Little Shop of City Center

Well that was fun. First the Supreme Court agrees that people, all people, have the right to marry.  And be healthy.

Then Little Shop of Horrors and Ellen Greene manage to raise the roof off City Center (hats off to Ben Brantley for that).  I’ve heard the phrase the roar of the crowd all my life and I thought I knew what it meant.  Boy was I wrong.

The Fourth of July fireworks will have nothing on last Wednesday night at City Center.

In its own, odd way, Wednesday night felt almost like the first year at the Orpheum.  Word was out that something special was going on downtown and even movie stars were coming down to Second Avenue to join the fun.  There was a feeling of joy and celebration and also being in the know.  The show was a giant, inclusive wink between the performers on stage and the audience in the seats.  It was fresh and funny and full of life.

Dick Scanlan captured that feeling with this week’s concert.

Thank you to Dick, Jeanine Tesori, Ellen Greene, Jake Gyllenhaal, Taran Killam Tracy Nicole Chapman, Marva Hicks, Ramona Keller, Joe Grafasi, Eddie Cooper and little Anway Kareem for giving me an evening I will ever savor.

Happy Fourth everyone.