R&R 2014, Part 1: West End Boys

Just as had been the case with our assignment in Guadalajara, Jerusalem came with a built-in option for Rest and Recuperation time...and it is an understatement to say that it was very appreciated in the aftermath of the summer war.

If you are are technical writer by trade, curious as to who qualifies for R&R, or just like opening links that you find in random blogs across the Interwebs, feel free to click here and learn more about R&R.    

For those assigned to Jerusalem, the designated R&R destination is either London or your home city of record (In our case, Orlando).  No surprise which we chose.

Shakespeare, Leicester
Square, The West End

TJ and I spent August 29 - September 14 exploring London, Edinburgh, and all sorts of places in between.  We ticked the box on a lot of historic sites, visited an amusement park, encountered friends new and old, ate some delicious food, imbibed a bit too much, and took in a show or two.  Okay, it was an even dozen.  And those shows are the focus of today's posting. 

Theatre is life.  It opens up a world of song, dance, and story that you just can't find on the television or silver screen.  Unless it's an adaptation, but then it's never the same.  TJ and I love theatre, and gobble it up whenever possible.  We've managed to find a few local productions here in Jerusalem, but none have had that sense of wonder one finds on Broadway or even in big-budget traveling shows.  It was in preparation for this drought that I planned our 2013 anniversary trip to New York.  We devoured theatre so eagerly then that I feel we spent more time seeing shows than we did seeing New York.  The same almost happened in London.  And it was worth (almost) every second.         

  

London's West End is the commercial and entertainment heart of the city.  Picture New York's Times Square and Broadway and you'll arrive at a close approximation.  It is here that we experienced all of the wonderment that is London theatre.

(For the sake of giving credit where credit is due, the "About the Show" sections are all taken from the shows' websites, as are the production photos.  The "My Review" sections as well as the exterior shots are mine.)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Theatre Royal Drury Lane

About the Show:  

Roald Dahl’s deliciously dark tale of young Charlie Bucket and the mysterious confectioner Willy Wonka comes to life in a brand new West End musical directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty; Jarhead; Skyfall).

When Charlie wins a golden ticket to the weird and wonderful Wonka Chocolate Factory, it’s the chance of a lifetime to feast on the sweets he’s always dreamed of.  But beyond the gates astonishment awaits, as down the sugary corridors and amongst the incredible edible delights, the five lucky winners discover not everything is as sweet as it seems.

Featuring ingenious stagecraft, the wonder of the original story that has captivated the world for almost 50 years is brought to life with music by Mark Shaiman, and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman (Grammy winners for Hairspray; Smash), a book by award-winning playwright and adaptor David Greig (The Bacchae; Tintin in Tibet), set and costume designs by Mark Thompson (Mamma Mia!; One Man, Two Guvnors) and choreography by Peter Darling (Billy Elliot The Musical; Matilda The Musical).

A chocolate garden, an army of squirrels and the curiously peculiar Oompa-Loompas must be believed to be seen in this gigantic new musical that is choc-full of fantastical treats to dazzle your senses.

My Review:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been entertaining children and adults alike for years, whether by book or film adaptation.  When we began planning our trip to London, this was one of the must-see shows for both of us, as it hasn't made landfall in the USA yet.  Now, we all know that Film-to-Musical adaptations can be tricky to pull off, and Book-to-Film-to-Musical adaptations can be downright atrocious.  There was definitely a morbid curiosity about this one:  would it be great, terrible, or so fantastically bad that we couldn’t help but love it?  In the end, it was simply enjoyable.  That’s not so bad a thing, is it?  We walked away feeling that it was a good opening gambit for the week of theatre-filled goodness to follow.  The sets were incredible.  The cast was engaging.  The song and dance was certainly entertaining enough.  But if you’ve read the book or seen either movie, this production doesn’t bring anything particularly new to the table.  Recommended for children of all ages…or adults who are still kids at heart.  Just don’t expect your world to be changed in the aftermath. 

Once, Phoenix Theatre

About the Show:
A heart-warming, hilarious, and bittersweet love story that celebrates the power of music, performed live on stage by an extraordinary cast of actor-musicians, Once dazzles with invention, wit and unforgettable songs.

