LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Actor Colin Farrell (L) and cast member Jane Fonda (R) pose backstage after the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Cast member Jane Fonda, cast member Zach Grenier and Playwright/Director Moises Kaufman pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Cast member Jane Fonda (L) and Cher (R) pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Cast member Jane Fonda, brother actor Peter Fonda and Parky DeVogelaere pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Actress Anjelica Huston (L) and cast member Jane Fonda (R) pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Actors Carla Gugino, Anjelica Huston and Rosanna Arquette pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Cast member Jane Fonda, actress Carla Gugino and actor Ben McKenzie pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Cast members Grant James Varjas, Samantha Mathis and Zach Grenier pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Cast member Jane Fonda (L) and son Troy Garity (R) pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Cast members Samantha Mathis (L) and Greg Keller (R) pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

I felt so much better tonight than last night. Partly cause I got enough sleep. (Thanks again to all my online friends for their sleep advice!) Both last night and during dinner break. You see, when a play is in previews, we continue to rehearse during the day and perform at night-which is grueling, but it’s how we work out the kinks in this technically challenging play. Which means I am in the theatre for dinner and just sleep on my couch.

A number of old friends came backstage to say hello and that was nice. People I haven’t seen since the 70s!!

I’m writing this in the car going home and we’re about there so I’ll say goodnight. Tomorrow’s our day off so no blogging. Just got to tie up loose ends on my book. Xx

I slept during dinner break and drank a green Kombucha cause one of the actors told me it’s a non-caffeine energizer. That remains to be seen. I will keep trying cause if I drink coffee at night I need to take a sleeping pill and I don’t want to get into that. Any thoughts out there?

We have 3 more days before there is an audience. It will be fine. Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.

This has been the fastest film I’ve ever done except for “Cat Ballou“.  This has been much more fun, though. There feels like a dusting of magic in the air every day…a good vibe. We like each other and we feel really good about what the film’s about. So we’ve gotten close and now it’ over…at least for me. Catherine and Lizzie and Nat have another week. Besides all that, it’s very beautiful up here and people have been really nice. The ‘background’ players (what we used to call ‘extras’) were mostly from around here. You can get a real sense of a place by hanging with extras…even for short bursts.

Vince on the left, Spice on the right

Every lunch break, these members of the Sound and Electrical crews, Spice, Vince Reed Camuto, John Ashton, and Russ Geltman on drums, gather to play and sing. And they’re really good. And they are Woodstock for me. As is Levon Helm who did another extraordinary Midnight Ramble concert at his studio last Saturday. What an extraordinary group of musicians Levon has assembled! I got there late because we worked till 9:30pm but joined my friends, Jennifer and Peter Buffett, Elizabeth Lesser and her husband, Tom, and my stepdaughter, Laura Turner Seydel and her son, John R. They came by for a 2-day visit which was very special because I don’t see them as much anymore and there is lots of catching up to do.. I videoed John R.’s birth and now he is looking at colleges in the region—Brown, Colgate, Dartmouth, for example. Because he is a fine and passionate ice hockey player, he went from Atlanta to a high school in Toronto, Canada, where he is the starting goalie. I am so proud of the Seydel family. All of them are committed to trying to make the world a better, cleaner more peaceful place.

A wonderful piece of synchronicity: This Magic Bus that now sits in my character’s (Grace’s) yard, used to be parked in Atlanta in front of the Captain Planet Foundation which Laura chairs. It grew from the animated children’s environmental TV series of the same name that was created by her father, Ted Turner, and Barbara Pyle. She couldn’t get over the coincidence.

Proud Grandmother

Love Nat's new look

I’ve had some wonderful, touching and funny scenes with Catherine these last few days and also with Lizzie Olsen and Nat Wolff, my “grandchildren.” These young ones have a long, bright future ahead of them. It feels strange to be leaving. You get so close and then it’s over. But I sense that we will all cross paths again. Certainly I intend to see Catherine once we’re both back in L.A. She gave me an iPod the other day. She and her son, Clyde, loaded over 400 songs on it that they thought I’d like and Alinda taught me to buy and add songs and albums. What a great technology. I can”t wait to teach Richard so he won’t have to lug dozens of CDs everywhere with him.

Alinda drove me into the City and to JFK this morning. I missed my flight cause I fell asleep in the lounge but got the last seat on the next flight out which is where I am writing this.

