PRICE OF ADMISSION

Years ago… we went to Toronto to see The Phantom Of the Opera. My husband and I love Broadway. But the cost of spending a weekend in New York, New York is a bit prohibitive, these days. So we opt to do the next best thing. We buy tickets to our local Broadway Series. Our Civic Center brings in professional theater troupes from around the country, four or five times a year, and we get to see the latest BIG NAME shows, at a fraction of the price and with a lot less hassle. So far this season we’ve seen… The Drowsy Chaperone, The Rat Pack, The Pajama Game & Bye-Bye Birdie. It’s exciting, fun and we have a blast going. My hubby always has to rush home from work by 6:15pm. He barely gets through the front door, before we’re leaving to go downtown. The shows start promptly at 7:30pm. No time to change clothes. No problem. Things here are kind of laid back… so nobody gets dressed up for these events… and that makes it kind of nice, since they’re usually held on a weeknight, instead of a weekend. Since I can’t stand for long periods of time and have trouble walking… there is no mingling, in a lobby crowded with people, with no place to sit. So… we end up staying in the car, talking… until fifteen minutes before the show starts. Once we know the doors are open, we sneak in, heading straight to our seats. Our seats in the auditorium are always on the end of an aisle, usually rows J or K. Because we get there later… we don’t have to keep… sitting and standing to let other folks into the row.  We deliberately position ourselves close to the bathroom for intermission to beat the flocks of people who will be heading there. Once situated in our chairs, we wait... listening to hushed whispers from those around us. Interesting stories abound. When the lights dim, you can hear a pin drop, as the curtain goes up. The hall is immediately transformed into another time and place. And for two or more hours, we are there… somewhere, far removed from our daily lives. Emotions running rampant.What could be better than live theater?  Sadly… the time goes much too quickly, and before you know it, the performers are taking their final bows, as thunderous applause erupts from the room. Memories will linger, for endless conversation. But as the curtain closes, and reality hits us squarely in the face. It’s OVER. That magical place and the anticipation of going there, gone. Yet, we gather our coats… heading for the door, knowing it was worth the price of admission and so much more.