New York City: Red (July 2010)
Designed with the colors and mood of the American Southwest, Red Restaurant serves up Mexican food in the heart of the South Street Seaport. In addition to a burrito- and fajita-filled menu, every weeknight they offer happy hour with a variety of draft and bottled beer, flavored and frozen margaritas, as well as sangria. And you can walk off your meal by visiting one of the nearby City attractions like City Hall or Fulton Fish Market.
New York City: Le Bernardin (July 2010)
My spouse and I dined for dinner at le Bernardin in July 2010. We felt like we had a substandard table, yet we had an amazing meal. I never knew that I liked fish before! The food was amazing; each dish was sauced at the table. One sauce even made the fish taste like beef. We had read some reviews of the restaurant beforehand, which led us to request the special "Laiskonis Egg", which was an additional dessert course that other diners did not receive. Le Bernardin is a Michelin Guide three star, Zagat-rated French seafood restaurant started in 1972 in Paris by Gilbert Le Coze and his sister Maguy Le Coze under the name Les Moines de St. Bernardin and moved to New York in 1986. Gilbert le Coze died of a heart attack in 1994, and Eric Ripert succeeded him as the head chef. Signature dishes include kindai maguro (sustainably raised Japanese bluefin tuna), Kobe beef and escolar. In 2009, Le Bernardin was voted 15th best restaurant in the world in the Restaurant magazine Top 50. Le Bernardin is one of only seven restaurants in New York awarded three Michelin stars, and is the restaurant that has held four stars from The New York Times for the longest period of time, having earned the ranking in early 1986. It has received James Beard Foundation Awards such as Outstanding Restaurant 1998, Outstanding Chef Eric Ripert 2003, and Outstanding Pastry Chef Michael Laiskonis 2007. Regarding the famous "Laiskonis Egg", where some chefs might see trash, Michael Laiskonis sees a dessert. Most chefs wouldn’t think twice about cracking open an egg and throwing out the shells, but that’s not the case with Laiskonis. One of his signature desserts uses humble brown egg shells to hold a delicate custard-filled dessert.
New York City: Rue 57 (July 2010)
My spouse and I dined at Rue 57 in July 2010. The burgundy-and-brass-bistro-by-the-numbers rooms don't lead you to expect much, but what used to be the dreariest corner on 57th Street is now a boisterously attractive destination with quirky dishes like meatloaf made with Kobe beef topped with chipotle-brown sugar sauce. Unlike Pastis, it won't remind you of Paris. But when was the last time you ate this well around the corner from Bergdorf Goodman?
New York City: Bar Boulud (July 2010)
My spouse and I dined outdoors at Bar Boulud in July 2010. We enjoyed an amazing charcuterie platter on their patio. Bar Boulud, Daniel Boulud’s casual bistro located across from Manhattans Lincoln Center that opened in 2008, serves the signature terrines and pâtés of famed Parisian Charcutier, Gilles Verot, along with a complete menu of seasonal French bistro cooking. The restaurant’s cellar features the wines of Burgundy and the Rhone Valley. The main dining room with its cutting edge contemporary design includes communal seating at the charcuterie bar and a tasting table in the round. Weather permitting, enjoy the outdoor terrace. To reach three private wine themed dining rooms travel through the visually striking “Cave A Vine”.
New York City: Doubletree Times Square (July 2010)
I stayed here for 1 night in late July using a Hilton free night award. The location couldn't be better - or more touristy! I could see the Duffy Square TKTS booth from my window, along with the non-stop 24/7 action! You enter this hotel on the street level, and must immediately take the elevator up three floors to the lobby. The lobby is small, but they've made a clever use of the space. If you want to sit and wait for friends, most of the seating is in the little bar area, so you are encouraged to have a drink while you wait. The bar area serves some breakfast items in the morning, while Gingers, their full-service restaurant, serves an excellent buffet (made-to-order omelets and waffles, among many other hot and cold choices). It is necessary to take another bank of elevators to the guestrooms. The rooms are huge - with a living room area and separate bedroom, and nice-sized bathroom. There's a wet bar area in the living room, with a microwave and refrigerator and bar sink. This is one of the largest hotel rooms that I've ever stayed in in New York City. I would definitely stay here again, although as I said previously, it is right in the middle of the Times Square/Theatre District area, so there's lots of action going on which some people may find too hectic and touristy.
