Gerry's Insights

JULY HEAT IN THE SPRINGS - COOL IN THE BAY

2007-08-01T05:51:00.000-07:00

JULY HEAT IN PALM SPRINGS

&

JULY COOL IN THE BAY AREA

2007

I could not believe that June had come and gone and half of 2007 was gone! It has got to slow down!? Will it? I guess not. As the song says, “it just keeps rollin’ along!”

It was great to get home from the Midwest: Wisconsin and Minnesota. One week with Merrill in Wisconsin visiting his four sisters and sightseeing; the other week on the Theatre Historical Society of America’s Annual Theatre Conclave “Milwaukee to Minneapolis—the M&M Adventure” where we saw 33 theatres. A great trip this year!!

Only had one week in June to catch up with things. Decided to stay home until the Fourth of July before traveling once more. Got to do a couple of things:

ACT’s production of Moliere’s THE IMAGINARY INVALID Very Good

It was rather risqué and full of jokes about farting and getting enemas!! Written in the late 1600s, it still holds up quite well. Hypocondriac wants his daughter to marry a doctor; maid in the household, superbly played by Broadway’s Nancy Daussault, carries the plot along quite hilariously to a happy ending for all!!

“Water” Fair

Movie from our Net Flicks was just so-so. Moved too slowly and all was very dark!!!

Ed Lamoureaux was visiting from San Diego for six days. One of these days we’ve got to stay with him down South??? He’s planning a trip to an Italian villa in Tuscany in October 2008 with Merrill as guest chef! We’ll have to change Merrill’s name to Mario Meltzinino! ….. Henk from Amsterdam was visiting the Bay Area. Had him over to dinner with David Snow & Renato. Good to see them all again…… Celebrated our neighbors’ Dennis & Joey’s third Anniversary with a special dinner with Laurie & Andrew. The champagne sure was flowing!! ….. Mark Ruyak’s Party (he is leaving Grace Cathedral after quite a few years of service) was given in two apartments: ours and D&J’s. A nice crowd attended and the food was sure good! ….. Had to get my high blood pressure pills sorted out; not doing much with my pressure. It was too high: 160 / 117. Saw the doctor and started to take new pills. It dropped down to 140/90 which is much better, but still needs work. ….. Had an outdoor Fourth of July Picnic with Mary and Denny Miller at their condo in Albany. Barbaqued chicken and lots of other goodies. A nice afternoon in the outdoors with plenty of sun and ocean breezes. ….. Saddened at the news of the passing of Beverly Sills. Saw her a couple of times at the NYCity Opera, but also got to see her do “La Traviata” in Naples, Italy at the San Carlo Opera House; the Italians loved her!! …..

P A L M S P R I N G S July 5 to 12, 2007

It was time to get down to check on James Lee who was recovering from his operation from an attack of diverticulitus, which resulted in a temporary colostomy. He was not adjusting to either one of them! He was eating very little; refused to learn anything about the colostomy; and not getting much exercise or stimulation from anything around him. I got the house in order and got him to pay a few bills. Most of his bills are deducted from his checking account. Wish his attitude would change; it did not when I was down there with Merrill.

Had a chance for a little socializing. Took Jim Robinson & Danny Brown out to lunch at Spencer’s; they had been looking after Jim regularly. Spencer’s has a terrace that is glassed in during the summer so it was air conditioned! The temperatures every afternoon were between 113 degrees to 117 degrees! That’s hot no matter how dry the air! One day it did get a bit humid and the combination of hot + humid = miserable!! Went over to Jim and Danny’s for cocktails (forced James to go too!) and heavy delicious finger food!

Got to a cool movie theatre for a couple of movies down in Palm Springs:

Evening Very Good

This has an all-star cast. Loved it! If it had been made in French, it would have won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film! The critics hate it. Calling it too much of a “soap”! I happen to love “soaps” so I was enthralled. Some of the performances are outstanding. Vanessa Redgrave and daughter Natasha Richardson are superb. So are Meryl Streep and her daughter Mamie Gummer! (Mamie has got to change both names!!!??). Loved the story and did not mind the flashbacks from the present to the past to the present! Merrill did. Actors, Harry Dancy (superb) and Patrick Wilson (very good) made the movie for me. I was especially impressed by Patrick Wilson: had seen him on Broadway in THE FULL MONTY and a revival of OKLAHOMA—he was terrible! He sure was wonderful in this film!!

Le Vie En Rose Very Good

How wonderful to hear Edith Piaf’s singing in this biography. The French actress Marion Collaird should certainly receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her powerful performance as Edith Piaf! The film is much too long at 2 hours, 15 min. Piaf was only 45 when she died but looked like she was 105. Her life parallels Judy Garland’s in many ways. Poor tortured souls: they had the world at their feet, and never could quite enjoy it all. I was fortunate enough to have seen Piaf once at Carnegie Hall. She was dynamite. Did get to see her protégé, Charles Aznaveur, many times; he was called the male Piaf!

Did see a couple of Net Flicks down in Palm Springs:

An Inconvenient Truth Good

It is preaching to the choir! I realize what is happening with the environment. One has to show this film to those in charge in the White House, the Congress, and all rednecks everywhere, especially South of the Mason Dixon Line! If only Al Gore had the spark during his presidential campaign that he has in this film, he would have been President!

The Prestige Fair/Good

The film goes too far in telling the tale of a magic trick performed in the 19th Century that obsessed two men and the lengths they go to in order to outdo each other with their rendering of the trick. The film is much too long, and I just got bored. The film started to ramble on and on and on with this trick. Cast was wonderful: Hugh Jackman and Michael Caine give wonderful performances. However, “spare me the details”!

The date 07 / 07/ 07 got everyone in an uproar. Las Vegas was going crazy with bets!! People wanted to marry on this day so they would have this date on their certificates! Certainly made the news and caused a stir!

Dan Mingledorf & Dick Mitchell invited us for dinner at their condo in Palm Springs. Met a few others there: John, also from Palm Springs; David who lives part time in PS and Houston; and Jonathan, a friend of David’s. Had Texas brisket!! So tender. Had a horribly under-ripe peach pie from the expensive grocery market, Jensen’s. What a shame. It should have been wonderful!!! I would have taken a piece of the pie back to Jensen’s the next day!

The Palm Springs Art Museum

This lovely museum is always a treat! They always have some interesting exhibit. For the past few summers, they have been having “Impressionist and Modern Masters: Degas to DeKooning” with quite a small collection of paintings, but good ones!! They present less than a dozen paintings from a private collection that are gorgeous! It is worth just seeing that exhibit. Had a chance to see some of the exhibits that were left over from our Memorial Day visit to Palm Springs: Treasures of the West: Art from Desert Collections; Russell Wright: Living with Good Design and The Eyes: Mirrors of the Soul, Portraits by Marion Pike. Saw the photography exhibit of John McLaughlin: The Tamarind Prints which was just a lot of modern foolishness—lines of black and white that made no sense. Gave up on that one very quickly.

Also got to see Ken Blumgarner; he treated me to a wonderful dinner at Davey’s Hideaway where dinner is always such a pleasure. This time around we sat next to the piano player, and he “joined us for dinner”!

Since I have returned from Palm Springs, Jim sounds much stronger on the phone. I do not know how he is doing from day to day. Hopefully, will find out a bit more when an overseas teacher visits Jim next week (July 31 to Aug 5). Then I shall have to decide if I should get down there for a few days before leaving on our Russian River Cruise.

Got through Friday the 13th of July without too much trouble. It was returning back to Oakland from Palm Springs on July 12 that luck was NOT on my side. Small delays on Alaska Airlines and BART which made the trip from Palm Springs to Oakland stretch out to five hours!!

JULY HAPPENINGS IN THE COOL BAY AREA

Out for my Birthday Dinner with Eric Hubert at one of our fancy neighborhood restaurants, Mezze: we shared a tasty carmelized onion pizza; then had what they called an albino salmon filet (more on the white side than pink) oven baked beans with bacon (very Boston New England style). Quite tasty especially with the bread and focaccio that was served. Decided to skip dessert since that was enough to eat. Watching my weight a bit these days. ….. Bastille Day/July 14 I was off for another blood test because another visit to the doctor was coming up! Then off to see two programs at the Silent Film Festival at the Castro Theatre. Ted Gooding & Harry Demus were there from Los Angeles for the entire three-day festival; they are members of the Theatre Historical Society and just saw them in WI and MN. I only saw two films, both accompanied by live piano.

Program #1: The Valley of the Giants (1927) was quite good and starred now-forgotten silent screen star, Milton Sills, who made 86 silent films. He had quite a career but died of a heart ailment at age 57 while playing tennis with his wife. The film was based on the novel by San Francisco’s own Peter B. Kyne, it is an adventure filmed among the giant sequoias of Kings Canyon National Park in the Sierra Nevadas. About a business magnate who fights a scurrilous railroad tycoon for control of the lumber industry. His leading lady Doris Kenyon was marvelous, but she too is now forgotten.

Program #2: The 1914 Italian silent film, Maciste, was not as good. First-time Italian screen actor, Bartolomeo Pagano, found himself thrust into stardom for his performance of this superhero, Maciste, who had the physical strength of our modern Superman. He played this character in 26 films made between 1914 and 1927. This film looks more like a Saturday matinee serial of the 1940s and 50s nowadays. One footnote about this film: Benito Musollini copied Pagano’s stance which was quite manly and forceful. Subtitles were in Italian, but two people from the Italian Cultural Society of SF were there to give instant translation for the entire film.

I always enjoy playwright, John Fisher’s plays. I have seen his very successful plays, MEDEA: THE MUSICAL and COMBAT! which is still my favorite of his. His newest work at the Theatre Rhino in SF, SPECIAL FORCES, is quite good but needs some work. Some of the characters are not defined fully. It takes place in northern Iraq and involves a drag queen named Dinah Blue and his/her influence on some of the soldiers involved. Interesting idea and hope he works on this one a bit more. ….. Chow’s, a rather successful restaurant chain, is still holding up quite well. They are still serving a very good, homemade tasting spaghetti and meatballs dish. One seldom sees just plain ol’ meatballs and spaghetti on a menu these days. ….. Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek’s Dean Lesher Performing Arts Center had quite an interesting exhibit: Paved Paradise. These were works done by high school students in the area. Surprisingly, quite a number of them had serious themes. Some were well done and others were at the other end of the spectrum. ….. Festival Opera’s CARMEN was quite a good production. It could have had a bit more pizzazz. Kendal Gladen sang the lead very well; she was sexy and playful some of the time, but needed more of it during the course of the very long opera! Also too many people were on the stage; it was awfully crowded. ….. Near our apartment is a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant, Hunyhn. It is no longer open for dinner so we do not get there very often. They just opened a branch next to the Performing Arts Center in Walnut Creek. We decided to try it. The place is decorated very upscale; the prices are also upscale; the portions are smaller and not quite as interesting. No specials such as dinners for three or four persons. They want to make the money at this branch. Would not go there again. Will just have to get to the one near our apartment for lunch! ….. Crazy weather occurred as usual; it rained a few drops on July 18: it has NEVER rained on that day since temps have been recorded!! The rain somehow blew a generator in Berkeley and quite a few residents lost power. Why it does not “blow a generator” when it rains hard during the rainy season, is beyond me!? ….. Off to see Dr. Stumpf once more. My blood pressure seems to be behaving but still needs some work. Also had an ear wash done; wax buildup was “melted” from the 117 degree temperatures in Palm Springs!? He gave me more pills for my blood pressure that are a bit stronger and he wants to see me before I travel to Russia. ….. SFMOMA’s Matisse: Painter as Sculptor was a very interesting exhibit. Matisse wanted to try sculpting; he felt there was a definite difference in the two media. Sometimes he would sculpt and then paint the same thing; then he would try it the other way around. Extremely enlightening exhibit about the two media. Got a peek at the exhibit, New Work: Felix Schramm, which was made of scraps of wood and metal; it was absolutely hideous!!! ….. Summer series on TV are almost as numerous as the Fall TV Season. Some very good programs that I have been tivoing and then watching later at my convenience. Love “Rescue Me,” “Big Love,” “Meadowland,” “Army Wives,” and “Damages“ with Glenn Close. …..

Hairspray Very Good

Enjoyed the movie very much except for John Travolta’s portrayal of Edna Turnbladt. He played it like every fat woman I have seen and encountered lately: very charming! Just like a cutsie Cupie doll, only with a Baltimore accent that is sometimes not easy to understand. Everyone else in the cast is superb: Michelle Feiffer is marvelous; so good to see her on the screen again after a very long absence The editing of the musical numbers is excellent: this should be remembered at Oscar time! Most enjoyable and a great summer family movie.

Our neighbors, Shirley and Mel Lipman treated us to dinner at the fine restaurant, Wood Tavern. We were among the first to be seated at 5:30 p.m. and a conversation was possible among the four of us. By 7 p.m., you could not hear yourself think! Food is marvelous: some of the best Halibut I have ever had; heirloom tomatoes that are so tasty and colorful, but oh that noise! The yups don’t seem to mind. They are used to plugs in their ears and playing their ipods at 10+ volume!! ….. QE2 Final Voyage Waiting List. Decided that it would be a rather historic trip and fun to be on the QE2’s final voyage in November 2008 from Southhampton, England to Dubai. The ship is going to be delivered to the country and used as a hotel. I was told we were #354 on the waiting list. Called a month later after sending in a deposit and found that were had already moved up the list to #184 !! I have a feeling since we have more than a year to go, that we shall get on the trip! It is for 16 days, and I am looking forward to it already! ….. Andrea Marcovicci at the legendary Plush Room was marvelous. She always plays there in July to get her November Algonquin Oak Room Show in NYC ready and tested out. She usually puts everything she can in the show, hence the almost two-hour running time. Then she “weeds out” later. The first hour was definitely a “work in progress;” she even had her glasses on and was reading from a script. Then suddenly she leaped up on the piano and began the last 45 minutes of the show; this was ready—the script disappeared and you could feel she had thought this all out well. This show about Larry Hart was superb, especially the ending and portraying his tragic later life and death! The man had the world at his feet, but just could not enjoy it and get his life together to revel in it! Thank goodness we have his lyrics, although sad and about his inferiority complex, which will live on for generations to come. She saved Hart’s best song for last, the immortal “My Funny Valentine”!! Not a dry eye in the Plush Room. Her voice is in great form and long may she keep doing what she’s doing!! Unfortunately, the Plush Room, is going to close the end of December since the hotel where the club is located wants to put in a restaurant. Not many people seem to be concerned about this, so nothing is being done!?! I always feel like protesting and writing letters; guess that’s not the thing to do these days!! ….. Colombini, a new restaurant in a small hotel near the Plush Room is getting better and better. When I first ate there, the food was so-so under the new management. Now it seems to be improving; had gnocchi (from the supermarket) with a delicious Alfredo sauce and homemade sausage. Quite tasty. A nice place to go before seeing a show at the Plush Room. ….. 4.2 Earthquake at 4:45 a.m. on July 20. Our building has 11 stories and the steel beams moan and groan when an earthquake takes place. We moved in a circular motion and it seemed as if we were waking up on a cruise ship in rough waters!! It was over before you knew it, but it still was a bit scary! ….. Have not been to the newly refurbished Cliff House in ages. Richard & John wanted to take me there for my belated birthday lunch. What a gorgeous day we had for it!! Clear skies and lots of wind to make the waves look spectacular! There are two restaurants: one has a bar-diner atmosphere with tons of old Hollywood stars photos that are autographed to the Cliff House. We decided to go to the other restaurant which is the white table cloth one and a more spectacular view! Food was quite good although rather overpriced: I guess you are paying for the view! Had crab cakes for an appetizer and swordfish for the main course—might as well stick to fish since we were looking out at the mighty Pacific Ocean!!

The Devil Wore Prada Very Good

Enjoyed the movie very much and Meryl Streep superb as usual. She was Oscar nominated for this role. Fun movie but actually quite serious in parts.

Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette Good/Very Good

The two leads, Marie Antoinette & Louis XVI, were absolutely amateurish actors, especially the male. The supporting cast was quite good especially Judy Davis! The costumes and colors were spectacular. The film was historically accurate and cannot understand why the critics just tore this film apart! Except for the two leads, it was quite good!

Off to see John Guare’s BOSOMS AND NEGLECT at the Aurora Theatre. Truly keeping in his “black comedy” vein, it was most enjoyable. Two lonely people under analysis are lost and find each other when their analyst goes on vacation for the month of August. However, the man’s blind mother, brilliantly played by local actress, Joan Mankin, has all the answers to his mental problems if only he would just listen to her!!! ….. My copy of the seventh and last Harry Potter arrived from amazon.com at 2 p.m. on July 21, 2007. I am into reading it now and hope to have it completed before we leave for Russia on August 21! ….. The Nan Kempner: American Chic exhibit at the DeYoung Museum was fabulous. She was “in style” with some of the world’s best designers and was known on both coasts! Yves St. Laurent comes out the best in this fashion exhibit! ….. Walter Jelonik from Seattle was visiting David Snow and had a chance to see him twice while he was in town. May get up there to see the preBroadway tryout of YOUNG FRANKINSTEIN. ….. Walter treated us to one of our neighborhood’s longest running restaurants, DaVinci Café. The pastas are quite good there; Merrill ordered a pizza and the crust was more like a giant baked Ritz cracker. Stick to the pasta!!! ….. Took a day trip with Oakland Museum’s History Guild to the Lark Theatre in Larkspur. Cute little neighborhood theatre built in 1939, the end of the Art Deco era and the beginning of the plain 1940s look. Liked it a lot. They showed us the film by first-time director Zoe Cassevettes, Broken English Fair. Thought the film never quite got together in its romantic love story, some of which was set in Paris. Zoe has not quite achieved the status of her famous father, John. Her mother, Gena Rowlands, was great in a small role. The ending of the film was rather a cliché that’s almost embarrassing. Was not impressed and hope she does better with her second film. ….. Had a great lunch at the restaurant, The Left Bank, which was part of the trip to the Lark Theatre. …… Visited Italian bakery, Rulli’s; bought some cookies which turned out to be terrible—crisp, tiny macaroons and awfully sweet sugar cookies. Not worth the $16.75 I paid for not even a half pound of cookies! A good thing they have a reputation; they may lose it if they keep this up! …… The History Guild Trip itself was frustrating as the organization is late in leaving almost every trip that I have taken with them. Then they cut short the itinerary of the trip itself! Not such a good idea. If this continues, I shall not go on any more of their day trips. …… Neil Sedaka was quite good in the SF Symphony’s “Summer in the City” series. He certainly wrote tons of songs and they sold millions of records: from 1958 to 1963 he sold 40, yes, 40 million records!!!! Then the Beatles arrived and he retired for 10 years before making a comeback. He sang a lot of his old songs that brought back lots of memories of my teenage years: “I Love A Calendar Girl,” “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” “Solitaire,” “The Hungry Years,” “Stupid Cupid” for Connie Francis as well as “Where the Boys Are,” “A Stairway to Heaven,” “I Live Next Door to an Angel,” a new ballad “You,” I Let You Walk Away,” and he played a classical piece by Chopin. He originally attended Julliard School of Music to become a classical pianist. He sang many more of his songs in a 1.5 hr. show that was enjoyable. He was a bit “stiff” since he just had back surgery a couple of weeks ago; looked like he was wrapped in a corset! However, he still looks like his young self with just a bit of a paunch!!

How wonderful to be able to relax in the cool Bay Area summer at home. Reading Harry Potter and getting ready for trips, houseguests, and the holidays which will be upon us before we know it!!!!!

UPCOMING TRIPS

August 21 to Sep 5: Russian River Cruise from Moscow to St. Peterburg

Sep 11 to Oct 1: Rodney Crook and Ian Cox from Exeter, England in California

and staying with us at the beginning and end of their trip

Sep 21 to 27: Palm Springs, CA for a week

Oct 14 to 25: Presidential Library Trip with the OK Museum’s History Guild

Stay well and hope you enjoy the rest of the summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will catch you up on Russia when I return!!!

Gerry

NOT MUCH HAPPENING IN JUNE 2007

2007-07-08T20:10:00.001-07:00

NOT MUCH HAPPENING IN JUNE 2007

With all the trips that are occurring, not much time at home to get to do things around here. Getting caught up with mail, bills, my dad, etc., takes up enough time.

Did get to the lovely Filoli Gardens on a day trip with the History Guild of the Oakland Museum. Those trips are very good; they do get behind on time because of traffic and bathroom stops, but for the most part, they are on schedule most of the time. Gardens lovely (should go at Easter when tulips are in bloom!) but house has been restored and is a showpiece. In the afternoon to Santa Clara University to visit the small museum there and the Mission which is all renovated. Lovely day!....... Our 96 year old neighbor, George Horton, passed away. Attended his Memorial Service. He had quite a life and was a wonderful man. ….. Over to Bonnie (a convert to Episcopal Church) & Amy’s for a very good dinner; they have two teenage boys that we met. A very nice evening! ….. Set up my newly installed Tivo for summer programs. Love this system; no tapes needed and it records beautifully and easily. ….. Minister, Mark Sanger, is leaving Grace Cathedral. Had a “joint party” with the Butlers across the hall for him. Lots of food! ….. Tony Awards had a great show. Wish someone with a sense of humor had hosted. Was so thrilled that Christine Ebersole won for Best Actress in a Musical in GREY GARDENS. She was born to play the role of Edie Beale, niece to Jackie Kennedy Onassis. …… Did not like the ending for The Sopranos. After 8.5 years of following the series, I though the writer, David Chase, deserved to give us something better as an ending! …… My blood pressure has been fluctuating because of some weight gain. Also nerves acting up!!?? Visited my doctor before we left for two weeks in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He changed my pills and wanted me to try those while traveling. When I returned, paid him another visit and seems pills were not strong enough. My blood pressure was sky high and he prescribed new pills and those seem to be stabilizing things. ….. Overseas school teacher, Frances Callahan, passed away in June with lung cancer. She was a heavy smoker. We used to have grand times in bella Napoli. Cal was always ready for a party!! May she rest in peace! …… Had a big dinner for Dennis & Joey Butler to celebrate their 3rd Anniversary. They are renting the apartment across the hall; now have a farm in Marysville, just above Sacramento and are beginning to decorate and get that ready for their retirement in a few years! …… Ed Lamouraux visited for a few days from San Diego. He is coordinating a trip to Tuscany in October 2008 at a Villa there he has used before. He wants Merrill to cook several meals there. We’ll have to change the name Merrill Meltz to Mario Meltzingiano!?!? ….. So sorry to hear the passing of Beverly “Bubbles” Sills, not only a wonderful singer, but a grand human being who cared about the state of opera in the USA. …..Fourth of July Picnic with Mary and Denny Miller. Weather turned gorgeous; in the low 80s with lovely breezes and plenty of blue sky and sunshine!! …… All set to get down to Palm Springs, July 5 to 12 to relax and see how friend, Jim Lee, is doing after a diverticultus operation. ….. Also time to look forward to our Moscow to St. Petersburg River Cruise, August 20 to September 5. We received our visa for the trip and need some rubles—then we are all set to go! ….. Dad is hanging in there at age 90. He is getting a bit more frail, but does very well for his age. Still dresses himself every morning and stays up all day. Keep in touch and HAPPY SUMMERTIME!!!!!

THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA’S

2007-07-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

PART TWO
THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA’S
MILWAUKEE TO MINNEAPOLIS
JUNE 19 TO 24, 2007
THEATRE CONCLAVE
“AN M&M ADVENTURE”

Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Up at 7:30 a.m.. Weather continues to be sunny and clear and free of humidity. We have been so lucky with this gorgeous weather! Had a banana-nut muffin we bought the night before in little snack store attached to hotel. Coffee maker weird: it only makes one cup at a time. Spilled water all over the place on the first try, but soon got the hang of it!

Down to the lobby to see who was here for the Theatre Conclave. A few arrivals. I can remember faces, but it is so difficult to remember names. Was trying to get better at it this year—not completely successful. In a rotunda off the hotel, was a coffee bar with delicious coffee at “Starbuck prices”!! Who cared; we were on vacation. Ted Gooding from Los Angeles put us on to a Milwaukee City Tour that was available. Grey Line was out of business in Milwaukee; no City Tours from other tour companies—they only ran from Wednesday to Sunday. We decided to go on this one.

We had the opportunity to Register for the M&M Adventure Conclave! Received our name tag and packet of what we would be seeing. Only 100 were due to take the Conclave this year. Not an impressive number, but it made the conclave more intimate and less crowded.

The guide picked us up at 11 a.m. We began the tour by stopping for lunch at an authentic 1950s diner, Miss Kate’s Diner. Had beef chili with cheddar cheese on top and we shared an order of their famous homemade fries. Delicious. This we had to pay for—not included in the tour. We got to see some of the famous sites of Milwaukee. Then it was time to choose where you wanted to spend some time: the Pabst Mansion (we had already been) or The Mitchell Park Domes. We chose the latter. This is a Horticultural Conservatory and it is all self-guided. We began with the Tropical Dome. Lovely flowers and quite humid inside—fortunately, the only humidity we were feeling this trip. Then on to the Arid Dome which was hot and dry; felt like I was in Palm Springs in the summer! On to the Show Dome which featured a 19th Century Picnic in the Park setting. Just lovely and so many flowers around. This took about an hour. Driver picked us up and we retrieved the passengers at the Pabst Mansion and we continued with our tour. We returned to the hotel at 3:45 p.m. What a bargain this tour was: $20 + tip for a 4 hr, 45 min tour!!! Where can you get that?? Very enjoyable and we felt that we had really seen Milwaukee.

