TRIFECTA!!!

Apr 28.09

That’s what they call a triple winner and that is what “33 Variations” did today at the big Broadway Cares finale held at the huge Minskoff Theatre. We won for best bonnet (thanks to David Masenheimer who designed it), best skit (thanks to Michael Winther who wrote and directed it) and for–drum roll please–raising the most money of any other show on Broadway–drama or musical!!! We raised $183,547. We beat “Wicked” and all those Disney extravaganzas!! It is the first time in Broadway Cares history that a show wins all 3 awards. Thanks to those blogger friends who sent in money and to all the donors who came to the show and responded to our “ask.”

And what fun it was. OMG. Standing O when I dropped the gorgeous full length mink, loaned to me by the great furrier, Sorbara, and began to lead the cast in a Jane Fonda Workout.

The Skit

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The Award Win For Best Bonnet and Win For Best Presentation

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The Award Win for Best Fundraising

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Managed to get a nap before tonight’s show and it was a good show. I even found new things.

Headed home now and, hopefully, I won’t have trouble going to sleep. I’ll fet in on the second half of the Rachel Maddow Show and slowly, somewhere during Chris Matthews (and not because he isn’t wonderful, which he is) I will fade off.

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With Tovah Feldshuh after seeing “Irena’s Vow” last night. (photo: Bruce Glikas)

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With Tovah Feldshuh and Mary Catherine Bateson (photo: Bruce Glikas)

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With HAIR cast member Gavin Creel (far Left), Thomas Sadowski (is the lead in Reasons To Be Pretty) and Julia Murney (who is not in a show right now –but was in WICKED). (photo: Bruce Glikas)

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With Michael Rudd who played my assistant in the skit. (photo: Bruce Glikas)

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With co-award presenter, Susan Sarandon (photo: Bruce Glikas)

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Zach Grenier (Beethoven) and Michael Winther, who wrote, directed and generally made the skit happen.

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With Geoffrey Rush before the awards presentation.

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The cast and other participants in the “33 variations” winning skit.
(photo: Bruce Glikas)

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With our skit creator and director, Michael Winther who is also understudy for Beethoven and Diabelli (and he sings and dances).

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Zach Grenier and the designer of the “33 variations” Broadway Cares award winning Easter bonnet, David Masenheimer.

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with Geoffrey Rush

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with Geoffrey Rush

See you next time.


27 Responses to “TRIFECTA!!!”

  1. Philip Cairns says:
    April 29, 2009 at 1:55 am

    Congratulations, Jane, on the triple win. Sounds like you had a blast. Wish I could have been there to see it.
    I think you are fabulous!!!

  2. Karen says:
    April 29, 2009 at 3:04 am

    Congrats on your wins. Great pics. Good to see the man behind the camera for a change. Love the photo of you and Susan (another great woman) and of course Australia’s own superstar Geoffrey. Your dog definitely has the Fonda Family star genes. Such a shy little thing! Gee, I wonder why you are tired!

    Sleep well.

  3. Karen says:
    April 29, 2009 at 3:08 am

    Forgot to add, the photo of the Hair cast reminded me of going to the Melbourne version a few years ago. Members of the cast dragged some of us up on stage, thankfully I did not have to strip! They gave me a flower! I am an Aquarian and a 60′s child, so I suppose it was appropriate!

  4. Hannah Castellaw says:
    April 29, 2009 at 3:35 am

    You look like you are having the time of your life.

  5. Bill Hillman says:
    April 29, 2009 at 8:06 am

    Congratulations, and I’m so glad for you and everyone involved.

    I have been meaning to ask you, how you would describe the differences between doing a movie and doing a play? I realize in doing a play, that you get immediate feedback from a live audience, and that would be hard to beat. You also get to explore the character and the play at each performance. In a sense I guess you do that when doing many takes for a scene in a movie. But what are your thoughts?

    Thanks so much for being you.
    B

  6. Cathy says:
    April 29, 2009 at 8:13 am

    Congratulations to you and your castmates on all three counts! Can’t wait to see the video of the skit. You dropping a mink and going into a Jane Fonda Workout … priceless. Collecting the most money for charity … excellent!

  7. Sue Fawcett says:
    April 29, 2009 at 8:14 am

    I’m looking forward to seeing the video of the show! Such fun! Wish I could have been there! If you don’t mind my saying so, you look great in the workout outfit…many older women (myself included) would readily participate in a workout lead by someone in your shape! Michael Rudd looks like a sweet kid. All the best.

  8. James Adolf says:
    April 29, 2009 at 8:19 am

    Congrats on the triple win. This looked like is was a hoot and a holler! Michael Winther is my favorite singer on Broadway. Ask him to give you copy of Songs From an Unmade Bed. You will love it!
    xoxox
    J

  9. Marilyn says:
    April 29, 2009 at 9:04 am

    Congratulations! Sounds like great fun. What a triumph!!!!

  10. Jason Edwards says:
    April 29, 2009 at 9:51 am

    Congratulations! I can’t wait to see the skit, I hope you post it soon!!

  11. Jennifer says:
    April 29, 2009 at 10:01 am

    WOW! Congrats to you all. I’m not surprised that your show did the best…..that’s the power of JFO!!! :)

  12. Amanda says:
    April 29, 2009 at 11:32 am

    Jane, CONGRATULATIONS so much!!!! I’m so thrilled for you, the cast, the crew, and thankful to all those people who donated to this worthy cause. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! And I am anxiously awaiting the video of your skit.

