Looking for a Fun Exhibit-Seek Hirschfeld's (Nina) Drawings at Nat'l Historic Soc.

Al Hirschfeld is a beloved, prolific caricaturist whose drawings are as innate to Broadway as George M. Cohan. Hirschfeld's line drawings pack more voltage than all the wattage of Broadway's marquees. With minimalist strokes from his pen, Hirscfeld captured the essence of an actor, a play, a singer, a dancer or celebrity and made them easy & fun to recognize.  His exaggerated features and fluidity on paper pack a surreal wallop and visceral response.  There's magic in his sketches.  You are overcome with a sense of having been in the audience.  Al & Dolly Hirschfeld had one daughter Nina. Her name is synonymous with Al's drawings.  Proud dad, Al heralded his daughter's arrival in 1945 by inserting her name into several caricatures.  This clever trademark was meant to be temporary.  But, once he stopped including her name with the clue of how many times it appears in the drawing, there was so much fanfare he resumed this amusing, additional twist until Nina turned 21.  "Nina's Revenge" is a lovely drawing of his daughter at 21 and his swan song to using her name.  (He switched to hiding Al & Dolly in his pictures.) This incredible collection of works is a treasure grove of delights.  A few highlights for me were: The Defiant Ones with Tony Curtis & Sidney Poitier, The Miracle Worker with Anne Bancroft & Patti Duke and the images of Fred Astaire, Ella Fitzgerald and Jerome Robbins. Hirschfeld died a day before his 100th birthday in 2013.  His flair and talent are gifts to be celebrated.  Give my regards to Broadway Show, Al Hirscfeld's entertaining exhibit.