Shubert Theatre Next Stop: New Haven AT HOME LATE NITE - A Review

“Start your Valentine's Weekend by enjoying a "night out" – while staying in - with this special LATE NITE edition of our popular fundraising program.”

NEW HAVEN, CT - I was so pleased to be invited to participate in the Shubert Theatre Next Stop: New Haven AT HOME LATE NITE on February 11, 2021. As I had been posting about the recent fundraisers for the New Haven theater, I couldn’t help but note that they sounded like so much fun. So I felt extremely lucky to learn that a sponsor had backed out of picking up their allocated boxes for the Thursday Next Stop event, and they had been allocated to the PR person to share with press friends. When I was asked if I would be interested in picking up a goodie box from the theatre during the late afternoon and then attending the evening’s virtual program, well, let’s just say I jumped at the chance.

While I would be the first to admit that I have never been a fan of driving in New Haven, I convinced myself that it would be worth the trip to pick up the promised goodie box in front of the Shubert Theater on College Street. I was asked to sign up for a time slot on SignUpGenius, which was extremely easy to do, and I chose an earlier time so that I would be able to drive while the sun was still up. There were instructions to not get out of my car, so that gratefully removed the problem of having to park in the nearby garage. We were also warned that you must be over 21 to receive the party box and ID may be required. I knew that I would probably not be carded at my age, but I took out my press credentials just to be sure that the staff would know who I was.

I worried about the snow that had fallen that morning as I drove down Rt. 63 (don’t laugh there was a posted snowdate of February 12,) but the roads were perfectly fine. What I forgot to worry about were the cars parked on the sides of the tight New Haven and often one way street, not to mention the cars and trucks that were double parked on them. With the help of my trusty GPS, I made it to the downtown area without incident and carefully pulled over to the left side of College Street in front of the vintage theater where I so miss sitting in the audience.

I arrived a few minutes before my designated time slot, because traffic had been light, so I stayed at the back of the area that was kept clear with “Unloading Only” signs. However, I was quickly waved to the second place in the line. A very nice (and probably very cold) woman wearing a mask took my name. Her partner, a very tall young man in a mask asked if he could place the box into my car through the back driver’s side window that I had accidentally opened when I opened the front window to speak to the woman through my two masks. She told me to open the box when I got home and to be careful when pulling out. Mission accomplished, I thought to myself and got home before the sun went down.

The large white cardboard box contained a log in for the event and reminded me that the festivities will begin promptly at 8:30pm. This sheet also noted that all of the beverages contain alcohol (hence the ID requirement) and to make sure to refrigerate the perishables and those beverages as soon as possible.

To be sure the box contained a wonderful selection of snacks to enjoy during or after the event, neatly but snugly packed into the box with a branded ice pack near the foods requiring refrigeration. Other paperwork included a recipe card/postcard from Continuum Distilling, a dining guide from The Shops at Yale, and a helpful ingredient list of every single edible item enclosed in the party box, reminding me of the printed program upon which I so often depend to write a show review.

The organizers of the Next Stop New Haven fundraiser reminded me that they “pay for ALL items in the box – nothing is donated – to help pump money into these local [restaurant partners and] businesses that have faced a tough year right now.”

There were four special guests that had been announced as a part of this event, as well as an all-new stand-up comedy show from CT comedian, radio host, author and WTNH TV personality Vinnie Penn, who was very funny as he shared his experiences during the pandemic. Read his full bio here. There were also cocktail demonstrations from Ordinary and some other surprises.

I enjoyed the virtual entertainment that began promptly at 8:30pm; I had absolutely no technical troubles getting into the link provided. The musical entertainment from three rising Broadway rising stars was introduced by the wonderful Connor Deane, the founder of Broadway Method Academy in Fairfield. We were treated to beautiful singing by North Haven native Gabrielle Carrubba, who made her Broadway debut right out of college (The Boston Conservatory) in the original cast of “Dear Evan Hansen” as an understudy, later playing the role of Zoe Murphy. (I know, right?)

What a joy to hear the voice of Julian Decker, who returns to Next Stop: New Haven, after performing at the first edition of the fundraiser in 2019. Julian has appeared on Broadway in “Sunset Boulevard” and “Les Miserables,” and national tours including “Love Never Dies.”

We also got to listen to Kimberly Immanuel, a singing actress who most recently appeared in the Berkshire Theatre Group’s production of “Godspell,” the first AEA-approved production since the start of the pandemic; she has also appeared on Broadway in “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.”
All three of these rising performers gave outstanding virtual performances in their well-filmed segments and I almost felt like I was listening to them on the Shubert stage….but, alas, I was still watching my computer monitor.

My favorite segment of the hour-long event was the filmed segment by TikTok sensation, award-winning musical theatre composer/lyricist and local high school choir teacher Brett Boles, who I have come to know through NewArts productions. Mr. Boles performed an exclusive edition of his “The M Tea” series, talking about songs from the five Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musicals that made their World Premieres on the Shubert stage. I am embarrassed to admit that I had no idea that I had no idea that was making these minute-long videos for TikTok, but then I am not on that platform. After the virtual entertainment had ended, I found him on Instagram, which I rarely use, and fell into a rabbit hole of delight.

Now on to the food…. The restaurant partners featured in the box, intended to offer snacks and drinks for two adults, was pretty impressive. These “snacks” served as lunch for this reviewer for two days, with some leftovers for the future. The assorted marinated olive medley from Soul de Cuba Cafe were all delicious and not overly spicy. Amazing large bagel chips in a brown bag dipped into smoked trout dip made with smoked whitefish, cream cheese, sour cream and dill from Olmo made for a delicious pair.

Kleicha date-filled cookies from Havenly Treats were both beautifully wrapped and tasty. There was hummus and clearly marked pitas from Sanctuary Kitchen by CitySeed; the container of hummus was “decorated” with a few halved chickpeas and something green and yummy. The small box of dark chocolate and Grand Marnier truffles from Union League Cafe did not last long. I have not yet tasted the Bees Knees Cocktail from Ordinary/Continuum Distilling, but the mixture of Continuum Drops, lavender steeped honey, and fresh squeezed lemon juice looks terrific in its cute little bottle; it must be shaken in the provided Shubert Theater shaker before serving. The final adult beverages included in the box were a can of Black Hog Brewing’s newly launched Hum Seltzer and a can of the local company’s Granola Brown Ale. and I found the black cherry version to be a tasty and somewhat strong seltzer, but that is just me, and I will pass along the ale to someone who drinks beer to appreciate.

The $75 ticket to this signature fundraiser included a curated box of beverages (including ingredients for the cocktail demonstration) and small snack bites, in addition to the link to the streaming program. In addition to ticket purchases supporting these beloved New Haven-area businesses and the Shubert Theatre, event organizers will also be making a monetary donation to the Greater New Haven Creative Sector Relief Fund.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.