And there he is, between Daphna and me. Whew! How can a person be so talented on so many levels, gorgeous and really nice? Very impressive!

He is the epitome of a consummate showman. I like his work as an actor. But his singing and dancing and interaction with the audience is really special. Richard (a hard sell when it comes to theatre) said it was the most enjoyable evening of musical theatre he’d ever seen. Jackman goes out into the audience, brought a dude named Ed (in jeans) up on the stage and got him to sing; as “Man From Oz,” dressed in gold lame, he went into an upper box and sang from a guy’s lap.

With Paul Boon and Nathan Mundraby, the didgeridoo players who performed with Hugh and Olive Knight, a respected vocal artist, activist and spokesperson for Australia's Indigenous people.

He had a wonderful section about Australia with indigenous performers and talked about Nomad Two Worlds, a non-profit that works with aboriginals, their culture and community and work in crisis zones like Japan and Haiti.

Harvey Keitel, director Daphna Kastner, me and Richard

It was a wonderful evening. But, speaking of evenings, I cannot believe I forgot to write about the fantastic fundraiser we had on Thursday night for The Women’s Media Center. It was a HUGE success, raising lots of money, bringing together a house full of women powerhouses, Sheryl Sandberg, Lekha Singh, Arianna Huffington, Victoria Jackson, Pat Mitchell, and many others. My pal Wanda Sykes, was the very funny M.C. Awards were given to outstanding and brave journalists and media women. I presented to CBS correspondent, Lara Logan, who was sexually assaulted in Egypt during the uprising and had the guts to talk about it. Many female correspondents who work in conflict zones are assaulted but—out of shame, fear for their jobs, and retribution —stay silent. Lara spoke up and it has made a difference for other women, giving them the courage to speak. Gloria Steinem said, at one point, the media bosses say “’we don’t want to send women into conflict zones because they may get hurt.’ I’ll feel okay about that when they say, ‘we don’t want to send men into conflict zones because they may get hurt!’” At which point, Wanda (who was sitting next to me) grabbed my knee and almost yelled, “I get it, Jane! Now I get it!” Gloria has that remarkable way of finding just the right words to help us all ‘get it.’

The wonderful Soledad O’Brian received an award and spoke movingly. Maggie Wilderotter, Chair and CEO of Frontiers Media, gave a really impressive speech in accepting her Media Woman of the Year Award.

For those who don’t know us, The Women’s Media Center works to make women and girls visible and powerful in the media. We do it by promoting women as subjects and decision-makers within the media, training women and girls so they are media-ready and media-savvy, exposing sexism in the media, and creating innovative new media and original content. One of our programs is called “Name it, Change it,” pointing to the fact that we can never change anything in the world unless we recognize what it is and call out its name.

Media is a central part of our culture, forming our consciousness, telling us much about who we are and how we are supposed to be in the world. If women are denigrated through sexism or simply omitted from the discussion; if the media does not see the issues that impact our lives from a woman’s perspective as well as a man’s, if women don’t see themselves reflected equally and wholly in the media we will be disadvantaged and the culture in general will be diminished and it will be far harder to solve our problems. It’s not just a question of having female faces as newscasters (though that’s important), but right now, the people who decide what stories will be told and from what perspective are almost all men. Behind the scenes, in positions of heft, women make up only 3% of the jobs. This is just Wrong! The WMC works to change this. Check out our website.

Yesterday I completed the unabridged audio recording of my new book, “Prime Time,” which comes out August 9th (but can be pre-ordered through Amazon..hint, hint) . They’d scheduled 5 days for it and I did it in 3! I liked doing it. It was fun.

Then I went to The Paley Center to get ready for an event that I had agreed to do with Pat Mitchell, Paley’s CEO. She is doing a series of taped interviews with women about women and media. The interviews will air on PBS this fall and then will be archived at The Paley Center.

With my dear friend, Pat Mitchell, president and CEO of The Paley Center before the evening's event

There is a Paley Center in New York and one in Beverly Hills. It used to be the Museum of Radio and Television, founded years ago by the famed Bill Paley. Right now, at the Beverly Hills Center, Debbie Reynolds’ immense collection of important costumes from films is being shown there…at least a small portion of the costumes are being shown…and drawing a huge crowd to the Center every day. I can see why. It is exciting to see the actual dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in “Some Like it Hot” and “The Seven Year Itch.” Or the great dresses from “My Fair Lady, “The Sound of Music,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Hello Dolly,” and so many more, I actually took a lot of pictures of the collection but, for some reason, only this one came out. Boo Hiss. There will be an auction of the costumes this coming Saturday. One striking thing about some of the costumes was how petite the actors were. There’s a gorgeous Claudette Colbert gown that is as big as my arm! And the same can be said for one of Rudolf Valentino’s suits!

