Arts & Society

Mary Bird • January 6, 2014

The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) Founder Wilhelmina Cole Holladay welcomed guests to the 2013 Fall Benefit with special recognition of Mary Mochary and Artistic Director Gilan Tocco Corn for their support of the Shenson Chamber Music Concerts funded by the evening’s program, chaired by Barbara Kapusto. The special concerts highlight emerging and established women musicians and composers. Internationally acclaimed soprano Elizabeth Futral accompanied by pianist Myra Huang presented a pre-dinner operatic program. In accepting the Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts, she said it was a great honor and continued “I don’t feel worthy, but I’ll take it. Without further ado let’s eat.” [gallery ids="101593,147434,147439,147429,147442,147447,147450,147457,147455" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

Les Dames d’Escoffier gathered for a holiday luncheon at Al Tiramisu restaurant near Dupont Circle on Dec. 7 to showcase “Sacred Foods of Italy.” Dame Amy Riolo partnered with Al Tiramisu chef/owner Luigi Diotaiuti to lead a gastronomic journey culminating in an elegant buffet of “sacred” foods. Their remarks shed light on culinary traditions that date from antiquity and pre-Christianity to modern times. Luigi is one of the chefs participating in the Department of State’s Diplomatic Culinary Partnership, a cross cultural exchange through food partnering with the James Beard Foundation to bridge other cultures as “everyone speaks the language of food.” [gallery ids="101592,147458" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

On Dec. 5, The Ambassador of Italy and Mrs. Claudio Bisogniero, as the Honorary Patrons of The Choral Arts Society of Washington’s 33rd Holiday Concert and Gala, An Enchanted Christmas, hosted a special reception at their residence Villa Firenze. Guests enjoyed Italian cuisine by Executive Chef Roberto Grazioli. Ambassador Bisogniero introduced a short presentation featuring ten members of the Choral Arts Chorus conducted by Artistic Director Scott Tucker. The audience joined in English and Italian choruses of “Silent Night” in honor of the Year of Italian Culture in the United States. [gallery ids="118507,118519,118525,118512" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

Georgetown Village celebrated its second annual holiday party on Dec. 5 at Blake Hall in St. John’s Episcopal Church, Georgetown Parish. In her welcoming remarks Founder & Chair Sharon Lockwood expressed appreciation to President Jessica Townsend and the board and singled out Nancy Taylor Bubes for her generosity to the nonprofit membership organization. She called Executive Director Lynn Golub-Rofano the “heart and driving force beyond our village.” Guests enjoyed a buffet provided by Café Milano. The evening supported programs allowing older adults to remain in their homes as volunteers assist through transportation, household assistance and many activities.
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Mary Bird •

Mrs. Rosa Batoréu, wife of the Ambassador of Portugal graciously hosted the Women’s Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) at a holiday tea at the embassy on Dec. 5. Mrs. Batoréu urged her guests to note two still lives in the dining room by 17th century Portuguese artist Josepha d’Ayala which here exhibited at NMWA. Women’s Committee President Fran Usher presided over a brief meeting calling for auction items for the museum’s spring gala which will be chaired by Annie Totah. The Women’s Committee has a new friend-raising new initiative “Be My Guest’ to introduce others to the museum [gallery ids="118529,118514,118534,118539,118522" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

On Dec. 4th, Jameson Freeman and Nichola Hays hosted friends, arts supporters and patrons for FABUM’s “A Birthday and a Honeymoon” event at The Arts Club of Washington. FABUM, a D.C. non-profit performing arts organization, celebrated the second year since its founding, as well as the success of its 2013 centerpiece show “Dream Wedding.” Actors read a scene from Freeman’s planned 2014 show tentatively titled “See You See,” a new website was launched and students from FABUM’s youth program performed live music throughout the evening.

Mary Bird •

Carole Margaret Randolph and Janie McNamara co-hosted an early evening reception at Ann Hand on Dec. 4. The designer’s signature Liberty Eagle has been worn by First Ladies and prominent women internationally. “Santa’s Shoppers” were eager to point friends to all manner of tempting holiday presents. Well known for her philanthropic work, the designer donated 15% of the evening’s sales to MedStar National Rehabilitation Network. MedStar NRH specializes in treating persons with physical disabilities, including spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, arthritis and other neurological conditions. [gallery ids="118537,118548,118554,118545" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

The Dec. 4 luncheon at Columbia Country Club had guests chuckling as special guest Roland Mesnier, Pastry Chef to five presidents, shared insider stories of life in the White House. There were memorable moments and near disasters as he enjoyed rare intimacy with world leaders, the first families and their pets. The event started as Women’s Auxiliary President Debra Push led Christmas carols to set the mood of “fund and fun raising.” Associate Area Commander Major Jacqulyn Reckline said “need knows no season” and spoke of the satisfaction of providing toys to children “looking for a little bit of hope, magic, joy.” Mr. Mesnier graciously autographed several of his books. [gallery ids="118562,118558,118552" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

