Many years ago, our friend Marla talked to Tom and me about going to see Tony Kushner’s ANGELS IN AMERICA when it was presented at the Alley Theatre in Houston. It’s actually two plays, and both were being produced here, so we could see one or the other depending on the day and time. However, we chose a day when the first part, Millennium Approaches, and the second part, Perestroika, were being performed. Marla, Amy, Tom, and I saw both plays, divided by a meal at some lovely restaurant in the theater district.
If you’ve never had the opportunity to see ANGELS IN AMERICA, all I can say is that it’s phenomenal as it tackles big subjects like religion, sexuality, relationships, politics, AIDS, and internalized and institutionalized homophobia. It does this with pain and humor and truth. It was several hours of the best theater experience I’ve ever had. I do love the HBO miniseries–the actors are all superb–but nothing will ever compare to the experience of seeing both plays performed live, especially in a small theater in which we were very, very close to the stage.
A location central to ANGELS IN AMERICA is Bethesda Terrace in Central Park, where the characters gather at the Angel of the Waters Fountain (commonly called Bethesda Fountain). That was my first awareness of this incredible feature of the park. (Check out all those links if you want to learn more about it.)
Years later, Bethesda Terrace became a pivotal place in each of the Timothy James Beck books. Even in SOMEONE LIKE YOU, which is not set in New York, the fountain makes an appearance by telephone. It’s a place where old enemies, new lovers, and good friends find each other. One thing readers can count on from WHEN YOU DON’T SEE ME is that they’ll get to visit Bethesda Terrace and the fountain again.
I’m sure the fountain originally found a place in our books because it’s special to Tim and he put it there. Now it’s important to each of the TJB writers, and I wouldn’t dream of going to New York without visiting it. I’m only including a couple of shots of it here, because Tim’s photos came out much better.
Manhattan offers a million wonderful things to me, but I could give them all up except two: sharing the city with my friends and going to Central Park.
Sheep Meadow.
Firefighters taking a break.
That pigeon on the angel’s wing was in every one of my photos. Silly bird.
That photographer with blue hair seems familiar…
I’m sorry I lightened this to the point that Tim has a vampire paleness, but it’s my only shot of the Bethesda Terrace Arcade ceiling, which just reopened in March after restoration.
Random couple.
The Boathouse Restaurant (Adam and Ethan ate here in HE’S THE ONE).
Random child.
Random duck.
Like a little gift, hidden in the trees, my favorite color blend, green and purple.
The Imagine mosaic at Strawberry Fields.
Next up: Friends at the Ritz and photos for the TimStalkers
Oh you make me want to pack Oskar in a bag and fly off to NYC hoping Frank is at the village apartment and not the Bucks County home. Or I could get out the HAIR DVD.
Please don’t tell anyone, but if I’ve ever seen HAIR–other than just parts of it–I don’t remember it. I only know the Bethesda Terrace connection because of Tim and reading about it.
But I know the music!
One thing readers can count on from WHEN YOU DON’T SEE ME is that they’ll get to visit Bethesda Terrace and the fountain again.
La-la-la-la! I can’t hear YOU!
Part of me is behind bars while looking at these, screaming to get out. A million Thank Yous aren’t enough, BEcky. God damn! Oh, I can’t press my nose closeenough to the monitor tonight– you brought me the park back! wish you could see my face right now. : )
But I CAN see your face. And not just because of your user pic.
Hasn’t Tim explained to you about the StalkerCam yet? 😉
Whatever. You can’t freak me out right now, I’m too happy. You’re the brilliantest.
Stalker is such an ugly word, we prefer the term groupee….. 😉
A-men! 😉
I love both of the photos with the balloons. One of my favorite pictures (that I’ve taken) features a red, heart-shaped balloon that floated up to the ceiling of the British Museum.
That must be a great photo.
just beautiful – those buildings…breathtaking.
I’m sure Tim knows the names of them all. He’s my NYC guru.
The building with the two towers with spires is the San Remo, and the one below is the Beresford.
See?
I’ve often seen people (presumably tourists) taking pictures of the Beresford. It’s a beautiful building, but I wonder if some of them think it’s the Dakota?
I sometimes confuse the San Remo for the Eldorado.
1) WOW!!! Gorgeous pictures!!! But then, you always do have great ones.
2) I’ve only ever seen the dvd of Angels, but ti was indeed one of the most powerful things I have ever seen. I was going to watch half of it one night and the other half the next night, but ended up watching it straight through. If Del Shores Southern Baptist Sissies ever tours in Houston, you need to go see it. It was an amazing look at religion and sexuality. I took Chris to see it or his birthday last fall when it came to Nashville. Surprisingly, Leslie Jordan had one of the most powerful scenes in the play.
Thank you for the compliment. I’ll definitely keep Southern Baptist Sissies in mind.
I must be in a TJB frame of mind. I saw the caption, Random couple, and my brain filled in “for no apparent reason.”
Awesome photos! You guys get to be my tourguides next time I go to NYC. I want the total TJB NYC Tour!
“I want the total TJB NYC Tour!”
Oooh! Good idea!
Yeah, but don’t forget the Curse of TJB: all the businesses we’ve closed and people we’ve killed by writing about them. That makes the tour difficult–or else it sounds like a Southerner giving directions. (Go down the road a ways and turn right at the old Browning house that burned down in 1979. You know, there’s a funny story about Bubba Browning that my granddaddy used to tell me…
Well, you included the Magic Mustang in “The Deal,” and she still lives and breathes. I’m willing to take the chance. Although, I MIGHT ask you to take a different flight.
LOL!
That makes the tour difficult–or else it sounds like a Southerner giving directions. (Go down the road a ways and turn right at the old Browning house that burned down in 1979. You know, there’s a funny story about Bubba Browning that my granddaddy used to tell me…)
I know exactly where that is, I think. LOL
I Love Central Park, more than anything else in NY. Thank you for sharing these. 🙂
You’re welcome!
Thank you for sharing the lovely pictures and your happy memories.
Central Park obviously has made ‘sides’ to its personality – some hectic, some calm, some where lots of people gather, some quite peacefully empty. It looks a magical place.
It is a magical place. You’re most welcome, and I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures.