LOVE’S LABOR’S LOST 11/3
@ The Public Theater which is undergoing intense renovations. The place is a bombed-out mess. Anyway, the staff was great this time around. The audience was a mix of early twenties to middle-aged hip downtowners. The new restrooms are a godsend. The old bathrooms at The Public were mentioned as part of the ninth circle of hell. Yes, really.
WE LIVE HERE 11/2
MTC @ City Center. With the construction now over, it was an easy maneuver to find the box office and secure tickets. That audience was comprised of a wide range of ages. My guess is subscribers mixed in with single ticket buyers made up the group.
THE LYONS 11/1
@ The Vineyard Theatre. Fairly spacious bathroom (watch out for the scalding hot water) but clean enough. A really nice, attentive staff. The audience was mainly in their fifties or older.
THE DUMB WAITER 10/30
matinee at the Duo Theatre on East 4th Street. A pleasant enough staff with a wide range of ages in the audience members. The bathroom was a unisex single — roomy space, only marginally clean with a great sign over the toilet: “Our aim is to keep this bathroom clean. Your aim will help.” I had the distinct impression that no one was living up to either declaration.
BLAME IT ON BECKETT 10/29
Another tiny space but the staff seemed frazzled and a bit bewildered (maybe it was the sudden snowstorm). The awful bathroom was really small with neither soap in the dispenser nor paper towels anywhere to be found. Unforgivable in my book.
BEYOND WORDS 10/28
@ Urban Stages. Friendly and helpful staff. The bathroom is practically in the box office area. I suppose that’s forgivable in a small house. However, it’s clean and spacious. The audience was a very mixed bag.
WHITE 10/27
matinee @ New Victory Theatre. This played at an alternate (smaller) New Victory space at 229 West 42nd Street. Since it was a children’s show (skewing very young – from 2 to 7 years old) it was a delight to see how charmingly the staff treated both the adults and the kids. The disarming, spotlessly clean bathroom featured booster stools so their tiny audience members could reach the sinks and urinals. How cute is that? Of course, there were changing tables, too.
ASUNCION 10/26
@ The Cherry Lane Theatre. Great staff. This time around, I was told, aside from the single-use, borderline-dirty bathroom, there was another facility upstairs. I ventured there during intermission and was startled. At the top of the stairs, the ceiling drops about 2 feet. The red door to the bathroom is straight out of Alice In Wonderland. I literally had to crouch down (I’m 6’3”) to get through it. Much shorter patrons were crouching as well. Once inside, it’s clean and fine, but watch that headroom–it’s dangerous! The audience was hip, young and enthusiastic.
SONS OF THE PROPHET 10/25
@ The Laura Pels Theatre. Great downstairs space with small but fast-moving bathroom facilities. The staff is very efficient if not terribly friendly. The audience was made up of glam-looking theatergoers who were clearly thrilled to be there. Seems like this theatre space is so comfortable, everyone fully appreciates it and it shows in their enthusiasm.
MANGELLA 10/23
@ The Drilling Company. The staff was perkier this go-round. The audience was comprised of a mostly middle-aged neighborhood crowd. Bathroom still cramped but clean.