New York actors (and former Clarence Brown students) Conrad Ricamora and Jane Blass talking to visiting Knoxvillians at Sardi’s last month.
When the Clarence Brown Theatre takes a group of Knoxvillians to New York City each year, Alan and I try to go. Of course, we enjoy the plays. Of course, we adore the restaurants. But I think what really makes the trip are the opportunities Clarence Brown’s artistic director, Cal MacLean, arranges for us to meet professionals working in the theater field.
Cartoon of Helen Hayes on wall at Sardi’s
On the most recent such trip, which occurred last month, MacLean invited two working actors and former University of Tennessee students to join us for lunch at Sardi’s restaurant. Conrad Ricamora and Jane Blass shared with us the importance of their experiences at Clarence Brown and the importance of theater in the lives of the audience.
Ricamora, currently appearing in the Off-Broadway production of “Here Lies Love,” chose the University of Tennessee over both Harvard and Brown universities. He did it, he said, because of Jed Diamond, head of acting at the UT Department of Theatre. “What he’s doing there is like nothing being done anywhere else,” said Ricamora, a native of California. “It’s groundbreaking. At the Clarence Brown Theatre, I worked with professionals who were brought in and made me feel like I had a seat at the table.”
Jane Blass, who just finished performing in “Annie” when it recently closed after 30 years on Broadway, made similar statements. “Working with professionals brings you up,” she noted. “You’re not just playing around with your friends.”
The Clarence Brown is both a professional theater company serving the community and the university and a learning laboratory for students and graduate students in UT’s acclaimed Department of Theatre.
Carol Burnett caricature at Sardi’s
Blass, who was raised in Jackson, Tenn., said she originally thought she would be a nuclear physicist. But she was bitten by the acting bug by watching her father, who was a leading man in community theater. Her first performance was in “The King and I” when she was just 5. Now, at age 52, she still has that bug.
I often wonder how actors can stay fresh when they are performing a show for an extended period of time. Blass addressed that. She recently starred for over a year and a half in “A Girl’s Guide to Chaos,” in Chicago. “Every night for a year and a half, you say the same lines,” she said. “The only way you can do it is because there are fresh eyes in the audience each night.”
Blass said she took to heart some advice she received from veteran actor George Maguire. “Just work,” he told her. “Work in community theater. Work in your church. Just work. You will hone your craft and you will meet people who will become Broadway stars.” She now gives similar advice to beginners. “Work breeds work,” she said.
Ricamora looks upon the theater as an almost spiritual experience. “We walk through life feeling alone,” he said. “Then we go in a theater and feel like it’s a shared experience.”
We appreciate the shared experience we had with our fellow Clarence Brown enthusiasts in New York.
Our home base during our trip, the famous Algonquin hotel. We loved staying there!
We arrived in New York on a Thursday, and realized after we checked in that we were too early for our 5:30 dinner reservation. Not wanting to waste any time staying in our room, we went to the bar in the Michelangelo Hotel, across the street from our dinner restaurant, for a drink, of course. Here’s hubs, Alan Carmichael, examining the artwork.
I examined a martini!
We were very excited about our dinner reservations at Le Bernardin, 155 W. 51st Street.
Maggie Erickson, left, and Mimi Turner joined us.
The table was set with simple elegance.
The amuse-bouche at Le Bernardin. The little serving of cream of cauliflower soup, on the right, was satisfying and warm on a cold, windy day.
I felt like it was time for another martini. Isn’t the old-fashioned glass beautiful?
I ordered raw oysters and asked for saltine crackers to go with them. My server said they didn’t have saltines (what was I thinking??), but brought me these delicate little toasts. I will never like saltines as much again. Sigh.
Black bass with wood ear mushrooms, water chestnuts and black truffle hot and sour pot au feu
Sautéed Dover sole; with almond-pistachio-barberry golden basmati and brown-butter tamarind vinaigrette
Pan roasted lobster, truffled salsify, red wine “Sauce Américaine”
Chocolate mille-feuille, caramelized phyllo, thyme gelée, salted milk chocolate ice cream
Lovely parting gifts. As if we needed them.
Lord, it was an awesome meal. One of the top ten of my life.
Then, on to the Walter Kerr Theatre at 219 W 48th St., for the fun musical romp that is “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.”
Here’s Alan after the show with the leading man, Bryce Pinkham. (Hope he wasn’t getting any ideas from him! In the play, Pinkham’s character murders a succession of relatives in order to get an inheritance.)
We Knoxvillians gathered after the show and headed to a reception for Clarence Brown alums living in New York. From left, Bob Parrott, Alan, Georgiana Vines, Kris Fry, Mimi Turner, Margie Parrott and Maggie Erickson.
It was held at the Bourbon Street Bar and Grille at 346 W. 46th Street.
