First off, this play was among one of the top Broadway shows I've ever seen- and I've seen quite a few. No, I'm not being biased because Alicia Keys had something to do with it. It was very well written and well executed. I'll get into that in a minute but let me just walk you through everything really quick.
I got home from work, cranked up the music and started getting ready for my date. Sometimes I feel like Wendy Williams when she talks about different celebrities being her "friend in her head" because this date consisted of me, my friend Kathy, and Alicia of course. I must say that after only a little primping, I looked rather fabulous. My bus ride into the city consisted of me grilling the Dominican guy in front of me talking on the phone ridiculously loud, and staring at a cute guy that was sitting next to me. I was obviously very discrete, not letting either one catch me. Once we arrived in the city and I got a good look at the cute guy, he was cute alright, but his fingernails were dirty. Yuck. He caught a glimpse of me and stopped, I think he wanted to talk to me. Considering that I was grossed out, I kept it moving without looking back at him.
My walk to the theater was even better than the first time I went a few days earlier. It was NYC at night, my absolute favorite time to walk around. There's something about the city air that always makes me very happy. Upon my arrival at the theater I made the necessary line, observing my surroundings. There was a lady who looked like Keyshia Cole's mother Frankie. Enough said. She acted like her too. Kathy finally joined me and we were ready to go inside.
We made it to our seats and I was amazed when I got a look at the set. It was so beautiful. Kathy and I only had a few minutes to soak everything up before the show began. One of the topics, the crazy old usher. She was NUTS. She even asked Kathy if she was part of the cast. This was only one other testament to Kathy's star potential. The lights dimmed and the show began. I was sitting next to a young couple who was so immature I felt like I was babysitting. I tried ignoring them as best I could. This was pretty easy considering that I spent a lot of time not breathing because the girl sitting to my right had some ridiculous bad breath. I caught a whiff of it every time something funny happened in the play; that was pretty often.
The play was genius. I laughed so much. Not to single anyone out, but Condola Rashad was brilliant. I had no doubts about it though. Her mother is Phylicia Rashad (Claire Huxtable) and her aunt is the one and only Debbie Allen. The cast dynamic was great, and the storyline kept the audience waiting to see what was going to happen next. There were moments that I could identify with, and others that made me think of people I know in those particular situations. Every time the piano played, I closed my eyes. It was as if Alicia was playing just for me. If you don't already know, I also play the piano so I have a different kind of appreciation for the music. The kind that only someone who plays an instrument can understand.
Once the play was over, we walked outside and joined the crowd to wait for the cast to come out and sign autographs. I remembered Alicia's car and walked over to the best possible spot for her to see me when she came out. One by one they walked out, greeting their fans, signing autographs, joking around, and taking pictures. They were just as genuine as Alicia. Condola came up next to me and I got the opportunity to let her know how great I thought she was. I did the same as all of the other cast members walked past me. Mekhi Phifer came out and I almost melted. He was just as "foine" up close as I had imagined. I was able to get a picture with him. My face looks like a blimp, but it doesn't even matter.
Alicia's bodyguard kept looking at me, the same as he was doing on Wednesday at the signing. He either thought I was pretty, or was thinking "not this girl again." HAHA!! I wanted to talk to him but he was busy and I wasn't about to get escorted off the premises. I needed to see Alicia again. I was already late for the bus, but I'd walk across the tunnel if I had to. I forgot to mention that Kathy and I were right in front of her car door, guaranteeing that she would at the very least look my way. Among the craziness, I didn't just want to blend in with the rest of the fans. She quickly mingled with everyone and was rushed towards the car by her bodyguard. I didn't think his big body would allow the sound waves of my voice to go past him. I'm not one of the loud, obnoxious fans, so I just asked "Alicia, did you read my letter?" I thought she didn't hear me, but she moved him out of the way and knew exactly where to look. She looked at me and said "Yes, I did."
The fact that she remembered my face enough to look directly at me to answer my question, the sincerity in her voice, and how she stopped in her tracks for me -- I knew she was telling the truth. She signed Kathy's playbill, and looked to smile at me again. I thanked her. She got in the car and Kathy and I walked away. This was my opportunity to scream and let it all out. I did. Kathy ran into the middle of the street and was crying. Kathy is as big a fan of her as I am, so sharing this experience with her meant the world to me. I called my mother to tell her what had just happened. She was half asleep and do you know what her response was?! "When you get home make sure you turn the heater down." I hung up on her.
It has been one of the toughest years I have lived through. The hard times amount to nothing when taking the past few days into consideration. I think this says a lot about how I feel about Alicia. It is not just her music I love; It is the essence of her and everything she represents. My birthday isn't until next week, but at this point, we can skip it. It's already been the best birthday ever. I told you that this was just the beginning of my relationship with her, not just the one in my head.Trust me.
This is my life. Unpredictable. Crazy. Beautiful.
... Oh yea, Kathy drove me home.
Follow me on Twitter: @TrulyMsP or e-mail me at sashap26@gmail.com if there's anything you want me to write about! Until next time!
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