Five Years

This past Wednesday I posted about doing a word of the year rather than New Years resolutions. My words for 2023 are Beginnings and Sunrise. This was my word for 2018:

I posted that picture 5 years ago when my job, originally slated to last 3-4 weeks, changed from contract to permanent. The contract position began in April of 2017, and my first day of being an official employee of Wireless Advocates was January 8, 2018. It was an incredible experience, and there were tears of joy. One thing that meant a lot to me was when my manager informed me that it was a "no brainer" to convert me from contract to permanent. As a contractor, I set records in order processing, both personal and in our department. I continued that in my new permanent role.

The past five years have been amazing and challenging. I could not have asked for a more incredible, cohesive team, and my manager has led it masterfully. We are like family. I have grown professionally and as a person, and have shrunk in weight. (😀) I sometimes felt my manager believed in me more than I believed in myself, and she has never failed to be a massive encouragement any time I was second guessing myself (and other times). This job has taught me so much. We have been through a lot as a team. I found out I have ADHD, which was a big help in understanding and working with challenges that I've faced over the years. A coworker lost his mother to cancer. My manager has lost several relatives, and gained a grandson and a little sister. I have learned that our nation hasn't come anywhere near as far as I previously thought in ending racism, considering the horrifying discrimination and loss my manager and other coworkers have faced. I lost my dad shortly after my manager lost hers. My car was totaled in an accident. I love that I've been here long enough to be amazed how fast my manager's children are growing, and to cheer them on as well. I got to hang out with coworkers after work. The job has been challenging and incredibly rewarding. The tough times and the good times have brought us closer. One time, the TARDIS even landed on the roof of our building! (Well, technically, it was an Instagram filter, but close enough.) 😀

Working with managers and salespeople around the country, I have learned from more than just our immediate team. We supported them, and it was awesome talking to some of them when they visited our national headquarters. Over the past month, one former District Manager in particular has been an incredible encouragement and cheerleader to everyone in the company on LinkedIn, posting inspirational messages daily.

When COVID hit, we transitioned to working from home, and the transition was surprisingly smooth. Our management and team have met virtually on a regular basis, and we have remained as cohesive as ever. We have even to been able to meet in person on occasion. As difficult as COVID has been, I have been thankful to be working from home now, as my parents have been needing more assistance, and I've been more available for them, while still being able to do my job and even work overtime.

The news last month that our company is no more was difficult for everyone. It was tough enough for us at national headquarters, and we got 2 months notice. I feel for my colleagues around the country who had no warning, and kiosks closed suddenly. That has happened to me once before, and it was not fun. However, on the flip side, it has been exciting watching on LinkedIn and other social media as managers and associates around the country have rallied around each other, encouraging each other, supporting each other. I'm so glad to see when colleagues have posted that they are starting new jobs.

With just under a month to go for those of us at national headquarters, our job searches are continuing apace. I'm excited to see where everyone will end up.

I have been with Wireless Advocates officially for five years now (about 5¾ if you count my time as a contractor). I'm thankful that I was able to make it to 5 years, and I wouldn't trade this time for anything. I'm looking forward to the next phase.

Following are some of the most amazing people I've ever had the honor of working with:

My amazing manager with her
well-deserved Employee of the Year
Award in 2018

Possibly one of my favorite pictures
that I've ever taken!

The Cactus

I wrote the following poem April 8, 2002 following a difficult event. (Interestingly, I don't even recall what event that was, but my younger self tells me it was seriously trying.) Working through the pain, I realized that holding onto it was just about as absurd as trying to hug a cactus. It would only hurt me further. I also thought of 1 Peter 5:6-7. I've often seen both these verses quoted in different contexts, but rarely together: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

I also blogged about 1 Peter 5:7 a few years ago, here. It's one of my favorite verses. The lesson was further reinforced later that year, as I blogged here.

What cactus are you trying to hug? Let it go!

Photo by Cara Tracy
Used with permission

I clung to a cactus

Embraced it in my arms
And the pain ripped through my aching body!

