And God blessed Broadway with TKTS

Fact #1: Broadway is expensive.
Fact #2: Students are poor.

If it were up to me, I'd see every rock concert, broadway musical, comedy night, movie premiere, awards show, and off-broadway play I could possibly fit between eating and sleeping. Unfortunately, my bank account and I respectfully disagree. That's why... drumroll... TKTS is my new favorite company.

TKTS sells day-of tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows for up to 50% off. The only down side? Long lines. I hopped over to Times Square at 1:30 (was tenth in line) and didn't get my ticket to American Idiot 'til 3:15. It was 100 frickin' degrees, and the ledge I was sitting on was volcanically hot (I think I actually smelled my ass burning). Was it worth it? Absolutely.

American Idiot -- based on Green Day's best selling album -- was an explosion of energy. I don't know what the actors do for a warm up, but it must consist of electroshock and/or steroids because they are, in all ways, pumped up and electrifying. My favorites were John Gallagher Jr. (Spring Awakening) and Tony Vincent (Jesus Christ Superstar). Great characters, awesome actors. If anyone's a Green Day or Rent fan, you have to see this. Not as good as Rent, in my opinion, but strong enough to win this year's Best Musical.

Anecdote: Periodically throughout the show, I noticed a woman in the row ahead of me jotting down notes on a tiny sketch pad. After the curtain call was over and everyone was headed out of St. James, I asked her if she was a reviewer. She looked around cautiously and lowered her voice, whispering "Maybe." As we swam like salmon through the mobs of people, I asked her what other shows she recommended. She gushed about a couple newer plays and I made some mental notes. At the exit I turned to say a quick thank you... but she had totally vanished, gone in the grungy 44th St. air like the Phantom of the Rock Opera.

So what else do I have planned, you may wonder? Well, next is Glee Live at Radio City Music Hall this coming Sunday. After that, I got a ticket to Dee Roscioli at Birdland Jazz on June 28th (she played the Elphaba I saw in Wicked last summer; amazing, powerful voice). Myself and some other SNL fans are going to watch some improv at UCB (probably on June 6th) and the Sunday after that is the Tony Awards, which is a red carpet I cannot miss. Also, I discovered that Christina Auglera, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, and Lady Gaga are performing at Rockefeller Center for free throughout June/July, so that's pretty cool.

Oh, and I guess I'm starting a job or something on Tuesday too.

Right. Can't forget about that.

...But, rumor is, I can get discounted theater tickets and free museum passes through my internship. So, by the looks of things, this summer's just getting started.