Out & About
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Opening night of the Public Theater’s production of “Two Gentlemen of Verona” was magical. As if on cue, night fell Thursday just as the jubilant and silly adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy started. The crickets and cicadas also cooperated, providing gentle accompaniment to the orchestra.
No one really wanted to think about fall, except for the actor Jason Lewis, who earned ardent female admirers while playing Samantha’s love interest on “Sex and the City.”
What is he looking forward to?
“A little alone time with my girl,” Mr. Lewis said, referring to one of the play’s leading ladies, Rosario Dawson.
The pair had little time alone that evening. At the party after the performance, held at Belvedere Castle, they were surrounded by Ms. Dawson’s cast mates, some from “Two Gentlemen in Verona,” others, such as Taye Diggs and Adam Pascal, from the film version of “Rent,” due out in November.
Even though this is the Public Theater’s 50th-anniversary year, and the production is a reprise of one that brought the Public fame back in 1971, people were focused on the moment, dancing, breathing the sweet night air, and sipping from glow-in-the-dark martini glasses.
One pair did get nostalgic: The commissioner of parks and recreation, Adrian Benepe, and the musician and composer Steve Bargonetti, who plays guitar and mandolin in “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” recalled their rock band back in the sixth grade at P.S. 75.
They couldn’t remember the name of the band. Mr. Benepe was the lead singer, Mr. Bargonetti the guitarist.
Two of their songs were “Secret Agent Man,” the Johnny Rivers hit, and “Break On Through,” by the Doors.
“All I could play was the tambourine,” Mr. Benepe said.
“I knew he could be the front man,” Mr. Bargonetti said.
“He was hot. He had long blond hair,” Mr. Bargonetti’s wife, Diane Gioia-Bargonetti, said.
Mr. Benepe changed the subject. Citing “the perfect environment” and “the fantastic show” – for which his son, Alex, helped paint the set, as a Public Theater intern – Mr. Benepe said: “This is Central Park at its very best.
