I was in tears at half time and on my feet at curtain call

NEW YORK?I?ve been here two weeks now. (The first was spent getting rid of a sore throat and a bad cold, ?going away presents? from Rob and Nic.)

The reading is done, ?Broadway Backwards? was a smash, and I?m in the middle of rehearsals for my show, ?Carlyle Cabaret? (for tickets and details, in case you?re in Manhattan from March 9-27, visit www.thecarlyle.com).

4 Pisceans

My team (Dan Kutner, director; Diana Basmajian, scriptwriter; and Larry Yurman, musical director) and I have gone through the music and at least three drafts of the script. It?s been so much fun, maybe it?s because all four of us are Pisceans! I?m very excited about my Carlyle debut!

Being in the city again has reintroduced me to the things about it that I?ve so fallen in love with, and again I am finding myself passionate and inspired about what I love to do most.

Chicken soup

I?ve been staying in a hotel just a stone?s throw away from one of my favorite delis here, the legendary Carnegie Deli, a block away from Carnegie Hall. The deli is famous for yummy mile-high sandwiches, but a favorite of mine is the chicken and matzo ball soup.

Since I was recovering and couldn?t go out, I asked the hotel concierge to please place my order, and he kindly went to the deli himself! Only 15 minutes after my call, I had a New Yorker sandwich, a large tub of soup and a glass of fresh orange juice at my door. Needless to say, it didn?t take very long for me to feel tons better. I wonder what they put in that chicken soup?

Slush!

A snowstorm came through New York City last week. I love watching the snow come down when I?m in my flannel pajamas, a cup of hot cocoa in my hand. However, snow is an absolute inconvenience when I commute.

When it?s dry and crunchy underfoot, snow is easy enough to negotiate. But when it melts into slush, it can be frustrating. It pools and puddles at almost every street corner, turning the simple business of crossing the street into an Olympic event. I know, this is nothing compared to what many Filipinos endure in the rainy season, so I shouldn?t complain. What impresses me, I have to say, is that 24 hours later, the streets and sidewalks are passable again.

Broadway!

I?ll never get enough of Broadway. So far, I?ve seen ?Billy Elliot,? ?Memphis,? and ?In the Heights.? There?s one more on my calendar this week: ?A Little Night Music,? starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury.

?In the Heights? offers a look into a neighborhood in Washington Heights inhabited mostly by immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, this Tony Award-winning musical transported me at times to a hopping salsa club, thanks to the infectious rhythms.

?Memphis? is inspired by events in the 1950s, at the advent of rock ?n? roll in America. Black music is banned on radio but, thanks to Huey Calhoun, a small-town white boy who becomes a radio DJ, ?race music? is played and rises to immense popularity. Huey falls in love with everything wrong at the time: black music, and a beautiful black singer.

The music of ?Memphis? is written by David Bryan (an original member of Bon Jovi), with a book by Joe DiPietro. It is an energetic musical with fantastic songs, wonderful choreography, and an incredible cast. I was in tears at intermission, and on my feet at curtain call.

Cabaret

I was invited to a show at the Café Carlyle, where my own cabaret will be staged. Barb Jungr was the featured performer, accompanied by a pianist. Her song interpretations were remarkable. All the music she sang in the show, titled ?River? (all the songs had something to do with a river), was taken apart and put back together in some interesting and amazing ways. I really learned a lot watching her.

So many adventures so far, and so many more to have! I wonder what?s in store this week?