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Remembering 9/11
Every year on this date I take time to remember, grieve, celebrate and honor the many heroes and those that lost their lives on September 11th, 2001. Thirteen years have flown by but the wounds are deep. 2,977 innocent people died on that day and they, as well as their families deserve to be remembered.
In addition, more than 1,400 first responders have also died since 9/11. There are many more that are sick and suffering.
I think it’s important on this day of remembrance to also remember the heroic men and women that have served our country and those that gave their lives in the days since 9/11 to protect our freedoms. To date, more than 8,000 American and Allied soldiers have died in post-9/11 wars.
A close up of the Last Column.
How will you remember this tragic and historic day?
Here is a link to a list of ways you might participate in the National Day of Service and Remembrance.
The photographs I’m sharing here are images I took on the official opening day of the museum at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City on May 21, 2014.
You can see more images I shot that day by clicking here.
Even as the buildings collapsed, the slurry wall held back the water that would have flooded Lower Manhattan.
Tridents recovered from Ground Zero.
Ladder 3.
A lot has changed in our world since then. Some good, some bad. I can honestly say I don’t feel any safer today than I did immediately after the attacks. I will say though, that I think America needs to be very cautious and not let fear and hate win over reason when it comes to national security and our place in the world. War does not equal justice and war does not always protect us in the way it is intended.
In today’s world, it makes us a bigger target.
I miss the unity I felt in the days and months after 9/11. We came together as a nation then. With all that is happening in this country and around the world, we need that now more than ever.
Behind this wall lie the unidentified remains of many that perished on 9/11/01.
Rediscovering Chicago
Good Morning Chicago. Early morning cityscape from Upper Wacker Drive and the Chicago River.
The funny thing about living in or near a major city is that it seems that everyone that lives there, is too busy to see it. When we visit New York City, even though our primary goal is to see as many Broadway and Off Broadway shows as possible, we also try to get away from Times Square and experience the real New York that tourists don’t often see. We try to explore neighborhoods and restaurants that are new to us, and just enjoy the eclectic vibe the city has to offer. Sure, we do the touristy things too. But when you ask New Yorkers, most have settled into their routine, have their favorite hangouts, and seldom explore the city the way tourists do.
The fact is, when you live in a metropolitan area, you tend to take it for granted. It’s there, you can see it whenever you want but most don’t get out there and explore it. And– God forbid, you do anything at all that tourists would do!
I came to Chicago in April of 1989 for a week-long vacation; and by chance, got a job on the second day of my visit. I didn’t return home for four months– and then, only long enough to pack up my things and move to my new home. I lived in Roscoe Village and then Uptown for nearly five years before moving permanently out to the suburbs. That was twenty five years ago.
Since then (aside from one day spent in the city with visiting family, more than ten years ago) trips to Chicago have been limited to a few hours usually for dinner and a show and very little exploring.
A view of the bridges over the Chicago River from my hotel room.
For years, Michael and I have been saying we wanted to spend time seeing Chicago but never have.
So finally this past Labor Day weekend, with family in town, we decided to stay in a hotel and spent three days seeing some of the sights.
We stayed at the beautiful Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront (formally Hotel 71) and had a stunning view of the Chicago River.
I wanted to share pictures from our stay in and around the Chicago Loop and lakefront.
Cloud Gate by artist Anish Kapoor in Millennium Park. Better known as ‘the Bean’.
Cloud Gate, 6 am.
Looking across Jaume Plensa’s Crown Fountain in Millennium Park towards Michigan Avenue at 5 am.
Statues by Jaume Plensa in Millennium Park at 5 am.
Two Prudential Plaza.
The Smurfit-Stone Building.
The newest major addition to the Chicago skyline, Trump Tower.
Reflections on the Chicago River.
The Willis Tower. Formerly known as the Sears Tower. The second tallest building in the U.S.
The Chicago skyline at sunset.
The Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier.
Chicago at night.
At a later date, I’ll post more photos from the Architectural River Cruise and the museums. I realize there is much more to Chicago than what the Loop has to offer. There is a vibrant, neighborhood and cultural identity to explore as well. At least we got a start rediscovering some of the many treasures Chicago has to offer. It took us long enough. What could be more short-sighted than exploring the world while ignoring the riches in your own backyard?
Remembering Robin
Robin Williams was my friend.
No, I never met him in person, never shared a selfie, a drink or a conversation with him…albeit a one-sided friendship… but I did grow up with him.
