Jill was eager to see the Statue of Liberty. Not only has she read about it in school; she also sees it three times a week at the beginning of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire." Who says TV isn't educational?
The odd thing about visiting Miss Liberty is that you enter the monument from the back side. This is not a very flattering view. Gazing up at her ample proportions, I thought, this must be what it's like for little kids to stand behind me in line at Walt Disney World. My sincere apologies to all you little Mouseketeers out there.
The queue extends outside the monument, under a large tent. There are actually two lines, one on the left and one on the right. We chose the left, and I pretended it was the FASTPASS line. Unfortunately, this didn't get us inside any faster than the people in the standby line. It was still a 45 minute wait. Once inside, you must decide between visiting the crown (an ascent of 22 stories, with a 2 hour wait) or taking the elevator to the 10th floor observation deck at the top of the pedestal. Mike had been gung ho about getting to the crown (damn him and that Stairmaster at the health club!), but was put off by the long wait and the fact that the staircase was jammed with people, who were moving at a rate of about one step every 10 minutes. Oh, and a Park Ranger also told us that the crown only has a view of Brooklyn. Ha! So we settled for the observation deck. Once you get off the elevator, you still must walk up 24 steps to the observation platform. This provides some nice views of the city, at a tolerable height, but don't turn around and look up at the statue unless you want to experience serious vertigo. Yikes! Unfortunately, you can't take the elevator back down unless you're a Senior Citizen, so we descended the dark, narrow stairs carefully. This provided me with some exciting moments, as I recently had cataract surgery on my left eye, and I'm now farsighted in that eye and nearsighted in my right eye, making depth perception a little tricky on staircases.
We also visited the museum in the pedestal, which had some interesting exhibits. On the whole, this was a nice experience, but I do wish they would get rid of the institutional gray paint in the staircase area and replace it with something brighter and more cheerful. Not only does the gray paint make it terribly dark, but it feels like a prison.
Our next stop was Ellis Island, just a short ferry ride away. I was disappointed to see that only the main building has been refurbished, while the outbuildings still sit abandoned and decaying. This is a shame, as they are beautiful structures. I can envision these buildings being turned into a resort with private ferry service to Manhattan. Maybe the Mouse could ...
Nah.
Anyway, the main building is most impressive, with ornate architectural detailing, and the ceiling of the Registry Room is a sight to behold. It's very high and rounded, and it's done completely in tile set in a herringbone pattern. I enjoyed the exhibit "Treasures from Home," which showcases family heirlooms brought to America by immigrants from all over the globe. There is also a film, entitled Island of Hope, Island of Tears, which is quite moving, and makes one proud to be an American. We visited the Wall of Honor, which lists 420,000 names of immigrants who passed through Ellis Island. This is very much in the spirit of Leave a Legacy. Mike found his grandparents' names, which his aunt arranged to have placed on the wall.
This is where we discovered the true Tower of Terror attraction. First I would like to say that, although the Empire State Building is a very impressive sight from the outside, and the 86th floor observation deck provides some stunning views, the interior of the building is ... well ... dumpy. It's a pity. Even the lobby is not impressive.
In order to purchase tickets to the observation deck ($7 for adults, $4 for kids), you must go down to the basement level, where you will stand in a long line in an ugly hallway, which leads to an even uglier room, with a winding queue, where one woman is distributing tickets. Yuck. It's horrible. Couldn't they have painted the walls with some murals depicting the building's history? Heck, even a King Kong poster would help.
While you wait in line, a sleazy guy will yell at you to come upstairs and buy a combination ticket to the observation deck and a simulator attraction themed to the Empire State Building. Apparently this involves a helicopter ride through city landmarks, including FAO Schwarz. I'm still not sure how the helicopter gets inside the toy store, but it must be one heck of a ride. We decided that this couldn't be as good as Star Tours, so we passed. Besides, I think the guy hawking tickets sells watches out of a briefcase in his spare time. And he compared the ride to Universal instead of Disney, so what the heck does he know?
With tickets finally in hand, we got in line for the elevator, and here is where I was terrified. People just piled into the small elevator, with no regard to the fact that there was a child in their midst, or that the elevator has a weight limit. I checked. It was 3500 pounds. There were at least 16 people in there. I dread to think what it would have been like if the elevator had gotten stuck. There would have been no room for anyone to even sit down. ("Dis does not please me!")
