Stirred by Stew in Passing Strange

After seeing Passing Strange, the buzz-iest play going (and soon closing) at the Public Theater, I was dumbstruck. Lord have mercy, our main man Stew puts on a show. Perhaps the best of the slew of rock musicals going (Tony-bestowed Spring Awakening among them) this jamming journey follows the artistic self-discovery of a bored middle class African American, simply called Youth. Traveling from Los Angeles to Amsterdam to Berlin, art becomes life for Stew's alter-ego (played with doe-eyed glee by Daniel Breaker) and love nothin' but a means to a muse. Powerful lessons here, delivered with heavy bass and stomp-your-feet rhythm. Overheard among ticket hopefuls were rumors that the play, written by Stew and co-composed with Heide Rodewald, might be headed to B'way. If so, grab your seat quick before it too sweeps the Tonys and becomes part of theatrical legend.

Bonus: Spike Lee gave a cool thumbs up for Passing Strange when asked for his opinion, as he attended the 7pm show accompanied by Wesley Snipes (researching for that James Brown biopic, perhaps?) Liev Schreiber was at the 11pm performance, and I believe I also spotted Public artistic director Oskar Eustis.

How to Get Tix: The word-of-mouth on this play has been unbelievable so the rest of the run was sold out. Arriving too late for tix to the 7pm Friday show, I stuck around and waited in line for over two hours to get $20 rush tickets for the 11pm show. When trying for rush tickets, which go on sale an hour before curtain, get to the theater early with reading material and bottled water handy.

Celebrity Studded Fundraiser for Afghan Hands

Last night, I attended my first New York City velvet-rope party, a celebration of the high-impact non-profit Afghan Hands at the Sikkema Jenkins & Co. Gallery in Chelsea. This gorgeous gathering was a classic example of a chic NYC crowd rallied around a cause, with a silent auction packed with services-to-the-stars and fashion-forward, celebrity worn gowns. Talk about beautiful people, both inside and out, as many were using their status to make a difference through this charity and others.

Afghan Hands is dedicated to empowering and educating widows in Afghanistan. By teaching the textile skills needed to create exquisitely realized embroidered scarves and shawls, these talented women gain independence both financially and personally. Above all, Afghan Hands pays for their artisans to educate themselves, and with this new found literacy and knowledge of basic human rights, provides a solid base of empowerment.

In addition to being take-your-breath-away stunning, these colorful, chic cloths are also profoundly moving, as each has a small bit of burqa material sewn into the corner. By deconstructing such a strong symbol of oppression, this dull blue patch of fabric symbolizes freedom from brutality, dependence and fear.

Founder Matin Maulawizada, a joyous, generous and genuine soul recently named a CNN Hero, launched the project with a clutch of savings and a determined dream to help those in his native country. A renowned celebrity makeup artist, his clientele immediately fell in love with the embroidery and started wearing them on set. The exposure and subsequent sales help pay for this important educational project, but the ordinary citizen can purchase items or donate too.

Bonus: Interviewing actress and Afghan Hands supporter Claire Danes (looking luminous) regarding her involvement. She explained to me that she enthusiastically gave these exquisite scarves to all her friends as holiday presents, and what a joy it was to help humanity by indulging in such beautiful fabrics. She was accompanied by her handsome (and sweet) British boyfriend, actor Hugh Dancy.

Australian Play 'Beautiful Souls' Lands in NYC

Last night, I had the full-throttle thrill of being part of an enthusiastic audience for the U.S. premier of Sven Swenson's Beautiful Souls, presented by the Springboard Theater Company. Set in a Thai prison, this gripping, daring and uncomfortable play spotlights the inner demons of three Australian prisoners as they await execution for drug smuggling.