I’ll post from Richard’s and am late posting because I didn’t have a signal for quite awhile.

The camera crew, getting ready and trying to avoid the poison Ivy and ticks.

That's Lori Hicks, the blonde on the left. How about Catherine's lotus position!! I can't do that anymore.

Maia, the daughter of Lori Hicks, who did my makeup, loves to watch Tulea when I'm shooting. She is a most creative girl, putting together her own picture book with drawings of the animals, people and events that she’s encountered while up here

There they are, brother (Elan) and sister, guarding Tulea and passing me tissues when I get emotional. It was a lovely scene between me and Catherine.

Working with the script authors, Joe and Christina, on the next day's scene. He is Alinda's brother.

Chase Crawford, who comes up to play "Cole" in the movie on weekends when he's not doing "Gossip Girls." It is a pleasure to be able to say that he is not just drop-dead-gorgeous, but a talented and very nice young man. Raised in Texas, Southern Baptist, he speaks well for the church.

Kyle plays my son-in-law

Another fun day on the set of “Peace, Love, and Misunderstanding”. The last 2 days we’ve shot nothing but peace and love. The day before was the major misunderstanding. It was too intense to take pictures, but really good, I feel. Mark Schmidt did an amazing job moving through the whole house, out the porch and across the road all in one scene with the steady cam. Whew! Glad I’m just an actor.

Catherine's beautiful standin...getting her PHD in Criminal Justice.

Our very talented, handsome, preppie production designer, Carl Sprague

The big reflectors they use to bounce light off of

Mark Schmidt, the amazing steady cam operator. You gotta be strong and good for this work. That camera is heavy!!

Bruce waiting for the shot to be ready with Lori Hicks (she does my makeup) walking up behind.

Nat Wolff, my "grandson."

"Grace"

Aaron Quarles getting my hair ready

Me and Nat

"Grace" using her crystals to heal "Jake's" headache while daughter and granddaughter look on

Another nice outfit thanks to Johann Stegner

Alex Wolff, Nat's brother, the second half of The Naked Brothers Band from the Nicholodeon show.

A game of badminton while waiting to shoot. That's Lizzie on the left

Nat and Alex

Alex and Nat's parents, actor Polly (just finished a role in "The Big C", Laura Linney's new Showtime series) and Michael Wolff. He is a famed jazz pianist

Costume designer, Johann Stegmier on the right, with Assistant costumer, Kate Jones

Is this an adorable chicken or what!!?? She stays this way, with down instead of feathers.

This is her mom. Check out the feathered bellbottoms

Polly, Michael and Maddie

Marissa finds a tiny frog

Terry plays "Jasper", my boyfriend of the moment, in the film

Maddie Corman Alexander as "Carol" and Poorna Jagannathan as "Mira" in the party scene

Marissa O'Donnell as "Tara" and Nat Wolff as "Jake"

Maddies, Rosanna (Arquette as "Darcy", Poorna and Terry McKenna as "Jasper" preparing to film the party

Lizzie Olsen as "Zoe"

He played a biker at the party and he is a biker for real.

Denis Burse as "Angel"

Joyce Van Patten as "Miriam"

I'm including this picture because I think it's a cool way to store your old vinyl records

Catherine Keener as "Diana", with Nat an Lizzie who play her kids, my grands.

Poorna, the resident chronicler of the scenes, photographing Denis and others

Bruce giving some scene advice to Marissa and Michael

That's gorgeous Lizzie on the stairs

Our wonderful, kind, thoughtful, smart producer, Claude Dal Farra, and Alinda, who actually works with Claude's Anthropedia Foundation but is assisting me during the shoot.

Maddie Corman Alexander as "Carol" and Poorna Jagannathan as "Mira"

Catherine Keener (photo by: Poorna Jagannathan)

Photo by: Poorna Jagannathan

Photo by: Poorna Jagannathan

I also found pictures from the other night—the night of the Moon Festival. Some people I deeply care about came to visit the set and I can’t not post those pictures, albeit belatedly.