The spines pricked my skin
The pain grew intense;
But the worse the pain, the tighter I clung!

I cried out in agony
I complained and bemoaned the pain
As I fought against the cactus
And I clung
Still tighter

Until God said,
"My child,
Give Me the cactus.
Let go of the cactus
And let Me take your pain."

And I

          let

                    go

And let God take the cactus
He took away the pain
He healed my biting wounds
And in their place, He gave me peace
And joy
My trust in Him grew stronger
All I had to do was let go of my pride
Let go of my pain
And rest in the arms of my loving heavenly Father.

The First Noel

January 6 has been a fairly eventful day throughout history. In his novel Notre-Dame de Paris (translated into English as The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Victor Hugo tells of the Feast of Fools on that day, when the people of Paris have a competition to see who can wear the ugliest mask. Quasimodo wins without even trying, and is crowned the Pope of Fools. In 1540, Henry VIII married Anne of Cleves (a marriage that would end in divorce). In 1759, George Washington married his wife Martha. In 1994, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked. It is the birthday of Joan of Arc (1412-1431), John DeLorean (1925-2005, whose car company would have an important part in Back to the Future), EL Doctorow (1931-2015, whose book Ragtime would inspire a movie and a musical), Justin Welby (born 1956, current Archbishop of Canterbury), Eddie Redmayne (born 1982, British actor who played Marius Pontmercy in Les Misérables, Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts movies, and Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, among others), and many others. Just two years ago, our former president provoked a terrorist attack on our Capitol in an effort to get the will of the people overturned. Several cultures celebrate Christmas Eve. 

In the Christian calendar, January 6 is Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day. It closes out the Christmas season. Depending on the tradition, it's either the day or the day after the author of The Twelve Days of Christmas received twelve drummers drumming and a whole host of other gifts from their true love. It commemorates the Wise Men (a.k.a. We Three Kings) visiting Jesus and bringing their gifts. When considering what song to write about today, my first thought was "We Three Kings," but I already did that one (see the link earlier in this paragraph). "The First Noel" also mentions the magi.

The Magi Journeying
James Tissot, c. 1890
Brooklyn Museum

One thing that strikes me about the Christmas story is how God chose the most unlikely of people to receive the announcement of the birth of the Messiah. Shepherds were the lowest of the low in their culture. They were often outcasts. The Magi were foreigners, and they were likely astrologers. Aside from the magi who came from the east to visit Jesus, the only other mention of that word in the New Testament is in Acts 8, when Peter and John encountered Simon the Sorcerer. The word translated "sorcerer" is the same word, a magus (the singular of magi). They were star gazers and advisers to kings, often followers of Zoroastrianism. It just said the magi came from the east, but doesn't specify where. Traditionally, they came from Arabia, Persia and India, respectively. Wikipedia has some interesting details on what scholars believe about their possible origins and further details. The number of magi is unknown, traditionally told as three because they brought three gifts.

The first two verses of "The First Noel" concern the shepherds. The angel announced the awesome news, and the star led them to the stable. Verses 3-5 tell about the wise men, or magi. They followed the star to search for the new King. It led them northwest, until it stopped over Bethlehem. They entered the house and presented their gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense. (My "We Three Kings" post details the significance of those gifts.) Verse 6 is our response. We "sing praises to our heavenly Lord, that hath made heaven and earth of nought, and with His blood mankind hath bought." There have also been other verses over the years, but that's the version we currently sing.

When did the magi visit? The past few years I have thought it was two years later. When they arrived, the Bible says they visited the house, not the stable. Herod ordered children two years and younger killed after the magi visited, which is when Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt. However, my friend Mikel Del Rosario (also known as The Apologetics Guy) recently pointed out that the stable was likely in Joseph's ancestral home. It could have been as early as 40 days after the birth. People generally think of it being 2 years later because of Herod's order, but he could have just been covering his bases. We don't know precisely when they visited.

