"The Producers" is the hottest ticket on Broadway this year. It is sold out until March of 2002. After that it is hard to get good seats until December of 2002. Today's Tale from the Big City is about the CANCELLATION LINE.
Most people who attend the NYC Theater know that there is a ticket booth in the middle of Times Square. They sell, at a discount, tickets for plays showing that day. Most shows will have remaining tickets available. Not great seats, but it depends.
When I was a teenager my parents and I would visit my grandparents in New York City. My father would send me to Manhattan to stand on line at this ticket booth. Hours later, he and my mother would follow. They would find me standing on line, talking to strangers. Seeing that I was not dead or injured, they would go to the Howard Johnson's and get a cup of coffee. It was a system and it worked.
Over the years I have seen some fantastic shows using this system. I have also seen some rotten shows.
The Producers will not be selling tickets at the discount ticket booth for the next few years. If you want to see The Producers you need to find another system. There are several options:
1. Hang out in hotel lobbies in Manhattan offering sexual favors.
2. Plan early for a trip to New York. Early means years in advance.
3. Ebay. 100.00 tickets are currently selling for about twice their face value, in violation of New York State law.
4. The cancellation line.
Being the "know it all" that I am, I thought I knew everything about New York theater. I did not know about the cancellation line until I moved here. Here is the concept. Sometimes ticket holders can't use their tickets. If the show is sold out the theater will repurchase the ticket and sell it to someone on the cancellation line.
For The Producers this line often begins forming about 4:00 P.M. This is the same line as the Standing Room Only (SRO) line. There are about 14 spots in the back of the theater where you can stand to watch the show. It is a three-hour show. As inexpensive as SRO may be, I am not standing for three hours.
Last Wednesday, for reasons unknown, I decided I would check out the cancellation line. My Yoda regarding New York City cultural affairs indicated that, it being 4:45 already, the line would already be too long to reasonably expect to obtain a ticket. However, it being Wednesday and me not having a lot to do on Wednesday evenings I decided to give it a try. Yoda and I got there at about 5:15. There were about 30 people in line already. This is usually the kiss of death for the cancellation line. After all, how many people are going to cancel going to the hottest show in town? Yoda stood with me for awhile. At about 5:45 she decided our chances weren't good and that she wasn't in the mood for Mel Brooks anyway. I was left alone.
You might not have heard but tourism to New York City has fallen off somewhat recently. At 6:15 I was escorted in to the box office and sold a seat in the sixth row, orchestra and center. This is known as a VERY good seat.
And so I was rewarded. I was rewarded for refusing to be depressed. I was rewarded for believing that living in New York City is about much more than going to work in the morning and going home in the evening to watch television and a pair of neurotic cats. Living in New York City is about having access to great cultural treasures such as that classic song "Springtime for Hitler".
It's a good show. Is it worth $100.00 a ticket? I don't know. Maybe it’s not worth it for everyone. It was worth it for me on that Wednesday evening.
Tuesday, September 25, 2001
Monday, September 17, 2001
September 17
Rudy asked that we try to make New York City as normal as possible. Today, New York City was not normal. It was better.
Today people smiled at each other. They spoke to each other. They have a shared experience, and it has united them. I went to get my hair cut today. Yes, I still need to pay to have what remains of my hair cut.
The guy in the next chair was having his eyebrows waxed. I have to say that this sight was, again, a first for me. As I sat down in my chair he told me that he is a construction worker. They are building a 48-floor building at 37th and Sixth Ave. He has to have his eyebrows waxed once every three months or they get out of control. This was clearly too much information.
Before last week he wouldn't have shared that information.
Everybody who knows me knows that I make a habit of talking to complete strangers. It drives those around me nuts. In the Big City I had cut back on this activity. Not everyone here speaks English. Today was different. Everyone wanted to talk.
New York City is smaller today.
Today people smiled at each other. They spoke to each other. They have a shared experience, and it has united them. I went to get my hair cut today. Yes, I still need to pay to have what remains of my hair cut.
The guy in the next chair was having his eyebrows waxed. I have to say that this sight was, again, a first for me. As I sat down in my chair he told me that he is a construction worker. They are building a 48-floor building at 37th and Sixth Ave. He has to have his eyebrows waxed once every three months or they get out of control. This was clearly too much information.
Before last week he wouldn't have shared that information.
Everybody who knows me knows that I make a habit of talking to complete strangers. It drives those around me nuts. In the Big City I had cut back on this activity. Not everyone here speaks English. Today was different. Everyone wanted to talk.
New York City is smaller today.
Friday, September 14, 2001
September 14
September 14, 2001
10:00 A.M.
It’s raining. Finally, the weather matches our mood.
The past several days have been sunny and bright. It contributed to the surreal aspect of this tragedy.
My father is driving down to visit this weekend. We had planned this a while ago. We are going to see the Broadway show “Blast” Saturday evening. The most important thing the average person in the Big City can do is live as normally as possible.
I haven’t cleaned the apartment recently. I hope dad understands.
Things I didn’t think I would ever see: Fighter jets patrolling the skies over Manhattan; Humvees in convoy down Fifth Ave.; New Yorkers standing on the side of the road cheering dump trucks in convoy on the way to ground zero; A guy on the streets handing out free American flags.
One of my co-workers was having lunch at a diner on Wednesday. A convoy of National Guard vehicles passed. The patrons stood and cheered.
Yesterday there were several bomb threats in midtown Manhattan. One was at Grand Central Terminal, which is a block and half from my office building. It is hard to know how to react to such things.
A lot of what we are reading in the papers and seeing on the television news is simply untrue. Be careful to filter news you hear.
10:00 A.M.
It’s raining. Finally, the weather matches our mood.
