Tuning Up

After a brief pause to sleep, the group continued with the giddy energy of the previous day, and participated in a joint performance with the Special Music School at Kaufman Center, a New York City public school with some intriguing similarities and differences from Crowden.

The highlight of the evening was dinner at Ellen's Startdust Diner on Times Square, which features singing waiters and waitresses (struggling New York actors working their way up) who roam the tables singing '50's tunes, Broadway numbers and other popular songs, hamming it up with the patrons, while old musicals (Singing in the Rain tonight) play on a drive-in like screen in the back. Afterwards, we took a little bus ride around mid-town, battling taxi cabs on 5th Avenue and trying to see the Empire State Building without a glass roof. We then headed back to Kennedy Center and a little swing dancing at the outdoor band that offers free music and dance lessons to hundreds who show up every Friday here. Finally a little time to chill back at the dorms here at Juilliard, catching some great views of the city at sunset from our rooms on the 26 & 27th floors.