BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

My birthday was full of celebrations starting with Saturday evening when I covered the New York Sharks game.  We played the Montreal Blitz and despite their losing, they gathered after the game, came over to me and sang the Quebec version of Happy Birthday.  Here are the lyrics.

Ma chere Merle
C'est à ton tour 
de te laisser parler d'amour!
Ma chère Merle
C'est à ton tour 
de te laisser parler d'amour!

Translated it basically means, "My dear Merle, this is a day for you to receive love." 

Going home was difficult thanks to Access-A-Ride and a problematic car service.  One of the former Shark players, Cheri Eleazar, drove me home going way out of her way to do so.   Sharks can certainly become your adopted family. 

My neighbor, Juan Feliciano, brought over a birthday ice cream cake.   Chocolate!!!!!!

Monday's celebration took place at River Japanese Cuisine restaurant located on Springfield Blvd in Oakland Gardens.  

THE PHANTOM of THE IMPROV

Based on Gaston Leroux’s Internationally Acclaimed
Twentieth Century Gothic Dazzler
Le Fantôme de l’Opéra

OPENING JULY 9
PREVIEWS BEGIN JULY 2

Starring
Andrew Fox,  Stoddard Blackall,  Nathan Chang,  Kelly Leissler
Brian Matthew Byus,  Olivia Howell,  Danielle Heaton,
Ellie Bensinger
Featuring
THE AUDIENCE

At
SOPHIE’S at BROADWAY

Created By
Jordan Scott Gilbert & Philip Lakin
Directed by Philip Lakin
Produced by Jordan Scott Gilbert
Scenery, Lighting & Sound Design by
Ocean Bay Entertainment, Inc.

Highlighting The Great Subjects of Comedy
Emotional Frenzy,  Desperate Retaliation,  Broken Promises,  Death Threats, Terrorism, 
Murderous Explosives,  Torture Chambers,  Kidnapping,
Stockholm Syndrome,  Broken Hearts,  Defeated Spirits,  Schizophrenic Voices,
The Great Operas of Europe and Faces That Resemble Rotting Corpses

  Enterprising producer Jordan Scott Gilbert will open his THE PHANTOM of THE IMPROV on Wednesday, July 9th at Sophie’s At Broadway (318 West 53rd Street – between Eighth 
and Ninth Avenues).

Preview performances begin Wednesday, July 2nd.

An interactive musical comedy improvisational retelling of this planet’s most haunting love story, THE PHANTOM of THE IMPROV is based on Gaston Leroux’s Twentieth Century Gothic dazzler, which has sold millions of copies while single-handedly subsidizing Broadway for the last three decades; not to mention the various film adaptations that have lined the pockets of movie executives in Hollywood and abroad.

Keenly aware that the worldwide Reality Show Industry is devoured by over 100,000,000 weekly viewers, director Philip Lakin and Mr. Gilbert have created an emotionally driven narrative between a handsome celebrity, an unsuspecting virginal beauty and a disgustingly ugly obsessed stalker that cries out for AUDIENCE INVOLVMENT, PARTICIPAION and COLLABORATION .

They have taken the French million-dollar novel and opened it up for suggestions from the world’s hippest and quick-witted audience – the New York ticket buyers.
The courageous cast will, on the spot, embrace the audience’s re-writes and brilliantly incorporate them into their own unfolding universe.

Created by Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Lakin, THE PHANTOM of the IMPROV will come to be known as the dawn of REALITY THEATRE.
 

