After reading Jeffrey Seller's "Theater Kid," I listened to his conversation on The Hamilcast. I was moved to reach out to him to let him know my reaction as I read his book, especially seeing my cousin's name jump off the page in Chapter 20 as I mentioned in Part 1. I sent it to a general contact email having no idea whether or not he would receive it. He responded within a day! He thanked me for my kind, wonderful note and let me know that my cousin and his partner enthusiastically attended his book launch for Theater Kid at the Public Theater in May of 2025. I'd lost touch with Paul after our Aunt died but I followed his career to the MUNY and his Tony nomination for "Beautiful." He's not on social media (or has a very low profile) and I often wondered if he were still among us. What a joy to know from Jeffrey that he still keeps an apartment in NY and is doing well! When I shared this with Gillian, the host of The Hamilcast, she said, "What are the chances? So cool you chatted with Jeffrey about your mutual connection." One phrase that Gillian often calls up on her pod is "What are the odds the gods would put us all in one spot." She does so when she expresses her awe at the amazing tapestry woven together through The Hamilcast. What are the odds that a podcast that began as a conversation between two friends about Hamilton would become a part of the Hamilton legacy 10 years and 500 episodes later? And what are the odds that the gods would bring together Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tommy Kail, Alex Lacamoire and Andy Blankenbuehler, aka "The Cabinet" to create this theatrical masterpiece!
We returned to the West Bank Cafe, voted Best Brunch in Hell's Kitchen for our pre-theater brunch. I enjoyed a Virgin Mimosa. We chose the Brioche French Toast enjoying extraordinary foods and flavors.
We had plenty of time to walk to the theater on a beautiful warm Spring day. As I mentioned in Part 1, I have overcome much of the challenges of paralytic polio and trauma (I even ran the 2009 Boston Marathon!) but there are moments that still challenge me. We bought Orchestra seats so that I wouldn't have to climb the often steep steps that lead to the mezzanine. When we entered the theater and showed our tickets, we were told to go up the stairs. They also announced there were no bathrooms beyond the lobby (and the bathroom was down a flight of stairs). Tom asked if there was an elevator and was told there was none. As a side bar, I did a search about accessibility at the Rodgers. There is a handicapped accessible bathroom in the lobby and there are seats in the orchestra that can be accessed without stairs. I harnessed the power of my mind and conscious movement to mindfully climb the stairs and descend the stairs to our row. I was NOT going to throw away my shot to see Hamilton!
We chatted with the families seated around us. They were from Oklahoma and Wisconsin. It was one girl's 11th birthday. Her birthday wish was a trip to New York to see Hamilton. She was one year old when the show opened! It is still a phenomenon Hamilten plus years later. There is a line in the West Wing that Sam says to CJ, ""Let's forget the fact that you're coming a little late to the party and embrace the fact that you showed up at all." I remember seeing a video of Lin-Manuel's final Hamilton performance when Alex Lacamoire led the orchestra in playing the West Wing theme! I know that my Hamilton experience was Divine Timing as all the stars aligned to create an unforgettable theatrical experience. I still feel #allthefeels and goosebumps as I am writing this.
The Hamilcast episodes informed and enhanced my experience of Hamilton at the Rodgers. Seeing the show through the lens of The Cabinet and feeling their presence, I was in awe of their creative process that created this perfect melding of voices, dance, and orchestrations while telling the story of tonight. The show evolved not only through the collaboration of The Cabinet, but the interaction between the actors and The Cabinet. The Cabinet allowed the actors and musicians to inspire the evolution of Hamilton. While there were many prominent moments informed by The Hamilcast conversations, there were 2 moments that took my breath away. Aaron Burr's table jump and The Room Where It Happens scene sent shivers up and down my spine after hearing Gillian's conversations with several of the actors who played Burr and with choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler. I was completely unprepared for experiencing Yorktown live. My breath caught as I felt this connection to something far greater than I am. I felt connected to Gillian, her podcast, the Patreon peeps as they are affectionately called, the Cabinet, the world of musical theater and beyond! At that moment, I intuitively felt how everything aligned to bring me to that moment. While I've always believed in "something more," hearing Yorktown live, the music deeply resonated in my soul as it reverberated throughout the Richard Rodgers Theater.
I sat mesmerized throughout the show bearing witness to creative genius. I allowed myself to be moved swept up by an extraordinary company of actors. Time suspended for 2 hours and 45 minutes sharing the experience with 1300 other theater patrons. Tom captured these moments as the audience stood and cheered after the final note of "Who Tells Your Story."
I took a deep breath soaking in the soul moving experience that IS Hamilton before descending the stairs. I was totally confident in my body's ability to safely navigate the stairs despite not having a full railing. I was assertive with my fellow theater goers letting them know that I had to have the railing on my left side. They were understanding and allowed me to pass through! Since we had not been able to get to the Drama Book Shop on Friday, it was perfect timing to go after seeing Hamilton. Although the Drama Book Shop moved from its original location, the creative energies of all that happened in its basement was still palpable. My wide eyed childlike wonder continued as we sauntered through the shop. To get there, we had to navigate our way through the theater crowd of exhilarated theater goers, many of whom were gathering at stage doors joyfully clutching their Playbills. We opted to skip the stage door experience to go to the Drama Book Shop.
They were unfortunately sold out of signed copies of Daniel Pollack-Pelzner's book, "Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist"so we bought Ron Chernow's book instead. We walked back to the hotel talking still buzzing with the energy of Hamilton and The Drama Book Shop.
When we arrived at the West Bank Cafe for our 6pm dinner reservation, the energy was electric! How wonderful to be greeted by Michael and Tom asking us how we enjoyed the show. We had a table in the main dining room with diners on either side of our table. A love of food and theater were the topics of conversation. Tom D'Angora was busy serving tables but made sure to stop by to check on us and see what we ordered. We started with a Caesar Salad that had a delightful light dressing with crisp fresh romaine lettuce and croutons. We couldn't decide between the chicken or eggplant parmesan so my Tom and I split the dishes. I don't remember the last time I enjoyed NY style chicken and eggplant parmesan. It has a unique flavor and texture that was muah - chef's kiss. The pasta was cooked to perfection with just the right amount of parmesan cheese garnish. As we left, Tom D'Angora gave me the biggest hug and wished us safe travels. He was delighted we had such an amazing adventure that exceeded all expectations.
The weather dramatically changed on Sunday morning but we were so deeply grateful for the two sunny warm days on Friday and Saturday. Fortunately we packed warm clothes that served us well as we walked to the WBC to have brunch one last time. Tom had a veggie omelette and I ordered eggs florentine with one more Virgin Mimosa. When I'm tired after a whirlwind of activity, the tremors that linger from polio and trauma can get activated. I unashamedly asked for a straw. Our server said, "Yes of course. I should have brought it sooner," as he had seen me try to steady the glass to drink. The magic of Hamilton and NYC was a catalyst to help me accept my challenges while continuing to harness the power of visualization and conscious movement to heal. Tom and Michael's warm welcome, their hospitality and unconditional love was also a healing balm.
Michael was at the Cafe Sunday morning. I was so happy we had a chance to say goodbye to him until next time and thank him for the amazing hospitality and food. My one souvenir was buying a West Bank Cafe t-shirt but I packed a suitcase full of memories to take home.
When we arrived at Penn Station, I was concerned about how we would get downstairs to get to the track. Back Bay is so easy with one elevator that takes you to Tracks 1 and 2. Fortunately, the woman we asked if the elevators went to all the tracks suggested we secure the Red Cap Baggage Assistance since it was a very complicated system. Who knew there was pre-boarding assistance for a train? We had the most wonderful Red Cap service. I was so relaxed, I didn't even mind the gap when boarding the train!
On the way back to Boston, I downloaded the remainder of the songs to complete my OBC Album for Hamilton. We played it as the soundtrack to our strength training workout Saturday morning. When we got home, I dusted off my copy of Mike Anthony's "Life at Hamilton" and have already started re-reading it while Tom dove into Ron Chernow's book.
So often, when one experiences childhood trauma, it can be difficult to harvest the memories that bring joy. This bucket list adventure to NYC and seeing Hamilton healed me in ways I did not even know was possible. I revisited the power and magic of musical theater and felt a connection to my cousin Paul Blake who introduced me to Broadway musicals. The Hamilcast episodes took me on a deep dive behind the scenes having a lens through which to experience Hamilton in a profound way. As President Bartlett on The West Wing often queried, "What's next?" I have The Hamilcast website tab open on my laptop to catch up on episodes I missed from coming late to the party. I'm excited to re-read "Life at Hamilton." I'll continue to listen to the OBC album and experience the many layers of all that is Hamilton. But most of all, I will allow this experience to integrate into the very fabric of my very Being as I move forward in my life.
We'll be back to NYC in October and see what adventures the Universe has in store.
Coincidentally, this Thursday I am recording an episode of the "Music Saved Me" podcast. I am the winner of the Music Saved Me Story contest. I won sharing how my cousin introduced me to Broadway musicals and how, playing viola in my high school orchestra was an antidote to the bullying I experienced. I also shared how Broadway musicals became the soundtrack for my healing after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome.
Stay tuned....
In health and wellness - Mary
Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.
"Meet Mary McManus — our first-ever Music Saved Me Story Contest winner.
We asked you to share the stories of the songs, the albums, and the moments when music reached in and changed everything. You delivered. And one story stopped us in our tracks. We are thrilled to announce that Mary McManus is the winner of the first-ever Music Saved Me Story Contest. Mary’s journey is one for the ages. She contracted paralytic polio at age five. She survived years of childhood trauma. And then, at the height of an award-winning career as a VA social worker, she was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome and told to prepare to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.
Music — and the healing power of words — had other plans for Mary.
Through poetry, perseverance, and an unshakeable belief in what’s possible, Mary transformed her life. At 53 she became a runner. At 55 she crossed the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon. That is what music can do."
We asked you to share the stories of the songs, the albums, and the moments when music reached in and changed everything. You delivered. And one story stopped us in our tracks. We are thrilled to announce that Mary McManus is the winner of the first-ever Music Saved Me Story Contest. Mary’s journey is one for the ages. She contracted paralytic polio at age five. She survived years of childhood trauma. And then, at the height of an award-winning career as a VA social worker, she was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome and told to prepare to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.
Music — and the healing power of words — had other plans for Mary.
Through poetry, perseverance, and an unshakeable belief in what’s possible, Mary transformed her life. At 53 she became a runner. At 55 she crossed the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon. That is what music can do."
Mary will be the guest on an upcoming exclusive episode of the "Music Saved Me" podcast.
I was recently the guest on The Optimism Institute Blue Sky Podcast. "Mary McManus has never had it easy. As a kindergartner, she was a victim of polio just a short time before the vaccine was introduced. She also faced trauma in her home life but somehow managed to persevere and overcome these and still more obstacles throughout her life. Today, Mary is an inspiring author, poet, motivational speaker, and finisher of the Boston Marathon." Here is the link to the Episode Website. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and on YouTube.
Reach out to me at maryamcmanus@gmail.com if you'd like me to speak to your organization or group to inspire them with what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary; how one finds strength, resilience and determination in the face of seemingly impossible odds.
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