Taking advantage of the cultural offerings:

We've seen a lot of shows lately. There's really nothing better than a live show, be it a play or musical performance. I can't believe how much of my adult life was spent in rehearsal for my own shows, therefore missing most of what the rest of the world had to offer. No more! Now I just go, watch, absorb, and am on my way. Delightful.

Some of what we have seen as of late:

King Lear by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Sir Ian McClellan (sp?) played Lear and it was stunning. The set, the color, the lighting, the sound design, the acting... all around a freaking fantastic theatrical experience from start to finish. The kind of show that gives you chills when it begins. It also helped that it was done at the BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) Harvey Theatre, which is a crumbling old beauty of a theatre that, in itself, is a piece of art.

Kronos Quartet, also at BAM and also in the Harvey Theatre. Kronos is this amazing avante-garde musical ensemble that does some stunning stuff with their instruments, but also uses various media and set dressings that create strange and beautiful shows. This particular show began with a giant (maybe 30 foot tall) marionette on stage next to the quartet. The chest of the marionette opened, and inside was a small (and creepy) puppet show that moved along to the music. Simultaneously, the images were projected onto a screen high above the stage. It was all so very cool.

The Misanthrope at New York Theatre Workshop. Quite possibly the best play I have ever seen. If you happen to be in New York and you are reading this: go see this play. The acting was flawless, in my opinion (and Rick's). They also played around with live video during the show, filming actors and showing it on plasma screen tv's mounted on the minimalist set. This got especially interesting when the spicy action spilled outside the theatre and onto the street, catching passers by off guard -- and on film. Quite an effect for us still in our seats. Also exciting was the fact that Bill Pullman sat directly in front of us. I really like Bill Pullman. I like that movie Zero Effect that he did back in the 90's. He's doing a play here right now, and he was with the director of that play (who Rick, of course, knew.)

Which brings me to a slight sidebar: seeing celebrities in New York City. Yeah... I haven't seen too many. Not that I am obsessed with famous people (please, I am way more obsessed with, like, my dog) but it is interesting to see someone who you have ever only seen in films. I have seen:

Elijah Wood (on the 1 train going uptown. He has beautiful skin.)

Heath Ledger (in Park Slope, before his divorce and with his child.)

Kevin Smith (somewhere in the Village, at night)

Steve Buschemi (actually I have seen him several times as he lives right near my work. I always think of Donny in The Big Lebowski.)

Maggie Gyllenhall (this is a maybe sighting... none of us could be sure if it was actually her. Also, I did not bother looking up how to spell her last name.)

Paul Giamatti (I have never seen him but Rick regularly sees him shopping in St. Marks bookstore.)

I have not seen Liv Tyler. If I did , I would probably approach her and say something like "Hi, Liv. Even though I don't know you at all, you seem really super-cool and I don't have a lot of girl-type friends here yet, so maybe you'd like to come to my super-cute apartment in Greenpoint and I'll make us tea like I used to make all my best girlfriends during our undergrad days in college and we can reminisce about coming-of-age in Tuscany that one summer -oh, wait that was you in Stealing Beauty- sometimes I get confused because I've seen it so many times, oh wait... please don't run away - no, you don't have to call the cops, I swear I am not a stalker... okay, yeah. Yeah. Bye. Call me."

Okay, I am not a freak. I swear. Just tired. And with that, I'll leave to go eat raviolis. Or rather, I will go eat raviolis.