The Fat Lady Sings - The Wankies Are Eliminated - The Killing of Sister George - Theater Boys

Thursday==>At 4:40pm yesterday out at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built, before a crowd of 46,056 that included a lot of kids who were skipping school, Brett Gardner stuck out for the final out of the game and The Wankies lost 9-5 to The Orioles and were officially eliminated from the wild card race and the post season. Derek Jeter, who went 0-4, was waiting in the on-deck circle.

And, The Fat Lady began to sing, much to the chagrin of the disappointed members of The Yankee Universe, who had hoped against hope that the 2014 season would turn out better than the 2013 season ... well ... it fucking didn’t. The Wankies were out of the playoffs for the second consecutive year in a season that was plagued with major injuries, limp bats and failure to get hits with runners in scoring position.

As a bit of irony==>the winning pitcher’s last name was Norris. WTF!! Oh well ...

As your favorite blogger left the stadium he felt betrayed that the season had ended with a whimper for two years in a row, the first since the 1992 and 93 seasons.

So ... it confirmed my decision not to renew my partial season ticket package for the 2015 season. This is the September 19th email I sent to the representative who had emailed me to “remind” me that I had not sent in my renewal forms ...

*************

Ms. Wheeler:

Thanks for the reminder ... but ... I will not ... repeat ... will not be renewing my season ticket package for a number of reason I care not to discuss with anyone.

I will probably continue to come to the stadium ... but for games and times that I choose.

This is a firm decision, made for multiple reason, so please DO NOT call, text, email etc.

Sincerely,

WANjr

************

Moving on ... 

Tonight at 7:05pm is the final home game of the season and, of course, it is Derek Jeter’s final game at the stadium. As might be expected the scalpers are having a field day with $15 bleacher seats going for $400+. The bad news ... there is an 80% chance of rain at 7:00pm. The Wankies and MLB will make every effort to get the game in, regardless of the length of the wait, because a makeup game is not feasible since the outcome would have no impact on any of the pennant races/standings.

On the mound for The Wankies (81-77) will be Hiroki Kuroda (11-9) vs. Kevin Gausman (7-7) for The Orioles (95-63).

The Wankies will play their last 3 games up in the fetid cesspool known as Fenway Park. At the moment it is uncertain whether Jeter will be in the lineup for any of the remaining games.

Now ... moving on ... thankfully, I know that most of you are saying to your inner selves ...

When the game was over I came back to the apartment, changed clothes, had my usual fruit and cheese plate, did a nice one mile walk, and then it was time for the second part of my entertainment doubleheader ... 

The Off Broadway show ...

THE KILLING OF SISTER GEORGE, to the world at large and even to herself, June Bunkridge is Sister George beloved village nurse on "Applehurst", a popular BBC radio soap opera. But when radio executives decide to give ratings a boost by killing off her character, June's already precarious private life threatens to crumble exposing her as the gin swilling, cigar chomping tyrant she really is==>C+

I had pretty high expectations for this show but it is just didn’t work for me.

The play caused quite a stir when it premiered in the UK in 1965 as audiences were shocked at the depiction of the central character’s lesbian relationship with her much younger "flat-mate," that bordered on being S&M. The subsequent 1968 movie version received an X rating for its “steamy” lesbian love scenes.

Today the play just seems to be ho-hum with basically unlikeable characters and a very predictable story line. I had expected to like it much better but it was difficult for me to care about anything that was happening on-stage.

At intermission a lot of people left but I stayed. Act II was somewhat better.

A major quibble is the Director’s choice of having some very important lines delivered in whispers making it difficult to understand what was happening.

The cast does its best with the outdated material.

I was seated next to my friend Kim aka Mic aka Who Knows and he also gave it a C+.

Billi Pod says==>you are warned.

This show is playing at The Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block, has a running time of 2:15, with intermission and runs through October 1st.

Now ... about tonight’s entertainment event ... an Off Broadway show ...

7:00pm==>THEATER BOYS - “Actors auditioning for a proposed gay musical are asked to bare their souls ... and a bit more. They share coming-of-age stories - some broadly comic, some tender and heartfelt.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Sounds like a gay CHORUS LINE, doesn't it?

This show is playing at the 13th Street Repertory Company (probably my least favorite venue in the city) in Chelsea, has a running time of 1:40, without intermission, and runs on Thursdays and Sundays through October 26th.

