What the hell. I brag nowhere else in my life and am normally so self-deprecating that I cause myself actual psychological harm on an almost daily basis.
So here I brag:
1. Last night when I exited the stage after my scene, the audience burst into applause. It's not the end of the play when I exit ... that was clapping for what I had just done. Words can't express how that feels. It's not just praise that comes in applause like that - or, that's not why I find it so moving. It's not about the praise. It's a way of saying "Thank you". Applause like that is a sound of gratitude. I couldn't believe it when I heard it.
Of course, after the show, everyone in the cast teased me mercilessly about my own personal ovation in the middle of the play - You can always count on the cast to keep your feet on the ground!!
2. A stranger sent a drink across a crowded bar to me last night. Good work, sir! Very gracefully done. Of course it was Jaegermeister which ... I find abhorrent ... but whatever. I was sitting with a couple of gorgeous women, so I got all neurotic with the bartender who brought the drink to me: "Me?? You're sure this is for me???? Not her? Or her?" The bartender, a scruffy Irish dude with crazy black hair (bestill my heart), gave me a bemused and patient grin (he's obviously used to women being a little bit insane, but he does not judge us). "Yes, lass, it's for you." (Excuse me, but did you just call me "lass"? Ya did? Can I tell you that I love you? Without seeming too insane?? LASS??? Oh, bestill the heart ...)
Again with the learning to accept compliments gracefully. I picked up the shot (I can't stand Jaeger), looked around the crowded bar - and saw a man smiling at me from across the way. I lifted the shot glass in thanks to him, even though I felt AWKWARD. Would he expect ... something ... what does it mean ... what are the rules ...
Oh, well. Never mind. He was sending me the shot as an appreciation thing. "Hello. I see you. I appreciate you." I may think he's nuts, especially considering the babealicious goddesses I was sitting with - but it is NOT FOR ME TO JUDGE.
Be polite, Sheila. Thank the man for the shot and keep your neurosis to yourself!!
Posted by sheilaDamn, I wish I could see the performance. Damn Damn Damn. You know how I feel about your writing. I want to see you perform. I'll bet it's worth every bit of the applause you received.
Posted by: Wutzizname at December 7, 2005 12:59 PMWhat Wutzizname said... Is there a chance that closing night would be videotaped (or is that just not done)
Posted by: JFH at December 7, 2005 1:14 PMNo videotape. Thank God. My costume already makes me look like Mrs. Doubtfire. The video would make me look like Mrs. Doubtfire had gained 10 pounds.
Yes. Welcome to my vain world!!
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 1:19 PMPuh-lease. Like you're not babealicious. You so are.
Posted by: jess at December 7, 2005 1:23 PMI'm with Wutziname --- the legions of Friends of Red want this thing streamed for live internet broadcast! The year is 2005 --- you live in the most advanced civilzation in history - -- Picture Phones! Blackberries! We can imped reporters in Iraq and watch CNN through a hurricane --- but no show from the Big Apple? Are we asking too much?
Seriously, glad the show is going so well - would be wonderful too see ---
(at least a DVD release in a few months???)
Posted by: "dave" at December 7, 2005 1:37 PMjess - haha - yeah, but comparatively! The women I'm with get drinks sent across the bar to them all the time!! Me? Not so much.
It was great. :)
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 1:48 PMHey, it's great that you got that applause, but let me ask you something?
And be honest.
If you weren't an actress, and when you're not acting, what are you?
Posted by: Rudy at December 7, 2005 1:53 PMWell, you wouldn't know it. That's a compliment.
You must be deep undercover.
Posted by: Rudy at December 7, 2005 1:58 PMWhat I first said in response to your comment, Rudy, was:
I take offense at your wording. Especially "Be honest". You have not commented here before so how on earth do you presume that I would lie?
Go away. I don't even understand why you ask the question.
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 1:58 PMOh! Sorry. Didn't mean to offend you. Just trying to be a bit provocative, but it came off insensitively, for which I apologize.
I happen to look at your site periodically, but don't post.
The reason I'm asking is that I'm an actor and have found a lot of freedom in not considering that my identity. It's a part of what I do, but it's just a small part of who I am.
I sometimes feel from your writing that you think an actress is all you are. And there's probably a lot more to you than that. Not that I'd know you if I ran into you in the street.
Posted by: Rudy at December 7, 2005 2:01 PMOh! Sorry. Didn't mean to offend you. Just trying to be a bit provocative, but it came off insensitively, for which I apologize.
I happen to look at your site periodically, but don't post.
The reason I'm asking is that I'm an actor and have found a lot of freedom in not considering that my identity. It's a part of what I do, but it's just a small part of who I am.
I sometimes feel from your writing that you think an actress is all you are. And there's probably a lot more to you than that. Not that I'd know you if I ran into you in the street.
Posted by: Rudy at December 7, 2005 2:01 PMPlease don't be provocative if you don't comment here that much! Yuk. Your tone was like: "I know you better than you know yourself, so be honest." At least that's how it came off.
I'm plenty of things beside an actress. But it's what I've always done, and wanted - also, since I have a job right now, it's what I'm focusing on.
I'm a writer. I'm a thinker. I'm an aunt. I'm a great friend. I'm a daughter. I'm someone's Great Lost Love. I'm a foreign-policy-wonk-wannabe. I'm a lunatic. you know. It runs the gamut.
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 2:05 PMYour comment is well-taken, and please accept my apologies. I don't know you.
Good luck with everything.
Posted by: Rudy at December 7, 2005 2:07 PMWhat I choose to share here on the blog is just a tiny sliver of who I am. It's what I decide I want to share.
