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August 17, 2001 Friday, Party hosted by Cindy and Mary (Jazzcat)
We left home at 7 am to catch the 8 am bus to NYC (3-½ hour ride).
Our bus never showed so we took the 8:10 am bus instead this bus made a
stop in Delaware so it took us a little more than 3 ½ to get to
NYC. Upon arriving in NYC we decided to go straight to the Martin Beck
Theatre to get
tickets to see KISS ME KATE. The funny part was we went the wrong way
on 45th street and when we realized it we stopped and asked a man where
the theater was. He laughed and said
turn around and look down the street, across 8 Ave. sure enough there
it was as big as life. We laughed also and walked away feeling stupid.
After picking up our tickets we walked to our hotel the Sheraton Manhattan
7 Ave. And 51st St., checked in and took a short breather before heading
to the Playwright for the CATS Reunion party. As I was walking down the
street said I hope I didn't forget anything and you know we always do.
LOL. We didn’t have time to meet up with the all donators of the auction
stuff so we had to just go with description of each item and hope for the
best.
When we arrived at the Playwright we didn’t even have to tell them who
we were they knew right away. We were lead in to the bar area and were
met by the nicest older man I’d ever met; he took us up to the third floor
where the private room is that we reserved. He stayed a bit and talked
to us, when he found out it was a CATS reunion his eyes light up and he
graced us with some stores about
parties they had had for other shows in this very room and a little
dance of his own.
We finished setting up and got ready for the guest to arrive, as everyone
came in I had Jazz video tape them, some we did miss, as always. Anyway
about 3:30 PM we decided to go ahead with the food and hoped that Michelle
and Jon-Erik Goldberg (last B’way Pouncival) would make it
before the food arrived. Sure enough the arrived in time to put their
order in with the rest of ours. Jon-Erik was a little under the weather
so we didn’t ask him to do much speaking. Billy Johnstone (last B’way Coricopat)
called during dinner and said he was on the way, I knew Jon-Erik was coming
but Billy was a bit of a surprise. We had a beautiful meal and dessert
and afterwards we all got up and mingled for a while, took pictures, I’ll
have up what I got ASAP.
As the party came to a close I decided to close the silent auction so
I announced the winners of each item. Thank you again to all of you that
helped raise money for BC/EFA and the American Cancer Society. We were
than told we had to vacate the room so we all left and continued our gabbing
outside the Playwright where we took pictures with the camcorder and blocked
the sidewalk in front of the playwright. LOL. Than about 6 or 6:30 PM Jon-Erik
said it was time to go cause it was too hot to stand around any longer,
we all agreed. Anyway we had to drop off our stuff
in our hotel room before going to our shows.
Jazz, Jessica, Matt and I all went to see KISS ME KATE. Michelle (the
brave soul), Reeza, Char, Nicci, Jess and Jon-Erik went to see Rocky Horror
Show. Their show ended in plenty time for them to come to the Martin Beck
theatre and meet us after our show. They arrived just as Michael exited
the theater.
Anyway I got a little ahead of myself, at the Show Jessica and Matt
thought they had third row seats but it turned out they had front row and
got a very good view of the orchestra though out the show. Jazz and I had
Mezzanine center seats with a perfect view. As the show started I started
looking for Michael and there he was dancing about in the back. When the
two leads, Burke Moses and Carolee Carmello took the stage the cast left.
The two leads have a very long scene together taking place in their dressing
rooms that are next to each other with a joining door. Most of the first
act was between the two leads and about their marriage gone bad. We don't
see much of Michael until the
actual start the play with in the play starts.
My favorite parts are during the play when Michael and two other men
try to win over the heart of the beautiful young sister of Kate, each of
them got to do a little solo of song and dance for
her. She makes her choice and Michael and the other guy are a little
upset that they weren't chosen and have a little scuff with Lucentio the
chosen one. The next scenes Michael is in but just as a back ground dancer.
My next favorite scene was the song "Too Darn Hot" it took place in the
theatre alley Michael was sitting up high on the theatre roof stretching
and than half hanging off the roof (scary). The cast below were singing
and dancing than Michael and the rest of the cast that were looking on
joined in the dance.
After the cast had their little break it was back to the play and the wedding scene of Kate and Petruchio. I might add here that the costumes for the wedding scene were beautiful, the whole cast was dressed in white I thought Michael looked rather handsome in the white tights and white blousie sleeve top they all wore.
After the show we went to meet Michael at the stage door, when he came
out he had on headphones and almost didn't hear us when we called his name.
My one friend Jessica
walked up in front of him and he said hi, I'm sorry I didn't see you.
She asked him to sign her playbill as I stood off to the side. Michael
looked around to see all that were there and when he saw me he did a double
take said "oh hi Cindy." I than gave him a package that Cristrina had sent
me to deliver to him and he signed a playbill to her which I will mail
to her as soon as I get the pictures that Michael posed for her. He asked
if we were all in town for a reunion, LOL, I wonder how he
guessed?
During our conversation with Michael he mentioned how impressed he was
with the Michael Gruber Library, and how Kim and Kathy, the webstress were
able to find things about him that even he didn't know how to get a hold
of. He said they even went to my old high school and got records I
forgot about. LOL.
He signed more playbills for others and than came back to talk to us again. He than said he was tired because they had a rehearsal today for the new cast members that joined so we said goodnight. I mentioned I'd see him in his new show and all of a sudden there was this little spark in his eye and he started to tell us about the show, I sort of felt bad because he stayed to talk about the show instead of leaving. As the conversation died down a bit I broke in and said OK, we should let you go and he agreed and left, I than felt better.
Saturday we went to lunch with Michelle and some friends from the Reunion party and than later met another friend for dinner. Than Jazz, three other friends and I went to see STOMP. On Sunday Jazz and I had time to kill while Jessica was at a show. We decided to shop, while shopping we found some chocolate covered Oreo's that Jazz wanted us to get for Michael.
After getting the sweets we shopped more than went to the Martin Beck
Theatre to wait for the show to end. When Michael came out Mary caught
him and gave him the chocolate and he said "OMG! You got me something for
my waist" LOL. He than said he was sorry he seamed out of it Friday night
but he was really very tired, of course we said it was OK. Than he asked
me if I would email Cristina for him and thank her (if you want to know
what she gave him you'll have to ask her). we than got on the subject of
England and he turned tome and asked how long has Jacob been in
London doing CATS? He caught me off guard a bit and than the dated
popped in my head. I told him I was a little surprised when I heard the
news about Jacob and he too agreed he said it's
a very hard show to do.
We than talk a bit more about Red Hot and Blue and he told Mary and
I about some nice places they have to eat and a little about the area.
Now I'm getting excited and can't wait to go see the
show. We were surprised he stay to talk to us again and I didn't want
to keep him so I told him we
had to go because we need to catch a bus back to Maryland. We said
good night and he gave us
more hugs said see you in NJ, and we were off.
Well, that's it, I hope I didn't leave anything out and it is a bit long.
Cindy
