New York, New York

 I always stress about a lot of different things with trips like this and then it’s the ones I don’t expect that pop up. But honestly today’s New York trip went about as well as it could go, until MegaBus. I found the new stop this morning with only a little weird driving to get into the garage. It’s on the bridge now which is cool. The ride up was uneventful; nice to see New Jersey again. It was chilly in New York but I had a jacket. First stop was 45 Bond because I wanted to try something new and it was highly reviewed for brunch. Very Italian and they had a butt statue to rub, haha. I am not sure if I needed my reservation or not but I had one and the waiters were very fancy. I got an omelet and breakfast potatoes. It was really good! Nice thick cheese in there and then eggs like the place from the mill. Mmm.

Then I walked around Times Square for a while; I can’t believe it’s been two years since I’ve been. Theatres require ID and proof of vaccination to get in, which is all you can ask for. It’s weird feeling okay with some things and then weird about others. This is gonna be the thing we never really get over, I think.

Then I went to Westside Theatre for Little Shop of Horrors. I’ve never done Off Broadway before so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I really loved it. In the lobby there were several teenagers and the boys were going back and forth a routine oh “Batman has one rule. What rule? He doesn’t kill people. It’s his only rule. Won’t kill anyone. No other rules? Nope, only one rule.” What ‘boys will be boys’ should mean, haha

 It was a much smaller house obviously (with a plant in the lounge ;O)  but y’allllll these guys blew it out of the water. I was most excited for Christian Borle and of course he delivered. A nice surprise was that he did more than just the dentist, he was an assortment of characters as well.

I expected to like Conrad from HTGAWM because Oliver was the best non Viola Davis character and he absolutely slayed it. So earnest and sweet and good. I am a big fan of his more specifically now. Also I just looked it up and he’s forty three??????????? Literally would have bet on him being like 31. Him trying to point a gun: cinnamon roll. The ensemble girls were also fierce and on point. It’s such a small cast but that can also be an asset. And at bows they brought out the techies and the plant operators and the conductor on a TV as well as the voice of Audrey II of course.

Highlights: Christian Borle’s dentist hair lol. When he was a random guy “couldn’t help but notice that strange and interesting plant” he did a little tooch back on “I guess I’ll just have to buy twice as many then” and it was pure chaos, I Love it. The dewop girls throwing dollars into the audience and then demanding them back. The sparkly red outfits and encouraging Seymour to jump onto the garbage can. When Christian Borle comes on as three characters in a row giving Seymour contracts, including as an old lady, and each time he takes off Seymour’s glasses and recoils. “Nope.” “WOOF” “ugh” I was dying

The plant was super cool; I’ve only seen the show once and at the Empress and their plant was neat but this was obviously like ooooh. It could move almost to the audience and it was huge. And at the end it sprayed blood out and I jumped. Someone’s phone went off near the beginning of act two and Connor’s line right after was “I’ll call for you” and he gestured to the audience and smirked. “You’ll hear it.” He also seemed to nearly break for a second when old lady Christian was talking.

For the Broadway Cares plug Christian Borle said “just a minute here and we’ll start act three.” “We know you paid a lot of money to be here, we’re just asking for you to pay a little more to get out” It was great. I totally would have stage doored if they were doing it but alas Covid has taken it. But one of my favorite shows I’ve seen in New York even though it’s an older script. (Definitely aged, the Audrey stuff that was originally comedy now seems much harsher.)

Next was Six. It was pretty much what I thought, more a pop concert than a musical. Everyone was really talented it just wasn’t the same for me as something like Little Shop. The dialogue was horrible, so cringey. It was super cool to have an all women band though and call them the Ladies in Waiting. The outfits were awesome; I want Jane Seymour’s dress. Silver and lovely metallic shimmer. There were definitely some bangers but I think it still needs some work. But it is what it is, which is not a musical. But props to those ladies because that is a ton of dancing and singing in crazy spiked heels so damn they must all be fit as hell. (Oh and Six had a “suddenly Seymour” reference lol)

My schedule was working perfectly as I was going to get to the bus stop right on time for the bus to take off. HOWEVER the 8:15 bus, according to the driver, “never showed up” so we became the 9:15 bus and merged with those riders. I don’t know if they just got lucky and had enough seats or if some people didn’t get on but I’m just glad I a) had a seat, b) got to wait on the bus instead of outside for an hour, which I’ve had to do for buses, and c) that it was the bus home and not there that was vanished. Also I guess reading lights on the bus don’t work once they leave which I think I knew but had forgotten. Oh well.

It was SO cold when I got off the bus and bitterly windy, even colder than the first day in Philly at the Navy Yard because it was after dark. I found the parking garage without much trouble but then trying to get out it said exit closed and I was like “what am I gonna do, sleep here?” But there was another exit and all was well. Then I got turned around trying to take a different exit than I usually took to get home but I made it to Broad Street and then from there I knew where to go from dropping off/picking up Justin all those times when we shared a car, and also when I went to the Sixers games. All in all it was a fun and busy day but when the radio played “Take Me Home Tonight” I agreed. In bed now. Tomorrow home!