When Theatre Stirs and Sparks...

Friends, run do not walk to see "As It Is In Heaven," a glorious exploration of faith, spirit and community at the Cherry Lane Studio Theatre through June 11. Written by Arlene Hutton and directed by Ludovica Villar-Hauser, with dramaturgy by Maxine Kern, this will be 90 minutes of sheer bliss. Can laundry be a meditation? Can women singing hymns rock your world? The answer is yes. Even the New York Times says so. 3Graces Theatre Co has a lot to celebrate.

One Day in Singapore

OK. Actually, I was here seven days but six of them involved working a global conference, mostly meeting rooms, elevators, and group meals from buffet lines. Ah, but yesterday I was liberated and had a bit of time to see the sights. Main observation: a clever mix of business, art and native peoples. Lovely place if you can take humidty and spontaneous sideways rain. (Only 85 miles north of the Equator so we shouldn't be surprised.)

Incredible structures abound. But nothing to rival the mind wrenching Sky Park. It appears that 7 of the worlds largest airplanes have been digested by Tim Burton and spit out, landing on top of three hotel buildings each 57 stories high.

History too. Had drinks at The Raffles Hotel, watched friends hammer Singapore Slings while I stuck with V&T. Ceiling had fans flowing in unison. Guess the cost of labor made automating a necessity.

And Chinatown. We're convinced we were in the spot that Top Chef did its finale last year. Food stalls, farmer's market with large green melons and fish from a Jules Verne nightmare. Overcome by the chanting in the nearby Buddhist Temple. Sounded like my yoga class on steroids.

This whole adventure was scaffolded in luxury. Singapore Air (like the commercials, only better -and if you still love an airline after an 18 hour flight, that says something) and the loveliest Ritz Carlton in the universe, staffed with people like Isaac a server in the breakfast buffet. Hundreds of people there every day and somehow he noticed that I liked a certain whole grain toast and presented it to me while I waited for the egg to sizzle. A bit of magic, a surprise, a civilized intelligence just like this great destination.