My review of “The Price” at the Walnut
I saw “The Price” at the Walnut Street Theatre on Wednesday night. In some ways, kind of what I was expecting, and in other ways, totally different (that’s live theatre, eh ?). As I said a few days ago, Robert Prosky (of Hill Street Blues/Mrs. Doubtfire fame) played one of the main roles, with his two sons filling out the cast. Victor, played by the son Andy Prosky, spent the first few minutes on stage by himself. A bit of walking around, and a bit of monologue. Then you hear footsteps coming up the stairs, and Gregory Solomon (played by the senior Prosky), steps on stage…. Before he can get a word out of his mouth, the audience erupts in applause ! Just at the sight of the him ! How cool is that. Accolades for just stepping on stage. Turns out the guy has had quite the long and storied career. This guy has done it all, and he’s a Philadelphia native, to boot. So I have to admit, it was pretty fun to welcome him to the stage like that.Oops, I’ve got to run, but I’ll tell another story about the opening show tomorrow….
“The Price” is opening at the Walnut
The Price is opening at the Walnut Street Theatre this week. From the Walnut’s web site :This great American classic is one of Arthur Miller’s masterpieces. The Price is a deeply moving drama that reunites two long estranged middle-aged brothers. Nostalgia and recrimination erupt as they sell off an attic full of furniture, their last link to a family and a world that no longer exists. In the tradition of Death of a Salesman, this compassionate story gives us a rare insight into an all-American family.
This kind of piqued my interest in Arthur Miller (the playwright), so I looked him up on Wikipedia. Wow, that dude wrote alot of plays ! Among them is Death of a Salesman. What’s more interesting is that we’ve got a minor celebrity in the play, Robert Prosky. You’ll probably remember him from Hill Street Blues as Sgt. Stan Jablonski. What’s more interesting is that both of his sons are in the play as well.
I’m seeing it this week, so I’ll report back, and let you know what I think !
Wittenburg opens at The Arden
Wittenburg opens tonight at The Arden. I’m not sure what to think. Reading the description, it sounds like it’s going to be a heavy-duty bit of intellectual theatre. Sure hope it’s entertaining to boot. I got a subscription to the Arden this year (my very first theatre subscription !), and my tickets for Wittenburg are on Feb 7th. Honestly, I’ve been so pleased with everything at the Arden this year, I’ve got high hopes, but I guess I’ll just have to wait until the 7th.Great Pictures from the TOP of Comcast Center
My recent trip through the Comcast Building lobby reminded me of recent construction pictures that someone had sent to me. They were taken from the top of the building, and were absolutly breathtaking. Alas, I can’t find them; however, a quick search uncovered another set that the Philly Inquirer put together :http://inquirer.philly.com/slideshows/News/070617comcast
In fact, a few of them gave me a little vertigo (though truth be told, I’m slightly scared of heights…)
The Comcast Building
It looks like the Comcast Building at 17th & JFK is nearly finished. Meg and I were taking a Sunday morning walk, and we happened upon it. I was kind of surprised to find the lobby open to the public. You should check it out. It’s about 5 or 6 stories high, mostly glass, with glass for a roof at the top. Looking straight out through the roof, you can gaze up at the rest of the tower. My favorite part is the art installation. There about 6 round stainless steel beams that criss-cross the air above your ahead (inside the lobby), and there’s a person walking across each one (not a really person, silly). There’s a businessman, a child, a businesswoman, a pedestrian, etc… Neat !Everyone knows that the Comcast Building is the tallest building in Philadelphia (or at least I hoped you noticed it by now), but did you also know that it’s the 14th tallest building in the United States, and the 35th tallest building in the world ? Go Philadelphia !! Screw Phoenix ! Phoenix, you see, recently passed us this past summer as the 5th largest city in the US. But I hear they cheated. I hear that they keep adding physical size. In other words, they keep taking the ‘burbs, and making them the city. THAT’s not a city… You need some tall buildings to be a city !