Time for a short nap and ready for our first theatre visit. Decided to have something quick to eat before we had to show up at our first theatre at 6:30 p.m. A pub up the street, The Newsroom Pub looked interesting. It was part of a place called the Safe Lock: a speakeasy that had a secret way to enter. Eric figured it out. Once we got in there however, there were so many teenagers having a birthday party. It was so noisy, that we decided just to get back to the pub and have a hamburger and fries with some mozerella in carozza sticks with a marinara sauce.

Pabst Theatre* #1 Milwaukee, WI

*I will give some facts about each theatre that I want to save for my own information. This will be followed by some thoughts and impressions that I wrote down while I was in the theatre in a notebook that I took along with me. Hope this will work out and be informative.

Our Conclave Hosts, Don Bohatka & Tom DuBuque were at the theatre to greet us all. Cheese and fruit were there for us to munch on. A no-host bar was available. The cocktail hour lasted about 45 minutes. We were then ready to enter this theatre that opened in 1895; currently has 1,345 seats. A working organ is in there now. The style would be classified as European Baroque. The theatre was built by Captain Frederick Pabst, of the Pabst Mansion and beer empire. It now ranks as the fourth oldest continuously operating theatre in the USA. The theatre was renovated in 1928 for movies and then again in 1976 as a performing arts center.

We had our Annual Theatre Historical Society of America Meeting while seated in the theatre. Also, a slide show was given showing some of the theatres we would be seeing at next year’s San Jose to San Francisco & Around the Bay Conclave July 8 to 12, 2008. We were then told some of the highlights that would be in store for us on this trip.

Looked at theatre more closely. The proscenium arch is highlighted in gold leaf. The grand staircase is crafted from white Italian Carrara Marble. Theatre decorated in reds and maroons with gold and silver accents. We were off to a good start with this beautiful theatre!

It was early to be since we had a full day of visiting theatres tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 20
We decided to make our get up time 6 a.m. That gave us plenty of time to much on a muffin and have two cups of coffee in that crazy coffee maker. Measured water in my water bottle and poured carefully! Organized and ready for the day.

At 8:15 a.m. we were off for an hour+ ride to
Stefanie H. Weill Center for the Performing Arts #2 Sheboygan, WI
What gorgeous scenery along the way! Lovely farms and we had covered this territory the week before—also lovely the second time around!

This theatre opened Feb 1928. It seats 1,150 and had a Wurlitzer which was removed in 1968. The style is Spanish and is an atmospheric theatre with clouds and twinkling stars. The outside has a huge vertical red and gold marquee with its old name, the Sheboygan. Theatre was built for only $600,000. Started out as a vaudeville and movie theatre. In 1930, Warner Brothers bought it and ran it until 1966. Marcus Theatres bought it in 1980 and closed off the balcony and twinned the main auditorium until 1996. In 1997 the dropped ceiling was removed and the atmospheric ceiling was once again visible. Now it is the home of the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra.

There are two huge chandeliers (not original) in the lobby. Carpeting in the theatre was made from photos of original. The Wurlitzer that was in this theatre is now in the State Theatre in Madison, WI. We shall be going there.

Then boarded the buses once more (only two buses this Conclave). Besides watching the scenery pass by, the bus is a great chance to renew old acquaintances and meet new members. I like the time on the bus very much.

Capitol Theatre #3 Manitowoc, WI
This opened in 1921 and current seating is 1,150. The original organ was removed. Built as a vaudeville theatre; then movies were shown. In 1987 the theatre was closed for renovation and four months later opened as the Civic Center. Today, ten local performing arts groups use the theatre giving close to 100 performances a year.

Theatre is quite plain in decoration. Two doors in the mezzanine have OUT signs instead of the usual four-letter word EXIT. These two signs are original. Not known why this was used. The Francis & Lillian Kadow Photo Collection is on display in the theatre. He was a photographer and used to book movies for the theatre. He took frequent trips to New York and Hollywood. He photographed the stars in black and white; some of the photographs even have the star’s autograph. In those days, the stars met with the distributors of movies. Some of the photos are gorgeous!!!!!

At our next stop (Green Bay), it was time for lunch. We stopped a block away from our next theatre at a small restaurant complex with a few shops. I am afraid I made the wrong choice for lunch: Noah’s Pizza. The pizza was thin crust but the topping were just tasteless—awful. Salad selection was terrible. Only good thing was penne pasta with chicken and a strong cheese sauce (gorgonzola?). The help knew absolutely nothing about Italian food. At up and were walked over to our next theatre.

Meyer Theatre #4 Green Bay, WI
This theatre was originally named the Fox and later the Bay. It opened on Valentine’s Day 1930 as a vaudeville and movie theatre. Originally sat 2,087. The Fox chain went bankrupt in 1933. It was renamed the Bay and survived until 1998. A woman named Betty Rose Meyer provided $1.5 million for a costly renovation and named the theatre in her husband’s memory. It was also converted into a triplex which destroyed a lot of the original Spanish decoration. The theatre reopened again on Feb 27, 2002 with its atmospheric sky and twinkling stars overhead.

This theatre much bigger than the Sheboygan Theatre. Has more detail and gold leaf. The décor is called “King Ferdinand’s Court at Dusk.” Well lit and looks lovely. In 2005 the theatre’s original Wurlitzer was returned and installed completing the rebirth of the theatre.

Grand Opera House #5 Oshkosh, WI
This theatre opened in 1883 and seated 1,224; it now seats 668. The theatre is very Western in style. Has an Italianate décor and decorated in the Queen Ann Style. It also had near perfect acoustics. In 1920 the theatre was known as the Granada; in 1948 it was renamed the Civic; in 1950 it was simply called the Grand. It became a second-run film house. By 1965 the theatre had gotten terribly run down and had water damage. Finally in 1980 an effort was made to renovate the theatre. In September 1986 $3.5 million was invested in the theatre and since 1990, the Grand Opera House has been operated by the Oshkosh Opera House Foundation.

Summer Student Drama Group was rehearsing the musical RENT while we were there. They received applause from us when they were done with the number we saw them do when we entered; then they did another and loved us applauding!! Great treat for us too!

There is not a very grand lobby when one enters this theatre. The theatre is made up of two buildings now; the building next door was purchased to give more “lobby” room. In the 1960s when the theatre was in hard times, it was a porno x-rated theatre. Now a National Landmark! The two pillars which support the proscenium arch are original. Most of the theatre was restored from photos. Extremely old-fashioned Western type design with poles in the audience area used for support for the upper floor.

Cabot Theatre #6 Milwaukee, WI
This was a cute little theatre that only opened in 1995 and painted and decorated as if it were built in the 1800s. Very nice and very unusual for a modern theatre!

We were back at our hotel before 6 p.m. Had a short lie down and decided to get something quick and easy to eat; off to China Gourmet again. Had fried rice and pork lo mein this time.

Then I was off to the Milwaukee Repertory Company “The Rep” to see Larry Shue’s THE NERD. The actors were quite good and the set was excellent. However, the play was at fault: a one-joke play that goes on for 2.5 hours is much too long! A young upper class couple in Indiana invite the husband’s Vietnam Army buddy to visit them and then cannot get rid of obnoxious fellow. There is a tricky ending that makes sense if you paid close attention to the first 10 minutes of the play. An enjoyable evening!

Eric had gone out to eat with other members of the Conclave and then they were talking in one of their rooms until midnight! I was very much asleep when Eric returned!

Thursday, June 21 THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER & LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR
Slept in a bit later: 7 a.m. since we did not have to be on the buses until 9 a.m. Found out that James had his operation yesterday and was doing well. Had our coffee and muffin. On the bus by 8:45 a.m. Wanted to get away from two guys talking in non-stop bombastic tones. I thought I was a chatterbox!! Oy, vey!

Oriental Theatre #7 Milwaukee, WI
Opened on July 2, 1927. Originally had 2,110 seats; now has 1,000 in main auditorium and 250 each in the two movie theatres that are attached in the rear of the theatre on either side of the orchestra. You can hardly notice that they are there; cleverly done.

So many theatres opened in 1927 in Milwaukee. There was a total of 16 theatres totaling 18,200 seats. This has an East Indian design. The organ from the now shuttered Warner Theatre was installed in 1990. One enters a huge lobby. The original 1920’s lamps hang down along the grand lobby entrance. Quite impressive.. It all looks very new and well restored. Famous organist who lives in Milwaukee, Jelani Eddington played the Kimball Organ for us. Sounds magnificent!! And he did a great job.

Zenith Theatre #8 Milwaukee, WI
This theatre was also opened in 1927. It has 1,363 seats. It was also an atmospheric theatre. It closed in 1954 and became a church in 1954. Now it is run by Pastor Lewis and is rather poor condition. Needs work. Water leaks and damage with peeling paint can be seen on some parts of the ceiling. One can detect a “trace” of a theatre here and there, but not very much. Wonder if it is worth preserving when they convert them into churches and bookstores?? Open to debate.

Fox Paradise #9 West Allis, WI
Opened in 1928 with 1,239 seats. This was originally called the Paradise Theatre on was on a much smaller scale since it was in the suburbs of Milwaukee. Not elaborate in decoration, but nice maroons and reds along the walls with drapes. High ceilings and a good-size balcony. A nice size stage. This is also a church but looks like a movie theatre. It was certainly in better shape than the Zenith Theatre. Has been restored by the current minister who has an interest in movie theatres. This theatre showed movies until 1996 and then was leased to this evangelical church. Again, should it be used as a church?

Organ Piper for Lunch Milwaukee, WI
This is a huge restaurant which accommodated all 100 of us for lunch. They had pizza for us (quite good; much better than that awful Noah’s Pizza). Also had spaghetti with meat sauce which was quite good with garlic bread and salad. Neopolitan ice cream for dessert. As we were eating, the grand organ was played. Some old movie tunes! Quite a nice lunch.

Fred Hermes Basement Bijou #10 Racine, WI
Fred Hermes opened his basement in 1958 to the public. He designed it and built it himself. It seats 125. Fred is a founding member of THSOA and has been a long-time theatre organ buff. He has been a collector of theatre memorabilia. He has his basement full of chandeliers and lights from theatres that were torn down; decorations from a famous Racine theatre that is no has been demolished, the Venetian. He has the organ from one of the old theatres that rises u from a pit. Organist, Jelani Eddington, played this organ for us—second time in one day that he played for our group. He lives down the street from Fred. His version of Ethel Smith’s “Tico, Tico. Toc” brought back many memories; she was in tons of movie musicals when I was a kid!! Rather like a sedate Carmen Miranda!!

Fred spoke to us and demonstrated the Brenograph device that was popular in the silent movie days; designs that are done with mirrors and lights. It did not bowl me over, but some of our group were very impressed by the demonstration.

This basement has 20 foot ceiling and he and his wife live in the house built over the basement. Quite a different display of theatre memorabilia.

Modjeska Theatre #11 Milwaukee, WI
This theatre opened in 1924 and seated 2,000; now it seats 1,810. Americans have expanded in the butt, so seats have been taken out to make room! Unfortunately, this has not happened to the Broadway theatres. This theatre was built to honor the renowned Polish-American actress, Helena Modjeska. It began as a vaudeville and movie theatre; it featured 20 trap doors on the stage and a large orchestra pit. Plain décor and rather run down nowadays. Youth Theatre Group now owns it; it is used as a church on Sundays. It needs plenty of work to restore it to its old glory!

Riverside Theatre #12 Milwaukee, WI
This theatre opened in 1929 and has 2,558 seats. This was an Orpheum theatre called a “junior Orpheum.” They only did two shows a day with vaudeville and movie as opposed to the larger Orpheum houses that did four to six shows a day. A fire in 1966 destroyed much of the decoration. It was fixed up and closed in the 1970s. In 1984 the theatre underwent a fairly major renovation and reopened as a performing arts center. In 2006 the Riverside entered into an agreement with the Pabst Theatre management team to operate the Riverside. Theatre still has original elevators that require someone to operate them. The theatre was built with a deluxe suite of rooms for the manager, which now serves as a retail space for the theatre.

Theatre has very high ceilings. Decorations done in reds and golds. Has the feeling of a big movie palace; a warm, welcoming feeling.

Warner Theatre #13 Milwaukee, WI
This theatre opened May 1, 1931. It originally had 2,431 seats. The entire theatre is done in silver Art Deco design with mirrors and tons of lights: just spectacular. It has been closed since 1995. Owner of the land was there to greet us; if the theatre is not sold within 20 years, the theatre will become his. Let’s hope he will renovate it and open it once more?

A theatre known as the Butterfly had two thousand lights, a 27 foot butterfly stretched across its famous façade, and 1,200 seats in 1911. This was torn down in 1930 to make way for the larger and more spectacular venue—the Warner theatre replaced it. The Warner was built for a jaw-dropping $2.5 million by Warner Brothers. It also contained a twelve-story office building; had a 58 foot high vertical sign (removed in 1968), and featured the third-largest Kimball theatre organ ever built. Its three-story Art Deco lobby had etched mirrors and two magnificent chandeliers with matching five food wall sconces: they are still there! Magnificent!! The auditorium mixed the Art Deco with the French Renaissance design.

In 1966 Marcus Theatres bought the theatre and renamed it the Centre. The auditorium was twinned in 1973, Cinemas 1 & 2. They kept most of the decoration intact. Renamed the Grand in 1982, it eventually closed in 1995. The flooring extending from the balcony was removed several years ago, making it a single theatre once again. For a while the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra wanted to buy the theatre, but it would prove too costly. So, the Warner remains closed.

What a long but enjoyable day seeing all these theatres in the Milwaukee area!!!
Back to hotel for a short nap and then ready to go out for dinner.

Tried the other German restaurant in town, Karl Ratzach’s Restaurant. First of all it is better lit and a bit more welcoming. Is not as “tired” looking as Mader’s. Also the food is a bit “fresher” in looks and presentation. Began with a cream of mushroom soup that was quite good; then tried their sour bratten: a bit better with the usual red cabbage and potato dumpling. Ordered a side of spetzel here and they were quite good. Washed it all down with German beer.

It began to rain as we walked back to the hotel. It continued all night and was glorious the next morning. We are still very luck with the weather.

Friday, June 22 Off to MINNEAPOLIS, MN via a few theatres
Up by 6 since we had to finish packing and check out of the hotel to see several theatres on the way before arriving in Minneapolis, MN tonight! Got on the bus; realized I had forgotten a shopping bag I packed with my journal in it!! Had time and ran upstairs to get it. Another person forgot his telephone charger—what happens to the mind when we get older?!? We had a lot of bus riding to face today; I don’t mind it since it is like a sightseeing tour. Gorgeous scenery once more and a lovely summer’s day!

Capitol Theatre #14 Madison, WI
This theatre opened in 1928 and seated 2,150; today it seats 1,089. Built for movies and vaudeville, it was described as Wisconsin’s finest theatre. It began as a Fox house and was later part of the RKO Stanley Warner chain. In 1974 the theatre was purchased by the city of Madison and became after extensive construction and renovation the Madison Civic Center. It finally opened in 1980 as the Oscar Mayer Theatre. It contained an art museum and a 340-seat playhouse. The original theatre organ was restored and rebuilt.

The theatre inside is painted a teal blue with lovely drapery effects on the sides of the big fake windows. The seats are what I would call a salmon-pink fabric. The colors go so nicely. The orchestra section has very intimate seating; there are several raised levels. Acoustics are supposed to be quite good. Two original chandeliers are still hanging. A lovely theatre!

In 1998 local businessman, W. Jerome Frautschl, donated $200+ million to renovate, enlarge and update the Madison Civic Center.

It reopened in 2005 as
Overture Center for the Arts #15 Madison, WI
We had a tour of this modern theatre which is next to the Capitol Theatre. There are 2,530 seats. It has very high ceilings. Light wood all over and the theatre is very wide rather than long. This is certainly a much bigger hall than SF’s Davies Symphony Hall. The heat and air conditioning vents are under the seats just as the old theatres used to install them. The lovely organ was on display; tomorrow an organ concert was scheduled. Both theatres are now side by side and both in use. The Capitol serves as the home of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and a Silent Film Festival.

Then we ventured across the street to
Orpheum Theatre #16 Madison, WI
This opened on March 31, 1927 with 2,300 seats; it now has 1,834. The original organ was removed to the Stefanie H. Weill Center in Sheboygan in 1969. Another French Renaissance design; an important theatre in the Orpheum Vaudeville Circuit. Later it made a smooth transition to a first-run movie palace. In 1969 a 350-seat second theatre was carved out of the stage area. This did not affect the inside at all. In 1986 a $6 million health club was planned in the theatre, but that plan died. In 1999, a restaurant was opened in the lobby while still showing first-run films and featuring live shows every now and then. A fire damaged the theatre in 2004, but it reopened in 2005. In Dec 2006 some fundraisers began to help revamp the vertical marquee and to begin some much needed work in the theatre.

The original chandeliers really stand out and are still hanging. Some of the front rows have been removed so a dance floor is available. Needs some painting and has a “tired” look about it.

Then a bus ride to
Al. Ringling Theatre #17 Baraboo, WI
This lovely little jewel box opened on November 17, 1915 with 874 seats; it now has 802. The theatre was offered as a gift to his adopted hometown of Baraboo by Al. Ringling, the eldest of the five Ringling Brothers of circus fame. It only cost $100,000 to build and took seven months. It is highly ornamental and in the French Renaissance style after the opera houses of Europe. Some say it was inspired b y the small palace theatre at Versaille. It was quickly dubbed “the prettiest playhouse in America.” In 1928 and organ was installed. In 1970 the organ was resurrected and restored.

Mr. Ringling had a special box in the back of the auditorium, but died two months after the theatre opened. The original box he wanted in the front of the theatre to the right was not very good for seeing what was happening on stage.

Some silent films were shown and the theatre was renovated in 1928 for talkies. The theatre was passed out of family ownership in 1952. In 1976 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1989 the theatre was purchased by the Al. Ringling Theatre Friends. Minor renovations from the 70s were corrected in the 90s. In 2003 the façade was restored. In 2005 the theatre had a 90th birthday celebration in the theatre. Fundraising is going on at the moment to work on the inside of the theatre; some paint is pealing and other work needs to be done; it is starting to show “its age”!!!

Ceiling has panels with murals painted in each one. Some of the gold trim has been painted over. The original gold paint had brass in it and that has tarnished the gold. Needs to be redone. Each mural in the panels has two cherubs in the clouds. Mr. Ringling believed in the superstition that sitting under clouds was bad luck; he had the two panels in front of his box removed. Everything in the theatre is original except the seats. The fire curtain was never finished; it was pointed out that one boat has no back to it; people in the front boat are left out and perhaps some trees were never put in—the landscape looks empty.

We were given a great tuna hero sandwich with chips and soda for lunch. Tried to find Merrill’s sister, Agnes Rose, but got to the wrong building. They were helpful there and got her on the phone for me. Did get to talk with her. We were about ready to leave for another theatre so there was little time left to see her in person.

When we got on the bus this time, the terraine changed as we rode along. More fir trees appeared and no fields of corn. A more wooded terraine. Then as we rode along, the fields suddenly appeared again. Heavy dark clouds were with us, but it never did rain. Still lucky with the weather.

This is “right to life” country and one of the signs that kept appearing on billboards was:
“Before I was born, I could smile!” Isn’t that just precious!!??? What happens when the baby is born and then does not smile because it is mistreated by its “parent(s)?? Where are the “right to lifers” then? They are more concerned with the fetus than with the baby that is born!! I am sure the Supreme Court of the US will take care of all of this (the end of Roe vs. Wade) before the next Presidential Election.

State Theatre #18 Eau Claire, WI
This opened January 19, 1926 with 1,117 seats which it still has. It showed movies and had vaudeville. It closed in 1982. In 1984 it became the Eau Claire Regional Arts Council Performing Arts Venue. It has been renovated.

The outer lobby is rectangular; very plain. The theatre itself is rectangular with frosted red and beige glass lamps from the ceiling to almost the tops of the seats. It has a huge stage and is quite deep. This theatre now does at least 60 shows a year.

Mabel Tainter Memorial Theatre #19 Menomonie, WI
This was opened in 1890 with only 331 seats. A Victorian jewel box.
Mabel Tainter was just nineteen when she died. Her parents commissioned a theatre as a memorial to their daughter whose short life had been full of music and the arts.

The interior features hand-stenciled wall and ceiling decorations, a marble staircase, stained glass windows, walnut and oak woodwork, and brass fixtures everywhere. The theatre still houses the original pipe organ with a total of 1,597 pipes and 28 stops. The theatre is still used as a performing arts theatre, public reading room, and cultural center. The reading room serves as the Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie) Historic Highway Information site.

A $4.5 million renovation of the theatre was going on during our visit. There were no seats in the theatre and everything was askew. One could see how gorgeous it would be when completed. One of the original hand painted scene backdrops was hanging on the stage. I would like to go back when it is all completed!!

We arrived at the Radisson Hotel Minneapolis, MN at 7 p.m. Eric took care of getting our luggage; I hobbled quickly to register at the desk—was the first one there! We had Room 1222. Merrill was waiting for us in the lobby. Good to see him once more. He had been in Minneapolis seeing friends and his fifth sister, Merry. Up to the room to unpack and to get a bit organized.

Decided to try the hotel restaurant, FireLake Restaurant. A great choice as it turned out. Eric and I were tired but in the mood for a nice dinner and a run around Minneapolis. Had a great gin martini with ice on the side; walleye pike with great mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. Then for dessert had a fresh peach-rhubarb cobbler. Then Merrill had the rental car and was staying nearby at the Ramada. We drove out to the new Tyrone Guthrie Theatre which is simply spectacular on the outside as well as the inside. One can still go inside to the grand balcony of the theatre and look at the magnificent view of the Mississippi River and all of Minneapolis’s twinkling lights. Hope I can see a production there one of these years. Huge photos outside honoring Tennessee Williams, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Loraine Hansberry. Then off to meet friends of Bill Hiebert, Fred & Jason, for a look into the nightlife of Minneapolis; to the modern Chambers Hotel for a gin and tonic mingling with all the straight and mertrosexual yuppies of this sophisticated Midwest town.

By this time it was getting towards 11 p.m. and we were exhausted from a very busy day on the bus and visiting theatres. Said our goodbyes to Merrill (he would drive back to Plymouth, WI to his sister Dianne’s; he’d stay the night. Then he would return to Oakland on Sunday). We literally collapsed into bed and slept very, very well!!

Saturday, June 23 Minneapolis / St. Paul MN
Got up at 6 a.m. and we had an old-fashioned coffee maker that made a pot of coffee instead of an individual cup of coffee!! We were ready to leave today at 8:30 a.m.

Heights Theatre #20 Columbia Heights, MN
This theatre opened in 1926 with 450 seats; today it has 400. Columbia Heights is a suburb north of Minneapolis. The building is a two-story fancy brick exterior with a Beaux-Arts auditorium. This served as a neighborhood movie house for decades. At one point the brick façade was completely covered with metal siding. By 1997 it was painted a very unattractive light green. It had become by this time a discount movie house.

In 1998 the theatre was purchased by Dave Holmgren and Todd Letness who began a major restoration effort. They also took over the Dairy Queen next door. They restored the fine brick exterior, installed a new vertical marquee which is close to the original. A new screen and stage curtains were hung. Chandeliers made from Egyptian crystal were salvaged from a theatre in Texas, rewired and hung. A Wurlitzer organ was installed. Now the theatre looks so cute. All has a Japanese “hue” about it especially the stage curtain. The green and red walls are very nice. The organ plays with a “roll” and has a nice sound. There are watercolors in the lobby of Clark Gable, Marlene Dietrich, and Greta Garbo. Restroom signs are unique: no words/black and white silhouette drawings. Men’s room has man lounging on chase lounge; Women’s room has woman at vanity mirror.

Fitzgerald Theatre #21 St. Paul, MN
This theatre was built by the New York Shubert Brothers in 1910 with 944 seats; today it h as 751. It was built in memory of their brother Sam who was fatally injured in a train wreck in 1905. It was a vaudeville house as well as a theatre for touring shows. In 1933 it became a movie house. The second balcony was closed and the auditorium was decorated in an Art Deco motif.

In 1981 the Minnesota Public radio converted this theatre to a radio studio/auditorium for Garrison Keillor’s popular radio show, “A Prairie Home Companion.” We especially wanted to see this theatre for that reason! However, the person who was supposed to open for us NEVER ARRIVED!!!!! Why they did not call him on the phone is beyond me??!! We just left.

St. Paul Palace #22 St. Paul, MN
This theatre was not open at all. It was originally called the Orpheum. The marquee and vertical marquee are in fairly good shape. Looked in through the glass doors: the lobby was gutted. It looked all stripped. Maybe they will demolish it.

Uptown Theatre #23 Minneapolis, MN
Opened in 1916. They have redone the marquee. The frosted glass chandeliers in the lobby are small but nice to look at. The auditorium is gloomy inside. There is a huge screen. Not much on the ceiling. Now used as an art house and not very interesting as a theatre.
We did drive by the new Walker Museum Wing which looked lovely.

Suburban World #24 Minneapolis, MN
We drove past this. Not much to look at.

Lunch at what is now Macy’s but was once the Dayton’s Department Store’s The Oak Grill. It opened on October 2, 1947. Bob Hansen, the store architect, used characteristics from the Jacobean period in the design of the rooms with red leather chairs. The room is done all in dark oak and is very elegant. The ornate fireplace, originally from Salisbury England, was over 300 years when it was transported here in sections and then reassembled. Set in the back wall of the main dining room, it has become the focal point with its solid oak columns and vast frame.

We began with a delicious popover with butter on the side. I had pre-ordered the Chicken Pot Pie; a generous portion served with a salad and tasty. All white meat and quite a few vegetables. Had a wonderful homemade lemonade—not too tart, and not too sweet! A lovely lunch. We had a guest speaker from WalMart and Target—he is keeping their “history” for them. He did emphasize how wonderful both stores were; I lost interest rather quickly.