Once out on the deck (thank God!), we got some good photos, though it was incredibly windy on three sides of the building. There's a line of dialogue in the musical Annie about cleaning the floors until they shine like the top of the Chrysler Building, and it's true. The Chrysler Building glimmers with a golden glow in the setting sun. It's beautiful.
Next time, though, we go to the World Trade Center.
I was going home again.
No, not to the zoo. To the Bronx! Although this reminds me of a cartoon I saw once. It showed two kids looking at animals in a zoo. The signs in front of the cages read: "BOIDS" and "TOITLES", and one kid says to the other, "This must be the Bronx Zoo."
I lived for many years just a stone's throw from the Bronx Zoo and the nearby New York Botanical Gardens. When I was little, I would go to the Botanical Gardens on Easter with my cousins, and we would take group photos in our Easter finery. I spent time there as a teen-ager working on an ecology project, testing the water in the Bronx River. And I have pictures of me and my Dad in the Children's Zoo when I was just a toddler. I've got a really funny picture that shows me riding a camel (how appropriate for Iago!), and the guy leading the camel is spitting. The camera caught him in mid-spit. I thought it was the camels that were supposed to spit! I'm trying to imagine the Aladdin parade with the Cast Members spitting instead of the camels. Eeew.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. The zoo. The Bronx Zoo is the largest urban zoo in the United States, and is, in my opinion, a must-see when visiting New York. Admission is $9 for adults, and $5 for children. And on Wednesdays, the zoo admission is free!
Their most recent addition is Congo Gorilla Forest ($1 per person entrance fee), which is a state-of-the-art habitat for gorillas and other jungle creatures, like okapi and red river hogs. The main viewing area is a large room with floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking a hillside that is home to a family of gorillas. Ironically, on the day we visited, none of the gorillas was outside. They had gathered in a tiny corner of the indoor viewing area, right up against the glass. The three youngsters (Layla, Kongo-Mbeli, and Kumi), all under two years of age, were lined up in a row. Naturally, they had attracted an appreciative audience, all of whom were jockeying for the best viewing position. The Bronx Zoo has done a fabulous job with this exhibit. The theming is almost (but not quite) on a par with Animal Kingdom. One problem is that the New York City plant life simply does not look like the kind of thing that grows in Africa. The zoo has incorporated some artificial trees and vines to lend more of an authentic feeling, but obviously they don't have the advantage of being in a warm climate like Florida.
Still, they are making a very good effort in their African animal exhibits. There is even a small area themed to look like an African village called Somba. It is not as convincing as Harambe, but the huts and the artificial termite mounds are nice touches. Try not to look at the apartment buildings across from the zebras and the gazelles, though. It ruins the illusion.
There is even a savanna with its own Pride Rock, cleverly and unobtrusively separated from the grazing antelopes nearby. The giraffes are actually housed indoors, in the Carter Giraffe Building.
Unfortunately, the monorail through Wild Asia does not open until May 1st, so we weren't able to see that large area. A glimpse from the highway showed that the monorail must be much smaller than the Disney version, and a lot closer to the ground. But the zoo has wisely created a number of specialized indoor exhibits, where guests can view animals comfortably even during the winter months. These are all very well done, and it would take a full day to see everything. We didn't even come close.
The only sad part for me was seeing how the former heart of the zoo, with its old-fashioned but architecturally stunning buildings, and beautiful fountain, is now the most deserted section of the park. If it weren't for the sea lion pool, which has been in the same location since forever, I doubt there would be any visitors in that area. The zoo is building a brand new shopping and dining section, which I'm sure will be beautiful, but it's a shame that they didn't refurbish the old buildings for this purpose instead. They have converted the elephant and rhino building into a gift shop, and it's really stunning. The animal carvings and copper roofs on these old buildings are real treasures, and they deserve to be brought back to life.
By the way, if you miss the Skyway in the Magic Kingdom, you will love the Skyfari here. And it's a well kept secret that Mickey maintains a New York pied-a-terre here. What else can The Mouse House be?
Since our hotel was right at Duffy Square, we planned to purchase half-price tickets to a Broadway show for our first evening in the city. After checking the New York Times site for the week prior to our trip, we figured we had the best chance at Cats, Riverdance, and Annie Get Your Gun. (The show had to be family-friendly.) Beauty and the Beast never showed up as available on the Times web site.