Winner of two 2014 Olivier Awards, eight Tony Awards and a Grammy Award this is the show everyone's falling for. Featuring all of the magical songs from the original film, including the Oscar-winning "Falling Slowly," this achingly beautiful, thrillingly inspirational show strikes an unforgettable chord and truly dares to be different. How often does a musical like this come around...

My Review:

This is the one holdover from our trip to NYC that I had really wanted to see but was unable to, so I

was thrilled to be able to see it now.

As stated above, Once is adapted from the film of the same name.  TJ told me just as the show was beginning that we had tried to watch the movie and had hated it.  Oops.  Why didn’t he mention that before?  This was gonna suck.

Only…it didn’t.  It was heartbreakingly beautiful from start to finish.  We’ve since tried to watch the film again...and failed.  The stage is where it’s at for this one, folks.  Had we just one more day to spend in London, I do believe we would have seen it again.  Recommended for anyone with a soul.  

The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre

About the Show:

Set against the majesty of the Serengeti Plains to the evocative rhythms of Africa, this spectacular production explodes with glorious colours, stunning effects, and enchanting music to tell the timeless story of Simba and his epic journey to fulfill his destiny as King of the Pridelands.

Julie Taymor, one of the world’s most innovative directors, brought a vast array of disciplines to The Lion King, including extensive experience staging epic theatre and opera productions, exploring classic myths through ritualized puppetry, mask, and movement. 

My Review:  

I actually saw this one during my college years.  I didn’t particularly enjoy it then, and I wasn’t in a hurry to see it now.  I just find it kind of...icky.  It's pretty faithful to its cartoon roots...minus one pseudo-sexual moment between two characters that I normally wouldn't care about, save for the fact that this is basically for children.

I’d been avoiding this for ten years though, so it was time to stop denying TJ the experience.  To my…disappointment?  delight?...he didn’t particularly enjoy the show, either.  Like Charlie, it’s too similar to the source material to provide anything very original.  Costumes are gorgeous though.  I did notice an alteration since the last time I saw the show; “The Morning Report” has been removed.  Pity, as the original songs were always my favorite part.  Recommended for anyone who thinks Disney can do no wrong.        

Jersey Boys, Piccadilly Theatre4

About the Show:
Winner of 55 major awards worldwide, including the Olivier Award for BEST NEW MUSICAL.

Jersey Boys, the internationally acclaimed hit musical, tells the remarkable rise to stardom of one of the most successful bands in pop music history.

Discover how four New Jersey boys from the wrong sid of the tracks invented their own unique sound, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and sold 100 million records worldwide.  With spectacular performances of of all their this, Jersey Boys is the electrifying true life story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons; the mob, the heartaches, the triumphs and the music.

My Review:
This is one of those shows that has been out for so long that, sooner or later, you just have to get it over and done with.  And we never should have waited.  My initial thought upon leaving the theatre was "Ooh! Finally, a musical I could bring my parents to."  Not a bad thing.  This is the music I grew up with.  This is the music my parents grew up with.  This is a part of entertainment history.   Recommended for fans of the pre-autotune wonder years.  

Miss Saigon, Prince Edward Theatre

About the Show:
This epic musical love story tells the tragic tale of young bar girl Kim, orphaned by war, who falls in love with an American G.I. called Chris - but their lives are torn apart by the fall of Saigon.

Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production has made its highly anticipated return to the West End, and is breaking box office records.

Since Miss Saigon's sensational record-breaking run at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane 25 years ago it has played in 300 cities in 15 different languages, winning awards around the world.

My Review:  Whoah.  I was not expecting that.  This show has been around forever, but out of circulation for a number of years.  It's one that I heard of almost the very moment that I first became interested in musical theatre, but somehow the plot synopsis always eluded me.  Perhaps that's for the best, as it couldn't possibly have carried the same emotional impact in my earlier years.  No spoilers here, but check out the photo directly above to see why it may hit so close to home.  Recommended for every diplomat (and family) in the world.    

The 39 Steps, Criterion Theatre

About the Show:
Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller, The 39 Steps, brilliantly and hilariously recreated for the stage as the smash hit Olivier Award Winning Comedy.

Follow the incredible adventures of our handsome hero Richard Hannay, complete with stiff-upper-lip, British gung-ho and pencil moustache as he encounters dastardly murders, double-crossing secret agents, and, of course, devastatingly beautiful women.