Here’s Brooks Clark, a member of the Clarence Brown Theatre Advisory Board, at the reception with his daughter, Olivia, right, and her friend, Katie Hukill.
From left, Russ Johnston, Susan Farris, Rosemary Gilliam, Florence Johnston and Kent Farris at the reception.
Cal made a few remarks.
Kim Midkiff, left, now a New Yorker, and Cathy Dodge, a UT development official.
Here’s Kim again with actor Ronny Venable, a fellow Clarence Brown alum living in NYC.
It was getting to be time for bed, so we returned to the Algonquin to find these ear plugs and a note from Matilda, the Algonquin’s resident cat!
On Friday, we gathered at Sardi’s at 12:30 for lunch.
Cal introduced the actors.
Clarence Brown’s managing director David Byrd, left, with Townes Osborn and Jeff Stanley.
Florence and Russ Johnston
More of our group at Sardi’s.
Alice and David Torbett, left, with Margie and Bob Parrott
Kent and Susan Farris
Cal was joined at lunch by Amanda Middleton, external relations associate of the Clarence Brown Theatre.
Portions are generous at Sardi’s. Here’s penne rigate with Italian sausage, bell pepper ragu and parsley ricotta.
I had the orange teriyaki glazed broiled salmon with caramelized ginger sweet potato puree, sauteed spinach, sesame seeds and sweet lime soy sauce. Yum.
For Alan, it was sauteed chicken scaloppini with risotto, fine string beans and mushroom sauce.
Sardi’s frozen cake made with vanilla and raspberry ice cream, toasted coconut shavings and served with zabaglione and chocolate sauce. Alan was in heaven.
Kent Farris, convinced that Conrad would make it huge one day, got him to sign a menu!
We had some time to kill, so we went to Times Square, a place I just love.
I convinced him to pose with these minions we saw. (We both are fond of the minions from the movie “Despicable Me.”)
We were tempted to check out this place, the Jekyll & Hyde Club, billed as “a haunted restaurant and bar.” But we decided to save it for another trip.
After a few hours, it was time for — you guessed it! — another meal! We decided we just couldn’t eat a real dinner, so we shared two appetizers at one of our favorite Theater District eateries, Kellari Taverna, a Greek place at 19 West 44th Street.
You can’t go to a Greek place without having a Greek salad. This one was huge. Good thing we were sharing.
Grilled shrimp hit the spot, as well.
The second play was at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre at 261 W 47th St. “Outside Mullingar,” it was about two introverted Irish cattle farmers who live next door to one another but are too shy to get together despite their obvious years-long attraction. It was supposed to star Debra Messing as the female lead. But we discovered from a boisterous complainer outside the theater that she had been replaced for the evening by an understudy.
Turns out, the understudy was terrific. We didn’t even miss Debra Messing. (I would tell you who the understudy was, but she was not listed in “Playbill,” although the understudies for all the other characters were listed. Management must not have imagined Ms. Messing would miss a show — especially since this was the play’s closing weekend.)
Anyway, we loved it.
After the show, we headed back to the Algonquin to gather in the lounge and discuss the play.
Of course, we went through Times Square again.
Chatted with some huge police horses.
The bar at the Algonquin is nicknamed “New York’s living room.” And with good reason. It is comfortable and packed with inviting furniture that practically pulls you into it and forces you to have a cocktail. (That’s my story!)
Alan in the lounge at the Algonquin.
Tom and Melanie Wood in some more of that comfortable furniture.
Here’s our gang in the Algonquin lounge.
Alan and I had to skip the third play, “Bridges of Madison County.” Sadly, we had to return to Knoxville for the funeral of a wonderful colleague. Losing him at such a young age (he was 47) made us even more appreciative of our friends and more determined to enjoy every good time we can.
So glad you and Alan had a great time!!
Robin: It was awesome. You need to join us next time. Cal did a fantastic job — and so did everyone who helped make the trip so meaningful.
Le Bernardin. BE STILL MY HEART!
That looks like an amazing trip from start to finish. The food–Wow.
Ellen and Gay: Alan picked Le Bernardin. I love that man!
You’ve just reminded me of how much fun it was. Thanks!
Georgiana: I know! I reminded myself, too! Can’t wait to see what Cal lines up for next year.
What a great trip! Would love to spend a week a year in NYC just to catch up on the exhibits, plays, new (and old) food spots. What an energizing place to be!
Cynthia and Alan,
Thanks for including me and Maggie in the Le Bernardin experience! What a fabulous meal with two of my favorite foodies!
Where are we going next? I’m in!
All best,
Mimi
Rusha: You and Bert should go on this trip next year! It is so much fun. You could extend a few days before and after to take in even more.
Mimi: We loved having you all with us. It will be hard to top that restaurant, won’t it?
Mimi, we’re ready for the next trip too! P.S. The Clarence Brown Theatre is one of our community’s gems.
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