Elizabeth Lesser is co-founder of the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck and author of a book I love, “Broken Open,” about how sometimes tragedies and traumas can cause us to become whole. Peter Buffett is a fine composer, musician and activist and Jennifer runs their foundation and is totally special. I’ve known and loved Pat Mitchell since the early 90’s when she ran Ted Turner’s documentary division at TBS, then was President/CEO of PBS, and now Prez and CEO of the Paley center which used to be the Museum of Radio and Television—a truly amazing, formidable, fun, loving woman . Scott Seydel is her husband, an environmental activist, using his knowledge as a chemical engineer to help big companies (and cities) figure out how to recycle and go green. Scott is also the father of Rutherford Seydel who is married to Laura Turner Seydel, my stepdaughter. So Pat and I share 3 grandchildren. Laura and her first born, son John R, are coming up to visit the 20-21st and I am so excited. They will be up in these parts looking at colleges for him…a fact of life I can hardly countenance!! I filmed his birth, for Pete’s sake!!

Whew! Aren’t modern families complicated?

Pat and Scott

Elizabeth Lesser, Peter Buffett, Jennifer Buffett in front, then Pat Mitchell, me, Scott Seydel, Pat’s husband, and Elizabeth’s husband Tom.

These other photos are of different moments over the previous week, taken by Annie Miller, our indomitable prop “master,” who has become a skilled chicken wrangler.

I couldn’t post these various photos sooner cause I just got them. My camera battery was dead and I didn’t find my recharger till just now.

Left to right: Cristina Biaggi, Denise Burse and moi

"Grace" is also an artist. In this scene I am painting the landscape

Our prop "master", the amazing Annie, who, among all the other things she seems to manage, also wrangles "Grace's" chickens, which wander in and out of my house. That's my "Grandson", Nat Wolffe, in the background.

Catherine Keener with chicken

"Grace" with chicken

"Grace" and Annie with chickens

We had some really good days filming this week. Here are some pictures of it. Good scenes. Working with Catherine Keener is very special for me. She is such an interesting woman it makes me want to get inside her and see the world through her eyes. I sense it would look rather different. Does this happen to you sometimes, this desire to, even for a minute, see what the world looks and feels like through someone else’s eyes—someone interesting?

Also, most unusual: there are 3 young ones who are making their first film. Nat Wolff (The Naked Brothers Band), Elizabeth Olsen (Youngest sister of the Olsen twins) and Marissa O’Donnell (starred in the Broadway play “Annie”). They are all so talented you know it will be the first of many films but it is exciting to see them experience this. That’s one reason this week was so fun…I got a chance to work with 2 of them, Lizzie and Nat. And Catherine and I had a meaningful scene that felt really good.

Barbara O’Brian, Levon’s manager, told me he and his band will be performing in San Francisco soon and the Greek Theatre in L.A. August 15th. It has been 20 years or more since he’s been out there so this is historic.
Barbara, by the way, is a genuine mensch. This weekend we do night shooting…a Moon festival/ritual that will involve chanting and drumming and a game of Truth or Dare. It will be a wild time. The actor and filmmaker and friend of both mine and Catherine, Rosanna Arquette, is coming to be in it and my fiend Cristina Biaggi, who was at Vassar College when I was and got kicked out for howling naked at the moon is also coming and being a consultant as well as participant. Stay tuned though I may not get to posting about this till Tuesday.

Catherine Keener (my daughter) and Nat Wolffe (my grandson) playing straight faced for the camera. In real life both of them are usually beaming!

View from "Grace's" house

The redhead is the wonderful Barbara O'Brian who manages Levon helm. She visited the set yesterday with her niece from Florida...just behind her is her niece from Florida, then Benjamin Beresford, Wynne and Chuck who own the house we're filming in and a friend of Barbara's niece from Florida

Watching the scene we just shot on the video play back

Vince, our brit sound man, getting me wired for sound.

Tom on the stairs of "Grace's" home

"Grace's" living room

"Grace's" dining room

We're getting ready to shoot in "Grace's" kitchen

Jane Fonda, who returned to Broadway last year after a 46-year absence and earned a Tony nomination for her performance in “33 Variations,” will reprise the role at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles next year.

The Center Theatre Group said Thursday that the play, written and directed by Moises Kaufman, would be part of the Mark Taper Forum’s 2011 season but would be staged at the neighboring Ahmanson from Jan. 30 through March 6. Ahmanson subscribers will be offered tickets as a bonus option.

CLICK HERE TO READ COMPLETE ARTICLE