Every day is opening night.

“I’m Too Hot For You”

Ladies and gents,

My head is still spinning from Sunday’s School of Rock opening. Celebrations were underway before the curtain even went up. At The Palm, the original kids from the movie mixed and mingled at a private parts, as gossip slingers like Cindy Adams and myself, aling with a few, er, helicopter moms and dads, looked on. The vibe was sophisticated and subdued, until Robert Tsai, who played the film’s keyboardist, Lawrence, entered, and a deafening cheer went up. When the noise level became a bit too much, I sauntered down 50th Street to O’Lunney’s where the cast of “Downton Abbey” were speaking in comparatively dulcet tones as they toasted their show’s creator and School of Rock’s book writer, Julian Fellowes. But before I was able to order myself a glass of claret or pint of ale, it was almost curtain time.

As I slipped into the theater, I passed Barbara Walters chatting with School of Rock composer Andrew Lloyd Webber steps away from where Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka were hugging Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor. The performance garnered the kind of crowd reaction that only bona fide mega-hits get. The show is the very definition of crowd-pleasing, and the pleased crowd showed their appreciation with multiple standing ovations. I, along with everyone else, was smitten with the entire experience, and especially with the show’s star, Alex Brightman, delivering the most bombastic and endearing performance of the year.

I popped backstage afterward where the pintsized band was hanging with real life rockers Sting, Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood, before all piling into a giant red Hummer limo to head to the after party. I had had my fill of fun by that point in the evening, so I got into a small black UberX and headed home.

Tidbits from around town…

Spotted Scarlett Johansson lunching casually at the Carlyle Hotel.

Caught Sandra Bernhard discussing her new SiriusXM radio show over dinner at Dirt Candy

Overheard George Will asking the concierge at the Four Seasons Georgetown about scoring tickets to Bright Star at Kennedy Center.

Saw Patricia Clarkson leading the standing ovation at Beautiful.

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

Kisses,

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