Broadway & Wine

By David Orange & Joel Leffert

It was a cold and wintry February evening, turning the Big Apple into the Frozen Apple. Joel and I - the Winebusters team - were in Times Square where frigid winds numbed our faces and snow and sleet blurred our vision.
We’d spent a good amount of time keeping warm in a local bar that was a haunt for Broadway performers, sipping wine, hoping the nectar of the gods would inspire us to create a newsbusting story for our readers. Something novel and exciting to report from the trellised trenches of wineworld. But our muse wasn’t talking. All we had for our efforts was a hefty bar tab.

                “Why don’t we just head to sunny California and write something there,” Joel suggested. “Go to Hollywood to see what grapes grow at Hollywood and Vine !” “Sounds good to me,” I answered. Suddenly, a blast of cold air announced the arrival of the cast from the smash musical murder mystery, Curtains, starring David Hyde Pierce, playing across 45th St at the Hirschfeld Theater.

We shielded ourselves from the frigid air when a familiar, jovial voice caught our attention. “Hey. It’s the feather dusters... I mean the winebusters ! I thought you had a deadline.

Shouldn’t you be home writing ?”It was our bosom pal Gerry Vichi, the singing comic star of countless Broadway shows accompanied by Debra Monk, Edward Hibbert and Michael X. Martin - all starring in the hit production. “We’ve reached a dead end,” I admitted. “We don’t have a thing. It’s curtains for us !” “No, we’re Curtains !” Debra’s great voice bellowed. “Eight times a week !”

We ordered wine and filled Gerry in on our writer’s block. Joel told him he was ready to flee freezing New York forHollywood & Vine.“That’s it !” shouted Gerry, putting down his Pinot Noir, “Forget Hollywood and Vine.
You want Broadway & Wine !” Edward jumped in, “I assume there will be a leading part for me ?” “Me, too !” chimed Michael. “Where’s my contract ?”Gerry spread his arms in a grand gesture like a Broadway producer seeing his newest theatre marquee. “The hottest ticket in town : Broadway and Wine !”

 

Joel and I looked at each other. A light bulb flickered at the back of our beleaguered brains. The Winebusters were back on the boards !
The following weeks, we wandered around Broadway, snuck backstage, called old friends and hung around some of our favorite late-night watering holes. Our inquiring wine-minds wanted to know where actors relaxed after a hard show and what wines they liked best. If they could tell us any funny stories about drinking on stage or acting in general, all the better !

CURTAINS UP

Debra Monk

                                      Debra was nominated for a Tony Award for her starring role in Curtains. She’s had many major roles on Broadway, winning a Tony in Redwood Curtain. On TV, she has a recurring part on Grey’s Anatomy and won an Emmy for NYPD Blue. “I’m a fan of all wines although I don’t collect them.

I was recently in Paris, where I had some truly delicious ones, but everything tastes better in Paris. Here in New York, my favorite hangout is Buceo 95, a wine and tapas bar on the Upper West Side, a good place for a glass of wine after work.

” Debra recalls a humorous moment recently in Curtains. “I was about to play a scene and was dressed royally except I didn’t have my spiffy shoes on. I had forgotten to put them on and walked right on stage in my house slippers !”

Gerry Vichi

“The most fabulous experience I ever had with wine occurred while dining at the Compton Place Hotel in San Francisco during the tour of Some Like It Hot, a musical based on the movie starring the legendary Tony Curtis.

The food at the Compton Place Hotel is divine and the dining room unpretentious with impeccable service. The knowledgeable hostess suggested a 1995 Chehalem Pinot Noir

 

from Oregon that turned out to be spectacular. This superb wine changed with each course and blossomed into a glorious finish for our entrees.

My dining partner was Karen Sieber, a young actress/choreographer, who was in the show with me. We were absolutely giddy with excitement over this dining experience and we returned the following week to exactly the same experience with the same wine.

When I returned to New York City, I bought all I could fi nd of it. I still have two bottles I’m saving for a special occasion.

I’ve been to so many fabulous New York restaurants, but I particularly recall a party I hosted for members of the cast of the Broadway show Drowsy Chaperone at Rughetta on East 84th St.
It’s a small, friendly restaurant in my neighborhood. The food is very special - Italian with northern infl uences.