THE ORIGINAL STORY

As EVERYONE knows Mr. Leroux’s narrative goes like this:  The lovely and beautiful Christine Daaé travels Europe with her famous fiddler father whose folk concerts are sure-fire sell-out events until he dies and she goes to live with his benefactor’s elderly widow and reconnects with her childhood sweetheart, the handsome Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny who encourages her burgeoning music career at Paris’ Opera House where she begins to hear a haunting and other-worldly voice in her head which turns out to be the voice of  Erik: The Phantom, a physically deformed and mentally disturbed musical genius who also happens to be one of the original architects of the Opera House under which he has made his home to which he drags Christine after a headline-grabbing audience-crushing horror of a plummeting chandelier which he orchestrated after being ignored by the Opera’s management.  Erik: The Phantom is madly in love with Christine and completely besotted by her voice as opposed to Raoul who is obsessed by her perfect body and angelic face.  Speaking of faces, Erik: The Phantom’s is described in the novel as resembling that of a rotting corpse which seems less and less to bother Christine as she embraces a severe case of Stockholm Syndrome and begins to fall for the murderous freak who releases her back into society so that she can star on the stage of the Opera House after which he re-kidnaps her and threatens to blow the Opera House to smithereens if she does not agree to be his wife.  Erik attempts to drown Raoul.  Christine kisses Erik who is so flummoxed by this display of kindness that he re-releases her on the condition that she promises to bury him when he dies of a broken heart which he does three weeks later.

Skip to the year 2014.

THE AUDIENCE’S ASSIGNMENT

The audience will be asked to improve on the novel’s outrageous narrative. 
Their suggestions will be embraced by the cast on stage and incorporated both musically and dramatically. 
The audience needs to be as creative as the cast is quick to respond.
This is a duel of wits.  This is a challenge of dramatic and comic genius.
This is the most high-stakes show in the Broadway neighborhood.
This is the NEW reality.     This is REALITY THEATRE.

THE PLAYERS

Andrew Fox
(Theatre: Twisted, Foreverman, Roads Courageous, Edges   Film: Dream Lover,  Thunderstruck: An AC/DC Movie Musical, Solomon Grundy: Born on a Monday)
Stoddard Blackall
( Broadway’s Next Hit Musical, Petting Zoo, A Stoddy Story ) 
Nathan Chang 
(Upright Citizens Brigade, Boomtown, Joseph And The Amazing …, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Spelling Bee, Seussical, Steppin’ off the Sidewalk {Bistro Award})
Kelly Leissler
(Love, Genius and a Walk, [title of show], Ragtime, Evil Dead The Musical)
Brian Matthew Byus 
(At Trouble's End, On Baile's Strand, The Three Sisters, The Living, Taming of The Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Waiting For Godot, Orpheus Descending.  LAByrinth Theater Company: 2014 Winter Ensemble-Intensive)
Olivia Howell 
(The Berenstain Bears (Off-Broadway), Eight is Never Enough Comedy Troupe (Off- Broadway), The 39 Steps, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Peter Rabbit, A Year With Frog and Toad, and Fancy Nancy (Tour).
Danielle Heaton 
Off-Broadway: On The Town, Bat Boy, The Killing Room.  Comedy Group: Cross Line Baby
Ellie Bensinger
Theatre: Legally Blonde, Tartuffe, The Pajama Game, Tick...Tick...Boom!,
Candide   Television: The Blacklist   Film: Titanic, 10,000 Saints

The Performance Schedule
Wednesdays @ 8:00pm
Thursdays @ 8:00pm
Fridays @ 8:00pm
Saturdays @ 8:00pm
The Tickets  $35
There is a Two Item Minimum
Seating is first come, first serve.
Buy Online: www.phantomimprov.com
Buy by Phone:  1-800-838-3006
The Venue
Sophie’s At Broadway
318 West 53rd Street
( between 8th & 9th Avenues )
 

THE DIRECTOR

PHILIP LAKIN is an actor/director/producer who loves nothing more than bringing stories to life.  Recent directing credits include Kennedy’s Children by Robert Patrick and Princess by Catherine Davidson. As an actor, he has appeared in A Good Night To Die (Tribeca Film Festival), Nikki and Sarah Live (MTV), Law & Order (NBC), and several theaters all over the tri-state area.  Mr. Lakin is currently launching his first start-up: Actor Dash, a speed-networking event for actors and content creators.    

