I somehow did it again. I lucked into impossible-to-get tickets to see Bruce Springsteen, up close and personal. (See HERE where I actually got to meet him!!) After months and months of trying, I finally got tickets to Springsteen on Broadway at the small and intimate Walter Kerr Theatre in NYC. If you're not sure just what SpringsteenonBroadway is all about, one thing to know is that it is NOT a concert. It's a one-man Broadway show consisting of Bruce, his guitar, and a piano on a bare stage where he shares stories from his memoir Born to Run interspersed with his music from whatever time period the story is in. It is a chance in a lifetime to see Bruce in a personal and emotional setting. Of course I had to go!
I got my tickets in early April for a mid August show, and waiting for the day to finally arrive was almost as hard as getting the tickets in the first place. And since I could only get two tickets, deciding who the lucky one to accompany me was equally challenging. In the end, it worked out for my sister Peg to go. Neither one of us had ever been to NYC, but we were both over-the-moon excited to go. (You can read all about our 48 hours in The Big Apple here.)
Is this real???
So much has been written about Springsteen on Broadway. You can find reviews and critiques in every major magazine and newspaper, from Forbes and The New Yorker all the way to the LA Times and The Economist. Each writer offers a personal look into the 2.5 hour performance, often with a play-by-play account. I won't do that here, but I highly recommend reading one like this review in Rolling Stone. What I will do is highlight my top three moments from Springsteen on Broadway. The entire show was mesmerizing, of course, from the moment Bruce took center stage, alone on that almost bare stage. But these three scenes touched my soul to the core and moved me to tears like none of the others. Don't get me wrong--I had tears throughout the entire performance--just not the streaming-down-my-cheeks-about-to-sob-outloud kind. Note: I took notes during the show. I know--really?? But I wanted to remember EVERYTHING! I didn't let the note taking interfere with my complete focus on the performance, and my notes were a complete mess as a result. I kept my eyes on the stage as I wrote, the theatre was dark with the house lights off, and I only had a black sharpie to write with. But I was able to translate every word the next day!!! Here, then, in chronological order, are the moments that touched my heart and broke me the most at
Springsteen on Broadway
The Big Man Joins the Band
"Tenth Avenue Freeze Out"
Messy notes and translated notes :)
About an hour into the show, after talking about growing up in New Jersey and failure and small successes in the Jersey band scene, Bruce talked about what makes a true band. He talked a bit about the E Street Band with a big focus on Clarence. He said “I still carry the story the Big Man whispered in my ear and the Big Man in my heart every night when I walk onstage,” he said. “Clarence was elemental, a force of nature in my life.” Although not my first tears of the night, this moment almost had me sobbing. Throughout this scene, Bruce played segments of my first favorite Springsteen song, "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out"--on the piano! It was beautiful.
Bruce's Mom
"The Wish"
The theme of relationships runs throughout Springsteen on Broadway. Bruce shared with us many of his own, beginning with the often-times dark father-son relationship between him and his dad. He ended that heavy scene with "I'll take you off suicide watch now" as he segued into the much brighter story of his mom, Adele Springsteen.It is his mom who provided the light during his growing up years. She loved music, and she loved to dance, a theme that occurred several times throughout the show. Bruce's genuine love and adoration of his mom came through loud and clear as he shared personal stories about their relationship. At one point he recalled her "looking down on me like the gaze of Mary," one of several references to his Catholic upbringing. He ended this scene with "The Wish," a song he wrote for her some time back, and one that is now one of my favorite Bruce songs.
