A Broadway show pulls the plug

If you go to the Facebook page for the Broadway play Elling you'll find some people who are extremely disappointed that it's closing on Sunday, only a week after opening night. They had tickets for later in what was advertised as a 20-week run.

Here are two examples, the first from England and the second from Australia:

"If this is true can we have a valid explanation as to why since I have booked my flights and hotel and I am traveling from England to see this. It's one hell of a waste of money if the play has closed. Incidentally, it is money I can ill afford to lose. I am not a happy Brendan [Fraser] fan at present."

"I'm shattered about the news of it's closure. Was only going to the US to see the show. I had no idea that shows close all the time, as someone on this board said previously. All booked & paid for. I don't want to go now."

According to the most recent statistics from The Broadway League, in the 2008-2009 season international visitors accounted for 21 percent of the 12.15 million Broadway admissions - the highest ever. Overall, tourists accounted for 63 percent of all ticket purchases.

I'm not sure what, if anything, can be done. The producers are under no obligation to keep open a play or musical that's losing money. The average paid admission for Elling last week was $22.03 and it only took in $145,070.

The problem is, something like this hurts the Broadway brand, as well as all of the other businesses in Times Square that rely on tourist dollars.

Perhaps there ought to be a little truth-in-advertising when you buy a ticket, stating in big, bold type that there's no guarantee how long the show will run or whether the actor you came to see will be in it that day.

I know to a lot of theatre fans, that's obvious. Of course you realize the producers can pull the plug at any time. An actor can go on vacation or become ill.

But clearly, some people don't know. If you look at the marketing material for Elling, it says: "20 weeks only. Now on Broadway." If you're a Brendan Fraser fan in England or Australia, you probably think it'll be there for 20 weeks.

So, what will those disappointed fans in England and Australia tell all of their friends, family, neighbors and coworkers about their experience? My guess is they won't have much that's good to say.

I hope they decide to see something else on their trip to New York City but I'm not optimistic. I bet they'll think twice about ever buying another ticket to a Broadway show. The Great White Way has lost some goodwill.

Summer sightseeing in Washington

Washington, D.C., has been one of my favorite cities ever since my first visit, on a high school trip with Project Close Up.

Last weekend was my first time back in about six years. I saw some dear friends, attended a bar mitzvah and on Sunday, I had a chance to do some sightseeing.

My first stop was the Newseum, which I'd seen years ago in its old location, in Virginia.

The new six-story building on Pennsylvania Avenue is impressive and there's a great view from the rooftop terrace. Even from a distance and through the summer haze, the sight of the U.S. Capitol never fails to thrill me.

I liked the displays that focused on the history of newsgathering, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs, press freedom and challenges to the First Amendment.

You get a good overview of how covering the news has changed over the centuries, including the advent of online journalism, blogging and Twitter.

The headline flubs on the walls in the bathroom, taken from the Columbia Journalism Review, were funny - as long as you weren't the one who wrote them.

But I have to admit, the journalism theme park aspects of the museum left me feeling a bit cold.

I decided not to "shake rattle and roll through I-Witness! a 4-D film experience." I did walk through the "G-Men and Journalists: Top News Stories of the FBI's First Century" exhibit and some of it was a little lurid - the Unabomber's cabin and the electric chair that killed the kidnapper of the Lindbergh baby.

Also, I was a little put off by the video of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. They're not journalists, they're comedians. Still, I realize it's 2010. You have to be fun and interactive while you're trying to inform and enlighten. And they do offer their own unique spin on the news.

The Newseum is worth a visit - use your AAA card for a discount on the admission. And it got me thinking - aren't we overdue for a Broadway revival of The Front Page?

My next stop, after a long, hot walk across the Mall, was the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History - hands down my favorite museum in the world.

I've always been a huge American history buff and I love the way the museum tells the story of the United States - not simply through the action of great men and women but through the lives of ordinary Americans and through popular culture.

There are examples of great courage - the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C., where four black students sat down in February 1960 and refused to leave until they were served. And there are items from our collective cultural memory - Kermit the Frog from The Muppet Show and Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.

While I've been to the museum numerous times, I have never felt as moved as I did on this visit, when I saw Michelle Obama's inaugural gown.

At the bar mitzvah on Saturday, the rabbi reminded us that it was the 47th anniversary of the March on Washington and he urged us to recall Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech.

Admiring the gown a day later, in a crowd with many African-American museumgoers including elderly men and women, families with young children, was incredibly poignant.

It was a tangible example of how far we've come in realizing Dr. King's dream and in fulfilling the promise of this country - the promise of equality.

Here is the first lady presenting the gown to the Smithsonian in March:



Since it was on the way to the Metro, I stopped at the National Portrait Gallery before heading back to my hotel.

There's an interesting exhibit through Jan. 2 of Norman Rockwell paintings and drawings from the collection of directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. I learned how Rockwell had influenced their work as filmmakers, which I hadn't realized.

I love the Portrait Gallery, with its collection of paintings and photographs of famous Americans from all walks of life. But after seven hours of walking around, I was getting a little tired. (In my mind, you haven't done enough sightseeing until you're ready to collapse.)

Hopefully I can return on my next visit - which won't take six years - and I can include a little theatergoing, too.

Summer sightseeing in Manhattan

When I'm not at the theatre, I squeeze in as much sightseeing as is humanly possible during my trips to New York City. The heat and humidity didn't make it easy this time but I persevered.

First up was a return visit to the American Museum of Natural History for Race to the End of the Earth. What's better on a sweltering day than a little polar exploration?

The exhibit tells the story of the competition between British Navy Capt. Robert Scott and Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen in 1910 to be the first to reach the South Pole.

It was a contest of unimaginable hardship, told through artifacts from the two expeditions, photographs and a time line that relates what they were up against every step of the way.