Theatre: The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (July 2010)
The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy by William Shakespeare,
first published in 1602, though believed to have been written prior to
1597. The Windsor of the play's title is a reference to Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England, and though nominally set in the reign of Henry IV, the play makes no pretence to exist outside contemporary Elizabethan era English middle class life. It features the character Sir John Falstaff, the fat knight who had previously been featured in Henry IV Parts 1 and 2. It has been adapted for the opera on several occasions.
The play is nominally set in the early 15th century, during the same period as the Henry IV plays featuring Falstaff, but there is only one brief reference to this period, a line in which the character Fenton is said to have been one of Prince Hal's rowdy friends (he "kept company with the wild prince and Poins"). In all other respects, the play implies a contemporary setting of the Elizabethan era, c. 1600.
Falstaff arrives in Windsor very short on money. He decides, to obtain financial advantage, that he will court two wealthy married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. Falstaff decides to send the women identical love letters and asks his servants – Pistol and Nym – to deliver them to the wives. When they refuse, Falstaff sacks them, and, in revenge, the men tell Ford and Page (the husbands) of Falstaff's intentions. Page is not concerned, but the jealous Ford persuades the Host of the Garter Inn to introduce him to Falstaff as a 'Master Brook' so that he can find out Falstaff's plans.
Meanwhile, three different men are trying to win the hand of Page's daughter, Anne Page. Mistress Page would like her daughter to marry Doctor Caius, a French physician, whereas the girl's father would like her to marry Master Slender. Anne herself is in love with Master Fenton, but Page had previously rejected Fenton as a suitor due to his having squandered his considerable fortune on high-class living. Hugh Evans, a Welsh parson, tries to enlist the help of Mistress Quickly (servant to Doctor Caius) in wooing Anne for Slender, but the doctor discovers this and challenges Evans to a duel. The Host of the Garter Inn prevents this duel by telling both men a different meeting place, causing much amusement for himself, Justice Shallow, Page and others. Evans and Caius decide to work together to be revenged on the Host.
When the women receive the letters, each goes to tell the other, and they quickly find that the letters are almost identical. The "merry wives" are not interested in the ageing, overweight Falstaff as a suitor; however, for the sake of their own amusement and to gain revenge for his indecent assumptions towards them both, they pretend to respond to his advances.
This all results in great embarrassment for Falstaff. Mr. Ford poses as 'Mr. Brook' and says he is in love with Mistress Ford but cannot woo her as she is too virtuous. He offers to pay Falstaff to court her, saying that once she has lost her honour he will be able to tempt her himself. Falstaff cannot believe his luck, and tells 'Brook' he has already arranged to meet Mistress Ford while her husband is out. Falstaff leaves to keep his appointment and Ford soliloquises that he is right to suspect his wife and that the trusting Page is a fool.
When Falstaff arrives to meet Mistress Ford, the merry wives trick him into hiding in a laundry basket ("buck basket") full of filthy, smelly clothes awaiting laundering. When the jealous Ford returns to try and catch his wife with the knight, the wives have the basket taken away and the contents (including Falstaff) dumped into the river. Although this affects Falstaff's pride, his ego is surprisingly resilient. He is convinced that the wives are just "playing hard to get" with him, so he continues his pursuit of sexual advancement, with its attendant capital and opportunities for blackmail.
Again Falstaff goes to meet the women but Mistress Page comes back and warns Mistress Ford of her husband's approach again. They try to think of ways to hide him other than the laundry basket which he refuses to get into again. They trick him again, this time into disguising himself as Mistress Ford's maid's obese aunt, known as "the fat woman of Brentford". Ford tries once again to catch his wife with the knight but ends up beating the "old woman", whom he despises, and throwing her out of his house. Black and blue, Falstaff laments his bad luck.
Eventually the wives tell their husbands about the series of jokes they have played on Falstaff, and together they devise one last trick which ends up with the Knight being humiliated in front of the whole town. They tell Falstaff to dress as "Herne, the Hunter" and meet them by an old oak tree in Windsor Forest (now part of Windsor Great Park). They then dress several of the local children, including Anne and William Page, as fairies and get them to pinch and burn Falstaff to punish him. Page plots to dress Anne in white and tells Slender to steal her away and marry her during the revels. Mistress Page and Doctor Caius arrange to do the same, but they arrange Anne shall be dressed in green. Anne tells Fenton this, and he and the Host arrange for Anne and Fenton to be married instead.
