The Memories of a Broadway Baby
Why theatre is my most enduring love
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In summer, the air of Times Square was pungent and thick, suffuse with myriad aromas from neighborhood restaurants. Exhaust fumes emanated from cars and buses and cigarette smoke curled around us. In winter, chestnuts popped open on beds of hot coals, and dank, musty odors emerged from manholes.
I would grasp my parents’ hands as we walked toward our theatre. I vibrated with anticipation as we floated down the aisle, Playbills in tow, led by an usherette in a black dress and white apron. Settling ourselves in our plush velvet seats, we surveyed the ceiling of bas-relief cherubs looking down on us. The orchestra warmed up as people hustled to remove their coats and we geared up for that pivotal moment when the lights dimmed and the curtain went up. Post-performance, we ended the night with hot chocolate at Rumpelmayer’s or sandwiches at Reuben’s. The cheesecake at Lindy’s was another après-theatre delight.
Growing up, I got to see the great ladies of the stage, each with her own unique charisma and charm: Helen Hayes, Beatrice Lillie, Judy Holliday, Kim Stanley, Gwen Verdon, Celeste Holm, Ethel Merman, Carol Channing and Ruth Gordon. I watched theatre giants such Joseph Schildkraut, Zero Mostel, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Ralph Richardson, Arthur Kennedy and the three Pauls: Muni, Ford and Scofield, all of whom inspired an unforgettable trail of memories long after their respective shows closed.
Today, I continue to embrace the theatre just as I did as a young girl, back when marquees lit up the town, women’s fur coats smelled of French perfume and going to a show was my favorite adventure. The days of white cotton gloves and stylish hats are no more. Sardi’s still exists but doesn’t have the same allure as when Melvyn Douglas, fresh off the stage from Time Out for Ginger, surveyed the room from his banquette and, locking eyes with my 10-year-old self, gave me the best wink of my life.
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Judith Marks-White is a columnist, novelist and freelance writer. She shares her monthly essays in Connecticut’s Westport News.
Top image: a photo of the author, courtesy of Judith Marks-White.
Judith Marks-White is a columnist, novelist and freelance writer. She shares her monthly essays in Connecticut’s Westport News.