CATS!!!! Now and Forever -- I'm not kidding!

Today started out a little later than I expected, but it was nice to have the sleep.  The hotel is connected to an upscale "food court" so I went down and had breakfast.   Everything was fantastic.  After breakfast, I head to Central Park. 

On the way to Central Park, I took a quick side trip to Lincoln Center and took a picture.  I think Lincoln Center photographs better at night.  Anyway, I headed into the park and just started walking.  I thought it would be great to climb n the rocks and take some pictures.  That was all well and good until it was time to climb down and ... Well, let's just say I fell.  Ok, there I said.  Right on my knee that I fell on on the set of "Cabaret" in January.   I just picked myself up, dusted myself off, and kept going.   

I finally got to Strawberry Fields.  The last few times I was there, it was quiet, today it was bustling and there was a guy with a guitar singing through the Beatles catalogue.  It wasn't bad, but still, it wasn't what I wanted to hear, so I drank my water and left.

I headed up to the Delacourt theatre where the Public Theatre does Shakespeare in the park each summer.  It's also where the Linda Ronstadt "Pirates of Penzance" and the recent revival of "Hair" got its start.  

Here are some random Central Park pics...

I found this a little un-nerving - I also find it fitting the presidency of #45

After a more than 2 hour walk - close to 11 miles or so - I headed back towards TIme Square where I had a meet up with some guys from a website that we all follow  haineshisway.com.  The website of producer, Bruce Kimmel. I had met one of the guys, orchestrator extraordinaire - Larry Moore - on my last trip, but I hadne't met Fred or Charles before.  We all feel like we know each other from chatting with each other for so long, and it was great chatting with them about shows, gossip, etc.

I went back to the hotel to get ready for Cats.  Cats was the first show I saw on Broadway - at the Winter Garden theatre in 1999.  I remember having doubts after not liking the National Tour that I had seen a few years before, but Mark told me I had to see it on Broadway, so I did.  And thank goodness I did.  It changed my opinion of the show forever.  I saw the show whenever it came to town after that, and it never failed to dissapoint - as cheezy as those tours could be, and they were!  I never thought anything could be as good as that original production. 

Guess what?  I was WRONG!  This revival of Cats is just as good as the original Broadway- because it's different.  All the songs are there, etc... But some of the new choreography as well as the new staging is just as fresh as it was 30 years ago.   We also got to go on stage during intermission.  So I can say I've been on the stage of a Broadway theatre!!!

  It was such a great night.  I had met up with Peter, John, Jeanne and John brought AJ along, and that was a welcome surprise!  It was a Bay Area reunion - except for Peter because he's from NY!   After the show we went to Gallagher's (a steak house) for dinner, and even that was incredible!  

What a great day this has been.