We drank up all the great Sagrantino they had plus a couple of other really nice wines that were suggested. What a wonderful, happy evening with great friends.”

Edward Hibbert

“I’m a passionate devotee of full bodied red wine - never been fond of white, even in the height of summer - and my favorites would include a wondrous Cabernet Franc, Peju, from a family winery in Napa, Nota Bene Cabernet or Merlot from Washington State, and from Chile - Los Vascos. The 2004 Cabernet is good for everyday imbibing and the 2003 Grande Reserve is a “heady” alternative.

 I enjoy wining and dining at Orso, on West 46th St, been going there for years and enjoy their excellent wine list and superior Italian food. Also, Bar Centrale, right nearby, for lighter food and good wine. I’m working with David Hyde Pierce in Curtains. For my birthday, he gave me a superb bottle of wine.

The first day of the stagehands strike occurred on a Saturday before the matinee. I was so discombobulated that I decided to go home and uncork the bottle. So terrific was the wine that I suddenly realized I’d consumed two-thirds of the bottle and quietly prayed that the strike would not be settled in time for the evening performance !
Of course, it wasn’t.”

Michael X. Martin

“I love California wines. Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. I’m a fifth generation Californian, so I’m biased.Ruth Mirassou, the grand dam of Mirassou Wines, was my mom’s college roommate and the Mirassou’s were dear friends-for-life of my parents. I went to high school with Don Sebastiani, now head of Sebastiani Wines. My brother went to high school with one of the Mondavi brothers, and also the brothers who founded the Charles Shaw line (2-buck Chuck).

I lived for many years in Central California and enjoyed the wines from Paso Robles down to Santa Barbara. My brother, a Jesuit, was in one of the last classes of novices that picked grapes for the Jesuit wine biz. You can’t be from California without being connected to the wine game.

So, like I say, I’m biased. I usually go home after a show. I have a 3 and a half-year old, so I’m up earlier than I was in my younger days. I don’t enjoy drinking late at night as a result. But, I still like a glass of wine before and after dinner on my night off. The only wines I collect these days are for consuming that evening !

A lot of funny things have happened to me while performing, but one that comes to mind happened in the final scene of A Christmas Carol, in front of the big audience at Madison Square Garden. Tiny Tim, one of literature’s most vulnerable and endearing creatures, came on stage, said the wrong line, then said, “Oh, shit.” It echoed out over the entire theatre. On stage, we tried, and failed, to keep it together. That’s show biz, or maybe Tiny Tim had just gotten into the Zinfandel.”

 

SEE YA MAMMA MIA

 

Carolee Carmello

Carolee, a two-time Tony nominee (Parade and Lestat), stars in Mamma Mia !“My favorite wine at the moment is Sancerre,” she says, “a delicate, fruity wine made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes in the Loire region of France. I love the crisp, clean taste and it goes great with cheese - one of my other favorite things.”

Carolee added : “If I’m looking for a great glass of wine and nice atmosphere after the show, I usually head for Thalia - only a block away from the Wintergarden Theater. It’s very grown-up, but still comfy.”“There’s quite a bit of ‘fake wine’ drinking onstage at Mamma Mia,” she continued. “However, all those bottles are filled by our prop guys with colored water. Mmmm !”

CHAPERONE WANTED

Bob Saget

Bob is an actor and stand up comic best known as the host of the TV hit, America’s Funniest Home Videos. He recently finished a run on Broadway in The Drowsy Chaperone. “I love the Caymus wines from Napa. I’ve visited the winery several times over the years and drink it often during special occasions.

I try to collect wines, but always end up drinking it or giving it to friends before I ever gather enough bottles to warrant a shelf in a cellar. As far as restaurants go, so many in New York are great that it’s hard to pick one.

I love all of Mario Batali’s, but Esca, his Italian place on 43rd St., is a true gem. Being the after theater boy I am, I also love Orso, Joe Allen, and Bar Centrale. It’s always ‘family style’ when they serve their wine, so it’s every wine lover for themselves once the bottle hits the table. I recently played the «Man in Chair» in The Drowsy Chaperone, who drinks brandy as the play progresses.

