Never Make Plans

A truly enchanted day from start to finish!

Starting with sleeping in (a rarity in my life) and a lazy morning. The only thing missing was a cup of coffee, but I have no coffee table or chair or couch or anything, for that matter, so maybe the lack of a coffee pot is fortunate! (I hope Santa will help with the aforementioned need for furniture).

I decided to make use of my wide open day and try for some tickets to "The Merchant of Venice", starring Al Pacino. Now, for that faithful half dozen of you who read my ramblings regularly, you may recall an extraordinary evening this summer when I was privy to this performance in Central Park. It was such a success that it has been moved to Broadway for a limited run, and is one of the hottest tickets in town [i hate that phrase, don't know why i used it].

Its a particularly chilly day in Manhattan and not too many folks are generally aware of matinee performances, so I thought I had a good shot. After I put my name in for the lottery [i've explained the Broadway lottery in previous posts, so please revisit those for reference] and as I patiently waited for the drawing I overheard a British woman (I love the British accent, so I'm just naturally drawn to listen) with her two sons wondering what would happen if one of them was called and they only would receive one ticket. Let this be a lesson to any solo-theatre-goers out there, if you put in for the lottery ALWAYS request 2 tickets. You find another loner in the crowd and make a deal that if you or they are called, you give the other ticket to them. Just increases the chances. So I politely interject that if I was called, I'd happily give them one of my tickets. As fate would have it, two of their names were called so I got a ticket! YES!!!

Little did I know I was about to sit next to one of the most interesting, randomly met, talented stranger-now-friend I've encountered here in NYC! Time for the cliche: this is why I love NY! Come to find out she is friends with a gentleman in the show, so she and her boys got to go back stage before and after the show, met Al (yes, i'm totally jealous), AND she is doing a show at BAM right now, as in a few hours later!

Naturally between obtaining a ticket and the start of the performance, I used my time wisely, albeit creepily, to google her and learn all I could! Ha! So with Starbucks in hand, I parked myself in the lobby at the Marriott Marquis (don't worry other people were doing it too) and researched my theatre-buddy. May have appeared slightly odd when I showed up at the theatre and knew her resume, but I just think its preparedness! We had lovely chats in between being awed and enraptured by the performances on stage.

*Quick note: Although this post isn't about the show, it was wonderful. Pacino is riveting, Lily Rabe was delightful- different from the summer, but still divine, and the rest of the cast deserves more praise than I am writing now. It was such a clear, precise delivery of Shakespeare that I was NEVER lost and that is saying a lot b/c some days I'm not so quick. Really really lovely!

Back to me though, so after the show we are heading out. Well, I am heading out, they are heading to the dressing rooms. Anyway, I give her my number b/c she is going to check on ticket availability for her show, but is skeptical as it is a sold-out run but we can always hope, right? I leave already loving my day and reveling in such a delightful surprise in flying solo at the theatre only to be met by such an interesting family. I always have loved English folks!

So, not long after I receive a message that there is one ticket left. I call her back and make the arrangements to pick it up. The one seat left, isn't exactly a seat as much as a half chair seated on the stage. Just the back to support you and sitting on a little cushion. It was brilliant actually because I was loving the fact that I was on stage at the BAM Harvey Theater, where a year before I had seen Cate Blanchett do "A Streetcar Named Desire" and previously "As You Like It", two shows I enjoyed immensely.

"Metamorphosis" played out so interestingly! One of the most unique and physical stagings I've ever seen of a play. So creative and stylized. I absolutely loved it. The whole cast was wonderful and I so enjoyed myself. (sorry if it seems i'm gushing over this, but it has been such a special day and i'm still overwhelmed by it... and i take my apology back, i'm not sorry!) I got to go backstage, which is only the second time that has happened in NY, and I got to walk past all these signed posters from shows, and I wish I could linger a bit but I know I'd get lost so I had to keep up with the girl escorting me down. I chatted briefly with my friend, who jokingly referred to herself as my fairy godmother for the theater. She said she'd just escort me all over the City just getting me in to shows. You know what, I'll take it! A theater fairy godmother... yes please!

I headed home grinning ear-to-ear feeling so utterly content with the happy chaos of my life!

p.s. My new friend's name is Kelly Hunter, so check her out, become a fan and come see her when she is back in New York in a few months to perform some Shakespeare herself! She's wonderful!!!