Back from NYC & saw 9 shows!

I just returned from my VERY FIRST trip to New York this past week (April 1 to 6). It was remarkable. I had a wonderful time and experienced just about everything I think I could in the time I had.

I went to NYC with the goal of seeing at least 5 shows. I returned home to SF having seen 9! I had only bought tickets to "Wicked" and "Sweeney Todd" -- everything else I saw having either won lotto or making student rush (mostly front row)!

"The Light in the Piazza"
04.01.06 Matinee
Full Cast w/David Burnham (Fabrizio u/s), Laura Griffith (Franca u/s)

"The Wedding Singer"
04.01.06 Evening (4th Preview)
Full Cast

"Sweeney Todd"
04.02.06 Matinee
Full Cast

"Avenue Q"
04.02.06 Evening
Full Cast w/Howard Michael Smith (Princeton/Rod u/s)

"The Drowsy Chaperone"
04.03.06 (1st Preview)
Full Cast

"Hairspray"
04.04.06
Full Cast w/Blake Hammond (Wilbur u/s), Naturi Naughton (1st Show)

"Wicked"
04.05.06 Matinee
Full Cast w/David Garrison (2nd Show), Tiffany Haas (Midwife u/s)

"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"
04.05.06 Evening
Full Cast

"Tarzan"
04.06.06 (5th Preview)
Full Cast w/Alex Rutherford (Young Tarzan alternate)

I want to thank so many of you for all of your assistance on planning prior to my trip. From advice on how to jump from one lotto to another and which shows were easy to rush, to minor details on how to ride the subway. It was a spectacular experience and I fell in love with all of it.

I did so much more too! Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, United Nations, Grand Central Station, Bryant Park, Battery Park, Ground Zero, City Hall, Wall Street, Brooklyn Bridge... I filled every hour exploring the island, site-seeing, eating, stage-dooring, and literally dancing in the street.

I also want to thank the DOZENS of you I met and/or spent time with! Let's see... Stefanie, Gretchen, Ryan, Liz, Andy, Shy, Liotte, and so many more. Additionally, I met some amazing locals (who don't use this board but are still awesome). It seems everyone knows everyone there! I was over-stimulated and had a blast! I found NYC to be very much like SF sans the accent.

I got swept away initially, then felt like I was "at home" mid-week. It was fascinating and I cannot wait to return. When all is said and done, I'm able to say "I've been there" now and can completely visualize everything y'all New Yorkers are talking about now. The theatres, the culture, the buzz. It was a real treat. I've got over 300 photos to prove it!

Til we meet again, NYC!

Updated On: 4/9/06 at 12:43 AM

Sounds like a great trip.

Sounds like you had a great time in our great city. Glad to hear it. What a pleasant post :)

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In response to MistressoftheHouse:

"The Light in the Piazza" was of course gorgeous. I made it a point for this to be the first show I saw in NYC since it's my 3rd favorite show and I already had tickets to my other 2 favorites. Victoria was astounding. Fabrizio's understudy was so cute and, while I've never seen/heard Aaron in the role, I was quite satisfied with his performance. Katie was a dish. I was slack-jawed for the entire production.

"The Wedding Singer" is a party, simply put. The plot is thin and it doesn't have the best direction. But that's frankly besides the point. This show isn't about the story, it's about having a good time. If you want to literally be bouncing in your seat and bobbing your feet/knees, leaving the theatre like you've just swallowed a handful of Paxil, then see this show. The dancing is spastic and hilarious and Kevin Cahoon and Amy Spanger bring the house down.

"Sweeney Todd" brought me to tears. This show is what opened me to the world of musical theatre back in 2002 (I was a late bloomer). Aside from "Wicked" this is my favorite show on so many levels. This production is just so raw, sinister, and beautiful. I had full-body chills on top of full-body chills. During the Final Sequence, my eyes watered up... not because of what was happening on stage, but because I achieved an emotional peak I've never experienced in a theatre before.

"Avenue Q" was delicious. Princeton/Rod's understudy was prestine. I'm not upset I missed Barret Foa because Howie Michael Smith was fantastic. This new cast is so cute together. The elder woman next to me was covering her mouth gasping every 5 minutes, and loving it! I'd never seen this show in its entirety so it was a real treat, especially being front and center. Mary Faber has such an adorable chin!

"The Drowsy Chaperone" was a gift. I will be singing this show's praises for a very long time. One of the most honest, original, and loving pieces of theatre on Broadway in a long time. The cast is superb, especially Bob Martin and Sutton Foster. This is the kind of musical every die-hard theatre fan wishes they could have written -- so instead, go watch it. The Man in Chair holds a mirror to every single person in the theatre community... either you or someone you know. I was literally laughing, hard, every minute. One of the most enjoyable shows I've seen in my life. So funny. So cute. Surprise hit of the season. It's going to be very difficult to get tickets to this show in a month.

"Hairspray" was phenomenal. The lotto seats are amazing. The cast is no less than 12 inches from you. Shannon Durig gives Melissa a run for her money as Tracey and Diana DeGarmo is a perfect Penny! Plus Link's ass is so cute! I didn't care that much for John Pinette because I think he's a funnier man outside of a dress. But the show is just so much fun. No complaints.