The buses left us for the day, so we were walking to the theatres this afternoon. I needed the exercise after spending so much time on the buses the last few days!!

Shubert Theatre #25 Minneapolis, MN
Opened August 28, 1910 with 1,418 seats. It now has 800 seats. It has a Classical façade and a Colonial Revival interior. The theatre was used for touring plays and musicals. In the 1920s it was home to a stock company, the Bainbridge Players. It was then renamed the Alvin Theatre. In the 1930s it began showing movies, live shows, and even some burlesque was performed. Fire damaged the building badly in 1941. It was repaired and continued with movies. In 1953 it became the Minneapolis Evangelistic Auditorium. In 1957 the Mann Theatres took over and renamed it the Academy. Boxes were removed and the second balcony closed. It opened with the film, “Around the World in 80 Days.” It then closed in 1983. In 199 the building was moved 3 blocks; it took 12 days. They used 70 VW chasseses. They dug a hole, put in a new foundation, filled the hole with dirt, put the theatre on top of all of this, shoveled out the dirt: the theatre was in its new location with a new basement!! It was the heaviest building ever moved and made the Guinness Book of World Records.

Now it is part of a $37 million project called the Minnesota Shubert Performing Arts and Education Center made up of three buildings. The theatre will be renovated and receive a new stage house. It is expected to reopen in 2009 as a home base for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. One could only look inside to an empty space. They were only letting in 20 people at a time. It was so dark; no electricity, etc.

State Theatre #26 Minneapolis, MN
This opened in 1921 and had 2,800 seats; it now has 2,176 seats. It is a huge theatre and is very elegant. Lots of gold with murals above the proscenium and the side walls are all spotlighted. It is a turquoise color. The curtain on the stage is teal.

Originally built as part of a two-story block. The theatre had an early form of air conditioning which utilized cold water from a well underneath the site. Portions of the building also had a unique glass floor with lighting below. Showed movies. In 1958 they began to have occasional stage attractions. In 1975 the theatre was sold to the Jesus People Church and became a religious center. In 1989 they wanted to demolish the theatre. It was then decided that the rest of the block would be demolished and the theatre saved. A new LaSalle Plaza was constructed and its two-story façade incorporated the old State Theatre. The City of Minneapolis spent $8.8 million on renovation work including a new stage. The lobby chandeliers came from a hotel in Ohio, but the auditorium chandeliers and murals are original. It then reopened in 1991 with a production of CAROUSEL. Today it houses touring shows, concerts, and special film events. There is no organ in the theatre now.

Orpheum Theatre #27 Minneapolis, MN
This opened October 16, 1921 and had 2,298 seats; now has 2,600 seats. This was originally a vaudeville theatre. It converted to movies in 1927 and the name changed to RKO Orpheum. In 1959 the Mann Theatres purchased the building and booked the occasional stage production. Film presentations ended in the 1970s. Bob Dylan operated the theatre from 1984 to 1988. He then sold it to the Minneapolis Community Development Agency. They spent $10 million renovating it. Almost 20 feet of depth was added to the stage and the marquee and vertical were refurbished. Decorative elements inside which had been covered over were restored. The huge auditorium chandelier was rehabilitated and rewired; a mixture of brass and crystal, it is fifteen feet high and weighs one ton. In 1993 the theatre reopened with a concert. Used today as a performing arts center.

Three huge rotundas are located at the back of the orchestra and lit. The main auditorium ceiling has a huge rotunda with the brass and crystal chandelier hanging in the middle.

Pantages Theatre #28 Minneapolis, MN
Opened October 27, 1916 with 1,600 seats; it now has 990. It has a rather formal French look. Looks like it has little mirrors; instead of glass, it has satin material. This is the smallest of the three theatres that are on Hennepin Avenue.

Alexander Pantages built this new theatre for his vaudeville circuit. It was remodeled in 1922. At that time they put in a striking glass ceiling dome over the auditorium. It is well preserved and still in place. The entrance to the theatre was rebuilt in 1926. The theatre then was sold in 1946 and underwent extensive modernization work which reduced the seating capacity to l,400. It reopened as the RKO Pan with the 1946 film “Gilda” with Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. In 1960 the theatre was sold to the Mann Theatres with another renovation which included reducing the number of seats to 1,100 before reopening as the Mann Theatre with the 1961 film, “Spartacus.” It then specialized in wide screen movies. It closed in 1984. In 2002 after a $8.9 million renovation, the theatre reopened as a playhouse with its original name.

After such a busy day, back to the hotel, took an hour’s nap, took a hot shower, and then dressed for our Theatre Historical Society of America Banquet. Cocktail hour with a no-host bar began at 6:30 p.m. The hotel was quite cheap: not even a bowl of peanuts or a bowl of potato chips to munch on! Nothin’!!! Then into the nice banquet room. No wine on the tables. At least one bottle of each would have been nice. Food was quite good. A huge salad; salmon with asparagus risotto; some type of apple pie/cake that was tasty. We had a nice table with Federico, Don & Bill. Said goodbyes to several people who were not going on the “Sunday AfterGlow” back to Milwaukee. Back to the room to pack and get ready for another full day “on the road again” as Willie Nelson would sing!

Sunday, June 24 AfterGlow back to Milwaukee, WI
Up before 6 to get all ready, have coffee and muffin, finish packing, and set for the bus ride. Down to bus at 7:30 a.m. We were ready to leave at 8 a.m. Good seats and ready to enjoy the scenery.

Paramount Theatre #29 Austin, MN
This small theatre opened in 1929 with 914 seats; it now has 622 seats. Designed as a little Spanish town, it is an atmospheric theatre. It replaced a theatre that was destroyed by a tornado in 1928. It depicts a Spanish courtyard with a blue starry sky. Built to show movies. It closed in 1975 after screening “The Godfather, Part II.” It then became a bar and nightclub. In 1985, the theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This spurred the beginning of renovations in 1992. Restoration uncovered original colors and animal designs. Today the theatre is used for local productions, business events, and the home of the Matchbox Children’s Theatre. The small balcony has stars from the orchestra level directly to the balcony just as if you were climbing stairs up a street in a Spanish town. Very cute!

On the way to Rochester, we drove by the Spam Museum. It was closed on Sunday, but I think that would have made a great hour’s stop. I remember the days of Spam that my mother would cook, mostly with eggs to get the fat out of it! It tasted great though; god knows what was in it!?!?

Chateau Theatre #30 Rochester, MN
The town is home to the famous Mayo Clinic. Plenty of hotels on Main Street in a rather big town. The theatre was closed 20 years ago and turned into a Barnes and Noble Bookstore. They have kept the lobby pretty much intact; the balcony walls are preserved. The box office still sits out front. Kept lots of the theatre intact; including some of the ceiling and stained glass windows, the proscenium arch, and the original chandelier. However, it is still a bookstore and is rather “jumbled”! Not sure if it should be preserved in this manner!??

The original theatre opened in 1927 with 1,497 seats. It was an atmospheric theatre built like a French village. The marquee was lit by 636 lights in a sunburst pattern. The first theatre to have air conditioning in Rochester. The theatre closed in 1983 even though it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1994 it reopened as a bookstore.

The Mayo Brothers were doctors in the town of Rochester and opened their clinic. They liked living in the town and stayed.

As we journeyed along to our next theatre, we had Lunch on the Bus. My tuna sandwich (what else??) was so delicious. Great mayo and also some egg salad & capers chopped in; it also had lettuce and tomato on it. Had a bag of chips, a dill pickle and an oatmeal raisin cookie. Had another half of sandwich from a few that were leftover.

Rivoli Theatre #31 LaCrosse, WI
This theatre opened in 1921 with 1,300 seats; now has 600 seats. It was built in conjunction with an office building. They built theatres in those days with businesses attached so that some income would be coming in to pay for it all. It has a Spanish garden motif and was an atmospheric theatre. It had vaudeville for a while and then switched to movies exclusively. Most of the ornate decorations were removed due to deterioration. The theatre closed in 1982. It was bought in 1994; seats were removed and replaced with tables and chairs and an on-site pizzeria supplies patrons with food during the movies. Plans to restore the theatre are afoot. Money is needed.

The theatre had a stale smell to it. Did not stay in the place very long. It needs a good cleaning and redoing.

Temple Theatre #32 Viroqua, WI
Built in 1922, it has 550 seats. It was used for silent movies, vaudeville, touring musical productions and community events. The Masonic Lodge occupied the second floor. It had a Classical Revival interior but in 1931 it was jazzed up with some Art Deco columns, a new color scheme and a modern marquee. From the 1950s onward, the theatre was in an extreme state of disrepair. In 1993 it was saved from demolition. A fundraising drive provided the money to fully restore the theatre to its original design. It reopened in 2002. The pipe organ which had been sold to a church in 1938 was reacquired. It is being restored. There is no balcony in the theatre. The 1922 fire curtain is original and so are two small chandeliers in the theatre.

As you enter the theatre there is a long rectangular lobby with murals featuring Vernon County Scenes. Nicely done and colorful.

Mineral Point Opera House #33 Mineral Point, WI
This was opened in 1914. The last theatre to see on our Theatre Conclave!!! At the moment is being slowly restored. It is rented from the city for $2 a year. Films and all sorts of live productions are done here. Lovely stage. This was a vaudeville house in the early days with jack Benny & George Burns and Gracie Allen playing here. It originally had 750 seats, but now has 400 seats. Would like to see the theatre again when it is all renovated.

Arrived back to our Intercontinental Hotel in Milwaukee, WI close to 7 p.m. Unpacked a little since we had to leave for home in the morning. Was tired and checked in rather quickly; our plan of Eric looking after the luggage and me running to the desk, worked again!

Met Fred Beale in the lobby. We then went over to the China Gourmet for some beef with snow peas, fried pork rice, and vegetable lo mein. Have been eating too much and this was all just right.

Called Merrill at home in Oakland. He had just gotten home. A message from Northwest Airlines was there. The Northwest flight was cancelled (they are in Chapter 11) and they booked me on Delta Airlines going to Atlanta and then on to San Francisco which would get me in to SFO at midnight! No way! Called Delta and they rebooked me via Cincinnati OH and then on to SFO getting in at 7 pm. Much better! Almost a dreadful airport nightmare! Some people’s flights were cancelled and they had to stay overnight again in Milwaukee; Northwest cancelled most of their flights on the Monday!?

Off to bed and we were tired after a hectic time visiting 33 theatres.

Monday, June 25 Milwaukee, WI to Cincinnati OH to San Francisco
Had a fairly leisurely morning and did not have to leave the hotel until 11:15 a.m. to get to Milwaukee Airport. All was on time for the flights and arrived at SFO a bit early since the weather was so good heading westward.

Was in the apartment at 8 p.m. and was so glad to be home!!
A wonderful journey, but “there’s no place like home!”

Will be in touch as the summer goes on. Keep in touch and enjoy the rest of the summer

Gerry

WISCONSIN & MINNESOTA

2007-07-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

WISCONSIN & MINNESOTA

ONE WEEK OF SIGHTSEEING & FAMILY

Was looking forward to this year’s Theatre Historical Society of America’s (THSOA) Conclave in Wisconsin. Decided to go to Wisconsin a week before the Conclave with Merrill & Eric Svenson from New York City.

A WEEK IN WISCONSIN

Monday, June 11, 2007

We took off on NorthWest Airlines at 6:30 a.m. from San Francisco to Minneapolis and then on to Milwaukee. We were a half hour late arriving in Milwaukee. Eric Svenson was there waiting for us from New York City. Arrived about 3:30 p.m. Rented a car and drove up to Dianne & George Streeck’s home in Plymouth, WI.

Got organized and unpacked. Things ready for our trip around Wisconsin beginning tomorrow. Weather lovely: no humidity. Even felt chilled and the evening progressed. Cocktails on the deck; lasagna and Caesar salad for supper. Chatted and got caught up with things. Off to sleep rather early since we had gotten up so early in California.

Tuesday, June 12

Had a big breakfast and got ready for our ride to the Wisconsin Dells. Finally left at 10:30 p.m. Midwesterners are difficult to get moving at a set time; life is a bit slower there and they are not as worried about “time” as we city folk! It was such a lovely ride: field after field of corn, farms with dairy cows, lovely green trees and fields. Reminded Eric and I of Connecticut; however the terrain is much flatter. Not much traffic so it was difficult to be a “backseat driver.”

Arrived in the Dells at 12:30 p.m. Went directly to Monk’s for their delicious hamburgers with Wisconsin cheese and grilled onions! Had one and a half burgers with their crispy fries. Beer is the drink in these parts and the Leinenkugel beer was delicious; they had a special “honey weiss bier” for the summer and they squeeze a slice of fresh lemon into it! Refreshing!! Merrill and his sister Dianne met a few people they knew in the restaurant/bar. That happened everywhere we went.

Off to the motel, Fields. Members of this family were friends of the Meltz family since childhood. Everyone know everyone else!! Unpacked and organized in room. Then on to the Calvary Cemetery to visit Merrill and Dianne’s parents’ grave. Bought baskets of flowers to leave; saw other relatives’ tombstones. Saw the Volunteer Fire Department Memorial with Merrill’s father’s name on it. He was very active in that group. Drove down to see some of the theme exhibits: “White House—Top Secret”—a wild outside with the White House turned upside down! Took some photos. The Loony Bin looked like a fun exhibit to go in; no one wanted to go inside! Walked along the new River Walk along the Wisconsin River. A gorgeous day to do this!!

Back to the motel for a nap and a swim in their little pool. Quite refreshing and relaxing. A cocktail and then off to see their cousin, Pat Ryan & Tom. We then all journeyed to Fields Restaurant for what one hoped would be an early dinner. We walked into the place and Eric and I headed for the reserved table; the Meltz’s and the Ryan’s walked directly to the bar. A few people at the bar announced: “There are the Meltz kids!” and we had two cocktails. Then the bartender hands out the menus. One orders the food at the bar; when the first course is ready, then one goes to the table!! Different strokes for different folks! More drinks and more wine helped wash down an iceberg salad; that followed by shrimp gratin over fettucini in a cream sauce (quite good!). Too late for dessert. It was back to the hotel way after 10 p.m.

Wednesday, June 13

This was Day #2 in the Wisconsin Dells. Another gorgeous sunny day with very little humidity. We are staying lucky! Pat & Tom drove over to the motel to present us with an Irish Flag apron with a shamrock sewed on it!!! Then we were off across from the motel parking lot to Fields Coffee Shop (don’t you get the idea they own a lot of things in town?). Had a big breakfast: might as well eat while the eatin’ is good!!!!

We were off for a ride on the Wisconsin Ducks. Noisy but fun!! We traveled on land and on water just as they did in WWII; quite a unique contraption. Then we all had a snack: I had a milkshake at the Dairy Queen across the street from where Merrill and Dianne lived when they were small, before the family grew! Then it was a 2.5 hour ride on the Upper Dells Boat Ride. A perfect day for it; we sat on the upper deck of the boat in the glorious sunshine. We made two stops along the way. One was where the Meltz grandfather trained a German shepherd to jump between two high rocks. They performed this for the boat group! The river is gentle and the jagged cliffs / rocks on the sides of the river make interesting formations and are given names.

Back to the motel for a short rest and time to change. Then we were off to New Monk’s at the Fields new resort, The Wilderness. Met up with Merrill’s second oldest sister, Agnes Rose & husband Tom. Also there was Merrill’s youngest sister, Angie & husband Ron. Had lots of conversation and lots of drinks!! Nice to see them all again. I had been to the Meltz Family Reunion in 2006. The Monk burgers were not truly as tasty as the ones from the original Monk’s downtown We then sat outside for another drink as the sun set in the West!! It gets light earlier in the Dells and dark later since they are a bit more north. A great day!!

Thursday, June 14 Flag Day

Up early once more and organized for the day. Day #3 in the Wisconsin Dells & environs. We were off to Fields Coffee Shop for another big breakfast. Then Merrill’s sister, Lauri, arrived to see us from way up in northern Wisconsin, Cumberland. We then drove over to their niece, Shanna’s farm in nearby Baraboo, where all the Meltz’s were born!! Shanna’s husband, Tim, was away on a fishing trip in Canada. We got to see her new calves; only one month old and they could hardly stand up. One licked Eric’s hand and scared the daylights out of him!! We city slickers are not used to the farm!! The smell of cow dung was beginning to get to me so we were on our way to the Wollersheim Winery in Prairie du Sac. A cute winery that we visited last year; their niece Sheri works there but it was her day off! Bought some wine and stayed to look around. Again, we were lucky with a gloriously sunny day, very little humidity, and gentle breezes. Then we were off to lunch at The Blue Spoon Creamery: a very good chicken, wild rice and vegetable soup with half a tuna sandwich on very tasty bread. We ate outdoors—the weather called for it! After lunch, Dianne and Lauri returned to the Dells. Eric, Merrill and myself were off for the afternoon.

We arrived at the State Capital, Madison, home of the University of Wisconsin. Stopped on the campus which is on the shores of Lake Mandota. Had a soda and watched the sailboats on the blue lake. A perfect weather day. Then off to the State Capitol for an extensive tour. It was probably the most impressive and prettiest State Capitol I have ever visited. Visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s Terrace Convention Center. Very art deco with sweeping circular lines and stunning views of the Lake Minona, the smaller of the two lakes. We then returned to the Dells and a short rest at the motel. Said our goodbyes to Lauri.

We were then ready for dinner at the 1940s restaurant, Del-Bar, right on the main road. We had to have a couple of drinks at the bar and then to the table. Tried not to eat too much at such a late hour, but the food at other tables looked so good. Began with a marvelous onion soup gratin; then finally had pan fried walleye with delicious fingerling potatoes and asparagus!

When we returned to the motel, received phone call from Oakland that James Lee was in the hospital with an attack of diverticulitus. The colon burst and was infected; they could not operate right away and were giving him antibiotics to clear up the infection. He probably would need a temporary colostomy. I would find out more in a few days.

Friday, June 15

Slept in a bit later today until 7:30 a.m. Made more phone calls concerning James. Not much had changed and they were waiting for the infection to clear up. The earliest he would be operated on would be Monday. Nothing much gets done in the hospital on weekends. James had houseguests when he went into the hospital; they all took off asap once he was in the hospital!!! Called James’ neighbors, Jim and Danny, and they are in control of the situation and looking after the house. Decided not to have a big breakfast today: just eating too much and too late!

On the way to Genesee Depot, WI we spoke to Ed Lamoureaux in San Diego on Eric’s cell phone. He suggested a pottery shop nearby so we stopped there: Ephraim Falence Art Pottery Shop; Merrill bought me a small greenish-blue vase for my birthday present. I shall definitely use it when I get home. Someone recommended the CrossStone Restaurant for lunch: we shared Dianne’s Friday Fish Fry and I had a very unusual grilled cheese & black olive sandwich with tomatoes. Very good! Had fresh deep-fried chips. Had a piece of the homemade strawberry-rhubarb pie; the crust was not quite as tasty as it looked!!

We then proceeded to TEN CHIMNEYS the summer home and farm of the famous acting couple of the 30s thru early 60s, Alfred Lunt & Lynn Fontanne. While we were waiting for our tour to begin, the visitors center had a great exhibit called Noel Coward in Ten, which consisted of ten overblown photographs with information about his life and career and his time at Ten Chimneys. There was also a small exhibit about the Lunts and a gift shop to keep us occupied.

The 2.5 hour tour began promptly at 2 p.m. One takes a bus to the Main House which is quite grand and is done in a “movie star” type décor. Walls were specially painted by muralists from the Broadway theatre; furnishings are authentic as are drapes, bedspreads, etc. Walking through the house is just as if you are a guest and are visiting the Lunts. One thing I noticed: they had a lot of small rooms where they could get away from each other. Lynn especially loved chaise lounges—she played the diva in real life too until she died at age 95. I was fortunate enough to see them in their last play on Broadway, The Visit, in 1959. When the play closed in 1960, they retired to Ten Chimneys (actually there are Eleven Chimneys, but they did not like the way the word “eleven” sounded, so they changed it to “ten”!

Alfred’s mother and sister lived at Ten Chimneys all year round. The Lunt’s were there mostly when the theatre season ended the beginning of June until after Labor Day in September. In 1915 Alfred purchased the first parcel of land for the Farm. From the Main House we proceeded along the grounds to the Chicken Coop & Garage, the small Pig Barn (Lynn did not like the smell of the pigs so they had very few—I don’t blame her!!). Then on to the Corn Crib and Creamery & Greenhouse. They also had a Stable & Barn for the horses and cows. Then on to the Studio which was a getaway in the evenings to read plays and put some on for guests. Then came the Pool House with the first in the ground pool in Wisconsin—quite huge for its time. Noel Coward caused quite a stir as a guest on the farm when he decided to go to the pool with only a towel on his shoulder and his cigarette holder! The Lunts’ cook quit when Coward strolled through her kitchen nude on his way to the pool. The last building of some size on the Farm is the Cottage, done up like a Swedish Cottage with all types of sayings in Swedish. This is where Alfred’s mother and sister lived until their deaths. Helen Hayes was a guest almost every summer. Besides Noel Coward, Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh were frequent guests as were other performers on Broadway at the time. Alfred loved to cook and even wrote a cookbook which is going to be republished this Fall.

What a wonderful tour this was. If you are ever in the area, you MUST stop and take time for this unique Farm. I am so glad I read about Ten Chimneys and we took the tour!

We then were on our way to Milwaukee, WI to go to Dianne & George’s son, Perry & his lovely wife, Laurie. Sons Sam & Jake were there too! Summer vacation had begun for them! They have a lovely home in the suburbs of Milwaukee. We sat outdoors for drinks and then we celebrated the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbos) (Laurie is raising the boys Jewish; Perry converted). A wonderful evening with a wonderful family! We had wonderfully grilled steak and chicken; tortellini salad; etc. Then came a chocolate fudge cake that was rich and delicious topped off with ice cream! There goes the waistline! Perry presented his father, George, a new barbeque grill for Father’s Day! Kids were great and Sam loaned me a book, CAR TROUBLE, which I have just started.

We then were on our way back to Plymouth, WI from whence we came several days ago. Unpacked and more than ready for bed after a long, but enjoyable day!!

Saturday, June 16

Slept in until nearly 8:30 a.m. Dianne made eggs, bacon with fruit and raspberry coffee cake for breakfast. Finally got on the computer and caught up with 158 e-mails: mostly jokes which I immediately deleted. Wish people would not send all those jokes—they are NEVER read!! Spoke to James in the hospital; he is bored to death waiting for his operation to occur.

With Dianne and George, we ventured to see Lake Michigan. It is so huge that it looks like the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean! Partly cloudy day but pleasant and not too hot! On to the Kohler Andre State Park to visit the small Nature Preserve & Observatory there in the city of Kohler. Then we drove around the Sheboygan outskirts and stopped at a restaurant on the Lake for some Wisconsin brats and beer to go with it! On to the Kohler Art Center: too much modern art for me, but the “Rhinestone Cowboy” house was still on exhibit from last year. A house decorated inside and out with all colored rhinestones inspired by the Glen Campbell song, “I’m A Rhinestone Cowboy.”

Back to the house; napped a bit and then ready for dinner at about 7:15 p.m. Off to Bruce’s Supper Club. Why is it called a Supper Club?? It’s a restaurant with a big bar area; we would call it a restaurant in CT or CA. A supper club would be a place with an orchestra and dancing as well as facilities for eating. Anyway, once we had a couple of drinks at the bar (Wisconsin style!), we sat at our table and had a most delicious meal: began with a tomato-basil pureed soup followed by walleye which was pan fried in butter with twice-baked potato and vegs. No dessert as the time was almost 10 when we finished out entrees. We were the last to leave the supper club: not all Wisconsinites are into late dining!!

Back to the house and we watched my completed video of my life: Gennaro A. DeVito: A Life in Five Acts. There are still a few things that need tending to on the video before I can say it is completed and ready for viewing by anyone who wants to see it. This is the video that will be in my cemetery in case anyone wants to view it then if and when they visit my gravesite. It was well after midnight and time for bed.

Sunday, June 17 Father’s Day My 67th Birthday

After a restless night—too much food too late in the evening—slept in until 8:30 a.m. Could not believe that it was my 67th birthday and I was heading toward the big 7 0 !?!?! Got laundry going so I would have enough clothes for the coming week. They all left for church and Eric and I just relaxed around the house. When they returned, Perry arrived to play golf with George for Father’s Day. We had brats and beer for lunch.

Headed to the city of Kohler to the Kohler Design Center where all the famous bathroom faucets, sinks, tubs, and toilets are displayed and for sale. Interesting displays for some of the items: a wall of toilet bowls piled one upon the other from floor to ceiling was very dramatic! Took a photo of that—possible Christmas card?

Then over to The American Club. The Kohler Family sent for immigrants and housed them and educated them and had them work in their factories. Within five years, they had to become American citizens. The facility where they lived is now turned into a luxury hotel in the style of the Ritz Carlton Hotels. A very successful program in its day—the early 20th Century. Why not try it again?? No new taxes, I suppose!! We had tea and cookies in one of the lovely rooms in the hotel that was free.

Back home for a short nap. Merrill was preparing my Birthday Dinner. Friends of Dianne and George were invited also: Linda & Tom Phillips. They have worked all over the world as teachers and counselors in a similar program to the one I was in with the Department of Defense Overseas Schools. They had interesting stories to tell. Had a few battered cheese curds I bought at the American Club coffee shop with cocktails; then the first course for dinner was a Caprese dish: “shwi shwi”—pasta with a fresh, quickly cooked tomato sauce with olive oil and then chopped fresh basil on top—very tasty! This was followed by pork loin with fennel sauce, roasted potatoes, carrots, and fresh asparagus. My birthday cake was a chocolate peanut butter cake with cream cheese frosting with Butterfinger candy bar pieces on top! Rich and delicious!!

