A glorious winter's day - not a cloud in the sky - temperature a balmy 16 degrees (Fahrenheit that is!)- perfect for going up the Empire State - sign at the bottom says 'view exceptional' - the usual queues at security and we seem to walk miles to the elevator - s'pse it keeps people in work. We only go up to the 86th floor ($20.00) as it costs an extra $15.00 to the 102nd - the view certainly is exceptional - you can see for hundreds of miles in all directions - but boy is it cold - the coldest we've been - painfully cold! - but well worth the suffering :)
Of course, we need more retail therapy to warm up - Macys again - Phillipa gave me a large recycle bag this morning so naturally it had to be filled up!
Short walk to Broadway as we have a dinner appointment with Ken Bloom and friends - Ken is probably the authority on Broadway - again I have been in email touch with him for years - we join his circle of friends who meet at Langan's Irish Pub every Tuesday evening - they include Peter Filichia who writes a diary on theatermania.com, Ron Spivak, a Broadway actor and Brian Drutman (Mr. Decca Broadway!) - a fascinating hour's conversation and we could relate our Broadway experiences as well.
Just round the corner to the Palace Theatre for West Side Story - in previews - due to open in mid-March - directed by Arthur Laurents with the original Jerome Robbins choreography reproduced! - fabulous orchestra - pit plus both side boxes - great percussion. We have great seats in front Mezzanine - $125 each! Quite traditional production but moves well - only major change is parts are bilingual - the Sharks mainly speak Spanish - and I Feel Pretty and A Boy Like That are sung in Spanish - the former works brilliantly but not sure about A Boy - you need to understand the lyrics - its only at the end they revert to English - Maria is wonderful - unknown Argentinian who's only 19 - quite charming - Matt Cavenaugh is oh so gorgeous but it is a very light tenor and I can't see him lasting the distance - rest of the cast is excellent and the dancing is fantastic - all in all a great climax to our Broadway experience.
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