One Ride!

What a fabulous night out I enjoyed!  I celebrated my 16th wedding anniversary on Friday and my wife arranged for child care, so I arranged a surprise.  In my line of work I meet many people and earlier in the week I met a Mr. Rosenstock, Executive Director of Queens Theater In The Park.  He raved to me about a show opening in his theater on the same day as my anniversary.  I decided to take a chance and go for it.  I managed to get two front row tickets for $60.00 using my wife's student discount, which isn't bad for a live show.  Now the question was whether it was worth the money and the time. 

I drove up to the place--free parking--and was pleasantly surprised.  It's a very nice building.  It's not too large a theater.  It seats over 400 persons, which is still cozy by Broadway standards.  Our seats were so close we could touch the performers.  The show was a dance musical conceived by a gentleman, Robert Royston, who apparently served as a choreographer to Taylor Swift whose music I like, but I don't recall her doing much dancing--perhaps I haven't been paying much attention.  Either way, he and the gorgeous dancers he chose did a spectacular job!  The theme was country-western, not the first thing that comes to mind in Queens, but when something is good it's good!  The show was an interpretation of the music and life of Chris Le Doux, country music performer as well as a professional rodeo rider.  The man himself is deceased--an early death from liver cancer.  There is a band onstage playing his music (some from Le Doux's actual band) and a troupe of dancers who are not only talented and extremely athletic, but also hold up their end in the dramatic presentation arena.  Heck, they evoked a few tears from my wife, which is admittedly easy, but you get the picture. 

I discovered Queens Theater In the Park, which receives considerable corporate and gov't. support and results in affordable theater.  Even better, I discovered that it's good theater!  Catch "One Ride" before it's gone!