But surprisingly, seats were available for Wednesday, April 5th, so we grabbed them. Three orchestra seats at $42.50 each. The TKTS booths don't accept credit cards or checks, so be prepared with cash. We had seen Beauty and the Beast at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, but we were seated up in nosebleed territory, and watching the show was like looking down into a well. We hoped that this experience would be better. Also, Andrea McArdle is currently playing Belle, and I was eager to see her in the role. I had seen her in Annie way back in the '70s, and my cousin, Allison Smith, also played Annie on Broadway, so I felt an odd sort of connection to this production.
Beauty and the Beast moved from the Palace Theatre a few months ago to make room for Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida, so the show is now at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Our seats turned out to be in Row N, all the way on the left side facing the stage. It was thrilling to be so close to the action, but this location did have one drawback, which I'll get to in a moment.
This is a beautiful show, with gorgeous costumes and some lovely music. If you've seen the Beauty and the Beast show at the Disney-MGM Studios, you know that the magical household objects in that production are portrayed in costumes that completely cover the actors, which takes away most of the human element from them. But in the Broadway show, the clever costumes permit the actors' personalities to show through. We can actually see their faces, and their forms are more human, allowing freer movement. As the story progresses, the costumes go through subtle changes that show the characters becoming more and more inanimate as time runs out for them. Mrs. Potts' hat becomes more like a teapot cover than a cap; Lumiere experiences what can only be referred to as ... waxy build-up; and Cogsworth suddenly sprouts a wind-up key in his back. There is a sense of desperation that adds to the suspense of the story. The most amazing costume belongs to Chip, who appears on various tables and trays as a disembodied head within a large teacup. You will not believe your eyes. Logically, I know the effect must be achieved with mirrors, but it still left me scratching my head, wondering where in the heck the actor's body was. Click here to read more about this show's costume design.
There are several songs in the Broadway show that are not in the film, including "Human Again," "Home," and "If I Can't Love Her." I understand that "Human Again" is to be added to the re-release of the movie, which should be interesting. However, it was "If I Can't Love Her" that I found to be the most beautiful and moving song. It ends Act I, as the Beast sings on the balcony of the west wing. This scene is reminiscent of "Out There" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The feeling of longing is very similar.
I liked "Home," but I really didn't care for Ms. McArdle's interpretation of it. Overall, I think that the role of Belle is not a perfect match for her talents. I think she lacks a certain gentleness that, to me, is the essence of Belle. She tends to belt all the songs out, and she seems a bit wooden in her acting. Almost as though she's not comfortable in the role.
But the story overcomes this problem. In any case, it's the character of Lumiere that is the showy, audience-pleasing role. He got a huge round of applause, as did Gaston and the Beast. It would take an extraordinary actress playing Belle to steal this show.
As for choreography, the best moment comes in the tavern with Gaston, LeFou, the silly girls, and other townspeople. They clink their beer tankards together in a rhythmic, complicated dance routine that is pure fun. For spectacle, the "Be Our Guest" number is fabulous, and this time we were close enough to appreciate the incredible details on the costumes. The cake server, the egg timer, and the flatware are all fantastic.
The only thing that bothered me about the show was the fact that, from my seat on the far left, I could see one particular stagehand almost throughout the entire performance. He wasn't even dressed in black, which is the tried-and-true formula for making things disappear in the theater. He was wearing jeans and a polo shirt, and his bare hand was constantly holding back the curtain for performers making entrances or exits. I was appalled. I kept thinking, this is Broadway, this is Disney. But this guy belongs in a bad community theater production. Whatever happened to checking sight lines from every seat? Ugh. I really wanted to say something to someone, but I would have felt ridiculous reporting the problem to an usher. Dis did not please me.
Thankfully, the stage was dark enough during the Beast's transformation that I was able to forget about the stagehand. And what a transformation this is! Nothing like the awkward, fumbling-under-the-cape deal that is staged at the Disney-MGM Studios. This version looks just like the film. The Beast rises up in the air, spins around, and magically morphs into the Prince. It's a wonderful effect. Truly magical.
After the curtain calls, the actor playing the Beast took a couple of minutes to announce that the Broadway shows were all raising money for two AIDS charities. Certain items were offered as bonuses for particular levels of donations. One of them was dubbed "The Beaster Basket," and contained various goodies related to the production. The announcement was done with both good humor and good taste.