Moving on ...

It is very gray out with a light rain and that is bad because your favorite blogger is very antsy and needs to get out and about ... so ... anyway ... 

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.74 miles (or, 10,358 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>1,093.76 miles (average 4.10 miles per day)

GO GATORS!! GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

A Doubleheader Today==>The Yankees & The Killing of Sister George.

Wednesday==>We need to get this posting started because your favorite blogger here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In the World, has an entertainment doubleheader scheduled ... so ... let’s do it ...

The first part of the doubleheader is ...

1:05pm==>YANKEES vs. ORIOLES @ Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built. (season ticket package exchange)

This is the 3rd game of the 4-game series. On the mound for The Yankees (81-76) will be the rookie Shane Greene (5-3) vs. Kevin Gausman (7-7) for The Orioles (94-63).

This is my final home game of the 2014 season.

When the game is over I will come back to PHC, have my usual fruit and cheese plate, and then it will be time for the second part of my doubleheader ...

7:30pm==>THE KILLING OF SISTER GEORGE - “To the world at large and even to herself, June Bunkridge IS Sister George beloved village nurse on "Applehurst", a popular BBC radio soap opera. But when radio executives decide to give ratings a boost by killing off her character, June's already precarious private life threatens to crumble exposing her as the gin swilling, cigar chomping tyrant she really is.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show is playing at The Theatre Row Complex on my West 42nd Street block, has a running time of 2:15, with intermission, and runs through October 1st.

In closing ... as you loyal and faithful readers and followers know, last night’s entertainment event was also out at The House That Greed And Ego Built, and, it wasn't pleasant ... because ...

The Orioles slugged a total of 17 hits to beat The Yankees 5-4, in a game that ended in the bottom of the 9th inning with Derek Jeter striking out with the tying run on base. Not good ... not good at all. Although we scored 4 runs we were held to only 6 hits. The Wankies were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position. A very frustrating evening, to put it mildly.

The sound of The Fat Lady is getting ever louder. It is only a matter of when ... not if ... just when ... because our so-called "magic" number is now down to 1 ... meaning ... a loss or a Kansas City win and we are toast.

So ... time to post this and then head out to the game for my last opportunity to see Derek Jeter in person as an active Yankee.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.23 miles (or, 9,258 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>1,089.02 miles (average 4.09 miles per day)

GO GATORS!! GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Mr. Landing Takes A Fall - The Stadium Tonight - Awesome Blog Stats.

Tuesday==>It is a beautiful Fall morning here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

We have azure blue skies, a few puffy clouds and a nice breeze coming off the Hudson River. At 10:30am the temperature is 59º. 

It is perfect weather for a nice walk and wander session ... so ... we will get this posting started with ...

Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s Off Broadway show ...

MR. LANDING TAKES A FALL, when a woman secretly decides to put her family's longtime home up for sale and a young couple stumbles into the house, a darkly comic dystopian journey begins==>C

The above summary is from the press blurb and needs to be corrected in one major aspect ... the young couple doesn’t “stumble into the house,” they arrive dressed in wedding clothes, having just fled the church. They are there because they have been looking to buy a house.

For your further edification ... “dystopian” means: “A society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding.

You are welcome ... now about the show ... it just didn’t work for me, although I may be in the minority judging from the reactions from the full-house last night.

To your favorite blogger it lived up to its classification of being a “dark comedy” in that it started off kinda funny and then got darker and darker, more and more violent, and then more unbelievable as the virtually incomprehensible story line developed.

The four-person cast, Adam LeFevre, Kathryn Rossetter, Sari Caine and David Rigo (left to right in the photo), is excellent and they give their all to their basically unlikeable characters in a story line that includes, among other things, undressing, arguing and cursing, confessions, dancing, obscene groping, physicality, being thrown inside a refrigerator and a box of Cheerios.

Now ... as many of you loyal and faithful readers and followers know, Billi Pod likes theater that is adventurous and different ... but this show just didn’t cut it for him.

So ... Billi Pod says==>see this at your own risk.

It is playing downtown at The Flea Theater on White Street, has a running time of 1:15, without intermission, and runs through October 2.

On a positive note ... I got down to the theater area early and had a nice walk and wander session in the TriBeCa area.