Standing next to the display of the dress Audrey Hepburn wore in 'My Fair Lady.'

Pat and I had a grand old time during the interview. She is a terrific interviewer, really does her homework. AND, she managed to find footage of me that I had never seen… Like a Lux Soap commercial I did in the late 1950s! I would never even have recognized myself, especially my voice, all high and weird. There was also a snippet from an interview with Charles Collingwood. When the interview was over, I read from my new book. The feedback I am getting from people who were in the audience has shown me that it was a success.

Afterwards, Richard, Pat, Carole Black, Cindy Horn and I went to dinner at the Soho House where we saw and then were joined by my daughter-in-law, Simone, ad the beautiful Italian woman whose northern Italian family is the Max Mara family. She is here because Max Mara sponsors the Women In Film (WIF) event which, this year, is honoring Katie Holmes. I saw her at the WIF party at Soho and she looked great! We had a really good time and stayed out probably too late.

Roshi Joan Halifax, me and Mary Catherine Bateson

The next morning I was on a panel with Roshi Joan Halifax and Mary Catherine Bateson at the Legacy of Wisdom Project. The mission of the project is “making wisdom the central operating principle of aging.” Other participants included Ram Dass, Harry Moody, Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi. I was worried because 1) I was tired and 2) I’m not especially wise. But, as is always the case when I am in the company of the truly wise Joan and Mary Catherine, interesting things come to the fore.

Following that, I rushed to hop a Delta flight to Atlanta with Gabby Sidibe. While I had met her at the screening of “Precious” that opened the New York film Festival and crossed paths at some gala functions, I had not really had a chance to talk with her. One of the things I wanted to ask her was if she gets recognized often. I didn’t need to. People definitely recognize her. They spoke to her, passed notes to her. Clearly she has had an impact, especially on young women. I discovered in her, a 27 year old woman who, at age 22, knew she had to make a decision to either accept who she was and be strong or die. She chose strong and rarely have I met someone her age who is, as the French say, so ‘bien dans sa peau…Well in her skin. She exudes a wisdom and confidence. She laughed and told me that people often say to her, “How wonderful that you have followed your dream!” “But my dream was never to be an actor. I just went on the audition [for Precious] cause a friend said I should. My dream has been to be a psychologist.” When asked about fame and how that has affected her, she got big laughs when she replied, “You have no idea how hard it is to buy tampons when you’re famous!” In other words, it bugs her and it’s not why she is doing her acting—for now.

Pat Mitchell, Me, Gabby Sidibe and Michele Ozumba

She was coming with me to Atlanta to participate in a dialogue with me and 2 other young actors with the Alliance Theatre that followed a screening of the documentary “Jane”, made in 1962 by D.A. Pennybaker. It has been a painful thing for me to watch because I was so voiceless and disembodied as I went through rehearsals and out-of-town tryouts of a play that lasted 2 nights on Broadway. I decided to show it as a fundraiser for my non-profit G-CAPP because part of what we do is try to help girls keep their voices at adolescence, when many, if not most, lose theirs…well, not lose…their voices go underground so they will fit in, be ‘popular’, acceptable, ‘good girls.’ This is more common with middle class white girls than with african-american girls who ,from early on and often from their mothers, learn that, to survive, they need to maintain strong voices.

It was a successful evening, that included a meaningful conversation with the audience, moderated by Susan Booth, artistic director of the Alliance Theatre. At the party afterwards, people said how moving they found it and how much they had learned. They especially commented on how amazing Gabby is…”what wisdom!,” exclaimed one man.

Gabby spent the night with me in my loft (strange to be back as all my personal things have moved out) and I spent the day in my office looking for photo and film archival stuff for the enhanced eBooks of both my memoirs and my new book, “Prime Time”, which comes out Sept 20th. I’m excited. I was interviewed two days ago by the first person outside of Random House (i.e. no dog in the race and, hence, not obliged to make any comments) who said she “devoured” my book and thinks it has everything “from A to Z” that anyone would want to know about approaching and living into the aging process. Actually, I think so too, but then I’m prejudiced!

