This may be one of my favorite National Days and one that basically includes all the other ones listed on this blog. It was founded to be an excuse to break your diet for one day, to indulge so that you are ready to go back to your dreary food life tomorrow having sated yourself … Continue reading National Eat What You Want Day
Links
Quick update on TAKE WING
My short play TAKE WING takes the stage at the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village. Mark your calendar. Performances are Thursday, June 14 - Saturday, June 16 at 7 PM and Sunday, June 17 at 3 PM. Shows in the series tend to sell out quickly so buy your tickets now at http://www.shortplaynyc.com. Use the … Continue reading Quick update on TAKE WING
Review – Carousel
Rodgers and Hammerstein's CAROUSEL is one of the American Musical Theatre's seminal works and one of my favorite musicals. The current production at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway is a great (if dance heavy) work. They seem to have added extended dance breaks and while talented, the dance sections weigh down the show. In addition … Continue reading Review – Carousel
Rydes are back in season
While I ryde my Can-Am Spyder year round, the really fun times come as spring breaks and I can take some of my favorite routes. That is especially true of Arden Valley Road on the edge of Harriman State Park just north of NYC. The road is actually closed from December 1 through April 1 … Continue reading Rydes are back in season
Review – The Iceman Cometh
Anytime I get the chance to see Eugene O'Neill on stage I am happy. This production of The Iceman Cometh is a terrific production, directed by wonderfully by George C. Wolfe. Amazingly the star turn by Denzel Washington is not a preening look at me self centered STAR guy. The script is the star and … Continue reading Review – The Iceman Cometh
Are Swedish Meatballs really Turkish?
Great article in the New York Times this morning revealing that the famous Swedish Meatballs come from a recipe originating in Turkey (Ottoman Empire) back in the early 18th Century. Turkey crowed and Sweden swooned but the article included a recipe. You can find it here... https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/02/world/europe/swedish-meatballs-turkey.html?module=WatchingPortal®ion=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=3&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2018%2F05%2F02%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Fswedish-meatballs-turkey.html&eventName=Watching-article-click So, of course I had to try it. … Continue reading Are Swedish Meatballs really Turkish?
Review – Saint Joan
We are fortunate in New York to have not-for-profits on Broadway to do Bernard Shaw's SAINT JOAN. The size of the cast alone would deter commercial producers as well as an earnest script by a playwright from early last century. Sure you can find this in regional theatre and university, but not on Broadway. I'm … Continue reading Review – Saint Joan
TONY Award Nominations
The 2018 TONY Awards were announced yesterday. With my love of theater and Broadway, I have seen a majority of the nominations but not all. There were no shocks or surprises this year. There were a number of great productions on the boards this season and the TONY Award show on June 10 should be … Continue reading TONY Award Nominations
TAKE WING in the next Players Theater festival
I've just gotten word that my short play TAKE WING has been invited to be part of the Short Play Festival at the Players Theatre in the Village in June - Only in New York edition. There are three weeks of programming and we will find out which slot we will be part of very … Continue reading TAKE WING in the next Players Theater festival
A LOT of the Rockefeller Sale at Christies
Auction houses like Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips and others offer free admission to selling exhibitions for a few days before each auction. From time to time I will select notable auction lots to bring to your attention. This blog feature is not endorsed by the auction house nor written by any kind of art expert. Just … Continue reading A LOT of the Rockefeller Sale at Christies
Review – Lobby Hero
First note: Catch this play on Broadway soon as it closes on May 13. The production, performers and playwright all require your attention. Second note: Welcome Second Stage Theatre to Broadway. I have been a fan of your offerings for decades and now that you are bringing living American Playwrights to the Main Stem, I … Continue reading Review – Lobby Hero
Happy Birthday, Pamela
It is a very special National Day today - Happy Birthday, Pamela! As always you can find more on http://www.walterthinnes.com and on Twitter @walterthinnes TOMORROW: another classic script revived and reviewed
Review – Travesties
