Arts & Society

Mary Bird • January 9, 2014

The Holiday Concert and Gala of the Choral Arts Society of Washington was held at the Kennedy Center Dec. 16. Olwen Pongrace was gala chair, and the Ambassador of Italy and Mrs. Bisogniero served as honorary patrons, as 2013 is the Year of Italian Culture in the United States. The program in the Concert Hall fittingly highlighted music from Italy, including traditional Christmas carols as well as music of Andrea Gabrieli and Salmone Rossi, who wrote scared Hebrew texts in the Baroque style. The Children’s Chorus of Washington, under the baton of Joan Gregoryk, performed selections from Benjamin Britten’s “A Ceremony of Carols,” composed during a perilous Atlantic crossing during World War II. Guests rose to acknowledge the many invited military families. Artistic director Scott Tucker led the audience in several carols, including an Italian verse to “White Christmas.” Post-performance festivities included a silent auction and reception followed by dinner and dancing at the Roof Terrace level. [gallery ids="101582,147895,147869,147873,147879,147883,147888,147893" nav="thumbs"]

Gary Tischler • January 6, 2014

Even back in 1967,  “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” a hit movie and social comedy about white liberal parents facing their principles as their beloved daughter comes home with an African-American doctor she plans to marry, seemed a  little retro, out of touch and tune with the turbulent times where anything seemed possible.
              

While entertaining, the movie tackled the subject of race in America with so many layers of kid gloves that you’d think it was morally snowing. Who could get mad at or even want to stand up to Spencer Tracy, entertaining serious doubts about such a marriage? What mother would not want her daughter to marry a black doctor with a United Nations portfolio, especially when he came into the house in the spitting image of Sidney Poitier? Certainly not the mother played by Katharine Hepburn, who after an initial attack of dizziness supported her daughter  As a topical dose of medicine about race and interracial marriage, the movie went down pretty easy and was, in fact, a highly entertaining hit, the kind of movie Hollywood liberals like to pat themselves on the back for (see “In The Heat of the Night”) come Oscar night.

              
Well, it’s almost 2014, and “miscegenation” is a word nobody utters any more at least not in public, nor can interracial couples be prevented from marriage. Himself a product of an interracial marriage, today’s President of the United States is an African-American man, named Barrack Obama, a startling shock to the political culture which has not been fully absorbed, but which the characters in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” could hardly imagine.  “A secretary of state, maybe,” one of them says in Arena Stage’s deft, powerful, funny and affecting production of Todd Kreidler’s stage version of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”

You’d think this play—hewing tightly to the plot line and talk and setting and time of the original film—would be a little old-fashioned, a little uncomfortably creaky around the edges, a period piece that has little to say to us, except perhaps we’ve come a long way, folks. 

Actually, the production is a total winner. Better still, it seems, in terms of the periodic grand debate about race, almost fresh and authentic, in ways that our increasingly economically and culturally separating society rarely manages today. For many reasons, it seems to speak to just about every part of the audience, at least in the performance I saw, which, as somebody pointed out, was a Washington audience. I went to a weekday matinee and sat in the middle of an audience which was full, responsive, diverse,  loud and as much a part of the play as the actors on stage, which is one of those rare and self-evident moments in the theater that you can cherish.  There are fairly obvious reasons for this: this was an audience full of groups of people who  had arrived by bus, many of them older, baby-boomer generation members, black and white, as part of groups, including a group of Washington members of a teachers union. There was also pumped-up high school kids who dove into the material with apparent relish.

There were several occasions—when the doctor’s mother scolded him and men in general and when you could tell exactly who was laughing— you just knew all the black moms in the audiences were laughing while their husbands and/or sons squirmed.  

There was a tremendous amount of energy at this matinee performance. Part of it had a lot to do with the fact that the play—despite the presence of a sackful of cliché moments and characters—struck a chord because the characters were indeed talking about race, haltingly, uncomfortably and at last straight-forwardly,  Today, such discourse only happens, when sensational events rouse the torpid, sometimes angry differences in our society.   Often, it seems to us—in the here and now and who were there back in the day—that we’ve come a long way and brought all our keepsakes and baggage with us.