The song originated in Cornwall, England, during the 13th or 14th Centuries. It may have originated as a miracle play, ancient plays portraying biblical stories and accompanied by song. The Cornish gathered in the streets to sing it. More details on that here.

Swim with the Salmon

I wrote the following poem August 7, 2002, after visiting the fish ladder at Seattle's Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. Watching through the glass as the salmon swam against the intense pressure of the water got me thinking about the similarities of salmon fighting the water pressure and us fighting temptation.

Salmon at Willamette Falls, OR
Source: NOAA Photo Library, 1950

The current rages on
Downstream with awesome force
While the salmon swim along
Upstream to spawning grounds
Against the raging current

We've got to swim with the salmon
Go against the flow
Jump up all the ladders
Go up the waterfalls

The current rages on
Down the rivers of this world
The temptation is so strong
To conform to the ways of the world
And just to go with the flow

We're called to swim with the salmon
Against the raging current
Following the Lord
Not conforming to the world

2023 - Beginnings: Fountains and Sunrises

Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.
The wild animals honor me,
    the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
    the people I formed for myself
    that they may proclaim my praise.

Isaiah 43:18-21

The lookout from the Wild Horse Monument,
overlooking the Columbia River and Vantage, WA

I was originally planning on going with a sunrise theme here, but the above verse has been on my mind, and it uses a different metaphor. Both work. Tomorrow will be one month since we got the life-changing news that Wireless Advocates is no more. I wrote about it at that time here. Next week will be 5 years since I was hired permanent. Our colleagues around the country suddenly lost their jobs, and those of us at the national headquarters continue to work on wrapping things up with the business before our jobs end next month.

This has been an interesting month. Between tasks related to closing the business, we have been working on job search, updating our resumes, updating LinkedIn, and more. I have been deeply impressed how some of the most helpful people on our team have been managers around the country who lost their job last month, but are rallying around the 1800+ employees who have lost, or will soon lose, their jobs, keeping us encouraged, motivated, positive, and even excited about new possibilities. As difficult as this period of loss has been, it has been a beautiful thing to watch. Our team at national headquarters is closer than ever, as we are all in the same boat.

Skykomish River
near Gold Bar, WA

I have mentioned my awesome friends Kim and Jason Kotecki in previous blogs. One thing they have encouraged in their motivational movement Escape Adulthood is a change from the traditional idea of New Years Resolutions. People often resolve to lose weight, get organized, any number of things. They might buy a gym membership, go once or twice, and give up. I actually cancelled my gym membership last month because I almost never went, and it ended up being a monthly bill I got nothing for. That is not to say I'm not working on losing weight; I have been working on it since 2020, and have lost just over 100 pounds since then. I still have a ways to go, but I'm more than halfway there! (I recommend Noom if that's an issue for you. You can tell them I sent you.)

Instead of resolutions we may or may not keep, Kim and Jason recommend coming up with a word for the year. The first year I did it, my word was Ooze. First of all, I love that word. It's fun to say. People generally think of oozing goo, but you can also ooze joy, ooze love, ooze any number of things. It doesn't have to be gooey or mushy. In 2020, my word was Vision. (Get it? 2020 Vision?) I don't do a word every year (I didn't have one last year), but in light of recent events, I have decided to go with "Beginnings" or "Sunrise" for this year. In the above verses, I normally only hear verse 19 (the part about doing a new thing). But just now looking at the passage, the verses around it are also important. Though we should learn from the past, it is in the past and there's nothing we can do about it...so it isn't a good idea to dwell on it. Jackals and owls are generally nocturnal, and jackals in particular are known for scavenging. Anubis, an ancient Egyptian god of the dead, was represented as a jackal. In CS Lewis' The Horse and His Boy, the graveyard outside Tashbaan has jackals prowling nearby. At one point Aslan protects Shasta from them (though at the time Shasta doesn't know the identity of the cat protecting him). In the sequel The Silver Chair (which has a fleeting reference to The Horse and His Boy), Jill and Eustace are helped by owls, but they are most helpful at night. In the Harry Potter books, owls deliver mail. I'm not sure exactly where I'm going with that, but those are my thoughts on jackals and owls.

