S-P-E-L-L

Lynda im'd me to ask if we could reschedule dinner. She was suffering from a hangover. I said yes. Moments later Kee called. She asked if I'd be interested in seeing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. A friend had given her free tickets. I said yes.

The lobby of the theater was decorated like a high school hallway. Lockers lined the walls near the downstairs bathrooms. Signs marked the boys room and the girls room. The theater was decorated like a gymnasium. At one point one of the characters remarked on that fact. "Have you ever been in an underground gynmasium before?" To which another replied, "I've never been in a gynmasium before."

For the first 45 minutes, the show was incredibly enjoyable and laugh-out-loud funny. But then, the placement of the jokes became expected, robbing them of their punch. As the evening wore on, the lack of a dramatic arc turned the show into an episodic series of events rather than a cohesive whole. By the time I was asked to invest emotionally in the characters, it was too late, and I lost interest even in who would win the bee.

The strange thing about the musical was that the songs were so unmemorable. And while the cast had energy, the overall feel of show was that it could have been written and performed by a college theater group. The show had begun as an off-Broadway production, and it seemed to retain that quality, even after its move uptown.

Afterwards, Kee and I went to Moondance Diner. She said she had a craving for a burger or meatloaf. I had already had dinner, but said i wanted pancakes or a waffle. The night before I had watched "The Secret Life of Waffles" followed by "The Secret Life of Pancakes" on the Food network. Kee switched to breakfast when we ordered, choosing bacon, eggs, and homefries. I chose the waffle. And then, with Kee's encouragement, I ordered a vanilla milkshake. I froze as I drank it, but it was well worth it.
Posted by eku at October 27, 2005 12:08 AM