Two great shows

Saw "The Motherf**ker with the Hat" and "Catch Me If You Can".  I wanted to see MF because of Bobby Cannavale, and Chris Rock; it's Chris Rock's Broadway debut.  I was totally surprised by how much fun and solid drama were in this play by Stephen Adly Guirgis.  It's not surprising that Chris Rock and Annabella Sciorra decided to make their Broadway debut with this.  Mr. Guirgis is with the LAByrinth Theater Company and has had about a dozen plays done there directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman.  I haven't seen any of them but I am familiar with the title, "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train".  He has written for "N.Y.P.D. Blue", and the "Sopranos" and this is also his Broadway debut.
    The play as the poster says involves two hearts, 12 steps and 1 hat.  The hat is presumed to have been left by someone sharing Veronica [Elizabeth Rodriguez] and Jackie's [Bobby Cannavale] bed.  They've known each other and loved each other since the 8th grade.  Veronica opens the play snorting cocaine and talking to her mother on the phone about getting rehab.  That is, her mother getting rehab; Veronica says she's fine.   Bobby is just out of prison for selling drugs and is trying hard to work the 12 steps.  His sponsor, Ralph  [Chris Rock] is a charmer with women, which has his wife Victoria , Annabella Sciorra, packed and ready to leave.  Lastly, is Bobby's cousin Julio, the wonderful Yul Vazquez, who grew up nicknamed mariconito, little faggot.  The play takes place in three NYC apartments.  The show runs 100 minutes with no intermission.  Not what I like but at this show I didn't mind.  The scenery changes in dim lighting; walls drop, slide and rotate.  Couches move so quickly, over and down to the basement, I thought the actors were still sitting on them.  This is very much in tune with the play.  It is raucous, fast, screwball, fun.
 I still want to write about "Catch Me If You Can".  A musical I wanted to see because it has a book by Terrance McNally, based on the movie of the same name with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, directed by Jack O'Brien and starring Norbert Leo Butz, Aaron Tveit and Tom Wopat.  Their credits are two great to list.  These are among the living masters of the great American Art Form called Musical Comedy.  Right now I want to tell you that I had my own Catch me if you can experience.  I assumed an identity, I think.
 I do theater on my small budget through discounted tickets.  These 2 shows would have cost me about 3x each then what I actually paid for them.  That's a great deal, BUT, sometimes you end up in the last row, "nose bleed territory" & in the middle seat that might be a comfortable fit for a 12 year old.  Let's just say I'm not 12.  Last night's ticket for "Catch" was the last row, far right, in the middle.  I asked before they opened if I could stand in the back, which I did for the 'MFer' and that was fine.  My knees are not 12 years old, either.  They said:  "OK, if it's not crowded."  I waited until the audience was almost completely seated and asked the usherette if I could stand in the back.  She said "The stairs?".  I said "and the knees".  She asked me to wait; then talked to "the boss".  He looked at me.  She looked at me.  They talked some more.  She came back to me and said: " Orchestra, third row."  Wow, people are so nice.  There I was face to face with the performers.  I was smiling; they were smiling.  I think Norbert Leo Butz winked at me.
There were 2 empty seats by me during the first act.  At intermission, 2 young men asked me if anyone was sitting there, and if they could have them.  The guy behind me interjected: " those seats are reserved for the press."  oh.  OH.  My "The New Yorker" bag had been hanging from my shoulder.  Would they think I was John Lahr?  Nah.  But they may be expecting a Talk of the Town piece.