My Date with Cate

I will begin by saying that I was a little bummed out about having lousy seats for the play "Maids", which only had a 10 day run in NYC. First dibs went to 'Friends of Lincoln Center'  which apparently I'm not.  I would be happy to be their friend, but it costs money.  And honestly, is it really a friendship if you have to pay for it?  The only aisle seats left after the "friends" bought almost everything, were the second row from the back so I knew I would pack binoculars.  

Then one week before we went, I got an email from Lincoln Center saying an unforeseen circumstance had occurred and a large multi media screen used during the performance was not visible from my seat.  Because of this they would refund 50% of the ticket price which was pretty sweet considering the tickets were $275 each.   But still, another disappointment that my seats were not great and how would Cate noticed me that far in the back?

The day finally arrived and we took the train to NYC early to spend the morning at the American Museum of Natural History.   I was antsy because I know every inch of this museum as it was ALWAYS the school field trip.  But Martha loves the dinosaurs and there was a special exhibit about pterosaurs, flying dinosaurs and so we went.  That turned out to be pretty interesting and I discovered this (sorry for the poor quality) :

Evolving from arms into wings - “skin flaps evolved on the sides of the body”

Well, that explains what is happening under my arms - I am evolving so that I will be able to fly. That’s cool.

Time to get to the theater.  When we found our seats I was delighted to discover that, like most NYC theaters, this was not very deep but had lots of balconies.  So our seats were not that bad, maybe 50 ft. from the stage. Further, I now understood that it was the balcony over us that would block the media screen but in reality we could see 95% of it.  I could see the stage and the screen plus I was being refunded $275.  The day was  brightening and my anticipation mounting.

I first opened my PlayBill to see this ad for Armani perfume.  I was beginning to have trouble sitting still.

And then the lights dimmed and there she was.  On stage in a bra and half slip.  And I with my binoculars was enjoying every inch.  I mean scene.  Not only did she prance around for the first  20 minutes in her underwear, but the other character spent a good deal of that time trying to feel her up and spraying perfume between her legs.  I kid you not.  The play was rather raunchy.   (Why didn't I go to acting school???)

For one hour and forty five minutes with no intermission, I watched this amazing actress prance and sing and tremble and dry hump another woman and grovel and spit.  She has such tremendous talent and seemingly no vanity.  Those close ups on that big screen were unforgiving -  her make up smeared, spittle hanging from her lips, crawling along a floor, her face smashed against a window, dressing and undressing on stage.  Watching her roll stockings up her mistress’ leg was almost orgasmic.  

I can’t even remember the number of curtain calls there were.   I was still stunned from the performance.  Even Martha came away from it in awe of her talents.  It was not until much later that I realized that Cate never did notice me sitting in the next to last row.  She did not ask me back to her dressing room or out for drinks later. 

Oh well, I will forever have her image engraved on my brain.  Yeah, go ahead and make that bigger. 

 

And hopefully there will be a next time.