Coram Boy!

When I last left you, dear blog readers, I was standing uncomfortably at the Performing Arts Library, typing away in my 20-minute allowance. Now I sit, perhaps, even more uncomfortably in an airplane headed for SFO, with an unknown allowance of battery life. The destination is more than comfortable, wonderful, in fact. It’s just the guy in front of me has his seat down and I can hardly raise the screen of Bella-the-Laptop. But, I like to write in these most extreme states! I can hardly complain and I’m joking, of course, When I think about the last 4 months and all the adventures and opportunities I have had I can only be really, really thankful and stop to pinch myself along the way.

Friday night, Adrienne and I saw “Coram Boy” and it proved to be an amazing feast of fantasy and Jane Austen era romanticism. I LOVED it. In fact, I know I keep saying this, but it may be my most memorable and exciting theatrical experience EVER.
The acting was incredible, especially that of Xanthe Elbrick, a British girl my age, who had the task of playing two choir boys. In the first act she was a determined and driven 15-year-old about to grow out of his treble voice. In the second act she transformed into his son, 8 years old and full of spunk and wonder. Incredible! Another neat aspect was a choir that sat above the stage through the entire play and chimed in with Handelian choruses and music in that style. As broad as an epic movie, their interjections punctuated the scenes with Carmina Burana-like intensity. A girl from Redeemer that I met a few weeks ago was in the choir. I had tried to audition for the choir a few months ago but had no luck. I was only a little jealous! The end of the show may have been wrapped up a little too neatly but the entire company (40 in total, unheard of on Broadway!) gathered on the stage and sang the Hallelujah Chorus. Really, really thrilling! I was so sad to read on Saturday morning that the show is closing this next Friday after only being open less than a month. I guess without a film star like Kevin Spacey, a play can be a tough sell for the tourists. I am so glad that we saw it on Friday or I would have missed it completely. One more thing for which I’m thankful!