July in New York (Part 4)

Friday morning, I got to sleep in while Jackie awoke at 5:00am. I already had my tickets for the musical Next to Normal and getting a TKTS ticket wasn't likely so we had found out that you could get a $25 ticket through a lottery that the theatre held every day. The first people in line could buy 2 tickets for $25 each- and the line forms early. So, off Jackie went with a book and a blanket.

While Jackie sat in front of a Broadway theatre with strangers (and a bagel with cream cheese), I headed off to a great breakfast place called Good Enough to Eat on the Upper West Side. I enjoyed my eggs and grapefruit juice while I listened to two Columbia students talk about how they tried to get 12th Night in Central park tickets at 5:30am- only to find the line was too long.

I took the subway down to say hi to Jackie and then it was back to the Time Warner Center for Day #2 of the conference. I arrived early because this session was all about the new Julie Taymor (The Lion King) musical Spiderman. We were meeting the musical director and the assistant set designer. As we were ushered in, we had to turn our cell phones off and put away all cameras. They played two songs from the show- and if I had doubts before, they were gone after those songs. The music is written by Bono and The Edge of U2 and the set is going to be unlike anything you've ever seen on a Broadway stage. They are spending 50 Million on this show and 40 Million is going to be the set. They told us Spiderman doesn't sing (let alone talk) and that all of their casting was done- There will be 3 Spiderman's- each with a different skill set (swinging, fighting, etc), the songs sound like good U2 stadium anthems- that still fit the characters of the show and the orchestra will be put into 2 rooms above the stage because the Chrysler Building is going to come out of the pit. It's going to be something amazing and I'm trying to make it the 1st show we see in NYC in June (again... come with us...)

We met 2 of the people involved with the short lived, but hilarious, Broadway musical Title of Show. They took us through a writing exercise that was based on their song Die Vampire Die- it was a great session with several teachers having moments of catharsis all over the place. I however was more concerned with meeting Jackie for lunch (with my cousin Allison- who just moved to Brooklyn with her husband Peter) at a SWANKY restaurant called Nougatine. It is honestly one of the top restaurants in the United States- not just New York- and they have a special $24 3-course lunch.

I got there just in time to have a delicious lunch of pea soup, steak and a strawberry tart. After that, is was back to the conference for an educator's workshop from Music Theatre International about their new products and then we got to talk to Tom Kitt, the composer of the show we were seeing that evening Next To Normal. I had owned the soundtrack for a while (so I know the secret in the show), but it was great to have him play some songs- and to hear him talk about his next project of being hired by GreenDay to bring American Idiot to life on stage. After that, we talked to Walter Bobbie (famous Broadway actor and director- most famous for the current 14 year running revival of Chicago). The best part of his session was him talking about the producers forcing him to put Melanie Griffith in as Roxie- and how she was a triple threat- she couldn't sing, dance or act--but she brought home the message of Chicago with extra clarity- that someone could get away with murder. He also really liked working with Usher in the show and that he could do all of the original choreography.

After the conference, Jackie was passed out from her early morning at Next to Normal so I went to the Drama Bookstore on 40th to get a few new scripts- and 2 hot dogs and a papaya juice (on 9th and 41st).

Jackie and I met up at Next to Normal- which is a fantastic show. It was emotional for everyone in the audience (the show deals with a mother who is struggling with severe emotional problems and the effect it has on her family)- and we had a great chat back with the cast afterwards. Alice Ripley deserved her Tony Award for Best Actress.

After that, Jackie and I were looking for food along 9th Avenue and discovered an Israeli restaurant. After eating my spicy goat, I tucked myself into bed with a slice of blueberry cheesecake and Joel McHale on The Soup.