I believe it was really Throat Coat tea, but the fee- “I love California wines. Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. I’m a fifth generation Californian, so I’m ling of intoxication was intoxicating.

I actually didn’t trust myself in the rehearsal process - and the prop gentleman, Augie, was kind enough to find me a plastic brandy snifter rather than the glass ones that the original man in chair, (and author of the play) Bob Martin, used. My fear is that I break a glass on stage and someone in the audience yells «Mazel Tov !» Alcohol and performing do not work for Mr. Sagat. “While doing Drowsy,” he said, “I made the mistake of taking Nyquil one night before a matinee performance.

I then took another dose in the middle of the night as my cold was so crummy. The result was a performance that I would not forget, if I could remember it. I am told only the actors onstage could tell that I had been Nyquil affected.
I hit all my cues, but there was a moment where I didn’t have enough time to get all of my lines out. Professional that I am, I moved on in a flash to the scene of the moment. Never again. It was a 2007 Nyquil, which was a very good year for cold relief.”

 

SPAMALOT HAMALOT

 

Hannah Waddingham

Hannah was nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance as ‘The Lady of the Lake” in London, the part she’s now playing on Broadway in Spamalot.“My favorite wine these days is the 2005 Ridge Zinfandel Paso Robles, from California.
My favorite restaurant, believe it or not, is the Westway Diner on Ninth Avenue at 44th St. I LOVE the pancakes.”

 

Hannah recounted a funny incident, but it didn’t happen on stage. She was at the Westway with her co-star Christopher Sieber who played Galahad in London, and is now in the Broadway show. She was having pancakes with strawberries, chocolate chips and maple syrup - chased by a fresh banana milkshake.

She noticed a table of attractive New York policemen nearby. As the meal ended, she went to the bathroom and when she returned, sensed they were watching her. As she was leaving, she fastened the elastic belt on her coat, but due to her indulgent meal, suddenly it ricocheted off her waist and flew across the restaurant ! So much for impressing the cops !

 

 

Relaxing after a show is sometimes a 2-person job. Here’s a look at how some Broadway duos do it.

 

 

MARY POPINS - POPS A CORK

Rebecca Luker & Danny Burstein

Rebecca Luker stars as Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins. She has three Tony nominations in her busy career, for Mary Poppins, The Music Man and Showboat. Her husband, Danny Burstein, is in previews at Lincoln Center for the revival of South Pacific. He’s playing the wonderfully, funny role of Luther Billis.

He received a Tony nomination for The Drowsy Chaperone. Says Danny : “I like California wines, especially from Sonoma. My aunt Rise lives in Solvang and I developed a real affection for that area’s wines. My favorite Broadway restaurant is Joe Allen. It’s got great atmosphere and great burgers and terrific beer and wine.”

 

Danny told of his first preview performance of South Pacific. “One of my fellow actors is supposed to mention a character by the name of ‘Buzz Adams’ - but he blanked on the name and instead referred to him as ‘Buck Owens.’ Well, needless to say. We all had a very difficult time getting through the rest of the scene.

But we made it ! It was very funny !” Rebecca also likes Joe Allen as well as Bar Centrale. “I can’t remember what I drink when I’m there, but both places have excellent selections. I don’t really have a favorite wine or region. I’ve been to the Napa Valley and just fell in love with it ... I like wines from California, France, Italy and Australia mostly.

 

A quick look at my wine cabinet : Coppola Claret 2005, Smoking Loon Cab 2005, lots of Champagne we’ve gotten as gifts, Ruffino Orvieto and yes, a bottle of Blue Nun (don’t ask). My earliest exposure to wine was in college but all we had to choose from was Blue Nun or Black Tower down at 7 Eleven. We thought we were really cool. At least we drew the line at Boone’s Farm !

I don’t collect wine but I do buy it regularly. I don’t have a wine cellar and wouldn’t know what to put in it if I had one. Maybe someday. By the way, have you seen the «Ab Fab» episode where Eddie and Patsy travel to France and visit a winery ? Go rent it this minute ! And while you’re at it, rent the episode called «Gay.» Danny’s in it and he’s hysterical ! Yes, I’m plugging for my husband because I love him. Get over it. Cheers !”

A NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER

 

Dylan Baker & Becky Ann Baker

 

Dylan Baker has a ton of credits for TV, film and stage work, including Eastern Standard and Mauritius on Broadway and the last two Spiderman films. When Dylan is feeling thirsty, after audiences laugh their way through David Mamet’s NOVEMBER on Broadway with Nathan Lane, he often calls up his actress- wife Becky, Ann Baker and they head to the West Bank Café on 42nd St., near Nineth Ave.

 
The cafe is part of the Manhattan Plaza apartment complex where they live so you can’t beat the convenience. As the rational chief of staff to Mr. Lane’s wild President in the play, Dylan is used to being different, so being the lone beer drinker among wine-lovers doesn’t bother him.

“They have Bass ale on tap and they bring it in these tall thin glasses, like old Ho Jo [Howard Johnson] glasses.” Becky orders a California Cabernet and surrounded by wine-drinking friends they decompress from another busy New York actor day.

 

Becky just got back to town from filming a movie in the outer banks of North Carolina, Nights in Rodanthe, starring Richard Gere.

Her first Broadway show was Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, where she ended up playing nine different roles over 1,584 performances.She was also in Titanic and most recently played Sara Jane Moore in Sondheim’s Assassins. It’s just natural after a show for actors to find some placeto wind down, she says. “

 

After Assassins, we’d duck across the street to a little Irish bar for drinks and darts.” The wine bug hit her first in Heidelberg, Germany, where her dad was stationed in the Army. “Wine was such a part of life there. They delivered ! They would come and refill our jugs of wine with all this wonderful Riesling.”

Now she prefers Cabernet, usually from California. She picks up reasonable bottles at the Manhattan Plaza Winery on the way home. Current favorites include Avalon and Amber Knolls. The Bakers are also part of a monthly dinner club, a group of actors, stage managers and other theatre folk who meet regularly to try new dishes and matching wines out on each other.

Everyone brings a different course and a bottle of wine to share. Recently, it was Becky’s turn for the entrée. She made her mom’s old German recipe for “Sauerbraten” with braised red cabbage and paired it with a bottle of the Coppola Cabernet. And yes, for this acting pair, it was another hit.

BOTTOMS UP

 

Jay Sanders & Maryann Plunkett

Jay Sanders is a big man, an impressively rugged actor from Austin, Texas who has appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows. He plays lots of cops or FBI agents.
But, beneath the hard, intense, all-American front is a sweetly smiling, wine enthusiast. Last summer he starred as the braying Bottom in the NY Shakespeare Festival’s Midsummer Night’s Dream in Central Park.

 

This winter he was Alfred Doolittle in Pygmalion at the Roundabout Theatre on 42nd St. Both are large, talky, thirsty roles and Jay likes nothing better than to relax after a show with a deep, earthy glass of Malbec from Argentina at Jorge Sosa’s Sosa Borella on Broadway and 50th St or at the Hilton Hotel Bar high above 42nd St. Most of the cast were Scotch drinkers, but Jay likes a meaty nosh of duck or lamb and a matching red wine to complement it.
The wine bug hit big time in the mid-90’s when he spent 5 months in Rome working on the film Daylight. The whole family was there- Jay’s actress/wife Maryann Plunkett (who won a Tony Award for Me and My Girl) and their young son, Jamie.

In Italy, they kept around 20 bottles of wine in the apartment and toured about the countryside. Jay has a meal memory from Valdobiaddene in the Veneto, a glorious matching of Bistecca Fiorentina and Brunello that seems more a religious experience than a meal. “That was it. I remember every taste, every bite.
So simple. So good.” Maryann likes a good wine - she’s a big fan of Tignanello - “But she’s a two-sipper and done,” says Jay. “Of, course, that means someone has to finish the bottle.” Jay learned to love the Brunellos, the Nebbiolos, the Tuscan blends like Sassicaia, etc. Then came trips to Napa followed by some great Californian reds and now the recent joy of Argentina.

 

For Jay, wine is a world of knowledge and experience waiting to be enjoyed. “I love the passion that wine inspires. When you share wine with people it opens up all these aspects of personality. You learn about someone’s personal taste. It reveals character.” And what character actor can resist that !! One note : Jay says it’s hard for an actor who loves wine to sip the doctored water that passes for wine on stage.