The wives meet Falstaff, and almost immediately the "fairies" attack. Slender, Caius, and Fenton steal away their brides-to-be during the chaos, and the rest of the characters reveal their true identities to Falstaff.
Although he is embarrassed, Falstaff takes the joke surprisingly well, as he sees it was what he deserved. Ford says he must pay back the 20 pounds 'Brook' gave him and takes the Knight's horses as recompense. Slender suddenly appears and says he has been deceived – the 'girl' he took away to marry was not Anne but a young boy. Caius arrives with similar news – however, he has actually married his boy! Fenton and Anne arrive and admit that they love each other and have been married. Fenton chides the parents for trying to force Anne to marry men she did not love and the parents accept the marriage and congratulate the young pair. Eventually they all leave together and Mistress Page even invites Falstaff to come with them: "let us every one go home, and laugh this sport o'er by a country fire; Sir John and all".
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
The play is nominally set in the early 15th century, during the same period as the Henry IV plays featuring Falstaff, but there is only one brief reference to this period, a line in which the character Fenton is said to have been one of Prince Hal's rowdy friends (he "kept company with the wild prince and Poins"). In all other respects, the play implies a contemporary setting of the Elizabethan era, c. 1600.
Falstaff arrives in Windsor very short on money. He decides, to obtain financial advantage, that he will court two wealthy married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. Falstaff decides to send the women identical love letters and asks his servants – Pistol and Nym – to deliver them to the wives. When they refuse, Falstaff sacks them, and, in revenge, the men tell Ford and Page (the husbands) of Falstaff's intentions. Page is not concerned, but the jealous Ford persuades the Host of the Garter Inn to introduce him to Falstaff as a 'Master Brook' so that he can find out Falstaff's plans.
Meanwhile, three different men are trying to win the hand of Page's daughter, Anne Page. Mistress Page would like her daughter to marry Doctor Caius, a French physician, whereas the girl's father would like her to marry Master Slender. Anne herself is in love with Master Fenton, but Page had previously rejected Fenton as a suitor due to his having squandered his considerable fortune on high-class living. Hugh Evans, a Welsh parson, tries to enlist the help of Mistress Quickly (servant to Doctor Caius) in wooing Anne for Slender, but the doctor discovers this and challenges Evans to a duel. The Host of the Garter Inn prevents this duel by telling both men a different meeting place, causing much amusement for himself, Justice Shallow, Page and others. Evans and Caius decide to work together to be revenged on the Host.
When the women receive the letters, each goes to tell the other, and they quickly find that the letters are almost identical. The "merry wives" are not interested in the ageing, overweight Falstaff as a suitor; however, for the sake of their own amusement and to gain revenge for his indecent assumptions towards them both, they pretend to respond to his advances.
This all results in great embarrassment for Falstaff. Mr. Ford poses as 'Mr. Brook' and says he is in love with Mistress Ford but cannot woo her as she is too virtuous. He offers to pay Falstaff to court her, saying that once she has lost her honour he will be able to tempt her himself. Falstaff cannot believe his luck, and tells 'Brook' he has already arranged to meet Mistress Ford while her husband is out. Falstaff leaves to keep his appointment and Ford soliloquises that he is right to suspect his wife and that the trusting Page is a fool.
When Falstaff arrives to meet Mistress Ford, the merry wives trick him into hiding in a laundry basket ("buck basket") full of filthy, smelly clothes awaiting laundering. When the jealous Ford returns to try and catch his wife with the knight, the wives have the basket taken away and the contents (including Falstaff) dumped into the river. Although this affects Falstaff's pride, his ego is surprisingly resilient. He is convinced that the wives are just "playing hard to get" with him, so he continues his pursuit of sexual advancement, with its attendant capital and opportunities for blackmail.
Again Falstaff goes to meet the women but Mistress Page comes back and warns Mistress Ford of her husband's approach again. They try to think of ways to hide him other than the laundry basket which he refuses to get into again. They trick him again, this time into disguising himself as Mistress Ford's maid's obese aunt, known as "the fat woman of Brentford". Ford tries once again to catch his wife with the knight but ends up beating the "old woman", whom he despises, and throwing her out of his house. Black and blue, Falstaff laments his bad luck.