At right is an example of the wooden huts the British built at their camp. Apparently they were especially unprepared for how quickly the temperature plunged from cold to unbearably cold.

Just to give you an idea, last night's temperature at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica was -56 degrees Fahrenheit, with a wind chill that made it feel like -90. That's MINUS 90.

Neither expedition had the high-tech gear that polar researchers use today to make their work safer, no Gore-Tex to keep them warm. (They wore parkas made from reindeer fur and you can touch a sample - it's smooth and silky.)

The exhibit tells the story very well. It explains not just what happened but why. The decisions Scott and Amundsen made about what to bring, when to start out, their backgrounds and personalities, all figured in the outcome.

Here's a segment NPR did about Race to the End of the Earth with the museum's Ross MacPhee and polar explorer John Huston. The exhibit runs through Jan. 2.

I made my first trip to the Jewish Museum for the now-closed Curious George Saves the Day.

This was another interesting story that was unknown to me: how the husband and wife who wrote and illustrated the Curious George books, Margret and H.A. Rey, fled Europe during World War II.

It was so poignant to read the handwritten letter that Hans Rey sent to his British publisher, telling him they made an "adventurous flight from Paris" by bicycle in June 1940, two days before the Nazis marched in.

After traveling by bicycle and train, the Reys reached Lisbon. They sailed from there to South America and finally to the United States, reaching New York City in October 1940. The first Curious George book was published a year later.

The mischievous monkey came from sketches of animals that Hans Rey made when he lived in Brazil in the 1920s and '30s and traveled along the Amazon selling goods. (Apparently, he also complained about the tropical heat, hence the Man with the Yellow Hat.)

The theme of narrowly escaping peril that figures into Curious George's adventures parallels the Reys' escape from the Nazis. (It's amazing how deep children's books are once you learn about the background.)

Curious George Saves the Day moves to the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco from Nov. 14 - March 13, 2011. Here's more about the exhibit from the WBUR radio program On Point.

I don't eat much red meat but I'd been hearing so much about the Shake Shack, which opened in midtown Manhattan, that I really wanted to try it.

Well, the line stretched out the door and down the street. I don't think I've ever stood in a longer line to get a hamburger. All told, it took about 30 minutes.

The verdict: delicious! I was afraid it would be dry, tasteless fast-food fare. Just the opposite.

My Shack Burger with lettuce and tomato was juicy, flavorful, not overly greasy. And the mayonnaise-based Shack Sauce provided the perfect condiment. Accompanied by a refreshing Arnold Palmer, it was a nice light pre-theatre dinner.

Finally, I walked by the fire station at 8th Avenue and 48th Street that houses Engine Co. 54, Ladder 4.

The "Pride of Midtown," which protects Broadway, proudly proclaims that it's "never missed a performance." Judging from the mural, they really get into the role, too.

If you pass by, stop for a moment at the memorial to the 15 men from the station who lost their lives responding to the Sept. 11 attacks. Firefighters enter places where everyone else is trying to flee. Heroes all.

Summer vacation in New York!

I'm almost ready to head to New York City for my first visit of 2010.

I've done my sandwich research and decided to go for No. 77.

I've got my tickets for La Cage aux Folles, Lend Me A Tenor, Fela! and The Addams Family on Broadway and Trust off-Broadway. I'm also planning to take in a concert at Joe's Pub to benefit Broadway Impact and its fight for marriage equality.

Given the heat wave, I'm not sure how much energy I'll have for sightseeing but I've picked out a couple of exhibits: Race to the End of the Earth at the American Museum of Natural History and Curious George Saves the Day at The Jewish Museum.

One thing I won't be seeing is Al Pacino in Central Park in The Merchant of Venice. When you've got a too-short summer vacation, spending three hours with Shakespeare and anti-Semitism isn't very appealing.

Yeah I know, opinions differ, it has to be understood in the context of its time, it's a plea for tolerance, yada, yada, yada. Maybe another time.

Bomb scare in Times Square

When I lived in Tel Aviv from 1997 to 1998 I rode the city buses all the time. One ride in particular I'll always remember.

A woman motioned to a small rectangular box on the floor and asked whether it belonged to anyone. When no one claimed it, she yelled to the driver, who stopped the bus, and we all got off while he called for the bomb squad.

Thankfully, there was no bomb. What struck me was, I didn't even notice the box and if I had, it wouldn't have occurred to me to say anything. As an American, it wasn't anything I'd ever had to think about.

I got on another bus in Tel Aviv that day and I continued to ride them. After all, you can't stop living your life. I always felt very safe in Israel. I guess that's the difference between living in a country and watching the news reports from afar.

Israelis, sadly, are accustomed to being hyper vigilant. Yesterday's bomb scare in Times Square is another reminder that Americans now have to be vigilant, too. But like Israelis, we can't live our lives in fear.

Kudos to the two sidewalk vendors who alerted the police to the suspicious SUV and to the quick response from the New York Police Department, the New York Fire Department and the bomb squad. Bustling Times Square can't be an easy place to evacuate at any time.

I've been to New York City about a dozen times over the past three years and as a theatre fan, I love the convenience of staying in Times Square. I feel completely safe walking back alone from a Broadway show to my hotel at midnight.

In fact, I've felt safe everywhere I've gone in the city. It's one of my favorite places to visit. Yesterday's incident doesn't change that. The next time I get to New York I will definitely stay in Times Square, without hesitation.

Am I vigilant? Of course. Wherever I am, I'm always aware of my surroundings. That's just common sense.

How about a real theatre hall of fame?

The Theatre Hall of Fame is holding its annual induction ceremony tonight in the rotunda of Broadway's Gershwin Theatre. It's a fitting location since the Gershwin is home to Wicked and the show's composer, Stephen Schwartz, is among those being honored.