In any case, even in the most desolate of deserts and circumstances, God provides water and other things needed, both to humans and to wild animals. Just as a spring of water bubbles and froths excitedly, we can look to the future with joy and eager anticipation, even if everything around us looks grim and hopeless. Sometimes it seems counterintuitive, but an optimistic outlook can work wonders.

Clark Fork River
near Superior, MT

With my goal of Beginnings this year, I am looking forward to seeing what wondrous thing God has for me. I started this blog in 2010, but have been fairly irregular in posting. The past couple weeks, starting with my reblogs of my All Things Broadway posts, I have been working on posting daily. I am hoping to keep that up and develop this into a more regular blog. I don't know exactly what direction that will take, but we will see. I am also exploring my options on the employment front. I'm excited to see what amazing new possibilities are bubbling "just around the riverbend," to quote Pocahontas. 

As my friends Kim and Jason like to say, "Now that this has happened, what does it make possible?" At the risk of mixing metaphors, what joyful spring of water will be bubbling and frothing as the sun rises on my next chapter? Is there an awesome proverbial geyser in my future? I can't wait to find out!

Here's to new beginnings joyfully springing up as a beautiful sunrise dawns over the horizon!

Sunrise over Lake Michigan
Sheboygan, WI

Sunrise over Lake Michigan
(and a raccoon if you look closely)
Sheboygan, WI

All Things Broadway Posts

Between 2018 and 2020, I was on the blogging team for All Things Broadway, one of the most popular Broadway groups on Facebook. As their blog recently went offline, I recently reblogged my posts. I thought it might be convenient to post links to them here.

Outside the Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway,
where Come from Away played 2017-2022
Picture taken September 2022

Come from Away: Stories and lessons from those who lived it

I interviewed several come from aways and Newfoundlanders whose stories inspired Come from Away. This is the result, along with my own memories from that horrible day. This was my first and most popular post. It also set records for All Things Broadway's blog in terms of readership.

The Showtunes of Christmas

My thoughts and suggestions if you are planning to make a Broadway Christmas album. Which showtune is and isn't a Christmas song?

All I Really Need to Know I Learned on Broadway

Inspired by Robert Fulghum's All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, I share some valuable lessons learned in Broadway shows.

The Magic of Carol

Along with two other bloggers, we paid tribute to the late, great Carol Channing.

Writing Your Very Own Rodgers & Hammerstein Musical

My thoughts on common threads between Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals and how you can write your own R&H musical.

A Look Back, 2016-2018 (give or take)

Reviews of the shows I attended in the past 2 years, as of December 2018.

Theatre Etiquette, Part 1: Putting on the Ritz!

Etiquette for producers, directors and performers when putting on a show.

Theatre Etiquette, Part 2: A Night on the Town

Etiquette for attending a show.

Prayer, Come from Away

My thoughts on the "Prayer" in Come from Away; this was my part of a collaborative blog on songs that were particularly meaningful to us at Christmas.

You Are Here: A Come from Away Story

This was a collaborative blog about the HBO Canada documentary You Are Here: A Come from Away Story. It was one of the most moving documentaries I've ever seen.

Quarantine Playlist

This was my last post on the blog. I wrote it at the beginning of the pandemic about songs that I have found encouraging in tough times. Thanks to the pandemic, this was one of the last posts in the blog, though it would be a couple years before the blog went offline.

Times Square, September 2022

What is it about you?

Part 2 of my New York blog...

Skyscrapers, taken in Central Park

"When we left off last night, the hideous dragon had carried the maid to his cave by moonlight, he gnashed his teeth and breathed his fire. The heath quaked and we trembled in fear!"

Oh wait, wrong musical. This is where we left off. I did not see The Secret Garden (which the above quote is from) in New York, though I did see it in Seattle a few years ago on tour!