The Lord's Prayer
"Born to Run" His Mom Again "Dancing in the Dark"
The last two scenes of Springsteen on Broadway melded together and brought everything full circle. After a somewhat heavy scene about the state of our political world (and without mentioning anyone or thing specifically) Bruce returned to the power of music, especially relating to his mom. He revealed to us that she is in her 7th year of Alzheimers, at which point I swear I gasped out loud. Whenever she's at their home, they always have music playing. "In hard times, put on your dancing shoes," he said and then played "Dancing in the Dark." On the piano. Amazing. I felt the show was nearing the end when a tree that Bruce had talked about in the beginning reappeared in the next monologue. He talked about going back to his childhood neighborhood only to find the tree was gone. He said, "My heart sank like a rock. Part of me was gone, too." He saw the Catholic church still standing majestically, though, and he became quite spiritual. "The Catholic Church," he continued. "Once they have you, they have you." I totally got that, as I sat there with my Rosary bracelet on my wrist! He began saying "The Lord's Prayer," and I found myself saying the words right along with him, making the sign of the cross when I finished. "May God bless you and your loved ones," Bruce sincerely said and then ended that scene, and the entire show, with "Born to Run," a perfect rocking guitar version.
Push play to see how close we were!
After the show, Peg and I had a hard time coming up with words to describe our experience. It was almost too personal to talk about. Even now, two months later, I struggle with words, but one thing is for sure. I am so honored to have Bruce share his memories with me in such an intimate way. I am forever changed.
My sister Peg and I took a whirlwind trip to New York City in August. Neither one of us had ever been to The Big Apple, so this was huge. I was fortunate enough to snag tickets to Springsteen on Broadway (you can read all about that amazing experience here), and that was our main reason for making the trip. We added an extra day, though, so we could see at least a bit of the city. We ended up doing more than we thought possible, and we both came home loving NYC. We purposely took a 6:30 a.m. flight out of Denver to Newark which landed around noon Eastern time. That gave us a good half day to get our bearings and do some exploring. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Midtown Manhattan, and it turned out to be a perfect location for a short stay. We were within walking distance of major New York attractions, and, most importantly, it was less than a block from The Walter Kerr Theatre where Bruce was performing. Taking away 16 hours for two nights' sleep time and 5 hours for Bruce, that gave us about 21 hours for sightseeing and eating. With that in mind, we planned out three doable blocks of time, and off we went.
BLOCK ONE--Streets of Manhattan
We decided to explore the area around our hotel and find the Walter Kerr Theatre so we would know exactly where to go for Bruce the next night. First stop--a little bar right across the street. The West End Bar and Grill was the perfect spot to grab a beer and a snack (delicious basket of fries!) before we officially hit the streets of Manhattan. We studied our map, planned our route, and vowed to come back again.
Our next quest was to find the theatre. That ended up being super easy--it was just around the corner from our hotel. That gave us time to walk around Times Square and Broadway where we oohed and aahed over the flashy Broadway marquees and the billboards everywhere and where we craned our necks to see the tops of all the sky-high buildings surrounding us. We did a little shopping and scoped out restaurants for dinner.
My heart did flip flops each time I saw this
BLOCK TWO--Dinner and Top of the Rock
We definitely wanted to go to the top of either the Empire Sate Building or Rockefeller Center. My nephew strongly recommended The Rock as he thought it would be less crowded, and the view would be better. We took his advice and purchased our tickets online for Top of the Rock for later that evening. Before that, though, we needed to eat! Right next to the Walter Kerr Theatre, our venue for the next night, we found an Italian restaurant, La Masseria. What a gem it turned out to be. Since it was a glorious evening, we asked for patio seating. Of course we started with drinks, and from there on, everything was absolutely perfect--the atmosphere, the wait staff, the wine and champagne. And the food. Good Lord, the food--the absolute best Italiano I have ever had. Peg ordered Ravioli di Angelina, homemade ravioli tossed in a light tomato sauce. She raved about the flavors in the sauce. I chose Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, homemade fettucini with meat sauce Delizioso. I would order this every single time. Additionally, the salads were fresh and crisp and the homemade house dressing light and flavorful. Neither one of us could finish our dinner, but we definitely enjoyed our leftovers the next morning for breakfast! I'm a dessert person, but there was just no way we had room after this meal. We did, however, make plans to return the next night before Springsteen on Broadway for dessert and more champagne.
