Socializing can become boring doing the “same old
thing.” Once a year, the Spring St
Social Society accepts new members to its club to experience four seasonal
dining events along with cabarets, salons and original theatre such as Secret
Supper: The Musical.
You don’t get the information on the locale of the
event until the morning of it…other than it being in Manhattan. It was co-founders Patrick Janelle and Amy
Virginia Buchanan’s first attempt in incorporating a full-scale musical and
dining production. Judging by the
attendees, myself included, the entire extravaganza was a huge success.
The event was created in a “space” vs. a restaurant,
set up with a bar area on one end where the first gathering took place. Specially made gin drinks were prepared, one
of which was a very tasty gimlet. As
people socialized, waitstaff came along with two different canapes: a shot glass with a piece of halibut and
avocado in lemon juice; a cheesy cheese puff.
Actors walked about as if they were just part of the group. Lights focus on one actor who begins to speak
and sing.
Patrick and Amy introduce the evening as we are
escorted to the dining area, elegantly created with white clothed tables and
decorations that include books…not necessarily to be read. We are given a menu of “A Play in Five
Courses,” the first being Arcade Bakery Sourdough, Scene 1: Crying.
Above the seating area there is white clothing
hanging as if out to dry. I wasn’t
exactly sure of why, but they seemed to be clothing of chefs...lots of white
undergarments, too. High atop at the far end sat the group of
musicians. Music, composed by Alex
Thrailkill and Jeanna Phillips, Evan Johnston claimed the synthesizer and
electric bass, while Michael Hunter took on the violin and acoustic guitar, Ada
Westfall on drums and Karaoke Bradshaw…no Karaoke Bradshaw is not the name of
another musician.
Actors were seated along the sides of the area:
Nikki Pettus; Audrey Hailes, Amma Tattenbaum-Fine; Molly Mcaddo; Preston
Martin; and Ronald Peet. They sang and
talked about their experiences of socializing each maintaining their own
character while we, the audience sympathized.
Scene 2: Cold, the topic, might have been the
perfect name for the evening as well….no heat! Were we supposed to feel as if
we were eating al fresco abutting an apartment building? However, the email sent told us to bundle in
layers. Raw Scallop was the course. The scallop was thinly sliced, acid to “cook”
and served in a scallop shell.
Karaoke became the topic for Scene 3 while Fall
squash and mushrooms were being served by the choreographed waitstaff. A bowl of squash and separate bowl of
mushrooms were placed to serve four people.
Scene 4: Subway had the entrée of chicken pot pie
while Scene 5: Snow gave us our dessert of Tarte Tatin. Snow was the clinch to the idea that it was
an outdoors scenario. Chef Daniel Eddy
set up the menu and recipes of which the food might be categorized as a take on
Novelle Cuisine, characterized by lighter, more delicate and savory dishes with
an increased emphasis on presentation. Wine was served throughout the dinner.
Let’s get to the show itself beginning with the
music. I loved it. It was upbeat but not overwhelming. Actors were always in character, delivered
well and quite talented in their vocal abilities. Although you might not have ever heard of
them, Niesler chose a very talented cast and an extremely courteous waitstaff
were obviously a part of the show. Kudos goes to the playwright T. Adamson
whose book combines humor into the socializing experience. The show, for me, had reminiscence of “Spring
Awakening.” I classify Secret Supper:
The Musical as a well-executed Off-Broadway show combined with fine dining. www.ssssociety.com
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