So forgive my familiarity by referring to him by his first name– I mean no disrespect. I just think he would have liked that.
I’ve never been a big fan-type or trend follower. Somehow though, as a teen growing up in Central Florida, I owned and probably, too frequently, wore a Mork Nanu Nanu t-shirt and held up my pants with button-clad, rainbow suspenders.
I never missed an episode of Mork and Mindy and seldom missed a chance to see or hear one of Robin’s stand up routines– no matter how many times I’d seen it before. I was completely mesmerized by his energy and creativity.
Robin came into my life at a time when I needed to know it was okay to express my imagination; to be a little bit crazy and weird– to be myself.
When I first heard the news of his passing, the first images in my head weren’t of specific roles or characters he’d played– it was his eyes.
The saying, the eyes are the window to soul, was never more aptly demonstrated than it was with Robin. His eyes always told the whole story.
When I see his eyes, I see a gentle genius of a man whose heart was bigger than the combined brilliance of all the roles he’s played, rolled into one.
I remember seeing Hook for the first time. Reluctantly at first, I was quickly drawn in and lost in the fantasy, caught up in the magic and incredibly moved and invigorated by Robin’s spirit.
That’s just who Robin was. He wasn’t just a friend to some, he was (and is) a friend to us all. Whether you prefer to remember him as Mork or John Keating, Armand or Mrs. Doubtfire– or simple as Robin McLaurin Williams, the man… His spirit lives on.
When Robin made The Birdcage in 1996, it was still considered a career-risk for an actor to take on a gay role. Playing a gay man in a loving relationship, made him more than my friend– it made him my hero. He took on the role fearlessly and passionately– the way he lived his life.
This is how I will always remember him.
Facebook Messenger: Are You Being Watched? What’s the Hype?
There’s been a lot of talk and concern over the past week about the new User Agreement for the Facebook Messenger app that some feel they are being forced to use. How much of it is actually hype?
Let’s cut to the chase: Are you being watched? The answer is YES!
If you use a computer, cell phone (it doesn’t have to be a smartphone!), book reader (such as a Kindle) or other communication device– Your every move is being tracked. Who you talk to, text, where you are located, websites you visit, what you buy online… all of it is being tracked and is stored on computers somewhere. Law enforcement is increasingly using such tracking to assist in solving crimes.
So what’s the big deal about the permissions required by the Facebook Messenger app? Well maybe, if nothing else, it’s a reality check for so many of us that use technology with blind faith. Most of us don’t read user agreements and some would be quite surprised at the permissions thy are giving devices and apps. Doing so, doesn’t mean that any normal privacy issues will be violated but the possibility of a breach is real and should be taken into consideration.
Agreeing to and installing Facebook Messenger does not mean your every move is going to be recorded and broadcast from your phone. You have to agree to certain provisions just so you can use the technology. If you want the ability to share pictures and contact people then you have to give the app the permission to share those pics (on your behalf) and make those connections. It doesn’t mean a third party is spying on you. But is it possible? Sure it is. Unlikely, but possible.
To better understand this issue, I highly recommend you reading the article on the www.snopes.com website. As opposed to me rehashing all the concerns here, you can view them in a well thought out outline on the site. It gives you a balanced look at the concerns, the reality and the possible consequences of using the Facebook Messenger app. More important, it points out the fact that most of us have given far greater permissions through use of our apps and devices than those being requested here.
I polled friends on Facebook to see how many were using or deleting the FM phone app and the results were split. Twenty-eight people responded and more than half said they would continue to use the app, though some felt forced to use it and some had concerns over the privacy issues they were taking. Some said they would only use the online messenger built into the Facebook site and others were deleting the app because they felt too exposed.
If anyone is truly concerned about what is being unintentionally shared, a bigger concern should be your browser and email provider. Registered Google users should know by now that the websites you visit, your email, your contacts and personal information are all scanned and searched for keywords and then recommendations made, advertising targeted and information shared without your intentional permission.
In some cases, the only way to avoid these invasions are to avoid particularly aggressive developers as much as possible. Free isn’t free. Google survives on selling your information and on referrals it makes based on your account. Your free email account, for them, is a marketer’s dream.
We all have, or should have privacy concerns, especially regarding our personal and financial information. Identity theft and the security of our financial information should be our top priority. This is not in question here. What we have to keep in mind, especially regarding social networking, email and messaging, is that there are legitimate risks to take into consideration.
