"You'll be back!"

My favorite song from the four shows we saw this past weekend was this one, sung by King George in the award-winning Hamilton. On our trip to NYC nearly two years ago, Hamilton was still way too expensive, at least for the seats I like, where I can see their sweat. This time, we were able to get tickets, and Oh. My. Goodness. There is a reason this show won so many awards. How does one person write the entire script, along with all the amazing song lyrics AND the music to create this incredible of piece of art, and then star as the lead when the show first opens? You would have to ask Lin-Manuel Miranda. I'm baffled by the degree of talent it would take to do all that, but grateful to Miranda for sharing that talent, so I could experience the story of Alexander Hamilton in such a genre as the Broadway stage. The show was pure delight from start to finish, especially the first time King George took the state to remind the American colonists how much he loves them:

You'll be back like before

I will fight the fight and win the war...

'Cause when push comes to shove,

I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love!

Second place goes to the song "One Day I'll Carry You Home" from The Notebook. Guys, we were literally there the second day of the show's Preview performances! Can you even believe that? It was so good, far better than the movie (and I loved the movie)! Three couples played the leads: younger Allie and Noah, middle Allie and Noah, and older Allie and Noah, and the way the director staged all of them to move fluidly among the years was nothing short of brilliant!

I've got a secret to tell

I'm falling in love with you.

And I know, nothing else matters

'Cause one day I'll carry you home.

The whole world might think we're crazy,

But one day I'll carry you to our home,

And one day you'll be my home.

Third place song is in the second act when Sweeny sings the reprise of "Johanna" to honor his daughter, who was taken from him as a baby, when he was unjustly exiled to Australia fifteen years earlier. We saw Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street between its Josh Groban/Annaleigh Ashford run and before the new cast to include Aaron Tveit and Sutton Foster. But be very clear: I can't imagine better performances than we witnessed from Nicholas Christopher (Sweeny) and Jeanna de Waal (Mrs. Leavitt) last weekend. They had been Groban's and Ashford's understudies up to that point, but they took that stage and owned it. I loved every second. 

I feel you, Johanna

I feel you

Do they think that vaults can hide you?

Even now I'm at your window.

I am in the dark beside you

Very sweetly in your yellow hair,

Johanna, Johanna.

Finally, fourth place song goes to "Shape of My Heart" from &Juliet. We bought tickets to the first three shows (above) before we left home, but decided to take a chance on last-minute bargains for our fourth and final show. As I stood in an enormous line at the Cheap Broadway Tickets booth, Shulamith decided to run around to various theatres to see if she could find us discounted tickets. She did (!) for the show &Juliet. We decided to chance it, and it turned out to be a great choice. Alongside three shows with serious themes, &Juliet was just pure fun! In a retelling of Shakespeare's original, Juliet decides not to kill herself over a boy she's known only a few days, and goes on to live her own life, following her own rules. Gotta love Shakespeare with a feminist twist. The show features covers from a variety of pop music, and "Shape of My Heart" was my favorite.

We were so excited to have Isaiah with us this time, and I believe we've successfully converted him to Broadway musicals. I'm shocked how much he likes them. In his words, "I can't stay here much longer. I have to drop $200 every day I'm here to see another show." He went with us to Hamilton, Sweeny, and &Juliet; then he had the nerve to stay one more day after we left and go see Merrily We Roll Along. We're very jealous.

We mostly ate bagels and watched shows the entire four days, though we did manage to work out at the hotel gym...

...and take a lovely walk in Central Park...(photo on top)

As always, both Shulamith and I grieved leaving NYC and the Broadway stage. It's just so hard to say goodbye. But I'm certain when King George sang "You'll Be Back," he was singing right to us. 

Yes, King George. We will indeed be back.