Friday==>Gotta get this posting started a bit early because your favorite blogger has something rather unusual scheduled for a Friday, a doubleheader, so let’s get underway with, first ...
A brief weather report from the Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World==>bright, sunny and still very very cold. At 8:30am it was 11º, with wind chill it was down to -4º. The high for today is projected to be only 19º. Burrrrr!
Next will be Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s entertainment event, The Off Broadway show ...
DARRELL HAMMOND'S "If You're Not Up There...", this one man show is an autobiographical comedy/drama based on Hammond’s memoir about love, hate, redemption, and putting up with it all==>B
The show is very informative, thought-provoking and at times very funny. It is also, in parts, extremely troubling. Hammond had a very difficult childhood, being raised by two abusive parents. He suffered from drug abuse and personality disorder(s) for most of his life.
He was born and raised in Melbourne, FL, and is a University of Florida graduate.
As many of you loyal and faithful readers and followers know, he was a longtime member of "Saturday Night Live" and will always be remembered for his impressions of Bill Clinton, George Bush #2 and Al Gore.
I really wanted to like the show more. My main complaint was the he kept making serious mistakes (which he admitted) with lines and stuff which majorly detracted from the show. Yes, this was the first performance but it is still very rough around the edges. Hopefully it will get better.
The house was almost full.
It is playing at the 62-seat Black Box Theatre in the bowels of the Laura Pels Theatre on West 46th Street, has a running time of 1:30, without intermission, and runs through February 2.
Side note==>after the show ... as I was waiting for the elevator, the door opened and out came Hammond. As he walked past me I said: “I guess I should have worn my Gator cap.” He stopped, smiled, and said; “Yeah, you should have” and then walked on. Nice.
I also have to share that walking to and from the theater, before and after the show, was extremely unpleasant due to the strong wind.
OK ... now ... about today’s entertainment doubleheader ... something that is rather unusual for a Friday here in The Big Apple ... first ...
3:00==>SWING WINGS - “A musical based on the World War II experiences of Frank Loesser, Milton Delugg and the fresh-faced Army Air Corps musicians who created the era’s signature radio broadcasts. In a time of patriotic sacrifice, they forged a bond that could not be broken. The military marches to a beat. These boys made it swing.” (Off Broadway reading - free ticket)
This is part of the Developmental Reading Series at the York Theatre, located in the basement of the Citigroup Center on East 54th Street.
When the show is over I will come back to the warm and cozy confines of PHC for my usual pre-theater snack, a fruit and cheese plate, and then it will be time for my second entertainment event ...
8:00==>THE CLEARING - “This World Premiere is the story of two brothers bound together by a terrible secret they’ve been hiding for 18 years. When a handsome stranger inserts himself into this tight-knit circle, mother and sons must discover if they have the courage to shatter the bond that has kept them unmoving for two decades and risk the unknown.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)
This show is playing at the Theatre at St. Clements on West 46th Street in my Hell’s Kitchen ‘hood, has a running time of 1:40, without intermission, and runs through February 9th.
It has just opened to very mixed reviews.
In closing==>I think what has happened to Justin Bieber in the last 12-18 months is totally unbelievable. As many of you know, yesterday in Miami, FL, he was busted for DUI and resisting arrest.
Every time I read about another screw-up by this 19-yr. old boy/man the lyrics to Bad Company’s “Shooting Star” pour into my head.
It is about a young male musician, Johnny, who quickly rises to the top of the music world ... but ... then ... too soon ...
“Johnny died one night, died in his bed, bottle of whiskey, sleeping tablets by his head.
Johnny's life passed him by like a warm summer day. If you listen to the wind you can still hear him play ...
Oh oh oh, don't you know that you are a shooting star, don't you know, yeah, don't you know?
Don't you know that you are a shooting star?”
Yep==>Justin Bieber is, without a doubt ... a shooting star.
On this happy note will post this and then get ready to brave the elements for the beginning of my Friday doubleheader ... so ...
STAY WARM EVERYONE!!
Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>3.16 miles (or, 6,922 steps)
Total mileage for 2014==>55.70 miles (average 2.53 miles per day)
GO BRONCOS!!
Billi Pod
“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”
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