The Wiz report for Tuesday

I was in Times Square today for the first time since the closing of “The Two and Only”. Although I live in New York, I don’t often go there. I live in Brooklyn and it now takes me almost an hour on the subway to get to Times Square from my house. I say “it now takes” because I have recently moved. I packed up my favorite show and my favorite apartment in the same week. I guess when it rains, it pours. But I’ve been trying to get acclimated to all the change, and decided to do something routine today, something traditional, something that I enjoy doing – Christmas shopping. I was looking for something fun and uplifting in the midst of the turmoil. So I stopped unpacking and trundled off to Times Square. I was headed to the giant Toys R Us on 44th Street in search of a big ticket item for my eight year old son. I knew what I wanted. The trouble is everyone else wants them too. So I’m walking up Broadway (as I now live on the N/R subway line – have to get used to that too!) and as I cross 44th Street I look west towards the Helen Hayes. There is no “Two and Only” marquee. I knew that it was taken down rather quickly, but I hadn’t seen it yet for myself. Though full of people, that street seemed empty, almost lonely. I found myself getting angry again – angry at producers, angry at the women in front of me on the street complaining about the dirt on the street, angry at New York and its theatre goers. I had left my house in search of something uplifting, but I was quickly down in the dumps. I fought the crowds in Toys R Us, made a small purchase, and started walking uptown. I don’t know what possessed me to go uptown. I should have gone the other way towards home, but I didn’t. I stopped and had “lunch” at Mc Donald’s on 46th Street. I sat upstairs and looked at all of the neon posters for all of the Broadway shows. I grew angrier, sadder, more empty. After lunch I continued walking uptown towards the 49th Street subway stop. At 48th Street I saw a store that I haven’t seen before. It’s called “M&M World”, and it’s an entire store based on a little round candy. Believe me, I like M&M’s as much as the next gal (I keep a jar of them in the dressing room), but come on, a store based on a candy? I stuck my head in and it was packed! I couldn’t believe it – packed. People are purchasing pillows with the M&M logo on it! Then it hit me – of course they are. They’re buying things that are familiar, recognizable, safe. They’re not looking for something fresh or innovative. They’re not willing to take a risk. It was the same thing with “Two and Only”. Not as many people were willing to take a risk and come see the show as we had hoped for. Broadway is full of recognizable shows. Some are based on movies we all know, some on music we all know, and several have “Disney” above the title. I challenge all of you: take a risk. Go see something lesser known. See something you haven’t heard much about. Try seeing something off-Broadway. Great theatre is not always familiar or safe. Go to an independent movie. Visit a local boutique rather than a giant chain store. I may try Christmas shopping again tomorrow or I may not. When I do, I’m headed to a neat little store I know of in my old neighborhood. And I am definitely in search of a different “big ticket item”.

Until the next one,
Wiz