Week Four of Dead Man’s Cell Phone
Posted by Polly Noonan on 4/30/2008
Hey, it is beautiful outside! And it’s WEEK FOUR of Dead Man’s Cell Phone. Funny to think about us still wearing these rainy day costumes when summer comes! The excitement so far: one understudy has gone on (bravo Dana), one onstage bloody nose (me), several uninvited phone rings during performance (hello audience!). WOW, live theatre!
We bought our crew dinner between shows this Saturday. The weekends are long; two shows both days, so it was lovely to have dinner in the building. Mary Beth made brownies and I scrambled to a store to grab strawberries. Our stage manger Chris had a visit from her baby Joan and her husband, actor Tom Cox. When we first met Joan she was crawling, but by the time our show closes she will be walking!
Sunday was the closing night for Carter’s Way. I wonder if those actors feel wistful or ready to be done. We wish them well, Upstairs theatre to Downstairs theatre!
Tonight’s show was almost sold out, so we had to start a tiny bit late — the parking garage filled up early, and the theatre management wanted to give audience members a few extra minutes to park their cars. Part of the reason the garage filled quickly is that GIANT TENT covering the outdoor portion of the parking lot. It is going to house the Steppenwolf Gala Saturday night! It should be exciting. The party chair who called to invite each of us said it will be “the event of the season.” We’ll see!
This week should be fun. On Monday I flew to Washington DC to attend the Helen Hayes Awards, and then I flew right back Tuesday morning to perform Tuesday night. In case I had any plane trouble, Cora, the actress understudying the role of Jean was on standby, ready to jump into my costume if need be! Hooray and thank you for Cora! Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Woolly Mammoth Theatre) got a bunch of nominations for its premiere. I was nominated in a category called Outstanding Lead Actress. I didn’t win, but it is an honor to be nominated and I LOVED the party.
The Lemonheads are going to play at the Abbey Pub on Thursday and Friday night to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of It’s a Shame About Ray. David Singer, who created the music for August: Osage County, is opening. So maybe Tracy Letts and his girlfriend, actress Nicole Wiesner, will be at the show.
On Saturday, May 3, we have the day free, and then we have to gussy up for the gala. I have decided to bring my mother as my date because I think she will get a kick out of it! There is a special One Night Only performance by members of the Steppenwolf ensemble, I don’t think they have room for all of us in the theatre, but rumor has it we can crowd into the cry room and have a peek. I sure hope so!
I think the party will be extra special this year. With Letts winning the Pulitzer and so many people attached to August nominated for awards (I can’t keep track), this is a very exciting time to work at Steppenwolf. I think Anna Shapiro and Tracy Letts should christen the side of the main building with a bottle of champagne. And maybe someone can rig the giant Steppenwolf sign to blink throughout the night. It could be very disco. Those are my party suggestions, I wonder if they will be taken!
Hey, did anybody see the TimeOut piece about actors in Chicago this week? It was the talk of our green room! What did you think?