Anyway, moving along... 😀

Broadway Flea Market

The morning of September 25 found us back on Broadway attending the annual Broadway Flea Market, where they sell all kinds of things related to shows and all proceeds go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. It was quite an experience. Near the beginning I caught a glimpse of Jeremy Jordan. Many shows had booths. There were old programs, merch, used props, and more. The Kite Runner booth had cloth items made by women in Afghanistan, where the play is set. (I sadly missed that show, which I was hoping to see.) The Some Like it Hot booth (another show I didn't get to see) was giving away bottles of water. At the Aladdin booth, in addition to buying a signed Statue of Liberty prop used by the Genie (see my previous post), I got to meet Jasmine (Sonya Balsara) and get my picture with her! I mentioned that I had seen her in the show the previous night, and that she was amazing. She appreciated that.

At the Come from Away booth, I got to meet Sharon Wheatley (who played Diane) and Astrid Van Wieren (Beulah). I feel honored to have now met all three women they portrayed (the character of Beulah Davis is inspired by Beulah Cooper and Diane Davis) and the super talented women who originated their roles on Broadway. Sharon Wheatley signed her book Drive: Stories from Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere for me. Astrid Van Wieren signed a Come from Away button.

With Sharon Wheatley

With Astrid Van Wieren

At the Stars in the House booth, the four of us admins from Broadway Remembered got our picture with Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley. I also bought a couple small paintings by their very talented daughter Juli.

Me, Jeremy Sunderland, Seth Rudetsky,
Melly Garcia, Michael Kape, James Wesley

Shortly after leaving their booth, I very nearly literally bumped into my old high school friend Barzin Akhavan, who I haven't seen since high school, and has been in the cast of The Kite Runner. He is also in an upcoming movie (he told me the title, but I forget), and has been in a lot of productions on the stage and screen. He has been involved in The Kite Runner since its inception. I performed with him in our high school production of Oklahoma!, and he later reprised his role of Ali Hakim in an Oregon Shakespeare Festival production. As we were passing each other at the Flea Market, I said, "Barzin!" His scream of delight and big hug took me by surprise, and was truly amazing. Here he was, a Broadway star, greeting me like I was the star and he was the fan. It meant a lot to me. After we had hugged and talked a bit, I introduced him to the others (who we had to find in the crowd). We then arranged to meet and talk some more the following day.

With Barzin Akhavan
Photo by Michael Kape

I left four rocks during the Flea Market: "Climb every mountain" from The Sound of Music, "Hygge" from Frozen, a second "Paciencia y fe" rock from In the Heights, and "Welcome to the Rock" from Come from Away.

Speaking of Come from Away...

Come from Away

Following the Broadway Flea Market, the four of us attended Come from Away, shortly before it sadly had to close. Most of the cast (though not everyone) was the original Broadway cast, and we were near the front. I was struck how some of the trees had grown root systems during the run. You can see it in the bottom corner of this picture:

It was amazing seeing it on Broadway with (mostly) the original cast. This was the fourth time I saw it onstage (the first three times were in Seattle). It gets me every time. It is such a powerful show, and it's such a shame it had to close a week later. I was hoping this would be able to go for years more.

Manhattan and Central Park

The following day I returned to the Harry Potter Store, and left a rock nearby ("To life, to life, l'chaim!" from Fiddler on the Roof). I walked up the street, as my appointment with Barzin was coming up. On the way to Central Park, I passed the Empire State Building (I hope to go in next time I go):

As I arrived at Central Park, I found it is a lot bigger than I realized. I went in the southeastern corner and walked through the zoo. I did some exploring in the park and left two rocks: "My corner of the sky" from Pippin (I loved that someone was gonna find "my corner of the sky") and "You will be found" from Dear Evan Hansen. I really must do more exploring next time I go. 

I was struck by the buildings all around. Barzin and I exchanged texts to arrange where to meet, and so I walked from the southeast to the southwest corner of the park. We sat on a bench and caught up, and then we proceeded to the Lincoln Center, where we sat in the courtyard and talked. I left my favorite rock there, with a quote from Les Misérables ("Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise"): 

After meeting, we both had plans on Broadway. I was to see Six, and he had to get to The Kite Runner. We both took the subway to Times Square, where we parted. I had a bit of time to kill before my show, so I explored the Disney Store.