Eventually the wives tell their husbands about the series of jokes they have played on Falstaff, and together they devise one last trick which ends up with the Knight being humiliated in front of the whole town. They tell Falstaff to dress as "Herne, the Hunter" and meet them by an old oak tree in Windsor Forest (now part of Windsor Great Park). They then dress several of the local children, including Anne and William Page, as fairies and get them to pinch and burn Falstaff to punish him. Page plots to dress Anne in white and tells Slender to steal her away and marry her during the revels. Mistress Page and Doctor Caius arrange to do the same, but they arrange Anne shall be dressed in green. Anne tells Fenton this, and he and the Host arrange for Anne and Fenton to be married instead.
The wives meet Falstaff, and almost immediately the "fairies" attack. Slender, Caius, and Fenton steal away their brides-to-be during the chaos, and the rest of the characters reveal their true identities to Falstaff.
Although he is embarrassed, Falstaff takes the joke surprisingly well, as he sees it was what he deserved. Ford says he must pay back the 20 pounds 'Brook' gave him and takes the Knight's horses as recompense. Slender suddenly appears and says he has been deceived – the 'girl' he took away to marry was not Anne but a young boy. Caius arrives with similar news – however, he has actually married his boy! Fenton and Anne arrive and admit that they love each other and have been married. Fenton chides the parents for trying to force Anne to marry men she did not love and the parents accept the marriage and congratulate the young pair. Eventually they all leave together and Mistress Page even invites Falstaff to come with them: "let us every one go home, and laugh this sport o'er by a country fire; Sir John and all".
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
Chicago (July 2010)
My spouse and I visited Chicago for a long weekend in mid-July 2010. My spouse was working the previous week in the city, so I flew out myself to join him. After I arrived on Thursday evening at the Embassy Suites Lakeview, we had dinner at Marcus Samuelson's C-House. My spouse worked on Friday, so I visited the Ohio Street Beach myself. In the late afternoon, we took an architectural cruise on the Chicago River, then we had dinner together at Big Bowl. On Saturday, we visited the Millennium Park (Cloud Gate and Crown Fountain), then went to the Art Institute of Chicago (where we last visited about 9 years earlier). We had reservations to dine at Charlie Trotters in the evening, but my spouse was feeling very sick all day. We did manage to eat some lunch at Terzo Piano (at the Art Institute) and then some dinner at Emilio's Sol y Nieve. The next day, we visited Navy Pier (and the Smith Museum of Stained Glass) and had lunch at Riva Ristorante before we flew home together.
Hotel:
Restaurants:
Activities:
Hotel:
- Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown Lakeview Link to my review
Restaurants:
- C-House Link to my review
- Big Bowl Link to my review
- Terzo Piano Link to my review
- Charlie Trotter (aborted!)
- Emilio’s Tapas Sol y Nieve Link to my review
- Riva Ristorante Link to my review
Activities:
- Ohio Street Beach
- Architectural Cruise on Chicago River
- Art Institute of Chicago (George Seurat's Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Vincent vanGogh's Self-Portrait, Pierre-Auguste Renoir's Two Sisters (On the Terrace), Winslow Homer's The Herring Net, Henri Touluse-Lautrec's At the Moulin Rouge, Claude Monet's Water Lillies, Watery Lily Pond, Stacks of Wheat (End of Summer), Arrival of the Normandy Train at the Gare Saint-Lazare, Poppy Field (Giverny)
- Millennium Park (Cloud Gate and Crown Fountain)
- Smith Museum of Stained Glass
- Navy Pier
Chicago: Emilio's Tapas Sol y Nieve (July 2010)
My spouse and I dined for dinner at Emilio’s Tapas Sol y Nieve in mid-July 2010. Emilios has two locations: the downtown/city location is just east of Michigan Avenue. (The other location is in Hillside just west of Manheim.) Because of its upscale and classic style, Emilio’s Tapas Sol y Nieve in Streeterville is a perfect place to enjoy good food and good company. This high-profile tapas restaurant lies steps away from Navy Pier and offers beautiful outdoor seating on one of the best patios in the city, along with a hand-crafted bar and elegant dining rooms. It’s a wonderful place to see and be seen while you share the delicate, simply-prepared hot and cold Spanish small plates that inspired media outlets to dub owner/chef Emilio Gervilla “the Tapas King.” Sol y Nieve serves up relaxing lunch breaks, after-work specialty cocktails, or leisurely and luxurious dinners. It also gives guests a dreamy Spanish experience right in the heart of Chicago. Sol y Nieve is located at 215 East Ohio Street, just east of the Magnificent Mile — close to tourist attractions, Chicago landmarks, and nighttime hotspots. Under the care of Chef Crispin and the watchful eye of Emilio Gervilla himself, Sol y Nieve continues to win awards and recognition from Zagat’s, Chicago Magazine, Food Industry news, and other media outlets. Sol y Nieve regularly holds events such as flamenco demonstrations, wine dinners, tastings, and live Spanish music. The seafood paella was amazing!