Moving on ...

Tonight’s entertainment event will be ...

7:05pm==>YANKEES vs. ORIOLES @ Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built. (season ticket package)

This is the second game of the 4-game series. On the mound for The Yankees (81-75) will be Brandon McCarthy (7-4) vs. Bud Norris (14-8) for Baltimore (93-63)

Last night The Yankees won 5-0 on a stellar outing from Michael Pineda. Derek Jeter had another excellent day, driving in 3 runs. 

Our second wild card chances are still alive, if only just barely. Yeah ... you can hear The Fat Lady warming up her vocal cards.

Moving on ... 

In closing==>OMFG!! ... Billi Pod Blogs is now past the 132,000 page views mark (in the 3 years since the site began collecting stats). Of course, these stats do include those of you loyal and faithful readers and followers who access the blog via a forwarded copy of the confirmation email. And, Billi Pod’s rather bland profile has received 21,063 views. OMFG!!

On this happy note ... will post this, make my usual weekly trip to the grocery store and then head out somewhere for a nice walk and wander session.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.11 miles (or, 9,000 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>1,084.79 miles (average 4.09 miles per day)

GO GATORS!! GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Teach, Teacher, Teachest - Mr. Landing Take a Fall - The Yankees

Monday==>Billi Pod hopes that everyone had a great weekend and that his Worker Bee friends are now settled back into their wait-stations, cubicles, broom closets etc. ready for another week of productivity that is necessary to maintain the Gross National Product so that we poor retirees can eke by on our meager retirement stipends.

Thank you so much Worker Bees.

Sunday was another interesting day here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

As I posted yesterday, at 11:30am “The People’s Climate March” started at Columbus Circle and by noon it had reached 42nd Street in front of my apartment.

When I left at 4:00pm for my theater event the parade was still in full-force. It is estimated that at least 311,000 marchers participated.

I personally think this was pretty impressive. 

Then ... my entertainment event was an Off Broadway show ... 

TEACH, TEACHER, TEACHEST, a drama, loosely based on Ionesco’s classic “The Lesson,” tells the story of a pupil who arrives at the apartment of a new tutor for a lesson. What happens to her is as unexpected and random as life itself==>B+

The mostly favorable reviews of this show describe it as being “strange” and “different” and that is putting it mildly.

The story line is virtually impossible to put into words but that doesn’t matter because the amazing three-person cast, Daniel Irizarry (who also directs), Laura Butler Rivera and Michael Leonard, do an incredible job, especially in the gasp-inducing acrobatics on the very small set.

The show is profane and very much in-your-face and is interspersed with strobe lighting, mad dancing and a smashed watermelon.

To quote one of the reviews: “This play is for adventurous theatergoers only. It’s unafraid to be strange, and that audacity is its own reward.”

I couldn’t agree more ... so ... if you want something different then this is the show for you. If not ... then stay far far away.

This show is playing at the Intar Theatre on West 52nd Street, has a running time of 1:15, without intermission, and runs through October 5th.

When the show was over the weather was really nice so I did some major walking in my Hell’s Kitchen ‘hood ending up in the park area on The Hudson River at the end of West 42nd Street.

I took this amazing picture. It is looking east, toward 42nd Street.

Spent the remainder of the evening watching pro-football and baseball ... a nice way for your favorite blogger to end a very interesting Big Apple Day.

Moving on ...

Billi Pod’s entertainment event for tonight is an Off Broadway show downtown ... 

7:00==>MR. LANDING TAKES A FALL - A woman secretly decides to put her family's longtime home up for sale. When a young couple stumbles into the house, a darkly comic dystopian journey begins. What does Home really mean, and how do you live with the ones you love -- or leave them?” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Yeah ... I know ... another so-called “dark comedy.” Hope it doesn’t get too “dark” because Billi Pod is in the mood for something funny. I usually like shows at The Flea.

It is playing downtown at The Flea Theater on White Street, has a running time of 1:15, without intermission, and runs through October 2nd.

Now ... moving on to the sports scene ...

Yesterday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built, The Yankees (80-75) beat Toronto (78-77) 5-2, to win the 4-game series 3-1.

Masahiro Tanaka, making his first start since being placed on the disabled list on July 8th with an elbow inflammation, overcame a shaky first inning and settled down to get the win, giving up one run in 5 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking none.

