Nearly 40 Knoxvillians bundled up last week and, shrugging off the predicted rain and freezing temperatures, set out for an annual trek to New York City.
Four plays in four days and a vow to only eat at restaurants we had never before visited were the highlights of the trip for Alan and me, but there was so much more on this action-packed excursion.
Clarence Brown Theatre’s Artistic Director Cal MacLean and his team plan the trip each year, and they always manage to make each visit unique. Sometimes the group gets to meet actors (click here and here) or playwrights and casting directors (click here), or they go behind the scenes at a Broadway musical (click here).
This year the organizers arranged a lunch at The Players, a storied, private social club founded in 1888 by Edwin Booth, arguably the greatest American actor of his time.
Booth purchased the Gothic Revival-style mansion facing Gramercy Park and commissioned architect Stanford White to transform it into a club “for the promotion of social intercourse between the representative members of the dramatic profession and the kindred professions of literature, painting, sculpture and music, and the patrons of the arts.”
To put it in layman’s terms, the actors and other artistic types wanted a private space where they could relax, eat, drink and converse without having to be out in public where they could be recognized and possibly disturbed.
The tradition continues more than 125 years later.
After lunch in the club’s dining room, many of the group toured the premises and saw scores of portraits of famous actors and hundreds of artifacts of theatrical history. A pool table where Mark Twain often played is in the club’s grill, as is his pool cue.
My favorite room was the Kinstler Room displaying paintings and drawings of many famous actors who were and are members of The Players. A reproduction of John Singer Sargent’s full-length study of Edwin Booth is mounted above the fireplace and flanking it are portraits of Christopher Plummer as Prospero from “The Tempest” and Alfred Drake as Hajj in “Kismet.”
In the building’s library is a growing collection of books, manuscripts, photographs, prompt books, notebooks and more than 50,000 playbills, which began with Booth’s personal library.
Many also visited Booth’s suite, a parlor and bedroom where he lived his final five years after the opening of The Players.
The parlor and bedroom have been left furnished as they were when he died in 1893 at age 59, five months before his 60th birthday.
Well, as Shakespeare said, “The play’s the thing!”
“Fun Home” was a close third for me, when ranking our four plays in order of favorites. It’s about a seriously (I mean seriously!) dysfunctional family. Trust me, this group does NOT put the “fun” in dysfunctional. But it is thought-provoking and very well done, and we do recommend it.
Although the fourth play, “The Father,” was last on our list of favorites, it was still worth seeing simply for the tour de force performance by veteran Broadway great Frank Langella. Langella, a three-time Tony Award winner, plays a father in the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease – and all the fun that that implies. Again, thought-provoking but tough to watch.
At one point in our New York stay, we jumped in a cab and headed to Greenwich Village to find Eerdmans Fine Art, a small gallery currently exhibiting the work of Knoxville-born artist John Kelley.
I was a classics major for a brief time in college so I agree with John Kelley’s statement about why the classics fascinate him so much: The Greek myths embody everything that is timeless about the human experience. They reveal truths and acknowledge mysteries. They survive in the subconscious of western man to the point that to learn about them is to experience a shock of recognition.
The John Kelley show at Eerdmans Fine Art runs through April 29.
On the recommendation of our friend Margie Nichols, Alan and I visited a unique exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It featured the portraits of Vigee LeBrun (French, 1755–1842), one of the finest 18th-century French painters and among the most important of all women artists.
LeBrun was remarkable not only for her technical gifts but also for her understanding of and sympathy with her subjects. This is the first retrospective and only the second exhibition devoted to Vigée Le Brun in modern times. It continues through May 15, and we recommend you check it out if you are in New York.
A highlight of every Clarence Brown Theatre trip to New York is a reception for the theater’s alumni who live in the area.
After a jam-packed four days that were thoughtfully planned to allow everyone to customize his or her own experience, Sunday came and we all headed back to the warmer climes of Knoxville.
I know, I know. You foodies want a report on the restaurants we visited. That’s in the next edition of The Blue Streak.
I agree that Cal and his team, including David and Amanda, staged another successful Clarence Brown Theatre tour. Everyone is especially proud of the success of UT’s Conrad Ricamora, who is on the ABC series “How to Get Away with Murder” and in the Broadway cast of “The King and I.”
Looks like so much fun. Looking forward to the Foodie Report!
You are amazing the way you capture so many aspects of this whirlwind visit to Manhattan. Thank you for including pictures of John Kelley’s works. We also
visited the LeBrun exhibit at the Met. She really shared the history of the time from portraits of Marie Antoinette to Tolstoy’s family. The beautiful Tiffany windows at both the Met and The Players Club were exquisite. And then the wonderful variety of Theatre. It’s always great to spend time in this City
Cynthia,
Thank you for stopping by to see John’s show – it was a delight meeting you and Alan! I think you saw more NYC theater during your trip than I have in the past few years combined. You’ve inspired me!
All best wishes,
Emily Eerdmans
Gay: You need to get in on this!
Rosemary: I am glad that you are a “regular” on this fun trek!
Emily: Thanks so much for commenting on the blog. And thanks for meeting us at the gallery. We loved seeing John’s latest work and meeting you.
The portrait of Katharine Hepburn is stunning. Absolutely stunning. I so enjoyed the art photos in this edition.
Maria: Thanks. I loved that picture of Hepburn, too.
I, too, loved EVERY minute of this expertly choreographed trip ! Everyone was such fun and soooo interesting. I too was able to see “Hamilton” – BEYOND phenomenal !!! To afford the price of the tickets, I DID NOT DINE IN ANY FANCY RESTAURANTS !!!! I had 5 separate meals of hot dogs on the street corners. Wish I’d taken selfies with the purveyors !!!
Thank you to all of our MAJOR PLAYERS !!!!!!
Lezah: I’m so glad you came along! Isn’t it a fantastic trip? That is so funny about you and the hot dogs! It would have made a great blog post!
I just took a trip down a memory lane that is less than a week old and enjoyed it again. Really love your photos and comments. Thanks for including the one of Hal Holbrook taken by my friend, Betsy Ashton.
Rebecca and I had a great time, once again. Thanks to all for the splendid fellowship. And thanks especially to all those alums who showed up at the alumni party. To all the New York alums: Come one, come all, we have ourselves a time!
Georgiana: Thanks for giving me the pic!
Cal: Going to be hard to top!
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