This wonderfully inventive and gripping comedy thriller features actors, playing 139 roles in 100 minutes of fast-paced fun and thrilling action.

My Review:  
This was the first of four plays that we would see over the course of the week.  I seemed to have enjoyed this outing more than TJ, who was put off by the cast of five running back and forth playing multiple roles in rapid succession.  I thought it was cute and quirky.  It certainly kept my attention...but for the life of me, I cannot recall how the mystery resolved itself.  Recommended for mystery lovers who don't take themselves (or the plot) too seriously.  

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, St. Martin's Theatre

About the Show:

If The Mousetrap were a public figure, it would be a national treasure – a Judi Dench, perhaps, or a Stephen Fry. You wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend an evening with those two, so why put off your visit to this vintage whodunnit from mistress of suspense Agatha Christie?

There really is nothing quite like the thrill of peeking into a remote house, sizing up its rum residents and pondering the mounting pile of red herrings as you try to crack one of the most celebrated cases of all time. 

Five guests arrive at a country hotel, only to find themselves snowed in. A policeman turns up, warning of a murderer on the loose. One by one, the guests are investigated until a trap is laid to catch the killer.

To tell you any more would not only spoil the surprise but also upset the tradition that no one who’s seen the show ever reveals the murderer’s identity – which means there really is only one way you’re ever going to find out.

Also, TJ wanted me to note the he successfully deduced "whodunit?" before play's end.  Show off.  

My Review:

Sorry.  Guests are sworn to an oath of secrecy at the end of the play.  But I liked it.  A lot.  Recommended for everyone.  It's the longest running show of any kind in the world.  This thing's an institution, people! 

Matilda, Cambridge Theatre

About the Show:

Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, with book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin, Matilda is the captivating musical masterpiece from the Royal Shakespeare Company that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dares to change her destiny.

My Review:

Woof.  No, I mean WOOF.  This…was…BAD.  TJ and I went in with such high hopes for this show, particularly after having enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Dahl’s other masterpiece come to stage, just a few nights prior.  We had seen performances during the Tony Awards and

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade that led us to believe it would at least be entertaining.  Instead, we found that the set design was cute but not altogether original.  The acting was weak.  The singing was practically inaudible.  Perhaps this is the show that bucks the trend of musical theatre always being weaker in the second act….but we’ll never know.  We left at intermission.  Never in my life have I walked out of a stage production, but this truly was a special occasion.  Recommended for no one.  Go to a pub instead.

September 6^th

King Charles III, Wyndham’s Theatre

About the Show:

The Queen is dead: after a lifetime of waiting, the prince ascends the throne. A future of power. But how to rule?

Directed by Rupert Goold, this ‘bracingly provocative and outrageously entertaining new play’ (The Independent) explores the people underneath the crowns, the unwritten rules of our democracy, and the conscience of Britain's most famous family.

My Review:

I had seen the posters all over town, coaxing me over the course of several days to give in attend a performance.  I somehow just knew I'd be full of regret if I missed it.  It was an odd choice, and definitely not world famous, but we took a shot and were glad we did.   

It was, by far, the best play I have ever seen.  No member of the royal family is safe in this tale of a perennial prince finally getting his chance to shine.  As Americans, I think we find ourselves mystified by the royal family.  Maybe it's because royalty is beyond us.  Maybe it's because, in another life, royalty could have ruled over us.  Or maybe it's because we read too many fairy tales.  Whatever the case, this deliciously scandalous production is probably the closest we will ever get to knowing how the other half live.       

It appears that the run has ended, but if there's ever a revival, I'd recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good political spoof.     

Les Misérables, Queens Theatre

About the Show:

Seen by more than 70 million people in 43 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, it is still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 30th year.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit.

Ex-convict Jean Valjean is hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever. 

Featuring the songs “I Dreamed A Dream”, “Bring Him Home”, “One Day More” and “On My Own” – Les Misérables is the show of shows.

My Review:  
Really?  It's Les Mis!  Go see it already.  

