The Thrill of First Nighting

What a great day it was, start to finish. In truth, when I first got up, I was a little disappointed that I had suggested going to Ellis Island today (and that Walt had agreed to it). Though I had slept better that still didn't mean well and all I really wanted to go back to sleep. So I did. After breakfast, I came upstairs, laid down on the bed and by the time Walt got upstairs, I was asleep. I slept (he tells me) about an hour and a half. But when I woke up, I felt raring to go and so off we went to Battery Park and from there to Ellis Island.

It was a glorious fall day.

Though the "living statues of Liberty" were enough to give the creeps to anybody!

We boarded the ferry and for awhile it was so crowded I thought we were never going to see the real Statue of Liberty clearly, since we were only going to Ellis Island, but we did finally pass by, after lots of folks got off on Liberty Island.

We had about an hour at Ellis Island (barely enough time to scratch the surface) but were glad we had come. Walt tried to look for his grandmother and I looked for my great grandmother.

Eventually we got the ferry to take us back to Battery Park, where we ran into some acrobatic break-dancers.

We took the bus back up town and walked over to Joe Allen's restaurant, where we were meeting my friend Ron for dinner. I decided Joe Allen's is an in joke. It's a show-bizzy place, with the walls lined with posters of Bdwy shows...but, as Ron started telling me about them, all the posters seem to be of shows the flopped. Badly.

It was so good to see Ron. He's one of my favorite people, and one of several very good things to come out of my years with CompuServe. I haven't seen him in about five years and, though we communicate on Facebook a lot, it was nice to see him in the (considerably less) flesh.

The restaurant was only a block from the Theatre at St. Clements, where Zero Hour is playing and we got there in plenty of time.

This was the main event--the reason we'd flown 3000 miles. I couldn't NOT be here to be supportive of Jimmy...and, let's face it, personally experience the accolades I knew he was going to get.

Ron was proud of me. I popped out from behind that potted palm I hide behind all the time and actually walked up to and introduced myself to Piper Laurie (who directed Zero Hour). She was very nice.

The show was fabulous. So much tighter than the last time(s) I'd seen it. He had amazing audience response (of course this was an audience of friends!). But the response was well earned.

When it was all over, we were all invited to the "after party" at Sardi's ... probably my only opportunity to ever have that experience.

...and the rest is just a bunch of photos to capture and remember the moment....

Piper Laurie

Steve chats with Robert Osborne (of Turner Classic Movies)

90 Year Old Marge Champion

Brian Childers (Hi, Brian!) and Kimberley Faye Greenberg
of Danny and Sylvia
standing on either side of set designer Josh Iacovelli.

We finally find Jimmy in the crowd.

Steve with Theodore Bikel, who had his own
show to do, but came to the party afterward.
He had been a friend of Zero Mostel's and thought
Jimmy's performance was spot-on.

Steve with Michele Mais, the original Tricia
in The Last Session, who is now on Broadway
doing Rock of Ages.

We had bus passes that were going to turn into pumpkins if we didn't get into the Metro quickly, so we didn't linger, but it was just a magical night and I hope nothing but the best for Zero Hour because Jim has certainly earned it!!!