But my first thoughts when I saw that story were, "Where is the Theatre Hall of Fame and can I visit?" Then I vaguely remembered reading names of inductees on the wall at the Gershwin when I saw Wicked on Broadway last month.

So I guess that's it. But shouldn't there be something more to recognize the long and storied history of Broadway?

Personally, I think it would be great if there were more theatre-related things to do in Times Square besides see a show, climb the red steps to the top of the TKTS booth or browse in a few souvenir shops.

We already know the oft-quoted statistic that 63 percent of Broadway tickets are sold to tourists, a good percentage of whom will probably find themselves in and around Times Square with some time to spare.

Other than Wicked's Behind the Emerald Curtain, there isn't much that's theatre-related. You can't take a backstage tour or learn about the history of Broadway in a fun, interactive way. (Before you mention liability issues, I took an awesome tour of the Metropolitan Opera and we went everywhere in that building!)

The Museum of the City of New York does have a theatre collection. The exhibit I saw last year is nice but it's a little spare and outdated. Plus, the Upper East Side location isn't exactly on the tourist track. The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, at Lincoln Center, also has theatre exhibits from time to time but they're confined to one room.

Now I realize that space is at a premium in Times Square and expensive. The economy being what it is, the odds of creating a splashy new Museum of American Theatre are nil. Still, it would be a fine addition to a city that already has some of the finest museums in the world.

My 2009 New York City tourism stats

Sadly, my personal best five trips were not enough to stave off a 3.9-percent drop in the number of visitors to New York City in 2009 - about 2 million fewer tourists. I was 5 of 45.3 million. I will just have to try harder in 2010!

But with other cities, like Orlando, suffering bigger losses, New York regained its spot as the most popular tourist destination in the United States. The leisure and hospitality industry, which provides about 10 percent of the city's private-sector jobs, actually grew last year.

Coincidentally, my December credit card bill came a few days ago with the charges from last month's trip. So I tallied my New York City-related expenses for the year. In 25 days spread over eight months I spent $8,803.88. It's not everything - I used some cash, too. The total is probably closer to $10,000. And I don't regret one penny of it!

Among my expenses were five round-trip train tickets. Usually, I go on the Acela Express but a couple of times I took Amtrak's regional service, which is half the price but it can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour longer. (There's no way I'm riding a bus for four hours. I don't care how cheap it is.)

I also bought 29 theatre tickets, ranging from $49.50 for Our Town at the Barrow Street Theatre in Greenwich Village to $137 for A Little Night Music on Broadway. I like to sit in the orchestra because a) I want to be close and b) there's more leg room and I have creaky, arthritic knees. I did use Playbill and Broadway Box discounts when possible, though.

I stayed in a hotel for 20 nights that's one area where I've trimmed expenses considerably. I used to stay in a gigantic hotel right in the middle of Times Square but I switched to a smaller, very nice place just down the street. I've saved at least $100 a night, probably more, and it's still convenient for walking back from the theatre. Plus, I get a free continental breakfast!

Speaking of food, I had good meals at, among other restaurants, Pete's Tavern, the Blue Fin, Pigalle, Extra Virgin, Thalia, Cafe Un, Deux, Trois, Chez Josephine, Vynl, Junior's, the Metropolitan Museum of Art cafeteria and the Burger Joint. And don't forget cupcakes from the Magnolia Bakery and Crumbs. (I don't eat much red meat anymore but the beef bourguignon at Pigalle is worth a splurge.)

New York is a great city for exploring on foot and some of my favorite experiences haven't cost me anything: walking through Central Park and across the Brooklyn Bridge, visiting the Museum of Modern Art on a free Friday afternoon, attending a taping of The Late Show with David Letterman, stumbling upon a Paul McCartney concert. (Here's a list of museums with free or pay-what-you-wish hours and other cheap stuff.)

Visiting New York at Christmas

Last year, when I went to New York City in early November, I saw The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. I loved the show, especially watching the Rockettes ride around Manhattan on a double decker bus singing "New York at Christmas."

So I figured, why should the Rockettes have all the fun?

For the first time, I went to New York in December to take in the city in all of its holiday festiveness: the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, the store windows all decorated, the outdoor holiday markets brimming with shoppers and eclectic gifts.

First thing I did as soon as it got dark was head over to Rockefeller Center. The tree, a Norway spruce, looks brilliant at night, illuminated by more than 5 miles of lights. I couldn't believe how big and bright it was - much more spectacular in person than on TV. And it'll be up until Jan. 7.

As I walked toward Fifth Avenue, I saw something that amazed me and made me smile - giant snowflakes lit by LEDs projected on the facade of Saks Fifth Avenue. The snowflake show, set to the song "Carol of the Bells," plays for two minutes in the evening every half hour. It was just so cool and whimsical and made me wish I'd learned to use the video function on my cell phone!

Evenings and weekends I'm at the theatre. (Which is where you are, too, right?) But on days when there's no matinee, I'm visiting museums and taking in the sights. And New York City is a terrific city for walking. (Although I also take the subway, bus and occasional taxi.)

My first full day in the city was devoted to window-gazing. It was a weekday and not too crowded. I started with Macy's at Herald Square, which has a cute Letters to Santa theme. And I went back to Fifth Avenue.

But my favorite windows were at Barneys on Madison Avenue near 61st Street. This year, Barneys is celebrating the 35th anniversary of Saturday Night Live with papier-mache figures of the show's best-known characters. I especially loved the Conehead display.

After that, I was hoping to pop into Serendipity for the famous frozen hot chocolate but the place is tiny and apparently you need to make a reservation a year in advance. (Okay, slight exaggeration.)

So I settled for a very tasty lunch of pasta and grilled salmon at the nearby California Pizza Kitchen, followed by a delicious chocolate-dipped banana from Dylan's Candy Bar.