If you don’t want to share your life as an open book, you really need to actively investigate what you post and share and check any ability you have to limit who views it. Anything you share electronically, even in private conversation, is subject to be shared beyond your control. I’m not even referring to being hacked or having your information used by the app or device developer. The person you are communicating with, could, without your permission, share your pictures, comments or information with someone else.
For instance, a private comment you make to a friend about another person electronically, could be shared by the recipient,with that person, without your permission. Think before you post. If you don’t want your employer to know what you are doing when you are away from work… don’t post it publicly online. It’s that simple. I’ve caught many people in half-truths by looking at their online activities.
I’m constantly amazed by some of the things I’ve seen people post, not imagining that there could be a controversy or some unintentional fallout. Your online persona does matter. There are privacy settings with many apps and devices that can limit who can actually see what you post— BUT you can’t prevent the recipient (friends) from sharing with a third party.
As technology advances and we take advantage of our connectivity, our lives become more and more transparent. If, for what ever reason you need, or want, to maintain a high level of privacy– avoid all forms of social networking. Know the risks, be informed and make the decisions that are best for you.
Is there some big conspiracy by Facebook to use their messenger app for covert activity? Very doubtful– but you can never be too careful.
The bottom line is that Facebook Messenger is as safe to use as most every other app you are already using. I’ve been using it for quite some time now and have yet to experience any drawbacks or bad experiences with it. As Facebook becomes more and more about advertising dollars and less about connecting with friends, it makes messenger more valuable as a connecting tool than the Facebook site (or app) itself.
But just wait, soon enough you’ll be marketed to on messenger as well.
Learning Patience
One of the hardest things in life is waiting.
As children it seemed like we had to wait for absolutely everything– from birthdays, Christmas, vacation… even sometimes just to go outside. We counted down the weeks, days or minutes until that magical moment finally arrived. Of course, we drove everyone nuts in the process.
When we don’t learn patience as children, it’s even harder to practice in our adult lives.
Continuing from my post yesterday about our house, there is a lot to learn about patience here. First, it’s really a good rule of thumb to live in a home for a while before you make any major decisions. Rush a project and you may not end up with what you really need in the long run. Renovation takes time. Time requires patience.
To be perfectly honest, it probably took me ten years here before I didn’t feel the desperate need to spend every possible free minute working on the yard and the house. It became my excuse for everything. In the meantime, the rest of life gets ignored, friends are put on hold and the obsession gets out of control. Sooner or later you learn that it doesn’t all have to be done now. Projects will wait. They’ll always be there when you come back to them.
Looking down on part of the figure eight, 2005.
We have a figure eight sidewalk on the east side of our house that the first time we saw it, screamed to be planted as a formal garden. Some random tulips and extremely invasive Trumpet Vine was all that was really growing there; and to one side, old overgrown shrubs. I envisioned what I wanted to do there early on but had to wait until I knew I had time to complete the project. I think I may have even started to transplant some of the old shrubs, previously, but I didn’t get too far.
Prepping to plant, 2006.
Finally in 2006, I was determined to get the job done. I prepped the area and shopped for plants, ultimately deciding to do the sculpted hedge out of Boxwoods. I found a single, good-sized plant costs $35-50 each, a medium size was around $25 but I settled for the young smaller plants for about $5 each. I needed 75 to 100!
I’d just have to be patient and wait for them to grow.
Part of the broken branches from the Ginko tree on top of the figure eight, 2006.
I got the plants and spent a lot of time doing the final prep of the area.
No sooner than I started planting, we had a massive wind and hail storm that among other things, brought down nearly a quarter of the branches from our 100 year old Ginkgo tree.
Where did the largest branch fall? Right on the figure eight! The storm was so bad, many neighboring houses and businesses had to have new roofs and many area trees were down.
I couldn’t believe it!
Not only did this set me back another week, now we were afraid we might loose our enormous Ginkgo tree that is as tall as our house and shades much of the side yard.
Happily, after careful, professional pruning and clean up, it survived. I went on with my project and managed to get it planted before Fall.
Figure eight, one year after planting. (2007)
Every Spring since then, I’ve hoped it would finally be the year that everything would finally have grown enough to fulfill my original vision. Over time, some plants died and were replaced, lots and lots of weeding has gone on and I’ve continued to add and subtract plants that surround the figure eight trying to reach my original goal. The Boxwoods were so small when I planted them, it was a few years before I could do any real pruning and shaping at all.