The Woman in Black, Fortune Theatre

Susan Hill’s acclaimed ghost story comes dramatically alive in Stephen Mallatratt’s ingenious stage adaptation. Now celebrating 25 terrifying years in the West End, Robin Herford’s gripping production is a brilliantly successful study in atmosphere, illusion and controlled horror.

A lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the spectre of a Woman in Black, engages a sceptical young actor to help him tell his terrifying story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul. It all begins innocently enough, but then, as they reach further into his darkest memories, they find themselves caught up in a world of eerie marshes and moaning winds.

My Review:  
This was another one where TJ said "You know, we tried to watch this movie and couldn't.  In fact, you fell asleep."  

Oops.

Unlike Once, this dud did not surpass it's cinematic sibling.

It was so bad that, by the end, TJ was mad at me for making him watch it.  

Sorry, boo.  I love you!  

West End Bares 2014 – Nude Dunnit?, Café de Paris

About the Show:

2014's WEST END BARES has been EXPOSED as a MURDER MYSTERY! 

A classic take on the much loved genre featuring the usual suspects! Who is the MURDERER? What was their WEAPON of choice? and what was their MOTIVE?! All will be revealed at this one-off event at London’s most glamorous venue, CAFE DE PARIS. Featuring performers from all the West End Shows and, as ever, a handful of Celebrity Guests, this is going to be another night of cheeky, sexy, fun and flesh! It would be a CRIME to MISS IT!!!

All money raised goes to support the Make A Difference Trust, which brings together the British Entertainment community and its audiences to raise funds to support people living with HIV and AIDS, and those in the entertainment industry facing hardship as a result of a long-term medical condition.

My Review:
Many, MANY thanks to our friend Anwarul, who not only 

suggested attending this charity event, but
treated us to the price of admission, freeing up our own cash for stripper tips.  Now, now.  Don't judge.  The "strippers" were professional actors and actresses from West End shows, and all of the money went to charity.  

I suppose I'll keep it classy and refrain from sharing the more provocative photos from the event, but if you ever find yourself in London (or New York, for the equivalent Broadway Bares), I would encourage you to give it a go.  It's all in good fun, and all for a truly worthy cause.

And with that, our time in London ended.  There were still many adventure to be had before returning to Jerusalem.  I'll get to those soon, but next time, how about we actually step outside of the theatre district and see a bit of London?

The Perfect Anniversary Weekend

In the spring of 2006, during the days when neither of us had yet to achieve the covetous Monday-Friday, 9-5 career track that is all the rage, I found myself bored at home sitting in front of my desktop computer around 10:00AM some weekday morning while TJ was at work or in class, pondering Madonna's then upcoming Confessions tour and whether or not I could justify plopping down the cash for a couple of tickets to the Miami show.  When I clicked the link, I was advised that there were no tickets available.  Hmmph!  Casual ponderance turned to insatiable desire in the blink of an eye.  Now that I couldn't have the tickets that just moments before I wasn't even certain I wanted, I absolutely needed them.  Figuring that if Miami was sold out, surely the NYC tickets would be gone as well, I halfheartedly changed cities and clicked "Find Tickets."  Oh.  Oh, my.  They were available.  I hastily placed my order before better sense could prevail.  After I received my confirmation of purchase, I glanced at the clock.  It was now 10:02.  My mind flashed back to some forgotten knowledge that tickets would be going on sale at 10:00.  Knowing the answer, I checked Miami again anyway.  Yup.  Tickets were available.  Oops.  I called TJ shortly thereafter and we had a conversation that started vaguely like "Um, baby, you've always wanted to go to New York, riiiiggghhht?"  That July, we hopped on a plane to NYC and had a wonderful weekend filled with concerts (Confessions), on- and off-Broadway shows (Altar Boyz, Avenue Q, Mamma Mia!, Rent, The Wedding Singer), and your standard sightseeing walkabouts (5th Avenue, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Central Park, FAO Schwarz, NBC Studio Tour, Times Square, etc).

Over the years we have consistently found ourselves returning to favorite vacation spots (Key West,

New Orleans, Paris, Puerto Vallarta) in lieu of exploring new ground.  Yet a return to New York, somehow, eluded us for years, even when our 2010 stay in northern Virginia put us within reasonable driving distance to the Big Apple.  Not this time.  With our 10th anniversary approaching, I knew the time was right for a return.