After they left, everyone sat around and played cribbage. I got on the computer to correspond about James Lee’s illness and condition. He would be ready for his operation tomorrow.

Monday, June 18 Off to Milwaukee

Up early so we could be in Milwaukee by 10. Packed everything. Dianne not back to work until tomorrow and coming with us today. George was off to a doctor’s appointment at the VA Hospital and then on to school to clean out his office—he’s now an officially retired principal. On computer again to clear up e-mails: would not be bothered with them once our Theatre Conclave began!! Once we got Dianne going, we were off at 9:30+ a.m. for Milwaukee!

A nice drive down from Plymouth. Not much traffic on their highways. What a pleasant change from the Bay Area traffic! Got to see some of the big mansions along Lake Michigan once we reached Milwaukee. Parked the car and we were on time for the “opening of the sails” of Santiago Calatrava’s Wing for the Milwaukee Fine Arts Museum. The only word that comes to mind for the outside of the wing, the opening of the sails, and the inside lobby is B R E A T H T A K I N G !!! We did get to see the exhibit, “Creating the Impressionist Landscape: Pissarro” which was lovely! Pissarro was at the beginning of the impressionist movement. Wonderful and colorful paintings! At noon, watched the opening of the sails from the inside lobby: not as dramatic as watching it happen from outside.

Off to Mader’s German Restaurant for lunch. This restaurant was established in 1902 and is owned by the same family today. Began with a stein of Pilsner ale. Then ordered sour bratten with some spetzel (also ordered an extra portion) and red cabbage. Eric and I then shared a delicious homemade apple strudel with cream.

Then we were off to the nearby Intercontinental Hotel to check into our room for the next four days (Room 912). Lovely hotel lobby and room was quite nice and spacious. Unpacked and ready to go sightseeing with Merrill and Dianne.

Off to the Pabst Mansion. I had been last year during the Meltz Family Reunion, but was glad I did this 2.5 hour tour again. Very informative and house is so 19th Century—very lovely. After the tour, Merrill and Dianne were off to Plymouth. She had to return to work tomorrow. Merrill would stay in Plymouth and then drive to Cumberland to see Laurie again and then meet us in Minneapolis on Friday evening (he would get there a day or two earlier). He did not want to join us for our Theatre Conclave—what a shame!

Eric and I rested at the hotel and got ourselves organized. We were not very hungry so just found a restaurant across from our hotel, China Gourmet for some shrimp with cashews and vegetable lo mein. Washed it down with Chinese beer. Just enough to eat and drink. Time for bed early since we had quite a hectic week traveling around the lovely state of Wisconsin!!

Theatre Conclave Newsletter

This is a separate newsletter. I type it mostly for my own record. Some of you may not be interested in it at all. You can just delete the document if it does not appeal to you. This theatre trip also turns into a wonderful sightseeing trip.

Stay well, enjoy the rest of the summer, and keep in touch…..

Gerry

A Week in Palm Springs

2007-06-11T06:12:00.001-07:00

A WEEK IN PALM SPRINGS

WITH A LOT OF ETC., ETC., ETC.

May & June 2007

May 23 to 30 A MEMORIAL DAY GETAWAY

We decided to spend a week with James Lee in lovely Palm Springs. The weather was perfect for us; between 95 & 100 degrees every day and nice and dry! We helped get James moving and doing some things around the house; throwing away junk mail, paying bills, organizing folders, etc., etc., etc. James looks good; he still needs to get his energy back—maybe a bit more exercise would help. Hope we were as helpful to him as we thought we were. We got him out of the house more for movies, luncheons, dinners, and socializing.

Swimming every day was a great way to exercise for us. Water was slightly cool and felt so refreshing with the high temperatures! Got to the pool at least once a day during the warmest time of the day.

Dining is always great in Palm Springs; one has to be careful with restaurant selections since many of them are rather so-so. Plum in their new location was a great disappointment; their hamburger has gone way down in taste and preparation. La Casitas is one of the better Mexican restaurants in town. Always fill up on the delicious combination plate and those wonderful margeritas!! Davey’s Hideaway, one of our favorite restaurants in Palm Springs, did not disappoint. Began with their Caesar Salad. Love their fettucini Alfredo; I never make that at home. Had an enjoyable time with friends: Todd, Gary, & John Rock. Davey’s also makes a superb martini!! Then had a marvelous Sunday Brunch at my favorite place in Palm Springs, Le Vallauris. Ken joined us. They served a rather tasty chilled tomato-fennel soup with bits of avocado on top. Then their whitefish with a mustard sauce over a delicious warm spinach with plenty of garlic and olive oil and boiled saffron potatoes were superb!! All the champagne you can drink is included—they lose money with me sipping away! Dessert was a homemade peach tart with a superb vanilla custard. Jim & Danny’s for a carbonara dinner: delicious with many guests. A pineapple coconut cake completed the evening. It was good to see James mixing in with everyone and enjoying himself. Spencer’s for their $19.95 lunch at the old tennis club. Began with a very tasty lobster bisque; then had linguini with grilled shrimp in a tasty tomato sauce. A crème brulee with fresh fruit finished it all off. Most delicious! A good red wine to go with it all. Europa Restaurant, Sonja Henie’s living room in a lovely old Hollywood resort, gets better and better every time we go there. Had a leisurely dinner with James there our last night in Palm Springs. They also make a superb martini; shared a fabulous Caesar Salad with James. Then tried their whitefish with a garlic and caper sauce with lovely, buttery mashed potatoes and some zucchini and carrots on the plate. We all shared Merrill’s rich and dense chocolate mousse; more like a melted candy bar than a light, fluffy mousse.

Got to see friends: Rick, who is battling a sight loss and Dick, who is suffering from over radiation from cancer treatment. The cancer has gone; it is now the effects of the radiation that he is battling. Also got to see Antonio who recently lost his partner of 35 years, Bob Wheaton.

The Palm Springs Art Museum had three enjoyable exhibits:

Treasures of the West: Art from Desert Collections

This collection of over 100 artworks collected by residents of the Coachella Valley. Not really my type of art; a lot of cowboys and Indians, but colorful and a few interesting pieces.

The Eyes: Mirrors of the Soul Portraits by Marion Pike

This was more to my liking. Marion Pike (1913-1998) captured her subjects usually in 8’ by 5’ facial portraits. The eyes are the first thing you seem to notice on the canvas. She painted many celebrities, including Bob and Dolores Hope, Rosalind Russell, Arthur Rubenstein, Zubin Mheta, among others.

Russel Wright: Living with Good Design

Considered America’s first celebrity designer, Russel Wright and his wife Mary, created designs that were found in nearly every American kitchen and dining room during the 1940s and 1950s. If you could see a photos or two of his designs, you would recognize it immediately. He transformed a generation of Americans following World War II.

THE BAY AREA: ETC., ETC, ETC., IN BRIEF

Berkeley Rep’s BLUE DOOR was a drama about African-American ancestors and how they affect the present generation; quite an interesting idea from first time playwright, Tanya Berfield. A man does not go to the Million Man March and his white wife divorces him. Lots of dinners with our neighbors across the hall, Dennis & Joey Butler. They like to cook and so do we, so it is nice sharing meals. There is a God in Heaven after all: one of the most evil men on earth, Jerry Falwell, died much before his time! May he burn in hell. Our local paper printed some his famous quotes: “Christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions.” “AIDS is not just God’s punishment for homosexuals; it is God’s punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals.” and “The ACLU is to Christians what the American Nazi party is to Jews.” Hoping his organization is taxed with such “political” statements and hatred!! Day Trip to Petaluma with the Oakland Museum’s Historical Society was quite interesting. The Victorian architecture in the town is gorgeous. We had a great lunch at the Italian restaurant, Volpi’s, that opened in 1925 and is still in the same Volpi family. Then we made a stop in the Marin Cheese Factory and took home a few bargains! Watched the Bob Barker 50th Anniversary Special on TV. I can remember “The Price Is Right” when it first began. Merrill and I celebrated 28 Years of Life together on May 19. Wonder what Rev. Falwell would say about that?? Celebrated with friends, Dennis & Joey and hostess Jan Lewis at a new California style restaurant, The Wood Tavern with lots of wonderful food and good company! Berkeley Rep’s OLIVER TWIST was wonderfully staged in shades of grays and blacks to capture Dickens’ gloomy setting of this orphan’s travails. This production was brought in from its off-Broadway run in NYC. Rather liked it except it was not moving in the least and a couple of the actors, especially Nancy, were rather amateurish. The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre did a good job with the musical, SPUNK; three short stories by black writer Zora Neale Hurston: “Sweat,” “Story in Harlem Slang,” and “The Gilded Six-Bits.” They were not upbeat tales and quite moving. Actress C. Kelly Wright was the most talented in the cast and is a performer to watch—she can sing, dance and act up a storm! I want to see her in something else. Local jazz singer-actress, Kim Nalley, was quite good although she was a bit “stiff” with her acting; she wrote a couple of new songs for this production and her singing is superb. I should get to see her more often in her nightclub, Pearl’s, which is not easy to get to via public transportation. Merrill quits Starbuck’s. The new boss does not like all the time he has been taking off for traveling. His old boss did not mind his absences. She is moving to Michigan, so that ends that. Something else will come up soon after a few trips that we have planned during the summer. It was 22 years since Mother’s death. Where does the time go?? I shall always miss her!! Our next door neighbor, George Horton, passed away on May 29 at the age of 96. He had a great life. He missed his wife, Ruth, who passed away two years ago. I always think of the song, Blue Moon, when we really have one: that occurred on May 31. Terese Grenecco “Alone Together, an Intimate Celebration of the Music of Arthur Schwartz” at the Plush Room was ok. It was just her and Mike Greensill (Wesla’s husband). Her narrative about Schwartz was not very good and jumped all over the place. Sometimes her voice was not up to the complexity of the songs. Her 10-minute medley at the very beginning of her set from “The Band Wagon” was sensational! Not one mention of the show or the movie with Fred Astaire. Did she forget? I got a bit bored by the end of her one hour, ten-minute set. Mike really made her look better than she actually was with his wonderful playing and some arrangements. Two nights later I was back at the Plush Room to see her award-winning cabaret show, Terese Grenecco Drunk Love—A Tribute to Frances Faye. What a difference a day or two does make!!! She was sensational in this tribute to San Francisco singer, Frances Faye’s rather unusual career in the 50s and 60s and even into the 70s. She played the lounges in Vegas, in London and Paris, and the gay and lesbian bars in San Francisco. She was ahead of her time by being openly gay herself. She seldom completed a song all the way through; when she thought of something funny as she was singing the lyrics, she would just say it or sing it! She always played with a six or seven piece band and loved the bongos; always had a bongo player. John Costanza who played bongos with Ms. Faye performed with Ms. Grenecco that evening; he was also sensational as was the seven piece band. This hour and a half show was great!!! A shame she was not as “up” with just herself and the piano a couple of nights before. June 1 would have been my mother’s 91st Birthday; it was also Marilyn Monroe’s 80th Birthday—what would she have looked like at that age? We shall always remember her as she looked at age 36! Forever young!

SF Playhouse’s FIRST PERSON SHOOTER is a very provocative first-time play by Aaron Loeb. About violent video game creators; are they responsible when students kill another student and say it was because of the video game they watched! Brings up quite a few questions. One of the most intellectually stimulating plays I’ve seen in a long time.

MOVIES

“Half Nelson” Fair

Rented it to watch lead actor’s Oscar nominated performance. Bored very quickly with it all. Drug addicted teacher’s relationship with female student who cares about his addiction. Never did get to the end of it. That’s what’s great about NetFlicks!

“Waitress” Good

We got to see this in Palm Springs. Loved Keri Russell. Have been a fan of hers for years; watched her faithfully on TV’s “Felicity” for quite a few years. She has developed into quite an actress and may well receive an Oscar nomination for this performance. Also loved actress, writer and director of the movie, Adrienne Shelly and all the cast, including Andy Griffith. Did not like the subject matter of rednecks wallowing in their ignorance about life!

“Paris, Je T’Aime” Very Good

Also saw this one in Palm Springs. It took a while to get used to the whole concept of the movie. We see 18 short vignettes about love—all kinds of love. A French film which shows off how lovely Paris is. Wanted to get a ticket and fly to Paris the moment the films was over. No cast list is given at the beginning of the movie, so one is pleasantly surprised when the likes of Gina Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, Nick Nolte, Juliette Binoch, etc., etc., appear on the screen. Most of the short stories were quite good; others too predictable and very short.

“The Perils of Pauline” Fair

Decided to rent this from Net Flicks. It was mentioned in Betty Hutton’s obituary as being one of her best films. She was great in the bio of the silent film stunt star. Sometimes she overacted and should have been reigned in by the director of the film. Frank Loesser’s songs were fine for her. One of her big hits, “Pappa, Don’t Preach to Me” was featured in the movie. Billie DeWolfe was great in a supporting role. John Lund was the romantic lead. Got through it all, but it was rough.

“Goya in Bordeaux” Poor

Also from NetFlicks, this film I could NOT get through. It just got so damned artsy-fartsy that I lost interest rather quickly in an interesting true story of the artist’s exile because of his liberal beliefs during the Franco era. Dull, dull, dull!!!

Stay well and enjoy the summer!!! Have a few days left to get ready for my Wisconsin and Minnesota Trip (June 11 to 25). Taking a trip to the Filoli Gardens this week and ready for “The Sopranos” series finale and the Tony Awards!! Christine Ebersole better win or you will hear me screaming from Oakland!!

Gerry

Springtime in the Big Apple

2007-05-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

APRIL 23 TO MAY 13, 2007

Springtime in the Big Apple

MONDAY, APRIL 23

In order to obtain a Frequent Flyer free flight with United Airlines using 25,000 miles, we had to take the 6 a.m. flight to the Big Apple. The 8 a.m. flight would have taken 50,000 miles. To hell with them!! I was up at 2 a.m. and the Shuttle picked us up at 3:45 a.m. We were quite early and had to wait around for quite a while. The flight was on time—no airport nightmare this time around!

We took a cab into Manhattan to the Leo House. It was such a pleasant 88 degrees with signs of Springs everywhere. How great to have another Spring after ours which occurs in February.

We walked around the Chelsea area. Met Eric Svenson for dinner at the very good Italian restaurant, Intermezzo: they have a special fixed-priced dinner for $10 from 4 to 7 p.m. Drinks are in the $10 to $14 range! More than the dinner. Best to stay with water or iced tea! Began with their pasta fagioli which was quite good but did not have any bacon in it—grandma would object!! Had rigatoni Siciliana (with eggplant, ricotta & tomato-basil sauce). We all shared a tirimasu which was quite good!

We were all going to go to the new nightclub, the Metropolitan Room, but Merrill and I suddenly had a sinking spell. We decided sleep was more important so we could get a fresh start tomorrow in the Big Apple.

TUESDAY, APRIL 24

6 a.m. became my wakeup time for this trip. Organized and ready for the day. Decided to have the famous Leo House Buffet Breakfast. Quite good. One can go back as many times as you desire. It’s all only $7. One has to have a light lunch after this feast.

We arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art just before they opened at 9:30 a.m. There was not a line; I always enter through the handicapped entrance. We were there especially for the new Greek & Roman Gallery. Not very crowded until the school children began arriving at about 10:30 a.m. They have taken the old 1940s dining room and opened the ceiling to natural daylight to display their fabulous Greek and Roman collection that the museum kept in storage for at least 75 years! Simply magnificent!!! I was planning on returning again during this visit.

Got to see a few other exhibits: Barcelona and Modernity: Gaudi to Dali was wonderful. The exhibit covered art and crafts between the Barcelona Universal Exposition of 1888 thru the Fascist regime of Franco in 1939. This included 300 works including paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, posters, decorative objects, furniture, architectural models and designs. Loved this exhibit. A little bit of everything!

Venice and the Islamic World, 828 to 1797 This exhibit was ok. It examined the relationship between Venice and the Islamic world over a thousand year period. It all began to look alike after a while. The museum has acquired the Marco Polo manuscript for this exhibit; beautifully decorated and written in French.

Met Merrill and we got on a bus down Lexington Avenue to 28th Street. Great sightseeing from the bus! Traffic was terrible when we were near the Waldorf Astoria: President Bush was having lunch there after visiting black children in Harlem to continue promoting one of his biggest failure, Don’t Leave A Child Behind!? Oy vey!

It was lunch at the wonderful French restaurant, Le Petite Auberge, that has been there practically forever. Met Theatre Historical Society of America member, Joan O’Sullivan, there. Had a delightful old-fashioned French meal: wonderfully tasty onion soup gratine; filet of sole almandine with vegs (don’t remember ever eating salsify before!??). Tasted like turnip to me. Then finished it all off with crème carmel and cappuccino.

After lunch we ventured up to The Morgan Library & Museum. This has all been gorgeously redone. The lobby area with café now connects the two older parts of the property: the home and the library. I did not care for the exhibit, Victorian Bestsellers, a compilation of cartoons of the era. Not very funny these days; some are not clear as to what they are making fun of. Loved the exhibit, From Berlin to Broadway, that was donated to the library by Broadway lyricist, Fred Ebb (1928 to 2004). Drawings on paper from the German and Austrian era were quite interesting.

Back to the Leo House for a short rest and then just a slice of pizza for supper; we were still recovering from our big lunch.

8 p.m.: THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING

Since the show with Vanessa Redgrave was only 90 minutes, we stopped in Joe Allen’s for a drink. Easy to strike up a conversation there. Lots of show business “types” at the bar.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25

Up early at 6 a.m. The weather that was so gorgeous ever since we arrived, turned cloudy and cool today. We were off to Starbuck’s around the corner and a piece of crumb cake. Then we headed up to Grand Central Station to meet Eric Svenson. Before 9 a.m. we were on our way to Poughkepsie for a very scenic two-hour train ride along the Hudson River and the Bear Mountain area. Arrived at 10:45 a.m. and college classmate, Paul Dellaca, was driving in from Norwalk, CT to pick us up. He was nearly a half hour late. Decided to go to lunch: Eveready Diner for half a tuna sandwich and pea soup with salad on the side.

After filling our stomachs, it was time for the FDR Presidential Library and Museum. First we were given a tour of the FDR home where he was born and raised. Then we were off to the Library which was the first in America. FDR had this idea to form Presidential Libraries in 1941 (he had so many other great “ideas” for the American people to get us out one of the worst depressions in our history!). Roosevelt established the precedent for public ownership of presidential papers, which finally became Federal law in 1978. The exhibits are very detailed and we can thank his possessive mother, Sarah Delano Roosevelt, for all of this There is also a marvelous section on Eleanor. She certainly was ahead of her time and took some very controversial stands on life! We then toured the stables and Franklin and Eleanor and Falla’s gravesites. Despite the rain that came later in the afternoon, we enjoyed a few hours with one of America’s greatest presidents.

For dinner, we were off to the nearby Hyde Park Culinary Institute of America, which was founded in 1946 with 50 students in New Haven, CT. In 1972, with a student body of 1,000, it moved to Hyde Park, NY, to the former Jesuit seminary, St. Andrew on the Hudson. A branch opened in 1995 in St. Helena, CA in the heart of the Napa Valley. We had a very delicious dinner: began with martinis, then a flavorful roast pepper pureed soup; red snapper with tomato & olives and a side of very buttery mashed potatoes. Had a cheese plate for dessert with a choice of very nice cheeses. The breads were all homemade and the white and red wines that we had were reasonably priced. We enjoyed the three-hour dinner before Paul drove us back to the Leo House where we arrived at 11:30 p.m. A splendid day!!

THURSDAY, APRIL 26

Today the weather was back to sunshine and pleasant temps in the low 70s. It was a day to move; we were leaving most of our things at the Leo House and just packing enough in a garment bag for two nights. Off to Starbuck’s for our coffee and snack and then at 9:30 a.m. we were off to On the Ave on 77th Street and Broadway. This was part of a trip that I purchased at a silent auction at a Chanticleer Gala last year.

Our mini suite was ready; we were escorted there. We had a huge rectangular room; huge bed with lovely comforter with tons of pillows with a corner view of Central Park. Also in the room were two large bureau drawers; bookshelf with side chair and reading floor lamp; sofa with huge desk and there were two tv’s in the room. Another corner view from the desk. The bathroom was a big as our room at the reasonably priced Leo House. A huge walk in closet held all our clothes, etc. What a luxurious room for two nights. I inquired how much the suite would have cost if we were paying? The price: $549 a night!

Merrill decided to go to the Cloisters for the rest of the morning and afternoon. I was on my way to the NYC Ballet Box Office for ballet tickets for this week and next week. Then I was off to meet Roy Newkirk at the Players Club for lunch.

1:30 p.m. FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Back to our lovely mini suite for a nap. Merrill arrived back from his journey to the Cloisters. We dressed up in suit and tie and were off to San Domenico’s Restaurant. It is supposed to be the “definitive” Italian restaurant in America, but I think it is terribly overrated at popular prices!! Merrill sent back his appetizer and settled for another. I had homemade parpadella Genoa style (basil pesto with stringbeans and potato as a starter; quite tasty. Then on to sea bass with grilled vegs. Nothing special. Ricotta pannecotte was fine for dessert. I still prefer the Italian cooking from the southern part of Italia.

8 p.m. CHANTICLEER: A MASS FOR PEACE

FRIDAY, APRIL 27

Woke up in our luxurious mini suite with rain just pouring down and beating against tall the windows in the room! A leisurely morning with Lady Godiva coffee in the room. What to do in this awful downpour (by the end of the day, 2” of rain had fallen). To Starbuck’s for more coffee and a piece of my favorite crumb cake.

This was a perfect day for a museum and we walked over (“singin’ in the rain”!!) to the New York Historical Society for their marvelous exhibit, A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls. This exhibit was very informative: Ms. Driscoll designed many of Tiffany’s lamps; he took all the credit for them, including the award winning dragon fly lamp at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair! The exhibit included many Tiffany lamps, windows, mosaics, enamels and ceramics—most of them designed by Driscoll and other women at Tiffany Studios.

We had lunch at their little café: an Insalada Caprese sandwich—mozzerella, tomato and basil on a hero. Very good!!

Then we visited The World of Asher B. Durand exhibit: famous for landscape paintings in the 19th Century. Another huge exhibit was New York Divided: Slavery and the Civil War; this added much information that complemented the Historical Society’s SLAVERY IN NEW YORK exhibit last year. Found it very interesting and informative. A very small exhibit, Carry Me Home: Dispatches from the Civil War, was quite emotional. It contained letters, diaries and photos from the society’s archives that brought mostly bad news of dead soldiers to families. Liked this very much. Finished up with a small exhibit: Elegy in the Dust: September 11th and the Chelsea Jeans Memorial This exhibit said a lot; Chelsea Jeans, a retail store closed forever as a result of 9/11. The owners kept a part of the store with all the “dust” from the World Trade Center on their jeans display. Quite moving!!

We had quite a day at the museum. Back to the hotel for a rest. Then we were off to Oscar’s at the Waldorf to meet Bill Hiebert. Bill searched all the bars in the main hotel lobby but never got down to Oscar’s. So, we had a fabulous martini while we waited for him and then had an overpriced burger and fries there; it was delicious however!

Merrill was off to see Coram Boy with a half-priced ticket from the Tix Booth.

8:45 p.m. KEELY SMITH at the Café Carlyle

SATURDAY, APRIL 28

Weather cleared up and it was sunny with the air smelling clean after an all-day rainfall yesterday! We had coffee in the room, got packed. Merrill was off to the Metropolitan Museum of Art once more. I returned to the Leo House to our little room once more to get unpacked and organized.

Had a sausage, pepper and onion hero at the Chelsea Street Fair for lunch. Delicious!!!

Then up to The International Center of Photography before my matinee. The standout exhibit was Martin Munkacsi: Think While You Shoot! Was a marvelous collection of mostly black and white photos of celebrities from all walks of life. Also enjoyed Louise Brooks and the “New Woman” in Weimar Cinema Very exciting and almost erotic b&w photos of this silent screen star; she looked very European, but was actually born in Wichita Kansas! Henri Cartier-Bresson’s Scrapbook: Photographs, 1932 – 46 was difficult to look at. Small photos he took and put in scrapbooks. The photos were not displayed at the right eye level. I had to bend down to really see them and it got awfully tiring. Most were not worth the effort to bend uncomfortably!! Americana Fantastica: Recent Acquisitions 2007 Not really worth the time and effort! Awful!

2:30 p.m. OUR LEADING LADY

After the show, ventured up to the Picholine Restaurant on West 64th Street to meet Victor Murphy & Leandro Balidoy and their friends that we met when Vic and Leandro lived in San Francisco, Ronnah & Jim. R&J were in New York City for the first time and would be seeing A CHORUS LINE tonight. Expensive restaurant but food quite delicious. Had a warm lobster salad for an appetizer. Then John Dorey filet with a delicious sauce. Dessert was a rhubarb yogurt.

8 p.m. NEW YORK CITY BALLET ALL BALANCHINE EVENING

SUNDAY, APRIL 29

Slept in a bit later today. Merrill got ready for church service at St. Bart’s on Park Avenue. I got caught up with phone calls, post cards, the Sunday NY Times.

Took the bus up to the Algonquin Hotel where I was meeting Merrill. Wanted to see Barbara Carroll’s Brunch Show. It was booked solid and we could not get in. Saw Donald Smith there. We decided we would not wait around for a cancellation; sightlines in the Oak Room are terrible. We would have probably wound up with a terrible table.

