Nicolas Dromard has worked his way up from ensemble to lead in two high-flying musicals: Wicked, in which he jumped from swing in the first national tour to an acclaimed run as Fiyero in the San Francisco production, and Mary Poppins, in which he progressed from swing in the original Broadway cast to a star turn as Mary’s chimney sweep pal Bert. As the show moves toward its March 3 closing date, Broadway.com chatted with the Canadian-born actor about his rising career and dream role.

How does it feel to come full circle with Mary Poppins and close out the Broadway run as Bert?
Amazing! It’s such an honor. At first we were shocked and sad that the show was closing, but six and a half years on Broadway is a great run. The show has an incredible message and makes audiences so happy. To be able to say that I was the final Bert on Broadway is a privilege.

What’s fun about playing Bert?
I think Bert is one of the best male roles on Broadway. He’s the narrator, he sets the mood, and he’s omnipresent—he’s constantly on stage dancing. In what other role can you tap dance on the ceiling?

Right! What’s that moment like?
It’s a roller coaster ride. “Step In Time” is my favorite part of show. There’s an adrenaline rush, and I get butterflies in my stomach each time. They clip me in, and I just go for it. It’s such an impressive stunt: I’m walking up a wall, and 30 seconds later I’m back down. It goes by so quickly! I wish it was longer.

You’ve danced on ceilings all over America. Does the New Amsterdam Theatre feel different?
The set is different on tour—the Banks’ home opens like a pop-up book, as opposed to the Broadway set, which is a three-story house! But coming back to New York was like riding a bike again.

What are your memories of playing Fiyero in the San Francisco company of Wicked?
It was so much fun. I left Poppins on Broadway in 2009 to join Wicked. Fiyero is a dream role because you get to kiss the blonde, you kiss the green, you swing on a rope and you take a bow! Bert is a beast of a role compared to Fiyero. It’s very physical.

You were also in the ensemble of The Boy From Oz a decade ago. Any good Hugh Jackman stories for us?
Just that he’s amazing and I want to work with him again. He’s so gung-ho; I’ve never seen someone work so hard. And his dressing room was always open—if your mom and dad came backstage after the show, he’d chat with them.

You were born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, and didn’t speak English until you were seven years old. Do you still speak fluent French?
Oh yeah, with my family. My grandmother doesn’t speak a word of English, but my parents do. They translated for the Canadian government.

At what age did you shed your French accent?
I still have a slight French accent, but I’m able to hide it. It still comes out when I’m tired or I’ve had a glass of wine or two.

You’ve played squeaky-clean roles for a stretch now. Any desire to be bad?
Of course! I’d love to be in Jersey Boys and play Tommy DeVito.    

The post What’s Up, Nicolas Dromard? Mary Poppins’ Remaining Bert on Kissing Depraved Witches and Dancing on the Ceiling | Broadway Buzz appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The Philippines’ leading home improvement and construction retailer, Wilcon Depot, opened its newest store on June 16, 2023 in Barangay San Nicolas, San Fernando, Pampanga. With a total sales area of ​​over 8,000 square meters and stocked with quality products, the new Wilcon Depot store in Brgy ranges from plumbing, building materials, hardware, home appliances and DIY items. San Nicolas, San Fernando Pampanga is poised to meet the growing demand for home improvement and construction supplies in the province and surrounding areas. The opening ceremony began with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by local government officials, valued suppliers and Wilcon Depot executives, led by SEVP-COO Rosemarie Bosch-Ong.

TAPE CUTTING Wilcon Depot, the premier home improvement and construction supplies retailer in the Philippines, opened its newest location on June 16, 2023 in the bustling town of San Nicolas, San Fernando, Pampanga. This new Pampanga branch is strategically located to meet the growing demand for high quality materials and housing in the region. Leading the ribbon cutting ceremony are (from left) Yutien Andrada, Terence Tumalip, Raphael Banal, Wilcon Depot 3×3 team players, David Chang, HCG Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Charlie Liu, President of Matimco, Vilma Caluag, Mayor of San Fernando, and Rosemarie, SEVP-COO of Wilcon Depot Bosch-Ong, Roland Poehlmann, Managing Director of Häfele Philippines, James Lim, Marketing President of Limson, Grace Tiong, SVP of Human Resources at Wilcon Depot, Eden Godino, SVP of Product Development , and Francisco Lazaro, AVP of Sales and Operations. PHOTOS BY WILCON

“With the opening of this new office, we reaffirm our commitment to delivering unmatched value, exceptional quality and customer satisfaction. We’re here to provide products, build lasting relationships, and be your trusted partner at every step of your home improvement and construction journey.”