It’s required a lot patience–eight years of waiting, to be exact– but finally I have the basic look I had hoped to achieve when I first started.
Was it worth it? Absolutely! I was pretty patient with it too. Anxious, maybe– but pretty patient. Once it was planted I knew it was mostly out of my hands and I had no choice but to wait. Plus, watching it grow and slowly sculpting it has given me a sense of achievement I’m not sure I would have had if we had spent a fortune buy full grown shrubs and not had to wait as long.
The figure eight at 321 Division Street, 2014.
I use this as an example of patience because today, as humans, we are so programmed to want everything now. No one is willing to wait for the right job, partner or situation to come into our lives and know it is right. In the process, lots of quick, bad decisions are made, lots of money is wasted and relationships, without the test of time, fail to meet our original expectations. Some people never learn and repeat the process over and over again their entire lives.
All any of us really need is a little patience.
321 Division Street : 125 Years Young
Plaque designating that 321 Division Street is officially part of the historic district.
It’s time to celebrate two milestones at 321 Division Street.
This year, we celebrate the 125th birthday of the house and our 15th anniversary as its guardians. It’s hard to believe we’ve been here this long.
In 1994, Michael and I happened to be invited to a private party at this big, old, scary house we’d admired from a distance for sometime, never imagining we’d ever step inside. We both agreed it would be so cool to live in a place like this some day.
Flash forward four years: Michael just happened to overhear a woman going on and on to a friend of ours about a house that just went on the market. The more she talked, Michael realized she was talking about the house– and we wasted no time getting an appointment for a viewing.
The oldest known photograph of 321 Division Street from the early 1900’s.
Built by John Newman in 1889, Butterman’s, as it is often referred to; is a bit of a rare breed. It is a brick and stone Queen Anne, unlike the majority that are mostly wood construction. It originally featured 14 rooms, eight fireplaces, over 30 stained glass windows, and 13 different types of wood. It is listed as one of the thirty-five most influential buildings in the Elgin Historic District.
At the time John Newman built the house, he was also busy acquiring fifty-two creameries and is often credited for setting the Midwest dairy prices in the late 1800’s. He is most famous for his Spring Brook Creameries brand butter and served as President of the Elgin Board of Trade from 1894 to 1911.
Following the Newman family, the Ludwig family lived at 321 Division for many years. It sat empty towards the end of the 1960’s, was heavily vandalized in 1973, and considered a candidate for demolition. All the stained glass windows, many of the chandeliers, ornate door hardware and other intricacies were gone. Vagrants squatted in the house, starting a fire in the foyer by the grand staircase causing minor damage. Luckily, the Powers family came to the rescue, saving the house from demolition and preserving and extensively renovating 321 Division into what became, for a time, an upscale dinner club known as Butterman’s Restaurant, which opened in 1976.
The John Newman House, 321 Division Street as it looked in 1998.
After a few successful years, the restaurant began to struggle and started opening primarily for private parties before closing completely by the early 1990’s as the owners fought to find a new, sustainable use for their treasure.
We’re only the third family to live here. Prior to our purchase in 1999 and sometime after 1994, it had become law offices, with the industrial basement kitchen rented out to a caterer. Even though we closed on the house in February, we weren’t able to fully occupy until all the renters’ leases were up, July 1, 1999.
It’s really been fifteen years.
The John Newman House, 321 Division Street, Spring 2004.
Owning an old house brings many joys and frustrations. Enjoying the unique beauty and character of the home is sometimes overshadowed by the constant upkeep. Something always needs attention. The romanticized notions of living in a place like this are certainly balanced by the hard work necessary to keep it going. Still, I can’t help but treasure and relish in the time we’ve spent here.
Our first projects after acquiring the house included the addition of a wrought iron fence with drive through gates and the removal of the parking lot that ran the entire west side of the property. Tons and tons of top soil had to be brought in after the asphalt was removed. At first, we planted the entire side yard with grass. Slowly, we’ve added to the landscape over the years, first adding a gazebo and then plantings and stepping stones– some of which I made myself.
I spend much of the summer and fall outside enjoying the grounds. There are currently more than 75 trees on the property and hundreds of shrubs and perennials in need of attention. The yard continuously evolves as things grow, creating challenges in deciding what to add or subtract in maintaining our little forest in the city. I’ve tried to create areas that look landscaped but at the same time maintain a natural feel.