Tom Stoppard is one of my favorite playwrights. The intellectual twists and turns come pouring at you as from a fire hose. His plays are incredibly crafted, carefully assembled tours de force that are a mental workout that I absolutely love. Travesties was written in the 1970's and sprang from Mr. Stoppard's discoveries that an … Continue reading Review – Travesties
National Pigs in a Blanket Day
Today is National Pigs in a Blanket Day, when we celebrate flaky crust surrounding a meat product of vaguely mysterious origins. I don't want to ruin your enjoyment of these tasty snacks, but remind you to always eat kosher hot dogs. Trust me, you do not want to hear the stories of my younger days … Continue reading National Pigs in a Blanket Day
National Talk Like Shakespeare Day
Today's National Day coincides with the anniversary of the Bard's Birth in 1564. Of course we need to Brush Up Your Shakespeare even if you Hate Shakespeare (Name the two musicals!). He is truly the fountainhead of English Playwriting. There is no escaping him in theatre so homage must be paid. However, today's Speak Like … Continue reading National Talk Like Shakespeare Day
Review – Children of a Lesser God
You would think that having seen as many stage productions as I have that by now I would have seen just about everything. Not quite. I did not see earlier mountings or the movie of Children of a Lesser God but I saw the most recent Broadway version last night. Of course I knew about … Continue reading Review – Children of a Lesser God
National Garlic Day
Today is National Garlic Day. Boy do I love garlic. Two hints, one I learned in the last year, the other a long time ago. This year I learned to make garlic chips. Thinly slice (there is a great device for this, much like a mini mandolin) the garlic cloves. Heat a shallow layer (but … Continue reading National Garlic Day
Last Chance to Dance on Broadway…
... at least to still be eligible for the 2018 TONY Awards! This is always a crazy time of year when producers vie to open shows before the eligibility deadline (This year April 26). That means six openings will occur between now and then, including Summer: The Donna Summer musical (and hence my title). They … Continue reading Last Chance to Dance on Broadway…
Taxes due today
Yep, due to the weekend date of April 15 and yesterday's Patriots Day in Massachusetts, today is actually the day your federal and state taxes are due. Many people complain about paying their taxes but I hold to the principle played out by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. His famous quote is "Taxes are the price … Continue reading Taxes due today
Review – Once on this Island
Don't miss this joyful expression of love and loss at one of my favorite Broadway venues. Once on the Island is a remounting of a Lynn/Flaherty story taking place in one of the French Antilles. Accordingly the stage is covered in sand and the entire theatre is dressed in poor but vibrant environment of the … Continue reading Review – Once on this Island
Review – Harry Clarke
Every actor and playwright I know should hurry to the Minetta Lane Theatre to see the production of Harry Clarke performed by Billy Crudup before it closes mid-May. Discounts abound and there is no reason to miss this incredible work. Mr. Crudup has long been one of my favorite stage actors and I have just … Continue reading Review – Harry Clarke
Having fun with a Raclette (the device, not the cheese)
As noted here, yesterday was National Fondue Day. As it happens I had been considering getting a fondue set and looked on Amazon.com. It slid in a recommendation for something called a Raclette. I was familiar with the cheese by that name, a perfect melting cheese good for sandwiches and other applications but had never … Continue reading Having fun with a Raclette (the device, not the cheese)
National Cheese Fondue Day
Today is National Cheese Fondue Day and I am supposing that pretty much everyone here knows what fondue is. But when I was growing up in the sixties and seventies it was exotic and very special. My parents had an electric fondue kit and when it was on the dinner table it was a special … Continue reading National Cheese Fondue Day
A special LOT to talk about
Auction houses like Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips and others offer free admission to selling exhibitions for a few days before each auction. From time to time I will select notable auction lots to bring to your attention. This blog feature is not endorsed by the auction house nor written by any kind of art expert. Just … Continue reading A special LOT to talk about
A Jewelry LOT to talk about
Auction houses like Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips and others offer free admission to selling exhibitions for a few days before each auction. From time to time I will select notable auction lots to bring to your attention. This blog feature is not endorsed by the auction house nor written by any kind of art expert. Just … Continue reading A Jewelry LOT to talk about

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