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NYC May 2014- Days Four & Five: Rocking the Political Cradle On Stage
A view on The High Line.
Monday we met with our friends Steve & Amy (from home) who happened to be in NYC this week as well. We had a great time socializing and made our first visit this trip to The High Line with them. The High Line, which runs above Gansevoort Street to 34th Street on Manhattan’s West Side, is a public park built on what was once a historic freight rail line. It was a beautiful sunny day and only took us about an hour to walk the whole park. We’ll be returning with other friends from home later this week and hopefully I’ll get some good pictures to share.
Short on time, the four of us headed back to Times Square and Havana Central (our second time this trip) for lunch before parting ways.
The Cradle Will Rock We actually had tickets for another show that we ended up giving to friends. When we found out that this special, one night only, benefit concert was happening, we couldn’t miss it.
I’m a huge fan of Patti LuPone. Given the opportunity, there was no way I was going to miss the chance to see her recreate her Oliver Award-winning performance in this historic, ground-breaking theatrical work.
The staging was a benefit for The Acting Company, which originally produced the show under the direction of John Houseman. This concert staging directed by Lonny Price, featured LuPone and a number of other original company members, as well as more recent alumni.
This is a work I hope to produce one day. Its political and social message are still relevant today and I have a specific vision for staging the piece.
Tuesday, Michael and I both did a lot of exploring on our own. I’m not sure how much ground Michael covered but I’d traveled over five miles (tracked on my Fitbit) before noon. We initial thought we’d find a new destination to visit and then decided to just explore instead. The great things about a big city is there’s always something new to see, it’s always evolving and there are always things you hadn’t noticed before.
Friends arrived in the afternoon and while I was off exploring 6th Avenue and Bryant Park, Michael accompanied them to the TKS booth to get their show tickets and then to stand in line for the lottery for Kinky Boots tickets (which they won). We had dinner at Yum Yum Bangkok before splitting up to go to our shows.
All The Way “All the way with LBJ!” Bryan Cranston IS LBJ. You won’t see any evidence of Walter White (Breaking Bad) on this stage. From his first breath in a solo spotlight, Cranston gives an incredibly layered performance as President Lyndon B. Johnson, proving his versatility and skill as as actor and showing that a true performer can successfully thrive on stage and screen equally.
Written by Robert Schenkkan and directed by Bill Rauch, All The Way follows LBJ’s journey from the Kennedy assassination through Johnson’s reelection as President. It carefully weaves the personal, public and political struggles LBJ had to juggle while blazing the trail in his fight for civil rights.
The story was skillfully told by an ensemble of veteran actors, supporting Cranston. Some of the other stand out performances were given by Brandon J. Dirden as Martin Luther King, Jr.; Betsy Aidem as Lady Bird Johnson/Katharine Graham/Katharine St. George; Michael McKean as J. Edgar Hoover/Robert Byrd; and Robert Petkoff as Hubert Humphrey.
All The Way is Tony-nominated for Best Play and Best Actor (Cranston), and has already won the Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics’ Circle and the Drama League awards for Best Play.
On the way back to our apartment, we stopped and picked up Concretes at the Shake Shack. (8th Ave. & 44th St.) With multiple locations, this is THE spot for ice cream treats in New York City. The lines are almost always out the door but they move fast and you always get great service.
Broadway On The High Seas 3: Starry Nights
Patti, Howard, Norm and Seth… and for an unexpected added bonus– Willie. First-names only. That’s what this cruise was all about, right?
(Photo courtesy of Judy Perl Worldwide Travel.)
As if traveling in style and experiencing exotic locations wasn’t enough, we got to rub elbows with– and be entertained by– some of Broadway’s very best talent: Patti LuPone, Howard McGillin, Norm Lewis. and arguably, the hardest working man in show biz, Seth Rudetsky. What a surprise to have Willie Aames as our wonderful cruise director! I certainly don’t want to leave out the brilliant composer and musical director, Joseph Thalken, who was the iciing on the cake. What a line up!
Playbill, under the guidance of President & Publisher, Phil Birsh and Editor in Chief, Blake Ross; with the invaluable assistance of Judy Perl Worldwide Travel created a non-stop, thrill-a-minute dream vacation that we’ll talk about for years. Broadway On The High Seas 3 was a hit!
On top of our daily excursions, we had all the special Playbill entertainment keeping us busy, which is one of the reasons Michael and I barely got four hours sleep a night. But who could sleep!?! We were too busy having fun!
Shortly after we sailed on the first day, Playbill sponsored a Meet and Greet in the Constellation Theater. Of course, everyone was looking around to see if they could spot the Broadway folks. We immediately made some new friends and were busy chatting as they were about to start the welcome and introductions. In walks Patti and her husband, Matt… and they sat right in front of us.
Now, I’m as starstruck as the next person. But, I also believe that ‘stars’ are regular people and deserve respect and privacy just like the rest of us. So even though I’d daydreamed for months about sitting and chatting with Patti for hours in the ship’s lounge (which sadly, didn’t happen)… and even though I could reach out and touch her… I didn’t approach her then. We did run in to her on the deck a few nights later and exchanged greetings and I was satisfied with that. If we were going to talk, I wanted it to happen organically. Besides, I probably would have made a fool out of myself anyway because I would have gushed… and gushed… and well, you get the picture. For me, Patti LuPone is one of Broadway’s greatest treasures and a true artist that completely embodies her craft. I know it’s cliche but it was an honor just to be in the same room with her.
Judy Perl and Blake Ross made this all happen. (Photo courtesy of Judy Perl Worldwide Travel.)
