Holy crap! What a day this has been!
So when I last left you, I was going to head down to Grand Central Station for lunch, which did not quite work out. I did go down there, walking of course, and had a nice look around and my first Junior’s Cheesecake. Junior’s is famous for their cheesecake, and sometimes when people tell you something is just awesome, you have to prepare yourself to be disappointed. I was NOT. This cheesecake was perfect. No weird shit. Perfect filling and crust!
Anyway, after this I started tweeting and texting, looking for a lunch partner, and thinking I had failed to find one, I set off to have a quick chicken skewer at a cart in Rockefeller Plaza, which is maybe a 3-minute walk from the hotel. Upon ordering I discovered that I had left my cell phone a the hotel room, so once I got my food and got back I found that my friend Sking had just gotten in from Chicago.
Luckily, the chicken skewer was not that filling and we agreed to meet at a comic book store near where the workshop was being held and then go eat lunch before the event.
Now, this comic book store is located up a very narrow steep flight of stairs, which luckily, in my lighter and more physically fit condition, I was able to climb without dying. And right near the top Sking is waiting. So as I am shaking his hand someone comes up behind me and covers my eyes! WTF??
Turns out my friend, David Barker, from England, was making a surprise trip for the workshop!
Now here is the full story. Originally, David and Sking, among others, were going to Chicago for Tommy Batchelor’s last performance as Billy on Sunday, October 10th. But then the workshop came up.
So David and Sking booked flights for what amounted to a day drip from Chicago to New York for the workshop and the show Friday night, and then back to Chicago early Saturday morning. Even more amazing, Hugsy and another workshop attendee were also making the early Saturday trip to Chicago!
Anyway, the three of us went to Schnippers for an early dinner, then met up with Bobz and Hugsy and others for a pre-workshop liquid courage reinforcement at the Houndstooth Pub in the same building as the workshop.
The workshop! Amazing!
World class tap dancing instructor and Broadway’s Mr. Braithwaite, Thommie Retter; two of the young Tony winning stars (retired due to growing into fine young men) of Billy Elliot, David Alvarez and Kiril Kulish; Tony winning actor Greg Jbara; and Tessa Netting, the “spastic starfish” of Broadway’s Billy Elliot, who will surely one day have her Tony award as well.
So we were in pretty good hands. Greg was there for moral support and to score some Husky Treats, and Tessa is recovering from a back injury, so Thommie and the boys lead the workshop, and they were wonderful. After learning how to correctly sing that last 7 or 8 lines of the closing Finale song, in the proper Geordie accent, we went through the steps to the final bit of the Finale. It was the most remarkably enjoyable and humbling hour of my life. I can NOT dance worth a shit! However, I was complemented by Thommie on my finishing pose. LOL It was so much fun!
And then, the moment we were all *gaggin’ for, Thommie and the kids each did a short performance for us.
Kiril did an amazing ballet routine. Tessa did a wonderful song from Seussical. David Alvarez did a piano solo. And Thommie did a wonderful tap routine. Greg, unfortunately, had to go get a haircut, which I am sure we would have all gladly watched.
Anyway, it was an amazing evening, and among the “swag” gifts we got was one of the actual RBS acceptance letters used in the show!
And even more amazing, we raised $1805 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids! Thommie was hoping for $1000!!! Awesome!
This is going on too long and I have a review to write. We had a great show and a late night supper, and I was finally home by 1 AM Sooo late for me, but what a day.
BTW, the weather was freaking amazing. No jacket needed!

*gaggin’ is a Geordie word for waiting or anticipating
I learned that all of the cast of Billy Elliot has been doing the Finale incorrectly, if we were to judge from my performance at the workshop.