"Wicked" was refreshing, only because I'd fallen in love so much with the San Francisco tour cast (headlined by Eden). It is so good to see this troupe together again on Broadway (Eden, Derrick, Carol, David, and Jenna). It feels so good to have seen my favorite musical on Broadway for the first time, finally! I'm proud of the company.

"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" was hilarity. Jonathan Pryce is so towering in the role and Norbert's still got it. Rachel York was fun (though a little too quiet and hasn't quite polished the belt). This isn't one of my favorite shows, and yet I'm finding myself humming its music everywhere I go. I am especially glad to have seen Joanne Gleason and Greg Jbara together. On a side note, I wonder if Norbert has made the parallel that he and his girlfriend both stand up out of wheelchairs on stage.

"Tarzan" needs work. My honest opinion? The show needs to be renamed "Terk" because Chestor Gregory II was the best performer on that stage. There is nothing striking about this production. I always always give theatre the benefit of the doubt, but I don't see Disney winning anything for this show (though that should never be the goal of a show). The costumes aren't anything special, the set is non-existant, the score is recognizable and pleasant, but the book really needs tightening. Meaning no offense, but John Strickland plays Tarzan as a drunken young man with down-syndrome instead of what we normally identify Tarzan as -- a human devoid of human contact, but still very intelligent, resourceful, and eager to learn and fast to adapt. There was a technical difficulty during one of the rope scenes and the show was paused for 3 minutes. I acknowledge that the show is still deeply in previews, but they have a lot to polish before opening. I just feel Disney rushed into this show too soon. The show does have the ability to grow and become really quite good, however.

Short answer: Yes I enjoyed all of the shows on many levels, and they all met expectations.

Updated On: 4/9/06 at 02:30 AM

Dude, why didn't you say "Hi" if you'd recognized me! I'm a friendly young man and would have totally loved chatting with you! Your loss :) Haha

How'd you like the show? Understudies?

On a side note, I wonder if Norbert has made the parallel that he and his girlfriend both stand up out of wheelchairs on stage.

That is too funny, as, the first time I saw DRS, this was *exactly* my thought! First I was laughing because "Love is my Legs" is just a funny song, and then I realized who his girlfriend is and I just started laughing that much harder. :)

Glad you had such a great trip!

So you had fun burnin' a hole in your pocket?

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It was great meeting you! (though it took you a bit too long to figure out who I was!)

Glad you had such a great trip to NYC!

EugLoven---Thanks for sharing your experiences, your enthusiasm and your reviews.

I found all three very refreshing, and it reminded me of my own first trip as an eager, young adult to NYC. Your passion for theatre is both engaging and infectious.

(No, I didn't see Lillian Russell as a headliner, either!)

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Glad you enjoyed the trip. I love long week trips like this to see things. I know there is a certain intensity with cramming things in but I love it myself. Am off next month with my bf for 7 shows (Wicked, Hairspray, Color P, Piazza, DRS, Chaperone and Spamalot). And sightseeing in the daytime, with a good variety of restaurants. Can't beat it.

In reply to emo_geek:

Yes, I'm in the process of titling and organizing the hell out of my 315 photos. I got some fantastic stage door photos. Most of the stars were very friendly and courteous, but there were a few who jetted out of the door and into their black cars without doing much fan-ing... which is okay. They've got lives too.

As soon as I've accumulated all my photos into one gigantic post on my other online journal, I'll let y'all know. I took some great City shots, and gave myself a "photo project" to take a picture of every theatre marquis. Just wait!

In reply to Whimsical:

I KNOW! The words "Rachel York" and "quiet" seem absolutely foreign in the same sentence together. I've always thought she was a powerhouse, and yet, she was awfully subdued in this performance (maybe it was just a mediocre night, I dunno).

I mean, she sang beautifully and was a real gimmick during the lines, but when it came to some of the larger notes Sherie Rene Scott mastered, Rachel didn't quite hit them. Totally uncharacteristic of her, maybe she wasn't breathing correctly... but it was almost all "head-voice" instead of diaphragm. However, she hit the last note in "Here I Am" marvelously!

I'm gonna give her the benefit of the doubt, because it was a fine fine show and she got multitudes of applause. Maybe I'm just going deaf or prefer my actors over-miced!

In reply to SueleenGay:

I actually slept well. I went to bed each night at 1:00am and awoke at/near 9:30am. This gave me about 4 hours to explore before a matinee show, or all day/afternoon to have fun before evening lottos.

My "digs" were suitable. Because I only needed a place to sleep (literally) I didn't want to spend a pretty penny on some lush hotel room I'd never use. So, one of my co-workers referred me to Hosteling International-NYC located at 103rd & Amsterdam. Just like a dorm, HI-NYC is a nice building for traveling young adults (like me) that offers the essentials at a low price. I slept in a 6-bed male room for 5 nights for $195.

I simply came home, fell asleep, woke up, showered, and started another day. All I did was use a bed. What more do you need? I highly recommend hosteling to anyone 19-25 comin' to NYC.