Eric and I tried for the Lottery to see WICKED this afternoon. It was the first stop of our day. We were hopeful, but our names weren’t drawn.
We walked Times Square and toyed with the idea of seeing a movie. Saw II – the follow-up to the grotesque thriller I wrote about a couple weeks ago. The weather was chilly and we were ready to get inside somewhere.
As we walked down Broadway, crossing 49th Street, we talked about Saw II and discovered a kinship of things dark. The timing couldn’t have been better because we passed Eugene O’Neil Theater where the Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd is running.
We continued down Broadway and I gave Eric a brief synopsis of Sweeney Todd and the more I talked, the more intrigued he became. It was sounding more and more like his kind of show.
I had wanted to see the show since it opened for Previews a few weeks ago. Sweeney Todd is one of my favorite shows by Stephen Sondhiem. There’s been a lot of mixed takes on the revival. The show has been completely re-imagined and staged. It is unlike anything that’s ever been done before. Normally the show is huge, large scale musical with a full orchestra. This production is done on an almost completely bare stage, with ten actors who are also the show’s musicians. Each character – lead or ensemble – plays several instruments throughout the show and none ever leave the stage.
I thought the concept sounded fascinating, though I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy it without a full orchestra to capture the score. I still wanted to see it though.
Eric piped up and said he’d be interested in seeing it if I was. We got in line at the TKTS ½ Price Booth in the center of Times Square. It was 15 minutes to showtime, so there wasn’t much of a line. We got up to the window and I remembered that, at the actual theater, they had cheap seats in the Mezzanine. We decided to stay in the TKTS line and see what they had to offer. TKTS had $55 “obstructed view” seats up in the balcony.
I thought we could do better going to the theater, so that’s what we did. When we got to the theater people were already piling in. We went to the ticket counter and found $35 tickets in the Orchestra section, just off to the side. They were also slightly “obstructed” but the price was better and the seats were closer.
We took them.
From the moment the show started, I knew we were in for an amazing. The music and acting was superb and the show on a whole, completely captivating. It was also great to see theater legend Patti LuPone on stage. Patti was the original Evita on Broadway years ago and has also starred in many other musicals. I was also completely taken by Michael Cerveris’ portrayal of the title character, Sweeney. He brought different nuances to the character and made him even more dark and heartbreaking.
At intermission Eric and I talked non-stop about the first Act. He was loving it and said the show was a perfect choice for him. I confided in him that I have short (very short) list of “Dream Roles” that I would love to play.
Proctor in THE CRUCIBLE
Sweeney in SWEENEY TODD
Proctor is one of the greatest roles written for the stage. Arthur Miller, the show’s playwright, is one of my all-time favorites. I love his play The Crucible. I been in one production, as Rev. Hale, and I look forward to having the age and talent under my belt to play Proctor.
Sweeney is one of the deepest, most tragic, and powerful characters in musical theater. Sondhiem writes for brilliantly for actors who sing. I love the layers and facets to the character of Sweeney Todd.
When the show was over it received a well-deserved standing ovation. I thought it was incredible. The stark bareness of the staging only added to the compelling thrill of the show.
Eric loved the show and sang bits and pieces for the rest of the day.
Visit: www.sweeneytoddonbroadway.com
We had sure-thing tickets to SLUT: A WHOLESOME MUSICAL tonight, but we tried the lottery for WICKED anyway for the evening show…and again, lost.
Visit: www.wickedthemusical.com
We hopped on the C Train and headed down to Chelsea to eat at Dallas BBQ on 23rd. I had been craving BBQ for days and Eric obliged my craving. After dinner we were back on the C heading back up to see SLUT.
When we got to the theater I was greeted warmly by the House Manager who recognized me as a repeat patron. She was happy to see me bringing someone else to see the show.
Eric and I enjoyed SLUT. There were a couple of understudies in tonight and they did a good. I noticed several things that were a tad bit off, but overall they well. I know being an understudy has be crazy…you rehearse and practice just waiting for the possibility of going on.
Visit: www.slutthemusical.com
Afterward, Eric wasn’t quite ready to call it a night. He sprung for a cab and we rode uptown to my apartment, dropped off our stuff and then met up with Nathan and Elizabeth at G – the slick martini bar on 19th Street.
The place was PACKED and the spirit of Halloween was everywhere. More than half of the crowd was sporting their costumes a day early. All the bartenders were pirates…half-dress pirates.
I was exhausted from working all day and spending all day about town, so I made it an early night and headed home to bed.