                                                                  THE PRODUCER

JORDAN SCOTT GILBERT has worked with some of the most successful actors, writers, directors, and producers in the world.  He is the President of his own independent production and casting company, representing film, television, and theatrical productions worldwide.   Jordan is Co-Producer of the 3-time Tony Award nominated and Drama Desk Award winning Broadway production of Ghost The Musical with Paramount Pictures, for which he was named the first Broadway Producer Of The Year by The Examiner and Broadway Global, and received a Drama League Award nomination, among many other honors.   Jordan also produced on Stephen Schwartz's London revival of Pippin starring Frances Ruffelle.  Recent credits include Ball Boy, Disney's They Spoke Out: American Voices Against The Holocaust, We Are Lights starring Melba Moore and Nick Wyman, Peace Aqua starring Andrea McArdle, and Showbiz Talk with numerous Academy, Tony and Grammy Award winners.  Jordan first served as assistant to the lead producer on the Broadway musical A Tale Of Two Cities.  As a performer, Jordan has appeared on Broadway, as well as in several stage, film and television projects, including celebrity-studded charity events for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Lincoln Center, Studio 54 Below, National Opera Center, among many other venues.   Jordan is releasing his debut EP later this year and will be in pre-production for a new musical aimed for Broadway, as well as a major motion picture.  

www. phantomimprov.com

OFF TO BREEZY POINT

Went to Breezy Point in the Rockaways to meet up with Mike Bettes of The Weather Channel.

Mike Greenstein, better known as Mighty Atom, Jr.  stopped by so I could get some photos of him.

IT IS FINALLY BBQ SEASON

Winter is finally gone...I think.  The spring season is heavily celebrated on Memorial Day Weekend with people going outdoors and cooking up a BBQ.  I looked in my Fairway Market weekly flyer for sales and went off to Douglaston to prepare.

I caught the attention of Stephen Fosdick, the General Manager to ask what they had to help me prepare.



First thing was to search for some of the important items such as what I needed for the grill.  It looks like Fairway Market has their own set of BBQ tools.

Next thing is the paper plate, plastic cups, non-stick aluminum foil (on sale), recycle garbage bags for the plastic cups, cans, etc. and freezer bags for the leftovers as well as portioning out the meats to freeze.

I figured that I'll most likely sweat doing all the work as well as needing a bottle of Aleve for the pain that I experience going up and down the stairs to my back yard.

Since Fairway has a bakery, why not grab a bag of the pretzel buns for sliders.   They have a pretty delicious ground sirloin on sale for $3.99 a pound.

Of course there are the condiments.  Fairway doesn't have their own brand of ketchup but I like an organic brand called Woodstock.  Fairway does have their own brand of Dijon mustard....really good...and potent!   Then there are several varieties of marinades.  I thought I'd try the Thai Chili mango

Being that it is the weekend, samples lurk about the store. Guacamole near the deli, tilapia at the seafood area, and both Korean style chicken thighs and kettle chips near the butcher area.

 

I also stopped by the cheeses to check out a  Jersey Cooperstown that I saw in the flyer...that was the sale feature.  I thought it would make a great topping for a cheeseburger.  That and a Manchango.

I personally don't care for their guacamole only because it's a bit too spicy for me.  I got the fixings.  Haas avocados, Vidalia onions, vine tomatoes, lime and cilantro.

While I'm over in the produce area, I see the ready made trays of fruit.

I certainly took advantage of the lobsters that were on sale.  I bought two that were already steamed and two that were alive. I could break the cooked ones into parts and freeze.

Trying out a few kabobs and doing my own marinading.   Got one of chicken and another of pork.  I did get one marinaded beef.  A package of  Murray's chicken wings, too.  Gotta have chicken wings and ribs, too.  Got a rack of babyback. You never know if the day you plan to have friends over for the BBQ turns to rain, so I'm prepared for indoors as well.   My NuWave oven and NuWave Precision Induction Cooktop should handle it all.

You gotta have refreshments.  Sodastream may be the source for drinks.  The machine carbonates water using a reusable CO2 cartridge that makes lots of bottles of carbonated water.   Bottles are made of plastic and one comes with the Sodastream "Source", which contains that machine, cartridge, bottle and samples of flavors to add.  They have a variety of "syrups" made with sugar that tastes exactly as they label it such as Cola.  You can also add some fresh lemon or lime if you don't want anything that is artificial.   One of the syrups is called Cosmopolitan.   Add to the carbonated water or vodka.  Once you have a bottle of carbonated water (using tap water, if you want), you can make separate drinks with that one bottle and then carbonate another bottle for other drinks.  Certainly saves on buying soda and dealing with the cost of each bottle that adds on the deposit money.  www.sodastream.com

A FAIR DAY FOR FAIRWAY

Got wind of an event going on at Fairway Market.  Funny Food Art.  Bill Wurtzel, author of the book, took over half the Douglaston store’s café area and brought in various items of food to give us the opportunity to express art using food.  My goal was to choose food that I thought would work well on my own. Manager Chris Lobenhofer was on and to assist me. with where I could get all the items.

