Cocktails with Donna McKechnie: The Education of D*O*N*N*A

Lucie Arnaz has had an extremely diversified career spanning over 50 years in show business. She has starred on the New York stage in They’re Playing Our Song (Theatre World, LA Drama Critics and Outer Critic’s Circle Awards), Lost in Yonkers, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Pippin and Grace and Glorie; in the London premiere of The Witches Of Eastwick; in the Coconut Grove Playhouse premieres of Once Removed and A Picasso; in national tours of Pippin, Seesaw, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Social Security and My One And Only (Sarah Siddons Award); and in regional theatre productions of Wonderful Town, Master Class, Cabaret, The Guardsman, Annie Get Your Gun, I Do! I Do!, Educating Rita, Vanities, and Mack And Mabel, to name just a few.Lucie has appeared on television in The Lucie Arnaz Show, Sons And Daughters, The Black Dahlia, The Mating Season, Who Gets The Friends?, Washington Mistress, Death Scream and six seasons of Here’s Lucy; on the big screen with Neil Diamond and Sir Laurence Oliver in The Jazz Singer (Golden Globe Nomination), Down To You, Second Thoughts, Billy Jack Goes To Washington, The Pack, Wild Seven and has lent her voice to the new animated fantasy about the NY Yankees, Henry And Me.Lucie has performed the opening number on the Academy Awards (1981) and at The White House several times. She was Executive Producer of the I Love Lucy 50th Anniversary Special (Emmy nomination), and Lucy & Desi: A Home Movie (Emmy winner 1993). She produced two CD ROMS. She recorded her first album for Concord Jazz, "Just In Time," and her newest CD, "Latin Roots," is a celebration of just what the title says. Lucie has been traveling the country and the world with her various concerts for over 20 years.With her brother, Desi, she manages Desilu, too, LLC. With her husband, actor Laurence Luckinbill, she manages five grown children. Lucie invites you to visit her online at luciearnaz.com.

Lee Wilkof is a Tony, Obie, and Drama Desk nominated actor, perhaps best known for originating the role of Seymour Krelborn in the original off-Broadway production of the cult classic musical, Little Shop of Horrors. Additional off-Broadway highlights include: originating the role of Samuel Byk in Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins (Drama Desk Award nomination), The Present Tense (Obie Award, Drama Desk Award nomination), Broadway credits include: The Odd Couple; Democracy; The Boys from Syracuse; Kiss Me, Kate (Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations); She Loves Me; The Front Page and Sweet Charity. Mizlansky/Zilinsky or Schmucks, The Underpants and June Moon. He has appeared regionally in productions at Yale Repertory Theatre, Baltimore Centerstage, McCarter Theatre, the Goodman, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Film credits include The Grey Zone; The School of Rock; This Boy’s Life; Private Parts; Xanadu, and Sidney Lumet’s Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. He also directed the feature film No Pay, Nudity with a cast including  Nathan Lane, Gabriel Byrne, and Frances ConroyAdditionally, Mr. Wilkof has amassed over 100 appearances in episodic television and movies of the week, including Law & Order; The West Wing; Ally McBeal (SAG Award); Max Headroom; Curb Your Enthusiasm; An Early Frost; Cop Rock; Hart to Hart; The Tonight Show, and The Gong Show. 

Rosie O’Donnell is a beloved comedian, celebrated actress, and talk show legend. Despite all these professional accolades, it is perhaps her generosity of spirit, her tireless advocacy on behalf of children and families, and her heartfelt commitment to the health of the American theater that most definitively define her impact on popular culture.Born in Commack, New York on March 21, 1962, Rosie O’Donnell embarked on a career as a standup comedian right out of high school, and in short order found herself enjoying a five show winning streak on the iconic television series, “Star Search” Shortly thereafter, she scored additional major appearances on television, including a regular role as Maggie O’Brien on NBC’s popular sitcom, “Gimme a Break” and a high profile run as a VH1 VJIn 1992, Rosie was cast alongside Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Geena Davis in the smash hit “A League of Their Own.” She went on to further success on the big screen, starring in twelve films between 1992 and 1996, including 1993’s “Sleepless in Seattle,” 1995’s “Now and Then,”and 1996’s “Beautiful Girls.”Her most monumental break came by accepting NBC’s offer to host a variety daytime television show, “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” in 1996. Rosie’s innate love of all things show business and her easy rapport with the celebrities she had grown up idolizing translated into a unique and hugely popular TV phenomenon. “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” ran for six seasons and went on to win a variety of Emmy awards, leaving a memorable mark on American television before ending production in 2002.In the past 20 years, Rosie’s dedication to her artistic endeavors and charitable interests have continued unabated. She has been a regular fixture on television, on Broadway, and, in recent years, has gotten rave reviews for her powerful performances in Showtime’s “SMILF” and HBO’s “I Know This Much is True.” She can currently be seen in the Showtime original series, “American Gigolo.”-bio adapted and edited from Rosie.com

Danny Burstein is a seven- time Tony Award nominee for The Drowsy Chaperone, South Pacific, Follies, Golden Boy, Cabaret, and Fiddler on the Roof, who won a Best Supporting Actor in a Musical Tony in 2021 for his performance as Harold Zidler in the stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge! He has also won two Drama Desk Awards, four Outer Critics Circle Awards, and received three Grammy Award nominations. His other Broadway credits include The Seagull, Saint Joan, and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. On television, Burstein appeared as different characters in six episodes of the original NBC drama series Law & Order and recurred as Lolly Steinman on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. Other TV appearances include: Fosse/Verdon, The Good Fight, Evil, and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. Film roles include: Transamerica, Deception, The Family Fang, Nor’Easter, Blackhat, and Indignation. (Revised bio courtesy of BroadwayWorld.com)

