You've heard of wine pairings with cheeses or desserts...how about with theater? That was the idea behind Holidays Uncorked, a special event held Saturday evening at City Winery in Soho.
Holidays Uncorked comprised five original, true holiday-related stories written by various Chicago writers and performed by New York actors. A different wine was served with each story. The show was co-produced by the NY theater company Bohemian Archaeology, which last year presented Time Flies and Others by Ives at the Laurie Beechman Theater, and 2nd Story of Chicago, which regularly stages storytelling performances in Chicago wine bars. Musicians Andrew Geske and Robert Mitzner provided live accompaniment for Holidays Uncorked.
City Winery staff asked the writers to describe themselves and their stories and, based on that, selected a wine to accompany each story's performance. City Winery, scheduled to open officially early in 2009, is billing itself as New York City's first fully operational winery. Its facilities and expertise will be available to people who wish to make their own wine on-site. City Winery (established by Michael Dorf, founder of downtown performance venue the Knitting Factory) will host food and wine-themed classes and seminars as well as music and theater performances, and have space available for private event rental. There will also be a restaurant and bar with a wine list of more than 500 selections.
Places, everyone. Minutes before the show began, the wines are lined up to take center stage.
The first "course": Lioco Chardonnay from California's Sonoma Valley.
Emily Madison, executive director of Bohemian Archaeology and co-director of Holidays Uncorked, introduced the performance.
Jordana Kritzer, artistic director of Bohemian Archaeology, performed the first story, "The Car Thief," Kim Morris' recollection of discovering that the person who stole her beloved car (which she called Goldie Honda) at Christmastime was not the reprobate she'd assumed he would be. Kritzer also co-directed Holidays Uncorked.
Nathan Keepers enacted Brian Lobel's tale "Festival of Lights Alive," about a school pageant whose obligatory Hanukkah segment seemed far inferior to the Christmas portion. A white wine was served: Martin Codax Albarino from Rias Baixas, Spain.
Megan Hill performed Margot Bordelon's "All I Want for Christmas," revolving around a bizarre but memorable holiday incident at the office. Accompaniment: a Tuscan red, Elisabetta Geppetti Morellino di Scansano.
Nathan Kaufman told a more serious story. "The Girls," by Bobby Biedrzycki, recalled a holiday season when the writer was 11 and his hometown was gripped in panic over the disappearance of two girls. Wine: Mirabile Nero d'Avola, from Sicily.
In "Alaska," Mariko Barajas shared Megan Stielstra's memory of a Christmas during college when she visited her father and new stepmother and stepbrothers at their home on an island in the Gulf of Alaska. An Argentine Malbec was served.
The crowd in City Winery for Holidays Uncorked. Completing this assignment was not easy for your trusty reporter, as she was taking all the wine flights along with everyone else!
