an old-fashioned play with some contemporary twists

It was probably a couple of months ago when three of my friends and I got tickets to see My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center for today. We even agreed that lunch before would be great.

But then yesterday I wake up with a scratchy throat, runny nose, watery eyes, and a heavy head. All I want to do is sleep.  When someone suggests it might be allergies (and reminds me that I feel like this every spring), I conclude that's probably what it is.  Though of course I can't be sure.

Today I awake after 9 hours of sleep, and feel a little hung over (despite having had no alcohol in a week). I  send the following email to my friends:

I am so sorry to do this, but I am going to skip lunch and go to theater.

I hope I don’t ruin it for all of you (lunch, I mean), but this head cold is making me just want to sleep…so rather than be bad company at lunch, I’ll rest up and be decent company to sit next to.

See you in our seats. 

xx

But then I get this email from my friend X:

Should we all cancel?

Also, if you are sick I don’t want to get sick ( sorry...) so I don’t want  to sit near you. Is it too late to reschedule everything?

And then this from my friend C:

That was my concern yesterday :((

So I call the theater and try unsuccessfully to re-schedule my ticket. I email everyone again:

Sorry everyone for causing such a mess. I did try calling to see if I could change date just for myself and there were no good single seats (I wanted a Wed matinee…guess they are very popular). And, C would have had to change the tickets because my ticket was purchased on her credit card.

But I really think my head cold is allergies as I seem to get this around the same time each year so I don’t think (and do hope) that I’m not contagious.

I won’t hug or kiss anyone.

See you in the seats.

The end, I think.

But then I get a call from C; who like X, also doesn't want to sit next to me. I'm starting to feel a bit like a pariah.

I am about to call the theater again, but then I remember. We have three seats together (me, X and C) and two seats together (S and her friend)  a few rows back. Fortunately S and her friend are not afraid to sit next to me.  So S and her friend switch their seats with X and C and now everyone is happy (I think).

Before coming, I didn't think I'd make it through three hours (my theater preference is 90 minute one-acts). But the beautiful music, with all its recognizable songs, grabs hold of me from the beginning and never lets go. 

I doubt Lauren Ambros will be remembered as one of the better Eliza's, but the overall show is great. When Freddy sings On The Street Where You Live I almost start crying; others do. There is much creativity in the sets, the choreography, and the costuming. And even the changed ending makes eminent sense for today's audience.

I love every minute, and think of my dad. This is exactly his kind of show.