Tonight we had a farewell party for Michele Ozumba who has been CEO/President of GCAPP for many years, the Policy Director and a board member before that. I’ve known and worked with Michele since 1995 when she was head of Maternal and Child Health for the state. It was a moving ceremony at the home of Drs Robert and Cheryl Franklin. He is President of Morehouse College and Cheryl is an OBGYN and Board chair of GCAPP since I’ve moved to L.A. On Friday I come back to Atlanta to join other members of the selection committee to interview candidates for our CEO position and then Easter with my Grandkids at Ted’s farm outside Atlanta.

Tomorrow we have a board meeting and then I fly to Tallahassee for a fundraising event to support the Thomasville Community Resource Center which I helped build in the 90s. It will be a wonderful experience, I know. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve been down there and I will get to visit the TCRC Center, witness all they are doing for the children in that community and see old friends. I will read from my memoirs, about the making of “On Golden Pond,” and then dialogue with the audience.

I leave early Wednesday morning to go back to New York to, again, dialogue with Gabby after a screening of “Jane,” this time to benefit the Women’s Media Center and this time, moderated by Co-founder Gloria Steinem.

In others words, this is my fundraising week. It will all continue to be exhilarating and a learning experience.

One of Richard’s classmates was Richard Rosenberg with whom he formed a doo wop singing group, first called The Legends and then The Escorts. I just about fainted when, awhile ago, I was bragging that I knew a song in Latin and began singing Gaudeamus Igitur when Richard then began singing along with me and then put on an old LP of The Escorts on which they sang a doo wop version of the Latin song!!! OMG! I may sing it with them at the reunion if we get any chance to rehearse.

The reunion was a big success, needless to say.

Next to Richard is the former Headmaster, Bill Williams, then another alum, Nick Schenck. In front of NIck is the current headmaster, David Harmon

Richard, me, Nick Schenck and Richard Rosenberg

Last night we had a little party with the amazingly special Catherine Keener, documentary filmmaker, Amy Berg, who made the extraordinarily powerful documentary, “Deliver Us From Evil,” about a pedophile Catholic priest, Samantha Mathis, who played my daughter in “33 Variations” on Broadway and who I adore, and producer Sandy Stern who is becoming a dear friend and, hopefully we will work together. Alas, I forgot to take any pictures!!
 
It was a really fun night and ended early cause I had to get up this morning and do a photo shoot with Matthew Rolston for the covers of my new DVDs. I so adore working with Matthew. He is kind, quick, talented and the photos really look good. It may seem strange to you that the DVDs won’t come out till next January and yet we’re doing all this now but it may be the only time I get to do it—so at least it’s out of the way. I’ve put more lighter highlights in my hair and I think It’s better. The all-dark brown got a little helmety.

What else? That’s about it. The pollen-filled L.A. Air that has got me feeling tired and ill has finally blown over and I’m back to normal. Tomorrow we go to New York where I will rehearse the narration of the “Grapes of Wrath” opera that is being performed one night only with symphony orchestra and chorale (and Christine Ebersole!!!!) at Carnegie Hall. I’m excited. So many people I love will be there: Eve Ensler, Pat Mitchell, Annette Tauper and her husband, Joe Allen (Richard’s college roommate), my daughter-in-law’s parents, Dee and Boswell Bent, Roger Freidman, Kenny Vance, Jean Doumanian, Stan Dragotti, Patricia Bosworth, Hilton Als, Nat Bickford, Leslie Stahl, Eva and Yoel Haller…and Catherine Keener!!! What fun it will be.

I will take photos of it all, including the 3 days of rehearsals between Saturday and Monday night.

See You Next Time.

Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe who played Precious—brilliantly!!