Italiano at its finest
Rockefeller Center was a quick five-block walk from our restaurant. The time stamp on our tickets was 7:00 p.m. which gave us the opportunity to see the city in daylight and evening light as well. Of course there was a line when we got there, but much to our delight (and shock) the attendants let us go to the front! We waited just a bit for the elevator to take us to the Top of the Rock. The elevator ride itself was thrilling. With a light show and super fast speed, we made it to the top (70 floors) in 42 seconds! The views that awaited us were absolutely breathtaking. We looked out on the New York City skyline and couldn't believe our eyes. We could see Central Park, The Empire State Building, and even the Statue of Liberty. We were both so happy that we made the Top of the Rock part of our short itiinerary.
Those views
BLOCK THREE--Central Park
The one spot that everyone advised us to see was Central Park. We weren't sure we could make it work, but we studied our maps and realized it was within waking distance. The morning of day 2, we set off (after devouring our leftover Italian!) from our hotel. We pretty much walked straight up 8th avenue. Along the way we saw more Broadway marquees, Times Square again, Rockefeller Plaza, which looked so different with outdoor tables and umbrellas instead of ice skaters, and Trump Tower, looking a bit on the over-the-top side. The west entrance to Central Park was gorgeous in itself. Large statues lined the gateway. We knew we wouldn't have time (or energy!) to see the entire 840 acres. We made Strawberry Fields our first stop. There was a sense of peace as we walked up the hill, and we both got a little teary when we saw the Imagine Circle. I think everyone there felt John's spirit, even as we all took turns taking selfies. Our next stop was supposed to be Shakespeare Garden, and indeed we did make it there eventually. But first we needed refreshments! I saw some red umbrellas on one side of the walking path. I thought it might be a beer garden, and I knew Peg would love that. We asked to be seated on the patio. It wasn't until a waitress brought the menus that we realized we were at Tavern on the Green! That quickly became the joke of the trip--"Hey, let's just stop at this beer garden over here." :) Shakespeare Garden was delightful It's an area in the park with a little theatre and lots of beautiful flowers in full bloom--complete with butterflies. It really does look like an English garden. Small plaques with Shakespeare quotes have been placed throughout the area, and to this English teacher, Shakespeare Garden is paradise.
Central Park Magic
We really could have stayed in Central Park all day, but it was time for us to head back to the hotel to get ready for Springsteen on Broadway. On our way out, we walked by the whimsical carousel, a perfect ending to our whirlwind NYC sightseeing adventure. Peg and I both fell in love with New York and vow to return. One of my biggest concerns leading up to our trip was that people would be rude. I had it in my mind that all New Yorkers are jerks. That wasn't the case at all. In fact, every single person we encountered was friendly, pleasant, and helpful. From the taxi drivers who helped us with luggage and returned a forgotten item, to the hotel staff who greeted us each time we entered the building, to the waiters at our restaurants who accommodated our requests, to the staff at the Top of the Rock who made a special line for us, to the security and ushers at Springsteen on Broadway who rolled out the red carpet for us--everyone helped make our trip to the Big Apple unforgettable.
Every now and then the stars align and send down from heaven a reason to believe that sweeps away any doubt that the universe really is amazing. Such a celestial event happened to me when I got to meet my hero, Bruce Springsteen. Flash back oh about forty-two years when I first fell in love with The Boss. I was going to college in Lincoln, Nebraska, at that time. My roommates and I listened nonstop to KFMQ, our favorite radio station, while driving our cars or hanging in our apartment. The first time I heard "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" I stopped everything to listen. The second time, I said, "Damn. Who is this??" The third time, I went to Dirt Cheap to buy the album. And from that moment on, with a major revival in the 80's courtesy of my little sister, Bruce Springsteen has been my man. From 45s to albums to cassettes to MTV videos to cds to downloads to playlists to concerts, I have followed, been a groupie of, planned English lessons around, and loved The Boss. He has been a major part of my story since 1974. I always hoped to meet him some day, but I knew it would take a miracle for that to happen. Enter several glorious, Heaven-sent miracles. In late November, 2016, the stars did truly align and shone brightly on a path that led to my meeting with Bruce. Each step of the way was kissed with miracles, making this meeting just destined to be.