Off to Bond 45 for a superb Italian Sunday lunch (you can keep San Domenico’s). Their foccaccio is just superb! Had too many pieces. Began with an unusual pasta fagioli—no bacon!! Then had homemade spaghetti alla guitara (like grandma used to make) with broccoli rabe, pine nuts, olive oil and a few flakes of hot pepper! Molto delizioso!!

3 p.m. JOURNEY’S END

Merrill was off to the Met once more. Met him at Carnegie Hall after my matinee and we were on our way to Roy Newkirk’s for a drink. The out to French bistro, Cassis, for dinner. Did not have much since we had such a huge lunch at Bond 45. Had an onion soup gratine and a small piece of carmelized onion tart with salad. Red wine. It was great getting caught up with Roy once more with Merrill along.

MONDAY, APRIL 30

Slept in until 7:30 a.m. Got caught up: Merrill out for walk and coffee. This was his last full day in the Big Apple. Then we took a bus up Madison Avenue, a great way to window shop!! We arrived at Ron Rolly & Ron Michaux’s apartment at 94th Street & Park Avenue at 11 a.m. Had a chance to get caught up with them with champagne!

Off to the new Italian restaurant that I read about, Sfoglia, on 92nd Street & Lexington Avenue. Very rustic décor. Food quite good. Began with a half bottle of sweet proseco; Italian antipasto to share, but not really enough for four people; had the parpadalle pasta with a very rich Bolognese sauce; a lemon semi freddo with a graham cracker crust was wonderful!

Since we were in the neighborhood, we decided to walk over to Fifth Avenue to take a look at the Conservatory Garden at 104th Street. Such a gorgeously warm day; lilacs were out and one could smell their wonderful scent! We do not have lilacs in CA so this was a treat! Sat and relaxed in the sun/shade for over an hour. Just lovely spring weather! The old Vanderbilt Mansion Gate is used as the entrance to the garden. Took the Fifth Avenue bus down to 46th Street.

Met Eric Svenson & Read Evans at the Brazilian restaurant, Impanema. Usually have their steak with garlic, but decided to try something different. Had the chicken breast. There was plenty of it, but should have stuck with the steak. The restaurant was very, very noisy with a gang of 8 yuppies at one table just talking at the top of their voices! I screamed for the waiter and suddenly the entire restaurant quieted down; that only lasted for less than five seconds!! Noise pollution should be stamped out! All three of us were then our way to Town Hall.

8 p.m. THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1959

Back to the Leo House. Merrill decided to pack and get ready for his departure to Oakland tomorrow morning.

TUESDAY, MAY 1

Merrill was up at 6 a.m. in order to leave via subway and airport train at 8 a.m. He was off and I got two loads of laundry done; one of the great things about the Leo House besides its reasonable prices. Sat in lobby to chat with guests, write postcards, and read the paper. Changed rooms from a double to a single for the rest of my stay: two more weeks to go.

Bought cookies for lunch (have been eating too much!?) and off to the German movie that won the Best Foreign Film Oscar, “The Lives of Others,” which I enjoyed very much. Quite suspenseful and a touching ending!!

Decided to spend the rest of the afternoon at a couple of museums: at the American Folk Art Museum enjoyed the dynamic Martin Ramirez exhibit. He immigrated to the US had a breakdown while working to save enough money to send for his wife and children in Mexico. He was confined to a mental hospital near Sacramento, CA from 1948 until his death in 1963. While there, he began drawing on paper and was self-thought. Interesting drawings made with melted crayons. If this exhibit should come your way, be sure to see it! The Lobby Gallery featured a modern exhibit entitled Picturing Pixels. A bit too modern for me. Mostly photo collages. Then to one of my favorite museums in NYC, Museum of Arts & Design. Loved the exhibit, Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting, which explores knitting, crocheting and lace making by contemporary artists from around the world. A huge exhibit. There was a small exhibit there also: Contemporary Netsuke: Masterful Miniatures. Lovely miniatures that hold together the belt of a male kimono in Japan.

Off to the Park Café at 7th Avenue & 55th Street; a nice coffee shop for dinner. Portions are quite big. Their tuna club was delicious but huge!

8 p.m. 110 IN THE SHADE

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2 T H E A T R E D A Y

Slept in until 7:30 a.m. and had a leisurely morning getting caught up. Weather continued to be very good with no humidity! Postcards done in lobby and the Leo House dog, Scarlet O’Hara, was in fine form. She loves people.

Met Eric Svenson & Roy Newkirk at Maison Seville for their $14.95 Matinee Luncheon. We moved to bar since the place was crowded and they did not want to let two seats at the table go to waste. They give you a good size salad; grilled shrimp with vegs and lots of rice; crème carmel for dessert. Sangria and coffee included. Quite a bargain!!

2 p.m. CURTAINS

Met Dale Patrias for dinner at his favorite restaurant, Turkish Durvish. Had the eggplant appetizer and sultan chicken kebab over smoked eggplant. Almond pudding for dessert was quite good. Coffee also included. Had wine which was extra. They were rushing us terribly at the restaurant since they were very busy. It was rather annoying actually. Had been to this restaurant before and this did not happen. Dale did say something to them about this on the way out. Later I had an attack of diaharea between Acts 1 and 2 of one of the most dreadful ballets I’ve seen in a long time!

8 p.m. NEW YORK CITY BALLET’S ROMEO AND JULIET

THURSDAY, MAY 3

Slept until 7. Weather holding out with sun and pleasant temperatures in the 70s. Had the buffet breakfast at the Leo House. Took bus up Madison Avenue once more and sat on the other side to sightsee out the window. Lovely ride up to 104th Street.

Museum of the City of New York had one of the three exhibits about Robert Moses. This one was Robert Moses and the Modern City: Remaking the Metropolis. It was quite interesting since I was living in New York City at the time (1962 to 1967) when some of Moses’ changes with highways and apartment buildings were taking place. I moved into one of his urban renewal projects: Lincoln Towers across from the new Lincoln Center, which opened in 1965. Quite interesting. Never did get to the Queens Museum for “The Road to Recreation” or to Columbia University for “Slum Clearance and the Superblock Solution.” This exhibit was quite detailed. Another exhibit was Costumes and Characters: The Designs of Alvin Colt. He designed costumes for Broadway for more than 60 years from his Broadway debut with ON THE TOWN to his latest costumes for the zany revue, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY. Facing Fascism: New York and the Spanish Civil War was very informative. Also saw The Jewish Daily FORWARD: Embracing an Immigrant Community. The Jewish newspaper that was founded in 1897 for the Jewish immigrants published in English and Yiddish with a readership that once boasted a readership larger than that of the NY Times. This is the paper’s 110th Anniversary!!!

Had lunch outside the museum; they’ve put tables out front and have a small snack bar. Had another of those mozzarella sandwiches this time with basil pesto inside with chips and a soda. Delicious and the weather was perfect!!

Headed down to the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. A small exhibit of theirs, Made to Scale: Staircase Masterpieces” was fascinating. All models of some unusual staircases. Loved it! However, their big exhibit, Design Life Now was awfully technical for me and did not enjoy it at all. Last fall when I visited this museum, the same thing happened with another Design exhibit that they had.

Off to the NYC Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center for their wonderful exhibit, Stars and Treasures. A lot to read for this one, but well worth it. A journey through show business of the 20th Century. Wish I could have stayed longer. In their small gallery, the exhibit, Arturo Toscanini: Homage to the Maestro was very good!

Down to the Leo House for a tiny rest and some phone calls.

Then up to the Pig n’ Whistle for their delicious shepherd’s pie and a Harp’s ale.

8 p.m. COMPANY

Spoke to Merrill since he will be leaving for Houston, TX to see Margaret Dower for five days.

FRIDAY, MAY 4

Up before 6 a.m. for an early start. Another great weather day—how long can this superb weather last? Had a small breakfast and coffee. Then back on the Madison Avenue bus to head up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a second time as soon as it opened at 9:30 a.m. Back to carefully go through the cases in the upper floor of the new Greek and Roman Gallery. Then up on the terrace for Frank Stella on the Roof; I like his paintings better than his ugly sculptures. The view from the roof is much better than any of the sculptures displayed. The exhibit, One of a Kind: The Studio Craft Movement was outstanding with art made of new materials and techniques. 50 works from the Met’s collection includes furniture, ceramics, glass, metalwork, jewelry and fiber. Liked it very much. The last exhibit of the morning was Louis Comfort Tiffany and Laurelton Hall—An Artist’s Country Estate. This contained things from Tiffany’s Oyster Bay, New York country estate completed in 1905. The house burned to the ground in 1957, but the exhibition brings together many of its surviving architectural elements and interior features. A wonderful exhibit! The man knew how to live surrounded by his wonderful lamps and glass windows that survived the fire!

Off to meet Marylu Suri at the French Restaurant at Madison & 65th Street, Le Goulue. Quite busy and they get a NYC crowd. Marylu had trouble with heavy traffic, but we finally began our lunch. I began with fresh white asparagus from France with parmesan cheese and freshly squeezed lemon. A bit pricey, but what the hell! The sea bass was quite good with “smashed” fingerling potatoes. Had a decadent floating island for dessert. Superb! A half bottle of white wine washed it all down. We both then walked down to the Stuben Glass Shop & Gallery for their exhibit and movie about glass. Lovely. Off to the Tix Booth and then returned to the LH for a rest.

Decided to go up to Sbarro for their delicious baked ziti with ricotta and mozzarella.

8 p.m. INHERIT THE WIND

SATURDAY, MAY 5 THEATRE DAY

A bit cooler today but still nice temps in the upper 60s with a lot of sunshine. Can’t really complain about the weather. Had the buffet breakfast today. Eric dropped off folder with discount ticket coupons for a couple of plays. Up to the Theatre District to roam around and get ticket at Tix Booth; ticket at Biltmore Theatre—offer expired; ticket at Longacre Theatre. Explored the Actor’s Temple Theatre; found out that Jackie Hoffman leaving the show tonight that is playing there. She is going to begin rehearsals for the new musical opening this summer, XANADU. Wonder what that will be like.

There was a Breast Cancer Race in the Times Square area so they had streets blocked off so there was very little traffic around. Sat in the good weather and people watched. Finally decided to have a Nathan’s hot dog & fries that I always loved as a kid; they are still delicious!

2 p.m. FROST/NIXON

Met Eric Svenson at the African-American restaurant, B. Smith’s. Had a leisurely martini. The had their wonderful corn-crab chowder. The salmon Terayaki was superb with string zucchini and buttery mashed potatoes. Their bourbon sweet potato bread pudding is a knockout!!! Had a great white wine to wash this all down.

8 p.m. TALK RADIO

Bought the Sunday NY Times and back to the Leo House.

SUNDAY, MAY 6

The weather is cooperating and it is staying in the 60s with sunshine. Had rolls that I took from yesterday’s buffet breakfast (no breakfast is served on Sundays at the Leo House). Leisurely morning getting caught up on things. Also stopped at Dunkin’ Donuts for coffee and a donut.

Decided to try the pub restaurant, Angus McIndoe, next to the St. James Theatre on 44th Street. Not very crowded when it opened at noon. Sat at the bar and the woman bartender was slow, slow, slow and forgot to put in my order. Anyway, I was cheap, cheap, cheap when it came to her “tip.” It works both ways you know. Nothing special at this place: an ordinary asparagus-mushroom-onion omlette with a “frozen” potato pattie. A draft beer.

Tried getting a bus on 7th Avenue from 44th Street down to 37th Street to the off-Broadway theatre I was attending. No bus in sight so I walked down to the theatre. Still no bus. What is happening to NYC public transportation? It ain’t like it used to be!!

2 p.m. IN THE HEIGHTS

Called Eric when the play was over. He was exhausted from his walking tour and lunch today. He was just going to collapse at home. Up to the West Side Cottage II for a wonderful Chinese dinner: veg dumplings and vegetable lo mein. Chinese beer.

7 p.m. BILL W. AND DR. BOB

Back to the Leo House early and got to talk with Merrill in Houston. Also made a few other calls and got caught up with postcards and relaxed with a bit of TV.

MONDAY, MAY 7

Up before 7. Weather holding out but a bit cool today. Made some phone calls. Morning in lobby writing post cards and finishing the Sunday NY Times. Phone calls. Off to Post Office on Lexington Avenue to buy stamps and mail things.

Then up to 94th Street & Lexington Avenue via the Madison Avenue bus once more. Know that route by heart. Ron & Ron recommended a small neighborhood Italian café, Nick’s. Had a warm spinach salad with a good vinegarette; however, the bits of bacon were greasy and the mushrooms were dry!? The manicotti were quite good; we cannot get those out West.

2 p.m. LYRICS AND LYRICISTS LEO ROBINS

Over to Tix Booth and then to B. Smith’s for another dinner. Had almost the same thing as before except the salmon; had the linguini with meatballs which was fair; sauce: not enough of it and not tasty at all. Meatballs were rather “hard” and not flavorful. The corn crab chowder and bourbon sweet potato bread pudding were still outstanding!

8 p.m. THE BIG VOICE: GOD OR MERMAN?

Spoke to Eric. Plans have changed for dinner on Wednesday night when Ron Bottini will be in town.

TUESDAY, MAY 8

Slept until nearly 7:30 p.m. Starting to get exhausted from the trip. It was so nice out, that I sat in the Leo House Garden for a while. Met a guy from Rochester NY there (Carl). We chatted; he was a big Metropolitan Opera fan and was seeing tons of opera this week.

Down to the Gramercy Park area to walk around and explore the neighborhood. Then to the Players Club for their usual lousy lunch with Roy Newkirk.

1:30 p.m. FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Off to the Tix Booth to check to see if play up for tonight; it was not, so had to go to box office to buy a full price ticket. Bob Dobson had arrived at the Leo House. Got in touch with him. In the garden to get caught up with things and then took a short nap. We then were off to Intermezzo for their $10 dinner. Still had the pasta fagioli, but got the cavetelli for an entrée; cannot get those out West either! This time we had wine which came to more than the dinner! Met up with Eric at the theatre. Spotted Neil Simon and his wife (which # wife, I am not sure!) outside the theatre. He is looking fine; he’s in his 70s now. He sat just two rows in front of us inside.

8 p.m. LOVEMUSIK

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9

Slept until almost 7. Today I started to feel a bit of humidity. Hoping it would not get any worse. Met Bob for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. I got my laundry started earlier and clothes were now in the dryer. Bob thought he had to change rooms, but it turned out that he could stay in the same room. Made phone calls; left message for Merrill at home—he would be returning from Houston today and getting back to work in the afternoon. Bob and I sat in the lobby and chatted. Then up to the 50th Street area; had a latke and French fries for lunch. Was not really hungry after such a big breakfast.

1 p.m. BLACKBIRD

Had time to go back to the Leo House to read the paper and relax and even take a short nap.

Up to the Chelsea Grill on 46th & 9th Avenue; the space where Chez Suzette was located for many years and finally went out of business a year or so ago. The reason for this restaurant instead of B. Smith’s was that Ron and Eric had fun with a waiter at B. Smith’s; the waiter no longer worked there and they told us he was now working at this place. Turns out he was NOT working there. We stayed anyway: Mistake #1. Mistake #2 was ordering food; Mistake #3 was eating it. Worst restaurant of the trip!! Filled with yuppie types spending money like mad. Just awful!! They even had the nerve to tell Eric that they wanted his credit card number to hold the reservation and if one of the parties did not show up, a charge of $20 for each person not showing up would be charged! I know what I would have told them on the phone if he told me that! We did mention this to the manager on duty; he could care less since we were eating and drinking there even though it was all terrible. I was there with Eric, Bob and Ron. Can’t win ‘em all!!

8 p.m. CORAM BOY

Got in touch with Merrill when I got back to the Leo House. He had a fun time with Margaret in Houston and was glad to be home. I would be home in four more days!!

THURSDAY, MAY 10

Slept in until nearly 7 once more. The humidity got a bit worse today so dressed accordingly. More grey skies to go along with it all. Met Bob at 7:45 down in the breakfast room. He did not have any since he was in a hurry to get his train and get back home to CT. Did spot Carl coming in and we chatted as we had breakfast. Finally, officially introduced myself: Gerry DeVito. He said a friend of his in Rochester was named DeVito; as a matter of fact, his first name was Gennaro! I nearly fell off my chair! I have met several people with the last name DeVito, but never with the first name Gennaro. We exchanged addresses and phone numbers and promised to get in touch when we each got home. I would like to talk to this Gennaro DeVito! (Have tried calling Carl since I got home; left a few messages, but no call returned; no e-mail; wrote a note. It seems like I shall not be hearing from him!? Something changed his mind!??).

Off to the Frick Collection for the 200th Birthday celebration of George Stubbs: A Celebration. He was famous for painting horses and other animals. A wonderfully small exhibit. Then on to the Asia Society for a different type of exhibit, Collectors’ Choice. It featured collectors of Asian art and some of the things in their collection. The big exhibit, Glass, Gilding, and Grand Design: Art of Sasanian Iran 224 thru 642 was quite interesting. Was not familiar with the Sasanian empire in the Near East. Some lovely and quite sophisticated pieces in this exhibit.

Took the bus down to the Players Club for the last time this trip. Lousy lunch for sure!

1:30 p.m. FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Back to the Leo House for a short nap and a bit of relaxation before heading uptown once more. Met Ron Bottini at Bond 45 for dinner. I had a gin and tonic. Had their wedding soup as an appetizer; it was almost the same as we used to get at Italian weddings in CT when I was a kid except that they put actual pieces of white meat chicken and had carrots in it, which we never did use. It all tasted the same with a great chicken stock. The linguini (no spaghetti alla guitara tonight!) with broccoli rabe, pine nuts, and olive oil with a bit of hot pepper flakes was delicious as always. Decided on no dessert.

8 p.m. DUECE

FRIDAY, MAY 11

Slept in a bit later: 7 30 a.m. Humidity still in the air. Got Carmel Limo set up for my Sunday travels; they would pick me up at 6 a.m. for an 8:30 a.m. flight. Not much traffic on Sunday morning; really should have made the pickup a little later. Down to breakfast although I was not that hungry. Read the papers in the lobby and sent out the last of the postcards. Then relaxed and dressed all up.

Noon: COCKTAIL HOUR

1 p.m. DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS LUNCHEON

It was good to meet up with Joan O’Sullivan again. I did not get to see her when the luncheon was over. Met Eric’s friend, Sandy officially and a couple of his other friends that were attending the luncheon. Ron, of course, was also there. A big disappointment this year.

To the Tix Booth and back to the Leo House to change into more comfortable clothing. The over to the Venus Coffee Shop for supper: mozah ball soup; mac & cheese that was quite tasty.

8 p.m. 10 MILLION MILES

SATURDAY, MAY 12 MY LAST FULL DAY IN NYC

Slept in until 7:30 a.m. Weather cleared up a bit and the humidity almost disappeared. Down to buffet breakfast; kept a couple of rolls for tomorrow morning. Began to pack—will everything fit in the suitcase?? Eric did not seem to be available today AT ALL; h e was spending the day with Phil. Strange: we were available to him 24/7 when he visited last February. I shall have to remember that when next he want to vacation in CA. Could not get in touch with Ron Bottini; he did not call either. Is someone trying to tell me something? Up to Tix Booth and then on to the International Center of Photography for their new exhibits which just opened yesterday. Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits a wonderful collection of black and white photographs that portray black history. They are the collection that awaits the yet-to-be-built National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Enjoyed it very much. Biographical Landscare: The Photography of Stephen Shore, 1969 to 1979 This exhibit was ok. A few color photos also as he traveled around the USA. Some nude photos of him that were rather erotic and unusual in an exhibit! Amelia Earhart: Image and Icon was an interesting and informative exhibit, especially about her last flight when she disappeared. Chim: Photographs by David Seymour were photos taken of mostly children during the Spanish Civil War. Mostly black and white and well done. Showed all aspects of war. Had a tuna sandwich at the museum café.

2 p.m. A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN

Tried to get into Bond 45 for my last dinner of this trip but they were booked solid. Saturday night is a tough night for a single in a popular restaurant! Up to Park Café once more; had a grilled cheese deluxe and a chocolate milk shake. Sat around the City Center area and people watched. Ready for my last show, the 29th, of the trip!

8 p.m. ENCORES! STAIRWAY TO PARADISE

A good thing I took my umbrella with me. When the show was over, it was pouring with rain. Back to the Leo House and directly to bed since I would be getting up before 4 a.m. When one knows that one has to get up very early, it is so difficult to fall asleep!!

AND

SUNDAY, MAY 13

Up at 3:45 to eat the two rolls with butter; shower, get ready for a day of travel and finish packing. Everything did fit in the suitcase. Downstairs by 5;40 a.m. and the Carmel Limo was already waiting for me. We were off to JFK and there by 6:10 a.m. Much too early for an 8:30 a.m. flight!

The flight back to SFO was actually about an hour early. This got me home before 1 p.m. Had a chance to pack and start going over mail. It was good to be home and to see everyone for dinner.

Another great time in NYC was over!!!!!! until next time!

Enjoy the summer and do keep in touch

Gerry

THE GREAT WHITE WAY April 23-May 13, 2007

2007-05-21T06:09:00.001-07:00

M E D I O C R I T Y
REIGNS ON & OFF THE GREAT WHITE WAY
April 23 to May 13, 2007

It was a most disappointing Spring Season on Broadway. Some great performances in some very mediocre and boring shows. Let’s hope things perk up as we get ready for the 2007-2008 Theatre Season.

Events are listed in the order of attendance, not in the order of preference:

THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING FAIR
I had never read Joan Didion’s memoir of the same name about her grief when her husband, John Dunne, died suddenly at their dining room table. John is the brother of Domenic Dunne, the tabloid-type writer for Vanity Fair Magazine. If John was anything like his brother, I would doubt if I would like him. Joan and John wrote screenplays: “The Panic in Needle Park,” “True Confessions,” and Streisand’s “A Star Is Born.” Vanessa Redgrave was quoting passages from the memoir for 90 minutes. New material was added about Ms. Didion’s daughter passing away shortly after her husband’s death. I was not moved at all with the story of her husband; somewhat moved by the daughter’s passing. Watching Vanessa’s acting technique was worth the price of admission. Playwright David Hare directed: not much for him to do; Vanessa sat most of the time and then stood up for a few minutes. Maybe he gave her line interpretations, but the emotion Vanessa can give the reading of a line is astounding. Almost a boring evening in the theatre, but saved by the lovely Vanessa Redgrave.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT GOOD
“Present Perfect/The Tenant” Part 2 of “It Takes One Litre of Petrol & 20 Minutes”
By Susan Charlotte and “Ashes to Ashes” by Harold Pinter
Two very good one-act plays. Would love to see Parts 1 and 2 of Ms. Charlotte’s play. Pinter’s play is about the Holocaust; one does not realize this until the middle of the play. Some audience members never realized that it was about the Holocaust. Lunch is dreadful at these “Food for Thought” events, but the readings are quite interesting and enjoyable. Actor, Kevin Stapleton (no relation to Maureen), appeared once more. He is so talented; wish the right script would come along for him so he can garner some fame!!!

World Premiere of AND ON EARTH, PEACE: A CHANTICLEER MASS FAIR
The setting for the singing of this Mass was in the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Acoustics are great and the setting spectacular and very dramatic. The Mass itself was the bore of bores. Wish I had taken a couple of magazines; I would have read those. Five composers wrote each part of the Mass without consulting each other. They should have! Each part was dull, dull, dull, more dull, and even duller!? The Mass is supposed to be a joyous and miraculous occasion celebrating the transubstantiation of wine and bread into the body of Christ; nothing joyous or miraculous about this work at all.

KEELY SMITH at the Café Carlyle VERY GOOD
I remember seeing Keely Smith with her husband, Louis Prima, when I was a child! Loved them both: he was zany and wild; she kept a blank face and was the butt of his jokes. However, the voice was great especially with the ballads. Her one big hit was “I Wish You Love.” She can still sing it! She sang for one hour and has a rather risqué sense of humor with her marvelous rapport with the audience. She sang a lot of Neopolitan songs that were fun (Prima used to do these also!). Wish she had gone on for more than an hour since the cover was $100 at the tables and $50 at the bar. I chose the bar.

OUR LEADING LADY VERY GOOD
“Star Treks” Kate Mulgrew is back on the boards once more in Charles Busch’s (he is a drag performer who happens to write plays) latest. It is the story of actress Laura Keene who was the leading lady in OUR AMERICAN COUSIN the night Lincoln was assassinated. Actor Maxwell Caulfield has lost his boyish looks in his middle age but continues to mature as an actor; Ann Duquesnay plays an African American who poses as a Chinese woman!?!!?—a very weird character. Had no idea what Busch had in mind with this one. Character actress Barbara Bryne who has been in several Sondheim musicals, was very good. A great learning experience about what happened to Ms. Keene’s career—it ended!! She was cursed by the tragic event.

NYC Ballet AN ALL BALANCHINE EVENING EXCELLENT
What an outstanding evening this was: the NYC Ballet is the best in the world as far as I am concerned. “Apollo” with music by Igor Stravinsky was outstanding with Nilas Martins in the title role (debuted June 1928). “Agon” with more Stravinsky music was superb with quite a few of the company; usually modern works are not my thing. This was superb with their perfect coordination and such great choreography (debuted December 1957). The evening ended with “Symphony in C” with music by Georges Bizet; a more traditional ballet with “tutus”! (debuted 1947 at the Paris Opera). What a marvelous evening at the lovely New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center!!

JOURNEY’S END EXCELLENT
This play was premiered in 1928 to speak out against the horrors of war—specifically WWI. This is an outstanding revival (has won awards for Best Revival of 2007) with a first-rate cast (Hugh Dancy, Boyd Gaines, and “I Am My Own Wife’s” Jefferson Mays) and glowing reviews. However, no one is going to see the play. Maybe Americans are fed up with the Iraq conflict. This play should be seen by the Bush Administration, especially the man who is REALLY President of the US, Richard Chaney. This closes on Broadway on May 20. What a shame!

THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1959 VERY GOOD
These programs at Town Hall are wonderful. They feature cabaret singers mostly from the NYC area. This one featured the belter, Mary Bond Davis, Broadway leading man, Mark Jacoby, and Jose’s son, Manoel Felciano, who is quite talented. Emily Skinner tried her best with a few songs, but Bruce Vilanch brought down the house with some comic numbers. The show featured songs from shows of 1959: DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, FIORELLO, THE GIRLS AGAINST THE BOYS, GYPSY, JUNO, THE NERVOUS SET, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, REDHEAD, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, and TAKE ME ALONG. Try to get a lineup like that these days! I am glad I was 19 years old in ’59 and got to see most of these shows!

110 IN THE SHADE GOOD
The only competition Christine Ebersole has for the 2007 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical is Audra McDonald in this musical adaptation of N. Richard Nash’s play, THE RAINMAKER. The music and lyrics are by Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones who wrote the longest running musical, THE FANTASTIKS. The score is so dull. This show has been directed by the wonderful Lonny Price who can make anything look wonderful! They have tried it with this show; purely second-rate material with the lovely Ms. McDonald giving a superb and moving performance as the old maid, Lizzy Curry. John Cullum turns in another superb performance as her father. Unknown, Steve Kazee, was ok as the conman rainmaker, Starbuck (audience tittered because of the coffee connection these days to the name). This show was not very successful many years ago with Inga Swenson in the lead. The evening I saw this show, Audra’s father was killed in a plane crash, but she performed….and grandly, I might add! Set and costume designer, Santo Loquasto has done his best also trying to dress up this quite inferior show. Ms. McDonald saves the day!!

CURTAINS EXCELLENT
Is it possible for a musical to have too many musical numbers? Yes, in the case of this show. But the plot thickened in each number: someone was done away with during each number. This was Kander & Ebb’s last musical; it was unfinished when Fred Ebb passed away last year. Original book writer, Peter Stone, also passed away before completing the show. Rupert Holmes was called in to finish the book and the lyrics and what a great job he has done. What a fun time; this old-fashioned musical lights up the Great White Way very brightly! What a cast: David Hyde Pierce (from “Fraiser” fame) is a delightful detective who really wants to be in show biz and solves the murder during the tryout of a musical! Debra Monk steals the show with her great timing and has all the great comic lines! She also has me worried that she might take the Tony away from Ms. Ebersole. Karen Ziemba turns in her usual solid song and dance performance! Edward Hibbert from “The Drowsy Chaperone” is also very funny as the eccentric director of the musical within this musical. Ernie Sabella (who sang “Mr. Cellophane” in Kander & Ebb’s CHICAGO) was also very good in a small role: Ms. Monk’s husband who is hung backstage. Ms. Monk has a line to deal with the double meaning of all of this! Scott Ellis directs this with great precision and Rob Ashford’s choreography works well most of the time but becomes a bit repetitive since there are so many musical numbers. I sat back, relaxed, and was thoroughly entertained! Something not found readily on Broadway during this Spring Season!

NYC Ballet ROMEO AND JULIET POOR
Michael Smuin, who passed away a week before this version premiered, choreographed the Ballet “Romeo and Juliet” for the San Francisco Ballet quite a few years ago. A very good production that was even broadcast on PBS. This version of the ballet, choreographed by Peter Martins, the Artistic Director of the NYC Ballet, is just a mish mash of nothing! Hardly any dancing; the bit of dancing that occurs is quite uninteresting and not very moving! Boring, boring, boring!!! One scene has caused quite a stir: Lord Capulet slaps his daughter Juliet when she refuses to marry Paris. He slaps her so hard that she falls to the ground. The audience gasps at this short scene. It was really the only interesting moment in the entire ballet. Stayed for the whole ballet, but would never see it again. Rent Smuin’s version if you want to see an exciting Romeo and Juliet!

COMPANY VERY GOOD
English Director, John Doyle, stunned Broadway last year with his version of Stephen Sondheim’s SWEENEY TODD using actors who also played a musical instrument and became the orchestra on stage. It worked beautifully!!! It won the Tony for Best Musical Revival. This season he has come up with Stephen Sondheim’s COMPANY with the actors playing at least two or three instruments each. A much richer sound and quite a good cast, especially the lead, Raul Esparza, as Bobby. Enjoyed this production very much. I saw the original on Broadway, and I did miss Michael Bennett’s choreography. The actors were dancing and moving every second; they were also being transported at several levels via elevators. This all captured the energy and movement of New York City. Also, I could not get Elaine Stritch out of my mind singing, “The Ladies Who Lunch.” Actress Barbara Walsh gave it the ol’ college try, but I could still hear Elaine!! What a score and an enjoyable evening!!

INHERIT THE WIND VERY GOOD
Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee collaborated on shows for more than 50 years and came up with some great hits. This play was the first drama I got to see on Broadway; it starred Paul Muni and Ed Bagley. Christopher Plummer does an outstanding job playing the defense attorney, Henry Drummond, in this revival. His timing and courtroom scenes are superb; there may be a Tony in his future for this role come June! Brain Dennehy underplays the role of Matthew Harrison Brady and lets Plummer take the spotlight! Denis O’Hare plays the reporter, E. K. Hornbeck; that was a role I played when I was in college with the adult theatre group in New Britain, CT. This play about the Scopes Monkey Trial was written in protest to Joseph McCarthy and the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. Wish we could get some writers to come up with some gripping plays protesting what is going on with our civil rights being taken away from us! Where are the American writers these days? Writing very mediocre plays with lots of four and five letter words that pass for “great” writing!?! Very discouraging!

FROST/NIXON EXCELLENT
I was not even going to see this show which was a big hit in London at the Donmar Warehouse. I wanted to see Frank Langella and also have been following the writing of Englishman, Peter Morgan (who wrote the screenplays, “The Queen” and “The Last King of Scotland”). Morgan makes the setting up of interviews by David Frost with Richard Nixon so interesting and full of suspense. Lots of humor in the script; Nixon was quite the “cunning” man and could practically talk his way out of anything, except impeachment, I suppose! Langella may win the Tony for a fine portrayal of Nixon and Michael Sheen (who played Tony Blair in “The Queen”) was great as David Frost. Quite an enjoyable theatre event.

TALK RADIO POOR
Wish I could say the same thing for this revival of Eric Bogosian’s 1987 off-Broadway play! It has become very dated and boring, I’m afraid. A radio announcer is facing the decline of America and has a nervous breakdown by the end of this 90-minute intermissionless tirade. Live Schreiber has been winning all sorts of acting awards for this role. Thought he was very low key and does not really have his “breakdown” until the last few minutes of the play. He most likely will win the Tony for this one! I was not impressed with him or the play. Robert Falls from Chicago’s Goodman Theatre directed—not very successfully as far as I could tell.

IN THE HEIGHTS EXCELLENT
First of all, this musical is being performed in a new theatre facility off-Broadway called 37 Arts. Nicely done with a wide stage and intimate and comfortable seating. When this musical began, composer, lyricist, and star, Lin-Manuel Miranda, began with a hip-hop number! I was worried! All soon changed and types of music were included in this very original and charming musical! A very good score. The plot gets a bit “soapy” but I like “soap”! One of the most unique musicals in years! It’s about the Puerto Rican neighborhood in Washington Heights in Manhattan. Rumor has it this show may be transferring to Broadway in the fall. It certainly would be a welcome addition!

BILL W. AND DR. BOB GOOD
What I enjoyed most about this drama which covered the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous was its information. I had never realized how it all began. Religion played a very important part in it all, but other drunks helping drunks was the key to the success of the organization. This was the story from 1925 to 1935 of how the two men helped each other by “having been there” and knowing how it feels to be a drunk and not able to stop. A few men in the audience were actually sobbing during this performance. It could have been a bit more theatrical; the script kept repeating things. On the whole though, I enjoyed it.

LYRICS & LYRICISTS: Thanks for the Memories EXCELLENT
The Lyrics of Leo Robin
I been attending these programs for quite a number of years. It seems there is always one on when I visit NYC. This one was hosted and performed by Andrea Marcovicci with her wonderful music director and pianist, Shelly Markham. Other vocals were also done by brassy Klea Blackhurst, Brian Byers, and Jennifer Sheehan. Leon Robin was responsible for such songs as: “Thanks for the Memory,” “Love is Just Around the Corner,” “Horray for Love!” “Blue Hawaii” which was around much before Elvis got to it, “My Ideal,” “Beyond the Blue Horizon,” “Louise,” “No Love, No Nothin’” that Alice Faye sang, “For Every Man There’s A Woman,” “A Gal in Calico,” “A Rainy Night in Rio,” “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend,” “Bye, Bye, Baby,” “A Little Girl From Little Rock,” and “If I Should Lose You” among many others that were featured in the show. He wrote a lot of music for films. A very enjoyable afternoon!!

THE BIG VOICE: GOD OR MERMAN? GOOD
This is the true story of Steve Schalchin: raised a Roman Catholic and dreamed of not only becoming a priest, but wanted to be Pope! He soon changed his mind when he bought the cast album of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN and heard the voice of Ethel Merman!! His father also knew Ethel and her husband so he got to meet her several times. Jim Brochu was born in Arkansas and longed to be an evangelist until he fell in love with music and wanted to be a songwriter. His mother told him to write a song. He did and got a job on cruise ships writing original music for the shows. In 1985 he met Steve and they’ve been together ever since! The two of them take you on the journey of their lives and relationship as you experience their journey with AIDS, success, breakup and reconciliation. A charming evening. This will be coming to SF with the original men (I saw actors playing them) in the very unique Actors Temple Theatre on West 47th Street. This is the Jewish version of the Catholic Actor’s chapel, St. Malacy’s. There are plaques honoring famous worshipers: Jack Benny, Eddie Cantor, Joe E. Lewis, and Sophie Tucker, among others.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT VERY GOOD
“A Change of Pace” and “I Hate It When It Gets Dark Early”
by Edward Pomerantz and “Come On” by Susan Charlotte
Lorraine Bracco, who is the psychiatrist on “The Sopranos,” appeared in all three one act plays. Now that her stint on the famous series is over, it is time for her to return to her roots: the theatre. She needs some reminding about projecting her voice; the microphone is no longer directly over her head! The plays by Edward Pomerantz about marriage were quite funny; the one by Susan Charlotte which also had John Shea in it was very clever; a story of an after-sex breakup with Shea only saying “come on” throughout was quite humorous. An enjoyable afternoon and one of their better programs. The lunch still was terrible! Can’t they have some type of casserole? Greek salad? tuna-pasta salad?

LOVEMUSIK FAIR
What is happening to our creative artists? Alfred Uhry had one of the most interesting stories in show business: the Kurrt Weill/Lotte Lenya marriage and careers (1920s to 1950s). What a dull book he has written for this musical. Patricia Birch who has been around forever has staged the musical numbers by stealing from herself: one of the numbers was right out of her staging for Sondheim’s FOLLIES!! Harold Prince directed the proceedings without much imagination. Michael Cerveris did the best he could as Weill—he was padded and wore a wig; he looked just like Weill. Donna Murphy did not look anything like the homely Lotte Lenya but sang her heart out with her supposedly injured vocal chord!?!? Donna is so thin that I think the problem is bulimia and not vocal chords. Such a promising bunch of people; was very, very disappointed with this boring musical! The show came alive the last five minutes when Ms. Murphy sings a haunting “September Song” after Weill dies and she is about tomake her entrance onto an off-Broadway stage in Weill’s A THREEPENNY OPERA, which will make her a star in America (1954). I suppose I would have enjoyed this a bit more if I was a Weill fan. His music does not get me all excited! Neil Simon and his wife were sitting near us looking as bored as we were. Can’t win them all!!??

BLACKBIRD EXCELLENT
Finally a play that was well written and emotionally involving by British playwright, David Harrower. It won the Best Play Olivier Award in England over Tom Stoppard;s hit, ROCK AND ROLL. This starred Jeff Daniels returning to Broadway after 25 years as the child molester; Alison Pill from last season’s THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE was wonderful as the woman meeting her “molester” ten years after the incident occurred. Lots of twists and turns in this very engrossing play. It is now playing at our American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) in SF with a different cast. I wanted to see Daniels in this. Not sure if I shall go to see the ACT version to compare actors.

CORAM BOY POOR
Talk about “dressing up” material that is much ado about absolutely nothing and trying to make it pass for a huge theatrical event! This is it! Adapted from a teenage novel by Jamila Gavin (should I give the book a try!?), this is the story of 19th Century orphans both alive and dead. The stage is surrounded by a chorus of 16 in red Church of England choir outfits singing the songs of Handel to accompany the story. It was like watching an opera; the set was like a weird circus tent. A big hit at London’s National Theatre, but not a hit in NYC—it is closing on May 20 after a very short run. Word does get around (received poor to mixed reviews). Merrill got to see this one too and found it boring. Boring, boring, boring!!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT FAIR
“For Your Pleasure, Madame” by Susan Charlotte
An unpublished Short Story by Arthur Miller as read by Joan Copeland
Charlotte’s play was fine, but did not find the reading of Arthur Miller’s short story very interesting. More about the Holocaust. Miss Copeland gave it her all, but I guess I do not like being read to. Another awful lunch but the program was ok. Could not stop my mind from wandering during the short story reading!

DEUCE GOOD
Another major American talent cheapening himself with such a thin play with language to shock: Terrence McNally. His latest play will certainly make money as long as Angela Lansbury and Marian Seldes stay in the show. They are wonderful playing two retired tennis champs watching a match; they will be honored after the games are completed. We hear them conversing as the match is going on; they stay seated with their heads moving back and forth. Easy direction for Michael Blakemore. Maybe Ms. Lansbury cannot move as well as she used to?!?! McNally cheapens the entire play by having the actresses say the “f word” quite a number of times as well as several other four and five letter words; they also get on a big discussion of lesbians!?! Shock! Shock! Shock!—especially those tourists from the Southland! A pleasure to watch Lansbury and Seldes playing off each other as actresses! Long may they reign! Two national treasures; get a better playwright the next time to bring out their outstanding talents!!

DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS LUNCHEON VERY GOOD
One of the reasons for attending this luncheon is to meet a few of the actors at the hosted cocktail hour before the luncheon. This year we spotted only Michael Cerveris and had our photo taken with him. Gary Beach was a rather lackluster Master of Ceremonies. You would think there would have been more humor and a lot of camp in his introductions and hosting of the luncheon.
Bernadette Peters presented the Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids
Chita Rivera presented the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre to John Kander and Fred Ebb. It was accepted by John Kander.
Tony Kushner presented the Julia Hansen Award for Excellence in Directing to a Drama League Alumnus, Michael Mayer for SPRING AWAKENING
Christine Baranski presented the Distinguished Revival of a Play to JOURNEY’S END
Jonathan Groff (from Spring Awakening) and Ashley Brown (from Mary Poppins) presented the Distinguished Revival of a Musical Award to COMPANY
Live Schreiber presented the Distinguished Production of a Play to THE COAST OF UTOPIA by Tom Stoppard
Audra McDonald presented the Distinguished Production of a Musical to SPRING AWAKENING
And
Christine Ebersole, last year’s winner for Grey Gardens, presented the Distinguished Performance Award to Live Schreiber for TALK RADIO

I was proud to be a part of the DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS COMMITTEE and listed in the program!

There were 56 actors sitting at the luncheon dias this year. Why more of them were not at the cocktail hour to mingle with Drama League members is a puzzle. Each actor had a comment to make as the microphone was passed around: some comments were great. Others were not, of course.
An enjoyable luncheon: the first course was a veg quiche with pickled onions. A very moist chicken breast on top of orzo pasta with sweet cooked cherry tomatoes with broccoli rabe and roasted potatoes. Pastries were on the table to be eaten. Lots of red and white wine was served. Delicious!!

10 MILLION MILES POOR
Michael Mayer, who received the Distinguished Director’s Award from the Drama League, was directing this musical at the Atlantic Theatre Company. I attended the first preview. The actors were in great shape and never asked for a line or missed a cue; all the sets worked. The show however was terrible: a redneck musical with the pickup truck on stage being the “star” of the show!! It turned into a diner, a bed, a living room, etc. You get the idea! Music and lyrics were by singer, Patty Griffin. Each song sounded like the one before: all in the country western style! It got boring, boring, boring! There goes that word again! The cast was fine: Matthew Morrison of THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA was a fine leading man; typical redneck in jeans, T-shirt and needing a shave; Mare Winningham played several parts; who knew she could sing? Skipp Sudduth from TV’s “The Third Watch” was very good in a few character parts. It just got monotonous and wanted to scream away the country western music blaring in my ears! One would think that Michael Mayer would have better taste in material to direct: they should take away his Distinguished Director’s Award for being associated with this awful show. It opens the end of June; I am interested in the reviews!

A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN VERY GOOD
This is the production from Kevin Spacey’s Old Vic Theatre in London. He received mixed reviews for his performance; critics said he recited his lines at a breakneck speed. This was not so the performance I attended. He spoke at a normal pace in this three-hour Eugene O’Neill play which is not one of my favorites. English actress, Eve Best, received glowing reviews as Josie Hogan. She was fine but she had some projection problems. I was in Row O in the Orchestra and had trouble hearing her at times. Diction was fine, it was the volume! I remember seeing the Colleen Dewhurst/Jason Robards, Jr. revival in the 1970s. This was no where near as emotionally draining as that revival. Some things are better left alone.

and

NYC CITY CENTER ENCORES! STAIRWAY TO PARADISE EXCELLENT
What a way to end my theatergoing in the Big Apple! This was a wonderful tribute to the “good old days” of musicals on Broadway featuring songs from 1917 through to the early 1950s. What a wonderful evening. Kristin Chenoweth was the star of the show! If only she could get a big fat Broadway hit!!! WICKED did it for her, but she needed something bigger than that show. A shame there is no Irving Berlin or Cole Porter around to write a show especially for her! Kevin Chamberlin, who I had seen in the show about Mae West called DIRTY BLONDE, was fabulous also. He is quite overweight, but he can move and sell a song! England’s Ruthie Henshall can sell a ballad and did a fabulous job with a few WWII songs. There is a 25 piece orchestra on stage and this is all done concert style at a breakneck speed. What a fabulous evening!!!! Of course it was all directed by the great Broadway director, Jerry Zaks. We should be so lucky with our 42nd Street Moon here in San Francisco. One piano player is all we have in the dingiest theatre in town! Oy vey!!

For such a poor spring season, I tallied the following:

EXCELLENT 8 plays
VERY GOOD 9 plays
GOOD 5 plays
FAIR 3 plays
POOR 4 plays

Keep in touch and enjoy the summer……….Gerry

WHAT ELSE DID APRIL BRING BESIDES THOSE SHOWERS?

2007-04-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

WHAT ELSE DID APRIL BRING BESIDES THOSE SHOWERS?

This newsletter only covers activities from April 1 to 23, 2007. I shall type a detailed newsletter about my trip to New York City, April 23 to May 13, when I return.

HAPPENINGS IN BRIEF

SF PERFORMING ARTS LIBRARY & MUSEUM VERY GOOD
Enrico Banducci’s HUNGRY i
What a nostalgic exhibit this was: recognized most of the names that played this famous SF nightclub. Great black and white photos and the history of the place. The “i” stood for the word “id.” Great shots of Streisand singing there; as well as Mort Sahl getting his start there. Phyllis Diller was also there; her costumes and wigs are on display. Enjoyed the exhibit very much. Doubt if the youngsters of today would recognize some of the names of the performers who thrilled us in those days!

ASIAN MUSEUM EXCELLENT
Masters of Bamboo: Japanese Baskets & Sculpture from the Cotsen Collection
The baskets are just breathtaking to behold in this exhibit. All made of bamboo and with such intricate weaving and design. One could not help but linger over quite a few of the baskets and admire the work that had gone into them. The exhibit also explained the apprenticeship that goes on for years in order to reach this level of basket making.

PRINCES, PALACES & PASSION: THE ART OF GOOD
INDIA’S MEWAR KINGDOM
A little bit of this exhibit went a long way. It was quite repetitive. Colors were used quite well, but the artwork all looked the same after a while. Did not linger in this exhibit as I had at the Masters of Bamboo Exhibit.

MOVIE VIEWING:
“Babel” EXCELLENT
I loved the three stories that were interwoven in this excellent and engrossing movie. I really think this should have won the Oscar for Best Picture instead of “The Departed” (enjoyed that one also, but liked this one a bit better!). Brad Pitt was very good in this and the rest of the international cast was superb.

“Flags of Our Fathers” GOOD/FAIR
Very disappointed in this film. Too, too many battle scenes: we got the message after then first couple of battles that “war is hell.” That has not stopped the US for doing it! The actor who played the American Indian in the film was not quite up to the role. I am surprised that Clint Eastwood cast him. I am sure there are better actors out there who could have done a much better job! The film just dragged at the end and could not wait for it to be over. I have “Letters from Iwo Jima” on order and hope that it will be a better film.

“Blood Diamond” FAIR
I don’t know why, but I got very bored with this film. Too much violence and too much screaming and hollering! Story interesting, but it just did not “grip” me as much as I thought it would.

“Children of Men” GOOD
This movie is based on P.D. James’ novel about what the world will be like in Britain in 2027—not too far off, and the world is catching up rather quickly with the portrayal in this movie. A very grim and depressing film; it seems as if it is heading in the direction of the new “birth of the son of God” but that theme seems to get abandoned. Not an easy film to get through. Was not quite sure if the “journey” was quite worth it!! Nominated for several Oscars such as cinematography, etc.

“United 93” VERY GOOD
Saw this film about the plane that crashed in the Pennsylvania field on Sep 11. It began rather tediously, but when it concentrated on what was occurring on the plane, it was very good. They gathered material for the script from phone calls that had been made from the plane. Be warned: it is a tough film to get through!! Let’s hope it was a quick end for all of them.

AFTER THE WAR VERY GOOD
The true story of playwright, Philip Kan Gotanda’s family set in 1948 San Francisco. This all is set AFTER the Japanese have returned from the internment caps and the effect it has on the Japanese families. Act 1: nothing much happens on the fabulous set showing several rooms in a San Francisco Victorian house. The set rotates so that you actually get the feel of moving about the house. Act 2: so much happens that you just want to say “stop” so you can catch your breath and take it all in! Too much like a soap opera in the second half (although I love soap operas!!). By the end of the play, it ultimately does not work very well. The playwright dedicated this play to August Wilson who certainly portrayed his people with a 10-play cycle in the 20th Century.

PRIVATE JOKES, PUBLIC PLACES ` FAIR
This play seemed like Tom Stoppard “sideways”!! Not quite as intellectually stimulating as a Stoppard play, but it tried. It gets too much into the farce category without all the doorways and running around. A Korean architect student is having her senior project evaluated by a German and English professor. Her own professor is with her. All their egos take over and they seem to forget why they are there. She has designed a public swimming pool which the evaluators just “tear apart.” I though it was quite pretentious and did not laugh very much. Merrill was with me for this play and just loved it! Different strokes for different folks: that’s why we have vanilla and chocolate ice cream!

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG GOOD
Stephen Sondheim always had a problem picking someone with great talent to write the books for his shows (SWEENEY TODD is probably the exception!?). George Furth led this show down the wrong path and the book is just a blithering muddle of mush!! The score, on the other hand, is wonderful! The songs, “Old Friend” and “Not A Day Goes By” hold up very nicely as do the rest of the numbers. Some are too long. I saw a revival of this show off-Broadway at St. Peter’s Church in NYC; it was done in all bright colors (mostly white and powder blue). This production was done with very dark sets and costumes. The lead was all wrong for the part; not good looking enough to cause all this commotion with the women in his life! Choreography was march, march, march. Not very creative. Great to see the show once more, but TheatreWorks was supposed to put on FOLLIES, but their budget would not permit it. We got this one instead. I wish someone would do ANYONE CAN WHISTLE AGAIN which only ran a week on Broadway. At least MERRILY had a two-week run!

THE MUSIC MAN GOOD
This production at Walnut Creek had lovely-to-look-at sets and costumes, but the casting could have been stronger. Professor Harold Hill was ok; he just did not seem to believe in the words he was singing. The look on his face gave off the impression that he was so glad to get through some of the classic patter songs that Merideth Wilson wrote! Marion, the Librarian, was fine. Most of the supporting cast did a competent job and some stood out as very amateurish. How wonderful to hear the score for this splendid show that still holds up very well. An enjoyable afternoon; stronger casting would have made it something special.

Cole Porter’s GAY DIVORCE VERY GOOD
This was Fred Astaire’s first Broadway show in 1932 without his sister, Adele. Porter convinced him to go it alone by playing two songs for Astaire that he was hoping would be big hits: “After You, Who?” and “How’s Your Romance?” After the show opened, the song that became the big hit was the one Porter ignored (not even a snipet of it in the overture!), “Night and Day.” After the run of this show, Astaire decided to try something new and was off to Hollywood to film a small role with a young actress called Ginger Rogers and then the film version of this show—the rest is history!! Not a bad show; were we ever that innocent in life. Quite daring in some parts with the jokes of the day. 42nd Street Moon had a fine cast and the book by Dwight Taylor (?) was quite good. Ashamed we do not have a Fred Astaire around these days to do the role!!

Easter Dinner at Mary & Denny Miller’s
Mary always has the most wonderful decorations for the holidays: this time at each place was a bird’s nest with a big chocolate egg in it! She made them herself out of twigs. The straw under the egg in the nest was edible: made out of sugar! The runner on the table was real grass turf with fake insects and eggs decorating it! All of these decorations were quite unique!!!

