And, cause I'm feeling talkative tonight, here's a mini-TR of my NYC trip.
So around the time of my January trip, I had downloaded the London cast recording of Matilda the musical. At my job we're able to listen to music while we work, so I'm constantly trying to keep new music on my iPod so I don't go stir crazy. I literally became obsessed with Matilda. I listened to it at least once a day for a few months. The first time I listened to it I almost started crying at work, I connected so much to it. After I got back, I found out that Matilda was coming to Broadway, and I HAD to go see it! I had a friend who lived in Jersey who offered to let me stay with him, and so I was set. Until Southwest raised the airfare right as I was going to book, so much that I just couldn't afford it (it was around this time I decided to do the cruise with Adam, see they're connected, lol).
Well, as Feb and part of March crawled by, I for some reason felt that if I didn't make it to NYC in April, I wouldn't be going at all and I'd miss my chance to see Matilda, and Pippin, one of my favorite musicals which was also going to be playing around the same time. So I looked at the airfare again, and it was back to a somewhat affordable price, so I booked. My friend wasn't able to host me, but I found a decently priced hostel about 6 blocks from Times Square (a little over $200 for 3 nights in NYC? yes, please). So I booked that and got all my show tickets. I was set!!
My flight was into Newark, and it went pretty well. Well except, I was oddly craving a burger at 6am when I go to the gate area at Love Field. And Whataburger was just opening. But my decision was not wise as, on the flight between Houston and Newark, I threw up. Luckily I made it to the bathroom. And after, I was feeling much better! lol The train from the Newark airport to Penn Station was only $25 round trip, which was awesome.
The walk from Penn Station to my hostel was less than 10 blocks, or right at, I don't remember. It wasn't horrible. I was staying at Equity Point, which is right next door to the Nederlander, where Newsies is playing.
This is literally the view from the only window in the room, lol
The elevator was cool. It had one door in front which opened to the lobby, but then another door on the side that opened when you reached your floor
Check in went ok. They literally will not let you check in till after 2pm, and I was about 20 minutes before, so not too bad. They did tell me I'd have to change rooms the second day, but only that one time. I went up to the room to drop off my suitcase and linens and charge my phone. The room was really hot upon entering, and I didn't even notice the thermostat till I'd been in the room about 20 minutes, haha.
After I charged my phone, I decided to go pick up my tickets to that night's show and go get some real New York pizza! My first stop, of course, was going to be the Times Square
Disney Store!!
Really, New York, really?!
So, since that was a bust, I headed over to the theater to pick up my ticket
Yay!! One of my favorite actors in my favorite Shakespeare play!! After I got my ticket, I was starving. So I hunted down a pizza place a friend mentioned to me, Ray's I think it was.
Yummy!!
After I ate, I walked around a bit, and then just chilled on the TKTS stairs in the middle of Times Square. I did a lot of that during the trip. I found it oddly calming to just sit there and look at all the posters and the people walking around.
Eventually it was show time. Alan Cumming was just brilliant. It was a one man version of Macbeth, and he did a miraculous job of finding a way to make each character somewhat different so that you were able to tell who was talking when.
After the show, I happened to see another famous face, Constantine Maroulis. He was in NYC doing Jekyll & Hyde, which he toured first and I got to see in Dallas. I didn't get to see him after the show then, so I just popped over to say hi. Yes, I am a nerd, lol.
I got back, and fell quickly asleep since I had been up since 10am the previous morning with no sleep. The next day was a 2 show day. The hostel had a very minimal continental breakfast, but I made do with a bagel and some juice. My first show was at 2pm, so I decided to walk around some more. I explored the Toys R Us in Times Square and some other stores. I know I had lunch, but I don't remember what, lol.
My first show was The Nance, starring Nathan Lane. It was really good, and Nathan Lane was remarkable. I didn't get to really meet him though. He walked by briefly while some of us were waiting and just said he didn't have time to say hi. Oh well. This was were I got to meet George Takei, who was in the row behind me during the show. Also, Jerry Lewis was about 4 rows behind me but I didn't get to say hi. After the show, I got to see my Jersey friend. We went and had dinner, and then he walked me back to the theater for my second show.
Matilda lived up to everything I was hoping for. I was a bawling mess by the end of the show. I was on the aisle, so as soon as it was over, I hurried down to the stage door to meet the cast. While waiting, I got to say hi to John Lithgow as he was going in the stage door to say hi. And James Corden (who was in a couple episodes of Doctor Who) was there, but I couldn't remember his name till after so I didn't say hi to him, lol.
Lesli Margherita who played Mrs. Wormwood, Matilda's mom
Bertie Carvel who was just brilliant as the Trunchbull
I then went back to my hostel to get some more sleep. (I switched rooms in between shows, just FYI, lol). The next day was my last show. It again wasn't until 2, so I decided to trek down to Little Italy. I had some more pizza, and also found a wonderful Italian bakery. The pastries were so good, and nothing beats real New York cannoli. The cannoli I've found here is made with marscapone, but the real stuff is made with ricotta cheese, and it just doesn't compare.
I then hurried back to see my last show, which was the one I was really the most excited for, even more than Matilda. Pippin was not short of spectacular. The cast was awesome, and I was just in heaven the entire show. I had an aisle seat again this time, so after the show I hurried down to the stage door again. As I was waiting, I got to say hi to none other than Joan Rivers herself as she was going into the stage door. She was shortly followed by Melissa Etheridge, and Rosie O'Donnell. I didn't get to say hi to them, mainly cause as soon I saw Rosie I was speechless. I watched her talk show religiously when it was on the air, and credit her for a lot of my musical theater education. She must have noticed cause she winked at me as she walked past me. I still get a little emotional when I think about it.
This is Charlotte D'Amboise, who is one of my favorite Broadway performers. Mainly cause she was in the original cast of my Broadway flop guilty pleasure, Carrie the musical (yes, Stephen King's Carrie. Yes, they made a musical)
The one and only Andrea Martin! I've been a big fan of hers ever since I saw her in the film version of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. And of course her hilarious performance in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. She was spectacular in Pippin, she even performed part of her song in the show whilst being held upside down from a trapeze!! No wonder she won the Tony, lol!
I also found the most amazing lobster roll randomly in the middle of Times Square. It was so good, not too much mayo, and the lobster pieces were just huge! It was about $12 for the roll, but totally worth it!
When I got back to the hostel, I got to meet one of my fellow bunk mates who was this amazing girl from Australia. We got along so well, we decided to go have dinner at this delicious burger place a friend told me about called The Counter. Afterwards, we went to the M&M and Hershey stores to satisfy our sweet tooths.
I didn't sleep well my last night, and so was pretty tired as I made my hike back to Penn Station. NYC was sad I was leaving. The weekend had just amazing weather the entire time, but this Monday it was drizzly and dull. The flight back was ok, except stupid me forgot to check in the day before. I had an ok seat the flight from Newark to Austin, but I was in the very last row from Austin to Dallas. Oh well. It was still an amazing trip!!
