Flashback to 2008. The Tony Awards. The performance: In The Heights. I. Was. In. Love. Living in Virginia made it a little hard to get up to Broadway to check the actual show out. Instead I had to make due with the soundtrack, which I memorized probably the day I bought it - shortly after it won the Best New Musical Tony. I told my sister about the show and she, too, promptly fell in love with the soundtrack and story. We both have been DREAMING to see it.
Flash forward to 2010. Broadway is now in my backyard. In The Heights is still on Broadway but will be closing January 9th. I tell my sister on the phone that I have an early Christmas present to give her while she's here. She sounds kind of bummed that I'm giving her a present so early. So, come Saturday morning I pick her up at the bus station and we head back to my apartment for her to throw her stuff down. I say "OK, we have to go get your present now! We're going to the TKTS booth at South Street Seaport." This means absolutely nothing to her. I can't hold it in anymore: "We're going to see In The Heights!" At this point, my sister has a "are you serious?!?!" fantastic reaction. We head over to the booth and get tickets for the Sunday matinee. SCORE! Dream coming true.
We spent the afternoon in the West Village where I took her to the Cosby Show house, FRIENDS building and Magnolia Bakery. On the walk home we stopped by Washington Square Park to check out Tic and Tac, twin street performers I actually saw 10 years ago when I came to NYC on a drama club field trip in high school. By the end of the show, it was so cold and we were tired from so much walking that we decided to come back to my apartment and take a nap before dinner at Esperanto.
I just had to take my sister to Rockwood while she's here so we went to Caleb Hawley's record release show. Ran into my cousin's girlfriend while we were there and it was great to see her. Lolly (my sister) hadn't seen her since June at her wedding so it was nice for them to catch up. It was brief though, because we had to get back to the West Village because some of Lolly's camp friends were celebrating someone's birthday and she wanted to surprise them all that she was here. It was great! I thought I wasn't going to know anyone but my sister but our friends Zach and Dave were also there and I hadn't seen them since the June wedding. Meeting the rest of the camp people was really superb too... they're really all amazing people. Check out their camp: Double H Ranch (one of the Paul Newman camps).
This morning the two of us got up early and headed to Brooklyn to visit one of my sister's former campers. We met her at her house and met her entire family who were all so sweet. Hugs from everyone and I'd never met any of them before! Her camper decided we should go to McDonald's and get some chicken nuggets and drinks. Just by observing their interaction, I could easily tell my sister was an amazing camp counselor. I really admire her!! Her camper does too. We walked her back to her house and said goodbye because it was time to head to In The Heights!
Let me tell you. Lolly and I were MESMERIZED from beginning to end. At the end of the first act we were both completely teary eyed and then cried pretty much the entire second half of the second act. I can't imagine seeing this show with anyone other than Lolly. We looked at each other right before the end of the first act and the feelings were just understood. That's the beauty of having a sister who is also your best friend though. You get what the other is thinking by a look - no words needed. I'm so thrilled we got to share it on Broadway today!! P.S: this was also my sister's first Broadway show. Pretty great first show!
Oh yes, and just one more reason to love Kenny Ortega: he's directing the movie version of In The Heights, set to come out in 2011.
It must be so awesome to have a sister that is your best friend too! Definitely something I missed out on having a brother who is 10 years younger. But watching you two interact is so nice and I love seeing you two together. Now...if only I was a Nilsen! :)
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