Of course, no one wants to risk drinking onstage and messing up the show, but it may be the height of great acting to fake a satisfied sniff and smile delightedly at the flat, watered tea you’ve just poured into your mouth !!! In the world of wine, a “Reserva” is a term referring to quality wine from a good vintage that has satisfied specific aging requirements.
To be labeled “reserva,” red wines must have a minimum of 3 years of aging with at least 1 year in oak barrels.

Reserva Broadway Actors is that sublime classification of for actors who are approaching 75 years of age and beyond . . . those thespians who have been on the “oak floor boards” of Broadway in the 1960’s, 70’s and are still going strong. I’ve been to many Broadway and private parties with four of these actors, each of whom have some very notable credits.They are all still lovers of wine, women and song.

 

Joe Elic

 

This Broadway and multi-fi lm comedian in his eighties has appeared in numerous Broadway productions, among them the original Three Penny Opera. He has over 60 plays to his credit and memorable roles in fi lms such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and the original Producers with Zero Mostel. In his drinking days, jokester Joe liked red wine from anywhere as long as it was good.

 

He brought a smile to our faces when recounting a stage performance from the 1970s. “During intermission, some of us cast members would share a bottle of wine,” he recollected. “We never got tipsy, just an enjoyable 15 minutes before we were due back on stage.

One evening when we went to partake in our bottle, it was missing ! We soon realized that the stage musicians had found it and were drinking it ! “The ruckus backstage was so loud that theatergoers wondered what was going on. However, the next evening all was peaceful. We actors had our usual bottle of wine, and the musicians had purchased their own !”

 

William Duell

“Billy,” also in his eighties and with a slew of Broadway credits, was seen in the famed musical 1776 and also the fi lm version. Only a few years ago, he was featured in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with Whoopi Goldberg and others. Mr. Duell was also in the fi lm One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Billy enjoys red wine at many Broadway restaurants such as Joe Allen and the legendary Sardi’s, on West 44th St. - where an artist has sketched a caricature of him that adorns the hallowed walls along with other Broadway greats.

 

Here’s one of his many stories : “The original production of the Tony Award winning Broadway musical, “1776” with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards, book by Peter Stone and directed by Peter H. Hunt, opened on March 16, 1969. I was the Congressional Custodian, Andrew McNair, a role I later recreated for the fi lm. My job was to tally the votes of the Continental Congress on a huge Tally Board on the wall of the meeting room.

Each state had a ‘yea’ and ‘nay’ that I slid into their vote column as they voted on the current version of the Declaration of Independence. All went well until the evening of February 7, 1970 (yes, I keep extensive journals). As John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson valiantly put forth the ideals that were to shape our nation, each state representative cast their votes.

 

With great fl ourish, I dutifully slid their responses on the Tally Board. Imagine my surprise when Ralston Hill, as the Congressional Secretary, marched to the back of the room mumbling about my incompetence and changed each vote. YES ! I had recorded each ‘yea’ as a ‘nay’ and each ‘nay’ as a ‘yea’!!!!!! I could have altered the course of the nation ! Believe me, during the three year run, it never happened again !”

 

Jack Dabdoub

 

A great musical man in his eighties, gentleman Jack has been in over 15 Broadway musical and drama productions and can still belt out a song with the best of them, as proved by his CD titled C’est Moi, Jack Dabdoub, a Legacy in Song.
Hearing the actual recordings of his voice in Broadway productions such as Paint Your Wagon (1951), Guys and Dolls (1953) the 1994 revival of Showboat is a piece of theatre history. Jack doesn’t drink much wine, but he still remembers the favorites of all those stars he’s dined with. His restaurant choice is Sardi’s.

Jack was on Broadway playing Don Quixote in The Man of La Mancha. One night, when he was working up to the prelude of the hit song “The Impossible Dream,” the back stage door slammed open, startling Jack and the audience. A man ran into the theater and hastily searched for an empty seat. As Jack was about to begin “The Impossible Dream,” the door slammed open again.