As our anniversary fell on a Wednesday and officers are not allowed to take time off of language training, we decided to spend our actual anniversary in a way we have often done so, by gorging ourselves at The Melting Pot.  It's not that fondue is necessarily expensive and therefore reserved for special occasions, but rather that it is very time consuming and therefore reserved for special occasions. (Alternatively, we also enjoy Texas de Brazil, which is not very time consuming because we are able to gorge ourselves in a 15 minute period...and therefore dangerous and also reserved for special occasions.)

Thanks to a Foreign Service colleague that was headed to NYC that weekend as well, we managed to score a free ride into the city, arriving around 4PM on Friday, July 12th.

After a quick shower and rest at the hotel, we were out in the city, doing a quick walk around Times Square (in the rain!  Gah!)  before having a quick dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe (I love it, but haters gonna hate.) and finally landing at the Nederlander Theatre to watch Newsies.  Of the three shows we had lined up for the weekend, this was the one TJ was least interested in but I just absolutely had to see.    The Nederlander Theater had been home to Rent, my all-time favorite show, during its twelve-year stint on Broadway.  I had managed to see Rent in this performance space twice during that period, both during our last trip here in 2006 as well as a 2002 Thanksgiving getaway with a college friend.  I was curious about any changes that had been made to the interiors, as well as whether or not the new tenants had maintained the same level of quality.  The interior was the same, right down to the positioning of the freestanding merchandise booths.  Even the stage design seemed similar, with giant metal frames used to set the mood of a disenfranchised New York neighborhood.  The cast itself did not disappoint either, and I ultimately walked out to the sounds of TJ admitting that this had been a good idea.

The following morning we paid our respects at The National September 11 Memorial.  Although the museum is not yet open, visitors are able to access the memorial proper, which features a pair of manmade waterfalls and reflecting pools placed within the footprints of the old World Trade Center.  Surrounding the pools are bronze plates featuring engravings of the names of every person that lost their lives in the 2001 and 1993 attacks on the WTC.  Stretching skyward in the adjacent lot is the still under construction One World Trade Center, the primary building of the new WTC complex.  I was amazed at how quiet the area surrounding the monument was.  Besides the occasional quiet mutterings of guests trying to maintain a respectful volume, the only sound to be heard was that of the waterfalls, crashing forever downward.  As we exited the monument area, we stopped to peruse the racks of brochures near the exit.  To our horror, yet sadly not to our surprise, we noticed that there were no Arabic pamphlets among the foreign language offerings.  Whether an intentional slight given America's horrific treatment of the Muslim community in the wake of 9/11 or an unfortunate oversight isn't for me to say.  It was merely an interesting observation.

The Brooklyn Bridge is conveniently located just a few blocks from the subway station that was to take us back to our hotel, so after noshing on a delicious slice of NY pizza, we crossed an odd little item off of my personal bucket list and walked across the bridge, which connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, separated by the East River.

There's not much to say about the experience, really.  It was hot.  It was a fairly long walk.  We saw two cyclists crash into each other at high speeds and then get into a shouting match that almost ended in physical violence.  Oh, and if for some reason you don't know how to walk across a bridge, here is an extensive article you may wish to read.  I didn't know of this article's existence prior to my travels, but I managed just fine.  

Something else that I didn't know about but which would have been adorable given the fact that this was an anniversary trip, was the trend of leaving love locks on the bridge.  I snapped this picture to remind myself to look up what the heck it was I was taking a picture of, and it turns out that people will write their name and the name of their loved one on a padlock, clip it to the bridge, and then throw the key into the river so that their hearts cannot be unlocked from their loved one.  It's a sweet sentiment, and apparently an idea that New Yorkers stole from the French, who had themselves stolen from an Italian novel, "Ho Viglia di Te."

In order to rehydrate from the whole sweaty bridge walk, we stopped in at an Irish pub in Times Square for a beer and some yummy potato skins before heading back to Broadway to catch Kinky Boots at The Al Hirschfeld Theatre.  We hadn't made the connection at the time, but this was the same venue that housed The Wedding Singer in 2006.  We had been enjoying our Broadway experience so much that hot July day that we opted to see this horrid adaptation of an Adam Sandler movie instead of witnessing the  NYC 4th of July fireworks celebration, a tragedy that has haunted us these past seven years.  No such fears this time around.  Kinky Boots was amazing.  We laughted.  We cried.  We saw Tony winner Billy Porter and understood what the fuss was all about.

