Hey guys! Here is my rather long review of my trip to NYC!
First of all, it almost didn’t happen. We live about 5 minutes away from the train station and it’s really bad that my sister knew that because the train was scheduled to leave at 7:30, but my sister spent so much time lollygagging around we didn’t end up even leaving here until 7:20! There was a light that we hit at the end of our street but luckily there is a pizza place there, so instead of waiting at the light she cut through the pizza place’s parking lot and I swear to GOD that was the difference between getting there on time or missing the train. When we got into the lobby it was final boarding call. Jesus!
The trip was exhausting. It felt like we were on the Amazing Race. The whole Amtrak experience going there wasn't too bad. They had reserved seats for us right next to the bathroom and there was plenty of leg room for me and my sister. The only bad thing that happened was getting off the train, the ramp was really narrow and I had to guide myself down using my legs as my sister gently pushed from behind and I was wearing really long pants and I was rolling down the ramp, my pants got caught in the wheels so badly that we had to borrow the train conductor’s knife to cut the one pant leg so I could get myself free! I am going to ignore the fact that the man just happened to carry a knife with him and instead be thankful for it. So, I had to throw out those pants. Lol
Coming back was a completely different experience. They were rude and unwilling to help in the slightest way. They didn't mark any seats reserved so this one lady who actually cut in front of me while I was trying to get onto the train proceeded to take the seat right next to the wheelchair accessible one, so my sister couldn't even sit by me which is bad because I needed her help to get stuff out of bags etc... We asked the lady if she would mind moving, but she refused so yeah, most likely a Trump supporter. They also sat us two cars away from the restroom which with a wheelchair was a death sentence. We had to go through the snack car which was always crowded. I pretty much held my pee in for about 6 hours before I couldn't handle it anymore. I don't know how I managed to do that every day of my life while teaching. Getting off the train, they deboarded us from business class where the opening was way narrower and it took forever to get me off the train because again, we got no help! as we were leaving one of the attendants was complaining about how now they were running off schedule. Not my problem lady maybe if you offered to help in any way.
The hotel was a complete nightmare! I booked a hotel right across from the theater (which I'm glad I did!) because it boasted about its ADA rooms and how accessible it was. I paid over $300 for one night and reserved an ADA room. It was pricey but for the center of Times Square not too bad. When we got there, the front desk said, "Oops sorry, I see that on your reservation it's noted that all the ADA rooms were sold out at the time of booking so we had to give you a regular one." so the DAY I booked it, they knew the room wasn't available but let me book it anyway? And then didn't even bother to let me know at any time before I arrived so I could cancel and go somewhere else. They seriously acted like this was no big deal. "Oh, it happens all the time" she laughed. "We'll just refund you the $50 for the ADA room fee." Are you serious lady?
So, there are 2 elevators to get upstairs. One was so narrow I wasn't able to get in there with my wheelchair. The other we barely fit. I had to be pushed all the way to the very back and my feet just got in there, and then my sister had to literally climb over me to get in. No one else was able to be in there. The actual doorway to get into the hotel room was so small I had to stand up, and she had to fold the wheelchair so this way it could fit in the room. But that's not even the WORST part. There was a step leading into the bathroom. A step! Thank GOD I'm not in the position that I am completely immobile and thought to bring my cane, because otherwise whenever I would have needed to go to the bathroom, I would have had to go down to the lobby. I didn't get to shower or anything because there was no way I would be able to get into or out of the shower without killing myself. We were on such a tight schedule there was really nothing I could even really do about it. We got to the hotel at about 6:15 and we needed to be down to the play by 7, by the time stage door ended it was nearly 11.
The actual play was the best experience. The theater was completely accessible. They let my sister, and I wait in the lobby and skip the line completely. Everyone who worked there was super nice and helpful. Our seats were great and even though the actual play was not that great, everyone who was in it was stellar! They let me right in the front by the barricade for stage door and everyone was so kind.
The play ended at around 9:45 and by 10:00 the first people came out. I already knew they weren’t coming out together which is great because it would have been complete bedlam. It was packed! I don’t know if it’s like that with every show but because of the star power of this one there were about four rows of people just standing and waiting. Luckily I was right out in front. You can tell by looking at my videos how incredibly close we were. So, I would say, if you want to stage door, you should leave right after the bows or maybe even before they are over. Bill Burr came out first followed by Michael McKean. Bill was nice, he asked me if I enjoyed the show. Michael McKean called me sweetheart and showed me his dog. I was too afraid I’d miss a Kieran sighting, so I didn’t pull up a picture of Chloe, but I told him about her. I also talked to Donald Webber who was really awesome in this. You can tell he is a Broadway veteran. He seemed completely comfortable up there. I asked him what was next for him, and he said they were going to start filming season three of Severance soon. He’s got a little part in that show. The other minor cast person I talked to, John Petruccelli, noticed my shirt and asked if I was Kieran fan lol I said I love how he towered over Kieran on stage and he really does! He’s got to be about 6ft5 at least to Kieran’s 5ft5 He said even though he towered over him physically Kieran’s stage presence makes him larger than life.
Bob came out next and was very nice. He was getting over being sick and was very hoarse and the stage manager announced that Bob wasn’t going to be talking to anyone and just signing, but he started a conversation with me. Asked me if I thought there was too much cursing in the show. Lol
And then we waited and waited and waited. Kieran was nowhere to be found. At one point the security team all went inside and the lobby lights shut and my heart just dropped. I was sure that meant he wasn’t coming out but then luckily almost 20 minutes after Bob left, he finally came out! He was being super apologetic for being late. He said he had multiple guests tonight. I think Macauley might have been there with his wife and her family because while we were waiting in the lobby a whole lot of people who looked like Brenda Song were being led into the theater and to the elevators.
As you saw, I had quite the lovely and perfect fan interaction with him. I will try to link all my videos in here if I can figure out how. He gave me one hundred and fifty percent of his attention. His eye contact was amazing! I felt like we were the only two people there and he made me feel like that. He was so excited about the bracelets and LOVED the Blork one, which is great because that was a last minute choice. He got a kick out of my Roman Roy eras shirt. And gave me two high fives, one of which he held onto my hand as if his life depended on it. I was so flustered by the experience, I forgot to ask him to sign my playbill and when I did he said “NO! Fuck You!” lmao but then of course signed it and also signed the bookmark I brought as well. My favorite part happened at the very end and I am so sad my sister didn’t get it. The video cuts off just as he’s saying to the person directly behind me who tried to get him to sign something other than the playbill he said “Sorry, I’m only supposed to sign playbills well except for her because she gave me stuff” and then he made a cringey face at me and winked. My whole life was made! After that, everything that had happened at the hotel was forgotten and I have been floating on cloud nine ever since.
One thing that was scary, when getting home, I found it very difficult getting up the steps to get inside. It's always been a struggle, but I was having a really hard time getting my leg high enough to step up and the other one literally just drags behind me now, so we are going to have to problem solve that. It's time to think about getting a ramp because soon I won't be able to leave my house, not that I ever really leave all that often, but still. So that was my trip. Sorry it was so long and ranty lol
I don’t think I’d ever be able to do anything like that again. I was completely out of commission yesterday and am barely up today, but it was worth it! So worth it!
I wrote this in word and it’s 4 pages long lmao I guess this counts as my writing for today!
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Topic: Am I going crazy or is our thread gone? (Read 1774 times)