There are four words a person living in the Detroit metro area need never utter: “There’s Nothing To Do”. Sports, we’ve got them; Tigers, Lions, Red Wings, Pistons, hey we even have Roller Derby! There’s the Symphony, Opera, Broadway shows, concerts, festivals, tours. Special events like Dlectricity, Detroit Design Festival and Noel Night attract people from all over. Detroiters’ love films, we have wonderful, unique venues such as New Center Park, The Detroit Film Theatre, Cinema Detroit and The Redford. Any night of the week, 7 days a week, you can enjoy a craft cocktail, pop-up dinner, live Jazz, bicycle tour, gallery opening, Riverwalk, poetry, lecture, you get the idea….. The last week of September had so much going on I couldn’t fit everything into the allotted squares of my calendar, don’t you love it?
It’s Saturday evening, we jump in the Jeep and make our way down Grand River. Making a right on Lahser, we quickly scan the street for an open parking space; once parked, we meander into Sweet Potato Sensations, a family run bakery and cafe. Cassandra Thomas began her home business baking and selling sweet potato cookies, 16 years later she opened a storefront on Lahser, the current location is about 5,000 sq ft. The menu has grown to include sweet potato pie, cheesecake, cobbler, ice cream, cupcakes and more. Cassandra’s daughters Espy and Jennifer have joined the family business; it has blossomed. Folks are warmly greeted as they enter the cafe, large refrigerated cases display today’s offerings. Now serving Saturday and Sunday brunch, we were happy to learn we could still order off the menu this evening. With her usual smile, Espy takes our order then disappears back behind the counter. The cafe is busy tonight, the Redford is showing West Side Story, which is where we are headed after dinner. First to arrive is the black eye pea and collard green soup, it’s outstanding; good thing we got a bowl! Served with a chunk of sweet potato corn bread, I could make a meal of this alone. Before we know it, our chicken and sweet potato waffle is set on the table, the combination of fried chicken and spices from the waffle smell wonderful. First thing I do is tear off a piece of waffle, crisp and tender it reminds me of pumpkin pie, the chicken is hot, Kris carefully picks up a piece and manages a hot bite, mmmmmmmm, delicious, he says. From there it is each man for himself, using forks and fingers, we eat and we eat until only a pile of bones remains; we are full, but more than that, we are content.
Across the street at the Redford, it is nearly show time, the marquee dazzles with its flashing lights, a long line leading to the ticket window remains, I take my place in line as Kris gets some photos. This is no ordinary movie night; along with showing the ever-popular West Side Story, Rita Moreno is making a special appearance before the movie, signing books and posing for pictures at intermission, how cool! For one panicked moment, I wonder if they will sell out before we get our tickets, luckily, that isn’t the case; in all the years we’ve been coming here, I don’t think I have ever seen this many people attend a show. Inside, the 1928 movie house is lovingly cared for, restoration is an ongoing thing, the grand foyer is gorgeous from the elegant chandeliers to the hand painted ceiling and walls. We are relegated to the upper balcony to find an open seat, no worries, there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. From here we have a panoramic view of the house; stars twinkle in the night sky, the Barton theatre organ is belting out tunes, a Japanese garden motif surrounds the stage. It is after 8 pm and folks are still trickling in, the announcer introduces Rita Moreno and the crowd erupts into applause. For the next 15-20 minutes Ms Moreno shares stories of growing up in Puerto Rico, then her move to New York with her mother. Her talents as a singer and actress were recognized at an early age. She told great behind-the-scenes accounts about the making of West Side Story, she had to learn to dance for the film as her experience was limited to traditional Hispanic dance; she divulged some fascinating stuff, but if you want to more about her relationship with Marlon Brando or Elvis, you’re gonna have to buy the book!
At intermission, as long lines form for autographs, we dash next door to Motor City Java House to grab some coffee. Our speed and agility get us there ahead of the crowd; I order our drinks and some yummy dessert as Kris nabs us a table. By this time the rush was on, patrons were ordering coffee drinks, tea and dessert, some for here, some to take back to the theatre; our window of time has closed, we finish our carrot cake and we’re outta’ here! Outside the entire block is aglow from the marquee, I love the Redford, each and every time we come here I marvel at its beauty and detail; the wall sconces, stairways, old-fashioned exit signs, painted panels…..sigh…..
Back in our seats Ms Moreno is again brought onto stage, she is the only Hispanic actress/singer to have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and a Tony. She won the 1961 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Anita in West Side Story. Next thing we know, the guys in the projection booth cue up a clip from the Oscars, we see a young Rita accept her award. The volunteers here at the Redford really do an amazing job of running the theatre and hosting special events such as this one, we thank them for that! The lights are dimmed and the curtain goes up, a local dance troupe is performing “America” from the movie; you know, the one where the girls sing the praises of living in America while the boys defend their homeland of Puerto Rico, it’s definitely one of the more popular production numbers in the film. Girls twirl about the stage in red frilly dresses, guys are decked out in black suits, we all watch with admiration as they leap into the air. The audience shows their appreciation with a long round of applause. Ms Moreno compliments their skills, poses for a few pictures and bids us all farewell. At 82 years old, she still sparkles; she’s vibrant, witty, clever, entertaining and continues to work on new projects.
Settled into our seats we watch the conclusion of the movie, there are so many wonderful, magnificent, sensational aspects to the film; Jerome Robbin’s spectacular choreography, I am especially fond of the Sharks and Jets numbers (Jet Song, Cool), Leonard Bernstein’s musical score, Steven Sondheim’s lyrics; songs like Maria, Somewhere and Tonight. The 1957 Broadway production marked Sondheim’s Broadway debut–not bad for a beginner. West Side Story was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, it won 10 including Best Picture for 1961. And here it is tonight, in a lovely old theatre in Detroit, star-studded, complete with red carpet.
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Another wonderful review!
Great Review!