Music Row is located in the heart of the theater district.  The Cort theater, across the street and down the block, has presented many great shows over the years but none produced the level of sheer excitement as did the 1998, three and a half week  run of “The Blue Room,” starring the glamorous Nicole Kidman. The play first opened in London and the reviews were smashing, with the The London Times declaring it: “PURE VIAGRA!”  The flame-haired Aussie superstar would be performing at the Cort theater  right across the street from the store. And, I for one, was  going out of my mind by the thought of meeting  my favorite actress . But why would the stunning  movie star drop by a music store?  I couldn’t depend on it. I had to develop an alternative plan.

From her early work in “Malice” and the hauntingly dark comedy “To Die For,” to her   knock out performance in “Moulin Rouge”,  Nicole  Kidman  demonstrated  her extraordinary talent and unending beauty. Now in her latest work, the word on the street was that she appears in the buff, naked butt and all. (Albeit with the appropriate     stage lighting  protecting the damsel from total exposure.)

Like any other red-blooded   male rocker, I’d give my favorite Fender stratocaster  guitar for  a peek at Niclole’s  rear. Every customer  that came by the store  mentioned  the rumor’s and reviews of Kidman’s performance     within   moments   of entering.  Even the guys who work behind the deli counter on the corner of west 48th and 7th avenue talked about it incessantly. With only  limited 100 performance schedule the ticket rush was on. Starving rock & roll musicians were saving their pennies to purchase tickets to see Nicole. One by one, every member of the sales staff used their lunch breaks to buy tickets, and then compared the goods: “I’m sitting upstairs but center stage, that should be a great view,” one sales guy yelled across the floor to an other.

By now I knew it was time to call on a favor or two to secure two killer seats.  I went across the street to the ticket booth at the Cort and saw one of my regular customers that works there. He right away asked me if I wanted the “Nic tix.”  I had just hooked him up with an Ovation acoustic guitar the previous month and we both knew he owed me one! We both started to smile. “I need  center stage very close my man, you know I just love Nicky!” I said to him. His grin faded fast while he informed me that  the advance sales for this show were incredible and that nothing was left. I pleaded with him, but left empty handed. “I’ll see what I can do,” he said.

Well lady luck did shine down on me and an hour later: He was able to secure two center stage seats for the next to the last performance of the limited run show.  I ran across the street and handed him my credit card. When I returned to the store the first thing I did was call my girlfriend and told her that I scored the tickets to the hottest play of the season,”The Blue Room.”

“Isn’t that the play starring your girlfriend, Nicole  Kidman? she asked, while trying to hold back her laughter.

“Oh well yes,” I said in a matter-of-fact tone. “But you *did* say the other day that we have not been to the theater in a long time.” Pretty sharp reply there if I do say so myself!

“As long as you and Nicole would not mind,” she concluded with a sly look that I knew was  on her face, “I’ll be happy to go!”

As rehearsals began, the magnitude of a movie star of Nicole’s stature emerged. Crowds formed, waiting at the actors’ entrance for a glimpse of Nicky day and night. Fans would go wild when someone would report a Nicole sighting in and around the theater.  With out fail just about everyday one of the Sam Ash sales guys  would come rushing in from a coffee break screaming,”Nicole was just outside!” Then with out missing a beat  a few employees would be out the door!  After several spottings, a prankster in the store announced over the PA system: “Attention: Steve. Your ‘new’ girlfriend Nicole  Kidman was just seen stepping into a limo across the street.” Even I started rushing out side  but I missed her time and time again.

“The Blue room” finally opened and the reviews like the reviews in the UK were spectacular. The press had a field day with the play and the crowds were now spilling out on to west 48th street after every performance.  Tickets were so hot that it was reported on the news that some people were paying up to $1500.00 to pick up a pair. My girlfriend at the time brought it up at the dinner table. “Steve, $1500 for a $170 investment, not bad?” No way, I said, knowing what my Wall Street executive girlfriend had in mind. “Just forget about it, I want to see my ‘new’girlfriend Nicole and I am not selling those tickets.”  “Ok,” she said with a gleam in her eye, “but think about it… fifteen hundred big ones!”

In the following weeks and months that passed I continued to just miss Nicole regularly around the area. By now the tickets were being auctioned on the Internet for as high as $2000 a pair!  “I’ll be center stage in a couple of weeks-right in front of Nicole!” I kept happily reminding myself not once letting the greed enter my mind.

By now my running Nicole joke  had become a ritual in the store: Every day workers asked if anyone had seen Nicole. And ritually, I would respond: “I will be at performance number 98, center stage, very close, very soon!”  The momentum was building and we were moving into the final weeks of performances when the unthinkable happened: Ms. Kidman came down with a very serious flu. (I wonder if running around that cold stage in the buff had anything to do with that?)

Then the very bad news was announced that she had to cancel the entire last week of performances. I missed my chance to see my new ‘broadway-moviestar’ girlfriend in person. “What  a drag” I remembered saying as I headed across the street to the Cort Theater and processed my ticket refund. That night at dinner I mentioned   to my girlfriend that I had returned the tickets. She smiled: “I told you  should have sold them for $2000.00!” “I know   .  I know” I said as I rolled my eyes upward and mumbled under my breath: “But, Nicole in the buff!”

LESSON LEARNED: Sometimes the unexpected might happen and be prepared to live with the result.