The stage adaptation of George Orwell's landmark book 1984 is ending its Broadway run this weekend. I was able to catch a performance this week and could have been fine missing it. The performing leads are exceptional including Tom Sturridge, Olivia Wilde, and the amazing Reed Birney. I last saw Mr. Birney in The Humans … Continue reading Review: 1984 – on Broadway
Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival review
Last Sunday my favorite (and closest) park in New York City hosted the annual Medieval Festival. It was terrific. Lots of good festival food (a few years ago they added beer and wine), many performance stages, demonstrations of blacksmithing and sword making, multiple themed booths selling baubles and beads, knights jousting, a live chess game, … Continue reading Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival review
National Taco Day
Today is National Taco Day. There will be plenty of special taco specials at places like Taco Bell and Del Taco and other mass purveyors of such food. I have made Korean stylized tacos with my food kit purveyors and other corruptions of the form (and they were pretty good, more in the future). There … Continue reading National Taco Day
Wait till next year with my Cincinnati Reds
My beloved Cincinnati Reds 2017 season finished on Sunday. We had the awful record of 68 wins and 94 losses. As I have for nearly three decades I can only say "Wait Till Next Year." I got to see them lose in their trip to New York again this year. I'll try to see them … Continue reading Wait till next year with my Cincinnati Reds
Review: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Stephen Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD is my favorite theater musical. I love the music, the story, the Steampunk atmosphere. I have seen a fully staged version, a John Doyle version, and a wonderful concert version with the New York Philharmonic. This was my first intimate version, not what one expects from this property. The Barrow Street … Continue reading Review: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
National Coffee Day
Today is National Coffee Day and for me that means another cup of Café du Monde, coffee blended with ground chicory from New Orleans. Chicory is the root of the endive plant which is roasted and ground up and blended with ground coffee. For me it provides a perfect blend of a black cup of … Continue reading National Coffee Day
Edward Albee Collection sells 100%
I hope you had the chance to visit the exhibit of the Edward Albee art collection at Sotheby's. Like theatre, such events are fleeting and of the moment. If you miss it, you will never get another chance to experience it. I made sure to visit and commune with the objects he collected over his … Continue reading Edward Albee Collection sells 100%
This weekend: The Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park
On Sunday, October 1, come to Fort Tryon Park, near the top of Manhattan (and right next door to me) to enjoy the annual Medieval Festival. Take the A Train to 190th Street stop, take the elevator up to Fort Washington Avenue and turn right. There will be jousting, falconry demonstrations, medieval weaponry, people in … Continue reading This weekend: The Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park
National Pancake Day
Today is National Pancake Day. Many cultures around the world have their own versions from crepes to blinis, from sweet to savory, filled and flat but they are all delicious. I am particularly fond of the good old American version which needs a hot griddle, butter and syrup. At home I use a sourdough batter … Continue reading National Pancake Day
Review: The Red Letter Plays (IN THE BLOOD and F**KING A)
Recently I saw the two Red Letter Plays written by Susan-Lori Parks at the Signature Theatre in New York. Parks had off-handedly said she would write a new play based on the classic American novel "The Scarlet Letter." When she scrapped her first attempt that she titled F**KING A (I use the same attribute used … Continue reading Review: The Red Letter Plays (IN THE BLOOD and F**KING A)
Hobbit Day
September 22 was named Hobbit Day by the American Tolkien Society as it is the shared birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins in the novels of J.R.R. Tolkien. Nowadays most people know of the excellent Peter Jackson movies. When I was in high school and college I read the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings … Continue reading Hobbit Day
End of Summer
Today is officially the last day of summer. It has been a nice summer and relatively mild in New York. With the multiple fires in the west, hurricanes Harvey and Irma, it has been tough across the country. Autumn is my favorite season and it always lovely in New York. I'm looking forward to the … Continue reading End of Summer
The Edward Albee Collection at Sotheby’s
When Edward Albee died about a year ago his estate arranged an auction of the art work he had collected to benefit the foundation he established. Sotheby's won the right to conduct the auction and the exhibit for the sale opens today at their headquarters on the upper East Side of Manhattan. I have purchased … Continue reading The Edward Albee Collection at Sotheby’s