The past several days have been sunny and bright. It contributed to the surreal aspect of this tragedy.
My father is driving down to visit this weekend. We had planned this a while ago. We are going to see the Broadway show “Blast” Saturday evening. The most important thing the average person in the Big City can do is live as normally as possible.
I haven’t cleaned the apartment recently. I hope dad understands.
Things I didn’t think I would ever see: Fighter jets patrolling the skies over Manhattan; Humvees in convoy down Fifth Ave.; New Yorkers standing on the side of the road cheering dump trucks in convoy on the way to ground zero; A guy on the streets handing out free American flags.
One of my co-workers was having lunch at a diner on Wednesday. A convoy of National Guard vehicles passed. The patrons stood and cheered.
Yesterday there were several bomb threats in midtown Manhattan. One was at Grand Central Terminal, which is a block and half from my office building. It is hard to know how to react to such things.
A lot of what we are reading in the papers and seeing on the television news is simply untrue. Be careful to filter news you hear.
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
September 12
The most frustrating aspect of this tragedy for me has been how little I have been able to do to help.
I have just returned from Manhattan. The EMS staging area has several dozen ambulances and crews sitting and waiting. Frankly, EMS workers are trained to provide immediate assistance to the sick and injured. There aren't many sick or injured in Manhattan tonight. We sat and waited.
The WTC operation is no longer a rescue operation. It is a recovery operation. That is not to say that someone who is living won't be pulled out of some air pocket, but dozens of ambulances won't be needed to treat that person or persons. Mostly the ambulances will be used for those workers who are digging. It is an unstable environment, and somebody is going to get hurt.
The firehouse behind my office building on 43rd street will be a strange site for a long time. A firehouse without a fire truck. Engine 65 is under a pile of rubble. The crew is safe. The truck is history. The firefighters working this evening's shift are sitting and waiting to be told what to do. It is hard to respond to emergencies without a fire truck.
I'm going to work tomorrow. I'm taking my EMS gear with me, but I doubt I'll need any of it. Still, I'll feel more secure having the gear next to my desk. Maybe Central Park Medical Unit will be dispatched during the day, and maybe they won't be able to raise a crew.
Not being able to do anything to relieve the pain of this tragedy is frustrating all of us. I don't have any solutions. One recommendation though is to turn off the news. There is only so much of this you can take.
I have just returned from Manhattan. The EMS staging area has several dozen ambulances and crews sitting and waiting. Frankly, EMS workers are trained to provide immediate assistance to the sick and injured. There aren't many sick or injured in Manhattan tonight. We sat and waited.
The WTC operation is no longer a rescue operation. It is a recovery operation. That is not to say that someone who is living won't be pulled out of some air pocket, but dozens of ambulances won't be needed to treat that person or persons. Mostly the ambulances will be used for those workers who are digging. It is an unstable environment, and somebody is going to get hurt.
The firehouse behind my office building on 43rd street will be a strange site for a long time. A firehouse without a fire truck. Engine 65 is under a pile of rubble. The crew is safe. The truck is history. The firefighters working this evening's shift are sitting and waiting to be told what to do. It is hard to respond to emergencies without a fire truck.
I'm going to work tomorrow. I'm taking my EMS gear with me, but I doubt I'll need any of it. Still, I'll feel more secure having the gear next to my desk. Maybe Central Park Medical Unit will be dispatched during the day, and maybe they won't be able to raise a crew.
Not being able to do anything to relieve the pain of this tragedy is frustrating all of us. I don't have any solutions. One recommendation though is to turn off the news. There is only so much of this you can take.
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
September 11
I haven't seen much of the news yet. I only know my little piece of the world.
I received a telephone call at about 9:15 this morning from DeAnn Pettinelli. DeAnn works in the financial aid office at RIT. She asked if I was ok. What a strange question. Of course I was ok. She then explained why my health and safety were an issue.
Today I spent my time with the Central Park Medical Unit. This is a volunteer ambulance in New York City's Central Park. I had joined this agency recently because I missed working as an EMT.
I'm home now. I have taken a shower and put on clean cloths. I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow. I'm waiting for a phone call from CPMU to tell me when and where I need to go. The one thing I know for certain is that I will not be administering student financial aid for the City University of New York tomorrow.
If you called or e-mailed asking after my health and safety, I'm fine. I'm tired, but I'm fine. I contributed very little to today's emergency response, but at least I was able to do something other than listen to the radio. For that I am thankful.
My walk with God is not what I would like it to be. I hope to improve on that relationship. God is the only thing I am able to rely on in this life. Jesus Christ came to live among us to save us from our sins. I am more thankful of that today than I have ever been before.
I'm fine. I hope you and your family are well.
Life will be different from now on...
I received a telephone call at about 9:15 this morning from DeAnn Pettinelli. DeAnn works in the financial aid office at RIT. She asked if I was ok. What a strange question. Of course I was ok. She then explained why my health and safety were an issue.
Today I spent my time with the Central Park Medical Unit. This is a volunteer ambulance in New York City's Central Park. I had joined this agency recently because I missed working as an EMT.
I'm home now. I have taken a shower and put on clean cloths. I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow. I'm waiting for a phone call from CPMU to tell me when and where I need to go. The one thing I know for certain is that I will not be administering student financial aid for the City University of New York tomorrow.
If you called or e-mailed asking after my health and safety, I'm fine. I'm tired, but I'm fine. I contributed very little to today's emergency response, but at least I was able to do something other than listen to the radio. For that I am thankful.
My walk with God is not what I would like it to be. I hope to improve on that relationship. God is the only thing I am able to rely on in this life. Jesus Christ came to live among us to save us from our sins. I am more thankful of that today than I have ever been before.
I'm fine. I hope you and your family are well.
Life will be different from now on...
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