Grey Gardens

This is a performance of a lifetime. Chris Ebersole is electrifying. It's an amazing performance.
The first act is a little slow and a little long. It's song are not the arty weird stuff I had expected, but rather a jaunty score with sweet tunes. Some of them sound like they were written in the 30'3 or 40's. Perfect for act 1. Chris plays Big Edie in Act I, a self absorbed socialite with a "pouftah" tag-along pianist. She is sweet and well-meaning, with just enough co-dependence bubbling through the composure. It's a taste of what is to come in Act II. Matt Cavenaugh and Sarah Gettelfinger were sweet as young lovers Little Edie and Joe Kennedy and the two little girls who played the Bouvier girls were appropriately sweet and precocious.
Act II opens 32 years later, the house in shambles, littered with cans and old newspapers. Little Edie enters and the fun begins. Chris, who played Big Edith in Act I, has transformed into the odd-ball, over the edge Little Edie. I can't take my eyes off of her. The accent, the costumes, the timing, all perfect. She has the same tone of resignation in her voice that the real Little Edie had. Every sentence drops in pitch at the end. Even when she is excited about something. "I've just got to get back to New York", as it drops, so does the hope of ever really leaving. It is sad, tortured and I can't take my eyes off her. I can't believe there was someone in the world who lived like that. Beautiful lunacy.
Mary Louise Wilson, who looked an awful lot like the bed-ridden Big Edith, was a terrific counter to Little Edie. She was sad, opinionated, irritating and kind. "He likes my corn" was a very funny and very touching rollercoaster of a tune.
The whole show was that odd mix of funny-sad. The reality is terrifying. It could have ended with "Another Winter in a Summer Town", but after all, it is still a musical, and you can't let them leave comlpetely devastated. Just like there lives, there has to be a little hope that it could get fixed. That someone would come in and save them both. Of course, no one ever does.
Rufus Wainwright and William Ivey Long were in the audience. That combination seemed very appropriate for a show like this.

Debra and Mary's Night on the Town

A couple weeks ago, we ran into Mary Cleere Haran at Feinstein's at the Regency. She handed us a yellow invitation and said "oh, you must come...Do you watch Project Runway?" Oh course. It is the one show of quality this TV season.
Turns out that she and composer Debra Barsha do a weekly music/variety/talk show every week at Night and Day in Brooklyn. And this weeks guest, the elegant fashion mentor Tim Gunn of Parsons/Project Runway.
The night starts with Mary and Debra telling the house of the wonderful NYC adventures they had over the past week. Great fun.
Then there are a few songs, relating to the guest, in this case, songs about fashion. Then the interview, in which Tim Gunn read from Diana Vreelands hysterical book of memos to her staff at Vogue. He is a real class act.
Daniel Vosovic, one of the three finalists on Project Runway, was there and could not have been nicer. Bill, John and I talked with him for quite a while. Very interesting. I hope he turns out to be a huge designer.
Tim Gunn was as polite and charming as I hoped. His TV persona truly is him. Dressed in a beautiful pin-stripe suit with a black turtleneck, he is a man of style and grace.
Mary was her beautiful self. That voice, it knocks me out every time.
Debra Barsha was a terrific surprise. Her version of "Losing My Mind" was gorgeous. She may even become my next piano teacher.
The owners of the Skylight Room at Night and Day, Judy and her son Max, throw a great show. Small space with huge talent.

Lucky Stiff

Last night at the Forum, Lucky Stiff opened it's limited 3 week run. The Ahrens / Flaherty musical comedy from 1988 has a terrific score, a silly story and an enthusiastic cast that the director gives a very long line to play for 2 hours.
A few stand out performances: Susie Paplow has a terrific voice and a lovely presence on stage. Karin Leone and Eddie Carlo were very funny as the zany brother and sister duo. Karin reminded me of a young Lanie Kazan. Chorus Girls Cari Christostomou (a very funny and expressive character player) and Johann Lloyd were adorable. We had drinks and talked with them for a very long time after the show. I hope they both stay in the business and work a lot. They are both lovely. It's great fun to be around people who love theater as much as us.
I was expecting a night of polite community theater, what I got was a truly entertaining, fast-past evening and a really nice production.

Kitty Carlyle Hart

Last night at the most elegant of NYC rooms, Feinsteins at the Regency, 95 year old Kitty Carlyle Hart revived her cabaret career in front of a packed and very sophisticated crowd.
She has very little voice left, and she had to read her stories to the audience, still, this icon of American culture was captivating. She sang maybe 8 or 10 tunes, opening with Old Friends and closing with Here's To Life. In between telling stories of her husband Moss Hart, and her experiences with the greats composers and lyricists of Musical Theater. The story of Harpo Marx coming to visit them in their Bucks County home was surreal and very funny. This woman made A Night at the Opera with the Marx brothers. Wild. Being invited guests to meet her after the show was a thrill too. Sure she is 95, but lovely and elegant and as together as any of us. She is a walking history lesson.
While we were about the youngest ones in the house, it was one hell of a house. John literally rubbed shoulders with Frank Rich. Marvin Hamlisch watched the show with Michael Feinstein (who was as charming to meet in person as he is on the stage).
Our favorite chanteuse Mary Cleere Haran was there and invited us to an evening in Brooklyn in 2 weeks where she is having an evening of song and witty repartee with guest Tim Gunn of Project Runway and Parsons school of Design.
Betsy Von Furstenburg (who looks like Jill Clayburgh's mother sat behind us. Gabriel Burn was sitting in the lobby with his daughter.
The New York social register sat in front of us, discussing the overpriced apartments at the Plaza. What a weird world to be listening in on. Gold lame turbans, 20 caret diamond encrusted arthritic hands. Sure is fun coming over to the east side every now and then.
John, the big four-O. Happy happy birthday. You are a dear friend. I loved watching you light up last night. And the picture of you and Mrs. Kitty Carlyle Hart will go up on the wall. I love saying that, "when John met Kitty". That should be the title of a chapter in the bio.