You know ... it is fun and also interesting for me to record the often mundane things and stuff that routinely happen in Billi Pod’s daily life in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In the World. I have tried to be honest and forthcoming about what goes on ... the good ... the bad ... the interesting ... the boring ... the WTF ... the bland ... the “senior moments” ...the “I can’t believe that just happened” ... etc etc etc stuff.
What Billi Pod Blogs does is to provide a record for me, something I often refer back to, even as far back as 2008, when this blog was created. And, of course, it provides enlightenment to you loyal and faithful readers who reside out there in the hinterlands.
Why am I writing about this now? Well, this is an intro into what went down last night regarding my scheduled entertainment event STONE AND STONE, the twin brother’s performance at The People’s Improv Theater. So ... let’s begin ...
I had never been to this venue before. I got there at around 7:40pm and the lobby/bar area was already jammed with mostly the cool 20s-30s crowd. Checked in at the box office and got my ticket, which was just a small piece of paper. I just happened to notice that the regular ticket price was $10.00. They told me that we would be let into the theater no earlier than 7:55.
Made my way to a space as close to the entrance as I could get and started texting to pass the time. Then ... I heard a voice that said ... “Oh My God! Is that you Bill?” I turned around and there was one of my best AA buds that I hadn’t seen in over a year. I will give him the name of “Bob” but that isn’t his real name - you understand.
OMFG!! I had really missed seeing Bob at the meetings I attend over on The Eastside. We hugged and began immediately talking as best we could over the ever increasing noise. I learned that his job was now downtown and that was why we no longer went to the same meetings.
It was really getting more crowded ... uncomfortably so, in fact. This was his first visit to this venue too. Bob said he was really charged about seeing STONE AND STONE ... and I told him that I was too.
At 7:55 the double doors opened and the teeming masses, including us, made our way to the theater entrance, down some steep stairs and into the rather cramped performance space. There was no ticket-taker (odd, thought I). We scored two seats in the front row, dead center. The space quickly filled and soon there was standing room only.
Bob and I kept talking. Then it was show time. A guy came out and made the usual pre-show speech, including reference to the fact that since this was a “free” show, they would pass around a jar for any contributions we wished to make.
Bob and I exchanged puzzled looks ... then a troupe of 8 young performers took the stage and I remember thinking that this was obviously the opening act for STONE AND STONE. I would guess they did about 8 short sketches and each one was funny and very well performed. Hummmmmmmmm ... they performed longer than I thought an opening act would ... but ... then they left the stage;
It was time for STONE AND STONE ... BUT ... we could see another troupe getting ready to come on stage. WTF?
Bob and I exchanged puzzled looks and I saw him turn to the young guy seated next to him and they exchanged words and then Bob turned to me and said ...
“Man, we have f**ked up big time. We are in the wrong f**king place. STONE AND STONE are in the space above us.”
And just then the second troupe took the stage and since we were directly in front of them in the first row we just couldn’t get up and leave. Also, we had no way of knowing whether they would let us into the other space.
Oh well ... we exchanged rather bemused smiles and settled back in to try to enjoy the rest of the show, which, in all honesty, was also quite good, funny and extremely well performed.
As we were leaving the theater I mentioned to the box office manager what had happened to us and he looked at me and said ... “well, sir, I personally warned everyone over the PA that we had two shows going on at the same time and to be sure you were at the right one.” Obviously, Bob and I had missed that announcement. Oh well ... we both laughed, exchanged contact info, said it was great seeing one another and split.
I will make every effort to see STONE AND STONE in their March performance ... they only perform once a month at this venue.
The evening wasn’t a bust because I got the opportunity to reconnect with Bob and to see two very talented Improv groups.
OK ... to the few of you loyal and faithful readers who are still with me ... let me move on to tonight’s entertainment event ... which is ...
6:00pm==>WAGNER’S GOTTERDAMMERUNG (“Twilight of the Gods”) @ Metropolitan Opera House @ Lincoln Center. (Opera - full price expensive ticket)
This is the final part of Wagner’s “Ring Series.” Yep ... it starts at 6:00pm, has 2 long intermissions (to allow everyone the “opportunity” to have mega-expensive dinner(s) with mega-overpriced wine) and gets out at 11:30pm ... gasp.
As I had posted earlier, I have seen The Ring Series: Das Rheingold; Die Walkure; Siegfried; and Gotterdammerung twice and had no interest in seeing it for the third time but, for whatever reason, I opted to buy a very expensive orchestra seat ticket for this performance.
I like classical music at lot, as you know, but I have never been a fan of opera, but ... and a huge but ... I like the music from opera, without the usual overweight and often age-inappropriate performers. In other words Billi Pod likes “Opera Without Words,” especially all of Wagner’s works ... so ...
Billi Pod will make sure his iPhone is charged, that his charger is in the backpack, along with some protein snack-bars and that he has a cup of extra-strong coffee just before leaving PHC at 5:00pm.
At least when I finally get back to PHC the results of the Republican primary election in Florida will be in and, hopefully, Newt will be history.
Let me close with a HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout-out to my fraternity brother and long-time friend BOB KENT aka BK, who lives in Jacksonville, FL.
GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS AND GO BIG BLUE!!
Billi Pod
“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”
ALEX-161
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