Chicago: Terzo Piano (July 2010)
My spouse and I dined for lunch at Terzo Piano in mid-July
2010. Located in the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, Terzo Piano
is a must-stop for lunch, Sunday Brunch, and Thursday dinner. It features the
signature cuisine of Chef Tony Mantuano, who has been delighting Chicagoans for
years at the four-star Italian restaurant, Spiaggia. Chef di Cucina Megan
Neubeck uses fresh, local, organic and sustainably produced ingredients to
create seasonal menus. To accentuate your meal, we hand select the finest
American cheeses to feature on our artisan cheese list, plus our creative
desserts follow the same seasonal, local theme with delicious results. The
pride in our menus doesn’t stop with the food. Terzo Piano’s all natural house
made sodas use fresh fruit juices and herbs to create unique and refreshing
flavors that satisfy. Chef di Cucina Megan Neubeck creates seasonal cocktails
with the same ingenuity. Wine expert Cathy Mantuano selects quality wines from
global producers, and creates a wine list, which is food friendly and “clever”
as described by the Wall Street Journal. If you are feeling spontaneous, Terzo
Piano’s bar and lounge area with first-come first-serve seating is perfect for
a quick bite and cocktails. Dine al fresco on the Bluhm Family Terrace, while
enjoying spectacular views of Millennium Park and Michigan Avenue. We welcome you
to enjoy our beautiful, bright setting guided by our personable and
professional service staff that will accommodate your every dining need. Since
opening the critically acclaimed Spiaggia more than 20 years ago, Executive
Chef Tony Mantuano has become one of the most celebrated chefs in Chicago. In
2005, after three previous nominations, he received the James Beard Foundation’s
Best Chef Midwest Award for his innovative approach to Italian cuisine.Under
Chef Mantuano’s guidance, Spiaggia Restaurant itself has received several
nominations from the James Beard Foundation: for Outstanding Restaurant in
America in 2006, 2007 and 2010 and for Outstanding Service in 2008, 2009, 2012.
Prior to opening Spiaggia, Chef Mantuano developed his craft at several
Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy, including the three-star Dal Pescatore
in Lombardia and the renowned Da Romano. He has co-authored two books with his
wife, Cathy Mantuano: Wine Bar Food (Clarkson Potter) and The Spiaggia Cookbook—Eleganza
Italian in Cucina (Chronicle Books), which was nominated by the James Beard
Foundation as a top cookbook in 2004. Today, Chef Mantuano continues to lead
the culinary team at Spiaggia. In November 2011, Mantuano opened the
neighborhood bar and pizzeria Bar Toma, which has received three stars from the
Chicago Tribune and named one of Food and Wine’s “Best New Pizzeria’s in the
US.
Chicago: Riva Ristorante (July 2010)
My spouse and I dined for lunch on a Sunday afternoon at Riva Ristorante in mid-July 2010. Enjoy the breathtaking views of the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan at Riva Restaurant on Navy Pier. Menu items include premium seafood, prime steaks and daily specials, as well as extensive wine selections. Chicago's only seafood restaurant on the waterfront! Luigi Garcia has a wealth of education and experience in culinary arts with Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants. During the 15 years he has worked for Phil Stefani’s he has immersed himself in all aspects of the kitchen and formed relationships with local and international chefs. Through these relationships he has obtained direct and incomparable experiences. He observes food trends and Italian traditions related to seafood and apply them in continued pursuit of perfection and development of new dishes and Riva classics. Chef Luigi is always conscious of those around him, and is focused on education and teaching his cooks and restaurant staff about the food, presentation, and efficiency in the kitchen. As the Executive Chef at Riva, Chef Luigi makes all customers feel welcomed through his knowledgeable servers greeting them in a friendly and warm manner and through his experienced kitchen staff cooking dishes that will delight their palate. Chef Luigi makes a point to listen to customer’s inquiries, by preparing food that will meet their demand. He strives to have Riva’s food recognized and remembered.
