Join me for “A Tale of Two Theatrical Adventures” as two longtime out actors have separate, but euphoric experiences with New York Theater on the same weekend.
I followed both simultaneously on social media as they shared the elation of their personal milestones, and the journeys made my Grinchy heart swell.
Up first, Stephen Blackwell.
As his 50th birthday approached, Stephen made the decision to venture forth on his own to the Big Bad Apple for the first time and see his first productions on the Great White Way.
We all know New York City can be expensive for visiting fans of Broadway. As he recounts his big adventure, Stephen also has tips that helped him save money along the way, including:
• The app TodayTix (and the website version todaytix.com) helped Stephen buy discounted tickets to Broadway shows in advance without standing in lines or worrying about what his choices would be.
• Instead of pricey hotels, Stephen stayed in an apartment blocks from the theater district and saved hundreds using AirBNB. If you haven’t tried the popular travel site, Stephen shares his experience.
• And don’t be afraid to reach out to friends you’ve made on social media. Stephen met up with someone he knew from Facebook, and that friend acted as a guide to what to do after an evening in the theater.
The other gentleman in this dual adventure, Ed Dixon, has enjoyed a long, successful career on Broadway, off-Broadway and beyond. He’s an actor, playwright, composer and author.
After more than four decades of great work, Ed was honored by the Drama Desk Awards for his latest project, Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose, on the same weekend Stephen was experiencing NY theater for the first time.
I interviewed Ed weeks before during the aftermath of his grand rave-review opening, but watching him share his big Drama Desk win on Facebook felt like I was there.
You can listen to my previous interview with Ed here.
At a time when it feels there’s so much doom, gloom and grousing on social media, I loved watching these stories play out in front of me in real time on the Book of Face.
Hit play below to listen to the two men’s simultaneous journeys.
Sometimes, it’s great to savor the good times 🙂
