Company in New York City

No words can describe what Company was.  This is a show that hasn't fully settled in my mind the enormity of what I experienced.  It was in a word:  Perfect.

It was just announced that it will be in theaters starting June 15th, 2011, and if your theater houses it, do yourself a favor and see it.  I will even though I saw it live, and I probably will go more than once.  If it comes out on DVD (oh please, oh please, oh please) I will pre-order it and watch it yet again.  This show made me smile.  It made me think.  I laughed and in the end I sobbed.  

First off, I wish I had bought the Doogie Howser shirt in the NBC store beforehand and worn it but thought it wouldn't be appropriate.  Until Val pointed out to me the girl that had a sweatshirt that stated on the front "Legend-- wait for it..." and on the back "...-dary!".  Neil Patrick Harris fans a many.

Neil Patrick Harris got mad cheers as soon as he stepped out onto the stage.  To be expected.  And as soon as his mouth opened I got chills.  I've watched him since I was young and followed him throughout his career including musical which includes Rent, Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog, and that glorious episode of Glee directed by the amazing Joss Whedon.  NPH was exactly what I had hoped, but didn't want to get those hopes up too high.  I hung on to every word and he was a perfect Robert - though weird to see him play a part so parallel to the Barney Stinson character on "How I Met Your Mother".  

Stephen Colbert was the one that most critics and fans alike were flocking to this show for.  Sure, he had a musical Christmas Special (A Colbert Christmas:  The Greatest Gift of All) but can he hack it on stage?  Oh, and how he did.  The comedic timing with him Neil Patrick Harris and Martha Plimpton (who played his wife) was excellent.  And the "karate" moves along with some other acrobatics were not only great, but just too funny.  

Another plus for us was Christina Hendricks.  Being the Mad Men fans (and lover of her *ahem* assets) this last minute addition just sealed the deal that we made the right decision in our slight second choice of buying these tickets and booking a flight to New York City.  She played one of the three women that Robert is dating, a stewardess that's kinda ditsy.  She was great, and who knew she could sing?  Plus watching hers and NPH's clothes coming off was quite the bonus....oh, to be that silk sheet......on a nerdy note: Joss Whedon-verse's collided with those two.  NPH being in several of Joss's works and Hendricks in two episodes on the short-lived but still loved, Firefly.

Some other notables would be Katie Finneran who got the daunting task of singing "Getting Married Today" (the Sondheim-like song of extremely fast talking lyrics).  Anika Noni Rose (otherwise known as the Dreamgirl who's name you didn't know from the movie) was amazing with "Another Hundred People".  And then Craig Bierko was a surprise to us of how good he was - a glance at the Playbill helped us realize he actually won a Tony for Music Man - so that answered that.  And then of course Patti Lupone who's "Ladies Who Lunch" was flawless - down to slinging her martini on the front row of the audience.

In the end it was the most perfect show I've seen in my life.  I'm not quite sure how any show, if any show, will ever live up to it.  Though it was cruddy to be in NYC for about 48 hours or so, it was worth it every cent and every minute.  Come on June 15th!  

Oh!  And also, as a bonus to our Company weekend - we upped the ante on the Neil Patrick Harris love fest and went and visited McGee's Pub - apparently this is the bar that Maclaren's on "How I Met Your Mother" is based off of.  We found nice people watching the Yankees versus Red Sox game and made ourselves right at home! 

*note most of these pictures are not my own - I'm sure you can tell which ones! *wink*  They're in fact from HERE and by the NY Philharmonic themselves. 

Has there been one show or event that's changed your life?  I heard of someone proposing right after the show to their significant other - I think that's definitely one to remember!