The short version:

            Airplane tickets: 267.00
            Hotel:  186.00
            Theater tickets: 55.00
            Wobbly knees:  PRICELESS!!

The longer version  - a weekend filled with friends, fun, food, fabulous theater and Kate - what more could anyone wish for! 

After a day of touring and shopping, we found a spot that looked appealing for dinner and called a friend who we were planning to meet for the show and invited her to meet us.  She reached us in time for a drink and then gave us the low down for getting to the theater in time to get good seats.  We reached the theater and started the line for seating.  Some may say we were obsessed, but I think we were just excited.  Very shortly they let us into the building to wait near the theater entrance when another friend joined us.  I think the staff were laughing at our excitement, but what the heck!  At ten after seven , they opened the door for seating and we had front row middle seats.  We all turned off our cell phones for the performance as we didn't want to get the Janeway death glare if they went off during the show.  It was getting closer to curtain time, and who should walk by and sit at the end of the row, but Ethan Phillips!  We were trying to act nonchalant about it but one of our group was pounding my arm and whispering “There’s the Doctor!”  I quietly turned to her and said, “No, it’s Neelix.”  She had mistaken them in a moment of excitement.  We were warned by the staff to watch our feet, as the set spun around in front of us and they didn’t want us to get hurt.  Finally the lights went down and the show began!

The first act was hectic and a bit silly, but very entertaining none the less.  What an interesting cast - and of course Kate was fantastic.  In fact, if we had been thinking faster, we could have gotten our programs up in time to catch the flying spray from one of Kate’s dialogues and sold it on ebay for gobs of money, we were that close!  The second act was much more sober, and quite impressive, Kate’s monologue being the highlight!  I was sad to see it end, since I could have watched them all night.  We waited with a few others outside to see if Kate would come out, and we didn’t want to interfere with her reunion with Mr. Phillips.  The other actors trickled out as they finished tidying up for the day.  They were all very nice and personable and willing to sign autographs or just thank us for expressing our admiration.  Finally, Kate arrived!  There was a small group of people clamoring for her autograph so I stood back nervously waiting for my turn.  The other theater had just let out, so there was a mob of people going back and forth.  Kate had Ethan by the arm and was walking away with him, when I stepped up and asked if I could give her a gift.  She said sure and asked me my name.  I was all flustered and said it was from Judith and me and that we were friends of Carol LaPlante's.  She took my hand to shake it and asked for my name again.  I said Joni, and that we enjoyed the show.  She thanked us for coming and then went on her way.  WOW!  As we turned to walk away, my knees were shaking and my smile must have been a mile wide.  The girls had to pull me down to earth when we reached Rue 57 for cocktails, so that I could get in the door.  We all talked about the play and how friendly everyone was.  I tried to call another friend to let her know we had seen the play and had a terrific time, but it was very loud in there and she was working so she will just have to live vicariously through this report.  Finally it was time to call it a day.  We all headed for our respective homes for the evening to dream and revue all of the excitement.  I would be hard pressed to imagine a better day! 

Report by Joni - Posted 3/13/07