Every day is opening night.

Ladies and gents,

I’ve just now landed back in New York after a whirlwind trip to Chicago for the opening night of Kinky Boots out there. I will tell you it was a night to remember! I’ve always adored that town, mostly for its food (which rivals any of the great eating cities in my estimation, including this one), but I never realized what a downright beautiful city it is. As Cyndi Lauper, who wrote the score to Kinky Boots (more on that later), says: “if you squint, it looks like kinda like Paris.” But what was really fun about this trip was all the familiar faces in town for this opening night! Aside from the creative dream team which, in addition to Ms. Lauper, includes such Broadway names as Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Mitchell, and the powerhouse producing team led by the Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig, a ton of Rialto Royalty was on hand for the occasion. Amongst the Broadway “heavies” in the crowd I spotted Thomas Schumacher, Jordan Roth, Jimmy Nederlander, Jr., Susan Bristow, Joe Machota, and Bernie Telsey. Representing the New York press corps were (in addition to yours truly) Playbill’s Blake Ross, NY1’s Frank DiLella, and ubiquitous photographer Bruce Glikas. When they say Broadway in Chicago, they must mean it literally! But the real guest of honor was Kinky Boots‘s General Manager Aaron Lustbader and his husband D.J. Martin‘s new baby boy, Dylan. This adorable infant showed up to his first ever opening (the first of many, no doubt) in a tuxedo onesie and got more attention than just about anyone else.

Now, the point of an out-of-town tryout is to have the opportunity to ready a show before facing the intense scrutiny of the New York media. So, as a New York-based journalist with a sterling (or at least bronze) reputation, I always try to avoid opining about any show at this stage of its process. But I can only bite my tongue so hard before its starts to bleed. So let me tell you this much at least: the crowd went absolutely insane! (By the way, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen Mr. Fierstein and Ms. Lauper, with perhaps the two most recognizable voices in show biz, walk down the street together in America’s Heartland and watch the crowds react.)

Tidbits from around town…

Saw the likes of Brooke Shields, Jackie Hoffman and Adam Duritz at MCC’s Don’t Go Gentle last week.

Caught ex-vegetarian Sherie Rene Scott celebrating her fabulous new show, Piece of Meat (which just opened at 54 Below), with a giant T-bone at Staghorn on West 36th Street.

Witnessed Fran Lebowitz having a difficult time deciding on which pastry she wanted to buy from the Balthazar bakery, and finally just leaving empty handed.

Overheard Brit Hume arguing on his cell phone about Mitt Romney‘s “binder full of women.”

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

Kisses,