Chicago: C House (July 2010)
My spouse and I dined for dinner at C House in mid-July 2010. C House is located in the Affinia Hotel in the Near North/Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago. Marcus Samuelsson is the chef. Their bread is amazing! - a fluffy little treasure (like a cheddar cheese brioche) brought to the table piping hot with a little ramekin of fleur de sel butter. For dessert, the restaurant offers a candy bar, which includes a variety of confections made in-house.
Chicago: Big Bowl (July 2010)
My spouse and I dined for dinner at Big Bowl in mid-July 2010. Big Bowl is the place for authentic Thai and Chinese cuisine. Big Bowl restaurants are located in Chicago, IL, Schaumburg, IL, Lincolnshire, IL, Minnetonka, MN, Edina, MN, Roseville, MN and Reston, VA. Big Bowl is committed to using quality ingredients, including prime beef and fresh seafood, and creating sauces and curries from scratch. You can taste our big, bold flavors in every dish. Big Bowl is owned by the restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You, which also owns Maggiano’s, Joe’s Stoned Crab, Everest, Mon Ami Gabi, The Eiffel, Tower, and Tru.
Chicago : Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown Lakefront (August 2010)
We
stayed here for three nights over a weekend in mid-July. The location
of the hotel was excellent; it was about three blocks to Navy Pier, the
Ohio Street Beach, and Lake Michigan, and about two blocks to the
Chicago River. There is a grocery/store pharmacy called Dominick's
across the street, so it's easy to buy drinks and snacks for your room,
although that is almost unnecessary with the free hot breakfast served
every morning and the nightly manager's cocktail party (even on
weekends). Because my spouse has priority with Hilton, we were upgraded
to a corner suite on the 17th floor (the highest floor), with excellent
views of the river. The standard suites weren't quite as large as the
corner suites (there's an odd window from their living area to the hotel
atrium, so one could see in), but were still a great size, with a
separate bedroom, bathroom, wet bar/microwave/fridge area, and living
room with sofa bed and desk (the corner suites also had two chairs as
part of the sofa grouping). There is an indoor pool and fitness center,
as well as a gift shop, bar, and large lobby lounge area. There is no
outdoor space at this hotel, which was the only drawback for me. A
little sundeck, or other outdoor relaxation area (no matter how small)
would have been welcome. The hotel spans an entire block, so it is
possible to enter from multiple locations. There is an AMC movie theatre
right next door, along with a bowling alley, PJ Clarke's restaurant, a
Japanese restaurant, and a Walgreens pharmacy. There aren't many
non-chain, unique restaurants in the immediate two block area, which was
another slight drawback, but it was a quick walk to more
cuisine-friendly streets. It is necessary to take two sets of elevators
to reach the guest rooms. One set of elevators only travels three
floors, from the street to the mezzanine (meeting) level to the sky
(lobby) level. Then you must get off and walk to the other side of the
hotel to catch another set of elevators that goes from floors 5 to 17. I
understand that this set-up discourages non-guests from hanging out in
the lobby and using the restrooms, but it is slightly inconvenient. I
must say, though, that this hotel has the fastest elevators that I've
seen in a long time! If you hesitated the slightest bit before trying to
board, the doors closed and the elevator whisked away. (But that's
probably why we almost never waited for an elevator, even being on the
17th floor during a busy summer weekend.) I would definitely stay here
again, even considering all the other hotel options nearby.
Theatre: Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (July 2010)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart.
Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (251–183 BC), specifically Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus, and Mostellaria, the musical tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The plot displays many classic elements of farce, including puns, the slamming of doors, cases of mistaken identity (frequently involving characters disguising themselves as one another), and satirical comments on social class. The title derives from a line often used by vaudeville comedians to begin a story: "A funny thing happened on the way to the theater".
