ある晩に幸運にも、そこの最も小さい劇場で「Cooking For Kings」と言う素晴らしいワンマンショーを見る事ができました。 それはイアン・ケリーが自身のベストセラー小説を脚色し、上演したものです。 舞台は厨房で、料理の世界では最初の名シェフとして評判のアントナン・カレームの生涯を称えたものでした。 劇中、カレームは新鮮なホイップクリームを詰めた、白鳥の形をした特別なシュークリームを焼きあげます。 ライトが消え終幕となったあとも、満席の５０人の観客からは盛大な賞賛の拍手がいつまでも送られていました。 59E59 劇場からは、楽しんでもらった常連の観客に作りたての白鳥のシュークリームが振舞われました。　それはまさしくコール・ポーターの歌詞 “de-lightful, de-licious, de-lovely”そのもので、感極まる素晴らしいものでした。

バラエティ豊かで、質の高いショー、とまた来場させてしまうリーズナブルな価格が,人々を魅了し、マンハッタン-ミッドタウン名物として59E59 Theatres は歓迎されているのです。　

59E59 Theatres
59 East 59th Street between Madison & Park Avenues
Telephone: 212-279-4200、　HP:　www.59E59.org
Box Office Hours: 12:00 p.m.〜 8:00 p.m., 7 days a week

Mid-Town’s Treasure / 59E59 Theatres

“New York, New York, it’s a wonderful town” were the opening lyrics in the classic movie, “On The Town”, with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. I came to New York City many years ago for one main reason….Broadway and every element of the theatre that Manhattan had to offer.

Yes, we have the incomparable Broadway in all its splendor, but let us not forget the independent, non-profit and micro theatres dotted throughout Manhattan that provide charming and less expensive alternatives. They are known as Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway, where experimental theatre reigns.
These smaller theatres provide opportunities to showcase the enormous talent pool in this city. On occasion, well established stars are enticed to appear Off-Broadway by a particularly intriguing script, at a fraction of their normal fee. Tremendous hits like “Hair”, “Grease” and “Avenue Q” debuted Off-Broadway before success transported them to larger and costlier theatres.

A newcomer, conveniently located in mid-town Manhattan, is 59E59 Theatres. This freshly renovated, exciting and modern complex is owned and operated by the not-for-profit Elysabeth Kleinhans Theatrical Foundation. Their goal is to provide an affordable performing opportunity to both American and foreign companies, who in turn, present new and thought provoking material.　You can treat yourself to a choice of three theatres on two floors with seating capacity of 199, 99 and 50. The largest theatre, housing Primary Stages, is on the first floor. Situated on the second floor with the smaller theatres is a quaint bar and refreshment stand referred to as the E-Bar.

It was my good fortune one night to attend “Cooking For Kings”, a brilliant one man show in the smallest theatre. It was performed by Ian Kelly, who had adapted his best selling novel for the stage. The play unfolded in a kitchen and celebrated the life of Antonin Careme, reputedly the first celebrity chef in culinary history. Careme baked to perfection a special dessert of puff pastry, shaped like a swan and filled with fresh whipped cream. That night when the lights faded in the theatre, all 50 viewers applauded vigorously and were rewarded. 59E59 Theatres presented each elated patron with a freshly made swan cream pastry. In the words of Cole Porter, it was “de-lightful, de-licious, de-lovely”.

59E59 Theatres is a treasure and a welcome addition to mid-town Manhattan. The variety, quality of shows and reasonable ticket prices lure one to revisit on a regular basis.

59E59 Theatres
59 East 59th Street between Madison & Park Avenues
Telephone: 212-279-4200、　HP:　www.59E59.org
Box Office Hours: 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., 7 days a week