Queen Latifah, Me and Richard

Richard, Me and Lenny Kravitz

We saw “Precious“, the remarkable, powerful film directed by Lee Daniels. It opened the New York Film Festival. I read the book, “Push” —by Sapphire–more than a decade ago and felt it to be one of the most powerful, provocative books ever. The film is very good. I am grateful that it has been made and that Oprah and Tyler Perry have stepped up to help ensure it’s distribution. I wish everyone could see it. I’m thinking back over the years to the (white) men, usually business men, who asked me why my organization did “all these programs for those girls? You’re just rewarding them for their bad behavior.” It has taken time, patience and a great deal of faith to try and prove to them that most of the “girls” weren’t “bad.” They were victims who had been on the receiving end of so much dehumanizing, brutal, cruel behavior, then ignored, cast aside. They needed care and attention not more demonizing. The movie is wonderful in how it subtly shows that hope and confidence can bloom in someone when a little love and attention is sent their way. At least two Oscar worthy performances: Gabourey Sidibe is Precious and stand-up comedian, Mo’Nique, is jaw-dropping as her mother, Mary. Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz are excellent as well. Bravo to all!!!

The next night was went to the opening of Carrie Fisher’s “Wishful Drinking.” We had a big group—Troy, Simone, Harvey and Daphna Keitel, Pat Mitchell, Kenny Vance, Claudia Potempkin, Annette and Joe Allen, and more. I meant to take pictures but, as often happens when I’m having fun, I forgot to take any. Carrie was hysterical. I’ve seen an earlier version and was surprised to see how well she’s tightened it up and made it resonate for folks who aren’t of Hollywood. Given her uniquely dysfunctional childhood, one reviewer said it is amazing how she makes the audience feel she is just like them. It’s a must see. So is “Precious”.

Daphna, Harvey, Daphna’s mother, Richard, me and Eve Ensler

Daphna and Harvey Keitel

Then two more glorious days of great food and much fun with Richard’s friends and mine—we had a reunion party with the cast of “33 Variations” and Moises, the author and director. I’m very moved by the fact that Richard’s friends from childhood, High school and college still love him and stay in touch…same with old girlfriends.

33 Variations cast reunion

33 Variations cast reunion

Richard signing doo wop with Kenny Vance. Kenny had long been Richard’s friend. They both had singing groups back in the late fifties...Richard’s was The Escorts, Kenny’s was the Planetones...still is...still sounding like dream

Cannot believe that, except for the photo of Richard singing with Kenny Vance, I forgot to take any pictures. Shame on me.

See You Next TIme

Okay, so back to yesterday. Some really interesting people came backstage afterwards. Estelle Parsons, for one. Now there’s a powerful lady!! She’s in her eighties and goes up and down a humongous flight of stairs all throughout her play, “August: Osage County.” I haven’t seen her in it but have heard she is amazing. She has gone on the road with it—for 40 weeks!!! I will interview her for my book. I want to know how she stays physically strong (her husband is about 25 years younger than her and says he can’t keep up with her.)

Estelle Parsons (photo: Michael Rudd)

Then, James Andrews came back. He’s the man who persuaded me to start blogging and helped me set it all up and introduced me (by phone) to the mysterious J.J. in Detroit who makes it all happen technically. James came with Pankaj Shah, the man who launched the website TONIC, which sells merchandise to benefit non-profit organizations, Donna Karen turned me onto him. She is on his board. Pankaj and James are discussing how TONIC can help me sell my mug shot totes, clutches and T-shirts for the benefit of G-CAPP.

James Andrews

James Andrews, Me and Pankaj Shah of Tonic.com

Speaking of Georgia, State Senator Nan Orrock came to the show with State Representative Mary Margaret Oliver. I’ve known and worked with them both ever since I arrived in Georgia 18 years ago. They were also with Mary Frances Williams, a progressive lobbyist for women and children who has help G-CAPP over the years and Nancy Hall, retired director of Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Senator Nan Orrock and Representative Mary Margaret Oliver

Nancy G. Hall and Mary Frances Williams

Last night, Eve Ensler and Pat Mitchell came again-for the umpteenth time and we all went to dinner where Moises joined us. It was so much fun I stayed longer than I intended. I feel so blessed to have fierce, precious friends like Eve and Pat.

Pat Mitchell, Me, and Eve Ensler (photo: Michael Rudd)

Dick Cavett (photo: Michael Rudd)

Jane Alexander (photo: Michael Rudd)

See you next time

Last night many of the Women’s Media Center’s board came to see “33 Variations” and then we all were invited to dinner by Jodie Evans. Jodie, by the way, is also co-founder of the important peace organization Code Pink.

Today the Women’s Media Center had our board meeting and tonight, at Gloria Steinem’s cozy home, the Sisterhood is Global Institute’s new, soon-to-burst-forth, viral presence, had a board meeting. So tonight, I go to bed energized and optimized.