How I ended up on stage… Again…
Meg and I went to see This is the Week That Is by 1812 Productions, an all-comedy theatre company in Philadelphia. Described as political humor for the holidays, This is the Week That Is is one of 1812’s most popular shows, selling out an extended 6-week run, two years in a row.I was really looking forward to seeing this show, so when we walked in, I opted for a pair of front row seats. This… was my first mistake.
The show was everything I’d hoped for. Funny, fast-paced, and entertaining. Brilliant !
Then, during the 3rd or 4th scene, Tony Braithwaite walks onstage, and hints that they need a volunteer to play the President… He starts wondering towards me, and I just knew it…. It’s like magic… I’ve just given into the idea that when I sit next to Meg, I’m going to end up on stage. Sure enough, he comes walking towards me, and says “You Sir, why don’t you join us up on stage”. Why not.
They decided I needed to look more presidential, so they brought out a sport jacket for me. Honestly, I can’t believe they actually had one big enough. Then they asked me a few questions about my “Presidential Campaign”, and even paraded out a “Family” for me, since every candidate needs a solid family. They took a picture of me and my family, and sent me back to my seat. Honestly, I had a great time ! And heck, maybe they’re going to give me a copy of that picture as a souvenir ?!?!
Sitting down, I leaned over to Meg, and said “Gee… this acting thing isn’t so hard…” She rolled her eyes at me.
At the beginning of the second act, the play shifted gears into a news show format, strikingly similar to the “Weekend Report” from Saturday Night Live. The news anchor began her report with “We spotted President Chad Burkins on the campaign trail with his family this week….” Oh god…. I looked over at the big screen, and there’s a 8 foot by 8 foot picture of me on the screen…. They all thought it was hilarious. Oh, and it’s not over yet…
Later in the News Report, during a segment interviewing Clinton, Obama, etc, they managed to edit in some footage of me answering questions earlier in the show ! Somehow, they had a hidden camera rolling during the 1st half !
Tony, sitting at the news desk, looks over at me in the audience, and says “Chad, you know, I really want to make fun of you now… But I can’t. You’re a good foot taller than me. AND, in other news… ”
I’d LOVE to tell you to get and see this show, but it ends on Sunday. In light of that, I’ve got two other ideas. Either go see 1812’s next production, or go see Tony Braithwaite’s next show. I last saw him in Rounding Third at the Montgomery Theatre, and can’t wait to see what he’s in next. If I find out, I’ll let you know.
Live Theatre. Check it out.
Theatre Review : Age of Arousal
Back in December, I saw Age of Arousal at the Wilma Theatre . Yup, a little late with this, and yes, it just closed last weekend, so I’m afraid you’ve missed it. That’s a shame, because it was great.It’s the story of three sisters in the Victorian Age, each of which discovers themselves in a very different way. As usual, I think the Wilma did a great job. The story is fun, the set is very, very creative, and the cast is fantastic ! It’s challenging, but not like Amadeus. Amadeus was very entertaining, but not what I would call Fun, but this one WAS fun. Oh well, probably should have told you about it sooner, huh ?
Dinner at Supper
I had dinner at Supper last night (926 South St.), which opened recently this past summer on South Street, across from Whole Foods. My short take : it’s a fantastic, comfortable restaurant with very good food, but kind of expensive.It has a very warm, yet spacious atmosphere. They really gave up alot of potential table space in the name of making the room feel open. I liked that. The wait staff was average, and the food was fantastic.
Their main dishes are relatively small, and they recommend ordering two or three of them for your meal. That’s nice, and I think they’d all be wonderful, but if you did that, it would really break the bank ! Each dish ranges in price from $15 to $21. That adds up pretty quick. With two of us eating fairly light, with two glasses of wine and no dessert, the meal cost us $98 plus tip.
But back to the food. My favorite was the Carrot and Tangerine Soup with Coconut marshmallow. It was served in an oversized bowl, with a big slather of toasted coconut marshmallow stuck the inside. Yummy !! The entrees were very good too. All in all, I say go, check it out. Just be prepared to spend $150 for a full meal.