Throughout this 55-minute piece, the 'beautifully souled' and brain damaged Justin and his handsome, brooding brother David do verbal battle between prison walls regarding the nature of love, family and guilt. Fellow prisoner Beth acts as the moral center of the play, comforting the often terrified Justin and demanding accountability from the ever-combative David. As their execution draws near, the jailhouse confessions of each reveal profound regret, primarily over the life-long failure to connect to fellow human beings with deep love and compassion. The tragedy here is that despite the dawning realization that death is near, each prisoner falls deeper and deeper into the hurtful human traits of anger, selfishness and cruelty, and any 'foxhole conversion' among these tortured souls is minor at best.

Notable are the actors, especially Luke Wright whose subtly-realized performance as the brain injured Justin never falls into caricature or patronization. Jake Robards work as the angry and conflicted David could easily have been one-note, but he gives us a powerful and nuanced portrayal of a man on the edge. And Emma Dean's work as Beth is both tense and moving.

Bonus: Hearing those gorgeous Australian accents, meeting the cast members, crew and director Jeremy Dobrish afterwards, and hanging with some fascinating audience members from all over the globe. The show is in limited run at the Samuel Beckett Theater at 410 W. 42nd, June 28-30 at 7:30 pm, and tix are a supersweet low $18.

Save the Hotel Chelsea

There are few places in New York City that have the quirky charisma of the Hotel Chelsea, primarily known for its long-term artist, musician and writer residents. As a wannabe '80s punk rocker, I considered it a dark-side tourist destination as it housed many a famous alt-bohemian (and was where, tragically, Sid Vicious killed his gal Nancy). Adding to its alternative charm, Andy Warhol filmed the very arthouse The Chelsea Girls there, and the revolutionary writers Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Dylan Thomas, Allen Ginsberg and even Mark Twain called the hotel home. With influential musicians such as Dylan, Patti Smith, Dee Dee Ramone and Joni Mitchell having stayed there, surely there was a genius serum that seeped from its walls?

Concerns for the Hotel Chelsea: On my friend Robin's blog Hoover Factory, I was made aware that management had recently changed and many were fearful that this historic creative outpost would be in for some drastic, corporate-cruel changes. New management company BD Hotels NY LLC has firmly brought to a close the unique rental pay system instituted by beloved former manager Stanley Bard, meant to nurture the gallery of artists residing there. Perhaps even more worrisome is that even with its historic landmark status, only the exterior of the hotel is protected, leaving the interior vulnerable to drastic renovation.

Given all the development (and destruction of older properties) that has been a mainstay of the city over the past few years, fears for the hotel's future may be justified. Rumors are that Andre Balazs (Uma Thurman's hotelier-hottie-ex) may play a role in any renovation action. Keep an eye out for the Chelsea that it doesn't turn into another boring boutique hotel with a sanitized, spa-like interior. Sometimes, chaos and a frenetic design are worth preserving.

Buddist Center Garden Bash

Another great thing about New York City? The multitudinous spiritual practices offered to its millions of residents, challenging us to seek out a connection with the world (and beyond) that most accurately speaks to our individual beliefs. While I am still sampling from this buffet, it has been enlightening to learn more about Kadampa Buddhism through the teachings of my friend Julia, as well as last night's garden party held by the Chakrasambara Buddhist Center.

Taking place at the 6th and B Community Garden in the East Village, the night included camaraderie and an inventive performance of Buddhist-lyriced Beatles songs with a talented NYC cast. The wacky dharma jokes may have gone over my head, but I admired and envied the sense of community there.

Bonus: Seeing up close the impressively mammoth and odd 65-foot-high art-tower created by the recently deceased Eddie Boros that looms over this charming urban community garden.

Cheap Art & Laughs: Affordable Art Fair & ASSSSCAT

I had a hankering for art on Sunday afternoon, so I headed down to Chelsea for the last day of the Affordable Art Fair at 125 W. 18th. St. The show had received a lot of good promo press, but I'll confess my expectations were pretty low. Quality canvases for under $10,000? Unlikely. Perhaps my experience at Sotheby's had tainted my love for the cheap artiste. Fortunately, the mammoth art extravaganza restored my faith that there is exceptional contemporary art available to collectors on a budget. The work displayed was all over the map - traditional, decorative, provocative - and more than 70 galleries were represented. Shows are held in New York City annually in June, and there are upcoming shows in the UK and Australia.