So, in this case, the audience is a critical part of the production, but the cast and the pacing by director David Esbjornson should get huge dollops of credit.  The situation is rife with cliches, of course: the maid, as a character but not in the timing-perfect performance Lynda Gravatt  is one; the brogue-touched, whiskey-drinking Irish priest and family is another; one of those well-bred social bigots who manages to thrive even in 1967 San Francisco is still another.  But the humanity of all the characters shines through, because—at least partly—they’re not being played by the likes of Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn or Sidney Poitier.

In its mechanics, the play is as old fashioned as a Shaw play, in which George Bernard managed to touch on political, cultural and societal issues, while not forgetting to douse his plots with family secret and surprises. There are several family tragedies and two big surprises:the first when Joanna or the beloved Joey, daughter of the well-off Matt and Christina Drayton, arrives unexpectedly with the man she announces she’ll marry, the highly respectable, gifted, quite a bit older and obviously black Doctor John Prentice.  At first, daddy Matt, a prominent liberal editor, doesn’t get it. “What’s wrong with my daughter, doctor?” he asks, the first of many mistakes he makes.  Mom, played beautifully with great, silky grace by Tess Malis Kincaid, swoons a bit, but adjusts rapidly—love is, after all, the domain of mother and daughter.

But Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who is easily remembered as the son, Theo Huxtable, in “The Cosby Show” gives Prentice down-to-earth rough edges that Poitier never even tried for. He is strong, ardent, patient, a man who knows his worth, and what he wants and intends to get it, and is perfectly aware of what he and Joey are in for.  But he’s also imposed an artificial, even theatrical condition—the parents—hers—must approve, or there’s  no marriage.

Meanwhile, Joey—the delightful Bethany Ann Lind—does whatever she will for her cause, which is her love for John Prentice, to the point where she’s invited his parents for dinner without telling him. “I want it to be a surprise,” she said, surprising everyone.  The parents—a furious, pent-up Eugene Lee as John Prentice, Sr., and a stoic, frustrated Andrea Frye as Mary Prentice—are excellently played so much so that we begin to realize this play isn’t just about race but also about gender and memory.  This cast—because the audience can see themselves in them in ways that you just couldn’t do with, say, Spence,  Sidney and Kate—is so good that you can forgive Matt Drayton’s obtuse panic which challenges his own principles and his love. He can only turn his lips down when his wife reminds him: “We raised her to be exactly what she is.” You forgive because Tom Key is so recognizable as any father, and as any liberal hoisted on his own petard because he knows he’s been hoisted, he knows he’s torn and in pain.

This is a great evening—or better, yet, afternoon—at the theater.  “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”—quite a few people already have.  It’s playing at Arena Stage’s Mead Center for American Theater’s on the Fichandler Stage through Jan. 5.

Mary Bird •

The sixth-annual Georgetown Jingle was held at the Four Seasons Hotel on Dec. 11. The event, which benefits Georgetown University Hospital’s Pediatric Oncology Programs, highlighted 13 young cancer “Patient Ambassadors” currently receiving care. JDS Designs, Inc., Four Seasons Hotel and the Washington Design Center sponsor the Jingle which has raised $1.7 million for Georgetown Pediatrics. Event chairs Cynthia Bruno and Tamara Darvish with design chair Michael Roberson headed the family fundraiser, featuring the CVS/pharmacy children’s workshop, DC Magazine Sports Lounge, an ice palace, tastings from D.C. metro restaurants as well as entertainment by Ski Johnson and Pamala Stanley. Themed holiday trees and vignettes created by the area’s top designers were on display at the hotel, Nov. 30 through Dec. 12. They were offered for sale in advance at a fixed price or were auctioned to the highest bidder during the event’s silent auction. [gallery ids="100435,114348,114287,114339,114331,114297,114323,114315,114307" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

The Georgetown Jingle, held at the Four Seasons Hotel on Dec. 15, confirms that there is a Santa Claus, or in this many headed by Event Co-Chairs David Herchik, Richard Looman, Tim Ragan, Joe and Cynthia Bruno. Rehoboth-based Blue Moon provided entertainment, food and beverage. The event benefits Georgetown’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. In the words of Aziza Shad, MD, “The new state-of-the-art Pediatric Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit will forever be a tribute to your years of hard work and support.” The hotel was resplendent with 18 holiday-themed trees and vignettes plus designer Alexa Hampton’s mantel in the hotel lobby with proceeds from sale donated to the Cancer Center to which the Georgetown Jingle has raised more than $1.5 million.

Mary Bird •

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.