Wonderettes/College/Xanadu

[Eris0303]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 11:03am

This weekend was pretty insane but a whole lot of fun.

I saw not one, not two, but THREE shows this past weekeend. I certainly never sat down and said "I think I'll see three shows this weekend." That's just the way it worked out. Quite some time ago I had bought a ticket to see The Marvelous Wonderettes at the Westside Theatre for Friday, September 26. Not long after I booked that I was looking at the schedule for the NYMF show College: The Musical. NYMF shows tend to have show times all over the place - 10:30pm, 1pm, 9pm, etc. The only show I could attend was the 1pm performance on Saturday, September 27. I wasn't sure if I wanted to see an afternoon show the day after seeing an evening show. But it was that or nothing so I booked a ticket.

As you all know, two weeks ago the closing of Xanadu was announced for October 12 and I immediately booked a stage seat for the final performance. Later, I got tickets to the October 4 matinee for my sister and I. She hadn't seen the show yet and I wanted her to not only see it but see it from stage before it closed. But last week it was announced that Xanadu was closing on September 28 instead of October 12. Not only did I lose my stage seat for the final show but I lost the show I was taking Lauren to. If I wanted Lauren to see the show before it closed the only performance I could take her to was the evening show on September 27. I looked into getting another ticket to College but they were sold out. So my only option was to go see College and then take the train back to Hamilton, get Lauren, and then go back to New York. Which is exactly what ended up happening.

Friday I went straight to the train station from work and got on the 5:39 to Penn Station. The train ride was pretty much uneventful and I just sat there reading my book. Upon arrival in New York I was quite pleased to see that it was not raining. I hate having my umbrella up in the city because of the crowds. So unless it's an absolute downpour I don't use it. So I liked not having to use it at all.

I arrived at the theatre around 7:30ish and I was taken to my seat in row K. I was very excited for the show to start because I had been looking forward to seeing The Marvelous Wonderettes for quite some time. For those of you who don't know the show is about a high school prom in 1958. Four seniors - Betty Jean, Suzy, Missy, and Cindy Lou - known as the Marvelous Wonderettes are performing for their classmates. Through the night they sing all sorts of songs from the time period - Secret Love, Mr. Lee, Lollipop, Lipstick on Your Collar, Sincerely, etc. Songs that I'm very nostalgic for. I knew I'd love this show - and I did!

The show is enchanting and part of what makes it so fun are the characters and the four actresses playing them. What makes the show so fun is the fact that every one of us probably knew people like the Wonderettes. Cindy Lou's the pretty one who knows she's the pretty one, Missy's the teacher's pet, Betty Jean (BJ) is the tough one, and Suzy is the goofy one.

There's some audience participation which I only partly knew about and that added to the silly fun element of the show and the entire second act is a total surprise that I didn't even see coming and won't reveal. You'll just have to go see the show yourself.

Go see this show. Take your mom. Take everyone. See it because it's an absolute blast!

After stopping by the stage door to chat with Bets Malone (Suzy) whom I had met back in March when I saw All Shook Up in California I headed home to get some sleep before I came back to the city the next day.

Saturday morning dawned a bit earlier than I would have liked but I rolled out of bed and got ready to go to the train station again. As I mentioned before I had tried to get another ticket to College for Lauren but it was listed as sold out so I was unable to do. College was playing on 54th Street so I walked the 20 blocks from Penn Station in a light mist and upon arrival at the theatre I was suddenly glad I hadn't brought Lauren. The stairs leading to the theatre were these tight winding ones that would have taken her about an hour to navigate.

The show itself was very good. It was all about college life and partying. The drinking, skipping classes, etc. Some of it seemed foreign to me because NONE of this stuff went on at my school. But the cast was delightful and the songs were infectious.

After the show I headed back Penn Station and boarded the train BACK to Hamilton. I called my mom and told her that I was on the train and to please have Lauren at the train station by 5pm. Once again my train ride was uneventful and when I got to Penn my mom and sister were waiting for me. I traded coats with my mom because the one I was wearing was too heavy and she had brought me a thinner one. And then Lauren and I went inside to wait for the 5:32pm train back to Penn Station.

Upon arrival at Penn I decided to take a cab since it was already 7pm and since we had stage seats we had to be there a bit early. We went through the taxi lane at Penn and got a cab. We got to the Helen Hayes rather quickly and when we got out of the cab Lauren noticed that she did not have her purse - she'd left it in the cab. So I put her in line and told her to stay there while I took off at a run after the cab. I pretty much NEVER wear sneakers to shows but I had decided to wear them on Saturday because it was supposed to be a yucky day and because of the back and forth I had to be doing. If I hadn't been wearing sneakers I'd have never caught that cab. But I did and Lauren got her Minnie Mouse purse back.

When I got back to the the theatre everyone was a buzz over what had happened because they had witnessed me tearing down the street. I got several congratulatory remarks for catching the cab (at the corner of 44th and Broadway) and I took some time to catch my breath.

Finally we were let inside and Lauren and I were seated in the second row of stage seats in the center. I was right on the end next to the ramp. It was fun to see the show through Lauren's eyes and see her enjoy it so much. During Strange Magic Mary Testa came up behind me and started to play with my hair. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Lauren turn around to look at her. So Mary put her hand on her head and turned it back to face the audience. Later, during All Over the World I got bobbed on the head with a mallot and Lauren though that was absolutely hysterical. Jackie also shared her popcorn with us.

After the show we trooped to the stage door because Lauren wanted her picture taken with Andre Ward. Well, guess who snuck out. Yup, Andre. But Lauren got to meet Mary, Jackie, Kerry, Cheyenne (who admired my PA Renne Fair "Wenches have more fun" shirt), Kenita, and Rob (is it Rob? I don't have my playbill here and his name is slipping my mind).

By the time we got back to the train station Lauren was ready for bed and that's exactly where she went when we got home. Straight to bed.

Back to work today. I only have one show this weekend - Jerusalem Syndrome on Sunday.