NJ and the Big Apple, Part 2

We saw The Drowsy Chaperone, billed as the funniest musical on Broadway. It was in the Marquis Theater; in the Marriott Marquis Hotel. I have included the photos of the cast, taken from the playbill. The gist of the plot is: a guy who lives alone and is devoted to musical theater, re-lives an earlier Broadway show named The Drowsy Chaperone, by listening to the old LP record of the music from the show. As he listens, he imagines the action of the play, which is acted out in his apartment, and he narrates.

"Playbill.com: The Drowsy Chaperone is about a theatre fan called Man in Chair telling us about his favorite old show, and giving behind-the-scenes dirt about the performers who created the roles back in 1928. You and your fellow actors are really inhabiting two roles. The Chaperone in the silly musical about a wedding is played by a diva of the Golden Age of musicals…Beth Leavel: My character is informed by this woman who inhabits her — her name is Beatrice Stockwell."

If you are interested in reading more about it, go here:

http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/7942

And for more info on Beth Leavel, a native Raleighite, go here:

http://www.meredith.edu/mcnews/beth-leavel-wins.htm

Some of you will remember Georgia Engel (third from right on top row) from her days on Mary Tyler Moore and other television shows. In this play, she is the essential Georgia, and you are reminded of her character on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. This show is very funny and I do recommend it. One character is particularly amusing to me: Danny Burstein (second from left on top row) plays Aldolpho, a larger than life Latin Lover (with a capital L)! Every linehe said had me convulsed with laughter, much to miss kenju#1's dismay.....LOL

We bought our half-price tickets, and had 90 minutes to spare before the show, so we went into the Marquis for dinner. If you go to NYC, do go into the Marriott Marquis. It is a very interesting location, and they have several restaurants; the one on the top revolves and gives you excellent views of the city while you dine. We chose a smaller, less formal cafe and sat down. Not far from us was an older couple, who were chatting with their waiter. He asked them where they were from, and they answered Raleigh, NC. I laughed and marvelled at the coincidence, but I didn't go to their table and tell them. Mr. kenju would have!

As we left the theater, we heard a band playing. In the drive-through at the Marriott, the West Virginia University marching band was playing. They were happy because they had won their game in the NIT that night. I mention this for Jennifer at Open Book, a very proud WVU grad.

After the show, we walked back to the NY Athletic Club, to meet mr. kenju, daughter #1 and My BIL. The party wasn't over, and we were invited upstairs to the tap room, to meet old and make new friends. Guess who I met?

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor10/survivors/bio/tom.shtml

I'll tell you about that tomorrow!