Theater Undergoes Freeze

By • 08/10/06 12:58pm

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Several weeks ago we spied representatives from Ben & Jerry’s, the hippie-dippy ice-cream company, taking notes and plans for the Daryl Roth Theatre on Union Square Park. They told us a Ben & Jerry’s was opening, but the theater people treated our inquiries aas if we were insane.

Well, who’s insane now? As evidenced from the photo, Ben & Jerry’s has indeed converted the theater, albeit only temporarily, into an ice-cream house of worship. According to a Ben & Jerry’s press release, from tomorrow through Aug. 27, “Guests can enjoy complimentary milkshakes while experiencing a total sensory immersion within each of the different flavors.”

The Cherry Garcia Lounge allows guests to relax in a funky setting featuring hip furniture, shag-covered walls, lava lamps and a masseuse offering chair massages. The neighboring Chunky Monkey Oasis whisks visitors out of New York City’s summer heat to the tropics with rope swings, banana trees and driftwood benches. A few steps away, guests find themselves enveloped in the Chocolate Fudge Brownie Zone, a chocolate-lover’s paradise, featuring plush furniture in decadent fabrics to beckon weary travelers. Sweet sights and smells complete the chocolate wonderland and the indulgent Ben & Jerry’s MilkShake Experience before visitors head back into the real, unfortunately less chocolate-filled world.

We’re still waiting for an apology from the Daryl Roth Theatre management. Our e-mail is to the right.

-Matthew Grace