I went on a Broadway BINGE this Spring, and of course it included going to see Hamilton again, for a third time!  It's the best show on Broadway right now and probably since RENT in the 1990s.  The media loves to say how hard it is to get tickets to see the show, but it's really not hard if you plan in advance and don't try to get one a week before.  Granted, I bought this ticket for this night about 9 months prior, but just recently the Hamilton producers cracked down on ticket scalping agencies and did a purge of the inventory of tickets that violated Ticketmaster's ticket limits.  Around 7pm on a Wednesday night, on Twitter and Facebook, it was announced that a new block of tickets (the reclaimed scalper tickets) for shows November 2016 - January 2017 were being released at 9pm.  Unlike an Adele concert, the new block of tickets were swept up within an hour instead of a minute, so you had time to look at different dates and seating locations.  My point is tickets can happen at face value if you "wait for it, wait for it" - oh man, quoting the show now.  Bottom line, this show is worth any wait, so go and get them!  I suspect the February 2017 and beyond block will go on sale soon.


On the train ride up to the city, the Broadway binge started out perfectly because I had some free Amtrak reading material on the aforementioned topic - Mr. Miranda's Hamilton.  That show wasn't the only reason I was excited to head back north to the Great White Way.  I've been anticipating the opening of Sara Bareilles' new musical, Waitress, since the release of her preview album with Jason Mraz.


Based on the film of the same title, starring Keri Russell, the Waitress experience starts as soon as you walk in the door.  They claim that an actual pie is baking somewhere in the lobby.  It definitely smells good, and not too strong or off putting like a Yankee Candle Company candle or plug in scent, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out where the smell started and how they would allow an operational oven inside a historic theater.  If only I could let mysteries remain mysteries!  The pie theme did not stop there.  At the concession stands, the were selling little pies in jars!


Walking into the theater, besides the image of a lattice top of a cherry pie being printed on the stage curtain, the side of the stage had two large towers of spinning pie displays, like a diner would have.  Obviously a lot of thought went into the design of this production.


The show was outstanding, and all of the actors were impressive.  It's hard not to fall for Drew Gehling as the OB/GYN doctor, but the show stealer is Christopher Fitzgerald as Ogie, the nerdy customer who wins the heart of one of the waitresses.


I also caught the Roundabout Theater revival of "She Loves Me" starring Laura Benanti, Zachary Levi, Gavin Creel, and Jane Krakowski.  This is your old school, Broadway romance musical style show.  Cute for sure!  "She Loves Me" is the inspiration for the movie "You've Got Mail" with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan -- two pen pals who have fallen for each other and don't realize they are adversaries in real life.

To round out the binge, I saw an off-Broadway production of "The Robber Bridegroom" with Stephen Pasquale that was too cheesy to enjoy.  I also suffered 3 hours and 45 minutes watching Jessica Lange and cast mates slowly inch their way through the script for "A Long Day's Journey Into Night."  I had high expectations for that play, but I'm not sure if it was the writing, the melodramatic acting, or both that had me itching in my seat to leave, only to be stuck in the middle of the row overpowered by manners.

Even with the two misses, I still think that it was a good spring show binge.  I also did a lot of exploring in the city and found Fishs Eddy in the Flatiron District that had some fun kitchen and serving ware, including these Hamilton Musical-inspired shot glasses - "I am not throwing away my shot!" (more quoting)


My other big find for the trip was so gorgeous and so tasty, I had to go back again the next night.  I HAD TO! Amorino - on 8th Avenue in the Theater District or at 3 other locations.  Gelato flowers, people!!!