There's a moment you know...

I called for tickets yesterday. I googled the show, since I couldn't remember the name of the local company who does the Broadway season. I stumbled across the local company's site, and there, at the bottom of the show's site was a small message that $25 seats were available; call for details.

"$25 for a Broadway touring show? Why not... cheap way to see a show for the first time. Probably obstructed view..." So I called, and lo and behold, there was one ticket left at that price for the night. I bought it, and indeed found out that it was an obstructed view.

Because the seat was ON the stage, and I'd be watching it from the side.

I was thrilled; I know there have been other shows that have done this whole sit on stage thing, but I"ve never gotten tickets. So I was really looking forward to the experience.

Now, there is a section of three rows of seats stage right, and a section of two rows stage left. I was stage left, the second row, the seat closest to the front of the stage. There were a total of maybe 17 or 18 audience members on the stage, with several empty chairs, which I thought was odd, since I thought they were all sold out (clue phone! ring, ring...). I have seen enough theatre that I should have known that the empty seats were going to be taken by those in the show.

I have to say that the only thing I disliked about the seats was that the sound is less than optimal; the speakers all face the house seats. But it was a small price to pay for such an experience-- to literally be surrounded by the players. It was a rush! I could look down to the people in the front row and think, "And you thought you had good seats!!"

Within moments of the show starting, I was hooked. Georgeous music, controversial subject matter, struggling against the "parentocracy" all resonated with me.

I forgot how exciting it is to see a new show. I have been in the habit of seeing shows that I have already seen for quite some time, and get tunnel vision about wanting to see those shows over and over again, that I forget there are other potentially great shows out there.

Before this one the last 3 shows that I'd never seen before that I was excited about were "Avenue Q" (cute, but nothing that was life changing or resonated with me in any way); "WICKED" (with which I have become totally obsessed and moves me deeply...and if you miss the social commentary in it, you're a damn ignorant fool); and "Urinetown" (blech...terrible... which might explain why I am a bit gunshy about seeing new shows).

"Spring Awakening" made me excited to see new shows again. And it's given me another show to want to see over and over.