I Love New York

I do love New York, but it can surely be hard on the feet! Why I don't ever take the proper shoes, I'll never know. Hmmmm, that's not entirely true - vanity gets in the way of good judgment. I swear here and now, if I ever go back to NYC, I will wear running shoes, whether they match my clothes or not!

As you can see, we went to "The Color Purple". My daughter has seen about five shows on Broadway in the last year and a half, and she said that this was the best of the lot, including Jersey Boys.

The music was fantastic. I know I use that word a lot, but in this case, it really was! The people in the lead roles, as well as the chorus, had such powerful voices it was awe-inspiring! My favorite was Felicia P. Fields, who played "Sophia", the same role that Oprah played in the movie. Sophia's role is larger than life, and Felicia fit the bill in every way!

The scenery was so well done; sort of cartoon like and sketchy in places, but it definitely fit the scenes well. Having never seen a Broadway production before, I was amazed at the degree of detail. The stage had a circular part that turned round and round. The actors had to walk across that part as it was moving, while singing, dancing and being able to dodge scenery that was swinging around to reveal the set for the next scene. It boggled my mind.

This production is nearly all music and dancing; with very little dialogue, yet the story is told well without it. I may have to break down and buy the CD from the show; I would love to have the ability to hear "Mysterious Ways" and most of the other songs at any time.

Our seats were in the balcony, dead center. I think we were very lucky to have gotten them, seeing as how the tickets were bought at half-price that morning. The theater was so beautiful, with a gorgeous, huge, crystal chandelier, lots of architectural detail and red velvety seats. Photos are forbidden within the theater, else I would have some.

My granddaughter was not impressed with the show (at least that is what she said). At ten years old, "Beauty and the Beast" or "Lion King" would have suited her better. I would like to see "Lion King" too, but there were no seats offered for that. She sat there like a little trooper, except that she fell asleep in the last 20 minutes or so of the show, and we had to wake her up to go back on the subway for Lower Manhattan. I do hope that in the future, she will come to understand and appreciate what she was privileged to see at so young an age.

Edit: since I posted this, my granddaughter has admitted to her mother that she liked the show, and thought "Sophia" was her favorite singer. She also mentioned the song "Hell, No", and snickered at the use of the swear word in public.