And I did some browsing at holiday markets at Bryant Park, Columbus Circle and Grand Central Station. (There's also one at Union Square which I didn't get to.)

Columbus Circle, on the southern edge of Central Park, seemed to have mostly clothing - hats, gloves - as well as huge gingerbread cookies sold in an appropriate gingerbread house.

Grand Central is nice and the stalls seemed to have more of an international flair, but it's indoors so you feel a little squished. (There's a laser show in the ornate central terminal, too. It's entertaining but not as much as the Saks snowflakes.)

Bryant Park was my favorite of the three - lots of space to walk around, a good variety of shops, places to eat, and I had some nice hot apple cider. Plus, you can sit and watch the ice skaters or, if you're more coordinated than I am, try it yourself. It's also next door to the main branch of the New York Public Library, which has a terrific gift shop.

I know the weather can be iffy in New York at this time of year and hotel prices soar, especially on the weekends. But when the holidays are in full swing and hopefully it's not too cold, December really is a magical time to visit.

Broadway audience, 2008-2009

The Broadway League released its annual demographic report this week for the 2008-2009 theatre season. There weren't too many surprises and I don't think the numbers are all that different from previous years.

Here are some statistics:

• The average age of the Broadway theatergoer was 42.2.
• Forty-seven percent of theatergoers at musicals said a personal recommendation was the strongest factor in deciding which show to see.
  
• Women comprise 66.2 percent of the audience.
• International visitors accounted for 21 percent of the 12.5 million ticket-buyers, the highest ever.
• Overall, tourists bought 63 percent of all tickets for Broadway shows.
• Broadway theatergoers reported an annual household income of $195,700.
• Of theatergoers over age 25, 73 percent had completed college.
• The typical playgoer saw eight shows in the past year, compared with four for musical attendees.
• Those who saw 15 or more shows comprised 5 percent of the audience but represented 31 percent of all tickets sold.
  

What interested me most was the racial breakdown: 73.7 percent white; 8.6 percent Hispanic; 3.9 percent Asian; 2.4 percent black; and 11.4 percent other.

In a news release accompanying the report, Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the league, exclaimed:

"Broadway is a national pastime! As there is more of a choice for the theatergoer than ever before, it is exciting to report that we are seeing a wider audience for Broadway. Our shows, and our audience, are more diverse than ever."

Well perhaps the Broadway audience is getting more diverse but if it's three-quarters Caucasian, largely college-educated, with a household income of nearly $200,000, I don't see how you can lay claim to being a national pastime.

Still, I'm a little hopeful that next year's figures will show some improvement.

The percentage of Hispanic theatergoers jumped from 5.7 percent to 8.6 percent in one year. Part of that could be more visitors from Spanish-speaking countries, or the success of musicals like In the Heights, which takes place in a Latino neighborhood in New York City.

Attendance by black theatergoers reached a 10-year high of 6.7 percent in the 2006-2007 season, only to drop to 2.4 percent two years later.

Now, this is my anecdotal evidence from one weekend in New York City but I noticed at Memphis, Race and waiting in the lobby at Fela! that the audiences for these shows with strong black characters seemed a lot more racially diverse than usual.

(And next spring's Broadway revival of Fences, with the box-office cachet of Oscar winner Denzel Washington, will hopefully draw theatergoers of all backgrounds.)

If Broadway truly wants to call itself a national pastime, let's hope that what I saw was part of a growing trend.

Getting carded at the NYPL

I don't buy a lot of souvenirs when I go to New York. I've got my theatre tickets and my Playbills and I've bought a few Broadway show magnets. But last month I came home with a great one that didn't cost me anything.

The first time I went to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts it was on a very rainy afternoon, so I decided to take advantage of some free Internet access. All I had to do was show my out-of-state driver's license and I got to use a computer.

Well, that was in May 2008. When I went back last month to see the Katharine Hepburn exhibit, the computers across from the circulation desk had been moved to another room.

I was told that while I could still use one, I'd have get a library card. I explained that I didn't live in New York City (although I did once live in New York State.) The helpful person at the circulation desk said no problem, I could get a library card anyway.

Really? Well, as a lifelong library fan and book lover, this was pretty thrilling. I didn't hesitate for a second. I don't think I've been so excited since I got my first library card, back when I was in the second grade.

So I filled out the requisite paperwork, which wasn't too difficult, and within a matter of minutes I had my very own New York Public Library card, entitling me to borrow materials from all NYPL branch libraries and from the Brooklyn Public Library.

Okay, I probably won't be borrowing any books but as you can see, it's a pretty nifty looking card and you know I'll be keeping it in my wallet. It's probably the closest I'll ever get to living in New York City.

By the way, if you're visiting New York, the main library, at 5th Avenue and 42nd Street, adjacent to Bryant Park, with the two imposing stone lions in front, is a beautiful building. And it has a great gift shop.

The High Line and literary highlights

This weekend I finished the novel Netherland by Joseph O'Neill. For my tastes, the book was just okay, although it's been widely praised.

But what really intrigued me was that the main character, a stock analyst in post-Sept. 11 Manhattan, lives in the Hotel Chelsea. (I later learned that O'Neill also lives in the hotel, with his wife and kids.)

I walked by the Chelsea totally by accident on my trip to New York last month. It's amazing how many great things I come across in Manhattan just through serendipity - landmark buildings, a Paul McCartney concert.

This particular day I started out early by taking the subway to the Meatpacking District to see the High Line park.

(This was my first visit to the Meatpacking District, where high-end boutiques and trendy restaurants have replaced the slaughterhouses and packing plants of the early 20th century.)

The park has been built on an elevated railway on the west side of Manhattan that carried freight to factories and warehouses in the 1930s.

