I didn’t sleep well on Sunday night, either. I took more sleeping pills and hardly heard Eric leave for work in the morning. I had set my cell phone alarm for 8:00am, because I had to leave by 9:00am to be sure to get into the city and park for my 10:30am allergy doctor appointment.
It was really hard getting out of bed. The pills make me very groggy in the morning. I did get out on time, drove into the city (what a strange sensation that was, driving into Manhattan for the first time since July 2007! I went over the 59th street bridge (the only way I ever go into the city) and got there in record time. I was in the city by 8:40am, and headed downtown. The doctor’s office is on 22nd street between Lex and Third.
I wanted to try to find a spot on the street, but the signs are SO confusing. Now, they don’t have meters anymore, it’s all the Muni Meter and I’m not sure how they work. There would be three signs stacked one above the other. One had information about street cleaning. Another said “No parking 7:00am – 7:00pm exept Sunday.” The third said “Pay at Muni Meter, etc.” I couldn’t figure out of the spots were legal or not.
I decided to go to a lot. I pulled in and saw $15.50. That was more than I wanted to pay, but – hey – beggars can’t be choosers, and I’d rather overpay then get my car towed or get a ticket, because I’m too dim to understand the parking rules.
I walked about 2 blocks to the doctor’s office. It was actually rather mild out. It must have been in the 40s, and with the sun shining it didn’t feel bad at all. It’s always worse at night, when it’s dark.
When I got to the doctor’s office it was completely packed and I thought I’d be there all day, but I was actually out of there in an hour. Throat looked perfect. Nasal passages – fine. He didn’t make me do that really annoying asthma test where I have to blow really hard into a tube until I feel like my head is going to explode. Wheeee!
I told him I was basically there because my prescriptions had no more refills and I figured since I was in town, I’d see him, and let him see me! He gave me a new prescription for my Allegra and the Rhinocort Aqua and I was on my way.
Unfortunately, when I got back to the garage the guy asked for $32. “Thirty-two dollars!,” I exclaimed. Well, it turns out it’s $15.50 a HALF hour. What a rip! It’s more expensive than the Broadway area! Anyway, I paid the $32 and just figured it wasn’t a bad deal with my $10 co-pay to see a doctor these days for only $42. At least we have medical benefits!
I wanted to drive around the city and look at everything, but I also wanted to get home ASAP, because I knew when Eric got home we were just going to turn around and go back into the city for BILLY ELLIOT and I wanted to be ready, so he didn’t have to rush.
I drove past the Rockefeller Center tree, but I forgot how early it is and the scaffolding was still all around it, because they’re still putting up the lights. I remembered that they don’t light the tree until after Thanksgiving.
I drove back over the bridge and was home in record time. I came back to the apartment and got everything ready to put on after my shower, and then I took a nap. I decided to wear the exact same outfit I wore on Saturday night, since I thought it looked good and it was very comfortable. It’s a black-and-white dress with an empire waist that Eric bought me at Anthropologie in the mall in SD before he came to NY. I love it!
When Eric got home I told him I thought he had time for a nap, so we did lie down together for about an hour. Then, I showered, and he showered and we got dressed and left at 5:00pm. We were in the city and parked by 6:00pm. The show is at the Imperial Theatre (which, by the way, is the same theatre where DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS played, so Greg is back in the same spot he was last year!).
There is a parking lot right next door, so we parked there, I picked up the tickets and then we went to dinner around the corner at a nice Italian place called SOPHIA’S on 46th Street. We started with baked clams and then both had delicious pasta dishes – Eric had spaghetti with seafood and I had bow-tie pasta with salmon.
We finished with coffee and shared a piece of tiramisu. It was lovely and we had a great time. As we were walking back to the theatre we passed the stage door and a guy was standing there with a BILLY ELLIOT jacket on, so we knew he worked there.
I told him that we were coming to see the show tonight and wanted to come backstage afterwards to see two friends who were in the cast, but they had no idea we were there. I asked him to please let Greg Jbara and Merle Louise know that we were there and would see them after the show. He kept repeating, “Peppy and Eric Greenberg, Peppy and Eric Greenberg,” so he wouldn’t forget. He was really nice.
We went up to our seats. They were really great in my favorite spot – the front mezzanine. The only problem is that there’s absolutely no legroom, so it was one of those situations where Eric’s knees are practically under his nose. I felt so bad, but he said he was fine.
Okay, so now I have to try to explain how unbelievable this show is. How fantastic the cast is. How brilliant the music is. How clever the costumes are. How funny and touching the story is. How amazing the actors all were. How unusual and creative the blocking, choreography and sets were. It was one of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen – and I’ve seen a lot of shows!
Eric and I both cannot recommend it highly enough. It’s just an unbelievably unforgettable night of theatre. I have seen Greg on so many TV shows and saw him perform as Andre three times in DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS. He was also so funny and cute in IN AND OUT (with Kevin Kline), but this is such a drastic change for him – such a challenging and different role. We were so impressed.
He plays Billy’s father, who is a miner in England. There’s a one-year strike and everyone in the small town is suffering. Billy’s mother died and the father is struggling to raise his two sons – one who is grown and is also a miner, and the other who is 11 and has secret dream.
The two stories are intertwined so beautifully – the struggle of the miners on strike and the story of a boy trying to be himself – and if you’ve seen the movie (which was also a big hit) you know how great that was. Just imagine the singing, the dancing, and the drama of a great orchestra bringing it all to life – live on stage. It’s an amazing night.
After the show we went backstage and were told by the manager that they were expecting us and we should go stand onstage. There was another couple waiting there. The guy looked familiar, but I couldn’t figure out who he was. I know he was a Broadway star, because someone else was talking to him about a show he was in and what a shame it was that it closed so soon. I think his name was Frank and he was very tall with dirty blonde hair. Any guesses anyone?
After a few minutes, Greg arrived and then Merle was right behind him. Merle is in the ensemble, but is understudying the role Carole Shelley is playing – the grandmother, which is one of the leads. We hugged and kissed them both and they were both so surprised and happy to see us. Merle was explaining to Greg that Eric and I decorated her apartment and Eric and Billy built a fantastic custom wall unit in one room. Greg was bragging to Merle that we had spent New Year’s Eve at his house with his family and friends in Los Angeles.
We talked about the show – and I know I was gushing, but I just couldn’t help it! I told Greg he was so different in this role, it was such a stretch from the man I know he is – gentle and loving. The father really has that underneath all the dirt, coal and pain he has experienced losing his wife and struggling to keep his family going. He was actually scary in certain parts, when he gets angry with his sons. He was so happy when I told him that, because I know this was a very different kind of part for him.
We got to meet some of the others in the cast, but didn’t get to meet the young man who played Billy Elliot. He is really the star of the show – he’s in almost every single scene and is constantly dancing. That’s why they have three young men and an understudy rotating in the role – it’s one of the most demanding on Broadway and they’re only 13!
When it was time to go it was pouring raining, so we offered to drive Merle home to her apartment on 89th and Broadway. We said our goodbyes to Greg and hurried with Merle to the car. We dropped her off and drove back to Queens. By the time we got back into the apartment it was 12:30pm. I felt SO bad, because Eric gets up at 4:30am! He kept saying it was worth it, because it was such a great night. That made me really happy, because I thought so, too!