The guests at table: Merrill, myself, Bill Hiebert (Mary’s brother) & Ken Bragg from Rock Island, IL, Fred from Minneapolis, Dennis Butler and Joey Butler, our neighbors from across the hall, Merryll Saylon, and, of course, our hosts, Mary & Denny Miller.

We sat down at about 4:30 p.m. and began our Easter feast:

We began with a Pea Soup that was cooked with lettuce in it (Asian style) and ginger with a design of crème fresch. Quite tasty!
That was followed by individual carrot souflees with goat cheese.
Then came Halibut Filet over Japanese noodles; chopped fennel; grilled asparagus
To cleanse the palate, came a springtime, homemade lavender sorbet
We continued with a fresh mixed green salad with sliced fresh beets and candied
mangos sprayed with chili pepper to add a bit of spice!
Dessert was a family favorite of Mary’s: rhubarb-custard meringue pie. Heaven!
We enjoyed white wine with the meal. Cappucino to end it all.
As an extra added treat: a chocolate Easter Egg from an Italian bakery in Rock Island, IL
One smashes the chocolate egg covering with a hammer and there are
all little wrapped candies in the egg with tasty fillings!
A lovely meal with lots of wonderful flavors and such good company!! It was a gorgeous, sunny afternoon and by the time we completed the meal, it was dark!!

OTHER HAPPENINGS

Bill Hiebert & Ken Bragg were with us for five days; Bill is Mary’s brother. Good to see them both. ….. Dad continues to adjust to the nursing facility. Had a conference with the staff as all is going as well as can be expected. …… Took on the 50th Anniversary Reunion Plans (2012) and hope I can get it all done. Typed out a 34-page report which I have forwarded to the college. They will not update and try to find missing alumni. When I return from NYC, hoping there will be some information for me. I must get on Google to try to find “lost” alumni. …… The Broadway Spring Theatre Season seems to be dull, dull, dull. THE PIRATE QUEEN got panned royally and mediocre reviews were given out for Vanessa Redgrave as well as Christopher Plummer and Brian Dennehey in a revival of INHERIT THE WIND. ….. Returned to the Spanish Restaurant, Colibri Mexican Bistro, for lunch: wonderful guacamole with warm, freshly made, corn tortillas; then a great chicken chic pea soup with condiments of lettuce, raw sweet onion, oregano, and cilantro. Very tasty. Then had Mexican rice pudding with sweet yellow raisins: all in a wonderful liquor. …… Returned to one of our favorite restaurants in the Bay Area, Lalime’s. It was tapa night, but decided to order off the regular menu: began with a lovely pizzetta with garlic pesto, black olives and mozzerela cheese. Then two pieces of petrale sole done in brown butter and plenty of lemon with cauliflower and a salad on the side with the most wonderful vinegarette. For dessert had a lemon custard-chocolate crusted tart. We were celebrating David Snow’s 70th Birthday. ….. We have truly reached the 21st Century: Tivo has been installed and I hope this will work when I travel. I try to set up programs to record before I leave on the VCR and also have Merrill follow through, but something invariably goes wrong and it gets all messed up! We shall see what happens when I am on this trip to NYC!? ….. Kitty Carlisle Hart passed away at age 96! What a great life she led. She is truly the last link to the wonderful theatre days of the 20s, 30s and 40s. I met her a few times in NYC at the Tony Awards and at several Memorial Services for deceased theatre people. She always had a kind word and looked so wonderful. May she rest in peace! …… Marcello’s still makes the best pizza in town. Had lunch there one day before leaving on my NYC trip. NYC pizza is quite different. ….. Getting details planned for future trips coming up in May, June, August and Sep/October. I thought I would be cutting down on my traveling this year, but it looks like I shall be on the go after all. ….. Still behind in our rainy season. Doubt if we shall get caught up to the 23” of rainfall that we need; so far we have received almost 13” of rain. The rainy season should be ending by the end of April. ….. Sandy & Karl Stauffer were with us for dinner one evening. They shall be going off to their house at Fallen Leaf Lake the end of this month; they usually stay up there until the end of October. Maybe we shall get up there for a long weekend in the fall. ….. 32 dead at Virginia Tech is an American tragedy, but gun legislation must be passed in this country or someone will try to break the record of 32!! Counselors in schools have their hands tied dealing with “crazy” students: afraid of lawsuits! Parents protect their children even when the children desperately need help. …..

I shall be away from April 23 to May 13 (HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY) so please do not send e-mails!? Hoping the weather in NYC will improve and that I will be able to see a lot of shows.

HAPPY SPRINGTIME
and
will be in touch again in May!!!!!!!

March 2007 Happenings

2007-04-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

MARCH 2007 HAPPENINGS

I think for March’s Newsletter I shall begin with the Theatre Events

and

then continue with other happenings in the month of March. I have already covered our Cabaret Overnighter and my Six Days in Los Angeles Getaway in separate newsletters. A long, but pleasant month!

THEATRE EVENTS

Berkeley Rep’s TO THE LIGHTHOUSE VERY GOOD

Trying to make Virginia Woolf’s novella into a play is nearly an impossible task. This book was about one’s mind, the psyche. The Berkeley Rep Theatre gives it a try and comes up with a brilliantly directed play. It has actors speaking their thoughts and in a 20-minute dinner scene that was riveting, the actors speak their thoughts but are miming what is going on at the dinner table! Brilliant!! The mood music was played by a chamber quartet in the Phillip Glass mode. It all reminded me of an Ingmar Bergman film since it took place around the turn of the 20th Century. This all does not really work as a play. but definitely works as a showpiece for the director’s brilliant staging.

CONNIE FRANCIS VERY GOOD

Can we ever go back to our youth!? Sometimes we can especially if we keep our eyes closed! Dear Connie Francis looks a wreck these days with all the wrong clothes, jewelry, makup and hair. However, her voice holds up quite well for being 69! I was in seventh heaven, nonetheless, at the concert since it brought back such great memories of my teenage years! I bought every one of her records! Connie still has a great sense of humor and sang her heart out for over two hours. One thing I learned from this concert with clips and films on the huge Castro Theatre screen: she was compared to Judy Garland. When she sang a few Garland songs, she was “right on” with them. The voice holds up quite well. It all could have been worse, but really was not! However, I also learned that one CANNOT really go back to the way it was!!

August Wilson’s JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE VERY GOOD

This is one of August Wilson’s darkest plays in his 10-play cycle about blacks in the 20th Century. This one takes place in the teens. Joe Turner is trying to find his wife. His daughter is with him and they are runaway slaves and stopping in Pittsburgh to catch their breath and figure out what to do and where to go. The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre in San Francisco did a wonderful job with this play. Am looking forward to readings of August Wilson’s plays in chronological order in March 2008 at Washington D. C.’s Kennedy Center. Some of the cast has been announced in THE NEW YORK TIMES, but the schedule for reading them has not. It would be wonderful to see all ten in their time sequence. I have seen all of his plays, but some I have not seen in many, many years! I need a “catch up”!

42ND Street Moon’s PLAIN AND FANCY VERY GOOD

Here we go with nostalgia once more! I had seen this musical on Broadway when I was 17 years old. Barbara Cook had a small role, but made quite an impression. From this show she went on to make quite a name for herself in the musical, CANDIDE, and then on to Marion, the Librarian in THE MUSIC MAN with Robert Preston. Those were the good ol’ days!! I am surprised that this show has not been revived since we are in the age of the revival on Broadway! The book is still quite funny and the score is wonderful with the hit song “Young and Foolish” standing out! The entire show is quite charming! It is the story of the Amish meeting the big city slickers from Manhattan and how love conquers all! A delightful and entertaining evening!

TheatreWorks’ TRYING EXCELLENT

This is the true story of Francis Biddle, Attorney General for FDR, and his new secretary during the last year of his life. The playwright was actually his secretary and this play recalls her year with him. Quite humorous and quite touching in places. It took a while, but became completely engrossed in it all. Veteran actor from the Bay Area, Ken Ruta, gives a marvelous performance as Biddle. He does not miss a nuance anywhere. One of the better plays TheatreWorks has put on recently.

JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN EXCELLENT

What wonderful writing here by playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis, whose OUR LADY OF 121ST STREET was also quite good. Every scene builds to an emotional climax and the actors have a field day in their roles! Story of two prisoners: one believes in God and the other does not. This will bring out some wonderful discussions about theology and the existence of God?!?! TV actor, Carl Lumbly was riveting in his role as the prisoner who has viciously murdered eight people and believes in God. Actor Daveed Diggs gives Lumbly a run for his money as the prisoner who does not believe in God! The supporting cast was just great; one of the best acting ensembles I have seen in the Bay Area in quite some time. SF Playhouse has done it again with another fine production! They are turning into one of the best theatre groups in the Bay Area!!

BRICKTOP FAIR/GOOD

So much talent up there on that stage, BUT who could hear them with the volume so damn loud!!!!?? Why? Are people deaf? Why must everything be blasted in our ears? Can’t we listen any more? The sound system ruined this show for me. It was quite interesting: the story of Bricktop and her nightclub in Paris. She was great friends with two jazz legends: Mabel Mercer and Alberta Hunter. They appeared at Bricktops for years in the 20s and 30s. Then came the Nazi uprising. They all returned to the US until the nightmare in Europe was over. It turned out that Bricktop, Mercer and Hunter died in 1984 just within months of each other! Let’s hope they’re in the other dimension singing their hearts out. The book of the show was a bit “muddled”; they would skip back and forth in time which caused some confusion. Most jokes were missed because of the volume. I would like to see this show again at a normal sound level. One of the supporting players’ microphone kept going out on him: he was the lucky one!!!! I paid attention to every word he had to say! A missed opportunity because of our modern technology! I doubt if Bricktop’s nightclub was wired for sound!!!!

WHAT ELSE HAS OCCURRED?

Some sadness once more in the month of March: acquaintance Emmit Nolan passed away in New York City very suddenly after climbing two flights of stairs to his walkup apartment. Another sudden death in Palm Springs: Bob Wheaton passed away suddenly after a minor tumor removal operation at age 84. ….. My 2006 Income Tax was ready and for the first time in about 15 years I was getting some money back! What happened? ….. My Dad is adjusting to Oakridge Care Center and all has calmed down. After visiting at least 12 other state-funded homes, we found that where he is now is actually not that bad! ….. We see our neighbors, Dennis & Joey, for dinners “across the hall.” Dennis just got a new job which he begins the middle of April—he is so happy about it! ….. Had dinner with Richard & John at Malacca’s new location on Market near Castro Street. Indonesian cuisine….began with a coconut soup which was flavorful but spicy; then a vegetarian paella: also quite tasty and a bit spicy; dessert was a coconut cheese cake—too bland! ….. A get together at Mary & Denny Miller’s which also included Merryll Saylon who has been traveling and teacher her trade, woodcutting, since her husband died a few years ago. ….. Enjoying the TV Season which reaches its height before leading up to the season finales. Most of the shows I enjoyed were taken off the air before the new year. I still enjoy “Friday Night Lights,” “Rome,” “The L Word,” “Prison Break,” “Lost,” “ER” when it is on, “Grey’s Anatomy” with the “faggot hater” who was not fired from the program; he’s in some type of “rehab,” the new soap, “October Road” isn’t the greatest, but it’s watchable, “Cold Case,” “The Amazing Race” which is the only “reality show” I watch, “Without A Trace” with the fabulous Anthony LaPaglia, and “Medium” which I watch every now and then. ….. Recently read a biography of the 1950s & 60s actress, Kim Stanley, whose life was filled with torment and lots of alcohol. It ruined her stage career. She did make two movies and one was on TCM (Turner Classic Movies): Paddy Chaefsky’s “The Goddess” loosely based on the life and career of Marilyn Monroe. Acting styles have changed, but enjoyed seeing the movie once more. Had seen Ms. Stanley on the stage and TV when I was a teenager and she was my idol!! ….. To celebrate Dennis’ new job, he treated us to Gary Danko’s Restaurant which is now considered one of the best West of the Mississippi! It really earns its reputation; we found it wonderful in every way, especially the quality of the food and service. Had the four course fixed price menu (not bad actually for only $77 considering what you are receiving in return!). Before we ordered, we had a bottle of champagne to toast Dennis’ new job! Began with a tasty risotto with lobster and zucchini which was so flavorful! With this course, had a lovely white wine which was a bit sweet for some. As an entrée had the Maine lobster tails with very buttery, melt-in-your-mouth mashed potatoes and a few vegetables on the plate for eating and decoration: very delicious! Intermingled the entrée and cheese course with two bottles of red wine. Then it was time for the cheese course: a waitress explained ALL 24 cheeses that were on the cart; the smells were fabulous and it was so difficult to choose. I chose three cheeses and had her choose one for me: an outstanding selection!!! A lovely experience for this course!!! Enjoyed every bite! Dessert was the Meyer lemon soufflé with a vanilla sauce with sorbet on the side (why?). Service was impeccable and we never had to wait for a thing: service without hovering! When we left, my cane was handed to me, doors were opened, our car was out front from valet parking, and car doors were opened and we whisked away! A dining experience that will be long remembered. We must get back there soon: if one goes easy on the wines, the prices are not too bad! ….. :Lovely Daylight Saving Time began and I knew that Spring/Summer had arrived! ….. Joined the Blockbuster Total Access Movie Club; going to start to become somewhat of a movie fan again. Hate actually going to the movie theatre: too much talking, crunching of all types of food, and slurping of all types of “super-size” drinks! I would rather see movies on my 56” television!!! So far have seen:

Borat Fair Would have been better with two martinis! Silly & very sophomoric

The Departed Very good. A great double cross of a double cross gangster film.

Oscar worthy and finally Scorcese received his well-deserved Oscar

Joyeaux Noel Good Had seen this at the Palm Springs Film Festival a couple of years

ago. Too “pat” and the soldiers are all so clean and well-shaven. Liked

the film though, but a “feel good” type war film.

More films to come. We asked for the “two-a-month plan”! ….. Had several Dinner Parties which we always enjoy having. ….. Have taken on a project that I might be sorry for as time goes on: Planning a 2012 50th Anniversary Class of 1962 Reunion. Our Class President does not want to take on the task: I wrote to him and the College wrote to him: a firm “no” was his written reply. I spoke to the Alumni Association Office and they are very cooperative. They sent me a recent list of Active Graduate Names, Lost Graduates, and Dead Graduates. Am comparing all of this with the 1962 Yearbook. Will send out a message to the Active Graduates between Thanksgiving and Christmas to see if they can update me with those that are lost and dead. We’ll see what occurs: have 4 years and 8 months to go! ….. Making final arrangement for Travel Plans for the rest of 2007. So far:

New York City April 23 to May 13, 2007

Palm Springs May 23 to 30

Wisconsin Sightseeing & Theatre Historical Society’s Annual Conclave

with Merrill & Eric The Milwaukee to Minneapolis Adventure

June 11 to 18 June 19 to 25 with Eric

River Cruise: Moscow to St. Petersburg August 21 to September 6

Tour of Seven Presidential Libraries Very tentative at this time October 14 to 25

Am not traveling quite as much this year. Looking forward to my 50th High School Reunion (Class of 1958) in September 2008. Their Reunion Committee is on the ball and already have things planned and have called to get an idea of who will be attending! I shall be there with bells on if I am still alive and hobbling along!! …… We often say “you never can go back” but sometimes you CAN. We had not been to a French restaurant in about 12 years that someone suddenly recommended again! We decided to try it: Anjou Restaurant in an alley way type street that reminded me of Paris and Greenwich Village in NYC. We did not have a reservation on a Saturday night, so we ate at the bar. Only four high chairs there; a Chinese “foodie” couple were sitting next to us. It turned out that he has a Website called “Cooking for Engineers” which he described as “a cooking website for the analytically minded”! I have to check it out soon. Anyway, the restaurant is still very popular; not an empty table and they no sooner cleaned up one table and it would fill up again. The good was as good as I had remembered: began with their tasty onion soup gratinee. Very flavorful. However, they could have had a few more onions in the broth. Then had a medallion of salmon and tuna over a bed of cooked spinach with lemon, olive oil and garlic—was that ever a superb combination. Several vegs were on the plate for eating and decoration. Had a “fruity” Napa red wine to go with it all; their wine list was rather “pricey” or we would have ordered a French red wine. For dessert we shared a big portion of the house specialty: cooked pears (room temperature) with a most delicious zabione sauce! A lovely dining experience on a Saturday night in San Francisco! ….. Macy’s 61st Annual Easter Flower Show: INDIA which was so much better than last year’s show. This was very colorful and they used the lovely Indian fabrics intermingled with the flowers. Great displays and use of color. …..

HAVE A WONDERFUL SPRINGTIME

Be well and hope you’ll be able to travel………………..

February 2007: A Short Month But Lots Happenings

2007-03-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

FEBRUARY 2007: A SHORT MONTH BUT LOTS HAPPENING!

February arrived: it had been the driest January on record! The talk of drought already began! ….. Dad’s 90th Birthday on Feb 2. He is in great shape, except for his being legally blind from macular degeneration. We are not completely satisfied with the nursing home he’s in at the moment, but after looking at over a dozen other places that will accept patients on State Funds, he is better off staying exactly where he is! ….. Merrill’s 63rd Birthday was spent at a Cocktail Party arranged by Grace Cathedral at the Opera House before a performance of the San Francisco Ballet for church members. All did not turn out as expected and it was not a very good evening. Will go into all that some other time. I was not pleased; Merrill not quite as displeased as I was despite his having paid for the entire evening!?* Thank goodness we had celebrated a couple of days before at one of our favorite restaurants, Lalime’s, with a superb dinner. The restaurant just gets better and better! That turned out to be a better evening!! ….. The rains came Feb 7 and were with us on and off for the entire month bringing 5+”. That helped us get closer to our 2006-2007 Rainy Season goal of 23”. ….. Acquaintance Emmit Nolan died suddenly in New York City from a heart attack. I used to see him at least once every time I visited the Big Apple. He spent a lot of time in Tangier with James Lee. ….. Valentine’s Day we had a wonderful lunch at the famous Slanted Door with a gorgeous view of the Bay. Richard Miller & John Vinton treated for a celebration of Merrill’s Birthday! ….. Eric Svenson arrived from New York City for a 10-day stay. We had lots planned for him and we enjoyed all the events also. He nearly did not get here with Jet Blue cancelling hundreds of flights on Feb 15. He was lucky he was only 45-minutes late and not sitting on the runway for 10 or 11 hours!! ….. Ed Lamoureaux was with us for three days sleeping on the sofa. He wanted to be here for our Annual Oscar Party. Almost a “dud” this year with only 11 in attendance! ….. Down to Campbell (near San Jose) for a lovely lunch at Ron Bottini’s. He has a lovely ranch style house that his parents built in the 1950s. A huge back yard that is set up for the warm summer days down there. Eric was with us. Began with a flavorful mushroom risotto. Had a tasty mai mai with fresh asparagus. Then a berry/lady finger tart. A most delicious and leisurely lunch! ….. From Ron’s, we then proceeded 10 miles into San Jose to visit George D’Ardenay at his apricot ranch in the foothills of Mt. Hamilton. He still keeps the ranch going. We ventured up Mt. Hamilton to the restaurant, Mt. Hamilton Grand View Restaurant for more food. This time had to take most of it home as we were still full from Ron’s lunch. What a spectacular view of San Jose; all lit up and looking like a smaller version of Los Angeles! Despite the rain, it was clear and sparkling! San Jose is becoming known as “the Los Angeles of the North”! ….. Oscar Night: the 79th Annual Academy Awards: Only 11 came to the party; most were traveling this year that usually show up. A tough year to pick the winners since one movie did not dominate the nominations as in years past. Liked the show despite Ellen DeGeneris; clever skits introducing some categories and the dancers that were on in the shadows were great! So glad Martin Scorsese received his Oscar at last. …… Eric’s flight home was delayed a day since there was a big snowstorm in the Midwest and only 4” of snow in NYC. Jet Blue was becoming paranoid about all of this and decided to cancel 60+ flights. Eric stayed one more day; I just got caught up on household things and he relaxed. Then I received word that I won $500 in the PrimeTimer Raffle in Palm Springs which was drawn at their Valentine Gala! The extra $$$ always comes in handy for trips!! ….. Board of Directors Meeting getting “hot” again with flooded apartments in the building and all types of accusations floating around! Those who hate us do not go away!! Am glad I am off that Board; a couple of bitches still live in our building! Can’t wait for the next “chapter” in this situation (more on that as it develops and becomes more apparent!).

*As Barbra Streisand sang “People who need people, are the luckiest people in the world.” I am not sure I believe in that sentiment the older I get! Maybe because I am in my fifth year of retirement, I pay too much attention to people’s behavior! I then believe in telling them the truth about what turmoil has been caused. It gets one into trouble when the truth is spoken. I am finding that people cause a lot of turmoil, and I just will not put up with it any longer. Enough people I know are dieing; maybe I should not drive away more friends with not putting up with their crazy and rude behavior!?!?

THEATRE & MUSEUMS & CABARET & RESTAURANTS

FARM BOYS VERY GOOD
I had read the reviews for the New Conservatory Theatre’s production of the novel about gay guys from Wisconsin telling why they left their MidWest environment. The review was not all that great, but it all sounded quite intriguing. Was glad I attended. The play turned out to be very touching—I even shed a tear or two! Actor, Matt Socha was excellent as the guy from a small town in Wisconsin who inherits a farm from his first gay experience. Hope we hear more from Socha in the future.

OAKLAND MUSEUM: “The Art of Arthur & Lucia Mathews”
Lucia was born in the Oakland area; Arthur Mathews came out to the Bay Area in the early 1900s and began teaching at an art school. Lucia’s was his student; he liked her watercolors and fell in love with her. They sold their works in the early 1900s rather successfully and even were hired as muralists for public buildings and private homes. They then opened a business called, Furniture Shop. They incorporated their paintings into desks, tables, bureaus, etc. They even made most of their own hand-carved frames for their paintings—just stunning. I ventured to this exhibit twice I liked it so much.

Art & Spirit Gala: An Evening at the SAN FRANCISCO BALLET GOOD
This was a Gala sponsored by Grace Cathedral; a cocktail party leading up to a lecture and then the SF Ballet, which consisted of three works. “Firebird” was the main event of the evening and was really only a so-so production of this work that I had seen many times before. It just lacked spark and excitement this time around. The other two works were modern and ok.

American Conservatory Theatre’s HEDDA GABLER VERY GOOD
This is not one of my favorite plays: I believe that the main character of a play should be likeable. I have no sympathy for Hedda herself; all the suffering that she is going through, she brought upon herself. The production was nicely done and most of the acting was quite good. Veteran actress, Barbara Oliver, was surprisingly amateurish as the household maid. When Hedda goes into the next room to shoot herself, I am always rather glad! I remember seeing Maggie Smith as Hedda in London in a production directed by filmmaker Ingmar Bergman all done in bright red. Ms. Smith insisted that she shoot herself on stage in front of everyone! What a moment that was! Unforgettable!

ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY and her sister, LIZ CALLOWAY EXCELLENT
I have seen Ann Hampton Callaway (she says she is the “love child” of Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway!) a few times in cabaret and she is just great! A stinging sense of humor as well as a brilliant lyricist. She usually plays her own piano. Her all-American looking sister, Liz, has been on Broadway where I saw her too many years ago in “Baby”
Together they play off each other and both were very funny. They did a marvelous 15-minute duet singing “sister songs”! It brought down the house! Great show!

San Francisco Symphony’s OPEN REHEARSAL VERY GOOD
Not too much stopping and starting in this Open Rehearsal. Concertmaster, Alexander Barantshik was in charge; he conducted as well as played his famous violin. There were a lot of short pieces by Mozart, Bach, Shostakovich, Brittan, and Priazzola. An enjoyable morning.

The Slanted Door
This was Richard Miller and John Vinton’s treat for Merrill’s 63rd Birthday. Rather overpriced Asian food, but very tasty. Also the view from the restaurant is spectacular with the Bay Bridge right out the window and the Bay itself in front of us! Yum! Yum!

Downtown Restaurant
This restaurant was becoming one of our favorites but the running of the place has changed. They were rather busy so we had to sit in the bar area. Could not order off the regular menu. Had to order small plates of food which are really small and not very filling. Merrill, Eric and myself wanted to share. The bill was rather pricey for what we ordered.

Aroura Theatre’s THE BIRTHDAY PARTY GOOD
This was the 50th year celebration of Harold Pinter’s first success in London and New York. The play is still as puzzling as it ever was. However, it is wonderfully acted by a superb cast of local actors, especially local favorite, James Carpenter. So many things can be going on in this theatre piece; I guess we are meant to fill in the blanks, as well as Pinter’s famous pauses!??! Enjoyed it but was perplexed by what was happening!!!

Bistro Don Giovanni
Still one of our favorite restaurants in the Napa Valley. We chose a great day to eat up there with Eric; sunny and in the low 70s. We ate outdoors and had a very leisurely lunch. Giovanni greeted us at the door; Donna, his wife, was not cooking in the kitchen today. We shared a wonderful Pizza Margherita with a lovely dry white wine; then we also shared a fritto misto (wonderfully deep fried fish in a tasty batter) & rice balls with ham that grandma used to make (an old Neopolitan recipe); then I had boccantini pasta (difficult to find in the Bay Area) with carmelized onion in a rich red wine sauce (supposedly this is a dish from Roma). Had this course with some red wine. Then had a tangy lemon pudding that was a perfect ending to this delightful outdoor meal.

“Longford” on HBO EXCELLENT
If you can catch this true story of Lord Longford, I am sure you will be intrigued by the story. He is in charge of looking after the prison system in England in the 1960s. He gets involved with a pair of serial sexual predator killers. He was more interested in the woman’s role in the killings and it is even hinted at in the movie that he was falling in love with her even though he had a wife and daughter (Lady Antonia Fraiser) of his own. Full of suspense and it grabs your attention.

