NYC 2012 Day #5

Saturday morning was early...really early.  You see, Once had just beaten Newsies for Best Musical.  It was the only musical that Jackie really wanted to see...so I had secretly purchased tickets a month earlier to ensure we could get in.  I thought it would also be a show that Jackie's parents would like- and Brent Cox wanted him and Amanda to see it as well. 
Unfortunately, the only way they were getting in (cause the show was sold out) was to get a Same Day Rush Ticket.  Now normal shows that have been open for a while will do a lottery or you can just wander up the day of the show and try to get a ticket.  Not so with Once.  Since it was super popular (and since we had students try it on Wednesday), we learned that we probably needed to get in line at the box office around 5am to ensure tickets (and the rush tickets were only $32).  So, 4:45am the alarm went off (amazingly, Ray was not off eating his morning oatmeal) and me, Brent and some students were off to sit for five hours (box office opening at 10am) to get tickets.
I had a relatively comfy seat with Brent under an awning- and the weather was nice.  We were not 1st or even 2nd in line (there was a group from Boston in town for a bachelorette party right in front of us- but they weren't competition because they wanted matinee tix and we wanted evening). 
Honestly, I don't remember much of the five hours.  I dozed, hallucinated, chatted, and had my bottom fall completely asleep.  Jackie came by around 9am with delicious croissants from Petrossan Bakery that were amazing- and at 10am, I walked up and bough Ray and Renae a Father's Day gift of two tix to Once for that night.  Oh, and I sat it something disgusting on the concrete.  Brent told me to not wear them again on the trip.  Jackie looked and almost vomited.  I don't know what I sat in but it was disgusting.
I have no recollection of what we did the rest of the morning (I napped...I think...) and we met up with everyone in the lobby of the hotel at 1:00pm to head up to Lincoln Center for Warhorse.
I had seen this show a year before seated in the 2nd Row.  Watching it again from the back row (a better place for this show) I was completely taken in by the beautiful staging (the Beaumont has a huge stage- and is stunning for this show).  Although both Jackie and I were sad that the singer was a guy this time instead of a girl, it was just as beautiful and powerful as ever--and I mean it because Kelly DeHaan was weeping next to me like a child at the end of the show.
That night was Once.  We were so sad that the lead girl was understudied (I normally don't mind, but we REALLY wanted to see her) but Steve Kazee deserved his Tony Award for Best Actor.  He was fantastic (as was the set and ensemble) and it s sweet, sweet story with beautiful music.  We thought there were mic issues with the Girl character (and I would want to see it again with the full cast), but overall, it was great (and I hope it was worth the 5 hours sleep that was given up for Ray and Renae....).