Now, a section of the railway has been landscaped with wildflowers and wooden benches where you can stretch out and relax, look out at the Hudson River. You'll see people strolling, reading, eating, artists drawing on sketchpads.

It was really nice and I could have stayed longer but it was getting hot and parts of the High Line aren't very shaded. So, I decided to walk through Chelsea. I stopped for lunch at a little restaurant called Rafaella, where I had a very tasty salmon panini. (You don't often find salmon on a panini. It was quite a treat.)

Then I walked up 23rd Street to get the No. 1 line subway to Lincoln Center, so I could see the Katharine Hepburn exhibit at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. That was when I spotted the sign for the Hotel Chelsea.

I really only knew one thing about the Chelsea - that Nancy Spungen, the girlfriend of Sid Vicious, from the punk rock band the Sex Pistols, was found stabbed to death there in 1978 under mysterious circumstances. So I thought, maybe this is kind of a seedy place.

But I read the bronze plaques attached to columns on both sides of the door, and I was amazed. I hadn't realized the hotel was so historic. And from the lobby, it's quite nice.

The Chelsea opened in 1884 as a cooperative apartment house in what was then New York's theatre district. (I didn't even know the theatre district was ever in a place other than Broadway.)

It became a hotel about 1905 and over the decades, numerous writers, actors, musicians, filmmakers and other artists have passed through, including Thomas Wolfe, Arthur Miller and Dylan Thomas. Arthur C. Clarke wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Chelsea. Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell both wrote songs that mention the hotel.

I walked into the lobby, which is decorated with some interesting artwork. Unfortunately, I couldn't see a room, but they do give tours of the hotel and I'd love to take one someday, just to bask in the literary glow.

It's Tony Week

In a few days I'll be heading back to New York City. I know, I know, I was just there. This will be my shortest turnaround time ever between trips - twice in three weeks.

But this one will be special - my first time experiencing the sights and sounds of Broadway during Tony week. I'm anticipating a little extra zing (or zip) in the performances, a little more excitement in the air. And it'll all culminate Sunday night, when I attend my first-ever Tony party. (Actually, I believe this will be my first awards party of any type.)

Usually, I'm by myself jumping up off the couch and cheering when one of my favorites wins. This time, I'll be watching the ceremony unfold on a big-screen tv, cheering on the winners with some of my friends and fellow bloggers. (Hopefully, they'll teach me some Tony drinking games that this Playbill article mentions.)

Two weeks ago, I saw two musicals and one play. This time, the lineup is play-heavy: Mary Stuart, Exit the King, Waiting for Godot, and Joe Turner's Come and Gone. (Good thing I got my Joe Turner ticket before President and Mrs. Obama went because it's now become a little bit hotter.)

Unfortunately, I don't believe there are any pre-Tony events for the general public while I'm there so I've been trying to think of a few theatre-related things I could do, besides going to shows, just to help put me in the mood.

Of course, there's the obligatory visit to The Drama Book Shop, because I like to stock up on theatre-related reading material and support independent, bricks-and-mortar bookstores.

Here are some others:

The Museum of the City of New York has an ongoing exhibit chronicling the history of Broadway and of theater in New York City. There are costumes historic photographs, drawings and other memorabilia, including a gypsy robe and Mrs. Potts' costume from Beauty and the Beast. I definitely need to check it out soon.

Both Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall offer tours. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Lincoln Center, so it's a great time to visit the performing-arts complex, which includes the Vivian Beaumont Theater, home to the Tony-winning revival of South Pacific. Of course, Carnegie Hall isn't a Broadway theatre but Broadway stars have appeared there and it's been the site of many musical-theatre gala events. Plus, it's America's most famous concert hall.

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, at Lincoln Center, usually has interesting theatre-related exhibits. I saw one last year on Songwriters and the Tony Awards. An upcoming exhibit on stage and screen star Katharine Hepburn looks great from the description. (Did you know her pet name for Spencer Tracy was "Pot"?) Unfortunately, it doesn't open until June 10, so I'll have to wait until next time.

Always something new to do in New York

Okay, I don't actually spend every moment of my New York City trips in Broadway theatres. It's an immensely walkable city with more things to see and do than probably any other city I've ever been in. So here's a rundown on my Memorial Day weekend:

Breaking the curse of the Jacobs Theatre stage door

On my two previous outings to the Jacobs, to see Frost/Nixon and The Country Girl, I was spectacularly unsuccessful in getting my Playbill signed. So I wasn't getting my hopes up for God of Carnage. But surprise - James Gandolfini came out pretty quickly, followed by Hope Davis and Marcia Gay Harden. They were all very gracious. Gandolfini was quiet but laughed when someone asked about a Sopranos movie. ("I don't think so.") Sadly, I missed out on the Holy Grail of stage-dooring, getting everyone in the original Broadway cast of a show to sign my Playbill. Jeff Daniels made a hasty exit. Hope Davis said he had out-of-town guests. Well, okay. Three out of four is 75 percent.

Sampling eclectic cuisine

Ninth Avenue (aka Hell's Kitchen) is my favorite street for eating in New York. Just a couple streets over from the bustle of Times Square, it's like another world. The sidewalks aren't nearly as packed with tourists and it's more like a regular neighborhood. It also has dozens of tiny and not-so-tiny restaurants serving up every type of food you could possibly imagine. I've eaten at half a dozen different ones and they've all been great. This time, I went with my friend Chris and his entourage to the Zen Palate - my very first Asian vegan restaurant, where I had some delicious whole wheat noodles with stir-fry vegetables. And no one looked at me funny when I asked for a fork - because I am chopstick-impaired.