After gazing at great visuals there, I wandered around the block and happened upon the Chelsea Antique & Collectible Flea Market at 17th St. & 6th Ave. A different kind of aesthetic on the cheap, these booths were home to vintage jewelry, beads, clothing, collectibles and the requisite cast of thrift shop junkies. The wares were of a consistently good quality, as were the prices. Though smaller than many of NYC's more famous flea markets, this is definitely worth a visit.

To top off the evening, I headed to 307 W. 26th St. to check out the Upright Citizens Brigade's improv/sketch comedy act ASSSSCAT, hosted by Amy Poehler of Saturday Night Live fame. On this particular night, fellow cast members included SNL's Seth Meyers, Colbert's Peter Gwinn, Old School screenwriter Scot Armstrong, and others from hot & humorous media. This comedic experience is wildly popular and had popped up on my cultural event radar with too much consistency to ignore. Besides, the 7:30pm show cost a mere $8 and the 9:30pm show is free. Lines formed around the block, however, so get there well in advance.

Bonus: Standing in line for the show and having an elderly gentleman ask me to hold his pet parrot Ed while he went into Gristedes to get a soda. Happy to say that Ed was talkative but exceptionally well behaved.

Big Blowout Bloomberg Party

At the invitation of my dear friend Judy and her 4-and-three-quarters-year-old son Adam, I witnessed first hand the high-end corporate extravaganza that is the Bloomberg Summer Party. A celebration for the kids of the company's employees, this Saturday business blowout catered to every conceivable childhood whim-and then some.

Arriving at Randall's Island, we were greeted by dancing trees, dragons and dinosaurs, butterflies on stilts and talking plants. Guests were offered an overwhelming assortment of kid-friendly activities, including carnival rides, puppet shows, ice skating, jewelry making and catapult water balloon fights. A wide array of sumptuous summer food was on hand to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. No surprise, the candy tent was the most popular with nearly 100 jars of sweet goodies and a make-your-own chocolate bar station. If you needed to vegetate after your sugar rush, you could nap at the hammock station, relax while getting a henna tattoo, gaze at belly dancers, listen to a live rock band, sit in a Nascar-type race car or admire one of the many human 'sculptures' that startlingly sprang to life.

Obviously, this Saturday soiree took excess to extravagant heights. I realized I wasn't at any ordinary corporate get-together when I spotted a baby black bear being led among the guests, followed closely by a kangaroo, chimpanzee, camel, yak, and few llamas thrown in for good measure. The reptile pen and petting zoo housed slightly less exotic beasties that the kids loved just as much. In fact, some of the biggest hits of the party were classics like pony rides, tree forts and carousel horses. The pièce de résistance was the glorious wooden pirate ship complete with (foam) swords, fire pole, pirate queen and a spot-on Jack Sparrow impersonator (whose doubloonin' charm was not lost on the mommies in the crowd, let me tell you!)

I overheard that this full-throttle gala was produced by R Cano Events. With thousands of attendees and hundreds of staff, performers, artisans and musicians, the company wisely took advantage of the top-notch theatrical talent residing around New York City. Truly a jaw-dropping shin dig I will not soon forget.

Bonus: Spending the afternoon with Judy and the adorable, giggly Adam, and the evening with my friend Ann, her many friends and her inspiring spit-fire of a mom Edna. My face hurt from a full day of smiling (or was that eating?)

No Marathon for Mary

There will be no running in the 2007 ING New York City Marathon for moi, as I did not gain a slot in this coveted 26.2 mile race on November 4. Given that while walking the other day I blew out my knee at the exact moment I was thinking how cute my 5 inch heeled, strappy platform sandals were (and they say the universe doesn't have a sense of humor!) I'm not too heartbroken. But still *sniff* the New York City Marathon is a dream of mine. Here is how I (and thousands of others) will get there one day.

