Theater is typically immune to foul weather, but when the venue is Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, The Doppler Radar is the main tool for determining a show’s viability. At 8pm, when Paul Simon’s Capeman was scheduled to start, standing umbrellaless was a mistake so Alaina and I huddled under the one we had and waited the next hour until it was closer to mist than storm and we filled our seats in the quarter-bowl. Before the head of The Public Theatre, Oskar Eustis, gave his introductory thanks and acknowledgments (calling the Delacorte “the greatest theater in the greatest city in the world” because IT’S FREE!), he was furiously squeegeeing the stage with the rest of the crew. It never actually stopped raining, but the show must go on… I remember hearing about this musical when it first hit Broadway and being surprised when it flopped. I always liked the music from the album, but hearing it live with a full Latin band is very powerful; all the performers were great and an epic moment like “Adios Hermanos”, when 40 people on stage are locked into tight rhythm and beautiful harmony, somehow feels even better wet.
enjoy and be good