1776, one of my favorite
musicals was presented by New York
City Center Encores!. At the matinee I
sat behind William
Daniels, who starred in 1776 on
Broadway in 1969 and in the film in
1972 as John
Adams. He went on stage with the
cast for a talkback, and cast
member Santino
Fontana (John
Adams) knelt before him as he shook
his hand.The audience went
wild. Daniels is charming, and has
good stories to tell, about the show
performing for President Nixon at
the White House. He praised
Fontana's superb performance.
The entire cast was excellent, under
the expert direction of Garry
Hynes. John
Larroquette (Benjamin
Franklin) was very funny. John
Behlmann (Thomas
Jefferson) was charming. Christiane
Noll (Abigail
Adams) and Nikki
Renee Daniels (Martha
Jefferson) sang beautifully. The
orchestra, conducted by Ben
Whiteley, played the score splendidly.
The story of the signing of the
Declaration of Independence has
never been presented better. It was
a magnificent afternoon.
Cagney, book by Peter
Colley, music & lyrics by Robert
Creighton & Christopher
McGovern, at the Westside
Theatre, features a superb
performance by Robert Creighton as
the film star James
Cagney. He acts, sings and
dances brilliantly. The other five
members of the cast, playing
multiple roles, are equally good,
choreographed by Joshua
Bergasse and
directed by Bill
Castellino. It tells the story
of Cagney as a poor Irish young man
in New York becoming a vaudeville
song and dance man, and then winning
fame in gangster roles in Hollywood.
His difficulties with Jack Warner,
the head of the studio (a very good Bruce
Sabath) are revealed. In spite
of all Cagney's trials and
tribulations, it is a very
entertaining show. We celebrated the
opening with a party at BEA
restaurant with an open bar and
delicious hors d'oeuvres. Among the
guests were Tony Roberts,
Julie Halston and Karen
Mason.
Dance Theatre of Harlem opened its
2016 Season at New York City Center
with a delightful program of three
ballets. It began with Divertimento,
choreography by Elena
Kunikova, music by Mikhail
Glinka, a classical ballet for
three couples, danced exquisitely by
all six dancers.
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The second ballet was Change,
choreography by Dianne
McIntyre, music by Eli
Fountain, a modern ballet for
three female dancers, impressively
performed.
The
closing ballet was Return, choreography
by Robert
Garland, music of James
Brown, Alfred Ellis, Aretha Franklin and Carolyn
Franklyn, a
fusion of modern and classical dance for the
entire company, a lively piece. Before each
ballet, Former First Lady of New York Joyce
Dinkins was
honored with an award presented by Chirlane
de Blasio, and Gladys
Knight by Robert
Garland. It was a wonderful night of dance.
Dear Evan Hansen, book
by Steven
Levenson, music and lyrics by Benj
Pasek &
Justin Paul, opens May 1 at 2econd Stage
Theatre. We attended a preview, and I will
reserve my comments until after it opens.
The
Father, by Florian
Zeller, at the Samuel F. Friedman Theatre
opens on April 14. My review will appear in next
week's column.
One of
my favorite actresses is Marisa
Tomei, who
was honored at the MCC Theater's Miscast 2016
gala at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Among the many
guests and performers were Lea
Salonga, Linda Lavin and Julianna Margulies.
As always, it is a splendid event. I took two
photos for Marisa taken in 1990 and 1992 with Ed
Begley, Jr and
the other with Whoopi
Goldberg. How time flies!
Bella New York Magazine invited us to a
book party at
Mamo, 323 West Broadway, a
new French/Italian restaurant in Soho. Dr.
Robi Ludwig's new book is entitled Your
Best Age Is Now, and I am sure it will
appeal to many ladies. Delicious hors d'oeuvres
and fine wines were served at this elegant
restaurant to celebrate the occasion.
The sculptor/painter Eleanora
Kupencow, Southampton and Brooklyn Resident had
an exhibition of her work at
Anderson Contemporary Gallery, 180 Maiden
Lane in lower Manhattan, April 8 – May 1, 2016.
The gallery is a lovely space, and the painter
is a charming lady, who was surrounded by her
many friends and admirers. The hors
d'oeuvres were delicious with fine wines. It
was a lovely event.
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