The John Newman House, 321 Division Street, Fall 2009.
Mother Nature certainly has her say, as new things spring up and old ones die off. I am constantly trying to keep up with her. I couldn’t even begin to count the hours spent planting, mulching, weeding, trimming and shaping our little sanctuary. I wouldn’t say that I’m an expert but I certainly enjoy the time I spend tending to it.
A home like this is a huge commitment. There are always projects and unique circumstances to overcome. Old houses are also harder to clean and keep clean. You have to learn how to pace yourself and not become overwhelmed, which i think happens naturally over time.
The John Newman House, 321 Division Street as it looks today. (Summer 2014)
There’s no real way to measure an experience like this, except to say it was the best/worst decision we ever made.
Would we do it again knowing what we do now? Probably not.
Still, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world. You really have to live it to understand it. It’s an ongoing labor of love. The rewards really can’t be put into words.
From parking lot to paradise. The transformation of the west side yard at 321 Division Street.
West side yard view from the second floor at 321 Division Street.
Front Porch at 321 Division Street in 1999.
The front porch of the John Newman House, 321 Division Street as it looks today (Summer 2014).
Photo Essay: Times Square Three AM
I shot these photos in Times Square, NYC, Monday May 26, 2014 at three AM—shortly before leaving New York to return to Chicago.
Photo Essay: Times Square Six AM
These photos were shot in and around Times Square in New York City at 6 AM, Sunday May 25, 2014.
NYC May 2014- Day Ten: Purple Summer
Last Sunday Morning we met up with our friends Richard, Dennie and Alan and headed to a cafe in Hell’s Kitchen, to meet with some other friends of theirs, before heading to The High Line.
Unfortunately, being Memorial Day weekend, the cafe was closed. This was actually okay because that gave us the opportunity to revisit Chelsea Market. (First visit for our friends.)
View from The High Line.
Chelsea Market is in the Meatpacking District, near the Hudson River and The High Line. The building is a full city block wide and long.
It’s considered a “neighborhood market with a global perspective” and has become one of the most visited destinations in NYC over the past fifteen years.
Once everyone had a chance to grab a knosh, we headed for our morning stroll on The High Line.
This was Michael’s and my second visit this trip and Boy, what a difference! So many people! It was a beautiful, sunny morning and the paths were packed with people from all over the world. I have to say, I’m glad to have experienced the park with both more– and fewer visitors… either way, there is still a relaxing, peaceful atmosphere about it.
The High Line
We stopped at various points along the way to enjoy the views of the city, the Hudson River and of course the wonderfully ingenious layout of the park itself. One of the great things about all the green spaces in NYC is that they are all unique. They all provide a different experience and have their own distinct vibe.
It was brought up in conversation that Chicago is in the process of creating it’s own version of The High Line, called The 606; creating an urban parkway on the abandoned, raised freight rails of The Bloomingdale Line. It’s scheduled for opening this coming fall.
Michael and I split from rest of the group as they headed towards Macy’s and we headed back to Times Square before our show.
Violet I hate to ever pass up the opportunity to see Sutton Foster perform. She embodies honesty, sincerity and loads of passion in every role she plays. This was one of the reasons we scheduled Violet as our last Broadway show this trip.
Violet has been around for awhile, although this is its first Broadway production. I was not familiar with it and had no preconceived expectations of it.
Violet is the story of a girl with facial scar, that sets out on a journey to be healed by a TV evangelist; finding herself, instead, along the way. In the end there is always hope.
I loved the story, the music and the staging. Performances were also good all around. Supporting Foster’s outstanding performance as Violet are Joshua Henry (Flick) and Colin Donnell (Monty), both enamored by her. In the ensemble, Annie Golden gives one of those really rare stand out performances that sticks with you.
Between shows, we stopped back at The Counter to see our friend Amy (who was starting her shift) one more time and had one of their delicious build your own burgers. Then, we headed up 10 blocks to our final show of this NYC visit.
Heathers the Musical No matter what your age, you’d have to practically be living under a rock to have not seen the cult-film, Heathers. Well, now Heathers is on stage in the form of a highly-entertaining Off-Broadway musical. We met up with our friends again and this was actually the only show that we all saw together, at the same time.
We all enjoyed it. Heathers is just crazy-fun. Even though I felt the pace of the performance was off a bit with multiple understudies in key roles, the show still works. Barrett Wilbert Weed leads the cast as the quirky, Veronica, commanding the stage at every turn.