    I can see from that first photo you posted that you really had been crying quite hard. Your eyes are all red and watery (awwwwwww). I feel like I need to see Irena’s Vow now for sure.

    Thank you for sharing all of those delightful photos! They are amazing, and it’s obvious you all had a most fantastic time.

    Again, congratulations on the historical trifecta! You guys are all super amazing and generous!

    All my best,
    Amanda

  13. Roseann Haggerty says:
    April 29, 2009 at 1:04 pm

    Again, congrats, what an accomplishment!!! The ladies from The Today show were raving about You, the cast, the skit, raising the most money etc. That bonnet… how unique. Do you know how much it weighed?
    Great pictures, 13 in all which may be another record.I really could see how moved you were with Tovah Feldshuh. Also, love you in black with your shades on,you fit right in with the cast of Hair.
    I can feel the bloggers anticipation for the DVD.

    Keep Glowing,
    Roseann

  14. Sarah says:
    April 29, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    Fantastic news . Enjoy it all. You deserve it.

  15. Tim C. says:
    April 29, 2009 at 2:47 pm

    You’ve brought grassroots funding back to Broadway!I hope you get a Tony.

  16. Tim C. says:
    April 29, 2009 at 2:50 pm

    You and Susan Sarandon should do a movie together.

  17. Dale Hopson says:
    April 29, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    I was there Tuesday afternoon and it was a fun show. Ms. Fonda, it was a hoot seeing you have so much fun. That’s bonus points for coming back to Broadway!

  18. Betsy says:
    April 29, 2009 at 5:21 pm

    You are a spectacular rainmaker. It was obvious when you stepped forward on stage and made your pitch.
    Perfect.

  19. Barbara says:
    April 29, 2009 at 6:59 pm

    Woowhoo Jane!
    Your the top
    Your the tower of Piassa
    Your the top
    Your the Mona Lisa………..
    Who rocks?
    go jane,go jane.go jane!

    Sweet Dreams,
    Barbara

  20. Bob DiCorcia says:
    April 29, 2009 at 7:11 pm

    Wow! Not surprising that you and your show are attracting compassionate, caring, and generous audience members. Congratulations on all of your hard work in raising funds for Broadway Cares.

    Just re-watched “Klute” the other evening and while I loved seeing you live on stage last month (and meeting you after the show), thank goodness there are so many great performances of yours captured on film for repeated viewings.

    Next on my list: “Julia” and “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”

  21. Kelsey says:
    April 29, 2009 at 9:43 pm

    OMG! Congratulations on everything! You have SO much to be proud of. Is there anything you CAN’T do? I love ya Jane! You always amaze me. Congrats to everybody else. You rock. =)

  22. michelle murphy says:
    April 29, 2009 at 10:06 pm

    had a wonderful supper with Samantha Mathis last night,
    after coming backstage, after seeing the show, from house seats…it was so moving and wonderful…Samantha told me all about the Easter Bonnet skit…and i am here to try to find a link and will keep looking till it is posted…congratulations!! …. p.s. 30 years ago when my husband and i met, i told him how much i admired you, and the first time i ever called him, to tell him to get another ticket for his upcoming trip to italy, because i had decided to join him, our code was “Jane called”…it’s a long story…thanks in part to you, dear heart! keep up those variations….i am! xoxo michelle
    michelle

  23. Julie Raynor says:
    April 29, 2009 at 10:20 pm

    Kudos, Jane on the trifecta. You made it happen. How wonderful to see you doing so much and sharing it with such generosity. I was at the play last night (the 28th), seeing it for the third time in the last two months, and you were broken open for sure. I’ve just finished your memoir; you are a terrific writer, your story riveting but more than that you have a voice and you are using it not just to communicate yourself but to help others. So now I’m hooked on your blog–I who panic about wasting time–but it’s worth it. You said something recently about friendship, sharing with someone who wondered how to make friends, that really hit me: better to be interested than interesting. Wise words. So much to say, I would love to talk to you. We all love you!

  24. trl says:
    April 29, 2009 at 10:43 pm

    Congratulations!

  25. Angela says:
    April 29, 2009 at 11:22 pm

    Congrats to you and everyone in the cast and crew! What a wonderful achievement.

  26. Marilyn says:
    April 30, 2009 at 8:20 am

    Congratulations! Well done!

  27. carolyn says:
    April 30, 2009 at 7:41 pm

    I went to your matinee performance on the April 29th and I sat in the front row in the center.
    The Play and you were amazing.
    I am glad I came to New York that day.
    I am sure your father and mother are proud of you.
    Continue your good work.

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Film, Television & Theater

  • "At age 50, I broke all the career rules and left acting for 15 years. Ten of those years I was married to Ted Turner and after that I spent 5 years writing my memoirs and traveling the world on behalf of women and girls. Needless to say, returning to my profession late in life has been an interesting, exciting and unusual experience! "Monster-in-Law" was my first film after this hiatus and was one of my most fun professional experiences after "9 to 5"! During my 15 year absence, I gained confidence and, as a result, I feel that my acting is better, more nuanced and relaxed than ever."