Saturday evening, STLFringe President and Artistic Director Matthew R. Kerns celebrated his 51st birthday with a Cruella de Vil-themed party at Mykel McIntosh's sumptuous new Midtown wine bar, Videira. The guest list was primarily made up of members of the theater community and Kerns’ Lafayette Square neighbors. Some of the notables included musical artist Zeus Rebel Waters,the Charity CFO CEO Tosha Anderson, opera composers Nika Leoni and Kathryn Thompson Favazza, and the RFT’s own theater critic, Tina Farmer.
I first met Kerns in January, when he and his husband Sean Gottlieb offered to produce my one-man show, The Final Performance of Midnight Annie, which debuted at STL Fringe in August, and begins touring this month.
That Uppity Theater Company Artistic Director Joan Lipkin was among the first to arrive, joining me, Kage Black, David Ray and Pauly Ramuz — who was decked out in a Cruella de Vil faux fur coat — at one end of the long marble table. Lipkin is a delight at theater-related events because she knows everyone in that community. She leaned in with a synopsis as guests arrived, including a former Fox-2 reporter.
“That’s Paul Shankman,” she said to me. “He is absolutely one of the best video storytellers in the region. He just won an Emmy for his piece on the musical reunion of Some of My Best Friends Are. He has won over 30 Emmys. With the advent of accessible technology and social media, a lot of people think they are professional. Not so. There is a real art to capturing the essence of a story. Paul gets it.”
“Oracle of Cherokee Street” Eron Mazza, who hosts the popular podcast The Witching Hour with Eron Mazza, read cards for guests throughout the evening. Amy Ziegler, who was on the board of the Fringe Fest when Kerns was hired, was on the list for a reading, despite being a nonbeliever. I told her that Eron lived with me a few years ago and regularly conducted readings in the dining room, which I recounted in my book House of Villadiva.
“Those readings really stirred up the energy in the house,” I said. “The dogs would sometimes bark at things unseen.”
Ziegler returned to the table after the reading, seemingly impressed by the accuracy, but ended her praise with, "I still don't believe in it. Don't get me wrong."
Before cutting the cake, Kerns made his remarks.
“Having everyone take time out of their busy lives to spend with Sean and I for my birthday is the best gift of all. The cake harkens back to my childhood, when my older cousin had a birthday party where all the girls got a doll cake, and I got a matchbox car. After years of desiring a frosted doll of my very own, I was thrilled to have Celebrating Life Cakes make this delicious piece of art inspired by the wonderfully evil Cruella de Vil. Not to mention, Mykel’s Videira Wine Shop was the perfect location for a glamorous happy hour birthday event! What a wonderful way to welcome 51.”
The following day I reached out to few guests I didn’t get an opportunity to visit with, including
Tosha Anderson. “The Cruella de Vil theme was not just a nod to a classic character but a perfect reflection of Matthew's flair for the dramatic and his incredible taste,” Anderson told me.
“Matthew, as many know, is not just a friend but an artist and a connector of people. This party was a testament to that. The diverse crowd, ranging from artists to entrepreneurs, created an electric atmosphere. It was a convergence of various worlds, each person bringing their unique energy to the mix. Matthew has this extraordinary ability to bring together a mosaic of people, and that night was a vivid illustration of his talent. The joy and laughter that filled the room were a true reflection of the impact he has on everyone he meets.”
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