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It was bound to happen. Modern technology caught up
with Broadway. Audience members were given
headphones to listen to The Encounter,
conceived, directed and performed by Simon
McBurney, at the Golden Theatre. For almost two
hours without an intermission, we see an almost
empty stage, with a table, a chair and a few
microphones, and listen to recorded voices and
sounds, which tells the story of Loren
McIntyre, a photographer on assignment by
the National Geographic to photograph the Mayoruna
tribe, who disappeared in the Amazon jungle to avoid
the white people who want to steal their oil. It is
a horror story. His camera is destroyed by a monkey.
The tribe destroys all their possessions, and
McIntyre's also, for religious reasons. There is a
dangerous jaguar hunt. He is covered by ants, and
there is a repulsive session with frogs. He suffers
hunger. McBurney is the only cast member on stage,
and he moves all over the stage, climaxing in
removing his shirt while jogging to cast a spell on
the tribe. Broadway deserves more.
Off-Broadway, All
The Ways To Say I Love You, by Neil
LaBute, at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, a
production of the MCC Theater, is a one woman, short
play, lasting about sixty minutes, starring Judith
Light. She plays a high school teacher, who
commits a serious indiscretion with a pupil.
Complications ensue. Light is superb, directed by Leigh Silverman.
The opening night party took place at Sushi Samba,
87 7th Avenue South, with guests Jeffrey
Tambor,,Walter Bobbie and Jennifer
Mudge among
many others. It was a lovely party
Producer/Founding Artistic Director Susan
Charlotte presented
a delightful Food
For Thought Production at The
3 West Club, 3 West 51st St. Dick
Cavett and Louise
Lasser
performed Amicable
Parting, by George
S. Kaufman, and Carole
Shelley performed The
Waltz, by Dorothy
Parker. It was a pleasant event.
The New York City Ballet presented a magnificent Jewels,
choreography by George
Balanchine. It
consists of three parts. Emeralds.
music of Gabriel
Faure, has
gorgeous green scenery by Peter
Harvey and
green costumes by Karinska, both
did all three parts. Rubies, music by Igor
Stravinsky, with sexy red costumes, and Diamonds, music
by Peter Ilyitch
Tschaikovsky, were glorious to behold. The
soloists in each part were marvelous. All deserve to
be mentioned, but outstanding were Megan
Fairchild, Joaquin de Luz, and
especially Savannah
Lowery in
Rubies, and Teresa
Reichlen and Russell
Janzen in
Diamonds. Andrew
Litton conducted
the orchestra. What a brilliant company we are
privileged to see in New York! |
Career Transition For Dancers presented
a program for The
Actors Fund The 31st Anniversary Jubilee, honoring Joe
Lanteri (photo
below) and philanthropists Donald and Barbara
Tober, dedicated to the memory of former CTFD
President Alex
Dube, at
the Marriott Marquis Hotel. It was one of the finest
dance programs I have ever seen. Among the many
performers were Tommy
Tune, Bebe Neuwirth, and Desmond
Richardson, produced and directed by Ann
Marie DeAngelo, and among the guests were RobertFairchild and Leanne
Cope. President and CEO Joseph
P. Benincasa is
to be congratulated for a splendid evening.
Cicely Tyson was
honored by The American Theatre Wing at the Plaza
Hotel, the same night as The Actors Fund Gala. As I
love Cicely, I rushed over to hug her and photograph
the wonderful actress and friend. Among the many
guests, who came to honor her wereLaTanya
Richardson Jackson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Cynthia
Erivo. The honor was well deserved.
NASCAR Foundation held its first ever gala at
the Marriott Marquis, honoring Chairman of NBC
Sports Group Mark
Lazurus. The France family
were present on this occasion. I photographed the
NASCAR Chairman & CEO Brian
France, NASCAR Hall of FamerRusty
Wallace and
many of the drivers. It was another lovely event.
The MOMS, Denise
Albert and Melissa
Musen Gerstein (photo
below), held a MAMARAZZI event
at The Carlyle Hotel for Kristin
Chenoweth and
her new album The
Art of Elegance.
She performed two songs, and then answered questions
from in audience in a Q & A. Warriors
in Pink were
the partners on this occasion, and there were
speakers, who spoke about Breast Cancer Awareness
Month. Chenoweth also mentioned how the disease has
affected her family and friends. There were many
breast cancer survivors and their families present.
It was a very important event, and we can only hope
this dreadful disease will be conquered soon.
I went to the opening night party of The
Trial of the American President, by Dick
Tarlow, at the Lindeman, 410 West 42nd St. The
three member cast and the director and playwright
all enjoyed an open bar and delicious hors
d'oeuvres. As Cole
Porter wrote
"It was a swell party".
The Morgan Library & Museum is
one of my favorite buildings in New York. I attended
a press preview of Dubuffet
Drawings, 1935-1962. The
French artist produced imaginative works of
childlike art, grafitti, portraits, Bedouin scenes,
female nudes and more. Do not miss it. It will be on
display until January 2, 2017. |