With the opening of the San Nicolas, San Fernando, Pampanga office, Wilcon Depot strengthens its position as the region’s preferred destination for home improvement and construction supplies. The company remains committed to delivering unmatched value, quality and customer satisfaction while continuing to expand its network to better serve growing customer demands.

Wilcon Depot is known for its comprehensive product offering and the new facility in San Nicolas, San Fernando is no exception. Customers visiting the store will be delighted to find a wide range of items including Tile, Sanitary Ware, Sanitary Ware, Furniture, Home Decor, Building Materials, Hardware, Electrical Appliances, Household Appliances and other DIY items. With its extensive range of products, Wilcon Depot ensures customers have access to everything they need to complete their home improvement or construction projects easily and efficiently.

Wilcon Depot in San Nicolas, San Fernando, Pampanga

The company consistently provides quality products and services through its exclusive and in-house brands such as Pozzi for proven bathroom solutions; Hamden, an ideal partner for your kitchen needs; Alphalux, a brand for energy efficient lighting solutions; Kaze, an appliance brand that makes your space clean and healthy; Hills, a trusted brand for construction and electrical supplies; and P.tech, your partner for reliable household items; Grespania, a Spanish brand for high quality ceramic tiles; Herberia, an Italian tile brand for spacious interiors; Grohe and Kohler for plumbing and bathroom solutions; Franke kitchen systems; and Rubi, a partner when it comes to cutting tiles; and under many other brands.

Staying true to its commitment to sustainability and the environment, Wilcon Depot’s San Nicolas, San Fernando, Pampanga facility was designed with eco-friendly features, including energy-efficient lighting systems, water-saving faucets, and other environmentally conscious elements.

Wilcon Depot has always strived to provide convenience to its customers and this new facility in San Nicolas, San Fernando, Pampanga is strategically located to meet the growing needs of the local community and surrounding areas. The spacious layout of the store with various showrooms offers customers a comfortable and pleasant shopping environment, allowing them to explore the extensive range of products at their own pace.

Extensive Tile, Tile Studio, Outdoor Living, Outdoor Living, Home Decor, Plumbing, DIY P.Tech House Plumbing

Valued customers can also shop online at Wilcon by visiting shop.wilcon.com.ph/. To complement the in-store shopping experience, Wilcon Depot also offers browse, call, collect or deliver, and Wilcon Virtual Tour services. Homeowners and builders can also enjoy a more personalized and immersive shopping experience with the Virtual Reality Store Experience. The Wilcon VR Store Experience can transport its customers to a new world of retail home shopping like never before.

This event marks an important milestone for Wilcon Depot as the company continues to expand its reach and improve access to its broad range of products in the Philippines, providing homeowners and builders alike with a one-stop shop for their construction and DIY needs. In 2023, Wilcon Depot plans to open more retail stores as part of its company’s #FlyingHighTo100 store expansion campaign. The company aims to have 100 stores operating nationwide by 2025, barring any unexpected external factors.

Create better spaces for better lives with Wilcon Depot and shop at his newest store daily from 8am to 7pm. Visit Wilcon Depot San Nicolas, San Fernando, Pampanga in Brgy. San Nicolas, McArthur Hwy, San Fernando, Pampanga.

For more information on Wilcon, please visit www.wilcon.com.ph or follow the company’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok. You can also subscribe and connect with them on the Viber Community, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

The post Wilcon Depot continues progress with the opening of San Nicolas, San Fernando, Pampanga department appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The question, as presented in a Reddit Ask Me Anything forum, seemed simple. Innocuous, even. Actor Nicolas Cage was answering questions from Reddit users during a press junket for The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Along with the typical movie and acting queries came this nonsequitur: “What’s your favorite pasta shape?”

“I once went to an Italian restaurant in San Francisco about 25 years ago with Charlie Sheen because they had square tube pasta and he was very interested in trying square tube pasta and we did and we loved it so much we went back the next day to try it again,” Cage replied.