 

This time it was two police offi cers who ran up and down the aisles. As Jack sang on, while fighting to keep composure, the policemen spotted the man slumped deep in his chair.“There he is !” yelled one offi cer to another. They cornered the “thief,” escorted him out of the theater as Jack continued to sing “The Impossible Dream.” What an impossible night !

 

Sam Coppola

The junior of the reserva group, in his seventies, Sam has an extensive Broadway resume including the classic, Caine Mutiny and the Tony winner That Championship Season. He’s had roles in iconic films such as Saturday Night Fever and Fatal Attraction. Sam doesn’t drink a lot but he dabbles occasionally in the fermented grape, often with a meal at Three of Cups on the lower East Side or Joe Allen.

 

Mr. Coppola was performing in the famous Samuel Beckett play, Waiting for Godot at a Broadway area theater. In one particular scene, Sam and another actor are literally “waiting” for someone named Godot. Every day they wait for him, and every day a child actor of 10 comes to tell them that “Godot will be there tomorrow.”

One day, the little boy didn’t show up to deliver his line and Sam, not knowing what to do, began to improvise, asking the other actor, “Did you hear that ?’“I think so,” the other actor answered, not knowing where Sam was going with this, but knowing that they had to do something. The pause in the play lasted nearly three minutes and still the child actor hadn’t shown up. Sam began to walk through the audience, milking the moment, and shouting in excitement, “I think I see Godot !”

 

The audience didn’t know what was going on and the director was off-stage having a fit over Sam’s wild improvisation. The other actor asked Sam, “Do you still see him ?” And Sam answered, “I think so, but I’m not sure,” as he continued to wander about. Finally, they found the child actor, who hadn’t heard his cue over the sound system.
They grabbed him and literallypushed him on stage so the play could go on as written Sam, breathing a sigh of relief, hopped back onto the stage, found the bookmarker in his mind, and continued with his performance.

For a New York actor, appearing in a play on the Broadway stage is a thrilling experience. Both Joel and I can attest to that. However, we know of the travails that almost every actor has to go through during his career to “keep afloat” until the next job comes. Employment in any division of the entertainment and performing arts industry is unpredictable.

 

The work is erratic, security is fleeting and health insurance is often just a dream. .The ACTORS’ FUND, a nonprofit human services organization founded in 1882, serves all professional entertainers - in film, theater, television, music, opera,and dance - through programs that address unique and essential needs. The Fund serves over 8,000 performing arts professionals across the country and approximately 300,000 more through Web resource programs.

"Actors and entertainment professionals have always been leaders for good causes, from the United Way to war bonds to AIDS service organizations," says Joe Benincasa, Executive Director of The Actor’s Fund. "For more than 125 years, they have also raised funds to help their own through the Actor’s Fund."

 

Theatres throughout the country frequently pledge all the proceeds from a regularly scheduled performance to the charity. I have been to several Actors’ Fund benefits and for those who attend as well as the stars who donate their efforts it’s an unforgettable night of entertainment and memories.
Below are some photos of artists lending a helping hand : We would especially like to thank Lynn Hoppe (Director of Communications) and Wally Munro (Director of Planned Giving) of The Actors’ Fund New York office, and Boneau/Bryan-Brown Inc. - the renowned theatrical press agency - for their efforts in helping to rally actors to join in this magazine’s salute to Broadway and Wine.

To learn more about how you can become an Actors’ Fund member and see great entertainment while helping performers in their times of need, contact The Actors’ Fund at +1-800- 221-7303.
In keeping with the Broadway and Wine tradition, the New York city-based wine importing company, Wine Emporium Inc. has started The Actors’ Fund Wine Selection. Restaurants, wine stores and event planners that purchase these wines make it possible for this importing company to donate a sizable portion of the profits to The Actors’ Fund.

 

If you love Broadway and also love wine, call Wine Emporium. What a pleasure for the Winebusters to hear these talented members of our noble profession praise the equally noble grape and share their humorous on and off stage moments.

It had us dreaming of a new smash musical titled Broadway and Wine. Just picture it : A hundred beautiful guys and dolls singing the soon-to-be-famous opening number :
LIFE IS A CABERNET, OLD FRIEND!

Subscribe with TASTED Magazine

TOP OF THE PAGE