Escape to Margaritaville,
book by Creg
Garcia and Mike
O'Malley,
music and lyrics by Jimmy
Buffett,
at the Marquis Theatre, is a musical about two young
ladies, who go on a week's vacation to a Caribbean
Island. One (Lisa
Howard)
is about to be married. The other (Alison
Luff)
is tied to her work. Both have a romantic affair on
this tropical island, one with a genial bartender (Eric
Petersen)
and the workaholic with a handsome guitar playing
song writer (Paul
Alexander Nolan)
(photo of the
cast below).The song are quite popular and
pleasant to listen to. Cheeseburger
in Paradise is
one title, and they were served at the
party. Buffett's fans adore his songs, and snap
their fingers and wave their hands in recognition.
The choreography by Kelly
Devine is
excellent, with pretty chorus girls and athletic
young men. Christopher
Ashley directed
the cheerful cast, who sang and danced very
well. The book is sophomoric and mindless, but the
audience is encouraged to drink margaritas before
and during the intermission. The result is an
enjoyable evening. Among the many opening night
guests was one lady I have known since 1989, where
the only photo of her that I took of her 18 months
previously at the Hard Rock Cafe existed at the New
York Post and was bought all around the world and
earned me a great sum of money. It was Donald
Trump's
beautiful Ex-Second Wife Marla
Maples (photo below).
She posed for me exclusively during the
intermission. People who enjoy entertainment as a
sermon should attend church and those who want an
education should attend a school. I was brought up
in Manchester, England, during World War II, and
every Saturday night, my father took me to the
Music Halls. I am eternally grateful to him. Even
being bombed by the Germans throughout 1940, I
survived happily and optimistic. The opening night
party took place at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers. It was
the best party that I have attended this season. The
food and drink were excellent, and to Jimmy Buffett,
my wife and I thank you for a delightful evening!
Three Wise Guys, by Scott
Alan Evans & Jeffrey
Couchman, is a TACT production at Theatre Row.
It is based on two stories by Damon Runyon. The
seven member cast, directed by Scott Alan Evans,
capture the language and the spirit of Runyon, and
the short 80-minute play is quite amusing. After 25
years, this is TACT's final play. It leaves a
worthy legacy of reclaiming fine neglected plays. It
will be missed.
Three Small Irish Masterpieces is
a production of The Irish Repertory Theatre. The
Pot of Broth, by William
Butler Yeats in collaboration with Lady Gregory,
is humorous. Riders to the Moon, by John
Millington Synge, is tragic, and The Rising
of the Moon, by Lady
Gregory, is a fascinating mystery.
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All three short one act plays are
magnificently acted by an excellent six member cast,
directed by Charlotte
Moore. We congratulated the cast and director at a
delightful opening night party in the Gallery of the
theater after a most entertaining night theatrical
experience.
Later Life, by A.R.
Gurney, is a Keen Company production at the Clurman
Theatre. At a party, a man and a woman meet after many
years, when both were single. That one night was
lovingly remembered by the lady. The man tries to recall
the incident. Their new encounter is interrupted ad
nauseam by a variety of irritating guests, played by two
other actors. The four member cast is directed by Jonathan
Silverstein. The playwright has written many fine
plays,. Unfortunately, this 80-minute dull effort is not
one of them. An opening night party was held in the
lounge on the second floor at Theatre Row.
MoMA presented El
Indio: The films of Emilio Fernandez, March 1-13. Salon
Mexico,
by Emilio
Fernandez,
Mexico, 1948, is another tedious melodrama, about a
woman, who works in a sleazy dance hall to earn money to
support her younger sister to receive an education in a
high-class boarding school. She dances with a brutal
gangster, who is in love with her and beats her in
repeated scenes, which are not pleasant to watch. The
convoluted story ends tragically.
Broadway Belts for PFF, at
Edison Ballroom, 240 West 47th St, was a lovely affair,
with Julie Halston as
the Emcee. Among the many guests and performers was Robert
Creighton.
A Toast to the Artist honored
librettist and director Dick
Scanlan at the Transport Group Gala at the Current
at Chelsea Piers at Pier 59 . It was a lovely affair
with many guests like Michael
Mayer and performers.
The League of Professional Theatre
Women presented the Theatre
Women Awards at the Timescenter, 242 West 41st St,
with an Awards Ceremony and Champagne Toast. As always,
it was a wonderful event. Among the six worthy winners,
actress Phylicia
Rashad received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Linda
Winer received the LPTW Special Award. Among the
presenters were NY1 Roma
Torre and actress Celia
Keenan-Bolger. The host was Florencia
Lozano. After the ceremony over glasses of champagne
and chocolate covered strawberries, we chatted with the
awardees, presenters, and the many, many guests, who
support this marvelous organization, which works for
women to succeed in the theatre community. It was a
delightful, thoughtful and intelligent evening. I
congratulated Mahayana
Landowne and Ludovica
Villar-Hauser, the Co-VPs of Programming. |