For media covering the AMA, Cage’s answer was just a kooky one-off. But for the food-obsessed and San Francisco locals, the answer set off a fun, low-stakes round of internet sleuthing. It presented a two-part mystery: What pasta shape is a “square tube”? And what San Francisco restaurant serves, or served, a dish the actors loved so much they ate it twice in two days?

If you’re looking for the tl;dr, here it is:

the pasta Paccheri.

the place Cafe Tiramisu on Belden Place, circa 1997-ish.

If you’re interested in the long version, however, it’s a fun one. Attempting to figure out the restaurant became a trip back in time for San Francisco locals, who tried to recall restaurants from that era. It also posed a pre-internet mystery, something not easily solved by a quick Google search. Marcia Gagliardi, the food columnist known as Tablehopper, has been covering the local food scene for 16 years. But when presented with the quote, she was at a loss. “It’s absolutely bizarre!” she wrote. “How funny and weird. Nothing is ringing a bell…I’m wondering if they were calamarata?”

The next option was to take the question to Twitter. The guesses came pouring in fast, a who’s-who of late ’90s restaurants: Rose Pistola, Tosca, Rubicon, Aqua, Original Joe’s, Scala’s, Mona Lisa, Buca Giovanni, Tommaso’s, Caffè Macaroni. Former Eater SF and San Francisco Chronicle editor Paolo Lucchesi solicited answers from friends and local chefs on Instagram. Along with the above restaurants, more theories were floated, in a virtual trip down memory lane: Ciao, Globe, Prego, Blue Fox, and Postrio were named. An internet sleuth shared an interview article, which detailed a flight Cage and Sheen took together to San Francisco, to further seal the likelihood of the story. As for pasta shapes, those guesses came in abundance, too: chitarra, mezze maniche, tonnarelli, paccheri, garganelli, and, yep, ravioli.

San Francisco, I need your help. In a recent AMA, Nicolas Cage was asked what his favorite pasta shape is, and not only is his favorite a square tube pasta, but it is something he was served in a local restaurant c. 1997: pic.twitter.com/cE2PiZ07La

— Dianne de Guzman (@diannedeguzman) April 18, 2022

Rose Pistola was a top guess, seeing as how it was a modern, buzzy Italian restaurant at the time, but owner Laurie Thomas, reached via email, didn’t have any answers either. Thomas didn’t have all of the restaurant menus to search through, she told Eater SF, and a look through the Rose Pistola cookbook for a garganelli dish (her guess on the pasta) turned up nothing. Another dead end.

Rubicon was another restaurant name mentioned, but this time with a Cage connection: Francis Ford Coppola, famously known for directing The Godfather among a legion of other movies, is also Cage’s uncle and an investor in the now-shuttered, but well-remembered, restaurant. Stuart Brioza, who now runs State Bird Provisions, once worked at Rubicon but picked up the chef helm around 2004. He did confirm he was never handed down any square tube pasta dish from chefs before him. Still, he was game to throw out some potential restaurant names. “The question is, is this a classic dish? Or is this kind of an interpreted [dish and] somebody came up with some phenomenal find,” Brioza mused. “And if that’s the case, I mean, you have restaurants like Cypress Club at the time. I’m trying to think of the more modern California cooking that was happening.”

Looking for an injection of more restaurants to contact, I reached out to the prolific Facebook group, San Francisco Remembered. Within a few minutes, group member Mark Kohtz confidently replied: “Cafe Tiramisu. You’re welcome. I actually saw him there twice.” Intrigued by the confidence, a quick search revealed that to this day the restaurant serves a “square spaghetti carbonara” and opened in 1992.

Co-owners Pino Spinoso and Giuseppe Scoppetto were both present and eager to take a call Tuesday afternoon. When asked if Nicolas Cage ever visited Cafe Tiramisu, Spinoso said yes, and mentioned Cage also visited his other restaurant, Little City, then stopped — “He’s the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola, right?” Indeed. “I’m from the same town of his uncle’s, you know, Francis’s parents in Basilicata [Italy],” Pino shared. “When Francis used to come to one of my restaurants before, he used to take Nicolas when he was young and Francis came to this restaurant a couple of times.”

When asked what the “square tube pasta” dish could have been, Spinoso began describing a ravioli dish—then presented a different answer. “The other one was called paccheri,” Spinoso said. “It was pasta [dish] with an oxtail ragu. They are the size of a half candle, and then when you cook it, they get flat a little bit. Almost like a rigatoni, but wider, larger.”

