My mother loves broadway, and by my 11th birthday I'd already seen many shows (Including Les Miserables, Phantom, and Into the Woods)despite living in North Carolina. We made lots of strategic show going trips. I'd say that I really enjoyed the shows a lot, but I remember the MOMENT that I really, REALLY fell head over heels in love with broadway.
I was 11 years old and our trip that year included "Secret Garden" (which I think was at the St. James...anyhow) - I remember for the first time being moved to tears in a theater - not because something was sad, but because it was so beautiful and amazing and live and right there in front of me. I cried all the way through the curtain call and started begging my mother to let me see it again before we left town.
She didn't want to see it again - but let me advance on my allowance to buy a single orchestra ticket for the next day - and that was my first time "alone" at a broadway show. She escorted me to the door of the St. James, told me over my dead body I wasn't to leave the lobby afterwards without her, and left me there. I was so madly in love with the show it was a real wrench to leave the city. I've loved many shows that much since then, but there will always be a place in my heart for Secret Garden.
Off topic - but I don't recall my orchestra ticket being more than 60 bucks... and I'm fairly sure it was full price, maybe I'm wrong. I'm not sure I could have advanced my meager allowance to 110 if that had happened today...
Now what would you say if today I started over?
Without a thing but this taped together four leaf clover
And I'll pretend like everything is already alright
And I'll run toward the sun till the castle's out of sight