Six

"Remember us from PBS?"

Six is the "histo-remix" of the story of Henry VIII's six wives. It is told concert style with the six of them onstage with their "ladies in waiting" (the band) on risers behind them. Each tells their story, initially as a competition to see who had it the worst. It recently crossed the Pond from London, and it is unlike any other show I have seen. It masterfully and creatively injects interest, humor and music into a very serious story. It tells how each wife was respectively "divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived." While it starts out as a competition, part of the lesson of the show is that these tough times are not a competition. Four were rejected for various reasons, one died in childbirth, and the last was with him to the end of his life. Each performer did a fantastic job of recounting her story. I also love how they acknowledged and introduced each member of the band.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The following day, my friend Melly treated me to a tour of the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art). I will need to go back next time, as we hardly scratched the surface of what is there, but she gave me a tour of many of the paintings. I was particularly fascinated by this one by Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun of her daughter Julie, creatively presenting two perspectives of her in one painting:

Melly and I had lunch in the museum's cafeteria, and then she had to leave, but I proceeded to explore the gift shop and the Greek and Egyptian wings. Mythology and ancient art fascinates me.

Staten Island Ferry and Statue of Liberty

My next goal was to take the Staten Island Ferry and see the Statue of Liberty from closer up than I had seen it from Battery Park a couple days previous. I proceeded to the ferry terminal, which is near Battery Park, and boarded the ferry. It reminded me of the ferries on the Puget Sound, except it's smaller and doesn't have a place for cars.

It was a beautiful day to be on the water. Looking behind, I had spectacular views of Manhattan and surrounding. To the side, I got a great view of the Statue of Liberty. I hope to go to Liberty Island next time.

Upon arrival at Staten Island, I did a little exploring and left my last rock ("Hakuna matata" from The Lion King) and then returned to Manhattan. It was a bit of a rush to get back to Times Square for the show, but I just made it!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

While I have issues with the plot of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, it is worth going for the effects alone. It almost looks like they are actually performing the spells onstage, and at times I wondered how they did it. The set and effects are mindblowing. In my opinion, the plot is best described by a quote from Doctor Who: "wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey...stuff." It is the story of Harry's son Albus and Draco's son Scorpius forming an unlikely friendship and creating a big mess with the noblest of intentions. It was originally in two parts, but due to the pandemic was shortened into one show for Broadway. 

Hadestown

The following day, after I visited Hershey's Chocolate World in Times Square, Melly and I went to see Hadestown. It is the Greek tragedy of Orpheus going to the underworld to rescue his love Eurydice, told with New Orleans style music. It was mostly the original Broadway cast. Of the main characters, only Hermes (Lillias White) and Persephone (Jewelle Blackman) were different, and they were fantastic. Reeve Carney was an excellent Orpheus, Eva Noblezada was amazing as Eurydice, and Patrick Page killed it as Hades. I don't see many shows with a strong bass, but Hades is one such part. The set was simple yet complex. My only issue was that, though we had amazing seats, they were right in front of the stage, which would normally be a great thing, and it was great being able to see them so close...but a large portion of the show uses dry ice, which pours off the stage and into the first few rows. I thoroughly enjoyed the show, but smelled like dry ice afterwards. I would recommend sitting a bit further back if dry ice is an issue for you.

Into the Woods

After a visit to M&Ms World and a fantastic Cuban dinner, the four of us met to see the revival of Sondheim's Into the Woods, a mashup of several classic fairy tales that combine into a powerful and rather heavy second act. It was a who's who of Broadway actors, including Stephanie J. Block (Baker's Wife), Sebastian Arcelus (Baker), Gavin Creel (Cinderella's Prince/Wolf), Joshua Henry (Rapunzel's Prince), Krysta Rodriguez (Cinderella) and more. While it was fully acted, it reminded me of a concert style, as the orchestra was in the center of the stage and the set was very simple. Milky White was a brilliantly-designed puppet and more expressive than I've ever seen her. She pretty much stole the show. Her puppeteer (Kennedy Kanagawa) was just as expressive. I also loved how the giant was portrayed by two massive shoes (one of which was also operated by Kennedy Kanagawa) tromping around the stage with the help of two puppeteers. The voice of the giant (who also played Cinderella's mother) walked to the center of the stage behind the orchestra and you could see her talking from a distance. In other productions I've seen, she is completely offstage, except when you see her feet at the end.

