As you may have heard, it’s crazy in New York right now.
Our three remaining mayoral candidates participated in another televised debate tonight, and got nowhere. Manhattanites and older people who’ve seen a lot in our time want Andrew Cuomo, if no other reason than not to have Zohar Mamdani bankrupt the city with a free-for-fall.
This did not seem to bother New York Governor Kathy Hochul tonight. Surprise! I ran into her at the opening of an off Broadway play. “The Art of Leaving” had its premiere tonight at the Signature Theater after a previous run off-off Broadway. The comedy stars a group of gifted New York actors including Audrey Heffernan Meyer, wife of restaurateur Danny Meyer.
Audrey has a long list of acting credits, but her husband’s main credit is creating the mouth watering Shake Shack eateries. Turns out, Governor Hochul — looking elegant in a black cocktail dress — is a regular customer. So I had to ask her:
“Do you eat at Shake Shack in Albany?”
She laughed. On the record or off the record? I said, On. “I don’t think it’s opened there yet. But two days ago I had it here,” meaning Manhattan. “It’s pretty good!”
Governor Hochul liked the play so much she even went to the after party at The View restaurant above the Marriott Marquis hotel. This is the place that revolves or rotates while you’re eating. You can see the whole city and get dizzy at the same time.
Known as a tourist trap for eons, The View is now run by Danny Meyer’s restaurant group. Needless to say, the cuisine is exceptional. Everyone — even the cast of “The Art of Leaving” — ate too much.
The comedy — written by Ann Marilyn Lucas and directed by Matt Gehring — is sort of rebooted Neil Simon, about a New York husband of 25 years who announces to his wife that he wants a divorce. Not because he’s cheating, but because a phony self-help doctor (later revealed to have a degree in astronomy) has convinced him to break free of his marriage.
All this is done in a well appointed uptown apartment that his elegant and wise wife (Audrey Heffernan Meyer) inherited from her family. But the husband — played as a bit of a boor by the very good Jordan Lage — has summoned his parents and the couple’s son and his fiancee to be present to soften the blow. Pam Shaw is outstandingly funny as the Long Island mother, and Alan Ceppos is the smarter than you think father. The play also stars Brian Mason and Molly Chiffer.
Governor Hochul wasn’t the only celebrity in the audience. I also ran into Christine Baranski, and production designer/artist David Rockwell, among others. I also bumped into Cynthia Nixon in the lobby of the theater. Another guest was legendary composer/director/producer Richard Maltby Jr. (“Ain’t Misbehavin,” “Saigon,” and so on.) All this for a little off Broadway comedy!
As for the city: Governor Hochul seemed relieved to have a couple of hours away. She looked particularly pleased about the news that possible mayor Mamdani agreeing to keep Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch on his staff if elected. Call it The Art of Not Leaving.
“The Art of Leaving” is on at the Signature until December 14th.