Last, but not least, did Francis’s nephew ever show up with Charlie Sheen? Yes, confirmed both Spinoso and Scopetto. “It was when Sharon Stone used to live right across the street from Tiramisu,” Spinoso said, naming the building. “Sharon was a good customer of Cafe Tiramisu, at the time she was married to Phil Bronstein.”

The checkable parts of Spinosa and Scopetto’s story do fit the timeline: Spinosa mentioned Basilicata, and Coppola’s grandparents (not parents) are noted as being from that region. Stone was married to Bronstein from 1998 to 2004. That was enough for me, case solved. But hey, Nicolas, if this story ever reaches you and you want to confirm or deny, reach out. I’d love to chat.

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The post We Solved the Thriller of The place Nicolas Cage and Charlie Sheen Ate ‘Sq. Tube Pasta’ in San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

A Tudor mansion in Russian Hill once owned by actor Nicolas Cage is finally under contract after years on the market.

The six-bedroom, six-and-a-half-bathroom home at 898 Francisco Street was owned by the actor in the late 2000s for just a few years, though there are no reports he actually lived in the house at all. He sold it at a loss in July 2008 for $7.7 million.

In its recent quest to find a buyer, the home was originally listed for sale in February 2017 for $12 million. The price dropped to $11 million later that year and was then removed from the market for most of 2018. It was relisted for $11 million in October 2018 and later had its price slashed yet again on March 4, 2020 to $10 million. The home was listed and removed two more times before its current pending sale price.

In addition to the 1914 home, an adjacent 40×60 ft. lot was also available for sale with the home for $3 million. Listing agent Mark Levinson with Compass declined to comment on whether this was included in the sale and didn’t want to comment further to SFGATE on the pending offer.

When SFGATE spoke to Levinson in 2019, he called the house a “fixer.” “People look at it as a fixer,” said Levinson at the time. “There are only a certain amount of people who have that kind of money and that kind of bandwidth. People in this price range are so busy and don’t have time for a renovation. Homes that do sell tend to be renovated and gorgeous. I think if the house were done, it would sell overnight.”

Based on previous photos, it looks like some of those renovations, especially in the kitchen, have been completed. The home also features a gym, a wine cellar, an attached two-car garage, garden and sweeping views from most rooms.

This area of ​​Russian Hill is sometimes known as the city’s “Gold Coast” and the block boasts many wealthy and well-known owners. Steve Jobs’ widow Laurene Powell Jobs purchased an 1888 mansion of similar size in 2018 in an all-cash, $16.5 million deal just down the street.

The post The San Francisco mansion as soon as owned by Nicolas Cage is lastly pending sale appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

A San Francisco mansion once owned by the star of “National Treasure,” Nicolas Cage, has found a buyer.

The home had last been listed for $9.95 million, and is now in “pending sale” status, The Real Deal reported.

The buyer also has an option to purchase an adjoining lot for an additional $3 million—which could push the final price upward.

Located on Russian Hill, with iconic views of the San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz Island, the historic home was the subject of a popular painting. However, it had a hard time landing a buyer.

Built in 1914, the four-story Tudor Revival initially came on the market in 2017 for $12 million.

Later that year, the price dropped to $10.95 million and stayed at that price through 2020. This March, the price was further discounted to $9.95 million.

While the prime location was a huge selling point, it needed a refresh. Renovations were recently completed, with updates including a modern kitchen with new counters and cabinets, refinished flooring, a redone powder room, and exterior paint.

Artful abode

After the renovation, the 6,305-square-foot home maintains much of the original architecture.

The front entrance has a Gothic stone archway. The main floor includes a library with a wood-burning fireplace, a formal dining room with leaded glass windows and original wood detail, and an elegant living room with windows overlooking the bay.

The second level features the primary suite, with two dressing rooms and a large bathroom. There’s an additional en suite bedroom and a mirrored wet bar on this level.

Updated abode

(Realtor.com)

Living room

(Realtor.com)

Newly renovated kitchen

(Realtor.com)

Dining room

(Realtor.com)

Russian Hill residence

(Realtor.com)

The third floor has two more en suite bedrooms with vaulted ceilings. A lower level has a family room, bonus room, wine cellar, and one more bedroom and bathroom.

The property also comes with a two-car garage. If the buyer picks up the adjacent lot, a guesthouse or office could be added to create a true compound.

