Off-Broadway, The Common Pursuit, by Simon Gray, opens on
May 24, and I will write about it in the next column.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was the New York
City Center Encores! final musical of the season, and was a smash hit,
with a brilliant cast of magnificent singers and dancers, headed by
Megan Hilty. The original 1949 musical was one of the first Broadway
musicals that I saw when I arrived in New York, and forever after,
Carol Channing was one of my favorite stars, and later became a
friend. Seeing this well made version brought back a host of pleasant
memories.
The New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards were
presented at a reception at Angus McIndoe. Once, Sons of the
Prophet and Tribes won, plus special citations to Mike
Nichols and Signature Theatre Company. Presenters included Andrew
Garfield, John Guare and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Many cast
members of the winning shows were present. It was a lovely event.
The 78th Annual Drama League Awards Luncheon at
the Marriott Marquis was filled with stars. Among the winners were
Audra McDonald for Distinguished Performance, and Once, Follies,
Other Desert Cities and Death of a Salesman.
One of my favorite actresses Lois Smith was
honored by Ensemble Studio Theatre at a splendid Gala at SIR Stage 37.
Among the many guests were Ilene Kristen, Steve Boyer and Mary
Stuart Masterson
The Outer Critics Circle announced their winners,
which will be presented on May 24th At Sardi's. Among the musicals and
plays, Once, Follies and One Man, Two Guvnors will
receive awards, as well as James Corden, Tracie Bennett, Danny
Burstein and Audra McDonald.
Steve
Tyrell I'll Take Romance gave a wonderful performance on his
opening night at Cafe Carlyle delighting his fans, including Laura
Osnes, Molly Ranson, Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley.
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American Ballet Theatre opened its eight week season at the Metropolitan Opera House with its popular version of Giselle. The production is charming, and Paloma Herrera as the titular lead won a well deserved ovation at the end, as did Roberto Bolle and Stella Abrera.
The New York City Ballet continued its season with a superb program of five ballets, two by Balanchine, Concerto Barocco and Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux with Megan Fairchild and Joaquin de Luz, which received a tremendous ovation, and two by Jerome Robbins, Andantino and The Cage, in which Wendy Whelan excelled. The program concluded with Les Carillons, music by Bizet, choreography by Christopher Wheeldon, his 18th work with the company.
I went to Rizzoli bookstore for a signing, reception, celebration of The Outdoor Museum (not your usual images of New York) by Margery Gray Harnick and Sheldon Harnick. It is a beautiful coffee table book of splendid photographs by Margery and delightful poems by Sheldon. Book lovers will enjoy it and should add it to their library. Jim Dale and Penny Fuller were among the guests to celebrate the book's publication.
I went to Carnegie Deli as Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz proclaimed A Jew Grows In Brooklyn Day. Jake Ehrenreich, who stars in the Off-Broadway comedy musical also received a new sandwich with the name of the title. It was delicious.
I attended three screenings of the Film Society of Lincoln Center Coward on Film, May 11-13. Blithe Spirit, by David Lean, UK, 1946, is a delightful version of the original stage play, Noel Coward's most successful play, with a wonderful cast, headed by Rex Harrison, and with a scene stealing performance by Margaret Rutherford as Madame Arcati. Barry Day gave a talk with film clips Coward the Actor before the screening of Our Man in Havana, by Carol Reed, UK, 1959. Alec Guinness, as vacuum cleaner salesman recruited as a spy, stars in this sly, enjoyable film which makes fun of inept British spying in Cuba. Coward plays a master spy and gives a wonderful performance. An added attraction is that it was actually filmed in Cuba shortly after the Batista regime was overthrown by Fidel Castro. The wonderful tribute to the talented Noel Coward finished with Design for Living, by Ernst Lubitsch, USA, 1933, with three outstanding Hollywood actors, Miriam Hopkins, Fredric March and Gary Cooper. Unfortunately, the censorship at the time robbed the film of much of the play's sardonic and mischievous wit.
05-14-12
Cast
members
(L-R)
Clarke
Thorell.
Rachel
York.
Megan
Hilty
at
the
cast
party
for
"Gentlemen
Prefer
Blondes"
in
the
mezzanine
lobby
at
City
Center.
131
West
55th
St.
Sunday
night
05-13-12 |