After several days of nice weather, our last day in New York began very differently. The temperature was 33 degrees, and snow was blowing sideways and sticking to that ugly rooftop next door. So much for those nice spring outfits we had brought to wear to the play! Jill's sandals and my new suede shoes got packed away in our suitcases, to be replaced by sneakers. We were freezing as we walked the five blocks to the New Amsterdam Theatre on 42nd St.
Once inside, I forgot all about the weather. Disney has done a magnificent restoration job on this theatre. All around the lobby, near the ceiling, are bas-relief scenes from classic plays. The ones that I took note of were all Shakespeare plays, but there may have been others as well. A Tony Award is displayed in a glass case. The carpeting is decorated in a beautiful floral design. Once you take your seat, you can admire the incredibly elaborate carvings on the walls and ceiling. It seems that there is not an inch of space left undecorated. This is a truly magnificent setting.
Our seats were once again in the orchestra, but this time we were all the way on the far right. I was worried that I would be distracted by stagehands again, but things proved to be much better than at Beauty and the Beast. The only real disadvantage to this location came during the wildebeest stampede scene, when most of the effect of the herd coming over the edge of the gorge was blocked. We could see everything else perfectly, though.
I can't say enough good things about this production. It has tremendous dignity to it, but it's not stuffy at all. This really feels like a celebration of Africa. My mother cried during the opening number, which is just as breathtaking as in the film. It was stunning to see the animals converging on Pride Rock. The puppets and masks are simply unbelievable. They seem ancient, but at the same time, futuristic.
There are so many different forms of puppetry used in this show, the most surprising of which is shadow puppetry. This is used to great effect when we first encounter Scar. The little mouse that he snatches in the film is rendered as a shadow puppet in the play. It's very clever the way he "catches" the shadow. Both Zazu and Timon are rod puppets, operated by actors who must manipulate the creatures while speaking the character's lines. This is done so well that it's not distracting at all, and the actor and the puppet become one. The large Timon puppet is actually attached to the front of the actor's costume, so which ever way the performer moves his legs, Timon does the same. I was amused to see the actor playing Zazu wearing a bowler hat. I asked my buddy Zazu what in the world he was doing wearing a bowler hat when I've never even seen him get within a mile of a bowling alley. He proceeded to give me the whole history of the bowler hat. I think I lost him somewhere in the 19th century.
The lionesses wear large headpieces and flowing scarves. There is a very dramatic scene when they are mourning Mufasa's death, and they reach up and pull long ribbons from the eyes of the headpieces, to represent their flowing tears. It was surreal. It made me think of Mummenschanz. Remember them?
Scar and the hyenas have long, downwardly curving necks, from which their headpieces hang. So when Scar looks menacingly at another character, the audience really is looking into the face on the headpiece, rather than at the actor's face. Scary.
There are a lot of high-tech devices used on the set, which amazingly do not detract from the sense that the characters are on the African plains. Pride Rock rises up out of the stage, Mufasa's body sinks into the ground, various grubs pass along in front of young Simba on a moving platform, and there are a couple of scenes where wires (à la Peter Pan) are used to support flying and falling characters. The wildebeest stampede is achieved through an ingenious use of forced perspective that I can't even begin to describe. The animals start off small in the background, and gradually get larger and larger, until they surround Simba completely.
I can see aspects of this show in both "Legend of the Lion King" in the Magic Kingdom, and "Festival of the Lion King" in Animal Kingdom. There are puppets in "Legend," and live singers and dancers in "Festival." The Broadway version of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" even has several pairs of performers "flying" on wires in an aerial ballet, like the bird character in "Festival."
Every song in the musical is fantastic. I was especially moved by "He Lives in You" and "Endless Night." Samuel E. Wright (the voice of Sebastian in The Little Mermaid) is perfect as Mufasa. The audience loved him. And ladies, take note. The adult Simba we saw (Christopher Jackson) certainly has not been lying around sleeping for 20 hours a day like most male lions. He's been working out! Be still my heart.
Stagebill has several excellent articles about the production, which provide insight into various aspects of the play: direction; music; choreography; and scenic and lighting design. I found them to be very interesting reading, so I've included them as part of this report.
Here's hoping that everyone gets to see this show someday. Thanks for reading, and remember: Hunky tuna tostada!
Ouch!
Um, Zazu has gently reminded me that the phrase is actually: Hakuna matata!
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