I was sad to have to leave, but New York was an amazing experience. It was truly "one short week in the [Bi-i-ig Apple]!" I hope to return sometime. (Back to the Future opens on Broadway this coming June, after all!) It was also a personal record for the most live shows I've seen in one week. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who helped make this trip possible! It was amazing, and a highlight of my year!

NYC

 

Manhattan, taken from the Staten Island Ferry

All my life I have wanted to visit New York. Since childhood I have been a fan of Broadway. The past few years I have been a blogger for the Facebook group All Things Broadway (2018-2020), and an admin for the group Broadway Remembered (2019-present). Broadway Remembered is a growing group (currently with about 53,000 members), and as of earlier in 2022, I was the only admin who had never actually been to New York. The closest I had been was Washington-Dulles Airport on the way to France in 1999. The other admins generously helped me to fix this problem, and I finally got to achieve a lifelong dream in September 2022.

I was scheduled to see The Phantom of the Opera the evening of September 22. With plane delays and transportation issues, it was a bit of a tight squeeze, but with my host Michael, we were able to make it on time. As this has been one of my favorite musicals since childhood, I thought it would be an appropriate first musical on Broadway.

We got off the subway and came up to Times Square. I was blown away. I had seen pictures, video, seen the ball drop at New Years Eve on TV, and so I knew what it looked like, but nothing could prepare me for the sense of awe I felt. It had always been on a TV or computer screen, in magazines, books and other sources. But this time it was all around me. Screens were everywhere advertising products, TV shows, restaurants, Broadway shows, and more. They have a Disney Store, Hershey's store, M&M's store... Of course, we didn't have a lot of time to take it all in due to the rush to get to The Phantom of the Opera, but it was still an amazing experience.

The Phantom of the Opera

It was indeed an excellent first show on Broadway. I saw the show in Seattle on tour a few years ago, and I have seen the movie and the 25th Anniversary filmed production. But to see it on Broadway was an amazing experience. The sets were similar to how they were in Seattle, but more lavish. I figured they were able to do more, as the show has been in the Majestic Theatre over 30 years now, as opposed to a touring show that is only there for a few weeks. Performances were amazing.

After the show, we were planning to meet the other admins, Jeremy and Melly, at Sardi's just across the street. However, they had just closed when we arrived. We met at another restaurant nearby, and I finally got to have my dinner that had been delayed due to transportation issues earlier in the day. It was great meeting them in person and talking with them.

Harry Potter Store

The following day, I visited the Harry Potter Store. It was like a small Disneyland for Harry Potter fans, and I thoroughly enjoyed wandering around the store like I was a kid again (aside from the fact that I was an adult when the books came out). It is two floors and has a large phoenix statue in the middle of the round staircase.

One of my favorite Dumbledore quotes,
in the middle of the staircase

They have an area where you can find wands (replicas of the wands in the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child). One room is dedicated to merchandise from each of the four Hogwarts houses. They have candy and treats mentioned in the books, as well as items from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes (such as extendable ears). Downstairs they have more treats, an area where you can have items personalized, Hogwarts trunks, robes, and more. They also have virtual reality experiences, which I didn't get to do, but hope to do next time I go. As you are exiting, they have a butterbeer bar, where you can get butterbeer and snacks. (They do not have pumpkin juice. I asked.) You have to drink your butterbeer there, but you get to keep the cups. They have a cleansing station where you can clean your cup before leaving.