Sunday is a demo and tasting day.  Annie was just setting up the tasting areas that featured Fairway products.  I began with the produce area buying strawberries, bananas, avocados, cilantro, a blood orange and some combination of fresh greens.  What else would do?  Eyes. What to use for eyes.  Dried cranberries and cherries.  Slithered almonds for teeth or even eyebrows.  Saw a few fruit and vegetables washes.  Trying one for the first time. 

Over at the deli area, there is a tasting for Fairway’s guacamole and salsa.  Oh yeah…Cinco de Mayo.  Lox pieces are colorful and can easily be carved.  Might as well get Ben’s Creamcheese to go with it.  Hmmm…make a spread.  Mother’s Day is this weekend.   Thoughts also go to a fancy brunch.  Serve your mom “artistically”.   

I’m now at the cheese area to try a few.  Decided to stick with P’tit Basque and Manchego.  I see a bag of Fairway green pasta that looks like rabbit ears.   That will do.  Fairway’s whipped cream, hazelnut spread and Dijon mustard. Have to get mayo too.

Here at the bakery I view a display ad for tres leches cake.  Cinco de Mayo.  It certainly looks good turning out to be quite light and fluffy.   Serve a piece with food art around it.  Create a stick figure of yourself with an arm stretched out.     

Another tasting.  This time is was Fairway’s pistachio crusted salmon.   A nearby display had not only this salmon but a few salmon burgers.  Great brunch option.  Got a package of tomato and basil, one of teriyaki and a package of spinach and feta. 

Moving to the sushi counter I find that the company who makes the sushi came up with their own Ramen Noodle bowl.  He tells me to simply add boiling hot water, stir and eat.  Follow up: tasted okay…better than the instant but heavens knows what additives and preservatives are in it.  Not worth the price of $8.99.  

Tasting of an Italian pork sausage.  Okay, but not my thing.

There is another company also doing a sausage tasting of various chicken sausages.  There was one with mango in it.  That’s more my food fancy.  I did go over to the butcher.   Since I got salmon burgers I thought that “mom” should have the option of having beef or chicken.  Chicken with veggies, beef with bacon and cheese…nothing to add.   Fairway bakery has pretzel buns.  Small enough to make sliders…beef, chicken, salmon….

Another display to push Fairway’s fresh mozzarella that included small yellow Campari tomatoes, pesto sauce and an already made mozzarella, tomato and basil package.   A Fairway tapenade was another perfect companion for the fresh mozzarella.   I then see another display of Vinny’s fresh herbs.  Great for art!  

Now I have to think about a few other things like paper towels to clean up my mess-o-art.  Ice cream nearby. Hmmmm…..new ice cream called High Road.  One is branded as Fairway to Heaven…coffee with crumbs and a hint of cinnamon.   Another one just labeled with High Road is a gelato with ricotta and something.  Heck, I’ll try them both.   Follow up.  Tastes fine and great for those who are into having “stuff” in their ice cream.   

Another tasting going on the pharmacy area of a powdered green good-for-you thing.  Mixed with apple juice it tasted fine.  Mixed with water it tasted like green tea.  I’ll play guinea pig on this one.

Now, if you’re going to do a tasting geared to me, it might well be bars of chocolate.   I’ve been meaning to taste Fairway’s brand.   Got various bars and will follow up on this.  This one I tasted was certainly good.  I have a feeling that the dark mint brownie will tweak my taste buds. 

Got Milk?  Must get. Eggs too are another great thing to make use of with slices of hard boiled egg.  

Conclusion for a Mother’s Day meal.  Go a little bit fancy and a lot on art.  

Now I'm hooked on the art....here are some more creations.