After the show we skedaddled back to the hotel for a quick siesta before heading back out on the town. We had a quick dinner at Au Bon Pain, did a lighting fast walk by Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall, and wound up at Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where we saw the best show of the trip, The Book of Mormon.  It was actually playing in DC during this time period, but hey, when in Rome...

After the show we headed to Therapy, a bar we had visited back in 2006 that was also celebrating it's 10th anniversary that weekend.  Awww.  It was fate.  While there we met up with Carlos, a friend of ours from Guadalajara that lives and works in NYC.  We apparently had a lot of fun that evening, as photos taken in Times Square at what must have been 3 or 4AM, judging by the empty streets, ended up on my iPad the following morning.

The next morning we set out for Central Park, but not before we stumbled upon FAO Schwarz and I remembered a promise unfulfilled.  For TJ's birthday in 2009, I had taken him to the newly opened "Jim Henson's Fantastic World," a touring museum exhibit which showcased original Muppets, sketches, and other tidbits that celebrated Henson's creative genius.  Afterwards I told him about a recent edition to FAO, The Muppet Whatnot Workshop, in which visitors could create their own personal Muppet.  There was an on-line ordering option that I had considered for his birthday gift, for TJ is a lifelong Muppet fan.  I told him that I had opted not to place an order, as I wasn't sure if he'd appreciate such a weird gift, but I had been wrong.  He said it would have been a perfect gift but did confess that he would prefer creating his own in person, and I promised him that one day we would return to NYC and he would have his chance.  When the store came into view, I shouted "OOH!  I wanted to go there!" and made a mad dash for the door.  I could tell by his disinterested "Ugh.  Okay" that he thought he was destined for 30-40 minutes of me looking at Lego and Batman toys, but bless him, he went along with it anyway.  I made a beeline for the back of the store, where I spun around and waited for him to catch up.  When he finally arrived I shot a thumb over my shoulder and asked, "You ready to make that Muppet?"  As he followed the trajectory of my thumb, his eyes filled with tears and he said "Yes!'

It took about twenty minutes to settle on a design and another hour for the workshop employees to turn that 2D design into a 3D Muppet.  We spent that hour strolling Central Park.  I could regale you with stories of how hot it was, and how at one point or another we both thought we were going to die of heat stroke, but let's just get back to that Muppet, for nothing is as adorable as this.

That marked the end of our weekend getaway.  By the time we picked up the Muppet, who has since been named Mikey Monster, it was time to gather up our luggage and head to the bus station.  It had been a perfect weekend, and we both agree it was one of our best trips to date.

There are some things I wish we had had time for, but I think they are all best saved for a longer trip during cooler weather.  I've still not been to the Statue of Liberty. I've not stood in line waiting for tickets to Letterman.  I want to one day ride the ferris wheel at the Times Square Toys R Us and buy chocolate at the Hershey store.  I want to see the Rockettes dance at Radio City Music Hall during the holiday season.  There's still a lot of Broadway to be seen.  Crazy as it sounds, I want to watch the ball drop, in person, on New Year's Eve.

Ten years strong with no sign of stopping.  I'm confident there will be other trips to New York.

I mean, we still need to lock our hearts up and throw the key in the river, right?

Blast from the Past

On Friday, April 29th we took in a Spanish-language presentation of Disney's La Bella y La Bestia: El Musical at Teatro Diana. Despite being performed by students at the Guadalajara campus of Tecnologico de Monterrey, the acting and singing were near-Broadway calibre.

It reminded me of November 2002. I had gone to visit my college friend, Lauri, who was in the final months of an internship in Boston. We saw the sights. Went to Cheers. Had a delicious Thanksgiving lunch at the Prudential Center. Walked the Freedom Trail. Then we hoped on a bus to New York City, where we saw Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. Although I didn't know it at the time, this trip was our last hurrah as friends. When she returned to Texas that spring, Lauri had decided not to be friends with me anymore. Was it because of her unrequited crush? Was it because I won the battle of whether we should see Rent or Mamma Mia? I'll never know. She didn't do me the courtesy of providing a reason. I still think about her, sometimes. I hope she's happy and healthy.

