that he’ll one day get to meet his idol and tell her what she means to him and it will be meaningful to not only him, but also to her. Lastly, I’d tell him I’m very proud of him and I’d thank him for persevering through unimaginable pain so I can experience such moments of bliss.

Updated On: 10/5/19 at 02:38 PM

Thanks for all the positive feedback. You certainly know how to make a boy feel special. I usually trying to rank the shows from each trip in order of how much I loved/liked them. This time it’s a little difficult because while I’m not including concerts (Madonna, Ben Platt) in the mix, nothing is going to come close to my experience Thursday night at BAM. Also, as you’ll see the show that made my endorphins go crazy may not be the one that is technically the best constructed. But still, here we go. I don’t regret seeing anything. Also, while it’s sort of ridiculous to rank art against other art, my brain does it anyway.

1. Moulin Rouge! (M) - just ticked all the boxes for me. Totally exceeded all my expectations. I don’t know if I’d go again though as I don’t know if a second viewing could possibly surpass my first.
2. Hadestown (M) - I can acknowledge that this is technically a better show than MR in many ways. Interestingly, of the shows I saw this trip, this is the one I’d most like to revisit. That’s mostly because I had purposefully avoided studying the plot (wasn’t familiar with the myth) and only listened to OBCR once so I’d be surprised. I think I’d like to see the show again now that I’m more familiar with the plot/music. I still had a great time.
3. To Kill a Mockingbird (P) - great production. Great acting. But just as in the book and the movie (as I recall), it remains a story about racism that focuses almost entirely on the white characters.
4. Little Shop of Horrors (M) - just so so much fun! Groff and Blanchard (controversial I know) gave wonderful layered performances while Borle proved a worthy comedic foil in multiple roles, but especially the dentist. Also, bonus points to the most awesome stagedoor experience with Groff at stagedoor, including a hug, second only to that hug from Madonna. (The irony of this isn’t lost on me. Groff had unkind (and valid) things to say (uncharacteristic for him) about M after she reportedly looked at her iPad throughout the performance of Hamilton she attended. Also, ironic because of her ban of all digital devices on her Madame X tour).
5. Tootsie (M) - so so exceeded my expectations. I haven’t laughed this hard at a musical since Book of Mormon. Both Fontana and Stiles broke (started laughing) during scenes and we laughed right along with them. Audience demographic definitely leans in the direction of the geriatric and they seemed to be eating it up. I guess I’m joining their ranks. The fact that I enjoyed this that much after only 2 hours sleep (after Thursday’s Madonna concert, stagedoor at BAM, after party and adrenaline rush) really says something.
6. Betrayal (P) - superb acting. I have to say after the Madonna concert on Tuesday night, I was only functioning on about 3 hours sleep and that most likely adversely affected my appreciation of the shows I saw on Wednesday. This was my Wednesday matinee. I thought the individual scenes were great, but I feel that other than the backward chronology, it really didn’t add up to much, but I’m willing to allow that my sleep-deprived foggy brain missed some stuff. I was also getting a little sad that my trip was coming to an end and so seeing that sad play (albeit with liberal doses of humor) probably didn’t help that.
7. Oklahoma! (M) - I was really tired by the time I got to my Wednesday evening show and actually nodded off for a split second a couple of times or more during Act 1. And that plus seeing a rather depressing take on this American classic probably wasn’t my best pick for Wednesday evening performance when I waa already feeling a bit down and exhausted. Interestingly, I’d be interested in seeing this again when I’m less tired and my mood is different. I don’t get that chance on Broadway before it closes but it is starting the national tour in my city so I’ll most likely see it again then. I think that audiences here will not know what to make of it. If I was ranking the show itself and not my enjoyment of it, I’d rank this much, much higher. i’m still not sure if all the changes worked (although once I understood the context of the dream ballet, I totally loved it), but there was SO MUCH that it was sorta hard to take in on one viewing.
8. Sea Wall/A Life (P) - the first one act is underwritten. The second, while not perfect, was better written. Both men gave stunning performances. Jake’s brought me to tears more than once. This ranks lower solely because of the material they were working with although the production choices were spot-on and it was a treat to finally see Gyllenhaal live on stage.

So there you have it. Not a turkey in the bunch. I’ve also noticed that sometimes with shows later in my trips that they tend to get rated a little lower because I’m comparing them to shows I saw earlier in the trip. And shows that I see earlier on my trip tend to get rated higher perhaps because of the thrill of sitting in a New York City theater again bumps up my appreciation of whatever I’m seeing. Plus my sadness over my trip soon ending may lower my appreciation of shows toward the end of my trip. Doesn’t always work out that way. On one trip my next to last show was Come From Away which I was disappointed in and then my last show was Waitress which I loved. I also think it helps with Tootsie that it was an energetic, feel good musical which is exactly what I needed for my last night in New York City.

Updated On: 10/7/19 at 12:54 AM

JPeterman said: "Miles, you are so pleasant and without affectation ... thanks for your frequent and open hearted posts. Our online BWW community appreciates you!"



Thanks I just re-read every post on this thread, from my initial plans to solicitation of advice to receiving advice to revising my plans to my actual daily posts during my trip to receiving positive feedback on those posts. I’m currently trying to figure out how I can see Madonna at least one more time on the U.S. leg of her tour this year in addition to getting back to NYC early next year to see a bunch of newly opened or opening shows that I’m excited about.

Will probably be Philly or the last show in Miami (although I’m not a fan of Miami). Probably won’t be able to purchase tickets until mid-November then work obligations interfere until some dates in December.

The Met (Philadelphia) has 3,500 seats which is definitely bigger than BAM, but I’ll try for front orchestra anyway so won’t make much difference.

I wouldn’t have been opposed to Vegas if dates had worked although I’ve never been to Vegas because it doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t gamble and I feel like it’s just a bigger cheesier version of Times Square plus gambling. I’d rather go to NYC and experience great theater plus great food and shopping. I know Vegas also has great food and shopping, but it’s still not NYC. But to see Madonna again,I would’ve been willing, but the dates don’t work for me. As far as Gaga, I saw her in concert before Born This Way came out. It was a good concert, but I don’t feel the need to ever see her again.

All valid reasons. As I fly Delta and live in Oklahoma, I’d likely have two flights to Vegas just like I do to NYC. Also, I use Hilton points so my vacation lodging is free wherever I go. And I haven’t let anyone see me shirtless outside of a house or hotel room or my doctor’s office in a long time so pools are not an incentive. Lol. Also, I’m asthmatic and I have this (probably) irrational idea that all public places in Vegas reek of cigarette smoke.