I saw her last night. She was performing her cabaret in the "cafe" section of this hotel.
This woman sat so close to me, I could have reached down from my "cheap seat" at the bar and snatched her hair.
A rum and coke was $13.50.
A cheeseburger was $27.00.
A "cheap seat" at the bar was $70.00.
Granted, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the greatest performers to come out of the "Golden Age" of Broadway. Hey. It's New York. You take advantage of the mind-blowing wealth of world-class things to do and see. This is why we built a concrete island and filled it with the brightest and best the human race has to offer.
But it goes back to what my ukulele teacher said at our last lesson:
"Theatre used to be for 'the people'. Not anymore. These days it's for the rich."
Ol' Cookie was up on that stage singing songs of passion and struggle and overcoming impossible obstacles all in the name of love; love that endures trials and poverty and thousands of miles.
Her audience was a bunch of bored New York millionaires who nibbled on caviar and applauded loudly at her expensive brilliance. Didn't see too many of the types of people she was actually singing about though.
Hmm.
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