New York City Day #2

So Thursday in NYC was the first day of the Broadway Teacher's Conference at Jazz at Lincoln Center. I've decided the conference is totally worth it for the elevator ride alone up to the cool rooms our conference is in. Basically, we're located in Branford Marsalis recording and rehearsal studios.

So, I was up bright and early and walked from my hotel to the Time Warner building. The elevators weren't open yet so I went and got a snack at Bouchon Bakery and watched people react to the huge naked sumo wrestler statues in the lobby.

My first session was a getting to know you- and for being a theatre teacher, I dread doing "getting to know you exercises"- which makes me a total hypocrite because I make my theatre students do them all the time. I, however, met nice teachers from Australia, Georgia and Canada- so I guess it was worth it.

I then took a puppetry session from John Tartaglia (Tony nominee for Avenue Q and also a hilarious Pinochico from Shrek the musical). Totally fun and inspirational- Theatre 3 will be doing a puppetry unit this year. If I can get supplies.

After two sessions, it was lunch time so up I went to my favorite Grey's Papaya then a frozen hot chocolate at Jacque Torres. I then picked up some more chocolate love at Levain Bakery so Jackie would have a snack waiting for her in the fridge when she arrived the next morning.

That afternoon I listened to current Broadway stars talk about their Path to Broadway and then it was time for dinner.

It was Spiderman that night (and it started at 7:30pm) so I had a quick dinner after hitting the Drama Bookstore and stocking up on scripts for my school.

Now on to Spiderman. Hmmm.

Let's say the following: You can certainly see the 75 million dollars as the sets are jaw-dropping (and sometimes actor dropping as well), the flying is amazing (as the head of some mafia organization sitting next to me said when Green Goblin whizzed by his head (as in flew...not pee): "whoa"), but I think this show is a prime example of WAY too many cooks in the kitchen- and the end result is like everything was thrown up on the stage to see what sticks (random hip-hop military dance? Check. Spiderwoman Archnae vaguely seducing Peter Parker? Check. Crazy supervillians that look like they have a hard time walking? Check. Absolutely awful music? Check (more about that as it related to a class I took the next day from the music director- who has earned her spot in heaven working on this show...and did you see the number they did at the Tony Awards? THAT was the best number in the show- which says a lot).

I guess I'm glad I saw it- but I don't want to see it again- and it could have been an awesome show if the music was amazing... but it wasn't.

There. You've seen the best parts. Save your money.

But...Reeve Carney (he plays Peter Parker) and the guy that fell 25 feet head first into the orchestra pit last December came out and talked to us and answered questions. That was cool.