Walking to Brooklyn

Sarah and Kari invited me to join them on a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge on a beautiful, sunny Memorial Day. Now I can say I've done it in both directions. It was very crowded and you've got to watch out for bicyclists and I should have put on some sunscreen. But it's such a fun walk with great views. As I remarked to Kari, what a photogenic bridge! Look at her pictures and see if you don't agree. That day, we rode the subway, walked, took the water taxi and a land taxi. Just about every mode of transportation except a helicopter ride over Manhattan. Okay, not sure I'm up for that but someday I would like to take one of those horse-drawn carriages around Central Park.

Witnessing literary history

I'm not a huge fan of short stories but I do love two that I remember reading in middle school or high school - The Ransom of Red Chief and The Gift of the Magi. When Sarah led us to lunch at Pete's Tavern, little did I know that I'd be stepping into literary history. New York City's oldest continuously operating bar and restaurant is the very spot where Mr. William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry, wrote The Gift of the Magi in 1905. His booth is set up as a little shrine. Made me want to buy a pocket watch and grow my hair long so I can get some fancy combs! Pete's Tavern, on East 18th Street near Gramercy Park, has been opened since 1864 and it stayed open during Prohibition disguised as a flower shop. If you go, I highly recommend the grilled chicken salad.

Relaxing in a lawn chair in Times Square

I got to New York on Sunday of the holiday weekend, the first day of the city's experiment closing Times Square to traffic. And it was pretty neat to be able to walk down the middle of Broadway. But I had to laugh when I came back from my excursion on Monday and saw people sprawled out on lawn chairs and chaise lounges that had been set up in the street. It looked like a massive installation of performance art. How incongruous! A little bit of suburbia in the heart of the city. I saw a sign inviting other chair manufacturers to display their furniture. I'm hoping when I go back this week, there'll be Barcaloungers.

Broadway by the numbers

Sadly, Gratuitous Violins did not make Time magazine's list of the 25 Best Blogs of 2009. But I am part of another exclusive club.

The League of American Theatre Producers has released its demographics report for the 2007-2008 Broadway season. Among the findings: Those who saw 15 or more shows comprised 5 percent of the audience, and represented 30 percent of all tickets sold.

Coincidentally, I saw 15 Broadway shows during that time period, putting me in the top 5 percent. It's nice to be above average in something. I feel really, really special. Thanks, Broadway League!

The League also reports that:

• Forty percent of tickets are now purchased online.
• The typical playgoer saw 8 shows.
• The typical musical theatre fan saw 4 shows.
• The percentage of theatergoers who purchased tickets more than a month in advance rose to 39 percent, from 32 percent.
  
• Tourists purchased about 65 percent of the nearly 12.3 million tickets sold.
• Foreign tourists comprised more than 15 percent of attendees.
• Word of mouth is the single biggest factor in picking a musical.
• Critical reviews are most influential in choosing a play.
• The average age of Broadway theatergoers was 41.5 years old.
• Those under 18 accounted for 12.5 percent of the audience.
• 31 percent of theatergoers live in New York state.
• 19 of the top 25 counties from which theatergoers hail are in New York or New Jersey.
• Other top areas include counties in Michigan, Florida, California, Maryland and the Washington, D.C., area.
  

As the report points out, a lot of these figures haven't changed very much over the past few years and I don't think there were any huge surprises. But two things seem significant to me:

Theatergoers under age 18 accounted for a record 1.5 million tickets. "We know that children who attend a Broadway show grow up to be loyal theatergoers,” says Charlotte St. Martin, the League's executive director.

Attendance by international visitors once again well surpasses pre-Sept. 11 levels, totaling 1.88 million tickets. "This audience stays longer and sees more shows than domestic tourists."

One statistic I'd be interested in knowing is, What's the percentage of tourists who come to New York City and don't see a Broadway show?

I know, perish the thought. But I'm sure there are a few. And with tourists playing such a big role in ensuring the health of the Great White Way, I wonder what can be done to get them in a seat?

America's most famous theatre

Ford's Theatre bills itself "as America's most famous theatre" and that's probably true, although certainly not in a way you'd want to be famous. I saw a show there in 1976, during my first visit to Washington, D.C., when I was in high school. It was the gospel-themed musical Your Arm's Too Short to Box With God.

While I don't remember anything about the musical, I do remember looking up at the presidential box more than once. The history buff in me wondered what it must have been like on that fateful night of April 14, 1865, when John Wilkes Booth entered the box, shot President Lincoln, then leaped to the stage to make his getaway.

Tonight, a day before Lincoln's 200th birthday, Ford's Theatre officially reopens after a $25-million renovation. To mark the occasion, there's an invitation-only gala featuring a host of celebrities and the presentation of the Lincoln Medal to George Lucas and Sidney Poitier.

The theatre also plans a makeover of the type of work it presents, according to its director, Paul Tetreault. The emphasis will be on education and the American experience. "I think we're going to be focused on more important work. It might be funny, it might be serious."

A new play about Lincoln, The Heavens Are Hung in Black, by James Still, is playing there until March 8. Starring David Selby as Lincoln, it covers the five months between the death of the president's son Willie and the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. It'll be followed by the musical The Civil War from March 27 to May 24.

The other Roosevelt

Of course with the inauguration, all the attention is focused on Washington this weekend but don't forget, New York is also a great place to take in some presidential sites.

There's Federal Hall, on Wall Street, where George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States, and St. Paul's Chapel, where he worshiped on Inauguration Day in 1789. I visited both of those places on my Lower Manhattan tour.

Also during that same trip in November, I went to the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace, a handsome brownstone on a leafy East 20th Street, near Union Square. (Thanks to Sarah for pointing me to all three!)

If you're visiting New York City, Union Square is a fun place to explore. The birthplace is open Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. I suggest going on a Wednesday, Friday or Saturday, when the Union Square Greenmarket is held. There's a Whole Foods across the street. I've also eaten at Max Brenner's and browsed at the Strand Bookstore.

