Halloween... Young Frankenstein...

Halloween happened.

The night before, my new friend Karle came over. Karle is also a wardrobe/costume designer, who I met at a party my friend Lauren was having. Lots of Lauren's co-workers were there (they work in a costume shop that does lots of Broadway). I invited Karle over since we live close and I thought it'd be fun to work on costumes together. I made us dinner, we dined on my bedroom floor. She helped me fit my skirt, and the next day, before leaving the theatre, I costumed up and gave everyone there a laugh.

I dressed as a falafel and it was the best feeling in the world! Halloween must be the only day where you feel like shit when you're dressed all plain. Being in a costume like that is something else. I walked around with some friends from the theatre for a bit... Jimmy was my body guard and took many pics, including one of a Halal silver truck man actually pouring hot sauce on one of my tomatoes, and then we rode the train down to 14th st.

There, we were to part, and I was nervous about being alone in my costume! I went out into the street and revelers from the parade, by now over, were admiring me from every direction! People were calling to me "GYRO," "Hey, Burrito!" and all sorts of other wrap-y things. One or two people guessed falafel. About 80 people NEEDED to have their picture taken with me. 30 or so more just asked to take pictures of me solo.

A group of boys, SVA students, befriended me, and ended up escorting me downtown to meet Emmy and Joanna at The Delancey, where Emmy's friend was DJing. It was pretty crazy. Super fun. I danced within my pita and everyone loved it. Someone stole my falafel balls within a half hour of my arrival. The pictures explain the rest.

I simply will not go another Halloween without costume.

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I made a lovely new friend at Ensemble Studio Theatre; in fact, I made many there. The crew on LUCY is just absolutely lovely, and I couldn't be more grateful for that. If I didn't genuinely enjoy their company and going out with them many nights after the show, this entire experience (or ordeal) would have defeated me, I know that. These are some good people.

Also, Suzanne Chesney, the costume designer, a mutual friend of Leslie Bernstein's (who put us in touch) is wonderful and has hired me to pattern some costumes for her next show at EST, a one-woman show. I am actually intending to hastily clean my room today from the Halloween clutter and start drafting those suckaz out!

Anyway, the dear, sweet Julie, the House Manager at EST who, on being hired, quickly moved to New York from Connecticut, has fast become a friend of mine (we are talking of getting an apartment together!).

Tuesday was our day off, and I had plans with a girl who hit on me on the subway the Saturday previous. I canceled them when Julie offered me a ticket to see the sold-out new Mel Brooks Broadway musical Young Frankenstein. I shifted gears in a matter of two hours after my jewelry class, from the mode of one of those relaxing nights where you will make yourself dinner, do the dishes, do your nails, do a mask and then possibly go out, to one where I quickly gobbled teriyaki tofu at the japanese restaurant down the block, changed, and ran back out to get to the theatre on time.

We sat in the 4th row! Total VIPs. Did I mention these tickets were impossible to score for regular theatre patrons? Anyway, this was my first Broadway show in YEARS, I think 42nd St was the last I'd been to. (I love that show. I like oldies.) The show was great, but the costumes and sets were SPECTACULAR, truly so. Both Julie and I were in awe of the apparent wing space. The sets were huge and there were like 25 of them. In the opening scene(s) there was an entire ensemble whose costumes were quick-rigged. I was flabbergasted. I am still trying to find out who made those particular costumes. They were wonderful. I would love to see them up close. The effect was unbelievable!

So, my first Broadway in years did not disappoint as I would have suspected, and I recommend that show for sure. Mel Brooks can't really go wrong anymore I suppose...