Matthew Broderick is currently appearing opposite his wife, Sarah Jessica Parker, in the hit Broadway revival of Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite. He made his stage debut at 17 in Horton Foote’s On Valentine’s Day (opposite his father, James Broderick), and quickly became one of the most respected and beloved actors of his generation.  Broadway credits include Brighton Beach Memoirs (Tony, OCC, Theatre World awards), Biloxi Blues, How to Succeed in Business... (Tony, DD, OCC awards), Night Must Fall, Taller Than a Dwarf, The Producers (Tony, DD, OCC nominations) The Foreigner, The Philanthropist, The Odd Couple, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Sylvia and It’s Only a Play. Off-Broadway, Mr. Broderick has appeared in The Seafarer, The Closet, Evening at the Talk House, Shining City (Obie Award), Torch Song Trilogy (OCC, Villager awards), The Widow Claire, and in the recent London production of The Starry Messenger. Selected film and television credits include: Max Dugan Returns, WarGames, ’Master Harold’...and the Boys, Ladyhawke, On Valentine’s Day, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Biloxi Blues, Glory, The Freshman, A Life in the Theater, The Lion King, The Cable Guy, Infinity, Election, You Can Count on Me, Wonderful World, The Music Man, Margaret, Tower Heist, Rules Don’t Apply, Manchester by the Sea and To Dust. Mr Broderick will next be seen in Painkiller for Netflix. Photo credit: Tawni Bannister

Jesse Tyler Ferguson made his Broadway debut at the age of 21 as Chip in George C. Wolfe's revival of On The Town, and later went on to originate the role of Leaf Coneybear in Second Stage’s Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Drama Desk Award, "Outstanding Ensemble Performance"). In 2017, he won the Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Performance for his 40-character turn in the Broadway production of Fully Committed. He has worked extensively with The New York Public Theatre's Shakespeare in the Park in such notable productions as The Merchant of Venice, The Tempest, The Winter's Tale, A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Comedy of Errors where he performed alongside Al Pacino, Sam Waterston, Jesse L. Martin, Martha Plimpton, Hamish Linklater and Lily Rabe. Other theatre credits include Sir Robin in Spamalot and Leo Bloom in The Producers, both at The Hollywood Bowl. He is a five-time Emmy nominee for his role as Mitchell Pritchett on the long-running, Award-winning ABC comedy Modern Family. A longstanding advocate for marriage equality, Ferguson co-founded Tie The Knot (now PRONOUN) in 2012 with his husband, Justin Mikita, where they design limited edition bow ties and clothing, with all the proceeds going to various organizations that fight for LGBTQ equality around the world.

Donna McKechnie received the Tony Award for her performance in A Chorus Line. Other Broadway shows include How To Succeed...,The Education of Hyman Kaplan, Sondheim-A Musical Tribute,(which she also choreographed) On The Town, Promises, Promises, Company, and State Fair, for which she received the Fred Astaire Award. She has starred in numerous productions in London’s West End as well as Paris and Tokyo. Donna has also guest starred extensively with Symphony Orchestras throughout the country, as well as on television and in film. Ms. McKechnie’s memoir, TIMESTEPS- My Musical Comedy Life, was published by Simon and Schuster. For more information check out: www.donnamckechnie.com

Victor Garber is a four- time, Tony Award nominated actor who originated roles in the Broadway productions of Deathtrap, Sweeney Todd, Noises Off, Lend Me a Tenor, Arcadia, and Art. Additional Broadway credits include: They’re Playing Our Song, Damn Yankees, Present Laughter, and most recently, as Horace Vandergelder in the hit Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! opposite Bernadette Peters. He also originated the role of John Wilkes Booth in the seminal, off- Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim & John Weidman’s Assassins.  Film credits include: the Academy Award winning best pictures, Titanic and Argo, as well as, Sicario, The Town, Milk, Legally Blonde, The First Wives Club and Sleepless in Seattle. Television credits include: Alias (three Emmy Award nominations), Frasier (Emmy nomination), Will & Grace (Emmy nomination), Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (Emmy nomination), Damages, Glee, The Orville, Web Therapy, Schitt’s Creek, Family Law, and many, many others

The Ghost of Christmas Past visited us this time around! Take a trip down memory lane as we chit-chat with the staff about some of our favorite memories in the restaurant. We also wanted to share this episode as a tribute to the man who started it all, our boss and inspiration, Joe Allen, who passed away this past February. Yes, it's last year's episode, but it's been a year since we've heard it and it's just as fun now as it was then. Happy Holidays!

KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ and ROBERT LOPEZ are the Oscar, Emmy and Grammy award winning, married songwriting team behind the Disney animated films, Frozen and Frozen 2. Together they also wrote the Oscar winning song “Remember Me” from Pixar’s Coco, songs for Marvel’s WandaVision, and the Obama-produced We the People. Their adaptation of Frozen for the Broadway stage earned them a Tony nomination. Robert co-conceived and co-wrote the hit musicals Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon, both earning him Tony Awards. Kristen’s show In Transit made history as the first all a cappella musical to run on Broadway, after earning recognition at the Drama Desk, Drama League and Lucille Lortel Awards for its Off-Broadway run. Lopez and Anderson-Lopez have written for television, film and stage, including Finding Nemo: The Musical; songs for “The Wonder Pets” (two Emmy Award wins) and the Winnie the Pooh animated film. Lopez and Anderson-Lopez both serve on the Dramatist Guild Council. Graduates of Yale University and Williams College, respectively, they now reside in Brooklyn with their two daughters.