I’m Just a Broadway Baby… and INeed a Fix!

By Rick Karlin

New York City

There are meetings for AA, NA, GA, and even OA. There should be one for BA. Not to minimize the

struggles of those who struggle with addiction, but I have one, too. I am addicted to Broadway. I can listen to the Sirius Broadway channel, go to showtune Friday, Sunday, and Monday at Sidetrack, even see the shows at Broadway in Chicago, as well as local productions, but they just put off the inevitable fix I need; a trip to NYC for the original. If I had more discretionary income, I’d go up at least twice a year; as it is, I get an occasional week now and then. A perfect Broadway getaway involves strategic planning and immersive experiences. Start by securing your theater tickets early, especially for popular shows. Consider staying in the Theatre District or nearby neighborhoods for easy access to shows and the vibrant atmosphere. That’s especially important if you’re going to be seeing a matinee and evening

show. With only a few hours in between, do you really want to be riding the subway back and forth or

spending $50 or more on a taxi round-trip? If you book near Times Square (and there are options in

every budget), popping back to your room to change clothes or pick up something you forgot is no big deal.

Stage Business

Take advantage of potential discounts for Broadway and Off- Broadway shows, but be sure to

check on the reliability of the websites you’re using and always purchase with a credit card so that

your sale is protected. Although this is contrary to planning ahead, many shows offer discount tickets the day of the show (called rush seats) at the box office, or you can try TKTS in Times Square for day-of-show discount tickets. Many shows have matinees, not only on Wednesday, but Tuesday and Thursday as well, upping the number of shows you can see during a given visit. Off-Broadway

doesn’t necessarily mean location (although it can). Broadway is classified as (loosely) in the Times

Square area, and seating 500 or more. Off-Broadway seats 499 or fewer. It has nothing to do with the

quality of the production. Beyond the theater, explore the neighborhood, dine at local

restaurants, and perhaps even catch a matinee performance to maximize your Broadway immersion.

Broadway Week has already passed but keep it in mind when planning next year’s trip. Off-Broadway Week runs Tuesday, Oct. 14 to Sunday, Oct 26. For more info go to nyctourism.com/off-broadwayweek.

I went up at the end of summer, during one of New York’s worst heat waves. The weather was cooler in

Florida, and less humid. But I still managed to squeeze in no less than seven shows. I got to see the

brilliant Jean Smart in “Call Me Izzy.” She was working on crutches because of a knee injury. I won’t

give away the storyline, but it worked for her character. You don’t need to be a fan of the television

show to be enthralled by “Stranger Things, First Shadow.” The special effects are enough to dazzle, and

the story is a prequel to the show, so if you know the show, there are some “a-ha,” moments, but nothing you need to know to follow the plot. “Death Becomes Her” open with a bang (and a wink) with “For The Gaze” and the rest of the show continues with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Megan Hilty gives it her all, while Jennifer Simard seems as if she’s ready to move on.

I caught one of the last performances of Audra McDonald in “Gypsy.” She may have been the

star everyone talked about, but the rest of the cast was her equal. Titus Burgess was out the night we saw “Oh Mary!”, and we were given the chance to exchange our tickets, but we were booked every night.

Hannah Solow was the understudy, and she was a delight. You must see this wackadoodle play, no

matter who is starring. It is silly, wicked fun, and so very gay. We also caught two off-Broadway

shows, “Ginger Twinsies,” a parody of Lindsey Lohan’s movie, “The Parent Trap.” I don’t know the

movie that well, but I still laughed my ass off. We also caught a play that might be working its way to

Broadway, “Prince Faggot.” It imagines what might happen if Prince George were gay and brought home his first very (very hot) Indian boyfriend to Kate and William. Two of the best sites I’ve

found for looking up shows are Broadway.com and Playbill.com. Both have links to buy tickets, although you may be able to get a better deal by going directly to the show’s website. On the night I saw

“Gypsy” you could get orchestra seats for $99.

Off Stage

Man (or woman) cannot live on theater alone. There are times when houses are dark, or you’re between

shows. Occasionally, one must have a cocktail. If you want to keep in the Broadway theme of things, stop by Marie’s Crisis, 55 Grove St., in the West Village. Marie DuMont, a French national, opened her

restaurant/speakeasy in 1929. Throughout its history, Marie’s has always prided itself on being a safe

space for all, but particularly the gay community, long before Stonewall. Nobody knows for sure when it

became a sing-along piano bar, but you’ll often find theater folk (and wannabees) creating incredible

harmonies (mariescrisiscafe.com). Head uptown for a trio of other must-visit spots for BAs. 54 Below,

252 W. 54th St., a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve and expand the art of the

cabaret. It’s your chance to see emerging and established artists (54Below.org). Don’t Tell Mama, 343

W. 46 th St., opened in 1982. It is a world-famous entertainment destination; a veritable nightlife mall

with four individual spaces: a piano bar, a restaurant, and two separate cabaret showrooms

(donttellmamanyc.com). The Townhouse, 236 E. 58th St., open since 1989, is a grand old gay piano

bar (townhouseny.com). Looking for a top-notch cocktail experience and a place to avoid the crowd? Go to 113 St. Marks Pl., it’s just a hot dog stand. Or is it? Enter the phone booth, pick up the receiver, and the back panel of the booth opens to reveal Please Don’t Tell, a speakeasy with limited entry and

wonderful mixologists (pdtnyc.com).