Anyway - thanks for lurking. Please feel free to comment more so I get familiar with you, and don't freak out on you again. :)
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 2:08 PMwell YAY SHEILA!!!
Posted by: mere at December 7, 2005 2:14 PMMere - guess what: Beth left the fleece Nana thing at my house!! She must be jones-ing SO BAD! I couldn't believe it - after all of our joking about you or me stealing that thing - there it was on my chair!!
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 2:15 PMOh my god..you are sooo lucky. have you worn it?? I am so jealous.
Posted by: mere at December 7, 2005 2:15 PMI admit it. I have worn it. It is unbelievable.
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 2:33 PMSheila, I kinda implied a question with my parathetical phrase... Is it considered poor form to record a theater performance? (I mean by the actors/directors/theater... I assume a video by an audience member would be illegal)
Posted by: JFH at December 7, 2005 2:36 PMwow. i think i need one of those.
Posted by: mere at December 7, 2005 2:38 PMJFH - oops, sorry, missed the parenthetical. I don't think it's poor form, although yes - for an audience member to do so would be bad bad bad - I know a lot of theatre companies record their performances like that - to build up an archive. And of course - most Broadway shows are video-recorded.
We aren't recording this one - although we did have a huge photo call. For promotional purposes, to be used in reviews, stuff like that. Again - it was a professional photographer - you're not allowed to take pictures, as an audience member.
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 2:38 PMmere -
hahahahahaha totally. I think so even more - now that I have actually worn the silly thing. You never ever want to get out of it.
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 2:39 PMBrag ON, O'Malley. I think that's awesome! Well, all except for the gracefully choking down the Jaeger, which sounds like those moments where you're eating food made by a really bad cook: "Mmmm, deli...*gag*...cious..."
Posted by: Emily at December 7, 2005 3:20 PMEmily - yeah, amusingly enough - I whispered to the bartender: "I can't stand Jaeger though" and he scolded me - "Oh, but you've got to drink it now ..."
Good manners and all that.
Blech!
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 3:32 PMI can't do the fingers-in-the-mouth whistle, so I'll just add my applause. I'd like to see the play, but it ain't gonna happen unless a whole lot of unlikelies come together. Does the play run through the middle of next year, perchance?
Posted by: Ken at December 7, 2005 3:54 PMI love that feeling!! Bragging? maybe. Narcissitic? maybe. Who cares..it is an unbelievable feeling of validation for the work that one does..its the joy of our profession..we are blessed that if we do it well..people,actual live people feel it and respond immediately..what a joy..brag away...it happened to me last year at this time...a monologue in the middle of a play..u would have thought i had done a kick line or Soliloquy from Carousel...i actually had to stop and acknowledge the repsonse during the monologue...it was magical...33 1/3 % me and the script and the audience. Alex was in the wings watching and she showed her support by flipping me the bird and mouthing "fuck you"..ahhh friends! So wish i could be there! Love you. Oh..and if there are any O'Malley's reading this...i miss u ALL...you are truly an extraordinary bunch of people...i get giddy when i see ur names on here.
Posted by: mitchell at December 7, 2005 3:59 PM"u would have thought i had done a kick line"
Now THAT I would like to see. A re-enactment of the moment in Edwin Drood that made Jim Moore weep?? hahahahaha
member him crying when we did the kickline? HAHAHAHAHA
I love him!!!!
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 4:02 PMKen -
No chance of extending. We're closing this sucker on Saturday come hell or high water!
There will always be more jobs!! (Knock wood)
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 4:02 PMi just heard that Jim Moore and his partner have a baby!! What a lucky kid!!!!!
Posted by: mitchell at December 7, 2005 4:13 PMGod, he was such a nice guy. I was always bummed I didn't get to know him better - although I did have a sleepover with him once when I came to New York for an audition - I came up from Philly and slept over at his apartment in ... Queens?
Hilarious.
Just the image of him standing in the back of the theatre in Providence crying BECAUSE OF A KICKLINE is sheer genius.
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 4:14 PM*Joining in with the applause - from the cheap seats*
Very Grace-fully done.
Posted by: peteb at December 7, 2005 4:36 PMMitchell, Do you remember how Judith gave you a smaller space to do the kickline at school and then we actually had a bigger space in Providence? Remember how she kept saying "Mitchell, you have plenty of room in the kickline" and we were like, "no, there is not enough room; we're kicking in the teasers for god's sake!!" Mitchell, I saw Sheila this weekend and she was AMAZING. As for Jim Moore.......(who I love), the last time i saw him was in New Mexico and I stayed with him for one night. I had a doddering Budhist in tow so I feel white hot shame whenever I think of it.
J
Posted by: jackie at December 7, 2005 6:54 PMNANA FLEECE THING THEIF!!!!! I was WONDERING where it went- so sad. I am glad you are using it though. The thought of my mother's penguin-type fleece sleeping bag with legs on you is killing me with the hilarity of it all!! Stay warm.
Posted by: Just1Beth at December 7, 2005 8:26 PMAnd I feel like a loser, but I must ask...what is a kickline?
Posted by: Just1Beth at December 7, 2005 8:27 PMMy costume already makes me look like Mrs. Doubtfire.
I just spent a good, solid ten minutes laughing my ass off at that.
Remind me to tell you about the Great Carbon Fiber incident sometime. It's along the same vein.
Posted by: Mr. Lion at December 7, 2005 8:49 PMLion - tell me I don't look like Mrs. Doubtfire! If you do, I know you will be lying!! My breasts literally look like a SHELF in that horrid peasant shirt.
Posted by: red at December 7, 2005 10:40 PM