After introductions of the staff and entertainers, everyone went back to socializing and I took the opportunity to introduce myself to Blake (the editor at Playbill), and thank her for allowing high schools to use the Playbill cover for their show programs. (We used it for Joseph this past April.) This got us talking and she introduced us to Phil ( the president of Playbill) and we chatted about the exciting things Playbill is doing to expand its reach. It was really nice making those connections– and I have to say, Blake totally reminds me of Carrie Bradshaw in SITC. She’s adorable.
We also met our travel agent, Judy Perl and her husband and had the chance to thank her in person for setting everything up for us. If you haven’t been following the blog, Judy set up a private tour of Stutthof for us– and then her family joined us on the tour which was really nice. I’m looking forward to working with her great company when we travel in the future.
The second night was Patti LuPone’s big concert. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen her perform, I always marvel at her technique and artistry. She gave us her Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda show — and according to Phil afterwards, the longest concert of any performer on the BOTHS cruises so far. Patti gave us an amazing set of songs from parts she “Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda” played, with a mix of songs from parts she did play, including Meadowlark and Don’t Cry For Me Argentina. She also sang, I Get A Kick Out of You, seeking out her Anything Goes co-star Howard McGillin and serenading him in the audience. The concert only ended after a standing ovation and three encores. I was so invigorated, I barely slept that night.
Tuesday night, Seth Rudetsky entertained us with his amusing and insightful, Deconstructing Broadway. Seth is an amazingly talented performer, writer and musical director among other things. I’m not sure there’s anything he can’t do. Best of all, he’s an energetic, funny guy that loves all things Broadway.
Among other things, he entertained us with his hilarious comparison of Patti and Madonna’s Eva Perons in Evita. Guess who won?
Seth Rudetsky
After two days off, with night excursions in Saint Petersburg, Seth was back Friday night, interviewing Broadway’s longest running Phantom, Howard McGillin, for his informal, Chatterbox. There were lots of great stories (including passing on Into the Woods) and Howard sang, A Man Could Go Quite Mad from his role in the original cast of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
Saturday night’s entertainment was supposed to start out with Seth’s Chatterbox, interviewing Norm Lewis, only Norm had to leave the ship a couple days in to the cruise, fly to LA for a shoot on the TV series, Scandal, then fly back to rejoin the cruise– only he missed a connecting flight. So we had the bonus treat of two interviews with Patti. She’s certainly had a roller coaster-ride of a career and has many great stories to share.
Patti LuPone & Howard McGillin reprise their roles, singing, You’re the Top, with musical director Joseph Thalken. (Photo courtesy of Judy Perl Worldwide Travel.)
After dinner, we were treated to Howard McGillin’s big concert. I really love his voice and could listen to him for hours. One of the highlights of his show was bringing Patti onstage to recreate their number, You’re the Top from Anything Goes. I’d been fortunate enough to see them do it originally on Broadway (twice), so that made it extra special for me. This was the first time they’ve had the opportunity to perform together since. It was a really great concert.
Patti LuPone and Howard McGillin, after Howard’s concert. Patti’s husband Matt is on the right. (Photo courtesy of Judy Perl Worldwide Travel.)
Sunday, Norm made it back on the ship in the afternoon, shortly before we left Lithuania. With all the travel and jet lag, they scheduled him for a massage and I happened to be in the spa at the same time and got to chat with him. He’s a super nice guy. Late that night, Playbill had scheduled Broadway After Dark, which, after a misguided game of Broadway bingo (I shouted BINGO first Seth!), it luckily became a Chatterbox with Norm. It turns out he grew up about 20 miles from me and is only a couple months younger than I am. He ended the interview by singing, Rain from Once On This Island, which was absolutely incredible!
Seth’s Chatterbox with Patti LuPone.
Monday, Seth continued his interview with Patti and we were treated to two more songs. It wasn’t until then that I realized I’d never heard her sing, I Dreamed A Dream, live. She won the Oliver Award in 1985, for her performances in both Les Miserables and The Cradle Will Rock. Patti brings such depth to the song. She also wowed us with Buenos Aires from Evita.
Patti LuPone singing Buenos Aires.
With Norm Lewis.
After dinner, everyone was blown away by Norm Lewis in concert. What a voice and a great showman! It was the perfect way to end the Playbill portion of the cruise. We’d just seen Norm on Broadway recently in Porgy and Bess and he’s simply phenomenal.
Toward the end of his concert, our cruise director, Willie Aames, joined Norm on stage for a duet and the crowd went wild.
Norm Lewis in concert. (Photo courtesy of Judy Perl Worldwide Travel.)
Michael and Willie Aames.
After Norm’s concert, we celebrated the end of the cruise with one last toast. Michael and I got to chat with Willie briefly and thank him for making our stay of the Regent Seven Seas Voyager so memorable.
We actually still had one full day in Germany ahead but because our luggage had to be packed and outside our room that final night; the Playbill events ended a night earlier. This way, everyone got to dress up and there was no rush after the evenings festivities to get packed.
I forgot to mention that when we first got to our rooms, we had swag waiting for us. We received canvas Playbill bags that among other things, included a special edition print, especially for BOTHS3 that we were able to have signed by all the performers. I thought it was really a nice touch.
Playbill did an excellent job planning out this adventure. They kept us going non-stop for ten days, yet we were never rushed and still managed to have a little free time. Patti, Norm, Howard and Seth were frequently out and about, went on some of the tours and were often accessible.
I also really appreciated that we got daily updates of the Broadway events delivered to our room so we wouldn’t miss anything.
Michael getting our limited edition prints signed.
Unfortunately, Michael and I won’t be able to go on the BOTHS4 (Tahiti) but 5 and 6 are already in the works and we’re making plans.
Broadway On the High Seas is the perfect way to see the world and get a more intimate Broadway experience all rolled into one vacation.
WARNING: It’s habit-forming.
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How Do You Measure 525600 Minutes? 