“PRESENT LAUGHTER,” ALONGSIDE THE SILK ROAD IN THE CITY

Here I am again, right on schedule, as promised, and home in LA after a nice break back east.  Last week while in NYC, I went to see the Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of “Present Laughter,” a Noël Coward play starring Victor Garber, known by most for his role on “Alias,” as the father of Jennifer Garner.  Harriet Harris, whom you might recognize from “Desperate Housewives,” also appears. They were both fantastic, and I really enjoyed the play overall.  It consists of three acts, with two intermissions, which make the running time longer than most, but the cast kept the story, action and comedy moving well.  The elegant and elaborate art deco set, was quite appealing to the eye from all angles.

The play revolves around Garry Essendine, an egotistical actor, played by Garber, who is about to celebrate his birthday with a trip to Africa.  In the opening of the show, a pretty, young girl, Daphne Stilllington, played sweetly by Holley Fain, visits him after she has “lost her latch key,” a running joke throughout the play.  During this time we meet all three of Garry’s assistants: his secretary, Monica Reed, played by Harriet Harris; his butler, Fred, played by James Joseph O’Neil, and his German maid, Miss Erickson, played by Nancy E. Carroll.  Garry is still very much in contact with and close to his ex-wife, Liz Essendine, played by the well established Lisa Banes, who enters the plot when she suspects an affair between Garry’s manager, Morris Dixon, played by Marc Vietor, and the wife of his producer, Harry Lyppiatt’s, played by Richard Poe.  The wife, Joanna, played by Pamela Jane Gray, sports a stunning, eye-catching, elegant, empire-waisted, long, flowing, black and white dress in the first act, which I so much wanted for myself!  During Liz’s expression of her suspicion to Gary, the overly flamboyant Roland Maule, played perfectly, with no shortage of laughs, by Brooks Ashmanskas, visits him and wants his play critiqued by Garry.  As the plot develops, we see the interaction between all the characters, along with a little blackmail, seduction and an assortment of escapades.  So, if you find yourself in Manhattan, I highly recommend this show and feel the comedy will bring some refreshing laughs into your life.

While in the city, I also took in “The Silk Road Exhibit,” on the upper west side, at the American Museum of Natural History, and met up with my very good and extremely talented friend and fellow actor Chris Chalk, for dinner at Scaletta Ristorante, which was delish!  During this time, I realized that one of the things I do miss, living in LA, is the opportunity to go to Broadway shows and see a variety of good theatre, especially musicals, all packed with the true talent NYC holds.  I think I got spoiled living in the city, after college, and having the ability to walk to shows at every turn.  Also, I’ve been fortunate growing up so close to the city and having extraordinary parents who believe in the arts and took us to musicals, plays, exhibits and more, from a very young age on.

All in all, 2010 has been a great year, even though it has just begun, and I feel good about it while looking forward to all it has to offer!  I hope it is playing out positively for you as well, and, if not, remember that you are in control of your own adventure in life, so you have to make it happen, something my marvelous mother often encouragingly reminds me.  ‘Til next time, try to enjoy your own adventure, and I’ll do the same!

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” – Oprah Winfrey