Last night I accidentally went to a sold-out performance by one of the original cast of Hamilton.
Let me explain how this happened. A few weeks ago I got an invite for myself and a guest to come to a media event for the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center’s 25th-Anniversary Celebration. I have a vague memory of skimming the invite and thinking, “I like the Blumenthal and my friend Jenn likes the arts, sure, this sounds fun.” I RSVP’d “yes” and forgot about it until it popped up on my calendar yesterday.
My day was so crazy that I rushed to get to the pre-performance cocktail party on time (35 minutes late). I never looked to see what the performance would be. Then, at the party I got caught up in conversations with old friends and when they hurried us out to “make it to the show on time,” I was still in a conversation that didn’t end until I realized we were walking into the Belk Theater. With thousands of other people.
The ushers were rushing people to their seats as the show was about to begin. As we sat down, the lights began to lower and I leaned over to Jenn whispering, “What the hell is this?”
This experience led me to a few revelations. First, I really need to actually listen to Hamilton. Leslie Odom Jr., the evening’s performer, was amazing. It was a seriously cool night that also including an unveiling of a new logo for the prestigious arts center, and a fascinating look at its founding a quarter of a century ago.
Second, and possibly more importantly, I might be losing my mind. Between a busy new(ish) job, travel, and life, my brain feels perpetually scattered. It was only a matter of time before I ended up at a Grammy Award winner’s concert not knowing how I got there.
So, lesson learned. I need to start getting more sleep. Or meditating. Or maybe just actually reading my emails.
Sarah Crosland 