GUYS AND DOLLS GOOD
The Contra Costa Players put on this wonderful Frank Loesser musical. What a score! The book always seemed rather “hokey” to me however. The actors were ok, but they just tried to hard. They screeeeaaaamed every song! They knew when the laugh lines were coming and gave it too much emphasis! Major miscasting of a few roles from a physical point of view. Enjoyable, but I’ve seen better!! They put the orchestra in the stage left wing; the music came out rather muffled!!?? It is the music and the lyrics are what make this show great!! Didn’t anyone notice???

The pre-Broadway tryout of LEGALLY BLONDE, the Musical GOOD/FAIR
I have never seen the successful movie. After seeing the musical, I never want to see the movie. How did the movie get to make so much money; you do not want to know my answer to that question!! This is very, very, very much ado about very, very much of nothing! The melodies were not too bad, but the lyrics were rhyming constantly to the point of distraction!!!!! The lead is in pink, pink and more pink! Her cute little dog follows her around the stage all the time. There is even a Greek Chorus made up of her sorority sisters which no one can see but her; wish that was true for us in the audience! It is all a little too cute for its own good!! She goes to Harvard Law School and wins her first big case: Harvard should sue!!! It ought to be interesting to see how this does on Broadway when it opens in April at the Palace Theatre! I am sure it will run for the summer so all the suburban blonde teenage girls can have their matinee-at-the-theatre treat!!

PAULA WEST at the Plush Room EXCELLENT
Paula just cannot get any better! Chosen by New York/Time Out Magazine as the best Cabaret Act in NYC for 2006, this was such an upbeat show for her! Her voice is magnificent. Long may she sing and continue being the best jazz singer around today!

MANDY POTENKIN in Concert VERY GOOD
Every song becomes a five-act drama for Mandy Potenkin. His voice range is phenomenal and he is very, very enjoyable. However, the intense emotion that he projects to the audience becomes wearing after a while. He had some humorous stories to tell about his family and about his getting into show business. I hope after his successful TV show ends (“Criminal Minds”), he returns to the musical stage!!

JANUARY 2007

2007-03-04T17:33:00.000-08:00

JANUARY 2007
PALM SPRINGS, CA

After “putting Christmas away,” it was time to leave for Palm Springs on Wednesday, January 3 to help out with friends Paul Francis and James Lee.

Paul was in the hospital suffering from complications from his diabetes. It finally did him in on January 6, the Feast of the Kings (Epiphany), when at last he was at peace. What a life he had in Europe for 43 years. Quite a character and he was part of an era that we will never see again. Paul was cremated and his nephew from Pittsburgh, PA will arrive in Palm Springs the end of January to collect his ashes and straighten out the estate.

James is recuperating from a stroke he had right after Christmas. His left side (hand and leg) is rather weak and needs a lot of exercising. His speech is affected slightly, but that is coming along slowly but surely. His energy level is low, but he was determined to get to some of the films at the Film Festival and to entertain me and a visiting friend from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tony Rivera (another retired overseas teacher).

Opening night of the Film Festival was on January 4. We did not get to that one: that is a very expensive event and not really worth the money. Brad Pitt was the big star to show up this year—he’s not one of my favorites, so I skipped opening night!

I did begin seeing films on January 5 and only lasted until January 11 (7 days). I decided to return to Oakland early on January 12. Was scheduled to stay in Palm Springs until January 17 with Merrill coming down on January 12 for a five-day stay. Nothing much could get done with helping out with cleaning up Paul’s house; Jim was progressing as well as can be expected; Tony was there helping out (Jan 6 to 15). My dad is not happy in the new senior facility we moved him into on December 29. He was not there two weeks and they moved him to three different rooms; no warning. It scared him terribly since he is legally blind and cannot hear very well. They have lost one pair of slippers, his own walker (now has a mysterious one!??), and his blanket he loves when he naps!!! When the State starts paying the bills, things change, and change for the worst!!! Am trying to call as many facilities as I can and getting to see them and then we shall move him if we find a better facility.

Did get a chance to see 17 films at the Film Festival. The selection of films this year was not as good as in previous years. Enjoyed those that I did get to see. I have listed them by rating (in alphabetical order for each rating). Wonder how many will be nominated for Best Foreign Film Oscar?

THE 18TH ANNUAL PALM SPRINGS
INTERNATIONAL FILMS FESTIVAL
January 4 to 15, 2007

The films are rated according to the audience rating sheets handed out for each film at the Festival: Poor Fair Good Very Good (they really rate this as Excellent) and Superb. I have listed the films by the best rated films first in alphabetical order and go down the rating scale.

AFTER THE WEDDING SUPERB
This superb drama from Denmark begins in far off Bombay, India at an orphanage for street children. A new benefactor for the museum in Copenhagen demands a face-to-face
meeting with the Dane, Jacob, who runs the orphanage. He attends his benefactor’s daughter’s wedding and surprising things happen “after the wedding.” Jacob realizes he has had an affair years ago with the benefactor’s wife and this may be his daughter. The plot presents a lot of twists and turns in all these lives; their pasts all come together and what is in store for the future is quite interesting in this engrossing film.

AVENUE MONTAIGNE SUPERB
This is an old-fashioned “breezy, bittersweet and utterly charming” French comedy. It reminded me of the film, “Roman Holiday” in which Audrey Hepburn made her film debut. The French actress, Cecile DeFrance, reminded me of Hepburn in a lot of ways: she lights up the screen, great comic timing, and is so interesting to watch. Director Daniele Thompson has written a script that interweaves three basic stories around a Theatre Café (Ms. DeFrance delivers food!) which serves regular costumers: a concert pianist who plays at the Symphony Hall across the street; a TV actress who is longing for a serious film role with Sydney Pollack (he makes a smashing cameo appearance in English), and a businessman preparing to auction off his art collection. We follow their trials and tribulations over three days. It all culminates on the night when a concert, an art auction and the debut of the play coincide—a night that will change all their lives! We, the audience, had a grand treat following all of this. Best comedy I’ve seen in ages!

DAYS OF GLORY SUPERB
This Algerian/French film won the Ensemble Acting Prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. This is a powerful WWII story that details the awful treatment the French heaped upon their fellow soldiers of North African (Muslim) descent. This film pulls no punches especially with its stunning battle scenes. The cast also is superb in showing the heartless cruelty of war and upon the individuals and their struggles to survive. This film reignited debate about an age-old scandal: in 1952 the French government suspended payments to veterans of North African nations who fought for France, a practice that was deemed illegal by European courts in 2002. Until the release of this film, the French government had been slow to comply with the 2002 ruling. Quite a moving film.

FORGET YOU NOT SUPERB
At last year’s Palm Springs International Film Festival, Italian film director, Pupi Avati was honored; they screened about 10 of his films. I got to see four or five of them and loved them. Now his daughter, Mariantonia Avati, his daughter, is making her directing debut with this sentimental film. (Aren’t we into this with Francis Ford and Sophia Coppola?) It is 1946 Italy, a country that longs for rebirth after WWII, in a Rome maternity ward. Eight women are waiting to give birth and confide their stories to Nina, who works there and narrates the film. The stories really intertwine so wonderfully; there is understanding, solidarity and friendship. A very moving film about the human condition, and, at the same time, symbolizing a nation’s struggles. Would like to see Ms. Avati’s second film whenever it is released!

THE LINE OF BEAUTY SUPERB
Originally a three-hour BBC mini-series adapted from Alan Hollinghurst’s Booker Prize winning novel, this saga chronicles the contradictions of class, politics, and sex in the 1980s Thatcher Britain. It all focuses on the aptly named Nick Guest, a recent Oxford graduate who has come down to London to write his dissertation on Henry James. Moving into the grand house of a college friend whose father happens to be one of Britain’s most ambitious and conservative members of Parliament, Nick has a ringside seat to the impending right-wing revolution. He certainly sees the immense distance between the personal lives and political agendas of the men leading the country. His real education comes at night when he explores his new gay identity. This film spans the first four years of Margaret Thatcher’s rise to power, the rise of conservative politics, the emergence of the AIDS crisis, and the excess of 80s materialism. As these worlds all collide, Nick’s life becomes unhinged as well. Did not want this wonderful “film” to end as ALL the characters where very engrossing!

NINA’S JOURNEY SUPERB
Based on the true story of the writer-director’s (Lena Einhorn) young, Jewish mother’s remarkable odyssey at survival during WWII in Poland. Lena’s mother, Nina, narrates the film which is done in the flashback style. Nina passed away from cancer in 2002 and survived the Nazis by hiding out in all sorts of places with all types of Poles. This Swedish/Polish film focuses on the years 1937 to 1945: from Nina’s carefree youth in Lodz, to her years in the Warsaw ghetto from which she managed to escape, to a time of continual moving between hiding places with gentile families in the countryside. It also features some of Poland’s finest actors; this film is extremely moving!!

COVER BOY VERY GOOD
This Italian film is the story of a friendship between two young men in today’s Italy—a Romanian immigrant and an Italian lower-class worker. They struggle to find gainful employment. The immigrant escapes his native Romania to seek a better life in Italy; Michele, the Italian, is merely scraping along as a janitor. Michele gets nowhere fast and begins to fall in love with the Romanian; the Romanian becomes a model and rather famous and wealthy and just cannot return Michele’s love. A rather sad ending; enjoyed the film very much. It started out too slowly though or I would have rated it Superb.

DON’T WORRY, I’M FINE VERY GOOD
This French film stars one of France’s up and coming young actresses, Melanie Laurent. She plays Lili who returns from vacation to discover her 19-year-old twin brother, Loic, has fled from home after a violent fight with their father, who struggles along in his very middle class household. Loic does not answer any of Lili’s phone messages. Lili worries about his welfare eventually sending her to an anorexia hospital ward; suddenly a post card arrives from Loic and Lili searches for him via the postmarks on cards she then steadily receives. A wonderful surprise twist in the plot at the end of this film made this film even more engrossing. Again, it just began too slowly for the plot to develop.

EAST SIDE STORY VERY GOOD
This film from the USA depicts a funny combination of melodrama, romance and comedy that follows a couple of gay love triangles in LA’s Bario neighborhood. Gays are buying property in LA’s rapidly gentrified Latino neighborhood. Diego, desiring to be a famous gourmet chef, toils away in his family’s ordinary Mexican restaurant (Tio Pepe’s!) and is having a secret affair with the seemingly very straight real estate agent Pablo. A gay white couple, Wesley and Jonathan, move next door and Wesley is particularly appealing to the increasingly frustrated Diego, especially since Pablo starts to date Diego’s sister! When jealousy rears its ugly head on all the characters, the fun really begins! Great fun! Gay filmmaker, Carlos Portugal, makes his first independent film and does a fine job with plot twists with a very funny script that he co-wrote with Charo Toledo. Carlos was at the Festival and gave some insights about filming this all in 19 days on a very low budget! He did a great job! Most enjoyable.

GRBAVICA VERY GOOD
This Bosnian/Herzegovina film captured the Best Film Award at the recent Berlin Film Festival. It depicts the plight of the thousands of Muslim women raped during the Balkan wars. Adding insult to injury, they received no support from the government and were unable to tell their families. The title refers to a Sarajevo district that was later transformed into a prison camp where inmates were tortured and raped. This neighborhood is now home to hard working Esma, a single mother haunted by events from her past. As she struggles to make ends meet, her love for her 12-year-old daughter Sara makes life worthwhile. Sara thinks her father died in the war. When she needs documentation about his death for a discount for an expensive school field trip, Esma desperately searches for the money so she won’t have to reveal the truth of Sara’s conception. If awards for Best Actress were handed out at the Film Festival, actress Mirjana Karanovic would certainly win: what a performance as Esma! Very moving indeed. Again, this film is too slow in its exposition.

VITUS VERY GOOD
In this film from Switzerland, Vitus is a child cursed with early genius; he can play the piano and memorize the encyclopedia! He is bored with school and even with piano playing. All he wants is to be “normal.” He is smothered by overly attentive parents; we see Vitus at age 6 and then again at age 12 (at this point he is played by real life piano virtuoso, Theo Gheorghiu). The child’s grandfather, played by the superb Swiss actor, Bruno Ganz, offers relief from Vitus’ parents; he teaches the boy such values as fantasy, simplicity, and practical common sense. Vitus also dreams of flying and having a normal life. Towards the end of the film, with one dramatic leap, Vitus finally takes control of his own life in a very moving ending

BLACK BOOK GOOD
This film is basically from the Netherlands, but Germany, the UK, and Belgium also helped produce the film. In 1944 a former Berlin singer Rachael Steinn, who has been hiding in Nazi-occupied Holland, tries to make a run for it. When the ship is bombed, wiping out all of the fleeing refugees on board including her parents and brother except for her, she joins the resistance eager to learn who set them up. Steinn infiltrates the Nazi machinery and becomes involved in a web of seduction, betrayal and revenge. For some reason I found the film very unmoving and a bit too “clean” in vivid Technicolor. No one got “dirty” in the film even in the bombing scenes. It all just left me “cold.” Nicely acted though.

HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE ME? GOOD
This film was in French although it was co-produced with Italy. A very different film. One could not tell if it was farce, fairy tale, or a feast of symbolism!?!? Famous French director, Bertrand Blier is a master at the politically incorrect! Francois enters a whore bar in Pigalle and approaches Daniela, the most beautiful hooker in the place, and makes a proposition to her: having recently won millions of Euros in a lottery, he would like to purchase her services at 100,000 Euros per month until his money runs out. However, two things stand in the way: Francois’ heart condition and Daniela’s gangster boyfriend, Charley, played by an old Gerard Depardieu, who looks like a balloon ready for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! A good film but it never quite knew in which direction it was headed.

THIEVES AND LIARS GOOD
Made in Puerto Rico, this film shows the corruption that has exploded there over the last 15 years. There are three stories intertwined showing three families involved in all of this corruption as the older generations helplessly watch the deterioration of truth and justice in the Puerto Rican youth. A bit “soap opera-ish” at times, the film ends with the corruption still continuing. One could tell this was a low budget film and was much too long at 114 minutes. We got the message early on; they just kept repeating it over and over.

THE GOLDEN DOOR FAIR
This film from Italy received quite a bit of good word of mouth in VARIETY and other show business publications. I was very, very disappointed in the film. A turn-of-the-century rural Sicilian family embarks on a difficult journey to Ellis Island, leaving behind their homes and possessions in the hope of securing a better life in a land they’ve heard flows with milk and honey. The director, Emanuele Crialese, takes this to heart: in several scenes and the end of the film, characters are literally floating in milk!?!? Why not mucking through honey? It all was such a silly image on film!?? As the boat approaches Ellis Island, there is no Statue of Liberty to be seen!? The characters were not very interesting and we did not really care about them and their struggle. I did learn a few things from the film: my grandmother immigrated to Ellis Island to meet my grandfather for the first time and marry him in order to take care of his children that his first wife had given birth to. It showed these immigrant brides coming and the grooms meeting them in a huge room with hundreds of brides waiting for their new life and marriage in America. It was quite a moving scene: some were pleased, and some were not! Otherwise, the film was just a bore. Some interesting photography, but hope this is not nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film.

THE MOON AND THE STARS FAIR
This Italian/UK/Hungarian co-production was filmed in English and in lovely Technicolor. English actors, Jonathan Pryce and Alfred Molina star in this story of a group of actors and filmmakers trying to film a version of the opera, TOSCA, in the Rome of 1939. Pryce plays an alcoholic and drug addict; Molina plays a nervous, in the closet homosexual producer brought to the Cinecitta Studios in Rome to make this film despite the growing tremors of war. Director John Irvin spoke before the film began and said this film was an homage to the art of filmmaking. Although pleasant to look at, this film was rather boring: the characters and storyline. I’m afraid I left before the end.

THE CURIOSITY OF CHANCE POOR
A co-production of the USA/Belgium/Philippines, this film was so amateurish and should not have been in the Film Festival to begin with. Standards should be a bit higher for acceptance for a film to be entered. About a new kid at the high school, Chance Marquis, is not with it. He is very obviously gay and it is the 80s. He is such an obvious target for the school bully. To deal with this dilemma, Chance turns to the opposite ends of the high school spectrum for help: the high school jock and a drag queen at a local drag bar! The faculty are portrayed as all idiots, the parents are all good hearted but delusional, and all is right with the world in the drag bar! Pitiful writing and the acting is worse than some of the talent displayed on America’s favorite program, “American Idol.” I lasted only 40 minutes for this piece of crap and left rather hurriedly limping up the aisle with my cane! Get me out of the theatre!!!!!!

I was not too disappointed that my trip to the Film Festival was cut short (only 7 days) since the selection this year was not as great as the last two or three years. Still enjoyable however.

We’ll see how many of these foreign films are nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film this year.

Stay well and keep in touch……more about January Happenings in another newsletter coming up before the end of the month!

OTHER HAPPENINGS IN JANUARY 2007

2007-03-04T17:31:00.000-08:00

OTHER HAPPENINGS IN JANUARY 2007

Besides my Palm Springs visit and attending the Palm Springs International Film Festival, other things occurred in the month of January.

When I returned to Oakland, we were starting to have record-breaking cold. Temps in the 20s at night; in the teens further north in Napa and Sacramento areas. Brrrrr!! We are not used to these temps. …..Mary and Denny Miller gave us cell phones for Christmas. Now we have truly entered the 21st Century! They helped us activate the phones and pick out phone number, etc. We shall just use them for emergencies; we have a “pay as you use” plan. ……Dad not liking the Oakridge Care Center; we do not like it easier. Mass chaos all the time and they have moved him three times. To get a light bulb changed or something faxed takes at least four or five days! No one wants to do their job. ….. More sad news to report: George Zahorsky passed away on January 17. He and his wife Alyce ushered at quite a few of the theatres. We got to know each other and George always had a joke and a smile and was pleasant to be around. They were great theatre fans and there was always lively conversation. …… Golden Globe Awards were a bit dull this year, especially with Warren Beatty going on and on in his Lifetime Award Acceptance Speech; Tom Hanks’ introduction was in such bad taste. Let’s grow up fellas. …… ACT’s THE CIRCLE by Somerset Maugham was a delight! Written in 1921, it took on marriage, love and infidelities—nothing much has changed since that time. Veteran actor, Ken Ruta, stole the show. The young leading lady should have voice projection lessons at ACT’s acting school! I was in Row M and had to concentrate on what she was saying carefully! …… Tried the new Chinese restaurant, Tian Sing Chinese Restaurant, near the theatre district; very good dim sum but just slightly overpriced. All very fresh and well done! …… Back to Le Zinc, the French Bistro in our old SF 24th Street neighborhood, with Richard Miller & John Vinton. Sun was warm and we ate on their back patio. I enjoyed the French style mushroom-spinach omlette. …… Dinners with neighbors across the hall, Dennis & Joey, are delicious and fun! ….. Attended the SF Symphony with a program that was a bit dull; Stravinsky’s ballet music from “Orpheus” and the Mozart Mass. SF Chorus still great but the Mass goes on much too long! …… SF Playhouse’ THREE SECONDS IN THE KEY by playwright Deb Margolin was so interesting. It ultimately did not work, but was so fascinating watching it unravel. A single mom is dying of cancer and her son is a big Knicks fan. They both receive inspiration for their tragedy via the basketball players from the team who are on stage and interweave in and out of their lives in a fantasy world! It all goes on too long and is quite repetitive, but I found it great theatre; brilliantly directed! A word about the theatre group: they have built up quite an audience by putting on very good shows under the guidance of Artistic Director, Bill English. Their theatre was in an old department store building; it had to be retrofitted for earthquake updates. They moved to a smaller theatre across the street at the Jean Shelton Acting School. Now that their original theatre is ready to move back into, the landlord raised the rent astronomically and they cannot afford to move back. What a shame they did not get things in writing before they moved out. They are looking for a new home and probably a very rich benefactor who will be dying soon!?! …..Sunday brunch at Ella’s is quite an event: comfort food served in huge portions and quite good. Celebrated Joe Ries’ birthday week there. Had old-fashioned scrambled eggs with all the trimmings and a huge, tasty buttermilk biscuit! Even had a blood-orange mimosa that was fabulous! Merrill got a bit of an upset stomach from too much horseradish in his Bloody Mary! …… KLEA BLACKHURST had a small audience at the San Rafael Jewish Community Center doing “Autumn in New York: Vernon Duke’s Broadway.” She gave it her all, but the show just did not “click.” Her first big show that brought her notoriety, Ethel Merman: All That Traffic Will Allow,” was wonderful. I think the subject matter was her problem: Vernon Duke tried and tried and tried to write a hit Broadway show, but never succeeded! He always had a flop. There is a reason for that: not a very good songwriter, even though he did have a few classic hits: “Autumn in New York” being his best. Let’s hope the next person she chooses to incorporate in her show will be better. She sang George Gershwin’s “Swanee” in the style of Al Jolson at the end of this show since it was the song that inspired Duke in faraway Poland. She did a great job with the Jolson style---maybe this is the one to salute next time! ….. I missed The State of the Union address. Historic in that San Francisco’s own, Nancy Pelosi, is now the Speaker of the House. As GWB noted, it was the first time a President of the US has said “Madam Speaker.” I think he “got it” that history moves on and changes; he does not quite comprehend that fact as far as Iraq is concerned. I heard the speech in a little Mexican café, La Mexicana, on a Spanish Channel; it had immediate translation and was so easy to digest. Did not have to hear GWB’s awful Texas twangggggg! He said the same thing he’s been saying for the last six years and nothing will get done for the poor and the elimination of the middle class is working quite successfully. Less than two years now until he returns to the land of tumbleweed! …… Prison Break has returned to TV after its December Fall Finale—the new trend on TV. Must say this TV Season has been so sparse with shows that I watch; it’s the least TV I have watched in years! ….. Off to the Plush Room to see KRISTOPHER MCDOWELL in “The Anthony Newley Project.” He was in 42nd Street Moon’s production of Anthony Newley’s THE ROAR OF THE GREASPAINT, THE SMELL OF THE CROWD. He played Everyman, the part that Newley originated in the show, and did a fine job with it. Now he has developed this cabaret act along with Sharon McKnight to tell the story of Newley’s life and sing quite a few of his songs. It all coming a long quite nicely; he just needs to get rid of a few amateurish things: clearing his throat constantly and sucking water from a plastic bottle after EVERY song! Annoying! Gives it all he’s got. He owns a nightclub in Merced and I bought a weekend at his inn-nightclub; we are going there in March for an overnight stay to see Wesla and Mike! Met Kristopher before he performed and he was very friendly and told him we’d be seeing him soon at his place! …T his time around the OPEN REHEARSAL OF THE SF SYMPHONY was dull, dull, dull. Modern pieces by Spanish composers ranged from dreadful (modern piece by Gerhard) to syrupy (dances by Falla). The Hayden piece was short and not very stimulating; the Mozart Piano Concerto was played by Radu Lupu who looked ill and did not really have his heart and soul into the piece. ….. It must have been a week for being tired and dull: off to the Plush Room once again to see Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill. He was in fine form, but Wesla seemed tired and sang all slow songs. She sang for one hour on the dot—not one minute more! She usually goes 90 minutes. Maybe there are just some nights when performers “aren’t in the mood”?? She’s still one of our favorites, but I like her when she is a bit more “perky”! ….. Had a lunch for Ron Bottini, Chuck Earlenbaugh, & Eric Hubert. A leisurely time and a chance to get caught up with them all. ….. Shotgun Players THE FOREST WAR was performed in the Kabuki style with lovely costumes. The plot was rather predictable however. A drunk in the audience who kept laughing in all the wrong places and in the right places too was extremely disturbing. I do not know if the House Manager asked his group to calm down, since we left at intermission. If he is there again the next time I attend one of their productions, I shall ask that he be removed or else demand my money back. This was a play that was written and directed by Mark Johnson. I was rather impressed with the group and the theatre, which is in an old church. The pews have cushions and are in stadium-style seating. It only accommodates about 100 people so no matter where you sit, you can see very well. Also you can pay from $30 to $15 and pick out your reserved seat one hour before the performance begins. A very innovative idea! Jackson’s new play, AMERICAN SUICIDE, opens in another two weeks; am anxious to read the review on that one! May get to see it. ….. We ventured up to Sonoma to spend an afternoon and then partake of an early dinner with Sandy & Karl Stauffer. Our neighbors, Dennis & Joey also came along. It was a rather foggy day with drizzle every now and then: the perfect day to be inside sitting in front of the fireplace sipping champagne all afternoon!! Then a sumptuous meal was served with a gorgeous table setting of candles in water and real daffodils in small vases placed in front of each person (a hint of Spring in the air?!?). We began with a lovely artichoke with a mayonnaise dip; that was followed by a polenta “pizza” topped with tasty Italian cheese and grapes & raisins; then we had beef stroganoff served over rice with vegetables and delicious breads and wines; dessert was butterscotch mousse topped with fresh berries; coffee and liquors were served and we were all so “content”!!! It was a shame we had to get back home; I wanted to be in front of the fireplace to savor the meal!!

Not much more on the agenda for January. We are going to have our rugs cleaned—it’s been over a year since they were last cleaned. Since we now have light beige rugs all through the apartment, it shows every speck of dirt! What can one do?

Still looking for a new place for Dad, but no luck so far. He may just have to “adjust” to the place he is in after all. Most of the new places we have visited are worse than the place he is in.

Some travel plans are being made but nothing too definite has been decided. Eric Svenson from New York City may come to visit the end of February to get away from the cold that has finally hit the Northeast. He’ll be with us for my Oscar Party!!!

Keep in touch and in good health. Let’s hear what’s been happening with you…….

Gerry