Maureen’s 50 in 50 list: Go to Broadway and see a musical

I can’t believe I haven’t filled faithful readers of this blog in on where I am at with my 50 in 50 list. Since 2015, I’ve checked a couple of things off so in the next couple of weeks I’ll be posting updates with what I’ve done to date.

In 2014 – 2015, a high school friend and I went on a six week tour of the US. We went to LA, Disneyland (best. day. ever), San Diego, San Francisco, then separated for Christmas (I went to Chicago and Detroit to meet relatives for Christmas), New York for New Years, DC, New Orleans and Texas (where we stayed on a real Dude Ranch and felt like we were in a Harlequin Romance novel).

It wouldn’t have been a real experience without a brush with Broadway, especially as my friend and I made friends in high school through ‘this one time on band camp’ (and no I am not joking). We got cheap tickets to see Phantom of the Opera live and it was one of the most amazing nights of my life. I hated the shitty film, but love the music in Phantom. Somehow I just knew that a live play was the perfect format for the Phantom story. We were in a side balcony, which made the night extra special, as the chandelier and The Phantom lowered near us!

Keen for the full Broadway experience, we also saw a less traditional musical called Motown, which was boppy and fun.

One night, we also faced the brutal, cold and snowy line to get inside Ellen’s Stardust Diner, a restaurant in New York where the waiters and waitresses work at this restaurant by night, and try to make it big on the stage by day. All of them sing and dance on the tables and other bits of furniture as you order, making this one of the best musical experiences around New York if you’re into kitsch fun.