International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Unlike many national days the source of this one is well known. It was founded by John Baur and Mark Summers (aka Ol’ Chumbucket and Cap’n Slappy) in 1995. Click here for the entire story! In theory you are supposed to speak pirate slang with lots of Aaar's … Continue reading International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Broadway Season Preview
Living in New York City provides unlimited opportunities to see live theater. While I see Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway shows, this post I'll preview Broadway shows coming this season. I tend to value shop and seldom pay full price to see shows. I belong to several discount services. For a full summary of the season, … Continue reading Broadway Season Preview
Cassini Mission Ending
Human beings are capable of horrible things. You think times are tough today? Go back in history to any previous period, the cruel methods taken by empires, mobs, and local societies, behavior we would decry as inhuman was all too common. Life was brutal and short. We are fortunate to live in today's world. At … Continue reading Cassini Mission Ending
National Cream Filled Donut Day
Today is National Cream Filled Donut Day. Deep Breath. I love Cream Filled Donuts but I avoid them at all costs. Slight tremor of my right hand. They are so delicious as to be unable to be resisted. A glistening dribble of drool escapes from the edge of my lip. A Boston Creme Donut is … Continue reading National Cream Filled Donut Day
Mom vs. Irma
Mom lives in a retirement trailer park between Orlando and Ocala. She likes the warm climate and the friendly neighbors. When Irma threatened she said "If it is less than a Category 3, no problem. Been there, done that." Since that was the forecast she declined the chance to evacuate. Thank goodness Irma was worn … Continue reading Mom vs. Irma
Recent Reads: RAZZLE DAZZLE, THE BATTLE FOR BROADWAY by Michael Riedel
Books about show biz too often focus on the glitter and glamour of the performers but Razzle Dazzle fixates on the theater owners that really rule The Great White Way. This is a fascinating and fun read on the history of Broadway theaters focusing on the seventies and eighties but providing full context. It dwells … Continue reading Recent Reads: RAZZLE DAZZLE, THE BATTLE FOR BROADWAY by Michael Riedel
September 11 Anniversary
That Tuesday in 2001 was a clear and beautiful day. I had voted in the mayoral primary and was at my desk as Managing Director of the New York State Theater (now the David H. Koch Theater) at Lincoln Center. My assistant let me know that a plane had hit one of the towers of … Continue reading September 11 Anniversary
National Stand Up To Cancer Day
The second Friday in September is National Stand Up To Cancer Day. I am a cancer survivor and grateful to be around to talk about it. Cancer is something many people don't want to even whisper about but it has far reaching consequences for many people. Mine was excised, removed, cut out and not returned … Continue reading National Stand Up To Cancer Day
Seeing my hometown Cincinnati Reds play the New York Mets
Tonight we go to Citifield to see my Cincinnati Reds take on the New York Mets. I know the modern argument that in professional sports you are really rooting for a uniform, not a team as the players are interchangeable, unlike the "old days." Actually players were moved around in the old days but at … Continue reading Seeing my hometown Cincinnati Reds play the New York Mets
Bonus post: Springtime for our Little Hitlers
Had to add a quick note. Just read a great piece in the flailing New York Times. I subscribe but think they allow visitors to read several articles each month. Give it a read: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/06/opinion/comedy-protest-taxes-nazis.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-right-region®ion=opinion-c-col-right-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-right-region Hope the link works. It helps me explain why I am both anti-White-Power and anti-Antifa. Non violence and humor always … Continue reading Bonus post: Springtime for our Little Hitlers
Update your resumé month
September is Update Your Resumé Month. It is a good time to annually review and freshen up your resumé. When I was an actor, a long time ago, I would freshen my resumé on a regular basis as I was always adding shows and prioritizing which shows I wanted seen by those holding an audition (there was only … Continue reading Update your resumé month
100 Posts
About a year ago I started this blog, somewhat on a whim. The software (WordPress) keeps track of all sorts of statistics and informs me that this is my one hundredth post. When I started I had no specific goal and early entries were random and sporadic. As I recently left my last job I … Continue reading 100 Posts
Walter Thinnes 
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