Okay, the birthplace is not actually the place where Roosevelt was born, on Oct. 27, 1858, and lived until the age of 14. That building was demolished in 1916. But a replica, with five period rooms, galleries and a souvenir shop, has been carefully reconstructed on the same site. If you're an American history buff, it's really a great place to spend a couple of hours.

You can only see the upper floor on a guided tour and I missed that, unfortunately. But I did walk around the galleries and look through the display cases containing hundreds of items relating to the life of our 26th president - beginning with his birth into a wealthy New York family, through his years as an explorer, rancher, soldier and elected official.

I knew a little bit about Roosevelt, that he'd been police commissioner in New York City and governor of New York, he was a conservationist and led the Rough Riders in the charge up San Juan Hill. But there were some things I didn't know - like his efforts as a "trust buster" to break up the big monopolies.

And really, as far as Roosevelts go, Franklin and Eleanor get much more attention from the history books, which is too bad. Maybe TR didn't get us through the Great Depression or win a world war but he was such such a fascinating larger-than-life figure. Under his presidency thousands of acres of land were preserved as national parks and monuments and wildlife refuges, advancements were made in consumer protection and food safety and construction began on the Panama Canal.

The National Park Service has done a a really nice job organizing the exhibits and seeing items relating to every aspect of Roosevelt's eventful life gives you a much better sense of his accomplishments.

Here are some of his presidential firsts:

• In 1905, he became the first U.S. president to ride in a military submarine
• He was the first president to coin an internationally recognized trademark with his offhand remark "good to the last drop" about some coffee at the Maxwell House Hotel in Tennessee.
• He is the only U.S. president to have a famous toy named after him (the Teddy bear, named after a bear cub he refused to shoot during a 1902 hunt in Mississippi.)
• He was the first U.S. president to travel outside the country, when he visited Panama
• He was the first president to ride in an automobile.
• He remains the youngest person ever to hold the office of president. He was 42 when he was sworn in after William McKinley's assassination in 1901.
  
• He was responsible for putting Lincoln's profile on the penny.
• He invited Booker T. Washington as the first African-American guest at a White House dinner.

Open mouth, insert foot

I wonder if Nancy Coyne regrets saying this to a New York Times reporter. I mean, the last thing New York City - and Broadway - need in the middle of a recession is to be seen as unfriendly to tourists. I'm sure she meant it tongue-in-cheek, but still!

“The last 15 years have been boom years for theater — I always expected the pendulum to swing, and I simply see this as a correction,” said Nancy Coyne, chairwoman of the theater advertising agency Serino Coyne. “The good news is that so many straight plays are now coming in the spring, and I think New Yorkers will come out for them once the tourists go away. We’re horrible snobs. We hate tourists from Cleveland.”

Just for the record, during all of my trips to New York City over the past 18 months, this tourist has found New Yorkers to be incredibly helpful and friendly. I've never detected a shred of hatred - just the opposite, people have gone out of their way to be nice. Although, I'm not from Cleveland.

Remembering Beverly Garland

I was so sad to hear that actress Beverly Garland died Friday in California. Garland, who was 82, is best known for her role in the last three seasons of the long-running tv series My Three Sons, when her character marries widower Steve Douglas, played by Fred MacMurray. But I remember her for another reason - I once stayed at her hotel.

Twenty years ago, I made my first, and so far only, trip to Southern California. I spent a few days in San Francisco, (one of my favorite cities!) then met a friend in Palo Alto and we drove down the coast to Santa Barbara, where she was in grad school. It was my first time seeing the Pacific Ocean and it was pretty exciting. It really does look very pacific!

When we got to Santa Barbara my friend had to go back to class, so I rented a car and did some sightseeing on my own. I spent a day driving around the city, admiring all the Spanish-style architecture. I drove up north to the magnificent Hearst Castle.

One day I went south, to Los Angeles, so I could take the Universal Studios tour. I was a little nervous about driving to L.A. and contending with the city's notorious freeways. But I was so close to Hollywood and the magic of movies. How could I resist? I made it there without a problem although by the time I left, it was dark and I remember things were a little more hairy.

Universal was lots of fun. The tour takes you on a tram ride through the back lot. I was just looking through my photos and I have one of the Leave It to Beaver house and another of Cabot Cove, from Murder, She Wrote, and a few others that I can't remember what they're supposed to be. I also have pictures of the cars from Back to the Future and Knight Rider and a life-size cardboard cutout of Tom Selleck. I'm pretty sure we saw the shark from Jaws, too.

I thought I'd stay overnight and do some more sightseeing in the morning. I asked a guy at the information booth about a hotel and he suggested the Beverly Garland Hotel. He even said, "You know, the mom from My Three Sons. It was a great suggestion - the hotel, built by Garland's developer husband, was very nice. (It's now the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn.)

The next day, I drove to NBC studios in Burbank, where I saw The Tonight Show set. I stopped at Grauman's Chinese Theatre to see the footprints (and handprints and leg prints) of the stars in cement. I saw the Hollywood sign. I love being a tourist! I had a wonderful trip and Beverly Garland helped make it possible. So I'll always remember her very fondly.

A Lower Manhattan tour

While I still have a few more theatre reviews to post, I wanted to mention some of the other places I visited and things I saw during my week in New York City. Manhattan is such a wonderful place to explore on foot (and by subway, when I'm too exhausted to walk anymore.)

First, I stayed in Times Square, as I usually do. Because I was going to be in New York for seven nights, I wanted something a little cheaper than my previous hotels. Sarah, from Adventures in the Endless Pursuit of Entertainment, recommended the Comfort Inn on West 46th Street, literally a stone's throw from Times Square, and it was perfect. Plus, I had free Internet access and free continental breakfast!

