Every day is opening night.

Climb Ev’ry Mountain

Ladies and gents,

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and this weekend of reflection, let’s take a moment to remember The Mountaintop, Katori Hall’s powerfully fictionalized dramatization of the final evening of Dr. King’s life that brought Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett together on Broadway, under the deft direction of Kenny Leon, and produced by Jean DoumanianSonia Friedman and ATG. The play began its life above a small pub in the UK and went on to win the coveted Olivier Award.

Before the marquee lights went up, I had the distinct privilege of traveling to Memphis with Ms. Hall, a crew from CNN, and a few other lucky souls for a journey into her roots and inspiration.

We started at Ms. Hall’s grade school, a modest but vibrant place that seemed to hum with the echoes of young ambition. There, she spoke about her formative years and the teachers who shaped her voice. From there, it was off to her childhood home, where her mother welcomed us as only a Southern matriarch could.

Our next stop was the most resonant: the Lorraine Motel. It was here that Dr. King spent his final hours, and where The Mountaintop is set. That preserved room is a sacred space, and the weight of history hangs heavy.

Oh, but Memphis isn’t all solemnity and reflection. No trip there would be complete without trying its most famous local delicacy: hot wings so hot even the boldest of palettes weep. (Let’s just say I was happy I brought an extra pair of trousers.) Ms. Hall later channeled some of that heat into her play The Hot Wing King, which went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2021. I love a playwright who knows how to keep it spicy!

I still consider The Mountaintop one of the great triumphs of Broadway—a gripping, moving testament to the enduring power of King’s dream and a perfect vehicle for the unique talents of its two stars.

Those well-connected enough to score a table at Bar Centrale during the course of its run were likely to see Ms. Bassett holding court. She made the theaterland hot spot her second home, and could usually be spotted at one of its large booths, dazzling the guests lucky enough to be in her orbit into the wee hours. I’d love to see Bassett back on Broadway, and this uniquely wonderful play return, as it began, in miniature.

So as we honor Dr. King today, let us remember the storytellers who keep his legacy alive—who bring the mountaintop into view and challenge us to keep climbing.

Tidbits from around town:

Witnessed Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster dining at Mel’s, sharing pizza and indulging a server who was very much enamored to be in their midst.

Spotted Susan Lucci, draped tip-to-tail in fur, at Joe Allen.

Spotted SNL cutie Ben Marshall on the F train after a late night at Rockefeller Center.

As always, a toast of something sparkling to you and yours!

Kisses,