Miracle One--Ticket Success!
I knew that Bruce had made previous book signing appearances in major cites earlier in the fall. I thought how amazing it would be to attend one, but most of them were on the East Coast or in California. I kind of forgot about that actually--it seemed like he stopped after five or six book stores. I happened to be watching the local evening news the week of Thanksgiving when out of the blue, a reporter announced that Bruce added a few more meet-and-greets, and Denver was one of the cities added. I had to replay the segment to make sure I heard right. OMG--I heard right. He would be appearing at The TatteredCover(my favorite bookstore) the next week, and tickets would go on sale the next day at 10:00 a.m. Shortly after this newscast, I received multiple texts and Tweets from friends alerting me to the news. With less than 24 hours to process, I knew I was going to try to get one of those tickets.
The next morning I probably wasn't the most focused English teacher out there, but fortunately, it was the day before Thanksgiving break, and my students were finishing projects. I still hadn't come up with a plan for how I was going to slip away at 10:00. I even thought for a split second that maybe I would just skip it. So many rules to prevent ticket scalping were attached to the event, such as--only one ticket per transaction, and the ticket holder had to be the same name as the credit card used. Plus, I knew from experience that it's not easy to get tickets to see Bruce in concert--websites crash and tickets sell out in minutes, oftentimes resulting in disappointment, But still, I knew I just had to at least try. This is the point where the stars began to align. Attendance was exceptionally low periods 1 and 2. Period 2 ended at 9:56, so the four-minute passing time gave me time to log into EventBrite to scope it out. At 9:58 the website displayed the message, "Event not on sale." I refreshed at 9:59 and got the same message, As fate would have it, at this time only two students had entered my classroom. I watched the time on my phone change to 10:00, and I made the decision to refresh one last time.
"One ticket is in your basket. You will have 6 minutes to complete this transaction." What???? I wasn't ready for that. I was a shaking mess as I slowly typed my credit card and other information, telling myself to calm down, take my time, and check that all numbers and spelling were correct. Breathe. Six minutes is plenty of time. Breathe. Everything appeared to be correct. It was time to push submit.
Spin . . . Wait . . . Spin . . .
And then . . .
Voila! Confirmation. One Ticket. Just like that, I was going to meet The Boss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I couldn't breathe. OMG! OMG! OMG! I am going to MEET Bruce Springsteen.
It wasn't until that evening when I fully understood just how miraculous it was that I got a ticket. Comments poured onto Tattered Cover's FaceBook page admonishing their handling of the event--comments like:
What a cluster fuck. I was refreshing and clicked at 9:59:55 and it said unavailable. Clicked refresh as it hit 10:00:00 - saw green ticket bar, clicked, clicked checkout - immediately told me unavailable due to previous sales? Kept refreshing - every know and then the ticket bar would be there - clicked it, clicked checkout, same thing. Never even took me to a payment screen. It took 26 minutes for them to mark it as Sold Out. Not buying that tickets were all gone in the 3 seconds it took me to click ticket and check out. FUCK Eventbrite and their system.
Seriously? Had a ticket in my cart and got kicked out and now can't get back in.
Well that sucked
And on and on . . . The Tattered Cover apologized and explained that 25,000 people hit the site at 10:00, causing issues, but even with that, tickets were gone in three minutes. With one try, a short 20 second processing spin, I had my ticket. Thank you, stars!
Miracle Two--Nieces!
I don't know how I made it through Period 3. I couldn't breathe. I was in shock and close to having a panic attack. One of my first thoughts after I realized that I had a ticket was, "What have I done??" The fact that I only had one ticket hit me. Being mobility impaired, I wondered who would help me get into the building. Would I be able to get a personal day approved to attend? I soon laughed those concerns off--the ticket was only $32.00. If things didn't work out, it wouldn't be the end of the world.
During my lunch, I sent a message to EventBrite asking about taking a helper to just be in line with me, Within five minutes they messaged back that absolutely a companion would be allowed but would not get an autographed book or a meeting with Bruce. Understood.