On Wednesday, May 3, we headed to Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara to catch Lady Gaga in The Monster Ball at Estadio Tres de Marzo. The show was in English, minus one awkward song performed in Spanish and one even more awkward recitation of a hand-written note about U.S. immigration law. Apparently, GaGa is not a fan...Right before Gaga took the stage, lightning ripped the sky asunder and the heavens let loose a torrential downpour that signaled the early arrival of the rainy season. Gaga told us that she loves us so much, she made it rain. And maybe she did; it hasn't rained since.

This reminded me of the time, which feels so very long ago but was in reality "only" eight months ago, when TJ and I saw this very same production in Washington DC. You might remember it, too. I doubt Gaga remembers it. Poor woman has been spending the money from this tour since it started in November 2009 (it finally ended in Mexico City on Friday evening). Although we flew solo for the DC show, the general admission policy at Autónoma allowed us to join forces with several of our Guadalajaran friends and co-workers who had purchased tickets long before our arrival at post. Perhaps this is symbolic of how constrained we felt in Washington, and how liberated we (generally) feel in Guadalajara?

Somewhere between Belle's curtain call and GaGa's opening act (Semi-Precious Weapons...an acquired taste, to be sure), I went digging through the boxes that never get unpacked, and always multiply. You know the ones. These are the boxes that contain momentos from days gone by: Playbills, postcards that were never mailed, concert tickets, patches that were never sewed to anything, museum guides, coasters from favorite bars, theme park maps, etc, etc.

I had always hoped to create a scrap book and, as is often the case with such things, never did. But I never stopped collecting. Never stopped saving. And never will.

It was in these boxes that I hoped to find ticket stubs from my previous viewings of Beauty and the Beast and The Monster Ball. As of this writing, I have not found them. But I know they are in there...somewhere. Still plenty of crap--I mean, memories...to sort through.

Instead, I have found things far more precious.

• An autographed promotional photo of Parthenon, a contestant from Season 2 of Scy-fy's Who Wants to be a Superhero? In his civilian identity, Parthenon is a good friend of mine back home in Orlando. We were introduced by mutual friends shortly before the show started in the summer of 2007. His name is Dan. He throws killer Halloween parties, makes his own costumes (regular clothes, too), and has 1,000 different creative ideas per day. People have asked me where my blog's logo came from. It was Dan. He loved that I was starting a blog and offered to help spruce it up. He encourages me to write. Maybe one day I will. Well, really write, I mean.

• The flyer and small sample bottle of Jean-Paul Gaultier's Fleur du Male that we picked up during a March 2007 trip to Madrid to visit our friend Bruno. It smelled so flower-y that we dubbed it "Eau du Douche" and subsequently tortured each other with attack-sprays of it for the duration of our trip. I had thought the bottle empty, and yet...yes! Just enough left for one more spray! Happy to confirm that it was still douchey. Having lost all photographical evidence of this trip during a horrific battle with our old iMac just prior to the move to Mexico, finding this memento (along with museum guides and club flyers) was worth more than gold.

• A ticket to the March 23, 2003 production of Cirque du Soleil Presents: Alegria in Houston. This was a birthday gift from my friend, Evan. We are still friends today, though prior to his visit to DC last year, we had not seen each other in seven years. I'll be seeing him again in July when I head to San Diego for Comic Con (what, don't you know by now that I'm a nerd?).

• Letters my previously mentioned then-friend Lauri wrote to me during my study abroad trip to Europe in the summer of 2001. Only two letters reached me during that month-long, five country tour. Both were penned by Lauri and were accompanied by humorous drawings and random European coinage (this was pre-Euro) that didn't exactly belong to the country I was visiting during the letters' time of arrival. She was and oddball, but it suited her.

I don't want to bore you with a full inventory of my excavation. Suffice it to say, I found a box of history. That box contains many memories, several of which had been thought lost.

The reason that I blog is so that I don't forget. The reason that I have held onto these mementos is that I don't want to forget my pre-blogging days. What I've learned is that items stored in boxes do get forgotten if they aren't pulled out and appreciated from time to time.

It's time to finally get that scrapbook going.