The holiday season kicked off on Dec. 3 as Santa and Rudolph descended the stairs at the Fairmont Hotel. Master of Ceremonies WTOPS’s “Man About Town” Bob Madigan made opening remarks and the Georgetown Visitation Madrigals entertained. The U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard trooped the colors for the event that provided donated toys for the Marines’ Toys for Tots Program. It was a festive occasion as families were photographed with Santa and Rudolph, enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies and decorated cards by American Girl. [gallery ids="118568,118579,118586,118560,118573" nav="thumbs"]

Gary Tischler •

Who says kids won’t sit still for an afternoon or evening at the theater?

Well, maybe not entirely still, but “kids”—from adolescents, to pre-teens, to just-out-of-the-stroller-but-some-years-before-kindergarten are getting a couple of great choices at the Kennedy Center this holiday season with an opera and a play geared toward them. “The Lion, the Unicorn and Me,” is a new piece, commissioned by the Washington National Opera. Directed by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, “The Lion, the Unicorn and Me,” will be on stage this weekend at the Terrace Theater. Performances are Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
At the Kennedy Center’s Family Theater, “Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!,” based on the popular “Elephant and Piggie” children’s books by Mo Williams, will have its world premiere. The musical production stars young actors tackling the challenge of being, well, elephant and piggie. Performances run through December 23.

“The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me” (and children’s opera in general) is a specific project and passion for Zambello, who has promised to bring a holiday production for the entire family each holiday season. “Hansel and Gretel” was presented last year.
“The Lion, the Unicorn and Me,” as Zambello noted on opening night, is the first opera composed by a woman—the Tony-Award-nominated Jeanine Tesori—to be presented by the Washington National Opera. Based on the book of the same name by Jeanette Winterson, the story posits the entirely plausible notion that on the eve of the Nativity, Jospeh and Mary were looking for a ride to Bethlehem. A boy angel was in charge of the search committee and all sorts of creatures applied, including a snake slithering down the aisle and a flamingo and a hippo. But it all came down to the lion, the unicorn and me, me being a donkey who was sturdily and patiently perfect for the job. All of which did not prevent the lion—the yeoman of WNO bass Simon Howard—from roaring musically and impressively and the unicorn—who looked a little like a mysterious disco diva, both alluring and fey, as portrayed by Jacqueline Echols—from being dazzling.

All of this, the contest, the journey and the Nativity, was remarkably touching and enjoyable because it reminded me that my inner child was still here. The stage was full of children and young people, including members of the WNO’s Domingo-Cafraitz Young Artists Program and the WNO’s children’s chorus.

The music was perhaps not entirely classically operatic, but it was accessible and varied in voice, tempo and feeling. Tesori is after all a Broadway veteran with “Shrek: The Musical” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie” as well as the score for “Caroline, or Change” to her credit.

Imagination, heart and seeing the world through the eyes of children while playing members of the animal kingdom in a musical is also at work in “Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!” at the Family Theatre. Veteran theater pros are at work on this musical version of the popular books by six-time Emmy Award winner Mo Willems. It is recommended for ages four and up, but don’t let that stop you.

Willems is adept at finding themes and stories that children are drawn to. He’s worked on the Cartoon Network and Sesame Street. He also wrote “Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical,” also commissioned by the Kennedy Center. The adventures of “Elephant and Piggy” asks such kid-friendly questions as, “Should you share your ice cream cone?” and “How can two friends share a single toy?”

The two leads are in good hands with Evan Casey who plays Elephant Gerald and Lauren Williams who plays Piggie. Both are veterans of children’s theater and performed together in “Snow White, Rose Red (and Fred)” at the Kennedy Center. Williams has been in “The Phantom Tollbooth” and “For the Love of Goldfish.” Casey has performed in “Tales of Custard the Dragon.” Both are regulars on the D.C. theater scene.

Casey, 31, says he, “tends to emulate Rex Harrison” in terms of his singing, while Williams, 30, says she has “a very young voice” for Piggie. “It’s a musical,” Casey says. “But it’s not just about singing. I also think right now, with what the Kennedy Center is doing, with Imagination Stage and Adventure Theater with Michael Bobbitt, children’s or young people’s theater has become a very big thing in the Washington theatre.”

Williams says the two characters are true to size—the elephant is really big, Piggie is small, yet they’re friends. “You tend to make big gestures if you’re playing an elephant,” Casey said, “although my wife saw me in rehearsal and she said I was acting like our dog.”

“Children’s theater is always a challenge, for acting, but you can also let yourself go, be dramatic, emphatic, so that children will understand what you’re doing,” Williams said.

After all, Elephant and Piggie are in a play!