SH*T NEW YORKERS DO: The B List: One More Broadway Show

On Wednesday night I finally crossed #20 off of my New York Bucket List: I saw one more Broadway show, War Horse, in Lincoln Center. This was not your typical Broadway show with cheery, pink-cheeked theatrical types romping around the stage belting out hearty show tunes. Quite the opposite. The staging and set were simple, with minimal props that were often held in place by silent cast members (i.e., fence posts were held side by side by actors hidden in shadows). The music was mostly solemn Irish (I think) folk tunes sung by a peasant-like "song woman" who appeared in various places throughout the theater. At one point, she even popped up near our seats in the upper levels. Brown and grey were the hues of the show, conveying the sadness of war and the poverty of the main characters.

Photo credit: www.warhorseonbroadway.com

Though all of the above are not my cup of tea (I am more of a flashy B'way show girl, preferring Legally Blonde and the like :), I understood why most of the elements of the show were simple: to draw the audience's attention to the phenomenal heart of the production -- the puppeteering. When the main horse, Joey, first graced the stage, he was essentially walked on by 3 puppeteers who controlled his movements. At first this was a bit distracting, but after just a few minutes, I completely forgot that humans were with the horse-puppet (made of metal and fabric) every step of the way. The incredibly real way in which the puppeteers moved the horse, from minute ear twitches to the contractions of its ribs at varying speeds to create the appearance of breathing, was amazing. When Joey grew into an adult horse, the puppeteers no longer moved side-by-side with him, but rather were now underneath of the horse. At this point I became more intrigued not by the horse's movements, but rather the puppeteers movements. I watched their feet and legs (as these were the only visible body parts -- the rest was covered by the horse-puppet body) move almost like those of a ballet dancer: graceful, intentional and strong. They were the true stars of the show.

Though the show was amazing, it was a bit long, and my favorite parts of the evening were dinner before at Indie Food and Wine and hanging out in Lincoln Center afterward. This was my second time in two weeks at Indie Food and Wine, and I love it! It's located in the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center of Linocln Center, just a staircase away from the theater where War Horse played. Indie is small and cozy, adding to its charm. Their cheese plates and wine are delicious (I'm making myself hungry and thirsty!). They offer gourmet sandwiches which add flavorful ingredients in unique combinations. We topped off the yummy meal with scrumptious bread-pudding (recommended by our server).

After the show, we lingered in Lincoln Center, taking in the creative energy. All in all, a beautiful evening :)