Thank you!
My next worry was who would want to take a day off just to go stand in an endless line for hours? I didn't think anyone would. I first tried my nephew Jake, but he knew he wouldn't be able to get the day off. However, I had been texting my nieces about my ticket, who were happy but jealous beyond words. At some point in the text, Micki said she put her name on a wait list for a ticket, and if it cleared, she would do a one-day trip from Nebraska. Wait a second, I said--I can take a helper. Then everything was turned upside down with Jill proclaiming, with love, that I had made the ultimate Sophie's Choice!
What is an aunt to do? This aunt called The Tattered Cover directly to inquire about having two helpers, with no expectation that either would get to see Bruce. As the stars would have it, I was connected to an angel by the name of Suzanne. Suzanne checked with management, and they approved two assistants to check in with me, and from there, they would take over. Done. Both nieces were on board. Thank you, stars!
Miracle Three--The Tattered Cover Staff
With seven days to wait after ticket success, I stressed about every little detail. What exactly did TC's management mean when they said the girls could check me into the line, and they would take it from there? Micki and Jill were fine with this, but I wasn't so sure. And I really wanted them to at least see Bruce, but they were content just being in the same building. I made at least three more phone calls to TC to verify that they both could be in the building, and each time, because the stars were still aligning, of course, Suzanne answered the phone. Each time, she patiently assured me that both girls could check me in but would not be able to meet Bruce. I can't stress enough how helpful, understanding, and angelic Suzanne was. Thank you, stars, for Suzanne!
And with that, 11/30/2016 arrived, and we were off. TO MEET BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN!!
On our way!
With just a tiny cloud of worry trying to rain on my parade, we arrived at The Tattered Cover fully prepared to stand in the freezing cold (18 degrees--brrrr--but sunny--yay!) for hours. After lucking into a parking space right across the street, we saw the line stretching outside the door. We got in line, ready for the wait, and started talking with the people around us. It wasn't long before we found out that we were in the wrong line. This line was for people who had already checked in. We needed to go to the check-in line first. So off we went, around the back of the building, in search of that elusive check-in line. l was starting to feel a little nauseous at this point. Where in the world was this check-in line? How long was it? And would the girls have to leave me at that point? We still had no idea what was going to happen with that. I felt a tingling on my wrist and remembered I had my Rosary bracelet on. Knowing that, I said a quick Hail Mary as we entered the back door. We had no idea where to go, but a friendly-looking store employee saw us in our confusion. As we approached, her face brightened as she asked, "Are you Cheryl?" She just happened to be the beautiful Suzanne who answered my calls of inquiry the week before. There is just no way that Divine Intervention didn't arrange that. She immediately took us under her wing and led us to an elevator that would take us to the check-in line. Oh dear Lord--that line. It snaked all the way through the bookstore (this is a large bookstore) out the front door and spilled around the block (we only learned this when we were leaving). But never mind--we had our stars and Mother Mary lighting our way. An attendant escorted us from the elevator directly to the front of the line. What??? We had no idea what was happening, but another adorable employee asked for my name and i.d., verified with her boss that both girls could accompany me, and put wristbands on all three of us (theirs had a small sticker showing they were escorts) and handed us off to another amazing employee. It was that fast, that painless, and that miraculous.
We all looked at each other in disbelief as we followed along, We thought we would now be heading back to that first line on the other side of the building. Instead, the employee headed to a second elevator that took us down another level where the meet-and-greet would take place. When we exited the elevator, we followed our guy down a carpeted hallway lined with books. We heard the distant hum of talking and laughing, and when we rounded a corner, we entered a gorgeous section of the bookstore that was abuzz with excitement. My eyes took in a beautiful tapestry rug with a stand containing water bottles. A row of photographers lined up in front of the rug, and behind a partition came lots of excited voices. In a daze, we realized that our guide wasn't leading us to the line but instead took us on a shortcut and bypassed the line entirely.
