Oh, What A Night

More like "Oh What a Day", but after all the experiences of yesterday, the chorus of this song constantly popped into my head. Taking the afternoon to sit in a lovely coffee shop a couple steps away from our apartment and blog/homework/soak everything that's happened.  I'll go over the action packed events as they happened:

8 am Wake up suddenly, slip on some so that Kim and I can run to the theater (in our PJ's) to pick up some cheap rush tickets to Death of a Salesman. We get in the line and thank God Anne and Brandon had gotten there soon enough so at least a couple of us could get tickets, but they just ran out when it came to my spot in line. So it looked like Kim and I would be seeing the show without Brit and Anna. However it's a Wednesday, so that means we can also try to hit up rush tickets for an afternoon show all together. We decide to shoot for Pricilla, Queen of the Desert lottery which starts at 11:30.

10:45 am So, since we have a bit of time, Kim shows me the fashion district (in our PJ's). It's fantastic!

11:15 am Holy shit. Fifteen minutes until the lotto. How many blocks have we gone? No idea. Commence sprinting through NYC (in our PJ's). What a way to start the day! We make it in good time as they don't actually pull tickets until noon. Sit and wait and meet Anna and Brit.

12 pm Win the lotto fro cheap tickets! We all get front row seats. :) Head back to the apartment to change out of PJs

1:30 pm Holy shit! THe show starts at 2! Are we really going to be late? Yes. Luck was not on our side in the subway.

2:45 pmish After intermission to this (SUPER AWESOME FUN) show, Anna and I are invited to dance on the stage. I kid you not. My Broadway Debut. It was the first time I've ever actually responded and raised my hand fast enough for something. Usually I react way too slow and regret everything. This time? No way. My partner even complimented my skillz! SO MUCH FUN! I could have died.

4 pmish Meet up with Pricilla cast member and former South Dakota resident, Mike McGowan (http://broadwayworld.com/people/Mike_McGowan/) who proceeds to give us a backstage tour! Showing us costumes, answering all our theater questions and being altogether wonderful. We also snagged autographs from one of the leads. :)

5:30 pmish We've grabbed coffee and are heading to the Wicked lottery. We're all putting our names in to up the chances for Brit and Anna to go. Even Anne and Brandon join. Thankfully, Kim wins the tickets. We grab food at Bourbon Street, a loud and delicious cajun themed bar. However, I'm not really having fun. I feel very anxious for some reason. Like, verge of tears anxious. I haven't really been hungry all day and I'm not now either, which is also strange. I hope all my friends and family are ok and it's not one of those feelings. But I don't know.

7:30 pm Kim and I part from our friends and head to the theater to see Death of a Salesman directed by Mike Nichols, starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Kim gets the feeling too. There is something strange with this crowd, she observes. We kinda wade through the people just to see whats up and who do we come across but Mike Nichols! The director himself! Kim chats with him a bit--he's a little short with her (chatting wise, not height fyi).

The crowds staart to dissipate through the doors. We let them go by. And THEN! WHO do we see but...

(drumroll)

Liza. Minnelli.

Just.... standing there. Chatting with a couple of friends. No crowds.

If you don't know, she's kind of my idol.

I don't really know what happened. I tried to ask her for a picture. I think all that came out was "I'm a huge fan." But I froze up. I would have started crying if I kept talking. I was tearing up already. Thank God Kim stepped in and said, "Hi this is my student. She's trying to be bold. Can I take your picture?" Liza replied, smiling and lovely as she is, "Oh BE bold, hunny! Be Bold. Sure I'll take a picture." And I thanked her and walked away balling.

I wish I could've been memorable, clever, fun with her. I'd love to be her friend. But, after the anxiety I was feeling, and the shock that came with meeting her, there was nothing I could have said.

Then, at intermission, Kim reports seeing Tony Danza and various other stars at the bar. This audience was something special.

The performance was AMAZING. I balled again. It made me think so much of my own family. It doesn't help that Phillip Seymour Hoffman even looks a bit like my dad and grandpa. However, during the climax, the crucial moments in the ending, disaster strikes.

Old woman's phone rings.

Continually.

Old woman who, not only showed up late, but also brought two pillows, an ice pack, a giant squeaky bag, and a hopeless sleepy attitude.

Two minutes later, the man next to us checks his phone after a couple missed call things go off.

We wanted to die.

After the show, we make loud comments about it with the people around us. Usually, you can get fined up to $500 for having your phone on. The man's girlfriend tries to start a catfight with Kim. I was a little nervous.

Crowds surround the stage doors, waiting Hoffman to exit so they can ask for his autograph, etc. We don't feel like dealing with that. It's been a long day. And after that performance, I'd left the theater a different person then before, with more compassion then  So we go to the opposite side instead. Suddenly, Kim asks me to follow her. I hesitate for a moment then run to catch up. I look up and who do I see but

drumroll

Phillip. Seymour. Hoffman.

"It was an honor to be in your audience," I said.
We actually conversed. He even asked what year I was in college. And signed my playbill. And Touched my shoulder and wished me luck.

He left and I was squealing with delight. Holy balls. Then, Kim meets one of her idols, Alan Alda, complimenting him on his essays.

We met back up with the girls, found a quaint little Italian restaurant and went to bed.

Oh, what a night.