Brian McCann hit 2 HRs and Brett Gardner hit one and Jeter had another 2-hit game.

We are still just barely alive in the second wild card race.

Tonight at 7:05pm out at the stadium will be the first game of a 4-game series with the AL East winning Baltimore Orioles (93-62).

On the mound for The Yankees will be Michael Pineda (3-5) vs. Wei-Yin Chen (16-4) for The Birds.

I have tickets for the games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Well ... as most of you loyal and faithful readers and followers know ... today, being Monday, it is your favorite blogger's errands and chores day ... so ... will post this and then get started.

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>5.09 miles (or, 11,141 steps)

Total mileage for the week==>27.76 miles (average 3.97 miles per day)

Total mileage for 2014==>1,080.68 miles (average 4.09 miles per day)

GO GATORS!! GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Saturday==>Disappointing - Fire Coach Muskrat - Teach, Teacher, Teachest - Sports.

Sunday==>Make no mistake about it, my loyal and faithful readers and followers, yesterday was mostly a day of disappointment for your favorite blogger here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, as he spent almost all day and evening glued to his 42” flat screen TV watching sports, mostly college football.

Of course, the major disappointment was the embarrassing debacle in Tuscaloosa as the Crimson Tide ultimately crushed my Florida Gators 42-21 in a game carried on national TV.

The Gators were out-manned, out-coached and out-of-gas by the merciful conclusion of the game where ‘Bama piled up 645 total yards of offense, the most-ever by a Gator opponent.

Folks, trust me on this ... it is going to be a painfully long season as The Gator Nation endures fiasco after fiasco generated by Coach Will Muskrat. 

Come on Jeremy Foley, show some balls and just fire this disgrace and his horde of minions ASAP.

Of course, it’s not going to happen until the season is over ... but ... 

Oh ... my son Bill III aka The Bill finally gave me 17 points, but, of course, that wasn’t enough, so I lost ... meaning ... this coming Christmas I will have to wear a ‘Bama T-shirt and cap during Christmas dinner and during our family present exchange. Oh the shame!!

My sports disappointment mounted as The Yankees lost to Toronto, details below.

There were some interesting games to watch, including the South Carolina/Vanderbilt game, the FSU/Clemson game and the LSU/Ole Miss game.

Well ... why don’t we just move on ... is that OK with you?

Good ... so here we go ...

For a good part of this afternoon my immediate Hell’s Kitchen ‘hood is going to be in turmoil because of the following protest march ... 

“The People’s Climate March” will have about 100,000 marchers, including local politicians and such notables as Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo. It will begin at 11:30am at Columbus Circle, march east to 6th Avenue, south on 6th to 42nd Street, west of 42nd to 11th Avenue and the south on 11th to 34th Street.

Needless-to-say, this will cause utter chaos in Midtown as the streets are closed and pedestrian traffic is controlled and often rerouted. Stay tuned.

My entertainment event for today is ...

5:00==>TEACH, TEACHER, TEACHEST - “This drama tells the story of a pupil who arrives at the apartment of a new tutor for a lesson. What happens to her is as unexpected and random as life itself. Loosely based on Eugene Ionesco’s modern classic The Lesson, the play is a cat and mouse struggle that questions what is happening and what is not.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show is playing at the Intar Theatre on West 53nd Street, has a running time of 1:40, without intermission, and runs through October 5th.

Thinking about catching a movie when the show is over ... depending on my frame of mind.

Now, on the sports scene ...

Yesterday afternoon out at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, The Yankees (79-75) lost 6-3 to Toronto (78-75).

We are still just barely alive in the second wild card race.

This afternoon at 1:05pm is the final game of the 4-game series. On the mound for The Yankees will be Masahiro Tanaka (12-4) vs. Drew Hutchinson (10-12) for The Blue Jays.

Tanaka is making his first start since being placed on the disabled list on July 8th with an elbow inflammation.

OK ... time to post this so I can make a quick run to the grocery store before the parade reaches my ‘hood.

Oh ... yesterday was also a rather disappointing mileage day ... oh well ...

HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>2.20 miles (or, 4,811 steps)

Total mileage for 2014==>1,075.59 miles (average 4.09 miles per day)

GO GATORS!! GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”