World Trade Center and Battery Park

After leaving the Harry Potter Store, I took the subway to the World Trade Center. Before coming to New York, I painted rocks with Broadway quotes. I left my first one at the WTC. It had a quote from Come from Away: "Make me a channel of Your peace." I hope it found a good home!

The World Trade Center was a moving experience. The names of the victims are inscribed around the imprints of the two towers. So many names. Due to time constraints, I did not go to the memorial museum, but hope to do so next time I go.

Following the World Trade Center, I walked to Battery Park a few blocks away, where I left my second rock ("I am not throwing away my shot" from Hamilton). I saw the Statue of Liberty from a distance, though it left me wanting to see it closer up, as it was a small silhouette with cranes behind it from that angle.

Beetlejuice

That evening, I went to see Beetlejuice. I have seen the movie that it's based on, and I have enjoyed listening to the music from the cast recording, and it was great to see it onstage. I was struck by how different the theatre was from the Majestic. This one was at the Marquis, which is in a hotel. I went in the hotel lobby, and up an escalator to the second level where the theatre is. I was impressed with the set. It starts out in a graveyard, and most of it is in the house. Parts of act 2 are in the land of the dead. They had a large portion of the house onstage, and some scenes on the roof. It was a very complex set, and impressive the way they did it. Performances were also excellent.

The following day, we waited in line at the TKTS booth in Times Square, where you can get discount tickets to shows. While waiting in line, I left my third rock ("Shepherd's pie peppered with actual shepherd on top" from Sweeney Todd). After we were done at the TKTS booth, I left my fourth rock ("You're one of a kind, no category" from Six).

1776

While waiting outside the American Airlines Theatre, I left my fifth rock ("Paciencia y fe" from In the Heights).

I was struck once again how different this theatre was from the others. The auditorium was not nearly as long as other theatres. It was probably the most intimate of the ones I attended. I was in the back row in the balcony, but it wasn't all that far from the stage.

This set was much more simple than others. It mainly involved curtains, tables and chairs. 1776 was still in previews. It is an unusual take on the show, as the cast was all female and non-binary performers. They made no changes to the script, but I felt they nailed it.

Between shows, I left another rock ("This one could be one of the great ones" from A Bronx Tale).

Aladdin

I saw Aladdin in its pre-Broadway run, a few years before it reached Broadway. At that time I felt it had potential, but wasn't quite there. It had a song for Jasmine called "To Be a Princess", which was very much out of character for her, and I wasn't a fan. It also felt like a theatrical travel brochure for visiting Agrabah. The line "another Arabian night" got old. The "A Whole New World" scene was not fully developed yet, and the carpet just rose up and sat still while the stars rushed by on the backdrop. However, I loved that they put "Proud of Your Boy" back in. It was cut from the original movie, but it is one of my favorites in musical theatre. They even gave it reprises.

So I was excited to see how the show had changed since I saw it pre-Broadway. They addressed all my issues with the earlier version, and I felt while my previous experience had potential, this had met and exceeded that potential. The sets were better. "To Be a Princess" was gone, in favor of "These Palace Walls," which is much more in character for Jasmine. The carpet was much more impressive as it soared around the stage. The cave was much more impressive and sparkly. It felt more like the story I know and love than the travel brochure I felt previously. Michael Maliakel shone as the tallest and most expressive Aladdin I have seen. Sonya Balsara was a fantastic Jasmine and Michael James Scott killed it as the Genie. One of my favorite lines was when the Genie was talking about the lamp at the beginning of his show. He makes to pull the lamp out of his pocket, and instead pulls out a Statue of Liberty. He said something to the effect of "Sorry, I did a bit of pre-show shopping." He then put that back in his pocket and pulled out the lamp.

As the sign outside the theatre stated, my Broadway wish was indeed granted. Aladdin was one of the best parts of my trip. In fact, I even got to meet Sonya Balsara (Jasmine) the following day! More on that in my next post.

After the show, I left another rock ("A little reinvention" from Dear Evan Hansen, a show I would have loved to see on Broadway, but it closed shortly before I went.)

To be continued...