We were at ground zero, and Bruce would be standing on that very rug greeting his fans. Still not quite grasping what was happening, I felt for my Rosary Bracelet to say another Hail Mary. My worry was that any time someone was going to kick out Jill and Micki. As we waited for Bruce, we scoped out who might do just that. But all the employees were just waiting for Bruce, like we were, and they couldn't have been nicer. We began to relax a little and just take it all in as the stars continued to align.
Waiting for Bruce!
Because the official line of Bruce fans was behind the photographers and a partition, we couldn't see most of them, but we could definitely hear their excited chatter and felt the concert-like vibes. As it got closer for the time for Bruce to appear, a recording of "Born to Run" came on the speakers. We and the crowd did what we would do at a concert--we sang along at the top of our lungs and yelled for BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE. It was almost time . . .
Miracle Four--BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN!
It still wasn't registering with me that Bruce Springsteen would come out of the door that was twenty feet away, but at this time that door opened, and some very official-looking men walked out to scope things out and then quickly went back and closed the door. We knew then that Bruce Springsteen was in the building! What I didn't get, but somehow Micki and Jill did, was that we were going to be the first to meet Bruce. I just couldn't comprehend that, but before I could even get my iPhone ready for pictures, the door opened once more. This time, Bruce made his entrance.
Bruce Springsteen is in the house!
Bruce stepped onto the rug, slightly bowed to the row of photographers, looked directly at us, and bowed to the photographers again. At this point, I just let fate take complete control. I had no idea where the girls were or even where I was for that matter. I saw Bruce approaching me. His eyes were focused on mine, and in that short approach, I saw every Bruce image stored in my memory--Bruce, fighting off girls bombarding the stage as he sings "Rosalita," and Bruce, leaning on Big Man's shoulder with that saxaphone, and Bruce driving a stolen car, and Bruce, dancing in the dark (with me, not Courtney!), and Bruce, singing about Reasons to Believe in Nebraska, and Bruce standing against the American flag. I almost burst into tears as decades of memories and music flashed through my mind and heart. I was jolted back to reality with sounds from the clicking shutters and flashing lights as the paparazzi got to work. I felt like a movie star and forgot everything I practiced saying. I think I said, "Well hello, Bruce. It certainly is a pleasure to meet you after all these years." And then . . .
Miracle Five--HE KISSED ME!!!
He said, "Hello darling" and leaned over and kissed me. KISSED ME!
My entire face tingled after that simple kiss, let me tell you. I might have grabbed his arm. Yes, I think I did--I didn't want it to be over.
We both then turned to face the photographers for an official photo. I said something else--maybe a thank you for your music line. And just like that, it was over. We had to move along.
We went around a corner, and I just needed a moment to process what had happened. Micki was crying, Jill was texting, and I was in shock.
Immediately after. And lunch menu where we stopped to debrief!
Miracle Six--After
Even though my meeting with Bruce was brief, I realized over the next few days just how far reaching and eternal it truly was. For one thing, all the local news stations covered Bruce's appearance at The Tattered Cover. I was beyond thrilled when I saw us in several segments. Channel 7 even captured the kiss!! Many friends texted or called to tell me they saw me on the news, and I could hear their own excitement as they relayed their news.
Of course I blasted this event all over social media as well. I heard from so many people--close friends, of course but also people I haven't heard from forever, and friends of friends, and complete strangers. That they took the time to like or comment or call or share my good fortune added to the beauty of meeting Bruce. It was as if they were meeting their own Bruce. Here is just a sampling:
My heartfelt gratitude and love for everyone who shared this miracle with me. Months have passed, but my meeting with Bruce is still fresh in my memory and in my heart. My nieces and I continue reliving this memory and are forever bonded by something that no one else shares. Friends still want to hear the story, and I am oh-so-happy to tell it! My face still tingles from that kiss. And those stars still align, casting a new glow on my soul, giving me all new reasons to believe. I hope you all have your own personal Bruce and that someday your prayers are answered and the stars align for you to meet him/her, too. I would love to hear about it--please share your miracle!
