Day two of my trip began with a lovely stroll through Greenwich Village. While there, we walked up countless little streets and avenues, observing the beautiful social life and charm of the area, and its little shops, bakeries, and boutiques. For lunch, we stopped at the Life Cafe, a prime Jonathan Larson hangout, which was forever immortalized in his “Rent.” Not only was it delicious, but we got to sign the famous “RentHead Register”, ( dedicated to fans of Rent), which is displayed in the restaurant. Through signing this, you become a part of Rent-lore forever. The cast of The Grove in Upland has officially been entered into this famous logbook, and I hope other cast members will eventually get to see our little mark into Rent history.

The afternoon consisted of some more walking, a wonderful chai latte, and a subway trip back to the hotel. We freshened up, and left for a quick pre-show snack at Maxie’s. After some tasty appetizers, we headed over to get in line for “Fences” the revival of August Wilson’s classic play, starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.

The play is a modern classic, and should be mandatory reading in every high school classroom. But this production made it shine even brighter. Driven by two powerhouse performances, and an incredibly strong supporting cast, the play was completely transfixing, touching, and achingly beautiful. Denzel commanded the stage with a powerful, natural, and altogether unforgettable performance. I have always loved Mr. Washington’s work, but he outdid himself here. Viola matched him every step of the way, conveying pain, devastation, and remarkable bravery in the face of tragedy. She was strong, heartbreaking, and completely divine in the role. This was a totally perfect evening of theater, not to mention this: After the show we shook Denzel’s hand, and got an autograph from Viola Davis. They were both as lovely and gracious as could be, and made the experience just that much better.

This production is unfortunately only in NY for a few more weeks, but the rumor is that a film will be made with this cast. Let’s hope so, because it deserved to be preserved.

After the show, we followed up with a late supper at Thalia, and walked around Times Square until after midnight. Another perfect day in the books, on to the next one.