Culture

It’s Not Just For Yogurt Of course, you can’t visit New York without taking the opportunity

to visit some of its exquisite museums. One of my first stops is always MOMA (Museum of Modern

Art),11 W. 53rd St. It maintains an active schedule of modern and contemporary art exhibitions

addressing a wide range of subject matter, mediums, and eras, highlighting significant developments in the visual arts and new interpretations of major artists and art historical movements, and it

has the best gift shop (moma.org.) The Met, or Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave., has 5,000 years of art from around the world in every genre, and also has a killer gift shop (metmuseum.org).

Of course, not all museums have to be so highbrow. Since you’re going to be around Times Square

anyway and you’re a Broadway geek, you know you want to go to the Museum of Broadway, 145 W

45th St., where you can walk through Broadway’s history, starting in 1732 with the first documented

performance in NYC, and go backstage with your favorite Broadway stars to learn how a show

is made. As you walk the timeline, you’ll come upon exhibits dedicated to groundbreaking moments in

Broadway’s history – those that pushed creative boundaries, challenged social norms, and paved

the way for change. Oddly enough, not much is mentioned about how much the LGBTQ community has

meant to the creation of this history (themuseumofbroadway.com). The same shortcoming can be

found in another, otherwise wonderful attraction across the street at Rise NY, 160 W 45th St.,

which is equal parts museum and amusement park ride. It starts with a film by Ken Burns about the rise of New York as a major city, as you take a virtual ride on the city’s first subway car, and ends with a thrilling skyride around the city, dropping you off at the Statue of Liberty’s torch. Throughout the tour, you learn about notable events in the city’s history. I guess the Stonewall riots and AIDS/Act-Up weren’t that important, or is that not palatable to tourists? (timessquarenyc.org/entertainment/riseny).

Pop Culture

If you were as obsessed with “Friends” as I was (I once drew family trees for all the characters),

you’ll want to check out “The Friends Experience: the One in New York City,” 130 E 23rd St. The multifloor experience, located in, of all places, an office building, starts with a brief film of the show’s creators and stars discussing the beloved series. From there, you wander through a maze of corridors that open onto the sets from the show, Joey and Chandler’s and Monica and Rachel’s apartments (complete with ugly naked guy across the way), the stairway with the sofa (“Pivot!”), and of course, Central Perk. There are plenty of photo ops. The higher-priced package includes photos, but employees are more than willing to take photos using your phone (friendstheexperience.com).

No Soup For You

The Soup Nazi may be closed, but you must eat something while you’re there. Of course, there are the

famous street vendors, but for me, New York is all about the classic diner, and my favorite is Applejack,

1725 Broadway. It’s everything you want from a diner; it’s cheap (a bagel with a schmear and a coffee is less than $10, most breakfasts are less than $20, full dinners, including soup or salad and dessert, are

around $25 – that’s cheap for Times Square). It’s a family-run business, and Angie is always willing to please (applejackdiner.com).

On the other end of the spectrum is Sardi’s, 234 W. 44th St., opened in 1927 and an institution in

Broadway theatre. It’s where the idea of the Tony Award was devised and is known for the caricatures of Broadway celebrities on its walls. I sat beneath Rosie O’Donnell and the late Gavin Creel and enjoyed a lovely charcuterie plate and a glass of wine between the matinee of “Death Becomes Her” and the

evening performance of “Gypsy.” I did not see one Broadway star, nor did I care (sardis.com).

After another show, my travel companion Steve and I grabbed a piece of Junior’s Cheesecake, 1626

Broadway (juniorscheesecake.com). If you find yourself uptown near 56 th St., I highly recommend you stop in the Thompson Hotel, 119 W. 56th St.; both of its restaurants are excellent. The Burger Joint serves what might possibly be the best burger in New York City, and Parker’s, while a little pricey, offers spectacular service (ask for Suset). At The Parker the steak frites is magnificent, the flat bread is not flat

and a bit greasy, but the cocktail and wine selection are wonderful (hyatt.com/Thompson).

If you’re in town over the weekend, head over to Murray Hill to Dim Sum Garden, 338 Lexington Ave., for the all-you-caneat dim sum menu. It’s the best $30 you’ll spend. We didn’t eat anything else that day, and the dim sum was fresh and well prepared.

Times Square