On Broadway, Chinglish, by David Henry Hwang, is an entertaining play about miscommunication and cultural misunderstanding in China, when an American arrives to do business there. We celebrated the opening at Brasserie 8 1/2 with David Hyde Pierce, Jim Dale and Austin Pendleton. Other Desert Cities, by Jon Robin Baitz, is one of the most intelligent, well written plays of the season, with a superb cast. It should be nominated for a Tony Award.
Off Broadway, Dancing at Lughnasa, by Brian Friel, is a beautiful revival at the Irish Repertory Theatre. and the opening night celebration took place at Aleo with the splendid cast and guests like Tony and Gen Walton, Frances Sternhagen and Malachy McCourt.
The same night, The Atmosphere of Memory opened, but I was able to catch their opening night party at the Kickerbocker restaurant and photographed the stars Ellen Burstyn and John Glover.
It was a busy Sunday with a matinee, as I saw The Fartiste, starring Nick Wyman, an entertaing show, and among the guests were Patricia Field, Isaac Mizrahi and Marvin Scott, whose son Steven Scott is the vocal sound effects artist in the show.
Milk Like Sugar, by Kirsten Greenidge, starring Tonya Pinkins, celebrated the opening night party at the West Bank Cafe with guests like Lynn Nottage and LaChanze.
A Charity Case, by Wendy Beckett, celebrated its opening night party in the lounge at Theatre Row. Cast member Alysia Reiner's husband/actor David Alan Basche was on hand to applaud his wife.
The 34th Anniversary Big Apple Circus Gala was fun for adults and children alike. It was the 25th and final season for Barry Lubin "Grandma". He is going to live in Sweden with his Swedish girlfriend and perform in Europe. The circus is one of the treasures of New York at holiday time, and I recommend it highly.
The Town Hall's Seventh Annual Broadway Cabaret Festival presented A Tribute to Judy Garland and The Art of American Dance, with Susan Stroman and Lorna Luft speaking with Scott Siegel. It was another superb program of entertainment.
Career Transitions for dancers 26th Anniversary Jubilee began with a marvelous dance program at City Center, produced and directed by Ann Marie DeAngelo, with Chita Rivera as host and appearances by Judith Jamison, Bebe Neuwirth and Noah Racey, who with his New York Song & Dance Company was one of the highlights of the show. A Gala followed the performance at the Hilton New York Hotel.
I returned to the Hilton for the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF) Benefit and met Nancy Wong. Asian Segment Manager at Wells Fargo, who presented a scholarship to Rakhi Agrawal.
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I attended a splendid book party with Joan Rivers as host at 21 Club for A Double Life, by Alan Shayne and Norman Sunshine. Among the guests were Christine Baranski, Charles Busch, Hoda Koth and Rex Reed. The book is a wonderful read, and I enjoyed the anecdotes about stars we know.
The stars of Priscilla in the Desert Nick Adams, Tony Sheldon and Will Swenson, Judy Gold, Alan Cumming, Micahel Kors were among the guests at Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project (NYRP) at the Annual Hulaween Benefit Gala at the Waldorf-Astoria.
I went to a press conference at Rick's Cabaret for the new Rick's Cabaret Basketball Association. The ladies on the team were beautiful, and the cheerleaders were gorgeous, and I intend to attend every game.
The 2011 Mayor's Awards for Arts & Culture were presented at Alice Tully Hall. Stephen Sondheim received the Handel Medallion and Mikhail Baryshnikov and Theatre Development Fund were among the other six honorees. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Alec Baldwin were the hosts, and among the performers were Michael Cerveris and Liz Callaway. It was a splendid event followed by a lovely reception.
Angelica Page and Andrew Rannells were guests at the Love, Loss, and What I Wore new cast party at B. Smith's Restaurant.
I attended the reception and screening of Shiver of the Vampires, by Jean Rollin, French with English subtitles, at the Gershwin Hotel, to celebrate launch of Kino Lorber's horror and cult label, Redemption. It was a fun evening and horror film fans will enjoy the film.
The Love We Make, by Albert Maysles and Bradley Kaplan, is a splendid documentary about Paul McCartney, who was on a plane about to leave New York on September 11, 2001. Forced to stay in New York, he decided to help the city by organizing a concert at Madison Square Garden. We folllow him around the city, giving interviews and rehearsing and performed the concert with a whole group of superstars like Mike Jagger, The Who, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Elton John and many more, with guests like Harrison Ford, President Bill Clinton and Governor George Pataki. It's a music lovers delight and it reveals McCartney as a star, who possesses common sense, intelligence and is a decent chap. I enjoyed it tremendously. Tomboy, by Celine Sciamma, France, is about a 10-year old girl, who pretends to be a boy. Complications ensue when she is exposed. The film is a delight with an astonishing performance by Zoe Heran as the young girl. It is sweet, unusual and charming, and the children in the film are adorable. It opens on November 16 at the Film Forum.
10-31-11
Cast
members
(L-R)
Rachel
Pickup.
Jo
Kinsella.
Annabel
Hagg.
Aedin
Maloney.Orlagh
Cassidy
at
the
opening
night
party
for
"Dancing
at
Lughnasa"
at
the
Aleo.
7
West
20th
St.
Sunday
night
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