I have been privileged to attend hundreds of performances in my life.  On Broadway, off-Broadway, Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, movies, school plays, dance recitals, orchestra, a’ cappella concerts and more.   The one thing all of these experiences had in common – I knew what to expect.  For many of them, I listened to the music in advance.  For others, I knew the plot. On occasion, I personally knew the players.

Tonight, I will be attending a play for the first time at The Shed in Hudson Yards, NY.   I do not know the plot.  I have not read a review.  I do not even know the title of the play.   We bought the tickets four months ago, and we are attending with friends Carol, Steve, Wendy & Yale. 

There is only one reason I am willing to devote this much time and money to this experience without knowing anything.  His name is Tom Hanks.   Tom has earned this trust, because every performance I have seen him in has created an impact on me.  In every work he has been part of, he has taught me, made me laugh or cry, changed my perspective or taken me to a place I’ve never been before.   He wrote, Produced, and is starring in tonight’s performance – so I do not need to know more.  I trust him.  Fully.

I was trying to think if there was another public figure I would trust this much, and I came up with only the name of Steven Spielberg.  Sure, there are rock & roll stars that I follow – but I know their music.  Yes, there are corporate executives I respect, but I know their businesses.  Yes, there are comedians that I like, but they are not always funny. Like Mr. Hanks, Mr. Spielberg has also been consistently excellent in his life.

I know from first-hand experience that to be that good, to earn that much trust, to have that much credibility is extraordinarily hard.  It means being very selective about the projects one accepts.  It means sweating the details, and reworking the plan.  It means flawless execution.  Tom Hanks has made this look easy, but it is not, and he has my highest respect, even if tonight’s performance is a dud (which it won’t be).  

  

This is also the first time this year that I’ve written about an adventure before actually experiencing it.   I do not know what tonight’s big Adventure #60 will be, but I enter with open eyes and ears.  I am sure to learn something.  I cannot wait!

Epilogue: This World of Tomorrow

Before I tell you about the play, I need to say thank you to my companions, because I really enjoyed spending the evening with them. Hudson Yards was already decorated for the holiday season and the Vessel was shining like a space ship. We ate a nice dinner at Queensyard which not only overlooked the Vessel but also the Shed itself.

Tom Hanks did not disappoint. The project started off as three short stories that Tom wrote in 2017. He and Jim Glossman adapted those stories to become the play, which is a story about love and time. Tom and Kelli O’Hara were both excellent, and we really enjoyed the performances of supporting cast members Jamie Ann Romero and Jay O. Sanders.

I will not divulge the plot (no spoilers here), but let’s just say that it had many things I really enjoy: science fiction, relationships, technology, the world’s fair, diners and it even casually mentioned the page program at NBC.

Yes, once again, Tom Hanks made me laugh and cry, changed my perspective and took me to several places I have never been before.

I have seen the future!