My parents took me to see Wicked as my first Broadway show, in 2005. Because the tickets had to be purchased so far in advance, they inadvertently bought them on a holiday weekend. So, despite leaving with plenty of time before the show, we ended up being lste because of traffic. After the show, largely because my parents are not city people, we left pretty fast, so I didn't see much of the city at all other than walking outside the theatre.
Swing Joined: 6/24/13
I went at Christmas time with my parents, brother and sister when I was 7 years old. We took a tour of Radio City and rode in a taxi. I remember part of the tour was listening to someone do an old-time radio show with sound effects. We were in the dark and I got scared.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/2/10
I don't think that was actually part of a Radio City tour - it was the NBC tour which takes place at the same place. I have done the same thing in the Los Angeles NBC studio and they did the same radio sound effects.
Summer 1981 was working for the father of a broadway producer and was working his party and Amy Irving came as Joe Namath's date. The next day I went to see her in Amadeus. My best friend also working the party had me go to the stage door with a note inviting her back to the same boat the party was on the previous night to party with us (him). Quite audacious! and no she didn't show up...
Updated On: 6/24/13 at 01:57 PM
It was 1986 or 87. Two friends had just moved from Texas to work at the Jacob Javits Center and had a scary little apartment in the Bronx. My first Broadway show was the original production of 42nd Street. Dolores Gray was playing Dorothy Brock - fabulous. The show was in the Majestic Theater - awesome. Times Square after the theater was crowded and bustling and rather seedy, but my memories are of the lights and energy. The following day we went on a whirlwind tour of the city. Got to Liberty Island and although the line to enter the statue was prohibitively long, it was an awe inspiring afternoon. And we did top of the Empire State Building which was impressive and wonderful. A great introduction to NYC.
Swing Joined: 6/24/13
Thanks. You're probably right. It was a long time ago.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/11/10
I wish I remembered. Growing up in the suburbs of NYC, my mom took me into the city all the time. Before I was old enough to see Broadway shows (my first Bway show was "The King and I" 1996 revival- I was around 7), I went to museums, Central Park, the Bronx Zoo, etc. If you want to get really technical, and include Queens as NYC (it's a borough, though probably not what you're talking about), I probably went to my grandmother's house in Queens when I was an infant.
Chorus Member Joined: 5/3/13
I'm not sure what year it was, maybe 1998 but I flew to New York with a friend and stayed with her relatives in Queens. I remember they were so nervous something would happen us when we were out, far more nervous than we were!! Nothing did, we had a great time and I loved it. We went to see Les Mis on Broadway. Finally getting to see a show there was a dream come true and I have been back 3 more times since and every time I go to see another show (I would go see more than one if I could but usually whoever I am with won't let me..boo!!!). I hope to visit again next year, fingers crossed!!
I was 2yo and all I remember was that it was Christmastime and we stood in the freezing cold to look at some Christmas windows. To this day, I don't know which windows....but I'm assuming it was Macy's.
Magic. Pure Magic. It was so different from what I expected, but so amazing and perfect.
Are ya ready?
Spring 1963. My music teacher brought us down to NYC from CT to the old Metropolitan Opera House to see a matinee of The Flying Dutchman. The Old Met was on 39th and Broadway. Our bus left us off on a side street and we walked across Bway to get to the entrance of the Met. Impressive building. Lots of red velvet.
Anyway...after the opera we had to walk back across Broadway to get to the bus. I happened to look to my left and there was all the lights and flash of Times Square. Only saw it for an instant. To my little Connecticut eyes I'd thought I'd seen Oz. And I had.
My first Broadway show was in 68. Celebration, and then Mame with Miller, and then Hello Dolly (with Merman). Hooked.
I was a senior in high school. I'd had my first article published in a national magazine -- took third place in a scholarship contest that they had -- and my dad took me up there for a couple of days to tour the magazine's office and meet some of the people. (Obviously it's not every magazine that would let you do that, but they were a really nice group of people and very kind to the scholarship winners!) While we were there Dad took me to my first Broadway show: "Crazy for You," with the original cast. It was heaven.
oh how I wish I could remember my first time in NYC. I was pretty little the first time I went so I don't really remember it and I have been soo many times that everything has just blended together and it's hard for me to remember dates. oh the pains of growing old- Now that I am 21, my memory just ain't what it used to be!