The musical's original 1962 Broadway run won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Author (Musical). A Funny Thing has enjoyed several Broadway and West End revivals and was made into a successful film starring the original lead of the musical, Zero Mostel.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opened on Broadway on May 8, 1962, at the Alvin Theatre, and then transferred to the Mark Hellinger Theatre and the Majestic Theatre, where the show closed on August 29, 1964, after 964 performances and 8 previews.
The show's creators originally wanted Phil Silvers in the lead role of Pseudolus, but he turned them down, allegedly because he would have to perform onstage without his glasses, and his vision was so poor that he feared tripping into the orchestra pit. He is also quoted as turning down the role for being "Sgt. Bilko in a toga". (Silvers eventually played the role — wearing his glasses — in a 1972 revival. In the film, he played Marcus Lycus.) Milton Berle also passed on the role. Eventually, Zero Mostel was cast.
During the out of town pre-Broadway tryouts the show was attracting little business and not playing well. Jerome Robbins was called in to give advice and make changes. The biggest change Robbins made was a new opening number to replace "Love Is in the Air" and introduce the show as a bawdy, wild comedy. Stephen Sondheim wrote the song "Comedy Tonight" for this new opening. From that point on, the show was a success.
It was directed by George Abbott and produced by Hal Prince, with choreography by Jack Cole and uncredited staging and choreography by Robbins. The scenic and costume design was by Tony Walton. This wardrobe is on display at the Costume World Broadway Collection in Pompano Beach, Florida. The lighting design was by Jean Rosenthal. Along with Mostel, the musical featured a cast of seasoned performers, including Jack Gilford (Mostel's friend and fellow blacklist member), David Burns, John Carradine, Ruth Kobart, and Raymond Walburn. The young lovers were played by Brian Davies and Preshy Marker. Karen Black, originally cast as the ingenue, was replaced out of town.
The show won several Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Burns), Best Book, and Best Director. The score, however, was coolly received; it was Sondheim's first musical on Broadway in which he wrote both the music and lyrics, and did not earn a nomination for Best Original Score.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (251–183 BC), specifically Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus, and Mostellaria, the musical tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The plot displays many classic elements of farce, including puns, the slamming of doors, cases of mistaken identity (frequently involving characters disguising themselves as one another), and satirical comments on social class. The title derives from a line often used by vaudeville comedians to begin a story: "A funny thing happened on the way to the theater".
The musical's original 1962 Broadway run won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Author (Musical). A Funny Thing has enjoyed several Broadway and West End revivals and was made into a successful film starring the original lead of the musical, Zero Mostel.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opened on Broadway on May 8, 1962, at the Alvin Theatre, and then transferred to the Mark Hellinger Theatre and the Majestic Theatre, where the show closed on August 29, 1964, after 964 performances and 8 previews.
The show's creators originally wanted Phil Silvers in the lead role of Pseudolus, but he turned them down, allegedly because he would have to perform onstage without his glasses, and his vision was so poor that he feared tripping into the orchestra pit. He is also quoted as turning down the role for being "Sgt. Bilko in a toga". (Silvers eventually played the role — wearing his glasses — in a 1972 revival. In the film, he played Marcus Lycus.) Milton Berle also passed on the role. Eventually, Zero Mostel was cast.
During the out of town pre-Broadway tryouts the show was attracting little business and not playing well. Jerome Robbins was called in to give advice and make changes. The biggest change Robbins made was a new opening number to replace "Love Is in the Air" and introduce the show as a bawdy, wild comedy. Stephen Sondheim wrote the song "Comedy Tonight" for this new opening. From that point on, the show was a success.
It was directed by George Abbott and produced by Hal Prince, with choreography by Jack Cole and uncredited staging and choreography by Robbins. The scenic and costume design was by Tony Walton. This wardrobe is on display at the Costume World Broadway Collection in Pompano Beach, Florida. The lighting design was by Jean Rosenthal. Along with Mostel, the musical featured a cast of seasoned performers, including Jack Gilford (Mostel's friend and fellow blacklist member), David Burns, John Carradine, Ruth Kobart, and Raymond Walburn. The young lovers were played by Brian Davies and Preshy Marker. Karen Black, originally cast as the ingenue, was replaced out of town.
The show won several Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Burns), Best Book, and Best Director. The score, however, was coolly received; it was Sondheim's first musical on Broadway in which he wrote both the music and lyrics, and did not earn a nomination for Best Original Score.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
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