Vacation #10: Rain
We had been told by several people that it was wise to go early to buy tickets for a play in New York. We never thought to ask what time would be considered early. So Chuck and I got up around 7am, puttered around a bit, and eventually made our way to Times Square. So far, so good.
It wasn't raining. We could see the building where the tickets were sold. There was no line. No line at all.
When we reached the ticket building we found that ticket sales began at 3pm.
On our way back to the subway we passed a cart with giant muffins and bagels, rolls, juice, and coffee. We bought a few things to share and went back to our room for breakfast. While we ate breakfast it began to rain.
We did not bring umbrellas because with the wind in Kansas, we just don't use them much. We checked at the desk and umbrellas could be bought at the corner store a half block away. Chuck was the hero who ran to buy umbrellas.
Then we set out for Grand Central Station. It is a big place, with many things to buy or eat and lots of people to watch, but we didn't really want to spend the day shopping and eating. Tim was interested in the planetarium at the Natural History Museum, so we figured out how to get there on the subway, and set off.
We saw a presentation on the origins of the universe, narrarated by Whoopi Goldberg, and saw several exhibits before going back to Times Square to buy those tickets.
There was a line. It was raining. We stood in line in the rain for over an hour and debated which show we wanted to see. Two of us had already seen Wicked. Some of the more popular shows, like Spiderman, and Book of Mormon, were sold out. We kind of narrowed it down to Billy Elliot and Anything Goes. There was a bigger discount for Anything Goes. The music is by Cole Porter, which I thought Tim might enjoy, and it premiered on Broadway in 1934 with Ethel Merman in the lead role. I hoped that a play that old would not have much that was offensive in it.
When we had our tickets, we hopped back on the subway and back to the Museum to get a little more exhibit viewing out of our ticket price. When the museum closed, we walked around in the area to choose a restaurant for supper and settled on a sandwich place nearby.
Then back to Times Square for the play!
This time we were the right kind of early and managed to be near the front of the line for the play. The doors had not opened yet, and it was still light outside, but it felt exciting.
It wasn't long before we could go in and take our seats. Having nothing to compare with, I was impressed with the theatre and our seats. We weren't at the very front, but we had good seats about half way up and a little to one side. Tim did not sit down until he had gone to check out the orchestra pit. Much nicer than the pit at NHS! Musicians were already warming up.
While we waited, we read the playbill and discovered a young actor from Wichita, KS was in the production. That was fun to find out. Joel Grey was also in the play, whom some may remember from the play and movie, Cabaret.
Soon the overture began and Tim recognized a piece they had played at Bethel Music Camp.
The play was such fun. Of course we should have expected this, but we didn't---there were no so-so actors or singers!
The play had one unplanned good laugh. At one point the set malfunctioned and the actors began to laugh. They managed to do quite well at getting through the scene, but it gave us a kind of personal look into the workings of a play.
After the play we headed back to the subway. Earlier in the day there had been a conspicuous police presense at this particular subway station. There were some officers with full body armor and massive guns, and a supervising officer with them. They seemed to be pretty calm, but watchful. By the time the play was over, there was not the same kind of security.
The subway between Times Square and Grand Central Station has no stops in between those two locations. Grand Central Station was fairly near our hotel, so we had been on this train several times. This was the one train where more than once someone used the unbroken ride to promote a cause.
A woman talked about homelessness and asked for donations. A mother preached the gospel. A young man sang a simple song about Jesus and asked for donations. A couple of guys had a sort of comedy musical act and asked for money if we thought they were entertaining.
But after the play, the entertainment that caught our eye was in the station. We could hear a hammer dulcimer playing duets with an electric guitar. Back when Ben still played dulcimer he sometimes talked about what it might be like to busk in a subway station in NYC. We had to take pictures.
We heard a lot of music in different subway stations throughout our days in NYC. There was classical, reggae, folk, and more. I really enjoyed this side of the city.
When we got back to the hotel the tv went on and the movie, Saving Private Ryan was in progress. Tim needed a haircut yet before he began Radical Journey. We spread out a couple of my sarongs on the floor to catch the hair and I cut his hair while the others watched the movie.
It wasn't raining. We could see the building where the tickets were sold. There was no line. No line at all.
When we reached the ticket building we found that ticket sales began at 3pm.
On our way back to the subway we passed a cart with giant muffins and bagels, rolls, juice, and coffee. We bought a few things to share and went back to our room for breakfast. While we ate breakfast it began to rain.
We did not bring umbrellas because with the wind in Kansas, we just don't use them much. We checked at the desk and umbrellas could be bought at the corner store a half block away. Chuck was the hero who ran to buy umbrellas.
Then we set out for Grand Central Station. It is a big place, with many things to buy or eat and lots of people to watch, but we didn't really want to spend the day shopping and eating. Tim was interested in the planetarium at the Natural History Museum, so we figured out how to get there on the subway, and set off.
 |
| The Planetarium. The large sphere in the window is where the planetarium shows are presented. |
There was a line. It was raining. We stood in line in the rain for over an hour and debated which show we wanted to see. Two of us had already seen Wicked. Some of the more popular shows, like Spiderman, and Book of Mormon, were sold out. We kind of narrowed it down to Billy Elliot and Anything Goes. There was a bigger discount for Anything Goes. The music is by Cole Porter, which I thought Tim might enjoy, and it premiered on Broadway in 1934 with Ethel Merman in the lead role. I hoped that a play that old would not have much that was offensive in it.
When we had our tickets, we hopped back on the subway and back to the Museum to get a little more exhibit viewing out of our ticket price. When the museum closed, we walked around in the area to choose a restaurant for supper and settled on a sandwich place nearby.
Then back to Times Square for the play!
 |
| tickets and playbill |
This time we were the right kind of early and managed to be near the front of the line for the play. The doors had not opened yet, and it was still light outside, but it felt exciting.
 |
| waiting in line by the poster |
 |
| Chuck in line |
 |
| and the lovely Becca |
While we waited, we read the playbill and discovered a young actor from Wichita, KS was in the production. That was fun to find out. Joel Grey was also in the play, whom some may remember from the play and movie, Cabaret.
Soon the overture began and Tim recognized a piece they had played at Bethel Music Camp.
The play was such fun. Of course we should have expected this, but we didn't---there were no so-so actors or singers!
The play had one unplanned good laugh. At one point the set malfunctioned and the actors began to laugh. They managed to do quite well at getting through the scene, but it gave us a kind of personal look into the workings of a play.
After the play we headed back to the subway. Earlier in the day there had been a conspicuous police presense at this particular subway station. There were some officers with full body armor and massive guns, and a supervising officer with them. They seemed to be pretty calm, but watchful. By the time the play was over, there was not the same kind of security.
The subway between Times Square and Grand Central Station has no stops in between those two locations. Grand Central Station was fairly near our hotel, so we had been on this train several times. This was the one train where more than once someone used the unbroken ride to promote a cause.
A woman talked about homelessness and asked for donations. A mother preached the gospel. A young man sang a simple song about Jesus and asked for donations. A couple of guys had a sort of comedy musical act and asked for money if we thought they were entertaining.
But after the play, the entertainment that caught our eye was in the station. We could hear a hammer dulcimer playing duets with an electric guitar. Back when Ben still played dulcimer he sometimes talked about what it might be like to busk in a subway station in NYC. We had to take pictures.
We heard a lot of music in different subway stations throughout our days in NYC. There was classical, reggae, folk, and more. I really enjoyed this side of the city.
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| Tim waiting for the subway |
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| Chuck and I waiting for our train |
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