Wednesday, November 7, 2007

The Phantom Tollbooth World Premiere


Should I go?





Guess what else? Norton Juster will be autographing copies of his book after the November 17th matinee performance. I might go, just for that.

Oh, no...I can't. I checked and that performance is sold out. Do you think if I stood outside the door with my thirty-year-old beloved copy they might let me in?

Maybe if I recited some of my favorite parts...

"What an ordinary little boy," commented the king. "Why, my cabinet members can do all sorts of things. The duke here can make mountains out of molehills. The minister splits hairs. The count makes hay while the sun shines. The earl leaves no stone unturned. And the undersecretary," he finished ominously, "hangs by a thread. Can't you do anything at all?"
"I know one thing for certain; it's much harder to tell whether you are lost than whether you were lost, for, on many occasions, where you're going is exactly where you are. On the other hand, you often find that where you've been is not at all where you should have gone, and, since it's much more difficult to find your way back from someplace you've never left, I suggest you go there immediately and then decide."
"Here in Digitopolis, we have our meals when we're full and eat until we're hungry. That way, when you don't have anything at all, you have more than enough. It's a very economical system."
"I knew you'd like it," laughed the letter man, popping two G's and an R into his mouth and letting the juice drip down his chin. "A's are one of our most popular letters. All of them aren't that good," he confided in a low voice. "Take the Z, for instance---very dry and sawdusty. And the X? Why, it tastes like a trunkful of stale air. That's why people hardly ever use them..."

4 comments:

  1. I say go with plan B or just check on ebay. You never know...

    Good Luck!

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  2. Or... you could go up to some random kid and tell them that, "Here in D.C., we have give our tickets when we want to see the show and keep our tickets when you don't want to watch at all. That way, when you don't have a ticket, you have more than enough. It's a very economical system. Now give me your ticket before your mom comes back."

    ReplyDelete
  3. Plan B for sure, and then report back.

    Or just settle for a Juster-free performance and then report back. I love a good stage adaptation of children's lit, but it HAS TO BE good.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Minh: You try that first. If you don't get hit by a ten ton mommy purse, I'm right behind you...yeah. Welcome to the blog, BTW. I'm always snorting and choking when I read yours. (That's a good thing.)

    amy, jules: yes, I'm thinking about going anyway. I would like to know if it's GOOD, first. I saw Juster's name on the adaptation credits, so maybe they haven't ruined it.

    ReplyDelete

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