Ordinary Days/Extraordinary Night
On Friday night, January 8, after the sensational West Coast Premiere of Adam Gwon’s Ordinary Days, AnQi Restaurant opened its doors—in partnership with SCR—for one of the trendiest and tastiest Cast Parties in recent memory.
At the restaurant (which has been variously described as steamy and spicy, sexy and soothing) First Nighters enjoyed tray-passed wines and a variety of AnQi culinary treats offered by elegantly attired servers. Among the favorite delicacies were tuna tacos, surf and turf sushi rolls, garlic noodles (a big hit) as well as melt-in-the-mouth tofu cheesecake and other creative desserts.
During the party, guests joined their friends at fabric-draped tables, relaxed against colorful banquettes or gathered at the illuminated bar. Mingling with them and accepting congratulations on the early success of AnQi, was owner Elizabeth An with her husband Gordon Clune.
Among the First Nighters who enjoyed the entire evening—from the curtain speeches that opened the show (and announced a new SCR commission for Gwon and playwright Octavio Solis) to the final tasty tidbit at the restaurant—were enthusiastic fans of Gwon’s new musical.
Olivia Johnson bubbled with enthusiasm (and she admits to not being a huge musical theatre fan): “Ordinary Days resonated for me as a big-city mirror, reflecting our young 20- and 30-somethings facing life, love, personal challenges and just trying to survive...in today’s topsy-turvy world. The acting was exciting and the singing was energetic, belieavable, fun and musically interesting.”
According to Gail Doe: “Ordinary Days evokes the full range of emotions—from outrageous humor, to tenderness, to heart-wreching loss. It's sad, funny, and utterly delightful—a fun night at the theater.
Tod White added: “Linda and I loved it! For us Ordinary Days was an extraordinary evening at SCR—it was fun, lively, wonderfully acted and with a really exciting, creative set.”
The Honorary Producers agreed with them all. “Jim and I loved the play,” Pam said. “We thought the actors were excellent—and some of the songs were not easy to sing! We thought Ethan, the director, did a great job, and we loved the addition of video to the set. I especially enjoyed the part when Deb was typing the letter to her professer. Again, SCR has brought a fabulous production to Orange County.”
