This was a highly specialized trip to New York City – as, perhaps, they all should be. The city is so vibrant and diverse that it’s probably better to have a theme for the trip and come back many, many times. Having been before, I was fine with focusing solely on Broadway (with a minor theme of cheesecake). We saw four shows – Legally Blonde, Spring Awakening, The Color Purple (starring a surprisingly dazzling Fantasia), and one thematic impulse show, part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

It’s interesting how layers reveal themselves when you narrow your focus. With this trip, I was for some reason focused on what it would be like to live in NY. (Perhaps it was the theater aspect, since it made me imagine my life had I followed theater.) Could I live in a teeny apartment above a dirty, dirty sidewalk, never fully inhaling the gray air? Could I lounge in sun-dappled Central Park, sip tea at sidewalk cafes, and visit the Met on a slow afternoon? It’s a dichotomy that confused and fascinated me as we wandered the streets.

The shows themselves were fantastic (with the exception of the strange, clashing amateur show). I won’t bore you with my professional critique, but I will say that a theater weekend in New York is a marvelous way to feel more alive. There’s a thrill that runs through you when you hear the perfect pop hook or see dozens of dancers, costumed in brilliant colors, swelling and surging simultaneously. Some of my favorite moments from these three shows: the young cast sprawled around the floating platform, singing sweetly and pushing it in wide circles as the boy and girl experienced first love… Elle Woods studying and belting “Love! I'm doing this for love!” over the frat boy trying to tempt her, Jamaican-style, to party… Fantasia, hunched over but gaining strength, at the very forefront of the stage, telling her abusive husband, “I'm beautiful, and I’m here” while the audience stood and shouted “Amen”… Being a part of live theater, experiencing these powerful moments in the same room as I am, alters your mind and your mood. Coupled with the bustle of the cool streets outside, these moments made me think I could be a part of New York City.

This was my first trip to New York. Admittedly, this wasn't your typical first trip. The only glimpse of the Statue of Liberty was from the plane and we saw the Empire State building from the sidewalk. The real reason for the trip was a Broadway weekend as a birthday present for Maggie. It was as much for me as for her though, my first time to Broadway shows.

The weekend was not entirely void of token tourist moments. We strolled through Central Park on an unseasonably warm day and ate some very greasy thin pizza. We also took in a very crowded Times Square and rode the subway and dropped a small fortune for a hotel room; the usual. Pretty much everything else we did revolved around a 15 square blocks and four shows.

The first one was part of a musical festival going on, an off-broadway production with rather strange music and worse acting. Chalk it up to supporting local arts. The next show was Spring Awakening, a sort of modern coming-of-age story set in late 1800's Germany. It won Best Musical in 2007 and despite having a rather blase finale, was a very good show.

The next day we saw The Color Purple with Fantasia. To say she was amazing would be an understatement. Overall, this was by far the most impressive performance. The audience was so into it that people were literally standing and shouting "Amen!" at pivotal moments. Last but not least was Legally Blonde. To say that I was a little unsure going in would be an understatement. Walking into a theatre full of 13-year old girls didn't bolster my confidence much. This ended up being very entertaining though. It wasn't what you'd call a think-piece but it had several catchy songs that stuck with you for days.

My overall impression of Broadway was great. Ignoring the astronomically high ticket prices, mobs of people, and cramped seats, I could see that being something to do more of if you lived in New York. The biggest thing I noticed was that there truly is a difference between a Broadway cast and any local or traveling show that I'd seen up until then. My hope was that this would satisfy her appetite for awhile. I think it had quite the opposite effect, she's already wanting to know when we're going back. I must admit, I'm a little hungry myself.