I have always loved musicals. When I was small, my mom got musical soundtracks from the library and would play them in the car whenever she took me to go swimming or to school. Some of my favorite childhood memories were of me and my mom singing these songs at the top of our lungs. She introduced me to shows like The Sound of Music, The Producers, and Joseph and the Technicolor Coat. This love for the arts only grew in middle school, when I took part in two different school shows, Aladdin and Bye Bye Birdie, both of which were some of the best experiences I have ever had. Musical soundtracks, mixed with the dancing, the sets, and the production have always transported me to a new world where I am watching new stories unfold, about love, friendship, and everything in between. Musical theatre has always been a huge part of my life, and if it wasn’t for my mom who introduced me to this genre in the first place, I probably would not be the person I am today.
Over the summer, using the money I earned from my internship, I decided to repay my mom for bringing this world into my life by getting the two of us tickets to a Broadway show. My mom has always wanted to go to a Broadway show. Every time she watches the Tony Awards and sees the live performances, I see the light in her eyes shine brighter than ever. So, on a whim, I bought tickets to a 2:00 pm showing of the musical Some Like It Hot for us, and I knew she was more than excited to spend a day with me and do something that we both love and have always wanted to do.
On the day of the performance, my mom and I took a train to Grand Central early in the morning. We had planned out the day so that we would be able to grab lunch near the train station, and then walk down to the Shubert Theatre. Once we arrived, we went to a small poke place near Grand Central that I had found. We ate to our hearts’ content and figured that we would be able to walk off and digest our food when we headed to the show. After finishing our bowls, we took the 15-minute walk from the train station to the theatre. While walking, we got to take in the sights of New York and enjoy the time we had with just the two of us. After standing in line for about 30 minutes, we finally were able to go into the theater, find our seats, and wait for the show to begin.
Some Like It Hot is a musical comedy based on the 1959 Marilyn Monroe movie by the same name. Set in Chicago during the prohibition era, the show follows two jazz musicians who are forced to flee the city after witnessing a mob hit at one of their performance venues. With mob gangsters hot on their heels, they disguise themselves as women and join an all-female cross-country band to get out of plain sight and as far away from the crime and the mobsters as possible. This leads them on a life-chasing and life-changing trip that they will never forget.
1. The Music And Dancing
The music and dancing that is involved in musical theatre is honestly one of my favorite parts of every show and this one show in particular did not in any way disappoint. Each song was so upbeat and had a jazz flavor interviewed into every measure. Every time the cast got ready to sing another song, I had to stop myself from getting up and dancing alongside the ensemble. The dancing numbers were even more addicting to watch. It was hard to pick one thing to focus on, because my mom and I both wanted to hear what each of the songs were saying, but also wanted to see and enjoy the beautiful dance numbers. This particular show also interweaved tap dancing into many of their numbers, which only added to the spectacular performance we got to witness on stage.
2. The Cast
The cast of the performance made the show so much better. We were lucky enough to see the show with the original Broadway cast, meaning that the actors we saw were truly made for the roles they were playing. J. Harrison Ghee (Jerry/Daphne), Natasha Yvette Williams (Sweet Sue), Adrianna Hicks (Sugar), and two-time Tony Award winner Christian Borle (Joe/Josephine) (among the remaining amazing cast and crew) did a phenomenal job keeping the audience on their toes the entire time, and also making us laugh at every moment. Each joke was better than the previous one which made this experience so much better. I literally did not stop smiling throughout the entire performance, which made this day so much better and so much more special.
After the show had ended, my mom and I decided to end off this perfect day by grabbing a few croissants and boba teas from a small shop called Tiger Sugar near Grand Central before catching the 5:27 pm train home.
This was by far the best experience I have ever had. Not only was it the very first Broadway show I had the pleasure of attending (and hopefully not the last), but it was also a great experience that I was able to share with my mom. Just seeing the sheer enjoyment and happiness on her face made the whole day so much better, and I was glad that I could do something special to repay her for all the things she has done for me throughout my life. I honestly couldn’t have imagined my first Broadway experience to be any better, from the show itself to the company I had with me. This experience really brought me back to my love for the theater, a passion and an interest that will hopefully never go away.