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Watch: Zoe Kravitz Buys Former Cider Mill—Peek Inside the Rustic Retreat

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As for the Cage connection, the star apparently picked up the place and the next-door lot for $9.4 million in 2006. He sold both properties in 2008 at a loss, for $8.5 million, the Real Deal notes.

Mark Levinson of Compass holds the listing.

Cage’s cribs

The movie star had previously owned a grand Victorian in nearby Pacific Heights, which he sold in 2005 for $3 million.

The renovated 7,000-square-foot abode came back on the market again in 2018 for $12 million. After some price cuts, it sold for $5.9 million, less than half of its original asking price.

That home still has some Cage touches: The actor added stained-glass panels featuring underwater scenes with octopuses during his stay.

Stained-glass dating to Cage’s time in the Pacific Heights home

(Realtor.com)

The post San Francisco Mansion As soon as Owned by Nicolas Cage Finds a Purchaser appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Bad boys don’t cry.

Nicolas Dromard learned that. He is the Ontario-born actor who plays vintage heel Tommy DeVito in the Jersey Boys production that kicks off this week in Toronto.

“Of course it’s nice to be the good guy and have the people cheering you on, but that shudder that you get when you know they’re really looking for you is even better,” Dromard said on the phone from Boise , Idaho, where the show takes place on tour,

DeVito is the worm in the apple in the saga of how Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons became world famous and his gambling addiction finally broke the group apart.

“Yes, he’s a real eye-catcher,” laughs Dromard, “but it can be a lot more fun to play.”

Dromard knows because he saw “now both sides” in the words of Joni Mitchell.

The last time he appeared on a stage in Toronto, he played Bert, the lovable chimney sweep in Mary Poppins.

“It’s really great to play a guy like Tommy who is different from Bert in every way,” he says.

Dromard is only 34, but has had a professional music theater career for 15 years that one could envy.

It started when he was 18 years old singing for the Radio City Christmas spectacle in Branson, Missouri.

“I heard they were looking for young dancers for the West Side Story in Stratford and I thought, ‘Man, this gig just needs to get better.’ ”

So he crashed the auditions and impressed director Kelly Robinson and choreographer Sergio Trujillo so much that they cast him as a big deal.

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Dromard joined the famous Toronto company Mamma Mia! shortly thereafter and toured North America with it. Then he went straight to Broadway and made his New York debut with the Trevor Nunns Oklahoma Choir! He then became part of the ensemble of The Boy From Oz, in which Hugh Jackman slapped his bottom every night during the curtain as part of the choreography.

Dromard returned to Toronto shortly to be part of the Hairspray cast here, but it was time for him to leave the choir and he did so on a grand scale, starring the young romantic lead Fiyero in Wicked, both in the San Francisco Company as well as on tour.

But it was in Mary Poppins that he really caught the lightning bolt in a bottle, bewitched everyone, and actually danced upside down around the proscenium arch.

And now it’s Jersey Boys and another challenging lead on a hit show.

“There is no secret (to success),” says Dromard. “It’s a combination of many things. I was in the right place at the right time, I work hard and I train hard. Yes, and I think luck has a little to do with it. “

He won’t choose a favorite role because, as he says: “To be honest, I ask myself with every new experience in my career: ‘Could it get any better?’ and the answer is always: ‘No way!’

“And then the next big thing comes and proves I was wrong.”

If Dromard’s success has a downside, it’s that he spends so much time on the streets, living from hotel room to hotel room, but with Jersey Boys he’s found a way to break that monotony.

“The four of us try to rent a house together whenever possible. You can cook and do laundry and have buds to be with after every show. “

On the show, DeVito is raked over the coals for being the worst roommate, leaving wet towels on the floor and using up all of the soap. Is Dromard guilty of the same weaknesses?

“Under no circumstance!” he says emphatically. “I am very clean and tidy. I leave my character on stage. “

And he will soon be saying goodbye to this character.

“I’m saying goodbye to the tour on January 25th and moving back to New York. I’ve turned down any other work on the street for a while. I’m satisfied with not being on the road for a long, long time.

“I would like to be available to develop new shows in workshops. This is my next big dream: developing a role on Broadway.

Jersey Boys runs December 17 through January 4 at Ed Mirvish Theater, 244 Victoria St. Visit mirvish.com or call 416-872-1212 for tickets and information.

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