Although we were little kids when I LOVE LUCY aired we both adored the show. What could be better than the zany redhead and the Latin bandleader? Even the reruns are great. And we love Lucie Arnaz…the oldest offspring of the famous duo who forever changed TV and Latin music in the US.
We jumped when we saw that the 92nd Street Y had as one of the nights of their Lyrics and Lyricists Series an evening with Lucie Arnaz and decided to see this despite the fact that we were not able to get seats anywhere in the orchestra…and you know we prefer the first six rows center, aisle, if you please. Something must have come over the designer of the Y’s Kaufman Concert Hall, who was somehow confused between the often wider Jewish tush and the often anorexic Gentile derriere and let’s not even talk about the complete lack of legroom. When the curtain went up and Lucie danced onto the stage all this was forgotten.
We had no idea that she would discuss how her father’s music came to be and the very well chosen few slides in the background showed Desi in his prime. Who knew Lucie Arnaz had such an amazing voice? She looks fabulous and a genuine smile never left her face.
Lucie shared the stage with Valarie Pettiford who sings quite well and can almost dance. Desi Arnaz, Jr, who looks exactly like his father, didn’t really speak…Lucie was the moving force of the show…but Desi on the drums was a real treat and how incredibly nostalgic to think back to Little Ricky playing drums on the I Love Lucy show.
Now let’s talk about Raul Esparza. He’s to die for good looking and he just oozes talent. He, too, talked about his Cuban roots and how he cried when Lucie sent an email asking him to do this show with her. His renditions of Desi’s arrangements of songs like Cuban Pete, the Cuban Cabby, The Straw Hat Song and Old Devil Moon were just over the top. At the show’s end when Raul has the bowtie from his tuxedo undone and the huge Cuban drum across his body and he’s singing Babalu , well, it is over the top terrific. Lucie chose perfectly when she asked him to join her for this tribute.
The Y is an often over looked venue for some great, great evenings of song and dance. If you missed it last night, you only have until Monday January 11th to see this wonderful show. It is really much more than a wonderful two hours of song, dance and storytelling; it is a daughter’s love song to her Daddy.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
GIVE YOURSELF A PRESENT
Go see Present Laughter! We love Sir Noel Coward. Fortunately he wrote over 50 works before he passed away and we intend to see as many revivals of his plays as possible. So much of his work is purposefully flamboyant…just as he was when he was alive.
PRESENT LAUGHTER is the Roundabout’s latest offering at the American Airlines Theater. It’s a small but great space and we love to sit in the center orchestra – around the 4, 5 or 6th row…left side on the aisle. A volunteer usher befriended us and said we were in the ideal area if any celebs were going to be in the audience. Not two minutes later she turned away and who came to sit right behind us but the ever gracious Ron Rifkin and his lovely wife Iva. We love the way he portrays Saul (brother of Sally Field’s character Nora Walker) in Sunday night’s TV show Brothers & Sisters. The usher returned, saw Ron and asked us who he was!! The Rifkins by the way, are apparently devotees of Noel Coward, having seen productions of Present Laughter in several cities.
When the houselights dimmed and the curtain went up it was a tough decision…look straight ahead at the set, which is the gorgeous art deco living room of an upper-upper class London duplex, circa 1925, or swivel our necks around and stare at Ron. Needless to say, we have our standards and ignored Ron until the second intermission.
Victor Garber is just perfect as Gary Essendine. The title character’s name does beget the question of whether or not Coward was Jewish…Essendine? Yiddish for eat-dine!!!! Let us try to stay focused, there is no deep message here, this is a fun two hours of physical humor based on great staging and terrific timing. The very accomplished Harriet Harris is wonderful as Essendine’s long suffering secretary. Lisa Banes is the ex, but soon to be re-wife. Pamela Jane Gray and Holley Fain are wonderful passing love interests and Nancy Carroll as the Scottish cigarette-hanging-from-the mouth housekeeper is predictable but terrific, reminiscent of Irene Ryan in Pippin.
Brooks Ashmanskas steals the show with his over-the-top portrayal of gay playwright Roland Maule, who is obsessed with Essendine. He is so affected…so stereotyped…so aware of how he is playing the role that he’s just sheer joy to watch. Actually, he doesn’t even need to speak. He could depend entirely on his body and facial expressions to portray the role. He and Garber play off one another flawlessly and Garber utilizes a bit with checking his hair in a mirror throughout the play that is also predictable but much fun.
We are back where we started. Want to have two and a half hours of fun? Give yourself the present of PRESENT LAIUGHTER.
PRESENT LAUGHTER is the Roundabout’s latest offering at the American Airlines Theater. It’s a small but great space and we love to sit in the center orchestra – around the 4, 5 or 6th row…left side on the aisle. A volunteer usher befriended us and said we were in the ideal area if any celebs were going to be in the audience. Not two minutes later she turned away and who came to sit right behind us but the ever gracious Ron Rifkin and his lovely wife Iva. We love the way he portrays Saul (brother of Sally Field’s character Nora Walker) in Sunday night’s TV show Brothers & Sisters. The usher returned, saw Ron and asked us who he was!! The Rifkins by the way, are apparently devotees of Noel Coward, having seen productions of Present Laughter in several cities.
When the houselights dimmed and the curtain went up it was a tough decision…look straight ahead at the set, which is the gorgeous art deco living room of an upper-upper class London duplex, circa 1925, or swivel our necks around and stare at Ron. Needless to say, we have our standards and ignored Ron until the second intermission.
Victor Garber is just perfect as Gary Essendine. The title character’s name does beget the question of whether or not Coward was Jewish…Essendine? Yiddish for eat-dine!!!! Let us try to stay focused, there is no deep message here, this is a fun two hours of physical humor based on great staging and terrific timing. The very accomplished Harriet Harris is wonderful as Essendine’s long suffering secretary. Lisa Banes is the ex, but soon to be re-wife. Pamela Jane Gray and Holley Fain are wonderful passing love interests and Nancy Carroll as the Scottish cigarette-hanging-from-the mouth housekeeper is predictable but terrific, reminiscent of Irene Ryan in Pippin.
Brooks Ashmanskas steals the show with his over-the-top portrayal of gay playwright Roland Maule, who is obsessed with Essendine. He is so affected…so stereotyped…so aware of how he is playing the role that he’s just sheer joy to watch. Actually, he doesn’t even need to speak. He could depend entirely on his body and facial expressions to portray the role. He and Garber play off one another flawlessly and Garber utilizes a bit with checking his hair in a mirror throughout the play that is also predictable but much fun.
We are back where we started. Want to have two and a half hours of fun? Give yourself the present of PRESENT LAIUGHTER.
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