It was an adventure: accompanying a dozen teenagers in New York City, on a mission to experience as much theatre and Big Apple as possible in five days. After lots of Broadway, visits to NYC’s most storied neighborhoods, and tours of some of our country’s most treasure shrines, we arrived safely back in Camden County on Saturday, tired and full of stories about our adventures. Most of the best stories involved the students’ unique take on small moments.
After our Monday afternoon arrival and orientation by our tour guides from Manhattan Tour and Travel, we attended our first Broadway show, “Lestat,” based on the Anne Rice vampire novels with music by Elton John. The show was unique, filled with excellent moments, fancy multimedia effects and beautiful sets. It also had serious story flaws and was due for some production changes, which will happen since the show is still in previews and doesn’t officially open until April 25. After the show, three of our group discovered the stage door to get autographs and chat with performers. With star-struck faces and wordless wonder, they endured some chastising for not staying with the group, but I guarantee they felt it was worth the experience to take home some cherished autographs and rare photos of them on the casual arm of a Broadway star.
On our second day, two males in our entourage got stuck for a few minutes in the hotel elevator. While waiting for their release, the boys talked with some girls from upstate New York that stopped on a nearby floor in an adjacent elevator. “Where are you from,” the girls questioned. “Georgia,” the boys answered. “Oh,” came back the answer, “we had guessed Tennessee.” Then, from the giggling females, came the best question so far. “Can you say ‘y’all’ for us?” Lots of laughter and teenage camaraderie ensued.
An early favorite was “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” a “small” show about the anxiety of kids taking part in a local spelling competition. In a house where the audience is close to the stage, our students fell in love with the characters, their interaction and believability. The best part was that, two days later, some of us opted to see a matinee performance of “The Drowsy Chaperone,” a show starring Sutton Foster, that is a sleeper for this year’s Tony Awards. While waiting in line at the TKTS booth to purchase our tickets, who should get in line right behind our group, but one of the stars of “Spelling Bee.” Again, great conversations, photos and autographs ensued. After that exhilaration, when we arrived at the Marquis Theatre for the matinee, five of the other stars from “Spelling Bee” arrived and sat right in front of us. What a great lesson for our theatre students, to see theatre professionals take time to see other pros at work, to learn from them and support them.
Other long lasting memories include our students’ emotional reaction to viewing Lady Liberty close up and their curiosity to find out about their ancestry on Ellis Island. I will laugh for a long time at their visceral reactions to the displays of dried and live exotic food. Of course, that didn’t stop them from investigating the bargain handbags and scarves available next door. And, significantly, they were at rapt attention when they visited with Philip McAdoo, a black actor they had seen in “Rent” the night before. They identified closely with his life story; his roots in rural North Carolina, a trip to NYC at age 15 that changed his life, and his circuitous route to Broadway, where he has starred in “Lion King” and “Rent” over the past 10 years. As we ended our NYC tour of shows and sights, we attended “Drumstruck,” a heart-pounding experience of African dance and drumming expertise. By placing a drum in every seat, this unique show allowed every audience member to participate, resulting in an energy and enthusiasm that had our kids floating as they departed the theatre.
Perhaps the most poignant memory, however, was the experience we shared on our visit to Ground Zero. While these students were between only ages nine and 12 in 2001, they instantly understood the significance of this site today. It has been said that a societies’ most revered places are revealed by the silence of those that visit them. In the heart of the city that never sleeps, this is a place of reverence and sadness. The work continues, but is overseen by an iron cross, welded into place by grieving workers early on in the process, that rises high above the reconstruction. Amid whispered conversations and worshipful attitudes, these children faced one of the horrors of their youth and came face to face with the uncertainty of their future. As we silently trudged northward to the subway, the carillon of St. Paul’s Cathedral, one of the few places near Ground Zero miraculously undamaged by the terrorism, chimed hopefully in the background.
“Crooked Rivers’ Sisters Three” starts this Thursday and continues for three weekends. Tickets are available by calling (912) 729-3154. Tickets are also available at these sites: the St. Marys Welcome Center, The Blue Goose, Once Upon a Book Seller, Sheila’s Hallmark, and at the show box office at Crooked River State Park on the day of performance.
If you have ideas or events you want me to share with readers, send me a note at pkraack1@tds.net.
4.19.06
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