Authors Interviewing Characters: Lisa K. Winkler Interviews Anne Brown
In Gershwin’s Bess, Anne Brown, a soprano who aspires to sing opera, leaves her childhood behind in Baltimore in 1928 to enroll at prestigious Juilliard in New York City, realizing that being black will keep her from singing on traditional opera stages. When she hears that the famous composer George Gershwin is creating an opera for an all-black cast, she knows it’s an opportunity she can’t afford to miss.
In Harlem, she discovers Thomfordes Soda Fountain, a popular ice cream shop. An ice cream lover myself, I felt it was the perfect spot to meet and find out more about her. I walked to the West 125th Street address from the subway and waited for her at a marble-topped table in the corner.
Lisa: Anne, tell me a bit about Thomfordes.
Anne: This place brings back lots of memories of my time in New York City. Thomforde’s was founded in 1903 and has a reputation for having the best homemade ice cream sodas in Harlem. I love how it looks so old-fashioned- the diamond-shaped black and white floor tiles, the red leather topped stools, the mahogany carved counter, and the turn-of-the century frosted glass.
Lisa: Wasn’t it segregated before World War I?
Anne: Yes. I’m glad I’m able to come here now.
Lisa: What’s your favorite flavor? Soda or just ice cream?
Anne: I love strawberry or peach. Especially when they’re made with fresh fruit. I prefer a scoop on a cone, and a soda on the side. Their French fries are also fantastic! What about you?
Lisa: I love textures- nuts and fruits. I love coffee and coconut. As a kid, there was nothing like a hot fudge sundae. Did you come here a lot while attending Juilliard?
Anne: I tried to. It was a nice stop on the way back from Juilliard to where I first stayed, the YWCA on 135th Street. My friend Ruby and I spent a lot of time here.
(A waitress, clad in a a black uniform, white ruffled apron and little white cap pinned to her hair with bobby pins came to take our order. We laughed. We hadn’t even opened the menus yet. I asked her to give us a few more minutes.)
Lisa: I’m so tempted by all these amazing sounding creations. Do you know what they are? A Lover’s Delight? A Pineapple Temptation?
Anne: The Lover’s Delight is a surprise- whatever the soda jerk wants to make. It has at least three or four scoops of different flavored ice cream, and a few toppings. The pineapple, is just that. Maybe with some toppings. I’m going to have a Pink Stick.
Lisa: A what?
Anne: It’s a fancy way to say strawberry ice cream cone. But today, I’ll have it in a dish. Neater to eat and talk. With some fresh berries on top.
Lisa: I did hear that their hot fudge is divine. I’ll try it. Why not?
(The waitress returned and took their orders.)
Lisa: While we wait, how about telling me about who you met here?
Anne: I met Ruby at the Y early on. We walked back and forth between Juilliard and the Y so many times I think we wore through the soles of our shoes. After she was cast as Serena in Porgy and Bess, we spent a lot of time with each other. I don’t think I’d have survived without her. I really miss her. You know she died in 1937 from surgery that didn’t go right.
Lisa: That’s tragic. It’s horrible to lose a good friend. Who else?
Anne: Theo, of course. Though he didn’t love ice cream as much as I did.
Lisa: Want to share a bit about him?
Anne: We were married for a short time. I guess you can say I fell in love with the idea of falling in love. We were both young and both students- he was in medical school. But unfortunately, he got involved in organized crime. I was very naïve. I thought it could work out but it didn’t.
Lisa: Oh, that must have been heartbreaking. How did you cope?
Anne: I focused on my work. I had exams, recitals, auditions. My family was supportive.
Lisa: Who else did you meet here?
Anne: I had a brief romance with a German pianist who was studying jazz at Juilliard. Mostly he took me for German foods but he came here a couple times with me. He left abruptly because of the situation developing in Germany. I was devastated. Again, work kept me going.
Lisa: And then you met George Gershwin?
Anne: Yes. I saw the announcement about the opera he was writing and I wrote to him immediately. Then once I met him, he was always traveling to various places or producing his radio show. I was so nervous he wouldn’t finish the opera.
Lisa: Did he join you here for ice cream?
Anne: Oh, no. We ate a lot at his apartment. I did meet Todd Duncan here though after he got the part of Porgy. We made a big scene, hugging each other, we were so excited.
Gershwin’s Bess is available in bookstores and online for pre-order now and after the June 9th launch at www.lisakwinkler.com.
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About the Author:
Lisa K. Winkler is a journalist, playwright, poet, and writer whose work has been featured in numerous publications. She is available to speak at relevant functions and either in person or virtually at book groups.
Category: Interviews, On Writing
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