-BTW, I am glad I read the thread instead of just replying to the title, which made me think you were asking what my first sexual experience was like in NYC LOL.
It was 1973 and my high school drama dept. took a one day trip. We left before dawn and took a bus up. We saw Jesus Christ Superstar and Two Gentlemen of Verona. At the time Times Square was full of hookers, hustlers and porn theatres. It was quite an eye full.
A friend of mine had already graduated and was in NY going to AMDA. He met us before the matinee. At the time I was 6'2", very thin and had long hair. My friend said I looked a lot like a shorter Tommy Tune. While we were at the matinee my friend ran into Tommy Tune. After the evening show our bus headed home. We arrived home at like 3:00 am having my first time in New York city be a short one. Seeing shows on Broadway made me anxious to get back and see more.
April 2009. My friend and I planned a last minute three day trip to NYC to celebrate college graduation. Left after our last final and flew in to JFK at midnight. I will never forget my first look at Times Square all lit up on our way to our hotel. We did all the tourist things like the Statu, Ground Zero, Central Park, Little Italy and the Metropolitan. My friend insisted on walking everywhere and we only took the subway to Battery Park. We saw three shows in three days, Shrek, Blitfhe Spirit and West Side Story. Flew back the night before graduation. Quick trip but it was a great introduction to the city.
My first trip to NYC was a few hundred years ago, when I was 8 years old. There are portions of my family's visit that I can recall. I remember buying my very first Mickey Mouse watch at Macy's. (I always loved department stores .... still do). We saw a movie and show with the Rockettes. I can still envision some of the live show. I remember an underwater (mermaids) number. Was in heaven with the magnificent orchestra and the dancers and the costumes. I was a performer with 6 years experience under my belt by then. LOL. I remember all the theatre marquees and the excitement and lights. Our hotel room had a view of the United Nations building. That was really exciting for me. And, hang on to your hats......... I thought the automat was so NYC. Good old Horn and Hardart's. Most of you have no idea what I'm talking about. It was a magical trip for an eight year old boy from the midwest.
The first time I went to NYC was in August of 1988. I was visting friends in Somerset, NJ and took the bus to the Port Authority. At the time, I was working for Best Western and got a comp room for 5 nights at The Milford Plaza as it was a BW property.
After getting off the bus at the PA, I remember walking up 8th Avenue and seeing the Milford Plaza Hotel. As I stood on the corner waiting for the light to change, I looked to my right and saw The Majestic Theatre were "Phantom" was playing. And, then saw all the other marquees on the street. I was so surprised on how small the theatre district was. Having only experienced live theatre here in Los Angeles at The Music Center, The Pantages, The Shubert, etc.....I just assumed all the theatres were large. That was quite eye-opening.
On that trip I saw "Starlight Express," "42nd Street," "Broadway Bound" and "Speed The Plow." I got all my tickets at TKTS and had great seats for all the shows, except "42nd Street." I was in the last row of the balcony. It was so high up. But, I could see an empty seat in the front row of the Mezz, so I moved at intermission.
LOVED "Starlight Express." Before the show, I ate at Sizzler, which is the Stardust Diner now. My seat was inside the figure 8's of the set. So when they started to roller skate, the sirens would go off, and plexi-glass protectors would rise up. Jane Krakowski was in the show, and I just remember how absolutely stunning she was. So beautiful. Joan Rivers was in "Broadway Bound," and she was wonderful. When I saw "Speed The Plow," Sean Penn sat right next to me and would leave a few seconds before the lights would come up for the 2 intermissions, and then take his seat right as the lights were dimming. Madonna didn't really project very well and I had trouble hearing a lot of her lines during the play.
There was a live stage show with male performers on 8th Avenue on the current site of The Westin Times Square Hotel - the corner of 8th & 43rd Street. That was quite an eye-opening experience as well. Ha, ha!!!
The room at The Milford Plaza was so small - just a double bed, and you couldn't open the room door all the way as the door would hit the bed.
Updated On: 8/28/13 at 03:12 PM
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