I have now seen the hit Broadway musical 18 times in what has turned out to be quite the adventure-filled year and a half
MONTY: “Why are you like this?” CHARLES: “I don’t know.”
It has been just over one year since I saw Operation Mincemeat for the first time.
I don’t know exactly why I am so (unhealthily) obsessed with this musical. It is, of course, a cleverly-written and brilliantly-performed piece of theatre that is original and takes you on an emotional journey. Audience members also love Mincemeat and many (!) have also seen it several times, which is quite comforting to me.
I’ve loved other shows in the past, but not nearly to this extent. Operation Mincemeat must add an addictive substance into the smoke that fills the front rows during the finale. That’s the only logical explanation for these utterly insane Mincefluencers such as myself who keep returning to the John Golden Theatre despite dozens of other critically and audience-acclaimed Broadway shows available to us.
I’ve gone to unfathomable lengths for this show, only some of which are described below:
I’ve sat on the cold, hard, filthy New York City sidewalk outside the theatre for hours in frigid and rainy conditions, in an attempt to score rush tickets at obscenely early hours of the morning (fortunately, my efforts have almost always been successful).
I’ve had a dinner consisting of a single Boston Kreme donut, eaten on the sidewalk, because I was running late to an evening performance and this girl has priorities.
I’ve speed walked the 20 blocks from Lincoln Center to the Golden Theatre, forfeiting my place in the Ragtime student rush line after waiting about 45 min, impulsively deciding to return to Mincemeat for a 14th time in lieu (this time, I was not able to snag a rush ticket, so I opted for a cheap seat in the rear mezzanine).
I’ve given away my ticket to Smash to a complete stranger on r/Broadway so I could catch Sam Hartley’s Mincemeat debut as Hester & Others.
I’ve ran to the Golden after my flight home cancelled and waited in the cancellation line to try and catch Brandon Contreras’ debut as Charles & Others… unsuccessfully.
I’ve attended evening performances, twice, while on minimum rest layovers while working as a flight attendant.
I’ve been part of a photo shoot featuring around 150 fellow Mincefluencers which was featured in The New York Times and bought a last-minute plush rose from Five Below as my “costume.”
I’ve navigated cancelled flights, camping out in airports overnight, and plenty of sleep deprivation to see this show countless times.
I’ve sat in nearly every section of the theatre, from the very first row of the orchestra to the very last row of the rear mezzanine.
And I would do all of it over again.
Here’s to another year filled with Operation Mincemeat and the incredible journey it takes me on.