Then, following one of Sarah's expertly designed tours, I spent a day exploring Lower Manhattan, taking the Number 1 subway downtown, from Times Square to South Ferry (being careful to ride in the first or second car) and then working my way back up along Broadway, through the Financial District, Chinatown and Little Italy to the Lower East Side, where I took the subway back to Times Square.

My first stop was Bowling Green, the oldest park in New York City, dating to 1733, where you can gaze upon the pink-roofed U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

A few steps away was the iconic bronze sculpture of a charging bull that's become a symbol of Wall Street - and always seems to have a steady stream of tourists waiting for a friend or family member to snap a picture.

I was under the impression that the bull had been a Wall Street fixture for ages, maybe put there by a stock exchange or one of the big brokerage houses.

But in doing a (very) little research, I found out that it was actually a gift from a sculptor named Arturo DiModica, who created it in his studio over two years and then one night in December 1989, surreptitiously loaded the 7,000-pound sculpture on a flatbed truck and deposited it in front of the New York Stock Exchange as a Yuletide gift symbolizing the "strength and power of the American people.'' The statue was later moved to its present location in Bowling Green.

At the intersection of Broadway and Wall Street is Trinity Church, completed in 1846. I recognized the church, and the subway station in front of it, from the Nicholas Cage movie National Treasure. There was a service going on inside, so I settled for a peek through the door and a walk around the grounds. If you go down Wall Street and turn around, you'll get a nice view of the neo-Gothic spire.

Queen Elizabeth II visited Trinity Church, an event commemorated by a plaque in the entryway: "On this spot stood her majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her gracious visit, 9 July 1976. His Royal Highness Prince Philip stood nearby." Good to know he was close at hand!

Walking down Wall Street, I stopped outside Federal Hall. The current building, the first U.S. Customs House, dates to 1842. But a previous structure on the site was where the first Congress met and where George Washington took the oath of office as our first president, on April 30, 1789.

Unfortunately, it was Veteran's Day, so Federal Hall was closed. I'll definitely have to come back on another trip and take a look inside. I also want to visit the Museum of American Finance.

Across the way from Federal Hall is the neo-Classical New York Stock Exchange, completed in 1803. You can't get close - there are barricades and security guards in front of the building. But it looks very stately and imposing, especially with the giant U.S. flag across the front.

One thing I didn't realize is that the lower end of Broadway, in the middle of the financial district, has been turned into giant and very crowded pedestrian mall, filled with a tantalizing array of vendors selling food and the ubiquitous Pashmina scarves.

Somehow I expected I'd be dodging men and women scurrying around in tailored suits, briefcases in hand and cell phones to their ears, buying and selling stocks and bonds. Instead, there were lots of tourists taking in the smell of various grilled meats, fish and poultry. It definitely lends a festive atmosphere to the area.

A very memorable stop on my tour was St. Paul's Chapel, a beautiful, historic little church dating from 1766 that has taken on new importance since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It's a bit off the normal tourist track but I highly recommend a visit. (It's also a nice place to sit down for awhile and take a bathroom break.)

The chapel's exhibits relating to Sept. 11 are incredibly moving. They detail St. Paul's role as a place of rest for recovery workers at ground zero after the attacks, and as a site for memorials to the victims.

The chapel is located across from what was the World Trade Center - if you walk out the back, you can see ground zero from the churchyard. After the collapse of the twin towers, St. Paul's became a place of rest, refuge and memory. You can see pictures and other mementos that friends and loved ones left on the fence outside the church in the days after the attacks.

But what really got to me was a display of teddy bears that were placed for comfort by the cots of weary recovery workers, who came to the chapel for a meal and a few hours of rest in between their shifts.

Even without the Sept. 11 connection, St. Paul's Chapel would still be an historic, interesting place to visit. It's Manhattan's oldest public building in continuous use. George Washington and members of Congress worshiped there on Inauguration Day, and you can see Washington's pew.

After St. Paul's, I continued toward Chinatown, walking past Foley Square, home of the state Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Southern District of New York - what Sarah dubs the Law and Order portion of the tour. Again, because it was a federal holiday, it was kind of quiet.

But things definitely picked up once I got to Chinatown - more pedestrians, more traffic, more interesting stores selling fresh fish and products whose names I couldn't read. The sights, the sounds, the smells were familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

Then all of a sudden, the Chinese letters on the storefronts disappear, replaced by Italian flags flying from light poles and you're in Little Italy.

What amazed me was how quickly things change - one minute you're in Asia and the next minute, in Europe. What a city! I walked down Mulberry Street and stopped at Ferrara's bakery for a delicious pastry to keep up my strength.

My final stop was the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Last year, I visited Ellis Island, which I definitely recommend for anyone interested in American history. I wanted to see where the immigrants lived once they passed through there, so the Tenement Museum seemed like the next logical step.

The museum tells the story of some of the nearly 7,000 immigrants - Jews, Italians, Irish - who lived in a tenement at 97 Orchard St. from the 1860s through the 1930s. What struck me was how dark and cramped and grim these apartments were, especially in the 19th century. This picture makes it look a lot brighter than it actually was inside.

There's been a great deal of research into the lives of the people who lived in this building, and you can take several tours that cover families from different eras and backgrounds.

The tour I took told the stories of the German-Jewish Gumpertz family, who lived there in the 1870s, and the Italian Catholic Baldizzi family, who lived in the building through the Great Depression.

And the fact that I found most fascinating, considering the current political climate regarding immigration, is that the father in the Baldizzi family arrived in this country as an illegal immigrant. He traveled from Italy to Canada, and then crossed illegally into the United States. But the difference from today is, it didn't seem to matter. Our guide told us that he was able to immediately start the process of becoming an American citizen.

So, it was a great day for a walk - and it pretty much took me all day, including a break for lunch and the Tenement Museum tour. I left my hotel around 11 a.m. and returned at about 5 p.m., and I feel like I just skimmed the surface of everything there was to see.