Board members of the Women’s Media Center (photo by Michael Rudd)

Pat Mitchell and her husband Scott (photo by Michael Rudd)

See you next time.

Then I went to dinner with Robin Morgan and her musician son, Blake Morgan. They are both highly intelligent and talented. As a child in the fifties, Robin was the actor who played Dagmar in the hugely popular TV series, “I Remember Mama.” Robin was second only to Shirley Temple as a nationally popular child star. She is known now as a writer, a poet and the editor who created the historic feminist anthologies “Sister is Powerful,” Sisterhood is Global” and “Sisterhood is Forever.”

Both Robin and Blake were shaken by the play. At dinner Robin said to me, “It is so rare that you see any public honoring of the process of art, the cost of the process of art.” Blake was stunned by the parallels between Beethoven’s dilemmas and those of musicians today. A character from the 1800s in the play says “They’ve outlawed dancing so we can’t sell sheet music.” Blake pointed out that today this translates into “They’re copying our music so we can’t sell music itself!!” He went on to say that “Throughout history, musicians are always more interested in the high note than the bottom line.” What a good line! It made him feel less alone when the play reminded him that Beethoven struggled with these same financial pressures.

Moises didn’t come to the matinee which is understandable…he needs to rest and reclaim the fresh eyes that will allow him to see his play anew. Still, I have to admit that I felt bereft knowing he wasn’t there. He’ll be there tonight though. I’m glad. My friend and columnist, Roger Friedman, is also coming tonight and Pat Mitchell’s coming—again. She asked her husband, Scott Seydel, what he wanted to do for Valentine’s Day and he said, “See Jane’s show.” (He was away the other night when Pat saw it). Here’s a bit of trivia: Scott’s from Atlanta and his son, Rutherford Seydel, is married to Ted Turner’s daughter, Laura. Their three children are grandchildren to me, Scott and Pat.

See you next time.

Gloria Steinem and Christina Biaggi

Pat Mitchell, Eve Ensler and Rev Debra Haffner

Gloria Steinem and Christina Biaggi

Fans outside the theatre. To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect there would be many fans outside the stage door…one or two, maybe. So this was quite a loving surprise and the comments—about Tulea, about my memoir (one man even quoted something I wrote that had affected him a lot), about my blog and about the play which many had seen.
Speaking of Tulea, she actually watched the show in the arms of her pet sitter sitting in the orchestra—never taking her eyes off me!!

These gorgeous flowers came from my friend Val Kilmer who is my neighbor in New Mexico. Lucky me!!!

Last night was a good night and I received so many nice comments on my blog from people who were there. Who knew what a wonderful viral community could evolve from a blog. I was so happy to have my friends there last night. Afterwards the whole cast and production team went to Dan Marino’s next door for a drink. Zach Grenier who plays Beethoven said today that he had a glorious conversation with Gloria Steinem about Beethoven. No surprise to me that Gloria could teach him a few things about the master. She’s so amazing.

After that I went to dinner with Eve Ensler and Pat Mitchell. I am blown away that Pat and Eve not only came to the show but spent the evening (till 1am) talking to me about it. I say this because Eve is in the midst of a massive national campaign to focus attention on the sexual violence in the eastern Congo. She and Dr. Mukwege, a heroic Congolese doctor devoted to saving the lives of the women who have been raped and mutilated every day are meeting with the Secretary General of the UN today and will soon leave on a national tour. I urge you to go onto her organization’s (V-Day) website to learn more about the situation in the Congo and what you can do to help. Check out where they will be appearing in case you can attend one of their events. The V-Day website is on the front page of this website as I am on the V-Day board-as is Pat Mitchell.

Everyday I thank God for friends like Pat and Eve. Pat is the President and CEO of the Paley Center (formerly the Museum of Radio and Television). Before that she was President/CEO of PBS and before that she ran the Documentary unit at Turner Broadcasting when Ted had her producing epic 12-hour docs about the Cold War, the Vietnam War, The Millenium and A Century of Women among others.

Again, I meant to get up this morning and do some serious blogging catch-up but stayed out too late and barely made it to the theatre in time for rehearsals. This is the start of what is usually a challenging time in the life of a play. Definitely one thing I remember vividly from 45 years ago when I was last here: When the playwright begins to tweek the play and we get new lines, even new scenes, every night.

I have a few new things to learn right now so I will sign off with my usual…

See you next time.