There’s some really good music in this– and I can’t wait for the album’s release date.
A happy and satisfying, last production in our ten day, seventeen show adventure.
Before heading back to pack, we stopped one last time at the 8th Avenue Shake Shack for Concretes. We said our goodbyes, headed back to our place, feeling very fortunate to have had such a great time.
This had been our longest stay in New York to date– and it’s never long enough. It’s always bittersweet saying goodbye to our home away from home.
NYC May 2014- Day Nine: Crossdressers, Creatives & Curmudgeons
The quiet solitude of Central Park.
Planning our trip, we originally narrowed our show list down to twenty three productions we were interested in seeing.
We initially thought we had fifteen slots open but with some of the changes in the performance schedule, we were able to book seventeen shows.
That meant Saturday was going to be a three show day.
Sheep Meadow on Central Park’s west side.
While we were trying to squeeze in all the other things we wanted to do in New York, we purposely left Saturday morning free, thinking it was already going to be a really long day.
As it turned out, Michael and I were up early and raring to go. So with our first show at Lincoln Center, we decided to head up that direction and took a walk in Central Park.
One of a number of bridges in Central Park.
The sun appeared from behind the clouds, off and on and it turned out to be a rather nice morning.
Having been there many times before, we didn’t have a specific destination nor were we trying to see the whole park. We entered from the Fifth Avenue side and just started wandering.
Warm days like this, fill the park with tourists and New Yorkers alike; walking, jogging and bicycling through the many paths and trails.
The newly renovated and reopened, Tavern On the Green.
We hadn’t planned on it but we had the time, so we found ourselves lunching at the recently reopened Tavern On the Green.
Closed in 2009, all the interior decor had been auctioned off and for a brief time the space was used as a visitors center.
We had eaten here twice before and enjoyed the gawdy decorating that included many Tiffany and crystal chandeliers.
Anyone visiting the historic landmark today will be in for a bit of a shock as the new operators have renovated the property, returning it to more of its original look and feel. It is a warm, open and inviting atmosphere that features a contemporary and reasonably priced, gourmet menu that features delicious offerings that are also beautifully plated. It was one of the best meals we experienced this time in New York.
Act One This production actually didn’t make our first cut but since the show we had scheduled closed early, we decided to see it, influenced by its five Tony nominations.
Lincoln Center’s production of Act One isn’t without its merits. The acting is good, the revolving, sometimes dizzying set, moves the action quickly between locations and the direction is good.
Based on Moss Hart’s best-selling autobiography of the same name, Act One would probably have benefited from some serious cutting and more humorous moments. (The show runs nearly three hours.) James Lapine both adapted and directed this piece. That, though interesting, was a little too slow paced for my taste. Combine that with uncomfortable seats and it made for a slightly less than enjoyable afternoon.
Coming out of the show there was a sudden downpour. Luckily, there was a subway entrance less than a block away. We only got minimally drenched. We went back to our place, threw our clothes in the dryer and got changed for our next show.
Mothers and Sons Tyne Daly stars in this touching drama about love, loss and connecting.
Terrence McNally has skillfully crafted a play that explores the lingering and devastating effects that AIDS has left on families affected by the disease.
Difficult conversations between a mother and her deceased son’s lover, ignite this play, questioning what was and what is.
It reminds us that though huge steps have been taken toward Equality in the past ten to twenty years, people essentially have not changed. Prejudice, pain and fear still overshadow the lives of so many.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch Neil Patrick Harris is filling the house to capacity in this first Broadway production of Hedwig. You might say, this is the current hot ticket show. It has certainly generated a lot of media buzz.
Hedwig has a cult following that has grown over the years from the 1998 Off-Broadway production and the 2001 film adaptation. It has been performed all over the world.
Harris does a fine job inhabiting the role of Hedwig, an East German transgendered (albeit a botched operation) singer –probably singing the best in his career.
The show is flashy, trashy and full of special effects. It’s more of an event than a musical. There is a story that develops through the songs and updated dialogue. Still, there’s not a book-story, even by contemporary standards. It’s the equivalent of attending a very loud punk rock show. We enjoyed it but it definitely has a specific audience that is not traditional Broadway by any means.
It’s one of the most Tony-nominated shows (eight) this year, although I don’t real understand why.
How Do You Measure 525600 Minutes? 