Good morning. It’s Monday. James Barron is off today. We’ll meet superfans who have seen the interactive theater experience “Sleep No More” not once, not twice, but hundreds of times.
Emma Story, a 43-year-old software developer, has seen the immersive theater piece “Sleep No More” 124 times. “Everybody thinks I’m crazy,” she said. She is not the only one who has frequented this kaleidoscopic, wordless Off Broadway reinterpretation of “Macbeth” again and again. In line for “Sleep No More” on a recent Sunday night were Jessica Bonn (330 visits since 2013), Sophia Li (around 430 visits since 2016; she has lost count) and Dee Anne Anderson (315 visits since 2011, the year “Sleep No More” opened in Chelsea in adjoining warehouses that were reimagined as the McKittrick Hotel). These superfans were eager to once again enter the dizzying world of “Sleep No More,” a universe where they wear white Venetian masks and experience Shakespeare’s characters darting through 100 intricately decorated rooms. In one, Lady Macbeth’s bathwater splashes viewers as she gets the “damn spot” out. In another, three witches give Macbeth his prophecies while dancing naked around the audience members in a strobe-lit rave. After 13 years, the show announced plans last November to close in January, citing rising production costs. Since then, “Sleep No More” has put off closing 16 times; the last performance is now scheduled for Nov. 27. The seemingly endless extensions have dulled the initial heartache for repeaters who are grateful that the show has lasted as long as it has. Unlike more traditional Broadway shows that sell tickets months in advance, “Sleep No More” has always operated month to month, Jonathan Hochwald, a co-producer, explained. The show was “a revolutionary new art form” he hoped would resonate with adventurous theatergoers. But at the beginning, it was “inconceivable to imagine a show run of this length,” he said. Many “Sleep No More” enthusiasts initially return simply to see all the scenes. With more than 20 characters performing simultaneously, it’s not possible to watch the entire show in one three-hour viewing. There are 25 total hours of content. Even after they’ve memorized every character, plotline and room, superfans are drawn back because the cast members change frequently and bring new interpretations to the roles. It’s impossible to see the same show twice. For Kevin Specter, 37, an operations manager who has seen “Sleep No More” 230 times since 2015, there is an addictive “magic of getting to see a different or new person come in and the character feeling totally different.” “It’s like watching a movie with your favorite characters played by a different superstar,” said Chris Frost (211 visits since 2013).
“Sleep No More” also captivates superfans with unusual moments: Actors pull audience members into hidden rooms alone (experiences called one-on-ones) for intimate monologues. Sometimes the actor in a one-on-one performs while spoon-feeding the visitor tea or smashing eggshells filled with dirt into the visitor’s hands. The first night that Evan Matthew Cobb (138 visits since 2011) saw the show, a locked door was slammed inches from his face. “The second time, I got through that door, and that’s where I realized there were secret things all over the building,” he said. “I was hooked instantly.” At $160 a ticket — up from $79 when “Sleep No More” opened — the play has left devotees cleareyed about the price of their passion. Many superfans get discounts, but several have taken side jobs or obtained extra credit cards to pay for their visits. Frost who travels from Santa Cruz, Calif., to see the show several times a year with his wife, considers “Sleep No More” whenever buying anything. “We will legitimately look at the price of something and go, Well, that’s two ‘Sleep No Mores,’” he said. But superfans say that the cost is worthwhile because every ticket is an opportunity for transformation and self-discovery. By interacting with the performers, River Willcutts, a 28-year-old executive assistant who is autistic and has seen the show 50 times since 2017, has learned to read nonverbal body language and to understand the nuances of eye contact. Ariel Cantrell, a 27-year-old nanny, realized from 200 visits since 2019 that they are nonbinary. Interacting with a character who moved from one gender to another “just started to unlock something inside of me,” Cantrell said. As some of us search for experiences that evolve and move us in an increasingly complicated world, “Sleep No More” has been a beacon — but like all theater, the show is not meant to last forever. Specter, who also uses they/them pronouns, has accepted the show’s closing as inevitable. But “as any good ghost should,” they said, “it will be haunting me.” WEATHER Expect a sunny sky with a high in the upper 70s. This evening, the sky will be mostly clear, and temperatures will near the mid-60s. ALTERNATE-SIDE PARKING Alternate side parking and meters are in effect until Thursday (for Shemini Atzeret). The latest New York news
We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. METROPOLITAN DIARY Red Hook pool
Dear Diary: I was going to the public pool in Red Hook and knew what I was in for. I go at least once a summer, and it truly requires a moment of inspiration to summon the will to face the many hurdles there, including the long list of prohibited items. Still, when I conjure up the image of the glistening water, the pool has an undeniable appeal. An outdoor Olympic-size beauty, it takes up serious real estate in a city where space is at a premium. Seagulls circle above, diving down occasionally to scoop the chlorinated water into their bills as they skim for their next meal. It’s obviously a miscalculation on their part since there is definitely no food allowed on the premises. On this day, I passed through the front entrance and cruised through the locker room when I encountered four women in collared shirts with Parks Department logos. They looked at me hard. No bags allowed, they said. It’s not a bag, I said, crumpling the bag into a small ball that fit into my fist. I smiled. No spray sunscreen allowed, they said. I paused. Why not? I asked. They answered my question with a question: Is this your first time here? No, I said. It’s not. I looked each woman in the eye. And I screw something up every time, I added. They looked at one another other and shrugged. OK, girl, we got you, they said. And onto the pool deck I went. — Marissa Pennington Illustrated by Agnes Lee. Send submissions here and read more Metropolitan Diary here. Glad we could get together here. James Barron will be back tomorrow. — L.R. P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword and Spelling Bee. You can find all our puzzles here. Hannah Fidelman and Ed Shanahan contributed to New York Today. You can reach the team at nytoday@nytimes.com. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
|
