refreshedThe first, of course, being that I cannot easily walk from my car to my room... I spent 15 minutes last night hunting for parking in the hotel's lot, then 5 minutes walking to the hotel itself, then walking to MY WING, waiting for the elevator... I'm used to parking and running to my room in a matter of two minutes... And I'm not used to NOT having a refridgerator in my room... or a microwave... I'm staving because I have to leave (basically) to eat here...
But it's nice and I'm not that used to that either... The beds are these HUGE marshmellow fluff things and allow me to sleep until noon (Ooooops!!) and the TV is a HUGE flatscreen. :D The internet costs A LOT of money here, but well... you can't have everything, I guess.
Seeing Bets in Oliver
Yesterday I drove down to Fullerton to see Bets in "Oliver" again. :) The show was ten times better than when I had seen it on my last trip. The children were so much more comfortable in their roles and the whole cast seemed much more cohesive. This is why I love seeing shows twice (once near the beginning of the run and once near the end). Bets is a FABULOUS Nancy and people around me were commenting (after her first song) "Boy, she can sing!"
Got to see Bets after the show and got to meet a couple of Wonderette fans who happened to be there that day as well - which was really nice. :) And I have to say - Bets is the sweetest - she gave me a GORGEOUS scarf that she knitted herself which I absolutely love! She is just SUCH a sweet and amazing person (as I've said in my previous post) she and others like Russell make me realize how blessed I am to be surrounded by such positive and such lovely people - almost makes the little negativity I do have in my life seem really trivial.
Quite possibly the best theatre experience of my life...
Last night I also ended up seeing "Trying" at the Colony theatre. It was truly one of the best straight plays that I have ever seen! The story is about an elderly aging judge (very set in his ways and, at times VERY gruff) who gets a new, spunky secretary. The story is about their interactions and the impact they have on each other's lives.
I loved it!! It was exquisitely written, and SOOOO brilliantly acted!! Rebecca Mozo is terrific as the young secretary (Sarah - with an H) and Alan Mandell (Judge Biddle) is extraordinary... He really is... He won an Ovation Award for his performance and not only do I think he deserved it, but someone once said that his was the best performance you'd see in your lifetime... and I might have to agree.
At the end of the play I had laughed, cried, and truly gone on an emotional journey with the actors,... which to me, is what amazing theatre does. I left the show last night remembering what it was I loved so much about theatre... Yes, it is the excitement of seeing a live performance (and good ones at that), but it was more about what happened last night... There is something completely satisfying about sitting together in a theatre full of strangers and begin to feel (during the course of the show) that you are all beginning to connect on some other level because your emotional journey is the same as those around you... The gasps... the tears... the laughter... And when the actors feed off of that energy from the audience,... it becomes magical... And THAT'S what I experienced last night.... and I will never forget it!
I have two more shows today, but it almost doesn't matter... I can go home right now and be satisfied with my theatre weekend. :) I'm off to catch up on all your entries and then go out in search of some food. Big HUGS to all!