• Enter the lottery. You must fill out an application on the marathon's Web site. With more than 98,000 applicants, luck of the draw will determine if you get to run among the nearly 38,000 participants.
• Run for charity. If you join a fundraising charity team you will automatically get entry into the marathon. I would do this if my knee were in better shape. No, really.
• Complete at least nine New York Road Runners-scored, qualifying races during the calendar year.
• Be an entrant in the prior year's New York City Marathon. If you cancel before race day, you get a slot in the next year's marathon.
• Complete 15 or more New York City Marathons (yikes!)
• Apply but be denied entry for the last three years in a row. After all that waiting, you will be guaranteed a spot.
• Volunteer. Okay, so this doesn't mean you get to run. But it does get you in on the action of the race. Hand out water, Gatorade or blankets, clip chips, or direct marathoners onto buses. Visit the marathon Web site for more info.
• Be a Spectator. Stand among 2 million spectators on the sidelines of the course and scream like crazy for the runners. Trust me, this noisemaking is inspiring to those sweating it out and a vital motivator.

Sure, I've heard of sneaky, manipulative, underground methods of gaining an entry bib, but I figure it pays to play legit. Here's to cheering the runners on November 4!

One Woman Show: Lisa Ramirez in Exit Cuckoo

Deep in the nooks and crannies of New York City, groundbreaking new theater is being created. Need proof? See the one-woman show Exit Cuckoo, written and performed by powerhouse Lisa Ramirez and based on her experiences as a Manhattan nanny. Her gut-wrenching, side-splitting, tragi-comic look at nannies, their employers and the children they raise will challenge your preconceived notions of the childcare-givers life.

With a quick flick of an admirably versatile hairstyle, Ramirez transforms herself from immigrant nanny to single-ma employer to frightened charge to celebrity caregiver. Anchoring it all is Ramirez herself, her struggles with her lack of maternal desire and her flamboyant, frustrated artiste of a mom. Never self-aggrandizing, never patronizing or preachy, Ramirez wows us with her versatility, spot-on depictions of diverse New York City women, and humor rooted in humanity. We laugh at the blatant truths she exposes, and what we recognize in ourselves.

Note: The influential playwright, activist and performer Eve Ensler has called Exit Cuckoo an important piece of work, and it is. It is also damn entertaining. I caught it in a one-night showing at the 14th St. Y and it has played at other theaters around, but surely there is an NYC theater available for a long-time run? Besides, I want to see it again. And take all my friends.

Tony Tony Tonys!!!

Tonight was my first experience with the Tony Awards as a New York City resident, so I hightailed it down to Radio City Music Hall to see the stars arrive in all their finery, including Melina Kanakaredes, David Hyde Pierce (Tony winner!), Donny Osmond, most-awarded-play-Spring Awakening's Jonathan Groff, Florance Henderson, Zack Braff, Tommy Tune, Jane Krakowski, Robert Sean Leonard, Christine Ebersole (Tony winner!), Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel, Liev Schriber, Naomi Watts, Audra McDonald, Angela Lansbury, Felicity Huffman, Neil Patrick Harris, Judd Hirsch, Cynthia Nixon, Frank Langella (Tony winner!), Billy Crudup (Tony winner!), Marcia Gay Harden and the cast of A Chorus Line.

You can always buy a ticket to the event but it will run you a couple hundred bucks, not including the black tie attire. So taking the no-cost approach, I got in on the excitement by standing by the police barricades and screaming out play titles like an uber drama groupie. See full coverage of winners here, along with earlier Newbie NYC posts on Frank Langella's winning turn in Frost/Nixon and the award nominees.

Bonus: Going to a real-live NYC Tony Awards viewing party at the amazing Ann and Rick's, being fed Ann's food worthy of Gourmet mag, and hanging with a group of cultured, interesting & artistic souls-including the kids! I love this town!